First Birthday

On Friday morning, Eva flew back to her hometown to go to the bachelorette party of her close childhood friend, Babsi. I got to stay at home and play full time dad for a few days.

Unfortunately, it rained most of the time, so I had to get creative...activities included carving a pumpkin...
Going grocery shopping (Quinn loves to weigh the fruits and veggies)...and baking cookies...and going to the Fireman Festival. But, at the end of Saturday, Quinn was bouncing around like a caged lion...so I made him go outside in the rain and run until he was tired. Which he did for a few minutes.

Quinn posing with 'his' pumpkin. I let him pick out a design from the internet, and he, of course, picked one that was relatively difficult to carve. All in all things turned out well, but I was glad to see Eva come home last night.

Quinn also hit another milestone last week: he can start and stop all by himself on his bike now...

We also celebrated Emily's birthday today. Number 1. Hard to believe that our little baby is already one year old.

Emily totally loved her walker/doll carriage. She giggled like crazy using the thing.

Quinn really liked helping Emily unwrap the gifts...he'll probably get to help Emily at Christmas, and them I'm pretty sure she'll have it figured out.

Grandmom and Grandpop also sent Quinn a few more DVD's of his favorite Disney character: Handy Manny (Meister Manny).

Quinn reading Emily her new book (Thanks Grandmom and Grandpop!)

Emily getting her first sugar rush. I baked the 7-Up cake (my mom's recipe) that I loved as a child. Now I know why it tastes so good: you put a pound of butter in anything and it tastes good! Lots of nostalgia for me.

Emily absolutely loved her musical birthday card...Happy Birthday, Emily!

As with such milestones, things are bittersweet. Our little baby is a bit older now, and it is crazy to see how time flies. Both kids are getting their own personalities, and are becoming more independent in their own ways (Quinn wants to play more with the neighbor kids and Emily wants to feed herself). During those times when you are with them, they sometimes drive you crazy ... but you try to stop yourself from hoping the day to end soon, because you also know full well, that you will blink and they will be teenagers.

I'm not too sure if I'm the only one that has this struggle, but I know that I should spend more time cherishing the moments when Quinn is bouncing around like a molecule in excitement when I come home and less time stressing out when he is being too loud or when he doesn't listen.

Day Care

Today was Emily's first day in day care. She was there for about 2.5 hours and did great! During the 'getting to know you' period, Eva stays in the area, so that Emily doesn't think that we're leaving her. As with Quinn, she was totally interested in all of the new toys, sandbox, and, of course, the new food.

We went together to day care...sort of. Since Eva had an operation on her hand (more on that later), she had to walk. I wanted to give her a head start...and Quinn was MAD that I was piddling. He ABSOLUTELY wanted to help out Eva...and show Emily his old day care (which is next to his kindergarten). I've never seen him ride his bike so fast.

Quinn went into his old day care...a bit shy, but still the huge big brother. He gave Emily a huge wet kiss, and then we went to kindergarten.

As mentioned earlier, Eva had surgery on her hand on Tuesday. She's had problems with it for a while and finally decided to get it worked on. Thankfully, things seem to be ok and healing well.

As one can imagine, being with 2 kids without the use of your right hand is a bit difficult...so I got to convince my boss to let me work from home during the mornings this week so that I could help out. Thankfully he obliged with my request.

...and since you don't look at this blog for my ramblings...here are a few random pics from the last few weeks.

Last weekend, we went to a 'festival' or harvest from an organic farmer. There were tons of things to look at (including the pigs and a ride on the tractor to the veggies) ... and to buy. Quinn even got to bake some bread.

At the playground...

...on a hike...

...eating corn on the cob (that we grew in our garden)....

...Papa eating with a bit more enthusiasm. Boy, it was SUPER tasty... Quinn feeding Emily.

Payback

About 23 years ago, I was filling up our dog's water dish and completing my chores. I was in a bit of a hurry, because after completing my chores, I could play at my friends house. So, I did was seemed to be completely normal. Back then, there wasn't even a word for what I did, but now, the word is commonplace: I multitasked. While the dog's dish was filling up with water via the spigot outside our house, I took a leak.

Actually completing the chores and then going back inside to go to the bathroom would cost me maybe 68 seconds. But, the urge to save every second was more important.

My dad caught me...and boy was he pissed (pun intended). To this day the ass chewing that I got is as vivid now as then.

*** Fast forward 23 years ***

Quinn and I are working / playing in the garden. I lose sight of him for a few minutes, but later see him on the porch, pulling up his pants. Since he tends to take his pants and underwear off when he pees, I didn't think any anything about it.

When Eva comes home from jogging, she asks Quinn why there is a puddle near our raspberries.

Then it all becomes clearer: he peed on the raspberries in our yard. Why, we ask? He wanted to not lose time playing.

Paybacks are hell. I was pretty harsh on him...but I had to keep back a small smile...knowing that I did the same thing.

I'm guessing that this is not the last time that something like this will happen.

Nookie

A few days ago, after getting back from a mountain bike ride, I was drying off after my shower, and I had the following conversation with Quinn:

Quinn: I wanted nookie, but Mama said NO! (for the German readers, 'nookie' is a very slang term for sex).
Papa: (Quinn having my immediate attention): What?!?

Quinn: (slightly louder now): I WANTED NOOKIE, BUT MAMA SAID NO!
Papa: You wanted nookie?
Quinn: Yes
Papa: And Mama said no?
Quinn: Yes. She said we had to use lasagna.
Papa: Hmmm. Can you show me.

Quinn proceeds very quick and with a step of self confidence to the kitchen, probably in the hopes that I'll give him some nookie. He opens one of the shelves and points at the very top shelf.

Quinn: There. Nookie. But Mama said no.
Papa: Oh! Gnocci! Quinn, that is called Gnocci (overpronouncing the G). You wanted Gnocci, but Mama said we were having lasagna.
Quinn: Yes.

Disaster averted. I was beginning to worry that Quinn might have heard that word from me (this is the danger being basically his only source of English. Any 'bad' words can only stem from me).

Eva and I smiled ... all night long. It is great when our son can bring such joy to our lives