Almost six months...

Hi Jackeroo!

Tomorrow you will be six months old.  You are currently napping in your swing, so I'm going to make the most of this respite to write your letter.

You are generally napping more, so you'd think I'd have more time to write, but no -- you prefer to nap in our bed, with me lying beside you, so you can take a sip whenever your sleepy self decides to have a snack.  This is lovely (and man am I well rested some days!) but not so conducive to writing. 

Last night Steve had Simon over for music, and you stood in your exersaucer for over two and a half hours listening to the music.  You crowed and sang and played with your sippy cup, and on at least one occasion, you licked your dad's steel guitar.  Mmmmm... tasty, tasty guitar!  When the evening was winding down, you started shouting at me (also a new development) and when I picked you up, you were soaked.  Even your socks were wet!  Who knows how long your diaper had been saturated, but Mr. Picky, who usually complains at the first sign of dampness, didn't care a whit so long as the music was playing. 

We've known for a long time (since before you were born) how much you love music.  A few weeks ago, I went to move Steve's guitar from the couch and as soon as you saw me pick up the instrument, you started jumping and crowing -- play mummy! play!  I had to apologize... sorry, baby -- wait for your daddy to come home.  When we arrived at the Vancouver Folk Song Society event last Wednesday, you actually shook with excitement when you realized where we were.  I guess time will tell if you decide to play an instrument (as opposed to tasting them), but chances appear good.

You are now 18lb, 10oz, and are about 29" long.  I have started buying 12 month clothes for you.  They are a little big, but better that than too-small 6-12 month shirts.  Interestingly, you are still in 3-6 month pants, and size small Bummis diaper covers, which you should have grown out of at 15lbs, but you have your dad's slim hips (certainly not mine!) and long body (mine).   

You have your dad's hands: strong and gentle.  I hope this is a sign of the man you will become.  You like to stroke my hands while you nurse, or run your hands over my shirt, or reach up your hands for me to kiss.  The purpose behind your tiny hands is impressively large: you reach, grab, turn, grapple, lift and constantly explore.  Anything small enough to lift is brought to your mouth for a taste and a gum, which is why I was wiping tiny pieces of cardboard from your face, hands and shirt the other day.  Mmmm... tasty, tasty cardboard!

You have also experimented with more... conventional solids.  You have had yogurt (your favourite), apples (mostly stolen from me and gnawed during co-op meetings), avocado (which you had in your ears by the time you were done), banana (not such a fan) and raspberry with yogurt (big hit).  Oh, and chicken which you mostly shredded and congee which you mostly hated.  You would like best to be eating whatever we are eating, whether it be Thai Red Crack Curry, Chinese hot pot, Miniwheats or any other thing that approaches our mouths.  In time, Jackeroo, in time! For now, my milk is your primary food and All That Other Stuff is just for fun. 

We recently introduced you to the swings in the little park by our house.  The first few swings were a little eyebrow-raising for you, but you got the hang of it in about 2.2 seconds, and now you LOVE the swings.  Woohoo! you say!  Only you don't say "woohoo" but more "aaaaieeeeeeee!!!!!" in tones that could bend metal.

As much fun as swinging on your own is, you like swinging with your daddy the best:

 

  

"Aaaaieeeeeeee!!!!!"

You are becoming more communicative by the second.  You tell me you want to lie down for a nap by refusing to nurse on the couch or in your chair, and yet you are all smiles and turning over to root when I place you on the bed.  You have gone beyond arching your back to be picked up to now stretching out your arms to us.  You "mmmumamamummmmmumumumbabamamumummum!" which I usually find excruciatingly cute, and other times excruciatingly exasperating (when I'm standing right there), but I know it is all about you learning to communicate, so that's ok.  Also ok is the new shouting, which you do to get my attention, and then you put on whatever signal you use to get whatever it is that you need: if you want to play, you smile and flap; if you're wet, you complain; if you're tired/bored/lonely, you cry out to me.  You have started to babble, which is awesome!  You talk to your toys, the dog, and us, especially when you are at eye level.

You love going grocery shopping (and will maybe tolerate Ikea -- note to self to take you to Ikea) now that you can sit up in the baby seat in the buggy, which is great timing, since we had to replace your infant car seat with a convertible seat.

Oh, and that new carseat? In our new car!  My paternal grandmother amazingly and unexpectedly sent us some money -- enough to pay off my student loan.  Since your education is already being saved for, this has freed us up to buy the very necessary family car.  Even though I've loved my Toyota Echo, the new Honda Fit is freaking amazing!  We are on track to being completely debt-free inside of two years, if we I keep my shopping nose clean.  No credit card debt, no student debt, and a new car paid off.  Crazy, huh?  Someday this will be relevant to you, baby boy, and I hope we are able to teach you the lessons of fiscal responsibility at a cheaper price than I paid for them.

In short, you are an amazing baby, and I'm loving all the changes even though they are coming so fast it makes my head spin.  It's a great ride, this 'mummmummmmaamamamum', and I never want to get off.

And speaking of a great ride, the sun has appeared, so let's go down to the swings.  Hopefully it will be just like this:

I love you little man.  Don't grow up too fast, 'k?

Lots of love always from your mummmammmamamumum