Garden Day

We had some awesome spring weather today. So, after breakfast, we headed outside! Quinn got to go on three walks and play a bit at the playground. In between, Eva and I worked in the yard. We are all a bit tired, and we got to use some muscles that haven't been used since the last yardwork in the fall, but we had a blast...and got to tank up on some sun.

Below is a short video of Quinn practing walking taken the end of January. As you've already read, he's already taken his first solo steps. He loves practicing with his little walker/cart, and we think he'll soon be fully mobile on both feet.

Firsts

This is the blogpost of Firsts...

Quinn received his first Valentine's Day card last week. My cousin Lea sent it to him. She is 8 years old and created the card herself. Very, very cute. Thank you Lea!

Here is Quinn analysing the card.

I bought Quinn his first pair of shoes yesterday. He walked his first steps without holding onto any hands or items on Monday and so I thought that it was about that time... He's getting old...;-)

Last week Sunday we visited our friends Keith and Manuela and their new daughter Johanna in Munich. It was a gorgeous day - cold but sunny - and so we took the kids for a walk in a close-by park. We had a wonderful time and cannot wait to go back in summer.

Quinn enjoyed looking at the ducks with Daddy.

Ohhh... and this is my first blog post! Eva...;-)

Da Da

My heart melted this morning. It was 630am and I just got back from my morning jog. Quinn was just waking up (and therefore Eva as well). Eva had already taking Quinn out of his crib and he was playing in his room. I poked my head in the room to say good morning...

...and Quinn looked at me and said 'Da Da'.

Wow! My heart stopped: Quinn finally called me 'Dada'. It was clear and could not be mistaken. Daddy!

Then he looked at the light in the hallway and said 'Da.......Da'. (For the English speakers in the audience, 'da' is the German word for 'there'...and Quinn is in this phase of pointing to stuff and saying 'da'.)

So, maybe Quinn has a bit more work before he gets 'Daddy' right, but as far as I'm concerned, today was the day he called me 'Daddy', even though our lamp is also 'Daddy'.

Looking back a bit, the link below shows a bit of what we do when I get up early on the weekends to take care of Quinn. We get the eating part out of the way...then we play.



Last weekend, we tried out our new hiking backpack with Quinn, and we took a hike in the area. Quinn had a blast: he fell asleep. Something is wrong with Eva's new camera...it seems to put way too much grey in my hair when it takes pics ;-)
Last Sunday, the sun finally came out...so after taking care of the condo (Quinn loves the vacuum), we went to one of the playgrounds in the area.
Quinn loved being pushed...
Quinn and Eva on the swing.

Do You Believe in Miracles

Even the mention of the words 'Do you believe in miracles' still brings goosebumps to my skin. While I was only 6 years old when the 'Miracle on Ice' occured, it is still a poignant event in my (sports) psyche. It embodies all of the makings of a Hollywood film: the undefeatable, highly experienced (professional) Russian hockey team vs. a bunch of college kids from the US. Let's not forget that this was 1980 and the world was in the height of the cold war.

Oh, and it was the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY.



I still get goosebumps when I see this clip. If you have the time, here's a good 10 minute recap of the game.



So, when I travelled two weeks ago to the US to attend a sales conference in Lake Placid (with a 'normal' biz trip in Philly the next week), I was excited to be able to see this quite ski village in the winter. I was there a few years ago for an Ironman, but it was the summer, and the 'Miracle' is just a bit different without snow.

Thankfully, we had a few hours off during the conference to see some of the highlights. Sort of a mini Olympics. (Please forgive the poor 'video' editing. I'm an amateur.)



After doing some of the 'events'...even curling...you get a bit of an appreciation of the sport - especially biathlon. Those athletes are in and out of the shooting range in 25 seconds. I can't even get down on my belly and stand back up that fast.

Thankfully, I'm back home in Erlangen...enjoying the wonderful winter here: 35 degrees, grey skies, and light rain. Depressing. But it is home, and it is great to be back with Eva and Quinn.