Month 4

Dear Amos,

Two days ago, you became four months old! I'm a little late in posting, but Mommy needed to set up this ding dang bloggy thingy before she could properly gush about your very important strides in becoming someone. So much to talk about!


Well, first off, you FINALLY gave us a smile for the camera! You've been smiling since you were around three to four weeks old, but you've been elusive and stingy with the grins for the camera. You'll grin and grin with that gummy smile, and as soon as we pop a camera in front of your face, your gaze falls to the lens and you become camera-shy. ARGH! It was so frustrating when you would do this,

but since we took this photo,

you have cooperated. You are such a nice kid.


So much to report for this past month. I'll start by talking about your milestones, and then we'll discuss your very important trip!



Milestones

Amos, you are now expert at rolling from side to side. The one thing that always gets you to roll to your side is The Baby in the Mirror.

That darn baby makes you giggle, coo, and reach out for its face, only to elude you by not actually being there. It totally blows your mind that you can't reach that baby. I hesitate to tell you who The Baby in the Mirror really is. Will it crush you? Will it be like revealing the true nature of Santa Claus?

Mommy took a break from you one day. I know, I know. This is tantamount to abandonment. However, keep in mind that you were in the very capable hands of your father. It seems you weren't pleased with me being gone, so you decided to accomplish another huge milestone while I was out cavorting in the park.

YOU ROLLED FROM FRONT TO BACK!!

Yes! This is a big deal, my boy. This is one maneuver or so away from crawling, and that means we need to babyproof the house. Do you know how lazy your parents are? Do you know that we are not looking forward to putting latches on everything and protective force fields around items such as the cat and the booze? Stop all of this progress nonsense! I wouldn't mind carrying you around for awhile. Well, at least until you hit puberty. That's probably enough time for us to figure out how to make this home "safe" for you.

Speaking of the cat, you are only mildly interested in her. She has been very accommodating when it comes to your death-grasp on her fur. Only once did she seem bothered, and I intervened before you were sliced into millions of baby bits. See? Sometimes Mommy DOES know how to take care of you.

Cheeto, my boy, we have discovered your talent. You can jump. Oh, man, can you jump. Daddy and I bought you a Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo, and you love it even more than The Baby in the Mirror. You could jump in it for days on end, it seems.

Your grandmother will be so proud, because you are taking after your frog-like father. Daddy was parked in a Jolly Jumper as a child as his older brothers ran amok. I've heard story after story about Phil and the Jolly Jumper. Now, dear son, it seems the legacy lives on in you.

You have so many new sounds, including a squeal that could shatter glass. Unfortunately for your parents' eardrums, that is one of your favorites. You reach for our faces now, and it melts me every time you grab my chin as if to say, "Hey! I have that pointy chin, too!"



Events

You have had a busy schedule, my boy. You went on your first big car trip! Sure, it was to Texas, but 17 hours in the car can make even the smallest body ready to just STOP. ANYWHERE. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. JUST STOP.

You learned about the Colorado plains, inappropriate mascot names (the Lamar Savages), rude high school kids in Dumas, Mexican food, and Wolf Brand Chili. You attended the wedding of your mother's longtime bosom chum, the incredibly talented singer, Allison Scharf.

You stayed in a fancy hotel in Austin, and you accompanied your parents in a midnight run to HEB for booze, Vaseline, and condoms. I will always cherish the look on the cashier's face as she realized that I was a bit tipsy as your father handed her a box of condoms and a bottle of wine. The Vaseline was to remove my waterproof mascara, but I suppose we don't need to update the cashier of that little truth.

While visiting with your grandparents, I was able to catch a possible supernatural phenomenon on camera. Orbs showed up twice in the photos, with the larger in this photo.

Some say that orbs are the spirits of people who have passed. I'm not sure if that's true or not, little man. If it is, I suspect this orb is your Great Grandmother Mamie, my father's mother. She was a big personality, and I doubt she would allow her orb to be visible as a demure spot. The orb is certainly not a speck of dust floating in front of the camera, as your Ammi (Finnish grandmother), my mother, is a clean freak who would never allow such particles to exist.

Since returning from Texas, you have attended your very first baby play group. You had more hair than babies twice your age. Good job! Your mother drank wine at this event as well, but Vaseline was not required (nor were condoms).

A few days ago, we took you to Cottonwood Farms near Louisville and Boulder for a pumpkin hunt. We posed you here and there, always looking for the right pumpkin and the perfect lighting. You weren't very cooperative with this photo shoot, but we managed to capture a few gems.


Thumbs are sometimes more interesting than gorgeous pumpkin photo opportunities.

You joined your father as The Children of the Corn Maze.

It's okay to feel humdrum about this one, Amos. This isn't the most amazing pumpkin clown artwork.

The day after your pumpkin adventures, you saw your first snow! It wasn't the most impressive snow, as it melted the same day. Hold on to your binky, dear boy. More will come. Your daddy can't wait to get you bundled up and scooting along in your Pope Mobile-style snow sled.


There is so much more to say, but I should end this here before it takes people a whole month to read it. You are the dearest person I've ever known. Your smile grabs my heart and squeezes it until I think it just can't keep pumping. You wake up with a smile every day. I don't mind that you kick me for hours at a time. Your abuse is the only kind I love.


Mommy kisses, Cheeto. I love you.