Saying goodbye and coming home…
It’s hard. It’s always hard, but this one was awful. It’s funny; I wouldn’t have been so sad had I left a week earlier. During the big crazy family holiday crush of Easter, it was easy to fall into old patterns and relationships. I found myself getting stressed out and annoyed too easily. Snookums speculated that it was because I didn’t get to be the star of the show: everybody wanted to see the baby. There’s probably some truth in that. I got in a few cuddles with Penn myself, but I was happy to recede into the background and let others fight over him (knowing I was going to have one-on-one time later). Eventually Snookums came home, and I headed to LA for three days of “living with the baby.” I promised the Snook that I’d be a gracious guest and try not to fight with my sister too much. He needn’t have worried. That was probably the first three days I’ve ever spent with Amy without us arguing once. (My Mom nearly fell over when I told her.) And it wasn’t like we were holding back; it was more like the old petty crap just suddenly didn’t matter out there. I got to see what it’s really like for her, how much work raising a little baby actually is. I also fell in love with that little boy. Yeah, he’s fussy and exasperating at times… but when those wandering little baby eyes land on you and he just SMILES in happiness at seeing his Aunty Kris… Let’s just say it was really, really hard to leave. (Amy’s write-up is here.) But now I’m home, and the reality of the situation is what it is, you know? Right now this is our life and that is theirs, and the best we can do is share it however we can.

That said, it is nice to be back in my house, with my bed and my cat and my own Dear Husband. Photos and a full vacation write-up will have to wait til I fight off this jet lag though…