The Rundown

I have always been partial to the number three, and now that Babycakes is three months old, I am extra fond of him.  Haha, just kidding.  I am always extra fond of him.  We haven't seen the doctor this month so I can't say how much longer or heavier he is, but suffice it to say that he is longer and heavier.  I put a few of his 0-3 months clothes away, alas, and got out some 3-6 stuff.  It's crazy to think that by the time he grows out of that size it will be almost Christmas!  Hurray for Christmas.

Back to Boo Boo.  I've already posted about a lot of the things he's been doing in the last month (like rolling), but it seems like he's always doing something new.  Here is this little giggle we caught on camera a few weeks ago:

 

When he's not laughing, he often likes to talk.  Sometimes he likes to make the same sound over and over again, which he does here:

Kicking is one of his favorite things to do.  He often talks and kicks at the same time, but since my phone is dumb (??) all you get is kicks from this video:

I don't have a video of this, but he has started kicking like mad in the bathtub and thinking it is the best thing ever.  He'd sit in the there forever, just kicking away.  During tummy time lately he also kicks, and if he could just get his arms to do something, he'd be on the go!  But as it is, he just kicks a lot. 

He hasn't fully experienced a pool yet, as swim diapers aren't in his size, but he likes to put his legs in.  He especially likes it when we go to the indoor pool and he doesn't have to deal with me always covering him up in the sun.  I think he will be quite the water baby!

He also discovered his reflection, which amuses him to no end:

 

What a little imp!  I just love that little hospital hat. 

His big event this past month was his blessing day, which Drew has documented already.  He looked super cute and we took some pictures of him after, which are also super cute, but I will post them on their own.  To celebrate his three month mark, I made him this blanket:

Okay, maybe I made it because I saw the fabric and COULD NOT RESIST.  But either way, win-win.  Here are some other cute things he's done this past month: 

I love the hand on the knee.  He's all, "And now I will tell you a story..."

 

 

 

See how he loves his blanket, Mama? 

So, overall, he is still a most excellent baby and is still generally happy.  He doesn't sleep through the night, but I am not really trying too hard to make him.  He is still wee after all.  But he did start sleeping in his crib full-time, which is fun and probably more comfortable for him.  Kind of sad to not have my little end-of-the-bed buddy though.  He also likes being jumped, sitting in his swing, looking at his mobile and reading books.  I love the rustly sound of his diaper when he's moving around and that little pointed bit of gums that will eventually be between his front teeth.  Random.  Also we are finally defeating the cradle cap!  Plus he has some new hair growing in, which is neato.  Grow, baby, grow!  

(Also, people often say how big he is, but he doesn't seem overly big to me...he's not wearing 6 months clothes or anything.  But then again, I sometimes see babies his age and he IS bigger.  Or maybe they're just smaller?  WHO KNOWS.)

Just for fun, here's a comparison shot from a picture when he was exactly a month old:

Happy three-month birthday, Babyface!  You are excellent.

Skills

In anticipation of the nearly-eve of his three month birthday, Babycakes has been expanding his abilities.  While he yet to master nunchuck skills and bow hunting skills, he has been hard at work at these others:

Talking to Grandpa skills:

Reading skills:

Looking at his mobile skills: 

(He loves it!  Hurray!  Phew.)

Missouri pride skills:

(Thanks, Mama!)

Sleeping skills:

Spit bubble skills:

(He is a true proficient.)

Piano playing skills:

Smiling and general cuteness skills:

Caterpillar love skills:

Shopping skills:

Sleeping skills:

Motor pool skills:

Thumb sucking skills:

(Not his of course, but mine, old boy!  Now that'd be just fine.)

Hand eating skills:

Bumbo sitting skills:

Tummy time skills:

Did I mention sleeping skills?

Not pictured: laughing skills (it's too sporadic to get on camera but it's super cute [OF COURSE]) and cradle cap skills.  I am...less pleased with that last one, but I am developing my get-rid-of-cradle-cap skills.  Anyway, here is a last big skill he's working on:

Go, baby, go!

It's May now...

...so I guess it makes sense for this song to be in my head. 

(This video is worth watching just to see the happy conductor.)

In Which I Binge

Here's a secret: I listen to Spotify when I'm at work.  Okay, that's not a secret--here's the secret part: I almost always put it on private just so people can't see how many times I listen to the same things.  

(It's unfortunate that play counts don't appear on Spotify because I like knowing just how insane I am with the repeat button.)

Since lately I have taken to blogging about completely useless bits of "information", it seems entirely appropriate to blog about some of my recent binges.  And just to make it a little more interesting ("interesting"), it's not just music.  Let us proceed!

Hurts Like Heaven - Coldplay


I'm still binging on all of Mylo Xyloto but this has been my favorite by far recently.  The best part of any run is when this song pops up.  Sometimes I resort to mentally hounding my iPod until it plays (it totally works).     

You & a Promise - Howie Day (a name I feel stupid writing every time [Sorry, Howies of the world])


This is just a small part of my binging on every Howie Day song in existence on Spotify.  It's so hard to pick a favorite, but this one was my first favorite.  *ramble*

(Sorry for the barfy video)

You Won't Feel a Thing - The Script


Truth be told, I had never heard of these fellows until last month.  But, well, let's just say we're very well acquainted now.  They get bonus points for being Irish.

Les Mis 

Well.  It only took me fifteen years but I guess I like Les Mis now.  I blame Alfie Boe entirely for this, and more specifically I blame Alfie Boe singing this, a song I have spent most of my life despising:


I just love his little bearded face.

Cadbury Eggs

I mean...does this NEED any explanation?  

(Does anyone else think the filling used to be runnier?  Or maybe it seemed runnier because I was a mere child then and didn't know it's best to just cram it all in your mouth at once.  Did I just admit that to the world?)

Creature Comforts 

Drewbles gets the credit for us watching these.  The premise is that everyday people are interviewed around the country on any number of subjects and then the interview audio is set to claymations with various animals (the same interviewee is always the same animal).  It started in the UK, with two seasons, and then there's an American version that was one (seven episode) season.  I think the US version is more outright funny, maybe because Americans are more prone to say ridiculous things, I don't know, but the UK version has its own gems.  The American version is on Netflix instant so what are you waiting for?  Binge away!

Christmas Postscript

Just because.

XD

I still can't believe this is actually happening in my life. It looks so great I won't even fuss about how good looking some of the dwarves are, hah.

One Two Three

I have been thinking about this song lately.



Not like "Here are my deep thoughts on this song, let me show you them" kind of thinking. My thoughts are more along the lines of "That's a great song. I should listen it a lot." And to paraphrase the daddio in Princess & the Frog, a song that good just gotta be shared. Not that I want to replace Bono with Michael Stipe or anything.

Side note: why is U2 not as good as this anymore?

Video Roll Call

Disclaimer: pretty much everything in this post has already been blogged about by almost every member of Drew's blogging family. So this post is for all two of my readers that are not related to him, hah.

Videos! Let's watch some funny ones.

First up, Drew's sister Elise came for a surprise visit last month and during the ensuing festivities we made this video. It was all her brainchild (and her editing job). Normally I would be running the other direction from doing this sort of thing, but heck, there must have been something in the water that day. Funtimes!



Next. Also during Elise's trip she introduced us to the next doozy. It's a dramatically read review of an intentionally silly and easy flash game called Press Space to Win (play it, it will take about 4 minutes). And wow, just wow. It's one of those things that makes me laugh so hard I can't control my face.



And for something totally different: FROGS! Well, A frog. I swear, one day I'm going to be this frog for Halloween. Probably the year after I'm Mama Odie.



Last but not least, just because I was listening to some Michael Jackson today and thinking fondly of Disney parks. Hooter!

Apes for the watching

I watched the trailer for the Rise of the Planet of the Apes movie today. It intrigues me, and it doesn't involve Paul Giamatti, which is a big bonus. Mostly it just made me think of the following classic moment from the The Simpsons. It's so funny that it even made my mom laugh uncontrollably. A mom! Laughing at the Simpsons! That's how you know it's really funny.

Giggle snort

This makes me laugh so hard I can't even control myself. Seriously, every time (every time!) I just dissolve in uncontrollable facial contortions from laughing so much.



Glenn Steves!

In Which We Go to America

Just a little note to commemorate our very recent return...



(Also, "Fri"?)

Love: It Never Dies (Except When It Does)

If you have been within earshot of me in the last several months you have probably heard me complaining about Love Never Dies and all its many faults (they are many). But ever since I found out we were coming to London, it has been on our to do list. Actually, the way I broke the job news to Mr. Graham was by saying "We should go see Love Never Dies. In LONDON."

I'm not going to list all my complaints here because I hate to be a broken record and rehash everything I've already said six times. I will just say that I think it tramples on the original in a way that is neither good nor necessary. In fact the whole thing is just ridiculous and unnecessary. Aside from all of those things, we just felt compelled to see it anyway. Those of you who know my Van Helsing love will not be surprised.

So tonight we saw it for ourselves. It was exciting to see the original cast of something, since I never had done. Luckily Madame Giry had toned down her accent so that I didn't hear horses neigh constantly. It was, in general, pretty much what I expected. There were some cool technical things, but overall I think it's just kind of underwhelming (and frustrating in its lack of logic and consistency).

Going into it there was only one song ("Til I Hear You Sing") that I was really looking forward to, since I have listened to it at least 20 times now. And he delivered! He delivered so well! If I had thought to bring pom poms, I would have waved them about spiritedly. And now I give it to you, in the form of a super dramatic music video on YouTube. It might be best if you just play it and not watch the video, for maximum enjoyment. Here is the Phantom, in his new incarnation, which is romantic and lovable and non-threatening (somewhere Joseph Buquet is protesting).



(Or you can watch this version, which is quite wretched in its drama.)

But then there wound up being another song that just kind of amazed me, this time the title track from Christine. I am not really into belty woman show tunes--those are the songs I always usually skip--and until now this song was no different. But by the time it was over, Mr. Graham and I were both sitting quite dumb founded. It's not the same watching it without the build up of the story and such, but you can watch her sing it live anyway. Just know that in person it was like...wow.



(Or you can watch this version.)

So, when all was said and done, I decided that it was totally worth the pounds for those two songs. And...I would totally see it again for those two songs, sung by these two people. Otherwise I would rather just spend time with Gerard.

Weeps: And Wails

A while ago the Mister and I were watching TV and one of those Puffs tissues commercials came on--you know, the animated ones with the kids (for instance). I like those commercials and I said so at the time. I think the kids are funny looking in a way that is charming. D-Rew said there was an earlier short by the same animator that would make me change my tune, but I just snootily said "A nose in need deserves Puffs indeed."

A little while later he found the short online. It's called "The Sandman" and it was actually nominated for an Oscar. Anyway. So we started watching it before the bedtimes, until I got the heebie jeebies. But we finished it the next day and it wasn't too bad, just spooky. Then! A month or so afterwards I had this awful dream about it that I can't even remember but I have been a little bit terrified at the thought of this Sandman ever since.

So, here is the video. Don't watch it if you're easily spooked or if you're going to bed. Or maybe even if you have small children.

This Love: It's New

So several months ago the Husband and I decided that after the wedding we would start a Disney marathon in which we would watch all the animated movies in order, approximately one per day. We started it off last week and last night we arrived at Dumbo. I think the last time I saw any part of this movie was when I was about 14 and it was Youth Conference. The John Bytheway video didn't work so why not show a bit of Dumbo for restless teenagers, hm? Apparently that was my only chance to get acquainted with J. Bytheway because I still have no idea what he looks or sounds like.

Anyway, Dumbo.

So we start the movie last night. And then Dumbo appeared. And my brain exploded into rainbows and butterflies. Just look:

He. Is. So. Cute. I can't even stand it. I wish I could find more screencaps from when he is even cuter, but that picture is enough to make me wring my hands. Seriously, I have never really cared about this movie, and now I am watching it again as I type this. If we weren't going out of town I would probably watch it again tomorrow (this is not normal behavior for me, just for the record).

So yes, Dumbo. So cute. Brain. Explodes. I wish I could find the clip of him having a bath where he makes the cutest squeaking noises ever in the world, but this is only good clip I found. It's still plenty cute.