My dad likes to say, “You spend the first two years trying to get them to talk, and the rest of their lives trying to get them to shut up.” I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I think he is talking specifically about me.
Here is a little video of me trying to coax some sounds out of my kid that might eventually become words. Let’s hear it Gracie.
or “Grace, meet another boy you can never date”
Technically, his name is Luke Enzo Thomas and he was born today at 12:50PM (on his sister Lucy’s 3rd birthday no less!) at a whopping 9 lbs. The proud parents are Joe and Janet Thomas and I have known Joe since he borrowed $5 from me in 7th grade. Yes, Joe, I know you paid me back.
Joe has always loved the movie The Big Blue about world record free-divers. Secretly, Joe has also always wanted to be a dolphin. One of the characters (played by Jean Reno) was named Enzo. And that is the name he wanted to give his son.
His wife is a bit more practical and they compromised by making Enzo the middle name. After Luke Enzo gets past his first 10 years or so and whatever identity crisis comes from your parents each calling you a different name, he will get to choose which one he wants to use…probably.
If they send me a picture, I’ll put it up here, but for now, enjoy Jean Reno.
Update…Pictures!
Congratulations Thomases. Sorry about having to share your birthday Lucy. You can always revel in the fact that you know what your name is.
The pediatrician told us a few days ago that we could probably expect Grace to be holding her head up in the next couple weeks. This video was taken a couple days ago and it looks like the doc was right. She doesn’t do this for too long but give her enough attention and that little girl can do anything.
…or “Why My Mom and Sister May Never Get to Babysit Again“
Grace spent the day down at my parent’s house and Aunt Julie came to visit with her camera and a cruel streak. Mom says it was Julie’s idea. I don’t know what Julie says yet, but I’m sure they both will insist that Grace was totally on board. They also say that she looks better than her cousins Evan and Jack did, but that is for history to decide. They did this out of love, Jenn….really.
Click on the picture or go to her flickr set there are lots more.
Everybody stay calm! There is no need to panic! Grace won’t be knocking down any buildings soon unless they are made of Popsicle sticks and placed very close to her kicking legs, but our little girl is getting huge!
She had her 4 month weigh-in check-up today and they gave us all of her statistics.
After 130 days of life, Grace has reached the amazing weight of 12 lbs, 11 oz (nearly a stone)!! This puts her in the 25th (up from 10th) percentile of all babies her age. Her little bald head is 40 centimeters around (about the length of an average sized piece of string) which is the 25th percentile and she is 23 1/4 inches long (about a cubit and a half) which is in the 10th percentile (up from the 5th). I have no idea why we need so many different units of measurement for one little girl but I’m sure it has something to do with charging the insurance company.
According to her doctor, she is acting like a 3 1/2 to 4 month old, which means she will soon surpass her father, as far as that goes. Nyah, nyah, nyah!
Now that Grace is focusing on objects around the house, it is interesting to see which ones capture her attention. One such object has quickly risen far above the others. If you have visited any apartment of mine in the past decade, you will have noticed a 12″ diameter disco ball hanging from the ceiling. I have taken it on sailing trips, to vineyard parties and anywhere else that seems ready for a party, but lacks the right lighting. Even though the ball has been unplugged since before she was born, Grace noticed it as soon as her eyeballs started focusing, and she can’t stop staring. I am afraid to think what might happen when I turn that thing on.
So this brings up some somewhat disconcerting possibilities…
One is that she is just biding her time as a bobble-head baby until she can figure out how to get out onto a dance floor and boogie til dawn. It will be our luck to have a disco revival in about 14 years, just about the time she figures out how to sneak out of the house.
Another is that she ramping up for a lifetime of fascination with shiny objects. If that is the case, at least I know she gets it from her mother.
I am open to other possibilities
