Personally, I’m guessing, and again this is with the parents in mind, who will make it a sure thing, I think that the girls will think it is the greatest thing ever.

I will have a great Thanksgiving, they all are, my new friend and intriguing woman. You, too.

I hope you’re right about knowing about Christmas, but it won’t matter in the end. They will know they are loved, the greatest Christmas present of all.

I just want them to think “Uncle” (actually cousin, but we’ve long since given up on that concept) John is the coolest of them all. Already have one other cousin convinced. *strut*

To all a good night.

Have a great Thanksgiving wtih the family, and I’ll bet the time you spend with them tomorrow will tell you all you need to know for Christmas.

The first pictures we all got showed a very interesting, when thought about broadly, fascination with water. The loved playing with the hose in the yard; they were astounded by fountains; they live in Minneapolis-St.Paul, and water abounds.

It wasn’t hard to tell that water was a built-in big deal to them.

Plus, being from a very large family over a very long period of time gives one insight into the whole parenting thing, and I’ve no doubt they’ll be way better than most.

I’m so proud of them I could scream.

It’s going to be all I can do to leave the poor darlings alone to play with those their age. Of which there should be at least 6 others.

It will be very heartwarming and fun and laughter-filled, which is what the holidays were built for.

I just met the boy my friends adopted 2 weeks ago and he’s a calm, happy kid; he’s a little behind developmentally but making up for lost time quickly now that he has 24/7 parents and a stable home life. They’ve had lots of family discussions about explaining how he came into their life when the time comes; honesty is what my other adopted friends appreciated the most when they were told by their parents. I have no doubt your cousin will handle all this with style too.

The password is Indigo12.

They’re very cute, if I do say so myself>

First of all, given they’re sisters, the only way to handle it sensibly would be to buy two.

Second, I don’t spend that much on Mom, Dad, brother, brother, two “immediate” nephews, two nieces the same, and so on.

Tempting. Just too much.

They’re from Ethiopia. Wiffle bats and balls may give them just as much a kick, if not the comprehensive education. (Which I’m quite confident they’ll get from their parents; my cousin is off-the-charts-smart, and he didn’t marry my cousin-in-law because she was a moron.)

They weren’t having any fertilitiy issues. They just thought it a nice thing to do. In fact, cousin Scott, in standard Scott-fashion, wandered around Ethiopia for two weeks barefoot (“Because I’m in Ethiopia”) only to contract a hideous foot-fungus that followed him around for weeks.

The girls were “inconsolable” on the 26-hour flight home. Can you imagine?

I LOVE my family.

But then my problem is why didn’t I get anything as cool for the 8 others of that age.

I’m going to work on an excuse.

mikey

That is, in fact, the trick. Again, I’m from a great big family, so I know well enough not to get them anything they can hurt themselves with.

The least I get out of Thanksgiving, I hope, is a better clue about what would maintain their attention for a year or two. But I just can’t count on it.

They’ll have other cousins of like age to entertain them.

John O – Google “what is eee pc” and you’ll see a truly cool idea.

I’ve tried every variation of your suggestion, and still can’t decipher.

eee pc

mikey

Good for you.

Me, too, for an old man. Again I credit my family, since my cousins and nieces are still cranking out babies, who make me burst with wonder and joy every goddamn time. Gotta couple that are going to be genius millionaires or serial killers. It’s fantastic.

I get to meet my two new adopted Ethiopian cousins for Thanksgiving. I cannot WAIT.

And I sure would like some suggestions: Christmas presents. They’re from Ethiopia, for God’s sake. It could be something as simple as water. I’d like to do better than that. I hope to have a better idea after I meet them, but they’re going to be fairly overwhelmed, I think, by the bounteous good cheer, noise, chaos, food, and general excellence that is my family. So I may not get time to feel them out, since I’m determined not to fawn over them.

They got here about 6 months ago; two sisters, about 1 and 3. They’re doing fine.

But what simple, elegant thing can I get them for Christmas?