By Dad
Wow, so we fell way far behind really quickly. I blame life. And time. If those two things didn't happen so damn much this would be much easier. This post is all text, because it's three weeks worth of updates, and there will be a separate post of pictures. As far as you know you've got to read this post before the photo post unlocks.
Week 13 was a week of visits. Grandma Patty came to visit from New Mexico Wednesday night. Roland has now met three of his four sets of grandparents. She landed late Wednesday and Thursday Mom and Grandma Patty went to lunch with extended McLean family, one of whom lives on the island and one of whom was visiting at the same time. They had a lot of fun and we love getting to show Roland off to new people. Because he's the most adorable baby ever.
Friday was fun because it was Read Across America at my school. I volunteered Mom to come and read to some students and of course Grandma Patty and Roland had to come too. The ladies at my school were soooo happy baby came to play. So now not only do my friends like my wife better, they also like my kid better. Because of course they do. Angela visited three classes, first, fifth, and sixth grade, with her mom and the tiny human, reading to all of them. I also invited two other friends to read to the school, so Roland got to see his Uncle Andy and Aunt Bethany again and Aunt Maya for the first time. I love having them come to school. It's a lot of fun. And once again my students were wonderful when he came in to class. They like him better than me too.
Saturday was spent hanging out with Grandma and relaxing.
Week 14 started out with little Cannonball's first trip to Haleiwa and longest trip in his B.O.B. stroller (hereby known only as his stroller because I'm not typing the name every time unless someone is paying me). We went down and were hungry so went to the best Mexican on the island, Cholo's*. We were those parents, pushing our stroller through the tight sections of the restaurant. And then we took All The Funny Pictures of Roland at the table. Because what good is having your very own tiny human if you can't take hilarious pictures of him? Cholo's ruined our plan of having shave ice later because we were all too full, but we did venture into many stores, giving me many more chances for hi-larious pictures. And you have to wait for the other blog to go up for those pictures. Har har har. Grandma Patty's trip was short and she left Sunday night. It's too bad she couldn't stay longer. Having family visit is fantastic. We're so glad everyone is getting to meet Roland.
Monday my student teacher started soloing. In Hawaii that means that I can't be in the classroom all day. So I'm spending my days sitting in the back of the library with my laptop trying to focus on getting other work done, like writing my Dr. Seuss presentation for this summer (go to Thursday, scroll all the way down), getting active.com stuff done, and trying not to go nuts. Mom and baby came to visit to keep me sane, and because I would actually be able to hang out with them for a while. Also, that means that all the women at school again get to coo over him. Chicks dig Roland. He's pretty awesome.
The rest of the week was pretty tame as far as going out goes. We went to Ala Moana mall to get out of the house one day, and that's pretty much it. We are old boring people now.
But the tiny boy hit a few milestones in Week 14. First, Monday, he started laughing. Mom got a really good video of him giggling and laughing in bed after I'd gone to work. It's such a cool step from smiling to laughing. He still doesn't laugh all the time, but every once in a while he chuckles or giggles. So cute. Because he's the most adorable baby ever. Did I mention that yet?
The other milestone is a major step towards mobility, which I'm simultaneously excited about and petrified of- rolling over. That's right, at three months old the tiny boy rolled from his back on to his tummy, then after much grunting and concentration, the rest of the way over on to his back. It was so very cool. He's tried to get himself over before, he's a little wiggleworm, but this was the first time he was successful. The expression on his face was priceless. So proud/confused/shocked. "I did it! What happened?"And as future Sports Parents both us us cheered him and encouraged him to roll all the way over. In the back of my head I might have secretly started thinking, "He did that way early! He's going to be an awesome athlete!" No pressure, boy child.
Week 15 was more homeness for the most part. Monday Mom and Roland tried to go into town for knitting. Well, they did go into town, and he cried almost the whole way in, and almost the whole time they were there, so she bailed after a half hour or so. Poor guy. He started doing his I'm Very Upset thing at 6:30 or 7:00 every night again, no matter what kind of naps he had during the day.
He rolled over a few more times this week too. Now that he's figured out the basic mechanics of it the whole thing is much easier. We're pretty sure he's also discovered that his hands are actually connected to his brain this week. There has been much reaching and grabbing. Grandma Patty bought him a plastic ball that he can grab easily and yesterday I put my head on his tummy and he immediately got two big handfuls of hair. Haha, father! I've got you now! Grabbing also means that we put the pacifier in his mouth, he's happy to be sucking on something, then he reaches up, grabs the pacifier, pulls it out of his mouth, and cries because where the hell did my sucker go? I think he's doing it on purpose. Especially in the car when I have to reach back to find the thing for him. He's laughing at me.
Thursday Hawaii's teachers held a rally at the Capitol building in protest of the governor's backwards negotiating philosophy, and Mom and Roland met me by school to ride in together. We brought his stroller, dressed him in red, and headed on down. Baby's first protest! He was so so well behaved the whole time. You would think with all the people and the noise he'd freak out, but he was calm in his stroller until he got hungry and sleepy, Angela managed to get him to sleep, laid him back in the BOB, and he was fine again. He didn't really fuss at all until he were on our way home, where he cried loud and angry through Target and for most of the drive.
Friday they came to see me at school again, and check out all my students' awesome science projects. Again, he got passed around a bunch to all the Aunties as school who love him so much and again he was patient and happy. Such a social baby. Wonder where he gets that from?
So, to repeat because I'm a proud daddy- He can roll over now, he knows he has hands and is learning to use them, and he can laugh so he's even more verbal than he was before. Also, he officially moved from being a "newborn" to being an "infant" at three months. He's getting so big so fast!
*this claim is up for debate. What is not up for debate is the tragic lack of good Mexican food on the island.
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