the art of waking up.

Seeing how baby Anderzander is awake and asleep eighteen million times a day and night (mommy is counting), I figure he is the top authority on the art of waking up

Step 1.  Locate a sleeping infant.  They are hard to hear, they don't always snore.
They may be hard to smell, they don't like to sleep dirty (who does?)
They may be hard to touch, someone else usually is holding and guarding them.
Then may be hard to see, they wear lots of very cute outfits, most of the time thanks to their extended family, and they quite frequently are incognito with their little ears on their hoods.

Step 2.  Applying the elements.
Once you have found yourself a sleeping infant, carefully (most people can't help cooing or singing while completing step 2)
Unzip the camouflage to reveal the utter preciousness underneath.  This may result in a bit of squirming, don't be alarmed, this is a good thing.


 
Step 3. The peeking of the eyes.

This may take place accompanied with a raising of the arms.  Frequently after the arms are up, the baby's eyes close the arms relax, the patient deciding he or she would rather go back to sleep in this new environment rather then wake up and see it's potential.

Step 4. Negotiation.

Opening the warm outfit a wee bit further, humming and calling his name a few times, especially if you, the perpetrator, is extremely happy (it's impossible to be otherwise) creates what we call the negotiation effect, the eyes open up, the arms again stretch high above his head.

Step 5. The offering.
This is when you want to coo and cheer your happiest, assuring the baby that his decision to join the waking world is the right one.  This is the right time to take his arms out of the coat, along with his legs, which he will reward you by stretching and raising his balled fists in your general direction.  Be warned, smiles could be your undoing at this point.

Step 6. I'm reviewing the situation.
This is a delightful time of baby understanding his limits.
Mouth-check
Face-check
Eyes, nose yup.
Arms work, swing swing swing.
I am who I am.
Am I hungry (now's the time he'll figure this out)
Am I dirty (oh he'll let you know)
Am I still sleepy (watch for the crinkle of the nose)
Am I wanting to get out of this outfit? (watch for the raising of the feet.)

Step 7: Up and away.
This is the step you get to engage full body with the infant of your choice.  Any of those questions will involve you either in helping him find the food of choice, changing a bumb, apologizing for waking him up (which you will do with rocking and singing for about 10 minutes or so, bouncing up and down may be required) and at the very least, hanging up his outdoor things for next time.

All of these options are postitive.
All are rewarded with his smiles or coos.

All eventually lead to...

Baby on the loose, happy and
alert, seeing the world.
Seeing his world of big brothers
of big dogs
of big rooms,
of big mommy's and daddy's

of big big kisses and hugs.


Much much love

Minamin







For additional notes and information: write to
benjamin loback
the room next door
in mommy and daddy's house
beside mommy's truck with big tires.

For notes on getting baby's to sleep, don't ask mommy.  she has no idea.

Have I got a secret for you!

Anderzander here are my secrets

Me am me loves you.

Grampa loves you.

Grampa also loves peanut butter.....like daddy..

like me....and you too some day.

what do you mean you've found something yummier?

Just you wait, you'll see.
Peanut butter is a wee bit better then toes.
You'll see.

More secrets?
Nana love love loves you, and
Auntie Wu and Uncle Camron love you.
Yes they do!

Auntie Manta and Uncle Vincent love you

Auntie Sylvia and Uncle Christopher love you, they are going to come see us in a little while....ooooh I'm very excited.

Auntie Stephanie and Uncle Jonathan love you. and mommy has them in her mind a lot as she is retrieving over 3000 photos from the recycled bin as she learns how to grrr in front of her children while working on the computer....(grrrrrr)

you heard mommy grrrr?
And you thought it was Maddy?

Well it could be, Maddy loves you too.

And Grampa and Tattoo love you.
did you know that?

You did?

You know lots of people love you?
and they love me too.

And we love them.  

Yes we do.

before the snow!

Hello family I love

We have had a good week, from seeing the downtown sights to flying big airplanes, we did it all before the snow flew.



Daddy and I flew an airplane at the park, Mathey was not impressed not to be a part.






Baby Ander seemed to enjoy it in his own way.

Daddy made it up to Mathey later by hanging out with him while I played in the sand box.  Scoop scoop dump
scoop scoop dump.

Then we went down town and saw some HUGE matheys!  And police were on them, and they came over and said hello and waved at me, and even peed in the park.  It was a very busy morning.

Then after some walking we took to a restaurant and had burrito's and juice. Yum!  Baby Ander was just jazzed to be out of the stroller.

Following lunch was a quick look at Nathan Phillips Square (mommy was astonished at how small it was, all her childhood hype for that!?!)
Then back to the train (daddy had to carry the big stroller up and down stairs)

and home again for some good brother times.

Will talk again
Xoxo
big boy minamin and baby ander......

and family

the art of eating spaghetti

Step 1:
Choosing a piece.
Generally speaking, longer the better and with as much meat and sauce on it as necessary as to minimize sticking to other pieces. 

Step 2:
Preparing for contact.
Lay spaghetti strand along the side of the dish on the table as to obtain a general picture of the proposed task at hand.

Step 3:
Vacuum powers on full.
Two hands firmly yet gently guiding pasta, chew on the yummy s'getti as to not only enjoy the taste but to continue upward pull towards mouth.

Step 4:
Pivot.
Now that the yummy pasta is reaching your mouth making your tummy not so grumpy, rotate the jaw upwards, leveling out your nose and getting the most s'getti off the table at once, the more it swings the better.

This is an art after all.

Step 5:
Hands free.
We are in a high tech world after all.
Slow down or lose touch and you fall behind, right Uncle Jonathan?

Step 6:
Monitor the situation.
Ideal if the pendulum has indeed gone off track a bit.  Check the pasta is still going up,
Good time to remove any unnecessary items such as carrots, beef, sauce still clinging to the noodle etc. etc.

Step 7:
Home Run.
This is the faith shot, all you have to do is keep with what you've been doing, but hands are useless, and watching is not possible...
Just keep chewing
Just keep chewing
(sing with me Auntie Wu!)

Step 8:
Tail end.
By opening your perfect mouth  just an eensy bit, you can push the remaining 1/4 inch inside and chew with pleasure.
Definite job satisfaction.

Step 9:
Clean up.

Step 10:
Smile at your mommy who loves you and repeat all over again.

Xoxo
Minamin,
your spaghetti eating expert.

mommy peez take nose gobbin out minamin's nose

Monday:  Mommy found me sleeping on the floor.

 Tuesday: Baby Ander discovers the realm of facial expressions.  It was awesome watching him go!
 

Wednesday: tractors and trains....and runny noses.

Thursday: We're gonna' get through this, you and I

am I supposed to be sleeping?

Both of us are sick.
and of course up every few hours reminding mommy and daddy that indeed
Both of us are sick.
























Friday: Daddy came home early!
We celebrated mommy's runny nose with...
ready for it?


washing the dog!
and the truck.
and we had to go through one with the big brushes that slam on the roof
storm past the windows
drowned us in orange foam (reminded mommy of fluoride days)
rammed us with water and choked us with air.

Needless to say,
I closed me eyes.

And it is now the weekend.

Hopefully time for healing, but at the very least

time for family. And there is nothing least about that.

XoXo
Minamin & Baby Ander

a happy beginning

We drove
We saw
We hugged
We ate
We laughed
We wiped noses
We shared
We prayed
We slept
We caught up
We opened
We drank
We ran
We played
We broke
We changed
We grew
We snoozed
We sang
We loved
We skyped (this is now a noun is it?)

Very very thankful are we.

helping Grampa with the taters.

look, I've got my first tooth....on the first!

this is the beginning of playing on my own

what do you do with these?

riiiggghhhtttttt!

hmm?

sportin' the coolest mohawk in town

boy does my daddy make me happy.

Happy New Year Nana, we loved facetiming you today, thank you for thinking of us.
Happy New Year Me am me and Boppa, we are already planning what we can do with you in May.
Happy New Year Auntie Manta, Uncle Vince Hannah & Dosh, Mr Potato Head ROCKS!
Happy New Year Uncle Cam & Auntie Wu, we talk about you every time we see planes!
Happy New Year Uncle Chris & Auntie Sylvia, we hope hope hope you are able to visit us soon
Happy New Year Auntie Stephy and Uncle Jonathan & Amelia, we felt hugged by you so much.
Happy New Year friends and family.

XoXo
Minamin & Baby Xander