A Visit from Grandma

Liam and Grandma Myers.

Last week my mom came out to California for a visit. Along with many souvenirs from a recent trip to Alaska, she brought lots of toys and clothes for Liam--and a good thing, too, since he keeps outgrowing everything so fast! It was such a luxury to have someone around who was not just willing but eager to help with feedings, bathtime, diaper changes, and generally help entertain and keep tabs on our active little boy. Liam had a ton of fun chasing and being chased by Grandma, and Mommy and Daddy enjoyed the reprieve from constant parental duty for a few days. I took advantage of the opportunity and slept in a little and knocked a couple of chores off of my to-do list while Grandma and Liam played and went for walks in the neighborhood. I even got to go out one afternoon to see "Captain America: The First Avenger." (Two thumbs up. Definitely worth seeing!)

Grandma helps Liam explore during Gymboree.

While she was here, Mom got to come with us to one of Liam's Gymboree classes. Right now the class's activities encourage the babies to explore and climb. Liam is pretty adventurous and is up for playing on most of the equipment, especially if there is an incentive like a brightly colored ball waiting at the goal line. So, "explore time" is pretty fun. He is also a fan of slides, even though he hasn't quite figured out that sliding doesn't require him to use his feet.

Liam stops to admire the shiny surface of the wood during Gymboree.

Weeee!

All told it was a good visit, and in about two weeks we will have more excitement: Aunt Erin and Uncle Ethan are flying out to California to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, and they will be stopping by L.A. to spend some time with us before they head home. We're looking forward to their visit, but I doubt that Aunt Erin will be as willing to take on diaper duty as Grandma was...

As Summer Was Just Beginning

June has been fun so far. Last Saturday Eric and I took Liam to his first Gymboree class. It looked like it was something fun and social to do with him, so we thought we would give it a try. Liam seemed to enjoy it, although the playtime will be more fun for him once he is mobile. At the moment his age group is working on "ramps and inclines," encouraging the babies to work those chubby limbs trying to crawl up them. My only complaint about Gymboree thus far is that their mascot is Gymbo the clown. Why does it have to be a clown? I hate clowns.

Over the past month Liam has perfected his ability to get up on his hands and knees. When he gets up on them now he rocks back and forth like he's spinning his wheels, ready to speed away, but he has yet to take off crawling. I keep asking Eric to help me plan how we're going to babyproof our apartment, but he's not all that motivated. It reminds me a lot of how hard it was to convince him that we needed to have the nursery ready before the baby was born. Why is it always so difficult to convince men to act ahead of time rather than wait until inevitable (and eminently foreseeable) events are upon you?

Liam and Mommy at his first Gymboree class.

Liam and Daddy at Gymboree.

Currently the class is working on inclines and ramps.

The view from the mat.

Another view from the mat.

In other news, on June 5th Liam turned seven months old. Time is moving so fast! In a matter of months he won't be a baby anymore, and we will plunge headlong into the toddler years. It's fun and amazing and sweet to watch him grow and change. Over the last few weeks his curiosity has caught fire, and he reaches and grabs for anything that comes within reach of his tiny little hands. The little bugger notices everything, too. There's no pulling a fast one on this baby anymore--once he caught on to the concept of object permanence, it was all over. He may not see Mommy's necklace or the remote control anymore, but he knows it's there somewhere and he's going to look and look until he finds it! Once this tireless curiosity is combined with mobility...well, Lord help us.

June 5th - Seven months old!

In the Outer Peristyle Garden at the Getty Villa.

Coming after the camera--more often than not this is what
I see now when I try to take a picture of Liam.