Day in, day out Our world revolves around Hannes, as I am sure you have noticed. (Although, in all honesty, both Jessi and I find time to work and write 3-4 other blogs :) And even if we love it, it's not always easy.
It's not always fun to be feeding him ... all the time, it seems.
It's not always fun to make sure you're home by 8, so that Hannes can sleep in his own bed.
It's not always fun to drop whatever you're doing because Hannes wakes up.
It's never fun to wake up (very) early in the morning.
It's not always fun, but we do it.
Argh! That's it! I've had it! I haven't seen Jessi and Hannes for almost a week, practically (we did see for a few hours over the weekend). Now I'm in Sweden and they're in Finland. Oh, the irony.
That's it. I'm outahere. I need to go home and hug my family.
Elvis, part II You look like an angel
Walk like an angel
Talk like an angel
But I got wise
You’re the devil in disguise
Oh yes you are
The devil in disguise
When Hannes was just a few months old, I used to get him to fall asleep to "Devil in Disguise." I would hold him in my arms and rock him and sing and dance until he fell asleep.
I remember his big eyes locked on me when I looked at him and sang, "oh yes you are" and smiled.
Jessica called. Hannes has had problems getting adjusted to Swedish time, so he's got up at 5 in the morning. I know exactly what Jessica must have been thinking:
"You look like an angel
Walk like an angel
Talk like an angel
But I got wise
You’re the devil in disguise"
Dad, Dad, Dad I admit. I don't know if I feel like a real father. I'm not sure I have that daddy feeling or touch. I mean, I can easily forget that Hannes sleeps at 10. His afternoon nap could slip my mind and every time Jessica asks me if I have changed Hannes's diapers - and I haven't - I feel like whatever is in the diapers.
Now, mind you, I am not saying that I am a bad father, because I know I'm not. I'm just saying that I don't know if this is what a father's supposed to feel, you know. When Theo was, like, 2, did Heathcliff Huxtable ever forget to change his diapers? Did Pa Ingalls ever forget to make sure Laura drank enough?"
I don't know. Claire Huxtable and Ma Ingalls were the smart ones in their families, anyway.
Fortunately for me, and Hannes, Jessica is like Claire and Caroline: a smart Mom.
Look, Grandpa, hands My Dad came for a visit today. He hadn't seen Hannes in a few months so I was a little worried if Hannes would be afraid of him, or shy, you know.
He wasn't.
Hannes started talking the second Grandpa walked through the front door and, wait, no, he still hasn't stopped. He's been asleep for 3 hours now, but he's still talking.
It's really cute the way Hannes walks, holding my Dad's hand as they go from the couch to the kitchen and back. They're both so fragile in their own way, so trusting in their relationship and so damn innocent towards each other that it makes my heart melt.
About them cheeks This is Helsinki. This is January. It's dark. It's cold and dark in Helsinki in January, although it hasn't really been unbearable here .. yet. It'll come.
However, it has been below zero (celsius), with some sun. We have hade some perfect winter days here, in other words. And we take Hannes into the daylight every day, of course. And it's good for us, too, we definitely notice the difference in our energy levels when the sun's shining, compared to the days when it doesn't come up at all. Or so it feels.
Anyway, every time we're out with Hannes, somebody adores his rosy, red cheeks. Not only are his cheeks just, well, yeah, huge, but in the cutest way possible, they also turn all red the second he's outside. Hannes cheeks are what Jessica's belly was when she was pregnant with Hannes: irresistable. But just like with Jessica's belly: you can look, but you'd better not touch. No pinching allowed.
Walk, walk, walk Well now the years have gone and I've grown
From that seed you've sown
But I didn't think there'd be so many steps
I'd have to learn on my own
..
Now I'll do what I can
I'll walk like a man
And I'll keep on walkin'
- Bruce Springsteen, "Walk Like A Man", Tunnel of Love, 1987.
Hannes's record today: all the way from the kitchen door to me.
According to family legend, I learned to walk by chasing cheese. Hannes chases the remote control. Like the rest of the family.
Happy Hannes Today was one of those days when we didn't "do anything". We have some friends over from Sweden, so we basically just stayed at home all day - not counting the long walk we took, during which Hannes almost froze himself cheekless - and just hung out.
With five adults in the same apartment, me and Jessica get a chance to just sneak out and read or something. and let Hannes hold court with the three remaining and admiring underlings.
It also gives me the chance to observe our son, and notice things I might not notice otherwise, being busy with the day-to-day stuff, you know. Like, for instance, that Hannes is most often in a good mood. He IS the "Smiling Hannes" that we thought he'd be, just like Hannes Kolehmainen, the Finnish long distance runner that had that nickname in the early 20th century.
