Milestones!

We haven't been posting too much lately, and I'm mindful that we owe you a few updates and a LOT of pictures.  By golly, you're going to get them, plus a sentimental favorite treat.

The MVP hit some big milestones recently.  While I was away in the Philippines, he sat in a high chair at a restaurant for the first time, and he started picking up objects and putting them in his mouth.   That's a big deal, because that's how babies learn how the world tastes.  For example, the toy alligator tastes sweet for some reason, while daddy's bluetooth earpiece is an odd combination of salty and bitter.

And not long after I got back last week, he also said his first word!  It was "goolsbee!"  At first, I didn't know what he was saying but then I remembered that we had recently watched an episode of The Colbert Report featuring Austan Goolsbee, the Chief Economist on President Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board.  While I was pleased that The MVP was showing an early center-left leaning, I was disappointed that he'd chosen to name an empirical economist rather than a New-Keynesian like, say, David Romer.  But V-Train reminded me that children have to choose their own paths and sometimes, the best thing we can do as parents is just to let go.  Sigh.  I guess it could have been worse.  He could have said "Tea Party".

The MVP also had his four-month doc appointment and is now weighing in at 15.5 lbs with a length of 25 inches.... comfortably above the median on both counts.  When the doc asked about his eating habits, before letting us answer she said "well, I know he isn't going hungry."

Anyway, while I was out of the country, V-Train's childhood friend, "Whodat", flew out from her bayou home and stayed with V-Train.  And since Whodat is a better parent than we are, she taught us all kinds of stuff.  For instance, bathing the MVP was always this massive two person job, because one person had to hold him with both hands so he didn't fall into the three-feet deep tub of water we were bathing him in.  As it turns out, if you fill the tub only six inches, the bath becomes so easy even I can do it by myself.  The MVP enjoys it more, too, freed from the mortal peril of previous baths.  And in case you were wondering how you could be sure you'd put six inches of water in, she showed us a neat trick.  If you measure up six inches from the bottom of the tub, there's a line that says "do not fill tub past this point."  You can use that line as a marker to make sure you get the depth correct every time!  Hooray for experience!

On to the pictures:

Grandad, Abuelita, and the Grandkids - let the spoiling begin!

A nose-crinkle for Grandad.

Son, some day you'll like it when a beautiful woman kisses you

....aaand that was fast.

Whodat?  Whodat?  Whodat say dey gonna read dem books?

It's like that dream where I get locked in an FAO Schwartz after hours!

"Sup, Moochie.  Mind if I chill right here?" "Sure, dawg.  Ain't no thing."

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod... I hope I hope the judges use the save on Big Mike!

I'm sure you're all wondering why I've asked you here today...

Thanks, Auntie Meddlesome for bringing me this knit cap from Disneyland.  It's just... well, shouldn't I be the one going to Disneyland and bringing you a knit cap?

Here's one of Peapod, The MVP, and The Edge from lunch at Bob's Big Boy today.   Quick story - just before this picture was taken a woman walks by and looks at The MVP and The Edge (who turns one tomorrow) and says - "Oh how cute, are they twins?"

Peapod and The (clearly fraternal) Twins

Ok, and here's a delayed post from the wayback machine.   My Grandad, The MVP's Great Grandad, passed away just a few years ago, and just few years after The MVP's Great-Nana.  One of my many fond memories of Grandad is that he used to read to us from The Standard Book of British and American Verse.   Nana and Grandad received the book in 1940 as a wedding gift from a close friend.  I always loved hearing "The Walrus and The Carpenter," by Lewis Carroll.    But Grandad's favorite was definitely "You Are Old, Father William," another Carroll classic about a yoga-practicing lawyer.  (Sound like anyone you know?)

Grandad and Nana earn their book.

Unbeknownst to me, before Grandad passed away he left instructions to deliver the book to the first-born great-grandson to put the "P" in MVP.  When his Great-Aunt and Great-Uncle visited us from Cheeseheadland in March, they delivered this important family heirloom.  Then we sat around and read some old family favorites and remembered Nana and Grandad.

Yes, this heirloom right here.

I'm sure the MVP's Grandad looks forward to introducing him to Father William some day soon.