Evidence of Southern Cuteness

This is my nephew, Robbie, and his cousin, Mary Eason. The level of cuteness is almost too much really and it is about to get worse. Behold:

I mean, the bow ... does it not induce nose-wrinkling and an urge to squish her? Mary has the distinguished title of being The Happiest Baby I Ever Met. That tune may change when she's 14 but for now, she is completely delighted with Everything. Her typical sing-song response, "Ooooooooooo!"

Robbie, meanwhile, cannot go anywhere without his cowboy hat. Exhibit A:


Children are cool. They're like miniature people only eight million times more lovable.


Also, just to prove that I am connected to said cuteness, here is me being loved by the women who birthed these angels. Robin Louise is to the left and she's a hoot. We don't have an official title (she's my sister-in-law's sister) so we just go with the term "Family." She monitors my progress in Southern traditions. Once, I accidentally became privy to a family secret and she patted by hand, "Lordie, you're a real Steel Magnolia now - keeping secrets!" It was like I'd moved up a belt color in karate or something, I was so jazzed.


The woman nuzzling my neck is my beloved sister-in-law, MaryAnn, a true pistol of a gal. I really got lucky here. My brother dated so many vacuous betties but, in the end, got smart and picked a fiery woman of substance. What a friggin' relief! I adore her.

"Miss the Mississippi and you ..... "