A Sunny Day

Today was cold, windy, and snowy. However, about 10 days ago, we had an absolutely glorious day! So, David and I spent some time on a blanket outside a few blocks from home.  I think it's safe to say he enjoyed it:

He also didn't mind the fact that I brought the camera along. 

I did, however, have the horrible realization that David had never before played in the grass. Never! It made me kind of sad for him, and perhaps that explains why I was, um, not as diligent as I could have been about keeping the grass away from his mouth.

I didn't actually let him EAT it, so much as TASTE it, but still...

And anyway, check out the drool capacities of this boy. Surely nothing stays in that mouth for any length of time anyway!

David Sings with Bono

I have to start by saying that if some of you don't believe my story, I won't blame you.

That said, I was feeding David his dinner tonight (spinach and ricotta tortellini) and I turned on the new U2 cd. I did so because David has taken to listening to music when he's eating. He gets bored very easily, and I discovered that by putting some music on, he will eat for at least 4 times as long as he would otherwise. In fact, now he sometimes refuses to eat unless there's music playing. (Michael tells me that, this morning, he pressed his lips shut before taking a single bite of breakfast. Michael put this album on and David ate the whole bowl of cereal.) He especially likes this CD, but he'll settle for anything fast with drums. (Ballads seem to bore him. He really is a funny kid!)

So, I put "No Line on the Horizon" on. David was eating away, and I started to think something weird was going on. During the first song, Bono frequently sings "oh yeah", followed by some typical Bono-esque "ohohohoh..." business. It seemed to me that, after the "oh yeah", David was saying "oh yeah", and then oohing after the next bit. But surely babies don't really sing along with CDs, so I tried not to overreact. Then he did it again, and again. After the 3rd time, I grabbed the video camera which, fortunately, was right next to me. I bring you David singing "No Line on the Horizon."

(PLEASE ignore my hideous baby talk high voice. I'm going to have to work on that.)

Bathtime Fun

(I confess, I took the last eye-rubbing shot in an effort to get a candid one.)

He did it!!!

I woke up this morning to some very happy David noises, as usual. He always starts the day by chatting merrily in his crib for 10-15 minutes. (After that, if you don't get him, he starts to make "Hey, I thought I made it clear I was awake!" noises. After that, he gets downright grumpy.)

So nothing new about the happy sounds, but still...something was different. I felt...oddly good. It took a minute, and then it hit me: I felt RESTED! Yes, THAT was that funny feeling I couldn't put my finger on. Rested! So I thought about it, and sure enough, I was pretty sure that when I last closed my eyes I was going to bed for the night. Now, there was definitely light coming through the window. Not a whole lot, but light nonetheless. He slept through the night!!!!

I'd love to say we've turned a corner, but my fear is he was just so overtired that he collapsed for the night, and will be back to his regular ways tonight. So if you're saying a prayer, feel free to pray that I"m wrong! I would love to be wrong!

In the meantime, I thought I'd share some photos from Sunday. Just as we were about ready to leave for church, I decided to stay home with David instead. He has not been sleeping super well (teething AND coughing), and church is always right at his naptime, so he ends up way overtired on those days. I stayed home, put him down for a nap, and listened to a sermon online by the pastor of the church I grew up in. It was an excellent sermon, and not just because it was in English.

When Michael got home, we all went out for a hike. (The sun had sort of come out a little, and we didn't want to miss the opportunity to see it.) The hills around Jena are just so beautiful, and I haven't really been up there much since David was born.

Here are some shots from the walk:

(Meg, if you ever get a chance to check this blog anymore, he wears these shoes EVERY day. Thank you a thousand times!)

Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, David did not nap well Sunday morning. We tried to time the hike so that we would be back in time for his afternoon nap, but the warm, snuggly carrier and the steady pace of the hike were too much for the little guy. He struggled mightily--and, to be honest, was revived from what I thought was sleep several times by the sight of the camera--but ultimately he could not stay awake. I give to you the progression:

Hey! This is awesome!


Yep, walking's fun...

OK I'll look, but I won't smile.

(His eyes were closed, by the way, until he saw--through the tiniest of slits--the camera.)

No seriously, I'm awake...

(Again, they were closed. This time I was SURE he was out cold. But as I've said before, this boy can sense a camera.)

First Crush!

We just had the best visit with an old friend of mine, and I think it's safe to say that David has his first crush. Katie and I went to high school together, though we met long before that, and she and her family currently live in Wiesbaden. Katie and her older son, Micah, came out yesterday and spent the night with us. It was really a wonderful visit, and it was so great to catch up with Katie. We hadn't seen each other in a ridiculously long time--about a dozen years!--but it didn't feel that way at all.

Yesterday evening, I handed David to Katie while I was doing some dishes. The little stinker just beamed at her, and snuggled into her shoulder! Now, for some babies, this would not be a big deal. However, David is not a snuggler. Unless he is (a) sick or (b) mostly or completely asleep, he just does not have the time for snuggling. There is simply too much playing to be done. His typical response to Michael and I when we (rather often) try to snuggle him is to give us a forearm to the face while squirming to look out at whatever else is going on. He gives very intense (and messy) kisses, he gives headbutts, but he does not give snuggles. Unless, that is you are Katie.

I mean, this is just shameless. Michael was unamused. Sure enough, Katie held him again today and he was just a cuddly, snuggly fool. Like I said, he's a little stinker.

The sun actually came out today, and instead of popping out for 5 minutes and then disappearing for weeks on end, it stuck around! So, we had a lovely day. We went for a nice walk this morning with Katie and Micah, then we went downtown for lunch and ice cream (of course) before taking them to the train station. Micah got a lift from Michael :)



On our way back from the train station, instead of going home, we decided to go to the Karl-Zeiss Jena soccer game. We had not yet been to a game and the weather was just perfect. True, the little boy needed a nap in a bad way, but it's just NEVER sunny like this, and we couldn't resist. So, off we went.

Just after half-time, David finally fell asleep in my arms. (And I snuck in some snuggles! Take that, little man.)
He was much happier after a quick nap. Happy enough, even, to enjoy a ride home on Michael's shoulders.
So that was our lovely day!