Things you might find lying around the house if you have a kindergartener

The thing about learning to read and write in kindergarten is that it makes you want to show off your skilz. So P-roc has been writing lists and cards and name tags and leaving them all over the apartment. And now he's apparently written a book:

"Christmas Eve"

"The Elf" (Yes, we have one of Those. It's very useful)

"Christmas Tree"

"Opening the Presents" And then there are other random things that you might find around the house that make you worry...

That says "criminal", for those of you who might be wondering. As to who the criminal is, or why this tag was stuck to a sheet of Christmas stickers, well, we just don't know. When questioned, the crimnol mastermind just cackled maniacally.

Sleeping bebe

Not the outdoorsy type

He's not entirely thrilled when I take him on outings. He either passes right out or makes this face. I think he's somewhat skeptical about the whole outdoors thing.

Unpredictable

iRoc is changing every day. He grew 3 inches in his first month of life! So it's not entirely surprising that he gets a little cranky sometimes. My sister texted me today to ask how he's doing. So I took a quick picture of him to show her:

Then, true to form, he switched back into darling baby mode. He even smiled at me! A real smile, not a gassy grimace. (Wasn't fast enough to get a picture of it, maybe next time...)

Dyker Lights

Deep in the heart of Brooklyn, there is a neighborhood that takes its Christmas lights very, very seriously. So we headed out for the second annual Dyker Heights expedition, with a few friends...

These are just a few shots. Believe me, the display went on and on and on...

This display looks like a cheerful Santa set-up, until you start wondering what those figures in the background are and go to check them out a little closer...

Aaacckkk, creepy!

Bath time for the two rocs

Soothing

He gets a little grumpy in the evenings, does iRoc. So we have a few techniques that work (most of the time). Swaddling, rocking, pacifier, and my favorite, turning on the exhaust fan over the stove. He loves that, for some reason. The first few, I can kind of understand. Swaddling and rocking mimic conditions in utero, and that's comforting. Pacifiers mimic, well, boobs, and what isn't comforting about those, I ask you? But the noise from the exhaust fan over the stove? (or from the one in the bathroom, or the dishwasher, or the drier?) Must be an evolutionary thing, right? Like his brain stem's distant memory of when homo sapiens roamed the savannah, running alongside cheetahs, eating nuts and berries and lounging around next to big household appliances that made lots of noise... Or something. Anyways, here's Dad working the magic (exhaust fan noise not pictured).

Black Friday

We had an awesome Thanksgiving dinner at Erin's place, but somehow I have zero pictures of the whole feast. Must've been too busy, um, eating. :) But here are a few shots of what we did for Black Friday: bought nothing, and went to the library. What part of that is celebrating Black Friday, you might ask? Look closer...

He's dressed in all black, of course! He really likes celebrating every single holiday, what can I say (the baby was not dressed all in black. I mean, he's a New Yorker, so eventually he'll have to fill that gaping hole in his wardrobe, but not quite yet...)

Action shot

I'm glad I'm not a professional baby photographer. It's hard to get a shot of him while he's awake cause he's ALWAYS moving! So forgive the blurriness...