Dear Solo,

You turned four months old a while ago, and ever since, I've been thinking about what I want to write to you.

First of all, Hello! Slow Down! Four months already. Jeez.



But that said, oh oh oh, I love four months.

Four months is I like it here. I think I'll hang out a bit, check things out, open my hands instead of gripping them closed.

Four months is Trying to grab that... if I could just get a... little... closer... missed it again... must try... harder...

Four months is kick kick kick SMILE kick kick kick SMILE! And Hey! Where'd everybody go?



And Oh I love you I love you I love you.

Your eyes are eyes of healing, son. You look at us, and not one of us can keep from melting. Especially the women in the family. Of course I stare at you for hours on end, and my greatest moments are the ones where you smile at me, but I'm not the only female drawn into your deep eyes. YaYa runs to you as soon as she wakes up in the morning. She lies beside you and the two of you speak fathoms of sibling love to each other. Then Kid A comes over and gets mad. "YaYa's attracting him away from me," he says. We all want your smiles and your attention.



Leafy loves you too. He has nothing but goodness for you. I'm always amazed by his gentleness towards you, this rough and tumble brother of yours. But there seems to be no end to the good a baby brings to a family, the comfort of a sleeping baby in our arms, the fun of seeing you watching us more and more every day.



You've been talking, a lot lately. Often when you cry you vocalize frantically. You're saying baby words, the kind that demand a reply. You communicate with utter gravity. There is an exchange in the world, of heart and response and already you know it, already you are diving in.

Here's a secret. Don't tell anyone. You are a drooler, just like your older brother Leafy. The Leafy boy had wet shirts for the first two and a half years of his life, but something your Daddy and I have just realized now is that a drooly baby can be used as a weapon. Forgive me son, but I often move your little face close to Daddy's face and say, "Here, give Daddy a kiss," and then he says ARGGGHHHH, as his entire face is covered in drool. Heh heh. It's really funny. Maybe one day you'll try it with children of your own?



I just love you at four months, little one. I can't wait to know you more and more.



(After I published this I looked up Leafy's four month post. Note that he has the SAME FACE as Solo.  Also that drool is a big factor in that post also.)