Rye chooses the Christmas tree

Okay, so actually he slept through the whole thing. But whatever.

We think he's going to like this season.

Rye, 3 months *

Rye is growing like crazy, and we are building up a box filled with sleepers he can't wear any more. He grabs and holds on to things a lot more, now, and wrings his hands. He sucks on his hands, and sometimes his left thumb. The pacifier still soothes him, but he doesn't want it all the time. (He only really wants it when we are in the car and I can't reach it to put it back in his mouth. In his excitement to grab things and hang onto them, he still has not always figured out that pulling on the ribbon attached to the pacifier is what takes the thing out of his mouth.) Sometimes he's able to jam a loose pacifier back into his mouth with the back of his hand. He DOES want to gnaw on soft things using the right side of his mouth, toward the back. Since he started drooling in earnest a couple of weeks ago, we think our non-teething days are numbered.

Rye giggled for the first time this week, while getting zerberts on his belly. The sound was like a peal of angel bells. It's been difficult to repeat, since he knows what zerberts are now, and they aren't as surprising.

He wakes up only 2-3 times per night, now, so we are all feeling a lot more rested than in the early days. He still smiles in his sleep and occasionally calls out with nightmares or joyful sounds.

We've been practicing baby sign language with him, even though it's a little early, and it seems as though he understands some of the signs, although he can't really reproduce them. He seems to try sometimes, though. He is getting to know "Mama," "Daddy," "Mama's milk," "Nuk/pacifier," and "change diaper." We are working on "bath," "hurt/pain," "wait," "stop," "dog," "bird," "funny," "cry," "drive/car," and "help (me)." Some of the conceptual ones will be difficult, which is why we're starting early on them. Plus, we need time to learn them ourselves.

He makes a lot of sounds in an attempt to communicate; as Anne Lamott has said, he switches from Pashto to Serbo-Croation in short babbles that consistently express emotion, even though we don't know what the hell he's trying to say. Even with their updates, Babelfish is of little use.

Rye had a lot of visitors, and a lot of firsts this month:

• First restaurant trip to Masa, a neighborhood pizza and pasta joint

• First band-aid (dang nail-clipping!)

• First giggles

• First trip to El Conquistador

• First Sunday church service (the organ totally freaked him out and Mommy had to take him outside)

• First camping and climbing trip, includes first long car ride

• First visit to Daddy's work for lunch

• First long stint sleeping, 5 hours sometimes!

• First Thanksgiving and walk along the beach

There are videos here and here that shows him just hanging out and making his swimming movements. And here's one of him in the bath (This one only will be up for a week or two, so watch it now.). No Oscar contenders, of course. Not even if I'd used a tripod.

*Pashto is the language, I discovered, while Pashtun are the people. This entry has been corrected as such.

Rye with more cousins!

With Taylor, Daddy and Alley

First Thanksgiving!

Rye checks out the family Holiday Cornhole Tournament with Aunt Margaret and Uncle Patrick.

A walk along The Strand to see the sunset and the Christmas lights on the Pier.

Grampa said grace at dinner time, sharing this poem from American poet, philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1822):

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

Smile for the camera *

Rye loves the crocheted blanket Mr. Hummer made for him.

Rye meets his great-grandpa, Nana and Granddad

Grampa Bart is Rye's great-grandpa

Rye with Mommy, Grampa Bart, Granddad and Nana

First climbing trip!

Rye spent his first night en plein air with the Rats in Joshua Tree. He seemed to like the outdoors, and slept soundly in the cool air. He was mesmerized by the campfire! Mama's hands were full, and daddy was setting anchors, so some moments were missed by the camera—here are the highlights....

California dude.

His mittens didn't fit, so Rye wore socks since he can't manage to keep his hands under the covers. The Christmas fuzzy sleeper is a hand-me-down...too bad he'll probably grow out of it before Christmas!

Channeling James Dean.

Daddy's down jacket makes an excellent sleeping bag.

Future rope gun, perched on the rope.

Indian Cove campsite in the early morning.

More family meet-and-greet

Uncle Steve

Aunt Loretta

Playing and sleeping

Rye plays in his gym on the playmat that Grandma quilted.

Nothing like a weekend afternoon couch-nap for the boys.

...and his cousins, whom he reckons up by dozens, and his aunts...

Rye has started the long task of getting to know his family. Since he has six grandparents, one great-grandfather, two cousins, six aunts and uncles, 15 great aunts and uncles, 33 second cousins, and a whole mess of honorary aunts, uncles and cousins, it's going to take him some time to get to everybody. Here are some snippets from the last few weeks. So give three cheers, and one cheer more...

Grandpa offers a calming touch.

Grandpa prepares Rye for addressing the finer points of nuclear physics.

Grandma on Binky patrol, after getting Rye to try some yoga moves.

Uncle Mike was in town from St. Louis.

Uncle Bill stops in for lunch occasionally.