Temper tantrum at the Seattle Space Needle



Top of the Seattle Space Needle















Eating rice krispies and jam














Naked Bike Rider

19 months old!

Hey! only 3 months between blogs! I'm getting better. Ok, Caspian is closer to 20 months old now, but who's counting?

Our little kidlet is doing very well! He just seems to be turning into a little boy more and more every day! His hair is growing longer (although not so much thicker) and he has these adorable tight red curls that kind of look like a "faux hawk".

Caspian is going to a new day care now called The Duck Inn. They have a great early learning program and take the kids on field trips. He's having a great time and is the youngest at the daycare so he get doted upon at the end of the day when he's one of the last ones left. By the time we pick him up, he doesn't want to leave!

He is such a smarty pants and shocks me constantly with how much he understands. Yesterday, our friend Chester said to Caspian "You're all dirty" and Caspian looked down at his shirt and attempted to wipe off the grunge. So cute! And when his Dad tickles him or does anything else that make him laugh, Caspian swats him away and says "Oh Dada!" He's in love with all his grandparents and can recognize (from many blocks away) when we're driving to one of their houses.

Caspian learns a new word every day so I can't even keep up anymore. He can also play the harmonica (seriously - Grandpa Barry taught him).

He is also the most well traveled kid I've ever met. His most recent trip was to Seattle to visit his Uncle Mike. I think Mike was a little overwhelmed having a toddler running around his small apartment, but they had a great time getting to know each other.

He still loves books, water, dogs (now he pronounces it "do-cke"), trucks and vans and buses (all of which he calls "Baah"), Minnie the cat next door to Grandma and Grandpa ("Mimmie"), and trains ("Choo choo!").

Well, that's all I can think of to talk about.

Don't forget to check out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericcamille/

for more photos of Caspian

16 months old - How time flies!

Hi Everyone!

This will be a quick entry because each time I try to do a longer one, I end up getting sidetracked (usually by Caspian) and then never post it and it's a month later before I have another 5 minutes! Parents - sound familiar?

Anyway, Caspian is doing great! His first birthday was wonderful and I need to say thank you to everyone who gave him gifts! I didn't get a chance to send thank you cards, so I am doing the most gauche thing ever and thanking everyone online and all at once. Please forgive me, I just can't seem to find a moment to do anything (you should see my kitchen).

Caspian is such a grown up boy now! Here are some of his accomplishments, likes, and dislikes.

Accomplishments

1. He can walk really well now! At about 15 months he just started cruising and now he won't stop (his late walking is due to the fact that he was a turbo crawler, so didn't see any reason why he should walk).
2. He can have full conversations with you (we don't understand them, and it sounds a little like he's speaking Chinese - maybe Mandarin?) I am starting to think he was Asian in a past life considering how much he loves Asian foods and speaks his own version of an Asian language already.
3. The words that we can understand are: Daw! (dog), Mama, Dada, Ba ba (bye bye), Baaaa (sheep's sound), Papa (Grandpa), LaLa (Kyla - his daycare lady), Baaw (ball) and he's starting to learn to sing the alphabet.
   

Dislikes

1. Being picked up when he is trying to walk somewhere (how do babies know to relax their arms so you can't pick them up?)
2. Anytime he doesn't get his own way (he's got a temper to match his hair!)
3. Almost anything to eat that isn't breadlike - can you believe Eric and I have a picky eater? Where does he get it from?
   

Likes

1. Dogs (he loves dogs!). When I took him to the zoo, everything with four legs and fur was a dog (including the Alpacas and Otters). The monkeys weren't though - thank god!
2. Water (I think he was a fish in another life as well). We take him swimming any chance we get.
   
3. Bread, pasta, crackers - anything breadlike (it's hard to get him to eat anything else)
4. Toy cars and trucks (where do boys get this? one day, that's all he would play with!)
5. Balls (his second favourite item next to dogs)
6. Ceiling fans and lights (ask Grandma Jan about this one, he will spend half an hour pointing out the ceiling fans in every room in their house over and over again)
7. Books (he absolutely LOVES getting read to, especially his book about dogs)
8. Music (he is a dancing machine this kid!)
9. Climbing the stairs (one flight is never enough, he's got to go all the way to the top!).
   

Ahhhh, toddlerhood. The worst of times and the BEST of times. Caspian is truly the most joyful thing we have ever experienced and we love him to bits. But at the same time, we are starting to think that one kid might just be enough for us :).

OK, I'm going to stop now before Caspian wakes up and I never post this thing. I guess this wasn't that short of an entry after all!

Hugs and kisses to everyone!

Camille, Eric and Caspian

11 months old!

Hi Everyone,

Once again, Mommy has neglected my blog, so it is up to me to let everyone know how I'm doing. But we'll have to forgive her because for the last few months she and Daddy have been pitching an idea for a television show and have been the busiest they've ever been in their lives. But this blog isn't about them, so here is the update on me.

I am 11 months old now and my learning curve is so steep. Mommy, Daddy, and my grandparents are all shocked at how fast I pick up new skills. I'm learning something new every day now. Here are some of the things that I am doing now...

• I am crawling! Yes, one day (at 9 1/2 months old) I just figured out that if I put one knee in front of the other, I can move fast! And boy do I move! Mommy and Daddy are having a heck of a time making sure I don't get into trouble, especially since I put everything in my mouth.
• I am also making it impossible for anyone to change my diaper now! Now that I learned how to crawl, I have no intention of laying still. It is quite the feat to change my diaper. The last time Daddy tried to change my poopy diaper, I managed to get the whole change table, the wall, me, and Daddy - well - a little messy.
• I am talking! I learned "mama" at about 6 months old, but now I also know "dada" and "done" (I say "done" - and pronounce it properly - when I am done eating).
• I am pulling myself up to standing! I just learned this trick last week.
• I am climbing stairs! I just learned this one on Sunday at Grandma Jan and Grandpa Barry's. I taught myself this trick and now I am trying to climb up on everything.
• I have lots of teeth! 6 to be exact (four on top, two on the bottom). And I am teething all the time right now, so there's sure to be another one or two soon.

But even though (as mommy and daddy put it) I am a "little terror", they still tell me everyday how much they adore me and how much fun they have with me. I giggle when they nibble on my ribs, love to wrestle and roll around on the floor, and squeal with delight and then crawl as fast as I can when they say "Caspian, I'm going to get you!".

But I also still love to cuddle and I have my few quiet moments. Especially when someone reads me a story. That is one thing I will sit still for is a book, many books in fact. I love them! I also love my baths. I am so used to having a bath in the morning after mommy has her shower, that I complain all the way through mommy's shower until she is done and puts me in the bathtub.

Well, that's about it for now. Mommy said that I should also tell all of you to keep Sunday, December 3rd open for my birthday party - I'm turning 1 year old in only a month!

See you in a month if not sooner!

Caspian, The 11 month old Boy Wonder

P.S. For some reason the blog won't let me upload any pictures. So to see my pictures go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericcamille/

7 months old!!!

Hi Everyone,

Yes, I have finally added another blog entry after much harassment from everyone. Hey, one every two months isn't bad!

Caspian continues to bring an infinite supply of joy into our lives everyday. We wonder what life was like without him! Oh, that's right - sleeping in on Saturdays, actually being able to get things done...but it wasn't half as much fun!

He is now 7 months old and I can't believe how fast time goes! All you brand new parents and parents-to-be-in-the-future: cherish every single moment (even the hours you spend awake at night) because it goes way too fast.

Since Caspian's last entry, here is his news:

1. Some of Caspian's Firsts in the last two months: 1st time at the beach, 1st football game, 1st visit to the Muttart, 1st swimming lesson, 1st baby cracker (eaten with his hands), 1st meat, 1st time getting his toes nibbled by a puppy.
2. Caspian's cute little habits: Our Baby Bear makes all sorts of crazy noises now. He gurgles (it sounds like a cat purring), he growls, he screams, he goes "mamamamama" as well as many other noises. His newest uber-cute thing that he does is crinkle up his nose (as demonstrated in the above picture). He also holds his hand (palm up) towards people as if he is a conductor telling them to stand up or something.
3. Caspian doesn't stay in one spot anymore. He isn't crawling yet, but he roles around a lot and ends up in all sorts of weird positions. The other day I found him in his crib, twisted on his side, with his feet stuck through the bars. Eric thinks he's very close to crawling - only time will tell, but we better start baby-proofing!
4. Caspian eats all sorts of foods now. We've just started him on meat - he's not too jazzed about the boiled chicken though (who would be?).
5. Our little water-baby is taking baby swim lessons this month. He LOVES the water. If he's fussy, just give him a bath and he gets happy instantly. The other day, he spent about two hours in the pool (turned into a little raisin) and loved every minute of it.
6. Caspian's probably the most energetic (read - WILD) baby I've ever seen. He rarely sits still. When all the other babies were waiting to get in the water at the swim class, they were sitting calmly with their parents. Caspian, on the other hand, had both arms and legs moving so fast I thought he was going to take off!
7. Caspian loves plants - I think he might become a horticulturalist (hopefully he sticks to legal plants though - just kidding). When we took him to the Muttart Conservatory on Mother's day, I swear he enjoyed all the plants and flowers more than we did! We just had to make sure he didn't eat them all!
8. Caspian loves to charm everyone. He flashes those cute little gums at strangers whenever we are out and they just melt! He also giggles all the time now. We can usually get some good giggles from him if we nibble on his belly or near his armpit (or if Eric pretends he's a dog shaking his head - Caspian thinks that's hilarious).

Well, that's about it for now. The truth is, I could write about him forever, but I have to get to sleep now to be ready for another crazy day with the "Goober - Baby Bear".

Camille

5 Months Old and Already a World Traveller

Hi Everyone,

It's me Caspian writing the blog. Mommy has been so busy, she's been neglecting my blog. So finally I got so fed up, I decided to do the blog entry myself. I know it's been awhile since the last entry, and I've grown up a lot. On May 1st, I turned 5 months old. Mommy just about cried when she realized how fast the time is going by. I told her, "Don't worry Mommy, I'll still be cute for a long time, until I hit about 13 years old" ;).

As the title of this entry suggests, I am also now a World Travelller! Well, ok, a North American Traveller at least. Earlier this month (for two weeks at the beginning of April), Mommy, Daddy, Grandma Jan and I went to Orlando, Florida! The vacation was really for Mommy and Daddy. I just came along for the ride and Grandma came to take care of me. But I had a lot of fun too! The trip there was really long, we drove to Calgary, flew to Toronto, waited 4 hours, flew to Fort Lauderdale, and then drove another three and a half hours to Orlando. I am such a good traveller though. I slept through both flights. When we got off the plane, the attendants commented that I was so quiet they forgot there was a baby on the airplane!

In Orlando, we went to all the major amusement parks. Four Disney World parks, two Universal Orlando parks (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure), and Seaworld. My favourite parks were Seaworld and Animal Kingdom in Disney World. At Seaworld, I loved walking through the huge aquarium with fish swimming all around me, and I liked the Dolphin Show, with dolphins, acrobats, and parrots. At the Animal Kingdom, we went to see a Lion King show. The music, acrobats and bright colours made me get so excited I was almost jumping up and down!

Mommy and Daddy liked Universal Orlando the best. They bought passes that allowed them to skip the lineups at the rides for one day and they went on rides all day while Grandma took care of me at the park. They felt like kids again. I guess I have to allow that every once in awhile.

We also went to Sunday Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues in Downtown Disney. It was great Louisiana food, and awesome southern gospel music. I loved the music! And after the show, I met one of singers and she said to me "God bless him" in her cute southern accent. Actually, I heard that a lot from all the southern ladies.

Since the last entry, I have grown in leaps and bounds. I am now about 26 inches long and about 19 pounds. I'm still in the 95th percentile for weight and wearing 12 to 18 month size clothes. I have such a cute little Budha Belly that not a lot of pants with waists fit me (they're too small), so Mommy has learned to buy lots of stretchy one piece outfits. My parents are getting a good workout carrying me around. I think I'll be a Eskimos Linebacker when I grow up.

As for my new skills and developments - typing is one of them (just kidding). I have learned many things in the last two months. I have learned to grasp toys and manipulate toys (like spinning them) - I can shake my rattle on my own now. I can grab my feet (I found them in Orlando where I was left barefoot most of the time, and naked half the time) - now my feet are one of my favourite toys! In fact I can almost grab things with my feet, they are like an extra pair of hands. I can laugh - which Mommy and Daddy absolutely LOVE! They do everything they can to make me laugh and sometimes I oblige them. But what makes me laugh always changes, so they have to be creative. And my most recent development is that I can sit up all by myself! I just mastered this skill in the last few days. Daddy loved to get me to practice sitting on the bed, where I topple from side to side like a wobbly weeble. I can also stand with support (all I need to do is hold someone's hands). I'm also teething now. No teeth have appeared yet, but Mommy's watching carefully. For some reason, Mommy's not too excited about me getting teeth. I'm not sure why. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I bite her with my gums when I'm eating, and then when she scolds me, I smile at her. What can I say? I'm charming!

Anyway, I have to go now, it's my nap time. Hope everyone enjoyed my blog entry! Keep in touch!

Love,
Prince Caspian

P.S. Don't forget to check out my Flickr website for many more photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericcamille

Almost 11 weeks old! Where does the time go?

Hi Everyone!

Well, Caspian will be 11 weeks old this Thursday (or 2 1/2 months). He has changed so much over the last month and a half that I don't even know where to begin.

Caspian is over 24 inches long and 14 pounds. He's huge!!! We got him weighed at 7 weeks and he was in the 75th percentile for height and weight and then 2 weeks later he was weighed again and he was in the 90th percentile! I hope his growth slows down a little or he will be the size of a 5 year old by 1 year. He is growing out of clothes faster than I can pull them out of the closet and he is fitting 6 month old size clothes already.

He is very alert and brings us endless joy every day. He's smiling like crazy now and he has started to be very interested in toys. When he is under a toy arch, you can tell that he wants to reach out to them but can't quite figure out how. Instead, he stares at the toys bug eyed while he flails his arms and kicks his legs. He has, however, found his fist and enjoys sucking it. Today I actually watched him look at his fist, open his mouth and then slowly bring his fist to his mouth. It's amazing to imagine his thought process "Hmmm, that looks tasty, I'd like to suck on that thing. Hey! it's coming to my mouth, how did that happen? Mmmmm, fist."

As usual, we welcome anyone who would like to come and visit. Caspian loves new faces.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Camille, Eric, and Caspian

5 Weeks Old!

Hi Everyone!

I know it's been a long time since we put in an entry - I feel like I haven't had a moment to myself (as all new mothers can attest to). Caspian is growing in leaps and bounds and I have to admit I am sad that the time is going by so fast. His first month just flew by and it already feels like he is a different baby. He has gained 3 pounds and close to 2 inches in length - he's getting huge! And he is so much more aware and responsive. He is smiling at us regularly now, and following us with his eyes and head as we move about the room. He is also making more cute coos and other baby noises. He is still an easy baby to take care of, but he definitely lets us know if he is hungry "I want food now!". He can also get a little fussy if he is tired and doesn't fall asleep right away (a swaddling and soother quickly takes care of that though).

We had a wonderful first Christmas with our baby boy, visiting with all the grandparents and other family. Make sure to revisit our flickr website to see a whole bunch of new photos since our last entry. There are some really cute ones on there (from 1 week old to 5 weeks old).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericcamille/sets/1553846/

Eric is back to work now and hates not being around Caspian all the time. And I'm having to learn how to juggle everything at home without his constant help. But things are going great and we couldn't ask for a better life than this. It's true that the best things in life are free (if you call 9 months of pregnancy "free") ;).

Happy New Year Everyone!!! And please feel free to come and visit the munchkin any time!

Camille and Eric