Bare Butt

Oops, I meant "bear" butt. And Patrick is all too eager to show it off. I think we have an exhibitionist on our hands!

He gave me the best grin, but just long enough for me to get this shot. By the way, although this onesie fits pretty well, not everything that buttons up the front fits as well. As mentioned in yesterday's post and my mom's comment to it, Patrick's clothes don't fit over his head well. Button or snap tops seem like a great solution, but only if they don't look silly with the top button or snap undone. He has several outfits already that would strangle him around the neck if I snapped that top snap. His neck fits with his head better than his body. If he doesn't stretch that neck out, it can look like he doesn't have one at all and that his top is buttoned around his chin (the bottom chin anyway).
He also tried chewing his fingers as usual, but got distracted while looking out the window. I thought that distraction was too cute not to capture on film. In a lot of the pictures I took yesterday, you can tell just how disproportionate his head is to the rest of his body. I think part of it was the angle and the way the onesie fit, but it still makes for funny pictures.

"The family that laughs together stays together." Have I heard that or something similar somewhere? If not, I take credit for the quote. Either way, I think it's true. Laugher was a staple of my family growing up. We weren't perfect by any means, but I remember a lot more laughing than yelling. Even now as we're all growing up and moving farther apart, all we have to do is get together or call on the phone, and the laugher starts back up. Holidays when larger groups of us gather are hilarious. I feel bad for the newer members of the family who may not have been around for the more riotous moments, as they seem to get brought up at any occasion. How is it that our family can have so many inside jokes? Mention my brother and his guitar or my uncle and roosters, and anyone in our family will dissolve into giggles (and NO, I will not explain!).

This legacy of laughter is just one of many family traditions I hope to continue in my own family. I was reminded last night of just how important that laughter can be. Matt and I were eating dinner while Patrick played in his rocker chair. He started to get bored of the toys and fussy. Matt and I couldn't give him the attention he craved because we were eating. As soon as Matt finished his dinner, though, he picked Patrick up and set him on his lap. Normally if Patrick is fussy from being tired or any other reason, he is not happy on a lap. Last night, however, that was clearly what he wanted. He smiled at Daddy, then me, then Daddy again, then me again. Almost anything Daddy said, especially in his imitation of Elmo's voice, was hilarious. It was so heartwarming to sit laughing with my husband and son at absolutely nothing. What a great family bonding experience. I hope these are the moments Patrick remembers as he grows older.