Missing You and Catching Up

In late September I had to go on my annual business trip, this one was from Friday morning before you woke up to Monday night after you went to bed. So I went four whole days without seeing you. It sucked. But, at least we got to video chat and talk on the phone a little bit. But this wasn't exactly soothing...you missed me too! And when you saw me or heard me on the phone you got a little upset and pointed at the front door (because that's where I come from, apparently!)

While I was gone, you and your Mommy did lots of fun things and hung out with Bibi and Baba a lot. The four of you even went to the Arboretum.





You guys probably had to get wet in the fountain to hide your missing-Daddy tears.

But, when I came back home I didn't waste any time catching up with you. You woke up crying on Monday night and I beat your Mom to your crib (and honestly, I most of the times don't try to beat her to your crib on those late-night calls). It was dark and we couldn't see each other, but you knew it was me (because it clearly wasn't Mommy). I held you tight and you fell asleep again in my arms. It was pretty much the awesomest part of leaving.

I guess that's the best part of leaving: coming home.

And while I was home, we did some serious good hanging out. Since I've been away from the blog for a while, and I know how much it sucks to miss you, here's some catching up on what we've been up to:

You did some naked running around inside and outside:


Your Mommy, you and I went to the Arboretum too...and also played in the fountain!







We celebrated Rosh Hashana With Mimi and Pops (and you discovered your love for piano playing)










You stomped your feet and played inside and out:






And loved on your "brothers"...



You've learned a bit of sign language too! Your Bibi taught your "please" in one afternoon. Where you hit your chest...or tummy..with one hand or two... You did "please" for like a week solid, but now you've kind of stopped doing it and just use a big emphatic "YES" (a GIANT head nod) instead. We're working on please still.

You can climb in your Aidan-sized chair and are oh-so proud of yourself.

You turned over the Dogs' water bowl twice in one day (and the floor got very clean).

You can finally reach the on/off button on the washer (on your tippy toes).

Everything is a phone. Even a phone. You hold all sorts of things up to your ear and pretend you're on the phone; this is pretty amazing, because you've never actually been on the phone.

Speaking of pretending, once last week I let you feed the dogs their treats. You immediately went back to the container to give them more, but I had closed it. So you invented a game: you pretend to get the food, hold it tightly in a closed-fist and give it to the dogs. You think this is hilarious good fun...the dogs, not so much.

You can climb up to the top of the playground at the park all by yourself. And you love going down the slides.

Your favorite food is apricots and the yellow crayon is your favorite one to hold. Your favorite toy of today is the Toy Story Woody that Uncle BJ and Aunt Kari got you.

You turned 19 months old!

We surprised your Mommy with a surprise birthday party (she's 30!) and with the big "SURPRISE!!!!" you cried...but you got over it! Plus you enjoyed the cake!

It mostly stinks to have to leave, but it's always good to catch up.

You are growing and changing every day, and every day has its ups and downs. But, I'd so much rather be holding you as you have a mini-melt down than be miles and miles away.

Your Mom and I just marvel at how much fun the 5 of us (and Grandmas and Aunts and Uncles and Grandpas) are having raising you and being a family. You are such a good boy and if we ever get out of synch again, don't worry, I'll miss you and you'll miss me. And when I get back, we'll catch up again.

Book Learnin' : Ear to Belly

We used to think "What to Expect When You're Expecting" was THE only pregnancy book you needed. In fact, it was really the only viable pregnancy book we had, aside from The Caveman's Guide to Pregnancy, the creepy, hilariously out-of-date, cartoon fetus book Mimi gave us from the 60s ("Freddy the Fetus") and the equally creepy, out-of-date, incredibly graphic photo book from the 70s Bibi gave us.

Not quite the same as Uncle Jeremy's poster.

But, when visiting our friends Iris and David the other day, they opened our eyes to a bunch of really cool books, including one by Jenny McCarthy (who used to be on a poster in your Uncle Jeremy's room...but not for her skills as a pregnancy humorist.) But one of the coolest and most useful books they showed us "Your Pregnancy Week by Week."

Hopefully she's asleep and not passed out due to a severe allergic reaction to daffodils and ragweed.

I bring up these books because, you know kids these days, they'll try anything they see in a book.

In the 13th week chapter of that "Week by Week" book, I saw a picture of a Father placing his ear against his wife's pregnant belly, as if he were on the belly phone. I thought, "well, if that guy can hear his baby's heartbeat with his naked ear, then I should too!"

So I gave it a try, and put my ear directly on your Mom's belly. This was very weird. I heard all sorts of gurgles and squeaks and crunches and sizzles...but no heartbeat yet. I think the book lied to me.

But I'm definitely going to keep trying!

I bet you can hear your Mom's heartbeat...and maybe soon you'll be able to hear us out here in the non-wombed world! So, maybe we should start reading these books aloud so you can hear!