Sunday, August 28, 2011

The Bostonius reaches 6 months of age

Well, hello. Boston turns 7 months tomorrow so I figured I'd better get his 6 month post up! Here is an update on his 6 month old self, along with tremendously cute photos.

getting so big!

I can't get enough of his cuteness. I just can't.

Physical
Boston basically loves sitting these days. He prefers to sit or stand and play instead of laying on his back. He does love a good investigative session on his belly, but gets frustrated eventually by his limited view and inability to move around, except rotating some sweet 360s on his tum-tum. He likes to walk everywhere and check out a new vantage point, and sits pretty well with the occasional tumble, so I keep pillows behind him still! He loves swimming--splashing around and kicking his legs and wiggling his little bum like a fish. SO. ADORABLE. He eats lots of new foods including sweet potato, squash, banana, etc. He jumps around lots and is developing his leg muscles. I asked Jason what some of his 6 month developments were and he said, "He's become more awesome than anyone would have ever imagined." I think that pretty much covers it. :) At his 6 month appointment, he was 18 pounds (chunky chunkers!) and 25 inches, I think. 50th percentile for weight and just below that for height.

jumping
swimming!

 waking up cheerful as always

wearing Daddy's old trousers
 
 eating delicious food

 napping on his side is the preferred method. and feet intertwined between two rails.

Intellectual
Boston loves scratching things with his fingers and trying to figure out what things make what noises. He loves playing with the blinds in the morning and watching the effect of pulling down the strings to shut them. I don't think he's figured out cause and effect yet, but he's pretty fascinated with it. We play a lot of peek-a-boo lately also, and he's starting to realize that if I go into another room, I don't cease to exist. It's fun to see him start to enjoy this game. He gets a super intent look on his face when he is trying to figure out how to grab things and figure out how to insert them into his mouth. He continues to be very curious and can hardly nurse at church in the mothers' room because he is so intent on figuring out where that voice is coming from! I think he's pretty much a genius.

insert hands into mouth


Social
B continues to be a social butterfly. He is now interested in babies' faces and in interacting with them, whereas before he would only look at adults. Now he wants to grab everyone's noses and eat them and stick his hands in their mouths. He still saves his most excited smiles (accompanied with jumping) for Dad and Mom, but he will turn on the charm for all the ladies, as long as their voices aren't very shrill. He seems to react to shrill voices with wariness. He loves crowds and social gatherings and always wants to be a part of the fun... always trying to get someone's attention so he can engage them in a conversation, baby style. He says "ma ma ma" all the time and also "ba ba ba" and also can soak anyone within a 2 foot radius with his skillful raspberries.

playing with Great-Grandma R

our little man


Emotional
Boston is still the most happy kid I have had the pleasure of being around. I feel pretty lucky. He shows impatience when I am not feeding him his yogurt cereal quickly enough, or when he can't reach something he wants. He started to whine at me super loudly for a while about getting things that he wanted and getting them RIGHT NOW but I informed him with my look that whining was not an appropriate way of communicating. Haha. He stopped pretty quick when he didn't see results. Phew. He looooooves laughing and will smile spontaneously and laugh at pretty much everything. He loves to laugh with other kids who are laughing. Boston is extremely ticklish and loves to be tickled on his feet and under his neck and also laughs a lot when I am changing his diaper. Funny kid. I think he can tell how much his daddy loves him because he always lights right up when he sees the painting of us that Danelle did and tries to chat with Dad. So cute.  


tickles!



Everyone tells me that this is such a fun age, and THEY ARE RIGHT. What a great time I have with my little buddy.


Monday, August 8, 2011

Les Mis.



While in London, I had the opportunity to see Les Miserables. It was fantastic. AND I was able to see it, albeit standing, for only 10 pounds (roughly 16 dollars). So there I stood, in the back of the Queen's Theater, just outside of Picadilly Circus, for 3 moving hours.

I loved it for a number of reasons. 1. I was able to stand next to the sound booth and talk shop with the front of house engineer. For those of you who care, they're using a DiGiCO SD7, with DPA Cardiod microphones. Everything is in the box-no outboard gear at all. 2. The storyline is moving and touching. I couldn't help but think of my family, my faith, and my devotion to both of them. 3. The performances were outstanding. Jean Valjean was incredible. Bring Him Home was heavenly. I must admit I always thought that song was kind of stupid until I saw it in context and sung with such power and emotion.

So it was great. Though I had to think about the audience. The impression I received about the audience was that they were more into the performances than the message of Les Mis, which I thought was kind of sad. Because the whole musical, in my opinion, is a reflection of one of the last lines of the play penned by Victor Hugo, 'To love another person is to see the face of God.' The musical is about love, devotion, faith, commitment, and integrity... all things that point us to the Master of the universe. Anyway, I hope the message rang through for more than the dude who stood in the back of the room.

Friday, August 5, 2011

London.

So work sent me to London to do a broadcast for the Young Men Presidency. It'll originate from the Hyde Park Chapel. It's historic... Though I'm not sure why, but historic nonetheless. This would be my first trip across the pond (which Laura kindly reminded me that it's actually the Atlantic Ocean). It's been fun. Got to see Buckingham Palace and one a dem guards with the fuzzy hats walk around. I think they wear clogs. Also saw Big Ben and um trees and Westminster Abbey. London is a lot like Boston... or rather Boston is a lot like London only people drive on the other side of the road... which has made me a rather paranoid pedestrian. But now I'm getting used to it.

Anyway, I miss my family. So many moments where I wished L and B were here too. Maybe someday. Enjoy some pictures.





Thursday, August 4, 2011

oh, what a beautiful 11:30pm

Why, oh why do I stay up until super super late when J is gone? I think it is a habit worth breaking. B has been asleep for 2 hours and 28 minutes... and I could have been also, methinks, except for the 40 minutes it took me to make granola (necessary) and the 30 to edit J's final paper (more necessary). So really I could have at least had an hour of sleep by now, but instead, I am up reading blogs and surfing the internet pointlessly. I am thinking of when Sister Beck spoke to the Salt Lake region about how we need to view the computer as a tool, like a dishwasher, to help our families, and to be careful of sitting down and then realizing it's been 3 hours. Ha. I am going to go to bed. BUT first, a photo. And to come: B turned 6 months old! He's cute and chunky! I'll give you all kinds of updates on that front. And my new goal is to make this blog a better outlet of thoughts and also better document the fun stuff that goes on for us grahamy pantses.

We love you lots.