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.