Father's Day is fine and all, but the best part of yesterday for me was seeing five-day-old Jacen introduced to what it's like to be a member of our family. He was passed around a lot, and he seemed to take it all in stride. Of course, he could have been squirming on the inside, but I don't think so. And anyway, even his intermittent cries came out more as squeaks, which I found quite charming.

Since I was the only one at our family gathering who has never had a brother, it's hard to gauge Alex's reaction to Jacen, except that so far he's exactly the same chill dude he's always been. He's engaging more verbally, and he likes communicating and being understood (although he's also perfectly content to babble in his own special language that no one else knows). He's developing the sly wit that he inherits from both of his parents. He enjoys inventing little scenarios where he makes you laugh, then coolly pretends he was totally serious.

For a while he was running up to me and saying "hi," waiting for my reaction, then waving and running off while saying "bye!" He actually got bored with that game way before I did, but it was fun while it lasted. (I know, I know. But he's only two and a half, remember.)

Aiden and Kylie are enamored of their new baby cousin, and both spent time holding him. It was a novelty that doesn't last very long, once a kid remembers that babies don't do much that's particularly interesting to them. But the whole family managed to bond with Jacen and start the initiation process. He really has no idea what kind of family he's been inducted into, and I certainly wouldn't want to overload him at this point with things he doesn't need to know yet.
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Mom and Jacen. Click here for more.
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As usual, I had a little too much fun. Actually, what I probably had was a little too much fresh air and sunshine. But I made it through the night and I'm fine today. I'd confess to being more exhausted than usual, but I'm not sure I even know the difference any more. I should be caught up on the sleep I lost from spending the night at the hospital, except for one thing. I'm never caught up on sleep, no matter what. Sometimes I think I might as well just stay up all night.