Catching Up

So it has been a while... sorry about that but, well, life got a little out of control for a while there.  I was supposed to go to India.  As in I packed (96 tabs of Immodium, anyone?), made it all the way to the airport, did the teary good-bye to the baby... and found out that I was supposed to have a visa before I left the ground.  Ummm, I can't buy one upon arrival like everywhere else on the planet?  No.

Not to be too American but really shouldn't I be entitled to separate rules?  Visas are simply about income generation (they don't do a background check or anything) and I was more than willing to pay.  Plus, do Americans defect to India?  Honestly?

And, of course, this happens when Hubby cell is dead so I can't call him to come back and get me.  So, I call the Verizon store (where I know he is going to see if his new phone has arrived) and have the following conversation.  Sadly, this really did happen, I am not exaggerating.

me:  This is going to sound odd but have you seen a tall blonde guy in the store recently carrying the most beautiful baby ever?  (Okay, I might have some mommy-goggles going on here but, really, he is a beauty).
unsuspecting phone answerer at store:  What?

me:  I assure you that I am not a stalker but my husband should be in there any minute to pick up his new phone and I am stuck at the airport.
upaas: He is not here now.  Let me see if his phone has arrived and if he has picked it up.
me:  Thanks!

(time passes, time passes)

upaas: His phone is not here and I can't tell if he has already been by.  Sorry.
me:  Can you leave a message in the order system or something?

upaas: Oh wait!  They might be here now.  What is the little guy wearing?
me:  Khaki Janie and Jack pants with teddy bears embroidered on them, a cream colored turtleneck from Baby Gap and a vest with a teddy bear that matches the trousers.  This morning he had on socks but he always takes them off in the car...

upaas: Way too many details and like I need to know the store name.  We are not identifying a crime scene, you know.  You are either his mom or the world's most detail-oriented stalker.
me:  I promise, I am his mom.  Wanna hear about my labor dramas?
upaas:  God no.  But, you are right, he is the cutest little guy I have ever seen.
me:  Told you so!

So, by the time Hubby made it back to Denver to get me, I had made reservations for bebe and I to go to Europe to celebrate his first birthday.  Yes, I know he is only one (of all people on the planet, I know precisely how old he is) but why not have him experience Europe even if he does not remember every detail later?  Besides, we were going to see friends and I KNOW he will remember all the love he was showered with.  Plus, United would not refund my money so I had a voucher... and why not use it?

I have to admit that I was nervous about flying internationally with the kiddo.  He has flown a couple of times from Colorado to Texas but those are short flights.  What if he had a meltdown on the plane and I was THAT MOM on the plane?

Bebe was a ROCK STAR on all the flights.   Seriously, not a peep out of him (other than getting the giggles in his sleep somewhere over Iceland).  Yes, I find it beyond endearing that my sweet baby boy laughs in his sleep.  How great it is that your waking hours are simply too short to fit in all your happiness?

We started off in London visiting his godfathers, Tom and Ody.  They are beyond in love with him which makes my heart melt.  Then we went to Paris to see Antoine and his brood and, well, see Paris.  Sadly, we got caught in the Eurostar meltdown (that will be a totally different blog entry).

From Europe, we went to Texas to meet up with Daddy-O, spend Christmas with the family and see Luc's godmom Aunt Bella and her hubby Nitro (who willingly hummed a lullaby to bebe for half an hour.  I will always have a soft spot in my heart for him due to that alone).  Then back to Colorado.

That is the (ridiculously) long version of why I have not been posting recently.