It was slimy

Like many good southerners, we spent today at the river. Gran, Grandma, and Bob fished and caught a mega load of catfish and sometime soon we'll have a good fish fry. Boats were everywhere and Dennis enjoyed watching them and waving at them and saying "boat" whenever they went by. We did not get out on the water, though. It was windy and rough, our prequel to the hurricane spinoff weather that will be coming through this week.

Dennis watched the action from the screened porch for a while before walking over to the door, pointing one finger at it and insisting "side!" (which is Dennis-speak for 'outside'). He cried, full pouty lip and red eyes and big tears, when we wouldn't let him go out, so pretty soon I was lugging the pack and play down to the dock so he could visit outside with everyone. He had fun watching the boats and skiers and tubers going by, and he shouted encouragement to the fishermen. When Grandma caught a baby largemouth bass, I took Dennis over to see it. He was fascinated and reached out to touch it, so his Grandma immobilized the little fish in her grip. Dennis reached out a finger to touch it and then touch it again. He laughed and then watched as we let the fish go. He saw it flip around on the dock for a second before she put it in the water and it quickly swam away. He was pleased with his fish-touching experience, and now he's officially had fish goo on his hands like the rest of the family has. What an initiation!

It got hot down there on the dock and I took his little shirt off. He helped me undress him, giggling the entire time. He thought it was hilarious when he was down to his diaper and he grabbed at it and nearly got it off as well before I stopped him. Naked babies are not offensive to most people, but I didn't care to clean the results of a naked baby out of the pack and play. We played a strange game with the side of the pack and play. He smashed his face into the mesh side and made me laugh, so I got down on my hands and knees and smashed my face into the mesh as well. He giggled hysterically, and we repeated this for quite a while. My lip still feels like it's smashed into mesh--perhaps I overdid just a little...

Once the weather turned bad, Dennis began walking around in the cabin and saying "bye bye", so we loaded up and left. As it turns out, his Daddy was headed home from his job site then and we arrived home at the same time. Dennis was thrilled to see him and even more thrilled to play cars with him while I cooked supper. It was pizza; I didn't spend any time slaving over a hot oven (just in case you might be mentally applauding my nonexistent domestic skills).

Dennis was sleepy all day today. He repeatedly walked over to the pack and play and said "night night" and I let him take two naps there. He was still sleepy, though, and said night night again when we arrived at the house and went into his room. We kept him awake through supper and for a few minutes of play afterward, but he was rubbing his eyes and heading to the crib. When I picked him up to kiss him goodnight, he put both of his hands on the sides of my face, leaned forward (for what I thought was going to be a very sweet kiss), opened his mouth, and lightly bit the end of my nose. Taken by surprise, I couldn't help but laugh, so he laughed too and tried again. When I resisted, he removed my glasses and waved them about and then put them back on my face. He took them off and said "eye" and poked me in the eye, but I couldn't really fault his thinking process. After all, he did correctly (if painfully) identify my eye. He went happily to bed right after this and when I went in to check on him after 15 minutes, he was still awake in the dark, talking to Froggy. Lucky for us he still likes to go to bed. It may be that he is starting to enjoy his alone time because he did the same thing when I put him down for his nap. He talked for a few minutes to himself or Froggy and then went to sleep. It's very cute to listen to, much nicer than crying to get out of bed as soon as we put him in it, but I don't kid myself that we won't have to face that one day as well!

It was a very nice holiday weekend, and we are all getting to know and like Bob very much. He certainly has the Dennis seal of approval! Now the weekend is over and Dennis will have to be content with lots of Mommy time again. I hope he won't be too disappointed. He has loved being around everyone the past few days.