Forget 20:20; Hindsight is Just a Blur

*Disclaimer: More pics to be added once we get them uploaded... our setup is not ideal and it takes awhile...*

As I knew it would, our 5 days in Chicago was delightfully chaotic and just a touch manic.  My expectations for this visit were so high from 2 years of anticipation and it was just as sweet as I had hoped.  We had a bit of a rough start with a couple hour flight delay, a travel day with no naps at all, a night in a dingy hotel with only minutes of sporadic sleep and a call from Antonietta that her and Luca were sick and wouldn't be able to visit the next day. BIG sad face.  Just when I started to wonder what the *bleep* we were thinking, we were bombarded with friends and family and love and joy and I was reminded how much I need these visits.  If I write everything out I won't get this blog out till March... so here are some highlights and photos:

* We celebrated our little family Christmas before we left.  Roscoe and Ray got new Raider gear and Roscoe got an ornament (his second annual), a Bilibo and a shape sorter.  Ray got clothes and tools.  I got rain boots and clothes from Ray and a beautiful necklace from Roscoe (thank you, Ray <3)

* Since Roscoe didn't sleep on our travel day to Chicago he became increasingly hard to keep happy and teetered on the edge of breakdown a few times on the plane.  To keep the evil at bay we gave him pretzel sticks to hold and gnaw on and crunchies and fruit bits and all of his favorite snacks.  This seemed to work well until he coughed and then puked all over Ray's lap.  Like, really all over.  Pretzel chunks included.  Blech.

Waiting for our plane:

  

At O'Hare waiting for rental car shuttle.
Roscoe's finally asleep (and Ray's face says it all):

* We got to see Laura and Jesse and Tessa and Hadleigh for way less time than I'd like.  I love that Laura has kids and understands that all I wanted when I showed up at their house after a day of travel was a full coffeepot and toys to entertain our little mister.  I am grateful they hosted us with a 3 week old baby and wish we could hang out more.

Pretty girl #1 and #3 (Tessa is beyond cute, but had to nap and I didn't get photographic proof.  Just trust me on this one):

* We visited Jack Santa and Parker.  I even got one picture of all 3 boys to prove that we do visit once in awhile.  And a few more of TJ and Tom's boys being their cute selves:

* Roscoe got to meet his great aunties who showered him with attention and gifts and shared with me Auntie Ruth's recipe for Arroz Caldo.  She is an amazing cook and Roscoe (and I) love Arroz Caldo, so I am excited to try it out in my own kitchen someday.  (I will not be cooking Filipino food for Ray's parents... too much pressure!)  Roscoe also met his first cats at their house and clung to Ray for his life.  Funny that he was terrified of the little cats and has no fear of our big oafish dogs.

With Auntie Ruth:

With Auntie Marilou:

* Once we got to Mom's it started to really feel like Christmas with all of the family.  I have missed the last two Christmases (that pesky food poisoning and labor stuff), so I was especially excited to celebrate this year.  It was actually another strange year since we don't have our own place to decorate or celebrate in, but at least I was not sick or delirious.  I will take it.  Roo discovered a new favorite past-time at Oma's as he took anything he could carry to the railing and tossed is down to the lower level.

* Roscoe had a white birthday with fluffy snow falling.  He also showed his Dutch half as he devoured his birthday banket by first digging out the almond paste with his little pointer finger.

* Papa Top got Ray Roo a miniature (but lifted) FJ pulling a 4-wheeler.  I think it's a tie between Ray and Roscoe who has played with it more since then...  Roscoe also had loads of fun exploring Papa Top's house (especially the dustpan and broom) and even gave himself a doozy of a fat lip by falling into a garbage can.  Thank God it was only his lip - I had visions of mangled teeth when I saw his mouth full of blood.    

* My favorite memories from this trip are the ones of the little cousins and the chaos.  Running around, chasing each other, tripping over the ones that can't run yet, monkey piling on purpose and on accident, biting each other (ok, that was only Roscoe), getting jealous of who else Oma was holding (ok, maybe that was just Roscoe, too)...  I got a taste of how fun it will be for all of these kids to grow up together.  It also surprised me how immediately comfortable Roscoe was with everyone.  He must know that these people are His Tribe because he warmed right up to even the ones he hadn't met before.  I wouldn't trade these crazy visits, but they sure make it harder to leave, freshly reminded of what I am missing by living across the country.  I love you all very much and miss you loads already.  I can't wait to do it all again (well, maybe I can wait, but not long...)  

Little Drunkard and The Nakey Nap

I would not say that Roscoe is "walking" yet, but I would not say that he isn't either.  He has taken steps here and there to get from table to couch to person, etc., but I would consider that more slow-trustful-falling than steps.  BUT.  I think tonight qualifies as his first few official steps.  He took two from Ray to me and then two back to Ray.  Of COURSE he decided to start now.  Because a cross-country flight, a first birthday, hanging out with his 6 cousins, 7 little friends and Christmas was not enough excitement for one week...  Heaven help us.

In other news, when Ray went to get him from his nap the other day he was naked from the waist down.  He had stripped off his socks, pants and diaper and thrown them around the room.  I have been wondering if he would try and take off his velcro diapers, but these had SNAPS.  We may need to channel Mitchel and Heather and start duct taping him into his diapers one of these days.

Oh, Birthday Tree, Oh, Birthday Tree

Thanks to Tom (who shares Roscoe's birthday) and Traci (who shared her tricks with us) and Frances (whose birthday is right after Christmas), we have (hopefully) enough arsenal to make Roscoe's birthday special and separate from Christmas.  No travelling on his birthday.  No "combined" gifts.  No Christmas wrapping paper on birthday gifts.  Check, check and check.  Even though he is only 1 and will not likely remember this birthday celebration, we are setting the standard now.  Last year Traci sent us a photo of Tom's "birthday tree" all decked out with presents underneath.  Roscoe's baby birthday tree may be small, but it is full of love and good intentions.

We celebrated early with his West Coast entourage at Goat Hill Pizza, which is filled with family memories.  Here is the invitation:

Roscoe first year has brought... a 3am arrival on Christmas Eve (8 days late) after a month of "false" labor, melt-your-heart gummy smiles, The Colic, up-the-back diaper explosions, endless sleepless nights, spit up perfectly aimed for Daddy's mouth, belly laughs, a scary fall from his swing, a home renovation and move, 6 teeth, a few hairs, countless bruises, 2 nannies driven out of the country, a trip to Colorado, 1 call to poison control, the right elbow/left toe speed crawl, tipsy attempts at walking, sharing food with the dogs, sharing dog bed with the dogs, daily attempts to escape through the doggy door, camping trips, Tahoe trips and a break-down or two on all sides.  Let's celebrate Roscoe's first blissfully chaotic first year!  

And did we ever celebrate!  We thought maybe a dozen people would come.  MAX.  Yeah...so Roscoe's 35 closest friends ended up taking over Goat Hill and showing him (and us) how much he is loved.  Ray got him a balloon (huge hit - who knew how many hours of fun he could squeeze out of that thing?) and party hats and kazoo things.  Oh, and there were only 4 kids including Roscoe, so this wasn't for them...

My little Mister:

Both of my Misters:

Roscoe at the head of one of our tables:

Eating his birthday Veggie Muffin (Aunt Karen's recipe) with banana-applesauce glaze:

I had another one of those moments where I realize this Mom thing is still uncharted territory.  It never even crossed my mind that people would bring gifts.  I've only been to adult parties for, like, 20 years so I am rusty on the kid party stuff.  Check out his birthday booty:

His favorite toy - the Wheely Bug we got him (I wish you could hear the chucklin'):

Still pushing around that balloon (attached to the dog food container...): 

Paparazzi Post

I bet Roscoe thinks he is the rich and famous the way I follow him around with the camera some days.  I just want to capture what it was really like, the little every day things and his expressions and interests.  This is what we do around here:

In dog bed.  Roscoe thought bubble, "OMG, this is SO not allowed, I can't believe how fun it is to disobey" *Mama watches his obvious joy with sheer dread*

Christmas shopping:

Aw!  I mean, seriously, can this be any sweeter?

Front patio adventures pulling weeds and putting them in the planter:

High chair lounging (with pretzel).  

We had to get him a new one because the one we picked up off the curb at our old house didn't have a seatbelt and well, yeah, that didn't work out.  Strapped in tight:

Dropped pretzel:

Sharing his spaghetti with Ikaika:

Ikaika waiting patiently for scraps, unaware that Roscoe has already shared some:

Spaghetti face:

Pure joy at the messiness of it all:

What he does when I turn my back for 2 minutes to wash dishes:

Snow Baby

I am a little behind, but here are some pics from when we went to Tahoe the weekend after Thanksgiving.  I especially love the last 4 where Roscoe is wistfully watching Ray and Lolo shovel the balcony.  You can see the absolute adoration he has for his Daddy.