By Your Leave

A couple of days ago, DH left on his return journey to the sandbox.

Lilah and I loved having Daddy around. We gave Daddy a New Daddy present--an Iron 4ID emblem that reads "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave." Now I just need to find a place for it in DH's study.

In many ways, it felt lik DH had never left. He is still the same calm and loving man. DH said it felt like a long, lazy weekend (minus the sleeping late, of course). If we hadn't just had a baby, DH probably would have had us jetting out to some exotic destination...but in many ways this is infinitely more exciting, if more sedentary.

Still, I can't help but worry that his R&R was not particularly restful. Lilah and I were still recovering from the 24 hour labor. I was not able to do much housework or, probably more importantly to DH, much cooking. The Texas heat coupled with Lilah's heart condition made it inadvisable to take Lilah much of anywhere, although we did take one mini road trip out to Alamosa Winery. The owners love DH (Jim always says that DH left the law for Field Artillery because "it is more efficient to blow bad guys up than to put them in jail") and I knew they would want to see him and Lilah.

In addition, my mom is staying with me to help out and my in-laws (MIL, FIL, and the two Grandmas) came down for five days in the middle of DH's leave, as did my father. My mom (and dad while he was here) is staying with me and the in-laws stayed at a local hotel. We sent them out during the day to Fredericksburg, Salado, and San Antonio...but it was still quite the circus here.

A couple of nights we ate take out and one night my parents and I made a BBQ.

Imagine two Grandmas and two Great Grandmas--all sharing whatever the doctor told them 30 or 50-60 years ago about babies. If I have to explain one more time that while babies may sleep better on their stomach, they sleep safer on their backs...well, I'll just explain it again...but I can't promise I won't think grouchy thoughts. Still, it was wonderful for Lilah to meet all of these loving relatives--DH and I really have a caring family and I feel blessed.

Lilah slept through much of the attention lavished on her...only to wake up bright eyed and ready to play at 2:00 am.

My mom has been a huge help, but I felt bad for DH that he did not have his "castle" to himself. I wish my mom was closer by so I could have sent her home at the beginning and end of DH's time here and we could have spent time alone.

Now that leave is over, we are on the short, "downhill" side of the deployment. When DH returns, Lilah will have grown so much and almost be ready for her heart surgery. There is a lot to look forward to this winter.