Aunts and uncles

Uncle Mort shows off the baby amusement techniques he's perfected with Daniel.

Aunt Martha shows that brides don't have to be stressed, especially when holding babies.

Flying's not so bad

After screaming that such a large hunk of metal stuffed with people and assorted luggage would never get off the runway in New York, Isaiah decided five minutes into the flight he was hungry. Eating made him sleepy. Sleeping was very calming. When he awoke, he needed to be amused. Overall, he did very well.

On the flight back there was more screaming, although some of it was caused by Dad's refusal to walk around to show Isaiah the airplane. The fasten-seatbelt sign and narrow aisle are just to difficult to explain in baby talk.

Greetings from Colorado

Wedding this morning was great. We walked a mile from the lodge and our rooms to this rock outcropping and stood in a big circle of family and friends for the service. Karl and Martha looked very happy. Isaiah fell asleep on the walk over in his bundle of clothes and woke up about halfway through. Marian and Liz added New York style to the event.

Having a great time. Trying to get a Christmas card picture. Pictures may not get up until next week because I didn't bring my own computer.

Cleared for departure

Isaiah contemplates the travel plans for the Colorado trip. Have mom and dad packed enough clothes? Who needs four sweaters for a seven-day trip? Is an average of nine books per member of the family enough?

Will he ever be able to find his hands again (and stuff them in his mouth) after he is wrapped in 17 layers of warm clothing? Why does he have sense of foreboding that there will be more, slightly large and overtalkative people like uncle Paul and grandpa Friedrichs at the other end of this ordeal?

Isaiah's hat from Jen Lindsay (see earlier fall bashion post) is cleared for the trip after extensive testing. Fortunately for the hat, slobber travels downhill. Maybe the people sitting next to us on the plane will have new and exciting uses for that liquid.

Friday culture

I still have to explain the cartoons to Isaiah, but if he could control his arms well enough to hold it, he would be picking up the rest of the "New Yorker" just fine.

It'll be a beautiful day when he understands this barbecue stuff Calvin Trillin writes about in the issue pictured.

Tonight we went to a vespers service and choral concert at a very traditional Catholic church in Norwalk. Isaiah was intrigued by the chanting and organ, which he felt deserved some loud noises in reply. He also tried to sing with the choir a couple of times and to share his thoughts with the priest during the introduction of the concert portion of the evening (most likely it was a question about what type of punishment a young man’s parents should receive for strapping him down in the infernal car seat).

The young sultan

Isaiah awaits his servants' (or parents') response to his demands this morning.

Re-orienting ourselves

There's a lot of chatter around the house these days. Isaiah has become increasingly vocal and one of his greatest complaints is that mom and dad don't provide enough funny faces, exciting stories and extracurricular activities.

Isaiah's also working his core muscles with leg lifts and frantic maneuvering that is going to result in rolling over any day now.

Of course, his inability to match my sinuous movements and rhapsodic speech results in great frustration at times and it's back to the vocal complaint.

It's all fun and games until someone gets a hickey.

So here's what happened. On Saturday night, I took Isaiah out of the car and carried him to the building with his sleeping head on my shoulder. Soon he woke up and started rooting. Not finding..ahem...what he was looking for, he planted his mouth on my cheek and started sucking. I felt so bad for not being able to stop and nurse him that I just let him suck. Quickly he figured out that he wasn't getting any milk, let go, and howled. He screamed all the way to the apartment, where he finally got his belly full of milk and fell asleep. That's when I went into the bathroom, where I predictably encountered a mirror. Wait. What was that little red mark by my mouth? A rash? An oddly shaped pimple? But when I touched it, I didn't feel anything. It only took another second or two for me to figure out that my son had given me...yes, folks, a hickey. I had to put concealer on it for Mass the next morning. What would Father Phil have thought? (I promise it's there! You can take my word for it, but I have witnesses, too. :) )

Clubbing with Aunt Liz

Not happy with our corner table, Isaiah demands to be paraded about the room. Aunt Liz obliged.

Test

Peter and Magda's cat, Tuesday, did not eat Isaiah. In fact, they both were very relaxed about hanging out together.

Uncles

Paul celebrates completing the New York Marathon by checking how much more his legs can bear on Sunday. Isaiah seems unconcerned.

Uncle Peter holds the sleeping baby Sunday night.

A little treat

Isaiah wears his pumpkin hat given to us by Aaron Harries. Next year maybe we'll take the vote proposed by Paul on what costume he should wear.

Isaiah speaks

We're not sure what he's saying, but he'd sure like us to pay attention. Translations welcome.

Sweetness

We should all wish to sleep so well.

Hanging out

Isaiah's not quite ready for guitar lessons, but he enjoys his time with Peter and Magda.

Sunday drive

Isaiah bubbles with interest as we drive to Putnam Lake.

Unable to translate his thoughts here.

Pudgy guy's hand.

Just resting

Nothing much to say here. We've enjoyed some nice walks the past few days. Still have a lot of leaves. OK, enough babbling. Look at the cute baby.

What parenting does to you

OK, work also contributed to this.

But I blame the baby for Marian's look here. (Click on the photo to enlarge it. It's worth it.)

PT's birthday

Peter opens things.

Magda, apparently, doesn't care what Pete gets.

Peter lives his life like a candle in the wind.

Shirt or sweater, you decide. (None of this dialogue is scripted.)

Isaiah's really following movements with his eyes. He also laughed a lot today. After bedtime he got fussy and Marian had to walk around with him. He calmed down and started laughing while they were in the rocker. Marian laughed and laughed harder. I started talking to him and laughing, and that was even funnier. We're not sure if he was laughing at us or with us or at his own private joke.

Doing what he does best

He can sleep on the bed, in the carseat, in the stroller, on Mom's lap, in Dad's arms and lots of other places.

Isaiah's very busy Sunday

Isaiah naps in the car, unaware of the many events planned for his day.

Isaiah waits for the 9:30 a.m. service at St. Charles Borromeo to end with Dad and Uncle James Friedrichs. The last time we saw James, Isaiah was still hanging out inside.

Uncle Peter plays guitar at a cafe on City Island.

Aunt Liz, Aunt Therese, and Grandma Tascio watch Peter while Isaiah naps.

Isaiah now (Oct. 15)

And then (Aug. 19)

He's grown a little bit. He's definitely pudgier and stronger. Still just as peaceful when he sleeps, though.

Isaiah's doctor

Dr. Braier does a very nice job, although Isaiah sometimes doesn't like the poking and prodding.

Putnam Lake

Mid-October color reflected in Putnam Lake, N.Y.

First subway ride

On the trip to the urban wheatfield last week, Isaiah rode the subway for the first time (it was his second MetroNorth trip). Sights and sounds intrigued him and me.

Happy Birthday Clare

Clare's birthday is today. If memory serves me right, she's now 25 and finishing up her third novel, for which she is also doing the cover art. Happy Birthday!

Quality time

Isaiah enjoys a gum massage from Grandma Tascio. He got a lot of time this weekend with Aunt Clare, Grandma, Peter, Magda, Grandpa Tascio and Aunt Therese. He laughed a bunch, cried a little and sometimes was consolable only by mom.

Peter (below) seems to be picking this baby thing up quickly and now makes only passing comparisons to owning cats. Magda, of course, is a natural.

New best thing ever

We were in Putnam Lake today to celebrate Clare's birthday, and Isaiah loved the balloons. Up and down, sideways, bouncing off the ceiling -- helium filled balloons are something he'd invest in if he were a venture capitalist and had some extra cash. Mom and Peter keep him busy during this stint of balloon watching.

Hand, eye coordination

Isaiah's spending a lot of time contemplating his hand, then trying to shove it in his mouth. Because he doesn't have as much contro of his arms as his head, he'll get close, then start bobbing around for those tasty fingers.

Farmer boy

Isaiah has a cute tractor onesie he got from Doug and Sharon in California. The overalls covered it up when we went out, but relaxing he gets to show off an antique John Deere. So far he hasn't tucked his hands into the sides of his overalls like some farmers are prone to do.

He wore the overalls and tractor onesie to New York, where we visited the urban wheat field, an education display in the South Street Seaport set up by various wheat growers' organizations. Aaron Harries, who grew up just down the road from me, was there with the Kansas contingent, and we got to pose with a CaseIH combine. Must have been fun to move that into lower Manhattan.

They had set up a mock wheatfield grown on pallets in a greenhouse an walked people through a path in the middle, explaining various facets of the industry. At the end were demonstration mills, fresh chocolate chip cookies, bread and more displays. It was very well done, and Aaron said they had nice crowds and some attentive school groups.

Innie or outie?

Right now, Isaiah's belly button sometimes pops out when he flexes his abs.

Cousins

Right now, Daniel is more curious about Isaiah than vice versa. On Friday, Daniel was more interested in birthday cake than anything else.

Aunt Marilyn

Marilyn, my aunt and godmother, gets a few moments with Isaiah before she heads out on her nomadic retirement.

Aunt Lisa and cousin Daniel visit

Isaiah met his aunt Lisa and cousin Daniel during his very busy weekend. It's great that the boys are only 10 months apart (closer than Jonathan and I, I think) and we benefit in hand-me-downs, too. We're really looking forward to seeing them again with Mort in November when we visit Colorado.

It was interesting to watch Daniel, who is so active, and think that in less than a year Isaiah will be that much bigger and more active. Wonder if Isaiah will emulate the butt scoot or choose another form of crawling?

Daniel massages Grandma Friedrichs' face with his feet.

Isaiah baptized

Isaiah was baptized Sunday at St. Charles Borromeo in Harlem. Paul and Magda are his godparents. I even got to sing with the choir for one song to the entertaiment of my family. We had a great day. More pictures and details to come.

I have to go to bed so Lisa has a ride to the airport in the morning.

Paul loses top billing

Don't get me wrong, Isaiah loves his uncle. But it's been a busy weekend with the mass invasion of relatives, the baptism and lots of socializing. We had a great time and are so happy that Isaiah is baptized and we're so blessed with truly loving family and friends.

Isaiah, as you can see in this picture, had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa Friedrichs. Unfortunately they leave in the morning, but we expect they'll be sending us our parenting report card in the coming weeks.

As for Paul, we promise to break news about his ground-breaking research into the little explored maternity subject of nose nursing.

Uncle Paul

Isaiah didn't even ask if uncle Paul got his shots for all those foreign countries he has been visiting. And he seems to be handling the invasion well. In a few hours, the first cousins meet when Daniel and Lisa arrive from Colorado.

Digital age? Give us books

Isaiah made it through enjoyed his first book on Monday. I'm not sure if he was more interested in my voice, the light on the ceiling, my moving hands, the turning pages or the pictures, but he laughed and smiled several times.

In addition to title character Brown Bear, he really likes White Dog and sometimes Gold Fish. I'm sure he'll be providing literary analysis as soon as he can figure out how to control those arms that flail about when he moves them. I'm sure I'll have the book memorized by the end of the week.