Ike's Life: Weeks 24-39
39 weeks
Ike and the mic.
39 weeks
39 weeks
39 weeks
39 weeks
39 weeks
39 weeks
39 weeks
39 weeks
38 weeks
Ike meets Pepsi, my mom's friend Laura's dog.
38 weeks
36 weeks
I believe this is a howl of glee.
36 weeks
Bathtime in the kitchen sink.
36 weeks
36 weeks
36 weeks
36 weeks
Ike and his new friend, Holly Bear.
36 weeks
36 weeks
Dave said this outfit made Ike look like a little girl, but he didn't ask me to change it.
36 weeks
36 weeks
36 weeks
36 weeks
He figured out how to say "Oh" and "Oooh" last month, and sometimes spends portions of the day practicing these noises.
35 weeks
He likes standing up with the aid of the kitchen cabinet handles.
35 weeks
Tell him "Dance, baby, dance!" and he bounces up and down on his legs.
35 weeks
35 weeks
More dancing baby!
34 weeks
Lunch on Oval Beach in Saugatuck, Michigan.
35 weeks
Beautiful eyes.
They were almost black when he was a newborn, turned vivid green, and now are brown.
35 weeks
He was pleased because he got to play with ice cubes on the table while Dave and I ate lunch at the Butler in Saugatuck.
32 weeks
Uncle John gave him this plastic bat. He likes to crawl around with it in one hand, making a big WHAP! against the floor every other stroke.
31 weeks
31 weeks
Group nap.
31 weeks
A baby and a chainsaw.
31 weeks
A neighbor felled this giant dead tree in our front yard for us. Dave's slowly turning it into firewood.
31 weeks
31 weeks
John stayed with us for a few days, during which he helped with Ike and cooked some fine meals for us. COME BACK ANYTIME!
31 weeks
Ike's first "swim."
31 weeks
31 weeks
31 weeks
31 weeks
31 weeks
31 weeks
31 weeks
31 weeks
Ike's great-grandparents, visiting from Iowa.
31 weeks
31 weeks
Put a funnel on your baby's head and call it a hat!
I got the idea from one of my favorite bloggers,
Dooce, who frequently balances things on her dog, Chuck.
31 weeks
He suspects that it is not truly a hat.
31 weeks
31 weeks
He
knows the green teething ring is certainly not a hat.
31 weeks
He sings in baby babble as he pats ecstatically at the sunlight.
31 weeks
He really wants to play with the cats.
31 weeks
I think they like to tease him.
31 weeks
31 weeks
31 weeks
Ike with his Great-Grandpa Bob.
31 weeks
31 weeks
31 weeks
He's studying the inflatable pool Great-Grandma just gave him.
29 weeks
First teeth!
29 weeks
29 weeks
29 weeks
29 weeks
On the way home from Amy and Jeremy's wedding in Illinois, his longest trip so far. He's a good little traveler.
27 weeks
When chubby thighs are a good thing.
27 weeks
Elbow dimples and wrist chubs.
27 weeks
More dimples and chub.
27 weeks
26 weeks
Playing with the box is more fun than the toys that were inside it.
26 weeks
When he falls asleep, his muscles don't just relax, they practically melt.
26 weeks
Look what this big guy can do all by himself!
26 weeks
Now that he can pull himself up on everything, I'm on constant head-cracking vigilance.
26 weeks
It defrosts my old jaded heart to see what fascinates him. He's a wide-eyed explorer in uncharted territory, and air-conditioning grates and windowsills are his New World.
26 weeks
Patriotically lounging at Grandma's.
26 weeks
Naptime for babies of all sizes.
26 weeks
Flying up to the ceiling, courtesy of Daddy.
26 weeks
25 weeks
With Uncle John at a Memorial Day get-together at Grandma S.'s.
25 weeks
With Grandma on her backyard swing.
25 weeks
25 weeks
Getting to know Uncle Jesse.
25 weeks
One night he kept making this weird face and smacking his lips! In retrospect, it was probably from teething.
25 weeks
25 weeks
He's laughing at me laughing at him.
25 weeks
25 weeks
He taught himself to blow raspberries.
25 weeks
It looks like it, but he's not actually waving (he doesn't get the concept yet).
25 weeks
Mid-raspberry.
25 weeks
Really going to town on this one.
25 weeks
Still razzin'.
25 weeks
Cherub cheeks.
25 weeks
Five minutes later, a mercurial mood swing.
25 weeks
Another five minutes, and he's learning about a new element of his expanding world.
24 weeks
With Aunt Melody and his new furry sisters, Cammy and Chun-Li.
24 weeks
It's official--he's crawling.
Ike's Life: Weeks 0-23
12 week baby belly
18 week baby belly
24 week baby belly
34 week baby belly
Ike: Day 1
Day 1
Day 1
Dave is great at making a baby burrito!
Day 2
Sucking his thumb, his favorite hobby. We even saw him doing this during an ultrasound.
Day 2
Just being cute.
Day 4
Our first day as just a twosome. It went pretty well.
Day 4
He wants to talk already, I can tell.
Day 5
Day 5
Day 5
Training for future geekdom.
Day 6
Day 6
Does he not have the cutest profile?
Day 6
Day 6
Extreme close-up!
Day 6
Day 6
Day 8
Hanging out with Grandma.
Day 8
Day 9
Looking towards the light from the window.
Day 9
Giant monkey feet. He has prehensile toes.
Day 9
Objecting to having just had his diaper changed.
Day 9
Ahh, all better now.
Ike's room
Ike's slightly Goth crib.
Ike's room
Dresser/diaper changing spot.
Ike's room
This step stool belonged to Dave's mom when she was a little girl.
Ike's room
This little bookshelf used to belong to Ike's Uncle John.
Ike's room
His crib sheet with cool vintage trucks.
Practically twins
I've found that this is what you get when a) Ike gets a diaper change, and b) one asks Dave to smile for a picture.
Day 18
Daddy's telling him to stop crying.
Day 18
Ike and his pal "Doofy."
Day 18
Day 18
My baby eats dinosaurs!
Day 18
What's up, Doofy?
Day 19
Showing off his onesie from Larisa and Dave.
Day 21
Daddy and Ike like Da Bears.
Day 24
Sleeping on Uncle Nate.
Day 26
Sleeping on Aunt Ellie.
Day 29
Four generations.
Day 34
Growing and changing every day.
Day 34
Being a "swaddle model."
Day 34
Practicing his Street Fighter moves.
Day 34
I think he actually resembles me (and my brothers) in this picture.
Day 36
Look at that bushelhead!
Day 37
"Hey, Mom, I'm in a pretty good mood..."
Day 37
"...you know, I think I might be about to..."
Day 37
"SMILE!!!"
Day 37
"Ta-daaa!"
Day 37
All smug about smiling.
6 weeks
6 weeks
Baby jeans are too cute.
6 weeks
6 weeks
Sitting with Fox in Socks from Uncle Mike and Aunt Ellie.
6 weeks
He's just started to play with the hanging critters on this activity mat Grandma S. gave him for Christmas.
7 weeks
After a minute or so, the weight of that big head rolled him onto his side!
7 weeks
Appropriately labeled pants from Grandma K.
8 weeks
And my other baby is 1428 weeks old.
8 weeks
Ike modeling an outfit that used to be mine! My mom saved it all these years and it's in perfect shape.
9 weeks
9 weeks
Juicy jowls!
10 weeks
Mmmm, hands.
10 weeks
10 weeks
10 weeks
Geeky Valentine.
11 weeks
When Stuffed Animals Attack! This one makes me die of laughter.
11 weeks
He vanquished the bear and is preparing to swing the monkey by its tail.
12 weeks
Is he trying to be the new Gerber Baby? Posing for a Calvin Klein ad? Or does he just want to start a Myspace page?
12 weeks
Ike with Uncle John in their blue hoodies!
12 weeks
14 weeks
Relativity: When I hold Ike, people comment, "He's big for his age!" When Dave's holding him, it's "He's so tiny!"
14 weeks
14 weeks
Ike has begun to learn how his hands work...
14 weeks
...he thinks they're useful for putting anything he can grab into his mouth.
14 weeks
14 weeks
15 weeks
At Grandma Gayle's this day, he figured out how to roll from his back to his tummy.
15 weeks
15 weeks
His arms and legs are always a blur of motion.
15 weeks
He loves to hug the bunny Great-Grandma sent him!
15 weeks
My brother John named the bunny Roberto.
15 weeks
15 weeks
Doofy's just a little jealous of Roberto.
15 weeks
Peace.
15 weeks
Wrasslin' Roberto.
15 weeks
15 weeks
Men in black.
16 weeks
Grandma and her Easter bunny, or tears for ears.
18 weeks
This kid makes some goofy faces.
18 weeks
Obligatory naked baby photo. This one's rather modest--I do have more flamboyant ones to use against him in the future.
18 weeks
18 weeks
The aftermath of his first "solid" meal--mushy rice cereal.
19 weeks
He was playing in his new high chair, then I noticed a suspicious silence and found him fast asleep like this!
20 weeks
He's become such a happy, LOUD boy.
20 weeks
He's also gotten very LONG.
21 weeks
Push-ups! He'll do a bunch of reps, then yell with frustration because he doesn't know why he's not moving forward.
21 weeks
He reminds me of Poppie (his great-grandpa--my dad's dad) here!
21 weeks
My sunshine.
22 weeks
23 weeks
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
Ike has many hats. This one was handmade by my artsy friend Gina.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
I told him I knew this one made him look silly, so he kindly humored me.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
Ike's festive first hat, from the nurses at the hospital. He's outgrowing it...
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
but he finds that it still makes a satisfactory plaything/chew toy.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
We're big fans of "Animals Eating Babies' Heads"-type hats.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
We took lots of pictures of this one.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
This is his Elmer Fudd hat. He's pwaying with his wattle.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
It's a bit too big yet.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show
Ike says his Hat Fashion Show is over for the day. To be continued...
Ike's Hat Fashion Show, Part II
Little bear.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show, Part II
Husky.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show, Part II
Handmade by Eleanor.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show, Part II
Ike's Hat Fashion Show, Part II
Ike signals the end of the show.
Ike's Hat Fashion Show, Ongoing
He's sleeping on the job, but check out the new hat! Two, actually, as it reverses from khaki to camo.
Kittens
2008-05-24
My neighbor's daughter had 11 of these, impairing our judgment with all their giant eyes and fluff.
2008-05-24
In the foreground is Dave's pick of the litter, Cammy. We decided we might as well get two, so behind Cammy is her sister, Chun-Li.
2008-05-24
I think Ike thinks they're stuffed toys, fit to pinch and grab; fortunately, they either run away or tolerate it.
2008-05-24
2008-05-24
They really liked Melody and the warmth of her laptop.
2008-05-24
2008-06-04
Cammy is not a proper lady.
2008-06-04
Chun-Li.
2008-06-04
2008-06-05
They're both as obsessed with shoes as Carrie Bradshaw.
Out 'n' About
2008-03-08
My cousin Larisa visited 3/7-9. We went on an outing to the Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids.
2008-03-08
Inside the Tropical Conservatory, it was warm, humid, and colorful, and full of things like this tree with crazy bark.
2008-03-08
A rarity--I'm in the photo (barely)!
2008-03-08
Our heroine! Larisa had smuggled NY bagels in her luggage for us deprived Michiganders.
2008-03-08
An emerald swallowtail, part of the temporary butterfly exhibit they have once a year.
2008-03-08
One of the many varieties of orchid there, each one more unusual than the last.
2008-03-08
Cousin Itt! Actually, I remember this was labeled "thatch palm."
2008-03-08
These giant palm fronds caught the late winter light.
2008-03-08
Over-fluttery butterfly--not sure if it's the camera's fault, or my lack of knowledge about how to use the camera.
2008-03-08
Some cool insect-eating plants in the Carnivorous Plant House.
2008-03-08
A fancy deathtrap.
2008-03-08
Dave and Ike checking out all the bug-eaters.
2008-03-29
Ike napping on our walk home from breakfast at the Freeport Family Restaurant.
2008-04-04
Ike and I went to see John compete in the state finals of the National Geographic Bee at Western Michigan U. Waiting for the bee to start.
2008-04-04
During a break from a round of questions. This guy has a bunch of esoteric geography info squirreled away.
2008-04-04
He didn't win but put forth a valiant effort. We had a celebratory lunch at Red Robin. (He was trying to show me what a "super nerd" looks like but can't stop laughing.)
2008-04-04
From nerd to suave.
2008-04-05
Ike sacked out at the Freeport Family Restaurant. A fellow patron asked Dave, "Is your arm asleep, too?"
2008-04-05
A walk through the cemetery in Freeport. It's very old (some of the headstones show birthdates in the early 1800s) and nicely maintained.
2008-04-05
A bronze dog near a headstone. Not sure why.
2008-04-05
Many of the surnames on the stones match local streets and current residents.
2008-04-05
2008-04-05
Another inexplicable ornamentation.
2008-05-23
Another visit to Frederik Meijer Gardens (I have a membership there now), this time with Melody and her mom, Debbie. These tiny quail in the Conservatory are adorable.
2008-05-23
Ike was more aware of his surroundings this time.
2008-05-23
Exotic orchids.
2008-05-23
Another type of orchid--they have over 3,500 in their collection.
2008-05-23
A curious-looking plant in the Arid Garden.
2008-05-23
In the outdoor sculpture park, this huge aluminum silhouette looks like a woman from one angle...
2008-05-23
...and a man from another.
2008-05-23
Everyone loves the 24-foot bronze "American Horse." Look closely and you'll see it's obviously (and gigantically) a boy horse.
2008-05-23
A sculpture called "Scarlatti." Is it a praying mantis? An orchestra conductor? It looks markedly different depending on whether you view it from the fore or aft (although I don't know which is which).
2008-05-23
I find that cuteness tends to correspond with smallness (think babies, kittens, dollhouse furniture), but somehow this 20-foot garden trowel contrives to be the "height" of cuteness.
2008-05-23
This is called "Summer Dance," although I scoffed at that. It made me think of dominoes and Swiss cheese.
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Waterfall in the midst of the sculpture park. If you have a pretty penny, you can get married right here.
2008-05-23
Overscale birds' egg sculptures. It was pretty funny when we saw a real robin perched on one.
2008-05-23
This is "Listening to History." You know the feeling?
2008-05-23
This is part of a new exhibit, seated figures whose entire bodies are made of linked letters.
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None of the letters seem to form words, so we tried to decipher what the sculpture might mean. We eavesdropped on a tour bus as it puttered past, but the tour guide had no enlightening insights.
2008-05-23
In the Children's Garden, part of a family of metal wolves. They're made of pieces of bicycles and such.
2008-05-23
This guy reminded Melody of Foxy, my family's dog, who died shortly before Ike was born.
2008-05-23
Ike's first trip to the park in Freeport.
2008-05-23
He loved it all!
2008-05-23
There's a really cool wooden ark to play in.
2008-05-23
2008-05-23
2008-05-23
Spending some time with his only aunt!
2008-05-23
2008-06-06
A visit to Grandma's work.
2008-06-08
Dave is the patron saint of turtles. He saved this painted turtle from the middle of a country highway and delivered him to the nearest lake...
2008-06-08
...and found two more turtles roaming through the parking area near the lake. This guy was just a baby.
2006-06-08
This is a very muddy little snapping turtle.
2008-06-21
Amy and Jeremy got married!
The reception was held in the bride's parents' garden. It was so pretty, it should have been featured in a wedding magazine.
2008-06-21
Dave and Eleanor, mother of the groom.
2008-06-21
Ike and one of his surrogate grandmas for the day, Cindy.
2008-06-21
The rest of the guests enjoyed finger foods. (photo by Grandma K.)
2008-06-21
2008-06-21
Jeremy and his brothers, Josh and Matt, Gayle, and (please don't look at) me.
2008-06-22
View from our hotel window. Beats the usual parking lot or freeway.
2008-06-22
Have you ever seen a tidier farm?
2008-06-22
Having spent almost the entire previous day awake, Ike woke up bright, early, and cheerful.
2008-06-22
Happily sitting in a puddle of his own spit and looking just like his dad.
2008-07-05
For the 4th of July, we went camping with our friends Mike and Virginia at Buttersville Park in Ludington. MI.
Campfire coffee. I forgot to bring our press pot, so we tried to make do with this piece-of-garbage percolator.
2008-07-05
Here's Dave, thinking about busting out his Blackberry and locating the nearest Starbucks.
2008-07-05
Ike took a mid-morning nap in our tent.
2008-07-05
Awww.
2008-07-05
Dave and his family camped in this tent when he was a kid. He says his 6'6" dad liked it because he was able stand up in the middle.
We've been using it for about the past eight years. It might be time for something a little newer.
2008-07-05
The dining room.
2008-07-05
When Mike and Virginia started assembling their (normal-sized) tent, they realized they must've left all the poles at home, 90 miles away. Fortunately, Mike's mom lives about 10 minutes from the campground, so he went and borrowed this incredibly tiny tent from her. When Mike emerged in the morning, it looked like the tent was giving birth to him.
2008-07-05
The guys picked out all the breakfast fixings (which included 2 pounds of bacon) with the promise of doing the cooking. They tried to weasel out of it in the morning, but we ladies held them to their word, and made them use pink utensils, no less.
2008-07-05
2008-07-05
Ike enjoyed an alfresco breakfast with Virginia and Dave.
2008-07-05
Baby-food fu manchu.
2008-07-05
2008-07-05
Drinking beer (in the morning, no less) while holding his son,
and wearing a terrible hat.
I quote Dave Kil: "Dave Kil is not a role model."
2008-07-05
The campsite was near this bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.
2008-07-05
2008-07-05
2008-07-05
Ike's first experience with Lake Michigan. As is usually the case until the end of August, it was really
cold.
2008-07-05
2008-07-05
Happy campers.
2008-07-05
Ike loved the sand. I was amazed that he didn't try to eat it.
2008-07-05
2008-07-05
2008-07-05
Stairway to the campground. We sat in those benches at the midpoint to watch fireworks over the lake the previous night.
hahahahaha- 1st comes the lovin-