More Christmas Photos

Just posting up a few more Christmas photos of Damien this year. We didn't get a chance to get on the webcam with Rob and Robin, but hopefully these sweet pics of Damien in his sweater will make up for it. He's opening up the train whistle they sent. Thanks for everyone who sent gifts and monies.

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas, everyone! It was Damien's second Christmas yesterday and it was nice. He still doesn't understand the holiday or the concept of gifts, but he does enjoy new things. Below are pictures of Damien on Christmas Eve opening a gift he received from our Daycare people. The bottom picture is of Damien and me before heading over to a Christmas Day brunch. Later on Christmas Day, we got on the webcam with my parents so they could see Damien opening the presents they sent. He received PJs, a toy phone, and one of those water toys with the rings. And thanks to my parents for sending Scott some new PJ pants. The pair Scott is wearing in the photos below are at least 7 years old...

In other news, Damien received his first haircut on Christmas Eve. He had some strands in the front that were going into his eyes and the back was long enough to put in a ponytail. Well, Scott (trying to be helpful) just chopped off his bangs really short. I'm sure you can tell in the pictures above...but it'll grow back. I need to try to even it out a little more too sometime. It's so hard to get him to sit still. I have a video that I'll need to post later of him from this evening so everyone can see how active he is :)

I'll also be posting a picture of Damien with Santa Claus later...whenever my scanner is up and running.

Oh, and before I forget, according to the doctor I saw on Thurs, Damien's ear infection is cleared up. Now I just have to make ANOTHER appointment with audiology to ensure everything's good.

Christmas in Cochem

On Saturday, Scott and I arranged to have Damien stay with our daycare people so we could go on a trip to Cochem (pronounced "coke-hem"), Germany on a tour offered through Ramstein. The events included visiting the Christmas market, a castle tour, and a medieval style-dinner with entertainment.

We were really looking forward to this tour, but there were quite a few things together that ruined the trip for us:

1. We knew it was going to be cold, but since we didn't get to see the castle until after the Christmas market shopping, it was too dark to really see anything outside of the castle.
2. There were TOO MANY PEOPLE! It slowed everything down because you were waiting on them. And then during the castle tour, I couldn't see or take pictures of everything I wanted to because people were everywhere.
3. People are RUDE!!! During the dinner, the King guy was giving information throughout the meal about table manners or just facts about the time period, but people wouldn't stop talking or there was an a-hole playing videos on his cell phone so I couldn't hear most of it. Then on the bus ride back, I went to recline my seat and the lady behind me asked if I could move it back. If I was more assertive, I would have said something like, "you have your seat reclined...the guy in front of me has his seat reclined, why I am not allowed to be more comfortable?"
4. Then there were other things...the bus was too warm and uncomfortable. We were supposed to be home by 1am and didn't get back until a little after 2am.

I guess since we never get to do anything fun, I wanted this to go well. Looking back at the pictures though, I'm glad we went and got the opportunity to experience something new.

Castle in Cochem

Castle from streetview. We walked up there...

Houses across the Mosel River

Around the Christmas market

View of Mosel River from the Castle

Looks orange due to orange lighting

It was hard to take pictures since it was so dark

This design is all about symmetry. The door on the right is fake, but it's there to match the door on the left (not shown).

I think the titles are Dutch??

Ceiling

Another ceiling. This one depicts 4 women on horses. Each one has a virtue written next to it.

Weird mermaid thing. There's a spot beneath the arms (used to be red) that you're supposed to touch for good luck.

Looking up from a stairwell

Hunting trophies

Tour guide showing us how the door handles were made to help guide the keys down to open the door...because they drank a lot of wine.

The table with the red fabric is a games table. Currently has an old backgammon box on it.

Giant knight

Dining area for Medieval feast

To wash hands before a meal, the servant would bring around a bucket of water.

Pictures now taken with iphone (lower quality)

The Entertainment--The two guys singing and playing instruments

They chose a guy from the dinner to be chained to a wall (for just 2 min). They used to write the person's crimes and post it next to the person being punished so people around would know what the person did wrong. Too hard to see in this pic.

The Knight games. This competition is to see who can saw through the log the fastest. There was also a singing competition and something I can't remember.

You can see the "royalty" next to the purple and gold stage area.

Beef soup and bread with lard spread

Turkey leg with flat bread. Also served was wine, grapes, cheese, and a cookie/cracker type thing.

He looks crazy lol

Diggin' in!

Ear Infection :(

I took Damien to the doctor this morning to follow up with the audiology results. The doctor said he has an ear infection and prescribed him some medication to give twice daily. I have a follow up appointment in 10 days to see if it clears up or if he needs to be referred to the Ear/Nose/Throat people. I wonder how long he's had this ear infection. It might explain the additional screaming and overall fussiness. You can just never tell what's going on. He wasn't pulling on his ears and didn't have a fever. I just associated all pain with the fact that he has some molars coming in. I just hope the medication takes care of it so we can be done with this.

Oh, and on a side note: Damien weighs 23 lbs, 6 oz. 

Typical Sunday Afternoon

I haven't posted a video of Damien in a while. Here's just a short one of him today playing with my keys. Oh, and here's a pic of Damien taking a nap beside me yesterday :)

Holiday Parties

Scott and I attended our squadrons' holiday parties this Thursday and Friday. I don't have a picture from Scott's on Thursday yet, but below is what we wore to mine. Damien did really well with being watched by strangers. The only comment was that he was active and didn't want to go to bed...even though it was way past his bedtime. It gives us hope that we'll EVENTUALLY find someone to watch him.

The holiday parties themselves were okay. A little bit on the boring side since we don't have a whole lot of friends and everyone else seems close. We did win a couple things in the raffle though. We won a set of Bose headphones and an ipod/iphone docking station. It made up for the cost of the tickets anyways.

No Babysitter...Again

I'm so behind on my posts. It feels like I don't time...

So Scott and I took Damien to Staci's house on Saturday to give it another shot as a potential babysitter. We decided in advance to hang out for a little bit so we could gauge whether or not Damien would be upset if we left. Well, he was UPSET. He seemed uncomfortable as soon as we walked in and we couldn't even PRETEND like we were setting him down for a good 25 min or he'd scream at the top of his lungs. So 25 min in, he was comfortable enough to start playing with Staci's sons. Over the next half hour, Scott and I made two attempts for us to be "out of sight" to Damien, but he freaked out. So, it doesn't look like Staci is going to work out for us after all. That's unfortunate. Scott and I decided we should try to find a babysitter who could sit at our house so maybe Damien would be okay.

I still haven't made Damien's follow up doctor's appointment. I just keep forgetting. I'm just so busy at work and I feel like I spend most of my time trying to avoid office drama and idiots. Unsuccessfully...

Scott and I are going to his holiday party on Thursday night and mine on Friday night this week. Childcare is being provided at both events, but I don't think Damien is going to handle it very well. We are already prepared for one of us to go comfort Damien if he's unmanageable.

That's everything I can think of right now...

Second Hearing Test and Thanksgiving

Damien had his follow up audiology appointment on Wednesday. The results were the same as the appointment in October. The lady doing the test said a lot of stuff to me, but it's not like I understood it enough to remember it...it sounds like now I need to make an appointment with Damien's pediatrician...I guess for him/her to say what to do next based on the lab results. Maybe anti-biotics. Maybe a referral to the Ear/Nose/Throat people with the possibility of putting tubes in his ears. Who knows...

Thanksgiving this year was uneventful. My friend Bethany and I saw the 4th Twilight movie while Scott watched Damien. Then we all went out for Thai food afterwards. The rest of the days I've just been hanging out with Damien while Scott attempts to sleep during the day. Pretty boring...

ND Vacation

My two week North Dakota vacation has ended and I couldn't have asked for a better trip. It was so nice and relaxing. I read the Hunger Games series, ate some great food, got some new clothes for me and Damien and some toys for Damien (thanks again!). The best part though was spending time with the family and seeing Damien with his grandparents and Uncle Dave. And how wonderful it was that his Great Grandma and Tom could come out and see him too. I don't think it's even measurable how much Damien is loved and it makes me sad that we don't live closer to family.

 The traveling was the worst part, but that was to be expected. Between the traffic to Frankfurt, an active 14-month old, an almost $100 weight overage fee, and just the anxiety over something to go wrong, I think it went well. No delays, no lost luggage, and Damien was in a good mood. In fact, he slept most of the way home. Oh, and the Denver USO was amazing! I'd never used one before, but there was free food and a play area for Damien which was a lifesaver.

Flight from Denver to Bismarck--Super tired!

Grandpa and Damien catching a nap

At the Denver USO

Scott is very impressed at how well Damien is walking now. When we left, he could only take a couple of steps, but now he's walking all over the place! Now I'm just trying to get the house clean enough for people to come over tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner.