Category: neck deep in the zeitgeist

We just got back from four days on Topsail Island with our friends Memsy and Gill and their daughter Katherine. Traveling with the boy certainly changes things. After a long day experiencing the sun, sand and surf, and getting a lot of attention, it was all we could do to keep him awake until 6:00. Which of course means he woke up earlier than usual. This morning he woke up at 5:08. We were actually up too early to see the sunrise; by the time it was up we were inside doing something engrossing and baby-related. But we didn’t have to worry about making the 11:00 checkout time from the beach house. We were actually home by noon.

Here are some highlights of the trip “more on his Flickr page, as per usual”.

On the first day we realized we had forgotten a hat, so we improvised. I predict all the babies will be doing it next year:

Dave and Barb also sent this cool dinosaur pull-toy, which is pretty much a chew toy as far as the boy is concerned.

Have we mentioned that he’s crawling?

He’s crawling. He also has a tooth, but don’t count on a picture of that. I’ve only seen it once, this afternoon “at least a week after it popped” when he was loudly expressing his displeasure at what we assume is the imminent arrival of the next tooth.

Barb and Dave sent a box of great stuff for Conrad, including an Elmo hand puppet which quickly became his favorite thing, and not just because the big googly eyes are fun to bite.

Grammy and Grampy “not their real names” spent a few days with us last week getting caught up on all of the boy’s recent accomplishments.

He was completely fascinated by Grampy:

Grammy got in her share of Conrad time as well:

We recently started Conrad in his new high chair, which is Swedish, I believe, and apparently a marvel of modern design and is no doubt on permanent display at the Stockholm Museum of Modern Art. It’s designed so that it will fit him now, and grow with him until the age of 16 when it turns into a Volvo. We love it. But come on folks, not since I lived in Tokyo have I come across a more ridiculous weren’t-there-any-native-English-speakers-around-you-could-ask name. It’s called the Tripp Trapp. Quick, name two things you don’t want to happen to your toddler: 1″ tripping over something, 2″ getting trapped in something.

Regardless of the name, the boy seems to like it.