Guncles

Since I don't have any nieces or nephews, and Matthew's two nephews are now (both almost) teenagers, we're always excited to be guncles (gay uncles) for our friends' young children.  Of course, we were thrilled when our friend, Pauline, said that she and her daughter, Mia, were coming to town and wanted to stay with us. 

So, for two nights, Matthew and I played host to a bundle of cuteness - and energy! - whom we absolutely adore.  There were no crying jags or temper tantrums - which we attribute to our good guncleness - just tons of special reading time, Tinkerbell DVDs, and hide-and-seek.  Mia has trouble pronouncing certain consonants, which kept us in stiches the entire visit:  "I'm not tree (three), I'm pour (four);" "May I be accused (excused)" and "the pooky porest (spooky forest - from her Dora Halloween book)."
 

You're the best reader ever, Uncle Matthew!

 

Thankfully, my not-so-friendly kid menu went down well.  She particularly loves fruit, of which I had plenty on hand, so there was a back-up plan if nothing met her approval.  And what's a visit to our home without a taste of my crumb bars - made with frozen blueberries that we picked over the summer - which she promptly wolfed down, just like the adults at the table:
  

Thank you, Martha Stewart!

But, now they're gone, so the house is quiet again.  And while we enjoy the peace, we certainly miss that pitter-patter of feet, and the endless supply of hugs and kisses.  Still, what better way to drown our sorrows than with this really cool thank you gift...