Ok, kiddo...it's now gotten to the point where you're growing and changing so much that suddenly we look at the calendar and it's been two months since I last wrote. Time to bundle two months in one, lest the memories get away from us...
This is us about a month and a half ago, just after buying some tasty, tasty rice cereal for you. I'm not entirely sure why we decided to start you on quote-unquote "solid" foods in the great state of New Jersey, but then again, why the heck not? Initial reactions were mixed, but given that there was no spinning head/projectile vomit, we'll take it! We value lack of demonic possession highly among our offspring. You've also managed to enjoy peas:
Sweet potatoes:
And many other delicious mixtures. You're not quite ready for the finer things in life yet, though...baby steps. Baby steps.
So far you've liked just about everything except for carrots. Your teachers say it's because they are slightly bitter (not sure I taste it) but I think it's because you realize early on that Mommy and Daddy's eyesight is so horrendously bad that you might as well give up on ever seeing anything without the aid of powerful, powerful lenses, and why bother eating something that might improve your vision?
Not that that's stopped you from going directly for the lenses. You've gotten great at grabbing things; for the most part you're able to grab toys that are close by, but you're not at all picky. Which includes tearing our (expensive) glasses right off our faces. It's enough to make a Daddy think about going back to contact lenses. And of course you've gotten some of your own. Here you are talking to your agent on your ring-phone:
In mid-April we left you on your own for the first time, when we went to a concert in New York. You and Lola had a grand old time, which is also the same weekend we had the first of the feedings shown above. Later that week we took in a bunch more concerts and tried you out with several babysitters, all of whom succeeded in keeping you in one piece, or at least putting you back together and making you happy by the time we got back. We did have a small amount of parental guilt, especially the first time, but we quickly realized that Mommy/Daddy time is important for us to have as well. So thank you for treating your babysitters well enough that we're able to have time to ourselves.
In mid-May, we had your baptism here at the local chapel. You were so well-behaved! Quiet all throughout the ceremony, even smiling at the priest when he anointed your head. We suspect it has something to do with the fact that you inherited Daddy's dry skin and were smiling in relief as he gave you some moisture. Family photo courtesy of Tito Vince:
Later that month, we took you to your first concert. Three of our favorite bands were playing a free outdoor show in Boston as part of a radio festival, so we packed you up and left in mid-morning to claim a spot on the lawn where we'd be able to lay out with you and enjoy the music. It was HOT and you weren't all that interested in taking naps (even under the cute little sun tent we bought) so Mommy and I took turns holding you and taking you for walks. I took you down by the river so you could watch the sun sparkle off of it and catch a breeze; we watched the boats go by as we listened to Grace Potter from a few hundred yards away. You got so many looks and compliments on your Guster onesie, your sun hat, and your ear protectors (though one horrified woman thought they were earphones and we were pumping 50 Cent through them at 120dB). By the time Guster's set rolled around, it was cooler and you were in much more of a mood to listen to quality music. So we danced together for about 20 minutes before you nodded off and spent the rest of the set snoozing away on my shoulder. Happiness, as one father would later tell me, is a warm baby. I greatly regret not bringing our camera to the show to capture more moments, but here's one thanks to our friend JAson:
And now you're six months old! It's hard to believe that it's been half a year since we came home with you, and that you've turned from a tiny little 8-pound cocoon to a bouncy, strong, happy 17-pounder. Over the last week we've had your six-month birthday, Daddy's 32nd birthday, and Daddy's first-ever Father's Day. It's been quite the eventful month...I feel like we're learning just as much as you do - getting used to life with each other. It's been a wonderful half-year - happy half-birthday!
Love,
Daddy
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