1st Quarter Report

We've seen huge changes in our first three months of operation here at Thumper, Inc. The learning curve has been very high for both labor and management, but all have taken big steps forward in their professional development.

As parents, Mrs. Rodius and I have both grown into our roles well. I've noticed how much calmer I am these days when facing the screams of the outraged. In August, that sound sparked a strong emotional reaction in me, something akin to panic, but by the end of October, while I can still get frustrated and just want to hand him off at the end of the day, for the most part the emotional edge has blunted considerably. We're also getting more adept at understanding his communications and predicting his patterns. And we're very lucky that all in all, he's a remarkably happy baby.

And for his part, he's made huge advances. He's outgrown whatever digestive difficulties he had in the beginning. He can now chew on that fist at will. He can see all the way across the house now, and tracks movement without difficulty. He makes eye contact, and has discovered his voice. His favorite game is to say something and have me repeat it. We can go back and forth for ten or twenty minutes several times a day without getting bored. He hasn't had a meltdown on our three-mile walks in two months and sometimes even stays awake most of the way listening to me say "doggie doggie doggie car doggie car doggie leaf blower." He can hold that big, giant head of his up for longer and longer stretches before getting pissed off, and he even rolled over front to back a couple of days ago, although I think that was just a fluke resulting from being so top-heavy. He really does have a big, giant head, you know.

Goals for the second quarter: a more regular meal, nap, and bedtime schedule. Continued motor skills development, including grasping and manipulating objects and bi-directional rolling. Increased strength and balance so that the Snugli and the jogging stroller are more feasible options.

Oh yeah, and I was going to do product reviews. The battery-powered snot sucker is fabulous. We say pshaw to the bulb! And the cloth diapers are performing well. He's come close, but he hasn't overflowed one yet. The process gets a little tedious, what with the rinsing and washing and folding, but financially and environmentally, I think it's worth the tedium.

So all in all, a successful first quarter. We may have to work on our workplace safety, but I think the response was appropriate and effective, so no litigation will arise from the incident and no remedial training will be necessary as long as we implement new safety procedures to avoid similar mishaps in the future. Like not cutting his nails while he's awake.