Meeting the Tickler

It’s no mystery that I love with a fierce love when it comes to my friend’s kids.  Currently that love is being divvyed out on a daily basis to 16 little loves.  With each one I silently wonder if I will still have love left for them…and yet there are still more to come in the coming years!

Well all those fears of running out of love were quickly put to rest when I landed in DC on Thursday night and was surprised to see Michelle and baby Kase walking up to meet me.  I ran and hugged her tightly and didn’t want to let go because I was honestly nervous to see him for the first time.  Would he like me?  Would I recognize him?  What if people saw me cry?  What if I'd built it up too much and he was just like any other baby?  Would I love him enough?

And then I saw him and as perfect as I thought he was in pictures, they did not do justice to looking at him in person.  It took everything in me to not frantically undo the car seat and scoop him up into my arms.  But just about a hour later he was placed in my arms for the first time and I just stared at his sleeping face and fell in love hard.

Oh it was a great weekend!  I had three full days with perfect weather, best friends, and the newest love of my life.  We dined on all the yummy meals delivered, slept when we could, laughed about how well we thought we knew each other, saw some DC sights for the first and last time, and all the while marveled at this new little boy and imagined what life was ever like before him.

I snuggled with Kase, helped bathe him, changed yucky diapers, mastered getting him in and out of the car, learned what makes an outfit worthy in Michelle's eyes, woke up for 2 am feedings, learned the art of swaddling, and perfected how to bounce him just right to help him fall asleep.  Oh yeah…and hung out with Michelle and Daniel part of the time too!

I had been counting down the days until this visit and all the anticipation did not disappoint.  Every time I’ve visited them in DC, I’ve left claiming it was the best trip yet and this time was no different.

However, this time I left with tears streaming down my face and trying not to focus on the fact that it will be at least six months before I hug my best friends again and hold that sweet little boy.  Even right now as I type high in the air the tears are flowing and the lady next to me keeps making sideways glances at me and I’m sure wondering what the H is wrong with me.

I realize I'm acting like a big 30 year old baby crying over saying good-bye to friends, but...hell I'm 30 and cry like a baby if I want to!

Thank goodness for Instagram and a fancy new camera these pictures do a much better job of telling what I did this Easter weekend...