Like Father, Like Son

Thanks to all for the teething advice. In the end, our doctor said we could try one dose of baby Tylenol between the bath and the bedtime bottle, and it's done wonders. Topher goes to bed shortly after 8pm (still with some whining and crying but nothing like before) and wakes up sometime after 7am. Still no teeth popping through those gums, but you can see on the bottom where the first tooth will probably be. Yesterday TJ and I were once again comparing our own baby pictures to Topher, and I have to admit it, he's all TJ. They both have the same "peanut" head whereas my head was just big and round (and insanely chubby). They both have this perpetual "dopey" look on their face which is so cute and kind of sleepy looking, and I was usually more beady-eyed. I also had a very prominent chin dimple that Topher is lacking. Somehow he got those deep cheek dimples instead that neither one of us ever had. There's also something about the eyes/eyebrow region that is identical to both boys. I guess we can both claim Topher's button nose, but the similarities between Topher and TJ are much more apparent. Sometimes I'll see a picture of TJ as a toddler and I'll think, Oh yeah, that's exactly what Topher will look like in a year. Like it's just obvious. Here are some photos we scanned in for comparison. The following are Topher/daddy comparisons: Sitting up Tummy time Bath time Smiling Sucking on the first 2 fingers And here are some Topher/mommy comparisons: Tummy time In our hats Baring big bellies Staring down the camera It's fun because we've never looked at our baby pictures so critically before. And now, for the first time, I can almost imagine what it was like to hold the little baby version of me. I'm glad that we have "billions" of photos of Topher. TJ says we will never look through all of them, but I bet Topher will someday (or at least his wife will.) And even now, looking back at his very first pictures, I'm so glad we have them because it's so hard to imagine him being anything other than what he is at this very moment. I said that when he was tiny, too. I couldn't imagine him being any bigger or being able to do anything. And now I can't imagine him being any bigger than he is right now, or being able to crawl or walk or talk. I am really loving this age. He smiles a lot and coos at us and grabs things. We feel that he's really becoming aware of who we are, and that he understands when things are funny or upsetting. We're still waiting to hear his laugh. We've tried everything, from Three Stooges antics to tickle fests to funny noises to laughing in a very exaggerated manner to singing the silliest songs we can conjure and even making him watch The Office. He startles easily, though. We were trying to do a bath time puppet show the other day and TJ was trying to be funny and have Mr. Frog appear over the edge of the tub and start talking. Topher took one look at that frog who seemed to be alive of his own accord and started screaming. (I think, at this age, Topher needs to see that the puppet is attached to us in order for it to more entertaining and less creepy-frog-is-going-to-come-get-me-when-I-least-suspect-it.) Also a loud bang, unexpected clatter, or a yell at the TV screen during a Mizzou game will send him into a screaming fit. Which is strange considering how much he likes loud, droning noises in general like the vacuum and hair dryer. Anyway, this blog has been long enough. We hope everyone enjoys it as much as we have! (You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them.) --KC