i want to blog, but i want to sleep!

Our last day in Colorado (Tuesday) was spent making arrangements to get back home... taking a QUICK tour of a few downtown Denver sites... and having dinner with "uncle" Josh & "uncle" Dan. (Technically Josh is my cousin -- which makes Mercer his 2nd cousin?) but uncle sounds better! We came home / packed / got through the night / got up early on Wednesday to find another blanket of snow on the ground (Mercer's 3rd snow!). We finished packing / ate a speedy breakfast (incl lil' M) and hopped in the car on the way to the airport. We made it fine - but it wasn't without some stress due to snow, traffic, making a wrong turn off the highway etc. We literally only had 10 - 15 minutes to wait at the gate (not long enough to be comfortable!)

On the plane, Mercer did AMAZING. We had heard about giving babies pacifiers to help them with the pressure, but got advice from a mom on the way to the airport that a bottle was the way to go -- so we made him a small bottle when we took off and went through the 30,000+ feet of elevation change and did the same on the descent. He only fussed 3 times for a total of a minute each?! We were so relieved. (We didn't want to be "that" couple on the plane with the screaming baby. C'mon... you know what I'm talking about!)

Getting all of our bags off the plane / off the baggage claim turnstile & back to the car -- now that was comical. We had TONS of stuff and were so afraid it all wouldn't fit. (in fact, we bought a duffel bag the night before we took off b/c we didn't have luggage space... guess we bought a little too much stuff while there?!) It all fit in the car... we zoomed home to beat rush hour and were welcomed with ballons & banners on the front porch. Mercer definitely had a warm homecoming!

We introduced Mercer to the cats. (Kitty ran as soon as he made a squeal. Pigg - amazingly - stuck around as to not miss any of the action.) We showed him the room that will be his nursery. We washed the sheets that thankfully came in that day (custom-sized organic cradle sheets that I had ordered a month before to fit my grandpa's handmade cradle). We also moved th cradle into our room. We ate dinner by the pond and introduced him to the back yard where he will play a lot. (Plus after being in hotels and on the plane -- we figured he could use some FRESH / WARM air. 60 deg instead of the 30-something he's used to.)

He also got to meet several of the neighbors who came over to greet him.

Everyone has been so wonderful and it is a joy to see how much Mercer is loved and welcomed into this world. We are so lucky to have great friends, family, and neighbors.

I am going to dash -- try to take a nap before taking him to the (local) pediatrician.

Thanks, all!!!!!!!!!!!

Candice, Todd, & Mercer