August 7

Danial recognized that I was likely to go crazy if he didn't give me a break. The next morning we agreed that he'd work in the morning, and I'd have the rest of the day off. Woo-hoo! I didn't do anything exciting, but I did take a nap, run some errands, and go out to eat and have ice cream with a friend. And we both learned something very important. It would be nice if it were that Sarah needs a real break on a regular basis, but it was that Nathan doesn't really like taking a bottle. Who knew?!

We have given Nathan an occasional bottle over the last few weeks, and we assumed that he would accept multiple bottles in one day just as easily. This is where we were wrong. The first one was no problem, but he was not having anything to do with the second one a few hours later! This is a problem because in a few weeks he is going to have to take three or four bottles a day if he hopes to eat between 7 am and 4pm. So now we are trying behavioral conditioning on him: one bottle a day for a week or so, then two the next, then three, and so on. It could be rough, though, because I am the one who feeds him all day after 9 am--and who wants to take a lousy bottle when the real thing is just inches away? Cross your fingers for me!

In other news, Aunt Gretchen came to visit over the weekend. Danial craftily arranged for her to come this weekend because he knew he was leaving us to work in Tacoma for a few days. I made sure Gretchen got the full baby experience: change a few diapers, feed a bottle, push Nathan in the stroller, try to soothe a screaming baby in the car, playtime in "the jungle gym." I didn't make her get up in the middle of the night though (I do try to be a good person). I think she and Nathan hit it off, and I was really happy to have her here. For some reason, having a companion (be it my husband or my sister) makes me more confident about taking Nathan out in public. Maybe it's knowing that there are two of us to try to soothe him if things go wrong, or maybe it's that if you act like you're competent at something, people often believe you and it becomes the truth. Whatever the case, we went out several times and did just fine, and just had a really nice visit.


Finally, due to popular demand, here is another video. But beware--as you can see, he's in the carseat. Don't let the pacifier fool you--keep your finger on the volume control (it's also a little long)!