Parts of the Face and Camping
I finally figured out how to teach Paulchen to point to the different parts of the face. I would point to my nose and ask him to point to his. He just looked at me blankly. So I finally formed his finger to point and helped him point to his own nose. Now when I point to my nose, he'll point to his. We've also added eyes to the list of body parts. After he points to the part of his face, he'll point to my face as well. It's really cute. So not only is he learning the body parts, he's learning what is the same.

This morning I placed three chairs in a circle, evenly spaced. Then I threw our Queen-sized wolf blanket over the backs and made a tent. Paulchen loved it! He kept entering and exiting the tent. I sat inside the whole time and we had a snack. Then when he would sit inside for a bit, we'd play clapping games. Paul was outside the tent and I kept teasing him with our password for the tent. "Mommies are better than Daddies." But we eventually let Paul into the tent as well. Then all three of us had fun sitting inside. I'll have to make little tents more often for Paulchen, since he really enjoys them.

First Geocache
Today was a fun and VERY busy day. I had an ultrasound in the morning. For 20 minutes they hooked me up to a fetal monitor to get a long term heart rate. Paulchen sat next to me the whole time and had the oddest look on his face, as if to ask, "What the heck is that sound?" Considering he only pokes at my belly button when I try to have him feel the new baby kick or move, at least this was something he could show an interest in for a bit.

After that, we went geocaching. I'm not as keen on it as letterboxing, as letterboxing has some crafting associated with it, in making the stamps, but there's tons of geocaches in our area and very few letterboxes. So this is an incentive to explore new trails in the woods and get out more.

I've had bad luck so far with two boxes I've searched for, but I also wasn't very well-prepared, so that may have contributed to our lack of success. Well, today I had the prinout of the clues and the local map which also has all the wooded trails neatly marked, like regular roads. They even have "road signs" on the trees here.

Paulchen and I went looking for a box and eventually ended up in the right area. There were a few landmarks listed, so it was easier. Then we spent 20-30 minutes looking for the box. Okay, so I looked for the box. Though it might not have taken so long if I wasn't so easily distracted.

Paulchen was out in the leaves and running around. He was so cute and small looking among all the tall trees and vast land. I finally found the box and opened it up. I took a cute photo of Paulchen with the box and the timing was perfect. His mouth was open and he looked surprised, as if he were excited about our first find.

I wasn't going to do the typical trade with items in the box, just sign the logbook, but Paulchen kept trying to put our pen in the box. Then he was hooked on a golf ball in the Cache, so I placed a dinky Spongebob character in place of the ball. So we did the trade after all. It was a fun treasure hunt and Paulchen got a new toy out of it. I'm guessing now I'll have to keep a handful of little trinkets in his stroller in case he wants something from the boxes.

The three of us are going to look for a few local boxes Sunday morning. Hopefully this time Paul will be able to find some with us. It's a fun hobby.

Table Manners & Hot Babes
Our little man is growing up into quite the suave fellow. He gets his own napkin at meals, as he's very good at wiping his mouth. Granted, he doesn't have the dexterity we do, but it's really cute. He uses his whole hand to move the napkin over his mouth in a clumsy, but adorable manner.

He's also using a spoon by himself. When the food gets low in the bowl he has trouble scooping it up, but he mostly has the hang of it. He had his own bowl of oatmeal this morning. Of course he eventually became lazy like his father :-) and had to be catered too. After about half the bowl, he kept handing me the spoon to feed him. He's almost there.

I also took the journal entries I had typed earlier in another area and put them into this blog. It's easier if I just keep everything together, instead of all over the place.

We're also looking into putting away his booster seat until the new baby will be old enough for it. Paulchen sits a little low on the chair, but he prefers it over the booster. He likes to do everything like we do and we don't use boosters, so he must think they're babyish.

There is however, one table manner we're seriously tring to break him of. It seems he thinks the table is for climbing on. Now that he can get into the kitchen chairs himself, he uses them to climb on the table. I found a large mess this morning that involved Paulchen and a salt shaker. Grrr... We keep correcting him everytime we catch him, but we don't always see him. At least Paulchen understands now when we tell him to get down and sits back on the chair.

I also taught him a crazy habit last night. I raised my eyebrows at him, as if to say "Hey baby!" Now he likes to raise his eyebrows at Daddy and me. It's so cute, kind of like he's trying to pick up a hot girl with a lewd look, but on him it's too goofy and his face is in an expression of surprise.

Time to relax...
Yesterday was a nice and relaxing day. I'm still very angry with the Army. My grandparents sent their gifts out before my aunt sent hers, but they still haven't arrived, while my aunt's package arrived around the 22nd of December. If this was a fluke, I woulnd't be so upset, but the Army has a habit of not taking the mail seriously and often messing it up. I've had packages I've paid express postage on, take over a month. It's all a big joke to them.

Aside from the package ordeal, the day after Christmas, or for the British, Boxing Day, was a nice day to vegitate. My husband had off work, so we could lounge around the house as a happy family.

That meant Paulchen had two of us to keep placing him in the rocking horse, getting frustrated when he hopped off, then wanted to get back on again.

He's also very stubborn about drinking out of a cup. He's getting really good with his first few sips, but then gets overconfident and tips the cup back like a sipper cup. Thus a huge mess on the floor. We try to keep him on the sipper cup for now, but once he sees up drinking, he wants to drink like a big boy and is so determined.

Today I have to open and close the store from 11-7pm. I hate being there so long, as I'll have Paulchen with me, but at least he gets pretty free reign of the place and I'll bring plenty for him to eat and play with.

My husband is trying to get out a little early, just so he can take Paulchen out a little early. As for those who advocate using daycare, well, this is the Army.

First, they generally have a waiting list 70 people long for daycare and I'm not willing to pay full-time prices when I only need them two days a week. Thus, I'm low priority and will continuously get bumped.

Second, I've heard too many horror stories about the base daycare. Unlike many daycares in America, these aren't trained professionals. These are housewives who have nothing better to do, so they get a job. Yet they are not trained in child care or child development and many don't have any education beyond high school. In other words, military promoted, unsupervised baby sitters. Yet I'm not allowed to take my son to someone on base to be babysat, as they aren't endorsed by the Army, and thus not allowed. Nor are they overbooked so they don't have time to watch my kid. Once again, it's the Army and their attitude about screwing over the soldiers and their families. Oh well. Hopefully daddy can get Paulchen a bit early. It's nice not to have to listen to the self-rightous idiots who come into the store and tell me brining my son to work is abuse and so horrible. I'm glad they are happy having no life and don't want to have semi-intelligent conversation, but are content with baby babble 24/7. :-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
I could barely sleep last night, since today would be Christmas. Okay, so I'm 26 years old, but my son is only 19 months. He wasn't that much into Christmas last year, at only 7 months. But I was so excited about his today. I couldn't wait for him to see all the presents under the tree. We read him The Night Before Christmas, last night and had him put out cookies and eggnog for Santa. He was so cute cuddled up in his little pajamas.

After we put him to bed, we put up the gate between his room and the living room. That way he had to wake us first. Then we put out ALL the presents under the tree. We didn't put out a single present, even from family, as we wanted to really surprise him. We also put out his new spring-rocking horse we put together the night before.

This morning was AWESOME! He came to our room and we ran and got the camera ready, as well as turn all the lights on. Then we let him loose. He wasn't sure what to make of it at first. When I turned on the Christmas music, he was distracted. Then when Daddy tried to put him on his rocking horse, he was still a little tired and confused and wasn't too keen on it.

After a little bit, we got him into the whole opening presents mode. But once he saw a new book, we had to sit and read to him and then we could open more gifts. It was so cute.

After all the gifts were opened, it was time to assemble the toys. Then Paulchen played like crazy with his toys. He loved his little castle set, which Opa went overboard with and bought ALL the accessories, and made the sound of trumpets blaring when you push the flag.

When Daddy was in the shower, I popped the little man on his rocking horse and showed him how to bounce. His feet can't reach the stirrups yet, but he braces himself on the back bar and really goes crazy on the bounce. He loves the horse so much, it's awesome! He can't get on it yet without help, but he can slide off pretty well.

After we changed his diaper, we put him in the cutest little suit with a vest and tie, all in Christmas colors. He looked so dashing. Then later it was on to Christmas dinner, which was prepared during his nap time.

We had a nice roast goose, squash, mashed potatoes, cranberry jelly and figgy pudding, just like in the Christmas song We Wish You A Merry Christmas. It all turned out pretty well and was a Very Merry Christmas.

And before I forget again, Paulchen can never be a picky eater. My treat on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve is to join my husband in some smoked calmon on toast with cheese and a bottle of sparkling grape juice, as we don't drink. I also add some caviar. Not the expensive kind, but the caviar from the grocery store. Well, it seems Paulchen is just as fond of caviar as his mother. It got to the point where he didn't want the toast, salmon or cheese. He just wanted the caviar straight. So I gave him a little on a spoon a few times. He didn't make a face at the flavor, so that must be good, but I think he also liked the feel of the little fish eggs popping in his mouth. He kept bringing his hand to his mouth like he was going to feel the caviar. But hey, he's a good eater with fine taste. :-)