USA Trip

From September 25 - October 19 we were in the USA. Patrick got to meet many people, including his aunt and uncle (Mary and Peter) and new friends and soon to be parents Jonathan and Wendy Loew. Plus much, much more!

Here are some more photos. Realized there is no picture of Patrick with his father here yet. And a picture of Patrick "swaddled" - it really works!

he smiles!

Patrick is 8 weeks old today. He's started smiling for us, it's nice to actually be acknowledged after all this time (actually he's been smiling for a few weeks now but it took forever to get it on camera). He also likes toys now, particularly the Australian-themed play mat.

cute pictures

Particularly cute pictures taken this past week....he is constantly changing.

louise and peter

My mother and father, Patrick's "American grandparents" came all the way to Paris to check him out. Actually my dad wasn't supposed to come at all but he changed his mind at the last minute and made a surprise appearance. We trekked out to the Luxembourg Gardens on the other side of Paris - Patrick's first trip to the Left Bank and first time on the metro! Not so easy taking a baby on the metro in elevator-unfriendly Paris...

weight gain and play dates

Today (actually yesterday) we took Patrick to the local clinic to be weighed again. We were pleased to find out that he is now gaining well, weighs 3.5 kg (times 2.2 for pound equivalent, you do the math). This is a relief because at the beginning he wasn't gaining so well and I got a lecture (en francais) from the clinic employee on how to breastfeed him more frequently and better. If my french were better, I would have invited her over to try and do it better herself. Patrick was so pleased about the news he promptly refused to eat for 6 hours...

Then Patrick's new friend Tessa came for a visit. Tessa is 3 1/2 months old and seems huge to me! She's very cute and smiles a lot and actually acknowledges those around her, which is something to look forward to.

grandparents

Patrick's Italian grandparents, Renata and Massimo Rizzo, have been in Paris for the past ten days or so. He is lucky to have them here, because small babies love to be held, and grandparents love to hold babies. Hope they don't mind my posting their pictures on the 'net. They (and his father too) call Patrick things like "piccolino", "cicciolino", and "ranochietto". The last one means little frog. He does kind of look like a frog with those legs. His American grandmother is coming all the way from New York in 2 days to see him so we'll have more pictures.

first picture

So this is Patrick's first real photo. Most of you have seen it several times already. Someone suggested we offer it to the American Hospital of Paris to use in their publicity materials because he is so cute. His first modeling gig. Check out the mittens....he was born with really long fingernails and tends to scratch up his face. I've since learned how to cut the nails, helps a lot.