Guess where I was this weekend

Hey, I can see my old house from here! Wait, what? You don't see it? Okay, I'll zoom in:

There it is, see it? Right there?

Okay, fine, so I went to go meet the latest family member and be present at his baptism. I went by myself. It was very weird being alone. Traveling was actually... pleasant! I couldn't stay for very long -- about 48 hours to be exact -- but that's enough time to have a good time with family and partake in some baby worshipping!

Hello, Damien Alexander!

Yes, teeth are overrated, especially when you're this cute!

Uncle Dave practicing for when it's his turn. :)

This cracked me up, because it brings back so many memories: how new parents bathe their new baby.


All fresh and fluffy! (and staring at Daddy)

Father and son. Joe is a good Daddy. (I wish I'd taken a picture of him playing WoW with Damien in his lap.)

I spent one night with Joe and Rie so I could get in some extra Damien time before the baptism. Since I was up and at 'em before 6 (technically I slept in!), I got to spend some special auntie time with Damien while the rest of the household slept some more.

Say hi to the internet!

Damien is just a cutie and a half. Lookie dat face! Chubber chubber!

I don't think he ever stopped moving while I was holding him. He's a boy, all right!



Newborn smiles are so precious.

After the last-second frenzy of getting ready and Joe's demonstration of his Pontiac's acceleratory powers, we arrived at the church, where Dad and Grandma together got the star all cuted up.


Grandma with the lucky grandchild who will get the most opportunities for spoiling.

The church was, appropriately, St. John the Baptist.

Welcome, newest Christian!


The godparents were our brother Dave, and Rie's sister Christine (you may remember that Miriam was flower girl at both weddings last summer). Fr. Patrick has been a family friend for ages -- we knew him when he was still frater Patrick, and we attended his ordination and first Masses. He also celebrated Joe and Rie's wedding (as well as Christine's), so it was very special for him to be able to perform the first baptism as well!

Although Damien was the newest Christian on the block, he wasn't the new kid any more -- his second cousin James now holds that title:

babies, babies everywhere!

Before:


After!
James was over 11 lbs. when he was born. Yes, Sara is a superwoman!

All the cousins! Martin, me, Dave, Timi (for whose wedding we came out back in June), and Joe with Damien.

Here's one for Nana. :)

Damien with his godmother, Aunt Tine. She was telling me how close she feels to him -- that when he was born (she was at the hospital, waiting), she felt that he might as well have been hers, she loved him so much. I realized I felt the same way -- when I was playing with him that morning, and snuggling with him while he slept on my shoulder, I felt all my mothering instincts focus on him as well. I never realized I could love another mother's child as if it were my own.

There's nothing like family in the whole wide world. And I'm happy to be back with mine, where I'm queen bee again, even if that involves filling soap dispensers, replacing toilet paper, turning off lights, cleaning off counters, and all those little things that tend to get forgotten when the details person is away. :)