Cousins Who Love Too Much and The Toddlers Who Love Them

My brother and his wife and daughter, A, are on holiday in Nova Scotia this week. They spent Tuesday and Wednesday with us, and The Bairn was very excited to have a cousin close to his age (one year older) to play with.  He talked and talked and talked about how A was coming to visit and then when she arrived, he found her a little overwhelming.  One morning she came downstairs, took him by the hand and marched him off to the toys, while he called out in increasing panic, "Mommy-a, Mommy-a!"

Wednesday we visited Five Islands, so my brother could dig clams and The Bairn could do that which makes him happiest--run and cover himself in dirt.

Five Islands is on the Bay of Fundy, so it's a mud beach rather than a sand beach and the tide comes in very quickly.

A and The Bairn were all over the mud situation.

And A spent a lot of time "helping" The Bairn.

It's actually my brother who The Bairn has really taken a shine to.  He requests stories at night about "Uncle" and spends long stretches of time looking at family "sotos" (photos), so he can identify his new favorite person.