Wanna see Henry walk?

So do we!

Bedtime story with Daddy

Dinner on the deck

After a few days of April showers, everything is finally in bloom.

Spring.

Hurray!

Holding and stepping

Henry's ability to support himself with this grip on my hand is new, literally today. He can take a few tiny steps like this if he's in the mood. He can also remain standing by himself - no hands - for a split second before he realizes he's scared, bends his knees carefully, and squats down again.

Percussion

Matzo brei

Our friends Ebru and David were in from New York for a short visit. Their arrival on Friday coincided with Ken's birthday, which was fun. On Saturday morning they made matzo brei -- an interesting concotion. Henry thought it tasted nice and buttery.



Later (while Henry napped) we went for a walk around campus. This is the doorway of the Yale library. Can you believe I had never looked up at it before?

One more

Henry last weekend, posing for Sonali. Looking all poised and grown up and stuff.

That was before his stranger anxiety kicked in this week (Tuesday to be precise). Now he clings to my pant leg or Ken's and whines to be picked up when there are strange people around. At least until he's used to them (5 minutes or so) and becomes the life of the party. Also, he has been unusually clingy and eager to be held. At the babysitter's house this morning, he crawled to the door and started to fuss when I was about to leave.

I admit we still find it charming.

Photos from Sonali (last weekend)

Afternoon on the deck:

Peek-a-boo!

Big bath

Around 6:30 pm is still our favorite time of day. If Ken or I have an appointment on campus or something, we strive to be "home by bathtime."




What you don't see here is Henry playing with the drain plug. He's fascinated with it. Sometimes he pulls it out and then, realizing that his bath water is escaping and his precious bath will soon end, hands it to me screaming for me to put it back in. Other times he'll sit and follow the water down the drain with his fingers, as if amazed at the sound it makes and the motion.

Sunday at the beach

A visit with Sonali

My friend Sonali, in town from NYC for the weekend, had a hankering to see the sea. So here we are at Lighthouse Point Park. Note that Henry wasn't particularly keen to pose atop the cement turtle.

Exploring the natural environment

Fortunately, we found a relatively clean patch of East Rock Park to sit in. Henry had never seen acorns before, and he was rapt. He must have sat in exactly the same position for about half an hour, sampling grass blades, acorns, and little clods of dirt.

It's amazing what babies will put in their mouths.

(We tried to be careful not to let him swallow anything.)


Want some?

One more (upside down)

Spring at last

Saturday afternoon

Sippy grippy

Has Henry finally gotten the hang of the sippy cup? He had no problem grasping the bottle concept, but the sippy cup has been more difficult than we had expected. He chews on the spout as though it were a toothing toy instead of sipping. Maybe we will have to fill it with more enticing liquids. Water he has never been interested in. We tried formula today, but no dice. Maybe we will have to branch out into juices. Or try broth again.

Even though he can't actually drink from it the sippy cup is still cause for excitment.

College is a yawn

Our friend Farouk was in town from Chicago this weekend, so we took him for brunch at one of the Yale student dining halls. Henry was not impressed.

Nor'easter

Can you believe that just yesterday Henry was frolicking with Kermit in the grass on Old Campus?

(Eating dirt and dried leaves, of course.)

Today's weather is truly yucky: relentless downpour since mourning, near-freezing temperatures, to the point that when I was going home from an on-campus appointment, umbrella flapping around like some kind of desperate turkey, a TV cameraman from NBC news stopped me and asked if I could do a brief interview with him about the weather. He picked me because there were no other pedestrians silly enough to be out, I guess. Needless to say I declined to stand there being interviewed in the pouring rain, and instead hurried home to take a hot bath. Brrr.

Sweatshirt

Could it really be the end of winter coat season? Warm enough to go out in just a sweatshirt? If only.

Growing up

Oh, and did I mention that he's weaning himself? My trip might have hastened it, but he barely ever wants to nurse now. Not even always first thing in the morning or at bedtime. He clearly prefers yogurt, formula, or solids. Sigh.

Big bath

Henry has outgrown the baby bathtub. It's become terrifying to watch him try to catapult himself out of it. So tonight I gave him his first bath in the big bathtub. No photos yet, but it worked much better. Of course he soon pulled out the drain plug, draining all the water and putting an end to the experiment. But he loved watching the water flow out. He has been fascinated with drains for some time now. A future scientist or engineer? One can only hope.

What did you bring me, mommy?

Last weekend I left Henry and Ken alone for three days to go to the Shakespeare Association conference in San Diego. (Lots of nice freebies at the book exhibit -- alas, nothing for babies.) Henry seemed reluctant to nurse when I got back. In fact, he barely seemed to recognize me. But now we are fine again. The same thing happened when I went to Stratford in Feb. Par for the course, I guess.