Winston and Food, Part 2

We are happy to report that Winston finished a full meal of rice cereal (ok, it was 1 tsp of rice cereal in about 5 tsp of milk). It took 20 minutes, and most of it ended up on his bib, but by the end he was opening his mouth and slurping off the spoon and at least some of it went down his throat. He is definitely terribly advanced...

The best part is he transitioned to bedtime without a cry or whimper. We're hoping a full belly will mean a longer night sleep!

Winston's First Taste of "Real" Food

And now...the moment we've all been waiting for (or at least anticipating since Dave heard from the "reliable" daddies at his work about the wonders of rice cereal in helping 6 week old babies sleep through the night...).

We finally got the green light from Dr. Sanders to begin feeding Winston.

Boy, has this ever been anticlimatic. I guess we both thought he'd take to it right away (the boy loves him some milk), but instead we have a baby who gets terribly anxious when the spoon approaches and then allows every drop of cereal to spill out of his mouth...over and over again.

Check out the video (yeah...finally figured out youtube!).

The pictures are classic...pretty much the same scene repeated itself this evening as well!

Sporting the elf outfit from Grandma...

What is this nasty stuff?

Seriously...this is gross.

Mom gives up.

Winston's Wisconsin Winter Wonderland

Winston's first trip to Wisconsin included wonderful visits with family, a blizzard, ice fishing, baby in the bar, closed airports and freeways, and a detour to Chicago enroute home!

Needless to say, it was an eventful trip. We visited with Grandma and Grandpa, Jayne, Joe, James, Jeff and many friends of the Wanless family. We attended Cheryl's memorial service, and it was shocking and sad to visit without seeing her friendly face. She was a lovely lady and will be missed. I wish we'd been able to introduce her to Winston.

We took Winston out to his first Madison bar on Friday night...after one too many drunken baby coos, we decided to exit early.

Dave went ice fishing (yes, really) with friends on Saturday morning. Thankfully Winston and I opted out of that and stayed toasty warm inside.

We awoke Sunday morning to blizzard conditions, and with the Madison airport closed until the following Tuesday, we decided to brave the roads and drive to Chicago. Quite an adventure. We arrived home a day later than expected, but the flight from Chicago to Miami was amazingingly calm given the high wind conditions.

Dale and Nate and Johnny (I think). The ice was 5 inches thick.

Sporting our UW Rose Bowl Shirts

Winston in his weird devil outfit with Grandma

Winston meets Fireman Nate

James, Winston, Grandma and Grandpa

Devil Child with Cousin James and Aunty Jayne

Love this picture! Such a photogenic crew!

Houston, We Have Spotted Hair!

Dave, Winston and I spent the first weekend in December visiting our old stomping grounds in Houston, TX. We traveled to and from Houston with several of my colleagues from work (and thankfully, Winston continued to be his charming and quiet self on both plane rides!). Dave got a taste of the full-time parenting experience as he watched Winston for the better part of two days while I was at my meetings -- we both agreed that work for us and daycare for Winston was an ideal situation for our family.

Dave and Winston visited the Houston Zoo on Friday, where they saw two new baby elephants.

Dave and Winston joined me for the lunch on Saturday, where the guest speaker was Rich Clifford, a former NASA astronaut who flew 3 space missions after being diagnosed with Parkinson's. He was diagnosed 17 years ago and this was the first time he publicly spoke about his Parkinson's diagnosis. I actually think it was very progressive of NASA to allow him to fly, and it will be a very inspiring story for many people newly diagnosed with PD.

Below is a picture of Winston with his new favorite astronaut!!

Also, the pictures further on down the page provide undeniable proof that Winston is moving from bald baby to wispy fuzzball very swiftly. It actually looks like he will have darker hair - not the blond baby we anticipated, but we'll see - the FL sun may bleach him yet.

The picture above is probably my favorite picture ever of Winston. I love how it captures his eyes smiling. So sweet.

Here Winston is "reading" his cloth "I love you" storybook. He is wearing a very funny cut-off Rock Band shirt (compliments of Lois) paired with his White Sox pantaloons. Yes, you guessed it, this was a day that daddy was in charge of dressing Mr. W.

Thanksgiving 2010

Winston is 5 months old today - at this time 5 months ago, Dave and I were sitting on the couch, watching TV, and timing contractions. When I think about all that we've experienced in these 150 days, I am stunned it is such a short amount of time - it feels like Winston has been with us forever (in a good way).
Winston has maintained his sunny disposition as he's gotten bigger. He wakes us up most days with a "THUMP THUMP" as he swings his legs around his crib and pounds his hands on either side. He is slobbering like a champ, and invariably is chewing on something - clearly preparing for the joy of teething. He's also testing out his voice - screeching and cooing and mimicking our mouth movements when we talk to him. He loves to play - right now Dave is holding him and pretending they are in a boat rocking side to side by waves. Winston is delighted and can't get enough.
We measured Winston a few days ago and he is 25 inches and about 16 pounds...fairly average as babies go but he feels very solid and strong and is getting so heavy that I have a hard time hefting him around in his baby carrier. Objectively, he is not fat - but he looks so different than he did just 2 months ago that the ladies at daycare call him "gordo" and remark that he went fromt being the smallest to the biggest overnight.
Winston and I survived his second plane ride a few weeks ago - we visited Los Angeles where I had 3 solid days of work and Winston basked in the attention of Kathy, Barb, Mary Jo and Sarah. He was an angel on the flights, and we're hopeful he'll maintain that angelic disposition during the next few weeks, as we're scheduled to visit Houston and Madison in December.

Winston experienced his first thanksgiving yesterday here in Miami. I think next Thanksgiving will be more revelatory for him - right now he is still exclusively drinking milk and missed out on the delicious meal prepared by Michelle and Andy. Winston basked in the attention of Andy's Aunt Susan and Uncle Jim and their children.

We were entertained by the whirling dervish that is Lili - she was in rare form yesterday after missing her nap (which I am told actually increases the energy level...good to know).

Dave and I are looking forward to the long weekend, our last at home for the next few weeks. We are debating the wisdom of buying our Christmas tree now (and having a totally dried out tree by the 25th) vs. waiting a bit and risking a tree shortage which always seems to happen here in Miami.

Everglades

Winston has started to sleep for longer periods of time at night. He is usually in bed by 9 pm, awakes at midnight for a light feeding, and then sleeps soundly until 6 or even 7 am. Dave and I are both getting plenty of sleep and it makes everything so much better to be well-rested.

On Monday morning, we awoke to find that Winston had flipped himself over in the middle of the night, from his back to his belly. We've not actually seen him do this during the day, but it is yet another sign that he is growing and gaining control over his body.

Dave has noticed that Winston is much more alert - he watches each of us very intently when we are in the room and brightens up considerably whenever he sees new people or hears conversation. He is definitely a social baby - he loves the hub bub whereever we are, and nothing beats flirting with a pretty girl.

We've had somewhat of a cold spell this weekend, so we took advantage of the cool weather to take Winston to the Everglades for the first time. Here are a few pictures of our adventure.

Winston and I communing with a billy goat at ROBERT IS HERE, the best fruit in S. Florida. We bought a box of veges and a key lime pie milkshake, which was awesome. A visit to Robert is Here is part of the ritual of visiting the everglades!

I am wearing Grandpa Kuhl's hat - can't wait until Winston is big enough to wear it and hear stories about his great grandpa.

Dave and Winston getting their gangster on (although neither of them look particularly tough...).

Halloween 2010...Annie, the Penguin, and Cleopatra

We had an eclectic mix of costumes last Sunday, and fun was had by all. Michelle and Andy brought Little Orphan Annie (Lili) over to visit Cleopatra (me) and Penguin (Winston). Lili was just about the cutest Annie ever. Her grandmother actually made the costume 30 years ago for Michelle!

We stayed close to home and gave out candy to gaggles of kids (but fewer gaggles than in years past, perhaps because it was a Sunday). It is incredible to think that next year, Winston will be able to navigate himself around the block as a trick or treater.

Halloween Parade

One of the most interesting things about being a parent is that an alternate universe opens up to you.

Case in point: the halloween parade. Apparently this is a time honored tradition associated with any daycare/school establishment. The kids get all dressed up, the teachers and caregivers get dressed up, parents are encouraged to do the same, and the parade commences. It makes sense, but it was not on my radar screen before Winston, and that is such a shame. There is something magical about watching little kids and big kids experiencing the pure joy of Halloween. Yes, it has something to do with the candy, but I also think there is something joyous about watching a group of people delight in each other's funny/scary/awesome/outlandish/creative garb.

Here are some pictures from Winston's first Halloween parade. There are more available at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=291106&id=520878553&l=4fd369587d.

Me getting Winston gussied up in his penguin outfit. The socks lasted about 2 minutes before he kicked them off!

Winston and his harem...(L-R): Madeline, Winston, Evelyn (aka Winston's "twin"), and Molly

The twins Tyson and Kai...my favorite little guys!

Madeline as an elephant, Evelyn as her bad self, and Winston as the penguin!

A Sighting of the Rare and Elusive Florida Penguin

Winston had his 4 month checkup earlier this week. He initially tipped the scales at 17.8 pounds...which put him off the charts in terms of his weight gain! The doctor had him re-weighed and his actual weight is 14 pounds, 8 ounces and he is 24.5 inches long. He is growing so big and we even got a lecture about limiting his daily ounces to 25 (he's getting about 25-30 we estimate). What a difference a few months makes!

Other than that Dr. Sanders was pleased by his development and said Winston looks great. Winston was a trooper through two immunization shots - he cried a bit but we think he must have a pretty high pain threshold as after a few whimpers he calmed down.

Winston is finally getting some relief from the gaggle of little girls in his daycare class. Finnegan McClure is joining the crew ... another pale bald baby (good Irish pedigree). So now there are 3 bald babies (Winston, Evelyn and Finnegan) and two babies with full heads of hair (Madeline and Molly). They are too cute for words and it is very interesting to see all the babies learning and changing each day. I am also intrigued by the different temperaments - their personalities emerge so early.

Winston is "dressing up" as a penguin for Halloween. We were very tempted to dress him up in an outlandish fish costume, but decided to save the uncomfortable costumes for when he actually can appreciate the pomp and circumstance of the holiday.

Here's a preview of his costume.

Winston is 4 Months Old This Week!

I am writing this while watching Winston squirm around on the floor, gurgling and blowing bubbles and entertaining himself with his vocal dexterity. He has discovered that his fist is an always accessible pacifier, and with the onset of the drooling phase, his hands are often cold, wet and clammy. Ick. It doesn't seem to bother him in the slightest...

The milestones keep on emerging. Just last week, Winston rolled from his belly to his back - two times in a row! He is starting to rock on his back and I believe very soon he will be launching himself from back to stomach. Dave has noticed how smooth his movements have become - he is able to set his sights on an object and reach for it with confidence and grace (ok, grace might be a bit of an overstatement).

Miss Nora, Winston's daycare provider, told us that Winston is an unusually happy baby. She said most babies will coo and smile when spoken to directly, but Winston seems to delight in any human voice he hears and responds with a grin and giggle to even the most distant wisp of a conversation. We don't have much in terms of a point of comparison, but it is amazing for us to see how he responds to strangers and friends alike.

I am encouraged to how well he responds to books. We try to read to him daily, and he seems to enjoy it and loves to touch the books and look at the pictures. I'm not so thrilled by his rapt attention on the TV screen - especially when watching sports. We're really trying to limit TV time, it is disconcerting how entrancing it is even to a tiny baby.

As you can see from these pictures, Winston is no longer a fragile little bird. He has acquired quite a bit of a belly and feels very solid and substantial these days. He has his 4 month weigh in on Tuesday...we're thinking he is at least 12-13 pounds.

Latest Pictures

Winston is getting so big...check out these latest photos. He is 3 months and 3 weeks. He is looking very cool in his onsie from Mitch's Surf Shop in La Jolla (thank you Barry's!).

Winston's First Cold and Other Milestones

Winston is at the tail end of his first cold - it lasted nearly two weeks and made us all pretty anxious. Doctors are strict about avoiding cold medication for babies under 6 months, so aside from saline drops down his nose (you can imagine how much he loved this), Winston didn't get much relief. Thankfully his head is clearing up and the only remnant is a cough every now and then.

His cold didn't impact his appetite - Winston is growing and changing at a remarkable pace. Just a few weeks ago, he was still wildly conducting an imaginary orchestra, with his hands moving erratically here and there. He's still moving alot, but he is gaining coordination day by day - in fact he is now grasping at objects in front of him and pulling them to his mouth to "explore" (aka gnaw). He is starting to verbalize more but so far no distinct noises beyond a monotone ehehehehehehehehehehehe.

Winston had a great visit with Tutu (Kathy), who stayed with us for a few days and helped out while I was traveling to DC at the beginning of last week. He loved staying home from day care and having the undivided attention of his grandma (what kid wouldn't?).

We've finally accepted that Flurry has left us. We're hoping she has found a new home somewhere nearby with a loving family - and that is what we are choosing to believe happened to her. The alternative is just too depressing. Dave and I both miss her alot - she was the kind of cat that would always be waiting to greet us when we arrived home (more doglike than catlike). Dave is thinking that perhaps she came into our life to prepare us for childrearing...and that once we had a baby, she had to move on (a Mary Poppins Kitty!). Regardless, we will eventually welcome a new cat into (we have several neighborhood cats auditioning for the part every evening...I have a bad habit of feeding any kitty that wanders into our yard).

Let's Sticker the Baby and other Fun Reflections from the Weekend

On Friday night, we attended a party hosted by Mo and Cecilia in honor of 4 friends visiting from South Africa. Cecilia met them when she was volunteering at McCord Hospital in Durban. It was a great night - good food, alcohol flowing, and an impromptu music show. Winston joined us and was incredible...totally calm, endured pass the baby with equanimity, and allowed Dave, Michelle and I to mingle until midnight! We are very fortunate to have a baby that allows us to enjoy our friends every now and then.

Lili spent a rainy Saturday afternoon with us while Michelle and Andy joined the USC Alumni group in watching the game. More pictures are available here. Lili, Dave and I decided that decorating Winston with Halloween stickers was more fun than decorating a witch hat and trick or treat buckets.A few words about Lili - she is an absolutely wonderful child. Curious, loving, independent and self-sufficient. She can come over and hang with us anytime. And I agree, stickering Winston was much more entertaining than stickering inanimate objects.Michelle returned the favor on Sunday so that Dave and I could get away and try paddle boarding on Key Biscayne. While I was enchanted with her chatterbox 3 year old, she appreciated the quiet and calmness of caring for Winston. Ideal sitting trade if you ask me.

First Time Parents at 35

We had an ice cream and champagne party on Sept. 21st for Dave's 35th birthday. The living room was transformed into a gymnastic studio, with Brixton showing off his latest moves and inspiring Lili in daring feats. More pictures from the evening (including guests in Alexandra's witch hat!) are available here.


Dave and I are officially older parents. We don't feel old most of the time...we're still exploring and adventuring (tried paddle boarding for the first time this weekend), but our age is sobering evidence that time is pasting swiftly by and we started this parenting thing a bit later than most.

Our age smacks us in the face every now and then. Someone recently pointed out that when Winston is our age, we'll be 70. Another incident: I was at the pediatrician's office, shooting the breeze with a new mom. She said, "is this your first?" After hearing my affirmative response, she said, "dang, you waited a long time, didn't you?" I was shocked...but then again, she has a point: we did wait a long time.

Regardless, it has been a good life, and is infinitely richer and sweeter and more hectic now that Winston has joined us. I think we gave each other the best gift ever to commemorate our respective 35th year of life.