Weekend Update

Another nice, relaxing weekend. After cooking dinner and staying in on Friday night, Jude, John Patrick and I went over to Jon and Carley (our nanny) Meade's house for a party Saturday evening. Lots of games - bags, ping pong, frisbee "horse" on a basketball court - lots of food and beer - and lots of friends. It was great to see some of the folks from the frisbee crowd we hadn't seen in a while.

Today was a great day. John Patrick and I were up early and off to Bongo Java. We sat inside, where it was cool, so he could eat his breakfast. After he finished, he walked around the inside of the coffee shop. Lots and lots of activity and interesting things for him to point and look at. John Patrick really likes coffee shops . . . and bars. So does his old man. Like father, like son, I suppose.

We took a long walk through the neighborhood, then stopped by the soccer fields on 10th Avenue again. I laid down in the shade, called him, and he ran over to me and collapsed in a heap on my chest. We played in the grass for a half hour, then headed home for his morning nap. Then, it was off to church. John Patrick's been great lately, making very little fuss throughout the entire service. It's been nice to sit with the congregation and not upstairs, alone, in the "crying room."

When we first arrived at church and sat down inside, just after the service had started, Jude gave John Patrick a bottle of milk. I had a "Kodak moment," as I watched him recline in her lap, looking up at her, drinking from his bottle. I wanted to frame the picture in my mind, watching my son and my wife sharing such an intimate moment in a place that means so much to us - our church - St. Patrick's.

The last couple of weeks, we've shared a church pew with a nice older lady named Mary. During the service last week and today, John Patrick bravely walked down the pew to Mary, looks at and touches her purse, then scampers back to Jude, sitting next to me. Today, Mary opened her purse and gave him a book. It's amazing how much joy he brings to complete strangers. Mary beamed down at him, smiling, when he picked up the book and brought it down to Jude to read to him.

Incidentally, tomorrow is the 119th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of St. Patick's Catholic Church. Now, that's impressive.

This afternoon, while he was napping, we had a big thunderstorm blow through. After a particularly loud clap of thunder, John Patrick woke up and started crying loudly. I went upstairs, got him out of his crib, and sat with him in the glider. I sang quietly to him, as he laid his head on my shoulder. After the thunderstorm passed, I laid him back in his crib and he fell back asleep. It was a nice few minutes to spend with him.