Becoming Nicolas

I am very behind!

2012-02-29T18:40:00.001-05:00

This time of year work is insanely busy and when the work day is over all I want to do is play with Nico and then sleep!!

Here are some updates. I'll get some photo albums up when thing slow down in a couple of weeks.

These pictures will be on the small side but you SHOULD be able to click on them to make them larger and then use the back arrow on your web browser to come back to this page.

After I last posted, Nico had a visit from Grand Pop and Mommy Ar! As you can see, Nico was curious if Grand Pop had any left overs he wanted to share.

Then we had dinner with some friends, where Nico got to see Criss and Mateo again!

And to dress like his papa.

The next big event was someone learned how to start STANDING in his crib!

It is now lowered. And the exersaucer has been raised. He is a tall boy!

Then it was time to head out west to Arizona!

On the plane I got a GOOD look at all of these teeth he has! SEVEN so far!

Look at those dimples!!
He was a good boy on the plane. I wanted to cry though. The flight was very long thanks to weather.

Finally we arrived and Aunt Katie was there to greet us!

What a great visit! I have lots of pictures on my camera that I will get posted in the next few weeks. These are all from my phone.

Nico loved meeting Ms. Cathie for dinner at our old stomping grounds.

He also loved having a sleep over with Nonno, Nonni and Aunt Katie while Nick and I had a night away at my dad's hotel where we had our wedding reception many years ago!

The view from our room.

Can you see the waterfall? We took a walk there after dinner.

Too soon it was time say goodbye to Arizona and to Nonni, Nonno, MaMa, PaPa and Aunt Katie and head home.

The pups were glad to have their baby back home!! Zona was back on nanny duty.

They seemed surprised that Nico was crawling around here. Aunt Katie and Nonni were really working with him!

That is a quick update of the last few weeks. I know you've all been patiently waiting for pictures of our smiling boy!!

I'm setting up a post for tomorrow so there will be at least one more!! :-)
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone!

Favorite toy?

2012-02-07T20:18:00.004-05:00

Nico has found that he LOVES the laundry basket.

He puts toys in, takes toys out, sits in it, moves it, peeks at me through the holes...
It's great fun!

Click here to see some pictures!

The Quilt

2012-01-27T20:01:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago (insert sheepish "I'm late with my thanks" look here), Nico received a handmade quilt from our friend, Becky!

It is awesome!! And Nico loves it. I mean... LOVES it. I have it hanging over the back of the glider where I sit to rock him and if I have him over my shoulder he instantly giggles and plays with the quilt! He was not interested in the store bought blanket I bought and had there before this beauty arrived. I put him down on the floor with it last night and he had a BALL. Some of the photos are blurry because he was moving so fast!

Check out the photos here!

Some silly shots!

2012-01-22T18:23:00.004-05:00

Buddy the Barber

2012-01-20T16:55:00.009-05:00

Today was a big day! Montessori Beginnings class was canceled AGAIN so we took Nico out for a quick lunch but first... he got his first haircut!!

We took him to Buddy, Nick's barber, for two reasons: one, Nico's hair was getting a bit unruly; two, Buddy is changing locations and we wanted him to go to the original location.

So here we go!!

BEFORE

DURING

Click play arrow to view video!

AFTER
(The trademark mohawk was courtesy of Nick!)

Then there was some time killing at Walmart while the Explorer had new tires installed.

Dining Out

2012-01-19T10:41:00.003-05:00

Nico has been out to eat with us quite a bit. We both feel strongly that he NOT become on of "those" kids. You know exactly the kind I mean. I understand all kids have bad days but as a rule dining out means he acts the same way he does when he eats at home.

Though right now he finds it a lot more exciting sitting in the high chair at a restaurant than at home. At home he doesn't have nearly as many fans or people to watch!

I'm sure you've seen some high chair photos here and there since his first "big boy" dining experience right after Christmas but here are some more from the last couple of weeks! These are all taken with my iPhone so not the best quality.

These were at Applebee's.

And then at Joe's Steakhouse for lunch this past weekend.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-18T12:34:00.000-05:00

TEETH!

Christmas in..... January?

2012-01-17T13:49:00.013-05:00

Between the holidays, work picking up and fun with Nico, I've once again gotten behind in my posts. When that happens, it gets overwhelming and I just don't post at all!! So, I'm going to give you a summary of what has been happening and then I won't dread getting back on track.

I hope.

I last left off way back on Christmas Eve.

Since then we celebrated Christmas with Nonni and Nonno who traveled all the way from ARIZONA.

Click here to view Christmas pictures and videos.

Next came, of course, New Year's Eve! Nick made us all a delicious dinner and we enjoyed family time before Nico headed of to bed. Just before midnight we woke him up so he could ring in the new year with us. He found this departure from our usual routine absolutely delightful!

Click here for more New Year's Eve photos.

I alluded to this in an earlier post but a couple of weeks before Christmas, Nico had his first ride in his very own swing!

Click here for pictures and a video!

We also took a whirlwind trip up to NJ and saw Grand Pop and Mommy Ar. Nick had Grand Pop working nonstop so I didn't get any good pictures of the two together. But he was happy to relax with us ladies inside!

And later at dinner, he was right next to all the action... the bar! He loved watching all of the people moving around and did great considering it was so close to his bedtime!

When we returned home, that Friday we had our first Montessori Beginnings class. Nico loved watching the other children, several close to his age, and participating in snack time! Click on the photos to enlarge. When he noticed his papa across the room, he got the biggest smile on his face! (It was probably 90% seeing his dad and 10% seeing a camera. The little ham!)

We've also been perfecting SITTING!

I have 23 smiling photos in just this one sitting with the red shirt alone! We are so blessed! Though sometimes I do wonder what it is that has made him SO happy!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T21:32:00.006-05:00

SWEET POTATO ADVENTURES

Okay... so he's usually a bit neater
than this but I HAD to get the
practically required messy face photos!

Side note: I'm just a few steps away from having
Christmas, New Years and other photos ready to go!
Stay tuned!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-10T23:17:00.001-05:00

Catchup photo montage in the works... Meanwhile...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone!

A Merry Christmas Eve

2011-12-26T22:01:00.005-05:00

This Christmas Eve we were honored to have our friends Cam and Lisa join us for the Feast of Seven Fishes. Maybe a new tradition has begun?

Nico LOVED having his Aunt Lisa and Uncle Cam join us for the day.

Nico also opened one gift from Aunt Katie on Christmas Eve, also a new tradition!

Click play arrow to view the video.
If it doesn't work, click here.

Click here to view more pictures from Christmas Eve,

some of which I swiped from Lisa's Blog. ::blush::

The Tooth...Teeth?

2011-12-25T23:23:00.008-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

As you know, we have postponed Christmas morning festivities until Tuesday since Nonni and Nonno will be here tomorrow afternoon. I DO have a Christmas Eve post in the queue! There are a lot of photos and a LONG video that I am uploading so I will post those in the morning. In the meantime... here is... THE TOOTH!

Can you see it? Them?? (Remember you can click on the photos to enlarge.)

Growing Up

2011-12-23T22:20:00.000-05:00

Over the last few weeks Nico has done some very big boy things!

He can now, when he's in the mood, roll over in both directions.

He can swing in his big boy swing. (More on this in a future post!)

He's been practicing sitting all by himself... PáPá: note his excellent posture!

He's even been sitting in the shopping cart like a big bog - and LOVING it!

He's been eating cereal in his highchair!

And tonight? Another big boy moment! I FEEL A TOOTH! Bottom left... Here's hoping it breaks through with little trouble. He's been fine all week so I'm thinking so far he's unaffected by the movement.

And for those of you who repeatedly ask me if Nico ever takes a bad photo... well... no. LOL I, of course, don't think there are any bad photos. (That's why I have about 87 trillion photos saved.) However, these photos are not his usual, "THE CAMERA IS ON! Stop everything and smile huge!" faces. Enjoy!

Okay... here's one normal Nico smile for you!

Something to Make You Laugh

2011-12-21T21:42:00.003-05:00

I plan to get the blog caught up tomorrow. In the meantime, something that might make you laugh!

Click play arrow to view video.
If it does not play, click here!

Meeting Santa Claus

2011-12-19T08:52:00.003-05:00

Nico was unimpressed. He neither cried nor smiled! He seemed content to just sit and watch the rest of us try to entertain him to produce a smile!

Cali's wonderful groomer had Santa visit her shop each Saturday this month. We brought Cali along for a photo and because the ladies there LOVE her. (They love her so much that if she's ever missing, I'm starting my search at their homes! LOL) What about Zona and Phoenix? My present to Zona was allowing her to stay home out of the hustle and bustle of strangers in a tight space. And Phoenix... well.. Santa arrived at 10am - that's just too early for Princess Phoenix on a Saturday. Or any day.

Here's a quick video.

Click play arrow to view video.
If it does not play, click here.

The lady doing the photographing was confused by the orbs in the upper corner. She's been taking photos for two weeks and this is the only one with these shapes. Even the photos taken seconds before and after this one were fine. You know what we think about orbs around here!! Here's the picture outside of the frame.

An iPhone Post

2011-12-15T07:51:00.002-05:00

As I sit here barely creeping along I-66 on my way to work for the last day this year, I'm thinking about my long to do list. I remembered I have a blog program on my new phone! So I am going to try dictating a post to the phone so please pardon any typos.

Let's see how this goes! Luckily, I have a lot of photos I can share with you on my phone.

Here is an older picture that I've been meaning to share with you. Nico loves his Auntie Lisa!

Doesn't it look like she is telling him a secret?

I also have several pictures from his last bath. He is really starting to have a lot of fun in the tub!

Well we are starting to move, time to close the post! I hope it works!!

- Published from my iPhone using Blog Press!

Ready for Santa!

2011-12-13T21:50:00.004-05:00

The tree is up!! Nico LOVES the fact that a real live TREE was in the house. It was as if he couldn't believe his eyes!

Click here for more pictures of his reaction to the tree before it was decorated!

Back by Popular Demand!!

2011-12-09T15:31:00.000-05:00

Another set of unedited videos have been posted!! Click here to take a peek.

Last weekend we had some special visitors for a quick visit!!

I have a few more photos but they are on my phone. Unfortunately, due to some hardware failure on this laptop, I can't access those easily right now. I hope to have that sorted out this weekend. I'll post more once we're back in business.

Also on my phone are a couple of cute photos of Nico trying on a new hat from Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. They send a BOX full of clothes for Nico AND treats for four leggers and two leggers!

A box full of wrapped for Christmas presents with strict orders to unwrap right away!

"Are you excited, Nico??"

He LOVES his new jeans. He was interested in this pair in particular.

I swear to you it looked as if he was attempting to try them on!!

I was very excited about this adorable jacket. Oh my goodness... the cuteness is overwhelming!

I'll show you pictures of the Nico in his matching hat soon. It really makes it especially adorable.

THANK YOU, MR. AND MRS. WILSON!!!
We love you!!!

We also love... GREAT GRANDMA!
Happy birthday!! We hope it's a great one!!!

Familiar Pose

2011-12-08T23:53:00.000-05:00

I was about to set up a post for tomorrow and noticed something familiar about one of the pictures in the last post.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T21:27:00.002-05:00

First Christmas Tree

2011-12-04T10:50:00.006-05:00

Yesterday we went down the lane to the tree farm and picked out Nico's first Christmas tree!

Click play arrow to view video.
If it does not play, click here.

For more pictures, click here!

All in One!

2011-11-29T06:47:00.005-05:00

Time really flies! I cannot believe it has been nearly two weeks since my last post. The thought of sifting through all of the photos and videos was becoming overwhelming so I decided to create albums of each event and let YOU sift through them for your favorites! I did that awhile back with my backlog of videos and it was one of the most popular posts.

As I mentioned, we went to a fantastic non-rally rally in Delaware mid-month. This is Nico with Mrs. Wilson and Jack, two of his favorite people! Nico LOVES Jack and always has a smile for him, even if he's a little cranky before his nap time. Nico always looks him right in the eye and babbles on as if he's trying to tell him something very important. So cute!

Click here for more pictures from our trip
to Trap Pond State Park in Delaware.

The night we got home from our trip Nico rolled over all by himself!! As you know, he had been working on rolling from his back to his tummy. He showed no inclination to roll from tummy to back but Sunday there he went from tummy to back!

Click play arrow to view video.
If you cannot view video, click here.
Don't forget: you can click what looks like a TV screen
on the lower right of the video box for a full screen version.

That night AUNT KATIE ARRIVED!!! She was able to stay for a whole week! Nico LOVES his Aunt Katie. She was a huge help to me too: cooking, cleaning, babysitting... you name it! It was great having her here and not only because of all of the help. :) It's hard to say goodbye. Arizona is very far away but I am so thankful for technology, which makes us feel a lot closer at least!

Click here to see more pictures
from Aunt Katie's visit!

While she was here, she was able to go with me to Nico's checkup at the doctor's office!

He weighed in at 14 pounds and 9 ounces. He's still on the low side of weight but he's creeping up on the chart. He's now in the 30-40% range! Up from 18% and then 25%! His height - yes - still up there: 98% at 27.5" long.

He had a few more vaccines but I am happy to report that he was MUCH more comfortable after this appointment than his first round of shots. Maybe thanks to Aunt Katie's support and pre and post massages! (Hey.. come to think of it, when she was out a few visits ago, I had a tetanus shot and did not get such special treatment!)

We had been going through another period of sleep regression during her visit. So I decided to try a little cereal in the evening to see if that would help him sleep. Apparently, he was not waking up because he was hungry though, as the cereal did not affect his sleep patterns one bit! He does enjoy it though so I have still been feeding him about a tablespoon or so of rice cereal with breast milk most evenings. More on our sleep saga in my next post! Meanwhile, here are a couple of videos of Nico's first tastes of cereal! The first video... don't mind his crankiness. It was late and had been a long day. Plus I realized after the fact that I should have feed him some milk first to take the edge off his hunger!

Click play arrow to view video.
If you cannot view video, click here.

This second video is the next evening when daddy got to feed him for the first time!

Click play arrow to view video.
If you cannot view video, click here.

Click here to see more photos of Nico's
first taste of cereal.

After Aunt Katie left, we headed south to our favorite beach in North Carolina to spend Thanksgiving.

Click here to see lots of pictures from our trip
to the beach for Thanksgiving!

AND if you didn't see enough pictures to catch you up, here are some slide shows from October and November!

RANDOM OCTOBER PICTURES

RANDOM NOVEMBER PICTURES

If you cannot view the slide shows, click here for November and click here for October.
There are some videos at these links that are not in the slide shows above!

And now you are up to date with the goings on of the pack! If nothing else, this monster sized post will encourage me to stay up to date since it took me so long I'm embarrassed to admit how long!

Lots going on!

2011-11-16T21:55:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot going on here at The Park!

We took a family trip to Delaware to visit friends with the Argosy, Nico rolled over, Aunt Katie arrived AND we had a checkup at the doctor's office today! It's pretty late tonight so I will leave you with this photo and the promise that tomorrow I will start catching you up!

Reading

2011-11-10T10:20:00.000-05:00

"Ka-pow?"

2011-11-09T20:53:00.007-05:00

On Saturday we went to purchase a vintage slide for Nico! Nick found it in a neighboring town via Craigslist and we thought it would be a great start to his playground!

Supervising.
Inspecting.

Relaxing.

Don't ask me why I said, "Ka-pow," in this next video.
I have no idea.

To tide you over...

2011-11-07T20:33:00.002-05:00

I'll work on catching you all up tomorrow! We have a cool addition to the yard for Nico that I'm excited to show you but in the meantime...

Playing in the Exersaucer

Using his feet to bring toys to his hands.

CALI!

Teething "Bon Bon"

PHOENIX!

After Bath Fun

2011-11-02T20:53:00.008-04:00

After Bath Photo-Op

Click above to view photos from after Nico's bath this evening!
Don't forget, when you get to the screen with all of the little thumbnail pictures,
you can click on the first one to enlarge it and then use the arrows
to scroll through the pictures in the larger format.

He was a happy little guy!

Here are my favorites but there are some outtakes with
some silly faces in the group of photos using the above link.

Look at that crazy hair!!

Did you see Zona's Wordless Wednesday post?

Chatting

2011-11-01T21:01:00.000-04:00

I'm a little tired today so I'm going to turn it over to Nico to entertain you!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T14:21:00.004-04:00

Today is Nico's first HALLOWEEN!!
Click on photos to enlarge and then click the back arrow
on your browser to return to this page

In addition to visiting Oz, we played with the Dancing Halloween Bear Nonni and Nonno sent to Nico.

He was talking about it all morning!

And while we're in video mode, here is a video from yesterday with Nico's fun in the snow!

After the snow adventures, Paulynna came over to babysit and Nick and I headed out for our second date night. We went to Joe's Steakhouse and on to the bowling alley for some local fun! I had to chicken dance after every gutter ball I threw. Needless to say, I'm getting very good at the chicken dance!

Snow! Wait.. snow??

2011-10-29T22:16:00.000-04:00

It's October 29, right? We woke up to THIS today!

Miss Cali was beside herself with excitement! She LOVES the snow!

Unfortunately, our Bradford Pears took a beating during this storm. The leaves held too much of this heavy snow! I think only one is lost.

Part of the tree fell on the hood of the Explorer but it seems to have escaped damage, thankfully! A lot of trees lost limbs. Click here for more pictures from today's snow storm.

Nick was scheduled to work but was unable to get out of the driveway so... he spent the day cutting up the big tree and freeing the Explorer. During his "break" he rocked Nico while I slept for almost an hour and a half!! Then he was back at it. Amazingly we never lost power!

And now for your Nico-fix! Yesterday was all about FEET!

Stop the presses!!

2011-10-28T20:07:00.003-04:00

I was in the process of setting up today's post when I took a playtime break. I was laying on the floor and holding Nico above my head and lowering him down to blow raspberries on his belly when the most wonderful sound came out of this little boy: GIGGLES!!!! I've never heard him giggle before tonight. We played a bit more with giggles ensuing. I put him down and captured a few of these joyous sounds on video for you! He's not giving any deep belly laughs here, likely because I only had one hand to work with, but you can still hear him giggling! The best giggles are at 55 seconds and later. Enjoy!

Click play arrow to view video.

Don't forget: there is an icon to the far right of the play button that looks like a square monitor.
If you click this, it will make the movie full screen.

And now for our previously scheduled, which now seems boring, post.

Earlier this week, Nico tried out his Exersaucer for the first time with Daddy's help!

They followed up this new experience with a rousing game of Peek-a-Boo!

I will close with some crazy news. Tomorrow's forecast.... That's us in the 4-6" area! I know time is flying but it's still October, right??

Just like daddy!

2011-10-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T15:26:00.001-04:00

February 10, 2011
19 weeks, 4 days pregnant . . .

October 8, 2011
13 weeks, 4 days old . . .

Bloopers

2011-10-25T21:39:00.001-04:00

We had a FANTASTIC long weekend in Pennsylvania with some great friends! Nico loved all of the attention and being passed around among the ladies.

Click here for photos from our fun filled weekend!

Speaking of photos, you may have noticed I changed the header photo. I thought it was time for a new giggling picture. He was so chatty and wiggly when I got home, it took a few shots! Here are some out takes.

Video of the day!

Click play arrow to view video.

Don't forget: there is an icon to the far right of the play button that looks like a square monitor.
If you click this, it will make the movie full screen.

Another reminder: you can click on any of the photos to enlarge them and/or right click on the photo
and select "Save IMAGE as..." to save it to your computer or USB drive.

ALSO... thanks to being a work at home nursing mom...

This was a summons for GRAND JURY, which is over an hour away! The "on call" period is SIX months and you are to expect to serve "a few times" for "several days" each during that period. It also entails logging your vacation time and being available on one week's notice. Yikes! Another plus in the mother nature column!

I think that brings everyone up to date! "See" you tomorrow!

The War Face

2011-10-20T08:58:00.001-04:00

Nick says that photo looks like someone said to Nico, "Give us your war face." The picture made me laugh before but now it's even funnier to me.

I don't think tummy time is THAT dramatic for him but he still doesn't like it after a couple of minutes.

He'll only stay active and working on his tummy technique for a few minutes before giving up and crying until we roll him over to rest. I really need to be better about giving him more sessions each day, even though he hates it. It wears him out!

You can't really tell from this picture but he was gazing at the leaves. He loves trees and green plants!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T09:30:00.000-04:00

STRETCHING

"It can wait."

2011-10-18T18:00:00.009-04:00

Last night 9:00 p.m., then 10:00 p.m... 11:00 p.m... all rolled by as a very sleepy but too afraid to miss a single moment Nico fought sleep. Knowing my 4:00 a.m. wake up call was getting closer and closer, I have to admit I was a bit frustrated. In the end Nico settled down for a nice 4.5 hour block of sleep... at 3:00 a.m. Not very helpful for me but I'm glad he finally got some uninterrupted sleep!!

I stopped for a Diet Coke on the way to work. The caffeine slowly woke me up and I got to thinking. There's not much else to do when driving 90 miles in the dark without satellite radio. I had to listen to FM RADIO. :: gasp ::

The news stories were horrifying - Baby Lisa, 11 year old William in MD, charges filed in Jessica's case, abduction attempts in Virginia.... Before Nico was born these stories were sad of course but now they are absolutely heart wrenching. Hearing about terrible dog stories is almost too much to bear; now I have to add this to the list!

I then started to think about some blogs I follow of ladies from the July Due Date message boards on FertilityFriend.com. I felt just awful about feeling tired and frustrated. So many ladies would give anything to be driving bleary eyed to a great job, with a healthy and happy baby at home with his loving daddy. I said an extra prayer of thanks this morning.

Speaking of Nick, he has been amazing. He has so much patience with Nico and is great about being on solo-baby-duty twice a week at 4:45 a.m. after not getting to sleep until 1:00! This isn't to imply he only takes care of Nicolas when I'm not home. For example, the other day I had a pile of things to do and Nico was sleepy and needing a little help getting down for a nap. I offered to take him from Nick so that he could get started on his project for the day: some exciting trailer renovations.

He calmly kept rocking Nico and said, "I have nothing to do." He paused for a couple of seconds and then said, "Well, I have a thousand things to do but it can all wait." How sweet is that? I bet if someone told him a year ago that he would say that, he would have insisted his schedule would carry on regardless and a baby "could wait." Since the moment Nico was born, Nick has been seamless when it comes to adapting and including our little man in our lives. My hero!!

Before I wrap up for today, I know videos are very popular so I have been trying to find time to edit the most recent and find the highlights but time is not on my side this week! SO... I will post several and let you view them in the unedited form if you'd like! Click on the video thumbnail below and you will get to a page with NINE (!!!) videos! Make sure you have your sounds turned up to hear his little giggles... and screeches!

Catch Up Montage

Catch up time!

2011-10-16T09:12:00.008-04:00

I know... I know. I'm late posting. I've been getting your messages. :) I have some videos to post but in the interest of time... today is photos only.

We've had a busy few days. Nico has discovered that his hands are useful for something other than chewing!

Almost all of his naps are now in his crib! Yahoo!! He takes two or three one hour naps in his room and then some cat naps here and there. Progress!

This is the baby monitor. It has a bunch of cool features but Monday or Tuesday I'll post about a movement monitor that we've ordered. I'm pretty excited about it but I'll wait to tell you about it all at once.

Despite such good naps or maybe because of those naps, the night time is pretty much back on track. At night he still sleeps next to our bed and we seem to be slowly getting back to our 4 hour stretches, though we haven't gotten back to a 5 hour block yet.

As you may have seen on Zona's blog, she cuddled on the couch with Nico for this photo as we started to wind down the other night. This cute outfit was from her online beau, Sarge, and his mom! The PJs say, "Ruff Night" with puppies all over them! Cute!

Yesterday we had a picnic on Skyline Drive. It was W I N D Y.

Look familiar?

Random Photos this Week

2011-10-13T22:17:00.001-04:00

Don't forget: you can click on photos to enlarge!

Knee High

Daddy Time

Pals

Hangin' Out

Sleepy Tigger

"Weird"

2011-10-12T18:19:00.000-04:00

I ran into someone the other day whom I haven't seen since Nicolas was born. For years we both were on the "no kids" side of the fence. She is still on that side of the fence. Though now it's a bit more like a wall between us.

She asked me, "How does it feel?"

I blurted out, "Weird." As I drove away, I realized that must sound odd and not at all like I'd meant it. Luckily, I don't think she was really listening to me.

You see, I'm still in this surreal state. "Is that a baby giggling in my house?.... Oh.... right. That's my baby!" (Evidently, that feeling might not go away any time soon. We talked with a mom a couple of weeks ago and she said she still has moments like that and her son is 3!)

Being a mom is a strange concept.

Imagine if someone came to your house and woke you up every 2-3 hours, needed constant entertainment and wanted you to serve meals around the clock – topless no less. Not to mention they arrived with luggage so vastly disproportionate to their size that they needed an entire room to hold it all and it still overflowed into the rest of the house. On top of all this? Diaper changes. Lots of them. Remember those many wake up calls? Yep, you’re doing all this while being a bit sleep deprived. And what do you ask in exchange for all of this? Simple!! Some gummy smiles. That's all. Those smiles make you forget about all the rest of it. I can't explain it.

So, yeah, being a mom is a strange concept and I wouldn't change it for anything. It's been amazing! Some may even said it's weird! But it's "wonderfully weird." (Which episode, Aunt Katie?)

Not exactly related to this post but... what a difference one year makes: Gettysburg 2010. A few months later I found that I still had the Ghost Tour ticket stub in my wallet. There are no coincidences. That ticket is still where I found it. ♥

Bumbo Fun

2011-10-11T16:58:00.000-04:00

I get a LOT of questions on how the pack is adjusting to the mini-two-legger. We all know that Phoenix is quickly becoming Nico's best friend.

But Zona is also quick to look out for Nico and offer moral support on those rare long nights. She has now taken a page from Phoeny's book and wants to lick him now and then. That's a sure sign that she's accepted him. She's not exactly free with the kisses.

Cali, our Mama Bear, is slowly finding him more interesting. She's very gentle with him but mostly disinterested. Unless there is the possibility for treats. I know she'll become much more invested in him when food starts to fall. When we were encouraging Nico to roll over the other day, Nico was saying, "That's it! Roll over!! You can do it!" Suddenly our 10 year old baby jumps up, runs over to us and drops herself down into a roll! It looked as if she was trying to coach him but we know it was because she thought treats were in the forecast.

Full disclosure: this picture is partly misleading because to her left is her food bowl and it was getting close to dinner time. We all know how good Cali is at telling time! She definitely loves him though because all three girls greet him first. I used to be enough for them but now they want to check on him when we return home after an outing and then they seem to remember I'm there too. Despite my grumbling, I don't mind it. I'm happy they've all taken to him and I think they'll take good care of him as he grows.

Speaking of growing, I think - THINK - we may be getting back on track with the night sleeping!! I've moved him temporarily out of the bassinet into his yellow portable bassinet. It's much easier for me to reach over to take him out during the night and is easy to rock. We've had two nights of fairly decent sleep. I'm going to give it another night and then I'll see if he's okay sleeping in the bassinet again. I put a towel under the mattress to prop it up a little bit. I think he'll like that since the yellow bassinet has an incline and so does his crib, which he now sleeps in for one nap a day. Yahoo!

Yes, that's tummy time. Though he's still a lot happier on his back.

He also discovered he enjoys sitting up by himself, thanks to the Bumbo. Click here to read about Bumbo seats.

Click play arrow to view video.

And some chit chat from yesterday afternoon. Make sure your sounds are turned up... I'll work on a new format so it's easier to hear Nicolas.

Click play arrow to view video.

Zzzzz.....?

2011-10-09T22:32:00.002-04:00

It's been one week. I've almost forgotten what sleep is like. I only remember that I used to love it.

I feel like I’m in a strange sleep deprivation contest with Nicolas.

Ironically… I’m winning… but that means I’m losing.

Maybe that only makes sense in my sleepy mind.

He still naps a few times a day in his power sleep style – 20 minutes to an hour typically.

When people say, “Sleep when he sleeps.” I have to laugh. It takes me about 20 minutes to just wind down and stop listening for him to wake up and once I do… power nap is over and he’s a smiling baby ready for me to entertain him.

Then comes night time. Gone are the nights of 4-5 hours of sleep at a time. I miss those nights. What a strange thing to say. We’re now at 2-3… then last night… every hour he woke up. Tonight, I sit on the couch typing this and he is sleeping in my arms after playing on his activity mat.

I’m not convinced he’s down for the night.

He’s tired. I’m tired. But we’re locked in this battle of who can stay awake the longest apparently.

This week has slowly spawned some bad habits – sleeping anywhere not just his bassinet, nursing him to sleep, rocking him to sleep, etc.

There is something called sleep regression that occurs between 3 and 4 months. He’s already fussing so I’ll have to tell you what I’ve read about it another time.

Doesn’t he know he needs about 14-16 hours of sleep to grow big and strong? And that mom needs a few hours of sleep in a row to help him grow big and strong?

Will he sleep for more than 15 minutes alone tonight? Will he ever sleep more than two hours again? Will I?

To be continued . . .

Working Hard

2011-10-07T22:11:00.002-04:00

Do you see this drooly little face?

It doesn't bother him one bit.

In fact, he seems to enjoy making bubbles with the copious amount of drool he suddenly produces from time to time.

He's also found that he can put just about everything in his mouth these days.

What could he be thinking in this photo? LOL

He's also been working hard at trying to roll over on his own!

Click play arrow to view video.

Meanwhile, we have been working on nap time in his crib so he'll get used to his room and not sleeping in the middle of the hustle and bustle all the time.

Night time has become challenging this last week. Gone are the 4-5 hour blocks of sleep. We're back to 2-3 hour stretches. He's still in the bassinet right beside our bed which does make it easier but I feel badly for Nick when he gets to sleep around 1:00 in the morning and our little grunter starts wiggling around only two or three hours later! For one, he loves lifting his legs up together and slamming them down on the mattress to entertain himself. Nico that is.

At least we've been able to get him down for a good hour long nap the last couple of mornings in his crib.

Maybe I've been forcing the daytime nap issue and he's been getting too much sleep during the day, throwing off his night time schedule? Could that be? I'm grasping at straws probably. He had less daytime sleep today so we'll see how the nighttime goes! So far it's been tough to get him settled in for the night but it's still early . . . fingers, toes and paws are crossed here!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-05T20:59:00.001-04:00

Admiring a pair of his new socks!
Thanks April, Andy & Alex!!

Oktoberfest

2011-10-04T22:01:00.002-04:00

We headed north to Pennsylvania for a long weekend to celebrate our anniversary and visit some of Nick's college friends.

For more photos from the weekend, click here.

We had a GREAT time! It was an awesome way to spend our 12th anniversary and was the third year we were able to spend it in the Airstream!! I'll let Nico tell you all about it in this video.

Click play arrow to view video.

Some Photos to Tide You Over

2011-09-28T20:17:00.001-04:00

We had a pretty busy day here!

I'll catch everyone up on the last couple of days tomorrow.

But thought I'd post some new pictures in the meantime!

But for now, we're all headed to bed after the long day.

Sweet dreams!

Strong Legs

2011-09-26T22:02:00.000-04:00

Each week I get emails from various groups: Baby Center, Parents Magazine, etc. They tell me about what to expect this week, much like they did during my pregnancy. Each has a disclaimer that all babies develop at different rates and the development milestones are just a guide.

Clearly that is true. This week it mentioned that baby will "start putting weight on his legs when you stand him up." START?! He's been doing that for weeks. When it comes to strength milestones - holding his head up, bearing weight, gripping - he's been far ahead of the curve.

Other milestones seem right on schedule: babbling a lot more (he was talking up a storm the other day with me and Nick!), batting at toys, discovering hands, chewing on those hands, drooling! He's might even be starting to start to roll a little bit. Yesterday on his play mat, he rolled to his side for a few seconds and then rolled back to his back. He hasn't made it completely over yet but soon enough! In the meantime, these little legs of his are getting strong! I tried to capture it in this video but he wasn't as active once the camera came out this time.

Click play arrow to view video.

I haven't measured his length lately but I weighed him unscientifically today: 13 pounds with his clothes and diaper on! Considering the clothes and different scale, that's about one and a half pounds in two weeks! Maybe his weight will start to creep up toward average for the next doctor's visit. Regardless, this means he's doubled his birth weight! Good news!

Well, that's all for today. Tomorrow is an EARLY morning for me. It's my first office day. I'll be getting up around 4 to feed Nico and heading out the door by 4:45 or 5. Normally he sleeps for another 2 or 3 hours after that feeding. Fingers crossed his routine stays the same so Nick doesn't have to get up too early!

The Weekend

2011-09-25T22:35:00.002-04:00

This weekend Daddy and Nico spent some time practicing their "fist bump" technique. Cali was happily offering her advice.

Waiting for Grand POP to arrive Saturday morning, Nico discovered HE could play with the rattle on the activity mat all by himself! You'll notice he livened up quite a bit when it seemed he noticed the camera in my hand.

Click play arrow to view video.

AND...
HAPPY 86th BIRTHDAY,
PÁPÁ!!!!

2005
2008
2011
WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't wait to tell Nico all about our great adventures traveling the country each summer.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

The Bear Goes Round and Round

2011-09-23T21:40:00.008-04:00

Grand POP and Mommy Ar arrived in town today!! We headed out to meet them for dinner while Nick was finishing up his work week.

Later, just before bed, Nico spent some time enjoying the mobile on his swing! He discovered toys on his bouncy seat yesterday and was mesmerized by these spinning toys above him this evening.

Click play arrow to view video.

Foreshadowing for tonight?

2011-09-22T18:39:00.004-04:00

The Not a Wordless Wednesday Post

2011-09-21T19:19:00.002-04:00

In lieu of Wordless Wednesday this week, I present to you: Wordy Wednesday. (Don’t get too excited Grand Pop! This is likely just a hiatus from the theme for this week. LOL)

I’ve been meaning to write this post for awhile now but by the time I settle down in the evening to put my thoughts into words my brain is a little jumbled. Not to mention by that time of the night I’m rocking my little Nico and in need of another hand or two to type properly.

Often, while I’m rocking him before bed, I look around and find it surreal to see baby stuff around the house. His things are pretty much contained to his room but his swing is in the living room and a there’s always a rattle here and a blankie there. It’s not overwhelming but it’s obvious there is a baby somewhere nearby. We spent 9 months waiting for him – well 18 months really – and yet I’m still surprised at how often I half expect his parents to walk in and pay me for babysitting before sending me on my way.

I’m equally surprised at how relieved I am that that's not going to happen. Years ago, the return of the parents during a babysitting job was always something of a relief. It meant I could go back home and no longer be responsible for anyone else. I could sleep when I wanted to and shower when I wanted to. I always felt that babysitting was the best form of birth control. The thought of “babysitting” 24/7 was horrifying to me at the time. And, to be honest, it wasn’t exactly on my top ten list for a really long time after my years of babysitting! A REALLY long time.

So I often find myself gazing at Nico with a mixture of “shock and awe” these days. Only two years ago he wasn’t even a twinkle in our eyes. Little did I know that literally days away Nick would begin second guessing our decision not to have children. And that a couple of months later we’d be, for the first time ever, hoping for the two little lines that would change our lives.

I still find myself sitting here in amazement that WE created this little miracle.

And even more amazing, I don’t feel at all like I’m constantly babysitting. I used to love when babies would smile at me or cling to me as I picked them up but that feeling is SO much different when I’m the mommy. As a babysitter, I knew I was just a fill in. While reading someone a bedtime story, I was simply in the moment. Now, in the back of my mind, I’m hoping that reading to him will encourage a lifelong love for it. And the consistency of bedtime is much more important to me now because I know how much he needs his sleep in order to grow big and strong. And those smiles and clingy, hugs? Indescribable. Everything feels more intense. Well, except bath time. Bath time is still pretty much just fun!

When I was pregnant, I wondered how I was going to fit time in for a baby. My days and evenings were already jam packed!! But, it’s the oddest thing, I don’t even remember what I was doing that kept me so busy.

Fascinating Socks

2011-09-20T20:50:00.002-04:00

Over the last week, I've heard from some of you that you are disappointed when I skip a day or two so I promise to renew my efforts for daily posts! Nico and I are a bit tired tonight so here is a video from this morning. I'll have a full post tomorrow for you!

Click play arrow to view video.
Don't forget you can make the video full screen
by clicking on the right icon with the four arrows.

Photos from the Week

2011-09-18T08:20:00.001-04:00

Major Cutie - Reporting for Duty!

Fun with Nico's Favorite Blankie!

We love our happy boy!

Where's the poop, Robin?

2011-09-17T18:21:00.008-04:00

Well, since Miss Zona uses Friends as the inspiration for her post titles, I decided to go with a popular line from How I Met Your Mother for today's title!

At Nico's doctor appointment on Monday, I asked about his.... regularity. He had not pooped since the Wednesday before the appointment!! This led me to ask at every diaper change, "Where's the poop, Nicolas??" Evidently this is very normal. She said that after 4-6 weeks old some babies slow down to once a week and breastfed babies can often go two or even three weeks without a BM! I'd never heard of such a thing! She explained that at this stage he is using all of the nutrients he is consuming for growth and that leaves very little waste, especially with breast milk which is highly efficient. Dr. Barron just said to keep an eye out for pellet like movements and that if he's otherwise happy and seeming fine, he probably is! She also half-joked that I should enjoy the reprieve now because in a few months... I'll be missing these days! I'm sure he'll someday love that I'm discussing his poop schedule with everyone.

So, sure enough, yesterday - Day 8 - he pooped!! A few times actually. It was Nick's first day on his own with Nico and that alone made the day a success in my eyes!

I had to go in to the city for our annual work retreat and my two boys had a fun day together! Nico learned that deer hunting season is approaching.

And the proper way for boys to nap!

Needless to say, I came home to two very happy guys! What a great bonding day they had!

Today was more about chores... Nico helped daddy with fixing our TV. YES, this is the inside of our television. Crazy, right?! Nick had to find and replace four capacitors. He amazes me!

We also made yet another trip to Lowes. I think today might bring the final touches on the new cabinets and counter top in the room off the garage. Nick is anxious for that project to be behind him! I'll post pictures when it's complete. I think the organizing and filling of the cabinets will take just as long if not longer!

Before all of the television work and errands, Nico was my laundry assistant. While we were waiting for the clothes to dry, I filmed a very brief tour of his nursery for those of you who have not had a chance to see it!

Click play arrow to view video.

There was also some moral support from his pals (Cali is in the hallway), when they thought he was going to be getting a bath.

And now... it's time to make cookies!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-14T10:39:00.000-04:00

Off the Charts

2011-09-13T20:20:00.001-04:00

Yep, yesterday was Inoculation Day! Nico weighed in at 11 pounds 4 ounces. And his length is "off the charts" at 25.5" - MáMá, that's OVER two feet now. Hehe..

The doctor and nurse were remarking to the resident about how happy Nicolas is and how interactive he is for 10 weeks. I have to admit that I lucked out and the appointment was right after a nap with a full belly so that means he's his happy, smiley self! He got a great report for neck strength. Apparently, I'm raising a tiny HULK!

His length was surprising so they measured him twice!! Apparently, his length is "off the charts" for his age! He gaining weight to go along with his growing length but most of his growth spurts so far are going to his height.

Then came his least favorite part of the appointment: three shots! He first got a tasty oral vaccine for Rotavirus. Some babies don't like the sweet taste but, as we figured from my pregnancy cravings, this little guy LOVES sweets! He did well with the shots. He cried, of course, but by the time the band aids were on, he was calm again... certainly not smiling but not crying!

He slept for about an hour after the appointment and then was pretty fussy for awhile... and then... he was SO upset. A shrieking type of cry and clearly not feeling well. Baby Tylenol took the edge off but he was so uncomfortable and wanted to be held pretty much all evening. I made the mistake of referring to Google and freaked myself out that the fussiness would not pass for awhile, if ever!!! In my sleepy brain, I was worried I lost my happy boy! He was THAT upset. I got a few watery smiles last night but they were fleeting. I held him throughout the night because he was too uncomfortable in his bassinet and to be perfectly honest, I didn't want him to be "all alone"... 6" from my bed. LOL

Now he's back to his usual self!! I missed him!

Video of the day!

Click play arrow to view video.

First Date and Best Friends

2011-09-11T20:01:00.006-04:00

Last night we had our first date... A.N. (after Nicolas)! We went to our favorite restaurant in town for a wonderful dinner. I've left Nico alone with his babysitter for an hour or two during the week now and then but for some reason nighttime seemed different. I knew he was safe but I was surprised that I missed him during dinner! I tried not to talk about him non-stop.

But now today Nico and I are missing daddy! He's away for work tonight and happily getting lots of sleep! He left before we were awake so he didn't get his photo of the day so I took a few this morning.

Just a reminder that you can click on any of the photos to enlarge them and/or right click on the photo and select "Save IMAGE as..." to save it to your computer or USB drive.

We spent the rest of the day running a couple of errands, taking a walk and playing....

I don't know why the first video is especially tiny this time. There is an icon to the right of the play button in each video with four arrows. If you click this, it will make the movie larger.

Click play arrow to view video.

And exercise time...

Click play arrow to view video.

And, of course, we spent time waiting for daddy!

You may have noticed from the above videos and photos that Phoenix is always nearby. Sure, she's glued to my hip and Nico is too so they're bound to be around each other but she's so gentle and aware of him. Zona and Cali are gentle too but I was sure they would be so it's not as sweet to see, if that makes sense. Plus they're mostly indifferent to him right now. Phoenix is always concerned if he's crying (as you saw in the tummy time video), looks for him when we've been out, wants to sit next to him when he's nursing, etc.! I think they're going to be the best of friends as he grows up! (Don't worry... they're always supervised together and her body language is always scrutinized!)

Okay... I set this next photo up by calling Phoenix onto the chair but I couldn't resist!

Well, it's bathtime and then time to get ready for bed! Nico has a big day tomorrow: checkup at the doctor's office!

And don't forget to check out Zona's blog today. She has a tribute posted for the anniversary of September 11th.

A Trip to the Grocery Store

2011-09-10T07:00:00.004-04:00

Earlier in the week, Nico and I headed to the grocery store. Guess I should have worn the Moby Baby Carrier because he took up a lot of room in the cart without a car seat that fits on the seat.

After the store, we had some play time.

Click play arrow to view video.

Baptism

2011-09-09T11:17:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we made a trip out to Tucson. It was Nico's first flight! He did great! He didn't react at all to the take off and landing, nor to some pretty bouncy turbulence on the return flight! If he's being held, he's a happy camper!

It was a short but jam packed weekend!! Nico was happy to see Nonni, Nonno and Aunt Katie and to meet MáMá and PáPá. Not to mention his Baptism! It was very exciting!! Here are some photo highlights.

For more pictures from the trip, click here! And for a video, courtesy of the lovely Ms. Cathie, click here!

First Solo Trip

2011-09-01T22:29:00.000-04:00

We've had a nice quiet few days here.

Monday Nico and I took our first trip out to run errands on our own! We headed to Winchester and he was such a good boy alone in the backseat.

Daddy is back at work!

2011-08-28T18:35:00.000-04:00

Nick went back to work on Tuesday. He'll be working ten days straight! Poor guy! After the first day, he came home and said he was surprised about how much he missed our little man. He then started to take a daily photo of Nico on his phone before kissing him goodbye for the day. Isn't that sweet?

With Nick being away for a block of the day, I'm realizing that being a mom, taking care of the pups, working (a little) and keeping the house under control seems to be all about time management in these early weeks. It's challenging but I'm not too bad at managing my time so this is like an advanced course!

It's a little early for a routine but we're working on getting Nico down for naps before he's overtired. At this age, 8 weeks, the experts say babies can only tolerate being awake for 60-90 minutes at a time. Yikes! I've been reading about the E.A.S.Y. method: eat, active, sleep/you time. This helps keep us on not so much as a routine set by the clock right now but a pattern throughout the day. My next goal is to start sliding his bedtime back to a more reasonable hour. I'm not complaining in the least about his sleep patterns though. He sleeps great at night most of the time. Today has been a great nap day! I haven't tried his crib for today's naps but he took a couple of long naps in the swing and then next to me on the couch while I did a little computer work.

The 'A' part of the routine is so fun. This is part of his active time after his nap on the couch. I don't know if it's pregnancy hormones still wearing off but I have to fight tearing up when he turns that big smile on, which is a lot these days.

Click play arrow to view video.

Redecorating

2011-08-27T16:48:00.009-04:00

The last few days have been busy. I was trying to thinking of a theme and all I could come up with is: redecorating. It's a bit of a reach but it works!

The first update is serious redecorating. Nick put up cabinets and installed a counter in my laundry room!!! I love it. MAYBE it will help me stay on top of the laundry... for a little while at least.

Not exactly redecorating but... Nicolas met our friends Mr. and Mrs. H! They brought one of the best presents for Nico:

I love it so much I'm keeping it in the kitchen even though technically it was a present for Nico.

She does amazing work. Check out her website here.

Even more of a redecorating stretch: Nico's hair is growing back in now! He had lost the hair on the top of his head but kept the back - kind of like an old man with a horseshoe style. Now his hair is filling in again. I'm thinking it's coming in darker but it's still slightly hard to tell the color. I'm leaning toward strawberry blond but it generally looks like a shade of brown.

The Quake

2011-08-23T22:07:00.001-04:00

What an interesting day! Nico's sitter started today. She'll be here a few hours twice a week. We're still very excited that she agreed to take the position. I think it will work out well... assuming she likes us! When she first met today Nico he was smiling up a storm. If she'd look away from him, he'd protest and push out his little lower lip until she looked back and he'd smile again! Adorable!! The interesting part? We had an earthquake!

Nico was sleepy today so napped in her arms almost all afternoon. I hope she wasn't too bored! At least she got to see his cute stretches when he'd wake up.

Smiles

2011-08-22T04:52:00.006-04:00

Click on any photo to enlarge (in this post or any others)!

First one for Grandpa (aka: Nonno):

And now some of the smiles...

The camera focused on my leg and made his face blurry but I still love this one because I think it may have been his first HUGE smile complete with giggles.

Daddy's beard is fun!

River Walk

2011-08-21T14:51:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we took Nico down to the river for a walk. Due to the heat and Zona's sore leg, the pups stayed home this time. We've been walking around the property but decided to go on an "easy" walk before our usual hike up to Skyline Drive. It wasn't as easy as we remembered but it was a great kick off for our exercising plans!

Look-a-Likes

2011-08-20T06:55:00.001-04:00

Nico has been working on his impressions.

First there's Bucky from one of the best comic strips: Get Fuzzy.

Then there's Walter, one of Jeff Dunham's more famous puppets.

One of Nico's more popular impressions with the Arizona crowd is Sir Arthur John Gielgud. (Note the raised eyebrow!)

Most of us agree that his best work is looking like his daddy. Nick doesn't see it and thinks people say Nico looks like him because, "that's just what people say!" But I see it... do you?

More Firsts

2011-08-19T09:34:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was a busy day. We ran a few errands and had sushi for lunch. I missed sushi SO much when I was pregnant! Nico was unimpressed and slept through our meal.

Later we tried out the still-a-mystery jogging stroller for a walk around the yard. I forgot to take pictures of that so we'll snap some tonight. We walked a mile and I only pushed Nico for half of that... I didn't think I was going to make it! I swear it was a harder walk than all of the walking (on the same path!) we did the night I went into labor!! Nico seemed to enjoy the ride, especially when Nick pushed since it was a much faster pace.

After our walk, it was time for a bath. Last night was his first time in the "big boy" bathtub! This tub is pretty cool - one end is for an infant lounging position and the other end is for when the baby is a little older and can sit up on his own!

Our little guy was happy as could be before the inaugural bath in his new tub.

But soon he realized what was happening!

And was not too thrilled with this new adventure.

Next time I'm going to try to warm the bathroom up a bit more because after putting the warm washcloths on him he started to calm down...

And after pouring some of the warm water over his belly he was starting to like it!

And soon he was getting warmed up in his ducky towel with papa. Again... I think a warmer bathroom will help with this step too!

We used the sleepy-time soap that Mrs. Wilson's daughter gave us and it was like magic! Nico was asleep about 90 minutes early last night! He slept for his "usual" five hours plus an extra 30 minutes but, with his head start on me, 2:00 came pretty quickly for me! Next time I'm going to have to take that soap more seriously! :)

Mini PáPá?

2011-08-18T16:23:00.005-04:00

Today is our Cali's birthday!! Time sure flies... she is TEN today!!

My puppies are growing up so fast!! Much like our little one! Look how big he is getting!

The last three nights he's been back to sleeping in five hour stretches! This week we've been working on keeping him from getting overtired during the day. This little guy fights sleep! He doesn't want to miss anything!! But he needs his rest so naps are important! He is growing big and strong and keeping him rested actually HELPS him sleep, if that makes sense. Everything I've read points to being overtired making it harder for babies to fall asleep and stay asleep. On good nap days, he sleeps great at night so maybe there's something to it.

He's such a cutie. Even his sneezes make us smile!! From Nico's first day, he has sneezed (and hiccuped!) several times a day. We were still in the hospital when we noticed it and the nurses assured us that sneezing and hiccups occur very frequently and don't indicate infection, allergies, or digestive problems in newborns. Sneezing is simply the only way they can clear their nasal passages. I've held a tissue up to his nose and told him to blow but he chooses not to.

I digress... the point is that his sneezes never fail to make us laugh. He usually sneezes in two or three at a time and they are very familiar to us. Aunt Katie was able to catch this on video. Does this remind you of anyone many of us know?

Click play arrow to view video.

That's right! PáPá!!!!

Aunt Katie Visits

2011-08-17T09:16:00.000-04:00

Aunt Katie was here this weekend for a whirlwind visit!

They were instant friends!

First stop: lunch at Jalisco, of course.

And a lesson in shiny dice. This one is on her necklace. Someday: VEGAS!

Aunt Katie brought present for the pups, which they LOVED.

Time for a nap.

"Aunt Katie? Time to wake up.

I'm a little bored."

A trip to Skyline Drive was on the agenda!

The visit was over much too fast! We're counting the days until we see each other again!

First Swim

2011-08-07T20:20:00.001-04:00

A few days ago Nico learned to grunt! It's his new favorite sound - day or night! I'm not sure if it's gas or he just likes hearing the noises he can make.

Last night as I put him down for the night, he soaked his bed with three successive bouts of projectile spit up. Other than a tiny bit at the hospital, this was his first time spitting up. He was saving it!

Today he took his first swim. Verdict: not his favorite sport just yet! There was about 5 minutes of crying...

Then reluctant acceptance...

Click play arrow to view video.

Then a nap in the pool in daddy's arms!

One Month Check Up

2011-08-04T21:23:00.000-04:00

Today Nico had his one month check up! He is now 9lbs 4ozs and is 23" long! His head circumference has grown 2" to 15"! He is looking healthy and happy!

We were then off to a BBQ!

It was a full day! Everyone was sleepy by the end!

I should add a post script... or a confession as it were... we headed out so fast to the BBQ that only two dogs were in the house and sweet Cali Bear was left outside for about five hours!!!! I was horrified when we returned after dark to hear her bark from the deck! The poor baby was a little nervous and quite thirsty. I'm still not sure how that happened but we now count ALL three of them before heading out anywhere. We're so lucky we have such good puppies... and lucky it was Cali, the bravest of our three.