monday morning baby fix

For those of you who need your monday morning baby fix and are checking the blog. Here is Jude this morning.

jude in the a.m.

maybe its because mommy is fairly quiet in the morning, but baby Jude wakes up pretty happy and keeps things low key most mornings. He often sits in his bouncy seat while mommy makes some coffee and says hello to him. By about 9 a.m. little Jude is back in his crib settling in for his morning nap. Some days this is easy...put him down and baby is out. Other days it takes a cuddle in the rocking chair with mommy or a couple of cycles of the crib mobile and some 'shhh-ing'


One other quick shout out this morning from Baby Jude. His great aunt Jan is having surgery this morning. Its a semi-minor issue, but no surgery is minor. So Jude and his mommy wanted to wish her well because we know she reads the blog fairly often.

Get well soon Aunt Janet

hipster baby turns four

Yesterday was the 4-month mark for Jude. I'm not sure there were any major milestones specifically associated with that date, except to realize that the months go by quickly. It has finally started turning to fall here in Chicago, so we are able to start moving into some of the larger infant outfits, like the one here:

Jude showing off his threads

This is one of several of Jude's uber-cool outfits, complete with a New York subway T and jeans. He definitely out-dresses Mom and Dad at times, but then again he has received a lot more gifts of clothing than we have recently!

He's still sleeping a lot, and his naps seem like they are starting to take on a more predictable pattern. He gets along well with his babysitters and all the folks in the church nursery. The most recent developments include lifting things with his feet, and he is developing more dexterity with his hands (though guitar chords are still a little ways off!). The babble noises are steadily including more consonants: we know he doesn't know what he's saying, but "Hello" is a common sound coming out of his mouth first-thing-in-the-morning. It is as cute as you might guess.

jude and grandpa scott kline

we're fortunate to have a lot of helpful excited grandparents in Jude's life. Thought we'd post a few more photos from Jude's first trip to Grandpa Scott and Jane's house in Champaign. And we're pleased that Jude will get to visit Grandpa Henry and Grandma Nancy in a few weeks.

jude scott kline miller & scott kline

Jane/Jude with Scott/cousin Olivia

Jude has certainly received a lot of great clothes. it makes our wardrobes seem dated compared to the stuff this baby has. Grandma Carole gave Jude an Illini outfit complete with orange and blue booties. And in case he's not sure where loyalties lie... Jude's also got a Bears outfit, 3 cubs outfits of various sizes, and some all purpose sports outfits.

proud Grandpa

One advantage of visiting grandparents is that you actually get to eat the meal while they hold the babies

My how I've grown

Jude's little arms and legs seem to reach and kick farther every day, and we know the numbers on the scale are creeping upward. But it is amazing to look back and compare in photos how much Baby Jude has grown.

jude at 2 weeks

jude at 3 1/2 months
George and Jude at 2 weeks
George & Jude at 3 1/2 months

I'm so glad he's happy and healthy. But there is a part of me that just wants Jude to stay little!

OK, he's big, we know...

Chunker. Linebacker. Bruiser. Beast. Good Eater. Etc.

Jude is called many things right after people meet him, but they almost all tend to be about how large of a baby he is. He is big: somewhere around 16lb. at 3-1/2 months old which puts him above the 90th percentile for his age, so there's no way around that. And he looks quite oversized:

Greg cannot fit his hands around the circumference of that thigh...

But... I think we get it. I think after the 976th time, we realize "OK, he's big". Think about it: parents have absurd guilt complexes about everything, so even if we realize you probably mean he looks healthy and great and I'm trying to compliment you, it still has a little bit of a cringe factor involved when we hear your baby is somehow not normal. Feel free to mention that he's big, but let's not make a long conversation about it, eh?

On the flip side, we are ecstatic that they guy seems so healthy, and thanks for noticing.

Peekaboo!

this baby keeps on changin

We have several developments in Baby Jude's life to report.

First off, Jude is now using his Bumbo seat. If you've not been around expectant parents in the past few years you may not have heard of this. Basically its a foam plastic seat that allows young infants to sit up. Or in Jude's case to 'lounge'. They are a huge hit with new parents.

George & Jude in his Bumbo

It was so cute to see how tiny Jude looks when sitting at floor level and not in some large 'baby holder' device. He also showed us another development. He now follows us with his gaze around the room. Or in this case... he leaned around the corner in his bumbo and watched me in the hallway. It is adorable to see him pay attention to things that are farther away.

checkin out the world from his Bumbo

The next development comes with a big "Baby Book to the rescue" thank you. On Tuesday Jude woke up at 530 a.m. and began making noise. He wasn't crying, just babbling loudly. He was the same noisy early baby yesterday and today as well.
I was concerned and worried...how can i get up that early everyday??? But then a book came to my rescue.
Books by Dr. Ezzo are pretty controversial, and I can see why after reading 'Babywise', but I will give him a big thanks for helping us understand what's going on.
"It's not unusual for two- or three-month-old...babies to awaken at around 5:00 or 5:30 A.M. and talk to themselves for up to an hour. Afterward, they usually go back to sleep for another hour or so. This quirky phase can go on for a week or a month and sometimes longer. If you start to respond each time you hear a noise from the cradle, then 5:00 A.M. will become your baby's waketime--and yours too."

Thanks Dr. Ezzo for pointing out that I should NOT go in there unless Jude is upset. Greg and I listened to him this morning for a bit, but Jude went back to sleep on his own. He got up at 7:30. That's a much better wakeup time for mommy.

Jude babbling (ok just not at 530 am)

Finally we have another change at home. Jude has outgrown his fabulous rolling bassinet that came with his Combi pack n' play system. It was hard to pack that thing up today. I'm with him everyday all day almost, and yet I feel like I'll soon forget so many cute moments and cute sounds as he grows.

Jude in rolling bassinett at 6 weeks

summer memories

We've had floods and rain here. Its nice to escape back to summertime with photo memories.
Jude got a lifeguard outfit from Grandma Carole. He posed with one of the friendly lifeguards at State Farm Park in his matching outfit.


And its nice to see me looking so happy and even somewhat tanned not that many weeks ago. Right now I would just really, really like to see the sun outside here.

baby in awe

Jude gets the sweetest expressions when he looks at something his baby brain finds amazing. He expresses particular shock and awe for ceiling fans. This morning he noticed one while lying on mommy's bed at Grandpa Kline's house.

Jude finds the fan

Sometimes he still appears in awe of that crazy mobile we've written about in previous posts. If only we could understand what cute things he is thinking while he gazes.

Jude's mobile is 'still the one'

more 'awe' at Grandpa Klines

darn the childproof caps

I've been reading baby books lately that say to supplement babies who are breastfed with extra Vitamin D. I called the doctor's helpline ( a helpful service where you can call in with any questions you have between 7 and 8 in the morning, and a real doctor answers) and they said sure enough, Jude should be taking his vitamins.


I went out and bought the stuff, called Tri-Vi-Sol. This morning I happily opened it to offer some to Jude while he was alert. But I can't get it open! The childproof cap has defeated me.

the adult proof "childproof" cap

This is not the first loss I have taken from childproof caps. After his shots, Jude was fussy and the 'infant' Tylenol also comes with a frustrating cap that takes extra time for mom who is already handling a screaming child.

Here's my thing: Why are these caps 'childproof' when other caps are not...like the little ones you try and keep on baby's head?

the un-childproof cap

Jude cannot even roll over, much less roll, crawl, and grab his baby vitamin bottle. And he will only take these until he begins solid food. Why not make it easier on parents and fix this situation? And can someone design a hat that stays on without cheesy, ugly straps?

These are the ponderings of a tired mommy

Jude fussing for a slightly 'cap' related issue

will this fit in my mouth?

Blankets, toys of all sizes are now an object of Jude's efforts to shove them in his mouth.

I'm a big boy now

OK, so he's not quite pulling up his own diapers yet (as the "I'm a big boy now..." jingle refers) but Mr. Jude is moving up in both size and complexity day by day. Perhaps the most striking recent development--and yes, the pun is coming--is that he objected, and literally swatted the dog's nose, after George licked his hands in the bouncer. George, who has become accustomed to the occasional free lick on exposed skin with the baby, was shocked enough by the slap that he literally leapt backwards two or three feet. At least Kara and I were entertained by the encounter.

Yes, Jude is grabbing and swatting at stuff all over the place. We used to just put those dangling toys on the bouncer for his visual amusement (not to mention the peace and quiet they lead the baby into). Now he's messing with them in all sorts of ways.

He is also into folding his hands and twiddling his thumbs, which we've taken to calling his "Plotting to take over the world" posture as it is often accompanied with a mischievous grin. And he grins a lot. Jude has been smiling for a few weeks now, but the regularity with which they come has been increasing. They seem almost like "whole body" smiles at times, with the mouth wide open and the legs and arms flexing in near convulsion. Despite the awkward description, it's quite cute.

Fortunately for us, Jude wakes up smiling in the mornings. He has timed his waking to coincide precisely with the most rushed portion of my pre-work routine, and Kara is an infamous non-morning person, so you'd think his waking environment might be a bit stressful. But Jude just waves around his arms and legs and gurgles in excitement with a big smile on his face for the first 15 minutes he's awake. (Then he realizes he's hungry, and gets defiantly fussy until breakfast is served; I think he gets that from his mom and her need for morning coffee).

His greatest achievement, in his mind it seems, is still his volume of spit-up. I can't tell you how many times a day he soaks himself and anything within a foot radius. Probably 10 to 15 times a day! It's like a sport. And the odd thing is, Jude smiles and giggles after many of his spit-ups. Grr. If the kid weren't gaining weight like a sumo wrestler then I'd really be worried... but all's well so long as we are able to maintain our ability to tolerate it. I tell you, even if he were to utter "Dada" tomorrow I think it would excite me less than if he suddenly stopped spitting up.... and I don't have to wash my outfits constantly to the extent that Kara does, her being the target of his spitting more than me.

But the little guy keeps growing and growing, and get more and more engaged with the world around him. It's fun to watch (just so long as I stay out of the line-of-fire of the spitup!).

Jude is caught in the act of being thoroughly soaked in spit-up

Toys are no longer just for staring
Trying out the big bed

chillin in the summer

Jude visits champaign

Baby Jude made his first trip to Champaign to Grandpa Scott's house over Labor Day weekend. A fun time was had by all...and everyone in the house took a nap on Monday afternoon.

Grandpa Scott, Jane, Olivia & Jude

Jude got a chance to meet his new cousin Olivia Jane Daily. She was born exactly two weeks after him. He also got to spend some time playing with Uncle Todd

Uncle Todd & JudeJude shares his activity mat with Olivia

We also got to visit with Jamie, Olivia's mom. Olivia is the more typical sleeper for this age, so Jamie is a champ for keeping it together while still getting up several times with her little one at night.

Mom & Jamie with Jude and Olivia

We are pleased to say that Jude seems to sleep just as well while staying at other people's homes as he does at home. How great to have such a flexible, and cute, baby.

We took a little video of Jude and Olivia hanging out.