Hello, Goodnight?!

Last night during the customary reading of Goodnight Moon, you gently and deliberately took hold of the cover and tried to close the book. After a few pages of this, I let you close it. You put the thumb in the mouth and snuggled up to sleep. Evidently you have done this several days now with Mom before naps. I’ll assume you’re knackered from this second round of teething, rather than entertain the idea that your literary ear is offended by the repetitive and possibly stale readings of The Big Red Barn, Runaway Bunny, Goodnight Moon, The Napping House, and Bear Wants More. You don’t really want us singing to you again, do you?

Easter Hangover

Hoppy Easter!

Another holiday, another excuse to dress up baby!

It’s occasions like these that Igloo is especially glad you’re around. This year he didn’t have to wear the ears!

P.S. Thanks Aunt Lara and Uncle Craig for the duds!

A Letter from Daddy and Mommy, 8 Months

On Friday, you turned 8 months old. Proof that you have survived not because of us, but in spite of us. Lately, we have felt that we need to just buckle our seat belts, because it is you that is behind the wheel… without a license.

A Letter from Daddy

So, Asher, you’re eight-months old. It’s hard to believe, until you look into the fridge and realize there’s a whole world of things older than you, things that get no cuter with age. And wouldn’t you like to get your little hands on these things. You’d hold them high above you and inspect them with a quizzical eye, twirl, chew, toss, and grab them, all before plunking them down in your square red pail. It’s a beautiful thing, because I watched as you learned to do it.

See, your mom and I are constantly chatting with you and asking you questions, but up until recently, I’ve never asked you to do anything and expected you to listen. In that way it was like you were the kitten. It didn’t much matter what we said, you’d just go about your business. Once you got in your head that it might be cool to leap roll off the changing table, this changed. I could tell by your expression you got the gist of “Asher, Stop!” Shortly thereafter you picked up that “Still” means stop pounding your legs up and down while Daddy’s trying to put on your socks.

That weekend when we were playing with your blocks, I would drop them into your pail one by one and ask you to do the same. After about 5 minutes you perfected your aim and you’ve been at it ever since. I’ve moved on to getting the colored rings on the stick and you pulled that off yesterday. Next up is “Asher, Asher, mow the lawn?”

Except for Igloo, we’re all looking forward to that warmer weather. With the time change and some more spring-like weather has come evening walks and swinging, something so damn fun you snort with laughter. With each push and subsequent giggle-snort-giggle, I’m like a mouse rapping the treat bar. More, more. I now also can tell by your expression when you want say, “Daddy, I’m going to hurl.”

Given the stuff we feed you, I’m truly surprised I haven’t seen that look before. Carrots, peas, prunes, and some rice cereal, a little formula to thin it out? I don’t know whether to feel proud or ashamed; whether this leads to a sophisticated palate or a future eating disorder. Just wait until you get to do this on your own at soda dispenser. One of the true joys of growing up. That and being mean to bugs.

After a long day of all these activities, when I’ve got you in my lap all bundled up, ready for bed, we usually read/chew Goodnight Moon or the Big Red Barn for the finale. This month, for the first time you smiled with recognition when we came to the Goodnight Moon line, and you gazed up at me while I read the few remaining pages. Just listening and absorbing. Goodnight Sponge.

Love,
Papa

A Letter from Mommy

The Subtlety of a Mountain.

Lately, there have been many subtle changes about you. It’s the new sounds you voice that are just a bit closer to actual words. When I first started hearing them, I had to look to make sure the sound was coming from you. There’s a look in your eye that now has just a bit more of an awareness; something I can’t quite put my finger on. You seem to linger at the details of things: the little patch on your pants, the pattern of the blanket. Just the other day, you noticed my eyelashes for the first time. I look at you and there just seems to be more of a little boy looking back.

All of these things are so slight that it would be hard to not miss them. But, on the other hand, all of these things are so monumental, it’s hard to watch. As I’ve said before, it’s simply magical to watch you evolve into this wonderful little boy, yet it’s so startling at how fast it happens.

I’m caught in a strange dichotomy that I never knew I would experience. On the one hand, I feel like I have to say goodbye to a small and familiar part of you each day. Yet I have the opportunity to then welcome something new and awesome and completely exciting. Some days it’s all I can do but to sit there and just watch you, completely awestruck. I’ve come to realize that these small changes seem to compound on each other; the littlest thing now turns into the largest milestone.

I’m not sure how to get my head around all of this. I want to hold onto that little baby in you forever; to hear your little baby grunts, snuggle your head and hold you in my arms all day. I remember when I couldn’t wait for you to sit on your own and watch you play with your toys. And it was wonderful when that happened. I can’t wait to hear your first words, see your first steps and kiss your first scraped knee. It’s just happening so fast. I’m not sure if I’m ready yet.

Oh, Peanut. Stay. I need to catch my breath…

Love,
Mommy

P.S. A trip down memory lane, starting with this video:
Darling Baby, 1 Week Old from Gregory Olivet on Vimeo.

A Round of Green Milk!

Boy, someone got giddy after a couple of bottles today!

On another note, I finally captured this photo. You don’t look happy, but you are. You actually set your jaw like this a lot since your new teeth came in. It’s quite cute… of course.

Ashers at Play

It’s been so interesting to watch your play evolve over the past few weeks. You first learned cause-and-effect, where you understood that you were making the rattle rattle. And that evolved to realizing two cups being slammed together could make a sound. Over and over again.

We bought you a box of blocks a couple of months ago and initially, the blocks were just more things to chew on as those two teeth came in. Same with the box and the lid. You then learned to put the blocks in the box and that has been your game of choice lately.

You then started putting toys together. It was interesting to watch you grab one toy and then have it touch another toy. And you’d touch them together over and over. And then your toy would be placed into a new situation; say, it would then touch the carpet or another block on the other side of you. You would watch your toy touch many things. I would imagine you having these little stories going on in your head, narrated by Marlin Perkins: “We see the blue block interacting with its environment. First to make friends with the wild yellow block, only to be distracted by the fiber of the carpet.”

This weekend you started something quite cute. I like to refer to it as Toy Holy Grail. You’ve started taking your toys and holding them high up over your head, carefully watching them. You also do this with your hands and watch your fingers open and close. Sometimes you let go and watch the toy fall to the ground, but then you just pick it back up and hold it out as far as you can reach.

I’m sure the reaching is some sort of precursor to crawling or walking or some scary event like that. All I know is that you do a lot of it lately.

Certificate of Fun

On Saturday we had our last swim lesson. And you were awarded your first Certificate of Greatness. We’ve had so much fun at swim lessons and you love to swim on your tummy and splash. You’re not so relaxed when it comes to floating on your back, though. All in all, hitting the pool is definitely something we’ll be doing a lot this summer.

These photos are some I’ve been meaning to post for a couple of weeks. This is when grandma and grandpa came for your swimming lesson:

Peas, Please.

So, this weekend we tried yet another new flavor: peas. Neither Daddy nor I like peas, so we’re probably not the best ones to be offering you this new flavor. I will say, regardless of what this photo looks like, the peas went over a little better than the green beans. And, both you will eat if mixed with sweet potatoes or carrots. We also give you credit for trying – if anything, little one, you really want to like the new flavors!

Laughter is the Best Medicine

I’ll be honest. I woke up this morning and wasn’t in the best of moods. I wasn’t really ready to face another day of juggling work and baby and dog and everything else. I think I got to that point that I was wearing a bit thin; feeling like everyone and everything wanted a piece of me… and that there wasn’t much more to give. Don’t get me wrong, I love you unbelievably and am happy for every moment I get to spend with you. It’s just that the appreciation of those moments sometimes comes in hindsight when I look back on my day, not always right when my day is happening.

But now, I feel different.

You and I have started a new little “thing” where we ‘bonk’ foreheads and sometimes rub noses. This started when you would study the pendant around my neck; I would automatically kiss you on the forehead and then bonk you with my forehead. From there, it’s progressed to where every once in a while when I’m holding you, we look at each other and bonk foreheads.

This afternoon you were playing on your blanket, sticking toy after toy in your mouth. I was sitting close to you and suddenly you reached out with both hands, grabbed my face and tried to pull me towards you. I thought you were going to lick my nose, which you do sometimes, but instead you leaned in, forehead-first. I bonked you and kissed you. And you grabbed for me to play this game over and over again. Then, as I was carrying you upstairs for your nap, you looked at me and leaned in again. I kissed you on the forehead and you gave a little giggle. Then I kissed you on the cheek and the nose and the cheek and the neck and you let out a full-belly laugh. Over and over, you laughed and laughed.

I laid you down to change your diaper and you reached up for my face again and pulled me towards you. I rubbed noses with you and kissed you and you just kept laughing. A sweet, magical laugh that I hadn’t heard before.

In that moment, Monkey Butt, you healed me. You’ve filled me up again. And it has be the sweetest thing you’ve ever done. Thank you.

The Witch

For the past couple of months, you and I take a trip to the chiropractor’s office so that Mommy may one day get full use of her hand again. The gals at the office, Deborah and Pamela, absolutely love you and can’t wait to see you each week. When we arrive, they take you out of your carseat and keep you entertained as I see the doctor. When we’re ready to leave, you are typically covered in lipstick and stickers. You greet other patients as they come through the door and are a huge hit.

But yesterday, something strange happened. Deborah got you out of your carseat and took you into the next room. After about 5 minutes, you came back just screaming with big crocodile tears in your eyes. Poor Deborah was worried something had happened. Well, something did happen… Deborah was followed by this evil woman with a low, whiskey-and-cigarette voice. I think, for one, this evil woman scared you, and two, you’re über-perceptive and knew that this woman was a witch and should be burned at the stake. Okay, for the sake of full disclosure, I’ll tell the whole story… as we were sitting there, this woman asked me how old you were. I said you were going to be 8 months on Friday. She said how cute you were, but then commented that you were so small. The discussion went something like this:

Witch: “8 months? He’s kind of small for his age, isn’t he?”
Mommy: “Yeah, he’s a little guy.”
Witch: “That’s unusual, since you’re so big. Was he born early?”
Mommy: “Yes, he was a preemie.”
Witch: “I was going to say… because your so big, it’s strange that he’s so small.”
Mommy: “Yeah…”
Witch: “Is his Daddy big, too?”
Mommy: “Um… he’s about average.”
Witch: “Oh, then he must take after his daddy since you’re so big.”

At this point, Mommy put you down, punched the witch in the mouth and said “Big? Big??? That’s the word you wanted to use?” Okay, no. You and I were ushered into a separate room where you played with your toys on the floor and we waited for the doctor. After the evil woman left, you let Deborah and Pamela carry you and play with you, but our visit wasn’t nearly as fun as it usually is.

THEN… the strangest thing happened. We left and I put you in the car and you fell asleep! And you stayed asleep when I stopped the car. You stayed asleep when I took the carseat into the house. And you stayed asleep as I took you up to your room. I honestly didn’t know what to do since we were in uncharted territory. So, Mommy played the game, Let’s See What Happens. You stayed asleep until I pulled you out of your carseat, then I put you in your crib and bundled you up. You rolled over and slept for another hour!!

All I can figure is that seeing evil incarnate made you understandably tired!