Walkin' in the Park with my Dad and Momma

A few days ago, my Dad and Momma took me for a walk in the Louisenpark in Mannheim. It is a huge, beautiful park with lots of playgrounds and greenhouses, and even a small zoo! The animals were still kind of boring, and I can't really play on the playground yet, either... but the bright green leaves in the tropical greenhouses sure were fun to look at!

Yes, yes, I know. Bundled like this I look kind of like a larva... but really, I am a human youngling. Not a larva at all. Nope.
Oh! Yep! Just what I was going to say! Ga! But why are you making that funny face at me, Dad?
Oh! To think that I did without my Dad for all those months without knowing what I was missing! I love having him around!
Don't I look like mini-Ben? My Momma thinks I am going to look just like my Dad when I am big... so that means I will be one dashingly goodlooking guy, right?
Ok, I am not sure why my Momma decided to photograph me from this angle. Bottom line (excuse the pun), I can now stick my feet in the air and grab my toes. I like doing that most of all while she is changing my diaper because then I actually can SEE my toes. Otherwise they hide in my socks, but I can take them off if I pull hard enough...

Waddaya mean, stop looking so serious and smile? I am busy studying for my SATs over here!
Nothing like a good old rattle. This is my "focus" -face. I point my upper lip, and tuck in my chin(s).
Alright, time for my Momma to stop working on the computer and start playing with me!

...my Dad is home!!!

My Dad came home on Tuesday morning! We are a complete little family again! My Dad and about 300 other Soldiers arrived in buses from the airport, and there was a fancy welcome-home ceremony where the soldiers marched in formation and yelled stuff. And then my Momma, who was laughing and crying at the same time, carried me over to this big, strong looking guy who had a big smile on his face. My Momma gave him a big kiss, and he kissed back, and they kinda squished me in the middle... but it was nice. And then my Momma told me that this is my Dad! So there was the face that went with the voice on the phone! And he held me, and kissed me, and made all sorts of funny faces and sounds at me... I loved it!

Oooooooh.... this is nice..... I like being in my Dad's big strong arms...


Look! It's me and my Dad playing! I think we are going to have great fun together...

Reading books... *errrr* sort of!

Ok, so just in case some of my fans were wondering if I was a boy-genius who learned to read at the tender age of 4 months: Sorry, but I am going to have to disappoint you. Nope, I can't read. You may be surprised to hear that. But, alas.... still working on other important skills. I have however discovered the joy of books! Yep, this one in particular. If I wave it around, sometimes it shows me different pictures! And the front has something different on it than the back! (Kittens on front, airplane on back) I can spend quite a bit of time just turning it back and forth, looking at the front, looking at the back, and so on. Ah, yes. And never neglect the culinary delight of a good book. Delicious. Just the thought of it makes me drool. Oh. Wait. Pretty much anything makes me drool these days... but you get the point. Love my book.

Uh! Uh! Grrr! It doesn't fit in my mouth this way!
Oooooooooh! Pretty blue sky with an airplane in it! Wonder how it tastes!?
Yep, and the kittens are on this side. Cool. They are there every time I look. Can't get tired of this game. Turning the book over and over and over.... and over!
Uhhhhm, right. Can't hear anything. It doesn't rattle. Nope, nothing. Humpf.
Oh! Hey! Wow! There are those kittens again! I love this thing!

A day in my life....

Since many of you live so far away, I thought I would give you a general outline of my day.
6:30am -wake up for breakfast! Boy, am I hungry! My Momma can get me to go back to sleep after this meal if she takes me into her bed and cuddles with me...
7:30-8am -wake up all the way! If my Momma is asleep, I make sure she gets to enjoy the morning just as much as I do by chirping and squawking as loud as I can. If she keeps on sleeping, I start fussing, but as soon as her eyes are open and her head leaves the pillow, I greet her with a squeak of delight.
8am-8:20(ish)am -my second breakfast, and then I listen to Bach/Bethoven/Mozart music from my mobile! I accompany the music with my LOUD yells and squeals of joy. Oh yeah, and I also fill my diaper during this time. While I am listening to my music, my Momma showers and eats breakfast.
8:30(ish)-10am -play time! My Momma looks at books with me and sings with me and plays with me... I love this time!
10-10:30(ish) -I start winding down and get fussy. My Momma often holds me on her lap while she checks eMails, or will cuddle with me on the couch. If she puts me down for my nap too early, I cry really hard, so she has to keep me awake for a bit longer...
11am-noon -nap time! I got the nap routine down... my Momma puts me in my crib, gives me a kiss, and tells me to go to sleep. Sometimes she sings me a song. Then I fuss for 3-10 minutes, and finally pull the burp cloth over my eyes and fall asleep.
12noon -feed me!!!!! Lunch time for me! Still 100% breastmilk for me... no food food yet.
12:20 (ish)-1pm -play on my blanket! My Momma puts me on my tummy, and I play and scoot, and pretend to be an airplane. Eventually I get tired of being on my belly, so I either roll over, or fuss until my Momma turns me over. My Momma usually eats lunch while I play.
1pm-2pm -if my Momma has errands to run, she puts me in the Mayan wrap or the stroller, and we go outside.
2:30(ish) -I start winding down again... but don't put me in my crib to early!
3pm -4(ish) -nap time! Sometimes I cut this nap short and only sleep until 3:30pm, depending on how soon I get hungry again.
3:30/4(ish)pm -feed me!!!!! This is my smalles meal, cuz I often get distracted...
4pm-5 (ish) - play time! My Momma will put me on my blanket in the living room again, or in my baby bouncer. Sometimes she paints or reads during this time... as long as I can see her, I am fine with that. This is also the time when my Momma usually gives me my bath, but not every day. (I LOVE bathtime!)
5(ish)pm -I start winding down again... sometimes I even take a mini-nap of 15 minutes. From now to bedtime, I want to be held by my Momma...
6:15pm (ish) -my Momma puts my nighty on, and gives me a final meal... then she puts me to bed. Sometimes I go right to sleep, sometimes I cry for about 10-20 minutes... but eventually I sleep.
11pm -ever now and then I still wake up for a meal... but most of the time I skip this one...
1:30am -feed me! My Momma has to rub my cheek though to make sure I keep drinking... it's so cozy being held that I often start dropping off again...
4am -feed me again!
6:30am -start over!

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Of course, there are always variations. Wednesdays is youth group day, so I sleep in my Mayan wrap until my Momma puts me to bed at home. If my Momma has errands to run, I take my nap(s) in the stroller or the Mayan wrap.


Uhm, waddaya mean, I am no longer on my blanket? So I moved backwards this time! You trying to limit me? The world is my blanket, and I will explore it all!
Hi there! Is there a name for this yoga-exercise?
Resting a bit...
Hello! Hi! I see you!
Yeah... I know... went backwards instead of forwards again...
Look, Uncle Rob, I can fly too! And I can even wiggle my legs while I do it! Bet your airplane can't do that!

Mark's caterpillar lesson!

So YOU may think that WALKING is cool, but in my opinion, it is completely overrated! I think it is much more fun to scoot around the ground like a caterpillar! At least for now. You think I look goofy? Well, my self esteem can handle that!

Ohhhhh, man, my Momma put my toys out of my reach AGAIN! That big bully! Well, let the lesson begin.

Uh! Uh! Scoot that diaper-butt into the air! Ok! That should do the job!

Ok! Now push forward with the feet! Ouch, my cheek is being smooshed into the ground... gotta work on that...

*grunt* and then you lift the head to get your bearings... unfortunately this method doesn't always take you in the direction you intended...

Ha! Boy, did I show her! See? I got my toy! Watch out, world, here I come!

Phew, time for a rest! That was hard work!

How to grow a mustache!

So you may have heard that my Dad grew a mustache this month for some kind of "Hoooah" team building thingy in his platoon... or maybe they were just trying to prove that they are manly enough to grow facial hair... who knows? Well, my Dad is not the only manly man in this family! Look! I can grow a mustache too!

Uhm, yeah. See? I look really mature when I put on my thoughtful face! Do I look smart or what? Any chance I will be mistaken for a highschooler when my Momma takes me to youth group?

Pfffffft, waddaya mean, that isn't a real mustache? Are you trying to start a philosophical debate on the reality of things? Try me! I'll win it!

Woopsie, right, Mom, nice try, wiping my mustache off! Looks like you'll need a lot more than baby lotion to take this token of my manliness from me! *Arrrrrgh!* Yup, that was ME who just burped that loudly. I'm a man! I'm a man! I'm a manly manly man!