We've got a lot to pack into this post...pics and funny stories and general updates. But first things first, I wanted to wish our little baby girl a HAPPY 6 months! I haven't written a letter to her yet, like we've done with E in the past (poor 2nd child, so much harder to keep these things moving, huh?). Anyhow, here we go...
Prepare for some serious (but true) sap:
Dear J,
Prior to your exciting entry into this world, your mommy and I felt confident that we could handle this baby thing. After all, we'd lived and thrived through it with your big bro...we were prepared. And besides, after coming close to delivering you at a busy intersection, we knew we were definitely ready. We had mastered how to change diapers, when to feed a baby, we owned a small store of baby items, and even had a couple tricks up our sleeve to get you to sleep (though you're not always an easy baby to trick).
What we weren't prepared for was how much more you'd bring to us. It's more than double the joy. More than double the laughs (and at times, the work). More than double the love. Jeez, more than triple the love.
Seeing you and E together is almost too much for our hearts to take. Even without talking, your bond and love is obvious. He's your favorite person in the world and you are his. He already has your best interests at heart...letting us know when you want a "paci", when you want to play in your gym, or when he should soothe you by singing the ABCs or Klap eens in je handjes. Add to all of that, your love of the dogs and petting them, and we're putty in your strong little hands.
Everyday, you surprise us with how different you are from your brother at your age (not in a bad way, just different). He never rolled over very much, which you're doing like a champ. You're a lot grabbier than we remember him being. For a while, we'd put you in a little seat at the center of the table while we ate dinner. Unfortunately, we had to adjust that practice since we barely had an inch radius of table top that was out of your questioning reach. And E smiled, but not like you. You give the biggest grin to just about anyone who pays you attention...and you, baby J, get just a tiny bit of attention.
That said, the similarities are astounding, too. You are both so inquisitive and love to absorb the world around you. You love your dogs, family parties, walks, and being "on the go" (all good things to enjoy with our crew). You're both such troopers, traveling and enduring the crazy busy life we inflict upon you with giggles. Plus, you both love peas and oatmeal...staples in our family.
Looking back seven months ago, we were truly over confident in our expectations of another child. We had no inkling that our hearts could contain this much more love. That we could fret again over a little cough or that we'd check on you if you'd napped longer than an hour to make sure you were still breathing. That you'd have your own needs and, odd as it sounds, your own personality. That we could smell the top of your head, taking in that distinctive and wonderful baby scent, and be filled with that wondrous, overwhelming awe of fresh life. That seeing a baby--our baby--smile after a long day at work would melt away all the stored frustrations.
We love you sweet Baby J, our jewel, our missy.
And we can't wait to see how unprepared we are for the next six months...six years...six decades...
Mommy & Daddy.
Weight: 16 lbs. 7.5 oz.
Height: 27"
Head Circumference: 16 7/8"
As for what's been happening in life since the last post (besides J's big 0.5 milestone), it's been...wait-for-it...BUSY.
Post-Vanessa-wedding, we still had a lot of family in town so there were tons of activities. One of the big highlights was a trip to Gizdich Ranch for apple / strawberry picking. The drive to Watsonville was beautiful, the berries were the best, and E loved pushing the wheelbarrow around that orchard (though I feel this particular joy could have been achieved closer to home).
I think the kids are also still in the wedding mindset. The other night, we didn't have any clean warm-weather pajamas for E, so we put him in a pair of soccer shorts and a T-shirt that he has yet to grow into. He looked down and said, "No! That's not PJ's. That's a dress. It's for the wedding!" I didn't know where to start in response, so I laughed and found him a different shirt.
We met up with a big group of friends (all with small children) on a recent weekend for "The Greatest Show on Earth"...the Circus. Now, I don't know if it's really THE greatest, but we were very, very impressed. Starting 90 minutes before curtain, we got to walk around the animal enclosures outside the SAP Center. The elephants were getting baths. The tigers were rough housing and the lions were taking a splashy bath. It was far livelier than almost any zoo visit I can recall and also much closer. Plus, seeing all our friends and the toddlers/babies together enjoying it was something I think we'll remember for a long time. The show itself was well done and kept the kid's attention for almost the entire time (ok, we also kept a healthy supply of snacks in front of them). Even baby J loved seeing the lights and action. All-in-all, a fantastic experience.
The next weekend, Lisa, Opa, E, and I dropped baby J off with Oma and Uncle Brian, and we rode the CalTrain (which confused E...he wanted to know where the Cows were) up to San Francisco to watch the Giants take on the Brewers. If E had popcorn in front of him, he was a happy camper watching the game. Otherwise, he loved running around the stadium or playing on the cable car they have inside the park. He's now been to three games and the boys-in-orange have won them all. I think we might need to contact the team to find out if they want to pay for him (and his family) to come to more games as a good luck charm (they might consider it, we beat the Brewers 15-5).
Last weekend, we took both kids to New Mexico to spend an extended weekend hanging out with Great Grandma (GG). We had lunch and dinner with her almost every day and spent precious hours over at her house between meals...playing, hearing old stories, looking at photo old albums, and planning our next meal. The most fun dinner we had was at a local pizza joint where they gave E a little blob of dough to occupy him while the food was being prepared. Genius, friends, genius. A non-food highlight (yes, I have those too), was that we got to go to Old Town Albuquerque and see Nana's paintings up in her new gallery (www.deniseballou.com). So cool to see her dreams hanging on an actual wall with little price tags underneath. It really goes to show that if you just keep at something you enjoy, you never know when something will happen. My apologies, the sap just seeped in right there.
Another big milestone is that E is about 90% potty trained. He doesn't consistently tell us when he has to go, but he seems to hold it until we take him. Every once in a while he even calls us in the middle of the night when he has to go. We're not really sure what made it click. Maybe the gummy bears or M&Ms had something to do with it. It's gotten to the point where now I wonder if he goes halfway...stops...gets his treat...and then tells me he has to go again 5 minutes later for another one! He even requests that Lisa and I have one after we go potty. It's nice, though maybe not too figure-friendly. Of course, we don't want to disappoint or discourage him. :)
Phew, and that brings us up to the moment. So without bending your ear any further, I wish you happy times until next post...
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