San Diego Trip

"You have the best baby ever."

Seriously, that's what I kept hearing on the airplane both to and from San Diego. Claire slept most of the time, and on take off and landing, didn't cry other than a couple whimpers and some hard sucking of the pacifier. It's like she knew what to do to keep from being in pain. I am so blessed.

Claire got to see all her family on Bryce's side. Mimi seemed particularly overjoyed; hopefully, she remembers that she saw her when we go to Florida for the holidays this winter. Jan or "Nana" (although Shana is championing the name MooMoo) loved every second she could spend with Claire. Bryce and I even got to go to La Jolla for a few hours and see the seals playing in the water while she babysat. I'm pretty sure Claire has Nana wrapped around her little finger. Heck, I think she has most of us that way, Daddy especially.

The wedding was beautiful even though I didn't get to stay very long at it. We saw the wedding and stayed for part of the reception (we even got to hear Chase's new song - it's pretty awesome), but the music got way too loud, so I took the baby back to the room. She was exhausted, I was exhausted, and when Bryce came back later spewing expletives because the catering staff wolfed down the remaining cake (meaning he couldn't bring me a piece), we were both asleep.

Every day in San Diego was warm and beautiful. I loved the visit, but it reminded me a little too much of Phoenix. So we'll stick to just visiting the place; there are no intentions of ever living there, even though it's so much more tolerable. I just hate desert landscaping. That's the Florida girl in me!

We came back to Chicago to cooler weather. High in the 60s for the next few days, lows in the 40s. Guess the season change is coming soon! I can't wait to buy Claire all of her new fall and winter clothing and... a Halloween costume! So exciting!

Next update will be after Tuesday: Vaccination Day and Weight Day. Looking forward to and Dreading it all at the same time. My little girl is growing up so fast!

A Sleeping Claire

Claire's sleeping in the swing right now. It's one of the few moments I have during the day with a seven week old that I can get away and collect my thoughts. I haven't really had a moment to sit back and think about what it's like to be a new mom and a new everything yet. I'm doing so much more than just feeding and clothing her. I stare at her to see when she smiles and laughs (which she's doing right on schedule), and I watch for when she tries to roll over (we haven't quite got that milestone yet). Everything has changed in my life. Just everything, and I haven't quite adapted to it yet. I still feel a bit like I'm on a Tilt-a-Whirl and it's going ever faster. Maybe one of these days it'll slow down and be more like a Merry-Go-Round, but it hasn't yet.

One of the things I love to do is looking for the little nuances in her face that show one side of our family or the other. She has Bryce's chin, no doubt. She has my blue eyes, eye shape, and nose. I'm going with Bryce on the forehead and widow's peak... we can add in the ears, I think too. Cheeks, too soon to tell. They are just a chubby bunch of cuteness. Lips look like Bryce, too. And she is so long! I have no idea where she got that from, but it wasn't Bryce or I. It's elsewhere in the family. My parents are tall, and his father is tall, so maybe from one of them, but I'm short as can be, and Bryce is just average in height. It's fun to play these games while she is sleeping and dreaming away.