An Overnight Guest

This little cutie is Lee's (and now mine!) niece Dakota.  She is going to be 2 in December, so right at the stage of crazy busy, and now starting to chat away.  Mostly repeating what she hears, and adding "y" to the end of everything "Coldy" "Huggy" "Kissy".  It's wonderful.

Uncle Lee MAY be one of her favorite people right now. (Well...him AND his iPhone)

"Helping" to play Wii Fit.

Snuggle bunnies on Saturday morning. Notice the discarded National Geographic and Animal Planet book...MIGHT need to invest in some Kid Reading Material!

All slumber parties have to have a Dress up photo!

Out for a walk in the Dallas City Park

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It started out sunny, but then got a little chilly, so Uncle Lee volunteered his hat.

Not so much...

Love.

Bunsen barked at her, and usually whines when she is around, because he is a fan of Lee as well, and can not STAND it when he plays with her. :)  SO, she is somewhat nervous around him.  However, on the walk, she wanted to hold his leash while sitting on Lee's shoulders, and then when we got home, she did not want to be done, so she kept walking him around!  What a bonding experience.

Dakota & I snuggled in after the cold walk with her "Happy", and blankets!

Such a great kiddo.

I had a video... BUT...I am still trying to learn how to format the blogging, after having been away for so long!

Now for the back story.    Duane and Adriana, Dakota's parents, went to Ohio for a wedding, and Lee's mom asked us if we wanted to keep Dakota for one of the nights.  Initially we thought Saturday night, but ended up asking for Friday night so we could have her all day on Saturday.  It was an absolute blast.  She is a busy little thing, but has a wonderful disposition.  She has an extreme love of "gummy", that would rival a certain sister of mine for Skittles.  We only had one instance of a pseudo-scold.  :(  We were at the table eating lunch, and I asked her to take a bite of her corn (with cream cheese in it), and she didn't want to, so I put a spoonful in her mouth and she spit it back out.  Then she took her pickle and threw it on the floor.  Being the "mean disciplinarian that I am, I said, "Dakota, give me your hand.  We don't throw our food on the floor." And gave it a very gentle flick.  BOY HOWDY did that bottom lip come out.  Alysson Stewart ALL OVER AGAIN.  Lee tried to hide his amusement by leaning under the table, but he got me chuckling, and the poor thing had her lip out a mile and crocodile tears in her eyes.  She didn't cry or throw a fit...just sat looking at us with those big blue eyes and bottom lip out.  OH my.   Other than that, it was a perfect weekend, and we look forward to doing it again!!