Mommy’s advisor from geology, Dr. Masiello, had a brunch at her house for graduation and Mother’s Day. You went ready to charm in your little suit (definitely the last time for that suit shirt…the baby vest and baby trousers are still probably long enough for one more go). When you weren’t napping, you were doing your best to earn your title of temporary biogeochemistry group mascot by crawling from room to room to check on the party’s progress. Owen generously shared his big legos, including a castle with a dragon that you had great fun disassembling. You also helped Mommy and Daddy eat their food…especially cheese and pop-overs.

We hope you like the buzz cut look because it’s a look you’ll be sporting for many years. Daddy has been learning the art of using the clippers on your fine blond locks and the uneven bits are gradually succumbing to its ordering influence. This haircut is relatively easy and cool (in temperature…social “coolness” is TBD…) and therefore will continue. Daddy also got his haircut for the first time in over a year, so Mommy now gets to affectionately call both of you “fuzz heads”.

P.S. Daddy much prefers carrying you on his shoulders post-haircut. Previously you found that his long curls made great reins.

This weekend, you and Mommy were the recipients of a thoughtful act of kindness. Yesterday, Mommy took a squirmy, done-with-supervising you on a walk while Daddy finished washing the cars. We walked around our neighborhood, you directing from your captain’s chair pose in the stroller and Mommy doing her best to manuver the sudden changes in elevation (in Houston, there is no topography, just uneven sidewalks). Somewhere along the way, you kicked off your blanket and Mommy didn’t notice.

Today, you, Mommy and Daddy retraced our steps to see if your blanket was still there. Our hope was a crumbled, slightly dirty blankie off to the side of the sidewalk. What we found was blankie, lovingly washed, folded and wrapped in a baggie (just in case it rained), sitting on the retaining wall waiting for us. One of our neighbors must have had children at one point to recognize what had happened and how important the retrieval of said object would be. To that neighbor, thank you!

Please see previous entry.

This habit is not so endearing at 2:30 am, especially if you think it means the day has started and that it is time for Mommy and Daddy to hang out with you.

One reason so many people like dogs is that dogs are so happy about almost everything and are especially excited when their humans return home. Such an enthusiastic greeting makes you feel special and loved.

You are getting to the stage where you start to look for Mommy and Daddy if you can’t see them. Sometimes you even start to cry if they don’t reappear soon enough. In the mornings, this habit manifests itself in a slightly-fussy-baby alarm between 6 and 6:30. You are standing on the side of your crib facing the bedroom and start to bounce up and down with a big smile as soon as you see Mommy or Daddy. Once they pick you up, you drape your arms across their shoulders and just lay there for a while as if to say, “Yay! You’re here! I missed you so much! I can relax and wake up happy now!” These morning hugs are becoming one of Mommy’s favorite parts of the day.

A variation on “the grass is greener on the other side” is that someone else’s food/drink (especially Mommy’s) is always tastier than one’s own. This is especially important for sippy cups. As you spend more time holding your own bottle, you also spend more time playing with it, which results in milk getting everywhere. Mommy and Daddy want to solve this problem by getting you to drink from a sippy cup, either the ones with the mouth piece or the straw…we don’t care which. You think they are just toys. You feel differently, however, about Mommy’s water bottle, which was dubbed “sippy cup” when she was pregnant with you. You watch her drink out of it all the time and know exactly how to use it if you get your hands on it.

Daddy has figured out how to put this habit to good use. Mommy will drink her water out of one of your sippy cups until you have figured them out. She thinks it is tedious to have to refill every couple swallows but at least you are now showing interest.

As you become more adept at crawling and cruising (walking/standing while holding onto things) and climbing, Mommy and Daddy have been able to spend more time watching you and less time standing beside you to cushion every fall. The exception is around edges and drops; you don’t yet understand why going head-first over edges is a bad idea. Daddy has been practicing with you at the mall play area to climb up things, then turn around to go over edges on your belly. Today, you finally did this on your own. You climbed up onto a platform, crawled over to the edge, turned around, and slid off onto your feet. You only did it once but that is a good sign for days to come.

Houston, we have a heavy baby…

We took uncle Rob to see the Houston Space Center today, which included a tram tour of the NASA campus and several awesome museum exhibits of space stuff. Mommy and Daddy thought they would save themselves some hassle by leaving the stoller in the car and having you in the baby carrier/sling. You were happy with this…for about 20 minutes. Then you wanted out of the carrier. This meant that we were carrying a-want-to-touch-and-see-everything squirmer who got heavier by the minute. Next time, we will either bring the stroller, or make you walk, cause these free arm rides are exhausting and not many places allow crawling.

Daddy’s friend and one of your godfathers, Rob, flew in from Seattle to visit this weekend. Today, he and Daddy made a pilgrimage to the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, TX. (Dr. Pepper is Daddy and Rob’s favorite soda flavor…or more precisely, flavors.) They tried to find you an “I’m a Pepper” onesie yet had to settle for a classic Dr. Pepper advertisement print to decorate Rob’s apartment and a sew-on patch for a bag for Daddy.

You and Mommy spent the day going on walks, napping, and cooking, with breaks to read books and “fold” laundry.