The Larsens landed and flew

Greetings again from Kylanet, home of the cute.

As Rachel has indicated and as the pictures clearly illustrate...we have had company!

First, east coast Grandpa (of 3 total - Kyla's going to be showered with gifts for a very long time) was in town for about 2 weeks helping around the house and watching KG during the day. This was wonderful, Rachel and I took trips to Baja, drinking Pina Coladas and sunbathing in the warm Baja waters while Lynn stayed in San Diego and changed Kyla's diapers. Well, not exactly, but it was very very very helpful to have him around. Lynn really tried to set Kyla on a mealtime regime...keeping her on a strict timed schedule. He accomplished this by utilizing a high-tech piece of equipment manufactured in rural China called a "Pacifier". Oh, KG would have to accept the Paci until it was time because Grandpa wasn't budgin'! Prior to this Rachel and I would jump at Kyla's first cry and make a mad dash for the formula can, scrambling to get it all mixed (with no lumps and with care) stat, to pre-empt the slightest discomfort Kyla might experience. I guess when you've been thru it and they turned out all right, you don't worry so much.

After all, it's just crying.

Anyway, as Grandpa's tenure here came to a close he was partially relieved from duty by the rest of the Larsen Clan. Grandma Jeanne and Uncle Kirk arrived in time to celebrate Rachel's birthday, along with my folks who came down for the weekend. Kirk, ever the doting uncle, brought several nice things for KG: not pictured is the near life size stuffed Okapi (African ungulate with brilliant striping) that Uncle Kirk obtained from the SD Zoo. I tried to enforce my "no stuffed animals as gifts" rule since we are accumulating enough to preempt NASA's next mission to Mars through the construction of a stuffed animal scaffold, but this was an amazing piece...and hoofed mammals make the best gifts, I must admit.

My mom, our wonderfully generous friend Corinne (who loaned her house!), and my sister in law Cristine organized a sort of shower for Kyla...more like a "meet the baby" bbq. It was quite a hoot. Warm weather was the topic of the day as we all baked in Corinne's backyard whilst dining on great food from Bucca di Beppo (just finished the last of the Egg Parm a week later) and drinking Sangria and cold beers. It was wonderful for those who know KG to see her again and for those who didn't get to meet her before. She slept through a lot of it, but managed to show off her two hazel beauties for a few lucky guests.

BUT, after the party, Grandpa had to leave and Uncle Kirk was off the next morning. We still have Grandma here while Rachel is teaching for the remainder of the month. Then we are off to CO for a wedding...Kyla gets to meet all of my music friends, and then we go to Minnesota to meet some more clan Larsen: Great Grandma Avis in Grand Forks, Great Uncle and Aunt Brian and Laurel, and of course her second cousin Michelle!! (It appears I forgot to mention Michelle when I first posted this...whoops) This is actually my first time to MN also and it will be interesting. I too will meet some family that I have not.

I must say, though, that Kyla is quite the seasoned traveller...by the end of this trip she will have been in five states.

And she's not even three months old.

Current stats:
24 inches
12 pounds
Outgrowing everything.



PS. Funny aside:
We attend post-placement adoption support group meetings associated with our Indiana-based agency. The meetings are in CA. Anyway, the first thing you do at the meeting is fill out a little questionnaire asking general questions about the appearance and health of the baby and other parenting issues...this happens as all the couples are making their introductions (everyone tells their adoption story first off). Well, Rach was filling it out and I was holding KG and listening to another couple's story...I glanced down and Rachel had responded to one of the questions and had gone on with the rest.

The question? Describe the general appearance of the child.

Her answer: "Cute!!"

I made her change it, but she had every intention of leaving it because, well, it's totally accurate and probably the single most identifying feature about her. Pictures don't lie.