Cha Cha Cha Changes

Yesterday tooth number 2 popped right on through. So now I have one on my top left. My top right tooth is coming through any second and I'm also expecting my bottom left tooth soon. That is 0 to 4 teeth in less than a month. Teething is a bit hard on me. I get pretty fussy, but it hurts so people will just have to deal with it.

I'm showing my ability to crawl in short spurts. I will go 3 or 4 steps forward and then plop at my destination. This morning was a nice comfy pillow I wanted to lay on. I just want everyone to know I am capable of crawling. I just don't really see the reason to do it more than a yard or so at a time.

I'm mostly Dutch and making my first attempt at becoming a windmill

New toys and it isn't even Christmas yet!

Ride'em Cowboy!

Today I pulled myself up! Dad stuck me in a humidifier box and I used the 2 sides and pushed myself right up. Luckily, he was watching closely because I was a little heavy on the front end and pushed myself over face-down, but Dad caught me before hitting the ground. He's my hero!

Laundry is fun!

Boy Oh Boy

It's official I had my first car accident this a.m. taking Grandma and Grandpa to the airport. Dad was driving and didn't realize how icy the roads were and slide off the off ramp to the airport. We hit a marker post and luckily they are plastic, so no damage. Spun around clock-wise went into the ditch side-ways, then spun around facing backwards. Dad gunned the car and drove us backwards back up onto the road and off we went. I slept through the entire thing. Everyone is ok including the car.

Visits from Grandma and Grandpa, Thanksgiving, and gettin' the tree

Grandma and me

Hopefully the only hunting I will ever do!

Chopping down trees just wears me right out

My very first Christmas tree all pretty


What a big weekend I had! It was my first Thanksgiving and the food was soooo good. I ate turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, sweet potato pie, pumpkin cheesecake, and oh man was it all yummy! Grandma and Grandpa Van Tol flew in for the weekend and Larry, Nong and Issara came for dinner. The next day we headed to a nice tree farm in Wisconsin and after some discussion as to the size of tree to pick, Dad cut it down, and we brought it home. He is so strong! By that time I was super tired and had fallen asleep in the backpack. I stayed sleeping until we got home. Today we actually decorated the tree. I love the lights and I even have some low hanging ornaments that I can play with if I want.

I am once again teething. Not sleeping so well, pooping a lot, and a bit more crabby than I've been for awhile. My bottom left tooth is wanting to pop through. Hopefully soon! Today several times I got myself on my hands and knees from a sitting position. I am really crawling backwards, just can't figure out forward yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Doc Appt

I went to the doctor today and she said I have pink eye. Now I have to get eye drops put in my eye three times per day for a week. It's fun for the entire family. It's been awhile since I've been to the doctor, so this is the first weigh in for many months. I'm 22 1/2 lbs in my diaper. I'm getting longer not wider!

New Prez, tooth pops and high-flying baby

I’ve had some really BIG things happen to me recently. If anyone is wondering, no I’m not crawling yet. I have everything lined up properly. I am in position, but I just don’t move forward. I can scoot backwards and roll across the room in the blink of an eye. Some people are predicting that I will walk before I crawl like my dad did. I’ve only just started learning how to pull myself up. I first did it by pulling on mom’s shirt to stand up. Now I’m doing it on dad. I also love to stand up and hold onto the couch. I’m not very stable yet, but can stand there for a good long time before I lose balance. I took my first plane ride to see my Grandma and Grandpa Kienow in Knoxville. I went with Mom. Dad stayed back in Winona and drank beer. I was a very good boy on the plane. I only had one small meltdown in the air, but put up with the layovers and flight delays. I even got compliments from people who told me how I was such a well-behaved boy on 2 of the flights. While I was in Knoxville, my bottom right tooth popped through! The signs had been there for a long time and finally at 9 ½ months I have a tooth. Now another one is on the way. Pretty soon I will be chewing like nobody’s business.

Halloween was only semi-memorable. We were all sick. Luckily, I “got” to dress up in my torture device also known as a dinosaur costume for Baby and Me class. Even though it made me super angry, I looked super cute once it was on. In a few years, I will be old enough to go trick-or-treating and all the other festivities that happen around Winona.

More big news! I went and voted with my parents on November 4th. We have a new President coming Jan 20th, 2009! Obama! An early birthday present for me!

Overall, my disposition has changed so much in the last month. I’m a much happier little boy. I can play on the floor with my toys for longer periods though I still like it better when someone plays with me. I’m smiling and laughing a lot more. Way less fussy. I sleep at night for longer periods. Hopefully, this isn’t just a stage.

Oh and how could I forget. I learned how to play guitar this month. Quite the accomplishment.

I'm an Urban Baby

On the train

Swinging in the big city or Look mom no grass!

Am I cute or what?

Snoozing in the afternoon sun

Story time excellent!

Chicago! The lights! The sounds! The people! The smells- good and bad! What a trip we had! My very first vacation was so much fun. We took the train to Chicago on Friday morning. It amused me to see all the people and I loved the fancy curtains. I played with them a lot. The trip was 7 hours long, but luckily mom and dad were able to walk me around, up and down and up and down the aisle some more. We finally arrived after several snacks, naps, and minor flare-ups. The luggage arrived, but they couldn’t get it off the train so we went to eat and had to come back. It was rush hour anyway by the time we got to Chicago, so it was better that we waited to get on the El train to our hotel. I was pretty well spent by the time we got to the restaurant. Fussy, crabby, unhappy baby was I. So much stimulation in one day was just a bit overwhelming for me. Happily, we finally got to our hotel and I played on the huge king-sized bed, took a bath with dad and went right to sleep. The next day we walked around, went to a city park (boy, for a big city they sure do have small parks and no grass!), stopped by a farmer’s market, and went back to the hotel for a little rest. Then we headed out to the Lincoln Park Zoo. After checking out the botanical gardens and a little snooze in the park we met our Van Tol cousins Krissy, Caiden, and Emory and saw a bunch of really cool animals. I loved the monkeys, bears, and turtles. On Sunday, we went to the aquarium. The highlight of the trip was watching a little boy crawl up on the fountain, pull his pants down to his ankles, put his hands on his hips, and pee right in the water. People laughed or were shocked. Daddy says someday maybe I will do that. Mommy says no I won’t. I got really crabby while standing in line to get in and then fell asleep, but I woke up in time to see the big sharks and tropical fish. So bright and fast. Later we did a little shopping, ate some pizza, and headed back to the hotel. On our last day, we went to a really fun kid’s bookstore in a neighborhood full of kids. I didn’t see many little people like me in the city all weekend (besides the zoo and aquarium of course), but they came out of the woodwork on Southport Avenue that Monday morning for sure. Mommies, nannies, and babies galore. Mine was the only daddy out that day I guess. I loved all the cool things and bright colors in the store and was very attentive during story time. I got to take home a jack-in-the-box. It made me laugh and kept me entertained on the train ride to Winona for a whole 5 minutes. The train ride back was a little difficult for me. I really wasn’t happy just hanging around in my seat unless I was sleeping. I had to keep moving. There was a cute little boy only 2 months older than me right across the aisle. He was on the train from Savannah going all the way to Spokane. He was very calm and just played nice on his mom’s lap and took naps. Mom said something about me hanging out and learning from him. I’m just happy that wasn’t me- that would be just too many days too long on the train. I love the city, but am very happy to be home.

My New Toy

September! It's Fall and the leaves drop down

I'm a Sheep!

I'm a Farmer!

I'm a Bus Driver! Toot toot!

Look at me! I'm a big boy.

Tie-dyed and seeing the world in a whole new way.

September brought a lot more of the same, but with some marked changes. Everyone around me is much happier now that I am not so crabby most days. I am able to entertain myself for longer periods. I like tummy time now and will sit and play with my toys for longer stretches of time. When I drop my nuk, I am able to find it myself and put it back in my mouth. I really have become quite the mover and shaker. I am not yet crawling, but I am up on my knees and lurching back and forth. Everyone keeps saying any day now. Just the other day, I rolled several times across the floor in hot pursuit of the remote control. I absolutely LOVE my doorway jumper. I bounce and sway back and forth. Many fun times are had in that. I also love to take stroller rides around town and when I’m really lucky mom will stop at the school playground by our house and push me in the baby swing. Weeeeeee!!!

My Grandma Deb was back for her bi-monthly visit a week ago. I still don’t understand why she just doesn’t move here. We had a really good time. She made me laugh a lot, gave me baths, took me for super long stroller rides and read books and played with me. The day before she left we went out to the apple orchard. I rode the tractor and got my picture taken as a farmer, sheep and school bus driver. I loved the sheep, goats, and funny looking chickens that were on the farm. I had so much fun that I wasn’t crabby even though I didn’t get to take a nap until very late that day.

Just today only a few days before I turn 8 months, I was at Baby and Me class and everyone was clapping and I started clapping, too!

July and August updates

Daddies with Us Babies

Me with Dad and Grandma and Grandpa Van Tol

This is one of my favorite things!

Yum! Corn on the Cob...So good!

Arie want a cracker?


Apparently, my parents are catching some slack for not getting this blog updated in a timely manner. One of mom’s nicer friends called it stale. Keep in mind, folks, time means very little to me. Each day passes and though I can get the entire household up everyday at 5:30 a.m. like clockwork, I couldn't tell you one day from another- life is just a blur. So, let me recap for you a little of my life since the last time I wrote.

My dad got home from the hospital. I loved it. For weeks and weeks he was home with me every single day and we got to hang out a ton and bond. In short order, he was able to carry me more and more and now he is almost back to as normal as he comes.

In late July, I had a great visit with my Grandma and Grandpa Van Tol, Uncles Jesse, Jan, and Larry and Auntie Naomi. I also got to meet my cousin Rosa for the first time ever. She is so cute. Just love her. During their visit I tried my first solid foods. I ate sweet potato and watermelon. I was fond of watermelon at first, but after a few tries, I decided it wasn't for me. I love all sorts of other foods now like apple sauce, yogurt, carrots, green beans (some days), prunes (YUUUUMMMY and helps me poo, too!), muskmelon, pears, peaches, bananas, pumpkin, and fresh corn (right off the cob when I'm allowed to gnaw on it). More recently I've taken to lasagna, bread, graham crackers and cheerios (picking them up and eating them all by myself just as of late). I’m starting to eat more meat now like chicken which at first I would store up in my cheeks and then dribble it out of mouth.

In August, I celebrated my 6 month birthday. At my check-up I weighed in at 19 1/2 lbs and was 28" tall. There was no big event to mark the occasion. I expected ponies and a jumping tent, but no such luck. In the last 6 months, there have been lots of people who upon seeing me make certain comments. Besides the general cute comments most people mention my dimples, love my smile, tell me about how much hair I have. They also comment on my curl/wisk. It is super cute, but mom is a bit worried about what it will look like as my hair grows out. She is planning on getting hair cutting lessons from Grandma Lois.

Home from hospital

YUM Coffee!

Smiling happy family

Peek-A-Boo!

I'm so happy to report that my daddy is home from the hospital! He had some back pain, but now the doctor says it should be all better for now. She even set his weight restriction at 17 lbs, so he can carry me around! Whoo hoo! I hung out with my mom and Grandma and Grandpa Kienow at the hospital for 10 hours and was a really good boy. The nurses were all over me. I made an impression. Grandma and Grandpa babysat me all day while mom stayed with dad at the hospital. When Mom got home she brought me the best present ever- my dad!

Now its been 2 weeks since dad's surgery and I was very sad to say goodbye to my grandma. She got on the train to Indiana this morning and we waved bye-bye from the platform. Grandma stayed with us almost 3 whole weeks! She helped mom clean my room, changed my diapers, gave me baths and burped me a whole lot! I'm sure it was fun for her especially at 4 a.m. when she was nice enough to let my mom sleep some. I did some growing while grandma was here and learned that I can use my lungs even more and now scream especially when I'm unhappy. Mom doesn't seem to like this new development as much as some of my other achievements. Over the last few weeks I have become very interested in cups, glasses, mugs, and pretty much any object that contains liquids that people around me are drinking. I watch my mom and dad carefully when they put things in their mouth and I grab at their food. Oh yes- I will be eating solid food very, very soon!

Baby's A Rollin'

I'm too sexy for my shirt

What a day for me. First, I got really good reports from my daycare. Super happy today and even slept in my crib for both of my naps. I've never slept in a crib before for longer than 5 minutes or so. Then Mom picked me up from daycare and we were hanging out on the rug and I rolled over 3 times in a row. It is no longer a fluke. I can do it! Dad figured out that it is my diaper that was causing delay. These pesky bulky cloth diapers are a bit too much to overcome. I was in a disposable from daycare since mom forgot to bring enough diapers and later I got naked and rolled around the place so Dad could watch my new skill. I rolled a couple of times here and there, but tonight it was clear that I am a serious, intentional roller.

June 2008

I'm getting so big. At my 4 month doctor appt. I was 24" tall and weighed 16 lbs 5 oz. That is proof that I LOVE the milkies. I continue to smile and laugh. I laugh more and more. Everything around me is so funny. I love to grab at things. I've been grabbing Dad's beard and lips for over a month now, but now I'm holding on to toys by myself. I am very interested in cups and mugs. I sit under my little baby gym and clutch onto the toys. I also am getting very good at sitting up. I like to sit on my mom or dad's leg and bounce and look around. They support me of course, but sometimes with only just one hand. Pretty soon I'll be able to do it all on my own!

May 2008

I'm a big boy sleeping in the bed at the hotel!





Three months old now. Wow- time is a flyin'. I now go to daycare one day a week, so Mom can get some work done. I've started to laugh. Mom is the funniest. Sometimes I laugh at Dad too, but I don't get his sense of humor so much yet. Probably because of all his silly puns. I'm watching items move around the room. I love to sit on people's laps on the front steps and watch cars going by. Whoosh they're fast. Mom says I'm getting to be less fussy. I still love to nurse. Could do it all day if someone would just let me!

I took my very first long car ride with Mom. She said she was relieved when I slept almost the entire way there. I went up to Minneapolis and stayed overnight in a hotel for 5 days in a row when Mom went to a training. During this week I met most of mom's crazy friends and went to the Mall of America with Mom's friend Amber and my new friend Helena. Boy that was an exciting day!

April 2008

Finally! It is nice enough for stroller rides! I'm told this was a long, cold winter. I love being outside. It is still cold, but we go wheeling around the neighborhood for short jaunts for a change of scenery. I love to ride along with Mom or Dad in the sling while they go for hikes up in the bluffs. Sometimes I look around and sometimes I sleep. I started smiling huge smiles this month. The grins I give my parents seem to melt their hearts.

Mom and Dad finally figured out a way to get some good sleep for hours in a row. I now sleep in a baby hammock instead of in their bed and get lots and lots of milk before bed. I even slept 7 hours in one shot once.

I'm getting stronger every day. I've heard people say how strong I was since I was really little (like one month old). But I'm gaining much more control over my own head.

March 2008

Dad says March was a blur. One month old and pretty much more of the same. My cheeks got fuller. I became a lot more alert. People often commented on my alertness. I basically just ate, slept, fussed, ate, slept, fussed and pooped. My Aunt and Uncle Anna and Ladd came to visit me all the way from Portland, OR.