Happy New Year, little man. 2017 was a tough year for a lot of people who validly cite Donald Trump's presidency, natural disasters, and acts of violence among the reasons. Fortunately we were unaffected by a lot of the negatives, and your arrival into the world simply outshined anything else. I'll look back at 2017 as a great year with wonderful memories of you.
Of course, I get to share a lot of these memories as they happen. You spent your first Christmas between Indiana and Washington. A couple of weeks after our Hawaii trip we loaded you and your sister back on a plane to visit with your Mom's side of the family. You were pure entertainment. Everyone just loved how smiley you are and how much you bounce around. We left Indiana on Christmas Eve, and had a long travel day, dodging incoming snow storms at Fort Wayne and our connection in Chicago. You were a total champ on the plane, even when we sat on the tarmac for two hours in Chicago waiting on plane fixes and weather delays.
We woke up to a white Christmas, which is rare in Washington and totally magical. We showed you and your sister how Santa ate some cookies and reindeer ate carrots. I am still working on the narrative for how Santa came through the electric fireplace. You opened a couple presents and then we went on a stroll around the snowy neighborhood in Eliza's new wagon. It was a relaxed, perfect day.
At six months old, you are developing in all the fun ways that entertain the hell out of me. You roll over whenever you can. You have a way of really swinging your chunky legs to roll quickly. Back and forth, back and forth. We have to line up pillows so you don't go the wrong direction and bump your head. You can't quite sit up on your own, but you want to and complain when you're on your back for too long. That may also be your way of saying, "Help my flat head get round and get my ass upright," because the back of your head is a little flat. We're working on that and are trying to avoid a corrective helmet in your immediate future. We'll see what the doctor says at your next check-up.
You don't have teeth yet but you're trying to break them in. You're like a little cannibal because whenever you see hands, especially knuckles, you lunge forward to devour them and gnaw your teeth wildly. It's really funny to watch. I'd say something about a knuckle sandwich but that's an obvious dad joke. You're interested in trying food, grasping at any food we put in front of you -- most often our own when we try and eat with you on lap. We've let you suck on a few bland vegetables because your Mom says we shouldn't get you hooked on sweets. So for now it's been green beans and cucumbers. You act like you've never eaten before, which I guess is technically true. Just wait until you get to taste the really good stuff.
Finally, you're a thumb sucker. It's the best. I know thumb sucking can become a problem later, but for now it's so darn cute. You get a pass for the next six months on that one.
Love, Dad