Four Baths!

Happy Birthday, USA!

Bath #1

Lots of stuff since the last post. Friday night we had a fun dinner with several families who try to get together once a month. I wonder what the other diners must think seeing that many generations crammed into the back room of an Italian joint.

Bath #2

Saturday was E's baptism into the Catholic church. Oma, Opa, and his Godparents (Auntie Ness and Uncle Brian) came over first thing to prep the lil'man. E took his first bath for the day. He got dressed in the same outfit Uncle Brian was baptized in (yep, Oma keeps everything and we're so thankful for it). He looked adorable. Then it was off to meet the rest of the family at St. Justin Church - the same place where Lisa & I were married, Oma & Opa were married, and Lisa and her siblings were baptized. Father George conducted a wonderful ceremony, which E slept through (no judgement - he's still young enough that sleeping through church is acceptable...even encouraged). The culmination, of course, was E's second bath for the day: The Baptism. He woke up a bit startled at having cold water poured on his forehead, but didn't produce a peep.

With E's Godparents, Uncle Bri and Auntie Ness

After a bajillion family portraits - though still 10% of our wedding - we all headed to Uncle Ron's for a BBQ celebration. The wine was fantastic (thanks to cousin Erik working the catering job at Ridge winery all day), as was the food. Best part for me was taking E into the pool for the first time...which constitutes as his third bath for the day. The water was nice and warm and the kid was beyond content. He's not totally smiling yet, but he does this licking face when he's happy...and let me tell ya, he didn't put that tongue away. It was an exhausting, yet amazing, day for the Ballou pack all around. Though, we couldn't leave all that chlorine on his baby skin...so guess what, E got his FOURTH BATH for the day. Water logged and pooped, we hit the sack. Hard.

Bath #3...sorry, there's no pic of Bath #4.
We were too tired to take more shots  & you'll just have to trust me
that E had four. 

Someday E hopes to cook as good as his Uncle Ron

So on Sunday we rested, right? NO WAY! It was Oma's bday! So we started out at church (E is a good Catholic now, after all) and then breakfast out. We squeezed in a few errands and couple hours hanging out with the family before going to a bday dinner at FISH MARKET (have I mentioned how much I love the Cioppino there?).

Yesterday was a bit more of a sad day: Auntie Vanessa left for Alaska. We feel so lucky that she's spent so much time with us, E, and the dogs over the last few months. She'll be missed, but hardly out of our lives! After all, that's why they invented FaceTime. And we're really proud of her for heading up there and going for it!

E loves Auntie Ness