Lazy Day

Okay, I'm soft. I can't help it. Look at this little cutie. I can't stop! During Sophia's 3-week old visit to the pediatrician, the doctor mentioned that natural smiles -- as opposed to gas-induced grins -- usually start around 2 months. Well, I wish I could be there in person, but pictures and skype dates will have to suffice for now. Thank the Lord for modern communication advances. It really is amazing.

So today was a very low-key Saturday. Just what I needed, just what the doctor ordered. I did get out at one point to go to the gym. The air had a hint of September, autumn, and football season... It doesn't matter how many years pass, every end of August, I have to remind myself that the day after labor day is just that and nothing more. A student for life I guess :)

Speaking of which, I've spent a chunk of tonight reading from ex-Petraeus advisor, Australian counterinsurgency expert, David Kilcullen's book, The Accidental Guerrilla. Kilcullen effectively argues that if we are to succeed in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it will require at least a 10-15 year commitment. Having deployed both to Iraq and Afghanistan, he remarks that while Iraqi insurgents like to win, they don't necessarily like to fight, but that Afghan insurgents on the other hand love to fight. We certainly have our hands full...

Of escalators, pot holes, and tourists

In Washington, DC, for two weeks this July, I experienced a weird sense of culture shock on the metro. After a year and a half living in Prague, all memories of crowded commuter metro trains from Court House to Federal Center, SW had been wiped clean. The need to metro surf and contort my body to fit into small spaces was not, however, what put me over this time around. No, it was the slower than molasses escalators! One thing that the Soviets did extraordinarily well was build public metro systems that doubled as fallout shelters. I lost my patience on the DC metro escalators. I simply could not cope with the snail's pace. It drove me out of my mind.

Back in Prague, I am nearly certain the escalators move faster than those in DC, but their speed has been reduced. Alas, as Prague escalators are being replaced or repaired, transit authorities are turning the speed down a notch due to new EU regulations. While the original Soviet escalators clocked 9 km/h (2.5 m/s), the EU permitted speed is a maximum of 0.7 m/s. Oh woe is me!

As a pedestrian in Prague, I've also had my share of pitfalls. Walking home tonight from the metro, the uneven sidewalk with its patchwork of concrete and asphalt loosely reminded me of how the Town of Barker has, over the years, repeatedly paved the road on which my parents' house sits. Admittedly, not all sidewalks are so bad, but the couple I happen to traverse every morning and evening on my way to and from Jiriho z Podebrad metro leave something to be desired. I'm wondering if this might have something to do with my newly discovered love of walking down the middle of streets - until a car happens to drive up or the guilt of teaching children bad habits becomes more than I can bear. Yes, sidewalks are simply anathema to me whether in the Czech Republic or U.S. Simply put, I like wide open spaces that are generally flatter and smoother than most sidewalks.

On my way to the gym tonight, I was stopped by an Italian lady wanting to know how to get to the "clock tower". I pointed her in the right direction and also showed her and her friends on the map. Funny, but a couple seconds later I could have sworn I saw them head in a different direction. Go figure?! I think I still enjoy stopping and attempting to help wayward souls. I think.

Auntie Christine Meets Baby Sophia

Yes, I know, it has been months since I last wrote. I will skip my litany of excuses and simply provide a brief update on one of this summer's most important events...

You are looking at my first niece (I write this in hope of many more :)), Sophia Isabelle Schulz, born to my sister Karen and brother-in-law Christian. Sophia weighed in at 7 lbs and 5 oz, and recently reached 8 lbs and 14 oz at just over 3 weeks. I was the proud auntie who accompanied her to her 2nd doctor appointment and had the honor of putting her gently on the scale for weigh in. We were all so surprised by the 14 additional ounces - 8 lbs we were sure of, but nearly 9 lbs was astonishing.

From an early age, Sophia is exhibiting personality, including familial characteristics. If you've spend much time around me or members of my clan, you are probably familiar with the range of sounds I make when I yawn, eat amazing food, bump into unkind corners, or suffer from a bircup. Again, I am proud to share that Sophia, too, makes plenty of sounds and is so very communicative. We are betting she will be an early talker as well as an early walker. Sophia has exceptional neck strength and has already learned to turn her head on your shoulder. We were so excited by her development that we decided to try "belly time". Although she can't yet crawl, she is making good progress toward that end. I for one am confident of this.

I could go on and on about this precious little one. On Saturday morning, I woke up in Arlington VA with a singular purpose: to view Sophia's picture on my cell phone. Of course, as I did so my heart ached something fierce. For the previous week my days revolved around helping Karen with Sophia, changing diapers, putting on pajamas, birping, and entertaining. My favorite technique to calm her was blowing gently on the side of her face or forehead. Karen saw how effective this was in soothing her and has added it to her baby toolkit. As you can see, I truly am multi-talented.

After three weeks stateside, I am now back in Prague. Throughout today, I think I looked at Sophia's picture at least 10-20 times. I miss my little "sweat pea" and "baby cakes" dearly and am so glad I was there to see her at the beginning of her life journey. Only in early August, I'm already getting excited for Christmas!