California firsts

Will's inaugural California trip is complete. He experienced the obvious firsts, like riding in an airplane, meeting cousin Josiah and multiple great aunts, uncles, and cousins for the first time, and staying at GiGi Evey's house. He also experienced some not so obvious firsts, like a skinned knee and yoga with uncle Derek.

Before we left, I was so worried about the flight. RDU to sunny LAX was surprisingly easy: an empty seat next to us, a 45-minute nap, three ladies behind us who thought Will was just great and even kept him on their row for a while--it all made for an interested, curious, mesmerized baby. But I have to say: If the flight there was a piece of cake, the flight home was a brussel sprout. What Trip One lacked in a tired, bored, busy, cranky baby, Trip Two made up for and then some. Maybe he was just protesting coming home, and for that I don't blame him.

As always when we're around Steve and Grams, we were the served from the moment we arrived. They outdo themselves in hospitality and generosity every time. I told Steve I hadn't felt that relaxed since Will was born. And Grandma Patty (Kelly's mom) had a basket of toys, sippy cups, diapers, wipes, and a pack 'n play waiting in our room when we arrived. Somehow we achieved platinum status at the beachfront Calle Ariana house. We said it then, and we're still saying it now: thank you from deep down.

As if a Thanksgiving on the beach in Southern California couldn't get any better, we also had two wonderful days with Jan, which meant Ryan and I really took time off. And on Thanksgiving, of all things, I took a walk on the beach with none other than my dear Becca, a Cali transplant for the year while George does his fellowship at USC. We thought we were dreaming, the whole thing felt so surreal and too good to be true for us two Southern UNC roomies, together after five long months, walking on the Southern California shore, the sound of a train interrupting our conversation now and then, on Thanksgiving day. Never have we had one like it, and never will we again.

To add to the surreal, I also Face Timed with Dad and the Hardisons in Richmond and with Matt in Egypt. Yes, from So Cal to Egypt, we celebrated the day of thanks face to face. How wonderful.

I got home and realized I don't have pictures of Kyle or Kelly or Steve or Caitlin or Christopher or Patty or Whitney or Gayle or Jeff or Lynne or Walter.  I don't know how that's possible. I guess it shows that Will was in such good hands all week that we were often in separate rooms, Mom and Dad staring at the ocean from Grams' kitchen window instead of snapping pics with our phones.

During the week away, Will perfected opening doors, sliding backwards down a set of stairs, and sleeping in the same room with his parents. And to make him feel at home, Grams gave him his very own kitchen drawer to rummage through, so he spent most of his time running around the kitchen, happily yelling with a long spoon in his hand. I trust they'll all miss us, but I doubt they'll miss our noise.

This was one of those trips that flies by because you're so out of your routine and having so much fun. You get home and think: I wish I had paused more often to realize where I was (and where I wasn't) and soaked it in. But we were too busy enjoying the ocean view to do even that.

Now that I think about it, this wasn't just Will's first California Thanksgiving. It was mine, too. A summer thanksgiving at Grams' house is already in the works because another year is just too long to wait.

Throw in the Thomsen clan, Grandma's ocean view, and another South of Nicks margarita, and I'm there with bells on come June.

 

The tender mercies of the Lord! We had an empty seat next
to us on both flights!

 

The view from Grams' house

 

Bathing suits on the beach in November? Why, yes.

Cousin Josiah

We kept telling Will to be gentle with Josiah, so he patted his head.

 

Only when I picked him up did I notice his skinned knee.
No crying he made.

 

Thanksgiving dinner by sunset

Peek-a-boo with Grams

I see you

 

First time meeting Aunt Norma Jean



Will's downward dog

 

An attempt to fence Will in. Surprisingly it lasted 5 minutes, but that's only
because Daddy was in there with him.