A Besetting Vice: 3 is the Magic Number

Before you complain that I'm a week late with this Damian update, just take a look at this picture to the left. You think that face allows me to have the time to cull through the 3,724 pictures we took in the last month to pick out the best 24? You think those cheeks got chubby on their own and don't require constant feeding and burping? You think that expensive monkey sweater bought itself? Now, dear reader, I beg of you - stop your complaining and enjoy the third month of my son's life with me! (I'm actually writing this with the little scamp sitting in my lap grabbing my arm and trying to "help." Unfortunately his exertions are causing some pretty serious gaseous excursions. It's unreal what a 3 month old baby can produce in that regard.)

Damian's third month was a very exciting time for him - but more so for us i think. He finally smiled for real for us early in April and can now be prompted to do so from time to time. To date, he is nowhere near the smiliest baby on the block, so each rare time we see his dimples is that much cooler for us. My mom has confirmed that I was rather "stingy" with my smiles at Damian's age, so I guess he takes after me in that regard. Let's just hope he smiles more as an adult than I do - I hate everyone always thinking I'm angry about something! My life is sooooo difficult.

Lots of you have wondered how his reflux is doing; last time on Besetting Vice, he had just been diagnosed and given a prescription for Zantac. His noises have certainly subsided and he is in much less pain than before. That's not to say he's cured by any means, as he still has an episode at least once per day - but it's nowhere near as bad as before. Hoang has also adjusted her diet rather drastically to help him out, as she's still exclusively breastfeeding. NO: Caffeine, carbonation, deep fried foods, dairy, citrus, acidic sauces, chocolate, spicy food or alcohol. The worst part? The lack of caffeine, carbonation, deep fried foods, dairy, citrus, acidic sauces, chocolate, spicy food or alcohol in the house these days. Sigh.

Actually, the strict diet (and holding him upright long after feedings) is worth it as it means more restful nights for all 3 of us and more importantly, we no longer have to stand above our son watching him writhe in pain. The amazing thing is that he takes his Zantac like a champ every time; the stuff smells awful and the pharmacist even gave me extra because she warned that he'd spit out half of it. Not our Damian - the boy likes to eat no matter what it is, apparently. The Zantac did unintentionally cause the first real tears from D though... one night we gave it to him and then I stupidly let his head drop below his body for a second. Yeah, well, nasty liquid medication coming out through a baby's nose is not a pleasant thing. But voila, real streams of tears at 12 weeks for our boy!

He also loves his baths. He really, really loves his baths. It's just a plastic tub in the kitchen sink with potato peels and fish skin collected in the drain beneath him, but to him it's a Calgon Moment everytime. Hopefully this trait will continue because grubby little kids don't sit too well with either Hoang or myself - yeah, yeah, I was totally a grubby little kid, but doesn't every parent want better for their kids?

Easter came in April and Damian "participated in his first Egg Hunt at the nursery behind out house. As is his way, he felt too cool and thought the hunt was too easy so he chose to sleep through the festivities. Good for him, I say. Also, our friends Dave and Jen visited from Rochester with their daughter, Addie. As always, Damian was good for guests by keeping relatively quiet and not fussing. Another big event was Mama T's birthday in New Britain where D put up with being passed around between relatives all night long. He seems to just absorb his surroundings and observe rather than crying or hamming it up. Yeah, he's definitely my son.

(Fans of the TravelBlog portion of Besetting Vice will see another Dave and Jen appearance in the next and final installment of the Pacific Northwest 2001 trip reports. They lived on Bainbridge Island west of Seattle back then. Obsessed readers will note that they made yet another appearance in the 2004 Weird Thanksgiving roadtrip Day 5 essay when we had dinner at their house on the Chesapeake Bay. They get around.)

With the advent of spring, we were able to begin taking Bubby for walks - that's his nickname this month. And it appears it may stick because he's starting to recognize it. Uh-oh. Bubby?! Anyway, he's the star of the neighborhood as everyone now says hello to us, which is nice. If you have trouble meeting random people, get a kid. Trust me. A few more rememberances from Damiano's third month include his ongoing attempts to suck his thumb. He's almost got it. He's grown to enjoy hitting the plush things that hang from his various seats, bouncers, and swings... cracks me up. He has fat hands, knees, and ankles. He's developed an odd nappy dreadlock on the right side of his head that Hoang won't cut off for some reason. He's now sleeping good chunks of time at night, usually going from 7:30/8 to 2 or 3 AM or so. Then he's up again at 6 - the most beautiful yet annoying alarm clock. Ever.

And lastly, before you are bombarded with his pictures, I want to acknowledge the incredible job Hoang has been doing. Hoang has been phenomenal without complaint. Some of you have given me praise for this silly blog... puh-leeze. This is NOTHING compared to what a new mom does for her child. Hoang amazed me on our very first date and she's amazed me every day since - ESPECIALLY now with Damian in our lives. The love between D and Hoang is unmatched - watching them "talk" to each other blows me away every time; I even get choked up sometimes. She returns to work in mid-May which will be tough on all of us, but we'll survive (Damian will be staying at his grandmother's).

So since I've neglected to even think about Mother's Day until now, I guess this can be considered the first "gift." Hoang, you're an incredible woman and both Damian and I love you with all our hearts. We can't say it enough.

PS. Mom, Happy Mother's Day to you as well. See you in a few days!

PSS. Happy Mother's Day to all the other moms who read this (there are lots.) You all do something we men will never fully comprehend no matter how much we pretend to try. Seriously.