Des Plaines Visit

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Mom&DadMulhern
Posts: 53
Joined: Jan 30th, '09, 14:26

Des Plaines Visit

Post by Mom&DadMulhern »

Mike and I visited Michael, Meghan & Sydney this past weekend and had a terrific time. We hadn't seen them since Christmas, so we knew that Sydney for sure would really look a lot different. Mike and I drove to Des Plaines making half the trip on Thursday evening and the other half on Friday. It always seems a little less tiring that way. We arrived around 1:30 in the afternoon Friday. We went with Michael and Meghan to pick up Sydney at her day care center. I wasn't sure what to expect, but was really surprised at Sydney's "school". It really is a school. A well organized, clean, very impressive day care and preschool facility. There is a long hallway with classrooms on both sides and bulletin boards all decorated just like a regular school. We had to remove our shoes before entering the infant room. They keep it very clean inside due to the little tykes - all babies or crawlers. Inside was a row of cribs, soft rugs on the floor and three little ones enjoying themselves listening to their teacher read a story. One little boy was more interested in the visitors than the story. I felt the urge to pick him up, but thought better of it. He was so cute. Sydney was napping in one of the cribs. We had a look around the room before Meghan picked her up. Children's pictures were on the wall and the refrigerator. Sydney's name was spelled out in big letters on the wall with the other children. They are expecting another Sydney so there is a "Sydney M" and a "Sydney H" on the wall. Meghan picked up a sleepy Sydney and she peeked at us. Not fussy. She knew her mommy and knew she was going home. Once in the car, Sydney was wide awake and staring at Mike and I in the back seat. She didn't seem to mind that we weren't familiar to her. Just grinned at us. Once home, Sydney cat napped a little more and then was ready to play. She is so cute. Big smiles for everyone, and it's when she gets serious that the eyes get big - or when Michael gets out the camera.

Meghan is amazing. She has become a really good mom in every sense of the word. I remember when she was pregnant, she had some worries, but now I think she could write a book on being a mom. Michael said she has even been asked at work to help some of the other moms who have recently had babies to cope with being a working mom. She laughs at that, but she knows what she is doing. When Sydney is awake, Meghan is changing her, feeding her, and playing with her. When she is asleep, Meghan is doing laundry, cooking, making bottles, and even found the time to bake us some fresh homemade cookies. She didn't seem to sit still very long. I kind of marveled that whatever Sydney needed was at Meghan's fingertips. She is very organized when it comes to her baby. The only thing I think she needs is sleep. We offered to look after Sydney while she caught a few zzz's but she refused. If Sydney was awake, so was Meghan.

Michael is a really good dad, too. He's a hands-on dad. I don't think there is much he can't do. He's become very adept at dodging the spit up. Always has a clever wit about him that kept us laughing. I reminded him that he wasn't so sure he would like being a dad. He wasted time worrying about that, because it is clear to see he adores Sydney and she loves her daddy. Meghan says Sydney is all Michael, but when Sydney smiles, I see Meghan's eyes - not the color - as Sydney has light blue eyes with a dark blue ring around them; but something in the shape of her eyes when she smiles looks a lot like her mommy.

Sydney is now 5 months old. She can almost sit alone. She tries so hard to talk. It wouldn't surprise me if she talks early. She is rarely still, arms and legs flinging all at once. She does love that blue octopus that Michael mentioned in his post. She has beautiful baby skin with rosy cheeks. Looks like hair is coming in blonde. Her feet curve inward and she plays with her feet a lot, both with her hands and rubbing her feet together. Very hard to keep socks on her. I must have put them on or pulled them up a dozen times. I gave her a bottle several times while I was there. Sure brings back the memories, and yes, I too was a victim of the spit up, as was her grandpa, but no harm done.

Happy-Happy, Michael's brown bear that I made him when he was two, has made a comeback. I didn't ever have the heart to dispose of him or give him away. Michael loved that bear so much. So, the bear has lived in our attic for many years in a plastic bag. I got him out and he looks like new pretty much. I opened him up and took all the stuffing out and restuffed him with new polyfill. Also took off the button eyes and inserted animal eyes that you can buy at the fabric store. They have grips on the back that ensure they can't be pulled off. I also vacuumed Happy-Happy and gave him a new ribbon for his neck, and he made the trip with us. He is like new and ready for the next generation. Sydney didn't seem too taken with him, but I'm sure she will be as she gets a little older. For now, he is a nice soft place for her to lay.

Mike helped Michael in the basement while we were there. Michael and Meghan had taken on a huge remodeling project in the basement. During the time of Meghan's baby shower, their basement flooded. When they discovered it, there didn't seem much hope of fixing the damage, but they were able to dry it out, and insurance helped with some of the lost items, so now they are back in business. Since Sydney's arrival though, the project has slowed down, so it was nice to be there to help out. They bought and put up all the ceiling lights and wired them all up. It was amazing to see the basement so bright! Once finished, they will really have a nice family room. Mike said he really enjoyed helping and is hoping to take some time off this summer and fly out to help. We are really proud of Michael's efforts to take on such a big job without contracting any of the work out.

Like all good things, they have to come to an end, and Sunday night we said goodbye to Michael, Meghan and Sydney and headed back to our motel. We would leave early the next morning. It was a wonderful visit, and I'm sure Sydney will grow so much more before we get to see her again, but we left very proud that Sydney has a wonderful home and two great parents. She's a lucky little girl.

Michael & Meghan: Enjoy Sydney! Get some sleep when you can! And, thanks for a nice visit.

Love,
Mom

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