hearts.

So... ok, let's forget about bikes. Sure, I "raced" the Subaru Cup, whatever. Let's talk more about babies. Or, baby.

I'm sitting here in a hotel room in Seattle, my frequent stayer status landing me a nice top floor room with a view of Puget Sound. Across the sound are the mountains, and to my left is a very happy, not-at-all sleepy Elliot. I'm staying across the way from Elliott Bay.

"Look, Elliot, you've been to those mountains. And that's your bay."

The sun is shining, it's 62 and a little breezy, it's just an ideal day in Seattle. It's not helping the fact that every time I land here I want to move here, but that's not my point right now.

Ben is away in Italy for work. He left last Friday, he's returning this coming Friday. I was left behind, totally overwhelmed, with a pile of plans and obligations. I wanted to go to Wisconsin to race my bike (and swim in a lake), I had to go to LA and Seattle for work. But I didn't want to saddle anyone with our non-sleeping baby overnight, and I didn't want to have to break out the full scope of the freezer stash for a 4 day work trip. And I decided I wasn't going to change my plans-- just bring Elliot along. I got rather stressed. I'm silly that way. As of tonight, it's all ok.

Elliot has been so, so, SO good to me. He's happy. He's giggly. He likes the simple things, and aside from being hard to get down at night, he's really pretty chill. He likes being a wiggleworm on airplanes, where his favorite toys are plastic cups and boarding cards. When the hotel serves a free dinner, he's happy to eat steamed broccoli and pasta. He stares with me at the ferries crossing the sound. He smiles at strangers. He giggles at the wind. He could play with the mirrored closet doors for hours.

I can handle this. Traveling with him is like anything else-- it's about confidence-- and this week I've totally earned it. That 4 hour delay in O'Hare didn't even get me down (much). This week, he's been to a bike race, he swam in a lake, he flew 2 times (it will be 3 by the time the week is out), he's slept in 6 different beds, and hung out in two time zones, attended a few protests, and learned a little Spanish. He's totally resilient, and completely happy. He's a joy. I'm the luckiest girl on earth to have such a companion.

I'm undeniably smitten.