2 vaccinate or not 2 vaccinate...

That was the question.  Yesterday a brave little boy marched off to the doctor with his mum to confirm that he was on the mend again (though he hoped that perhaps he was not yet well enough for the shots...)  There was both good news and bad news.  Good news first, his lungs sound excellent and we no longer need to use the inhaler.  As for the bad news, he was healthy enough to receive his first round of vaccinations with minimal tears (2 shots and one oral dose).  Also, we have to keep a close eye on him as he may have a new cold from our travels. 

George is pictured below fighting off the new cold bug with his fists of fury.  Our bets are on that tough little guy and his elephant friends...

Home from the holiday.

We were hoping to wish you all a Merry Christmas before the 25th passed, but the days flew by with a flash and we were away in Pennsylvania celebrating with the Babcock family, grandpa Dave, and a very slow internet connection (or should I say disconnection? har har.)

George had his 2 month check-up last Wednesday and is doing very well.  He's up to 11.1 lbs and is 23" long -- very good growth for a sick little boy. He lucked out and didn't get his first round of shots due to his recent illness and our holiday travel plans.

Though it has passed, George hopes that you had a wonderful holiday and would like to spread the cheer with his sweet candy-cane striped Christmas socks.

Long time, no blog.

George has had a very eventful week, thus the lack of blog entries. We had to take him to the ER late last Wednesday night when his broncholitis got the best of him, but he's feeling better every day, though he hates his inhaler with a passion.

Perhaps his immune system was compromised by the stress of hours of practice for his role as lead tenor -- he wanted to have his pipes warmed up by the time Uncle Eric arrived.  We think he had several star performances, though Eric thinks they don't quite rival the opera he and Lori attended over the weekend.

In other news, George is up over 11 lbs and growing strong.  He has a two month check-up at the doctor tomorrow, so we'll report any exciting news soon.

George thinks airport is fly.

Auntie Lori has landed!  Today George made his 5th trip to the airport, and he did it with very few tears.  He is excited to help her sharpen her babysitting skills from days long ago; he's sure that she'll be an expert diaper changer by Thursday!  So far she's managed to put him to sleep in her arms twice.  Looks like she hasn't lost the touch...

Welcome to Brooklyn, Auntie Lori!

Another serenade

We all know that George has a lovely singing voice, and boy does he love showing it off!  Today he's singing a special song for a special lady out there...

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Jessica, happy birthday to you. And many more...."

On the Mend

The entire household is recovering very nicely from its recent bout with the cold, bronchitis, bronchalitis, etc .... John and Dave swapped turns on holding George in his new rocking chair, courtesy of Great Grandma Olson.  We always knew she's great, now it's official!  John especially likes kicking up his feet after a long day at work and George especially likes when his dad or granddad hold him until he falls asleep.  Which, of course, leads to new, problematic sleeping patterns.  So, the brave new direction to reintroduce the crib to George has been taken.  His response?

Pimp my crib, Mom! 

Hotcakes

Looks like little G's studliness came from the Babcock side of the family.  I know his love for blueberry muffins definitely came from his mama--that's how she got through the first few months of morning sickness.

George gives a shout out (or several shouts and a short squeal) to Jessica for this obviously truthful, yet adorable onesie.

I, robot

George's new friend helps him get through a rough patch. Over the past couple of days his cold has morphed into a mild case of bronchiolitis and we're doing our best to keep him at home (if his temp hits 100.4 he must go to the hospital).  In the picture Wall-E shows George how to remain calm under most threatening circumstances (we have to check George's temp on the hour; let's just say he doesn't love this...)  Here's hoping he feels better soon.  We're all pulling for you, George.

Froggy kick

ur doin it right.

Baby plays chopsticks

One last bit of yesterday's news...  During grandma Rose's visit George managed to hold it together for an entire meal out at our favorite Japanese restaurant, Hibino.  We were pleased that a walk around the block to soothe a crying babe was not needed.  He did require a feeding, however, and later Rose demonstrated how airplanes flew to Tokyo.  (She should know, she worked the Tokyo-Minneapolis route for Northwestern Airlines for 12 years.)  Below George is pictured as the return trip to Minneapolis. Fly high, Georgie boy!

Gearing up for the holidays.

During her recent visit grandma Rose taught George some Christmas carols, much to the delight of all within earshot.  She also participated in a photo shoot with George for her upcoming holiday card.  Check out some of our fav pix below.

This is George training to be a flying reindeer.

And here he is stuffed full of Christmas cookies. 

Poker face...

ur doin it rong.

Grandma Rose hearts poopy diapers.

Last week grandma Rose flew in from Louisianna, held George, told him it would be okay (even when he knew it obviously was not okay), and changed loads of dirty diapers.  He very much loves her and can't wait to wear his Christmas clothes (with the exception of the santa hat) on Christmas day.  Thanks grandma, can't wait to visit with you again soon!

Big bird a disappointment ...

Thanksgiving ... a time for friends, family, and turkey.  George was thrilled to have Auntie Becky and Grandma Rose join the Olcocks for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but he found the bird to be a bit of a let down (though I am still very thankful for John's efforts at making the meal, Becky's sweet additions of mulled cider and vanilla custard pie, and Grandma's brilliant photos of the event).  Maybe it was our fault for building up his big bird dreams when watching the Muppets Take Manhattan (Big Bird has a short cameo in the movie). George joined us at the table and surprised us all by locating my thumb and sucking away.  We later tried to give him a pacifier, but it was no contest; he wanted the thumb, and only the thumb (or the occasional fingers, arm, or entire hand).

Cold front settles in Brooklyn

Apologies for the break in blog entries.  We went from having grandma Rose in town and a fussy baby to fussing over a sick, sneezy baby.  His stuffy sounds are breaking our hearts, while George's preference to sneeze directly into the face of whoever is holding him seems to be spreading the bug.  We've put up a good fight (John swallowing raw cloves of garlic and Kirsten taking fistfulls of vitamin C) but it seems as though the cold will win in the end.  John and George napped away the better part of the day today, but the champion napper in the house is still Ernie.  Here's a snapshot of the three boys about to nod off together in our super comfy "sleeper" chair.

Cat Sitter Available

Experienced catsitter available for upcoming holiday season.  References provided upon request; rates are irrational and will work for food (specifically mother's milk?)  If interested, please leave comment on blog as well as dates needed.  

Bye Bye Grandpa!

An uneasy calm moments before George realized that Grandpa was returning to Wisconsin .... Don't worry, George.  Grandpa will come back soon!  George took a very long nap today, so it will take a long story to put him to sleep.  Kirsten already read him the book of colors and the book of trucks. My planned story, Tale of the Headless Horseman, will not be read not because of the content but because it was donated in the most recent purge.  Oh well, Washington Irving will have to wait for another time ....

Repeed Offender

Some family photos with the boy who loves to pee on walls.  For those of you who think he's crying, think again.  He's only yawning because he's bored, reminding me that children hate family photo time.  Whenever my own father prompted me to dress up on a Saturday morning triggered the dread of driving to Oliver Mills in Kidder Street Plaza on the outskirts of Wilkes-Barre.  The backgrounds -- one could choose fake library or fake woods -- would quickly retract like window blinds as our photographer tried to capture our family in our natural setting.

The whole process felt like eternity times two.  Earlier this evening, our friend, Kristen, reminded me it is only 36 days to Christmas.  Children throughout the country are already counting down the days, hunting for hidden presents, unable to wait for the big day.  (One of the awful dilemmas I experienced as a child was if I should or shouldn't peek at a present.  Of course I did.  What was worse was my constant returning to my parents' closet to make certain MY gifts still remained, even tearing at the corner to confirm the present I wanted most remained in their closet and wasn' returned.)  When you're a kid; time works against you.  Well, George Allen, you're 4 weeks this Friday, an entire month.  I promise to not drag you off to a photo studio for photos, but I cannot promise grandparents won't do it either.

The Big Sleep (vs. the little sleep)

Spotted in the wee hours in Red Hook Brooklyn:
A wee little one sleeps on his napping pops. 
You know what they say, the family that snores together cares together.
xoxo...

DanceHall

All went well at the doctor as the little boy only required some eye drops for his gooey, green eye.  The little boy isn't so little anymore!  He has gained one pound since his birth!  He now weighs nearly 9 lbs!  George knows how to eat (and all the plumbing associated with such actions!)







Baby Jig.  Yr doin it right.  All the leprechauns are jealous of his fast feet.

Dave has landed!

Those of you clamoring for a resolution from the last nail-biting, cliffhanging, car-rolling, mountain-exploding, sky-diving, bunjee-jumping, hydrocraft roaring extravaganza (Grandpa's arrival), George vocalizes accordingly.

Already George very much enjoys falling asleep on Dave, who tirelessly paces up and down our short, living room floor to quiet the  wee one.  George Allen has begun fairly early in giving his parents new wrinkles.  He decided to elevate his temperature and make his eyes gooey.  Fear not, his temperature never climbed into dangerous territory and we'll make a special visit to the pediatrician this afternoon.  (The visit is designed to calm new parents rather than the patient, who is at the moment snoozing very peacefully.) 

Kirsten expects George to wake in the next little bit, so dad better hop in the shower while the hopping is good!

Who Dat Dave?

George's questioning look will be answered tomorrow as we await the arrival of Grandpa!  Yep, that's right, you happy beneficiaries of many fine cookies, Wisconsin cheddar (yellow and white), and bratwursts, are hearing it here first that Dave has almost arrived.  We pick him up tomorrow morning at JFK, and George is going to show off his backseat driving skills for Grandpa. 

Sweet pee...

Kirsten tried to get a photo of George in his ultra cute "stud muffin" onesie today, but he had other plans.  George managed to pee all over the onesie and the changing table and ended up being a "tough cookie" for the afternoon.  This inspired Kirsten to go out and buy not one but two different types of cookies to snack on.  She's got to get those extra breastfeeding calories somewhere...

Swinging in the rain...

or should I say tears.  George's cries are now accompanied not only by screams, but also by mini baby tears.  We have no doubt that he will soon master the art of being a crybaby.  We don't mind, as long as he looks cute while he wails away...

Mums the word

Today was George's first day home alone with mom. Highlights included sleeping in until 10 am, lunching with Gossip Girl, and singing a duet with Mom while she showered.  Mom really didn't like his singing and thinks it still sounds like screaming.  It's tough facing critics at such a young age....

Spoils of the Weekend

Grandchild being spoiled spotted this past weekend at the Babcock-Olson residence!  Ma Babcock rode into Brooklyn Saturday afternoon to meet her latest grandchild, and she totally loves him as evidenced in the photos below.  The wee one slept nicely in her arms and only started to cry once passed to Dad.  Four brave souls and one wee soldier survived a rite of passage (brunch), which ended in tears.  Thankfully, the wee one waited until the bill had been paid.  (Thanks, grandma!)

Feet and Fingers Audit

As promised in a post earlier this week, we have finally initiated our annual audit for George's feet and fingers.  Our survey spot-checked available inventory and then compared the recorded numbers to those held on file.  Since the initial check was flawless, we found little reason to continue the audit further.  However, Kirsten insisted that we complete the task we set out to do.  I hotly contested that the intention of the audit is to not comprehensively review all stock, but only a portion.  In this first step, we only go further when we have discovered a discrepancy.  Kirsten did not relent, and ten seconds later, we confirmed (and then reconfirmed) George indeed possessed ten sweet little fingers and ten sweet little toes.  (Note to IRS: hands off.)  Please see the fruit of our labors below:

Less Cranky, More Sleep

I had 4 naps last night, which totals near 10 hours of sleep.  Kirsten is jealous.  George is a little less cranky.  The family took a walk to the nearby nursery (for plants) around 3 pm.  George napped the entire time.  We also discovered the tranquil effects of the swinging bassinet.  It was a fairly quiet day, thankfully, and we look forward to a similar day tomorrow.

Having a Wail of a Time

Young George embarked on his very first real bath (sponge baths were advised until his umbilical stump fell off and his belly button healed, which it has, thank you very much.) We were equally excited because we've been itching to use the lovely whale tub Jessica has so thoughtfully provided. However, young George cared neither for the whale tub or the bath. He registered his discontent in a rather undemocratic, but dramatic, fashion by giving us a liquid rainbow at the end of the bathtub. Though, we were pleased there was no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.

Weigh In!

Sorry, this should have been posted yesterday, but George decided it was time to demonstrate his ability to remain fussy for a marathon long 5 hours. The pediatrician was very pleased with his progress as he gained a 1/2 pound since his visit last week. He now weighs 8 lbs, 1 oz. His reward? Not another doctor's appointment for three whole weeks. Plus, he peed on the doctor again. I detect a pattern here ....

Napper's Ahoy!

After a couple of late nights cruising Manhattan and Brooklyn, the boys find themselves pretty exhausted and taking a 2 hour extravaganza in the living room!  When asked if they would repeat their late night hijinks, the guy with the funny hair said that the little one will determine if he needs another midnight romp to settle him into a nice sleep. Please note the cat typically sleeps on his perch pretty much all day; he doesn't leave the house .... If any one can help me upload sound files to the blog, I will start including recordings of his cries, his baby mutters, and other George-created sounds .... I promise to dedicate a blog posting to his fingers and toes soon .....

Happy Halloween, Infant Wolf, and the Return of the Mad Cow

George has an unusual amount of "baby fur" all over his body and his ears.  The full moon is soon approaching, which may explain why he "wolfs" down his mother's milk.  Much to the consternation of meat-eaters everywhere, especially in the UK, it looks like mad cow has returned (see pic).  However, we do not anticipate an extensive outbreak as in 2001.  Also, it seems this mad cow can be soothed by the gentle swinging of a bassinet.  Happy Hollerween!

Cat Sniffs George; George Remains Calm Throughout Day

These two pieces of news are completely unrelated.  Fionn, self-proclaimed ambassador on behalf of all animals in the building, took the important first step to initiate dialogue with newborn George.  Fionn his sniffed his head.  The response from George was non-commital, as he largely ignored the grey feline.   Analysts from both sides of the aisle have interpreted along their respective party guidelines.  When George was pressed to comment further, he simply stared.

George slept much more today, which prompted the opposite response one would expect.  Rather than relief, the parents wondered why he wasn't fussing more.  Isn't it ironic that his quieting fussiness  is succeeded by his parents' discontent?  In case you were wondering if it was quiet all day, George shows his discontent with his father's morning snoring .....

Umbilical Cord StumpTown

The little bit of umbilical cord, a slightly icky looking thing, fell off today, revealing George's little belly button.  Kirsten persuaded me to not share any images with you.  But, fear not, once his belly button looks "normal" I will snap a few for your delight.


In other news, our friend, Rich, wants to start Friday night baby boxing bouts.  Given our cultural bent towards organized violence and all things cute, this mash-up will make babies lovers and fighters.  Rich guarantees he can make George a contender in 6 months.  This may be a case of something sounding too good to be true .... but some of these pics show a natural ....such as the one directly below showcases his baby "guns" ....