First Tooth

I will keep this brief because yesterday Connor was helping me "type" on the computer and he tore the "A" and the "S" off of the keyboard-slowing me down dramaticlly. You can imagine the number of words containing those letters! And, as luck would have it, I showed a new person how to use the Send Out Cards site and when following up, I had to write her name everywhere -ALANA! May she live in infamy on these pages-haha!

Connor got his first tooth last week. Not too bad but still Mommy doesn't like the cry of pain! Thank God for Tylenol! I think he is working on the one next to it right now. We didn't get much sleep last night.

Will write as soon as we get fixed!

First Halloween

Charlie Brown in Central Park

Aren't you a handsome guy playing in the leaves looking for your football with Daddy! We took you to the Central Park Zoo last Monday and you got a kick out of the Polar Bear and the Penguins. It was a perfect sunny fall day and Daddy and I enjoyed our quality time with you. We had lunch next to the pond made famous by Stuart Little in the movie. (the sailboat race). Knishes and a hotdog and soup- Jewish Deli style.

I can't believe you are seven months now. You are so good at holding on to everything and think nothing of switching hands or lying on your belly on your mat holding yourself up with one hand and using the other to grab things. Last night, you were on the mat while we ate a quick dinner and we turned to look at you and you were gone! How could you possibly not be on the entire living room rug? Did you instantly begin crawling the one minute that we didn't have eyes on you? Then, there you were at the far end of the rug underneath your bouncy seat having a grand time investigating what it's like being "underneath". I love that about you. No fear-you just try it. We can but a blankie on your head asking "Where's Connor?" and trying for a peek a boo moment, but you like to stay under it and see what it looks like in the dark! Same with Daddy's Yankee hat.

We voted with you today. You got to see the inside of a voting booth already-strapped to Daddy. Always interested in everything. We hope you always vote!

You are now eating twice a day. Mommy is doing fruit in the am and veggies in the pm. You like everything really although some new tastes give you the funniest facial expression-like you just ate something sour or tart. You insist on taking the spoon and putting it into your own mouth, then chewing on the rubbery tip looking for the tooth that hasn't shown up yet. I saw you tugging on your ear today so maybe soon??

You are napping now, thanks to Elvis. Daddy figured out that when you listen to his Christmas album, you go right to sleep after Silver Bells. I am not sure if that's complimentary or not but Daddy swears that you remember it from the womb and are instantly comforted. I'll go with whatever works!

Love you. Talk soon. Mommy

My dearest Connor-

Again you are asleep...of course, when else to I get anything done? So much has happened since I last wrote. I promise I will get better at this. Mommy hates being organized. It takes too much energy! Alas, though, I want you to have an account of every little thing you do in your first year and beyond so we can embarass you some day!

Well, shortly after you turned 4 months, we took a three week trip to Michigan and stayed in the brand new Lake House at Ford Lake. Every morning, we would get up and go out to the great room to get blinded by the light! Mommy loved that room! We saw almost every single relative you have on this Earth that trip. We attended the Campbell Reunion aka Barothy, my high school reunion (20th!), The Ohse Reunion, a post partum baby shower for you know who, an Anniversary Party and your Uncle Ryan's 40th birthday party! Whew! You were very good for most of those big car hikes! Daddy really liked sitting in the back seat right next to you. Gramma and Grampa loved having you there too. And finally you got to meet your cousins Bryce and Erica too!

Once back in New York it seemed that no time passed and you were already 5 months old! and now 6 and a half! You laugh easily now and get frustrated when you can't reach something. You roll over and over and turn around like a clock. Everytime you are in the crib your legs end up sticking out, flailing in the air outside the crib. You melt my heart every morning when you realize you're awake and "recognize" me and smile.. you also have been trained by Daddy that you get picked up when he claps his hands. It just happened that way but now you assume the cutest "position" whenever either of us walks by. It's as if you think if you are ready, we will be more inclined to pick you up and gee it doesn't hurt to try... there's a picture of Connor's superman arms up position at the top.

Lately you have tried to see how loud you can "talk". It sounds like you are screaming and yet you have such a happy look on your face. I think the neighbors must be wondering what's going on!

We continue to see the Moms and Babies from the Birth Class. Half have teeth by now, and you are holding out. You are growing some more blonde hairs on that beautiful head of yours as well. Sometimes you look just like a fair haired Daddy and sometimes quite a lot like Mommy. Always you have Mommy's eyes and ears!

I love you honey, I'll write back soon.

Connor, you are 4 months old!

Connor Presley Heidel 7/25/08 Connor and Mommy on the Ferry

Dearest Connor,

You are sleeping now- such a good sleeper. Mommy has loved all the naps she's been able to have with you. Now though, she wants to capture everything about you so that she can get out the kleenexes some day and go on about how cute you were (are)!

Connor with his GQ Shark look!

You rolled over last Thursday. Just when Mommy went to say goodbye to auntie Jessica, she turned around because you were fussing and lo and behold-you were facing the floor of your gym mat! Well, you have always been a strong guy (you lifted your head by yourself since you were 4 days old...) so I was expecting this!

Since you (thankfully) have been sleeping through the night (11pmish-9am) Mommy has been itching to go out and show you off to, well, everyone who may have the slightest interest, but of course to our friends and relatives! You have already been on trains, planes and automobiles as well as the Staten Island Ferry. You liked the boat and the train best of all. I think you will be one of those people that falls asleep on planes etc as soon as they take off. We have hit three of the five boroughs of New City, the Jersey Shore, and tomorrow we will celebrate your 4 monthaversary at cousin Barb's! We also got some culture last week, taking in an exhibition of Jackson Pollock and William De Koonig. Wow, you like Modern Art! You take in everything and even did well on the tour with the docent!

I may be biased, but I think you could win a contest for the world's most magical smile. You also sport the cutest laugh-Mommy can hear a toddler voice in there somewhere! I can't wait to hear your first words--but forget about that for now, your babbling is beyond! You make SO many different sounds, gurgles, whines, giggles, funny inhales (my favorite). I love to eavesdrop on you in the morning when you are at "the gym" grabbing your animals.

We do some fun things together already like Mommy and Me Yoga class. You like to see the other babies that come to class and stare for ages at the chinese lanterns on the ceiling. Mommy likes doing exercises with you while singing songs like the "Wheels on the Bus". Once, you even fell asleep in the instructor's arms while Mom was in "downward dog"! We also like to hang with our friends from Mommy and Daddy's birthing class. There's 7 Moms and babies-all born within three weeks of each other. One girl shares the same birthday with Connor and their Mommies also had the same length of labor(48 hours)! We get together in Union Square Park and have a picnic once a month. We have taken pictures each time to chart their progress. I can't wait 'til they interact!

We go for long walks in Riverside Park too. Mommy gets exercise and you get sleep. Bumpy sidewalks are my specialty in getting you to nod off but first, I have to cover your view of the trees. I think you could stare up at the trees for hours! We're going to branch off (pardon the pun) to Central Park when we get back from Michigan. More on that later!