Five Months Old! Cinco meses de idade!

Nicky and his daddy

Dear Nicholas,

Can you believe you are already five months old?? We can't! It's amazing to see you developing so well-- with your two teeth, your beguiling smile, and your "manhoso" cough, laugh and cries. You have two passports, you eat bananas, potatoes, apples, and cereal, you like to stand up tall, you love "serra, serra, serrador", and your favorite songs are the ones we make up....

Will you remember your recent trip to New York City to the Brazilian consulate? It was quite the ordeal getting there, especially to organize the paperwork and your jailbird passport photo-- and then, they still weren't satisfied with Mommy's birth certificate! But you saved the day, Moleque de Lata! You were sooooo cute, that everyone in the consulate went nuts over you! Viviane, the agent, picked you up and carried you into the back to show the other agents! We're fairly convinced that it was only because of your chubby cheeks that we got any paperwork filed at all that day. And will you remember our lunch at the Brazilian restaurant? All the waiters, big tough guys, were making googly faces at you!

Then you, lucky boy, got a jumperoo from Grandma and Grandpa as an early Christmas present! Even though your legs are still a bit short for it (and your weight is approaching its 25 pound limit), you seem to love the freedom of standing on your own. You truly enjoy the "rainforest"!

Your first Thanksgiving was a bit frustrating for you-- you would have liked to join in the feast! But, alas, you're just a few months shy of eating turkey, rice, and-- mmmm---gravy! Grandma's meal was wonderful, and all the more so for having you at the table with us, even though you were a bit mad about being left out of the eating. Still, you managed to smile and have fun!

You and Grandpa enjoyed watching some cartoons together. You guys kind of look alike, and have a similar passion for eating... It was so nice you had some time to hang out together!

Even though you are missing your Brazilian family, you were happy to spend time with your New York grandparents. And it sure was exciting to see the four white dogs again!

Happy five months Nicholas! We love you lots!

Love, Daddy, Mommy, Inca, Manny, and all your family and friends!

Lots of Visitors! Muitas visitas!

Nicky with his cousin Sammi

This past weekend Nicky got to see a lot of familiar and some new faces: Grace, Gustavo, and Tiago; Uncle Steve, and cousins Sammi and Alex; Daddy's rock band: José Carlos, Steve, and new keyboardist Camilo; and even Uelinton braved the cold weather to visit Nicky!

We enjoyed lots of good food and conversation this weekend! The band almost got frostbite playing outside in the snow, but Nicky appreciated it. We'll be visiting Grandma and Grandpa Spofford next week for Thanksgiving. Nicky will also take his first trip to New York City to get his Brazilian passport! He's very sad his Grandma Silvia will be going back to Brazil, though. He can't wait to visit her and everyone else in February!

Nicky is now 26 inches long ("tall", he prefers), he weighs 21 pounds, and his second tooth is almost through. As ever, he delights us with his bright smile and constant discoveries. Come visit us soon!

Adventures of SuperNicky

After taking a flying lesson with his Grandma Silvia, Nicky decided it was time to give it a try. He does have a reputation to uphold as Moleque de Lata, after all. So he suited up in his size 12 months (gasp!) pajamas, donned his shiny red cape (with a little help from Grandma), and set off to see the sights of Brooktondale. His report regarding his flight may have been a bit fanciful: something about an itsy-bitsy spider, an animal fair, and a cow jumping over the moon.

More reliable adventures, however, include his walk around the Cornell plantations with Mom, Grandma, and (sigh!) Inca, who was at the height of misbehavior. Muito levada essa cachorra! Grandma, who possesses the secrets of flight, actually caught a bird twice! A bit easier to catch a bird than to walk Inca, who escaped to jump in the swampy, stinky ponds.

Nicky is getting more and more "levado" himself, with a whole host of "fake" sounds, like coughing and crying. He likes to yell, giggle, and eat bananas. We suspect he is rolling over, since he somehow moves off the mat of his gym when we are not looking. And last night, he grabbed Mom's water glass so he could have a drink.

Nicky will be enjoying his final week with his Grandma, until he sees her again in February. They are great friends, and he will miss her a ton! O Nicky estará com muita saudade dela!!

The First Tooth... already!

The last couple of nights have been, ahem, less than restful since Nicholas is cutting his first tooth-- yes, already. Precocious 20 pounder that he is, Nicky has a sharp little tooth coming up on the bottom, front right. He is sleeping less and complaining more, but is doing well considering the pain he must be experiencing.

This past week has been somewhat eventful: it was Mommy's birthday, Tía Ashley's birthday, and the weather has been nicer. We've gone from the 20s to the 60s, very Ithaca!

Nicky is also getting much more agile and strong physically. His hips have loosened up, facilitating strong kicks; he is swiping, batting, grabbing, and squeezing (ouch!); he rolls from his tummy to his back, and from his back to his sides. His repertoire of sounds has expanded, though he hasn't abandoned the pleasures of a good ah-goo now and again.

Nicky, giant baby that he is, has also started having a little cereal. He also insists, occasionally, on a sip of water. Next week he might get to try bananas!!

He has been spending a lot of time with his Grandma Silvia, who has been teaching him many Brazilian songs and stories. She has been a great help, cooking and straightening up the house. And Mommy, for the first time since Nicky's birth, got to go to the library for a couple of hours while Silvia watched the baby. Normally going to the library isn't so thrilling, but just to have some time to concentrate was a true gift.

In short, Nicholas is big, healthy, growing, happy, and the love of all our lives! He hopes you come to visit us when you can!!