Another Orange Crab

Dear Jack,

I just took your official four month picture and put it on the side of your blog.

Unfortunately, because of how small the picture is, I don't think anyone can see the secret orange crab.

I was so happy when I found it... I thought you had already worn all of your crabbie outfits in pictures.

Love,
Mom

Endorphins, or something

Dear Jack,

Holding a baby is very relaxing. Somebody once told me that there are all of these endorphins released and that's what makes it so relaxing.

I don't really know the science behind it.

I just know that if we are the least bit sleep deprived, neither your father nor I can hold you for very long without drifting off... just for minute.

I got to be standing there when you kicked your dad and startled him awake.

Payback for all the times he has startled you awake with his sneezes, I'm sure.

Love,
Mom

Rolling Around

Dear Jack,

Your mobility astounds me. I was watching you in the playroom and realized that I should go get the video camera.

Otherwise I will never believe myself that you were rolling back and forth this easily at less than four months old.

I have to wonder if you are rolling around so well now, how soon will you crawl or even walk. Don't misunderstand my tone, here. Everyone agrees that early walkers are a challenge.

So keep on rolling, son. For many, many months. Learn some reasonableness. Then walk.

Love,
Mom

A Little Orange Crab

Dear Jack,

In case you hadn't noticed, I like the color orange on you a lot. A whole lot. When I pregnant with you, I felt myself drawn to clothes with little orange crabs. This is silly, I know, but it's true. (Your sister, by the way, was a little yellow duck, in my mind.)

I decided that the logic for the orange was that yellow had been your sister's color and really, yellow, orange, and green are the three big options for gender neutral baby clothes and since we didn't know with either of you whether to buy blue or pink, we had to go with one of the other color options. So, yellow had been "taken" by your sister. Leaving green and orange. Why not green? I don't know. I just liked the orange.

As for the crab? Well, you were born in May, so a lot of the clothes I bought for you were summer clothes, so the crab I guess is beachy and several clothing lines seemed to have crabs on a least one or two of their outfits. I think you owned at least four orange crab outfits... one from Carters, one from Target, and two from Gymboree. So the crab was available.

But more than that, I think with your sister born on your father's birthday, I really wanted you to be a summer baby with me and Cancer the crab is my zodiac sign and I have always identified with certain aspects of a crab... the tough outer shell, the water, the affinity for home that a hermit crab has. So, when I thought of a crab and you, I was always thinking a little of myself. (And never thinking the word "crabby," I promise.)

So here we are, September, and you have completely outgrown two of your crab outfits and are really close to outgrowing the other two.

This made me really sad. It also made me dash out to the outlet mall....

This one will be for next summer.

Love,
Mom

(Where) Are You Sleeping?

Dear Jack,

When your sister was three months old, I transitioned her out of the parental bed into her very own bassinet in the master bedroom. Then, at four months old, she started sleeping in her crib in her own room across the house.

You will be four months old in another couple of weeks and I have yet to make any effort to transition you anywhere.

Why would I? You sleep so well snuggled up next to me. Most nights, you still wake up to nurse at least once, although you do sleep through the night at least once a week.

We hold hands while you sleep, I watch your eyes flutter closed. I wake up to the sound of your breathing.

Why would I give that up?

I guess because every little boy has to leave his mama's bed eventually. But I realized with your sister that once you move the baby out of the family bed, there's no going back and all that time she was across the house, I might have slept better, I still missed her a lot.

So, eventually is not today.

And I'm so glad of that.

Love,
Mom

Jack's Feet

Dear Jack,

I think it's your Aunt Dani who talks about that stage when babies discover their feet. It's a really adorable phase and you are currently in it.

This means that you are purposefully grasping things and bringing them to your mouth. You can actually play with toys and when there are no toys to play with, your feet and hands will do, for now.

Also, it's really cute to see baby contortionist tricks.

Love,
Mom

A Toy for Jack

Dear Jack,

I made this for you. A crinkly taggie blanket square.

And you are actually playing with it.

That warms my heart.

Love,
Mom