The Robiltons

Santa's knee 2010

2010-11-21T22:52:00.002-05:00

Santa Claus 2009

2009-12-05T12:26:00.001-05:00

In the mail!

2009-11-30T21:09:00.002-05:00

Halloween 2009

2009-11-14T10:49:00.002-05:00

Henry decided to be a police officer. So Mike and Thomas were robbers, and I was the judge. Why are my Halloween shots always sideways???

The last few months . . .

2009-11-14T10:41:00.002-05:00

In reverse order: some autumn portraits, summer vacation shots, Canada day, photo from Thomas' baptism . . .

Nine months

2009-06-08T09:05:00.005-04:00

Dear Thomas,

Things just keep getting better! You are happy and social, full of giggles. You'll laugh at anything - a sneeze, a look. But there's still no one who can make you laugh like your brother. You love to watch him and giggle at all his antics.

Your sleeping habits and patterns are okay - you sleep for long stretches at night (12 hours on average) and you're starting to sleep through the night with more regularity. Your daytime naps are still a bit sporadic, and tend to consist of only one nap. You go to sleep at night very easily, but are a bit fussy with your nap. You often sleep in the stroller while we're out and about.

You've finally started accepting solids with gusto. You *love* Cheerios and are becoming very good at picking them up. Vegetables are ok, and you love fruit and dairy (yogurt and cottage cheese). On occasion you will reject the main course meals - particularly where there is rice involved. We're likely going straight to a sippy cup with you - you still don't like the bottle. We've started offering water with your meals and you take more interest in chewing on the cup than in consuming the contents of it.

You have four teeth right now - two on the top and two on the bottom, with another coming through on the top. At your nine month checkup you weighed 20.5 pounds and were 72 cm long. You are very good at sitting up and are very happy to do so! We're working to get you to spend more time on your tummy - you still don't roll very much and you show little interest in crawling or being mobile. While this is convenient for us (you're always in the same spot where we set you down!) developmentally we need to focus on your gross motor skills.

You love balls and are very happy in your exersaucer. You also love the tags on your toys, and you work hard to get them into your mouth. In fact, everything goes into your mouth these days which means that it's time for us to be very diligent about what is left lying around.

The past two months have been full of our usual activities - Storytime at the library, mom & baby exercise classes, and a new busy baby program at the Early Years Centre. We've also been busy with repairs and renovations around the house - including renovating the upstairs bathroom, which you tolerated very well. During May we were also preoccupied with preparations for the multiple celebrations for your brother's third birthday. We've started bathing the two of you together, and although Henry can be a little competitive, wanting to be "the first one" in and out of the tub, you both enjoy your baths. The days are flying by, and you fit right in with the flow of our household.

Later this month we'll be starting to transition you into daycare as I get ready to return to work. I think you'll love being with other babies - you love to watch the other children and babies at all of our activities and classes. And we're fortunate that you're in a great daycare where there will be lots of fun activities for you.

Seven months

2009-04-15T09:24:00.005-04:00

Dear Thomas -

Seven months already! You are more of a delight each day. This month has seen many changes. You got your first tooth - which we hardly noticed until it was poking out of your gum! You weren't terribly bothered by it. A second tooth is coming in right next to it too.

We've been trying solids for several weeks now, and for a long time you refused them. You would clamp your lips shut and turn your head. It didn't seem to matter what we offered - cereal, fruit or vegetables - the response was the same each time. But over the past 5 days you've shown some willingness to eat solids - thank goodness! Our next challenge is to work on accepting a bottle!

You sleep well at night, although you're still up at least once each night. Hopefully eating more solids will help tide you over. During the day, your naps are unpredictable and often brief. You still fit into the bucket carseat, so you often snooze on the move. And you are often hauled around town, to different activities and events.

You love watching the other babies and children at these activities - and you love interacting with your brother! You watch his every move. And he loves to entertain you. The biggest and deepest giggles we've ever heard you utter were the result of Henry's antics as he hid under a blanket and then revealed himself to you. It was a sweet moment, watching the two of you interact.

You are a sweet baby and we all adore you!

March break

2009-03-26T22:47:00.004-04:00

Mike is on vacation this week, so we took a bit of a March break to explore upstate New York. We stayed in the Finger Lakes region, and we spent some time in Rochester at the Science Center and at the Museum of Play. They were both outstanding - especially the Museum of Play. We weren't sure what to expect but were amazed at the quality of facilities, activities and programs. It was a blast - especially for Henry. We were there for 5 hours - the longest period of time we've spent at one location in a long time - and Henry was utterly exhausted at the end of it. We've never been to Rochester before, but we'll definitely be back. If only that darn Toronto to Rochester ferry were still operating! We also took advantage of the hotel pool to give Thomas his first swim. It was the end of a busy day and he was quite relaxed as we floated around the pool.

Six months (and a bit)

2009-03-20T22:12:00.004-04:00

Dear Thomas -
I'm tardy again, with a post and with pictures. But there is lots to cover now. You are an adorable baby boy. You've got delicious big cheeks and you love lots of kisses on your cheeks. Your hair is growing and getting darker, but you've still got about 10 hairs on the top of your head that are twice as long as the others. I love to twirl them around my finger. Your hair is fuzzy and we wonder whether you will have some curls when it fills in. Your eyes are still big and blue, and very much like your brother's. People compliment you on your eyes all the time. At six months, you are not rolling over by yourself or sitting up by yourself, but we keep practicing. You love to touch your toes when they are exposed and you are ticklish all over. You've had a bit of a rash around your neck, which we attribute to your drooling. We try to keep it dry but it's a struggle! You are strong and love to stand up. You also love your exersaucer - it keeps you entertained. At your six month checkup you weighed 17.5 pounds and were XX inches long. Which means we can keep you in the bucket carseat for a while longer - hooray! It's definitely getting harder to carry you in the bucket, but that is far outweighed by the convenience of this device. Your routine is becoming a bit more settled. You sleep well - especially at night - but are usually up once a night for a quick feeding. You are getting better with daytime naps, but they are still very brief. We've tried to start solid food with you and you are resisting it - you purse your lips and shake your head. Are you holding out for something in particular? We also tried a bottle with some formula, and received the same negative reaction from you. You love to watch Henry and you delight in his antics. No one can make you laugh the way he can. And he is so good with you - it's lovely to watch the relationship between you develop. Henry has pledged to go to you if you cry when you are in the baby room at daycare. Lately we've been busy selecting some activities for the spring. This is our last session of activities before I return to work so we will make it special!

The boys

2009-02-22T10:58:00.003-05:00

Family day weekend 2009

2009-02-19T23:33:00.004-05:00

We had a great time at the Royal Ontario Museum on Sunday (see photos) and at the Zoo on Monday (thank goodness for the family membership - it meant we could bypass the really long line). Henry and I are wearing masks so we can dig for dinosaur bones.

Five months

2009-02-19T10:39:00.001-05:00

Four months

2009-01-21T10:45:00.004-05:00

Dear Thomas,
It seems that the curse of the second child has proven to be true in our household - I was never particularly good at keeping the blog up-to-date for your brother, but with you, I am particularly delinquent. The photo was taken on the day you turned four months old, but it has taken me several weeks to upload it and add some text. You are a delightful baby - sweet, smiling and easy-going. Your sleep patterns are becoming well established. You are thriving and weighed 15.5 pounds at your four month check-up. Your eyes are still big and blue and beautiful, and people often compliment you about them. You watch your brother intently and love soaking up everything he is doing. He enjoys speaking baby-speak to you ("couchie-couchie") even though we encourage him to use real words. Fortunately your brother and his whirlwind of activity and chatter does not disrupt you when you are asleep in your crib. You have a sensitive soul and let out the saddest cry when you are upset. You were particularly upset when I removed the bandage that covered the site of the injection for your four-month vaccination - more upset than you were by the injection itself. You aren't rolling over yet, which I attribute mostly to the fact that you sleep in a sleep sak, which makes it difficult. I promise we'll work on this skill in the days ahead.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T23:21:00.003-05:00

Proof that Santa (a) exists and (b) visited our house on Christmas eve.

Holiday Concert 2008

2008-12-19T09:51:00.005-05:00

Henry is wearing a red shirt and is standing in the back row.

Yes, it really was as chaotic as it appears

Three months

2008-12-09T12:17:00.002-05:00

Dear Thomas -
You are three months old! You are thriving. We don't know your weight, but the six month clothes already seem too small for you, and yesterday I put you in a sleeper that was a nine-month size. Our nights are settled, although you are still up once or twice. You watch your older brother intently and seem to delight in his antics. You are reluctant with your laughs and smiles, but we are starting to enjoy them with more frequency now. We don't have much of a routine yet - you are content to be on the go. Once the holiday madness subsides we will start developing a better routine - which will include daytime naps in your crib. You are the sweetest baby and we are delighted to have you!

Two months!

2008-11-12T22:34:00.000-05:00

Autumn fun

2008-11-09T19:14:00.004-05:00

Our family

2008-10-21T21:46:00.003-04:00

One month (and a few days)

2008-10-15T11:34:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of Aunt Carrie

2008-09-16T11:14:00.001-04:00

Birth Announcement

2008-09-14T11:50:00.001-04:00

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/Births.20080913.93168802/BDAStory/BDA/births

Introducing....

2008-09-09T00:52:00.009-04:00

Thomas Michael Robinson Hamilton

Born: Monday, September 8, 2008, 8:49 am

7 lbs, 9 oz

Family Day, 2008 - Metro Toronto Zoo

2008-02-21T22:30:00.002-05:00

Halloween 2007

2007-11-04T11:35:00.001-05:00

2007-07-17T20:50:00.000-04:00

Attention Loyal Viewers.
Our deepest apologies for falling behind in our updates. The Robiltons Blog team has recently made some structural and administrative changes in hopes to improve the relevancy and consistency of our family blog. Please check back in August for our new, updated and hopefully enhanced online account of our family life.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
The Robiltons Management

March Madness!

2007-03-18T15:37:00.000-04:00

Duke is out, but that doesn't mean the fun is over - especially when you have your own mini-basketball, and mom and dad let you keep it in your crib in honour of the NCAA tournament!

Ten months

2007-03-18T10:23:00.000-04:00

Dear Henry,

You're ten months old! And you're such a big boy - every day you seem to be a little more of a boy and a little less of a baby.

You've been going to daycare for six weeks now, and you seem to be thriving there. You smile when we walk through the front door each morning. The new toys, friendly children and wonderful staff have made it an easy transition for all of us.

You are still eating well, although you've developed a new habit. When you don't like something, you stick out your tongue and use your finger to scrape the offensive food off. We've seen you do this with fish, cauliflower and yellow beans. Where did you learn this trick? We swear it wasn't from us!

You are busier than ever these days. You are always on the go, and always wanting to do more. The days of being content sitting still are over. You prefer to be outside your Exersaucer rather than sitting in it - this allows you to enjoy the toys and entertainment it provides, without being constrained by it. If you catch a glimpse of the pile of toys in your room in the morning, you lunge for them and seem to insist that we let you play with them. We've now put them in a box, covered with a blanket. You cry (with tears!) if we take a toy away, or try to interupt your play for a diaper change, or try to put you in the highchair for a meal. This is a big (and good) cognitive development, but it doesn't make it any easier to get out the door in the morning or get dinner started.

You also love to be mobile. You roll and scooch around the floor, and you've started crawling, sort-of: you pull yourself along with your arms, and drag your legs behind. You won't get up on your knees and use them to help. You've got great upper body strength. You also love to stand, and love to walk (assisted by us). The loudest cries happen when we stop walking with you!

You are much more vocal now. You chirp all day long, with baby songs and chatter. You say "mama" and "dada" indiscriminately.

You still sleep very well - you're in bed at 7:30pm, and you usually sleep through the night. Sometimes your teeth bother you, and you wake up - but that is still fairly rare. Speaking of teeth, you have two right now - the bottom front teeth. And there's one on top that will break through any day now. You've handled teething fairly well.

You are a happy little fellow, and we think we're pretty lucky to have you!

Wanna see my teeth?

2007-03-17T10:44:00.000-04:00

can you see them now??

What we've been doing lately . . .

2007-03-12T22:14:00.000-04:00

sprouting teeth, sitting up in the crib, walking so fast that we're blurry in photos, and making music on the stainless steel coffee table

A winter afternoon . . .

2007-02-18T23:18:00.000-05:00

I know I put my banana around here somewhere . . .

2007-02-11T22:01:00.000-05:00

What we're up to these days . . .

2007-01-28T23:40:00.000-05:00

Eight months

2007-01-16T22:28:00.000-05:00

Dear Henry,
You are eight months old, and you are such a delight! You are a happy baby, full of smiles and baby songs.
Your morning nap is now nearly two hours long. Your afternoon nap is shorter, and you usually don't protest it at all - you are happy to be left in your crib. We put you to sleep on your back but you prefer to sleep on your stomach. You have been getting up frequently during the night, but after a few minutes of rocking and cuddling together you are content to be put back in your crib.
We have been delinquent in updating your blog. Even with very few organized activities, the past month has been a busy one. The days have a rythm and routine now. Our basement renovation is still going on and you don't mind it at all. You greet the fellows with big smiles each day. Aunt Katrina is staying with us now, and you greet her with big smiles each day too.
We celebrated your first Christmas last month and took our annual "Tour of Southwestern Ontario" to visit friends and family in Stratford, Orangeville and Blyth. You were great the whole time - you loved the noise and chaos and new faces. You slept in the pack'n'play at each destination and were content with it - you enjoy sharing a room with us. We celebrated New Years with you and took you to a party, and you slept contentedly throughout - even when the noisemakers came out!
You are a good eater. You eat everything we offer, and fuss very little during meals - except when the bowl is empty! You've tried all sorts of different vegetables and fruits, and we've started a bit of dairy and meat. We've started giving you Cheerios, and it's amazing to watch you carefully and intently pick them up and put them in your mouth.

Happy holidays everyone!

2006-12-23T22:50:00.000-05:00

Weekly update

2006-12-23T22:45:00.000-05:00

Where do the days go? Last Sunday we attended the annual ASUS Christmas Brunch - everyone was there (even the Ottawa contingent!) and the photo shows Henry being loaded into the car as we headed to the brunch. Monday and Tuesday Henry and I headed downtown for a few lunch events. Wednesday we were on the road again - this time to Stratford, to visit Grandma and Grandpa, and to escape the drywall dust at home! The basement renovation is coming along, and we think it looks great - we can't wait to play down there. We were back to Toronto on Thursday, and Friday we spent the day cleaning up the drywall dust in the house. Today we've been preparing for the holidays.

Seven months

2006-12-17T22:47:00.000-05:00

Dear Henry,
It feels like just yesterday that we wrote about the six-month milestone! The days are passing more and more quickly. Over the past month we have introduced many new foods to you. You have tried and enjoyed all types of fruits and vegetables (including avocado!). You haven't rejected anything, except for your cereal when it hasn't been mixed with any fruits or veggies. We have been renovating the basement this month, and the house seems filled with workers. They don't bother you a bit. You notice them, and their voices and the sounds that they make, but remarkably they haven't disturbed any of your naps. A new part of our routine is naked playtime, which we do at night right before your bath. We strip you down and put you on the rug in your room, and you shimmy, roll and scooch around. You will be even more mobile soon! You recognize and respond (sometimes) to your name. We play a new game with you - we ask, "where's Henry?" and we look around everywhere except your face, and wait for you to make a sound to catch our attention, and then we make eye contact with you. You break into big smiles when we lift you up from your change table - and you are still very busy surveying your surroundings.

Hanging out

2006-12-14T10:52:00.000-05:00

Welcome home Grandma & Grandpa Robinson!

2006-12-09T23:20:00.000-05:00

Some highlights from the past week

2006-12-09T00:34:00.000-05:00

No photos to accompany the text - sorry! On Monday evening we attended a meeting of the Board of Directors of Mothercraft, and then attended the Holiday Party that followed. Henry was in the infant carrier the whole time and loved it. On Tuesday we were downtown for a meeting, and Henry hung out with dad for a couple hours and visited the nice people at Dad's office. Wednesday we did some errands related to our basement renovation. Aunt Katrina came for a visit Wednesday night and she joined us at our last music class which was Thursday morning. We think that there was some serious teething happening on Thursday night, but there's still no sign of any pearly whites. Friday we had a date with our mom group and we participated in a gift exchange with our baby friends in that group. Tomorrow we're going to meet Grandma Laney and Grandpa Ralph at the airport.

Blanket weather

2006-12-09T00:27:00.000-05:00

One of the nice things about the cold weather is that it gives us an opportunity to use some of the beautiful blankets we received as baby gifts. There's nothing sweeter than a little cuddle together with a soft blanket!

Higher education

2006-11-29T23:43:00.000-05:00

This is our certificate from the research project Henry participated in. For about 20 minutes he sat in a high chair and watched screens that showed faces of babies and adults, and then a face and an object, and then images of himself (one in real-time, one delayed). The researcher recorded his reactions. Kind of a neat way to spend a morning.

Some highlights from the past few days

2006-11-26T23:46:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to keep things going in chronological order, but I've been a few days behind and now I'm going to catch up with one post. This past week was a busy one, and these photos will show some of the highlights. As we have already seen, Sunday was the Toronto Santa Claus Parade; Monday we had a great visit with Kelly and Jason. Tuesday was the usual: Storytime at the public library in the morning; Bouncing Back with Baby exercise class in the afternoon. Wednesday we had a visit from Aunt Katrina, and we attended an info session at U of T with her - it was in the evening, and Henry loved it. Thursday was our music class in the morning, and a new class in the afternoon - Laptime and Lullabies at Mabel's Fables bookstore. Friday was my birthday and Henry marked the day by waking up early to present me with a locket. In the afternoon we went to our mom's group to visit with some friends, and then enjoyed a beautiful mild afternoon with a slow walk home and some shopping along the way. Saturday we went to Home Depot to start planning our basement renovation, and in the afternoon Henry and I attended a Sign and Sing workshop where we learned some sign language for infants (check out www.weehands.com).
And today we attended the children's holiday party at my office. It was our first time attending, and we have to admit they do a fabulous job. There was Santa (our first visit with Santa! and a much shorter line than we will find at the malls); face painting; a "Critter Show" that was basically a travelling zoo with several animals (including a rabbit, a parrot, a snake, mice and various bugs); assorted craft activities; the Cat in the Hat; a room for toddlers; and lots of food and drink for everyone. We have a busy week ahead too - tomorrow we're going to the Early Social Development Lab at U of T ( http://tamago.oise.utoronto.ca/research/esdl/) where Henry will participate in a study about infant preferences for faces (male or female; adult or infant - I have no idea how they will determine what his preferences are), and we have a class where we'll learn how to make our own baby food. We're exhausted!

Kelly and Jason

2006-11-23T22:28:00.000-05:00

On Monday we had a visit from my cousin Kelly and Henry's second cousin (is that right?) Jason - it was great to see them both. It's amazing how quickly the day passes, and how little you do, when you have infants around. We spent several hours together, and we (i) ate lunch and (ii) went for a walk. Oh - and we took some pictures. In most of the photos, Henry is poking at and terrorizing Jason. This photo captures a rare moment when Henry kept his hands to himself, and both of the boys are looking at the camera. Thanks for the visit Kelly and Jason - next time we'll see you in Stratford!

Santa Claus Parade

2006-11-22T09:57:00.000-05:00

On Sunday afternoon we went to see the Santa Claus Parade. Henry was indifferent to it all, so we didn't stay long - we saw our beloved Queen's bands, and after the sugar-buzz from our hot chocolate wore off we went home and watched the rest of the parade on TV. That's the new wing of the currently under construction Royal Ontario Museum behind Mike & Henry.

Interesting mail

2006-11-18T22:43:00.000-05:00

Henry received two great surprises in the mail yesterday: first, from our friends Jessica and Geoffrey and Nina, who live in Jordan, Henry received a stuffed camel. It's huge and it's beautiful - thank you! Second, from Grandma Laney and Grandpa Ralph, Henry received a coconut from Maui - "tree-mail", I suppose.

Six months

2006-11-16T11:43:00.000-05:00

Dear Henry,
Six months! Things just keep getting better. You are more active than ever - you wiggle and squirm, and are rarely content to sit still. Your actions and movements seem very boyish to me, which settles the nature v. nurture debate in my mind. This month we started solid foods. While you haven't refused anything yet (out of the rice and barley that you've been offered) I think that you know that tastier delicacies lie ahead. We still can't determine the colour of your hair: in some light it;s light blond; in other light, it looks red; and in some cases it has looked brown. Your eyes are still big and bright and blue, and people are always complimenting you on them. I would never have guessed that you would have blue eyes. You are still growing steadily - we use the big scale at the doctor's office now, and according to it you were 18.5 pounds at your six-month checkup. I think it might be less precise than the baby scale though, because I think you've grown more and weigh more than that. You wear clothes for 12-month old boys. You have started to amuse yourself for longer stretches when you are in your crib, and you start chirping and singing to yourself. You need to have a toy to occupy your hands (and mouth!) when you are on the change table. You have let out a few big belly laughs, but while you are quick to smile at everything and everyone (even the anchor on the evening news) it takes more work for us to hear a big laugh from you. Recently we travelled together to Las Vegas and you were a dream during our journey. We are still busy with many activities and you seem to be getting more and more out of these sessions each week. We can't wait to celebrate the holidays with you!

Bad nights

2006-11-10T22:57:00.000-05:00

We've had a few bad nights this week.

Ever since we introduced solids a few weeks ago, Henry has been up at least once each night. He eats and then goes right back to sleep, and the entire exercise doesn't last more than 25 minutes. But he had been sleeping through the night on a fairly consistent basis, and we want to break the midnight snacking habit. So we started last night, and it took 2.5 hours and many tears for him to get back to sleep.

On Wednesday night at about 11:20 p.m. we heard a loud popping noise outside. Mike thought it sounded like a transformer blew, but we still had power and I don't think we live near any transformers. We didn't investigate, but we should have - because 10 minutes later there was another loud popping noise outside, and when we did look out the windows at the front of the house we saw that our next-door neighbour's car was engulfed in fire. The car was parked on the street, and the street along the curb in front of our house was also on fire. The flames were at least chest-high. It was garbage night, and the neighbour's garbage was on fire too. We ran to get Henry, call 911 and get out of the house. As we dialed 911 the fire trucks pulled up in front of our house. Henry and I went to the backyard and waited for the firefighters to bring the blaze under control and we were sure there was no risk of any further explosion. Henry was wide awake, but was not at all alarmed. Later, when he awoke again at 2 a.m. I took a look outside to see what was happening - the fire trucks were gone, but there was a police car in front of our house. And in the morning the car (which was completely destroyed) was gone - no word yet on what the cause was.

We hope for nothing but sweet dreams tonight.

How to unwind after a long day

2006-11-10T22:50:00.000-05:00

Guess what we did today?

2006-11-04T23:46:00.000-05:00

Mike is excited to teach Henry about democracy as we make our way to the advance polls.

Naked playtime

2006-11-02T22:46:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T23:28:00.000-05:00

Finally - the photo feature is working. So, here are some shots from Halloween. Mike had a class so it was up to Henry and I to greet the kids and enjoy the festivities. We were both in costume (I wore my usual - the red crayon costume). Henry joined me at the front door in his highchair. I call my jack-o-lantern design "The Henry" (since it has big eyes, and seems to be saying "ohhh"- just like Henry often did when he was a newborn). It's a bit simple, but we were rushed - I carved it at about 5:00 (Tuesdays are busy days: Storytime at the library in the morning, Bouncing Back With Baby in the afternoon). We then made a quick trip to visit some of the neighbours and show off our costumes. After that it was a short night - Henry didn't nap well during the day, so when he started showing signs of fatigue at 6:45 we shut things down and he went to bed.

This is pretty much what we plan to wear for the next week . . .

2006-10-25T16:40:00.000-04:00

And can you blame us? How cute are these two! This is Henry the lion with his friend Noah the pumpkin. The photos are courtesy of Noah's mom Lisa. Thanks Lisa!

First solids

2006-10-24T22:41:00.000-04:00

It starts with getting comfortable in the new highchair.
Then, the main course is unveiled: rice cereal (aka pablum). Henry enjoyed every bite.

Henry's swing

2006-10-23T20:45:00.000-04:00

119 Friends Club

2006-10-23T20:40:00.000-04:00

We had brunch on Sunday morning with Al, Nat, Michelle, Jess and John. It was great to catch up with the 119 Friends Club. Our education in photography must continue, and our next lesson must include "the proper and timely use of the flash" - because most of our photos turned out too dark.

More scenes from Vegas - Henry's first swim at The Flamingo

2006-10-22T10:59:00.000-04:00

Henry wasn't a huge fan of the pool (we'll keep trying) but he did enjoy the waterfalls and the wildlife pavilion at the hotel.

Vegas baby!

2006-10-22T10:26:00.000-04:00

Well, it's not exactly the first place you think of when someone says "family holiday" - but it was the site of daddy's conference, so Henry and I went along for the ride. Henry was terrific, and loved it - he was great on the airplane and he loved all the people-watching opportunities. On elevators and on the street he would study the face of a stranger and then break into a big smile and wait for the person to notice him and smile back - and often they did! Since it got dark at about 6:30 pm we did see the lights on the Strip. We spent our days walking the Strip and shopping in the malls (including a fabulous Carter's outlet store - we love Carter's!). When daddy had some downtime we took Henry for his first swim in the pool at our hotel - The Flamingo. The water was a bit cool so we didn't stay in very long. We visited "Paris" and "Venice" (both fake with a capital K) and visited the tiger at the Mirage and the fish at the Forum. We watched the water ballet in the fountains at the Bellagio and we bought some souvenirs at the M&M store. And we watched the rain storm at the Alladin and the volcano erupt at the Mirage.

Happy thanksgiving!

2006-10-11T21:59:00.000-04:00

We spent the long weekend visiting with family - and even had a chance to visit Henry's great-grandmothers! We paid a surprise visit to great-grandma Anna.
And we met some of Henry's second cousins - great-grandma Ruth has her arms full - and we're missing some kids from this photo!
Henry tells grammy Hamilton a story.

Toes are delicious

2006-10-04T17:41:00.000-04:00

and so are fingers.

A lazy morning

2006-09-27T12:28:00.000-04:00

It's noon and we're both still in our pajamas.

Four months

2006-09-20T23:20:00.000-04:00

Dear Henry,
We know why they refer to this age as the "golden era" of babyhood: you are cute, cuddly, interactive, responsive, smiley, predictable (most of the time) and much more settled than you were even a few weeks ago. You are not very mobile yet, which means we can set you down and be reasonably certain that you will be where we left you when we return (although in the morning you are often on your tummy and have shimmied sideways in your crib - which is not how we leave you at night). While we still have the occasional bad day, they are infrequent and are usually followed by a very good day. You are looking more and more like your dad - you've got his eyes, his nose, and even the texture of his hair. You get your chubby cheeks from me. You are gaining greater control over your hands. You try to put everything in your mouth, and often exasperate yourself when you lunge forward to try to mouth something but can't quite reach it. You are becoming more vocal and delight us with your chatter. We call you our leaky faucet because of all the drool. We've been checking for tooth buds, but see nothing yet - so there's lots of drool still to come, isn't there? You hate to be put in your carseat, and have started to arch your back and cry when we put you in it. This happens often, since we use the carseat with your stroller and with the car. Fortunately, once we're on the move you are content. You enjoy car rides, and are happy to look out the windows at the trees and clouds. We put you in the infant carrier when we shop for groceries and you love it. The stimulation exhausts you, and you sleep well at the end of it all. You also love your Exersaucer - we stabilize you in the chair with blankets since you're still a bit small for it. If you see it across the room, you can't take your eyes off it. This month we've started a new exercise class, a new music class, and a new community-based mommies group, and we're still going to the Early Years Centre with our informal mommies group - so we keep busy, and we're having more and more fun together. At your four month check-up, you weighed slightly more than 17 pounds (the 95th percentile) and were 71 cm long (off the charts, according to Dr. Shauna).

More scenes from Homecoming weekend

2006-09-18T23:00:00.000-04:00

Why won't blogger let me include these photos with my previous post?

Homecoming 2006

2006-09-17T17:59:00.000-04:00

We spent the weekend at my 10-year reunion in Kingston. Henry was a real trouper - we hauled him around everywhere, and although he didn't sleep much, he didn't fuss too much either. Henry and I drove up together Friday morning, and spent the afternoon with auntie Katrina, and then joined our good friends Ned and Daphne for dinner - it was so good to see them. And of course, I forgot to take photos. Saturday was devoted to Homecoming activities: shopping at the sidewalk sale, admiring the Queen's bands as they began the parade to the football field, enjoying the football game (we spent a few minutes in the stands, but mostly were field-side, in the stroller) and catching up with old friends during our 'class' dinner. I joined the alumni parade at halftime without Henry - he was content in the stroller. And of course we had a great time re-connecting with the ASUS gang.

We made a few stops on the way home to take photos of our Henry at old Fort Henry and for some apple pie at the Big Apple.

Circle of neglect

2006-09-12T19:49:00.000-04:00

Henry has really started to enjoy his Exersaucer (when he isn't utterly frustrated by it, that is). So many bright and colourful things to look at. So many things to try to put in your mouth.

The boys

2006-09-08T23:43:00.000-04:00

The better way?

2006-09-07T22:38:00.000-04:00

I've had this post drafted in my mind for some time, but didn't have a photo or a story to go with it until today. A common lament that I've heard expressed in several different mommy groups is that the TTC is, in many places, completely inaccessible to moms with strollers (and to people in wheelchairs, and to those who use other mobility devices or who cannot climb stairs). A trip around the city using public transit must be carefully planned to ensure that you do not get stuck. Where it is accessible, the system can be a dream (eg. Eglinton station). Where it is inaccessible, it is a nightmare. For example, Lawrence station - the subway station closest to us - does not have elevators, and often runs all of the escalators (which you aren't supposed to use with a stroller in any event) in the same direction. Which means that if you need to go down, but they run up, you are completely out of luck. Also, the Yorkdale station (gateway to the Yorkdale Mall) is completely inaccessible. There is no elevator and there are several sets of stairs. Today we made a trip downtown for a dentist appointment and to visit daddy's office and then mommy's office. On the way home we realized that the lift in Union station is broken. After I pushed the passenger assistance button, the curt response I received from the employee on duty was "The lift is broken. There's nothing I can do." No suggestion of an alternate route around the stairs (I know there is one, because we made our way out of the station earlier in the day), no offer of assistance that someone would help me maneuver the stroller down the eight steps. How does Toronto seriously contend to be a world-class city when such elementary infrastructure is sorely lacking?

The Month of Mike

2006-08-31T23:55:00.000-04:00

In our house August is the Month of Mike. For the past three years Mike has been working on his MBA on a part-time basis at the Schulich School of Business. August is the only month of the year that Mike hasn't had classes, assignments, group meetings and other school-related commitments. So each August, we try to take advantage of the down-time and have some fun and do some entertaining. This year we've managed to see many friends and Mike has been able to spend more time with Henry. It's been a long road, but the end is in sight - only two more classes this fall, and then he'll be done. Hooray daddy!

New faces

2006-08-27T22:47:00.000-04:00

We've seen some new faces recently. First, there was Aunt Amy who we met earlier this month.
Then our friend Lisa came for a visit last week. And tonight we had dinner with our friends Jessica and Geoffrey who live in Amman, Jordan, and who will be back in Canada soon, we hope! Unfortunately, Henry was a bit fussy during our visit with them and kept us occupied, and we weren't diligent enough to fetch the camera - so no photos of them.

Pete & Susanne

2006-08-24T17:47:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we attended the wedding of our good friends Pete and Susanne. Henry wore a white button-down shirt and navy pants - just like dad.
We knew Susanne would be a beautiful bride, and she was.

It was a happy day - the ceremony was touching, the dinner was delicious, the dancing was serious and the party was raucous!
Some of the dancers.

Three months

2006-08-16T22:37:00.000-04:00

Dear Henry,
This month we have watched you grow into a happy baby! You delight us with smiles and coos, often spontaneously. You love to stand with weight on your feet and survey your surroundings. You've started to gain control over your hands, and you frequently try to put things in your mouth. We had two overnight trips from home this month, and both were a success. You love to watch us eat, which is one of the signs a baby is ready for solids. You've got three more months to go before that happens, so I hope you're patient. Sometimes you look ready to pull up a chair to the table and join right in. I'm not sure whether it's my imagination, but you seem to get frustrated when that doesn't happen. You still sleep well at night, although you don't always sleep through until morning. Your bedtime is much earlier now (7:30 or so, compared to 10:00 a few weeks ago). We learned that you were ready for an earlier bedtime when your evening nap started stretching to last 8 hours, and on three separate occasions we skipped the bedtime routine of bath, jammies and lullabies because you were fast asleep. Your morning nap is exactly 45 minutes long - always. Your other naps still vary - widely. You are still growing well (weight = slightly more than 16 lbs, length = 69 cm). People often comment on the size of your hands - all the better for playing basketball with, right?

A week of firsts

2006-08-14T15:29:00.000-04:00

We went on a road trip to Stratford this weekend, and Henry met a lot of people for the first time last week:

He met Aunt Amy for the first time (Amy is home from Kelowna for a week), and Aunt Amy babysat Henry - his first time with a babysitter (when M&/orD weren't within a 100m distance).

He met the Mantler side of the family, including Henry's great-grandma Anna who is 92 years old. Great-grandma Anna shared a lovely German nursery rhyme with Henry.

And he met our friend Julie and her son Oliver who is 7 months old.

Dad was on holiday last week. In addition to going to the cottage and going to Stratford, we spent a day working in the garden, and a day exploring Queen Street West (it keeps us young) and Henry experienced his first restaurant meal with us (well, his first indoor and non-Starbucks restaurant meal).

Scenes from the lake

2006-08-09T19:39:00.000-04:00

We just returned from a few days spent up at a cottage with Mike's parents, brother, sister-in-law and nephews. We had a great time: perfect weather, lots of hands and attention for Henry, warm water. Henry seemed to really enjoy it. There were new things to look at (I think he loved the chipboard walls inside the cabin!) and by the end of the day he was exhausted and slept really well (not straight through the night, but solidly, and without being disturbed by the noises of a busy campsite on a long weekend). This was our first overnight trip since Henry was born, and given our success with this venture we're anxious to strike out again soon.

Cooped up

2006-08-01T12:37:00.000-04:00

Oh what to do during a heat wave? Sit and blow bubbles; hang out in the bouncy chair; maybe go to Yorkdale?

Sleep

2006-07-29T13:13:00.000-04:00

For the past two nights Henry has slept through the night. On Thursday he slept from 9:00 until 6:00, and then on Friday night he slept from 8:30 until 6:30. I hope we're not jinxing ourselves by writing about it! For several weeks he's been down to one quick feeding in the middle of the night, which isn't nearly as exhausting as the early days of several feedings each night. Now we seem to have dropped that feeding. Hooray!

Spontaneity

2006-07-27T09:53:00.000-04:00

Grandma Laney and Grandpa Ralph came for a visit on Sunday. In our family, these types of visits are usually orchestrated well in advance. But not this time! Henry doesn't look very happy in the photos, but we do appreciate Grandma Laney and Grandpa Ralph's efforts to get in some Henry-time before they head back to Maui this fall.

Birthday Party

2006-07-24T19:49:00.000-04:00

Henry attended a birthday party this weekend for his friend Will who is turning two. Due to rain the original plan to go to a park and play in the wading pool was nixed, and instead we went to a Gymboree indoor gym/playground. Will loved it; Henry spent most of the afternoon hanging out with dad. Still on mom's to do list: learn how to focus the camera.

Now that my subject is more cooperative . . .

2006-07-19T20:58:00.000-04:00

I just need to learn how to focus the camera.

This one is for Allison

2006-07-19T20:54:00.000-04:00

Aunt Katrina

2006-07-19T20:50:00.000-04:00

We had another visit from Aunt Katrina for the past two days. Today we had lunch with Aunt Trish, daddy, and cousins Connor and Charlie, and then we spent the afternoon shopping and showing Henry around the Eaton Centre. Thanks for the visit Auntie Katrina!

Two months

2006-07-16T13:41:00.000-04:00

Dear Henry,
This month we saw your first real smiles! You're especially social in the morning. This is the best part of the day, when we go into your room to greet you, and you scan our faces and then break into a smile. You also love to smile at inanimate objects like the windows and black picture frames. You still gaze out windows and toward the sky every chance you get. You don't accept the pacifer very often, but you do love to suck on your fists (when you can find them). This, together with the fact that you were born with a sucking blister on your fist, leads us to believe that you will soon be sucking your thumb! You're sleeping very well at night - you are usually up only once for a feeding and then you're right back to sleep. You've developed a sleep pattern for night, but the days are still wildly unpredictable. Although you can raise your head and a bit of your chest off the floor, you don't like tummy time very much and it usually doesn't last very long. We get out of the house almost every day, and you seem to enjoy these trips (long or short) as much as I do. You are growing very quickly and we already have a substantial pile of clothes that you've outgrown. At your two-month check up you weighed 14 pounds and were 64 cm long.

Infant Massage 101

2006-07-15T18:36:00.000-04:00

Today we attended an infant massage workshop at the Ella Centre. Mike and I had a great time; Henry, not so much. Oh well - we learned some good tips and techniques, and we'll have to hone our skills at home.

Class reunion

2006-07-11T23:18:00.000-04:00

Tonight was the reunion party for our prenatal class. Of the 12 babies born to the students of the class, 10 were boys! Of the 8 families who attended the party, 7 had baby boys. Henry is asleep and is sitting in the middle of the pack.

Toronto Street Festival

2006-07-10T22:53:00.000-04:00

This weekend we spent some time at the Toronto Street Festival with the Stelnyks: John, Will and Mel. We were at Yonge & Lawrence - the family oriented site of the street festival. Henry slept through it all, but Will enjoyed Toddler Town and the entertainment.

Serious baby; happy baby

2006-07-08T21:54:00.000-04:00

He's actually smiling at the windows - not at us - but we'll take it. : )

Long Weekend

2006-07-01T23:13:00.000-04:00

It's a quiet weekend around here - our neighbourhood seems to have emptied out. Actually, the whole city seems to have emptied out. We spent the day watching England play Portugal, and did some gardening. Tomorrow we're off to visit Team Rowe, and we'll also see our newly-married friends Michael and Allison.

This is Stroller Fitness

2006-06-28T14:12:00.000-04:00

Every Wednesday morning for the last 4 weeks Henry and I have joined 15 or so moms, their babies and an instructor for Stroller Fitness. We do a high-intensity walk for 1/2 hour through a neighbourhood in North Toronto, stop at a parkette or dead-end street to do strength exercises, walk back to the community centre and then do circle time with the babies. Today we went to Starbucks at the end of it all. All of the babies are less than 1 year old - Henry is the youngest baby in the group.

More photos of Henry

2006-06-27T23:40:00.000-04:00

http://toomanycooks.blogspot.com

Some highlights from last week

2006-06-27T12:23:00.000-04:00

Monday - attended meeting of the board of the Canadian Mothercraft Society and witnessed mom's election to the board of directors, then attended 75th anniversary party of Mothercraft with mom and dad at the Drake Hotel (very funky place!) http://mothercraft.ca

Wednesday - Stroller Fitness class

Thursday - went to Ontario Early Years Centre (the Mothercraft location) and played in baby room - so many mirrors, faces and contrasting patterns!

Friday - road trip with mom to Stratford to visit aunt Carrie, cousin Liam, grandma and grandpa Robinson, cousin Kelly and second cousin Sydney

Saturday - another road trip - this time to Orangeville to attend uncle Pat's surprise party; wished mom and dad a happy anniversary

Stroll-Air

2006-06-18T22:44:00.000-04:00

This is our stroller (that's Henry inside, obviously). Buying a stroller was not as simple as we thought it would be - there are as many features, models, and price-points for strollers as there are for cars. We selected a Stroll-Air stroller - it came with all the accessories we could hope for: bassinet, seat, sun umbrella, bug net, rain cover, diaper bag, great shocks, adjustable handle height, nice colour, large basket underneath. It's similar to (but not quite as expensive as) the Bugaboo Frog. It handles really well. We convinced ourselves that the Stroll-Air is going to be The Next Big Thing - the popularity of the Frog has to die one day, doesn't it? Since we bought the stroller, we've realized that Stroll-Air is unique - so unique that the store where we bought it has stopped selling them. So unique that we've never seen another Stroll-Air on the street. So unique that everyone who asks about it has never heard of it. So unique that we now call it the "Beta VCR" of strollers - remember those? Technologically superior; a market failure.
http://stroll-air.com

Happy Father's Day!

2006-06-18T22:30:00.000-04:00

One month

2006-06-16T14:03:00.000-04:00

Dear Henry,
You're one month old - and we've already learned so much about you. Your favorite place to fall asleep is cuddled on someone's chest. We swaddle you at night, and sometimes during the day, so you don't rouse yourself with the jerky motions of your arms and legs (you still love to extend them straight out - as you did in utero). But you fight the swaddle with all your might and try to break free. We haven't tried using duct tape (a trick passed along by my ob/gyn - not your pediatrician) but we did buy the "Miracle Blanket" online, and although it helps you resist it too. You sleep well at night, but cat nap all day unless you're in the stroller. You're eating well and growing fast - at your four week check-up you were in the 90th percentile for length (at 22.8 inches) and the 70th for weight (at 11 pounds). You've already outgrown some of your clothes and you seem too big for your bassinet. For the first time last night you were in your crib in your own room - and you didn't seem to mind. You love to look at contrasting patterns - especially the bull's eye flashcard we have above your change table. You also love to look out the window, or toward any source of light. When you're awake you are very alert - you love to try to hold up your head and take in the world around you. Your eyes are big and bright, and the loveliest shade of blue. We can't wait to see your first real smile!

Pork chop version 2.0

2006-06-11T21:23:00.000-04:00

If you read Carrie's blog (and have been reading it since last April) you'll understand the reference. Henry and his cousin Liam share many similarities - including the early development of a double chin!

Grandma and Grandpa Robinson

2006-06-11T21:10:00.000-04:00

. . . came for a visit last week. Grandma stayed for a few days - she was a tremendous help with Henry, and was terrific company! We finally caught a photo that shows Henry's dimples (sort of).

Aunt Katrina

2006-06-09T14:14:00.000-04:00

Aunt Katrina came for a visit this week.

Team Rowe

2006-06-05T23:50:00.000-04:00

We had a few visitors this weekend - Team Rowe came to visit baby Henry. Here are some photos of Bryan, Tina, Nathan, Ally and Jamie meeting Henry. We look forward to playing with Nathan, Ally and Jamie more when Henry grows a little and becomes more interactive. They are great kids - and they sure keep their mom and dad busy! More photos are available on Tina's blog:
http://rowes.blogspot.com

These are a few of our favourite things

2006-06-05T13:50:00.000-04:00

We Robiltons have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends and family in their gifts to young Henry. We have to admit though that a few of our very favorite items are the ones that have been handmade by friends and family members: the toy box from grandpa Ralph; the blue blanket from grammy Hamilton; the quilt from greatgrandma Robinson; the eye-spy quilt from M-R; the slide-show from aunt Carrie (see below); and the needlepoint from Tina.

My first tub bath

2006-05-30T23:50:00.000-04:00

Cousins

2006-05-28T12:10:00.000-04:00

Henry had a chance to meet his cousin Liam last weekend, and his cousins Connor and Charlie this weekend.

Birth announcement

2006-05-27T12:37:00.000-04:00

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/Births.20060527.93043958/BDAStory/BDA/