River Flynn,

This month was full of so many fun things with you. Your doctor’s appointment was hysterical as always since you insist on making every single nurse fall in love with you every time. You giggled at every little cold touch and showed off your new teeth like they were your greatest possession. I miss the days of sitting you on the bench and knowing you would sit tight, but I’ll gladly catch every almost fall to the ground if you keep that sweet disposition up. Your dad’s favorite thing to say about you is “he’s just happy to be here”. It’s so true little bit. You are. You’re always just happy to have us around you, and always save your drama for the times when you really are miserable (ahem, teeth seem to do that trick). The dr visit informed us that you’re 18 pounds of jolly and 27.5 inches long.

You’re crawling all over the house and getting faster by the day. I joked that I can sit you down and hand Sheppard something only to realize you’re halfway down the hall giggling like you’re getting away with something hysterically sneaky. I had just figured out a nice little pallet situation for you in the playroom when I realized shortly after that it could only contain you long enough to get back to my, now lukewarm, cup of morning coffee. Touché kiddo, touché. You’ve had your first time in a swing, first sleep over at Honey’s, first farmer’s market visit, family beach trip, ice cream cone, and bath tub in the big boy tub all in one month! I told you, big things little man. Okay okay, I’ll sum the last sentence up a bit with a few more details. The swing? Obsessed! Wouldn’t make it more than two pushes without losing your paci from the wild bursts of laughter. The sleepover? A good old bump on the noggin from so much fun and apparently you only woke one extra time which in my book is a big success! Beach trip? Genius! Ice cream? Holy smokes! And your brother shared it which made it even better. Don’t worry, I got it on video and will add it one day when you both give me more than 5 minutes at a time to myself. Not complaining, but seriously boys……seriously! Farmer’s market was a bust. You didn’t wine, but you weren’t all “Oh my gosh let’s do this every weekend guys!” And lastly, the tub. Let’s just say that a face wash given by yourself is in the near future. You have zero understanding that it isn’t the place to practice crawling, or wobble side to side as if your brother is going to catch you in a mommy fashion (side note: he most definitely will not be catching you).

I swear you’re about to say Mama. Or Dada. For now, it’s more of a “bababababababa” but still, you’ve got the technique down. Impressive little one. You STILL wake once a night. You may go a night or two a week only waking once either close to when we put you down or an hour before wake up time, but generally you’re still all over the board with when it will happen and I’m all tapping your Dad saying “the baby is up” soaking up the tiny parenthood victory that was my convincing him that middle of the night feedings when down to one are his and his alone. You LOVE a good baby mum (rice cake for babies…) and you think avocado and snippets of Shep’s morning muffins are the bees knees. Pacis, lovies, all things baby are your favorites and you are 100% on board for car trips if they involve Mickey Mouse playing on the DVD player. You get the biggest smile when he hits the screen and I sit up front sweeping away the “bad parenting” cobwebs from my mind as I enjoy the tiny moments of absolute silence that is our joy and a bit of a charge up on my Mommy battery.

Now….it has to be said. I realize that you love your crib. I taught you that ya know! You can’t be rocked fro thirty minutes a night while your 2 year old brother roams the house alone, but let’s make a deal this month. On the nights that Daddy is home before your bed time, let’s snuggle like hard core, let me hold you while you sleep again snuggle. I’ll buy you a pony. You’re my favorite child. I will pay for your first house. Here’s a $20.

Do we have  deal?

Xx Mommy