cousins

 My granddaughter and I have had quite a text discussion about cousins yesterday and today.  It all started when I accidentally said that my great grandson was her nephew.  I realized that was wrong when I remembered that she and little MJ's father are cousins not siblings. So I corrrected myself by saying that they are second cousins. 

This is where it gets murky. She responded by saying that technically he is her "first cousin once removed."  she went on to explain that being removed comes from a generation gap.  Since MJ is the son of her first cousin he is her first cousin once removed.  His children (little MJ's that is) will be her first cousins twice removed. 

"So where do second cousins come into the picture?" I asked. "Second cousins are the children of your parents first cousins."  So since MJ's father and she are first cousins, any children she has will be MJ's second cousins.

I think I get it now and I realize that cousins I always thought were second cousins were actually first cousins once removed, the children of my 17 first cousins.  At this time I only know of one first cousin twice removed.  She is the great granddaughter of one of my first cousins and a little cutie.  Maybe she and MJ will play together someday.  I will have to ask my granddaughter what kind of cousins the two little ones are.  When do cousins become kissing cousins?  I'll let you figure that one out.