Jelly Roll

All anyone needs to know about Joel's role as uncle in our house is contained in this single snapshot.

To be fair, he brings most of it on himself, but I do have to step in and tone down the children's pep every ten seconds every so often.  The self-proclaimed "favorite uncle" turned 30 years old this year, and since he was going to be diligently working on his dissertation (right, Joel?) several states over on the day itself, Millie wanted to bake a cake, and the children threw him an early birthday party.

Birthday Party = cake, soda, loud singing, and a pointy hat.

Cake & soda:

Loud singing:

 

 

 

Pointy hat:

The only thing that gets this lady to slow down and sit is a smushy baby.  Good thing we had one handy.

The morning of his departure, I made Joel stand still for 3 seconds for this hasty shot.  I needed proof for Cadence that she was the first (and so far, only) baby that Joel has held of his own volition.  Her potent combination of cuteness, cuddliness, thumb-sucking-ness, placidness, and parental neglect ensured that he sought her out within a few minutes of each visit.  ("Where's Cadence?  What?! She's all alone in the living room sucking her thumb! Here-- I'll hold her.")

That's one lucky baby.