More Strange Baby Behavior

If you have two minutes free, you really ought to see this. We suggest you really turn up the volume to get the full effect at minute 2:00.




Are those some kind of instinctual hunter-gatherer reflexes in action? I mean, he really moves fast to grab that clean damp woggie and put it in his mouth. (A woggie is a washcloth; that's family nomenclature). It reminds me of a cat playing with its kill.

As far as the vigorous sucking goes, I guess we can chalk that up to post-flu thirst and teething. (Yesterday he accidentally bit his finger during this exercise. Let me tell you, he was very surprised and dismayed.)

Karate Kid

Do you remember the poetic moment in John Avildsen's 1984 classic film, The Karate Kid, when Daniel Laruso (Ralph Macchio) stands on one leg on a post protruding from the sand at the beach? You know, where he's practicing the coup-de-grace that he will later deliver upon the unsuspecting Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) in the karate kid finals? (I love the IMDB.) Here's the image to remind you:


Okay, now imagine a ten-month-old baby standing at his Extreme Jungle Stimulation Unit (image below), holding the two cross bars with his hands while simultaneously jingling the hanging elephant jingly-doll with his right foot and you will have a mental image that is very difficult to stop chuckling over.

This kid has got skills. Look out Johnny.

Spring Slow

On Monday we went to the park with our friends Rosa, Alison and Olivier. We swang and teeter-tottered together and enjoyed the hour of sunshine we have had here in South Bend since the last time we blogged about Spring. This May has been pretty cold.

The professional photos are courtesy of of R, A and O. O took a bunch of really nice pictures with their new huge awesome camera.



Benny and Rosa. (He likes the older ladies.)

Remember Benny Ray at 20 Weeks?

As we celebrate BR's 10 months today, we have been spending some time looking back at our first image of Benny Ray, when he was but a digitally imaged sparkle in his parents' eyes.

It is hard to believe that he has now been ex-utero longer than he was in-utero. What a glorious year this has been. Indeed.

All Parents are Amateur Anthropologists

That being said, here is what I observed today:

Nap Ritual, subject B.R.

Cries when placed in crib, although clearly very sleepy.
Cries more when bedroom door is closed but left ajar.
Crying quickly dissipates.
The subject sits up, looks around.
Stands up, looks around.
Whimpers.
Sits down.
Tries to pull right sock off foot.
Lies on side, still clutching sock.
Tries to put stretched sock into mouth. (Unsuccessful.)
Holding sock with right hand, flips through book on baby faces with left.
Nearly falls asleep, awakes and begins whimpering again.
Sits up.
Stands half-way up.
Maintains squatting/indecisive position for a few moments.
Sits down.
Pulls on left sock.
Removes left sock from foot.
Smiles, stands.
Drops left sock on floor over side of crib.
Observes freed sock with satisfaction. Smiles.
Whimpers.
Chews on west crib railing.
Inches along railing to south side of crib.
Chews on south side railing.
Looks up at mobile.
Sits down, flips through baby book again.
Lies on stomach, whimpers.
Tucks hands under belly, falls asleep.
Awakes with a start, whimpers.
Tucks knees up to belly. Falls asleep.

It's Spring, Bootch!

So, you may have heard that it's finally spring in the Midwest. Yeah, baby. So now we can go to the park next door. Considering the fact that Benny has spent nearly his entire life indoors, this has been a nice change for the little man.

The teeter-totter is a really nice option.

And he loves the swings.

And we think he likes the slide.

Bigote Pride

Some of our readers will probably remember that AmagoMundi is a mustache-friendly blog.
Well, God wouldn't have given us mustaches (moustaches) if he didn't want us to use them, right?

Our research staff has discovered some really great mustache-friendly sites. Mustaches are not just for nineteenth-century gentlemen; it's Moustache May! We have been really inspired by these sites and look forward to participating soon.

Spare the moustache and spoil the face. That's what we always say.

We Voted Today

That's one well-informed baby.