drew’s news

Time’s flyin’ and I haven’t had much time to write anything. Not that there’s been much to write about. Leo’s keeping us busy, but things are pretty routine. He had his 2-month checkup with the pediatrician a couple weeks ago, and he got 4 vaccinations. The nurse was very quick, zipping through 2 shots on each thigh. Not that we expected Leo to “enjoy” the experience, but he really didn’t fuss too much. As soon as he was happily slurping some milk he forgot all about the little pin pricks…

We were a bit apprehensive about taking Leo on an airplane this early - he’s not even 2 months old and hasn’t had his vaccinations yet. Plus he’s got quite a piercing cry when he gets going. Were we ready for a 5-hour plane flight? We knew we’d have to take the leap sometime soon, but this seemed, well, maybe too soon. But we felt it was important for us to make this trip, to be with Daphne’s family for her grandmother’s memorial service.

• Getting to SFO: We parked in a convenient hotel lot near the airport and took their shuttle - no problems here. It was a bit unnerving to just hold Leo while we were in the shuttle, but at least he was attached to Daph in her shoulder-strap infant carrier, and we didn’t have to get on the freeway at all.
• Security line at SFO: Relatively painless. We had to send the infant carrier through the X-ray machine, so Daph held Leo as they walked through the scanner. He was sleeping.
• Boarding the plane: Pre-boarding! Sweet! It was really nice to walk into the empty plane and have plenty of space to get situated. The plane had two aisles, and we were in the row of 3 seats in the middle. We hoped that no one would take the third seat so we could stretch out…
• Diaper change: Turns out there were no changing stations in any of the bathrooms on this plane. Before everyone else started boarding, we decided to test out a diaper-changing strategy. I laid one of the airline blankets on the closed toilet seat, then spread out our little portable diaper-changing pad over that. Not bad, although the toilet seat wasn’t quite long enough so either Leo’s head or feet were hanging off the edge. (Daph later told me that just changing him on the little counter next to the sink was much more stable…)
• Take-off: We were particularly worried about this part. As soon as the plane’s engines started humming, Leo was asleep again. As we taxied to the runway, Daph woke him up and was nursing him as the plane accelerated and lifted off. And… nothing! He didn’t seem to even notice the change in air pressure. Whew…
• In flight: As we reached cruising altitude, Leo appeared to be really enjoying himself. Oh yeah, we managed to score an empty seat next to us, so we propped him up in the middle seat with pillows and blankets, and enjoyed the flight!

Leo slept most of the way, and the landing went just as smoothly as take-off. We were off to a great start!

During our trip we had a great time hanging out with Mimi and getting to know her new baby - Leo’s cousin Hunter! It was a total baby-fest. Hunter’s a couple months older than Leo (twice as old!), and already much bigger. He’s much more mellow, too, with a cute little cry that is just enough to get your attention without being overwhelming. Lucky for Mimi!

I was excited at the chance to take Leo down to the beach and dip him in the ocean. Don’t worry, it was just a quick dip - I don’t think he was in the sun for much more than 60 seconds. The water was a bit cold for his comfort, but I enjoyed the experience immensely…

A continuous stream of visits by Daph’s relatives and family friends ensured that Leo (and Hunter) rarely touched the bassinet. It was really nice to see everyone, and I think Daph was able to catch up on some rest since she didn’t have to keep constant attention on the little one 100% of the time. I think Leo caught up on sleep as well - he was out almost every time a visitor stopped by. I think they might have gotten the false impression that he’s a very calm baby.

In the midst of exciting baby news, there have been some unfortunate events lately too. This summer has seen the loss of two family members, and I wanted to pause for a moment and reflect a bit…

Two weeks ago I made a last-minute journey to Nebraska to celebrate the life of my Aunt Joanne, who passed away on August 9th after an 18-month battle with cancer. I met my folks at the Omaha airport, and we drove together to Joanne’s house. I have fond memories of childhood roadtrips across the midwest, when we’d stop in to see Aunt Jo and her two boys (a bit older than me). But I hadn’t been back to this part of the country in many years.

It was a quick trip, but in just the couple days I was there I could really sense the strong, positive force that she was in her family and in her community. Hundreds of people attended the somber, emotional funeral service - the outpouring of support was amazing, and it was good to reconnect with family that I’ve not seen in quite some time. Perhaps she should have had many more good years, but we are all enriched by having had her in our lives. No doubt she will continue to be a positive presence for her husband, two sons, and six grandchildren. Rest in peace, Aunt Jo…

And just a couple days ago we returned from a trip to visit Daphne’s family in Hawai’i. Her grandmother suffered a stroke and passed away on July 12th, and a memorial service was held last weekend. I am happy to say that she had a full life of 94 years, and, as I understand it, her passing was quiet and without discomfort.

I am lucky to have known her for the past few years, and really enjoyed listening to her great stories. Looking at old photos and hearing the kind words spoken at the memorial service, I could see many similarities between Daphne’s grandmother and my Aunt Jo - putting family first without question, selflessly offering help and support to friends and family in tough situations, and generally making those around her happier. She touched many lives, and will be missed. Rest in peace…