Baby Gets Munchies, Haircut and Good Night's Rest

In the past week, Micah reached three important milestones: he ate solid food from a high chair, received his first haircut and slept through the night.

What a kid!

Here's a recap:

Sweet potato boy
It began with applesauce. Julie's dad and grandparents had us out to lunch Saturday. Micah got to sit in a high chair. He's not as big a fan of lying down as he used to be, and he enjoys being able to touch whatever is nearby, to move his hands with excitement.

Julie and her dad took turns feeding applesauce to our little man, and he seemed to enjoy it.

Then recently, Julie pureed sweet potatoes, poured them into ice cube trays and froze them in anticipation of Micah's growing appetite.

I've fed him twice this week, and it's a riot. He gets fussy when the food doesn't come fast enough, yet he's still grasping how to get it into his little mouth. He's also a very hands-on eater, in a literal sense. Sweet potato squeezes through his fingers and becomes artfully smeared on his cheeks.

A similar attempt to give him a smashed pea ended in forceful rejection.

Maybe we'll hold off on the verdant vegetables.

The haircut
We visited our dear friends Ray and Kay in Columbia, MO, this past weekend and had a great time catching up. Also visiting was Mary, another close friend with whom my wife and I worshipped and attended the University of Missouri.

Kay cut hair for years, and she still provides the service to several people out of the goodness of her heart.

It was Mary who broached the subject of haircuts, and Kay eagerly agreed to give Micah a trim. His bangs had grown out toward his eyes. Julie and I knew it needed to be done.

Those present stripped him down to a diaper.Kay wrapped him in one of those plastic aprons, and he was placed on the island in her kitchen. Mary entertained him with a noisy hammer toy. Ray and I took photos and video.

The buzz of the clippers didn't faze our son. He munched on his hand through the apron and watched inquisitively as Mary shook the hammer.

In short order, the cut was finished. Micah looked great, and Kay said it had been a pleasure.

Sleeping through the night
Several nights this week, Micah has slept for hours—and hours—without making a peep.

At first, it seemed to help that he had learned to flip over onto his stomach. Of course, stomach sleeping is generally a big no-no because it can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). But there's not much parents can do when their youngsters make the flip on their own.

Lately, though, he's returned to his back or his side.

No matter to us.

We're just thankful for the extra Zs.