Pennsylvania Memories

We're finally home from our Pennsylvania roadtrip. It was a really good time, overall. My one complaint was that PA was experiencing record heat and at Kay's house, there is no AC. She's having it installed next week. Blast my timing! And at Nan and Pap's house, the room where I sleep has the AC vent under the bed. Not great for cooling the room. Even though we're experiencing record heat here in Texas, as well, I'm cocooned in my air conditioned house and have no real complaints.

Paxton was a dream baby for 95% of the two week trip. He was great in the car, driving to PA. He had one meltdown, but thankfully, my mom said that his crying didn't bother her, so we just let him cry it out a bit. The rest of the time he was a perfect angel. And in PA, he was happier than he's ever been at my Nana and Papap's house. They adored him and he knew it. Everyone was teaching him new things. Nana taught him his name and how to give her five. Mom taught him how to roll over and how to give kisses. I discovered that he likes for me to spell things for him. It was a really nice bonding experience for all of us.

He was less happy at Kay's house, but only because he was hot and she didn't really have carpet for him to lay on. He would lay on a blanket on the hardwood floor, sweating in misery and shouting baby profanities. He was really fussy. Seeing him then go to Nana and Papap's house where the air was cool was really interesting. It was like he was a whole different child. A much happier one!

The flight home was a nightmare, but Paxton handled it far better than Chris and I. We were supposed to fly out of Pittsburgh at 6:30 on Monday night and get home at 10:55 p.m., with one transfer in Dallas. I'm unclear now how it even went down. I know our flight out of PA was late. It was late enough that the girl who was calling to board passengers didn't bother pre-boarding families with small children, leaving me irate and put out. I had talked to her at the baggage check, and learned that she was only 21 and has dogs in lieu of children (she asked me if pumping hurt when I told her that I wanted to check my breast pump, spurring this strange conversation). Anyway, Paxton didn't cry at all on the plane. He slept for most of the flight and chatted a bit through the rest of it.

Our flight from Dallas to Austin was delayed. It was supposed to leave at 10 p.m., but we didn't get out of there until after 1 a.m. We ended up getting to our house at 3:15 a.m. Needless to say, we were exhausted. But Paxton was a trouper. He slept happily and only got fussy when I would accidentally wake him up in transit. Chris and I were miserable, but Paxton made us thankful that he was so content and happy. He was the best baby to travel with!

Back to Pax's new "tricks"--when he gives me kisses, I think I actually melt a little. He grabs either side of my face with his hands and plants a sopping wet, open-mouthed kiss on my cheek, chin, mouth or nose. It's so adorable. I am more in love with this kid every day.

I have to run. Mom and I are going to see Sex and the City tonight and I have a pet sitting job to do first. I'll write more soon on the amazing feats of my genius baby. Count on it.