Nothing Can Be Finer...

 Than to be in Carolina when the temperatures back home are hovering around ZERO!  In fact while I was enjoying Benson's robotics achievements, Steve was in Colorado experiencing real winter with temps a -37 degrees F and a wind chill of -50 degrees F.  I was loving the 70's we experienced most of my visit to Carolina.

 The night I arrived in town, we went straight to the school for the robotics "dress rehearsal." Benson and his Otterbotts did an amazing job.  Benson was the head programmer of the team in charge of programming  the lego robot to do his stuff.  We missed his real competition at the college  on Friday because we were all at the hospital waiting to be released with the new baby.  It literally took ALL day. Having only one car has some disadvantages.

 There were about 17 teams in the competition but guess who was all over the newspaper?  You're correct.  It was Benson.

 Here's Xander waiting to be released from the hospital.  He was ready to be done with poking, prodding and surgical procedures.

 Here he is home at last in the comfort of his mother's and father's arms--whoops plus Benson, Sadie and Grandma P's arms.  He got lots of holding and seemed to like it.

 You can see what a cute, LITTLE guy he is in Jeff's hands.  He weighed 5 lbs 13 oz when he left the hospital.  Benson and Sadie loved wrapping up like cocoons too.  They were all babies for awhile.

 Libbie was so happy to remove her Zophran pump in the hospital and send it back to the company a few days later.  Bye, Bye pump.  That little device costs $5,000.  She was thankful for it but so glad to be rid of it.  Hooray!

 That same day we took a quick drive over to the beach before the kids got home from school.  Libbie thought it would be a real shame for me to miss the beach entirely during my visit.  It was in the 70's and guys were sitting shirtless on the beach reading, etc.  One guy even went swimming in the water.  On my short walk, I walked into the water.  It was much too cold for me.  I enjoyed my short walk on the sand, listing to the waves and the gulls.  The trip wore Libbie out but I appreciated her sacrifice.

 Xander wasn't really aware that he had just made his first trip to the beach. He slept through the whole outing.

 One day Benson and Sadie participated in a PTO fund raiser doing a fitness fun run.  They were challenged to run 35 laps around a small track of cones.  Sadie's goal was to do 10.  She did all 35.  Benson finished early so he ended up doing 40+.  They both ran and walked during the whole time period.  It was fun to watch their enthusiasm and competitive efforts.  Way to go Benson and Sadie!

 Wednesday we made our big trip to the hairdresser.  Libbie got dressed into her pre-pregnancy jeans. All mothers are jealous here, but HG women pay a high price so don't be envious.  I'm so grateful for the many Carolina angels who helped out Libbie and Jeff during the long months of sickness and challenge.

 Libbie's friend who watched Benson and Sadie while we went to the salon has a baby born in November.  I doubt Xander will be that big in two months.  I guess we'll see.

 Guess which one of us just got her hair done?  I'll look better next week.  Doesn't Libbie look great less than a week after completing her HG ordeal?

 Sadie adores "Baby Brother" as she usually calls him.  Benson has a real knack for holding him and calming him when he is fussy.  Xander has more hair than either Benson or Sadie had.  It's darker and he has quite a bit in the back.

 Sadie loved helping me in the kitchen.  Benson loved practicing his basketball and riding his bike. We jumped the gun on his birthday coming up and I got him a bigger helmet for riding his bike and scooter.  He just couldn't wait until March to open it. 

 Benson is participating in team sports for the first time.  Jeff is a great basketball coach for his team. Sadie is starting basketball too.  Wish I could have seen her play too.

It was hard to say goodbye at the end of my visit.  I loved holding Xander- changing, bathing and cuddling him.  I was happy to cook a little, clean a little, play a little, and sleep a little, watch a lot and wash a lot. Sharing in the miracle of Xander's healthy arrival was a choice blessing.  Thanks for letting me hang out in Carolina!