Deck the Halls

As heard this morning in our living room when I attempted to trim a Christmas tree assisted only by a one year old and a cat:
"Please be gentle with the ornaments."
"Please set that down... carefully."
"Carefully."
"Haley, those branches won't hold you!"
"What was wrong with that one?"
"Why is your father in the basement?"
"Can you hand that to Mommy?"
"Haley, don't eat the tree."
"Henry, don't eat the tree."
"Where are you going? We're not done."
"Well, yes, OK, you have a point. Technically, the ornament is shaped like a ball."
"I think the tree looks great with just the six ornaments - don't you?"
"I know it is before noon but it is the holiday season and eggnog isn't that potent anyway."
"Haley, don't give me that look."


(Editor's note: This post was originally composed on December 21, 2009.)

\\Z\Z\|||dsdsss'.,,.,.,.,.,,,,,,,,,,,,h ../fd.,m

is a verbatim account of Henry's first email message. He was sitting on Mike's lap yesterday and reaching for the computer keys (as usual). Mike had his Gmail account open, and, by chance, Henry randomly clicked the right combination of keys to compose a message. He must have typed a "j" and my email address automatically entered in the To field. Mike thought it was sweet that Henry's very first email message was written to his mommy.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Road Trip '09

Again, I have been a lazy blogger. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We went to Erin and Jeff's in FL for our 4th Thanksgiving in a row! I think it is now officially a tradition whether they like it or not. The drive from Atlanta, according to my new Garmin GPS unit (early Christmas gift from Mom and Dad - thank you!), should have taken 5 hours. The Garmin predicted that we would arrive at 5:33 PM but we actually arrived at 5:36 PM so, since it is clearly defective, I am sending it for a refund. Henry did remarkably well in the car on the trip to FL - he chattered and laughed and played for most of the way (see above). Since it was a road trip, we ate junk food (Goldfish crackers), listened to fun mix tapes (Science Friday podcasts), and played car games (no one but me) the whole way!

As usual, we had a great time for Thanksgiving and enjoyed a most delicious turkey and all the classic trimmings. Henry spent the weekend honing his latest achievement - walking (he is now officially a walker!). He wanted to spend every spare second walking around outside so by Thanksgiving dinner time, Henry was utterly exhausted and had a tad bit of a meltdown. After putting him in his crib, he screamed at the top of his lungs for about 90 seconds and then was out for the next 12 hours.

The return trip, however, was not as smooth and fun as the trip to FL. Henry slept solidly for first 2.5 hours of the drive home. Then, he got bored, then frustrated, then mad, and then he wailed for the final two hours of our journey home. We were stuck in the notorious Atlanta traffic for about two hours. We were so close to home yet so far. As we inched forward on the interstate, I would check our Garmin status only to find that our ETA had been pushed back 40 minutes. As time passed on the clock, I would re-check the GPS to discover that the ETA had been pushed back 40 min yet again. No matter what, we were always 40 minutes away from home - we were trapped in our own Sisyphean nightmare.

Henry on the ride home - note his glazed over expression, his apathy, his surrender.

Happy Halloween!

Henry's Aunt Amy came to visit for Halloween weekend. We were all invited to attend a neighborhood Halloween gathering - kind of a Halloween tailgate party - leading up to the main event when several of the neighborhood children went trick or treating together. Henry loved watching all of the neighborhood kids (who were a bit older than him) scampering about in their costumes. Although he had never been door to door begging for candy, Henry quickly caught on to the concept. He was reaching into the candy bowls and grabbing fistfuls of treats by the second house. Of course, he then either threw it on the ground or dropped it back into the candy bowl. I taught him to distract with his endearing babbling while grabbing the good candy -the chocolate bars - instead of wasting time on Bit o' Honeys and Tootsie Rolls. After we returned home, much like a scene from a Dickens's novel, Henry watched us eat his earnings.

Lord Vader

His costume kept him nice and warm - the night was quite cold and rainy. He hated the helmet so it was a challenge to get a picture of him in full Vader uniform.

Getting Settled In

You know how when you move and the ONE thing that you need is always in the last box you open?


The move went smoothly. Mike is enjoying his new position. Henry and I have settled in to a routine during the week. In the mornings, we have breakfast together and then we run errands, take a walk, go to the library, etc. Henry takes a nap and then I work. The babysitter arrives when Henry is waking up from his nap. She is wonderful and is here every afternoon. She gives him lunch and then the two of them play and go for walks. I work in the afternoons, a little bit the evenings and then quite a bit on the weekends. So far, we are making it work.

We live in a nice quiet neighborhood that is close to everything we could possibly need... Ace Hardware for Mike and for me - Dunkin Donuts, Steak n' Shake, Panera and, hold your breath, a TARGET within walking distance! I know, I know, who could imagine such a magical world with a Target in walking distance?

Chin chopper has relocated.

I apologize for the lapse. To say that we have been busy is an understatement. If you haven't heard yet, Chin chopper has relocated to Atlanta, GA. Although it will now be published in a different state, Chin chopper is committed to providing you with the same level of service and information that you have come to expect from the quality name brand you trust.

Happy Belated First Birthday, Henry!

Henry's first birthday beach-themed cake.
Henry before the cake.

Henry got his own cake. The bakery makes a small cake just for the baby first birthday.
Henry enjoying his cake - yes, it is all over his eye.
Surrounded by gifts.
A little overwhelmed by all of his new gifts.

SeaWorld

Much like a king, Henry's birthday celebration extended over several days. The birthday season kicked off with a trip to SeaWorld! Henry loved it. He clapped ecstatically during the live performances and stared in bewilderment at the manta rays. While Henry took a little catnap, Mike went on the new SeaWorld roller coaster Manta, which flies you through the air in a prone position. As luck would have it, it broke down while Mike was on the ride.

Henry vs. the cat

After trying for several weeks to capture a picture of Henry and the cat in the same frame, this is the closest I got. Yes, that is Haley running from Henry.




Henry is chasing a cat toy in this particular scenario. When it rolled into the back corner underneath our oven cabinet, he was not deterred. He crouched low and shimmied right under the cabinet. When the cat toy then rolled out from under the cabinet, Henry, slowly and with absolute focus, turned about, snaked out from the cabinet and resumed the chase. You can see from the look on his face that he is actually quite pleased with himself. So, is Henry chasing a cat toy because he wants to be like the cat, or is he chasing the cat's toy so he can irritate the cat? We will never know. I prefer to think that Henry loves the cat, but at this stage in their relationship, the feelings are not fully reciprocated. Although the cat is not openly hostile towards Henry, he is somewhat unsettled by the sight of a 21 lb creature with seemingly little physical control or grace barreling towards him on his hands and knees while screeching like a howler monkey.

The Weary Traveler.

This was Henry upon arrival at the Orlando airport after our trip. Overall, he is an excellent traveler - certainly better than me.

Since the airport is ideal for people-watching, Henry had a great time. He also could show off his somewhat disconcertingly advanced social skills. For example, on both flights, when the flight attendants were stopped next to our seats while serving beverages, Henry leaned over and tugged on their skirts (literally!) to get their attention. They would look down, and there was Henry beaming up at them. Of course, this maneuver earned him lots of attention. The first time he did this, he had such a successful outcome that he tried it again on our next flight, and sure enough, Henry's skirt tugging rouse has a 100% success rate.

On our return flight to FL, not 15 minutes into the flight, mind you, Henry somehow charmed himself onto the lap of the kind woman sitting next to us. She must have held him for at least half of the flight. Occasionally, he would crawl back to me, but soon enough, he would be reaching for the nice lady and I was all but forgotten. He stayed awake during the entire return flight until the Captain said, "Flight attendants, Please prepare the cabin for final landing." Henry heard, "Henry, this is the Captain speaking. This would be a good time to fall soundly asleep since we are landing in 3 minutes. You should remain asleep until your parents get the luggage. I suggest you awaken from your nap, refreshed and full of energy, the moment you are strapped into the car."

Summer Vacation. Part 3: My parents' house

Was Henry's favorite part of the visit to my parents' house the fancy rocking horse? No.

Did Henry appreciate the two fawns who have made his grandparents' backyard their home? Not really.

What was Henry's favorite part of the visit? Well, take a look...

The doorstop.

After the family reunion at Mike's old stomping grounds, we turned in our first rental car so that we could immediately check out a different rental car for a one way drive from WI to Edwardsville. The drive was about 6 hours, and Henry did great. He slept for the first half of the drive and was surprisingly calm for the second half of the drive. I sat in the backseat with Henry for about an hour to help keep him entertained. We played the game that is probably a time-honored classic, but a new one for us: I would enthusiastically hand Henry a small toy; whereby, he would eagerly snap it up, smile sweetly, lock eyes with me, and calmly pitch the toy on the floor.

Once we arrived at my parents' house, Henry honed in on the door stop as if he had been planning for this moment his whole life. Apparently, a spring door stop is the coolest toy that any kid can ever possibly hope to encounter.

As usual, Henry charmed the grandparents with his hamming it up for the camera routine, his lip smacking schtick, and his whole "I'm a baby - give me whatever I want because I'm cute" con (Henry quickly learned that grandparents are easy marks).

Summer Vacation. Part 2: Mike's parents' house

Henry and his Uncle Tim. Because the weather was so mild, Henry was able to wear long sleeves and long pants for the first time since he was about 4 months old.

(Yes, this really is an actual puppy. Not a toy. They are just that cute.)

Every summer, we look forward to our visit with Mike's family in the beautiful rolling hills of Southern Wisconsin. This summer, Henry enjoyed meeting and spending time with his cousins, and aunt and uncles, his Grandma and Grandpa, and, of course, puppies!!!

Henry loves dogs of all ages and sizes. This puppy is only 8 weeks old, and he and Henry became instant friends. Henry also became instant friends with Sophie, the Great Dane, Fred, the rat terrier, Maggie, the Scottish terrier, Lucy, the West Highland Terrier, and Jake, the Collie mix.

The weather in Wisconsin was cool and light, almost autumnal. During our visit, we were able to celebrate cousin Isaac's 10th birthday and meet new cousin William.

It was a rare treat to see the three brothers - Pat, Mike, and Tim - together at the same time. Seeing Henry brought back a lot of memories of baby Mike for the family. Apparently, Henry is a mini-Mike with regards to physical traits and personality (i.e., a lot of ENERGY).

During our visit, Mike was able to enjoy his favorites like brats, chicken wings, and Pat's Huli huli chicken (a family favorite from their time in Hawaii).

Summer Vacation. Part I: Madison

Mike and Henry with the Wisconsin State Capitol in the background.


Henry sneezing at the Memorial Union Terrace

We returned from our annual summer pilgrimage to the homeland last weekend. It has been busy, busy, busy this past week while we catch up with work, the laundry, the yard, the house, etc. It seems like I hardly have a moment to even transfer photos from our trip. Since the trip was nearly two weeks long and we saw so many people and places, I will just have to hit the highlights and I am breaking up the trip into the three main components: Madison, Mike's parents' house and my parents' house.

We began our journey in Madison, obviously a place that is very near and dear to our hearts. We were there for fewer than 24 hours, but we packed in as much as we could with an infant while we were there.

The highlights for Mike and myself:
A visit to McArdle
Catching up with good friends
A lovely afternoon break at the Memorial Terrace
New Glarus Spotted Cow and Leinenkugel's Original (Mike)
Fried cheese curds at the Blue Moon! (me)
Watching Henry play on the grass at the Capitol

The highlights for Henry:
Slamming the dresser drawers shut repeatedly in the hotel room
First taste of locally made Babcock ice cream

Well, I am very ecstatic and proud. As you can see from the picture, Henry clearly likes books AND kittens. Finally, we have something in common. I look forward to all the time that we will spend having our mother-son chats about books and kittens. Do you think he is too young for wine? Because then we would really have a lot in common.

Swimming lessons.

Henry participated in his first organized kid activity last Saturday morning - Swimming lessons. He loved it. The class is designed for babies, and the term "lesson" is a misrepresentation. The "class" is more of an opportunity for Henry to enjoy the water at the same time as other babies are learning to enjoy the water. Mostly, the babies splash and kick and squeal. The class ends with a rousing rendition of "The Wheels on the Bus." After the 30 minutes in the pool, Henry slept like a rock for his morning nap.
It is suggested that only one parent accompany the child at a time. I was poolside to take pictures and handle the logistics (as Mike refers to holding the towel). Oh, and Mike wanted me to report that Henry was the best in the class (of course).

Resistance is futile.

Mike thought it was funny that the Hailey wanted control of the remotes. However, I think it is clear from his two glowing orbs piercing through your soul that Hailey wants to control much more than the television.

A less commonly celebrated milestone?

Apparently, in Henry's case and in the case of a few other babies, according to the Internet, the crawling milestone goes hand in hand with the sitting up by himself in the crib milestone. This particular milestone seems to be less appreciated by parents. Why? Because its kinda creepy. A few mothers had asked us if we had encountered the shrouded baby figure sitting up alone in the crib in the middle of the night. Not crying, not complaining, just sitting. In the dark. Alone. With a blanket over its head. Ok, that scenario didn't exactly happen to us (although, it reminds me of that movie with Nicole Kidman. I think it is called "The Others."). Instead of sitting up in the middle of the night, Henry sits up in the morning, sits up after naps, sits up when we are trying to put him to bed...

The other morning Mike entered Henry's room to find Henry upright and smiling - Mike was startled. The same thing happened to me on Saturday when I heard Henry stirring after his nap, there he was sitting up and hanging out (see above picture). Last night, Henry popped up as soon as we set him in the crib for bedtime. He remained upright so we left him that way. We could hear him in his room babbling and moving around, but he was quiet and seemed content so we just left him alone. About 45 minutes later, I checked on him and found him sitting up in his crib but slouched forward - he was asleep in the sitting up position. I arranged him in a comfortable position and he slept through the night without a peep.

Crawling - the movie.

Click here to see a video of Henry's second attempt at crawling. We were lucky enough to have the camera at the ready.

And finally... he crawls.

The baby in daycare who is exactly Henry's age has been crawling for months. And for the past couple of months, every time anyone has asked about Henry's age, the follow-up question is "Is he crawling yet?" After we try a cheerful "Not yet!" The response is inevitably, "Well, that is ok. Every baby develops at their own pace. Each baby is unique." The pediatrician had a somewhat less magnanimous explanation for Henry's lack of crawling, "He's just lazy!" Lately, we cut to the chase. After any inquiry about Henry's age or if someone even so much as glances in Henry's direction at the store, we say, "He is nine and 1/2 months old and he isn't crawling yet. But we know that babies all develop at their own unique pace. That's ok. We love him for who he is. Really, we wouldn't want it any other way. He's his own person. Now mind your own business."

All of this changed last night, though, because last night, Henry crawled. He crawled towards a tower of blocks and summarily knocked it over. The tall, ordered tower of blocks is powerful motivation for Henry. It begs to be toppled. Henry loves to eliminate potential energy, thus Mike's nickname for him, Captain Chaos. I was impressed by Henry's crawling form. I am no crawling expert, but I think he executed his first crawl with stability, effortless style, and confidence. Video evidence of alleged crawling soon to follow.

Spinning in the swing

Click here for a video of Henry spinning in the swing. He loves the bucket swing hanging from the tree in our front yard.

Father's Day

The mug that Henry painted at daycare for Mike's first Father's Day. The two little figures holding hands are made from H's fingerprints. Even though it is just a "show mug" as the infant teacher was quick to remind me, Mike loves it, and I admit, I want a show mug, too.

Henry makes funny faces.

I am attempting something new here. I hope it works. I am attempting to insert a link that takes you right to a video of Henry on YouTube. Henry has been doing this lip smacking thing lately. We think he looks pretty darn cute when he does it. We caught this on a brief video, and you can click here to view it.

9 Month Stats

Henry is an Elton John fan.

Last Thursday, Henry had his 9 month well check. He weighs 20 lbs and 4 oz, which places him in exactly in the 50th percentile for weight. He is 29 inches tall, which means that he is in the 75th percentile for height (an increase in percentile from his last visit). His head circumference is in the 90th percentile. ("Big brains" the doctor always says).

Henry is teething. His lower two front teeth emerged a few weeks ago, and he has 7 teeth on the upper deck ready to pop - poor guy, that cannot be fun.

On Thursday night, H's Aunt Amy came for a quick weekend visit. Henry really enjoyed spending time with his Aunt Amy. She took him in the pool, she played with him on the floor, and she brought him lots of cool new outfits. And she let him wear her glamorous sunglasses (see above). If you ask Amy what the highlight of her trip was, she would probably say watching me change H's diaper in the trunk of the car in the Walmart parking lot. It was not a proud moment for me, but I stand by my decision. Car trunk vs. public restroom in Walmart? I think you would do the same. I was worried that the other Walmart shoppers would become alarmed when they saw a baby in the trunk of the car. Oddly, no one seemed to bat an eye.

When we told Mike of the car trunk diaper change in the Walmart parking lot he said, in a ceremonious tone, "Ah yes. We have arrived."

Henry plans for his future.

It is not too early to start planning for the future. Henry evaluates his college savings strategy. (And for our Wisconsin audience, notice the bobble-head in the background. Guess whose computer Henry is using).

New Florida Tourism Council Ad Campaign

Henry's welcoming gesture invites you to enjoy the beautiful attractions that Florida has to offer.
Don't forget to dress like the natives!

Henry and Mike are ready for a celebration cook-out. Last Sunday we had Chris & Shanon and Greg & Stephanie over for hamburgers, brats and the standard picnic fare. Henry and Mike dressed in their party attire (Hawaiian shirts, madras shorts, flip flops.) Does anyone know where I can get matching Father-Son gold medallions?

Things you can learn from this picture.

1. Much like his cat, Henry really enjoys sitting in laundry baskets.
2. Henry got a new haircut.
3. Henry is teething.
4. Freshly laundered baby socks taste great!
5. Henry's parents have a very messy bedroom.
6. Henry has tan legs.
7. Henry accessorizes every outfit with a damp bib.

New Trick.

Henry awoke from a brief nap yesterday, looked at me, smiled, and then started to clap! We had been working on learning to clap hands together for a few days. I wonder if Henry had been dreaming about clapping his hands and then, suddenly, once the neural circuitry was in place, woke up, and voila - he applauded his own efforts. This morning when I came into his room and opened the blinds, he opened his eyes, smiled, and then clapped again. Perhaps Henry will greet each day with an enthusiastic round of applause every morning? Hmmm... this means he might be a morning person. Definitely didn't get that from me.

At the zoo.

Henry is excited to be at the zoo - he is kicking up his heels in delight.
The primary attraction of our zoo is the Giraffe Feeding. Unfortunately, the giraffes didn't amble over to the feeding platform so we will have that activity to look forward to on our next zoo visit.
We had been hearing wonderful things about our local zoo, and we decided that this was the weekend when we were going to check it out. I wasn't sure what to expect with Henry, but we had been reassured by several people that their babies loved the zoo even at very young ages. And, indeed, Henry seemed to really enjoy himself. He laughed and cooed and remained awake during our entire trip to the zoo. I don't think he actually directly looked at any animals, but he certainly appreciated the professional exhibits and habitats. He also learned quite a bit of information about each of the animals. The zoo exhibits featured well-researched animal bios that provided insight into a creature's native environment, diet, and lifespan. We also learned that in South America, tortoises are classified as fish so "It is appropriate to eat them on Fridays during Lent." (Direct quote from the tortoise information placard).

Jumpin Jacks

Mike hung a jumping contraption from our front tree so that Henry could sway in the breeze and exercise those legs. He loved bouncing up and down in the front yard and playing in the grass. Too bad we spotted that snake while Henry was playing under the tree. 'Cause now Henry is never allowed to go outside again.

First Swim.

Henry is dipping his toes in - he was hesitant at first but then he started kicking and splashing and having a great time in the pool.


Last weekend, Henry went swimming for the first time ever! I thought he would like it considering how much he enjoys bath time. He even has a pair of little swim trunks. He has a rash guard for surfing, too, but he probably needs to stand on land before he can stand on a board. He really enjoyed the pool especially once he discovered that he could kick, kick, kick all he wanted. Between pool time and runs on the beach with Mike, Henry is developing quite a tan. (And, yes, of course, we slather him in baby sun screen to protect him from the FL sun).

The Pigg-o-stat (Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.)

First of all, the unfortunate baby in this picture is NOT Henry - this picture is merely to illustrate the PIGG-O-STAT. I think it is a testament to the truly shocking and horrific nature of this device that, upon searching Google images, nearly all of the hits to the Pigg-o-stat were links to blogs. Blogs written by parents who witnessed their babies being strapped into, with a leather strap no less, a device developed during the Spanish Inquisition. Although originally used to force babies to denounce their heathenism in the 15th century, the PIGG-O-STAT is currently used as a restraining mechanism so that babies hold still and keep their arms up during a chest x-ray.

Henry was strapped into this device for his follow-up chest x-ray (which was completely clear, by the way). The radiology technician prepared me: Ok, ma'm, don't be alarmed but we are going to put your son into a device that will help hold him still for the x-ray. It looks scary, but don't worry, it doesn't hurt.

I was shocked when they wheeled in a contraption made from plexiglass, leather straps, and a plywood base. It looked like it had been made in some guy's basement. Henry being Henry was, of course, absolutely delighted to be smashed in between two shields with his arms pinned above his head. His little body pressed up against the clear plastic made it look like he had been shoved into a tube. Seriously, though, nothing bothers this kid. He just smiled when they adjusted the strap to a tighter fit. The technicians were stunned by Henry's calm acceptance of having been locked into torture device.

I was torn between my maternal instincts to protect my baby and demand his immediate release and an overwhelming sense of regret of not having my camera.

Easter

Henry is investigating his Easter basket. He is wearing his special custom handmade outfit that I have been saving for a special occasion. It is perfect for Easter. It is a lovely outfit made by Beth's mom.

Henry has learned to mug for the camera already. He will stop whatever he is doing and beam into the camera whenever he has the opportunity. Here, he and Mike are posing together. After the photo session, we went to our neighbors' for Easter dinner, and Henry's first Easter egg hunt. He found three eggs! (with some assistance). He fell asleep tonight while I was putting him in his jammies -all that fresh air, the thrill of the hunt, the Easter couture - it wore him out!

Visit from Abuelita and Grandad

Last weekend, Henry's grandparents came to visit. He loved the visit from Abuelita and Grandad. In fact, he was so excited that he told everyone he met about how happy he was... people in the shoe store, people in the elevator, people in the restaurants... anyone who would listen. Here, he is playing with the new blocks that Abuelita and Grandad gave him. Naturally, Henry was more interested in the plastic bag than the new toys. Everyone was so excited about the visit that we forgot to take any pictures!

Professor Henry

Henry loves eye glasses. He is quite deft at plucking the glasses right off of your face in one fluid motion. Considering the ocular history of both of his parents, it is probably a good thing that Henry likes spectacles. And, let's be honest, he looks damn cute wearing them.

The Crazy Leprechaun.

I had big plans for St. Patrick's Day. With his reddish hair, twinkling eyes, and slightly crazed looking grin, I think Henry may be an actual leprechaun. I was going to dress Henry as a little leprechaun, but my quick search for infant leprechaun costumes turned up nothing but a somewhat inappropriate leprechaun costume for a toddler girl. The toddler costume resembled a tiny saloon girl covered in green satin shamrocks as opposed to a leprechaun. Then, I thought I would dress Henry up as an little Irish Man. Or rather, I planned on dressing Henry as I want Irishmen to dress - like characters from The Quiet Man. I searched for a wool cap and a cable knit sweater, but, you know, wool clothes are slightly unseasonal for mid-March in Florida. Fortunately for Henry, Abuelita sent him a special onesie to celebrate his first St. Patrick's Day with a matching bib. My Aunt Eileen also sent him a bib to mark the occasion. Thus, Henry was spared the humiliation of being dressed as an enchanted creature on a day other than Halloween and spared the discomfort of wool in 80 degree weather. Sadly, the luck of the Irish wasn't on our side this week. Henry developed another infection, and the only people to see Henry in his holiday splendor was the staff at the pediatrician's office. In the picture above, he is wearing his St. Patrick's onesie and one of his St. Patrick's bibs. Since Henry goes through many bibs a day, he had the opportunity to wear both of his celebratory bibs.