8 weeks old and a lot to Smile About

You turned 8 weeks old on Saturday...tomorrow you will be 2 months old!

I can't believe how fast the time is flying by. Yet, it's every hard to imagine life without you.

You had a great weekend, hanging out with Uncle BJ and Aunt Kari and Uncle Jeremy and Auntie M and a very special evening with Nanneh and Baba. You even got to see Mimi too!

We went to restaurants, hung out outside, played, smiled and sang songs. But don't worry, we still had plenty of time to stop and smell the roses (or irises)

You even got to dance to techno music, which you seemed to like almost as much as Zydeco! On Saturday, we went out to dinner to have sushi (mmmm) and the restaurant was pumpin' the house music with a strong boots-n-pots-n-boots-n-pots pulse. Since you were having a bit of a hard time not crying, we danced with you after you had your bottle and...boom...the techno baby stopped crying!

You, Me and Uncle Jeremy...before the techno kicked in. And don't worry, I'm just holding you, not hurting you (I promise!)

The restaurant was clearly not intended for babies to be present, though. How do I know this? Well, there was no Koala baby-changing station in the bathroom! Not in the men's room or the ladies'! So, your ever-resourceful Dad took you outside the restaurant and found a nice metal bench. I laid down the changing pad and had at it...and I think we may have a little exhibitionist on our hands.

Normally during a diaper changing, you'll cry at least a little bit. But on Saturday- your 8 week birthday- you were bare assed in the cool breeze, while I changed your diaper in front of all the passers-by and you were just all-smiles all the time!

Mabye we just need to change your diaper outside at home too..since you seemed to like it so much! Or maybe you were just laughing at me having to change your diaper-- which was very very dirty, for the record-- out in public!

Now, that's something to think about!

Who knows what you were thinking about...but I know what I've been thinking about: your smiles. Your little smile has grown so much in the past couple of weeks.

Take a look at this archival smile footage from 4/18, when you were 7 weeks old (ignore my voice...in fact, mute it...it's rather embarassing) and compare it to your smiles from 4/24, when you're 8 weeks old! And really try to ignore the ridiculous things I must say and the silly voices I must use to coax a smile out of you!

Oh yeah, the thing with the yellow ladle. I was testing your ability to track objects...and you were pretty good. You did better this weekend though. But, mostly, you're not too interested in that yellow ladle thing. But that's okay...

In fact, when you smile, EVERYthing is okay. Someone could have just shaved off one of my eyebrows and I could see you smile and be ecstatic!

And, on a brilliant note, I'm proud to report that we are making major strides in the sleep department! You are lasting longer and longer between feedings (over 6 hours on Friday night and about 5 on Saturday night!) AND you're sleeping for long stretches at a time by yourself! in your cradle! (last night you slept there from 10:00 to 2:30 with only one little cry-spell, which was easily thwarted with me swinging the cradle!). Now, if that's not something to smile about, I don't know what is!

You. Today

You turn 8 weeks old tomorrow!

I wanted to just show you what you looked like this morning. But this idyllic scene didn't last long. You wanted to celebrate your 8 week birthday by testing your lungs all day!
And last night you kind of b-slapped your Godfather in the face! It was awesome. He was just holding you and had his head really close to yours and you up and POPPED him in the face!

It made a big noise, but he only cried for a minute or two!

But, it's better than the time you nerpled your Mom. That was a really funny one!

Growing Up...A Slapdash Story

You are now 7 and a half weeks old and you're such a big boy already!

This is sort of a slap-dash account of what we've been up to, but it's all so exciting that I can't synthesize it into one coherent story!

You've been to the Mall twice now! The first time (on your 6 weekiversary) you had to be held in the Moby Wrap the whole time. But last Saturday we went again with your friend Brooks (and his Mommy and Daddy) and you slept in your stroller for the entire visit! We were so proud of you!

And then on Sunday morning, you and I took our first solo adventure. Your Mommy was still sleeping at around 9:30 (she needed it), so we decided to go get her breakfast. So, I put you in your car seat, threw on some clothes and you and I were off!

We drove to Einsteins Bagels, grabbed a dozen and went all the way back home. And guess what? You didn't even cry once! What a big boy!

And then guess what? We left you with a babysitter named Nanneh all by your self for a couple of hours while your Mommy and I went on a date (a 3D, IMAX date to the movies!). We were so worried that you might have destroyed Nanneh, but you were perfectly behaved! I can't believe how much you're growing up!

Plus, you're almost like a celebrity around town now! While standing in line at the bagel store, the guy in front of me turned around and asked, "Did you eat dinner at the Cosmic Cafe last night?" (We, in fact, had- you, me and Mommy went out to dinner with Aunt Sham and Scott).

Taken aback, I said "Yes! Did you?" (dumb question; clearly this guy was there or he wouldn't have known I was. But, he hardly knew I was there at all!)

"Yeah, I recognized your baby and then looked up and saw you." (oh me? that biped holding the baby? yeah, that was me.)

Sweet huh? You're recognizable! Who knew? I think I must have been 8 or 9 before I was recognizable! That's probably because I lurked in the shadows so much.

My 5th grade School Picture

And yesterday we tried out a new chillaxing position: you laying on our tummies and chest facing up and away. You really have taken a liking to looking at stuff all around, so we figured, we'd let you look at stuff. And look at stuff you did! How cool is that?

Speaking of proud, guess what? Your Mommy can fit back into her pre-pregnancy pants! We are very proud of her! YAY! But, bad news, the pre-pregnancy pants don't fit me at all.

You were a bit fussy last night at around 10:30, but you and I talked and read books (you really like "Hop on Pop"...must be the rhythm and the rhyme, sang songs, did bicycles with our legs and bounced around and eventually you fell back asleep. I was able to put you back in the cradle until you woke up at 1:30! See what I mean about you growing up so fast?

We also started experimenting with a cure for the "witching hour"-- that time around 5-6 pm where you are inconsolable. And, after some internet research, we experimented dancing with you to Zydeco music and..guess what...it works!

So, expect a lot more of this in your future, as long as the "witching" continues:



But, really, here's the best part. Your Mom sent me some pictures of the two of you guys today to brighten my day at the office. And it totally worked!

You look like such a big boy already (even though people about town keep saying "oh my, he's a fresh one!" and "what is he, one day old?"...those jerks don't know what they're talking about. I mean, just look at how big and cute you are!)

MOM!!! I thought we were doing serious faces!

I is bored of this.

Is We Dancing?

Six Week Report Card

We're nearing the end of your sixth week of life here on Earth and, as my K-12 training has taught me, 6 weeks is the perfect period of time in which to grade someone's performance and give them a report card.

GROWTH: A+
First of all, I'm still trying to get over the fact that you've grown from this:

To this:

To this:

To this!

And now, to this!

But, the amazing growing baby continues to amaze! Just yesterday, your Mom put the blue pair of socks that we brought with us to the hospital on your tiny, teeny feet. And, guess what? At the hospital, those things slipped off your feet as easily as if they were made of ice...and yesterday they fit snuggly! You're already growing into your socks!

That's pretty crazy, considering that I still remember being psyched about seeing your feet like this: And now look at those feet!

When we took those pictures about four weeks ago your feet were about as long as my index finger. Now they're way longer!

BATH TIME: A+

Let's just say that ever since your umbilical cord fell off, Sesame Street has been correct: Bath time IS so much fun. You like it a lot more now that we can get your belly wet and keep you clean. In fact, your Mom and I are kinda getting to be like old pros at bath time. Well, mostly your mom. I'm getting really good at filming bath time and warming the towel up in the dryer and catching your slippery little self as your Mom hands you to me!

DISCOVERING: A+

Wow, this one's been really coming along this week alone. When babies are born they don't know their heads from their hands or their Beatles from their Stones (well, maybe YOU know the Beatles, with parents like us!) But, recently you've started discovering that you have arms and hands and that, yes, they are yours for you to use how you see fit!

Last week you took your Mommy's glasses off (though I maintain that was a happy accident).

Yesterday while Mommy was kissing your feet, you reached up and touched her hair.

You totally grabbed my hand on day 1, but that was just a reflex. But grabbing things consciously- while not quite there yet- is developing nicely. Check out how you manipulated this Sheep toy your Auntie Deborah got you!

Now, of course, you may just be thrashing to get the thing off of you, but I like to think you were hugging it!

Most impressive, though, is that we've caught you "self-soothing" by sucking on your forearm, your entire hand and even your thumb. This is great for everyone! If you can self soothe, then you can put yourself back to sleep if you wake up. But, also, knowing where your hands and arms are located at all times is a pretty important life skill to master, so you're making major headway this week!

CUDDLING: A+

'Nuff Said.

Sleeping (without someone underneath you): A -

This used to be a big concern...would you ever be able to sleep for more than an hour without your mother or me underneath you? That would have been really awkward when you went to college.

But, recently, you've been able to sleep longer and longer without someone underneath you. In fact, I'm happy to report, that last night you slept in the Cradle your Nanneh made you all by yourself from 10:00pm to 1:am. In fact, you were sleeping so hard that I had to wake you up to feed you! (which I know I'm not supposed to do, but if I let you go too much longer, I would have gotten no sleep at all, and then I wouldn't have had all this energy to write this blog post today!)

You are improving day by day on your sleeping. And trust us, in this family, you'll need your sleep. We're tiring.

UPDATE! Just got this message and pictures from your Mommy: "You'll be happy to know that little monster is taking his nap in his cradle! Now let's hope that the mail man doesn't come by now and make the dogs go crazy and wake him up!!"

Yes indeed, we all hold our breath around mail delivery time as Preston and Toby have declared all Mail Men (and women) their mortal enemies, and feel the need to tell them that loudly...through the door. Everytime the mail-dog bark- aidan awakes situation happens, your Mom tells the dogs that they are one step closer to being punted to the back yard.

I know, I know...I was surprised that your Mom knew what punting was too!

Smiling: A+

Two days ago when I came home from work you smiled at me. This was not gas. I repeat NOT gas. It was a real smile, and you've been doing it more and more ever since!

Pictures will be coming soon, as soon as we can readily predict your smiles!

Not too bad, son! In your first 6 weeks, you are a Straight A student! Keep this up and you'll be Valedictorian of your class (though, Toby and Preston are really going to have to fight it out to get Salutatorian status).

I can't wait to see what the next 6 weeks brings!

Six Week Smiles

You are now in your 6th week of life!

So, since I operate on JST, it's about time that I switch the faceplate on this journal to reflect your birth.

It used to be this:

But now...now, it's this!

Apparently now that you're 6 weeks old, you are old enough to start recognizing us by sight...and reacting with a smile. We have all seen teeny weeny little smiles here and there so far and they are enough to put big smiles on big people faces!

I tried to take a video to capture one, and you quasi cooperated. I'm positive I made you smile!

Do you see a smile too? (Please excuse my dreadful narration when watching the video)

The Incredible Vibrating Baby vs. The Holidays

Last week, approaching the 5th week of your existence outside the womb, you were not too much of a happy camper.

You decided that you hated the car seat. Which wasn't too much of a problem unless we had to go anywhere. So it was kind of a problem.


But, overall, you seemed to be chilling out a little- the Mylecon drops and Gripe water seemed to really help some. But, really as long as you were vibrating away in your little blue, vibrating chair you were fine. But that car seat...the last bastion of predicable crying and baby screaming (replete with veins popping out on your head and face) needed to be remedied.


When we were about to leave for the restaurant so that you could meet all your cousins and aunt and uncles, we put you in your carseat and you started SCREAMING inconsolably...


Luckily, your Aunt Rebekka came into town for Passover...and she came loaded with ideas.

You and she hit it off immediately, as if you knew each other already (well, she did sing to you while you were in the womb).

You even put your "glasses" on to show respect to the bespectacled-Bek

But, Rebekka recalled an episode of the show "Sex and the City" where a character subdued a crying baby by placing her portable personal entertainment device (which vibrates) in his bassinet.

If only we had something like that.

Then your Mom recalled the vibrating bath pillow that Pops had gotten her one year for Hanukah.

I knew exactly where it was and I ran and grabbed it.



We turned on the pillow, and placed it on the car seat. You stopped crying immediately.


But, unfortunately, the pillow was HUGE and not portable.


Not to fear, said I, for I remembered the incredibly embarrassing vibrating core to the massage pillow. If you remove the core, you have a perfectly portable vibrating chillaxer for the baby. But, it's unfortunately shaped.

The designers of this device had a sick sense of humor, which I will explain to you when you're 18. But for now, everyone else can look and laugh.




So, we sheepishly tucked the thingy into your carseat and headed off to meet our family.

Oddly enough, the "Parents of the Year" trophy is similarly shaped.

The Vibra-baby (or bilbo as I called it) was a big hit with our families. They laughed and laughed at it...but, as parents, they all knew that you do whatever you need to do to get your kid to stop from crying. And, low-and-behold, the Vibra-baby worked like a charm all weekend long!

As we drove from home to hotel to restaurant to Mimi and Pops' to Baba and Nanneh's you were a happy little vibrating baby!

See, you can hardly even see the Vibra-baby (patent pending)

As big of a hit as the Bilbo was, though, you were an even bigger hit! All of your cousins and Aunts and Uncles and Great Aunts and Great Great Grandparents LOVED meeting you, and holding you.

Your Great-Grandpa Powell (that's where the Powell in your name comes from!)

A preview of all the fun we can have together (as long as my back holds out)

You turned 5 weeks old celebrating your first Passover at Mimi and Pops' with the Weinsteins (and two Shermans, a Helford and a few Fitts), and followed up your performance the next day with your First Easter at Nanneh and Baba's with the Roomianis, Powells, Zaehlers, Cantrells (and some surprise Weinstein visitors too).

Your First Passover! (Shirt by your Mommy and Aunt Sham, available for sale in the lobby)

Being with family always makes me feel...elevated. Or like how Gandalf feels when he visits the Shire...that's right, "magical."

There are far too many fabuluous pictures to post here, so you can peruse the fun-filled, family-fun, food-tacular weekend here, here and here.



And don't worry, by the end of the weekend, we found a way to disguise the Vibra-baby, and I'd say that in the first annual Vibrating Baby vs. The Holidays, everyone was a winner...except for the hollowed out massage pillow, which was stuffed back in the bathroom cabinet to wait to be propelled into importance once more, and perhaps the poor elephant rattle thing, which has now been reduced to serving as an incognito Bilbo-Doily.