annual lee family tour

One month out of my summer vacation, I embark on what Pete has termed the Lee Family Tour, where I visit my brother in upstate NY, my sister in Baltimore, and my parents in southeastern PA, and stay a night or more at each. Combined with three weddings, August was a very busy month.

My nieces and nephews are growing up so fast. Jordan, my oldest, will be in first grade next week. Her little brother Devin will be riding the bus with her now that he's in kindergarten. She'll protect him, although he has a pretty good karate kick and punch of his own. The tooth fairy also paid a visit to Jordan this summer, leaving her wide eyed at the glitter on her window sill. Devin is turning out to be the more loquacious of the two. As soon as I got to my brother's house, he narrated the entire Star Wars visual encyclopedia to me: Admiral Ackbar to Yoda. He pretty much died and went to heaven at Star Wars Weekend at Disney World earlier this summer. I love these pictures, especially of Darth Vader signing Jordan's princess book and Darth Maul surprising Devin (and a very amused Darth Jordan afterwards).

My sister's daughter Hadynn is adorable and so precocious; I swear she has adult conversations with me in her three year old voice.

"Would you like some juice?"

"Sure, I would like some mango juice. Thank you so much!"

"You're very welcome."

"Where's Uncle Pee?"

"He's with Chocolate."

"Oh. Chocolate and Uncle Pee are at your home. Please tell them I said hello. I think I'll go put on some music now and dance. The hokey pokey, if you well."

And Gabriel, the baby, is cruising and will be walking any minute. When he wants out of his high chair, he bounces up and down until he's pushed his chair three feet away from the table. And then he sits there amazed at what he's done. I've never seen a baby transition from a cry to a smile so quickly. He'll be one very soon!