I awoke this morning remembering we have a passel of children here, and snuck into Courtney's (Jonah's) room to close the blinds and shut the door so she'd sleep just a little longer. These events that rob her of sleep just leave her fried. When I came down at 6:15 there were already 3 kiddos on the couch watching some cartoon. They navigate Netflix way better than their Nana.
Adds slept the longest - I think she was the last one to fall asleep. She had the iPad on her bed with her and was watching a Barbie movie. (I did not help her open her show on Brenda's iPad, I don't own one and still stumble when trying to use Jim's. But she is a master!) Being nearly 3, she was unsure about this whole sleepover thing, but too timid to actually explain what she needed to feel comfortable and sleep. It turns out it was a nightlight she was missing - the pale green one in the socket wasn't sufficient illumination. 
At 7:30 Adds was at the top of the stairs with a cheery greeting, "I woked up!!" Her sisters and cousins were thrilled.
Breakfast was scrambled eggs and leftover birthday cake and fruit. See how I snuck that cake in there in between the healthy stuff, so you might not catch that the kiddos had CAKE for breakfast? To me it was a square donut, or tall pancakes - it's just a different version of starch and sugar. Were I to sprinkle cinnamon and pecans on it and tell you it's a coffee cake, it'd totally be legit! Nana's get to push the envelope like that.
Then there was the obligatory blanket fort. This time it was moved to the dining room where the chairs already reside AND there's a great oaken 'roof' for stabilization. Future engineers these children may be. (And Reeder and I totally remember making these when we were kids. Do you suppose it's some instinctive invention passed down through the generations?)
Oh, but before that, before the sun could fully be up and fry everyone to a crisp, we had swimming. Little Ads is sporting her UV Zip up suit... sort of like long johns for the pool. But she's not as interested in swimming as the big kids, so I gave her the hose and let her water the vegetable garden. It seems I snapped this photo just about time she realized there were other things (or people) she could squirt with the hose.
Yep, three-yr-olds are quick to figure out how to maximize the FUN potential in any setting.
