VIENNA WORCESTER'S 1999 CHRISTMAS/2000 NEW YEAR'S LETTER
LAST UPDATE - Saturday, February 5th, 2000
ZULETZT HIER GEBAUT - Samstag, 5.Februar, 2000
Late one beautiful spring in Vienna, a little boy was born in the city's general hospital to an anxiouly awaiting American mommy and daddy. One moment he was dancing about right side up (as opposed to most babies who prefer upside down jigs), and the next he was mewing like a little kitten seeking a place to suckle. The bright searching eyes of this darling baby boy filled the hearts of his parents with warmth and joy, so later that morning, they named him Darryl Lucas: Little Darling and Bringer of Light.
Eight days later, his proud, if somewhat drowsy parents, brought Darryl Lucas home. The summer swept by with a myriad of first-time experiences: first tummy tub bath, first family shower, first view of the Vienna skyline, first date, first bottle of expressed mother's milk, first smile, first giggle, first visit from Grandma and Grandpa W., first solar eclipse. But more often than not, darling Darryl Lucas was always on the go. He rolled all over town in his big blue baby buggy on buses and trains, subways and streetcars, in parks and on hillsides, along streets lined with shops and to restaurants filled with people. Little Darryl Lucas caught the eye of everyone around bringing smiles to the faces of grumpy old men and curious stares from other little people. His giggles were catching, and his tiny fingers, like magnets, attracted the hands of those who longed to feel his precious grip.
Darryl Lucas became a true "gad-about-baby" when mommy went back to work. By then, he preferred to drink in the views of the world from his front-pack carrier. Every day, daddy strapped Darryl Lucas to his chest and whisked him off to the top of the Andromeda Tower for lunch. Grandma B. arrived on the scene a few weeks later. She saved mommy and daddy from the fast approaching tidal wave of exhaustion during mommy's busy conference time by taking over some household chores and alternately escorting her "Sweet Pea" to his lunch date. Darryl Lucas however adjusted like a chamaeleon to each new leaf and continued to expand his horizons. He learned to grasp toys, make wet razzing noises, blow bubbles and rub his eyes and ears when sleepy.
Grandpa B. arrived in October. Mommy started taking half-days off from work, but Darryl Lucas' workload increased once again: he now had to keep FOUR adults entertained all day long! How did he do it? Well, he became an expert giggler. He created new endings to his long solemn stories. He increased the difficulty level of his tongue gymnastics. He researched methods with which to transfer toys from a playmat to his mouth. He discovered those eternally attached toys called feet. He rolled over after months of testing rolly-polly motions. But most importantly, he captured the hearts of those four adults with his all-trusting and overwhelmingly tender cuddling.
Darryl Lucas' family began to settle into a routine in November. The air became colder, and the first snowflakes fell. The days clicked by with daily trips to Grandma's and Grandpa's apartment down the road, new consonant sounds, improved eye-mouth co-ordination and rolling exercises. He also put on a star performance for the opening night of "Darryl Lucas Eats Pureed Carrots!"
Now in December, the Christmas spirit begins to fill the air. He has become accustomed to being packed into his snowsuit and baby carriage. The shiny tinsel and glowing points of decorative lights reflect in Darryl Lucas' searching blue eyes on his excursions through town. He is simultaneously frightened and intrigued by the tall men dressed in bright red santa suits with their long curly white beards and handfulls of treats. The Christmas tree in his living room serves as a constant source of delight although he struggles to comprehend why he is not allowed to explore this new wonder orally. He is anxious to sink his new teeth into anything that can be manouvred into his mouth.
In the evenings when Darryl Lucas' angelic face is thoroughly becalmed by sleep, his mommy and daddy are fairly certain that it is not the images of sugar plum fairies that dance through his head. But what wouldn't they give for a glimpse of Darryl's impressions of his world? And they wonder how this peaceful little soul will respond to the adventures that await him in the last year of the millenium. He will learn to walk, and even talk. His newfound mobility and ability to communicate will open endless possibilities to explore. His daddy will finish a music degree, and Darryl Lucas' whole world will be transformed by new experiences: a flight across the Atlantic Ocean, first meetings with extended family in the US, a new home in his country of nationality which he's never seen.
Despite the uncertainty of the near future, one constant remains. Darryl Lucas will continue to flourish with the love of his family and the best wishes of so many friends around the globe. With these thoughts in mind, his mommy and daddy look forward to a blessed Christmas with their Little Darling and Bringer of Light and wish the many friends and family that have shared in the joy of the birth of Darryl Lucas prosperity and good health for the new year.
