My brother and his family were here last weekend; my two-year-old niece called me Nana over and over.   Then she would catch herself and say, “No no, not Nana!  Aunt Susan!”  Eventually, I ate her because she was so darn cute.

Also delicious.

Charlie was smitten by my five-year-old niece; they told the same pointless jokes and laughed until they couldn’t breathe.

“Knock knock!”

“Who’s there?”

“Tractor.”

“Tractor who?”

“Lightbulb!!!”

(Hysterical laughter and falling down.)

The big kids played together in the yard; they drew flags and taped them to sticks and made a pirate camp.  They all slept in the playroom, sprawled on the floor with the blankets kicked off and their arms and legs flung every which way.

On the first night, Charlie woke up at 3:00 am with a bloody nose.  He made his way from the playroom to our room, remembering to cut through his room and the bathroom to miss the baby gate that was blocking the hall.  I sent Wade to the boys bathroom for kleenex and hand towels; he forgot about the gate and smashed into it.  Twice.

In the morning, my brother said, “Did you hear us laughing when you hit the gate?”  They heard the crash and the “Goddammit!” and they started to giggle.  Really, who wouldn’t?

On Saturday night, we watched Man vs. Wild, which somehow my brother had never seen before.  He was mesmerized by Bear Grylls eating a raw snake; I looked over and he was frozen, staring at the television with his Reeses Peanut Butter Cup suspended halfway to his mouth.  I think he’s hooked.

On Sunday, as we were finishing lunch, my wee little niece toddled up to Henry and said, “Henwy, will you wead to me?”  And I ate her, again.

Still delicious.

(Fleece giveaway ends at midnight Friday.  Get in on it while you can!!!)