What do you get when you mix two toddler cousins?
Trouble with a captial T!
Aww, look. DeDe is showing Penelope how to play the piano.
What beautiful music you two make!
Then here comes Cade, ready to get in on the action too. All is good and well until...
"Hey Cade!"
"What Penelope?"
"Did you know this part up here moves?"
"No Penelope! Don't close the lid on Cade's fingers!"
Penelope was ecstatic to find that her same four-wheeler also lived at DeDe's and Poppy T's house.
Then somebody had the brilliant idea to let Cade and Penelope ride on it together.
"Hey Cade, I'll hold on tight to your shirt so I won't fall."
"Good idea, Penelope."
"No, Cade. Let's go this way. Let me take the wheel."
"Watch out, Penelope!"
Thanks to Poppy T's quick intervention that one didn't end too badly.
Cade and Penelope were always finding things to get into. One morning we found the two of them had snuck into DeDe and Poppy T's room and were busy experimenting with the CD player. Don't worry. We caught them right before either of them stuck their fingers in the outlet.
We spent one morning at the Children's Museum in downtown Houston. Cade and Penelope had a fabulous time exploring the tot room.
This was my favorite part--a life-size version of a Lite Brite toy.
Both Cade and Penelope liked playing with the doors that were just their size. Penelope was confused every time she opened the door only to find herself staring back at her own image in the mirror.
Ding-dong. Anybody home?
I really like this picture of Penelope playing with the dollhouse. I like to look at it and pretend that I actually have a serene, angelic child.
I was eventually able to convince Penelope to sit down and have a tea party with me.
"Thank you for this delightful cup of tea, Mother."
Cade saw what we were up to and wanted to join in. Penelope wasn't too sure about sharing tea with a boy.
"Uh, Penelope."
"Yes, Cade."
"Your mommy is tricking you. There really isn't any tea inside of here."
"Yeah, Cade. I think you're right."
All of the other children went down the slide. Penelope was adament about only going up it.
"Um, Penelope. I think that girl was in the firetruck first."
"No, boys. You've got it all wrong. You've got to push the break before you turn on the ignition."
"C'mon Cade. I've had enough. Let's quit this joint."
And then there was little cousin Ella.
Just sittin' pretty watching the world go by.
(But don't you put that girl down or hold her the incorrect way, or she'll let you know who's boss.)
The last day we tried to get a group picture of all of us. Later on, when I looked at the (failed) pictures more closely I realized Penelope and Ella were having some interesting interactions while the photographer was snapping away.
"Hey, Ella. Your headband seems to be a little crooked. Let me help you with that. And why does your mama make you wear those things anyways?"
"Thanks Penelope. It was gettin' kinda itchy."
"Wow Ella, you sure have chubby cheeks."
"Hey! Don't go dissin' my cheeks, Penelope. My daddy says they're cute."
"Nice, baby Ella."
"Hey Penelope! I may be a baby now, but just wait until we see each other next year. You'd better watch out..."
