Gigi's Boot Camp

So Mom officially went back to work on Monday, Oct. 4. It was a great 5+ months having her around all the time. I know she was really happy to be able to spend so much time with me. Who wouldn’t?

But, I’m ready for the independence. I’m a man about town these days.

Well maybe not. Mom’s return to work signaled the start of Gigi’s Boot Camp.

Gigi is Grandma Stach, and she’ll been staying at our house for awhile. She’s going to take care of me during the next four weeks and then go home on the weekends. Sounds like a vacation, but it’s been a lot of work… for both of us.

Mom and Dad started the sleep training last week and Gigi is enforcing it. Here is basically the schedule we’re on.

I’m just about sleeping through the night now. I’m so tired by the time I go to sleep around 8 p.m. that I usually just crash right after my bath and feeding. Then I typically sleep until 2 or 3 a.m. I wake up for a few minutes, stretch my lungs a bit and then go back to sleep. I used to get really hungry in the middle of the night. I still wake up these days, but I quickly fall back asleep without any grub.

I get up for the day around 6:30 a.m. and nurse with Mommy before she goes to work. Daddy gets up around 7 a.m. and he and I hang out for an hour. He gets ready for work and then we play. Gigi punches the clock at 8 a.m.

We play for an hour or so and then I get tired. Long morning nap (like 2 hours or so), then a big lunch with all kinds of new foods. I’m eating peas, sweet potato, apples, carrots and bananas. Apparently I’m a vegetarian.

Then we usually take a long walk in the afternoon and practice things like sitting up, holding items (see: balls), etc. Another nap in the afternoon and by the time I wake up, Mommy’s home from work by 3:30 p.m. or so.

GiGi was a kindergarten teacher for many, many years… I have a feeling I’m going to learn a lot these next few weeks.

And then man discovered FIRE

Fall is here and we celebrated by heading to the North Palace in Minocqua for a weekend while Daddy went to Michigan State with the Badgers.

Several memorable things transpired in the northwoods, but perhaps the most influential was a new discovery. Something that could change my life. For the first time... I saw FIRE!

Rumor is I’m a third generation pyro. Grandpa Rico and Daddy have an unhealthy love for fire and I think I’ve already inherited it. I couldn’t take my eyes off the campfire and the fireplace. Simply mesmerizing.

The other huge milestone from the weekend… food! I tried bananas and loved them. Sweet potatoes on the other hand… not so good. I’d still rather stick with milk, but something tells me this food thing is here to stay.

My amazing case of bed head (pictured at right) was also noteworthy.

Other than that we took lots of walks outside and played in the leaves for the first time. The lake was too cold to swim, so it there was lots of indoor time and shopping. Where’s dad when I need him?