We're Back!

Freddy and I have been on 3 planes, 2 metro trains, 1 airport train, 1 rental car, 3 other cars, and 1 shuttle bus in the last 9 days, and although we are GLAD to be home, we had a great week seeing family, playing with new friends, and (for me) doing a little nonprofit work.

Saturday - Wednesday morning:
While I spent 2 1/2 days lobbying for more funding for arts, arts education, and other related issues on Capitol Hill, Freddy got some great Grammy (my mom) and Nana (my grandma) time in. They went to playgrounds and parks, watched squirrels, rode the metro, looked at cherry blossoms, and did their best not to mark up Nana's furniture. Thanks to Mom for driving up to DC to babysit while I was in meetings, and to Gram for feeding us and letting us disrupt her schedule. Oh, and for not getting mad when Freddy dinged her dining room table with a toy train. We were sad to leave DC and cried a little when mom drove away. :(

Wednesday afternoon-Sunday:
After a 4-hour drive from DC to Fair Haven, NJ, where Bill's sister Steph and her husband Rip live (Freddy did not sleep but was very good!), we arrived to much excitement. Freddy and his just-turned-2-year-old cousin Caitlin took about 60 seconds to warm up to each other and were off and running. They were adorable, and so is the newest addition to their family, Lloyd Harrison Bush III (no nickname yet, so he might just be Lloyd). Unbelievably, tiny Steph gave birth to a 9 lb, 4 oz baby boy...which is why she is back in her regular clothes already, as he was obviously taking up her entire belly space. Lloyd is about 2 1/2 weeks old and is a pretty darn good baby for being so new. Caitlin definitely loves her little brother (maybe a little too much sometimes), except for the occasional "put baby down" comment. We went to parks, took walks, and generally hung out and ate well. It was great! Caitlin got pretty sick our last 2 days there, unfortunately, so we probably should have tried to catch an earlier flight just to give her some space (and her crib back), but everybody hung in there. We also got to see Freddy's Uncle Doug and Aunt Christine, Bill's Aunt Helen, and Pop and Jan (some more than once)! I'm sure Steph and Rip are glad to have their house back to themselves. ;)

Freddy and I drove up to the airport yesterday for a direct flight back from Newark. He was so-so on the plane...I guess all I can say is that it could have been worse. In the meanwhile, he slept until almost 8 this morning and I slept like a rock. Now back to work! I'll try to get our photos off my camera in the next few days and get back into the blog routine.

Here's a photo Mom took at my grandma's condo...it almost doesn't look like Freddy but I think it's adorable!