Uncle Fester

As cute a little boy as I am...sometimes I have some off moments and I look kinda silly- especially when I follow in my mommy's footsteps and make oogly faces. One of the faces that I make is called the "Uncle Fester." I think it has something to do with how my eyebrows frame my face when I grimace- as well as the huge chin action that I have going on. When the two combine in prefect harmony, Voila...Uncle Fester!! CiCi is the one who named this face- and although I should be slightly offended by the comparison- I do indeed see the validity in her observation! It has been hard for mommy and daddy to capture this face on camera- but this pic is the closest we could get. Who knows...maybe if I am having a good "Uncle Fester" day on October 31st- I won't even need to dress up in a costume for Halloween!!!!

An Important Day

Today is a very important day. First of all- it is a day of remembrance. A year ago today, my family lost a wonderful woman, my Gram Williams. I never got the chance to meet her- but I was growing in mommy's belly when she was alive. She was my Mommom's mommy- and I know that Mommom is feeling sad today- missing her. I can't imagine life without my mommy- so I know it is hard for Mommom, all her siblings & her Dad. So- even though I did not meet Gram- her memory will live on in many stories that I will surely here from mommy & Mommom!!!

Secondly- it is Uncle Sam's BIRTHDAY!! Happy 27th, Uncle Boog! I hope you have a super day and I cannot wait to see you this weekend to celebrate. Pretty cool that I was named after you and we were both born on the 28th, huh?? It was just meant to be...

So- lastly...today is also my 5 month B-Day! I just cannot believe that I have been here for almost half of a year. Doesn't it seem like just yesterday that I was just hanging out in a very warm, dark, confined place just waiting to join you all here?? Can anyone even remember life before me?? I know it seems like a distant memory for mommy and daddy!!! So- mommy and I didn't really celebrte- we just hung out and tried to get some good naps in to prep for Labor Day Weekend at the shore! She also took about 12 dozen pictures of me. I know I am good looking- but not that good looking, mommy. Give the camera a rest! The day ended well because daddy got home from work earlier than normal. What a nice day- looking to the past, living in the present, and eagerly anticipating the future!

Bubble Addendum

I believe that mommy is rethinking how cute this whole bubble blowing development is. Yesterday it was adorable...but this morning, after a breastfeeding and a rice cereal feeding bubble session- she is not so sure she is happy that I acquired this skill. Let's just say that I used to be quite a neat, efficient eater- but this new skill has added a whole new layer to the dining process....and, per mommy, it is not a good one. Come on mamma...I will calm down soon- but for now, don't stress about a little extra cleanup, OK??

Bountiful Bubbles

As much as I drool, it was only a matter of time until I learned how to blow bubbles with all that spit, right? Well- the time has arrived and I am a bubble making machine! Saturday morning this was not yet a skill that I had acquired...but by Saturday night, I had it mastered. Around the time this video was taken, I was still trying to hone my skills...so spit is flying, falling down my chest and the bubbles were sliding down right with that dribble. Since then, however, I think that I have gotten so good that it would not surprise me if I were to receive a blue ribbon in bubble blowing! My parents should be so proud, shouldn't they?? What wonderful and useful skills I have!!!!!!!

Baby Shower

I am getting so excited...this whole idea of a new cousin thing is just getting more real every single day. Today was Auntie Nina's baby shower and I got to go!!! She looked so pretty and her baby "bump" was bigger than the last time I saw her. I just cannot believe that a mere 5 months ago I was in mommy's tummy like that!! Nina, Jeff, and Robbie will be welcoming this great addition to their family so soon and I know they had a great time today celebrating the impending birth of "Baby Ryan." They sure did get some cool stuff (which I will maybe get to play with too when I go see my new cousin!! Yippee!!!)
There were so may people at the shower and I did not want to nap, as usual! I did really well, considering. I held myself together and was a well behaved little boy. The only questionable thing that I did was to gnaw and rub my guns on my Aunt Ashley's shoulder. I am not too sure if she minded...but selfishly, I am sure glad she had her bare tanned shoulder in close proximity to my slobbering mouth because it sure did feel good to rub my teething gums on her!!

So- All in all it was a good day...Auntie Nina got good loot for her new baby and I got a human teething ring in the form of Aunt Ashley!! Who could ask for anything more??

Mommoms Birthday

Mommy, daddy, And I went down to Maryland to visit Mommom and Poppy. Wednesday was Mommom's Birthday- so we helped her celebrate it yesterday. They went to France a few weeks ago- so it has been a while since I have seen them. Boy was I glad to get to the cottage and see their friendly faces. I sure have missed them. I was so happy to see them, that I did not want to go to sleep. We all know what happens to me when I decide to be a party animal, right??? I become a fussy overtired mess! Thank goodness we spent the night- because I redeemed myself today and was quite the angel. Even though it was Mommoms birthday and all the presents should have been for her- she brought me presents from her European journey! I got some cute french clothes. Mommy cannot wait to dress me in them. So- come Fall when long sleeves are the attire, watch out ladies...I have foreign flair now!!

Alors, merci pour les cadeaux, ma grandmere!!! Je t'aime et Bon Anniversaire!!!!! (Pretty good french for a 5 month old, huh?)

Double Fisting

Mommy and daddy tell me this phrase "double fisting" normally refers to drinks and is something I will hear a lot of in college- but to ignore it. I don't see anything wrong with double fisting (or double sucking as I love to do as well!) What could be wrong with wanting to hold and stick as many things in my mouth as possible? I have even tried to stick 3 things in my mouth before- as you can guess, that did not go so well! Mommy thinks it is hilarious when I have a paci in my mouth and I try to stick another one in...without understanding why this just cannot work. Auntie Lisa gave me these rubber, flexible blocks and I sure do love them. Right now they are great for gnawing on- which is helping me in this "teething" process that i am currently undertaking. They are also wonderful as chin rests for the huge neck folds that I do indeed sport! So- with so many uses, who could blame me for trying to not only fit that- but also my beloved paci into my mouth??

Knee Pads Needed

Mommy is shaking in her boots (flats, wedges, flops, heels, or whatever type of shoe she happens to be wearing!) I am showing signs of crawling!! Mommy is none too happy about this. She thought she had more time to keep me as her darling little immobile baby. Now she will need to go out and baby proof the house- a task that she thought she had a few more months to accomplish. So- I am not too sure when I will actually crawl (CiCi thinks 2-3 weeks)...but here is what I have been doing lately. I really like to get up on all fours and rock back and forth. Also- when mommy was out running errands yesterday- daddy saw me, while up on my hands and knees, take two movements forward on my knees. Since I did not know what to do with my hands, though- I ended up flat on my face. Since I did not have far to fall...I did not cry. Hopefully soon I will be able to put all the pieces together. Also- I have not been sleeping too well as of late- and mommy thinks it is because my little mind is trying to wrap itself around this crawling thing. They say that can happen right before a big developmental milestone. Sometimes I wake up, on all fours, crying. Mommy will just put my seahorse back on and I will drift off again- but then a while later I do the same thing. Mommy explained to me that the best idea's for her papers in high school and college would come just as she was drifting off to sleep- so I think I am like her. I am trying to solve this crawling thing and, unfortunately...I am doing it as I drift off to la-la-land. I know mommy is in no rush for me to crawl- but I sure would like to be able to get those toys that are just out of arms reach on my own!!

"Jack" pot!!!!!

What could a baby need other than food, diapers, toys, clothes, sleeping gear, and maybe a bouncy seat, swing, and stroller?? Well- I will tell you...BIBS!!! Some may say that they are a luxury...but in my dribbly world they are quite a necessity. I started drooling like a faucet at about 3 months and have not let up even in the slightest! Unfortunately, I have had one heck of a time getting bibs that work for me. Either they are too thin and I completely slobber through them within 30 minutes, or they have velcro that hurts the back of my neck and leaves nasty red splotches. Fortunately, I have a CiCi who knows how to sew, so she whipped me up some awesome, one of a kind, stylish, fun, and (most importantly) absorbent pieces of art for my watery mouth overflow! I have hit the jackpot, motherload, end-all-be-all of bib heaven!! One has turtles...one has a "rocker" theme with black, white, and red...two have patches, one a froggie and one a fish...and the last, but certainly not least, is a hippie batik tie dye dribble grabber. I gotta tell you- I just feel so dapper when wearing them. They really make me feel special and I love that they were hand made with love especially for me!!

My Daddy, My Best Friend!!!

I have not seen my daddy for a whole week and boy did I miss him!!!!!!!!!!!!! He had a crazy week and had to work both days and nights on Thurs, Fri & Sat, as well as stay late at the office on Tues & Wed- so mommy and I decided to extend our stay at the beach with CiCi and Bud so we would not be lonely. Well- we certainly were not lonely and we had a great time- but things were just not the same without my favorite man around!! Daddy leaves for Connecticut tomorrow for a few days- but we had a great time bonding today. I have been fussy (teething and maybe crawling soon so my little mind is on overdrive??) but I even stopped being fussy and just played for hours with my buddy- my dad!! When mommy would hold me I would cry- but not with my daddy. He had all of my attention and all of my smiles today. I just loved it...

Red Triangles

While I was up this morning at 5am, refusing to go back to sleep...my mamma called me a little devil and it got her thinking about my "stork bite/angel kiss" on my forehead. Basically the large red triangle or "V" that I have had since birth. It seems to be disappearing and sometimes it is almost not even noticeable...but when I get angry or cry, it turns bright red and that is when mommy calls me her little devil!! My CiCi was reading a book recently, "The Hummingbird's Daughter" by Luis Alberto Urrea- that refutes this idea of the "V" going hand and hand with trouble. Here is an excerpt for ya...

"And in a moment that seemed like forever yet no time at all, Teresita came falling into the world. She did not cry. As Huila wiped her face, she looked, as she always must, very closely. She had seen few signs of late, and she didn't expect a sign here in this poor shack with this poor little Hummingbird. Yet the infant had a single red triangle on her forehead. RED TRIANGLES, Huila knew, were reserved for the POWERFUL ONES."

So- next time that red triangle or "V" appears on my forehead, remember that it is a good thing. That being said- watch out!! For I am one powerful and important little bugger! (Greta...make sure you share this with your parents since we are red triangle kindred spirits, bonded for life!!)

Sand and Sea

I gotta tell ya...I LOVE LOVE LOVE the sand!!!!!!! Mommy has let me put my feet in the sand this summer- but this week was the first time that she let me explore with my hands as well! I had such a blast! I was being a bit fussy the other day and the minute she set me down in the sand I just cheered right up. Mommy buries my feet and I work those little piggies right out of the sand in no time. I have not tried to eat these grainy little particles as of now...but I am saving that trick for next year when my new nickname will be Trouble!! Don't tell mommy and daddy this secret, though- I want it to be a surprise!!! SHHHHH!!

As much as I love the sand, you would think that I would be equally crazy about the ocean- but to be honest with you, I am not so hot on this big body of water. Mommy thinks it is because it is so chilly and I think that I agree with her!! I love bath time and really enjoy my pool. Both of those are a nice temp, though...probably high 80's. This 60-70 degree ocean is just more than I can handle at this tender age. Never fret, however- I am a beach baby at heart...so I will try it again later, you can bet on that! (for some reason, video of me screaming at waters edge will not load- so here are pics for now and I will try to add it again later...)

Aunts & Uncles

Aren't they just the best???? I am so lucky to have so many wonderful family members and so many people to love. Some of them live far away and I don't get to see them too often and some are busy trying to keep their own "bun in the oven" for a while longer before baby Ryan emerges and joins us. I know I will see them all very soon, though!!! I have been so lucky- because this summer I have had some extra special bonding time with Uncle Sammy and Aunt Courtney! Auntie Court has visited us at the beach and boy do I just love looking at her pretty face. She is always so bubbly and smiling and I always have such a great time with her. Uncle Sammy is uber cool. He is more laid back, though- we watch Sports Center and just chill out. Even though it is mellow- he still gets lots if smiles out of me! Since Uncle Sam & Aunt Court have become friends and hang out together sometimes, I have gotten to spend time with them at the same time- which is cool. They have even taken me jogging. Since mommy and daddy are not too athletic- maybe they will rub off on me and I will embrace sports! I know daddy does want me to be the next Tiger Woods!! I love all my Aunts & Uncles and can't wait to have my special memories and moments with all of you!!

Jack Samuel Seagull??

Mommy is not too sure where I got this singing, screeching new type of vocalization from- but I wanted to share its origination with all of you...I am imitating the seagulls on the beach. I had never made these noises before yesterday- but all of a sudden on the beach I just started singing like the birds I had been listening to all day! I was inspired. Mommy was amazed, because these silly noises did indeed come out of nowhere. Cici and mommy just kept laughing at me. What I think is ironic, though- is that mommy is making a big deal of me and this new "seagull" sound- but she is the one making a ridiculous snorting noises at the end of the video...

New Friends & Old Favorites

I am one tuckered little boy. I have had 3 fun filled days of visiting with sooo many people! On Saturday I visited with the Taylor's as mentioned in my previous post. Then on Sunday I went to Cape May with mommy and daddy. First we stopped by Nanna & Grandpa George's house and my daddy's Godmamma, Aunt Jane, stopped by to meet me. I sure liked her A LOT!!! She has a wonderful smile and I just got along with her so well! She was so excited to meet me that she could not even form a cohesive sentence. It was pretty funny, I must say!! Boy is she gonna be one cool grandma one day! Next we stopped by and saw Mommom Carol, Pappa, Uncle Rick, Auntie Sarah, Great Grandma GiGi, and Cousin Maggie. That is always fun- I just can't wait until I am big enough to play with Maggie.

Today we went to Norf Joizee (North Jersey, for you non-North Easterners) to meet mommy's Aunt Andrea. This is CiCi's sister, so I could not wait to meet her since I love CiCi so much! She was also very happy to meet me and kept complimenting me on my dashing good looks. I was little embarrassed- but lapped up the attention none the less. I hope to see her again real soon.

Our last stop in our fun filled day of travel was to visit my God family-the Matias'. They only live about 20 minutes away from Aunt Andrea so we just could not travel all that way and not stop in to see those gorgeous girls as well! Evie and girlfriend Greta were happy to see me and I them! I am so lucky that I got to see them 2 weekends ago in Avalon and then again today!! I want mommy to try to see them once a month. Not only for me- but mommy just seems so happy when she gets to visit with Auntie KK! I had a blast just showing off my sitting skills, smiling and watching those girls. I think I can learn a lot from them. All in all...what a whirlwind couple of days! It all meant so much to me and that I can't wait to repeat it again soon if it means seeing all those wonderful people again!

My Angel, Antonella!

I got to see one of my girlfriends this weekend!! The Taylor Family was coming down to Wildwood for a day trip on Saturday and mommy and daddy talked them into coming to Avalon instead, so us little chillins could hang out and bond. Well- I cannot speak for my sweet little girlie, Antonella...but I sure had a good time. Antonella kinda made my life a little more difficult, though- because she is soooooo well behaved that now mommy and daddy are wondering why I am a bit more fussy than she is. Antonella just sits and smiles and laughs. I was so excited to hang out with her, that I did not take a proper nap and was a little fussy- so in comparison to her mellow mood- I looked bad!! I still love ya, Antonella. Maybe next summer you and your parents can come & spend the whole weekend instead of just one day!

Rice Cereal Rocks!!

At my pediatrician's appointment last week, Dr. Long told mamma that I was allowed to start eating solids. Mommy &b Daddy were not too sure about this- but since I still want to be fed every 2 hours during the day- Mommy figured this could only help. So- long story short, she figured "what the heck" and we decided to give it a shot. Mommy finally chose yesterday as the big day! I had some rice cereal in the morning- and believe it or not, I loved it!! Can you imagine chunky l'il me NOT liking something that goes in my mouth?? Yeah...me neither!!! Mommy was nervous that I would not like it- but obviously that was an unnecessary fear because I took to it like a fish takes to water. This might be TMI, but Mamma is not so happy with the poop that came after the cereal. She better get used to all that, though- because soon enough there will be fruits & veggies in the mix too!! Get out those clothespins for your noses, people...Thunder is rockin' the solids!

Soothing Sleepytime Seahorse

I have a new bedtime buddy and sleeping aid and he has come into my life thanks to my Auntie KK. She is such a great godmamma and has so much baby knowledge. She bought this wonderful sea creature for her little girl Greta...and was sweet enough to buy one for me too. I have been a little bugger falling asleep lately, so not only do I love this toy- but mommy does too because it has cut my pre-sleep fussy time in half!!! I am such a party animal that I just do not like taking time out for sleep. With this little guy in my bed, though- I do not mind as much! I have been falling asleep much better and faster. Now I do not fight bed time as much because I look forward to seeing my seahorse! I love listening to the very peaceful music that has bubble noises as a background. It also lights up with this warm yellow glow that is just so soothing. No longer am I a crabby camper- now I am a nautical napper!!

Sitting Pretty

I am probably posting this prematurely- but I am just so excited...I am sitting up!!!! At first it was just a few seconds and then I would either take a header onto the carpet in front of me, or just fall back like a ton of bricks. Over the weekend, however- I started to be able to sit for longer stints. I am up to about 30 seconds before I, now quite gracefuly, tilt over- mainly to the right side!! Sometimes mommy has me trying to sit too long and I get pretty tired. That is OK, though...when I do get too tired I tend to just lean forward and then I am in a great position to eat my toes!!

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, this little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none, and this little piggy went weeee weeee weeee, all the way into my mouth!!!!! So much for good posture at this point in my life!!

My Extra Special God Family

I had so much fun this weekend visiting with my God family...Kate, Flo, Evie, and (my girlfriend) Greta!! Mommy was really afraid that their visit this weekend to Avalon was going to get postponed because Evie was sick- but she rallied and was better in time for the trip from one end of New Jersey to the other. I was so excited to see them and play- that basically I did not nap the whole time they were here. I just wanted to be part of the party and hang with those cute girls. I will sacrifice anything, even my much needed sleep, for a chance to flirt with pretty ladies. Mommy was so excited, touched, overjoyed, and happy that Auntie KK asked her to be Greta's Godmamma. She is already Evie's godmother and Katie is My Godmamma...so we are truly God families now! It means so much to mommy to be a part of their lives and to have Aunt KK be a prt of mine. Who would have though that 15 years ago when they were next door neighbors at college that they would end up this close and so important to each other!! I am just glad that I get to reap all the benefits and have such wonderful people in my life! In my 4 short little months here(and prior when mommy was pregnant with me)- Aunt KK has already helped mommy out with so much and taken such an interest in me...boy am I one lucky little dude!!!!!!!!

They just left a short time ago and I immediatey crashed HARD for a much needed nap. I tell you what, though...I would do it all over again and love every minute of it- sleep deprivation and all!!