Other People's Babies

Yeah, we down with OPB.

Ezra got to meet a few of his colleagues over the last couple of days. One was the ghost of Christmas past, the other,the ghost of Christmas future. Or Festivus, if you prefer.

On Friday we met our friend Alexandra's charming and angelic baby girl, Isabella. Isa was born last week at 5lbs, 11oz -- nearly a half-pound

heavier than Ezra's birth weight. And yet, she looked ever so itty-bitty next to present-day Ez. They didn't show all that much interest in one another. But it was a reminder of how much Ezra has expanded in his 3.5 months. As of the latest weigh-in, he was up to 12lbs, 5oz. And believe me, the kid feels dense. Holding, bouncing and lifting him is getting strenuous. My shoulder and Ashley's back are exhibits A and B.

Then a few days later, on Monday, our friend Mara and I (Gabe) went back to the Aquarium with our little ones. Mikalea is just about 8 months old now, and cuts an impressive figure. She ate a three-course meal, served in about 7 courses (bottle-apple sauce-cheerios-bottle-cheerios-apple sauce-bottle), can sort of "walk" with Mara holding her arms, and is extraordinarily dexterous with her hands. It was a delight seeing her latest developmental leaps, and we're looking forward to Ezra catching up.

Ez, meanwhile, seems to be going through kind of a chaotic period. He's certainly not as fussy as he once was, but his sleep and eating seem to be getting even less organized, if such a thing is possible. He had been conforming to a rough pattern of three naps a day, in increasing duration, culminating in a 1.5-2 hour nap after lunch. Monday, he barely napped at all until 4:00pm, and his sleep the night before was less than restful. His eating has also tended toward the erratic. He'll act super hungry -- hands, blankets, parents' clothing all go right into his

ever-drooling mouth -- then he'll reject actual food. Try again, another rejection. Then 10 minutes later he'll act like a crazed starving person, and eat with voracity. Weird kid.

At the same time, he continues to delight. He's rolled over a few more times, and he grins so big and bright it makes your teeth hurt. It's a terrible cliche to be so heartwarmed by a smiling baby, but my God. It's a whole new emotion.

He's also taken to grunting a lot, which is a bit less sublime. It sounds for the world like he's trying to squeeze out a load, but that doesn't seem to be his aim. Anyway, it's half-cute, half-disturbing -- like so much of parenthood.

As always,

Gabe, Ash and Ez