Returned From Deployment

I am back from Deployment. It was wonderful seeing Alexandra and Max at the airport waiting for me. My biggest fear was Max not knowing who I am when I returned. I left the sub after 1/3 of the deployment due to transferring from Hawaii to Georgia, so I was gone for 2 months vice 6. But it was the longest I had been apart from my son so far. I was happy when he didn't cry when I held him. He was somewhat hesitant at first. He had a little bit of a puzzled look on his face, like hmm, I know you but I haven't seen you in a long time other than pictures. Later on using the video monitor I tried talking to him through the monitor when he woke up from a nap. My voice through the monitor did not even make him look around for me. Before I left for deployment I would talk to him through the monitor when he woke up and he would jump up and look to the door waiting to see me. Alex thinks what happened was he has gotten used to my voice from the recorded books I made and now doesn't associate my voice with the physical me. This is already changing, he is back to being my little buddy when I come in from work he crawls to my feet and and pulls on my leg to pick him up! It is awesome! It is also so hard to leave to goto work or to even just leave the room because if he sees me walking out he whines and fusses and crawl to me. We had his birthday party early so he could celebrate with people he knew. And then a few days later the movers came and packed up our things. He seemed very concerned whenever he was watching them pack his things. Now we are living in a hotel and so far so good. The next big hurdle will be the airplane. Oh and he is teething now. He has 2 bottom front teeth coming in. He is doing a great job, for the most part he is still being his normal happy smiling self. However car rides are now filled with tears and screaming. We think it is a combination of his teething and also being in a new vehicle (rental car) without the car seat base unit (he is lower and can't see out the window) and he doesn't have his mirror. Wish us luck for the flight. I am going to miss somethings about Hawaii. Mostly the friends we have made. You can never replace good friends and we hope we stay in touch with them all!