Your Grandpa DeHaan has a song he likes to sing to you from the musical "Singin' in the Rain." It's an appropriate song for your Grandpa D. because he wakes up as cheerful as robin in Spring. This video isn't the greatest quality because I was trying to figure out why it was steaming up, but it has Grandpa's song in it - and you grooving to it like nobody's business. Plus, your dad keeps pestering me to post it so he can watch it at the office. So here it is:
In addition to surrounding you with music, we're
also getting you used to the tools of the family trade
- tennis rackets.
Of course, it's important that you get outside and get some fresh air too!
I hear you shakin' your music shaker in the other room, so I'm going to leave this post and join your band. Love you, kid!
There are few sounds as beautiful as a child's laugh. Think how much richer our lives would be if we delighted in every simple pleasure.
p.s. Don't worry, honey. I was aware that he had a drumstick in his mouth, and I could feel where it was and knew that my movement wouldn't send it flying into the back of his throat. It only looks scary from the video. Breathe, breathe. See? Everything is ok;)
The irony of life. So much thought goes into what baby eats, while the adults sit around munching on hot dogs and chips! Here's Caleb's first taste of anything other than breast milk:
The first feeding session didn't last very long. But we stopped the video camera too soon, and the progression looked a little something like this:
Thank you Becky, Kevin, Clayton and Brooke for the high chair! It's perfect for our space, and we are going to put it to good use.
Here are some recent highlights in the life of a six month old:
Caleb got a visit from his Grandma Haske when she had a lay-over at O'Hare airport.
A Curious George monkey sweatshirt arrived in the mail from Aunt Stacey and Uncle Chris.
Still spending lots of time doing his favorite activity - jumping!
Babies teach us the joy of new discovery. Today, Caleb learned that he can jump. Once only a toy haven, the jumper is finally getting a chance to do what it does best.
Does it look like he’s doing a jig to you? The Quinn side of Paul’s family are proud Irish folk, so it’s very possible.
Happy birthday to Caleb’s Grandma Haske! This Caleb update is for you and inspired by my friend Lindsay, who does a much better job keeping her family and friends informed about her little guy. So I’m following her lead and her format to bring you this:
Size: Caleb had his four month check up on December 23rd. He weighed in at 18 lbs 14 oz, which puts him in the 95% for weight. My arms are in the best shape of my life, and I’m pretty sure I can bench press and dead lift more than I could when I was going through Belmont’s training program for the tennis team. Caleb added three inches to his length, officially putting him at 27 inches long (90%). He is wearing 9 month to 12 month sized clothing and will be out to his last snap in his Bumgenius one-size cloth diapers before we know it. I was hoping the cloth diapers would last until it was time for him to start potty training. That was a crazy thought. It’s not going to happen. He’s growing so fast, he might have to wear Depends.
Likes: Like most kids, Caleb likes the things we don’t want him to like; namely t.v. We try to keep him away from the flashing box, but if he catches a glimpse, he’ll twist his head around and fuss to get a good view. He loves smiling, slobbering on things and spitting. He thinks it’s hilarious to make bubbles with his lips and soak his shirt. I do not think it’s hilarious to have to change his outfit five times a day, so I usually slap a bib on him, which saves us from multiple changes. His favorite song is the five little ducks song, which he discovered when our friend Leslee brought him a fisher price seat with a toy that played the tune. I googled the song to learn the lyrics and now we make music together – I sing the words and he makes his toy play the music.
Dislikes: Taking a bottle, tummy time, being moved from view of the t.v.
Feeding: It’s hard to imagine this child ever had a problem nursing. Now nursing is the only way he wants to eat. At the beginning, when nursing was so painful, pumping and bottle feeding was a relief and something I did daily. Sometimes twice a day. Then it happened. Nursing got easier and less painful, and before I knew it, I had left bottle feeding out altogether. It was a hassle to pump and bottle feed when I could nurse him faster and with less mess. When I headed out for my December book club meeting (which goes late into the night with a fun group of ladies), I left a bottle with Paul. After a few hours of a screaming baby, Paul called me during book club. Caleb refused to eat. For the next few weeks he refused a bottle. But, after researching some strategies and devising my own variation, he is now taking a bottle – reluctantly, and not without letting me know that he dislikes it – but just in time for my January bookclub.
Sleeping: Caleb has been sleeping through the night since he was nine weeks old (don’t hate me other mamas with hungry babies). One of the advantages of being so chubby and on a semi strict Babywise schedule is that Caleb is a great sleeper. Nowadays he goes down to bed at 7:30 pm and wakes up at 7:30 am. He takes a long nap in the morning and a fairly long nap in the afternoon. In between he’s busy playing and being a baby.
Milestones: He has rolled over once, so we think it was a happy accident rather than a milestone. He’s great at arching back, which almost eliminates the need to roll over as he can contort his body well enough to get a good look at whatever catches his fancy. The family jokes that he has inherited the loud DeHaan voice. He makes all kinds of funny noises, including something that sounds a bit like a growl, and all at a very loud volume.
That’s the four month update on Baby Haske. Happy birthday, Momma Barb!
