New Carseat

Daniel got a fancy new seat, one he could potentially be in for the next 8 years or 50 pounds! He likes the cup holder the best and I like that it has premium safety features. It's a diono radian rxt and made of steel.

I'm NOT too big!!

See, I can fit! Its not for babies!

That's what Daniel said when I asked him to not get in Elsie's baby jumper.

He was so cute in there and spent such a long time enjoying himself. 

Evidence He Is Watching and Learning

Today we were watching the movie UP.  It has an older man who uses a cane to walk.  We shut the movie off after the first fifteen minutes to break for lunch.  He got down off the couch, picked up the vacuum pipe, and said, "Oh, mang, oh mang!" and hobbled over to the table.

What a goof ball! He hasn't ever noticed people using walkers or canes before, but one short movie segment, and he transferred what he saw into action!

20 Month Sleep Disturbances, Whines, and Sobs.

This has been an unpleasant month for our ears and our sanity in the Haid house.

Daniel has started to wake up screaming at least once a week, needing a parent's comfort for half an hour to all night.  He has coerced us into co-sleeping sometimes, especially at 1 AM when we are so tired and just want to sleep.

He has also started to throw fits.  These fits have screeching and very young baby pitch and volume.  They are unpleasant.  Some days ... especially afternoons and evenings, he is SO TOUCHY.

And the whining.  My-Mom-Ma! Dad-da-da.  No- no.  No-way! Nan-nana.   We are sick of the whining!  Especially the phrase, NO way.  I don't know where he learned this.  Its easier to blame on another person, right? I don't think we've said this with him.  I know we've said, No thanks!.

We are also putting our parenting foot down with him telling us no.  We are making him say Yes, mama or yes, daddy.  Or no thanks.    Its getting to be ridiculous around here, and much harder than many of the previous 21 months.

2 Big Boy Milestones

1) Brushing his own teeth using trainer toothpaste this morning.  He thought he was just SO special and really liked the safari animals on the package!

2) Hair cut, given by dad, using electric clippers!  He was upset about this a few times, but at other times smiled during it.  I held him on the stool and sang close to his face.  His dad used the 7 level clip (which is longer) and I trimmed a little with scissors.  Overall, it was a happy experience for Daniel!

Lots of exposure to the clippers... he watched his dad's hair cut.  He held them.  He tolerated them being close to his head without touching. He wasn't very scared!

Look at the hair that was trimmed! I didn't realize his hair was so long.

Goodbye, fuzzy head!

He posed for this photo.  He also clapped for himself!

I did it!

He looks like his Uncle Wes in this photo! Also, notice his last head wound. 

He loved running around in diaper afterwards.

Comparison of Dan's dark hair and Daniel's lighter fluff.

Time to shower up!

Privacy of DHH

While DHH isn't "all over the web" and its difficult to google him and find out information about him, I understand that he's gone from wish, to a series of ultrasound images, to a cute infant, and now he's becoming his own little self.  His personality is getting bigger and bigger.

I feel like its a good idea to switch this blog to private.  I think its appropriate for his parents' friends, any family members, and a few other important people to have access to some of his life stories.  So it will become an invite only blog.

The primary reason I started this blog is to create a document/book/source for him to read one day.  I haven't kept a very detailed baby book, and so this as served as the place to capture memories.  It has also been a place where I save the emails labeled DDD (Daily Dose of Daniel).  I send DDDs to his grandmothers, dad, and aunts while they are at work to make their days brighter.

Please contact me if you'd like to continue to read about Baby Daniel's transition to Daniel the Tot and later Daniel the Young Man.

September Adventures - 13 Months

 Any morning he is awake before 7:30 AM, he is allowed to watch Curious George.  I know the warnings about TV before the age of two.  However, 7 AM is kind of early and I do need some selfish time to get our mornings started.  And to justify it further, we turn the TV off when the annoying Cat and the Hat show is on at 7:30 AM.  So.  There.  But, if he weren't sleeping during Seasame Street, that would probably also be on. Or on instead. I am a sucker for  Murray and that Litlle Lamb school segment.  Oh, and I also enjoy the vintage parts of episodes that I watched 25 years ago!

 And here are photos from the ONLY time I permitted him to climb into the dishwasher to figure out how the spinner works.  He has been trying to get a closer look at this thing for months.  Now we rarely keep it open (usually its dirty while he's awake).   Maybe this will curtail his extreme interest in the dishwasher!

This month has been a self feeding adventure.  He points to what he wants.  He enjoys muffins (or cupcakes) with strawberries and blue berries, cheese, most types of bread, bean and cheese burritos, noodles, and every type of liquid.   He does NOT enjoy the chunky baby foods.

He walks EVERYWHERE.  Sometimes he grabs our hands to pull us in the direction he wants us to go.  Usually he just goes that way with or without us.

He becomes OBSESSED with certain things.  On this trip to my parents' house, he was fascinated by the water fountain.  He pointed at it, told us to look at it, and begged to go next to it.  He is also really interested in flags, pinwheels, mailboxes, and our neighbor's house.

He usually loves anything with steering wheels.  My dad was going to mow the lawn, so he drove over to us.  Daniel sat on his lap while the engine was going.  He was not thrilled.  My mom reached for him and he dove into her arms for a hug.

Bath time is the highlight of the day, aside from when Dad arrives home from work.  Daniel explores water droplets, tries

Daniel still enjoys the climbing toy; however, he rarely uses the slide.  Instead, he perches son top the base part and enjoys being 4 feet tall.

 He can open and close doors.

 He can climb into chairs.

He understands how to turn on the hose, but his wrists are not always strong to move the spicket.

 He can play his own tunes on the miniature piano.  Sometimes he can follow the pattern of a scale I play.

He also understands about picking tomatoes and would pick all of them if I allowed him to!

Yes, Daniel is really growing up and becoming an independent man full of his own desires and capabilities.