A Week of Firsts

Last week was quite a week!


Every week since Henry has been born have been full of "first times".  I suppose that's the nature of a new life.  Brittany and I talk about this a bunch.  But, for whatever reason, last week was filled with them.  Maybe it's because we have crossed that magic three-month mark that all of the books say involves some sort of baby transformation.  We didn't think that much was different, but as I sit and write out the list below, maybe all of the "experts" were on to something.  Here are the highlights of this crazy, exhausting, exciting, and super fun week:

1. We went out to breakfast, to a real restaurant with servers, for the first time with Henry.  Just the three of us.  And it was delightful!  We went to the Foothills of Warner, which brings me to the next two items on my list...
2. Henry visited the town of Warner, NH for the first time (that I know of, unless Grandma Vermont and Henry found their way to exit 9 at some point).
3. It was Henry's first visit to a bar.  And, before you think we are making questionable parenting decisions, here is the story.  We wanted to go the Foothills for breakfast (see #1), but there was a long wait.  We walked down to another coffee shop across the street that Brittany and I had been to before, but there was a different sign out front.  It said something about a "market & cafe" just above the Open sign, so we thought we would check it out.  As we walked in, we should have known that something was amiss.  An older gentleman make a curious remark like "I haven't seen a baby in here before."  He then proceeded to pace around the place while muttering "shrimp and grits... shrimp and grits" over and over.  But, if that wasn't strange enough, we walked toward the back of this so-called market to the counter, we we were met with a fairly awful smell and what appeared to be a small bar setup - beer taps and liquor.  There was a small chalkboard behind the counter with a menu - nothing for breakfast - and a tray of freshly baked muffins on the bar.  We looked at each other, turned, and ran out of there, right back across the street.  This was one of the stranger parts of the week.
4. At some point over the last few weeks, we figured out how to get Henry giggling.  A real, true, laugh out loud sort of giggle.  Sometimes it is brought on by tickles or bouncing, sometimes by funny faces or noises, and sometimes by one of the dogs running by.  We'll have to try to get a video and post it - it's adorable!
5. Brittany and I had our first night out, thanks to grandma and grandpa Vermont (the highly skilled babysitters, wood stackers, and light carpentry service).  And, by night, I mean we left at noon and got back by 9pm.  It was our friends' wedding (congrats Brie and Ryan!), and lots of other friends were there.  I think the anxiety of leaving Henry, knowing we wouldn't be home in time for bedtime, subsided because of the great time we were having, and when we arrived back home to a quiet house with a sleeping baby.  The two Shih Tzus had conned the grandparents into extra treats too, I think.
6. And, finally, we picked out Henry's first Halloween pumpkin!!  [You knew we had to post one cute picture.  He was actually a little sleepy, so he didn't want his picture taken, but it had to be done.]