By the Numbers: St. Louis Baby Nears 7 Months

While my wife and I are trying hard to deny it, the calendar tells us that our son will turn 7 months on Tuesday.

Micah has experienced a lot in a short time here. Here, in no particular order, are some memorable numbers for this stage of his life:

8 — minimum number of foods our son has eaten so far (they are pears, carrots, avocados, applesauce, rice cereal, whole grain cereal, sweet potatoes, bananas—and no, this figure does not include illicit eats that family members have snuck to him)

90 minutes — rough length of the two daily naps he takes

39 miles — approximate distance his maternal grandparents must travel in the event of what Julie and I call a baby meltdown

3 minutes — duration of patience for lying still on his stomach, limbs Superman-style in the air, as his crazy parents encourage him to crawl

50 gazillion* — germs to which he has been exposed while visiting the pediatrician's office, touching objects in public spaces and gnawing on pet dander-infused toys at home

*figure is approximate