Joe’s new favorite video features — surprise, surprise — himself.

He loves to watch this and mimic his own sounds until he’s sore from laughing.

Joe is definitely on the mind mend. (FINALLY! I was worried he was going to do nothing but cry for the rest of our lives.)

I took him to his regular pediatrician today, since he wasn’t doing much better than when the urgent care saw him. She prescribed a steroid to reduce inflammation in his lungs. What a wonder drug!

He took his medicine, went down for a nap, and woke up a new man. Here he is at bedtime:

Much better.

Patrick spent all day yesterday at the urgent care with Joe, who has been coughing, crying and sleeping for most of the past several days. They found a “hazy spot” on his chest X-ray, called it early pneumonia, and sent him home with antibiotics.

Poor thing is just not himself! Especially in the sleep department — our little 7-to-7 snoozer has been up every two hours. It’s like having a newborn in the house again. At 3 a.m., Patrick and I are bumping into each other, rubbing our eyes, trying to get what Joe needs, and trying to get to the bathroom ourselves.

Last night, when Joe couldn’t settle down, I threw him in the car and drove up and down I-95. That was how Patrick got him to sleep a few times when he was tiny, and it still works! (Also, I found out that if you go through the Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru at 1 a.m. with a baby in the car, they feel sorry for you and put extra donuts in the bag. Woot!)

Today, in order to get him to sleep (without being trapped in the rocking chair myself all day), I dusted off the old baby swing. That thing still puts him right out:

He seems to be a little better, though still not the happy snugglebug we’re used to. Here’s hoping for a healthier tomorrow!

Joe hasn’t been feeling well the past couple of days. Coughing and sneezing like crazy, and spending most of the day either crying about it or sleeping it off.

But look how cute he is, even when he doesn’t feel good:

Joe’s birthday present to Dada was a new hammock for the back porch. (The old one fell apart — we do a lot of lounging around here!)

Poor Patrick hasn’t had time to enjoy it yet, but Joe and I broke it in today!

Joe and Patrick had a little father-son time this morning. Joe found it very relaxing:

He is so cute when he goes down for a nap. Look at this: