Crazy Long Update and Photo Dump

I can't believe it's already the end of my week of Spring Break.  It seems like it's gone by too quickly.  But that's usually how it goes.  I enjoyed an extended stay with my family after Easter.  We drove up last Friday afternoon, and Jacob and I came home Wednesday.

And even though Easter was a dreary and rainy day, we still had a nice, relaxing day with my family -- though we missed Erik terribly, as he had to leave that morning so he could get back for work on Monday. 

Unfortunately, our drive up to Pittsburgh was not the most relaxing.  It started off fine.  We left shortly after lunch and were making good time in decent weather, but then about an hour away from my parents' house, Jacob got sick and threw up aaaaaaaall over himself and his carseat.  Thankfully, the New Stanton rest area was just a short distance away.  So we were able to stop there, get him changed, and get things cleaned up as best as we could.  Poor baby didn't even cry when it happened, and then he fell asleep before we got to the rest area.  We woke him up and stripped him down in the parking lot.  I rinsed his clothes out in the sink of the bathroom.  And then we got stuck in accident traffic -- right between the rest area and the New Stanton exit.  And we sat for about an hour in that traffic.  And by sat, I mean sat.  We did not move.  And the car still sort of stunk from Jacob's accident.  So it took us 6 hours instead of the usual 4 / 4.5 hours to get to my parents' house.  In a car that smelled of thrown up blueberry Puffs.  But we got there, and that's what counts.

On Saturday, we dyed Easter eggs (Jacob cracked almost all of them quite a few as he gently put threw them into the cups -- taking after his mommy) and we celebrated Jacob's first birthday.  Yes, we had a second round of birthday.  This round wasn't as done up as his first party, but we wanted to make sure that my brother and his wife, my aunt and uncle, and my Babcia could celebrate his birthday, too.  Jacob loved his cupcake, and got some great new books (he's got quite the little library going!), and some fun new toys.

The Easter Bunny left quite a haul for Jacob -- and he loved getting into his baskets and pulling things out and playing.  He came to church with us, and was very well behaved, charming everyone around him.  Jacob spent the rest of the day building with blocks and playing with some other toys, entertaining all of us. 

The rest of our visit to Pittsburgh included a visit to Duquesne and lunch with my dad, a visit to St. Joe's High School to see my mom and my brother in teacher action, and lots of time "dancing," running from room to room, rearranging the spice shelves in the kitchen, and begging to be picked up so he could turn on the ceiling fans.

Lunch at Red Ring on Duquesne's campus

Playing the piano in Babcia's classroom

Once we got home, we went into what I'll call "catch-up" mode.  That included doing laundry, cleaning up around the house, and running some errands.  This weekend, Erik and I enjoyed a date-night on Saturday night, and today we got together with his sister and her husband to go to Linganore winery.

Phew!

I have so enjoyed my days home with Jacob -- hanging out in our pj's until almost 9, watching Sprout, going for morning walks, playing at the playground.  And in just a short span of time, my little boy has grown such a personality.  He's so silly and so fun and so cuddly.  I'm really going to miss him as I go back to work.

Ten more weeks -- and then hello summer vacation!

Playing in the backyard at sunset