Blink...blink...blink...

The local public high school is graduating their senior class today.  While we have friends with children graduating, my husband and I are, at a very minimum, about 19 years out from that particular milestone.

I do, however, get to watch from a distance as my siblings' and in-laws' children grow up.

My oldest nephew, technically, is almost 20.  (I didn't get to watch him grow for his entire life, as his mother married into the family when he was 13.  13 to 20, though - wow - those are some changin' years.)  I have nieces and nephews, then, from age 20 to one week.  For two decades, the blood in our family has been growing and growing, and though the jury will be out for a bit, I believe them all to be fine individuals.  All Eighteen of them.  Sheesh.

Example:  two little girls - my little sister's progeny.

Exhibit A: Miss Ruby.
Miss Ruby is seen here with her fairy wings on.  She was eight months old in this photo, and the cheeks...can I just say?  POKE!




















Exhibit B:  Miss Ruby

This is little miss a couple of weeks before her first birthday.  Favorite past-times included smiling, giggling, crawling away, sticking tongue out, and smiling.  She is a very fun little girl to be around.

(set design by Lazy Homeowner in the Scattered Things motif - big ass rock given  by friend for wedding with quote from Song of Solomon from our invitations; wooden duck impulse buy under pressure to be 'homey'; tomato plant acquired at Farmers' Market under husband's protests that I will 'just leave it on the front porch to die'.  It died two weeks later, of thirst and loneliness, I'm told by husband. )











She really did learn to walk, eventually, though she was in no hurry.  She is what her pediatrician called a 'comfort baby', which does not mean that she's comfortable to sit on.  She was just comfortable to sit.  Anywhere she was placed.  Why the heck not? Smart kid, that one.

Today, she runs and jumps (sort of, she's getting better), and is hysterical to watch dance.  In the beginning, though, it was perseverance of the first degree.  Her days looked a lot like this, filmed during the Day of the Pie event I spoke of earlier.  You'll hear us chatting to hear ourselves chat in the background, and see that despite the many capable and watchful eyes around these girls, they are mere minutes away from eating and drinking out of the dog dish.  Again.  *sigh*



Ruby keeping up. from MontanaJen on Vimeo.


Exhibit C:  Miss Josey

This picture was taken the same day as her sister's fairy wing picture above.  That would make Miss Josey almost two in this shot.



















We had fun that day - picked dandelions and sat in places people don't normally sit.  It was quite silly for Miss Josey.
 

Which do you prefer?

It was a very busy day, all in all.















Exhibit...what letter are we on again?




Josey a year later.  Curls are longer, chubby is gone and replaced with....hey!  are those tattoos on my precious girls' hands? 

Sheesh...some people.















And of course sister must help.  While sitting on top of the table. 


Really - what irresponsible person is supposed to be watching these girls, anywa....oh.  Never mind.  I think it was me.

Carry on.










Tomorrow - how my dogs disprove the adage "Working like a dog", or, if said adage is indeed true, then working in the manner of my dogs would involve a lot of sleeping, napping, and peeking at me from under one sagging eyelid.

Comments

[robin]

I watch this video almost every day. Thanks for posting it.