Lucky Number 7

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday dear JW,

Happy birthday to you!

Today you turned 7 months old. June and July are big birthday months in our family and oh boy, what a celebration we've had over the last month. Plenty of BBQs and birthday cake to last until you turn one! One thing I noticed this month is just how lovely our family sings Happy Birthday. I mean, we actually sing on key and harmonize. What a lucky boy you are to be born into such a talented family :)

This month we celebrated your first Independence Day by joining Grandpa Ted and Gramma Kathy in the neighborhood parade and picnic. This pretty much means all the kids who live in, or have ever lived in the neighborhood for generations decorate their bikes, strollers, dogs, whatever with red, white and blue streamers and ribbons then march around the neighborhood.
The coolest part of the whole parade was the big red fire truck that escorted us through the streets. The calendar-worthy firemen even let us check out the fire truck after the parade. You thought that was pretty special. I thought you were going to tumble head first off the bumper.

What wasn't cool about the parade was the guy juggling a couple sticks, which were on fire. He also happened to be walking right next to us when he DROPPED his fire sticks, nearly torching our entire entourage.

This month marks some big milestones for you, my little friend. First, you went to daycare for the first time last week. This was really hard for mama. As if handing you to a perfect stranger who in no way will love you like Gramma Nay loved you wasn't hard enough, the look you gave me as I walked away, a look like, "Wait, are you really going to leave me here?" really put me over the edge. I cried all day. Your dad tried to console me by saying, "Are you sure JW wasn't asking, 'Hey Lady, why are you still here?'" This did not help out matters or make me feel any better. Despite the booger nose and junky cough you now have (because I'm sure you've licked every inch of that viral daycare floor), you appear to be enjoying your new digs. In fact, I think you have a new girlfriend. Her name is Hazel - she is a real cutie pie.

Speaking of a real cutie pie, YOU are a showstopper. Everywhere we go I hear, "That is a cute baby!" "Oh, what a darling baby!" "Wow, that baby is adorable!" Yes, you are adorable. So much so that I have a giant head shot of you on my computer wallpaper at work so I can stare at you all day. What I have also heard is, "Well you know what they say...ugly parents make cute babies." I'm sure the two times I've heard this (yes, twice!) the people saying it were not intentionally trying to be jerks (or maybe they were?). If there is one thing I teach you in life it's going to be how to properly treat a lady. Rule number one is NEVER, directly or indirectly, implied or jokingly tell a lady she is ugly. I don't care if she's the spawn of Quasi Motto and Shrek, you just don't say that. That's almost worse than, "You are fat."

but I digress...

Your second major milestone this month - you have a tooth! While at lunch with Gramma Nay the other day you were sucking on a piece of bread, when lo and behold I noticed (or Gramma claims she saw it first) a little tooth popping through your bottom gum. We were both thrilled. You were more interested in sucking on that piece of bread which I eventually took away after you darn near choked to death).

I'm always amazed at how fast you are growing up. Before I know it, you are going to be crawling. You have been practicing your crawling moves like crazy. You especially like to practice your moves while I try to change your diapers. Or maybe you just like hangin' out.