"Cecilia" - Simon & Garfunkel

August 1st rolled around and I got to pick up my Mom!!!  She landed around 1am and got to meet Mr. Miles.  Caitlin woke up to the best surprise, MeMe was downstairs :)

I loved the extra set of hands, watching my little girl play with her Grandma, and getting to show my Mom my new home and city.

And then my Mom made me a birthday cake!!!  I haven't had a Mom-made birthday cake in years...sigh...

No one enjoyed the cake more than this kid...

A few days later, Miles got his first bath.  We don't have a normal baby bath.  We had this hammock thing that we used for Caitlin, but I don't like it, she got cold really easily unless you filled the entire bath tub and that's just a waste of water...sooooo, instead of using the hammock or buying a new bath, I shoved the kid in the sink...

 

Miles got to wear a pair of shorts, it was important to see what he looked like wearing a plaid shark.

I like it.

  

These two are quite the pair :)

Life continued to get better with the arrival of my Dad two weeks later.  This was another, "Hey Caitlin, come get out of bed and see who is here!" arrival. 

The next two weeks were a fantastic blur of great conversation, loads of helping hands, and apparently awkward moments provided by know-it-all toddlers...

My Dad discovered that Miles prefers a good back pat and head rub in order to fall into a deep deep sleep...

This kid has so much personality already, it's hilarious.  As cheesy as it sounds for a Mom to say this, I am very excited to see how this little man's personality develops.  Maybe that's the glory of having more than one kid :)

My parents are the best people in the world.  I can appreciate now - to a small extent (after having two kids) the years upon years of time and energy they put into my brother and I.  After this visit it hit me like a ton of bricks (and I'm slightly ashamed it has taken 27 years and two kids for it to hit me) - these people love me a whole hell of a lot.  And without getting all mushy and sappy (which is easy because I'm not sure I can even put the right words in order) I want to say thank you, Mom & Dad.  The life you have worked painstakingly hard to give me is beyond phenomenal.  I am who I am and where I am because of the love and hard decisions that undeniably kept you up at night.  You made the right decisions, I'm happy and healthy and feel like I have an incredible ideal to live up to when it comes to raising my own children and loving my husband.  Thank you doesn't really cut it, but that's all the English language can do! Now everyone else, go hug your parents!!! :)