Silky Smooth...

Mommy and Daddy May and I usually spend weekend mornings cozied up together. Don't get me wrong, we get up way too early (usually by 7am!) to be considered lazy bums, but we hang out and snuggle and play. I often end up taking a nice nap at some point, too. This morning, I wasn't happy sharing space, so, inch by inch, I tookover the bed until there wasn't much room left for Mommy or Daddy May! In the midst of all of this wiggling, I discovered a new fascination... satin! I love rubbing my face on it, as you can see here:

Mommy and Daddy May were shocked--and a bit concerned--about how much I loved rubbing my face on Daddy May's pillow case. Everyone's heard of babies and their blankies, but neither Mommy nor Daddy May ever had one. For further testing, Mommy May dug out a satin pillow case and put it in my crib with me. Obligingly, I immediately assumed the position and dropped right off to sleep:

Now, for all of you sputtering and drawing breaths to scream and yell about the risk of SIDS, never fear: Mommy and Daddy May made sure to move it away from my face right away. I just really loved how it felt... so silky and smooth!!

Not-So-Fairy Tales...

My poor Mommy May is feeling under the weather. She and Daddy May cleaned out an old fridge on Saturday afternoon--and there were a lot of mold spores in the freezer! They wore gloves and masks and tried to avoid breathing it in, but, on Sunday evening, Mommy May started sneezing and couldn't stop. Since then, she has felt awful and has had lots of trouble with her sinuses. Kaiser recommended rest, Claritin, and Benadryl. I hate to see Mommy May sick, but I was happy to spend the day with her today. I was extra-special good and everything!!

We both took several naps today, and read more than a few books. One story, that Mommy May picked up from the library, was particularly interesting:

Mommy May and I both really liked the story... I even had Daddy May read it to me again tonight at bedtime. It is certainly not your run-of-the-mill children's book. The book is all about Mr. Wolf and his Grandma, who are hosting a party in honor of Baby Bear's birthday. The book starts with tips on cooking, recipes, and cleaning up. There is a definite twist, however, when that naughty little girl, Goldilocks, finally gets her comeuppance.

We all thought it was a hoot. When Mommy May looked it up on Amazon.com, however, she was pretty surprised at how many parents blasted it as a violent story. We would like to take a stand and defend this clever story. It is in no way violent, and only--just barely--hints at blondie's fate.

Or perhaps we're just a perverse little family :-)

Quarterly Report...

I am 3 months old today. Can you even believe it?!?! My, how time flies...

Here's a photo Daddy May took this morning:

Don't I look handsome? Mommy May was telling me today that, while she would never regret having a son (especially one as darling as me!), she used to look at the little girl clothes and sigh over how adorable they were. But, now, she's just as excited to dress me in what she calls my big boy clothes. I even have a few pairs of sneakers already, and lots of cute polo shirts... just like Daddy May!

I have also reached another major milestone... I have learned how to grab my toys!! Here I am playing with one, albeit a bit solemnly:

Somehow, in that last shot, I seem to have lost my pants... pardon my chubby thighs :-)

And, here I am, relaxing with what is still my favorite play thing:

While today started with smiles and play, the rest of the day didn't quite work out that way. Mommy and Daddy May always take me with them to do weekend errands, and I am always very well behaved. Today, I was fussy and cranky and cried so hard in one store that Mommy May had to take me out to the car, where I continued to cry inconsolably for another 20 minutes.

Eventually, I fell asleep and napped while Mommy and Daddy May had a quick lunch. Once we were home, I was ok for a while, though much quicker to cry than normal. My afternoon was nice, and I played some more with Mommy and Daddy May. Bath time, as always, was peaceful and nice, but the tears started up again--BIG TIME--at bedtime.

I didn't want to be swaddled. I didn't want to breastfeed. I didn't want my baba. I didn't want my binky. I didn't want to lay down. I didn't want to be walked. Pretty much, I didn't want to do anything but scream and cry. At long, long last, after an hour of this, I let Mommy May hold and rock me while I sucked on my binky. When she tried to put me down in my crib, the waterworks started once again. So Mommy May, bless her, held me, rocked me, kissed me, and sang to me, until I finally, finally, fell asleep.

*snore*

Too Cute for Words! Well, Most of the Time...

Mommy May snapped this super cute picture of me tonight right before my bath:

Being this cute really is a full time job. To be fair, however, I feel the need to confess that I am not quite this adorable all the time. Here's a picture Nani took that, to be honest, would be better left unposted:

In this picture, I am wearing a sweater that's 3 sizes too small. It's a shame, too, cause it's a gift Cousin Laura brought me all the way from Costa Rica. Well, at least this photo shows I'm human and have a few bad pictures, just like everyone else!

Solano Avenue Stroll

Today was Albany's 34th annual Solano Stroll, and we had a great time walking around and checking it out! Solano Ave is a pretty cool street in Albany/Berkeley, with lots of restaurants and shops. The Stroll is an annual street fair, and it's very popular, as you can see here:

Here we are with my very comfy and cozy jogger stroller:

Yes, I am indeed wearing a doggie hat, and, yes, I realize I am adorable:

The best part of the day was the parade... I loved the horses!

Everyone thought this funny little car was interesting:

This car, though, takes the cake! Only in Berkeley, eh?

There was also plenty of different kinds of dancing!

There were booths of all kinds, for food, crafts, health, clubs... even religion!! I am just sorry Mommy May didn't snap a picture of the East Bay Atheists booth. I think it's safe to say that people of all kinds were represented... for bike lovers, there was even a Bike Rapper. That's right, this guy spent the day rapping about how great bikeriding is:

After a while, and a short nap while Mommy and Daddy May and Laura walked around some more, I started to get hungry, so we started the trek home. On the way, we admired some of Albany's pretty neighborhoods, and we snapped this cute picture of Cousin Laura and a motorcycle:

A few blocks up from our place, we passed by a house we've seen a few times before. Today, however, there was an unexpected surprise... apparently, Obama is now making house calls:

Here's a close up, just because I thought it was necessary:

All in all, it was a very fun day, and I can't wait to do it again next year!!

Third Time's NOT a Charm...

It figures that, just days after posting (insert: bragging) about how wonderful our daily routine has become, things would immediately fall apart.

For the past 3 nights, out of nowhere, I have suddenly started having serious issues with bedtime. I am the same happy baby all day, waking up in the morning happy as a clam, eating and playing and napping as usual into the afternoon. Bath time also goes on without a hitch, and I have even been ok after my bath, while I get into my pj's. Once it's time for my bedtime snack and story time, though, I have what Mommy May has not-so-affectionately described as a meltdown.

Suddenly, I start kicking and screaming and refusing to nurse, refusing my pacifier, and refusing to calm down, even when held and rocked. Mommy and Daddy May have tried all sorts of things to soothe me, to no avail. This goes on for about an hour, until I suddenly decide I'm ready to nurse. I then eat, calm down, and go right to sleep. Even I admit that this is strange behavior, and very, very unlike me.

I wish I could help them out and tell them what's wrong, but, hey, I'm just an infant. I can't talk, and, even if I could, I still couldn't tell them, cause I don't honestly know. All I know is that I get very upset and uncomfortable and wish it would stop!

In closing, I feel the need to acknowledge that, in the grand scheme of things, an hour of fussiness a night is hardly cause for panic. We've just become so accustomed to bedtime going off without a hitch, and it's strange to have such a change so quickly without any idea why.

I promise to keep everyone posted... hopefully, I'll have good news soon!

Whodunit? Mystery Solved!

I recently posted about a very clever onesie I got as a gift from an unknown benefactor... well, I'm pleased to report that we have figured out who sent it! Thanks, Aunt Katie, for sending me such a great outfit!! And, while I'm a little young to be declaring my political party as of yet, never fear: Mommy May is still liberal enough to live in the Bay Area ;-)

Thank you, too, for my Babar book:

Our whole family was super excited to get this book and start reading it. Of course, it's new for me, but Mommy and Daddy May had never read Babar before, even though they had heard lots about him. Believe it or not, we have already read through more than half of it.

I hope that I can meet you very soon and give you thanks (and hugs and kisses, of course!!) in person!

Happy Happy, Joy Joy...

Things around here have been settling into a pretty nice routine: I start each day with a feeding sometime between 5:00 and 6:00 am, and then I get to lay in bed with Mommy and Daddy May for a little while before they get up and start getting ready for work. Here I am during that special time, all spread out and cozy, while Mommy May catches a few more ZzZz's:

I usually move closer and closer to Mommy May for snuggles; sometimes I end up almost pushing Mommy May off the bed! She says she doesn't mind, though... she just hugs me close and gives me extra kisses.

After that, I greet the day with smiles, getting changed and dressed and fed one more time before Mommy and Daddy May leave for work. Then, my cousin Laura hangs out with me until Nani gets to our house to spend the day with me. We have fun talking and playing... and even watching a few cartoons here and there! This is a bit of an older picture, of me chatting with my Tía Lu on her last visit, but it really shows how much I love to talk:

I still really miss Mommy and Daddy May a lot while they're at work, but I also have a lot of fun with my Nani and cousin Laura. I am drinking more and more milk every day and growing so quickly!! I'm already starting to grow out of my 3-6 month clothes, and we're starting to dress me in 6-9 month sizes. Can you believe that?!

By 4:00 or 4:30 pm, Mommy May finally gets home from work, and we spend a lot of time cuddling and talking and feeding. Daddy May gets home a little after 5:00 pm, and then he and I catch up too. Mommy and Daddy May got me an awesome jogger stroller, and we take long walks most afternoons, spending time together and getting some fresh air and exercise. Then it's bath time, which I love more and more everyday... I've even learned how to lift up my torso until I start to float in the water! Mommy May says I'm going to swim like a fish someday.

After my bath, Daddy May still reads to me every night, and I am really starting to get into the pictures and stories! Here we are, reading about a trickster named Justin:

After my story, and one more quick snack, it's time to sleep. I still go to bed between 7:00 and 8:00 pm, but now I sleep straight through until almost 3:00 am. Mommy May feeds me really quickly, then it's back to sleep until the next day begins.

Not a bad life, eh?

It's a Mystery...

Because of our recent move, the hoopla around my baby party, and the numerous visitors--not to mention Mommy May going back to work!--Mommy and Daddy May and I have gotten a little behind in sending out thank you cards for all of the generous gifts people have given and sent recently. Rest assured that those very important notes will soon be on their way!

A while back, though, we received a mystery gift, which I am happy to model here:

This cheeky onesie, which has "I Already Know More Than The President" printed on the front, arrived in the mail with a card that reads, "This one is for your mom." We read all over the card and envelope, but it was not signed! At first, we all assumed it was from my Uncle Trav, because he had told us before that he was sending some gifts in the mail and completed the order by accident before signing his name. When Mommy May talked to him on the phone several weeks later, though, Uncle Trav said the onesie, while super clever, was not his gift.

So, now I am appealing to my readers, hoping that someone will help us to solve this mystery and give thanks where thanks is due!

Baby May's Special Day...

I promised to post some pictures from my party a few weeks ago, and, young as I am, I try to keep my promises :-)

Here I am with Tía Lu and Uncle Pete, getting ready for my big day. I had lots and lots to say, as well as big smiles.

Here we are, the Family May! I'm not sure why Daddy May and I look so serious. At least Mommy May remembered to smile...

I can't believe how many extra special gifts I have received in my short little lifetime: in addition to the wonderful blankets and toys and clothes and shoes, I have gotten many handmade items. People have taken the time to make me blankets and quilts and sweaters. My latest personalized gift is this painted onesie... someone painted me a ducky onesie... isn't that amazing?!?! The gift is from my friend Lila's family--Lila's mommy knows I'm a pretty big boy, so she made sure the onesie was size 12-month. It's a little too big for me now, but, once I'm old enough to rock it, I will be sure to share some pics!!

I was also able to meet some of my extended family, who drove a very, very, very long way to come and meet me!! Here I am with my Great Aunt Beatriz and my Great Uncle Julio. I love you guys!

We had pizza, we had sandwiches, we even had cake and ice cream, and the party got a little crazy as the day went on. Here's my friend Lila, who got a prize horsie because her mommy won my Baby May Pool. Isn't she beautiful?? Apparently, my Nani actually demonstrated how to use the horsie. I will forever regret that no one got a picture of that!

Here's my Tía Lu, giving me some tips on bottle-drinking. You go, girl!

Just in the background, to the left, is a lovely picture of my Auntie M, who also made a major trek to come and meet me. I was able to spend some wonderful time with her, and I hope I get to see her again very soon!