My Nephew David Is Giving I-Phone, Baseball & Banjo Lessons To Me & My Favorite Brother-In-Law

My Nephew David Showing My Brother-In-Law Jack
How To Use His I-Phone

My nephew David turned 3 on 9/11. He had a big birthday party in his backyard in Tacoma.

His Aunt Jackie was up from Phoenix for David's birthday party.

I was not invited.

At some point in time, after 9/11, my favorite brother-in-law, Jack, a Phoenix area McDonald's Magnate, married to my sister Jackie, flew up to Washington for a short visit.

David quickly adopted his Uncle Jack as his latest project, teaching Jack how to play the banjo, how to play baseball and reading to him.

But, the best thing David did for his Uncle Jack was to teach him how to use his i-Phone, which is what David is doing in the picture.

I am looking forward to having David teach me how to use my i-Phone. Along with teaching me how to play a banjo and baseball.

Playing baseball is a skill that has long evaded me.

I am hoping David's coaching skills will be able to teach me how to hit a ball with a stick and catch a ball hit by a stick and throw a ball caught after being hit by a stick, after all these years of not being able to do so.....

I've Got Me A Banjo Strumming Giraffe Mulling Asparagus Eating Gourmet Nephew

I thought my having a young nephew days were long behind me.

And that I would never have a niece.

As I often am, I was wrong about never having a niece. Or another nephew. Or two.

I currently have two new nephews and a niece. David Jay, Theo John and Ruby Jean.

That is David in the picture, recently at Woodland Park Zoo, in Seattle, where he met his first giraffe.

Today David's mom, my sister, told me a very amusing David story. I told my sister we must start getting video documentation of my new nephews and niece.

Below is my sister's tale about David.....

David has taken to watching videos most nights while we put the babies to bed. A few days ago, I introduced a Sesame Street one called Elmo’s favorite country songs or something like that.  Anyhow, one of the first scenes is a guy playing (Stephen Foster's) "Oh Susanna," on his banjo.  David then turned every possible toy into a banjo. So yesterday, I took him to a toy store and he marched up to the counter and asked if they had banjos. Sure did. He was so happy. He has been carrying it everywhere since, strumming on it and singing, "Now Don’t You Cry For Me, I’m Going To Alabama With A Banjo On My Knee."  Except he says “Alabanjo” instead of Alabama. It is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. His thumb, that he strums with, got a blister which popped yesterday. My son has a banjo related injury.  On top of that, he picked out lemon yogurt at the store yesterday and dipped his grilled asparagus in it at dinner. The kid kills me!!!!

I really need to meet my new nephews and niece. I am a great uncle. In more ways than one.