Extending your family

Last night Noah and I paid a visit to an old friend. My mother and I moved in with my stepfather in the middle of my fifth grade school year. My mom decided to let me finish out the year at my former school, in a different school district. So for the remainder of the year and through the summer, David, my new next-door neighbor, was my only new friend. David and I remained friends throughout school, despite my junior high bitchiness, and still keep in touch today though he moved to the outskirts of Detroit to practice medicine. I also keep in contact with his mother Jean – not just because she is his mother, or because she was a neighbor, but because many times during those years she felt like a second mom to me. She sometimes put up with me after school, helped with homework, and mediated quarrels between David and I. And over the years she has been present for the major milestones – my graduation, wedding, and baby shower. So it was high time for her and her wonderful husband Greg to meet Master Noah.

I was quite daring to take Noah over to see Jean and Greg after his bedtime. Noah’s bedtime that is – not Greg’s. Driving over there I had visions of a tired grumpy Noah crying and then dozing off, which is a super fun first impression. But once again, my worries were all for not. Noah played with the blocks Jean so thoughtfully purchased for him, smiled, and then practiced his Gaas and happy dolphin shrieks. Thank the Gods that no one ever meets the scary baby I always envision in my mind’s eye. Both Jean and Greg commented on how sweet and good he is. He was quite the charmer. Except for up-chucking twice on their floor, he was perfection. And even that wasn’t too bad since he managed to avoid spitting on me and himself – and it landed squarely on the kitchen linoleum. Good aim kid!