hula hoops and hairdos

I am in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina right now for our annual Thanksgiving gathering. For one week a year, my very large extended family gets together at the coast for a lot of eating, drinking, deep-talking, game playing, beach walking and other general debauchery.

This week means a lot of different things to me but one of the very best parts is that I get to see my brother and his wife and daughter.

My little niece, Thea, is my favorite girl in all the world, (and I tell her that as much as possible.)

Thea and I have a special bond. I was at her birth and watched as she emerged into the world, loud and fiery, determined to make her voice heard. She is a force of nature-- opinionated, passionate, funny, smart, insightful, creative, and larger than life. She is a kindred spirit and I adore her.

At 5 years old, (actually, 5 years and 11 months, thankyouverymuch), Thea has become quite a hula hooper. We spent a good chunk of the day together yesterday- hooping, (well, Thea was hooping, I was trying to hoop and failing), running around the beach, playing hide and seek, and making faces at one another. And then Thea decided to do my hair, which I think was quite lovely. I taught her how to hold my camera and take a photo so you could all see her handiwork.