Amsterdam Stop-Over

We arranged for an 8-hour layover in Amsterdam so that we could take a walk around the city before boarding the plane for the 1-hour leg to Paris.

We met a fellow Cal alum at the airport (Emily, '83), so we rode the train together into the city. After spending part of the afternoon at the Van Gogh Museum, we relaxed a bit on a stretch of lawn outside. Thinking Emmett would get a kick out of crawling around on some grass, I took off his shoes and socks since it was pretty warm out. But when I set his feet down on the grass, he practically shook with terror (his first instance of fear!) and scrabbled his little arms and legs onto and around my body as fast as his little body would let him! He hung on for dear life, whimpering. It was the first time we've ever witnessed him afraid of something. Poor little babe. We didn't realize we were raising him to be such a city boy... time to go explore some parks in Paris! I figure I'll acclimate him slowly to the grass and hope he overcomes his fear someday.