My Big Boy

Some great things happened today!

We dropped Luca off at our friend's house (Danielle and Greg and baby Leo) to run errands for a couple of hours on our own (and have a nice date for our 3rd anniversary today!). We watched their baby on Monday for a couple hours while they did the same. Hopefully we can make this trade every month, or more often!

When we left him, he cried so bad. It was so hard to leave, but I knew lingering would make it worse so I didn't. I cried as we drove away, I couldn't bear the thought of him being sad because I wasn't there. We thought surely we wouldn't get more than 30 minutes before they would have to call us. But that call never came.

First, we were giddy with our newfound freedom. Then we were surprised by our lack of relief... we actually were weirded out by his absence. Then we accepted it and started to enjoy the quiet, and reminisce about the days when this feeling (of wandering and doing what we wanted to with our day) was normal. What on earth did we do with all our time back then?? We ate a sandwich and talked and held hands. We scoped out some cardboard and building materials in the dumpster. We picked up my server training manual at work. We had pur-erh tea and played a game of chess. We talked about life with a baby and how much we have changed as people since having Luca. We smiled and walked with enjoyable jitters down the sidewalk, from our tea. We wished each other happy anniversary and declared how much we missed our baby and couldn't wait to have him back.

We returned to find him sitting on Danielle's lap in the grass, and he smiled as we walked up. I gave him the most genuine hug and kiss I ever have. He shrieked he was so happy to see us. And then Greg and Danielle told us all about it... about how he cried whenever Leo was sad. About how he wouldn't let Greg hold him. About how he held the same leaf in his mouth for several minutes. About how he cried until Danielle nursed him for 25 minutes (afterward he apparently decided to trust her and he had a great time!). I was so relieved that he let Danielle comfort him in that special way, and that Danielle was brave enough to try it (even though we had already given each other the go-ahead on it). She even nursed both babies at once... a taste of what twins are like!!


We got home and I put Luca down so I could use the bathroom, expecting him to cry and crawl after me as he usually does. But he didn't. He happily crawled away from me and toward his toys. He has NEVER done that. And he continued to play all by himself while I typed this. He fell asleep at 6pm. Danielle, I think you have magic milk.

Edit: Here are pictures and video from when Leo came to OUR house without his mommy and daddy!





Edit two:

Here is Luca in his own bed!