I am in love...

It's true…I have found another true love in my life. Just when I think that life cannot get any better and that I could not possibly fill my heart with any more love, I spent the weekend with my new baby niece, Samantha.

I flew to Boston last weekend for one of my famous whirlwind Kara trips arriving on Friday morning at 5:15am and leaving on Sunday evening. I took the red eye out so that I could maximize my time without taking more than one vacation day. I was worried that it would be a bit harder to recuperate from no sleep being pregnant and all but I was able to make it through the weekend without a single nap (this is especially impressive seeing that naps have found a way into my life on nearly a daily basis). I arrived after an uneventful flight and waited for my cousin BB, who was flying in from San Diego. We met up and then took a cab to Chris and Emily’s apartment where we would meet the new family addition. Ok, I know I am going to sound like the biased auntie here but this baby is just beautiful. I thought she was adorable in pictures but they do not do her justice. I grabbed her as soon as I walked in and never wanted to let her go. Sissy Melissa and my wonderful parents (grandpa and mammer now) joined us a bit later in the day.

Since Melissa, BB and I were staying at the apartment, we were put on baby duty. This means getting up with Sammy whenever she gets up, feeding and changing her and waiting for her to fall asleep again. We (well Melissa and I anyway, BB was still pretty wiped out from the flight) were thrilled and up to the challenge. We came up with a plan that Meliss would get up with Sammy for the 1st shift which should have been between 1 and 2am and I would be on the 4-5am shift. Well, Sammy must have been pretty wiped out from being handed from one adoring family member to the next because she slept through until about 3am. Melissa got up with her, fed her, etc. and put her back to bed. Sammy must have known that I was pretty wiped out from the flight so she didn’t wake up again until 7am when I was getting up anyway! I grabbed her, fed her and the two of us fell asleep together on the couch for another hour or so. If you are wondering where BB is at this point, she was fast asleep on the aerobed in the nursery and ended up clocking a 12-hour night sleep…not too shabby!

We headed out to my aunt Jeanne and uncle Dick’s house in Marshfield for the day, where we just hung out and ate yummy food. It is always such a treat to spend time with the extended family! We went back to Chris & Emily’s apartment Saturday night where we ordered in and fought over who could hold Sammy. That night, I was on baby duty all on my own. I remember lying in bed hearing Sammy start to make noise thinking to myself, “no Sammy, don’t do it, don’t cry….just go back to bed, you can do it”. That wishful thinking worked for awhile and she didn’t cry until about 3am. It is amazing how tired you can be but as soon as I got to the crib and saw Sammy, my sleepiness disappeared and I just wanted to hold and take care of her. I know what you are thinking…sure, talk to me after you are on baby duty for more than 2 days! Anyway, after eating, burping, being changed, etc., Sammy fell asleep again until about 6:30am.
On Sunday, we took a field trip to the mall where my parents bought me my first maternity pants (thanks Mom & Dad!). I cannot tell you what a treat they are! Now I understand why Emily said that she planned to wear them always…pregnant or not! I can notice a big difference in my belly over the last couple of weeks (not sure if it is the baby or the massive amount of dunkin’ donuts’ munchkins I inhaled over the weekend) but the new pants are a life saver. I can breathe again!

We left the mall and sadly it was time for my parents to be on their way. Soon after, I was whisked away to the airport (thanks Ian!) to begin my journey back to Colorado.

I remember thinking that this trip would either scare me to death or make me ridiculously excited for October to come. The latter is definitely true and I find myself wishing that the pregnancy would go faster so that I can be with our little baby. I have no idea how I am going to wait until October but you can be certain that I will do everything I can to spend as much time with little baby Sammy in the meantime.