because I haven't posted a video lately

milo & the dog bowl

"how to teach your parents a very important lesson" by milo baker

Yesterday my parents decided to take me hiking.

And I decided to teach them a lesson.

They wanted to "get outside" on a beautiful, Colorado day. They said I had to come too since Midas and Zoe are unreliable babysitters.

I tried to play along.

I woke up happy.

I entertained myself with my rock-n-crawl ball while they packed the car.

I giggled and played with my toes on the 45-minute drive to the mountains.

Mom & Dad put me in the hiking backpack.

I looked adorable.

I even acted interested in the "wildlife." (Mom & Dad got all excited showing me the squirrels. Um, hello dummies, we have those in our backyard.)

But, then I got tired.

Really, really tired.

I tried to tell my parents I was tired. But they kept hiking.

I started crying.

Hard.

My dad said something to my mom like "I didn't really think the trail was this long."

And my mom said something to my dad like "I can't believe we left his pacifier in the car."

Seriously, these people are allowed to raise me?

I cried and cried and cried.

My mom tried to nurse me on a rock by the trail. But that wasn't what I wanted.

I cried super loud into my dad's ear, but he kept walking. Really fast. At one point, I could no longer feel my mom following behind us. It's a miracle we didn't lose her.

I finally convinced my dad to take me out of the stupid backpack and carry me like a normal person. When people passed us, they laughed at us. My dad carrying me. My mom carrying the ginormous (and now empty) backpack carrier. And me, crying. I didn't care. I kept crying.

We finally made it back to the car. I fell asleep before we even made it down the mountain.

I don't think we'll be hiking again any time soon.

Because that, my friends, is how I taught my parents a very important lesson.

Don't ever, EVER mess with my nap time.

Ever.

big day

milo goes to the aquarium

Carrie & Greg came last weekend and we took Milo to the Aquarium. In case you can't tell from the video, he LOVED it! =)

baby yoga (also known as, "milo might be crawling soon!")

milo's new hobby

Thanks to Yia Yia & Opa, Milo has his very own swing in the backyard. And he LOVES it!

love

I have to admit, I'm LOVING this phase in infant-dom. Yes, I miss the teeny tiny baby, but this guy is so much fun.

One of my favorite things about him now? He sleeps on his belly & when I go get him after his naps, he pops his head over the side of the crib & smiles at me.

Today, I was able to catch it on video.

Sigh.

I love this face.

i feel the need to babyproof. very, very soon.

milo's cereal

joy.

milo rolls over

puppy love

milo tells a story

milo laughing

Happy 2 months, Milo!

Happy day, Milo! You are two months old today!

I can’t believe your dad and I have managed to keep you alive for 62 days. And not only that, you are healthy and growing and happy.

You really are a sweet, sweet baby Milo. I don’t pretend to know how we ended up with such a perfect baby, but you really are just so sweet.

Saturday morning I knew you were awake but I didn’t go in to get you right away. When I did go in your room, I could see you were happily kicking your legs and sucking on your fingers and when I got to the side of your crib, baby, you looked up, saw me, and smiled.

No, you beamed.

You smiled so big I thought my heart might explode. It was the first time I really feel like you knew I was your mom. Like, “Hello! You are the woman who has been caring for me all this time and I think I love you! You are my mama!”

You’re changing so fast Milo and I feel so lucky to see you everyday and watch you change. Honestly, you do something every day that makes me say “Well, this is new!” Like you are now holding objects—mostly your blanket or your lovey—and you like to rub them against your face or put them in your mouth. And I bought you a $5 play gym at a consignment sale that has a mirror on it and so now you like to look at yourself and study your own face.

And you are smiling. All the time. And one time I heard you laugh. I laid you in the cradle in our bedroom and Zoe came to the side of the cradle where your hand was sticking out between the spindles. She started licking you furiously and you thought it was hilarious. You let out a squeal of delight that was so fantastic I can still hear it in my mind.

But it’s not just you who is changing, baby. I’m changing too. You are making me a better person. Less selfish. More patient. Less anxious. And utterly filled with gratitude. I catch myself dozens of times a day feeling so thankful that all I can do is whisper a “thank you” prayer and send it up into the heavens. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, to deserve the joy you bring me. I don’t know how my heart can possibly feel this full.

My mother-friend from seminary recognizes this feeling and calls it grace.

I think she’s right.

I love you, Milo!

Love, Mama

Milo's First Hike

three minutes of milo

Happy 1 month, Milo!

Milo is one month old!

Can you handle the cuteness???

He's SO done with pictures...

Happy day, Milo! You are one month old today!

One month.

In some ways, it feels like I blinked and you turned one month old. In other ways, it feels like the longest 31 days of my life! Already I can't imagine my life without you.

One month. One whole month.

We've come a long way, baby! (You, me, and your dad) You are sleeping longer at night (sometimes 4.5 hours between feedings!), can hold your head up, and are starting to focus your eyes on us. Occasionally, we can get you to smile--usually in the morning when you are happiest.

Milo, on your one month birthday I have a secret to tell you. I'm really starting to like you. I know that sounds silly, but it's true. Of course, I loved you the moment you were born but I didn't know you. You were as foreign to me as a unicorn that speaks Russian. I feel like I am learning you, getting to know you, getting to know all about you, getting to like you, getting to hope you like me... (Have you learned yet that your mom is a total cheeseball?)

Even though you throw me some kind of curveball every day, I'm beginning to learn your noises and cries. I'm figuring out which cries mean you need to burp and which cries mean you're tired and, of course, I've learned which cries mean you just want your mama to hold you. I love, love, love holding you. Even though I'm excited for you to be older (I've learned newborns aren't really my gig), I'm trying to savor the moments of holding you--the way your legs bend up underneath your body and your head is still sort of floppy and the way you smell.

Don't get me wrong, little one. Your mama is also exhausted and only gets to shower on days your dad isn't working. (Lucky for all of us, he only works 3 days a week) I'm also grieving the loss (at least the temporary loss) of my former life. Last August I was in Palestine. The August before that I was taking water to migrants on the border. Now I am changing poopy diapers and going to Target with baby spit up on my shirt. There have been times when I have wished for my life before you, but they are getting fewer and farther between. Mostly, I am just so, so glad you are mine.

Every night I sing you this song so I thought I'd include it in your one-month letter. I haven't done a thorough analysis of its theological implications, but my mama sang it to me and now I'm singing it to you...

When Jesus sent you to us,

we loved you from the start.

You were just a bit of sunshine

from heaven to our hearts.

Not just another baby,

'cause since the world began

There's been something very special

For you in God's plan.

That's why

God made you special.

You're the only one of your kind.

God gave you a body

and a bright healthy mind.

God had a special purpose

that God wanted you to find

So God made you something special,

You're the only one of your kind.

I love you, Milo!

Love,

Mama

(In order to hear the video, you'll have to stop the music player at the bottom of the page.)