Happy Birthday, Eva's Baby!

Eva has been having babies like crazy lately.  It seems like I'm gaining a new grandbaby every other day.  She goes through the whole bit every time:

Eva waddles up to me, patting her swollen belly, and joyfully announces her pregnancy.  Of course, I exclaim, "Oh!  How wonderful!  When are you going to have it?"

Very soon after that - her pregnancies are always much shorter than mine - she plunks herself on the couch.  She grunts and moans and pushes and POP!

"Mama!  Look!  I have a new baby" and she proudly presents me a swaddled baby doll. 

And, as most  babies do, they grow up too fast.  Barely an hour after Eva's Baby (that's her real name) was born, we celebrated her first birthday. 

Eva taped posters to the wall to make sure everyone knew about the party.

I made lemonade and Fake S'mores

We all took turns holding the baby.

We followed Eva's instructions and made cards.

We wrapped some gifts.

We also danced the "Cha Cha Slide".  Sadly, I don't have any pictures of that.  Sorry.

How great is it that we can celebrate our children's births, even the plastic ones?  How great is it to watch your daughter love and care for her dollies and know that somehow, that love she is showing is really your love,  given to her, and re-distributed to her own loved ones?  Even better - the very same love that she gives really first started through my own mother, and her mother, and hers.

It's amazing. 

Look, Mom!

He's every bit the boy, that one!  Rubber boots, muddy hands, black eye and handling toads.

I asked him what he was going to name his toad, and he said, "Toad."   Very good.  It's an obvious, no-nonsense moniker.

Shortly after, Toad wriggled out of Graedy's grasp and squeezed himself through a crack in the deck, never to be seen again.

No problemo!  The kids raced back to the toad spot and Maddie caught herself another one.  When I asked her what this one would be named, she said, "Toad.  Toadda.  Todd.  ROBIN!!"   So Robin it is.  The first thing Robin did in her home/tote was to explore all the sides by frantically jumping and trying to scale the walls to freedom.  The second thing she did was release some bubbles.

I believe it might have been toadstool.

PS - At the time of this writing, Robin is now named Speckles.

Prom Night

My sister, L, is graduating from high school.  Prom was tonight, and we were able to go see the Grand March. 

Here's my baby sister, all grown up and lady-like.  J, her date, is very dapper as well!

It's Summer Time!!

School's out for summer!  Yay!  The kids are excited, and so am I.  Bring on the sunshine, cuz we are in dire need of some maxin' and relaxin'. 

We were going to have our last official day of school on Wednesday, but after weeks (it felt like weeks, anyway) of rain, we got our first hot and sunny day.  Therefore, I pulled that 'Get out of school free' card and declared today the start of summer vacation. 

Like every year, I've played with the idea of schooling through the summer months.  Like every year, that has ended with the conclusion of - Are you kidding me??!! 

I'm gonna kick back with a Limonana (new recipe!) and watch the kids play.