Yes, we have survived our first ever family plane trip. Oddly enough, the hardest part of the trip was the drive to the airport. Fighting rush hour traffic at 8am was awful. Of course there was a fender bender and everyone just had to slow down to look. Poor Kulia just lost it after about 20 min and screamed bloody murder the whole way up. By the time we arrived, she was choking mad with red swollen eyes. And we hadn’t ever boarded the plane yet! Thankfully, she was tired so she sacked out on the plane.

The only odd part was during the landing. I popped her on the boob to nurse her on the way down to help with her ears. We were nursing happily when the man across the aisle leaned over to talk. He started telling me about his kids and recommending books on behavior and tricks for soothing infants. All the while, Kulia keeps popping off the boob to try and figure out where this strange voice is coming from. I’m trying to politely listen to him while keeping my breast as covered as possible and wrestle Kulia back on. I finally gave up and just sat Kulia on my lap and let her gnaw on my fingers. She did great and happily drooled away during landing.

So far, all the cousins are sharing well and getting along. And can I just say how wonderful it is to have all these adults around? We have four kids and six adults so it’s pretty easy to keep the bases covered. I actually sat down and ate a leisurely lunch today instead of scarfing my meal at a truely insane rate. Heavenly. Truely heavenly.

Even better, Leina and Sammy took a nap in the same room together. It took them about an hour to fall asleep but they did! We listened in via the baby moniter to them chattering away to eachother. We think at one point they started playing hide and seek together. I just wish we could get a video camera in there to see them in action. They are such buds.

So we are loving being here. I just hope time slows down ’cause it seems to be flying by!

We are packing our bags and getting ready for a trip to San Diego to help cousin Sammy celebrate his 2nd birthday. Yes, we are taking both girls on our first ever family vacation.

So last night, after a truely gruelling day, Kevin and I looked at eachother and wondered if Auntie Suzy and Uncle Dan know what they are in for. It’s been two years since they had an infant in the house and I’m thinking baby amnesia may have set in. I hope they are ready for Kulia and all the chaos she brings with her. But hey, ready or not, here we come!

Of course, no matter what, it’s going to be crazy. We are going to overflow their poor little house. Sammy and Leina are going to have to share a room. We’ll see how that works. And poor little Kulia gets to sleep in a closet! But no matter how cramped and crazy the weekend will be, I know it’s going to be incredibly fun because we are family. We are blessed with having spouses who like and respect eachother, in-laws that are kind, and cousins that are sweet. So bring on the chaos! I’ve got my camera at the ready and all I need are some sweet little nephews to make my day!

Look out Walls clan ’cause the McLaughlins are coming to town!

Baby Jaguar sings this song on one Go Diego Go episode and everytime I hear it I think of Kulia. She’s just growing by leaps and bounds.

Right now she’s sitting behind me in her little swing, cooing. If I turn around and look at her, she’ll catch my eye and burst out in this huge smile and laugh while kicking her hands and feet as if to say, “Look how cute I am! You want to come pick me up and kiss my fat little toes!” And oh, how I do!

I find myself just marveling over Kulia. I guess I was in too much of a baby shock with Leina to truely appreciate her because I’m blown away by baby sister. Her sweetness, her little personality, her unending rolls of sweet baby fat, and her changes! Today, she’s practicing rolling her tongue so it sounds as if a Spanish senorita has invaded her. She loves to try new sounds with her tongue in and out of her mouth and oh my goodness it’s too wonderful for words. I thought I would be jaded with Kulia and have a “been there done that” attitude but I think I actually appreciate her babiness more than I did with her older sister. I know how quickly this passes and how to truely savor every sweet slobbery moment. Because every day I lose a little more of my baby as she grows into herself. I can’t wait to see who she will be but I’m also aware that this, right now, is something special too.