Traveling Bambino

So yesterday, James and I returned to the Garden State after an eventful 10 days in South Carolina. The trip began with Dan, James & I flying down together to celebrate Pop's 60th birthday. Aunts Mag & Ali and Uncle P came as well. It was all a big surprise and worked out better than we could have hoped. Mag made us "I <3 Dad" shirts (James's said "I <3 Pop"), and we all convened in the Food Lion parking lot to caravan to Ivy Field Road where we stood in the driveway with balloons singing "Happy Birthday." Dad came outside in tears, hugged each of us, then walked back inside carrying James. It was pretty fantastic.

James enjoyed himself all weekend, getting loved by all his Freeman family. Aunt Ali & Uncle P left on Monday, then Daddy and Aunt Mag left on Tuesday. During the trip James got to spend lots of time visiting his great-grandparents, and even went for a spin in Great-Granddaddy's motorized chair. (It was highly entertaining to watch.) We also took a trip to McClellanville to meet Great Uncle Bill, Great Aunt Kathleen, and Daddy's cousins & their children. That was fun! There was also a daytrip to Charleston to hang out with Aunt Mag (and allow her to show James off at work) and a day spent with Mommy's friend Christine and her cute sons. On Saturday James spent the morning at the Gravatt reunion with Mommy, then went home with Nana for the afternoon/evening. We also went to church, to Nana's school, out to eat, shopping, and to the zoo. By the way, the animals seemed to love James; they all came quite close as if to greet him. Of course, this amazingness was lost on him.

James did great on both flights! I put him in the Bjorn and just walked easily through check-in and security. He was quite well-behaved in the air, m0stly eating and sleeping. On the way down to SC, we had a 90 minute delay after boarding, but James was fine. Dan even changed him in the plane's restroom while we waited for a Captain to come drive the plane. On the return trip I erroneously thought that James had a poopy diaper, and changed him in the (tiny) restroom during the bumpy flight. Now, that was an adventure!

It was wonderful to spend such quality time with family and friends, but it is good to be home! ( Now we just have to re-train James how to sleep in his crib through the night!)