Dear Henry,
Bath time has been the subject of many posts on your blog. This is most likely because it is hard to top the cuteness of a splashing naked baby with a dewy face and slicked down hair.
There are new developments on this front. You no longer will sit in the sink downstairs and you will no longer sit in cousin Johnny's old tub, therefore you are now sitting on the bottom of the real bathtub with water up to your butt. The first time Mommy and Daddy were a bit silly and didn't have a non-skid mat on the bottom of the tub and your little bum slipped and slid after those rubber duckies the entire time. With the non-skid mat you sit still for the most part and splash your little heart out. Each time you get in the tub you seem to want to stay longer. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful you don't want to be filthy and sour smelling, I just have to change my clothes afterward because they are soaked from your glee filled frolicking. These are the days I dreamed of.
Here is a photo of your reflection in the metal thingy at the end of the tub....
Love, Mommy
ps... click on the following links to revisit the previous bath posts.
1
2
3
4
5
Dear Henry,
We had another nice visit with J, Tommy and Uriah. Jmom and one of J's nieces were able to come over to get a look at all of your growth since we last saw her. Tommy was anxious to hold you. Mommy cleaned J's carpet with our little shampoo-er and went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant. It was really good. You stole Uriah's beans with one swoop of your little paw and didn't seem phased while sucking on a lemon.
Here are a couple of photos.
Always happy to see everyone. J and I have become good friends and for that, and you of course, I am really happy.
Love, Mommy
Dear Henry,
A couple of weeks ago our friend's dad asked your Daddy if he would speak to his IU class on diversity about living with a disability. Daddy agreed and so while he was in class we went to the IU art museum to look around. I had wanted to take you for quite some time but parking can be such a bear on campus I just hadn't gotten around to it. You are so observant and like to look around at people and things I knew you would enjoy it.
I was right! We started out in the African section. There were rich textiles, baskets and pots. Not really my thing, but you LOVED looking at them as I carried you around to each piece. You wanted to pet the fabrics and you put your face really close to the glass cases to see the pots with the bumps and designs on them. I did really like that most of the pieces were used in daily life so the honed sheen of the basket's handles rubbed by the families that filled them with grains showed. This is the kind of thing that makes my mind wander, thinking about people of different times and cultures. Mommy read every other three descriptions to you. You listened like a seasoned student and I enjoyed your wide darting eyes.
I believe your favorite piece was a sculpture in the modern art collection. You looked at it intently, started "talking" and reaching out to it. The sculpture was a human figure riding a horse (sorry! I'm unable to find the artist or title to make a link.)
Your second favorite piece was a painting done by Diego Rivera titled Danzante completed in the late 40's. It has a man with a LARGE, colorful, feather headdress. The colors dance off the canvas and it made you wiggle in my arms and stretch your little turtle neck it's way. It didn't matter what direction Mommy turned you twisted so you were facing Rivera's work. Rivera, married to Frieda Kahlo, typically painted LARGE murals depicting the life of the average worker and honoring the native heritage of the people of Mexico. History has typically documented and painted the big names, men and the wealthy. Rivera was a part of a movement driven to depict the common people, the workers that make everything happen and to honor a rich native heritage that Mexican's were supposed to ignore even existed. Mommy has seen many of Rivera's large murals in Mexico City first hand. Mommy always liked Rivera's work because it is what I always thought history class should be about...the everyday people. You can get lost in the details and stories he tells in his art. I can imagine it would blow your little mind to see these gigantic paintings. It is my hope that someday you and I can stand side by side to study them over as Mommy did with Crappaw and Grandma P.
Our time was up and we walked back to meet Daddy. We waited outside the classroom for a while, sitting in a spot Mommy sat many times during college. It was neat to sit there with you. Students waiting for their classes to start couldn't get enough of you so they smiled and talked to you. Mommy peeped through the tiny window of the classroom door to see that Daddy had all of the students' attention and I felt VERY proud of Papa. A few minutes later the professor opened the door and insisted I let the class meet you. We slipped in and a room full of smiling faces shifted to you. At the end of class a student came up to me to tell me how absolutely adorable you are, as if I didn't know!
After Daddy's class we strolled to the Union for lunch and so Daddy could tell us all about his experience. We had a nice lunch, a cookie and a rice crispy treat and went home.
Perhaps someday art won't be your thing but Mommy wants you to have lots of different experiences at all ages so you will be able to figure out what your passion is. Mommy and Daddy are so lucky to get the honor of helping you to discover your talents.
Love, Mommy
Dear Henry,
Last week Mommy's Auntie Glo (Crappaw's sister) and her friend since college Mo came to visit us. It turned out to be a really fun Saturday.
Mo's brother, Michael, lives in Bloomington too with his wife, Megan, and their little boy, Devlyn, who was born just days after you. Mo has always suggested that we should meet them because it seemed we have so much in common but the opportunity never came up. This summer we were talking with one of Auntie Kristin's friend about you and he was talking about this little boy and it turned out to be Devlyn. I took this as a sign and as we decided what we were going to do we suggested that we all meet for lunch.
We met Auntie Glo and Mo at the Farmer's Market. It was a beautiful day and the market had soup tasting. We tried about 5 samples. Some of them were okay but the most marked thing about this is your amazing drive to try all foods, any food... you're a little garbage disposal. We walked around a bit, ate some fresh kettle corn, danced by the guitar player and then decided to get something to eat. We ate at The Bakehouse. Mo was very sweet and you took a liking to her throwing her flirty smiles and rubbing her arm. It didn't hurt that she shared her turkey and cranberry sandwich with you! As we were finishing up Michael, Megan and Devlyn showed up. As always you became super excited to see another little person. You wanted to touch him and say hello. You each had some avocado, your first, and of course you loved it.
Mo was right! We hit it off instantly and didn't run out of things to talk about. We spent the afternoon chit chatting then decided to take you boys for a swing in the park. At first you swung side by side but the adults couldn't help but notice that you boys could swing back to back.
This would be more cute than we could all handle so that's what we did. We put you in Devlyn's swing and you stayed back to back for about 15 minutes. You were both getting sleepy so it was too cute! Then you realized he was behind you and started trying to feel his head and face.
Auntie Glo and Mo had to get going and we needed to get home so we said our goodbyes and promised to get together soon. You took a trip down the slide making your hair fill with static and you waved bye bye and we were off.
It was good to see Auntie Glo and Mo but it was really awesome to make new friends... especially since Mommy and Daddy share so much in common with Devlyn's Mommy and Daddy AND hopefully you and Devlyn can share lots in common growing up. After all, you are two likable mini guys!
click here for more photos on flickr
Love, Mommy
