Sixth month birthday

I am six months old today! Mama got all sweet around 3:30 pm when she realized it was the time of my birth. We cuddled, kissed and played together for most of the afternoon, after going on a hike. I got to spend time with three of my soul buddies this week--Mel, Kai, and Harper. This week is the first time I started petting Sylvie and gently patting her. Today I woke up and began understanding how to move more, bending my knees a bit to make tiny forward movements. I also grab whatever is in reach--hair, plants, cups, noses. Wanting to grab the world increases my will to move. So does watching my friend Kai who can play the drums and harmonica and crawl through the house. What exciting adventures lay ahead.
Love,
Solomon

Here I am on the floor telling my Mama I'm tired.

Petting Sylvie very gently.

I get lovins all the time. Here is Mama giving me kisses. It cracks me up.

Here is a conversation with my Mama where I show her I'm happy and tired.

Summer News

Hello. I've had another great summer week. I've been hanging out with Mama hiking and sewing and going to the hot springs. Baba took all weekend off and we hung out together at Mountain Fair. We listened to music, walked around, and rode bikes. These first pictures are for my Great Grandma Phyllis. She wanted some nudes on the sheepskin rug (sans diaper). I was all too happy to fulfill that request.
Love,
Solomon

Snuggling Baba after a bike ride

Here is a video where I'm working on my singing and percussion skills.

Mama's family

Here are two videos of me with my Uncle Jake, Grandpapa Troy and Grammie Lisa. They stayed at our house on the way to and from the Denver airport. Grammie Lisa went to Kenya to see Habil, the orphans and elders, finding out how best we can all help them. I got to see her after she arrived back in the States. She read to me a lot and helped me sit up. Grandpapa Troy made me giggle. I loved to rub his beard. When he first arrived, he wore a hat and sunglasses. I didn't really recognize him and just stared as he scooped me up. Then he sat down on the couch and took off his glasses and hat. I began smiling and laughing, so happy to see him!
Love,
Solomon

Eating and wiggling

Friends and Family,
Here are some pictures of me from the past week. I am eating egg yolk and sweet potato. I am trying to sit up, but am still working on balance, strength, and stamina. I roll over onto my stomach all the time and play airplane (flying my arms and legs in the air). Bath time, wiggle time and my daily walks with Mama are my favorite parts of the day. I am learning to fall asleep on my own, which is kind of hard; I liked it better when Mama rocked and nursed me to sleep. But now, I am learning to put myself to sleep for naps and in the night, which is empowering. I know this will help me out when Mama begins teaching in the fall and I am hanging out with Baba and my friends Hannah, Kai and Barbara Rose. My cousin Jacob just sent me this huge box of clothes, so now I look really cute in all my new "big boy" clothes. Thanks Jacob! I can't wait to meet you.
Love,
Solomon

Eating with Baba

Pushing up on the floor

Beginning to sit up

Hanging out with Mama (Power to the People)

Grabbing my feet in the bath

Happy feet

Hanging with Baba in the backyard (the view is so cool from way up here)

Baba feeding me dinner

First solid foods

Yesterday, I ate my first solid food. I had been watching Mama and Baba eat and drink recently, wondering what it was all about. Then Grandpapa and Uncle Jake came over to visit. They were snacking on some crackers and cheese. I kept leaning over in their arms, straining to get my mouth to the food, smacking my lips. Mama understood that I was ready (she had been waiting for this sign). So, she soft boiled an egg and mixed the yoke with some Mama-milk. She fed it to me on her finger (We tried a small wooden spoon, but that was harder to eat from). I loved it! Grandpapa was there for the "ceremony" and taped our experience. I will eat egg yoke for a few days and then Mama promises to let me try sweet potato.

Rock and Roll

Rocking, then rollong...

Fourth of July

My first Independence Day! I went to the Isle of Palms, near Charleston, South Carolina. I hung out with Mama, Baba, Mimi (Mama's mother), Uncle Mike (Mama's bro), Aunt Hayley and my cousin Anna. The ocean was overwhelming for me. There were new sounds, textures, sights, and tastes. It was so vast and powerful. The pool was a bit more my speed. But I loved being with my family and hanging out.
Happy Independence Day!
Cheers,
Sol

In the pool with Mama, Uncle Mike and Anna Scout.

Mimi and her Grandbabies.

Mamas and their babies.

Motorboat in the pool.

All of us on the back porch (Mike, Baba, Me, Mama, Hayley, Anna, Mimi).

Aunt Hayley and Anna laughing in the sunset.

The sunrise lights up the sky above the ocean. I went walking on the beach every morning with Mama between 5am and 6:30am. We watched the sky and collected shells.

Baba and me playing in the ocean. Cool hats.

Uncle Mike and Anna getting to know the ocean for the first time.

Chewing on Mama's fingers (Yum).

New buddies

This posting is a little late, but I've been out of town and unable to write. The last week of June, I did a lot of hanging out with new friends. I got to meet Mama's former students Hillary and Shira, who were very sweet to me and gave great cuddles. Then I hung out with Harper, who is 2 months younger than I am. We spent time looking at each other and I reached out to touch her. She is a lot like me, but wears pink. Our Daddies are real good friends, and they love us a lot. There is a picture of us with our Daddies which looks kind of cheesy and posed, but it really happened like that and Mama was right there to snap a picture.
It is so great to hang out with friends.
Love,
Solomon

In Hillary's arms

In Shira's arms

Me with my Baba and Harper with her Daddy.

Getting to know Harper