Happy Birthday Friends!

Did you know that this week is my Uncle's birthday? I'd like to give him a proper shout out, since he is the coolest uncle around. Even if he does live in NY. Even though it's not too often, we've had some great vacation times together: sometimes at his house, which was a vacation for me, not him. But even if he was working, he found time to save me from being drowned in the pool by my boy cousin (not that we're naming names, RUSS). When I was in high school, we headed to Puerto Rico- and he translated almost everything for me and Kerri, except that one time in that mountaintop diner when that lady got arrested for "a disagreement" but now looking back it was probably, ah, solicitation. Or maybe not, my spanish isn't that great you know, and he's always looking out for us.

And then there was that one time we celebrated his 60th birthday in the mountains of Tennessee... where he officially became my mom's older brother, because everyone knows she's only 58. And some sad get togethers too, like my nana's funeral up in NY or when he came to visit us after dad died. So you know, for living so far away, we still have some pretty cool memories... mostly because Uncle Bob is a pretty cool guy, and an awesome uncle. I'm lucky to be related and if you're not, I hope you have someone like him in your family too :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

But of course, we can't mention him without also embarrassing Aunt Jeanne. Who also lives far, far away and wishes she could see and hold and spoil Kaden up close. I know this because she emails me after every post, reassuring me of the Babe's cuteness and helpfully pointing out parenting errors. Like mentioning a sister in law, for example, instead of a blood aunt. So here's to you, Aunt Jeanne, faithful reader and wife of the birthday boy. Enjoy "your" pics!

Now, how do I get out of this thing again?

Kaden, meet.... Kaden.

Happy Birthday, Nickers! You're too cute!

Happy Birthday, Lexi! You're also so cute, it's like you're twins!

Birthday friends with Kaden.

Note to self: photographing multiple children under 2 is not a good career choice.

Happy Birthday to Nick, Lexi, Kerri, Russ and Uncle Bob!!

(all within 7 days of each other)

Happy 8 months, St Patrick!

Yes, I'm posting on a Saturday. In direct contradiction to my just previous post. Which sums up my life- a big goal, a direct contradiction, something still learned/happening, and folks still happy...

You can thank my Hoosier SIL for this early post-- she begged for a new photo of the Babe. And since I still owe her for not complicating a biz trip last month so she could hold Kade all weekend... PLUS we still have her husband's bday present on our dining table (it's 20 days late and counting)... so, really, I probably owe her a few photos. Here, then, for Donna's own eyes and not for my online fun or enjoyment or contentment, is Kaden's 8 month bday photo. It happened to be St. Patrick's Day. I considered dying his formula green, but settled for a ND onesie instead!

Lent

Yeah, you knew it was coming sooner or later, right? The whole Lent thing. Actually, this'll be a short post because I'm way tired, trying to cram all my computer use into one evening each week.

I'm trying to give up personal computing for Lent- not counting Sundays of course. It's a fairly interesting experiment. I decided to do it before I heard about Italian bishops asking folks to give up texting or other techie stuff... which is good or I probably wouldn't have chosen it. But that's another post.

Anyway, I chose "personal weekday computing" because it felt like I was wasting a LOT of time sitting at the screen. The clincher was the day Kade woke up from a nap on Nana's lap in the living room and see him look to the computer first to see if I'm around. Hmm. If a SEVEN MONTH OLD thinks I'm glued to the seat... yeah, it's time to re-evaluate.

Here's the thing though-- it's not as much useless stuff as I thought. Yes, there are the time sucking games and never-ending facebook posts... but there's also eggplant recipes, and how-to-sooth-infant-ear-pain, and checking in for flights, and googling directions to a new house, and... well, you get the idea. I'm actually encouraged that it wasn't as mindless as I thought.

So now the challenge is to figure out how to prioritize so I still get in the cleaning and walking and other good stuff. But that's for the Easter season. For now, I'm journaling in my head, trying to focus on relationships and God and not going crazy with the work schedule that juggles three programs in one weekend. Or spaces events so that I work every day, even if it's just 4 hours.

In babe news--- he'll turn "8 months" on St Patty's day, so we'll have some fun pics next time. He's also recovering fairly well from the ear infection, and has slept thru the night (mostly) the last two days. We had a rough day today, out of our house for 12 hours, though we did hang at Nana's and some friends' in the evening, so that was fairly relaxing. For us, anyway, I hope for him too!!

Finally, please pray for my friend Jess, whose Dad died recently, and her mom Carola. It kinda sucks to welcome a friend into the "had-dads-funeral" group... but sometimes the shared experience makes prayers easier. Thanks to all.

First Flight

Most of you know we live in a different state than most of our family... We wanted to get to Penna so he could see Grandma:


Pal around with the cousin-folk:



and meet new baby cousin Eva, who is about a pound or so more than Kade was at his birth, but somehow seems so much smaller than we remember:

which means sooner or later it had to happen: Kaden's first flight! We had transfers, which means he had FOUR plane rides in a short four day trip. On the first three, he was his usual charming, giggly, friend-making, smiley-eye self. He seemed quite interested in everything. I think this photo captures his wonder and awe, even without his facial expression:

By the last leg of the journey, though, our traveler was no longer impressed with the surroundings. Instead, he wiggled his way between Mom and Dad, and settled in for the return.

The last 75 minutes of the flights, though, clearly had enough activity for all 8 or so hours in the air. He woke, apparently, in order to whine a bit about the exhausting pace we had set. I was sure the full load he was advertising didn't help his situation (or our seat neighbors, for that matter), so he and I headed to the airplane lavatory.

I had read a suggestion on how to change diapers on your lap in those tiny places, and thought I could handle it. This was a bit of an over-estimation on my part. First of all, let's say the diaper was, ah, filled almost to capacity. I folded it over so I could wipe his bum clean... which is when he decided to baptize the water closet. I placed the clean diaper over the stream, thereby neatly deflecting it from the stainless steel counter and sink to my cloth pant leg. Which reminded me that sinks have drains, so we aimed there. When he was finished, I dropped a copius number of paper towels on the floor, and did my best sneaker-assisted cleanup. All while dangling an increasingly less patient, half clothed baby away from me and any walls or hard steel accessories. While looking for a place to gently balance said baby, I discovered that above the closed commode was a very handy, fold down diaper changing station. Yes, indeed.

After cleaning up both the bathroom and the babe as much as I could, we headed back to our seats. Jimdad took one look at Kaden, sporting only a diaper, a runny nose and a half hearted smile, and asked what happened. I quietly explained that he peed all over himself, saving the compound direct objects (my leg, the bathroom) for later conversation. Another mom bouncing her 6 month old stopped by. "Time for your costume change, huh?" We had discussed her daughter Amelia's timing and various outfits earlier. I smiled and said yes, trying very hard not to draw attention to my naked babe, in case either he or my undercover leg smelled. At which point, one of the grandparents seated in front of us said to another "I'm SO glad we're past that stage!" to quiet laughter and agreement all around.

So we get the now crying babe into his clean onesie, and feed him a few "melt-in-their-mouth rice crisps." Only one piece decides not to melt so much, and he gags. My lightning quick, if not overeager and misplaced, reaction is to do a finger sweep... and his almost-as-quick reaction is to gag again and then spit up ALL the rice crisps into my mouth. At which point the grandmother sitting across the aisle from us says, "At least he did warn you" to another round of quiet laughter.

We head to the lav AGAIN, making the very uptight stewardesses suspect us of drug trafficking, because why ELSE would a woman and a smallish child be up and down the aisle so often? But this time, I am somewhat prepared, and manage to hold the baby and open/close/lock the door with one hand & elbow, since the other is still holding the spit up in a bib. We make liberal use of the fold down changing station immediately, and I re-wash my son with non-potable water and try to keep him from sucking it off his hands for fun.

We head back to our seats- me with disheveled hair, a pee stained left leg, and very little patience; he with clear snot running into clear drool, all mixing onto a rice-crisp-upchuck-stained onesie. I am the parent I thought we'd never be, deciding that 30 minutes of descent isn't worth any more cleaning and crying. Instead, Jimdad and I pull out every funny face, favorite song and small-movement we can think of, entertaining our overtired little boy until the plane lands and we half dance our way to baggage claim.

Five hours later, after much more cleaning and crying, fussing and distracting and cuddling, the babe is asleep and we can re-tell the story with as much entertainment as our seatmates.

Not that we're rushing to book the next flight or anything. Happy travels to all this week!