Six months ago yesterday, our family increased in size. Each day since has been its own journey of discovery and wonder. And sometimes, green poop.

Head colds, teething, and starting solids. These three things have stacked to make our lives a stinky mess of restless aches and damp drool spots. Every time Rhys sneezes, we have to clean up a trail of nostril slime, and there’s a good possibility that the 8th deadly sin awaits in his diaper.

Of course, he can’t be ill without making his parents ill. So we’re wiping his nose, our noses, and the nighttime bed sounds like a lumber mill, but without the pleasant cedar smell.

And the tooth. The tooooooth…  His gums are itchy, due to the impending rupture, so he snaps at anything that comes near his mouth, and then shakes his head like a shark. Hence, my little Wobbegong.

Incidentally, why are his diapers stinkier now? We’re clearly not actually getting food in his mouth.

It’s working.

Eyes Open

Originally uploaded by darkmarty

I can’t seem to catch a smile just yet, but we’ve at least got eye color.

But, I’ve recently learned why.

My friend Chuck sent me a Parker fountain pen similar to this. It turned out that it was a bit more difficult to write with than your average ball point. In order to see what I was doing wrong, I did some searching on the proper methods for writing with a fountain pen. What I discovered was that I was am writing incorrectly with all pens, not just fountain pens. I don’t write, I draw the letters with my fingers.

Like this, I’m unlikely to be able to write properly with a fountain pen. So, at the age of 33, I’m going to undertake the this task: I will learn to write properly. And, since I’m tired of smearing my ink, I’m going to learn right-handed.

I’ll keep you posted with writing samples and such as I do this.

That’s all it took. Our condo, which seemed a luxurious construction of open space when we bought it, feels more like a storage unit now than a home. Five weeks after Rhys’s birth, 800 square feet simply isn’t enough.

Time to start shopping.

I’m sure that in a few weeks, we’ll have pictures that won’t involve napping.