Some good friends of ours visited JRex and I tonight for dinner. A couple and their son
finally made it over for a first time and we had a blast. Hopefully it won't be the last.
I found out something about new parents however. Their son is 3 years old and he is their first so, having no kids as is the case with JRex and I, some insight was inevitable.
It seems that if you are friends with other parents of young kids, it doesn't matter how much you have in common with them. Do they like sports, do they watch this show on TV or what their political views are. NONE of that stuff is going to enter the conversation because everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is going to center around that kid. Bottom line, end of story.
The kid's name is Brooks. Brooks wanted into everything, especially Molly. He chased Molly around the house all night and Molly simply didn't know what to make of this tiny human so she tried her best to stay clear of the alien.
At age 3 Brooks had hardly ever met me but by the end of the night he was referring to me, on his own, as "Uncle Russell" and seemed quite fond of climbing into my lap for a quick (and safe) "flop" onto the floor in my arms.
When the night came to a close and it was time for them to leave, Brooks assigned himself the mission of giving hugs to everyone several times and saying "goonite". Even his own parents got the treatment, though he was going home with them.
Molly was his last victim and although Molly had evaded Brooks all night, she finally stood at my feet long enough for Brooks to wrap his arms around her. Molly did that thing that she does when she "apparently" realizes what the hug means and buried the side of her face into Brooks.
I didn't get a pic of the hug with Brooks but I have photos of how Molly reacts in this situation.
If you can substitute this pic of JRex and Molly, with a kid standing 2 inches shorter than Molly, I think you will understand how awesome the sight was.

"Goonite Mawy"