Can we actually do this now?

So I've been trying to post to my blog since Wednesday. That's when the internet problems began. So I'm finally posting, but I admit I'm kinda phoning this one in. I feel bad, but I promised Aunt Judy a picture of a baby and by Jove she's gonna get a picture of a baby. Even if it's late. Hooyah.

Gator and I didn't do any traveling over the holidays. This is nominally because we needed new tires on the pickup, but it was mostly just because we don't like to travel over the holidays. The weather's usually bad, the roads are full of idiots, etc., but I digress. The result of this is that I had not seen my sister or nieces for months and months and I had a new great-niece that I had never met. Also, there were presents for the great nieces and nephews that had not yet been received.

About a week and a half ago, we finally got the new tires for the pickup. So I messaged my sis and nieces on Facebook that I would daytrip to Kansas City, meet up with as many of them as could come, deliver presents, meet a new baby, and a wonderful time would be had by all. This went over very well and fabulous plans were made, including a visit to the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Yay! Super fun!

So the day comes, I get around, the weather's crappy but that's not to stop me! I get to my niece Liz's house in KC and finally get to meet the newest of my greats -- Miss Eleanor!


She didn't want to look at the camera too badly, but that's okay because she was sweet and charming and let me hold her for an hour and didn't fuss once. (Here she is being held by my other niece, Becca, who is not Ellie's mother -- just to avoid confusion.)

So we're going over the line-up for the day and Liz gets to the part where the kids will open their presents... and my heart drops. In all the truck-ready-crappy-weather-getting-ready that morning, I forgot the presents. 'Cause I'm a moron dorkwad. So we had to explain to children who had been super excited to come get presents that they weren't getting presents. Oh, but they were still going to a Museum!!!! That went over great.


So I'm going back to KC soon, to meet up with my sister and nieces and great nieces and nephews and redeem myself as the cool great aunt. Which is important to me. Because "the cool great aunt" is not a term you hear every day.

Unless you're my Aunt Judy, and then you are the cool great great aunt. Which is just cool. Happy Bday, Jude. Love you. :)