Your Second Christmas

Dear Vinny,

Today was your second Christmas. I think you enjoyed it more than the first one. Last year you were sick. This year, you felt fine. But I think there were some new frustrations.

You don't quite understand how the Christmas present concept works. I would help you open up the wrapping paper, and you could see the present inside. You'd be excited about the present, but at the same time you would feel frustrated, because you couldn't get to it. So I'd help you remove all the wrapping paper, and then Daddy would take the box away and open it, which was frustrating because you wanted the present that we'd finally opened but you had to wait. Then, you would get mad because we would take that present away and make you open the next one.

But all in all, you got a lot of good stuff. Granny and Granddad gave you a tricycle, even though you're still too small for it and lack the motor skills to use it. They also gave you quite a few Little People sets, and a couple of books. Mommy and Daddy gave you a bunch of books and more Little People stuff. We also got you a remote-controlled car, but it doesn't work yet because we didn't have the right batteries for it. We'll get them when we next go out.

The three of us enjoyed Christmas dinner together: Mommy and Daddy had turkey tetrazzini, while you had some delicious crackers and fruit. You don't seem to care for meat, even though I kept trying to disguise it under your oatmeal. You would find it and pull it out of your mouth.

I think that maybe next year, you will understand what's going on a little bit better and enjoy Christmas even more. I certainly enjoyed this year's holiday with you and I'm looking forward to next year!

Love,
Mommy

Holiday Fun with Tia and Uncle Furry

Dear Vinny,

On Saturday, Tia and Uncle came over to celebrate an early Christmas with us. Daddy made the adults some beef barbecue, and you had a lot of fruit and crackers.

We had a good time watching you open your presents. You didn't quite understand how the present thing works. We provided you with positive reinforcement when you did an action that helped progress towards the present being opened, to encourage you to open the presents. Tia had given you some toys in a bag with tissue paper, so we applauded when you pulled a piece of tissue paper out. After the paper was all gone, the bag was on its side, and you got down on your belly and looked inside the bag. It was cute and we laughed. You got some little cars and a giraffe on wheels with a clear plastic belly with flowers in it. It sounds strange, but you have two of the other animals in the collection and you enjoy them. Tia and Uncle also gave you some pajamas, but you were the most excited about the toys.

You are such a sweet baby and I know that Tia and Uncle Furry love you very much!

Love,
Mommy

Grand-Visitors

Dear Vinny,

Granny and Granddad came for a visit over the weekend. They arrived really late on Friday night, after you were already in bed. But they got to see you on Saturday morning after they got up! Granny spent a lot of time doting on you, as did Granddad. But Granddad and Daddy went out to get a Christmas tree while Granny and I stayed home with you.

Granny has a special way with you. She can charm you and make you laugh like no one else can. Granddad is amazing with you too.

Granddad and Daddy picked out a beautiful Frasier fur for the Christmas tree, and Daddy decorated it with lights. You were pretty enthralled by the Christmas tree, and the lights in particular. You tried to eat some of the needles off the tree, but I kept you from eating them.

We gave Granny and Granddad personalized gifts made from your photographs: a tie for Granddad, with little one-inch pictures of you all over it, and a fleece blanket for Granny, with a picture of you from Halloween. We also gave Granddad a framed picture of you in a Santa hat. They loved their gifts. I know that they would want to be with you more often if they could. It's too bad that they live so far away.

Granny and Granddad left on Sunday, and you cried when they left. That was the first time you'd ever cried when somebody other than Mommy or Daddy left. But, they left behind a big pile of presents for you, sitting under the tree and waiting to be opened.

Love,
Mommy

Update

Dear Vinny,

You have been teething lately. You already have twelve teeth fully in; now, we suspect you are getting your canines. It has been painful enough that it has awakened you during naps or in the night. You wake up screaming and it takes 30 minutes before you're calm enough to resume normal activities.

You've developed an interesting (and adorable) pouty face: you purse your lips as if to make the "oooo" sound, and squish up your face. It is cute and quite humorous, so it may not elicit exactly the same reaction in us that you're looking for.

Something else you've started doing is teasing me with your food. You'll offer me a goldfish cracker (for example) and then pull it away when I'm about to eat it. You think that this is absolutely hilarious. I play along and call you a little rascal and tickle your belly.

I think you have grown a lot, too. You seem a lot heavier when I hold you in my right arm. Also, your sleepers are smaller on you. They used to be way too big, but now they are just about the right size. Some of that could be the fact that they've been through the washer and dryer a few times, but I really do think you have grown quite a bit. You've certainly been eating as if you're growing a lot.

This past weekend, I introduced you to Triscuits. You seem to really like them, even though they don't taste that great to my adult tastebuds. But as long as you like them, I'm happy.

We also introduced you to oranges. I had erroneously believed that you couldn't have citrus fruits until you were two years old, but reliable sources said it was okay to introduce citrus at age one. So I peeled a clementine, and let you have the inside of one of the sections. You didn't appear to be allergic, so I think we'll keep on letting you eat oranges, because you definitely enjoyed the delicious flavor!

Love,
Mommy

Grape Strides

Dear Vinny,

Since you are a big fan of fruit, we decided to give you some grapes. Grapes can be dangerous for a baby to eat, but Daddy cut them up into little pieces.

You loved the grapes! You ate them with great enthusiasm, and voiced your enjoyment by saying "Mmmmmm."

Love,
Mommy

Vinny Appleseed

Dear Vinny,

You are an avid fan of fruit. You loved your first taste of prunes, and you've loved any kind of fruit you've gotten your hands on. You've tried peaches, pears, apricots, and apples, and you've had grapes in the form of grape juice. A couple of weeks ago, when I was making baked apples, I let you try a piece of raw apple. It was a very thin shaving from the interior of the apple. You were crazy about it so I gave you some more.

Well, you can now identify an apple on sight, and you go absolutely crazy when I begin to eat one. Last weekend, I was eating an apple while you were sitting on my lap, and you were really interested in it. So at first I pulled off some chunks and fed them to you, but that was not enough for you. I let you bite some apple off the core for himself, and you loved that! I ate the entire outside of the apple, but you ate most of the (edible) interior.

Today, I got an apple from the bowl of fruit and you looked at me with excitement. You were very impatient as I washed it off, and you immediately wanted to bite into it yourself. But I told you that I had to eat the peel layer, but that you could eat from the interior. We sat down together and you immediately grabbed the wrist of the hand I was using to hold the apple with both your little hands. You tried to pull it towards yourself, and I had to move my head forward to sneak in a bite before you brought the apple to your own mouth. I turned it around to a part where you could eat, and let you take a bite. Periodically, when your mouth was sufficiently full, you would loosen your grip on my wrist and deign to allow me a bite of the apple. But when you wanted more, you pulled it right back!

I am glad that you are such an avid fruit eater, and I really enjoy sharing food with you!

Love,
Mommy

Upstanding Boy

Dear Vinny,

Daddy and I are watching you develop and we wonder when you are going to start walking. We think you are really close. You stand more and more. As I indicated earlier, you spent much of Thanksgiving standing, clinging to my legs. But you also stood unsupported for ten seconds, at least twice that day. You stood just fine, until you noticed that you were standing, and then you sat back down.

You can walk a few steps when you are holding on to something. You are adept at cruising around the basement living room, holding onto the furniture for support. And you can walk pretty well if we hold your hands. You just don't have the confidence to walk on your own quite yet.

Yesterday, you crawled most of the way up the steps, with supervision and encouragement from Daddy. But those steps are really huge to you, so it was very difficult and quite tiring for you. But I think if you can do that, you can walk. It is just a matter of time.

Love,
Mommy

Thanksgiving Day

Dear Vinny,

On Thursday, Tia and Uncle came over for Thanksgiving dinner. But it was a long day for you before that, because Mommy and Daddy had to cook for the dinner and didn't have a lot of time to spend with you. Also, you were teething and we hadn't quite realized it. The pain of teething made you extra clingy.

You spent most of the morning and early afternoon in the kitchen with me. You stood at my feet, balancing yourself by holding on to my legs. Sometimes, you would demand to be picked up, so I would hold you in one arm and cook with the other. I made the corn pudding entirely one-handed while holding you.

But when I tried to put you down for a pre-dinner nap, you got really upset. When I went back in to calm you down, I observed how much you were chewing on your binky, and realized that you were teething. So I gave you some ibuprofen, and Daddy put the orajel on your gums, and then you were okay.

Tia and Uncle were really happy to see you, and they spent some time with you while Mommy and Daddy finished up the last steps of the dinner. For dinner, you had some bananas, some mashed potatoes, and some sweet potatoes. You played with Tia after dinner, but we put you to bed early because you were very tired after going napless all day. You slept for a while, but then you woke up screaming from the tooth pain. Daddy calmed you down and administered the proper medication before putting you back to bed.

It was a very enjoyable Thanksgiving and I'm glad you were there to share it with us!

Love,
Mommy

Sick Leave and Time Together

Dear Vinny,

I was home from work on sick leave on Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday. I was flattened by some sort of cold or something. But, it did give me some time to spend with you, even if I wasn't feeling top notch.

We sat together in the big green chair for much of the day on Tuesday. We played together in kind of a low-key fashion, since I wasn't feeling the best. I was trying to teach you how to be gentle. I thought that it would now be possible for you to be gentle because on Sunday evening, for the first time you realized that biting my finger hurt me. You bit my finger particularly hard, and I drew my hand away and yelped in pain. I saw on your face that you noticed my reaction, and seemed to understand it as pain. So I was no longer so reluctant to put my finger in your mouth. At first I just let you have my knuckle, but after you just nibbled gently on it, I gave you my whole finger, and you really didn't clamp down on it at all.

But I was teaching you to be gentle in other ways. You still have a tendency to grab my nose and twist it, or yank my hair, or poke my eye very hard, so I was taking you by the wrist and gently stroking my face with your hand. I was telling you the whole time that you were being gentle, and praising you for it, so hopefully you will know to do it that way when I say "be gentle" in the future.

We enjoyed an apple together on Tuesday. I wanted to eat an apple and you were sitting in my lap. I had planned to break off little pieces of the apple to give to you, but you decided that you wanted to bite the apple too. So I bit off the peel, and left some parts of the apple jutting out and you bit off pieces of apple and ate them. I ate the outer layer of the apple, but you ate much of the interior of it. You really enjoyed eating the apple and were disappointed when it was all gone.

Daddy and I were talking and we just think you are an incredibly thoughtful little boy. Not only are you figuring out that biting other people hurts them, but you are very generous with your food. I was holding some goldfish crackers for you to eat, and you would take them from my hand and feed them to me. And you like to share your sippy cup of milk or juice with us too, which is quite generous. You've been sharing your food for quite some time now. It is so sweet of you!

Love,
Mommy

Travel

Dear Vinny,

I was gone to a conference all last week. I left early Sunday morning and came back late Friday night. While I was gone, Daddy took you up to Louisville to see Granny and Granddad. You had a good time visiting with them. You two didn't get home until Sunday afternoon, so it was a whole week since I had seen you.

You looked different than the last time I had seen you. Daddy had given you your first haircut, so that made a difference, but also, I think you had grown a lot too. But when you two drove into the carport and you caught a glimpse of me, a big smile spread across your face. I was really excited to see you and I scooped you out of your carseat as soon as I could. You were thrilled to see me, just as I was to see you.

I had missed you a lot. Oh sure, I had fun at the conference, but something was missing from my life, and it was you. I think you had missed me a lot too. It was good to be reunited with my favorite little boy!

Love,
Mommy

Thirteen Months!

Dear Vinny,

Today you are thirteen months old! You have grown a lot and learned new things.

You've admired Daddy and Uncle Johnny's ability to make a popping sound using their finger and pulling it out of their mouth from the side of their cheek. You have tried to imitate this, by pulling your finger out of your mouth from behind your teeth. It is adorable to watch you do this.

This weekend, I accidentally taught you to jut your jaw forward and expose your lower teeth. I made that face to you as a silly face, and you imitated it. When I do it, it looks like a grimace, but when you do it, it's really cute.

This actually helped you learn to eat. Daddy had to jut your jaw like that, and then bite off a piece of banana. You ate most of a banana like that, with Daddy holding it and sticking it into your mouth far enough that you could bite a chunk of it off.

You've been eating wheat products for a week or so now, and you seem to be doing just fine with them. We first introduced you to bread by feeding you a soft piece from the inside of a biscuit. You absolutely loved it! As your Aunt Laura said when I told her about it, what a great introduction to bread. Biscuits are delicious.

Then, Daddy gave you some pretzel sticks, which you really enjoyed. When we next went to the grocery store, I picked out some Melba toast for you, and Daddy got you some thicker honey-wheat pretzel twists that were lower in sodium. We also picked out some goldfish crackers for you. You liked all of those, especially the goldfish. They have now become a staple in your diet.

Tonight, we went out to eat. We ordered you a baked sweet potato, and you ate the whole thing. We hadn't brought along any of your spoons, and they gave us a soup spoon that was way too big to fit in your mouth, so I had to use my finger to feed it to you. You also drank some water from my glass.

You are becoming more and more mobile. Just the other day, you were sitting on the bed while I changed my clothes, and you stood straight up without pulling up on anything. I was very impressed that you were able to do that! You'll be walking in no time.

Thanks for being such a sweet little boy!

Love,
Mommy

Halloween!

Dear Vinny,

Tonight we took you out trick-or-treating for Halloween. We dressed you as a little devil and you were absolutely darling. Unfortunately, you didn't nap very well all day, so you were very tired. But you were in that slap-happy mood that you get in sometimes when you're tired, so everything was hilarious.

We took you around the neighborhood, and everybody agreed that you were absolutely adorable. After we were done, Daddy put you to bed while I gave out candy. I met a family who just bought a house down the street, who have a daughter who's just about your age. We'll have to get together with them after they move in!

You are a sweet boy and I love you!

Love,
Mommy

Visitors

Dear Vinny,

This past weekend, your Aunt Ginger and Uncle Johnny came for a visit. They brought you a present that you really enjoy: it's a singing "cookie jar," where the "cookies" are shapes. Anytime you put your hand in it, it sings. You like to push the nose on the face, because that makes it giggle.

On Friday, you and Daddy took your aunt and uncle on a trip to the Smokies. You got to see all the fall colors. Then on Saturday we all piled in the car and took a long road trip. First we stopped off in Chattanooga. You had a lot of fun when Daddy put you in the backpack and carried you around. Then we went to Stone Mountain near Atlanta. We went on a train ride, but it was kind of dark by that time, and I don't know how much you enjoyed it. But you were a good sport, despite the fact that the train was very noisy. It did kind of freak you out whenever they blew the whistle on the train.

On Sunday, we went over to Tia and Uncle's house, where you got to meet Tia's family who were visiting from California. You really enjoyed all of them, but when Tia held her nephew, you wanted her to hold you, so then when she and I traded and I was holding her nephew, you wanted me to hold you again. So I guess you wanted our attention all to yourself!

You can have my attention anytime!

Love,
Mommy

Cute Face

Dear Vinny,

Daddy has taught you how to make a funny face. Basically, you squish up your face and then you smile really big. This is supposed to make us laugh, and it works. It's your idea of a joke.

Sometimes, you do it at the most inappropriate times, which makes it even funnier. For example, you drop your milk and then you turn to me and make your funny face.

It is so incredibly cute, and I think it's wonderful to see your developing sense of humor!

Love,
Mommy

Birthday Fiesta!

Dear Vinny,

On Saturday, we had your birthday party. Lots of people came to help celebrate your first birthday with us. Granny and Granddad came on Friday night and entertained you while your parents and Tia and Uncle cooked for the party. Grandma and Grandpa came on Saturday afternoon. You took a nap just before your party.

You were a little confused by all the people who kept arriving, but you seemed to enjoy the party overall. There were plenty of people there who you already knew: Amelia, Burt, their parents and grandmother; Mommy's boss and his family; and Aunt Mary and Uncle Wayne, who came down from Harlan just for your party. You also met a lot of new people: Mommy's colleague Vickie, Mommy's former boss George, and George's boss Ed and his family.

I made you some special gluten-free, egg-free cupcakes, topped with whipped cream, but you didn't really know what to make of it. I think you liked the sweetness of the cupcake, but since you'd never actually eaten any type of bread before, you weren't quite sure what to do with the cupcake.

You got all kinds of loot for your birthday. Granny and Granddad bought you more things than I can remember: a lot of clothes, some toys, and a super deluxe red wagon. Grandma and Grandpa, and Mommy's sisters and their families all chipped in to give you a fun activity table, which Grandpa put together on Sunday before they left. Aunt Anne gave you a fuzzy, stuffed sea turtle, which you really enjoyed because it was so soft. And of course, Tia and Uncle made all the food for your party as your birthday present.

Mommy and Daddy's present to you was a backpack that we can carry you in. It is bright red and has lots of straps. I think you will really enjoy riding along on our backs.

This first year of your life has been full of wonder and joy, and we were really happy to celebrate it with you, sweet boy. We're looking forward to another fun year!

Love,
Mommy

One Year!

Dear Vinny,

Today you are one year old!

It is hard to believe that it has been a whole year since you were born, but so much has happened since then. You have nearly tripled in weight (from 7 lbs 11 oz to 22 lbs 3 oz) and you have grown nearly 50% taller (from 21.5" to 30.5"). You can hold your own head up, sit up, and crawl, not to mention sleep through the night without waking up every three hours. You smile, you babble, and you point to whatever interests you. You say "mama" and "dada," and "ning-ning-ning" when you're really unhappy. You flirt shamelessly with everyone. Your laugh is infectious and your smile is worth more than all the money in the world! You love to eat refried beans, and sweet potatoes, and chunks of pear. Really, you're not a particularly picky eater, which makes you a real joy to cook for. I enjoy watching you try new foods.

Tomorrow we are having a huge party for your birthday. Granny and Granddad, and Grandma and Grandpa are all coming for your birthday fiesta. Tia is cooking all the food, and Mommy is making a cake shaped like a sombrero and some gluten-free, egg-free cupcakes for you! You are going to be the center of attention. It is well-deserved, sweet baby boy. You have been a wonderful addition to our lives, and that merits a big celebration!

I love you, little one!

Love,
Mommy

More Travel

Dear Vinny,

This past weekend, we went to Kentucky to see your great-grandma. She's very sick and she may die soon. So we took this opportunity to see her, even though we hadn't planned on traveling this weekend.

On Saturday morning, we left you with Grandma while Daddy and I went over to see her. Then in the afternoon, we decided to take you over there. It was a hard decision to make but I think it was good. Great-grandma enjoyed seeing you and you definitely cheered her up. She likes babies and you are one of the most charming babies out there.

On Saturday evening, you got to stay with Grandpa while Daddy and I went out to dinner. And then on Sunday we all returned home in the afternoon. It was an exhausting weekend but I'm glad we did it. It means a lot to me that great-grandma got to see you one more time.

Love,
Mommy

Wedding Travel

Dear Vinny,

This weekend, we went to Evansville, Indiana, for your bonus aunt's wedding. We stayed overnight with Mommy's Uncle Grant and Aunt Jean, whom you'd met at the family reunion last month.

You were a big hit at the wedding. Your bonus aunt Kristin was amazed by how sweet you were, and happy to be there. The minister who officiated at the wedding was completely smitten with you. And Aunt Laura enjoyed the chance to spend more time with you, as did Grandpa and Grandma (of course!).

You and I danced together after dinner. I threw you up in the air and you loved it. We also slow danced, cheek-to-cheek, which I really enjoyed. Grandma and Grandpa danced with you too.

The next morning at breakfast, you became acquainted with Uncle Grant and Aunt Jean's dog, Chica. You've never really been around pets very much, because Mommy is allergic to them. But you were surprisingly gentle to Chica, and you fed her some of your cheerios. When she licked your fingers it made you giggle. Something you hadn't yet figured out was that when you're feeding somebody, you have to let go of the food so they can get it. And at one point, you changed your mind and popped a doggy-spit-covered cheerio into your own mouth. Yuck!

For lunch, we went to a Mexican restaurant. You sat in a very colorful wooden high chair supplied by the restaurant. Daddy ordered you your own bowl of frijoles, which you quickly ate, and still wanted more. So Daddy fed you some of his refried beans, too.

On the way home, you got a little fussy because you were hungry. But we stopped and bought you some whole milk, and you drank an entire pint on your own, and you soon settled down.

Thank you for being such a good traveler!

Love,
Mommy

Parental Birthdays

Dear Vinny,

On Saturday, Tia and Uncle came over. Tia was so happy to see you, because she hadn't seen you in over a month. First, you hung out with Daddy and Uncle, while Tia and Mommy went out. Then, we all had dinner, and after dinner, you spent time with Tia and Mommy until Mommy finally put you to bed.

On Sunday, we went out to dinner for Daddy's birthday. You sat in your portable high chair on a booth seat, and ate your dinner. Unfortunately, you gagged on a piece of hamburger and puked up most of your dinner. But other than that, you enjoyed going out to dinner with Mommy and Daddy.

After dinner, we gave Daddy his presents. You gave him a 500 GB external hard drive and a card that you had signed. I also gave him some gifts, and you helped him open the packages.

On Monday evening, we ate dinner out on the deck as the sun was setting. I had lit a citronella candle, and you were fascinated by the flame. You wanted to touch it, but I kept the candle safely out of your reach.

On Tuesday evening, we celebrated my birthday. First, Daddy presented me with a picture that you had drawn for me. It was very beautiful and if there is space for it, I will try to hang it in my office. Then, we went out to dinner and Daddy and I both had burgers made of different meats, with french fries. Daddy let you eat some of his fries. You were really fascinated by dipping them in ketchup, although you didn't seem to like the taste of it very much. But you were beginning to understand that you can use your front teeth to bite off pieces of food. You were starting to be able to do that with the french fries. I was very pleased that you were beginning to catch on to that!

Your teeth had been bothering you before but they seem to be lessening up somewhat. I am glad because this means you are more cheerful and I enjoy seeing you so happy!

Love,
Mommy

Teething, Growing, and Eating

Dear Vinny,

You have been teething a lot lately. Your molars are cutting through some more. They were all peeking through a little, but now the bottom ones are all the way out through your gums.

The teething has been so painful that you woke up one night in the middle of the night, screaming in pain. Daddy calmed you down, gave you some tylenol and orajel, and put you back to bed. But you were kind of cranky for the next day or so after that.

On a happier note, we think that your head has recently grown a lot, because for the past week or two, it has been really hard to get your shirts over your head! You must have a very big brain, I'd say!

You really enjoy it when I rub my finger up and down across my lips, as I talk. You think that is one of the funniest things ever. You try to do it yourself, but instead of using your finger, you do it with your wrist. It is quite hysterical to watch, and very cute.

Tonight, for the first time, we fed you the same food that we were having for dinner. Usually we are eating something that you can't have yet, but tonight, we took a piece of the pork and some of the barley and ground it up for you. You really liked it. You were also really thirsty at dinner and you drank two cups of milk.

Your birthday is coming up soon. Since your favorite food is refried beans, we decided to have a Mexican-themed birthday party for you. I talked to Tia and she's going to make the food for it. Granny and Granddad, and Grandma and Grandpa are coming, and I know it will be a lot of fun!

Love,
Mommy

Eleven Months!

Dear Vinny,

Today you are eleven months old! It is hard to believe that you are nearly one year old, but you are. Although, if I think back, a lot has changed in you since you were born.

Lately, you've been pulling up a lot. If there's anything vaguely vertical, you will grab onto it and hoist yourself up on your feet. Sometimes you cruise, taking a few steps while holding onto the couch or the outside of your crib, for example, but it kind of freaks you out and you start screaming. But I don't think it will be long before you start walking.

Another thing is that you've recently realized that you need to take the binky out before you try to put food in your mouth. Before, you would just try to stick food in, and get kind of bewildered when it didn't work. Unfortunately, you've also used this new-found realization to remove the binky before trying to bite Mommy or Daddy, which is not so cool.

You've been biting a lot because you're teething. You now have twelve teeth: four teeth in the front on the top, four more on the bottom, and then one molar on each side, for a total of twelve. I think those molars really hurt, because you were pretty cranky when they were pushing through.

Your babbling is becoming more refined. It almost sounds like words, but they're not words that we can really understand. You've also completely discontinued the use of bottles; now you get all your juice and milk from sippy cups. You're eating a lot of new baby foods that Daddy has bought for you, such as oatmeal with cinnamon applesauce and turkey dinner.

Your crawling is getting much better and much faster. You are also very curious, especially about fans and vents. You love the feeling of wind blowing through your hair. Daddy left you in your room while he was taking a shower, and returned to see that you had removed the vent and dropped some toys down the duct! You've also pulled the box fan over on several occasions. Luckily, Daddy has the foresight to turn it off before you look at it, because you enjoy sticking your fingers in it.

You still have a contagious laugh and a winning smile. You charm everyone you meet. The Friday before last, we went out to dinner with my new boss and his family, and you charmed everyone at the table. Even his eight and twelve-year-old sons succumbed to your power. And my friend Jodi from Illinois and her two sons came to visit over Labor Day weekend, and they just loved you. You even brighten the day of complete strangers. At every restaurant we went to, patrons at neighboring tables were cheered up by your flirtations. You are an incredibly charismatic little boy!

Love,
Mommy

Great Visitors

Dear Vinny,

Your great-Uncle Paul and great-Aunt Ann left this morning. They were traveling through on their way home from South Carolina to Wisconsin. They were really happy to see you.

They arrived really late in the evening. We wanted to put you to bed, but you were too excited about our visitors to sleep, so you ended up staying awake until just about midnight. They both enjoyed holding you. I could see how much Uncle Paul really enjoyed you. I don't think I've ever seen him with such a big smile on his face.

In the morning, they were pretty reluctant to leave, commenting that it was you who made it so hard to leave. I told them that lots of people retire to Tennessee for its low cost of living, and that great-nephews are fantastic, but I don't think they're going to move down here. It's too bad, because I could see how much they enjoyed you and you enjoyed them.

Love,
Mommy

Dining Excursion

Dear Vinny,

Last night you, Daddy, and I went out to dinner with my future boss and his family, and another colleague and his girlfriend. You were the life of the party.

First, you flirted with the colleague's girlfriend. We joked with him that you would charm her and win her away from him.

Then, my boss's younger son started showing a great interest in you. He kept asking me questions about you, and he really wanted to play with you. Eventually I traded seats with him so that he could be closer to you.

Then, the older son started playing with you too. You were having a great time with all this attention!

Eventually, my boss held you, and you smiled and enjoyed him a lot. Thank you for being such a good sport with Mommy's boss. That was very strategic of you!

No, I'm just joking. You are always a charming young man, and when my boss told me how wonderful he thought you were, he rose in my esteem. I'm always happy to see other people enjoying my favorite little boy too!

Love,
Mommy

Visit to Bardstown

Dear Vinny,

This past weekend, we went to Bardstown so that Mommy could go with Aunt Ginger and Aunt Rhonda to see a play. Granny and Granddad took the opportunity to come down to Bardstown to see you and your cousins. They were so happy to see you!

So were your aunts and uncles, and your cousins too. You are a very happy little boy and you really brighten up people's days. Your Uncle Johnny fed you at one point and I could tell he really enjoyed it.

You were pretty content in the car, even when we went on a sort of a wild goose chase when Daddy decided to try some remote mountain roads. I tried to keep you entertained as best I could. You really enjoyed my empty Pringles can. It had a few crumbs in it that would rattle around when you shook it.

I had surgery on my left arm this past Thursday, and I couldn't hold you for a while. I know you were pretty sad about that. But now my arm isn't as sore and I have figured out how to hold you. You like to chew on my cast when you get the chance, though.

Love,
Mommy

Ten Months!

Dear Vinny,

You turned ten months old a week ago, while we were traveling. There have been many changes and new developments in you!

You learned how to crawl a couple of weeks ago, and you are getting better and better at it. Something you do is you crawl on one knee and on one foot, a sort of crab crawl, which is the same way that my cousin Julian crawled, according to my Aunt Barb. And it's interesting too because there are a lot of pictures where you look a lot like Julian too.

Something else you've figured out just recently is to shake your head no. Today, when Daddy was trying to look into your mouth, you shook your head back and forth vigorously. You've done that to me when I've tried to give you food but you're full.

You have been introduced to several new foods. You now love refried beans and sweet potatoes, and we've given you some cheese cubes which you seem to like as well. At first, you kind of sucked on the cheese cubes. Then, once you figured out that you should chew them, you had some trouble gaging when to swallow and you choked a little bit. But you have it figured out now.

Tonight, Daddy and I gave you some cheerios, cheese cubes, refried beans, and sweet potatoes to eat. At first we were feeding the beans and sweet potatoes to you with a spoon, but then you started trying to get the spoon away from us. So we decided to let you have the spoon and the plate of refried beans and sweet potatoes, and see what you did with it.

At first, you made a really big mess. You played in your food with your hands. But then, you stuck the bean-coated spoon in your mouth and sucked some of the delicious frijoles from it. Then you put it all together and tried to scoop food onto the spoon and feed it to yourself. You had the concave side down, but the food was thick enough that it stuck to the spoon anyhow. It was so funny to watch you!

After you were done, Daddy wiped you clean, and then I took you and changed you into a new outfit. We'll have to let you try to feed yourself again!

Love,
Mommy

Back from the Trip!

Dear Vinny,

We got back from our trip yesterday. Aside from the riding in the car, you seemed to enjoy yourself. On our way up to the Chicago area, we stopped at Granny and Granddad's so that they could see you for a few hours. They were really happy to see you, and you were really happy to be out of the car for a while! Granny held you while Granddad, Daddy, and I had our dinner. You were pretty annoyed with us when we took you back out in the car and kept driving. We stopped just outside of Indianapolis because you were so mad, and probably hungry. Daddy fed you in the car while I went and got us a hotel room. I slept with you on one bed and Daddy slept in another. Did you know that you crawl in your sleep? I slept with one eye open all night, out of fear that you would crawl off the bed.

The next morning we moved on. You slept some in the car, but for the last hour or so you were pretty upset. When we got to the hotel, there were lots of family members already there and they were really excited to see you. But you were hungry and sleepy so Daddy took you to the room to feed you. That evening, you and I went to a Mexican restaurant with one of my graduate school classmates and her family. I had known from Tia's cooking that you liked refried beans, so I fed you some of my refried beans. What I hadn't realized was that you loved refried beans! You ate all my frijoles, and you would have eaten even more if there had been any more.

The next day was the big reunion day. You and Daddy stayed back at the hotel during the really big Patterson family reunion, but you joined us for dinner at a huge Chinese buffet. They had all kinds of food there, more than I'd ever seen at a buffet before. We gave you some white rice to eat with your hands, which you were neutral about. I noticed that they had some sweet potatoes there so I got a piece of one and mashed it up for you to try. You loved it, almost as much as you loved refried beans! So I made a mental note to get you some sweet potatoes when we got home.

You were a big hit with the family. You met all your great-aunts and -uncles on my side, and they all loved you. You also met some of my cousins and some of your second cousins. My cousins Margaret, Victoria, and Charlotte, and my cousin Glenna were crazy about you! Glenna rode in the back seat with you all the way to Urbana on Sunday.

On Monday, I gave a seminar at the university, and after my seminar, Daddy dropped you off and you joined me and my old research group for lunch. We went to a Mexican restaurant, so I was sure to order something with frijoles and once again you ate them all! You were a big with them, and also with Jodi, my former advisor's secretary.

That evening, we went to a Chinese restaurant with our friend Dave. You had some white rice which you weren't too excited about, preferring instead to reach for Daddy's food. Daddy let you have a little of his meat.

On Tuesday, we left for home. By that time we had figured out that you were much happier if somebody sat in the back seat with you, so I sat next to you while Daddy drove. On our way South, we stopped at our favorite Amish grocery, and you were intrigued by all the products they had to offer. You were also very happy when we stopped at a rest area and let you eat while we took a break from the car.

We stayed overnight in Clarksville and you had a great time crawling around the room and onto the tile floor in the bathroom. I don't think you'd ever seen a tile floor before. You were unhappy to get back in the car but you were quite pleased to be home when we finally got here.

Thanks for being such a good travel companion!

Love,
Mommy

Travel Time!

Dear Vinny,

We are all about to leave on a trip today. You have a schedule that's jam-packed with seeing family and friends. Today, we will stop in Louisville and see Granny and Granddad. I know how much Granny's looking forward to seeing her sweet baby grandson. (So is Granddad, for that matter. He's just not as vocal about it as Granny!)

Then tomorrow, we will have dinner with Mommy's classmate Boyana and her family in suburban Chicago. She has a son who is about a month older than you, as well as two older children. Then, we have Mommy's family reunion, where you will get to see Grandma and Grandpa, and also lots of other relatives of Mommy's, some of whom you have met before, others you have not. I'm hoping that your second-cousin David will be there. He is maybe a week or two younger than you, and I hope that you boys will become good friends as time goes on.

On Monday, we're going to be in Urbana, where Mommy and Daddy lived before you were born. We'll see a lot of people there, including Mommy and Daddy's friend Dave, Mommy's advisor Mike, and his assistant Jodi, and lots of Mommy's former classmates. They are all wanting to meet you too.

You have mostly traveled well. There was one trip where you screamed almost all the way home, but otherwise you haven't minded traveling in the car. Hopefully you will enjoy this trip!

Love,
Mommy

Weekend Fun

Dear Vinny,

We had a busy weekend! On Saturday, we went over to Mommy's colleague Sreekanth's house, for a birthday party for his wife, Maria. There were other people there, including two other babies, for a total of four babies in one house.

One of the babies was older than you, but she was much smaller and more delicate. But like you, she was just starting to crawl. Another baby was about three months younger than you, so she couldn't crawl yet, but you and she did sit together on the floor and interact. She was interested in touching your face and poking your eye. You basically did the same thing to her. Her mom was embarrassed at her behavior, but I think when you did it right back, she realized that it was just normal baby behavior. Baby Aneesh, the son of the host, whom you met almost two months ago, was feeling very cranky that evening, so you didn't get to play much with him. But you were the quietest and easiest-going baby there. You were the only one who didn't fuss at all. I am continually amazed by your easy-going temperament, and I have to wonder where you got it, because Daddy and I are not at all like that.

On Sunday, we went over to Tia and Uncle's house, where you showed Tia how well you can crawl. You also tried frijoles (refried beans) for the first time, and you seemed to like them. Tia had missed you a lot, because she hadn't seen you for such a long time. She remarked on how much you had grown! It's easier for her to notice because she's not with you every day. But you are definitely a growing boy and I am so happy to be your Mommy and to watch you grow and learn new things!

Love,
Mommy

Crawling!

Dear Vinny,

Last night you put it all together and figured out how to crawl! I am so excited for you!

Apparently it was after I had gone to bed. Daddy put you on the floor, and you crawled. You're not that skilled at crawling yet, but you're getting better at it with practice. Daddy says he put you on one side of the living room, and turned on the keyboard on the other side, and within a minute or two he heard the strains of a certain baby playing music.

Tonight was Mommy and Daddy's wedding anniversary, so we all went out to dinner at a nice restaurant. Daddy packed some cheerios and a piece of cooked ground buffalo patty for you to eat. You are really good at eating cheerios nowadays. You are also a big fan of buffalo. I tear off small, bite-sized pieces and put them on your tray along with the cheerios, and you select the buffalo meat over the cheerios.

But anyhow, we were at this restaurant. You sat in a high-chair and ate your cheerios. You charmed the waiter, who was very attentive to you. A family with several adult daughters sat at the table next to us, and you flirted with the women, who found you utterly adorable. I tried to get you to drink some of my water with a straw, but you didn't quite understand that you needed to suck on the straw. Daddy says we should try a bigger straw.

Thanks for being such a good sport on Mommy and Daddy's anniversary. Adding you to our family has been a wonderful thing!

Love,
Mommy

Nighttime Adventures

Dear Vinny,

Last night you gave us a bit of a scare -- you had a rectal temperature of 103ºF even though we'd given you Tylenol. Of course this happened at 9:30 p.m., well after your pediatrician's office was closed, so we took you to the emergency room.

The doctor looked in your ears and down your throat and couldn't see that anything was wrong, and just to be safe he wanted to check whether you had a urinary tract infection, so you had to have a catheter. It hurt and you were pretty angry and upset by it, but you regained your composure as Daddy and I took turns cuddling you. They concluded that you didn't have a urinary tract infection, and let us go at about 1 a.m. I'm glad that you were okay but I sure am sleep-deprived today!

Love,
Mommy

Family Visit

Dear Vinny,

You were the center of attention when your Aunt Rachel, Uncle Scott, and cousin Byron came to visit. Cousin Byron was pretty excited to meet you, as was your Uncle Scott, and Aunt Rachel was happy to see you again. You were a little scared of Uncle Scott at first, because for some reason, you don't like men with beards very much. But eventually you warmed up to him, and had a lot of fun with him.

You and your cousin had a good time playing together. He would throw blankets over your head, and you really enjoyed it. And your Uncle Scott liked playing with you too. He would tickle you and make you laugh.

On Friday, your Aunt Laura also arrived, and she was excited to see you too. You flirted with her in your usual way. Aunt Laura thought it would be fun to go to a cave, so on Saturday, we all went to the Lost Sea, which was pretty interesting. I carried you on my hip in the sling. You looked around, all starry-eyed, very intrigued by the lights. At one point they turned off all the lights and we were in pitch darkness. I was afraid this would frighten you, but it didn't seem to.

On Sunday, Grandma and Grandpa came down for the day. Grandma would hardly let go of you, although she did let go of you long enough to have some family pictures taken. In addition to pictures of the whole family, we got some really cute pictures of you and your cousin, and of you and Aunt Laura.

Something new that you've eaten recently is carrots. I made some homemade carrots for you, but they were a bit too textured for your tastes. So Daddy bought you some plain yogurt, and I mixed the carrots with the yogurt, and they were a big hit. One of my favorite things to do is make fresh food for you, little boy! I am so glad that you are such an appreciative eater. I love you, Vinny!

Love,
Mommy

Nine Months!

Dear Vinny,

Today you are nine months old! Daddy and I took you to the pediatrician for your nine month checkup, and I am pleased to report that you are doing very well. You weighed in at 20 lbs 11 oz and you were 28" long, which puts you in the 50th percentile in height and weight. Daddy and I were a little surprised by that, because you seem to be getting so big! But you are the paragon of health and the doctor was very happy to see you. And why wouldn't she be! You are such a delightful little boy.

This afternoon, your Aunt Rachel, Uncle Scott, and cousin Byron are coming for a visit! I know your cousin Byron can't stop talking about his cousin Vinny. He's very excited to meet you!

Love,
Mommy

Developmental Updates

Dear Vinny,

We have noticed some remarkable developments in you lately.

First of all, you have begun to regularly communicate your desire to have a bottle!  Since you were about two months old, we've been squeezing our hand and saying "ba-ba" to you just before giving you your bottle.  This has paid off because you now request a bottle by doing the same thing.  It must be quite empowering for you to be able to communicate your hunger.

Second, you have tried a lot of new foods and eaten them without gagging too much.  Most recently, I gave you some tofu, which you seemed to like well enough.  I put some small chunks of it on your tray and you picked it up and ate it, like you do with cheerios.  In addition, I mashed up some banana and fed it to you, and you absolutely loved it.  How did I know that?  Because you exclaimed "mmmmm" as you ate it!  I also tried giving you chunks of banana like the tofu or cheerios, but you soon discovered that it was a lot more fun to squeeze the banana in the palm of your hand and through your fingers than to actually eat it!

Third, and most significantly, you have become stronger and much more mobile.  Even though you're still not crawling, you can roll and fishy-flop without difficulty.  I understand that you need to be able to sit up from the lying down position before you will be able to crawl, so you still need to learn to do that.  The problem is that your head is big, so that makes it difficult to master these gross motor skills.  But I am confident that you will pick this up soon!

Yesterday afternoon I made you some pear sauce.  I fed it to you tonight, and unlike the last time I made it, you didn't gag on it at all.  I think this is because you are becoming more and more skilled in eating.

This evening you and I had a fun time roughhousing.  You were rolling and flopping around on the floor in your room, and I was tickling you.  It is fun to play with you, sweet boy!

Love,
Mommy

Another Busy Weekend

Dear Vinny,

This past weekend, we invited over Ann from next door, along with her daughter Katie, son-in-law Joe, and grandchildren Bert and Amelia.  You were a very good sport on Friday and Saturday while Mommy and Daddy cleaned the house, and I think you had a good time with our guests too.  You took a brief nap during dinner, but otherwise you were alert and watching and interacting.

I plugged in the electric keyboard, and you had a great time banging on the keys.  Amelia sat on it and started one of the automatic songs, which was pretty funny.

Amelia is about six months older than you, so she is already crawling around and very mobile.  At one point she saw you and decided to kiss you.  She gave you several big smooches before moving on to poking you in the eye and smacking you with a toy.  Her mom put a stop to that but you didn't seem to be much bothered by it.  You definitely enjoyed the kisses.

I think we all had a good time, and resolved to get together again soon!

Love,
Mommy

Busy Weekend

Dear Vinny,

This past weekend was a busy one.  On Saturday, we went over to my colleague Sreekanth's house to meet Baby Aneesh.  Aneesh is just nine weeks old.  We gave him some of your old clothes that you had outgrown.  You were the star of the show.  Since you're six months older than Aneesh, you are quite a bit more active and aware and generally charming.  You smiled and giggled and flirted for Sreekanth and Maria.  You didn't pay much attention to Aneesh.  You didn't object to being held by Sreekanth or Maria while Mommy held Baby Aneesh.

Then on Sunday, we celebrated Father's Day with Daddy.  You gave him a card that you had written on at least a little bit.  Daddy was very touched.  I think he's as proud to be your Daddy as I am to be your Mommy!

Love,
Mommy

Baby Gourmet

Dear Vinny,

This past weekend, I got inspired to cook for you. First I noticed that you were biting on everything, including Mommy and Daddy and your own arm. So I decided to make you some teething biscuits. I wanted to make them without wheat if I could, because my grandfather was allergic to wheat and I didn't want you to get that allergy. So I came up with a concoction that turned out to make pretty good teething biscuits. You have chewed on them a few times, with success.

Then, I had read that babies love to eat a combination of peaches and chicken, so I made you some peaches out of some frozen peaches that we had, and I also poached a chicken breast and ground it up. The chicken was pretty dry, but the peaches moistened it up. At first, you didn't know what to make of peaches and chicken, but then you decided that you liked it and you ate it with enthusiasm.

They say that babies go through every sound in all languages as they develop. On Thursday, you started making the rolled French r sound with your uvula. You are really good at it although to us it kind of sounds like you're gargling. Yesterday you did it in between sips of juice, so I think you really may have been gargling.

You really get a kick out of it when Mommy or Daddy make a retching sound. I don't know why, but it totally cracks you up. It's a really good way to get you giggling so much I think you'll never stop. I have no idea what's so funny, but whatever works for you!

You have all the prerequisites for crawling, you just need to put all the moves together. Until recently, when you would reach out for something you would do a face plant. But since about Friday you are able to retain your balance on your hands and knees, so I think it's just a matter of time before you figure it out.

You are such a sweet baby boy!

Love,
Mommy

Eight Months!

Dear Vinny,

On Tuesday, you turned eight months old. It is hard to believe that only eight months ago, you were born. But it is true.

You have learned a lot in the past month. You are able to sit up from a reclined position, which is impressive. You haven't figured out how to crawl yet, but I think it's just a matter of putting all the pieces together. You've learned how to pick up a cheerio, put it in your mouth, chew it up, and swallow it. The cheerio makes it into your mouth more frequently and you gag on it less and less.

Your eighth tooth is just popping out of the gum. It seems like you could be getting molars at some point soon, because you like to chew on things with the back of your jaw. Something else that's strange that you do with your teeth is you sort of grind the front teeth together to create a very strange popping sound.

Every day I spend with you is truly a joy. You are so good-natured and happy! I hope that you continue to feel so happy as you grow up.

Love,
Mommy

Weekend Visits

Dear Vinny,

This weekend was very busy. We went to Kentucky to celebrate Granny and Granddad's 40th anniversary on Sunday. But on Saturday, Daddy and I left you with Grandma and Grandpa for the evening. From what I understand, you had a lot of fun with them. They took you on a walk to the arboretum, and they fed you some peaches and more, and they also gave you a bath in the kitchen sink. You enjoyed it all, and you didn't cry or miss us at all, although I think you were happy to see us on Sunday morning.

We went over to Aunt Rhonda's house after noon. Your cousins Stuart and Ian and your Aunt Ginger and Uncle Johnny were already there, and Granny and Granddad arrived soon after. Your Aunt Ginger was really excited to see you, and she held you for a while, until Granny and Granddad arrived. Granny really wanted to hold you, and she got plenty of opportunity to do so, but Granddad hogged you for a great deal of time too. Daddy gave Granddad a drawing of you and Granddad together, and I had gotten Granny a digital photo keychain that Daddy filled with photos of you. They were both quite pleased by their gifts. I don't know how they couldn't be pleased to have pictures of their incredibly cute grandson!

At one point, we all lined up to have a family photo taken. I was holding you in my arms behind your cousin Stuart. You thought that Stuart's hair was so interesting that you kept on pulling it. But Stuart was very patient with you, and didn't get upset with you pulling on his hair. Back in the house, Daddy took a really good picture of you and your cousins.

Soon it was time to go, and we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We spent the night there, and in the morning you stayed with Grandma and Grandpa while Daddy and I went shopping for a Father's Day present for Grandpa. At lunch we celebrated Father's Day by giving Grandpa his present, as well as a card from me and one from you that Daddy had had you scribble on with a marker. Grandpa was thrilled with his present and with his card from you. In the afternoon we went to see my grandmother, your great-Grandma. Great-Grandma was cheered by the sight of you. You were very sweet to her and you even reached out and touched her face a few times. She was pleased with how nice of a young man you are!

Eventually it was time for us to go home, so we packed, put you in the car and headed home. You were asleep when we started but you soon woke up, and you were not too happy about how things were. You fussed most of the way home, but you fell asleep close to the Tennessee border. We brought you inside, fed you a bottle, and took you to bed.

Over all, we had a great trip and I think you really enjoyed yourself. But it was nice to be back home and back to our more normal life.

Love,
Mommy

Stacking

Dear Vinny,

Today Daddy bought you a stacking toy. It has rainbow-colored donuts that stack on a spindle. When I got it out of the packaging, you were absolutely fascinated. You picked up the donuts and examined them closely. At one point you took two donuts in your hands and banged them together. You first banged two objects together over the weekend. So you are learning new skills.

You haven't started crawling yet, although Daddy reported yesterday that you moved your walker forward all on your own! And sometimes, I think you kind of crawl backwards, although not very far and probably not on purpose.

You've held up well to the heat the past few days when the air conditioning has been out. We've just dressed you more lightly and that has helped.

For a while, you had kind of stopped doing your cute geek laugh, but these past few days you've been geeking out a lot. It is still incredibly cute and makes us laugh!

Love,
Mommy

Weekend of Fun

Dear Vinny,

This weekend, we have been very busy. On Friday, I had the day off and we mostly just relaxed. We went to Home Depot in the afternoon, where one of the employees was entranced by you and spoke in his native tongue to you. I couldn't tell if he was African or Haitian, but he spoke French to you.

On Saturday, we had the annual neighborhood picnic. You are quite the people-watcher, so I carried you around from person-to-person, and you talked with them all. Marilyn from down the street, and our hostess Marty wanted to hold you, so you graciously agreed to be held and charmed them with your big smile.

On Sunday, Tia and Uncle came over for dinner. Before they came, you and I went to Kroger and did some major grocery shopping. I carried you in the sling, and you seemed to think that was okay, although you were kind of tired and by the end you were getting cranky. Daddy cooked a big meal for the adults, and you had peaches. You seem to like peaches, although the first time you tried them you didn't know quite what to make of them. We have also given you some prune juice, because you don't poop as often as you should.

Today, we have once again spent most of the day relaxing and playing with you. You are a joy to be with, as usual!

Love,
Mommy

A Perfect Day

Dear Vinny,

This morning, we had a pancake breakfast with Granny and Granddad. You sat in your high chair and had your bottle while we enjoyed our pancakes.

After Granny and Granddad left, we went to the park and had a picnic lunch. We sat on a blanket under a tree, by the lake. The weather was beautiful. You played with some toys, and Daddy took a bunch of pictures of you and also drew a portrait of you and me. Then you and I headed over to the playground and I got you into a swing. I pushed you and as you began to swing, you loved it. You smiled broadly and you giggled as you saw me getting closer and farther.

Then, we went home and you and I took a long nap. I cradled you in my arms and you slept soundly for more than two hours. You woke up when Daddy was just about finished making dinner. We went into the dining room, and you enjoyed some peas while Mommy and Daddy had their dinners.

During dinner, we realized that you didn't really know how to chew. So Daddy made some exaggerated chewing motions, and you imitated him. Daddy chewed a cheerio, and then he gave you a small piece and you chewed it (or at least you tried to). I think that it was more successful than previous times when we've given you cheerios to eat.

You're not crawling yet, but I think you are such an easy-going little guy that you're not impatient for change. You do get into the crawling position and rock, but you haven't really connected that to movement yet. We continue to put things slightly out of your reach, to see if it will tempt you to crawl.

Thank you for being such a sweet baby, and having such a good day with us!

Love,
Mommy

Visitors

Dear Vinny,

On Thursday, Granny and Granddad came down for a visit. They came to see you, of course. Daddy had bought a computer for Granddad, and before they left, Daddy filled it up with pictures of you.

Granny was really happy to see you. It was hard for me to get a chance to hold you after I came home from work on Thursday and Friday. But I am always glad that your grandparents love you so much.

On Wednesday, you had a "Helen Keller" moment, when you realized that you could wave. Interestingly, you had this moment while you had your arm horizontal, with the back of your hand on your chin. So you put your hand on your chin and wiggle your fingers, and that's your wave. It's kind of strange, but incredibly cute!

Last night, your seventh tooth began coming in. It's on the bottom left, next to your middle teeth that are already in. It's hard to believe that you're getting even more teeth. You'll be ready for that pork chop in no time!

Love,
Mommy

Party Weekend

Dear Vinny,

This past weekend, you were very busy. As I said before, Saturday was busy with Amelia's birthday and going out to dinner with Tia and Uncle. But then, on Sunday, we went for a pool party with Amelia and her family. Amelia's grandma had a wading pool, which she filled with water. At first, you were unhappy about the pool, because you thought it was a bath. But I gradually got you accustomed to it, and by the end you were content to be sitting in the pool all on your own.

After your swim, we sat in the neighbor's screened-in porch and had some dinner. You fell asleep on my lap. Amelia's parents were amazed that you would just fall asleep like that.

You continue to be a happy and adorable baby, and Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

Love,
Mommy

Talk and Crawl

Dear Vinny,

You are growing fast. Recently, you have been jabbering a lot. You say "ma-ma-ma-ma-da-da-da-ba-ba" and similar strings of syllables. I am amazed by how verbal you have become.

This morning, I think you signed for a bottle. You squeezed your hand into a fist, just like we do every time we give you a bottle.

You are also getting ready to crawl. On Tuesday, Daddy reported that you crawled backwards very slowly. You readily get into the crawling position (on your hands and knees), but you haven't really put it all together yet. But it is a matter of time before you are mobile, and Mommy and Daddy need to prepare for that!

Love,
Mommy

Party Boy

Dear Vinny,

Yesterday was a big day. It was Amelia's first birthday, so we went to her grandmother's house next door for the party.

You were the youngest baby there. Unlike the rest of the children, you are not yet mobile, so you contented yourself by sitting on the floor and watching everyone. You are quite the people watcher.

Then, that evening, we went out to dinner with Tia and Uncle to celebrate Mother's Day. You sat at the table with us, on a portable high chair that used to be Byron's. You watched all the people in the restaurant, and you ate some prunes during dinner. But most of the time, you jabbered a lot. I think you were really enjoying yourself.

After dinner, we went over to Tia and Uncle's house, and you had fun with Tia. But then you got kind of sleepy and we took you home. You fell asleep in the car and we put you to bed in your crib, where you slept until morning.

Love,
Mommy

Seven Months!

Dear Vinny,

Today you are seven months old. It is amazing to think about how tiny you were when you were born, compared to your size now. You weren't even eight pounds seven months ago, yet you must be over twenty by now!

On Friday, Daddy fed you some prunes for the first time. You loved them! You grabbed the spoon out of Daddy's hand and made quite a mess with the prunes. We are still finding prunes everywhere on you, from that time and from the day after, when I fed you some more prunes. There's a smudge of prunes behind your ear, and on the calf of your leg, and on your right eyelid... prunes everywhere!

Your top four teeth are all coming in at once. I'm not sure why they all decided to come in at the same time, but they've broken through the gums, finally. You are also getting better and better at sitting up on your own. Your balance is improving and you haven't done any face plants recently.

We continue to enjoy watching you grow and change. I love you, little boy!

Love,
Mommy

Sounds of Joy

Dear Vinny,

You are becoming more vocal with every passing day. You have been babbling a lot and screeching with excitement, which is really thrilling to listen to. You've said "ma-ma" and "da-da," but I'm not convinced that you know what you're saying.

In addition, sometimes you get very excited and start giggling. I find it really humorous when you laugh with this very hoarse laugh, like you're inhaling when you laugh. It's like you have your own geek laugh and it's just so adorable!

I fed you some avocado, finally, but you weren't too crazy about it. I think the problem was that I didn't mash it up enough for you. You still like your foods to be pureed. But I will try again later, and take more care mashing it up.

I love you, little boy!

Love,
Mommy

Growth and Change

Dear Vinny,

You are growing and changing with every day that passes. These days, you take 9 ounces in your bottle every 5-7 hours. We've fed you peas and green beans, and you seem to like them both. Next we're going to give you some avocado, whenever I get around to buying you one at the grocery store. We also give you pear juice almost every day, to help keep you regular. Otherwise, you seem to get pretty constipated and then you cry a lot when you finally go.

You are babbling a lot these days. You've figured out how to say "ma-ma-ma" although I'm pretty sure you're not talking about me. You love to giggle and shriek too. Daddy makes a funny face at you and that's all it takes to put you into a giggling fit. I'm not nearly as funny as Daddy, but sometimes I can get you to giggle by kissing your tummy or vibrating your hand, tummy, or face with the "V" sound of your name. "Vvvvvinny!" I exclaim. The big smile this causes is reward enough.

You are beginning to sleep through the night. You begin to wake up and wiggle halfway through the night, but if we hold you, you fall back to sleep without fully awakening. And one night last week, Daddy put you in your crib and you slept there the whole night. So maybe you don't require our presence so much to sleep.

We're not sure exactly what color your eyes are going to be, but it's pretty clear that they're not blue like Daddy's. Right now they are somewhere between green and brown. It will be interesting to see what the final color will be. Your Aunt Laura has hazel eyes, and you may end up with the same. Other than the eyes, you look a lot like Daddy. You have the same chin and ears. Your fingers and toes are long and slender like his. Your hair takes after Daddy's side more than mine. You have very fine, blond hair right now, kind of strawberry blond like your Aunt Rhonda. I wonder if it will darken as you age.

You are an amazing little boy and I love watching you learn and grow!

Love,
Mommy

Six Months!

Dear Vinny,

On Thursday, you turned six months old! We took you to the doctor for your checkup, and you weighed 19 pounds and were 27.5 inches long. That's about the 75th percentile for weight, 85th percentile for height, and 95th percentile for head size.

The doctor said that you could start eating vegetables now. We're starting you with green beans, then peas, and then branch out to orange vegetables, before moving on to fruit. At some point I'm going to try feeding you some avocado, because that's supposed to be really good baby food.

The doctor was a little disappointed that you couldn't sit up on your own yet. But on Sunday, you just spontaneously decided to sit unassisted, without even tripoding yourself with your hands. I don't know how you did it, but you figured it all out at once!

Your Grandma and Grandpa came back through town on Saturday night on their way home. I think they will do just about anything to see you. If they were going to New York, they'd take the southern route through Tennessee!

Daddy made you a nice Easter basket. He put some toys, a teething stuffed animal, and some packages of baby beans and peas in it. We started you off on the green beans on Sunday, and you seemed to like them.

Last night, we opened your Easter basket from Granny and Granddad. It was very big, full of toys, clothes, and stuffed animals. Daddy took lots of pictures of you opening the Easter basket. It was very nice of Granny and Granddad to send that basket for you!

I can't believe that it's been six months since you were born! So much has changed since then, but you are still my sweet little baby. Congratulations on your six month birthday, sweet potato!

Love,
Mommy

Fun with Grandparents

Dear Vinny,

This weekend, your Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit. They were on their way to the beach in North Carolina. You had so much fun with your grandparents.

On Saturday night, Tia and Uncle came over for dinner. We all ate outside on the deck. After dinner, Grandma and Grandpa took you downstairs to watch the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Speaking of eating, Daddy has fed you some mashed banana a couple of times. The first time, you seemed to really like it. But when we fed it to you on Saturday night, you weren't so interested in it.

On Sunday afternoon, we went to the American Museum of Science and Energy here in town. Daddy took a picture of you under a black light there.

Speaking of pictures, I recently bought a new camera for Daddy for his belated Valentine's Day present. He has used it to take even more pictures of you. It has better resolution and a lot of fancy settings that he's working on figuring out.

You are a wonderful little boy and I am so happy to be your mother!

Love,
Mommy

Family and Fun

Dear Vinny,

Last week, while I was on a business trip, you and Daddy went to Kentucky for a visit to Granny and Granddad. You ended up seeing your Aunt Rhonda, your cousins Stuart and Ian, and your Aunt Ginger and Uncle Johnny. In addition, you got to meet some of your Daddy's friends, Ben and Jason, and a lot more of Daddy's relatives, including his Aunt Bobbye, and cousin Liz. And on Sunday, you saw your Grandpa and Grandma and met a bunch of their friends. You were a big hit: you are a charming young lad and it shows!

Although we were apart for only four days, when you got home I could see that you had changed and grown a lot since I'd last seen you. You were taller, for starters. Daddy and I think you might have had a little growth spurt.

Also, you figured out how to do something Daddy calls the "fishy-flop": while lying on your back, you arch your back and scoot away by pushing off with your feet. Another way to describe it is that it's kind of like an inchworm move, except that you're on your back instead of your tummy. You do it while we're trying to change your diaper, or when we're in bed, or anytime you're bored and on your back. A lot of times in bed, you scoot yourself until your head is hitting the headboard, and I have to pull you back down.

You really like to bounce. I stand you up on my lap, leaning against my chest, and you bounce and bounce by bending and straightening your legs. You have the greatest time with that. You also seem to enjoy it when I hold you upside-down. You are fascinated by how different everything looks from that position. And we can make you giggle by tickling you. Daddy is especially skilled at this. He nibbles on your ear and you just howl with laughter.

Another way you express your pleasure is by screeching. We know that you are happy if you are either talking or screeching. It is absolutely charming.

You fuss a lot sometimes, perhaps because you have some new teeth coming in, but we haven't seen them. Last night you were really upset, but Daddy gave you some Orajel, and took you upstairs and rocked you, and you calmed down. Then it was time for bed, but you were so happy that you and I played for a while before settling down and going to sleep.

Yesterday the three of us went to the park. It was a warm, sunny day. You were fascinated by all the children playing on the playground. Daddy strapped you into the baby carrier, and I wore you while swinging on a swing. I think you kind of enjoyed it, but after a while it became clear that you'd almost had enough, so we quit. Then Daddy and I walked the path along the lake, pushing you in your stroller. You were alert and interested in the passing scenery most of the time, but by the end you did fall asleep.

You continue to charm and amaze me. I love you so much, sweet potato!

Love,
Mommy

Five Months

Dear Vinny,

On Monday you were five months old. I can hardly believe that you are already five months old. It has been a really amazing experience so far, getting to know you, and hug you and hold you in my arms. You are an incredibly loving and sweet-tempered little guy.

You are also incredibly cute! I have some pictures of you in my office. The other day, Robert, a guy I work with, came into my office to help me figure something out. He saw your picture, and declared that you were so cute that you could be a model! I have to agree that you are indeed a handsome young man. Some friends from England saw your picture, and declared you a "bonny lad." Your great-aunt Barb told us that you were the cutest baby she'd ever seen, and that she'd seen a lot of babies. This summer, you're going to get a chance to meet her, and I know she'll just dote all over you.

You still enjoy eating your rice cereal, and you continue to be fascinated by Mommy and Daddy eating. I am looking forward to next month, when we can start feeding you other foods.

You are not so scared of the bath anymore, and in fact, you seem to kind of enjoy it. You used to scream and cry when we would put you in the water, but now, you don't seem to mind it so much. That makes bath time much easier for all involved.

You are also better able to put yourself to sleep. I used to need to hold you until you were fast asleep, and to keep you sleeping through the night, keep my arm around you. But now I am able to put you down when you're in a drowsy state, and eventually you fall asleep. You still sleep with us in the bed, but maybe we'll put you in your crib in a few more months.

Something you really seem to like is having a soft blanket on your face. I try to put the blanket on your cheek, but you like to pull it over your head. This makes me a little nervous due to the danger of SIDS, but when I pull the blanket away from your face, you just put it right back. So I guess I should stop worrying.

You are the sweetest little boy and we are so lucky to have you!

Love,
Mommy

News Flash!

Dear Vinny,

This morning you rolled over, twice in a row!

It started when I sat you on the floor and you tipped forward onto your belly. You stretched out on your tummy and almost immediately rolled to your side, and from there to your back! I congratulated and praised you heartily. Then I wanted to see if you could do it again, so I put you on your tummy again. At first you were just content to be on your tummy but then you got kind of upset. You heaved yourself on your side but fell back on your tummy again. You were still upset but I encouraged you to keep trying. You pushed yourself to your side again, and this time you were stable. Then you rolled from your side to your back. I couldn't contain my excitement and seeing me so happy temporarily lifted your mood, but it was only temporary. I picked you up and held you in my arms until you fell asleep. You're asleep in my arms as I type this.

Congratulations on rolling over, buddy!

Love,
Mommy

Too Happy to Sleep

Dear Vinny,

Last night, I was really tired and definitely ready to go to sleep. You were not as tired as I was, but you didn't protest when we went upstairs and read some books, and rocked in the rocking chair. Then we went into the bedroom to lie down. At first you lay there quietly but after a few minutes you started screeching with joy for some reason. I told you it was sleepy time, but you didn't seem to care. You kept wiggling while my eyes closed because I was so tired. At one point I opened my eyes and beheld your enormous grin beaming happiness at me. I tried to remain stoic so as not to encourage you, but I burst out laughing. My little boy was too happy to sleep!

Love,
Mommy

Giggles and Wiggles

Dear Vinny,

You have developed the most adorable belly laugh. I'd do just about anything to hear it. We play this fun new game where I kiss your belly and you grab my hair and laugh! It's totally worth getting my hair pulled.

You have not yet rolled over consistently or on purpose. Daddy reports that you have rolled over a couple of times, probably by accident. I've been trying to tempt you to roll over by putting interesting things near you but just out of reach, but so far no luck. Today I had Clement waiting for you and you easily rolled from your back to your side, but you were not interested in going any further than that. They say that easy-going babies are the last to roll over, because they're content with how things are going and have no incentive to shake things up. You are remarkably easy-going so I am not surprised that you are happy on your back.

We've had some success with our bedtime routine. There are still some nights that you are hard to parent to sleep, but you are getting used to winding down with the routine. You still love to be held but touching works too.

Over the past two weeks or so, you've become more aware of your surroundings. You seem to be developing a better understanding of the world. I think this also makes it harder for you to go to sleep, because you don't want to miss out on anything.

Mommy and Daddy love you more than ever!

Love,
Mommy

Fun and Games

Dear Vinny,

The majority if the time, you are a happy little boy. You love to play with Mommy and Daddy. Some of your favorite games with Mommy include grab parts of Mommy's face and upsy-downsy boy. I've already talked about the Mommy's face game, where you grab my face and I tell you what it is that you've grabbed. Upsy-downsy boy is a game we play while I'm sitting in a chair. First I hold you up with your feet on my shoulders and exclaim, "Upsy boy!" Then I bring you down to near the floor and exclaim, "Downsy boy!" Sometimes as you're transitioning between upsy and downsy positions I give you a kiss.

You enjoy playing Where's the toofer? with Daddy. In this game, Daddy is searching for the pair of teeth that have broken through your lower jaw, and he tickles you and engages in some silly antics until you can't help but giggle and show those teeth!

You are the cutest little boy ever, and we are so proud to be your parents!

Love,
Mommy

Adventures with Mommy

Dear Vinny,

On Tuesday after I got home from work, Daddy was so tired that he went upstairs and crashed into bed. You and I were left to our own devices. There was a rather large shopping list, some of which was important to get soon for you, so you and I went out on a shopping expidition.

I'd never taken you out by myself before. But it proved to be fun. We zoomed through the store, you in your baby carrier down in the basket of the shopping cart, me making funny faces at you when I wasn't occupied with looking for items or trying not to hit anything. At the checkout, an older, construction-worker type was in front of us. He seemed kind of tough and gruff until he turned around and took a look at you. Your big smile melted yet another heart!

On Thursday night, I decided to try feeding you rice cereal. I mixed the rice cereal and formula to the consistency that they said on the box was suitable for baby's first feeding. It turned out to be not much thicker than normal formula. But I fed it to you using a spoon anyhow. At first you didn't know what to make of eating off a spoon, but soon you and I both got the hang of it. I haven't had a chance to feed you solid food since then, but I think we might do it again tonight.

On Friday night, we went over to Tia and Uncle's house for dinner. You were the center of attention. Tia can't get enough of her nephew, and she is so excited about you that even her colleague Jennifer (who was also there for dinner) was entranced by you. She had seen all the pictures that Daddy takes of you, and she was really excited to meet you in person.

I had considered trying to put you in your crib in the other room to sleep. But, truthfully, I felt like that might be too sudden and scary right now. So you are still sleeping with Mommy and Daddy. The past two nights you have slept through very well. I have gotten pretty good, restful nights. For a few nights before that, you were hard to get to fall asleep. At your Aunt Rachel's suggestion, we have started a nighttime routine, in which you and I read a few books, then we rock in the rocking chair as I sing to you, and then we go to bed. You really like to be held all night, but I discovered last night that just making sure that our bodies touched all night long worked just fine. So my arm is not as sore as it was yesterday.

Some people think that co-sleeping is a bad idea, but I think it is wonderful for the whole family. Someday you will outgrow the need to sleep with Mommy and Daddy, and that is just fine. In the meantime, we are enjoying it while we can.

Love,
Mommy

Four Months!

Dear Vinny,

Today you are four months old. You had your four-month checkup at the pediatrician today. Dr. Stephens seemed really happy to see you. I guess she is getting to know you better now. She said that you are about average on weight (15 lbs), but in the 80th percentile in height and 90th percentile in head size. I guess that shows how much brain power you have!

She also told us that we can start feeding you a little bit of very runny rice cereal. I know you are ready for that. Every time we eat in front of you, you are fascinated. Your eyes follow our forks on their trips from the plate to the mouth and back. So I am looking forward to you getting a chance to eat some food yourself. I'm just sorry that it's going to be such dull food. But in time, you will eat just like Mommy and Daddy.

The doctor continues to be amazed by your advanced head control skill. It is pretty amazing to watch you. You can now lie on your tummy and hold your head up, and sometimes you roll over, but I'd say that's a skill you still need to master. But it is just a matter of time before you do.

You also had your immunizations today, four shots and one oral, and while you were pretty unhappy about them, it was nothing like last time. The nurse who administered them today was much gentler than the other nurse was.

I still love to play with you every night when I come home from work. You brighten up my day with your huge smile, which is so big that it's like your tongue is falling out, as Daddy puts it. I have a picture of you cheesing for the camera as the background on my computer, and every time I look at it I can't help but grin myself!

Love,
Mommy

News Alert!

Dear Vinny,

Today I felt in your mouth and felt a very sharp tooth prodruding from your lower left gum. Congratulations! All that pain was worth something!

You have a cold, unfortunately. We suctioned a lot of snot out of your nose this morning. Then today Daddy and I washed you in some soap recommended by your Aunt Rhonda, with eucalyptus and stuff to help clear your head.

Congratulations, sweet potato, on your new tooth!

Love,
Mommy

Rock and Roll!

Dear Vinny,

This past weekend, I put you down on your back while I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, you had rolled to your side! Then Daddy put you on your tummy on Monday and Tuesday for tummy time, and you rolled onto your back. You are moving more and more. Your mommy and daddy are going to have to babyproof the house soon. Before we know it, you'll be walking!

You've had a little cold lately, so Daddy took you to the doctor today. She said your ears were fine but you have a sore throat. She didn't think it was strep, though. When you go in next week for your shots she'll check you again. She also remarked that your teeth should be coming through soon, and you are about a month ahead of most babies in terms of development.

As always you are a beautiful baby and we are very proud of you!

Love,
Mommy

Fun and Sleep

Dear Vinny,

You are growing and learning more and more every day. You are becoming more and more aware of what's going on around you, and becoming more coordinated too. You are able to hold onto Ridley the Rattle and Clement the crustacean pretty well. You are also pretty good at sitting up when we hold you at the waist. You really enjoy it when we take a washcloth or our hands and lightly brush them across your face. You have a very contagious smile and getting you to smile is worth any effort.

You are sleeping longer and longer through the night. You have gone as much as nine hours between feedings, but usually you last about 6 or 7 hours. We still sleep with you between us in the bed, although we may start putting you in your crib sometime soon.

I can tell when you're tired because you disengage and then you become a little bit cranky. The formula for putting you to sleep is to pop that binky in your mouth, hold you against my chest so you can hear my heartbeat, and pat you gently until you fall asleep. Usually when you are falling asleep you wiggle around and grab my shirt or sometimes my mouth. I know that you are actually asleep when you stop wiggling.

Love,
Mommy

Developments

Dear Vinny,

As I write this entry, you are asleep in the baby carrier, with your face resting on my chest. You have been fussier lately, because of your teething. Daddy rubs Orajel on your gums and gives you Tylenol, and it seems to help. And there are plenty of times when you are not fussy.

You are taking six or even seven ounces in your bottle these days. I have bought your formula direct from the company over the internet, which cuts down on the price a bit. Daddy has figured out how to wash your bottles in the dishwasher, which cuts down on bottle maintenance time.

You are smiling more than ever. When you first see me when I come home from work, you break out a big smile. It is so cute that it melts my heart. One day I was feeling kind of depressed but when I saw that smile all my troubles just vanished.

You also enjoy grabbing onto parts of my face. You have a surprisingly strong grip. You grab onto my face, and I tell you what part you're holding. "That's Mommy's chin." "That's Mommy's lip." "That's Mommy's cheek."

You also tend to squeal with delight when you are having fun. Things you enjoy include talking with Mommy and Daddy; playing with Chloe the Cow, Clement the Crustacean, and Ridley the Rattle; kicking your feet in the air; and playing in your walker. Yes, you are big enough for your walker and Daddy puts you in it every day.

You are getting very big. You have outgrown all your 0-3 month one-piece sleep-and-plays; I replaced them the 3-6 month ones a couple of weeks ago. Lately you have had a growth spurt and I think you may have now outgrown your 0-3 month onesies too.

I love you, sweet potato!

Love,
Mommy

Three Months!

Dear Vinny,

On Friday you turned three months old! You are growing into a very big boy, and Mommy and Daddy are extremely proud of you.

Aunt Laura came to visit this weekend. She spent all day yesterday with you, Mommy, and Daddy. She remarked about how much you had grown since she had last seen you but she said she could still recognize you as the same baby.

Today Daddy took you to the pediatrician to check up on your ears. Your ear infection has gone away and you now weigh fifteen pounds! The doctor also confirmed our fears: you have started teething. A couple of weeks ago I began noticing that you were drooling more. Your gums are kind of sandpapery and you chew on my finger rather than suck on it when I stick it in your mouth. Usually babies don't start teething until they are six months old.

You are still our sweet baby and we love you more and more as the days pass.

Love,
Mommy

New Year

Dear Vinny,

On New Year's Eve, your grandma and grandpa arrived. We rang the new year in by watching "Little Miss Sunshine" (while you slept). In fact, I think you were asleep at midnight.

You are recovering well from your cold. Your cough is almost gone now. I think when we take you back to the doctor next week, she will find that the ear infection is gone.

You have made some interesting developments recently. First of all, you discovered your reflection in the mirror. I don't know that you realize that it's you, but you are definitely interested in that other baby. And Daddy says that yesterday and today, you began to discover your feet. You've been lying on your back and raising your feet into the air, fascinated by them.

This evening, you had a major diaper blowout. I heard what sounded like the mud bubbling at Yellowstone. As it turned out, a bubble of gas caused your poop to leak out the leg hole and all over the place. It was pretty darn disgusting, but I managed to get you all cleaned up.

Today we got a package from your great-aunt and uncle Barb and Glen, and their kids Glenna and Julian. In it was a book of Mother Goose rhymes. I think you'll really enjoy the Mother Goose rhymes because of their rhythm. You definitely like rhythmic things like when I pat your back or when I talk to you with exaggerated rhythm.

Welcome to 2007! It is your first full year in this world, and I hope it is a good one for you.

Love,
Mommy