Take it away, Linus

Charlie Brown: (shouting in desperation) Isn't there anyone out there who can tell me what Christmas is all about?

Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you. Lights, please.
(A spotlight shines on Linus.)

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men'".

That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.



Joyeux Noel to all of our loved ones around the globe.

Another mouth to feed

Because CL/Colin is getting bigger and bigger every day, I'm trying to anticipate transition. Lately I've been trying to read up on feeding the young'un once he outgrows his yummy formula.

As usual, I turn to the Internet. After all, how can a faceless system of communication filled with inaccuracies and advertising be wrong?

Blogging Baby compiles a helpful first-year feeding FAQ, with information culled from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, Dr. Spock and Dr. Sears, among others.

Cinnamon Cooper from Chicago-based Gapers Block has been giving some pretty cool tips and recipes for feeding baby as well. She's up to chapter 3 of a 4-part series, entitled Babies Gotta Eat, Too:

Part 1: 4-7 months
Part 2: 7-10 months
Part 3: 10-15 months

Of course, there are lots of books out there that stress that establishing healthy eating habits in a child are the building blocks for continued healthy eating habits. Makes sense, until the kid is screaming and won't eat anything but macaroni and cheese for dinner.

I'm finding that when it comes to child-rearing, moderation is the key. (Not exactly an earth-shattering revelation, but one hard-learned by this clueless parent.) This should pertain to Colin's diet as well. Being aware of his needs as well as his desires for food, and then being flexible when the two don't always meet in the middle - I'm hoping that will work. With that in mind, there are some moms out there reading the site, any baby-friendly recipes or tips you feel like sharing? Comments or e-mails are appreciated.

Some Astonishingly Cute Things Colin Is Now Doing

Besides having a smile that would melt anyone's heart, Colin is now becoming more and more like a little person with new expressions and habits that just kill me. Bear with me as I launch into another list -

-- When he is seriously unhappy, that bottom lip sticks out a half mile in what is becoming a world class pout. We can't help but laugh and found out the hard way that he really, really hates being laughed at when he's upset.

-- When taking a bottle, Colin's hands are promptly clasped together across his chest and his little feet move up and down as if working the accelerator on a car.

-- The squealing. It's absolutely adorable and seems to surprise him whenever one erupts from him while we're playing.

-- Finally, on the not-so-cute front, it appears that my son is naturally growing a mullet. The hair on top is coming in sparsely while in the back, his hair is just spilling over his collar. Yipes, I really hope someday he doesn't run around in a t-shirt that reads "Business in Front, Party in the Back". Please kill me if I've brought a Nascar fan into this world.

P.S. Congrats to my co-worker Andrea and her husband Joe who are expecting their first child next May!

Back at work / Status update

So, this is my first week back at work.

Bleah. I want to go home.

Anyway, on the Colin front: he got a clean bill of health at his last doctor's visit. He's up to 11 lbs, 14 oz (!!!), which is right at the 50th percentile. He has caught up with all his baby competition, even though he was a little behind to start with.

These days, his pacifier is a bit like crack cocaine, and he wails when he's without it for too long. *Sigh* Guess we need to break that habit pretty soon....

Also, the boy is allergic to his bed apparently. *If* he sleeps, it's for an hour AT THE MOST, until he's up and needs some TLC. It's a bit hard to function when we're both getting very little in the snooze department.

I always try to tell myself that this is a phase that we're in, and that someday, somehow, we'll help him grow out of it. Also, I try to tell myself that I can sleep when I'm dead. And sometimes, when he cries REALLY LOUDLY in my ear, I imagine how blissful that dead man's sleep will be. (Only kidding! Besides, do you really think Heidi would let me take the easy way out?)

Anyway, it's interesting being back at work, because my thoughts are always back at the homestead, where Heidi and Colin are. Heidi goes back to work on January 3rd, and I'm sure will feel a bit of the same letdown I'm feeling now. It was so nice to be home for so long, but alas, bills must be paid, and college tuitions must be funded.

Merry Faux Christmas!

This past weekend was spent celebrating an early Christmas with Grandma McB, Grandpa Jim, Uncle Scott, Aunt Erica and Uncle John. Much fun was had by all and this was Colin's first time meeting Uncle John. He had plenty of arms to sleep in and shirts to royally spit up on. Sorry Scott!

Colin also made out like a bandit with the gifts! Many toys and clothes! In fact, here he is with his new Baby Einstein Activity Gym.



And here he is one of his cutest holiday outfits!



The real Christmas will be celebrated in the Great White North with the Williamson clan in a couple weeks. In the meantime, Colin and I will be getting ourselves more into the holiday spirit when Patrick goes back to work on the 13th. Cookies will be baked and our copy of the Grinch will be watched!

The Name Game

So, Julia Roberts had her twins, named Phinnaeus and Hazel. Only in Hollywood.

Here's a link (free registration req'd) to a Washington Post article which discusses the influx of wacky baby names in the entertainment industry. You can also vote for the worst celebrity baby name. Apple Paltrow and Moon Unit Zappa aren't even top 5, if you can believe it. I personally voted for Speck Wildhorse, the offspring of John Mellancamp, simply because you have to add Mellancamp to the end of that monstrosity of a moniker.