Ava-isms

My niece, Ava, is quite the character.  One of the things Emily and I look forward to the most when we visit my family back in Ohio is to hear the Ava stories from my sister and her husband. 

Ava is 7 years old now, but she has been always a girl who said whatever was on her mind (the second it got there). 

This trip was no exception.  Ava was pretty obsessed with The Dude.  Here are a few of the conversations she had in regards to him on this trip:

Ava: How can you tell if Owen pooped in his diaper?
Emily: Well, it will probably be smelly, or, he might cry b/c he's uncomfortable.
Ava: What if it's only a little hard poop?
Emily: I guess I might not know if that's the case.  Do you want to help change him; is that what you're getting at?
Leah (Ava's mom): I think that is exactly where this line of questioning is headed


Ava: I want at least one baby, or maybe more than two.  If my baby is really cute, I'll try it's food. 


Ava: Can Owen come play w/ me in the basement?
Emily: Not yet, he's too little.
Ava: Can Owen come play w/ me outside?
Emily: Not yet, he's too little.  


Ava: Why can't I hold Owen like Emma?
Emily: Because she is 13, and you're 7.
Ava: But he likes me, and he doesn't like Emma.


Ava: Can we go look at your baby?
Emily: Not right now, b/c he is sleeping, and it's dark in his room.
Ava: Oh, well I'm really good at finding things in the dark.

The Dude cracking up at his cousin Ava...just like we all do.

What Do You Call It?

The Dude learned a new trick. 

I have no idea what to call it (or even how to describe it), but as parents who are impressed by literally everything he does....we were amazed.

Do you know how you can blow (and maybe half spit) through your mouth and thereby vibrating your lips....in a kind of "sputtering" (I told you I had no idea how to describe it) manner?  Well, Emily was feeding The Dude tonight and he was mimicking her doing it.  And then he continued to do it......over......and over again.  So, Em went and got me to video it (because our family doesn't get enough photos/videos of him each and everyday.)

As soon as I got my phone out and ready to video it.......he stopped doing it - (you can hear Em in the background trying to coach him with what he should be doing.):

Then.....he started again.  So, I took my phone out and started videoing again:

But he stopped again.  This happened about 7 more times.....until......We finally got it on tape (of course with a little excess food coming out of his mouth....but that's alright.)

Ohio Christmas w/ The Dude

Here is a preview of a much longer post I will be putting up soon with a bunch of pictures of The Dude with a bunch of his newly met relatives this trip. 

I thought I would try to make it into 2 posts, so the next post wouldn't have so many photos in it.  (It will still have a lot, don't worry.)

Anyway....here's a tease:

The Dude in his Christmas Bibs

Grandma and Cousin Ava checking out The Dude

The Dude getting a Christmas Present

How can you be upset after seeing that smile?

Jagged Little Tooth

We got back from our trip back to Ohio late last night and we all are pretty exhausted.

The Dude has been a rock star this whole trip.  We left on Saturday night (so he could sleep the majority of the way) and got to Ohio around 12:30 am Sunday morning. 

He was a little more growly than usual, but we attributed that to his inability to get good naps in the daytime.  However on Monday we went back to the hotel and discovered that it wasn't just the naps that may have been the reason.....the Dude was breaking in a new tooth. 

I know it isn't a good pic, but you try getting a "frame-worthy" pic of the inside of the mouth of a teething baby.

So, given the fact, he was traveling like a mad man, overwhelmed by an insane amount of people that he wasn't used to.......and also teething, The Dude was a rock star.  Couldn't have asked for a better trip.

Happy Boy

Owen is such a happy kid.  He is constantly smiling and laughing and kicking his legs.  The other day I was changing his diaper and he was laughing and kicking his legs so crazy that it was difficult to finish the job. 

Finally, I decided to pull out my phone and start videoing it.  (Of course, as soon as I did that....it tapered off a little, but you'll get the idea.)

Officially A Pathetic Parent

I never thought I'd see the day....

Everyday when I take Owen to daycare, we turn a cd on in the car that is a children's cd.  So far, we have 2 John Lithgow cds that are pretty good and a couple from the Wiggles.  It really is fascinating that even on days that he enters the car fussy or crying...a couple songs in and he is all smiles.  Music is a powerful thing.

Which leads me to my point......

Last night I dreamed I was a member of the Wiggles.  I'm not proud of that fact, and believe me....if I had any choice in the matter I would've chosen a different topic to dream about. 



I remember I was really struggling with remembering the words of the songs when we were in concert.  The other guys were getting pretty upset with me and I kept exclaiming, "I just started listening to these songs a couple weeks ago!"

Usually I don't remember my dreams, but I woke up singing "Dorothy the Dinosaur" in my head. 

I'm never going to be the same.

Subtle Hint to Santa

Dad's Christmas Stocking should always be bigger than everyone else's.  Unwritten Christmas Rule!

Drool

Owen is a drooler. 

Rare is the occassion that I am holding him (head on my shoulder) and I don't have a large wet spot on my shoulder within 10 seconds. 

He started drooling noticeably much more around 3.5 months.  At that time, Em was convinced he must be teething early because it was such a radical difference in the amount of drool this kid would produce. 

If he is on a blanket or on one of his play toys that he stands up in.....the area around his mouth (and a foot in either direction) is so wet they could reasonably be confused for having been left out in a hurricane. 

The other day, I was playing with Owen by lifting him over my head while I was seated.  I didn't see it happen, but I felt it.  A massive (at least it felt massive) amount of drool splatted directly into my eyeball.  It startled me a little and I rushed to get him securely into my lap so I could squeegee the spit from my eye.....and I had to start laughing a little.  If this had happened with one of my nieces or nephews.....I'm sure I wouldn't have acted as calmly.  There is something about having your own little one that you just aren't rattled by their bodily functions or excretions. 

And just in case you were wondering.....we're keeping him.  We aren't sending him to any adoption agency because of that one incident.  (But if it happens again.......)



Santa & The Dude

Last Saturday we took "The Dude" to go meet Santa for the 1st time. 

After careful planning (between naps & after a feeding) we made the trek out to the mall to fight through holiday shoppers to sit on some old, gray-haired man's lap.

As soon as we get to the middle of the mall (where Santa is), we find out that we "just missed Santa".  He went to lunch. 

We then spent the next hour waiting in line with a bunch of inpatient kids who can't wait to see Santa. 

We get to the the front of the line and put "The Dude" onto Santa's lap.  With camera in hand, I make my way back to where they take the "professional" photo.  I ask if it's ok if I take a picture while they take some, and they said it was ok.  Em was in front of me trying to get "The Dude" to smile.....successfully.

I take 1 photo.  The professional photographer takes several and can't seem to get one that works.  Santa is loosely holding Owen and we start to see him leaning to his front......ever.......so........slowly.  Emily & I start creeping up closer to Santa unsure what the protocol is on falling babies.  Does Santa have it under control?  Is he not allowed to stop a fallling baby for some insurance reason?  All of these things are going through my mind as I still see Owen (in slow motion) leaning.  At the last possible second, Santa grabs him and all is ok.....but he didn't have to wait that long, in my opinion. 

Here is the photo that I took:  (Em said it was MUCH better than any of the ones we could've bought.)

Comfortable in the Crib

I'm reminded of Back to the Future when Marty sees his convict Uncle Joey back when he was a toddler.  Uncle Joey just loved to be in his crib....which became prophetic as he spent the majority of his life behind bars.



The Dude has grown very comfortable in that crib of his (although I doubt he is destined to share the same love of bars as Uncle Joey did later in life.)

He has gone from screaming his little head off as soon as he goes into his crib....and the second he wakes up.....to all of a sudden being very chill with the whole experience.  Now he basically falls asleep within 10 seconds from his head hitting the mattress and instead of wailing the second he opens his little eyes, he sometimes just likes to look around and relax in there before he lets us know he's ready to get up. 

Here's a picture of our monitor that I took as I watched him (silently) wake up.....stretch......roll over on his back.....and fold his arms on his chest like i've seen so many old men do on a couch after a Thanksgiving dinner.

I pray we don't have an "Uncle Joey" on our hands.

Snowsuit Stories

When "The Dude" gets a little older, Em and I are going to have to figure out appropriate punishments as discipline for him.  I know "Time-outs" are a big form of discipline for a little kid. 

I think we should use the snowsuit as a form of "time-out" when he gets old enough.  When he is in that snowsuit, he is at its mercy.  You zip him up and he'll smile and coo, but there is no moving of the arms or legs.....he's stuck.

Here's proof.  (Still shot or not.....this is how it would look if we did a video of the little guy in this position.)

Just zipped up

A frustrating attempt to move his right arm

So, a couple days ago I was bundling him up in his snowsuit and put him in his car seat to head to daycare.  As I was walking out the door, Emily says to me, "Do you think he'll be warm enough?"  I told her to come and look at him and ask me that again.

She looked in there and just started laughing.  I think he'll be fine.

He's more likely to die of heat exhaustion in that snowsuit....than he would catching a cold. 



4 Month Picture

I posted this pic on Facebook yesterday and a couple of the comments were something like:  "He looks like he's 3 already." 

While I grant you that he does look a little older in this picture, I promise you that he was only about 4 1/2 months in this picture.  I think the way Emily propped him up to look like he's sitting (and he doesn't look to wobbly in a still photo).  He looks a little older than he really is.  Also, he's still pretty skinny, like he outgrew his "babyfat" stage, but he is just growing tall.  He is already outgrowing his 6 month clothes. 

He takes after his "old man".  Tall, skinny, and looks much older than they really are.

Thanksgiving at the Van Ackeren's

Here are a few pictures of Owen with his Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunts:

Grandma & Owen

Grandpa & Owen

Aunt Gen w/ Wakely, Em w/ Owen, and Aunt Ang w/ Halo

I think Wakely may have ran off before this picture was taken.

Mom & Owen ("Can they get my pants any higher?")

He's A Natural

It didn't take him long to figure out the whole "eating from a spoon" skill.  What can I say, "The Dude" is a fast learner.....and he looks cute doing it.

"Act like you've been there before"

"What are you looking at?"

Eatin' good, and lookin' good doin' it

Look, Ma.  No hands!

Phantom Screams

Picture this:

Emily is at the gym and I'm watching Owen until she gets back.  I have to take a shower and get ready for me to be able to leave when Emily comes back.  Owen is very fussy and wants to be held.  Finally he falls asleep in my arms.

Now is my chance.

I put him down right where we are in the basement on his playmat area, and I rush upstairs to take a fast shower while he sleeps.

I finish brushing my teeth and run to the basement door to see if he is awake. 

He is still asleep.

I go back to the bathroom and take a shower....quickly.

I finish and run back to the basement door......still asleep.

I decide to risk it and decide to try to shave my face. 

I put the shaving creme on my face, and with the water running....I swear I hear him screaming.  I hear it distinctly.

I decide to continue shaving because A) letting him cry a little bit isn't the end of the world, and B) if I don't finish I'll have shaving creme all over my face and he'll want to be held.

I finish as fast as I can, clean off my face, and run to the basement door.   Still Asleep.

This phenomenon has happened often....and it has happened to Emily too.  We swear we hear him crying/screaming....but when we check on him nothing.  (thankfully). 

Maybe we just hear him so often in that mode....that we hear it in our minds.  Who knows?  It's a wonder.

4 Month Check-up

Owen's 4 month check-up was yesterday and everything looks great. 

He grew 4.5 inches since he was born (if he keeps this pace up...he'll be 7'4" by the time he is 5 years old).  He is in the 80th percentile in height.

He is now 13 lbs 3 oz which is still in the normal range for his age, but he's in the 15th percentile in weight.  Looks like he'll be tall and skinny like his dad was (Note: past tense).

The nurse inaccurately stated that he was in the 99th percentile for cuteness.  He's clearly at 100th.  (We might be having a talk with the doctor about getting that nurse fired.)

Here are a couple pics of the dude that we took in the last couple weeks:

The Dude having fun in his Bumbo

Hanging out in the "Man Cave" with Dad

"What are you looking at?"

Doing his best impression of a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon

Rock-a-Bye

Today Owen was a little fussy all afternoon.  He is generally a very good baby, but today, I think, he just didn't get the regular amount of sleep in his naps for one reason or another. 

I tried everything to get him to stop whining (he wasn't full on crying....just a constant tired type of whining).  I tried all the usual things, sit him on my lap and pat his back, stand up and walk with him on my chest, walk with him while cradling him....everything.

I don't know how I thought of it...because I hadn't used this before....but I started to sing to him, and it worked!  (Even my voice.....which ain't great.)

The funny thing is that I started to sing "Rock-a-Bye Baby".....and I couldn't remember the words.  I must've sang that song a few thousand times in my life, but for the life of me I kept messing up the lyrics.  (After about the 15th time - because Owen would start whining again if I stopped singing - I got the correct lyrics.)

I decided to look up the song on Wikipedia to find out if there was any stories on why the lyrics to that song are so terrible.  (Have you ever thought about what you are actually singing to a baby when you sing that song?)

One theory is that the song was written by an English immigrant who witnessed the Native American women rocking their babies in birch bark cradles which were suspended from tree branches.

Another theory is that it is about Betty Kenny and her husband (Luke) who had 8 kids and lived in a large tree where a hollowed-out bough served as their cradle.

The last theory is so crazy I have to copy and paste it straight from Wikipedia:

Yet another theory has it that the lyrics, like the tune "Lilliburlero" it is sung to, refer to events immediately preceding the Glorious Revolution. The baby is supposed to be the son of James VII and II, who was widely believed to be someone else's child smuggled into the birthing room in order to provide a Roman Catholic heir for James. The "wind" may be that Protestant "wind" or force "blowing" or coming from the Netherlands bringing James' nephew and son-in-law William of Orange, who would eventually depose King James II in the revolution (the same "Protestant Wind" that had saved England from the Spanish Armada a century earlier). The "cradle" is the royal House of Stuart.^[4] The earliest recorded version of the words in print appeared with a footnote, "This may serve as a warning to the Proud and Ambitious, who climb so high that they generally fall at last",^[5] which may be read as supporting a satirical meaning. It would help to substantiate the suggestion of a specific political application for the words however if they and the 'Lilliburlero' tune could be shown to have been always associated.

Whatever the song means...I have come to 2 conclusions:

1)  They lyrics will always be a little "deranged" in my mind.
2)  That song works like a charm

Decide for yourself

There have been many people who claim that Owen looks like his dad.  Words such as "twins", "identical", "exact" have been used to describe us. 

However it has not been unanimous.  They will remain nameless but there have been a few people who "just don't see it".  So, in that spirit, I give you a side by side comparison of me (at 6 months) and Owen (at 3.5 months).  Go ahead and compare us.  Look at our chins, lips, eyes, ears.....whatever else you can, and tell me what your thoughts are about if we look alike or not.

Happy Halloween

Here is the dude's Halloween costume:

Our little lion cub

Close-up of the cub staring down his next prey

Mom & Cub

Even a pumpkin outfit for the dude



Pumpkin Patch

It's that time again.....no, not Halloween.  It's the time where Em drags me to a pumpkin patch.  Just kidding.  She really didn't drag me. 

We joined some friends of ours and their little 10 month old daughter to a place called "The Elegant Farmer" to do some fall activities.  This place has apple picking, pumpkin picking, fresh home made donuts (this is the reason Em wanted to go if the truth be told), hayrides, pony rides and just about anything else you can think of that a farmer can charge $5 for.

Here are some pics:

The dude staying warm in the Bjorn

On the hayride heading to the apple orchards

Apple picking consisted of picking apples out of crates

He Likes It! He Really Likes It!

If you look back and check out the post I wrote about Owen's 1st bath you will be reminded of the tramatic experience it was for him (and probably more so for Em). 

Well, things have changed on the homefront when it comes to bathtime.  It is a delightful time for both mom and child.  Here are some pictures as proof:

Being placed in his personal bathtub getting ready for his bath

Doesn't get much more "comfortable" and "at ease" than this picture

Mom is washing his face and a big smile happens

Even washing his hair is no problem now

The only disappointment is when it's over



More Random Pics of "The Dude"

Owen loves his swing (he's much more of a daredevil than his mom)  ;o)

He is a champ at "tummy time"

Another pic of Owen in front of his favorite backdrop

Owen just saw an episode of "America's Got Talent" and tried his asymetrical pose

It seems like this is the way we see him the most

The t-shirt says it all

Owen tends to fall asleep during his bottle feedings (but he still moves those jaw muscles and swallows.)  He's a pro.

As soon as he's done feeding and his tummy is full...he's the happiest baby ever.