Sebastian's Quiver

Sorry for the recent silence, but we finally moved into our rental house (wow, what a nice house!) and we FINALLY got our internet connection installed and up and running.  No photos as of yet, but expect some by this weekend.  I’m also planning on posting a few photos of the house in case anyone is interested in seeing some.  The garden in the backyard is amazing, and we have a range in the kitchen that must be 40 years old but it works great.  There is a dial that you can adjust so that you can set how well done you want to cook your meat (rare, medium-rare, medium, etc.).  We’re still unpacking, but we’re making progress.

As for Sebastian, he hasn’t missed a beat.  Juliann (Juli officially switched her name back to her full name with the move to Portland) has been taking him out for walks every day to see the neighborhood.

When we were still in the apartment we were getting ready for bed and Sebastian was all swaddled up and laying in between us.  Juliann and I were just laying around not yet sleeping when all of a sudden Sebastian started to smile.  Then he started to giggle!  He was just giggling away while completely asleep!  It was amazing to be able to see his first laughter.  What could he have been so amused about?  And why did his first laughter occur when he was asleep?  He doesn’t laugh or giggle when he’s awake.  He certainly smiles a lot, but no laughing.  What was he dreaming about that he found so funny?  Do other kids laugh first when asleep?  Was he dreaming about someone tickling his feet?  Or telling baby jokes?  Was he thinking how lucky he is to have Juliann and I for parents?  Was he thinking of all the great times he had with his best friend Julius?  Was he watching Monty Python?  Was he thinking about all those chump physicists who believe String Theory?  I guess all these questions will remain unanswered, but it’s certainly interesting to think about.

Sebastian has started something new.  Besides his normal smiley moods that he gets into during the day, occasionally when he’s sleeping he’ll start smiling and even giggling a little.  Not real laughing, but more of a soft, cooing giggle that babies do before they can actually laugh.

Which leads me to wonder, what is he dreaming about?  There are only a couple things that make him smile while he’s awake.  Is he dreaming about those?  Does he dream about Juli and I playing with him?  Or is he dreaming about things that we adults can’t comprehend?  Does he dream about his time in the womb when he was all floaty and bouncy and safe?

I remember when I was a little kid – 6 years old? younger? – and I used to have dreams that were vivid in either (or both) smell or touch.  I would feel or smell all kinds of wonderous things that didn’t exist in reality.  Entire dreams would be in different touches and smells.  For years and years afterwards I would feel or smell something while I was awake and it would jar me back to a sensation that i experienced while dreaming all those years ago.  Unfortunately, I haven’t experienced that recently, but the sudden recollections lasted into my adult life.  I wonder if Sebastian’s dreams are a little like that.