Back in the U-S-A

It’s already the new year and I haven’t even written about my fabulous trip to the US in November. How did this happen?! Must have been from too many Christmas parties and nights out drinking this last month – kidding! 😉 Anyway, better late than never so please enjoy this long overdue post…

Knowing that our little lady’s entrance into the world was right around the corner, Peter and I wanted to get back to the US one last time to see family and friends. We decided to go for a week in mid-November because airfare was relatively reasonable (not crazy expensive like Thanksgiving or Christmas would have been) and because my brother was in Virginia for work at the same time.

Me with my Aunt Dede and mom

Our week started with an *amazing* couples baby shower thrown by my friends, aunt, and mom at my aunt’s house in Reston. The party was autumn themed for our “Little Pumpkin” and we were truly showered by tons of family and friends from all over! It was so special to have such a big gathering of loved ones!! Unfortunately, I got wrapped up in the festivities that I didn’t even take a single picture – sorry! You’ll just have to imagine the best party you’ve ever seen.

After all that excitement, the rest of the week felt fairly (and blessedly) low key. We had dinners with friends, celebrated my brother’s birthday, and visited family in Charlottesville. During the week, I got to snuggle three new babies that had been born since my last trip to the US in July and see my 96-year-old grandmother, Lou.

Here we are in the dining hall of her nursing home. Although her memory is a bit diminished, she was sharp as a tack in remembering Peter and his last name! Hopefully she’ll also remember that our little one is coming in February too.

On our last day, my mom and her partner, Andreas, took us to their local brewery so Peter could prep for the flight home with a pint or two. In these pictures you can see Peter’s pre-beer face.