Playtime with the Popps

(Believe it or not, we're now almost caught up to real time in the Parsons' world. Aunt Jacqui and her boyfriend Ed came to visit over Labor Day weekend, but despite their excellent care of Megan we didn't really have any pics of them from their visit. But after this post, we are now in present day. Whew.)

Over the Sept. 18th weekend we were blessed to have the Popp family join us for a weekend. Andrew and Danielle were our friends WAY back from my days at the University of Cincinnati when I was getting my masters degree in 2004. They've sinced moved down to Louisville for Andrew's on-going med school training, but they are in Chicago for the year while he does a residency/fellowship/some doctor-thingy there. When we last saw them, it was in Cincinnati for a baby shower in anticipation of their first baby. Well, little Sebastian is finally here and he's nearly seven months old!

Since they were so close they agreed to come to town for a visit before the cold Arctic winds made the pass nearly impossible so our little ones could hang out. Most of the weekend unfolded much like you would imagine it would with a two kids under 19 months. Megan ransacked the house with her toys and Sebastian was content to work on his sitting skills and plain just look adorable.

In fact we got out some of Megan's old toys from when she was just a teeny baby for Sebastian to play with. You know, the ones she ordinarily wouldn't give a second glance to and deign indifference towards? Shockingly this weekend she decided those were her prized possessions anytime they got near Sebastian's hands or mouth. So much of our time was spent making sure Megan didn't wallop Sebastian for having the gall to invade her space.

As for Danielle and Andrew she liked them very much though. Once they spent a few hours in her space and she silently "okayed" them, they were just two more big people to coerce into holding her and reading her books. We did the traditional East Grand Rapids thing we've down with most of our guests and took them downtown for some good food during one of our last great weather weekends. But besides that we just spent a relaxing weekend catching up with our friends amidst the chaos of kids. I think it was my first look at what having two kids might look like, without the benefit of two other adults to help, and it looked daunting.

We look forward to returning the hospitality sometime this winter in Chicago where we can make snow angels, throw snowballs, and come inside to warm hot cocoa with whip cream on top. Mmmm.