We’re back and better than ever!

Just wanted to get things started on a high note, not that it’s not true.

August had his two-month checkup last Tuesday. Two months! Somebody pinch me, because it seems like only yesterday that I was still preggo. And yet, I can barely remember what life was like before August (the baby–and the month too, I guess). Anyway, he weighed 10 pounds, 9 ounces, which means he has gained exactly four pounds since he was born. Wow. This mama is proud. Nothing else very eventful about the visit, which is a good thing. Except he got four shots, which he hated but soon recovered from.

Also, I can officially declare victory in the Great Breastfeeding Trials of 2001! August hasn’t had a bottle since October 3rd! Once we stretched out the time between his feedings, he was able to get full enough that I didn’t feel like I needed to give him a bottle to “top him off.” Yippee! Of course, this made things 100% easier for the trip to California.

As for the trip, we had a really great time. August was great on the flight out to San Francisco, and then was pretty wonderful on the subsequent long car ride into Yosemite. Check out the pictures section for the over 100 photos we took out there. Sure, a large portion of them are extraneous shots of August smiling in the car, but there are some amazing shots of the park too.

After we arrived on Wednesday, we met up with our friend Kevin (the groom) at the Curry Village Pizza Deck for his bachelor party. August and I tried to fade into the background as much as possible, but it’s not like things were that wild and crazy anyway. Since we were making the leap from Central time to Pacific, I think August and I were in bed by about 8 or so. Very tiring, all that traveling.

On Thursday, we met up with Chris (the groom’s brother and honorary Uncle) and saw a little bit of the Valley Village shops. We bought a T-shirt and sent postcards, which made me feel very efficient. Later that day, we went over to Kevin and Michele’s (the bride) place and enjoyed a neato dinner with lots of friends and family.

By Friday, we were ready to get out and do some hiking. So we drove up to Tuolomne Grove to check out some of the park’s giant sequoias. Wow. The hike was one mile down a six percent grade to the trees, then back up the same damn hill. Ouch. But the trees were really big. Really. August slept the entire time.

We had to hustle back to our cabin to get ready for the wedding in time. Then it was a one-hour drive up to Glacier Point for the ceremony. By this time, August is far from enamored with his car seat. In fact, he screams every time he comes near it. No fun. Also, just as the ceremony is starting, he decides he is hungry. So we get to go sit on a rock behind the crowd and watch from afar as he nurses. You must see the photos of the wedding, because the view is just unreal. The reception was at the lovely Auwahni Hotel in the Valley. I even splurged and drank a glass of wine! Scandalous!

Saturday morning, we met up with our friend Julie to hike up to Vernal Falls, one of the most popular trails in the park. For the life of me, though, I don’t know why it is so popular. It was freakin hard, my friends! We’re talking a steep, steep climb, with all of these bleeding stairs at the end! My butt was kicked. We didn’t even make it to the top of the falls, but at least the base was pretty. August slept the entire way. Julie was hoping to run into her husband Scott, who was running the trail to Half Dome and back that morning. Yep, Scott is my new personal hero, because he ran up those stairs, and then managed to continue on. Scott rules!

We took it easy that afternoon, with August and I napping away most of it back in the cabin.

Sunday, we got up early, managed to get everything packed up again, and headed for San Francisco. August was in rare form in the car, sleeping for maybe half an hour. Not fun. We finally made it to our hotel (a brand new Radisson just south of the city) and called up my old roomie Kim, who had promised to show up around the city. We then sped up to Chris (another old roomie) and Shelley’s new place, where they were winding down what looked like a pretty rollicking brunch/house warming party. Their apartment is totally amazing — only three blocks from Golden Gate Park!

Speaking of the Park, we walked down and took a stroll through the Botanical Gardens (free), then took the train down over to the beach where Tim and I (and August) got to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time (also free), and then went back to their neighborhood for dinner at a great Thai place. All in all, we had a really nice time. It was great catching up with old friends. It made me realize how far we’ve all come in the four and half years since graduation, yet it seemed like not much time at all had passed since we all lived together. Our other old roomie, Korry, was sorely missed.

Then, on Monday, we came home.

I love coming home.

One last note: August has a blocked tear duct, which isn’t uncommon in babies, but it means that his tears don’t drain correctly and instead turn into green goo that crusts up his eye. Yucky. Anyway, things seemed to get worse in CA, so I called and made an appointment at his doc’s for this morning. Long story short: the tear duct will clear on its own eventually — but he now weighs 11 pounds, 5 ounces!!! Woohoo! I’m not starving him!

Aren’t I pitiful?