How are you? Well, we hope. Our doodlebug is 17 months old!! Oh how the time does fly. Let's travel back in time 11 months.
Look at that chunk of baby! I shed a tear thinking of him partying in that exersaucer.
We bade it a fond farewell, it is now in the hands of our new baby cousin SRS, whom we met for the first time this weekend! (more on that later) (oh boy is he cute) (oh man how I miss having a soft smooshy baby in my arms)
Onward! Bunting is not a baby any longer. He is a toddler with a capital T, and he is heck on wheels, always, always in motion, so incredibly fun and funny and giggly and energetic and LOUD. Those of you who met Mama Lucy in the flesh will not be surprised that her grandson has a set of lungs on him. That woman could move a lot of air.
If I could bottle his giggle I would. It would fix everything. He can climb those stairs quick as a wink. Oy vey. Also, do you see the fluff? The wonderful hair fluff on the back of his head? I have got to cut it, it gets all snarly and tangled and full of yogurt and bits of stuff but ohhhhhh, the fluff!!
He remains a big fan of toothbrushes (see: first photo in this post). That's Grandpa Tom in the background building something with power tools. There's a German Shepherd dog wandering about as well. Mamaji and Grandpa Tom's place is basically little boy paradise.
This is our boy after a long day. Please note that I am in my pink polka dot pajama pants. I am done for the day, thank you and good night. But is Bunting? Let's go to the film:
The music is a total coincidence, it was just on in the background. I think it would be entertaining if this were in a mash up with some Tahrir Square footage. Is my baby as momentous as a citizen's revolution in one of the most geopolitically sensitive regions on the globe? I think we all know the answer to that.
Bunting continues to love the great outdoors, and assisting us while gardening. The other day FRK was planting some peas. He dug three holes, and then turned away for a moment. This is what he found when he returned:
A matchbox car, a brush, and a filched tomato tag. Well done, lad.
surveying his handiwork
His love affair with telephones continues unabated. This is in the car on the way to Monterey on Mother's Day. You hear FRK and Gigi's voices as well as a random noisy toy playing in the background.
As I mentioned above, our cousins the ESS family visited this weekend- Papa E, Mama A, their 4 year-old daughter K and their new baby boy S, 4.5 months. Technically (only people like me who don't have cousins can keep track of this sort of thing, so ignore if you are one of those people with five squillion relatives and everyone, regardless of relation is an 'uncle' or a 'cousin') E is FRK's maternal first cousin, therefore his daughter and baby son are FRK's first cousins once removed, and Bunting's second cousins. We all went over to Monterey to say hi to Mamaji and Papa Tom, then FRK stayed to visit with his mom while the rest of us went to the Aquarium.
This was Bunting's first trip to the Aquarium. Boy howdy, he had a blast.
They both have iPhones in their hands.
marveling at the fish with cousin K
Was entranced by the tide pools. Stuff to touch! Water to splash!
Keeping him contained in a large public venue like the Aquarium is no mean feat.
He is bold and confident, and has very firm ideas about where he would like to go. He loved helping to push baby S's stroller. In fact, he enjoyed it so much that he strollerjacked a couple of unattended strollers throughout the day.
Our busy boy embraces every day with such gusto. He is a joy to be with.
My favorite expression. His self satisfied little smirk.
And thank you Jesus, he still sleeps. Every night. 11 hours.
This is his latest, kill-me-dead-with-the-cuteness gesture. He blows kisses. Gah! How much can one person take!!?? (the finger in the nose is also new):
Our days are heavy with sadness, and laden with joy. Daily, our blessing of a boy gives us the strength and the resolve to wake up, put one foot in front of the other, and get back on that horse.
And sometimes, all you really need is no pants, a case of Diet Coke, and a 25 lb. bag of rice.
