February Chillin'

Just a few new pictures to make up for the drought, and tide you over until the next time...

But first: Today's weigh-in: 15 lbs, 11.5 oz. Approx 65th percentile. Go Mom's milk!

Chillin' with Aunt Punchy. Webber is evading my efforts to capture his new adorable hobby of thumb-sucking.

Chillin' with Grammy S. Looks like I interrupted a moment.

Chillin' with Aunt Leigh. Don't know what they were just doing to get his cheeks so red...

Really chillin' with Mommy. Our first and only (so far) snow shoeing outing. Really, he is not chillin'. We keep each other nice and warm.

Chillin' at Daddy's office. The visit to see Daddy's co-workers went much better than the visit to see Mommy's co-workers. He was very UN-chillin' there. Will just have to try, try again.

Does it get any cuter than this? Father and son chillin' in the recliner.

Chillin' in the sling, for old times' sake.

Chillin' on the chair. This one's a little fuzzy but another classic picture for fill-in-your-own-caption ideas. Have fun!

NNW
4 plus months
No, I couldn't tell you exactly how many days or weeks old he is :)

More Medium Man pics

Fun with hats. This is for when he whips up a Baker's Dozen donuts for me. That are iced in the same color as the Bumbo he sits on.
This is our little Purple-Domed Pope-in-Practice.
Since the Patriot's didn't come through for him this season, he's getting ready for the Red Sox. Cool-Kid-style.
Speaking of Cool-Kid-Style, this onesie, a gift from Aunt Kara, cracks me up.

The only thing better than a picture of Webber wearing it is...

... with his Cool Kid sunglasses, thanks to Brian, Sara and Brennan. These caption possibilities are endless. I'll let you insert your own.
And finally, "Do I have anything on my face?"
NNW

February Greetings

No, I didn't remember to say Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit this morning for good luck. So if this month sucks, at least it's a short one.

Last weekend I spent 24 hours away from The Boy, at an old-fashioned Girl Time weekend at Aunt Punchy's with 7 of us total. The primary objectives of these get togethers are, in no particular order: Eating, Crafting, Laughing, Crying, Relaxing. This time for me, it also meant Pumping, what with my boobs programmed to continuously churn out the "Mommy Juice," as Nate calls Webber's food. They require regular emptying, be it by baby or machine. This definitely cut into the usual objectives, but I'm not complaining. It was a successful first overnight away from Webber, in that he and Daddy did just fine together, as I knew they would. And I got to make a necklace and earrings, which involved hours of sitting in one place using two hands.

For those of you who recall my affection for Heath Ledger, I'm sure you will not be surprised that I'm in mourning over his recent passing. This Girl Time also included a tribute to Heath, complete with watching A Knight's Tale, and eating Heath candy bars.

And now, to address the real purpose of your checking in to this blog, here are some recent pictures of the little man.
I was telling my little brother Alex that I call Webber "Little Man" a lot. I also call him "Big Man" with almost the same frequency. Alex told me that I should call him "Medium Man."

Without further ado...

Loving the naked time!
Preparing for takeoff...
Come fly the Friendly Baby Skies
Make that the Drooling Baby Skies
Or should we say, the Pooping Baby Skies
Webber checking out Daddy's beer fermenter. For use in the very distant future, of course.
What a happy baby!
We also made the trek down to Portland to see my friend Stephanie so that we could do some friend and fellow-mommy catch up. She also treated us to a photo session of our Medium Man. She worked her magic by turning one of his unfortunate fussy moods into some real gems.
He does not always like travelling, and I was not looking forward to those stretches where he wasn't tired enough to sleep in the car seat, and not entertained enough by the highway view, and would cry in protest. I did all that I could to make sure the trip went smoothly, including packing everything up the night before, and even loading the diaper bag into the car.

Lesson of the month: A diaper bag in a car overnight in Maine in January turns the wipes into a block of ice.

NNW
3 and a half months or thereabouts

Less walks means more pictures

Once again, my forehead is in the way of an otherwise adorable picture...
Yes, this bathtime picture has been cropped to protect the innocent.
His new favorite state of being: in his Jumperoo! Even though it's more like a Dangle-roo, since his feet have a couple inches to go before they touch the ground, even on the lowest setting.
And for the finale of these latest pictures, his future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades.
NNW
THREE MONTHS and change
where has the time gone

A week in the life...

This week's Patriot's game wear. The hat was a bit tight the last time - so I promised him I wouldn't squeeze it onto his noggin again.
We thought the sink might be less awkward to handle our little (growing) man than his baby tub. There is no easy way to handle a bathing baby.

Taking advantage of mild temperatures and cleared sidewalks... before the latest storm.

Webber usually doesn't weather a daytime nap transfer to another surface - usually sleeps on me after nursing, or in the Bjorn during a walk outside, or around the house. Not only did I capture this rare successful daytime put down, but he's in the cradle that Baby Nate used, with Nate's childhood red ball nearby. That he still likes to toss around when he's doing some of his best thinking.

And finally... "Who are you... and what have you done with my feet?"
NNW
12 and a half weeks

Rainy Day Photo Session

I'd like to thank you all for coming out tonight.
I would've come to you but I'm still working on my Tummy Time, let alone crawling or walking.

I think you'll enjoy this story as I reminisce about my youth. Please, come closer.



That's better. See? I don't bite. Yet...

It was several days ago, early 2008. In my youth. So I'm minding my own business, when this older woman - she looked a weathered 14 weeks, give or take a few days - comes up to me, and says, "Hey buddy, you got a rattle?

Okay, okay, by "comes up to me" I mean, someone put her there. But that's neither here nor there. So, she asks me for a rattle. And I say,

"What do you intend to do with said rattle? That I may or may not have? You know, those things can be dangerous. Haven't you heard you can hit yourself in the face with them if you're not careful?"

She begs me, "Please, please, I only want to shake it a couple times. Come on, don't tease me! I saw you holding one earlier - you're hiding it behind your Bumbo!" She had worked up quite a lather of drool. It was bubbling even more than mine.

"Hey hey, lady, don't get your diaper in a bind. I was just yankin' your onesie. Yes, I'll share my rattle with you. It's not like you can run away with it or anything."


So I hand her my rattle.

She gave it more like seven shakes, but I didn't mind. I could tell she needed it, and besides, it was nice to hang out with someone who communicated with methods other than singing real and improvisational songs all day long. And asking me, in a high-pitched voice while making ridiculous faces, my opinion on everything. Like if I think we should go upstairs, or go get the mail, or have lunch. Or asking me to confirm everything that just happened. Like if I had just tooted again in my diaper. And if I had tooted in my diaper, telling me that I did a good job of it. Really now.


So I say to her, "You want to get out of here? I know a place where you can really bust a move."

To my delight, she says sure. She makes me promise to bring the rattle with us.

Sweet.

Then she asks, "How do we get there?"


Shoot.

Awkward.

Umm, "Mommm??"
(The following was said using that special TV voice that is loud enough for the intended person in the other room to hear, but not the person sitting a foot away, as long as they're off screen.)

"Could you get me out of this thing? And ask my friend's mom to do the same for her? And hold us on your laps and sing to us, something real jazzy-like? And bounce us around and make us dance? And then, when I nod/wobble my head to the left two times, could you make me do that special move that we've been working on? I think she'll be really impressed."

"But first, could you change my diaper? I just tooted. It's a really good one, too."


"Thanks, Mom! You're the best!"

NNW
12 weeks 1 day

My new motto...

...better late than never.

Here are some more Webber pics...
The first one shows one of the cutest Christmas gifts ever: a box of Nate's little boy clothes, for Webber to wear someday.
Second: yes, that is a big Santa on his stomach. Yes, Daddy thought it was ridiculous.
Third: The Sylvester family line-up.


First: My sisters and Webber, and me.
Second and Third: best attempts at capturing his increasingly frequent smiles.


Last but not least... priceless :)
NNW
Almost 12 weeks!

Go Patriots

I wondered aloud a couple weeks ago if Webber would like football, and specifically the Patriots.


Stupid Mom. "OF COURSE HE WILL!" Nate told me, wild with disbelief that I would suggest such a crazy notion.

No choice kid, no choice.
NNW