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