Relief in the Form of a 12-Year-Old

My cousin's daughter came last Sunday night and spent 4 nights with us, entertaining Caleb and helping me out. It's been a while since I entered the world of a 12-year-old girl; it's been, well, since I was about 12. It was enlightening, to say the least.

Monday I promised her that we would watch Titanic after Caleb went to sleep. Because what's better to a 12-year-old girl than Leonardo DiCaprio circa 1997. (And, yes, we skipped right past a couple of questionable scenes that I was not going to be responsible for her seeing on my watch.) I cannot convey her great disappointment when she found out the movie was made in 1997. It was so long ago. Yeah, like the year I was graduating from high school. (There's nothing like a 12-year-old to make you feel OLD at 28.) She was crushed. So she was 2 when the movie came out, what's the big deal? Oh, my friends, it was a big deal. Leo's, like, well over 30 now, and we all know that is ANCIENT.

She spent most of the rest of her free time this week looking up all things Leo and Kate and Titanic on the internet. (Did you know that Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio are 15 months apart in age? She did the math. Trust me on this one.) Obsessed, maybe? Oh, and don't think we only watched the movie once. No, sir. She asked me if she could watch it again the.very.next.day. That movie is SO long. But, she's 12. And Leo is SO CUTE. And it's SO ROMANTIC. (Gag me with a spoon was what I was thinking. I'm getting so cynical in my old age. It's probably the hormones and the fact that my husband is on the other side of the world on our 5th anniversary.)

I forgot what it was like to be 12. Now I remember.

Within the first 5 minutes of cousin R being at our house, she said, "Jennifer, did you know that Nonnie (her grandmother) knows Hillary and Haley Duff's mother?"

me: no, I didn't
R: she does. She even has her phone number and her email address.
me: really?
R: yes. Isn't that cool?
me: way cool, R.

Oh, and High School Musical 2 is premiering on the Disney Channel tonight, so R had to go home because she and her sister are having a big HM2 premiere shindig at their house tonight. I'm sure there will be lots of giggling and singing and dancing and regular junior-high-girl-craziness going on.

But, seriously, she was a doll and a huge help with Caleb. (She did inform me when she arrived that she doesn't "do" dirty diapers!) :-) He was missing her like crazy when she left.

My grandmother came on Tuesday to help out for a couple of days and take R home yesterday. Every room in my house is clean, all my laundry is done, and there are no dishes in my sink. I can't tell you the last time that happened.

Caleb and I are headed to a sweet friend's house after he wakes up from his nap. Justin spent our anniversary with people from work at a "team-building" activity, and I'm spending it at dinner with a friend letting her two kids entertain and tire out Caleb. Should be fun!