There are a ton of pictures this time from his Baptism and having guests this past week for a Retirement Party for our friend Earl. The picture in this poster reminds me of Rocky Balboa, with the yellow cover. The cover was a gift from Nick's dentist (no teeth yet and he's already in great favor with the dentist!) I was out of town for a week earlier in the month and he grew like a weed - in size, and in the way he's processing the world around him. He used to look through me alot, but now I get the feeling he's psychoanalyzing me as he lifts his head and looks right at me. I can point to specific pictures or animals and he follows along rather intently. He's absorbing everything. We've started the $1 jar to stop his father from swearing so much. If the funds are available, his mother should be a millionaire by Christmas. He and his mother had alot of fun while I was away - croup at 3AM, infected circumcision, house plumbing backed up, attacked by an ant army. I'll be staying home for awhile.
In the past two weeks he has learned to sit up on his own, and now flips himself over at will. Doesn't always flip back so easy, especially when he's asleep.
He found his feet, but the thrill of those only lasted about a week. I never realized the "limited attention span of a teenager" really starts at about 4 months old. When he discovered his first toys, I got several weeks of mileage out of those: "Look, Nick, it's Phunt!" and he'd smile. Now I say, "Look, your feet!" and he looks at me like, "That was so yesterday's news. I've moved onto this book of Roman architecture, Dad. Get with the program." (If you think I'm being sarcastic, there are pictures of him reading somewhere in these blogs, and it's hard to believe he's not actually reading when you watch him.)
This past weekend was his Baptism, and he was a pro. He never cried for the Pastor, and fortunately didn't spit, drool, or secrete any other unwelcomely timed fluids during the ceremony. We had a little party in his honor at the house afterward. His mother made holy cupcakes (crosses on them) and we pitched a tent on the porch to entertain.
I've always bit or chewed on my bottom lip, and supposedly it's a nervous habit that's hereditary, as my grandfather did the same, although not as severe as I do. Well, Nick is proof of nature's trend, as he's carried the bad habit a step further - he chews on both lips at once. Kinda hard to explain - I can't figure out how he does it. But I suppose he has fewer teeth to get in the way, as well.
He's just about allergic to everything. I accidentally grabbed him after mowing the lawn a few weeks ago, and he turned rash from head to toe. Another instance of being just like his father.
For those of you who said there aren't very many pictures of me, I posted one with my nephew Seth Fayling to the right of this site.
Thank you for all the continued notes of well wishes and advice. We're starting to get the hang of this parent-thing.
Thank you for all the continued notes of well wishes and advice. We're starting to get the hang of this parent-thing.
- Jason
