Unsuspecting Victim...

Photo taken just before going to get his two month vaccinations. He is pleasant and enjoying the company of an octopus plush toy, completely unaware of the three shots and two unpleasant tasting medicines he'll be taking later!

Already Getting Along Splendidly With the Opposite Sex

Daniel allowed his second cousin Kayla to hold him two times on Saturday, September 26. He was peaceful and relaxed, even with this unfamiliar girl. He gave her some big grins, too.

Laughing at GGma Haid

DHH laughed and grinned when visiting his great grandmother, Charleen Haid on Saturday, September 26.

How to Amuse a 5 Week Old and 27 Year Old, Both Named Dan

Balance Recovery

And... he's fine.

Balance Challenge!

Daniel's ability to sit up unassisted is challenged at this point.

Video taken on September 9, 2009 when he was 6 weeks old. It was also on my birthday!

Visiting Great Grandma Landolt

On Saturday, September 26, 2009 Daniel visited his Great Grandma Jeanette Landolt in Hermann, Missouri. She was preparing for a German dancing performance.

She dances traditional German dances with several of her friends. They call themselves Wurst Jagers (Worst Yaygers), which means Sausage Hunters. The tradition goes that back in Germany, Hermann's ancestors were practicing Catholics who observed Lent. On the night before Lenton season began, the Wurst Jagers would knock on doors in the town and ask for sausage. Then they would congregate at a local inn and enjoy their spoils. They would eat, dance, and indulge until midnight, at which they would return to their homes.

Grandma Landolt has been a part of this dance group for several decades and performs many times throughout the year. This was her first dance with her first great-grandchild.

Latest Trick

In his 7th week, Daniel found his tongue. When he is in a good mood, you'll often find him sticking it out or using it to lick fingers or a blanket. His tongue is cute, slim, and pink. It is also somewhat ticklish.

Pouts and Laughing Ladies

You'll see our baby's trademark "umbrella mouth" and hear my sisters loving on him. Oh, actually, his Aunt Rachie was the one who elicited the frowny face... she called him a GEEK. He was not happy!

Pouts and Laughing Ladies

Daily Doses of Daniel

About a month ago, I started to send emails entitled Daily Dose of Daniel to his dad, because I felt that he missed some of the cutest parts of his son's day. I included Daniel's grandmas, who love him so and need to experience some of their first grandchild's sweetness on a regular basis!
Then, I included my sisters on the email list, because they are proud aunts. I consider two of my closest friends as Aunties, so they are on the list, too.

Here is the photo they received this morning. I hope it made their day softer and sweeter.

I wanted them to have exclusive photos, ones that maybe don't go up on the website or on facebook. I usually use a photo editing software to enhance the setting, but never to alter his facial expressions or coloring. I'd hate to send a message to my son about beauty if he found out I'd been air brushing his photos!

Cards Fan

7 weeks old!

Dear Precious Baby Boy,

You have spent your seventh week growing and developing in two different places - in St. James and in Columbia, Missouri.

You started the week at your maternal grandparents' home and were doted on at a family dinner by your Great Grandma Cooley and your cousin Ashley. They thought you were just so precious. Luckily, you didn't give Great Grandma Cooley any of your "melted sugar" like last time!

Each night at your grandparents house, you watched the Cardinals on their Very Large TV. I think you enjoyed looking at the colors changing more than the Braves scoring more runs! You watched the games from the comfort of Grandpa's lap or Nana's embrace.

If you started to seem particularly alert, we put you down on the carpet under your newest toy... an infant gym. You were delighted by the toys hanging down and focused intently on the colorful plastic frame.

I also took you out on Monday to visit your Aunt Rachel at the college where she works. You got some odd looks from the future engineers of MST. That's okay. You'll be an expert at physics or perhaps chemistry one day in the future (unless you want to be an expert in art history or farming implements, which are fine choices, too). You were held by many nice people who thought you were the cuddliest and sweetest baby they'd seen in a long time. Until you started to scream, and then they gave you back to me and watched from a distance

For some reason, you have started to show your temper more and more often. Like on Monday, when I went for a hair appointment and your Nana watched you. You were angry about having your routine changed and begrudgingly took your bottle. She rocked you patiently and eventually you settled down and slurped away on your pacifier. I returned home quickly (and with a new shade of hair!) to find you at peace again.

I can see your personality coming through more and more. You are passionate about most things, from diaper change to hunger to naps. You are an all-out, do it the right way type person. You let us know what you need by your cries and show us what you like by your smiles.

When we returned back to your home and your own room, you seemed to remember the familiar sights and sounds. You easily settled back into your routine of eat/play/sleep and enjoyed time with your father.

I'm excited to see what more weeks bring!

From: Your mom

Five Days Old: First Pediatrician Visit

On Friday, July 31 we took Daniel to his pediatrician for a follow up appointment. Dr. Bueke and Dr. Finstad recommended this, since he was slightly jaundiced and had dropped 6% of his body weight, leaving the hospital at a mere 6 pounds, 12 oz.

My mom and Dan went to the appointment with me and Daniel. It was odd to have so many adults in a tiny room meant for a tiny patient!

Our doctor, Dr. W, also attended MU and came highly recommended by one of my doctor friends and several of my medical school friends. He's got little kids, too, and is really friendly and willing to research questions that I have.

The appointment went very well. We learned he had gained 2 ounces and lost over an inch in length. We felt really confused about why he was measuring 18.5 inches when he was 20.75 inches at birth, but the nurse explained that there is a large source of error in measurements taken just after birth. Babies are so wiggly and slippery, and often the nurses are in a hurry to record his measurements and move on to other procedures.

So, our little guy was even littler than we thought!

Here is a little movie of him being examined. He was crying because he was so cold! Notice the umbilical cord is still attached.

We had been home from the hospital for two days at this point, and it was my second outing. We'd taken the baby to Dan's softball game the night before, and I realized I needed some clothes that fit. So, after the appointment, we went to Target. I bought two dresses, and the baby slept peacefully throughout the trip.

Daniel's Favorite Play Time Activity...

A rousing game of punch the blue elephant!

Precious Baby

7 weeks, 3 days.

Seriously, Mom.

More pictures?

Isn't it nap time?

Okay, fine.

Baby Playing Video

Here's our little wiggler. He's really started making more purposeful arm motions and has got those legs a-going!

Playtime at Grandparents' House - 7 weeks

Daniel is able to see objects further away now, as well as appreciate motion and sound in his toys.

My mom bought this little activity gym for him, and while he is still too small to touch and pull the dangling toys, he enjoys it when someone else makes them move.

The pictures with his mouth open are of a time when he is laughing and cooing at the objects.

Boy in his Bumbo

Our friend's son is a month older than ours, and he frequently sits in his Bumbo Chair. I got the idea to take ours down and show Dan how well Daniel can sit up. True, he cannot be left for more than 5 seconds since his neck muscles are weak, but he does seem to enjoy this experience!

He found his voice!

I heard DHH singing along with Sheryl Crow and playing with his caterpillar.

I think that when he starts to make fun noises, they can quickly become sad noises. Maybe he gets the emotions mixed up with the sound?

Even so, the baby noises are pretty cute!

Favorite Song: Dance to Your Daddy

From four weeks, Daniel has shown a preference for certain music styles and songs. He likes soothing ballads, including Dance to Your Daddy, which is found on a CD called Softly We Sing that I play for him to prepare for nap times.

I found while traveling, singing the lyrics are nearly as effective at calming him down! Here are the two verses on the CD:

Dance to your daddy my little laddy, dance to your daddy my little lad, you shall have a fish and you shall have a fin and you shall have a haddock with the boat comes in.

Dance to your daddy my little laddy, dance to your daddy my little lad, you shall have a fishie in a little dishie, you shall have a haddock when the boat comes in.

I wanted to learn more about this song, since I'd never heard it before and since it seems like a regional one. I found that it has been the theme song for a fish company's commercials in Britian, and that the composer and songwriter are unknown.

I also found verses that didn't make it onto the lullabye CD, but which are pretty funny...

Original Lyrics:


Dance to your daddy my bonnie laddie, dance to your daddy, to your mammy sing;You shall have a fishy, in a little dishy, you shall have a fishy, When the boat comes in.

Here's your mother comin' like a canny woman,here comes your father,drunk, he canna stand.Dance to your daddy my bonnie laddie, dance to your daddy my little lad.You shall have a fishie on a little dishie,you shall have a fishie when the boat comes in.

Dance to your daddy my bonnie laddie, dance to your daddy my little lamb. You shall have a coatie and a pair of breekies, you shall have a whippie and some bread and jam.

I often sing or hum this tune to him to settle him down... now that I know the alternate lyrics about a father who has had too much to drink and promises about getting breekies and whippies... maybe I will find a new song to sing him!

Slumber Solutions...

Hurray! Our baby has started to nap for longer periods of time and consistently falls asleep with less effort. I've learned that he takes shorter morning naps (2) and one very long afternoon nap. followed by at least one quick cat nap in the early evening.

In the past I felt worried that he wasn't sleeping the 18-20 hours that normal babies sleep. I think he wasn't comfortable and frequently woke himself up by startling.

Along with naps, he is sleeping more soundly through the night. He often goes for six hours at night and then wakes once around 3 am, then wakes up for his day around 6 am.

I hear less of his sighs, pants, and grunts through the baby monitor, which makes me want to run to his room to monitor his chest for movement or put my finger under his nose to feel for breath. During the first four weeks of his life, he was a NOISY sleeper. We had him sleeping in our room, which meant we didn't get restful sleep. I didn't have use for our fancy baby monitor, and I didn't need to even look at him to know he was okay. His sleeping sounds let me know!

What a pleasant slumber...

Video taken as Baby H is waking up from a cat nap at his grandparents' home in Hermann, August 23, 2009.

Where's his price tag?

We have decided to include the baby in our everyday outings so he can get more time to explore the world. So, he came with us to get a few items at HyVee. It looks like we went on a major shopping spree, but really, we got about $50 worth of produce and pantry items. DHH's car seat takes up most of the shopping cart. I'm too cautious to balance the seat on across the shopping cart, as I've seen other parents do. So for now, he gets to see and smell the foods we buy from a close up view!

6 weeks old!

Dear Baby,

This week you are a month and a half old. Hurray! You are growing up so well and giving us so much joy.

This week you've started to give distinct cries to let us know if you are hungry, bored, or have messed your pants. Its so helpful to have these special cues. Thanks for implementing this new system!

You've also continued a very good napping routine. We have to swaddle you, dim your lights, and turn on a relaxing CD, and you drift to sleep on your own. Sometimes taking a pacifer while you are laying down helps you relax, and sometimes you get upset when it falls out of your mouth, so you cry. Your naps have gotten longer and you are always in a better mood when you are well rested.

You have outgrown only three of your newborn clothes, even though you seem to be gaining weight and length. This surprises me! I thought you'd be outgrowing clothes so quickly. The jumper you are wearing is a newborn size, and I think you'll be outgrowing it in a week or so. Its okay because you have a whole drawer full of 0-3 month clothes, and all kinds of fun and fashionable fall weather separates.

Love,
Your Mommy

Favorite Lullabye: All The Pretty Little Horses

Singing this tune to our little guy soothes him instantly:

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,

Go to sleepy little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.
Blacks and bays, dapples and greys,

Go to sleepy you little baby,
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby,
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.

Way down yonder, down in the meadow,
There's a poor wee little lamby.
The bees and the butterflies pickin' at its eyes,
The poor wee thing cried for her mammy.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.

According to Wikipedia, this is a traditional Southern lullaby sang to white children by their black caretakers, and dates to the early 1800s. Like most lullabies, the choice of lyrics isn't particularly relaxing (lambs getting stung by bees is unpleasant!), but Daniel Henry seems to enjoy it!

I think you like me!

Dear Happy Boy,

Today you smiled at me for the first time. It was a huge, cheesy grin with lots of raised eye brow action. We hadn't seen each other in three hours, and you let me know you were pleased to see me. Instead of starting to nurse right away, you looked at my face for a few moments and kept on smiling.

That made me so happy.

I think you like me!

Love,
Your Happy Mom

Thoughtful Baby

Dear Son,

I've noticed that you thrive with time alone.

You do like to wiggle and play with toys and family members, and you also like to cuddle when you are sleepy. But you spend much of your wake time with a faraway, thoughtful look on your face. You are content to sit in your bouncy seat, laying sideways on a blanket, or propped up on my shoulder just looking around. This makes me wonder if you are thinking about pleasant memories, remembering your short life, or just observing what is around you.

Perhaps you will turn out to be a pensive, calm child with a keen eye for observation. I hope you will always experience the peace you have as an infant.

I will try my best to respect your need for quiet time, although its hard to resist playing and holding you when you look so sweet!

First Photographed Smile, 5 weeks, 4 days. 9/3/09

Our sweet baby has been making lots of happy sounds lately when left alone to play. He kicks, coos, and makes teeny shrieks of delight. He doesn't do this much when he is being watched or held or thinks there are adults in the room.

After an especially happy morning of playtime, I put him on the floor of his room while I changed out the laundry. I also let him wiggle without a diaper to dry up his skin so he doesn't get another rash. Apparently, he likes no diaper time!

I had to come back and try to film him, and I am so glad I did! I captured this happy face!

Mad Baby.

This terrible show occurs when Daniel is so hungry, uncomfortable in his surroundings, or takes a break from eating for a burp.

All the frowny faces are accompanied by whimpers and wails.

Luckily, these fits of rage and annoyance only started to happen at near Week 4, so we still find them pretty humorous about 2 weeks later.