This weekend we went to an extended family reunion. Generally, it was good, if chaotic in the way that a big mass of adults and five kids under eight is inclined to be. All in all, it was a success: the grandparent generation spent time with their grandkids and golfed; the current parents enjoyed an elk and sherry-filled evening out; and the little people had new toys, ice cream, and an audience.
It inspired Axel to chase his older second cousins and be chased by them; to kiss his cousin Olivia again and again and to steal his cousin Quinn's trucks; to take a second turn on the bungee/trampoline contraption; to run around madly in the middle of formal family pictures; and to attempt many, many new words, like iced tea and breeze and his new favorite, peach.
It inspired Jonas to show off in the only ways an almost eight week old can - smiling and sleeping.
Jonas took his smiles to a new level and added a few coos and open-mouthed grins. He smiled and talked to his parents, his grandparents, and even at the sight of his brother. Apparently he hasn't yet figured out that Axel is almost as likey to poke him in the eye as give him a kiss, or else he doesn't hold a grudge.
Then, Jonas tried to wow his family with amazing feats of sleep. After an evening spent with my parents, who bravely fielded three kids under two, he slept from 10:30 to 6:30. After Axel's months and months and months and months of restlessness, I wouldn't have believed it was possible for a child of mine to sleep for that many hours in a row this soon in his life. I, unfortunately, did not sleep that long because I kept waking up to make sure he was alive and to marvel at the aching and leaking his snooze inspired in my chest.
Alas, this was a one-time performance and Jonas has not been enticed to start an extended sleep through the night run. Upon returning home, he had two nights of garbage, wake every two hours sleep. I think it's a reunion hangover from all the action, which he participated in by snoring through go kart races and older cousins' antics, and the cuteness. I'm struggling with a post-reunion, too much action/too little sleep/cuteness overload hangover myself.
(Jonas, Axel, and their first cousin, Elsa.)
