A rare break from the colic, photographic evidence

We've finally admitted that Hudson is colicky. We were hoping we were doing something wrong, that perhaps there was some way to feed him or manage his sleeping a little better, but it turns out the little guy has colic. That said, colic isn't categorical; it's a continuum, and he seems, thank heavens, to be on the less extreme end of it. It's not like we're up for hours at a time with a screaming banshee. We've been giving him some supplements that seem to help, and the doctor told us he was overeating, so we've slowed him down a little; also, we know with colic that it's just a matter of time -- probably another six weeks or so -- before he turns the corner and he finally learns what it's like to feel good all the time when he's awake.

Tonight we had a rare couple of hours when he was awake and content. When he's like that, he stares at us and makes a wide range of faces -- maybe he's trying to figure out which one of us he looks like, or perhaps just what on earth we are? -- and, as you can see in the pictures below, he likes looking at the lights, as well as pictures on the wall and out bright windows. He enjoys being in the car, too, though he gets a little fussy when we stop at traffic lights. Guess he likes soaking in the sights and bores easily! Rachel is convinced he doesn't like our dark apartment, and I think there's something to that, too; he is a lot more relaxed out in the open and in his Aunt Jessie's home (which I worry might be structurally unsound with all the friggin' windows it has; we're jealous). Anyway, he likes the great outdoors, so far, which is a great sign.

The pictures below are a little dark, I know, but I guess that iPhone thingy isn't all it's cracked up to be (oh, that's just me being jealous again). We'll put more pics up soon from Rachel's camera, taken by the pro herself.

But first, Hudson's profile pictures below reminded me of Hitchcock's logo.

A walk in the park

I've joked that Charlie is the perfect-size dog because he's too big to fit in your lap (which means I can walk him through the -- let's call it "socially diverse"? -- Pentagon City area without being eyeballed and sized up more than usual by other men), but too small to drink out of the toilet (which means Rachel doesn't have to break out a baby wipe every time Charlie licks her hello). And I've recently learned he's just right for the Pentagon City park's water fountains. I don't think many folks these days even know how to use a public park's water fountains, they've been drinking their Vitamin Waters for so long, so I wasn't worried about upsetting anyone; one may have even looked up and patted herself on the back for working a bit harder every year so that The Man could install "doggy watering stations" in her local parks.

And here's Hudson, who happens to match his stroller, holding his pacifier in like the good boy he is. Sleeping peacefully.

And here he is again, dukes up, not too pleased to have been awakened.

Surfside

We went to Surfside Friday night, one of our favorite restaurants, located in one of DC's nicest neighborhoods, up just past the Vice President's residence and Embassy Row. The food is great (I guess you could characterize it as a bit ritzier than Baja Fresh), and the rooftop deck, where you see Hudson and me, provides a fun ambiance. There are far too many pleated, salmon-colored, mid-thigh-length shorts held up by woven leather belts at this particular restaurant -- clearly a hot spot for the Georgetown types who don them -- but hey, it makes for fun people watching. I would have liked to catch a pic of one guy I saw wearing such shorts with a pair of leather loafers, sans socks; I almost reminded him that he's 23, not 63, but then I realized I'm the fashion oddball in these here parts.

Hudson seems to have finally emerged from his womb-induced coma. Though he still sleeps a lot, when he's awake, he prefers (and by that I mean he screams like a pterodactyl until one of us gets the point) to be propped up, as he is in this picture, so he can soak in the sights (though at this phase in his early development, I think that means he enjoys the bright lights and fuzzy, indecipherable shapes and colors that move just beyond his little eyeballs' capacity to truly see; in this picture, he's looking up at the flatscreen TV right above Rachel).

Heading to the pool

Not really, but Rachel wanted to try on his board shorts anyway. Clearly, they're still a little big.

Four to a couch

I'm the only one who makes it all the way through movies these days. As you can see, Charlie's taking this one in with me, but he never lasts long, either; before you know it, he's either giving himself a bath (getting primped and ready for the next of his 3-4 daily walks), or throwing a tennis ball around the house to himself -- invariably throwing his head back proudly every third or fourth toss until he makes eye contact with us, as if to say, "You can get with this, or you can get with that; you can get with this, or you can get with that ..." Sometimes we take the bait and toss it around with him, sometimes we don't. Oh, oops. Right. The point here is: Awww, cute picture of Hudson and his mom sleeping!

UPDATE: You can't see Charlie watching TV in this pic; Rach had me replace it with this one. Better angle, she tells me. Oh well. Take my word for it -- Charlie loves watching TV with us (the weirdo).