The last night together, we let David fall asleep with his cousins to have a fun cousin sleepover together. The idea was that we would move him to the house we were staying at once he fell asleep, but it didn't quite work out that way. Let's just say that David isn't used to having roommates when he's trying to settle down, so I finally had to go upstairs and sing songs while the three-some drifted off to sleep. Of course David was the last one to give in, and that didn't happen until 11 pm. The adults played games downstairs for another hour past that, and when it came time to go find our beds, David looked too comfy. So we took our chances, and let him sleep at Nana's house through the night.
Apparently the "chance" we took was more on Nana's good night sleep, and not so much with our son.
When we came back the next morning about 9:30, we learned that Nana had been awake with David since 4:30 that morning. Yowza! They had made cookies and banana bread together, played games, read stories, and played with a race track that logged hours of fun for Uncle Hanson when he was a little boy. And all of this before breakfast.
Uncle Hanson and Aunt Maggie were back in town, so we enjoyed their company through the morning before we left for the airport.
Uncle Hanson and Aunt Maggie gave David this new backpack--and of course he loves it!
For some reason, I love to see pictures of David with Uncle Hanson. I think both of them have yellow personalities, and they know how to make people feel good with their people skills.
Then it was off to the airport to fly home. This picture is fitting because although I'm sure Nana would have preferred a nap at this afternoon hour (owing to her early morning with David) she was instead helping him through the airport. (By the way, the backpack is full of stuffed animals and an airplane pillow--nothing heavy, just bulky.)
While we waited to check into our flight, Aunt Meredith taught David the song about a turtle named Tiny Tim. I know that song, but I've never taught it to my music-loving boy. I think it perfectly illustrates the value of extended family--so many people love David, and help to fill in the holes that are inevitably left by his parents. Oh, so very many people love our David! And he knows, it, too.
By this point in our trip, we had bounced around to so many beds and houses and hotels that David had started using his own terminology to designate our home in Anchorage. We told him we were getting on the airplane to fly home.
D: Mom, are we going home to our very very very very very own house?
M: Yes, Son.
D: And do we get to sleep in our very very very very very own beds?
M: Yes, after we take 2 airplane rides.
Our airplane rides weren't quite as smooth sailing as our trip 12 days prior. David was exhausted beyond reason, and it took a while for him to settle down well enough to fall into a deep sleep. We found our home in good order, our lawn well cared for by our neighbor, and it was good to finally be home again.
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