Baby on a Business Trip - Fly/Play/Eat

It does seem a leeeetle odd to spend a summer internship in south Texas and then get sent back to Pennsylvania (HOME) for a business trip. Thus is the life of a petroleum engineering grad student (and us, the happily following family).

I have always joked that our PA home is close to NOTHING.
People ask, "Oh, where are you from?"
I say, "central Pennsylvania."
They say, "Oh really, are you close to Pittsburgh?"
Nope, about 3 hours away.
"What about Philly?"
Nope, about 3 hours away.

Pretty much we are three hours away from anything of consequence... except Penn State. And even then, nobody knew where Penn State was until the Sandusky scandal. Thanks for that, you felonious criminal.

ANYways, my point is that even though Brandon was being sent on a business trip to PA.... it was still about three hours away from home. It's okay though. I'll take three hours away and in the Pennsylvania mountains.



Our first travel day began at 3:30 am... WHAAAAT? We were up, putting last minute things in our bags, grabbing coffee and Clif bars for breakfast and heading out for the hour drive to the airport. Arriving in the darkness to the long-term parking, shuttling, two minutes late for bag checkin, moved to a later flight, waiting, eating bagels (YUM) and then flying. 

Up, up and away. I was more than a little nervous about Devereaux's first flight. There's just something about being in close proximity to a hundred other humans for hours with few options for quieting a baby, especially a 7-month-old who is at the stage where everything is a distraction while nursing. A jolt? A movement? A noise? A cricket chirping fifty miles away?!? Baby stops nursing and looks around. Not fun for mama- though I gotta say, my custom-made nursing cover definitely helps (whoopwhoop for my crafty mom!).




Speaking of awesome family, we flew into New Jersey and my mom picked us up at the airport, drove us two hours to somewhere in the Pocono mountains of PA, then let us borrow their car and took us out for a delicious dinner to Damon's. I FELT SO LOVED.

Everybody else got burgers. I had a moment of healthy-weakness and got a chicken salad, but regrouped and made up for my decision by eating way too many onion straws. I am lacking in food photos because I spent most of my dinner-time feeding little bits of food to my slightly-curious-about-solids baby.

Devereaux eats solids like a little bird, but he is surviving.
SEE. WELL-FED CHUNKY MONKEY.




After that way-too-exhausting day of travel, we planned to mostly hang around the hotel while Brandon went off to work. Devereaux charmed the hotel workers during breakfast (they remembered his name for the next four days!) and then I got out the camera because....

He is Seven Months Old!


And he has the cutest little toes in existence... new discovery: toes in mouth (might be the cutest thing ever).

Yes, I did put a plane shirt on him on purpose. I am not a fashionista, I am not a baby fashionista, but I do appreciate event-appropriate clothes every once in awhile.

He can also roll over really well. 

Portrait sessions make him so tired. Like exhausted.


Housekeeping showed up at some ridiculous hour (8:45 am!), so we decided to go on a thrifting adventure. One store, two hours, three trips to the dressing room, two nursing breaks, one diaper change and way too many times in and out of the baby carrier. On the last time, I just stuck him in the cart because it was easier and we were leaving.... and then I took a picture, because my goodness, Devereaux is adorable.



I am usually a frustrated thrift store shopper, and if I would have stopped after one hour, my shopping trip would have been useless (but relaxing!). However, I found these adorable black strappy sandals for $2 and swim trunks for the little guy for $1 --- needed those anyway --- and another pair of baby shorts for $.99. A shopping trip under $4? I was thrilled. Absolutely thrilled.

Our next delightful evening included the best steak dinner ever at Texas Roadhouse. I might have been overwhelmed by the buffet of roasted peanuts beforehand, so after the peanuts, a salad, steak and those extravagant mashed potatoes (that I shared with Devereaux), I was FULL.

And then, there was this. Brandon's friend, Chris, is from the area and took us out for dessert at this deeeeelicious local dairy store. I told Brandon I was too full, and then.. I ate half of his ice cream. In my defense, Devereaux helped (a little).



Nothing quite as summery as watching the sunset as ice cream drips down your fingers and the conversation of friends surround you. Maybe sunsets and ice cream and summer are my new favorite things (see last post!). This business trip thing is pretty great.