The Death Rattle

Linus' grandparents gave Linus a very nice silver rattle for a christening gift. Unfortunately this is what was written inside:

Baby Safety

The Silversmiths at Empire handcrafted this product to be treasured as a lifetime heirloom. These beautiful keepsakes were never intended to be played with and should never be left with a baby without parental supervision.

Hence we call it the death rattle.

Linus seems to like it nonetheless.

Smiling

Laughing

Sneaky but cute.

Of course he loves putting it in his mouth. It's sterling silver, do I have anything to worry about? Is it bad for him? Or is the warning just legalese to get the manufacturer out of any responsibility for the product?

Nature Boy

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy
And sad of eye
But very wise
Was he

And then one day
A magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things, fools and kings
This he said to me
"The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved
In return"

(Nature Boy)

Pirate Linus

Finally Linus is growing into some of the cool 3- 6 month clothes. Here is Pirate Linus surrounded by all of his pirate booty.


Argh!

Yo ho, me hearties, yo ho.

Linus in stripes

I can't decide if these pictures of Linus in a new striped onesie is evocative of:

Prisoner wear (like the escape in O Brother, Where Art Thou).

19th century bathing attire for the discerning gentlemen

or a gondolier of Venice. Though he needs a natty hat plus ribbon for his outfit for this one.

Which do you think? Polls open in the comments below.

Knife throwing and toddlers do not mix!

Every baby, when they learn to crawl or walk, goes immediately for the knife drawer, at least that is the way it is in my family. Perhaps we do not need to encourage that.

At least it looks like this is good quality family time.

(via TYWKIDBI)

(many if these messages act as helpful exemplars of what not to do as a parent, when the occasion presents itself)

Linus entertains at Easter

I should have posted some of these pictures a few weeks ago. Linus had a busy few weeks hosting several family events. Linus got us included in his grandmother and grandfather's invitation to the club on Easter, he gets us in all kinds of places.

Four (or maybe three - skipping the one represented by my mother to the right out of the picture, should have got that one too) generations appear in this picture of Linus, and Daddy and Linus' Great Great Aunt Connie. Aunt Connie is my maternal grandmother's sister, Linus' great-grandmother's sister. That is quite a stretch of generations.

Linus entertained Aunt Connie, or was it the other way around.

They both look like they are having fun.

Appropriate White House Diaper changing locations

I need to remember this when I visit the White House. Only use the appropriate diaper changing areas.

From the Reuters caption:

A military usher suggests to a guest a better location than the crosshall of the White House to change a baby's diaper before an event in the East Room in Washington May 1, 2009.

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES POLITICS SOCIETY)

When the baby needs his diaper changed, you change it!

Our kids will be better at computers than us.

It's obvious that our children, who have and are growing up with computers and ubiquitous computing devices will be better at using these tools than we are. It will come naturally to them. I just hope they are nice about it.

(comic)

I hope this doesn't represent a future Linus impolitely helping me with a spreadsheet. Using the right click or center wheel or menus vs. short cuts is a particular pet peeve of mine. Everybody does it differently, but if you don't do it my way you are wrong.

(via Joy of Tech)