History Repeating Itself?

For the past week, a few-months-old Siamese kitten has taken to loving on our back porch. We called it cat-dog, because it's crazy friendly, then Oliver (after the orphan), then (after discovering "it" was a "she"), Olivia.

B and I have gone round and round on this cutie. I convinced him (without working too hard, mind you) to give it some milk, then it tailed him everywhere, even bounding along beside him when he walked to the gym.

It should be said that we are not cat people. Never had them, never wanted them. But this cat has us both putting milk (and towels...) out on the back porch and going out for snuggles. We think he got lost or someone turned him loose (sad), because he definitely doesn't act like the strays we've seen around.

Our landlord is putting the kibosh on the back porch feedings and is planning to either find it a home or take it to the no-kill shelter B found. (Love him.) For now, here's a pic of B with the other ill-gotten cat in our shared history: the dorm cat our roommates shared custody of.

PS-- How adorable is 18 year old B? He's a baby!

Times are a' changin'

I'm sure one of my brothers could pinpoint the exact game when this photo was taken, but all I can think when looking at it is that this was taken pre-kiddos and, I think, pre-husbands? It's at least college, because that's my roommate's belt I'm sporting. Hm, which may mean my sister was married after all...

Save Me!

Uncle B, please don't make me get in the car tomorrow with all those women. They'll probably make me hold a doll. Again.

"Treat" is in the Mouth of the Beholder

Note to self: When you tell your nieces they can have Cheetos and cookie dough for a treat, you may want to specify that they don't have to eat them together.

Clearly she's inherited my refined palate.

Porn for Women, a Picturebook

My sister walked in on her 2 year old during quiet time and found her reading this. Seeing only the book cover ("Porn for Women"), she asked if she could see it.

Much to her happiness, the book was filled with pictures of (fully-dressed) men saying things like, "Look! The playoffs are on, we'll have no trouble parking at the crafts fair." and "I can't offer you any suggestions about your problem, but I'm happy to listen."

Everytime someone offered to read a story, this little lady brought her book along, too.

I like that she's reading it while munching on a spoonful of cookie dough.

"Are You Going Back to Sleep?"

..and other crazy questions asked by Aunt A at 5am today.

My sister and mom are brilliant and crazy. They made the plan to leave as soon as the first kid woke up. Well, here's kid one, followed closely by kid two at 5am.

I (wrongly) assumed my sister had woken up the 2 year old but apparently no one informed the next generation about Daylight Savings Time. Makes it amazing that Disney's gates don't open until nine, huh? That's practically lunchtime!

So I found little man here and we packed the cooler with chocolate milks and Diet Cokes, then his sister (aforementioned early riser) decided she'd share her doll with him.

I feel like T is really saying:

Dear Dad & Uncle Brian,

Where are you? I'm awake, no one will turn on Sports Center, and I've been given this crazy doll to gum on while everyone else hustles around.

Also, I'm way cute.

Love,

T

I miss them already! When they left the first time, B said, "Ahh. Quiet." To which I replied, "Awh. Quiet."

Safe travels, guys!

Pint-Sized Wisdom

Ella: Catherine's Daddy is very tall.
Me: Someday you'll be very tall.
Ella: Will I keep growing forever?
Me: No.
Ella (panicked): Why not?
Me: Because then you wouldn't fit in the car and we'd have to get a special bed made, but don't worry, your bones know when to stop growing.
Ella: How?
Me: There's a space in between your bones that says, "Grow! Grow", and when you get older, it closes up and tells your bones to stop growing.
Ella: Is that space where God lives?
Me: (silence)
Sister: Exactly right, Ella.