4 months

Dear Gabriel,

This month you've been on a roll. Literally. First you rolled from your stomach onto your back while visiting your Bubbi and Saba in Florida. Since then, you've repeated the trick a couple of times. Then you rolled yourself from your back to your stomach while I was trying to change your diaper. You kicked your feet up, got yourself onto your side, then stretched out your legs quickly, and your momentum carried you over and onto your stomach. Frankly, you looked a little shocked at your new position. So was I. The other day I walked away from the couch where I'd laid you down, and came back to find half of your body hanging off of the edge. I guess that is why everyone warns you never to leave your baby unattended. Lesson noted.









This month has been full of new experiences for you. You got to spend quality time with each of your grandparents and your aunt for the first time in your short life, and you got to meet your uncle and cousins for the first time also. Your cousins loved you, of course, and kept fighting over who would be allowed to hold you and when. I suggested that you all take a bath together, and I've never seen them move faster. Your Bubbi and Aunt spent every night making you laugh out loud- big guffaws of laughter at their antics. Your Nonna spent her every available second making you smile and smothering you with kisses. You are so very loved, sweet boy.









You went to the beach for the first time, although you didn't actually touch the sand or the ocean. Baby steps, I say. You did go swimming in a pool with your Daddy, though, and based on your reaction, you might have been a fish in a past life. You oohed and ahhed at all the new sensations. You spent time barefoot in Florida, and stared for minutes on end at your toes. Your hands are even more fascinating. You had your first outing with your Daddy, and I left you at home for the first time. You also watched some of your first Red Sox games. Your Daddy will tell you that those were your most important milestones thus far.













To be fair, you also made me suffer through some of the worst nights of sleep we've had so far. After all that travel, whatever semblance of a schedule we had was completely lost, and for two weeks straight you progressively woke up more and more often, until you woke up every half-hour to forty-five minutes for two nights straight. It felt like having a newborn again, except that you never slept that little as a newborn! After those two nights, I put you into Baby Boot Camp, and you've been fabulous since. Baby Boot Camp is just a fancy name for a schedule, and you seem very grateful to be waking up, taking naps, and going to bed at a reasonable time. It took your Mommy a little while to learn that our loosy-goosy schedule wasn't working for you. Forgive me, I haven't done this before.









This month I discovered something new, though. Something I should have known all along. Something that I guess was rather obvious. I discovered that you love me and you need me. I'd assumed up until now that although you clearly like me, and of course you look to me for food, you found everyone to be pretty interchangeable. Thankfully, it turns out I'm wrong. You stop fussing instantly at the sound of my voice, as soon as I reach out my arms, before I've even picked you up. I lean down to give you kisses and you open your mouth wide to try and kiss me back. If I laugh at you, you laugh back, deeply. You smile at me all the time. You play peek a boo with me, and duck your head down as if you are playing shy. You are the cutest thing ever, and I wish I could bottle you up to keep you with me all the time.










I can't believe you've only been with us for four months, but I also can't believe that a quarter of a year has passed already. Wasn't I waiting for your arrival just yesterday? You are so. much. fun. Having you in our lives is pure unadulterated, unequivocal joy. I beg life to stand still so that I can burn these days into my memory.

I love you. Your Daddy loves you. We couldn't live without you.

Love,
Mommy