Bubba!

Shannon and Matt left a week after I got to Utah. Then I was all alone and in charge! The girls where in school for the first couple of days that I babysat, so I got to spend most of my time with my adorable nephew, Andrew.

Andrew is one of the most hilarious people I know. He made me laugh all day long. I would get made at him for doing something and within minutes he would have me laughing and I would forget about my frustrations. I wanted to write down all the hilarious things he would say to me, but he kept me so busy I didn't have time to write anything.

There are two stories I clearly remember. The first involves my computer. He was obsessed with my computer, which didn't make much sense because Shannon's old computer that he uses is a MacBook just like mine. He never wanted his, he only wanted mine. I handed my computer one day and started typing disneyjr.com he said, "No, Stephanie (he always calls me Stephanie, my only nephew to do so), it's right there." I looked and he had booked marked Disney Jr! I just learned how to do that a couple of months ago!

The other story happened on Easter. There was an hour before he needed to get ready for Church and he said he wanted to go play with his bubbles. I told him I would be in the kitchen watching this extremely boring, four hour documentary about Utah becoming a state. This was our conversation...

Me: Ok, Bubba, you go play. I have to watch a boring video.
Andrew: Why? Did Jesus say so??
Me: Uh, no.
Andrew: Oh, did my mom say so??
Me: No.
Andrew" Oh, did the police say so??
He has the chain of commands all figured out!

Before Matt and Shannon left, my dad invited me over for dinner. Andrew really wanted to go so I figured it would be good practice for the week ahead! The Madsens were still in town so they came for dinner too. I wanted to get a picture of Andrew and Caleb. Caleb wasn't too happy with Andrew, but Andrew kept telling me to take his picture. Isn't he so handsome??

 Andrew was really good with Matt and Shannon leaving. He sure loves his mom, so I was worried he would be grumpy without her. He would turn to me randomly and ask, "My mom is coming home in this day?" I would tell him no and then tell him how many days were left. He would then answer with a firm "I KNOW!" Like he knew all along and was just assuring me.

We only had one really bad instance with Andrew telling me I was doing something differently than Shannon. I was getting him ready for preschool and I put some jell in his hair. I had seen Shannon put this jell in his hair before, but he insisted that she never had. He immediately started crying and told me to get it out of his hair. I told him we didn't have time to wash his hair. He then told me to "cut it out". He promised me that his mom cuts things out of his hair all the time!

He finally calmed down and we started playing before his ride got there. I was asked him if he knew that today was his mom's birthday. He responded with a firm "I know!!" (he doesn't seem to like people telling him things). He then started crying and screaming "I just want to go to Hawaii!!" Poor kid, I could totally relate! I think we all just want to go to Hawaii.

After preschool, we went to the mall. When we arrived he immediately started talking to me about a train and how we needed money to buy a ticket. I finally found what he was talking about, but it was closed for the day. I told him he could go on the carousal instead. He was very happy with that.

 The next day was our last day to ourselves. I had to go back to City Creek to pick up some pants. It had snowed that day, so we got to see the roof closed! I am happy I got to see both sides to this amazing mall.

 My dad was in Salt Lake that day and wanted to go get ice cream with me and Andrew. We had some time to kill so we went to lunch with Natalie. The best part of lunch was when Super Why came on the TV by our table and Andrew kept begging me to tell everyone to be quite and turn up the sound!

After lunch we stopped my friend and Natalie's sister's house to visit her and her new baby. Jessica went to find some crayons for Andrew and I was holding baby Ayla while she looked. Andrew was so adorable with her and kept singing her lullabies to get her to sleep.

 We finally met up with Paka and had some ice cream. 

I had so much fun with my little Bubba. I worry sometimes (ok, a lot of the time) that my younger nephews and nieces won't remember who I am. I felt like I was around enough when Will, Adie, and Bellie were young, but I worry about the younger ones. I hope they know how much their Aunt Stepie loves them! And I hope Andrew knows how much fun I had with him! I love you, Bubba! (to which he would respond, "I know!")