It Ain't Got that Swing if It Ain't Got that Cling

Dear Henry, 
You've become quite the funny man.  Today while we were shopping Old Navy you pulled your blanket over your head to play peek a boo and when you pulled it off you had MASSIVE amounts of static in your hair.  I couldn't stop laughing and the guy stocking clothes couldn't either.  You thought it was funny because Mommy could tell you could feel your hair standing on end.  Glad I had my camera with me!

 

Love, Mommy

Even Santa Was a Baby

Dear Henry, 

You're the cutest Santa EVER!

Proof #1... We took you to the mall to visit your first Santa.  He was NOT the real Santa!  He was a clear impostor.  He was devoid of any jolly or ho, ho, ho.  Frankly he looked and acted as if he were on drugs.  His elf helpers even told Mommy and Daddy that the real Santa works weekdays and they were about over this poser as well.  We put you on his lap and YOU, YOU! of all babies in the world, a baby that has never cried when someone new is holding you, YOU STARTED CRYING ON SANTA CHARLATAN CLAUS' LAP!!!  You gave him a chance but he didn't even talk to you.  When you started crying he just sat there.  Then you just twisted and turned and tried to get away from him and back into Daddy's arms.  He didn't even bluff a tiny corner smile.

It wasn't until you started to claw at him to show us how dire the situation was that he even looked at you.Your entire experience lasted just 2 minutes and it ended with not even a candy cane.  The elves promised if Mommy brings you back during a week day to meet the REAL Santa we could get a new photo taken.  I believe we will do this tomorrow or Tuesday.  These are photos I took from my hip to document the occasion.  This "Santa" was for the birds!   

It wasn't until you started to claw at him to show us how dire the situation was that he even looked at you.Your entire experience lasted just 2 minutes and it ended with not even a candy cane.  The elves promised if Mommy brings you back during a week day to meet the REAL Santa we could get a new photo taken.  I believe we will do this tomorrow or Tuesday.  These are photos I took from my hip to document the occasion.  This "Santa" was for the birds!  

A couple of days later Mommy decided to take some photos of you as Santa.  Clearly this is the final proof that it is fact, not opinion, that you are the cutest Santa EVER!

 
Tis the Season, 
Love, Mommy

below is the official photo...

Santa: Take 2

Dear Henry, 
We tried again but you are ruined for Santa this year.  You cried again.
The difference though was this really was Santa.  He was WAY full of jolly and ho, ho, ho.    He talked to you the entire time.  When you started crying he curled you up in his arms.  Even though you reacted by smackin' at his beard and then stuffing your thumb in your mouth I was pleased with this visit. AND! he had a bag of candy canes. 

Here are the results...eh...

 

 
Love, Mommy

Christmas Early

Dear Henry, 
 It was time for another visit with J, Tommy and Uriah.
We've seen her at least once a month for all of your 9 months.
Mommy wouldn't have it any other way.  This visit was to take the boys and J the presents we've had stashed away for them since their birthdays.  
They were super excited and I was happy to see they loved what we brought them.  Mommy made them try and guess what we bought them and Tommy guessed robots.  I'm not sure who he knows your robot theme but I thought it was really funny.

For Tommy we got him this dragon action thing that had a little man with it.  He loved it and looked super surprised.  Uriah really likes tractors so we found him a tractor that can be used with those large building blocks.  It has a hatch that a little man sits in.  For the two of them to share we gave them a large bag of blocks.  They were building towers in no time flat and blocks were everywhere.  For J we found some warm new PJ's, cool socks, and some new underwear.  I suppose you have to be a girl to understand how great it is to have some new PJ's, socks and underwear.

You immediately latched on to a big yellow truck the boys had and played and played, periodically stopping to  check out what the bigger boys were doing or to pat Tommy's hair.  You particularly liked watching them launch themselves off of the coffee table over and over again so Mommy could take their picture.  I caught several jumps in mid-air, to their delight.  They took turns nicely and practiced counting before they jumped.

 

It was a really nice visit.  J's house was full of Christmas decorations, cozy and warm.  It is coming up on 1 year since Mommy and Daddy first started speaking with J.  It is really hard to believe that!  She called us at 5:35 on December 25th while Mommy was in the bathroom and Daddy was with Crappaw and Uncle Gary renting the Day the Earth Stood Still (so appropriate a title).  Mommy came back from the bathroom to see that there was a call and listened to the voice mail and about peed my pants despite where I had just been.  Grandma P was in bed with a really bad flu.  Mommy flung open the door screaming obsenities at her wondering what the heck we were going to do.  We were speaking with another woman at the time from South Dakota and it looked hopeful that she might place her child with us but when I heard J Mommy knew.  I think this is why I felt so freaked out!  I stood in the kitchen with Crappaw listening to it.  I knew.  Mommy called her straight back.  She was sweet and kept telling me that we were the parents of her child, a healthy son.  She received our letter from our mutual doctor and had been holding on to it thinking about us since early September.  We met her and her sister right after the new year.  She was cute and round with you safe inside.  It felt so right from the beginning.  I can't believe what a gift you and J have been my little Peep Peep.  J tells us, for her, we are the gift to you not the other way around.  Sigh.  What can top that kind of honor. What can?  There is nothing.ever.that could.  It is humbling that we get to be so lucky.  I think this is the first time sharing this story here but with the season here it can't be left out.  I still have the message saved on my cell phone and someday we will listen to it together.  Just in case, I've transcribed it and have it saved in two places just in case my cell dumps it.

_________
After a couple of hours we needed to get home to meet Daddy so we packed up and readied to leave.  J gave you big squeezes and secured you in your car seat while I got you some water for your bottle.  She said I love you and (like the rest of us) that she can't wait for the day when you start giving tight hugs back.  For now your wave and cute smile with have to suffice.

Love, Mommy

First Third Bare

Dear Henry, 
We scouted out your first Christmas Tree....at Lowes.  

Yeah, I know, Mommy and Daddy should buy local.  We tried to...but the tree farmer we went to last year wasn't at the location it has been for the last 5 years.  It was pretty cold out, we figured we should get it done quickly and Lowes shoves it through a little circular gadget that nets the tree up so it is easy to carry into the house.  

 

We ended up with a very fresh tree.  Three weeks in and the needles are still soft, which emboldens you to attack the tree from time to time.  With our tree track record I figured we would have a porcupine to detour your ornament stealing exploits by now.   An interesting fact: every year we declare we will get an even taller tree than the last!   We look, we prop up, we analyze about the shape, needle color, and how straight the trunk is, and comment on how it will gain some inches once balanced in the tree stand.   Bah!  No such thing!  We pick it out, get them home and they just get shorter and shorter.  If I were to put on my mathlete hat and work some calculations, by the time you are able to read this our tree will be about a foot tall.  It was quick to decorate.  You stood closely next to Papa and wanted to see what was going on, trying to "reposition" from time to time.  

Ho hum, it still looks beautiful, with one glitch; the ornaments have crept their way toward the top of the tree.  The first third of the tree is bare for the most part due to your grabby hands and chewing mouth.  Sometimes you just look but often you pull off a star or chew on a snowflake.  To keep this Christmas safe all of the inexpensive, shatter proof doo-dads hang toward the bottom leaving a shiny crowd milling about the top.  Some mornings when we first start our play day you crawl to the tree reaching out to vigorously shake hands with Mr. Christmas Tree, spreading dry needles I was too lazy to blow out of the tree before putting it up all over the floor.  It is all worth it though.  It makes our house smell good and our living room extra cozy.


There are a couple of special ornaments on our tree this year Mommy must tell you about.  A couple of Christmas' ago Daddy and I were opening up presents to discover that we had both bought the same ornaments for each other.  They were a robot couple.  A boy robot and a girl robot.  This is during the time that it was just Mommy and Daddy.  So this year Mommy had to buy a baby robot to make a trio of robots.  Our little robot family sits on the fireplace overlooking our living room and will every year for the next million Christmas'.  Who knows, perhaps in a few more Christmas' we may need to add a robot to the family.

About five years ago a couple of weeks after Christmas Mommy and Daddy were feeling pretty low.  We had just finished another cycle trying to get you and it didn't work.  Mommy saw these shiny star ornaments with different words stamped into them; faith, hope, peace, noel, and love.  Mommy bought the "hope" one thinking that she would bring it home and put it somewhere that she could look at it everyday to remember that there are lots of different ways to find you and no matter what eventually we would.  So, I put it on the window handle in the kitchen.  Kids always loved playing with this so there it hung for about 5 years.  Honestly, I had forgotten about it until the other day I saw you playing with it for the first time.  Mommy had been thinking about and looking for the perfect ornament to put on our tree to honor J each Christmas. When I saw you playing with "hope" I knew exactly what the ornament would be.  I went to the same store and bought the "peace" ornament, only now they are heart shaped.  I decided on peace because you have brought such peace to our lives and we hope that J is feeling peace in her life too.  I loved that it was a heart because J is now a permanent part of our hearts and for you I hope this has some meaning come future Christmas'.  We put both of these front and center on our tree this year to remind us of all of our newest blessings.  

On a recent visit to J's I told her about it.  She seemed please to know she always has a special place in our lives. She said that she does feel peace and she really likes the idea of being a part of our tree.  

Peace for you always little man, 
Love, Mommy 

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble: Part II

Dear Henry, 
So, the days after the mass food exodus to our mouths we stayed at Crappaw's and Grandma P.  The afternoon after Thanksgiving you and Johnny were the kids left over and so you decided to play together despite the age difference.  First, you and Johnny had a bath together.  Johnny couldn't stop giggling and pointing out that you have a "booty" and you couldn't stop watching what he was doing.  He tried to teach you how to play "guys",  You know, where you get action figures and make them talk, fight and save the world.  At one point I heard him telling you, "NO!  Henwee!  He doesn't fight him today!"  I don't think you cared, you just moved on to chewing the rubber duckie.  It was clear that you enjoyed having a bath time buddy. 

 

Later, Johnny tried to show you how to play guys again.  He got really frustrated that you couldn't understand the Star War figures' relationships and you kept trying to "have them be friends" in his eyes when they figures are enemies in "real" life.  Someday you'll get it buddy.  No worries!  Later big cousin Johnny showed you how to attack Crappaw.  

 

Crappaw was trying to help Johnny jump over the peanut and all of the sudden you crawled over and you both started jumpin' all over poor Crappaw.  He feigned distress but you know by now that you can't hurt the mighty rock called Crappaw very easily.  

That afternoon Daddy and I wanted to see how the new Zaharako's would be decorated for Christmas it's first year reopened so we took you and Johnny for milkshakes and cheeseburgers.  You both loved all of the decorations and you shared Daddy's cheeseburger.  We stopped by Grandma LaJean's and Great Grandma Hazel's and they gave you and Johnny cookies.  Johnny was told to share with his brother, cousin Tony, when he arrives the next day but Johnny carried them under his arm all day and frantically ate them before Tony would get a chance.  Great Grandma Hazel's cookies can do that to kids and adults a like.  

The next day when Tony arrived from his mother's Thanksgiving visit we all decided to go for a walk at the Mill Race Park People trails.  It was a rather beautiful afternoon and wonderful for walking around in the fresh air.  Immediately the bigger boys all ran to the river's edge to skip rocks.  Daddy had Crappaw bring you down so you could try your hand at it.  You clutched on to the rock like a hungry raccoon clings to food.  It wasn't coming out of your hand Crappaw swung your arm out quickly but without fail your super glue grip was maintained.  Maybe next year you'll be skippin' with the big boys.  

Grandma P played with Johnny in the grass and Tony decided to roll down a hill over and over.  Johnny decided to join him but couldn't quite get it right.  

He would start to roll but would end up going sideways rather than down the hill.  Tony kept trying to help him roll downward but had the same results.  

Before we left the park Mommy tried to get a photo of the three boys and Crappaw and Grandma P but none of you boys were very helpful in getting a successful photos.  Well, I suppose they were sort of successful, at the very least they make ya laugh!  

After the park we decided to all go to Zaharako's again as Uncle Gary hadn't seen it since the renovations.  It was fun being all together but we missed Michelle and the other kids.  Grandma P took you and Johnny to look at the Christmas Tree with the train and bubble lights.  You boys watched it go round and round and round!  

I think Johnny's initial jealously of you is starting to subside.  On the ride home Mommy was sitting in the back with the two of you and I looked over to see Johnny holding your hand as you drifted off to sleep.  It was so sweet Mommy felt a little teary.  We made it back to Grandma P's and Crappaws and the big boys jumped in the hot tub with Crappaw.  Daddy and I thought you might enjoy it so we let you join.  You splashed and splashed and squealed.  It was clear you were happy.  

I hope that you can always be a happy boy who enjoys being with family.  Mommy hopes that family "sticks" around for a long time.  Here's my flickr link to more photos.

Love, Mommy

Turkey Lurkey Talks This Way: Thanksgiving Part 1

Dear Turkey Lurkey, 

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated your first Thanksgiving.  It was a busy day with lots of people but full of wonderful food and eventful happenings.  We went over to Columbus on Wednesday to sleep over at Grandma LaJean's and Great Grandma Hazel's.  Auntie Kristin and Auntie Carrie and Great Auntie Ruthie (Grandma LaJean's sister, Daddy's Aunt) and Great Uncle Fred were over too.  The next morning we woke up and played with you while Grandma LaJean and Great Grandma Hazel slaved away in the kitchen to prepare an excellent Thanksgiving meal.  It is no surprise what Mommy and Daddy were grateful for this year...that's right! Our new van!  Just foolin' Peep!  Of course it was you!  Daddy was especially excited about helping you eat your first Thanksgiving.  We gathered around Grandma LaJean's beautifully decorated table.  You sat in your plastic booster seat fixed to your Great Grandpa John toddler chair (Daddy's Grandpa who died a year before we married and for part of why your middle name is John Carl).  Daddy pulled you up to the side of the table and started shovelin' in the potatoes and stuffing.  

 

Mommy realized that perhaps the only thing to keep you from being the center of attention is Thanksgiving dinner.  We all had our faces buried in our plates.  Auntie Kristin made sure you had your serving of homemade applesauce and laughed at how demanding your are when the bites don't come fast enough.

After dinner while the dishes were getting cleaned and the table tidied Mommy found you crawling through the legs of the table and chairs like you were exploring a jungle.  You saw Mommy watching you and you looked at me like you got caught doing something you knew you shouldn't be doing.  

After the clean up Grandma LaJean finally got some play time in.  

Our busy day doesn't end here... we had to pack up and head over to Crappaw and Grandma P's house and eat all over again.  Poor us!  Two awesome dinners in one day.  Yeah it was great!  Lots of family was at Grandma P's and Crappaw's and you really enjoyed playin with your buddies Johnny and Ruby in the house.  Later, Mommy's cousin Katy and your second cousin Nash played with you in a basket.  Nash was so sweet with you and wanted cuddle and hold you even ask you fought out of his arms.  With two older brothers I think he likes nothing more than feelin' like the big guy for once and playing with you.  

 

While Grandma P and Great Aunt Clarcie were cleaning up I found you in the kitchen dressed in Crappaw's socks raiding the tupperware cabinet!  You're a fast little sneak these days and explore like you're Indiana Jones and a coaster or large plastic bowl may as well be the Holy Grail.

 

At this point I picked you up for jammie time and put you to bed.  It was a loooong fun day and we were all worn out!  The next day the fun continues... 

Mommy doesn't need to do the blogger cliche and talk about how this Thanksgiving she is so grateful for her baby boy...but I am.  I can't be thankful for you without acknowledging your beautiful birth mother J.  She is super special to our family, not only because she found us for you but because she is such a special person that I'm happy to call my friend and to forever be connected to.
 I Love You Baby Boy, 
Mommy