Rosalee & Friends

Warning: there will be an overwhelming number of cute, chubby baby pictures in this post.

Just before Halloween, Brittany and I flew from SF and Amanda from NY to visit the Brookshires in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  What did we do while there?  I can barely tell you!  Bath time was a huge event.  There was a pumpkin patch.  Mostly we just had morning snuggles, took Ruby the dog for many walks with baby Rosalee in tow, and rolled around on the floor chasing giggles.  And what more could you want?

Lesbian adoption stock photo?

I brought Rosalee these jingly unicorn socks, and predictably she was most interested in the crinkly tissue paper!

Peek-a-boo!

A rare shot of Ruby in her natural habitat

One night we went out for Indian, and it was surprisingly warm enough to sit outside.  Here's our only all-girl shot of the trip (it's unfortunate we don't look happy at all):

I think we were giddy the entire weekend-

just look at that little spark of joy!

Having dear friends live on the other side of the country can be so difficult.  But the weekend reunions are so frenetically filled with love and joy and continuity of friendship that I think the quality time might be even better than if we were to live close by. 

Lesbian couple stock photo, the remix

#adulteress

A big topic over the weekend was how UC San Diego, our alma mater, had just been recognized by Money Magazine as their pick for 2018's second best college in the nation, public or private.  We jokingly ribbed ourselves, saying we'd never be able to get in again if we had to apply now!  And then, as if from a deep need to fulfill a prophecy, throughout the weekend we each accidentally offered proof of how that might actually be true.  Kristen had captioned a picture with something about us wearing "scarfs" and during Scattergories I wasn't the only one to play an entire round on the wrong letter.  (This game also inevitably sparks heated lawyer-esque defenses, such as when Amanda tried to put "patterns" as her answer to "items above the waist" and we refused to accept it, or when Brittany prefaced one answer with a defense even though none of us ended up having an issue with it.)

Saturday night, we took mom out!  We went to a couple bars downtown and just chatted.  The funniest part of the evening was when Amanda noticed a bar's live music sign featuring a band she said was called "Vampires & Werewoofs."

"How funny that they made it werewoofs instead of werewolves," I said.  "It was actually werewoofs?"

And then Amanda assured me that yes, it was like the fictional animal, "the werewoof."

"No, Amanda.  The animal is a werewolf.  Did the sign say werewolf or werewoof?"

"It's the same thing.  The 'l' is silent."

We doubled over in laughter.  Another reason we could never get into UCSD today!

Soon we were back with Rosalee!  When the belly would come out (and sometimes it would basically burst itself out) we'd all go a little crazy.  It was time for raspberries.  The nickname Rollsalee was lovingly bestowed, but don't worry, her dad's set an expiration date on it. 

 

 Check out that irresistible baby fat!

 

 How many adults does it take to bathe a baby?

Also, please note the hilarious modesty octopus above.

Rollsalee!

 Stylin' for the patch.

Everyone had to wear plaid, as it turned out.

I mean, c'mon.

Our little one-sock feminist!

Try not to laugh.

#bluesteel on the tractor ride!

Yes we bought them.  No we didn't carve them.

#roadtohell

 Behind the scenes

I'm telling you.  With this group, even changing time offered gratifying, cherished, photo-worthy moments of baby bonding!

 

The finished product!

Does she remind anyone else of David S. Pumpkins in this getup? 

Rosalee was so peaceful our entire trip, rarely crying, amiably going along with our plans, humoring all efforts at entertaining her.  Simply letting a stuffed pumpkin drop on her belly would garner squeals.  One morning while Kristen was making pancakes we bumped Beyonce on the speakers and I turned a stretch of Manda's into Rosalee's new favorite dance.  Later, I was exceedingly excited when my efforts at teaching her to make bubbles, or blow raspberries, with her lips turned out successful.  She would watch me and giggle, then screw up her face with the utmost concentration before surprising us all by parroting the act multiple times over!

 

On our last walk through the neighborhood, we got to see the elementary school she'll attend a few years from now, and push her in the swing!

Rosalee's first swing!

With an early flight our last day, I knew goodnight with Rosalee was really goodbye for that trip!  Babies are such a startling measure of time.  Knowing we'd never see her again anywhere close to this age, not even knowing when we'd see her again, I went to sleep that last night feeling her phantom legs kick against me, her doughy hands grasping my cheeks.  I'm so grateful we all managed to align in the same place that weekend to enjoy her and each other.  That quality time with loved ones is what it's all about.  Thank you, Brookshires, for a heart-warming weekend!  

I'll leave you all with the last stanza from a non-ironic poem Amanda wrote us roommates at the end of freshman year that I think sums it up: 

 I'm so proud to be a part of your life,

So blessed you're part of mine.

Suite one-oh-eight, more than suitemates - 

Friends...

friends for life.