A cousin is a ready-made friend for life...

I found this quote on a scrapbooking website a year or so ago and used it for a page of Rylee and Ava in Rylee's first year scrapbook. As these two sweet little girls are growing up, I'm so thankful that they have each other and live close together so that they can build a strong friendship - I believe that they truly will be great friends and have a lifelong bond.

We used to see Katie and Josh and Ava a few times a week when they lived in Orem, but a month or so ago they moved down to Provo - not too much farther, but far enough that it seems like we now only see them about once a week. So all week long, Rylee was asking about Ava (or "Aya" as she says...) She literally started talking about her first thing when I got her out of bed and throughout the day until I put her back down to bed. Most nights when I put her to bed she actually started crying and repeating "Aya! Aya! Aya!" So on Wednesday night I told her that we would go see Ava tomorrow...well Thursday wound up being a crazy day, so long story short, it didn't happen. I felt so bad and like the biggest liar when on Thursday evening Rylee had me put her shoes on and then tried to go out to the garage saying, "Car, see Aya!" She was so sad when I told her that we woudn't be able to see Ava that night, I almost broke down and drove her to Provo at 8:30 PM! Instead, I called and let Rylee talk to Ava on the phone. And then I promised Rylee that we would see Ava the next day. She looked at me like "that's what you said yesterday!"

So on Friday we actually DID go see Ava. We met Katie and Ava and Naomi (who Katie babysits) at Chuck E. Cheese's for lunch. Rylee and Ava saw each other across the restaurant and ran to each other, Rylee yelling "Aya! Aya! Aya!" the whole way! They collided into a hug and patted each others backs. They were smiling from ear to ear and didn't let go of each other for a minute or so!The girls rode this ride over and over and over...

This was one of Rylee's favorite rides.

They had fun playing together and eating pizza, and when it was time to go and Katie and I were loading kids into our cars, Rylee walked over to Katie's car and said "Bye Mommy!" She used all 24 1/2 pounds of her little body to fight me when I picked her up and brought her to our car, and arched and kicked and screamed harder than I can remember her doing ever before as I buckled her into her carseat. Luckily for Rylee, she saw Ava again that night and then again today.

In between her requests to see Ava, Rylee made us laugh a lot this week. She frequently says "Hold you me!" (this is a development from her previous "Hold you!" that she used to say when she wants us to pick her up) and loves to snuggle. She is starting to be much more interactive with some of her favorite TV shows. She has chosen a favorite episode of Little Einsteins - "Puppet Show" and talks about it constantly, saying all the parts and doing all the movements that they do on the show.

Rylee got this Sesame Street shirt this week and was very excited about it...

She also started mimmicking a Sesame Street episode. It's one about "Mineitis" - a disease that makes it so those infected won't share anything. The symptoms of "Mineitis" are:

1) Getting Itchy

2) Hopping like a Kangaroo

3) "Twirling like a Twirly Thing"

...and then...saying "MINE!" as you snatch things away from people.

So a few days ago, Rylee started scratching herself and said "Rylee's itchy!" and then grabbed something and exclaimed "MINE!!!" This game progressed throughout the week and she now "shows all of the symptoms" in her cherades. She thinks it's hysterical when Quinn and I join in on the game!

Rylee also loves her sister, and Cailyn is starting to show her interest in Rylee as well. Rylee loves to snuggle with Cailyn and is constantly saying "Hold her," (usually referring to Cailyn, although it seems that this is what she says whenever she wants anybody to hold anything other than herself...we'll master pronouns someday!)

Cailyn, who is getting more talkative by the day, often smiles and squeals when she sees Rylee! (And Rylee makes sure to tell us that Cailyn in "talking" to her.)

Just can't get enough of those cheeks and that smile! Little miss Cailyn brings lots of sunshine and happiness to our home.

We are so blessed to have such sweet girls in our family! They make life happier every day.

Oh, and PS...Quinn got salmonella this week from eating pistachios. Thankfully, not a serious case of it, but it's been enough to keep him down most of the time this week. So pray with us that he'll feel back to his normal self soon!