Tuesday, January 27, 2009
















I guess I have a new nickname. Mommy and daddy like to call me “two timer”. Not because I’m a ladies man, but because it usually takes me two times to like something new. But I almost always like it the second time around. For example, when I get a new toy like my Exersaucer, I get fussy the first time I use it. But the second time, I enjoy it. This also goes for eating foods. I made faces the first time mommy fed me peas, but when daddy fed them to me the next day, I ate them right up. The only exceptions to the “two timer” moniker are avocado (I’m probably a “four timer” there) and sweet potatoes (loved them from the first bite).

My new favorite noise is squealing. And when I squeal, I SQUEAL. Mom and dad probably wish they had earplugs some days. I squeal when I’m happy and I squeal when I’m cranky. Grandma Linda thinks it’s because I like the sound of my own voice. The truth is I get a reaction, albeit a negative one, out of mom and dad so I keep on doing it. Someday I’ll use my words instead of my squeals, but for now it suits me just fine.

Occasionally I’ll really make mommy and daddy’s day and giggle. One day while mommy was cutting carrots, I giggled every time she cut a carrot. I’m not quite sure if it was the noise the knife made when it hit the cutting board or if mommy’s motion was tickling me (she had me in the baby carrier so both of her hands were free). Whatever it was, I couldn’t stop giggling. And giggling, not squealing, is mommy and daddy’s favorite noise.

Last time I wrote, I talked about my new cousin Caroline. I got to meet her for the first time on January 17th. She is the first person I have met that is smaller than me. I’m so used to being the tiniest one in the room so it was kinda nice being looked up to for a change. She sleeps a lot more than I did when I was first home and is a lot quieter. I’m sure Aunt Maribel and Uncle Keith appreciate that! I can’t wait until she is a little older and we can play together because I’m starting to get more interested in interacting with other babies. In fact, when I was at the daycare at the gym this week, I spent most of my time there watching the other kids playing and wished I could join them. I also had a lot of fun watching kids play at a birthday party for my friends, Ben and Abby. It’s just a matter of time before I will be able to keep up with the other kids.

Yep, that’s right. I’m a kid on the move. A week ago mom showed me that I can push off while on my tummy and move forward. Now I love to roll over ALL THE TIME. And I mean ALL THE TIME. If somebody puts me down on my back, I immediately start to roll around either onto my side or onto my tummy. The only time I stay laying on my back these days is when I’m sleeping. Oh wait, I like to roll onto my side while sleeping and once in a while mom even finds me on my tummy in my crib so I guess I don’t ever really stay on my back for long. I’m also notorious for rolling around while on my changing table. In fact, mommy caught me trying to climb over the side rail the other day. She lets me have some (supervised) play time on the changing table because I like to roll around naked during diaper changes. And eventually I like to hoist my leg over the side of the table. Mommy doesn’t seem to like that as she constantly is putting my leg back down on the table. And she doesn’t leave me alone so I can never put my great escape plan into action.

All that moving around must exhaust me because I am definitely sleeping longer at night. I usually go to bed around 6:30pm, except for the rare night when mommy and daddy let me stay up for a party or to go to daddy’s volleyball match. Even then, I’m still in my own bed by 8pm. Party poops. Lately I have been waking up around 4am to eat and get changed, but then I go back to sleep and don’t get up for the day until 7:30-8am. Once in a blue moon if I’m really tired I will sleep until 9am on the weekend. Daddy loves those days! Mommy is usually up before me so I don’t think she minds as much. If I’m feeling really generous, I’ll sometimes sleep from 6:30pm until 6:30am. I think mommy much prefers this sleep pattern as she is not so fond of getting out of bed at 4am, even if I go right back to sleep.

Whew – guess I should write more frequently so I don’t have to drone on for paragraph after paragraph. Just goes to show what a busy boy I am. It’s only been two weeks since my last update, but I’ve done a lot. I enjoy all of the new experiences I have with mommy, daddy, Jesse, family, and friends. Speaking of having fun with family, I’m very excited because Grandma and Grandpa Kruepke are spending Friday with me and rumor has it Grandma and Grandpa Heimbigner might be visiting for a weekend in February. Grandparents are so much fun and I’m very fortunate that I get to see all of mine as much as I do. On that happy note, I’m signing off until next time.

Love,
Cameron

P.S. Here are a few brief notes about the pictures I posted today.

1. Playing piano. One of my favorite things to do with mommy (though it’s actually daddy with me in this picture)
2. Mommy let me fall asleep on her shoulder one football Sunday. I think she was getting all sentimental and trying to recapture my “youth”
3. I’m a happy go lucky guy 99% of the time (well maybe only 90% if you ask mommy or daddy)
4. Me in one of my favorite spots – on the changing table. Doesn’t my facial expression look like I was caught in the act?
5. I included a picture of my family with cousin Caroline. Notice how I am observing her. It’s that curiosity about other kids.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Cousin Caroline

Well mommy went back to work so two days a week I spend the day at home with Gabrial. As much as I miss mommy (and daddy too) during the day, I enjoy having a different face and style of play a couple times a week.

I am working diligently on my New Year's resolutions. For starters, I am now eating select fruits and veggies. So far I have had pears, avocado, and prunes (gotta eat the fibrous fruits to keep my system moving as the iron in the cereal and I are not getting along). I also am playing plenty. I've learned how to swivel around and enjoy all of the fun toys on my Exersaucer. Mommy and I play "catch" with my oversized plush baseball. Daddy keeps me giggling with his goofy faces and dances and I am fascinated with my spinning bears toy. So no problems keeping that resolution. I am also doing better on mom and dad's resolution for me - to nap more. I have taken a few near 3-hour naps this week. I know there is still a lot of time left in the year, but I'm proud of how well I've taken on my resolutions.

Last weekend mom, dad, and I went to our neighborhood block party. Mom and dad let me stay up until 8:30pm to hobnob with all of the neighbors. I was especially fond of Barbie, the woman with the red hair who grew up in the house at the end of the block. Dad says I'm a ladies man and that's why I was most interested in her. I say it's because she had long hair that looked fun to pull. It was fun to mingle and stay up late, but boy is partying hard work and exhausting. I slept in until 9am the next day.

And now for the biggest news of all for me this week. I now have a cousin! Caroline Stella Kruepke was born this morning. I can't wait to meet her. In honor of Caroline's birth, I decided to post a picture of her instead of pics of me this week. Isn't she cute!!!

Love,
Cameron




Sunday, January 4, 2009

Ringing in the New Year







Happy New Year! Mom and dad rang in the New Year with me at their friend’s Lisa & Scott’s house. I woke up at 11:55pm just in time to celebrate with everybody. And to think mom and dad were going to let me sleep right through the midnight celebration. Good thing I set my internal alarm.

On New Year’s Day, I got to celebrate another Christmas with daddy’s family. It was fun seeing Grandpa, Grandma, and both my aunts and uncles on that side. I got some fun clothes and toys, including my own piano so I don’t have to always wait for mom to play the big piano to play along with her. Also, while playing with Grandpa Jim, I said one of my first words, “ok”. Or at least that’s what everybody says they heard.

I am certainly learning to exert my will even more. This week I am protesting almost all of my naps unless they are taken in the car. It doesn’t matter how tired I am, I am just not willing to take a nap unless I’m moving.

My last big bit of news is I now get to eat “real” food. I got my first meal of rice cereal on Tuesday. I didn’t really enjoy eating it at first and ended up finishing my meal in a bottle. But on Wednesday, mom thickened the cereal some and I was much more interested in eating it. Thursday I even ate two meals of cereal in between my milk feedings. Friday, I was a bit stubborn about eating, but yesterday I was back on track. It’s not the most flavorful of foods, but at least I get to use a spoon and make a mess. I am very helpful while eating though as I like to wipe my mouth with my bib part way through the feeding. It is also pretty neat to sit way up high in my feeding chair and now I even get to sit at the table while the adults eat their food. I’m starting to feel more and more like an adult. Though mommy says I still have a long ways to grow and not to grow up too quickly and enjoy my childhood, blah, blah, blah.

In honor of the New Year, here are my resolutions for 2009:
1. Eat my fruits and vegetables (once mommy lets me have them)
2. Use my words more and my crying less when I want something (once I have words)
3. Play, play, play!
4. Take longer naps (this is actually mommy & daddy’s resolution for me – apparently they are not fond of my 30 min cat naps)
5. Keep on learning and smiling :-)

Have a happy 2009!

Love,
Cameron