the moves

I read somewhere that this is the golden age of babyhood. B is 5 months (22 weeks today) and is such a happy boy.

I know because he offers up big smiles all the time. Huge smiles. They come over his face starting with his mouth up to his eyes and I swear his ears probably wiggle as the wave of emotion passes over his face. It's a process. Wide on both sides... Which reminds me how Grant's smiles at this age used to remind us of Harrison Ford... crooked from one side to the other.

B has some moves these days. His favorite is the two legged kick. It's almost like he's going to do that break dance move where you lay on your back, kick and arch your back until suddenly you're standing... you know the one? I wouldn't be suprised to see him do it. I mean, he's been doing his cruches... got the stomach muscles all toned. Seriously, he lifts his melon and his shoulders up off the floor trying to sit all the way. If he could get his spine to stiffen up, he'd be upright, all the time. Won't be long...

Move number two is impressive for a boy this age. The inch worm. (isn't that also a break dance?) Just this week, we've noticed some major progress in his tummy time scooting. I've seen him full on, up on his knees a couple times.... then he works his body like an inch worm along the floor right off the blanket we have down, onto the rug and then he spits up. on the rug. nine times ouf of 10. Never on the blanket. truly. never. on. the. blanket.

Yes, we still have spit up like no other. The bibs and burb cloths are in constant rotation. we change clothes a lot more, too and the result is truly a mountain of laundry. I folded for a full hour the other night. I was behind... and I was determined to clear the dining room table... but seriously, an hour? That's a lot of folding.

We started solids about a month ago. Just following the four month appointment. At first he wasn't so sure. And we didn't have a good routine in place, so it was total chaos. Now we've finally fallen into the mode of feeding B while our dinner cooks. Then he's usually pretty cooperative and content to hang and digest while we eat. He's had all his fruits and I am starting veggies Monday.

B has found his voice in a big way... it started about a month ago with squeels of delight. Loud ones! Now, he "talks" to his toys and you can tell when he's giving them a talking to... he wants to do more than he can...

His coordination has come on so strong. When he reaches out for a toy, he usually gets it these days. He will hold his pacifier in his hand and from time to time, get it back into his mouth.

He "sings" in the car to and from school. And tonight he hummed himself to sleep in my arms, smelling all yummy with his hair all freshly washed and fuzzy.

And I realize, now I am just making a list. But at least I am getting the list of all these things out of my head and into the record. I know from experience with G that I won't remember. I am constantly referencing my journals with G, trying to piece togehter timetables of when what happens and when he did what.

To quote Ferris Bueler, "Life moves pretty fast..." We celebrated 10 years of wedded bliss earlier this month. As part of our celebration* we showed G the wedding video. He was super impressed and liked our costumes a lot. It was so fun to see everyone 10 years ago. Especially the kids. G didn't beleive for one second that baby in the video was his cool cousin Alex...

About the same time as our anni, G's teacher Miss Vanessa became Mrs. Vanessa and went on a honeymoon to Disney (which G thought sounded like a great idea. In fact, he's currently planning our next vacation. He wants to go back to Sam's house in Colorado and to the beach).

Anyway, the wedding talk seems to have made an impression on my eldest ladies man. So much so he's made a move on his classmate Isabella and they have announced their plans to marry. She's going to wear her snow white costume and G is going to where his daddy's tuxedo. This talk has been going on consistently for weeks. And just this week we got an invitation to her house for a housewarming party. Of course, we have to go. Meet the inlaws and all...

A real ladies man we are raising here. This kid literally picked up several cute and sassy divas in their 20s outside a cupcake store in uptown park on a Friday night. It was our anniversary* we celebrated with the entire extended family at Cafe Express. I wanted to do something special with G so we dashed to the cupcake store across the way (where they incidentally charge $36/doz). On our way out, he says "Hi ladies, we got some good cupcakes."

That G. He's a real softy. Sensitive type... he hugged B the other day in the kitchen and B really did kinda hug him back, wrapped his arm around his neck and cooed. It was a real moment. I looked at G and thought he might cry. He realized it was a moment every bit as much as I did. On the opposite end of the spectrum, G was getting in a bit of trouble tonight. I was standing in the hall, holding B facing outward with one arm and pointing my finger at G while I lectured with a raised voice on the reasons not to goof around until you fall down and get hurt in the bathroom. Anyway, B must have been smiling at G while I was bitching. Cuz, G glanced at his Bro and kinda smirked in the middle of his pout. And I saw my future flash before my eyes! These two already have a brotherly form of communication and a bond... and it's only just begun.

I can't let the update go without mentioning the stomach virus we barely suvived last week. Had us down like dominoes, on a 24 hour rotation nearly to the minute. Probably picked it up in the doc office while there for B's ear infection... which I thought was a sinus infection since G had that along with a fever the week before. Wellness would be so nice, but I know the casa won't be truly rested or well for a few more months. I have found myself in a total daze more often. Just out of it. Need to find a way to get my me time and my sleep in.

In extracurricular news:

Deeda put in a great stent for the 2010 HSL&R. I think it's safe to say on his behalf he thoroughly enjoys the work, loves the cause and the commraderie. He even got G a spot in the grand entry parade, carrying on what I will officially call a family tradition.

T-ball is super fun. Practice on tuesdays, games on saturdays...Tball at age four is really something. In his first game, G's was standing on third when the coach told him to "run after the ball." Coach meant, run home after the batter hits the ball. Grant heard what he said literally and when the ball was hit, G dashed into the outfield after the ball. It was like something from a movie. complete with the visual of a tiny child in a HUGE batting helmet looking like a bobble head running after the ball.

I hosted an event for about 30 Friends of Red at the casa last night...wine was a good draw for some bonding and furthering the effort to turn the great school around the corner into a neighborhood school again. I am also enrolled in a photo class for the month of April and continue to be inspired by bread crumbs I am following from my new connnections at Mom 2.0.

So- I think that's the summary. Geeeshh... it's a lot! I wouldn't blame anyone for not reading ALL THIS blabbing... but at this point, I am just trying to catch up and maintian the family record. Once again, I will vow to post more often. shorter blurbs. more reader friendly. I know.

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* Oh yeah, the asterisks. I didn't want to interrupt the story I was telling to stop and tell another. I don't know why, but I really was feeling a lot of anticipation and excitement for ouranniversary this year. Ten years! It's a big deal. So much has happen in that time and it's a nice even number to measure just how much has gone down. One tile kitchen floor. Two houses. Two kids. Vacations. Infamous nights out. A lot of nights at home (the best)...

Anyhoo, we had great intentions to get away or at least get out for a better than average date night. As it turned out, Deeda babysat while I spent the evening on our anniversary with the Raben clan due to the death of dear Mamu/Rubye's. Her death was both a loss and a blessing. She will be missed.

The days that followed were frustrating. We had a house full of family... we wanted to celebrate our anniversary... and I wanted to be with the family too... We didn't even have sufficient time to exchange cards until nearly a week later... much less have a real talk and contemplate our life together... I was so frustrated over the whole thing. Did I mention I was frustrated?

And then I made an important realization. A distinction really. Marriage is about two people, yes. But it's also about family. It's the whole enchilda. And even though the family stuff was all in our face and seemed to be impairing our anniversary celebration, in the end it helped me see that. I am so grateful for our family. All of them. I wrote something really good to that end in C's card. It was better than what I am coming up with right now. But you get the gist.