Babes Galore!

Alternate Title: I'm an Instant Uncle!

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall; who's the cutest of them all?"

That is what I have been thinking in my head over the last week. I visited many friends whom I have not seen in years and their little ones. Each friend would ask me, "Isn't he/she the cutest baby/kid you have ever seen?" That is an impossible question to answer! Of course, to each one I simply reply that the baby/kid is the cutest. Good thing some of my friends don't know each other, for I would absolutely hate it if they would get in a fight about who John thinks is the cutest!

It is just unfortunate that I didn't have enough time to visit all of my friends in Springfield. Not even the ones with kids, who are highest on my priority list. I missed out on seeing Staci and her Molli, and Meranda and her Mia and Mason. I guess I can't really do anything when Mia was really sick and couldn't leave the house. But at least I got to visit Colleen and her Madison, Theresa and her Austin, Natascha and her Eva, and Joshua and his Rilie. Yeah, isn't that a lot of kids?

Anyway, allow me to introduce the gorgeous babes to you!

This is Madison:

2003.12.27

2005.02.28

2006.12.23

Madi is so cute in both her looks and the way she talks. She is a bit shy with me now, and sometimes talks fast in a mumbling way. Whenever I didn't understand what she was saying and asked her to repeat herself, she would sigh and say, "Just connect the dots!" Isn't that just adorable, and sassy, like a drama queen? I can totally see her growing up to be a girly princess! There is no denying where Madison got her beauty from: Colleen.

This is Austin:

2006.12.23

Unfortunately, I never met him as a baby; I think this is the first time I've seen him. What can I say? Austin is a wild one! I think he definitely takes after his father. Austin reminds me of myself, when I was pure evil and naughty when I was his age. Theresa and I go a long way back. She was one of my first friends I made when I first transferred to Southwest Missouri State University back in 1998. I liked her a lot, but she got engaged. And it wasn't much later when I met her much younger sister Colleen, whom I have now become close friends with.

This is Eva:

2006.12.23

2006.12.26

I have not met Eva before, because this babe was born earlier in March. Her mom, Natascha, and I share a very strange story about how we first met. It wasn't long thereafter when I became close with her entire family: sister Michele, brother Joshua, and parents Robert and Susan. Throughout the years, I have become family to them. Or at least they tell me so. Ha ha. Eva came as a surprise, but at nine months, she is able to walk and can eat solid food. She definitely gave me the case of envy, for I was almost two when I started to walk! The best thing about Eva is that she warmed up to me almost immediately when I first met her. She is happiest when she sees me, and always wants me to pick her up. From the first day on, I have become her favorite "uncle" Johnny. {Sorry Josh and Shane.} Considering that my sister and her husband have steadfastly said to never have kids, this is the closest I'll ever be to becoming an uncle. I can absolutely live with that.

This is Rilie:

2003.12.25

2006.12.25

Rilie is naughty as well, but not as mischievous as Austin. He is one shy kid, and obviously he didn't remember me. He was still a tiny baby when I last saw him. But the next day when we spent Christmas at his grandma Susan's house, he warmed up to me. In fact, he missed and wanted to see me on Christmas day! How sweet is that? And the next day, he got anxious when I showed up late for ice skating. It always feels good to be wanted. =)

If only I can have kids of my own... Sigh.