Big Boy Food

This photo is from a post-Mom & Baby Yoga class lunch a few weeks back. Ben shows his early preference for real people food -- not all this mushy baby stuff.

Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Levy

For my first Christmas, Mom and Dad took me to snowy Wisconsin to visit my Grandma and Grandpa in Milwaukee. They didn't have much snow, but they did have Santa! It was very thoughtful of him to take time out of his busy schedule to teach me about jingle bells.

Dad tried to get in on the action as well.  Nice try Dad -- Mom says you still can't have an iPod Touch when you have a perfectly good iPod at home.  Hey, what happened to Santa's boots?  Grandma Kate runs a pretty tight ship -- Santa or no Santa, you'll leave your shoes at the door!

It was great to see Aunt Sophia and Uncle Joe in from Cambridge. My Dad keeps saying that we're from Boston, but I wasn't born there and I've never lived there! That doesn't stop Dad from telling people he's raising me as a Red Sox and Patriots fan. [Just trying to put him on a good path until he is old enough to make his own decisions --Dad]

They even bought me some crazy winter gear from Paris.  Dad decided it would be fun to dress me up in everything all at once.  Thanks Dad!  Just wait till I'm old enough to flush your Blackberry down the toilet...

Grandma Kate and Grandpa Bill gave me a cool Tonka dump truck.  It makes all kinds of neat noises when I push the buttons on the steering wheel.  I bet Mom and Dad can't wait to take this home!

We got a chance to visit with Great Grandma Eldora for a little while.  She was looking very festive in her Christmas sweater.  

I didn't know Grandma Kate was a magician, but she managed to fit 27 people in her house for dinner on the day after Christmas!  The Woodwards, Hiltons and Murrays all came to 70th St., and it got pretty cozy.  I got to hang out with my cousins Thomas, Henry, Clare, Audrey and Eleanor and watch them open presents.  Mom says they'll give me presents to open just as soon as I stop trying to eat the wrapping paper.  But why would I ever do that???  Wrapping paper is so delicious, second only to Post-It Notes.

On Sunday Mom and Dad and Uncle Joe and Aunt Sophia took Grandma and Grandpa to brunch at the Pfister Hotel to celebrate their 40th anniversary.  We went out with a bunch of their friends called "Table 9."  I can't count yet, but I'm pretty sure that means there is something funny about the number 9.

Doing the rounds all morning left me exhausted, so it was a good thing Uncle Joe was there to help me get comfortable.

We posed with the rest of Table 9 in front of a big Christmas tree.  I had never seen one before!  The big guy to my left looked pretty familiar, but he promised me he had nothing to do with reindeers or sleighs.

We had such a good time with our family in Milwaukee.  Can't wait to see them all again soon!

--Much love, Noah

P.S.  In case you didn't get quite enough Ben, here is a cute video of him helping his grandparents sort things out.  Can you guess what he is playing with?

Mama

Oh, yeah.  He clearly said "Mama" last night, and has been repeating it over and over again today (mostly to his babysitter, but I know he's asking for me). 

I will note that when he says "Dada," which he's been saying for weeks, he says it joyfully, fully enunciating each syllable.  "Mama" on the other hand initially came out while he was crying.  Actually, not just initially.  The first several times he said it, he was either crying or whining.  I hope this doesn't say too much about his relationship with each of us.

Also -- when he first said "Dada," I completely believed that it was just a new sound he was learning.  No big deal.  But when he said "Mama," I just knew he was absolutely and only talking about me.  Ha!

I love you my little Mama's Boy.

~Mom