We have been counting down the days of them getting here since the summer! So when they sent this selfie from the airport, I was over the moon! The day was finally here!! It had been MUCH too long!!
Jon is amazing and drove down to Victoria do to the late night airport pick up! They didn't get until 11:40 pm. Yikes! Thank you husband for doing that!
The next morning, Quinny woke up and we told her that someone was here to see her. She knew Brandon and Shelby were coming, she has been talking about it for days. But I still expected her to be shy with him, as she usually is at first. But he heard her and came out of the spare bedroom and the second she saw him she let out a slow grin that turned so huge. She was SO excited! She went right to him and gave big hugs and was so cute. She did the same with Shelby. So thankful for FaceTime, so that she knows exactly who they are. Brandon is such an amazing uncle. He carried her around everywhere and let her boss him around, and did it all with a huge smile on his face. I told him at one point "You don't have to do everything she says. She can be really bossy." (because truly, she can be. She likes to run the show). He looked at me and said "Im here for a week. The girl gets whatever she wants from me. Ill play playdoh and dress like a princess and carry her everywhere if she wants." And that is why my brother is the very best. He is so special. Kind and thoughtful and funny. Oh how I have missed him!!!!!
We had a great first day together, playing games and running around the house and eating too much food. We went into Chemainus and did a bit of shopping and just spent time together talking. SO NICE!!!!! On Friday Neil came up and we met him in Chemainus at Bonnie Martin's so that him and Jon could have their beloved chicken curry fries for lunch (a tradition everytime he comes to town!) and then came back home. We had "christmas" that afternoon/evening and it was really fun! Jon knew that I was sad that I ran out of time and couldn't decorate for Christmas before they got here. So he got up early Friday morning and decorated our mantle with lights and stockings and pulled out the nativity scene and a few other little things. It looked SO nice. I cried because it was just so thoughtful and speaks into the kind of man and husband that Jon is. So we were all ready Friday afternoon to open presents and listen to Christmas music! Yay!
Quinny was VERY excited about presents and could barely sit still. But we managed to get a cute pic still haha!
And this was her defeated face when Neil's cell phone rang and he had to answer it. We told her she had to wait for him so she sighed and flopped down like this. What a dramatic girl haha! She makes me laugh.
And big smiles when she got to finally open her first one!
She would exclaim and clap over each gift and say "oh thank you!!" and then set it down gently with the rest. All her presents were in a little pile, and she would hand the wrapping paper to Jon. Such a funny girl!
Helping Shelby open her gifts
Olaf Pillow! Thank you Grandpa Neil!!
Neil opening his gifts from all of us!
Showing off his new 10 Tree hat that he really wanted! I'm not sure if people would know this, but he has an obsession with hats. Like a real obsession. He will carefully pick out which hat he should wear each day, making sure each of his hats are getting love. When we go somewhere, he will pack a couple different ones, even if we are just gone for a few days. Its pretty funny because he is so non-materialistic and could careless about most things "fashion". But he really loves hats and has been eyeing this one up, so he was quite excited to open this from Brandon!
My handsome little brother. He fills my heart in places that I don't realize are empty until he's around. He is so dear to me and I really value and cherish our strong relationship.
She got very spoiled! Its fun to watch Neil pick out gifts for her and to see Brandon and Shelby be so thoughtful in what they get her too. Seeing your family really love on your kid (outside of gifts of course, they just really care about her and they try to know what she's into and what she likes) is a pretty cool thing. Brandon and Shelby got her bubble bath and Anna and Elsa loofas and those were such a hit! She wants bubbles in every bath now and needs her anna and elsa!
Shelby is kind and smart and beautiful and incredibly thoughtful and also very strong willed. She is very much a great fit for my brother, and I am so glad that they have each other and that their love is so strong. I see them really care for each other, and do little things that show they are attentive and equals and that they work hard at their relationship. It makes this sisters heart very happy.
Laying on her new pillow!
Saturday we went into Duncan and Shelby and I went to a craft fair and then we all met up for lunch at Just Jakes. I don't think that we have ever had this kind of time with us siblings and Neil before. It was really nice!!
So we were talking about how cute Q looks when she sleeps, and so I snapped this picture. When we went downstairs and were all looking at it, we were instantly creeped out! Its like the doll's head turned to look right at the camera! YIKES! This "baby" is her favorite one (she loves them all, but most consistently wants this one) and her head turns all the way around and often looks so weird. But this picture really is weird haha! But Quinny is adorable!
The weather was gross most of the weekend, and kept us inside. But Brandon and Shelby were happy about that because they were feeling pretty burned out from life and work and needed rest. I was happy to take care of them and feed them and just hang out! Neil left on Sunday and that evening the weather cleared up a bit and we went for a walk on the boardwalk. This boardwalk is one of the best things about Crofton so far, I think. Its so gorgeous and such a lovely walk!! I was happy to be able to show them around our new town a little bit!
These two. So much love.
Matching hats! They got each other pretty much the same hat, just a bit different colors haha!
Love love love love this!!!!! Her face says it all on how excited she was to have them around
Walking arm in arm with my baby brother, as we have our whole lives. Strong, steady, together.
Shebly's camera is better than mine and this was the pic she got... clearer, but maybe not a better pic?! haha
My mom said she cried when we sent this to her, seeing us all together. I wish we could ALL be together more often than once a year if we are lucky! We missed her a lot.
He said that this sumed up our relationship - he is being all huggy and emotional and I am resisting his love. I don't think thats true haha!! But he is much more affectionate than I am, so it made me laugh. Its funny to me how he's a grown man now (22 this week!!!) and yet he is still such a little kid when he is around me haha! I guess the same can be said for me - I instantly snap into "big sister mode" when he is around. Bugging and teasing and bossing him around. Its ingrained
Monday was just a quiet day at home - lots of rain! We played playdoh and watched movies (Inside Out - so good! I love that movie)and played hide and seek and played real games once she was sleeping!
Jon got up bright and early do to the airport run... had to leave the house at 5:30am. Yuck! their flight ended up being cancelled and then new flight delayed and whole huge hassle and they didn't get home until 330am!! What a long day!! When Quinny woke up that morning, she was so sad that they were gone. But I explained to her that they were going back to their house, and she accepted that and went on with her day. Crazy how resilient kids are!
It was a fantastic week, and one that I will hold very dear to me until the next time!!!
