How can Papa have anything but a good day with a send-off like this?

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Daniel likes to fiddle with the tags on the blue cube on his activity center.  Sometimes he will play with them for five or ten minutes at a time.

Today ended up being a big day for Daniel.  We’ve not been able to take him out much since he was born because of all his difficulties and medication issues.  After the successful zoo trip we feel better about taking him out some.  So we probably overdid it a bit, but Mama took Daniel on a trip today and he did very well.  First we went to Poppy and Mimi’s house.  Mimi showed him all around.  Then we took a really quick trip to the grocery store (which Daniel slept through), and then a quick trip to Papa’s work.

Daniel got a little hot in the car, so we left him in a state of undress for a while when we got home.  He had a lot of things to talk about from the day, so he is being a little extra chatty as he plays in his activity center.

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Presented with an absolutely perfect weather day, we decided to attempt a trip to the zoo. This is the first time we’ve used Daniel’s stroller.

Daniel was reserved when we first got there, for the first half hour or so.

Instead of looking around much or looking at animals, he studied his hand.

We stopped at the crane and bongo exhibit and had a bottle.  Once Daniel had a bottle he really settled in and started to enjoy himself.

The meercats may be the only animal he observed, if he even really looked at those.

Just as we were leaving his gums started bothering him, so he took comfort in Sophie when we got back in the car.

And nodded off for a nap after a while.

Daniel took his first trip to the zoo today.  Much to our amazement, he lasted for two hours and had a good time.  Here are some videos.

Daniel enjoyed the good weather and the foot freedom that goes along with that:

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Mama and Papa stopped for refreshments and Daniel thought it was a funny time:

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Daniel thought meercats were funny:

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Daniel has really been suffering with his gums lately.  Here you can see a white place on his lower right gum where this tooth is getting really close.  Oddly, it’s not one of his bottom front teeth, which are usually the first to emerge.

A few weeks after Daniel was born, Mimi bought him this wonderful little teething toy. Daniel loves his Sophie. She is made of rubber and has lots of clever surfaces that are perfect for chewing.

When Mama is washing Daniel’s bottles and other milk papaphernalia in the sink, Daniel sits in his swing.

Mammy and Pappy gave Mama this rocking chair three and a half decades ago!  Daniel notices it in his room and I think knows it is meant for a little person.  He feels all big sitting in it.