Summer Travels - Vancouver

After giving Dad a couple weeks of recovery from work, we headed off to Vancouver this past week to visit Auntie Lisl. Despite the Ontario-like summer weather (not too many people on the West Coast have A/C for the 4 days per year that it tends to get above 30oC), we managed to get out a lot. Partly because the car has A/C. Ben's firsts on this trip included sitting in a high chair, 36.4oC, a picnic on the beach in White Rock, watching Mom try out the $8000 carbon fibre cello that was on display at Long and McQuade, a one-sailing wait at Horseshoe Bay, discovery of the consonant "B," and best of all, a HAIRCUT!

A couple Cool Dudes hanging out at Departure Bay ferry terminal, waiting for our ferry to arrive. July 10.

Ben, in the cafeteria on the ferry, gives Daddy a stern talking to about his dietary choices. July 10th.

The ultimate multi-tasker: sleeping, eating, and getting his hair cut. Granville Island, July 11th.


Ben and Daddy hanging out on the floor of Auntie Lisl's steaming condo. July 11th. (See accompanying video on Facebook).

Tasty Toes

Thanks for the fresh diaper, Daddy. June 24th.

This chair, albeit a different colour (orange??) at the time, has been the backdrop for photos of Daddy and Auntie Lisl when they were babies. Photo taken June 25th.

Out to dinner June 28th, in celebration of Daddy's last day of work.

If I keep this practicing up, in a couple of weeks I'll be sitting up on my own. June 29th.

Here I am in my stroller at the park, waiting for Mommy to get me a Canada Day balloon. Auntie Lisl came for a visit last weekend, and we all went out for a walk along the sea wall where we ran into Canada Day celebrations. July 1st.

Mom will put me down on my Floor Jungle mat and 20 mins later, I'll have turned 270 degrees the other way, largely due to my back-arching capabilities. July 4th.

Ben is very much enjoying having Dad at home all the time, now that the school year is over. His new favourite word is "mmm, mmm, mmm." He has found his toes and has managed to get them into his mouth on occassion. He's also beginning to get more and more interested in what it is Mom and Dad are eating or drinking. One more month until solids!

Squidgification

I am 4 months old today! (June 19th)

At Ben's regular 4 month checkup yesterday, the doctor was still able to hear the heart murmur. But the EKG he had a couple months ago now - the interpretable part - showed nothing out of the ordinary. And none of the other tell-tale signs are there, e.g., Ben never quickly gets tired from activity, and he never goes blue or extremely pale. Anyway, if the murmur carries on for another 8 months, an echo-cardiogram may be in his future. That would involve a trip to Vancouver, since the Island is lacking that kind of equipment/expertise. Apart from this common condition, everything else checked out just fine. At 14lbs, 2oz, and a head circumference of 42 cm, he is just below the 50th percentiles. Exactly where he was 2 months ago. Developmentally, Ben is on track. Even in the squidgification department:

Aren't cameras supposed to add pounds? This photo does not do justice to the amount of squidge on Ben's feet. June 19th, 2007.

Roll Over, Roll Over

My babysitter in Victoria - first-cousin-twice-removed Chris (June 6th)

Quality Tummy Time with Daddy on Sunday June 10th

Reaching for Mommy's face, just before bath time on June 12th


I've figured out that I can repeatedly dip my hand in the bath and lick the water off (June 12th)

In the past two weeks, Ben survived a trip to Victoria so that Mom could sit on a thesis defense committee at UVic. And he also sat through his first day-long faculty retreat. He had a few serious things to say at the meeting. (Oh, and yes, Mom is still on Mat Leave....)

Yesterday Ben mastered the skill of rolling over onto his stomach. He also has laughing fits about once per day, and for seemingly random reasons. Though there is one thing that makes him giggle every time, and that is to ask him if he has a "poopie diaper." Mom herself has been giggling about that for days now.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

I'm 3 months old today! (May 19th)

Today is Daddy's birthday. We celebrated by going on a hike around Buttertubs Marsh. Like my hat? (May 26th)

Just last week, I learned how to reach for things and bring them to my mouth. (May 28th)

Reading and touching my favourite book

Every kid has one of these photos. I'm so happy to be out of the bath! (May 31st)

Ben has had quite the developmental past couple of weeks. It seems he picks up something new every other day now. On Monday, he laughed for the first time. He is also considerably more mobile now; not able yet to turn over onto his stomach, but it won't be long since he is quite good at arching his back on his (usually right-) side now. He managed to get his leg stuck dangling out of the crib the other night, having turned 90 degrees from where we'd left him. His favourite word is "ah-goo", and he is a champion gurgler. Ben is also becoming more assertive, and this is most evident when he shreeks (a most unpleasant sound), which he does to let us know that he does not want to be in his car seat when we put him in, or he does not want to stop nursing, or he does not want to be putting all his weight on his legs, or, or, or....