Asher is now 6 months old! He’s changing so quickly! And he has loads of new skills. He is very smiley and quick to laugh aloud. He is very ticklish, and, as NoNo recently observed, it’s kinda hard NOT to tickle him, it’s so very rewarding when he giggles.

Asher’s first day sitting up was around July 7. He balanced pretty well one day when I was working at the magazine. He’s been practicing sitting for the last three weeks and now he’s pretty proficient at it. It gives him a whole new perspective on the world; he seems happiest when he sits up and looks around. It’s easier to keep track of his people that way. I think he feels more secure, even when we’re across the room from him because at least he can see us. He seems totally proud of himself too.

Potty stuff is still going well. When I am very busy either with work or housework, then I catch fewer pees in the potty. I wish I could say I’ve figured out exactly what his signal for needing to pee is. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to do the same behavior(s) every single time, especially during the day. There are so many variables. At night it’s a lot easier to tell because he goes from sleeping quietly to fussing, and tends to wake at about the same times each night.

For a while we were calling Asher Spittlebug; he would sit and make raspberries all the time until his whole mouth was frothy with spit foam. This was especially true when he was four months old. He’s been doing it much less for the last month or so, but when he does make a raspberry sound, it definitely looks deliberate.

Mom calls him Dimples because he has them everywhere. Lucas calls him Leonardo Chubby Cheeks. The cheeks part is obvious. Leonardo came about because Lucas has developed a fascination with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, much to my dismay. Ian’s particularly fond of the name Asher Dasher Toe-Catcher. This is because the minute the boy’s diaper is removed, his legs go up into the air and he grips his toes and pulls them to his mouth. It’s totally funny.

(His other favorite thing to do when his diaper is off is to repeatedly squeeze his penis. I won’t speculate what nickname that behavior might inspire.)

Asher is either blond or strawberry blond. In certain lights, his hair looks red. He’s grown into his cheeks a bit, so he has a more balanced appearance now. His skin is quite pale, and we’re being very careful not to expose him to too much sun. Still, something about it makes me think he will tan well, as long as his sun exposure is gradual. His skin doesn’t seem to be as sensitive as Lucas’s. We are careful to clean all his many creases and folds. If he poops in his diaper and sits in it for a short while (like if we’re out and I don’t realize he’s done it), his skin gets red and angry, but heals quickly.

We’ve given up using the little plastic baby bathtub and just take Asher into the shower with us (the same one he was born in). He’s a slippery little devil, though, so both Ian and I have to be there to hold and wash him. Or, I can sit him on the floor of the shower and wash him. He likes to splash in the water. As long as the shower doesn’t hit him in the face, he’s happy as can be there. Lucas often helps me bathe Asher, too. This is lots of fun, although Lucas has to be reminded repeatedly how loud his voice sounds in the echoey shower.

Asher is quite fond of all things he can grasp and mouth. Toys are particularly cool if they rattle, or crinkle, have bright colors. Some of his toys have small, flexible mirrors (plastic? Mylar?) and he enjoys looking at himself. He’s getting by beautifully with all of Lucas’s old baby toys.

He longs to eat and drink whatever I’m having. I give him sips of water from my cup and he thinks it’s totally weird and wonderful to drink water. He reaches especially urgently for any beverage I have. He watches each morsel I put in my mouth, too. I think he’s been ready to try food for about a month now, but I’m holding off a bit. Still, they say it’s good to start solids at around six months, so we’ll probably be tripping down that road soon. It’s pretty easy to make baby food, but nothing—NOTHING—is easier than breastfeeding exclusively. (Don’t listen to those formula makers. They’re full of shit. Making a bottle in the night sucks.) I’ve let Asher mouth a piece of cucumber and a piece of watermelon and he thought that was pretty neat. Still, his real first food will be boring old rice cereal.

He’s still taking four naps per day, most days, which is lovely. When he’s awake, Asher is usually cheerful, curious, talkative, and content. Honestly, he’s really quite easy that way.

My mother will be making Asher a quilt. Actually, she will be making two quilts because the one I asked for, the one I really want for him, is complicated and will take a while to make. So, she’s decided that she should whip out a simpler quilt for his use in the meantime. (Nevermind that it’s summertime in California and that Asher sleeps with us in our bed most of every night.) So recently mom and I bought a bunch of batik fabrics in all colors and she’ll be starting that soon.

I’m annoyed at the clothing options available for little boys. Nearly everything in the stores is sports-related. I refuse to make Asher into a jock before he’s even a year old. That leaves animal stuff, when you can find it: usually frogs, lizards, snakes, bears, dogs. Or vehicles. Girls have all the best colors and motiffs. Darn it!