The East Coast Tour, including Tu-Tu's, Tattoos and One Small Pickle)

New York was lovely.  

I spent one day wandering around my old neighborhood shopping, getting a haircut and eating the best Thai food ever.  The next day was happily spent at Megan and David's wedding.  And in the evenings I visited with my cousin Jane and her husband Shane in their new swanky apartment in Brooklyn.  

It couldn't have been better.  Really, I just think I need about three good full days in New York at least once a year.  It's just like visiting home.  

But because I was all the way over on that side of the world, it only made sense that I popped down to Georgia for a few days to visit my actual home. Sadly, I didn't get any time to visit with any friends, but I had loads of good family time. 

Here are just a few snippets...

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Big D is the best kind of grandmother ever.  She isn't cloying, always has treats and keeps a trunk full of dress up clothes, just in case...because occasionally the clothes the short people arrive in just won't do once they are there.  

Right now, Virginia is modeling one of my old ballet costumes*, topped off with a hat her dad (and my brother) Will wore once when he was a cowboy for Halloween. 

It was the exact ensemble perfect for Bill's cookout birthday party, which was just what was going on around her.

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James, Virginia's little brother, who was born on my 35th birthday, enjoyed the book about Norway Husband and I gave to Bill. 

Bill loves books and tends to peruse through them immediately after he opens them, even if we're all still sitting around waiting for the next present to be opened.  

We know this, so we're prepared. 

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Brother Will and Sister Claudia posed while Bill explained alllllllllll about the Vikings and fjords. 

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Later that week, Jack (Claudia's son), Big D and I went to visit my grandmother, Nana.  

Nana is 98 and has just moved into a residence home.  She seems to like it there and has loosened up considerably.  

When D asked Nana if it was okay if Jack drank his bottle on her bed, she said, "Of course. It's not like he's pouring a bowl of hot soup between the sheets."

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While we were there, I introduced Nana to her newest great-grandchild.**  

Husband and I will be back at Thanksgiving for a visit.  We'll probably have more photos to show, but Nana may not actually meet Pickle until next summer...Unless of course she comes over early next March when Pickle is hatched. 

(Contrary to her expression at this second, she was psyched about getting another great-grandchild.  Pickle will be lucky number seven, depending on how you count.  And I suppose there is always the possibility that one could arrive sooner and we just don't know about it quite yet.)

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To celebrate my official name change to the one on the right hand column (and also just because it is just loads of fun) Bill took the girls out to dinner. 

Then it was time to come back home. 

*For a guaranteed a good time for everyone involved, say the word "tu tu" as often as possible when having a conversation with a five-year-old who is wearing just that. For an added bonus, accidentally confuse "tu tu" with the visible "tattoo" on child's right leg.

**Yep, that's what you read. More on that later...