Spending A Week With My Nieces

Last week was a busy but fun week for all of us. My nieces, Taylor and Victoria (they live in Springfield, MO), came to Texas to visit us for the week. My sister, Lisa, stayed the weekend and then went home so that Taylor and Victoria could have the week to themselves. Alexandra was already here visiting her dad, so she got to spend most of the week with us too. Of course I loved being with them, but Nathan is the one who REALLY loved having them here! They played and played with him, and he enjoyed every minute of it! If only they lived closer...but we're already trying to plan a spring break visit :)


Carrie wanted to see Taylor and Victoria too, so she came up for the weekend. She was sure to get her "baby" time in before she had to share :) And then we had a mini photo shoot



I love seeing her little tongue sticking halfway out!


Nothing is better than kissing a soft, fat baby! Can you tell Charlotte never misses a meal?


Carrie and her little helper giving Charlotte a bath.


Mommy: "Nathan, you're getting your arms wet."


Nathan: "I just want to giver her a little kiss."
Mommy: "Ok, but be gentle..."


Mommy: "Oh great"

Taylor and Victoria got here Friday night. They ate dinner with my parents at their house and then dropped by for a quick visit.


Taylor and Charlotte


Victoria and Charlotte


"The girls" as Nathan called them were sure to give Nathan just as much attention as baby Charlotte.


Charlotte showing Taylor her big smile.


And Nathan showed off his fishing skills for everyone

On Saturday everyone came back over after Nathan's nap for swimming, hamburgers and hot dogs, and more baby holding.


Carrie, Mom, Lisa, and me


Alexandra, Taylor and Charlotte, Victoria and Nathan


Nathan swimming from the side to the steps all by himself.


Nathan and Papa


While we were all swimming, I thought it would be a good time to water the plants, but then Nathan stole the hose from me and watered the girls!


Armed and Dangerous!


Alexandra, me, Victoria, and Taylor


And here we all are eating Wayne's yummy hamburgers and hot dogs.


Auntie Carrie and Nathan


Typical teenagers...listening to their music

The next day, Nathan, Charlotte, and I went over to Mama and Papa's house to spend the morning with everyone.


Victoria made Nathan's favorite drink, Orange Julius


Nathan brought out Hi-Ho Cherry-O and wanted everyone to play with him. He's great at spinning the spinner, but doesn't quite understand how to play it yet...he just likes putting the cherries on the tree :)


For a while, I couldn't find Nathan and then I realized he kept sneaking in and out of the pantry. So I waited to try to catch him in the act, and I got these pictures!



He was sneaking in to eat marshmallows from the bag! He's so cute :)

Taylor, Victoria, and Alexandra spent most nights over at Mama and Papa's house, but we met up with them each day. We hung out at mom and dad's house one day, went shopping another day, and then on Wednesday they all came to my house, and we left mom and dad with Nathan and Charlotte and went to the movie "Charlie St. Cloud" which we all loved. Then we came back to my house, and the girls spent the night with us. It was a crazy night! During dinner, they decided to play Never Have I Ever. Well, I lost (they tried to make me lose!) and had to do a dare. My sweet husband suggested to them that I jump in the pool with my clothes on! Of course they thought that was hilarious. And since I give in to peer pressure easily (plus I wanted to be the cool aunt) I did it! Too bad there's not a picture :)


After a spaghetti dinner, they talked Uncle Wayne into going to the store to get a chocolate pie. They also got a package of markers and created masterpieces for Nathan and Charlotte's rooms.


Daddy and Nathan were completely out-numbered by all these girls...now Wayne sees what he has to look forward to!

No girly sleep-over is complete without makeovers! I plucked everyone's eyebrows and Alexandra and Taylor took turns doing the make-up. Taylor did Alexandra, and Alexandra did me and Victoria. But Taylor didn't get to get her make-up done because she was too busy talking on the phone to her boyfriend :)



Aren't we beautiful?!


I can't believe that one day Charlotte is going to be asking me to let her wear make-up! And I'm sure I'm going to get paid back for all of the times I got into my mom's make-up and ruined it :)


On Thursday, the girls slept in (Alexandra told me to wake them up at 9:00 am, but they snoozed for another hour) and then we got dressed and took a trip to the mall where they shopped a bit and ate lunch. Mama and Papa came over later that afternoon to pick them up. While the girls got packed up, Mama got in her Charlotte time :)


Nathan was still taking his nap when Taylor, Victoria, and Alexandra left. I felt so sorry for him because when he woke up, he said, "Mommy let's go get the girls." He was very sad when I told him they had already left :( But Aunt Lisa got him a watercolor set that I hadn't let him use yet, so to get him happy, we got out the paints! Luckily, we get to see them again next week when we got to Springfield to see the rest of my family. We had so much fun last week!