Saturday's Story Behind The Picture

Here is today's Saturday's Story Behind the Picture.


Malone and I are in my hometown (which is quite small) and at the annual wiffleball tournament organized by one of the families.

Malone and I have flown in from the East Coast by ourselves. Mike is joining us for the second half of the trip. He couldn't get a ton of time off. When he arrives, Malone will be baptized into the church that is a cornerstone of my family- my grandparents have been members for the better part of 40 years, my parents were married there, I was baptized there, and we were married there.

The flight out was rather uneventful. We breezed through security. Malone slept and nursed. He didn't fuss much. There were no poo explosions on the plane. I have fit all of our things into a suitcase and a carry on. We will use our cloth diapers while we are here. I am excited to show them to my family as they have changed so much.

While I am home, I have an amazing conversation with my elderly grandmother about cloth diapers. I learn from her that disposable diapers were just beginning to become available when she was raising children. The reason she used cloth diapers was because she was unsure of how well disposables actually worked, felt guilty about throwing them away, and thought they were too expensive. She will tell me my mother felt the same way and also chose cloth diapers. I look her in the eye and tell her those are the same reasons I'm choosing cloth.

I didn't bring a stroller or much gear along. I have preferred to wear Malone, than use a stroller. This was a bit of a surprise for me, I didn't expect to fall in love with baby wearing. I am thankful that we talked ourselves out of the $700.00 Uppa Baby Vista stroller. Everything that I need for this trip has been borrowed (car seat, pack and play, stroller so my relatives can take Malone for a walk.

Malone is about 10 weeks old. His hair is red, which is lovely. It reminds me of my mom, who also had red hair. I am wearing him in a Sakura Bloom Linen Sling. This is really the first time that I've worn him forward facing. He likes it well enough, but seems to get overstimulated very easily.

At the tournament I run into just about everyone I know, friends of mine as well as my mother's friends. It is great to see some old friends. My mother's friends are happy to see us, but I sense their underlying grief. They are sad she isn't here to witness the joy of Malone. She passed away before I got married. It was sudden.

They mean well, but it's not coming out right.

We don't stay at the tournament long- just long enough to see and be seen. I don't want to be sad today.

She is gone.

He is here.

I have to hold it together. He needs me.

Besides, it is windy and getting chilly.