It's Gerber, Not Gourmet

As you grow you have developed an expanding sense of taste. I knew it was true from the first time I saw you eat those delicious sweet potatoes. That tongue of yours has baby tastebuds! You ate your way through the vegetable world, and soon discovered the joys of fruits; applesauce being an early favorite. From there it was off to baby yogurt, which tastes a lot like adult yogurt. Now we are tasting proteins. It is still a mystery to me why they mix meats with all the side items but you seen to love it. We served you your first tastes of thanksgiving all from one jar last week. Turkey and sweet potatoes go together pretty well, even in a pureed form. The jar didn't mention gravy or dressing or cranberries. Those are my favorite parts of the thanksgiving meal. It is fun to watch your expression when we pop a new flavor into your mouth. It is also fun to watch your mom's face too as she tries a taste of it. In the rare event of leftovers, I may also try a sample myself. Eat well my child, for I have already declared that you are going to have to learn to eat what your mom and I like; and we dont live on hot dogs and chicken nuggets!

Reaching Up, Reaching Out

Your movements have become so much more coordinated now. You are doing some pretty good waving when you see someone exciting. When you want to be picked up, you have started reaching for your mom or me. We come over, arms go up. It is pretty cool to come over to you and see those arms extend for us to pick you up. There have even been a couple of times that it seemed like you even hugged my neck when I did. That was really cool. Your motor skills are developing quick, but in moments of sheer excitement your arms and legs are still all over the place. I am still waiting for you to give me a black eye or another bloody nose when they flail about wildly. Your face pinching and hair pulling skills could become the next olympic sport though. You are refining your technique.

To pinch, or not to pinch? That is the question.

To pinch or not to pinch? Leprechauns Would be proud of your efforts. What about hair pulling and face grabbing? Or mouthing my arm like a teething toy? It makes no difference to you whether I wear green or not, your always after me; pinching, pulling, grabbing, and mouthing. St. Patrick's day or any day of the week. I guess it is just normal for a baby to do these types of things. Still, in your little green legwarmers and green trimmed outfit, you had a mischievous gleam in your eye just like a little leprechaun. Now please lead us over the next rainbow to a pot of gold. Or at least to a nice patch of four-leafed clovers.

Bringing Home Baby

Your Mamaw was with us this weekend for your dedication. It has been 6 months since she has seen you and we were so excited that she was coming to spend the weekend. When your mom picked her up she told her that she was going to send her into your classroom and have her pick you out, and that she had better not bring home the wrong baby! We had a good laugh about that. When the time came, she sure enough picked you out of all the babies in your class. I knew she would remember you.

Popularity Contest

It's official, we've been downgraded in popularity. Used to be any time we went out we were recognized by people we know. Last night when the three of us went out to have dinner, someone behind us that we didn't know recognized you. We were just the people you happened to be with at the time. It was one of your classmates and his parents. His mom talked to you before talking to us, asking you where that smile was that she was used to seeing every morning. Now we are getting accustomed to you stealing all the attention when we visit family. I even let you make the obligitory phone call to your mamaw when you were having a particularly talkative and outspoken moment. She would rather talk to you than us, even if it is babytalk. At church the same thing happens, and it is fine. Whenever we open the door, people come running to greet you before us. This is to be expected. You are an extension of us to these people, something fresh and exciting. We are probably like yesterday's news to them at this point, old and boring. Even, gasp, predictable! We've become downgraded to just part of your entourage. They all want to see and talk to you. Now you have usurped us in popularity even among strangers. Dont gloat just yet though, miss popularity, the same thing used to happen before you came along whenever I took the dog places!

Conversation Hearts

I'm posting a few days late but your first Valentine's day has come and gone. In a few years we will probably go to a traditional Father/Daughter dance around Valentine's day. Although I'm not much of a dancer, I'm rather looking forward to it but I'm a little bit nervous too. What will we talk about on that big night? Will we still talk so freely when you become older and I teach you how to expect a gentleman to act when he is escorting you? That is what these dances are really all about; fathers demonstrating to their daughters the way that they deserve to be treated by future suitors. I can't imagine you becoming a teenager and dating. 6 months has flown by faster than I ever thought possible. Right now I can pick you up and waltz around the kitchen with you in my arms. You love this. It makes you giggle. You are becoming quite conversational with your sweet little baby talk. Talking and dancing with you like this is nice. When we go on our first Father/Daughter dance we can get all dressed up. It will seem so formal. I hope I can still make you giggle when you are that age. What will we talk about when you are that old? Time will only tell, but you have all the makings of becoming a real sweet talker. For now we just dance around the kitchen in our pajamas, and the conversation flows rather organically without any of the pressure of life's valuable lessons.

Dropped off by Daddy

Lately I've been noticing more and more just how many dads do the morning "drop-off" routine at your school. Seems like this is the "guy thing" to do, the dropping off. Mom gets to be the hero and rescue you at "pick-up time" at the end of the day. You don't seem to mind being dropped off one bit. You only cried once when I dropped you off, and that was simply a fleeting whimper that ended before I had reached the door. There is too much to see and do when I drop you off for you to become fussy. You are usually noticing the other babies or playing with whatever toys I give you when I put you down. We greet all the other babies in your class each morning. I want you to be well socialized. Then we play for a few minutes but I could stay for hours if I weren't so disciplined. As much as we may play or giggle in the mornings, there is always something else to grab your attention once we are there so you won't get upset when I leave. Your face actually lights up when we walk in the place. Then I call your mom, tell her who was there, give the fashion report, and finally head to work. Even after all these months the dropping off is still tough. Why do you think I am always late for work. All of the other dads probably have the same problem too.