Mini-Mug meets The Lainey Bug!

We have a bit of catching up to do, so here is the first post of a few in the works.

The big news first - we finally made it to Nashville to meet our new niece, Lainey! 

Cohen and Lainey

Unfortunately we all got sick right when she was born, so we had to wait a bit before seeing her. When we were finally better, we got on a plane and flew West. Lainey (affectionately nicknamed The Lainey Bug) was 7 weeks old when we saw her and was absolutely precious. She has an adorable little smile, is very cuddly, and is an amazing sleeper.

Comparing foot sizes

It was fun to hold a tiny baby again and remember what Cohen was like just a few months before. Cohen was definitely interested in meeting Lainey and also got some quality time with Uncle Chip and Aunt Kristen.

Cohen and Lainey holding hands

The weather did not cooperate very much, but that only made it easier to sit around at home, coffee shops, and frozen yogurt "bars" to laugh, talk, and play.

Cohen and Aunt Kristen at the coffee shop

Lainey was even kind enough to let Cohen break in her jumperoo. We had a great time together. If only we lived closer so that visits could be more frequent.

As an added bonus, Cohen got to take his first plane trip!

On the plane!

Admittedly, our biggest fear was being "those people" with the crying baby.  And with a 3:00am wake up call to catch the flight, we didn’t know what demeanor to expect from the little guy.  Fortunately, he was content to take everything in, including people-watching in the terminal, watching baggage trucks through the window, flirting with the flight attendant, and smiling at the brave person who chose to sit right behind us.

Watching baggage carts through the window in the terminal

We would like to say that the flight went without incident, but in our attempts to make sure his ears didn't pop on takeoff, we may have overfed him a bit, leading to a massive spit-up on Cristen. The sour milk smell was later accompanied by the slight scent of a filled diaper, but luckily all odors stayed "local". But, he was a champ - no crying whatsoever! We were not "those people"! Cohen even got a certificate to commemorate the event.

All in all, it was a great trip. We can't wait to see them again!

The two new families!