Fun Uncle

Jude's Uncle Chris came up to visit today. It's funny to watch my brother with the baby. This is a guy who would jump multiple flights of stairs on roller blades, competed in black belt karate tournaments, snowboards and teaches rock climbing, but putting my baby in his arms has been like the most terrifying and awkward thing in the world to him. Now that Jude is a little bigger, and not just a little wobbly necked newborn potato (but a cute wobbly necked newborn potato), Chris seemed a little more at ease then he did when Jude was brand spankin' new. When I first helped get Jude into his arms this morning, Chris was like Frankenstein holding a baby and Jude looked at me like, "Seriously? You've got to fix this." They both looked really uncomfortable. We had to work on that.
Chris didn't want to hold him over the tile floor. It made him nervous, he said.
After a little while, though, once he had some time to feel it out, he seemed to ease up. Although he still held him like a football, I think they got the hang of it, but it wasn't long before Jude got fussy and was wanting to "play." Chris could relate, as he is also easily bored with sitting still doing nothing. So he took him on a stroll around the backyard and "chatted" while showing him stuff. They must have made a good uncle/nephew connection because when they came back inside, Chris was ready to play too.

Look out Jude.

I showed him how Jude has been working on learning to roll over and the progress he has made on his tummy with holding his head up. Chris decided that he wanted to do some gym time and exercises. My freakishly physically active brother (always has been) put his ass to work. Play hard- that's Chris's thing. He laid out a blanket on the floor and had Jude scootin' across it on his tummy by letting him push off his hands with his feet- up and down the living room. He had him on his back under his dangling OctoMan on the BabyEinstein play gym, helping him practice his "climbing" grip (Chris is convinced he will rock climb) on the hanging plastic links. He showed him how to box and had him practice swiping at OctoMan. He worked with him on his ninja skills by conditioning the kicks that made the dangling toys on the gym jingle around. He took him "off roading" by bouncing him around on his knees while sitting on the couch.

By the time Chris left to go to work at the climbing gym, Jude was passed out cold in his diaper- in his crib with no fuss or fighting the nap. It just tickles me to death to see my brother/best friend with my baby boy. This first real "hang out" visit, now that Jude is getting bigger and more fun to interact with, was a great indicator of what kind of relationship they will have. My brother is like the Energizer Bunny- I call him Man Boy. They are going to have so much fun and I have a feeling that every time Jude and Chris part ways, my boy will be passed out from the sheer exhaustion that results from play time with my brother. He has that affect on people and I just love him for it.