Dear World,

I am Monkey and I hold the exalted position of “The First Baby” in the Law and Motherhood household. My brother, Otter, agrees that I am by far the most interesting thing that has ever happened to the universe.

I am six. I am growing and learning every day. I am at a very observant and funny age, or so my mother tells me. I certainly know I have been able to make my parents laugh a lot lately, which is one of my favorite things to do.

On the trip to Virginia I overheard my mother tell my father that her breasts felt like they were going to explode. I understood how she felt, I told them I felt like my bottom was going to explode. I wasn’t quite sure why they laughed as hard as they did, but I kept it going, telling them my knees were going to explode, my arms, etc.
Mommy explained that the bottom comment was funny, because it could mean I needed to poop really badly, and the timing had the element of surprise, but the other comments weren’t as funny. Still, I was quite pleased with my success as a comedian.

I am very interested in a lot of things right now, but the two most interesting to me are the piano and photography. I have been taking piano lessons for the last month and a half, and I am playing very well. I seem to have a real aptitude for music, which really should come as no surprise to anyone who has heard me sing all day. My mother gave me her old camera, and I have been taking hundreds of pictures with it. I think I am getting pretty good at it, though Mom tells me I have always been able to create a good picture. I have been taking pictures of my parents on family trips since I was three.

It has been a busy year here. I am excited for christmas, and really happy to have Otter to play with. Mommy tells me she is always surprised and grateful for how happy I am to have him, but I keep telling her, he’s so cute, and so happy, and so soft, of course I love him. I just don’t understand why I wouldn’t.

My favorite thing to do with him right now is to sneak up on him and say “Ga Ga” really loudly. It makes him laugh, over and over again. I also like to jump in the playpen and help him stack doughnuts. We have a lot of fun together. He likes it when I read him stories, and when he can rip my hair out. I don’t really like that last part, but I understand it is part of having a baby brother.

Well, Mom just turned the XBOX on for me, so I best be off. I am determined to win Lego Star Wars.

Oh yeah, Mom says “Don’t forget to enter the Spa Contest.” Don’t worry, I understand, she is always nagging me to do stuff too.