Cousins

I can't believe Jack's first trip to Minnesota is already over. I expected to be posting every day because there were so many adorable photo ops of Jack with his cousins, and we were on vacation after all so I imagined myself with hours and hours a day with nothing to do. But it turns out four boys between six months and six years, a brand new baby girl, a sister you don't see enough, and parents who haven't seen their grandson in three months means there's not a whole lot of spare time. Vacations always do this to me. They seem like they're going to be so luxuriously long at first and then they slip by before I even remember to notice I'm relaxing. We fly home tonight, sans daddy (he already went back because when you work for a farm summertime is not vacation time), so that should make for an interesting trip. I learned from my first experience, at least, and got a direct flight for the way back so hopefully it will be easier in that respect.

My niece, Ava Christine Mickelson, was born June 25, and is the most perfect tiny little person I have met in at least six months. :) I knew it was going to blow my mind to see a newborn after considering Jack my baby, but I don't think anything could've prepared me for how hard it was actually going to hit me. Everything about her reminds me of life six months ago, the squints, the yawns, the skinny little scrunched up legs, the many faces and expressions that seem impossibly beyond a newborn's experience, the sweet little creature noises that make them seem so otherworldly. I just can't reconcile that memory, so fresh in my mind and made even fresher by Ava's presence, with the boy Jack is now, laughing and squealing and bouncing and threatening to crawl any day now. How on earth did that happen?

The one thing that Ava has that Jack most certainly didn't is three sweet big brothers. They were so excited to meet her, I thought they might bubble over. I came home from the hospital on the day she was born to post some photos to Alison's blog (because she is a much more conscientious blogger than I am) before taking everyone back to the hospital, and Matthew must've asked me about a million times if I was done yet and how much longer it was going to take me in the three minutes it took to get the photos off my camera and on the web. When we got to Alison's room the nurse was checking something so the boys had to wait outside in the hall another two minutes and their anticipation was palpable. Once the door finally opened it was like Christmas morning, as the boys excitedly filed in and Matthew exclaimed, "What an adorable baby!" like he had been rehearsing the very sweetest possible thing he could say. They took turns patting her on the head and kissing her and trying to climb into Alison's lap but also being uncharacteristically respectful of the fragile little person before them. I don't think there was a dry eye among the adults hanging back in the hallway. What a special moment. I will tell Ava about it someday.

I'm not sure Jack was as impressed by Ava as everybody else was, but I think he'll enjoy playing with her in a couple of years. In the meantime, he was absolutely delighted by his other three cousins. Matthew and Ethan love playing peekaboo with him and will go to great lengths to get a giggle out of him, including throwing themselves onto the floor or on top of each other. Ethan even narrates as he does it: "I'm walking down the road, I'm walking down the road, WHOA!" (as he theatrically trips and flounces to the ground.) They were the best babysitters I've had yet, and were always on alert to run over to Jack and entertain him if he ever started fussing. And as soon as they did, he would stop instantly. I think Ethan could keep Jack happy through anything. This morning he did an interpretative dance for him, and I've never seen my little boy smiling for a solid five minutes like that before. Usually smiles pass over his face in a wave of excitement, but this must've been one long wave he was riding. He will miss these boys. And so will I!

There's still so much more to talk about from Jack's first trip to his mommy's homeland, but we have a plane to catch in a couple hours and lots to do before then. I curse the size of this country-- I wish we could just get rid of all those states between California and Minnesota so we could visit more often. I guess we'll just have to make the most of the time we do have and try our best to keep track of each other between visits. The modern family sticks together with glue composed of blogs and emails and webcams. My grandma only made it back to Nebraska to see her people once a year and all they had besides that were hand-written letters, so I guess I should count my blessings. My parents are coming back out to visit in just a few weeks, so there's that to look forward to. But when I see how much fun Jack has with these energetic, imaginative cousins of his, it hurts my heart a little to think how long it will be before he sees them again. And how much bigger Ava will be before I see her again. She'll be a real person by then, the little creature phase will already have passed. Okay now I'm just wallowing in this wistfulness and I really do have to go get ready. Goodbye Mickelsons! We love you!