Benjamin Michael Singer -- August!

UPDATED 08/12/2004

Benjamin's four-and-a-half months old now!  He's 19 pounds and 27 inches, at the 95th percentile in both according to the pediatrician.  Eating very healthily!  He likes his rice cereal and mushed-up banana, which we feed him twice a day.  We've tried a bit of mashed potato, with little success; today we tried applesauce, which he seems to really slurp down like a machine.   We put together his high chair about a week ago, and he's enjoying the opportunity to sit upright and watch everyone at mealtimes.  He's even sat in a high chair at a restaurant once.  We also had to install the bigger car seat, as he's already grown out of his infant carrier (supposedly rated to work for the whole first year...)  He really likes to sit up -- looks like he's doing ab-crunches, and likes to stand as well.  On the downside, he's started teething.  Likes to chew on everything, including his fingers, and sometimes gets very unhappy and fussy about it.  Well, he's going to be doing that for a while, so Melissa and I are busy experimenting with different teething toys to see what he likes, and we're adjusting. 

We had a busy last month; enjoyed a visit by Lucia and Jack Gilbert again, and great-grandmother Nonna flew over from Chicago.  We celebrated Nonna and Lucia's birthdays.  Our friend Brian Kemper also stopped by, as he was in Dayton for a friend's wedding.  After that we took a big trip to Canada.  We stayed in Stratford, where Melissa and I got to see a couple of our favorite plays:  Noises Off and A Midsummer Night's Dream.  The B&B owners had their daughter, Tiffany, watch Benjamin for a while so we could pretend that we were "our old selves" for a few hours!  Then we stopped by St. Jacobs to see Aunt Harriet for a few hours and introduce her to her great-grand-nephew Benjamin; then off to Ottawa for Meghan and Jay's wedding, and a reunion of Melissa's Wellesley friends.  It was great to show Benjamin off to everyone, and he even slept some time during the reception so Melissa and I could dance the night away.  We look forward to travelling to Spokane soon to visit the Singer branch of the family.

Benjamin and the magic spoon
 Teething on the tetrahedron
 Pull my finger!
 Joni, reading to Benjamin
 Like my plastic bib?
 Brian and Benjamin
Brian, again
 Nonna and Benjamin, activity mat
 Melissa and Benjamin, looking cool
 I want my bottle!
 Benjamin and Nonna
 Benjamin and Nonna, smiling
Nonna and Benjamin, closeup
 Gilbert family visit
 Singers and Nonna
 Jack and Benjamin
 BMS closeup, grinning!
 Benjamin flying!
Strolling in Stratford
 With the B&B family (in the sun)
 Great-grand-aunt Harriet and Benjamin
 Benjamin in mirror, sepia-tone
 Baggage for Ottawa
 It's been a long drive...
Kristen, Caroline, and Benjamin at reception dinner
 Suzanne and Joel E. by candlelight
 Self-portrait, at reception
 Suzanne, Benjamin, Diane, Caroline
 Meghan and Jay!
 Melissa, pensive by candlelight
With the wedded couple
 Kristen looking good
 Benjamin sleeping during the dancing
 Wellesley contingent
 Dancing with Meghan
 Max & Diane, engaged!
Dancing with Kiri
 Diane laughing
 Kristen and Benjamin
 Joel and Benjamin
 Suzanne and Benjamin
 Wellesley contingent, informal
Benjamin happy on the floor
 In his new high chair!
 He likes rice cereal and bananas
 Eating the hand and reclining
 Liking the megasaucer!

        Last modified:  Thu Aug 12  20:48:02  EDT 2004