The sun is shining

Isn’t life just lovely? The drab Central New York cloudy skies are finally showing some signs of summer weather. Thankfully my son Hunter’s attitude lately is just as sunny.

The storm clouds that used to be etched in a tiny scowl on Hunter’s face have been replaced with a sunny smile. Now I’m not saying he was a bad baby or anything. Whenever someone asks about him I lament about the late nights and loud crying sessions. I’m used to the look of people looking at me like a jerk for bad mouthing such a precious little angel.

Of course I love spending time with him and I wouldn’t change a hair on his balding head (his hair looks like George Costanza’s from Seinfeld). It’s no secret that babies are adorable. A baby is automatically viewed as a cute miniature person who just sleeps and looks cute dressed up in Halloween costumes that make them look like some sort of food. I like telling people about the Monster side of babies. I especially stress the hardships to my nieces and nephews. It’s good for them to hear about the stressful times. It gives them a bit of a reality check. There are storm showers and there are clear skies. Enjoying a sunny day is one thing but being caught in the storm of the century is an all together different situation. Which would you rather be in? Take exactly ten seconds to mull that one over.

Hunter’s change of attitude is due largely to the change in Mandy’s diet. It seems that Hunter has an allergy to milk and soy proteins. This means since Mandy is nursing him she can’t have any dairy or soy products. This means zero, zilch, and nada, nothing that has soy or milk listed in its ingredients. You would be amazed at what you can’t eat, just check the food labels next time you pick up a snack. Mandy’s strict adherence to this brutal omission of her favorite foods has been almost inhuman. Now I have tested her will from time to time, eating an ice cream in front of her even though I know it’s her favorite. I’ve stopped doing that however when a few dinners got mysteriously burnt. Strange. Not all is lost for her taste buds; there are several locally owned stores that offer a robust variety of milk and soy free products. Have you ever heard of Rice cream or Rice dream? Well thankfully we were able to get our hands on the acceptable substitutions of ice-cream and milk. Even though Mandy had to give up her favorite food because he was allergic to it, she sucked it up and did what she had to do. Let’s hope he isn’t allergic to football and videogames or I'm in trouble.

Thanks to his mother’s dedication I no longer recall the sleepless nights, but rather brag and boast about the fact that he looks like a little Buddha statue when he sits in his car seat. I spend less time trying to soothe him and more time tickling his butt chin making him grin like a hooker on payday. It’s amazing what a solid night of sleep does for your relationship. The crankiness is gone and making Hunter’s mouth move like he’s talking has brought us closer together than we ever have been in our lives. He has become the center of our whole universe.

It’s great to finally see the sunshine when looking out the window. It’s even better, however, when it’s coming from the crib.