Rob and Kelley returned from Taiwan, with their new little U.S. Citizen, Romi (and he didn't even have to take the citizenship test!). They had a five-hour layover at the airport, so we went to see them and kiss the baby.
Mark, Marilyn (Kelley's mom) and I drove to the airport together, and we could barely contain ourselves. I planned to drop Marilyn off curbside and park the car, but Kelley called before we got there. They'd already cleared customs, and retrieved their luggage.
"You're already done?" I asked. She'd said customs would take a couple hours.
"Yep," Kelley answered. "They already raised Romi's right hand and swore him in as a citizen."
That image cracked me up. "Really?" I asked, and Kelley just laughed at me, saying no, she was just kidding.
So I raced through the traffic. "There they are!" Marilyn cried, and that was the last thing I heard her say for half an hour.
Rob was messing with the luggage, and Kelley was standing there, holding Romi. She looked so natural holding him, and he looked so tiny, so cute. He was beautiful, just absolutely adorable--so much so, I think they should consider changing his legal name to The Most Adorable Baby Romi Gludt.
I waited in the car momentarily, so Marilyn could get out and hug her daughter and new grandson. But she was so emotional, she couldn't even speak--she just stared at them. I rolled down her window so at least she could stare without the glass in the way.
And then I couldn't take it any more. "OK, Marilyn, if you're not getting out, I am!" I said, and popped out of the car. I hugged Kelley and the baby all at once. Then Marilyn got out, so I moved over and hugged Rob. "Congratulations, Daddy," I told him, and he smiled the biggest smile ever.
Marilyn was still quiet, overcome by it all. She couldn't even hold the baby. "I can't yet," she said. "My brain is still mush." Instead, she just stared at him lovingly, and at Kelley and Rob the same way.
Kelley and Rob were naturals with the baby. When he started fussing, Kelley ran off to buy bottled water. She handed Romi's baby bottle to the cashier, instructing her to "fill it to here with hot water," pointing precisely to the 2-ounce mark. She then added the formula mix and bottled water, shook it expertly, and handed it to Rob. Rob tilted it upward and fed Romi, who sat quietly in his daddy's arm, totally happy. It was so awesome to see.
Their friend Carrie arrived and the "He's so beautiful!" scenario repeated itself. The Gludts were hungry, so we packed everybody up and took them to lunch. "I don't want to see another noodle!" Kelley said, so Mark suggested every Asian restaurant and noodle dish he could think of.
Scott, Mari, their kids, and the dog met us at the restaurant. We set up three tables outside, and between the new parents, emotional grandma, excited friends, the dog, 4 kids, 1 toddler and very-tired infant, it was quite a scene. Everybody oohed and ahhed at the baby, and the Gludts fought their exhaustion valiantly (it was 2 a.m. for them, and they'd just travelled for 24 hours).
Then it was time to go. I hated returning them to the airport so soon, but they'll be back in two weeks. I knew they were exhausted and ready to start their new life at home with Romi. So I hugged them tight, said goodbye, and spent the rest of the day grinning like a fool.
And I know I wasn't the only one.
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