Eight is Great

The Robster is eight months old!

(Well, again, 8 months and some days).

It's hard work in that 90 minute rush in the evening to remember to find a playing card with an eight on it, get the baby to sit still for a minute, find the camera, get the baby to look at the camera, etc etc etc.

Our data points for the month?

• Robbie has learned how to get from the sitting position to the crawling position.  Therefore Mom and Dad can no longer sit him somewhere when they need a couple minutes to get something finished.

• Our little buddy is quite...shall we say... spirited.  He is active.  Moving.  Talking.  (well, non-sensical babbling mixed with shreiking).  All boy.  We're in for some fun.  And some exhaustion.

• His favorite toys at home, school, etc are the ones that make noise.  He's discovered that thinks make lots of noise when you clunk them against each other... against the floor... against his car seat... you get the deal.

• But the best toy of all?  The free one.  A red plastic cup from Wild Wing Cafe.  He pushes it around the room for hours at a time.

• The Johnny Jump Up?  Best.  $20.  Investment.  Ever.

• He basically eats any food we give him, baby or otherwise.  He doesn't like eggs.  He does like gyros.  Including the onion, tomato and feta and tzatziki.  The activity of the last few weeks is working on feeding himself.  Sometimes it works.  Othertimes not so much.  A video to prove it.  Tonight?  Blueberries.

• Daisy and Robbie are best buddies.... we are so lucky.  Daisy's starting to discover that dinner time means extra snacks.  We had forgotten about her neuroses about blueberries though.  As a follow on to the previous video, see Daisy's take on blueberries.

Eight is Great!  Trying to take photos of a baby holding a playing card is not.

Active Baby

Gratuitous baby videos.

That is all.

Sunshiny Day

We  were lucky before the much-needed rain on Sunday to get a glorious Saturday.

While Shawn was carrying the family flag at the honor flight welcomes, Robbie, Daisy and I headed to the dog park.

As you can tell, Robbie LOVES dogs.  He reached out to pet every one that stopped by to sniff and ended up muddier than Daisy.

Building immunities, Palmetto Baby-style

Honor Flight

I had the privilege to greet an Honor Flight from Charleston, SC on Saturday.  Honor Flight is a program sponsored by the USO/Southwest Airlines and US Airways.   The purpose is provide World War II vets who have not yet had a chance to visit the World War II memorial here in DC.

There were something close to 150 folks there at the airport to greet the Vets including the West Point Alumni Glee club.  When the plan taxied up to the airport fire trucks provided a water cannon salute and the American and military service flags were flying proudly.

It took about 30 minutes for the 34 veterans to deplane (they don't move as fast as they once did) but seeing there faces seeing all of us there waving American flags and saying thank you for your services was more than many of them could take without tearing up.  I have to say I shed a tear or two myself.
These guys and gals literally saved the world as we know it and then went back to work to build a better world than the one that had come before.  Having done all of this the least we can do is say Thank you - this goes for all of our veterans not just those who served in World War II.

One of the many things Susann and I feel strongly about teaching Robbie is how lucky he is to have been born American and how those who serve their country in the military should be shown respect and admiration. 

So again, THANK YOU to all who have served.