First Cousins, Once Removed

My recent trip to IL was primarily an opportunity to visit my cousin Melanie and her family. The last time I saw Melanie was for her wedding to Patrick in 2002- I was actually a bridesmaid! Her wedding weekend was so much fun. Of course we were up late the night before the rehearsal tying ribbons on place cards and programs. Sound familiar to anyone? Five years later Melanie and Pat have two sons, Colin Patrick, age 3, and Brendan Dennis, 15 months. As soon as I arrived, Melanie warned me that Brendan might think I was the babysitter and start crying. He did, but eventually he got used to me. A few minutes after I shook Colin's hand, he lead me over to his Duplo blocks to build something. Together we developed (90% Colin's ingenuity) a car.robot.icecreamshop. Our next activity was a trip to my rental car for my bag and camera. Just like my nephew Paul Louis at the same age, Colin wanted to sit in the car:




Then he presented bubbles for me to open:




Brendan Dennis joined us outside, pausing for a millisecond to look at me:



Then the leaf was important:


Then me again:



On our trip to the park I let Colin use my camera (yes, the pro one, I think it's very important children are allowed to use any and all cameras). This is Colin's photo:


And my images of Brendan en route:




Action shots, Colin is very "camera-aware":






Another millisecond opportunity, this time with Colin:


Back home for dinner:



I wonder what Colin's thinking here?




I'm tempted to choose these as my favorites of Colin, the second image being a dramatization of a shiver from the ice cream:




By late afternoon Sunday we were best friends forever:



XoXo, Laura