We started and ended our trip in California in the Bay Area. Which means before we even start the retelling, Philip should get extra credit for three trips to the airport and one trip to the train station on our behalf.
Seriously, thank you.
I had work to do (and was suffering from cold #1), but Kyle and Hamish got to do lots of fun things with Philip. He's been in the area since August--almost exactly as long as we've been back in the US, and he was happy to show us around.
Kyle and Hamish visited Philip at work, where Hamish interrupted a conference call by simply walking down the hall. No one can work when there's a cute baby toddling about.
Friday my cold was worse, so rather than continue to disturb the conference with my coughing, we all rode up through San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge to Russian River brewery for a leisurely lunch and a massive beer tasting. Highlights include Pliny the elder and a set of 4 sour beers, all fantastic.
We stopped back in California at the end of the trip to spend another day with Philip. We started with lunch at a ridiculously good sandwich place on campus (Ike's) where Hamish was a waving machine and greeted everyone in line.
This time Kyle had the cold, but he's tougher than me so after lunch we went for a little hike in the Portola Valley.
And we found a cold, clear stream to play in and cool off in at the end. 
We wrapped up the trip with Burmese takeout, which I've been craving since Hamish was just a few weeks old. I think Philip is a convert.
Hamish walking unsupported is the cutest darn thing.