Four Months and a Dai Nyia

Last week Bobo passed the four-month mark, and also had his latest checkup.  He is doing great and looking nice and tall, but also nice and chubsy at twice his birth-weight.  The Wife already posted a great update here, including many great pictures, I just wanted to post a little something myself.  He is happy and funny, smiling and laughing more all the time, and getting a little better about "strangers" (like family and friends whom he of course loves).

For those of you who don't know, Hmong people are really awesome, and they make really beautiful things, even if they're primarily practical things.  One such thing is called a dai nyia, known to us Miskas folk as a baby carrier.  I've seen more Hmong ladies (and occasionally men) than I can recall walking around with a baby strapped to themselves with one of these things, so imagine my glee when dear friends from my last mission area sent one to me (along with some adorable hand-knit beanies) to use with our own little Bobo!  It was delightful, and he seemed to enjoy it.

I LOVE IT I AM GOING TO TAKE IT EVERYWHERE.

And here we have the perhaps more commonly used Bobo-on-back variation.  It's quite something to see Hmong people strap a baby on like this by themselves.  At the moment I still require Wifely assistance.

We took it on a trial run on our last grocery shopping errand and it seemed to work like a charm.  He sat comfortably and didn't make a peep and occasionally patted my head or played with my hair and generally took in all the sights from this new vantage point (and it was very nice not to have to 1] fit the carrier somehow in the shopping cart, and/or 2] lug around the stroller as well as the shopping cart).  I'm still getting the hang of it, and he requires the occasional re-hoist, but it was great.  Also, he definitely attracted a lot more certainly due attention this way.  I can't wait to take it with us to Disneyland and on walks and when we go visit Julie's family this Christmas and all over the place.  Ua tsaug ntau, Seethong thiab Mai Chou!!!

We so love our little CAG!  What a delight it is to see his face light up when he hears my voice or sees me walking down the stairs.

[Also, in case you're wondering, it IS possible to write a blogpost with a kicking baby in your lap.  Occasionally challenging, but definitely possible.]