PJ's, Fine Wine, and Baby Snuggles

I'm back from spending the BEST 4 days in Colorado hanging out with my sister, brother-in-law, toddler-niece, and brand-new-tiny-baby-niece, Rio Linnae!

I flew in on Saturday, a luxurious solo flight with a quick stopover in Lubbock because my original direct flight was canceled. Without kids, I just had my rolling suitcase, purse, and an extra hand to hold my non-fat, extra hot, no-water chai tea latte, which was a treat. I watched 3 episodes of Workin' Moms that I downloaded from Netflix (wry, dark, dirty, hilarious, and sometimes so accurate it made me want to cry), landed in Denver, got picked up at the airport by my brother-in-law, and walked in the door of their lovely new home and demanded to hold their not-yet-3-week-old baby.

I was in heaven.

I love having big kids- they're fun and funny and so much their own little selves. I love our adventures and getting to know the people they're becoming.

But oh my goodness, it was a delight to dip back into the black and white world of a newborn.

"Excuse me madam, I'm highly complex

"In fact. I'm thinking of becoming mildly irritated. Hold me."

"I'm starving. Here is an adorable little baby sheep bleating sound to show my fury."

"I'm fed and dry and all my needs are met so I'm back to being ADORABLE."

"You are so warm and cozy. I will sleep on you for three hours while you watch Project Runway."

It was amazing and there wasn't a hormone-induced emotional flameout in sight.

Lolz, someday.

It was a simply lovely four days- baby holding, chatting, cooking all the meals, drinking much of the wine, and hanging out and reading books with my first niece who is almost 3.

Most special, besides all the new baby love (OBVIOUSLY), was getting to spend so much time with a sister I barely liked when I left home for college when I was 18 and she was 15 and now so enjoyed getting to know even better as a mother and kick-ass professional working woman. It was the most time we'd spent together since we would have wanted to spend time together and it was so great. I loved that I could go up there so easily (thank you to James and my out of office message at work) and just give me- my time, recipes, advice, experience, solidarity, arms, and knowledge of how to find the Netflix app on their upstairs TV.

I missed my own babies of course, but FaceTime (or "facebook" as Cora called it) helped bring them to me- and bring their two cousins to them. And most importantly, bring Maggie to us all.

We left the house a single time - for a quick trip to TJ Maxx and out to a delicious lunch in the quaint downtown near their house. We forgot to get a picture, but did get one once we returned. We'd put on pants and makeup- it should be documented.

The next day we never changed out of pj's and that was just as wonderful.

Before I left I'd emailed my sister a few ideas of recipes for me to make, she gratefully approved them, and I made her a shopping list she sent to be delivered so all the supplies would be waiting for me when I arrived. It was perfect! I loved being able to cook- it's such a tangible helpful thing, and without coming home from being at work all day or three kids running around, doing so was positively luxurious.

For those interested, I made Superhero Muffins because breakfast is always overlooked and it's so hard to eat when you're feeding a baby and getting a toddler off to school and these are so filling and hearty and healthy (they were LOVED); Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa Salad because lunch is similarly overlooked and it's so nice to have something waiting for you in the fridge (and this recipe is DELICIOUS and different and can be eaten with a spoon in front of an open fridge door); this tasty Greek Turkey Skillet with cut up veggies, tzatziki, and naan on the side; these crockpot Meatballs with roasted carrots tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder, and oven fries; and finally this Crock Pot Easy Creamy Chicken Enchilada Chili that I could throw together and turn on Low before I headed to the airport to fly home. Val and Billy loved everything and were so appreciative and it was such an easy and enjoyable thing for me to do, though I'll admit, the night I got home I totally had James pick up pizza.

I got home yesterday afternoon. My plane landed at 3 (I'd finished Workin' Moms and moved on to I'm Sorry, which I'm also loving. Apparently I need dark, wry comedy in my life right now), I was home by 4:30 and got to greet the dog and human children with great joy.

I changed into workout clothes to go teach barre at 5:30 (I wasn't able to get a sub and since I'd barely moved in 4 days, a forced workout didn't seem like the worst idea (except also, it did)) while the kids got ready to go to swim practice with the nanny. We were all reunited by 6:30 and James ran out to pick up my favorite pizza. Later, once the kids were in bed, we did what any couple would do after three long lonely nights apart-- we sat down on the couch and did our taxes for four hours.

Unpaid Accounting Assistant

Sadly, that is not a euphemism, but it was still nice to be home.

And even nicer to have the memories of those hazy, cozy days snuggling my new niece and spending time with my sister and her little family. I'm so very thankful to have been able to make them.