Hey Jakey,

It's getting harder and harder to find the time to write to you. You're growing up so fast, and little conveniences like naps are quickly falling by the wayside. And when you *do* nap, I have to zip in and do those nasty little necessary tasks that I can't do when I'm cartin' you around. Like eat, do laundry, take out the garbage. So I wind up composing letters to you in my head, but then when I actually sit down in front of the computer, it all falls out of my head.

Here are some of the things you do now that are blowing my mind:

* Take a bath without screaming. I think you actually like it.
* You look at things and laugh at them, like the moving parts on your Aquarium Bouncer thingy.
* Just the whole laughing thing. Cracks me up every time.
* Flipping over on your belly when I lay you down. Kind of annoys me, but blows my mind.

It's snowing! Not a lot, but any little bit this time of year is pretty cool, eh?

Daddy went back to work today. Can you imagine? We had a pretty good month, one that we'll never ever have again 'till we're retired. Neither of us working? Hanging out with you, our new baby? Pretty cool, even if we did all start to get on each other's nerves. I'll always remember it.

I'm worried about my mom (your grandma!) coming to visit. I know, I know, grandmas are supposed to be baby experts, but there's nobody quite like you, Jake. All her experience is with sleepy, cozy little angels like me. A few things that she's said over the phone kind of worry me. Like she thinks I spoil you, and that's why you cry all the time, cuz you're not getting your way. And that you should be sleeping in your own crib and not with daddy and me. If she only knew! I'd loooove for you to be in your own crib by now, but NOBODY gets any sleep when we try that. And I love sleeping with you there beside me and being able to feed you in the middle of the night without getting up is priceless. Well, here I go trying to justify myself to myself. There'll be a lot more of that before she goes home, I'm sure.

23 days till I have to go back to work. Sigh...