D to the A to the D, yo

I'm gonna make him an offer he won't refuse

Bennett's Don Corleone impression:

1st Father's Day

• Thanks to my son for the card, the Beaver Creek coffee cup, & for providing me with my first Father's Day!
• It's been an incredible day.  Bennett & Brux woke me up this morning.  Karah made me a nice German-style breakfast sandwich (damn, I miss Europe).  I sold ducks this morning at the Vail Farmer's Market as a fundraiser for the Vail Rotary.  Karah, Aunt Lys, Bennett, and I strolled around the Farmer's Market in the afternoon and had an awesome lunch at Pepi's.  I enjoyed a nice German hefeweizen (DAMN, I miss Europe) with my sandwich.  The weather was incredible.  Now, I'm blogging with Bennett lying right beside me.  What more can a man ask for? (2 weeks in Europe!)
• I bought Bennett 12 ducks for the Duck Race (perhaps he'll win the $3000 grand prize and initiate his college fund?).  You should buy some too (although, it does decrease the odds of Bennett winning):  http://www.duckracevail.com/
• Bennett went 3 for 3 yesterday.  He pooped on one person, peed on someone, and spit up on another (I'm withholding the names of the victims to protect their pride).
• I offer you the Father - Son talk from Rocky Balboa (I credit this man (not Regan or Pope John Paul) for bringing down the Berlin Wall.  Where would we be without his valiant efforts to crush Ivan Drago and end  the arms race?).  The (Sly) wisdom of Rocky: 

• 
  
  Speaking of wisdom . . . I highly recommend "The Parent's Tao Te Ching" by William Martin to anyone raising kids! 

I could have used this info 6 weeks ago

Devoted father, absentee blogger

• It's been a couple of weeks since I've blogged.  I might be a little rusty . . . so bare (as the naked child below) with me.
• I changed Bennett's diaper today and it went something like this:

 

 

• That statue is called Manneken Pis (I have no idea why) and is a famous landmark in Brussels, Belgium (bronze, 1619 A.D.) 
• Bennett has met a variety of "strangers" this week (i.e. aunts, uncles, & cousins).  After being in the arms of adorers for several days, he seems not to like his crib quite as much (Karah's assured me that they can't be spoiled at this stage).
• Bennett is now 6 weeks old.  His strength, hand-eye coordination, and sensory perception seem to increase daily.  I swear he was shoving me away as I tried to kiss him today.  He has some rather independent parents, but that's just ridiculous. 

Bennett the Explorer

• Bennett has had quite a few adventures this week. We took him to Beaver Creek’s Blues, Brews, and BBQ last Saturday. On Monday we went on a mountain hike and Bennett rode in the Baby Bjorn. Today, we went to the Teva Mountain Games in Vail. He is such a great baby. Getting him out and about isn’t a problem. The looks we get are sometimes funny. Some folks are impressed that we have him out so early. Others look at us as though we are abusive parents because we haven’t kept him in quarantined lockdown for the first 6 months.
• Last weekend, Bennett had another sleep study to monitor his oxygen levels. He passed the test! Alpinaire hauled off that oxygen equipment on Thursday. No more cannula up the nose and tape on the face . . . Bennett you’re a free man! Breathe strong young lad.
• Bennett was born one month ago today.   Oh, how life can change in a matter of weeks.  What did we do before parenthood?