4 months old!

Milo's first Christmas was wonderful. The travel went smoothly from a baby-wrangling standpoint, despite an unscheduled landing at Chicago O'Hare and assorted long waits/drives at either end of the trip. Milo had more fun than ever hanging out with all of his Freiburger family, including most of his Great Aunts and several cousins, as well as Grandma E, Grandpa P, Aunt Laura, and Uncle Doug. He got some great gifts (including lots of awesome books, a tiny wetsuit to keep him warm during our weekly swimming excursions, new Chuck Taylors because he's outgrown his newborn pair, and even a set of ornaments containing his very own foot- and palm-prints - so special! He slept well, laughed a lot, and was generally a delight.

On Friday, Milo had two important appointments. First, he spent a couple of hours at his new daycare center, which he will start attending next week (three days a week, the other two still with Grandma S-J and Grandpa Bill). He seemed to have a good time there, and the teachers seem to do a very nice job with the babies. They already have a crib and a cubby with his name, all ready for his official arrival on Thursday! Milo was the youngest baby there on Friday, but he holds his own with the bigger kids.

While Milo was at daycare, Mommy and Daddy bought a new clothes dryer. We couldn't resist squeezing one more major appliance replacement into 2007, The Year In Which Everything In The House Broke.

After that, Milo had his four-month pediatrician appointment. The doctor pronounced him perfect (as usual!), and said he is doing everything he should be at this stage. We were eager to find out our big boy's "stats," and he beat out all of our guesstimates - he now weighs 15 lbs, 10 oz, and measures 27 3/4 inches long. He is still in the 100th percentile for height, but only the 50th for weight now. Long and lean, as they say! We are starting to wonder whether we'll need to modify our doorways by the time he's 15.

At four months, Milo is full of smiles, and laughs out loud often, sometimes for no apparent reason. He's started blowing raspberries, and he chatters up a storm all day long, telling us stories we truly wish we could understand. He hasn't rolled yet, but he's discovered his feet and loves to grab them (as well as his thighs, or his pants legs, or anything else within reach). He's been sleeping somewhat better (at least until the sleep gods smite me for posting that on the internet), napping decently, and is very alert and engaged when he's awake. His favorite new thing is the Rainforest Jumperoo at Grandma S-J and Grandpa Bill's house - he jumps and bounces and dances and wiggles and just has a ball. He has also started expressing his displeasure with things, with squawks and squeals that stop when whatever has offended him is changed. It is amazing to see how much he can communicate, quite effectively, without ever saying a word of plain English.

I'll get some new photos up soon, but here's a clip of Milo and Grandma Eileen enjoying one of his new presents together (with a cameo appearance by Stela).