Report and Observations

I am happy to report that we had a wonderful trip to Wichita and lovely time with Mark, Debra, and Christopher. Tiernan was a real champ in the car. He didn't sleep as much as I expected, but he was usually content to play with toys and laugh at Robert's antics while awake. The drive was about 9 hours on the way there and 10.5 on the way back, the time difference mostly being due to traffic north of Dallas.

It truly is amazing how different babies are. Christopher and Tiernan are nigh opposites, except in their shared stubbornness. Christopher is a thinker and observer. Tiernan is a doer and climber. Tiernan is more mobile and active, but Christopher seems to understand more linguistically. And even with their differences they did seem to enjoy playing together.

Why yes, the baby is better at looking at the camera than his dad is.

I really enjoyed spending several days with Mark and Debra in the environment of their home. I feel like I know them and where they are right now so much better now. I wish I could do that with all my friends, just to get to know the 'real' or 'home' them. It's easy to be different when you're out in public or just for a few hours while somebody is over. But over an extended stay, defenses drop, and I love the authenticity of real life. 

Debra was a wonderful hostess, and we really enjoyed our stay. I have to say I was impressed. She took the meaning of 'cooking from scratch' to an entirely new level for me. I applaud her, but I don't think I could possibly keep up with everything she does. If you want a glimpse, check out her blog.

Oh, and I cut Robert's hair while we were there.