Nico is learning things and picking up new skills so quickly. His curiosity and joy are a wonder to behold - everything is interesting to him, and he wants to learn how everything works. He loves toilet paper as much as any toy. He loves to read - he has his favorites that he likes to read again and again. Right now, it’s Zin Zin Violin, Du Iz Tak and Snowy Day. But he mixes it up, and brings over the books he wants to read. First thing in the morning, he wants to read - he doesn’t even let Derek have a sip of coffee before bringing over a book and calling, “Dada dada dada!” 

At night, he still loves to dance and goose. He gives a lot of kisses. He likes to tease Derek by giving me kisses, often sweet little pecks on the mouth, while looking directly at Derek, who begs for kisses. Nico still nurses a lot at night, but sometimes can soothe himself back to sleep. It’s bittersweet, because of course waking multiple times a night is exhausting, but holding him close is so sweet. He stares deeply into my eyes, and I truly see the potential of all the universe unfolding in his gaze. He likes to play with my hair. We sleep face to face, his arms wrapped around my neck, my left arm full of pins and needles under his heavy-with-sleep body. He loves to snuggle first thing in the morning. He gives me pulsing hugs, signalling that he wants little kisses- with his arms wrapped around my head, when he pulls me in for a kiss, I am kissing his heart. It’s so sweet. A new thing that he does is sniff my hair - maybe it’s the new shampoo I got. At all times - waking up, popping up from nursing, running to me in the yard, he leans in and takes a deep whiff of my hair. Sometimes I think he uses my hair as shorthand to figure out if he’s with me or Derek, sometimes I think he just truly loves my hair. Either way, it’s a reminder that the internal life of a baby can be a true mystery, no matter how well know him.

Two nights ago, Nico did two beautiful things. First, he has been very into moving his star-projector, spaceman, around. He moved him and the light reflected on my face and hands. He looked back and forth from the spaceman to the lights on my hands and face, reaching out to touch the lights on my face with such wonder in his eyes. Going back and forth, seeming to understand that the bright light piercing out from the spaceman’s helmet was making the beautiful lights that he stares at on the ceiling. After that, the window caught his attention. It was dusk, a thunderstorm rolling in. Nico waved and grunted at  the window, seeming scared. We explained storms to him - we were outside during a thunderstorm a few days ago, Nico bravely reaching off the porch to touch the rain. He kept waving toward the window and yelling, then for the first time, he pointed. Then he wanted each of us to point at the window. We all pointed, acknowledging the storm and that it could be scary, that we would hold him close and keep him safe.