The Haballips daily doings

Well once again the updating of this blog has slipped to the bottom of my to-do list. But today is the day I’m making it a priority! We have been busy since our trip to Sunriver. We have been busy with everyday life stuff but also fun stuff like baby showers, watching the swifts return to the Chapman school for their annual September display, Ladies night, poker, learning to crawl, eating more solid foods, nice evenings spent in the backyard, baby fairs, visiting friends, seeing family members out here on business and so much more. Since I’m a short term memory type of person I guess I will just cover the stuff I can remember—which is the most recent stuff.


Niko is very close to being completely mobile. He is now doing the crab shuffle, which gets him where he wants to go but usually it takes a while. He has been watching a little boy at day care, Ian, who can crawl just as fast as some little kids run. I think he is picking up pointers and he’s going to bust a move soon. Our world is about to change! We have had our security gates installed for a few weeks now and I’ve started putting the little plastic things in the plugs. I’m sure we will learn soon enough a myriad of other things that can be trouble when you have an inquisitive 6 month old on the loose.







He has become very interested in our cats, Chloe and Zoe. He seems them and just
starts to giggle and hold out his arms, reaching for them. I think more than anything it will be the desire to chase and catch our cats that will teach him to crawl.

Niko has also been exploring the culinary world as well—he has tried two new foods in the pastcouple of weeks. He has added pureed peas and smashed avocado to his repertoire. He hasn’t met a food yet that he doesn’t like. He eats it all very willingly and signals more by open his mouth like a little bird and shaking. It really is too cute.


He has also hit another milestone. He is now sitting in his highchair and we have a regular dinner with him at the table every night. He looks tiny in the chair but he doesn’t seem to mind it. I think it makes him feel like a big boy. Even though he may look pretty messy in some of the pictures he is really learning to keep the food in his mouth and swallow instead of letting it drool out—which was what our first couple of feedings were like.


Last weekend Niko and I went to an organic baby and family fest in North Portland. We went with our friend Genevieve.
It was a great event and I learned a little bit about making our own organic baby food. I had been doing a little reading about it at home but the seminar taught me a few things I didn’t already know. This week I plan on cooking up some pureed carrots and sweet potatoes and freezing them for the coming months. It’s my desire to feed Niko only organic foods for as long as I can. He is just so small and pure at this point—I don’t want to be putting anything into his body that may have been sprayed with chemicals or pesticides.

Speaking of trying to keep little Niko safe from chemicals I’m trying to come to do that on a variety of fronts. I’m switching out his baby bottles that contain polycarbonates (#7) plastic. For those that aren’t aware #7 plastics which can be found in sports bottles (Nalgenes etc..), clear sippy cups, baby bottles, eating utensils etc… are bad news! They are made with bisphenol-A, a chemical that mimics estrogen and is suspected of contributing to abnormal reproductive development, birth defects, and prostate and breast cancer. It can leach into foods and the leaches increases as the bottles or products age. This stuff is in baby bottles—can you believe it??!! It just blows my mind. So, we have switched to Medela bottles and have kept the few bottles we have that are #5 that are deemed ok. Here is a list of companies that produce bottles without this chemical: http://www.oeconline.org/kidshealth/tinyfootprints/bisphenol/view?searchterm=baby%20bottles

Another concern I have been having is regarding toys that Niko plays with. With all the recalls because of lead paint and all the chemicals that are going into the making of plastic toys I’m starting to lean towards buying only products made in the USA and Europe (more factory oversight) and also purchasing natural wooden toys or those certified organic. It may seem extreme but I think about how much Niko is putting stuff in his mouth or playing with toys than putting his hands in his mouth and it doesn’t seem so extreme anymore.

At the baby fair this weekend Niko and I got tested for lead in our blood. Both Jason and I have been a little concerned about this since we live in an older home that undoubtly had lead paint in it at some point in it’s history. Also with the lead scare in the toys I thought it was a good idea. I had a trace amount of lead in my system, which is pretty normal. Niko’s lead amount was a little over double of what I had. The amount he had was deemed not dangerous but I still didn’t like seeing that he had over double what I had. It makes me wonder exactly where he is getting it from.

Another issue I think will tackle in the coming weeks is trying to switch our cleaning products over to more “green” alternatives. We have just started having a housekeeper come in twice a month and if I provide her with the new cleaners she will use them. I got a lot of information over the weekend on how to make my own cleaning supplies but realistically I don’t see me having the time or patience to do that very often. I did pick up some green, natural cleaner samples at the fair so I’m going to give those a try and see how they stack up against the tried and true chemical cleaners. I will update you when I do try them and let you know how they work—I’m going to be embarrassed though if it takes me a month or two to do so. Then you will know how infrequently I clean J

Jason and I are getting excited about the prospect of our families coming into town for Niko’s 1st Christmas. I know, I know it’s still 3 months away but already we are anticipating all the fun we will have. It will be a fun age for Niko. He will be 9 months and old enough to notice what’s going on around him but not old enough to care if he gets lots of stuff. At that age a box and some wrapping paper will make him happy! We will have to have the camera and video close at hand!

Let’s see. On non-baby related news my fantasy football team, The Prancing Ponies, crushed this week’s competitor, Homey Don’ Play That. This was a mighty victory and one that I’m reveling in! But I cannot rest on my laurels I have another worthy opponent coming up this weekend that I must prepare for! Go Ponies!

The no tv in the house is going over really well by the way. We find that we are using our extra time to cook, read, walk and spend more play time with Niko. It’s very enjoyable and I don’t think either one of us regrets our decision to get rid of it. I do miss vegging sometimes in front of the tv but those times are few and far between. I did pick up a movie recently at the library for us to watch when we had some down time but we haven’t gotten a chance to see it. It’s the Chronicles of Narnia, which I hear was beautiful. I hope we get a chance to watch it before it’s due back to the library.

NIKO playing with his friend at the swap shop
Jason has been doing some volunteer work to help get our neighborhood Swap Shop Co-op up and running. We became a founding member of the new co-op which is renovating space within the Sunnyside Methodist Church to house a play space, with an arts and crafts area, a play stage and an infant room and an area where we can swap out clothes and toys for our kids. It’s a great idea and Jason has been working hard to get the space ready for the October 1st opening day. We have donated a loveseat, a few chairs and a coffee table to the co-op (which hopefully means we can get some new furniture soon) and he has helped put up shelving and play equipment for the kids. We’re jazzed to be able to use the space soon but it’s especially going to be wonderful when the rain comes. It will be a nice way to get out of the house and to visit with other families in the neighborhood.

Ok, well I think I did a fine job letting you know what’s been going on in the Lil Man’s life and a little bit of what’s happening in ours. Hopefully it won’t take me as long to do this again next time! Cheers!

More pics of nifty Niko!

Sunriver for Labor Day

We got back last night from a wonderful trip to Sunriver, OR. We left Portland on Friday morning and spent Fri, Sat, Sun and early Monday in Sunriver and Bend. It was a really nice trip with beautiful weather.

Niko was a doll on the 3 1/2 hour drive to the resort. Before going to Sunriver we stopped off in Bend to visit with Mike White. He is a brewer at the McMennimin's Frances School and we met him there to sample some of his work. Unfortunately we had to rush to get to Sunriver for Jason's work dinner. So we said goodbye and got back on the road.

The resort at Sunriver is wonderful. There is so much to do: bike ride, ride horses, kayak, golf, swim. On Saturday we got up and had breakfast and took a long walk on one of the many trails. Then it was time for me to head to the spa for a hot stone facial (awesome) and a manicure. After my day of pampering we met up with a few of Jason's work associates and had a fun meal at the restaurant. I had a chocolate espresso creme brule that was to die for!

Niko and Jason getting their picture taken outside overlooking the golf course:


Sunday was kind of a lazy day for us. We got up early and attempted to take Niko on a bike ride on a river loop around the Deschutes. After about 10 minutes he wasn't having it so Jason turned around and I continued on the loop alone. It was a pretty bike ride but it would of been more enjoyable if Jason and Niko were with me. I met Jason and Niko for the breakfast buffet then Jason took his bike and did the river loop. Niko and I hung out on the back deck and read for a little bit. That night we had an early dinner and settled in for the night with a movie.

Niko in the bike trailer. Maybe he will like it more next year!



Monday it was time to leave. We packed up, had breakfast and headed back to Bend to walk around a bit. We took a stroll in Drake Park and walked down Wall Street and had an ice cream cone. The weather was beautiful. We would of like to have dallied longer but the long drive was still ahead of us.

Jason and Niko alongside the Deschutes river--Drake Park, Bend.


Niko and I playing at Drake Park:


We had great views of the mountains on the way home. It was a little hazy at the beginning of the drive due to a wildfire that started around Black Butte/Sisters on Thursday night. There was a huge thunderstorm that started the fire and by Monday morning they were evacuating Black Butte. We were hoping to take the scenic route back through Sisters and the Santiam Pass but that wasn't going to happen with a wildfire on the loose!

We had a lovely time and hope we can head back to Sunriver next year for another fun time!

Niko hanging by the pool: