Southern girl

By my calculations, Eva’s heritage is more than 50% southern, with roots ranging from North Carolina to Alabama. It is therefore fitting that her first trip was to Princeton, North Carolina last weekend for the annual Hartley reunion.

Overall, we couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to traveling with a baby. The drive is normally four and a half hours, and this year it took about five and a half each way. On our way home I did climb into the back seat in the middle of I-95 traffic (a.k.a. running the gauntlet) – but it was because I was tired of reaching into the back seat, not because Eva was overly upset.

Eva slept well in the hotel room (generally she sleeps well once the lights are out), and she adapted back to our routine as soon as we returned home. She seemed a little bit restless after two straight days of new sights, but it was all much easier than I expected.

We spent a few hours both Saturday and Sunday at Pop-Pop’s house, and Eva spent most of the time engaged in one of her favorite pastimes, laughing at ceiling fans. In this picture she’s lying on a quilt hand-sewn by her Great-great Aunt Mildred.

At the reunion, Eva was the most popular attendee – at least 10 people held her, maybe 15. Even though she wanted nothing more than to look around the reception hall at her third and fourth cousins, she eventually passed out mid-head-turn.

We took some photos in front of the field outside of Pop-Pop’s house. I linked to the full size photo above – if you click between the trees on the right, you can see tobacco plants. I point that out because to some of us non-Southerners, tobacco plants are fascinating. Or maybe it’s just me.

In just a few weeks we’ll be taking our first flight with Eva – hopefully that goes just as well.