Niko's Brand New World

We've moved

2008-01-04T08:36:00.000-08:00

I moved Niko's blog over to livejournal. Here is the link: http://azzbugged.livejournal.com/

I've made it a friends only journal so I have to "approve" you in order to view the blog. This prevents just anyone from viewing his blog and knowing personal information abut us. I hope it's not too much trouble for everyone. There is just a lot more I can do with his blog over at live journal.

**You will have to set up your own account (free) in order to view Niko's blog. Sorry :( Here is the link to do that: https://www.livejournal.com/create.bml?from=azzbugged

Once you create your own account I will add you to my friend's list and you will be able to see all of Niko's blog. You will also be able to make comments and I will be able to answer! Please take the time to set up an account--It will be worth it!

Thanks,
Angela, Jason and the star of the show: NIKO

Christmas Cheer

2008-01-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

It's been a few months since the blog has been updated. I'm sorry for that but it's difficult to find time to post while trying to keep up with our very mobile boy, Niko. Niko experienced his first Christmas this year and what an experience it was. He had his Mom, Dad, Auntie Fe, Baja, Yaya and Poppie here to help celebrate. He has had constanst attention since Baja came to town on Dec 15th. Tomorrow his Poppie and Yaya fly home to Pennsylvania and it will be back to just baby, Daddie and Mommie. I think he is going to feel neglected without the 24/7 attention and adoration :) Here are a few pictures from the Christmas day melee!

ahh...to have fall for a weekend is better than nothing!

2007-10-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend here in Portland was just beautiful. It's the weather I've been hoping for. We have been having wet, chilly days but the rain dried up and the sun came out to warm us this weekend.

We decided to take advantage of it today and head out to Sauvie's Island to the Pumpkin Patch. We rode the hayride out to the patch and had fun watching Niko climb all over the pumpkins. We also went through the animal barn and saw some cute sheep, pigs and a goat. There were other animals but those were the stars.

We also had some yummy "seasonal" food like ears of corn that you painted butter onto and carmel apples with peanuts. YUMMERS! Unfortunately Jason didn't get his elephant ear that he wanted--the line was crazy long--and I've heard about it a couple times since.

I think Niko enjoyed it--he stayed awake the whole times so that's saying something!

Here are some pictures.

Niko with the Goat:

The Patch:

Niko hanging with Dad:

Niko with his Pumpkin face:

This one's mine!:

Stop tickling me Dad!

I love my Dad and pumpkins!
Cute little lambs

Piggies

Oh Niko!

2007-10-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

Well we have had some fun times and trying times the past couple of weeks. The fun being family fun night--with cooking over the fire, hot tubing and swinging outside for Niko. Here are a few pics:

The not so fun stuff being Niko sick and then me getting sick :( No pictures.

Tonight we had a new development. Niko is pulling him self up to stand. It's pretty amazing.

The Haballips daily doings

2007-09-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

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:

Catching up

2007-08-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm still posting on the distant past but I am catching up. Last weekend (not this one) we went camping with the Ervings, the Joplins and the Greshams up near Tillamook. The campground was along the Kilchis River and is a good spot for fishing. Steve brought along his fishing rod and also Emily and Kayla. Kayla's fishing rod is also known as her "rockin' fish". Both Emily and Kayla are quite good at casting but I still kept my distance when the real hooks came out. Alas, no notable fish were caught that weekend but the Ervings hold out hope for Labor Day weekend when they go camping up there again.

Here's a picture of Kayla with her rockin fish:

Emily and Steve with their fancy fishin' rods:

Brent and Gen arrived on Friday night and I was mightily impressed with Brent's camping chops. I have never seen a better dish washing station while camping in my whole life-no lie! I also was in awe of the many tools that came along with him on this trip. Just in case, he brought a full size axe, hatchet and maul. In case of what I'm not sure but we had them and I was glad.
Gen holding Niko--she's a natural!:
The Joplins as well as Jas and I brought rain/sun canopies and they were much needed because it began to lightly drizzle when the Greshams arrived in the afternoon on Saturday. We had a nice dry place to eat our dinner Saturday night and the canopies were even arranged so we could all sit by the fire without getting wet. I can't say sleeping Saturday night was much fun in our tent. It was cozy in there but we had a few areas where water got in--thankfully no where near Niko. He was oblivious to the rain and was warm and secure on his pallet.

Tracy with beautiful baby Skylar:

The next morning my first thoughts were, "Let's pack up and get the hell out of here" but I wanted to catch up on my sleep, not pack up in the rain. Jason and Niko got out of the tent and with Brent stoked up the fire and started breakfast. Miraculously the rain stopped and it turned out to be a decent day. The guys played a little horseshoes, Emily and Kayla went swimming, we at a lot of junk food and the girls sat around talking about the gossip magazines Keri had brought.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

Kayla hanging with Niko:

Jason smooching on me!:

This is camping? I had no idea!:

Keri, Kayla, Genevieve, me and Lorleen loving on Niko:

Oh yeah, it was my birthday too this weekend. Emily and Kayla helped me blow out the candles on my cake--I know a birthday cake while camping! My friends rock!!!

Brent and Emily giving the camping trip a thumbs up!:

A long time coming...an update!

2007-08-23T09:37:00.001-07:00

I’m finally updating the blog—even if it’s after all the events have happened. With this in mind I may forget a few things but I will try and get the big stuff down.

We had a great visit with the Habalars from Pennsylvania who came to visit the end of July-beginning of August. YaYa, Poppie, Uncle Mike,Aunt T, Port and Lee all came to visit. This was the second time Port came to Portland (or three times if you count his conception) and the first time Lee has been here. I think they liked their time here. They played a lot in the back yard. They are such awesome players—they have very active imaginations and can play with almost anything—sticks and rocks are favorites. They had fun finding all the little treasures Uncle Jas had hidden around the yard. They also enjoyed using the hot tub and so did Mike and T. It was a favorite hang out spot.

While they were here we did some really fun stuff. We celebrated T’s birthday by having a piñata (and doing the piñata dance!), going to the Zoo, finger painting, Laurelhurst and Edmonds park, going to Saturday market, playing in the fountain at Tom McCall waterfront park, visiting Oaks Park, seeing Multnomah Falls and hiking to the top (good job Lee!), going to Bonneville Dam, Port and Lee wrestled with Emily and Kayla, Mike, T, Jas and I went out to dinner at the Sapphire Hotel, and probably more stuff that is elusive at the moment. Here are a few pictures of their trip.

While the Pennsylvania Habalars were here Niko tried his first solid food. He had some brown rice cereal. He loved it! Since then he has also tried applesauce and bananas. He seems to prefer the rice cereal. The applesauce makes his face pucker and the banana doesn’t impress him much. Maybe peas or sweet potatoes next? Here are a few recent pics of Niko:

Another BIG thing that has occurred since my last update is that I went back to work and Niko has started going to daycare. It was a sad day, the 7th of August, when Jason and I dropped off Niko at daycare. I cried and had to leave before Jason because it hurt my heart to leave him there. Everyday has gotten better since then. Jason drops off Niko in the mornings and I usually pick him up in the afternoons. He is happy, well taken care of, and seems to enjoy hanging out with the other children. I’m very thankful that he has taken so well to it. Eventually I think I would like to get him into a Waldorf inspired daycare in our neighborhood but for now where he is at is working.

Hmmm….I feel I may be missing other big news but cannot think of what. I will continue to update with more recent events and pictures. Until then—adios!

Withdrawal is likely

2007-08-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

I know I have been very bad about updating Niko’s blog lately—but I have a few excuses—guests in from out of town, going back to work, putting Niko in daycare, laundry…..But there is big news…….We have decided to quit t.v. As of Sunday our satellite and Tivo will be cut off. I’m hoping this means we will have more time to do things we enjoy—such as filling everyone in on what’s happening on Niko’s blog.

Stay tuned—more to come later.

Anniversary

2007-07-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was mine and Jason's 8th wedding anniversary. It was pretty low key which is how we roll. Auntie Fe came over and watched Niko and Jas and I went to Maiden in the Mist for a drink and dinner. This is the first time we left Niko with Auntie Fe. I knew they would do just great but we hurried home without lingering non the less. Niko was a perfect little fella for Fe. It's so nice having family close by that can watch him when we would like to take a break. Thanks Fe Fe Fang!

Tonight Jason's mom, dad, brother, sister in law and two nephews come into town. It should be a wild ride the next two weeks. This time is bittersweet for me because I've been looking forward to their visit but it also means that my time at home is drawing to a close. In less than two weeks I have to be back at work and Niko will be going into daycare. It's bumming me out and I know the first couple of days of dropping him off at daycare will break my heart.

If you don't see anything on the blog for a few weeks don't be alarmed--we will be busy with house guests, work and daily living!

Here are a few random pics to get you through :)

Recent Pictures for the Parents

2007-07-24T13:39:00.001-07:00

Here are some recent pics of Niko for all the family out there.

Wedding Bliss

2007-07-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

Saturday Jason, Niko and I attended Dawn and Doyle's wedding. It was held out at Pendarvis farm, the same place Nicki and Dan got married. The wedding was being held outside and the day was threatening rain. Thankfully the clouds never really let loose and the ceremony was mostly dry.

Dawn looked radiant in her gown coming down the aisle and Doyle was beaming seeing his bride coming towards him. Nicki was one of the bridesmaids and I didn't even recognize her coming down the aisle without her glasses and in full makeup. She looked lovely as well.

Doyle's grandmother read a blessing in her native tongue--I'm sorry I don't know what language it is--it's Native American and I have heard it pronounced several times but cannot remember it. It was very special.

The reception was very nice. The dinner was catered by friends from Dawn and Doyle's work-Whole Foods. It was wonderful. There was plenty of yummy food for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The cake was beautiful and tasty as well.

We knew quite a few people that attended the wedding. Trisha was there, Corrie and Matt, Nicki, Dan and Anna, Jim and many more. Trisha takes the prize for most fabulously dressed. Only she could pull off this class act ensemble:

The band that played at the reception was excellent and we all had fun dancing--especially the kids. Anna especially liked playing in the hula hoop while grooving to the tunes:

It was a fun night but I could tell it was starting to take it's toll on little Niko. With all the excitement he didn't have much time for a nap and he was starting to get glassy eyed. I decided to leave early and take him home and put him to bed. It was a nice end to a good day.

Congratulations Dawn and Doyle (and Kaiden too!)

Dawn and Doyle's Wedding

2007-07-23T13:15:00.001-07:00

Coming soon an update and pictures from Dawn and Doyle's happy day! Stay tuned.

More Country Fair Pictures!

2007-07-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Updates

2007-07-23T12:29:00.001-07:00

I've been a bad, bad Mommie and haven't updated this blog in quite some time. Luckily Dan has been kind enough to remind me everytime he sees me that he is waiting for my version of the Country Fair Weekend :)

So, here it goes. We headed down to Venita, OR on Thursday of last week to start our Country Fair experience. We were the first to arrive and immediately went about making sure Niko was comfortable. We put together the pack and play and let him play and look up at the trees while we put together the tent (the Erving Mansion) that they let us borrow. Later that evening Mike arrived and then Nicki, Dan, Anna, Trisha and even a little bit later Corrie and Matt arrived. It was a mellow night around the campfire. Niko and I went to bed early and I spent most of the night tossing and turning worrying if Niko was sleeping or if he was too cold. He slept great but I woke up in the morning not very rested.

The next day was Fair day! We had a very good breakfast and then set off for the Fair. We decided to set up our blanket at Chellow Mellow or Mellow Chella or whatever it's called this year instead of mainstage. We were hoping for more shade, less people and a little bit more chill time for the kids. I'm glad we did because it was the perfect spot for the wee ones to rest but the adults could also catch some entertainment on the nearby stage as well. We didn't move around too much but I made sure to hit all my favorite food spots before leaving the fair. I got my frozen banana with almonds--YUM!

We headed back to camp that night and quite a few more people showed up from Portland and Eugene. So many people that the next day we got a visit from the park ranger informing us that, "Things were going to change this evening!" We had a yummy dinner that evening and again I turned in early with Niko. This evening was a little more raucous with people sitting around the campfire and playing drums into the wee hours. Again I woke up not very well rested. Niko and Jason both woke up happy though and I got to catch up on some zzz's while they hung around the campfire.

Saturday was spent hanging out at the reservoir swimming, eating and having a good time. We had an awesome dinner that night provided by Abe, Vanessa and Jason H. There was some drama early on in the evening and Niko and I retreated to the tent to avoid getting tangled up in it.

Sunday we awoke and had another great meal and then started to pack up to make our way back to Portland. It's always very daunting to see the amount of stuff around the camp and to begin the big push to pack up.

All in all we had a good time and I have learned some stuff for next year. Jason is saving his hair net and practicing his, "Kiss my grits" line. Next year will be a little bit more organized and hopefully without drama. I love Country Fair weekend and hope the tradition will continue on better than ever. Both Jason and I would really like Niko to grow up in the tradition and have it be a collective memory for him, Skyler and Anna.

Here are some pictures of our time at fair:

It's official!

2007-07-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

Niko is turning over from his back to his stomach--regularly! I can't believe how fast Niko is learning to do things. He's only 4 months old and it seems like he is growing up way too fast!

We are dealing with hot, hot, hot weather here in Portland. Tomorrow it's supposed to get to 102 degrees and the weather isn't going to break until Friday. Country Fair may be very uncomfortable this year because of the heat--we will need to take extra precautions to keep lil Tater hydrated.

Here are some recent pictures of Niko--I will post more after Fair--there should be some good ones!

Here are more pics from the beach!

2007-07-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Beach Trip

2007-07-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

Niko, Jason and I headed down to Cannon Beach early Friday to attend our friend Carlo's wedding. It was raining buckets the entire ride there and when we reached the beach. We stopped at Bill's Tavern and had lunch and rushed to the hotel to get ready for the wedding. Miraculously an hour before the wedding the sky cleared and it turned into a beautiful day. The sky was bright blue and the air was warm. Lucky thing too since the wedding was being held outdoors! The ceremony was in a pretty little garden with the reception right after. Niko did wonderfully! He was chill the whole time.

After the wedding and ceremony we hurried back to the hotel and changed into warmer clothes. We wanted to get down to the beach before the sun completely set. We made it just as the last light of the day was leaving the sky. It was beautiful. We could of stayed longer but we thought it was about time to get the little guy to bed.

Sleeping overnight in the hotel was a little bit of a challenge. Niko was a little freaked out by the unfamiliar surroundings and woke up often. I didn't sleep very well knowing that he was waking up a lot. By the morning I was exhausted and needed a couple of hours of uninterrupted sleep. Jason got up around 7:00 and took Niko for a nice long walk-giving me plenty of time to rest. I love that man!

We had to be out of the hotel at 11:00 so we got to work packing up (which was a chore since we brought everything but the kitchen sink with us) and headed out to the Pig n' Blanket for breakfast. I forgot my diet during this trip and had eggs and pancakes. The pancakes tasted so amazing! YUM! After breakfast it was to the beach for us! We packed up little Niko in the Bjorn and headed for sun and sand. Niko did pretty good for about an hour and half and then he reached his limit. He needed to sleep. I think he really liked the ocean though. He stared and stared at it and it seemed to soothe him. He is a Pisces you know!

We finished the day by going to a small cafe and having a lovely sandwich. This is my favorite picture of Niko and Jason--The caption I would put under it is: "Jeez Dad, enough already I've heard this story a thousand times!".

We had a very nice trip to the beach and feel very lucky that it was so beautiful--it's the first time I've actually been to the Oregon Coast and had such nice weather. We headed home around 5:00 and put little Niko to bed around 8:00. The little guy crashed hard and is still sleeping this morning--(it's 10:30). We wore him out.

New trick

2007-06-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

It seems like Niko is learning something new each day. His new trick he has been working on is rolling from his back to his stomach. He has been practicing this for a couple of days now. I noticed it the other night when he was in his bassinet. He started straining to see over his right ear and the next thing I knew he had twisted most of his body onto his stomach. He still isn't able to kick over his legs yet but I'm sure that will be soon to follow. Here is a picture of him practicing on the floor.

I'm not sure what we are going to do today. I've already vacuumed, dusted and did laundry this morning and little Niko is taking a nap at the moment. We got up a little earlier than usual this morning. Niko was having quite the one sided conversation with himself.

Keri called this morning and invited us over to pick raspberries at her place. It sounds fun and yummy but I would like to have one day of not putting Niko in the car seat. So we might stick around here today and take care of some stuff. I think a walk is definitely in our future. It's absolutely gorgeous here today!

Mommie and Niko

Weekend

2007-06-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

We had a good weekend in the Habalar-Phillips household. Friday night was pretty chill. I put the whiper snapper to bed and Jason played a little poker. Saturday I slept in til about 10:00 and Jason got up early with Niko to hang out. Saturday and Sunday are my sleep in days. Jason gets up around 6:30 with Niko and gets things done around the house while he sleeps (he usually goes back to sleep soon after getting up in the mornings).

After getting up Saturday Niko and I went to help Auntie Fe with a fundraiser she was participating in for the Dove-Lewis Animal Hospital. Activspace, where her inventory for her business is located, organized an open house and silent auction for Dove-Lewis and Peaceful Valley Greetings had tables set up selling product. It was a pleasant day and Auntie Fe got some items sold. Niko enjoyed it as well--he grooved to the live band and also liked getting oohs and ahhs from the various ladies that came by Felicia's space.

Sunday I again slept in until 10:00 then got up and got myself ready for church. Daddy joined us this morning and he got busy getting Niko ready. Auntie Fe came by around 10:15 and we were off. We decided we would try putting Niko in the church daycare so we could enjoy the service uninterrupted. I had some seperation anxiety but finally was able to say goodbye and leave Niko with the capable people taking care of the infants. Within 4 minutes of sitting down for the service I saw our name appear up on the screen--we were being paged by the nursery. I headed downstairs in a hurry to find out what was going on--I heard Niko before I actually saw him--He was screaming! It really wasn't the nursery's fault. We tried feeding Niko before we left but he wasn't interested. Well his hunger must of kicked in because he wanted to eat and he was letting everyone know it! After calming him down and feeding him I left him with the folk in the nursery again and went upstairs to enjoy the last half of the service. When we went to pick up Niko after the service he was happy as a clam. So lesson learned: Always feed Niko before dropping him off at the nursery.

After church I rushed to a wedding shower at Nikki's house for our friend Dawn who is getting married to Doyle in July. It was a non baby event so Niko stayed home with Daddy. I had a great time with the ladies, eating yummy food, drinking good wine and hearing funny stories about Dawn and Doyle. We also played some games and gave some marriage advice--which was mostly pretty comical.

All in all it was a very nice, but busy weekend.

Mommie annd Niko

A day at the Mall

2007-06-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Niko and I had a busy day. We had an appt at 10:00 (man is it tough getting up and out the door at that time) to go visit the daycare at Providence Hospital. We had a nice tour and then left to hit the Mall--yes the Mall. We had an appt at 1:30 to pick up Niko's studio portraits. I thought I would walk around a bit and try to find some clothes that fit my funky figure that I have now. I dressed Niko in his cute little ducky outfit and he got a lot of attention from the ladies while we were shopping. He was talking up a storm--just jibber jabbering the whole time we were there. Check out how cute he is:

After picking up his portraits--which are adorable, we headed home for a nice nap. After catching up on some zzzz's it was time to start dinner. Niko and I made quinoa with Morningstar chicken and veggie shish kabobs on top--Daddy helped too!

We ate outside and then got everyone ready to head out to the ballpark for the Smokey Robots to kick some butt on the ball field. And that they did--the score was 16 to 2 when the game was called because we were so far head. YEA--our first real win of the season--what a doozy! Niko had fun hanging with Kayla and Emily during the game but woke up crying when Mommy cheered a little too loud :(

Niko and I woke this morning and got ready for another daycare tour. This one at the Y childcare facility. But before we left Niko got some tummy time on the floor with his Leap Frog toy which he really likes. He likes looking at himself in the mirror and talking along to the sing song parts. He isn't able to make the music and sounds work yet by himself but I can tell he is trying and putting together in his head what makes them work. He will put his hands over the paddles, which need to be pressed to hear the sounds, but he just doesn't have the strength yet to press them. He does try to drool on them but that doesn't quite work.

It's now nap time for Niko and free time for Momma.

We'll write again soon with our next adventure!

Daddy's Day

2007-06-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Jason's first Father's Day. Well, actually it was his first Father's weekend--he played poker with Steve on Friday night, played in a charity poker tournament on Saturday and on Sunday he played golf with the guys. Pretty nice huh?

Niko and I hung out together on Friday night. I put him to bed early and sat next to him and read a new mystery I picked up at the library. It was very pleasant. Saturday we hung out with Auntie Fe. We headed down to Saturday market and walked around and did some shopping. We both got these really great skirts made from recycled clothes. After that we had some lunch and went back to Fe's place for a movie and some popcorn. Afterwards we came home and congratulated Daddy on his 15th place showing in the poker tournie. Way to go Dad!

Yesterday was busy, busy, busy for Niko and I. Daddy left around 10:00 for golf and Niko and I got ready for church. Auntie Fe came over and we left for the 11:00 service. It was a nice Father's Day service. Niko and I hung out for most of the service in the Mother's room since he started getting fidgety and needed to go through his "routine" in order to fall asleep. I got to hear most of the service though on the t.v. in the room. Afterwards we headed home and prepared our shopping list for the market. We needed to pick up ingredients for the veggie shishkabobs we were making for the Father's Day BBQ at Keri and Steve's after golf. It was a little hectic getting the kabobs made and also taking care of Niko. It was probably poor planning on my part to agree to make such a labor intensive item for the BBQ.

After I arrived at the BBQ with the baby and the food I made a bee line to a glass of wine--it had been a long and tiring day. Unfortunately it had been a long and tiring day for Niko as well--with not many chances to nap--he started wailing. He was both hungry and tired. We fed him and fed him some more and tried to get him to fall asleep but alas he couldn't get his little eyes to fall--he had already reached the inconsolable stage.

It took me 2 hours to get him to sleep after we arrived home. The poor little guy was so tired. His first Father's Day was just a little too much excitement and not enough sleep. All in all though I think Daddy enjoyed himself and was appreciative of what me and the little guy did for him.

Today we are taking it easy. Niko slept in til 10:15 and then we got up and played for an hour. He is now in his swing taking a nap. I'm going to make sure he gets all his naps in today! Tomorrow we are off to visit another daycare. The time of going back to work is coming upon us quickly and we need to find a place that Niko will be well cared for.

I will write again soon I hope--Mommy and Niko.

I'm back!

2007-06-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've updated the blog. We have had some busy days the past couple of weeks.

It all started with me having a minor medical snafu that left me incapacitated for Memorial Weekend--not a fun weekend for me, Jason or Niko! Thank heavens Mom (Baja) arrived that weekend and was able to help out with Niko. I was unable to care for him but Jason and Baja did a wonderful job feeding him and loving on him until I was well again.

We had a great time visiting with Baja while she was here. Her and Niko have developed a special bond and he is already missing her. She left this morning to fly back to Minnesota and warm, sunny weather.

While she was here we took a trip with Daddy to Seaside. Jason worked for a few hours and me, Mom and Niko went to the boardwalk and walked around. As usual it was an overcast day at the Coast with no sun in sight. I rather enjoyed it though since it was hot and sunny in Portland and a little cool weather was a nice change. We finished the day with lunch at a little cafe and then headed back to Portland. All in all I think Niko rather enjoyed the beach. We will be heading back to the Coast later this month for a wedding so he will have more time to explore and get sand in his diaper:)

Baja spent a lot of time with Niko so Jason and I could get some special projects done around the house. One of these was picking out an outdoor dining set and bistro set for our backyard. We got a really nice set and spent a Saturday putting it all together. It looks fabulous and we have enjoyed a couple of times already. I especially like the bistro set we have for our back deck. Niko, Jason and I like to sit out there in the morning and have our coffee.
I was going to take a picture of the dining set and bistro set to put in this blog but it's raining out and the cushions are being stored so they don't get wet. So the pictures here are from Target's website--So no we haven't added a pool to our backyard! I will include pictures of the real thing with us enjoying it in future posts.

That night after putting our sets together Auntie Fe and the dogs came over for a night of smoring out at the fire pit. Baja had brought Smore fixings with her from Minnesota and Jason and I went to the natural food store and bought vegan marshmallows so we could participate as well. I know what your thinking--vegan marshmallows!--YUCK! But really, they weren't bad at all. They will definitely work whenever marshmallows are called for.

Baja and I took Niko for his 2 month check up while she was here. Niko now weighs 13lbs and is 25 inches long. When he was born he weighed 9 lbs 3 oz and his length was 22 inches. He is growing like a weed and is healthy. We are so fortunate!

This past week Niko had a very exciting day as Baja and I took him to have his very first portraits taken. He did so good! We got shots of him in several outfits and also in the buff. Of course I ended up spending way too much money on the prints but I'm ok with it since he will only be 11 weeks old once. We get the pictures back on June 19th and I will scan them in and post them here when I get a chance. They really are too adorable!

I also sneaked away this past week and got my hair cut. It was time to get it all chopped off. It hasn't been doing anything for me lately plus Niko has been enjoying tugging on it while he's nursing--which hurts! So, off I went to get my hair all cut off. I'm rather enjoying not fussing with it any longer. Shower time has also been cut in half without having to condition the heck out of it and dry it. Also I figure I'll save money on shampoo and conditioner since I'm using a fraction of the shampoo I used to use and no conditioner at all--I'm so darn thrifty aren't I?

Friday night Auntie Fe, Jason, Niko, Baja and I went to Assagio to celebrate Auntie Fe's birthday. We had a nice dinner and enjoyed each other's company. We had some nice wine, pasta and dessert. I went off my diet for the evening and thoroughly enjoyed myself! A good time was had by all:)

Yesterday Jason picked up our new dining room table and chairs from Dania and spent the good part of the day putting them together. It's so nice to have a nice set now and be able to enjoy meals at a proper table. We have spent too many meals in front of the t.v. and it's time we start having family meals together. I really like it and I think it looks good. We have such a weird area for a table--it's small and awkward--but I think the set looks pretty good with what we had to work with. We had our first dinner at the table last night with Auntie Fe and Baja. Salad and spaghetti--YUM!

Today we are heading out to a BBQ at Rez and Alina's house. It will probably be inside because the day is shaping up to be pretty rainy. Daddy has Niko in the Bjorn and is making a Foonie salad. I need to get this posted so I can get ready and get Niko bathed and dressed as well. Stay tuned for more updates and more pictures. Until then here are a few of the little one to hold you over!

Spring evening and baseball

2007-05-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight me and Auntie Fe are going out to see a baseball game. We will be having peanuts and cracker jacks and at least a few beers for me! I think the name of the team is the Beavers--they are not pro but the game is outside and we will be in an open air box--woo-hoo!

Jason will be spending the evening caring for Niko sans my help. I hope he is ready :)

I have not managed to do much today. I could of gone to the new mommie's group at Providence but didn't really feel like it. I'm feeling like a homebody today. It's actually supposed to be the last nice day until the rain comes so I should probably be spending it outside but I haven't made it out there yet either--unless you count standing on the porch with Niko for 2 minutes or getting the mail in.

Niko is sleeping in his swing again. Thank Heavens for that beautiful mechanical miracle. Without it there would be a lot of tears and a lot of undue stress. Also thanks go out to the rechargeable batteries which keeps our little miracle running.

Mommie

Crazy hair day!

2007-05-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'm having one heck of a crazy hair day--even so, I'm still completely adorable. Watch me while I do the robot :)

Niko

Time is flying by!

2007-05-17T11:31:00.000-07:00

We got a voice mail message from Jo and Barry yesterday and they were singing Happy Birthday. I couldn't figure out who the birthday wishes were supposed to be for-- I was going through in my mind Jason's birthday, my birthday and then it dawned on me that it was Niko's 2 month birthday. I couldn't believe it--has it really been two months since this little guy was born? I was pretty ashamed I didn't know it was his birthday but also sad because I realized how fast our time together is going by. Before I know it it will be August 3rd and I will have to go back to work. It will be tough to give the little guy to strangers to care for him. It doesn't seem "normal" or right for me to do this.

Niko is just now waking up from his nap. We have got him on a pretty good "schedule" of sleeping, eating, playing. This just gets repeated throughout the day until it's time for bed. It's pretty loose but it allows me to know if he gets fussy what he might be fussy about. If he gets fussy and we are playing then I usually know that he is tired and needs a nap. If he is fussy after waking up from a nap then I know it's time to feed him, etc... It also gives Niko a routine that he can depend on. When he goes to daycare I'm not sure how this is going to work. I need to start thinking about how to communicate his schedule and also figuring out how much and how often he should be eating at daycare. It's hard to articulate these things when it just "happens" at home.

Ok my little man is cooing. It's time to get him out of the swing and see if he's hungry!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2007-05-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

Niko and Mommy and I had a great Mother's Day today. Niko and I were up and out of the bedroom pretty early. This gives mommy a chance to sleep in on the weekends. He slept with me holding him in the Baby Bjorn and really seems to like it. We sat on the porch for an hour and talked with YaYa and Poppie. They had a great vacation to Key West and are now waiting for the post office to open up Monday so they can get the Niko Video we sent them for Mother's Day. We were also able to see the baby birds in the nest on the porch get fed by their parents. When mommy came down she saw the gift that Niko got for her and loved it. It is a happy garden gnome holding a lollipop and he is in the back yard. Niko wants to get his picture by it with mommy every Mother's Day to help keep track of how he grows. We agreed that is a great idea.

The morning slipped by pretty quickly and soon Kayla, Emily, Keri and Steve were here. We hung out for a bit and then hit the road for the Heathman Hotel. We met up with Kaiden, Dawn & Doyle as well as Anna, Nicki and Dan (of "three part harmony" fame) for the Sunday Mother's Day Brunch. It was a beautiful and delicious spread in a gorgeous setting with fabulous friends. We couldn't have asked for more (except Keri thought it was too expensive). Niko slept most of the time but did get up at the end of the meal to eat. He didn't want to be the only one left out. I am pretty sure that we all ate too much and alas we had to say "bye for now."

When we go home Ang, being the wonderful Mother and Wife that she is let me take a nap for a couple of hours while she and Niko hung out. Now Ang is relaxing with a book while Niko sleeps, Daddy types away and the garden gnome sits with his lollipop in his hand.

To all Mothers out there--I salute you--Thanks for all you have done, all you do and all you will do in the future.

Love, Daddy

busy bees

2007-05-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Niko and I have been busy this week. We decided to sleep in today. We didn't get up until 10:30. Nice, huh? I've got him in the Baby Bjorn right now and he is struggling to get out. Our friend loaned it to us and I love it! Niko seems to like it too but he is just antsy right now.

I will have to write more later--I need to entertain this little guy!

Mommie

Weekend

2007-05-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

We had a good weekend at the Haballips house. Saturday we went to Keri and Steve's for a Cinco de Mayo party to celebrate Keri, Jason and Tricia's birthdays. We had some really awesome food and got to visit with friends. Tracy was there with baby Skylar and we were able to compare baby notes. It's nice to have a friend also experiencing motherhood for the first time.

Sunday we hung around the house and did some cleaning, gardening and relaxing.

Niko did really well going to bed Friday, Saturday and Sunday. He is starting to get the hang of the sleep thing.

I missed his tired signs this afternoon and totally paid the price: Major Meltdown! He got overtired and just bawled and bawled. Finally I got him quieted and put him in the swing on high--he fell asleep about 20 minutes ago. I feel so bad for not getting him to sleep earlier. It was so obvious that he was over stimulated and tired. I guess it was a good learning mistake-- I will try not to let that happen again.

It's beautiful here in Portland today (and not to jinx it but I hear it's supposed to be nice all week!) Niko and I went for a walk earlier today and I was sweating my toosh off. I came back and put on shorts and a tank top. Little Niko got changed into a duckie onesie which he has been in all day. I'm loving the nice weather. Hopefully it is here to stay!

I'm going to sign off now. Jason just came in from the hot tub and now it's my turn while Niko sleeps.

Lovely Friday!

2007-05-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Well Friday was a great day for Niko and I. We got up around 8:00 and started getting ready to go to the Providence New Mommy group. It didn't start until 10:30 but I wanted to make sure we could get out of the house on time. I got Niko all ready and then put him in front of the bathroom door in his car seat so I could take my shower while still watching him :) I'm learning a few tricks so I can still find time to take a shower every other day!

Both Niko and I really enjoyed the New Mommies group. It's two hours long and yesterday there was about 20-25 women and their babies. We sat around in large circle and the facilitator brought up discussions and everyone chimed in with questions or comments. We talked about co-sleeping, pacifiers, breast feeding, bottle feeding, lovies, lots of stuff. It was really interesting and I met some nice ladies and their little ones. Niko was really good the whole time, he stayed awake most of the time but the couple of times he tried to nod off other babies squeals promptly woke him up with a start! He had some pretty loud gassy noises too which was pretty funny to the Moms around me. I was getting nervous I might run out of diapers as I had to change his diaper three times within a 30 minute period!

After the group we came home and had a nap together. Then at 4:30 I went to get a massage with Marika. That was so nice. It was the first one I've had since giving birth. It was very relaxing and I look forward to the next one. It's such a nice treat to give myself. I would like to start giving Niko some baby massage before bed each night. A mother at the group meet up said she does this and it just relaxes her little girl and makes her content. I have a couple of books that have baby massage in them I just need to find some time to read up on it.

After the massage I came home and Auntie Fe came over with a bottle of wine to share with us later in the hot tub. She wanted to get a massage as well but couldn't find a place to get in so the hot tub became the next best option. Before the hot tub we went out to eat at Kinta which is a really good Asian restaurant where you choose which veggies you want to go into your meal. I really enjoyed it and we'll definitely go back. Felicia had a really yummy drink called a Pink Tiger. I've got to find a recipe for that on the Internet because it would be a perfect concoction for this summer out on the back porch.

We came home from dinner and got into our swim suits. Niko was parked in his stroller by the hot tub and we all jumped in. I was in for about ten minutes and a half glass of wine when Niko woke up and was hungry. Ahhh....duty called and I had to get out.

We had a very nice day and night together and we called it a day. Niko went to bed like a perfect angel. He was asleep in 5 minutes and didn't wake until 2:30 for a feeding. It was wonderful.

Well I see my laptop battery is getting low so I better wrap this up. I will write more later.

Mommy

Rough Night

2007-05-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I admit I was pretty full of myself yesterday--getting Niko to take two naps in his crib. I was so proud of myself for recognizing the tired signs and getting him off to sleepyland. I was equally puffed up about getting him to sleep in his bassinet at 9:40 last night with no problem. He looked like a little angel in there sucking away on his little pacifier. Unfortunately at 10:15 all hell broke loose! I tried to get him back to sleep from 10:15 to 12:00 with no success. I didn't want to resort to the old "props" of having him fall asleep on my chest, or jostling him to sleep but finally at Midnight I gave him over to Jason ready for anything that worked.

Jas stayed up with him until about 1:30 and got him to finally go to sleep. I didn't talk to him about it yet today but I think he fed him and rocked him in the glider for most of that time. I was relieved to get some sleep. I was up early with Niko yesterday and didn't have a nap. I was ready to rest so it was great that Jason took Niko last night. I guess it just goes to show that Niko is still boss around here!

This morning Jason's alarm clock was going off every 10 minutes and he kept on hitting the snooze button. Niko started to cry because he was waking up and wanted to be fed. I started laughing when I saw Jason roll over and hit the snooze button when he heard Niko crying--the alarm wasn't going off--he was just trying to snooze Niko!

Niko is asleep in his swing right now. He only stays up for maybe 30 mins to an hour after getting up in the morning--then it's back to sleep for a couple of hours. I've got to get this "schedule" thing figured out before going back to work at the beginning of August. He needs to go to bed earlier and get up earlier. Of course he's only 6 weeks old so I'll cut him some slack for now!

I think we might try and get out of the house this afternoon. It's not exactly nice out but it hasn't rained in an hour or two so I'm holding out hope.

Mommy

Tuesday

2007-05-02T12:24:00.000-07:00

About an hour a go I had Niko all fed, diapered, changed, had my stuff together and was just about to put him in his stroller when it started to pour outside. Not only did it start to pour but it also began hailing--and lots of it! Oh well, I guess the errands will have to wait. Niko is now in his swing taking a nap.

I was so proud of myself today because I got Niko to take a nap in his crib. I was able to get a shower in and also do a few chores before he woke up! I'm reading a book called "The Baby Whisperer" (a cheesy name I know). It gives some good advice for establishing good sleep habits in babies. By the way allowing Niko to fall asleep in the swing is not a good sleep habit :) I guess the swing acts as a prop and he may become too reliant on it in order to fall asleep. The same goes for holding him until he falls asleep or rocking/swaying him to sleep, nursing him until he falls asleep etc.... All of this, according to the book, makes him reliant on outside things to help him fall asleep. The book suggests looking for his cues that he is getting tired. When I see him yawn that's my cue to start the nap/bed time ritual. This entails taking him up to the crib, talking to him quietly, lowering the shades, spending a few moments with him cuddling and then watching for the additional sleepy time cues. Stage 2: Staring off into space for minutes at a time. Stage 3: Eyes lowering and then popping open again (will happen 3-4 times before he finally drifts off). The "baby whisperer" says to put the baby in the crib during stage 3. If he wakes and fusses or cries then reassure him with pats and sh, sh, sh sounds. She doesn't advocate letting a child cry himself to sleep though--which is good because I don't believe in that either.

It all sounds very reasonable so I'm trying to incorporate what makes sense to me into our routine. She also suggests an E.A.S.Y schedule for the day. This means Eating, Activity, Sleep and You time. I'm giving this a whirl too. It's supposed to help Niko by providing stability and predictability while still allowing flexibility. So far today it's allowed me to get a shower in--which means it's working in my book!

Yesterday Niko and I had a busy indoor day together. I did a lot of stuff around the house such as laundry, dust, vacuum, etc....Niko was busy staring at the walls, cooing and swinging. We make a pretty good duo. Jas had to work late so he didn't a whole lot of play time with Niko. He has been teaching Niko how to roll over from his stomach to his back. He can't yet do it on his own but he is trying and getting very close.

I just looked outside and it's raining again. I guess our walk is definitely out for the day. I could go to a mall or something and walk around with Niko in the stroller but I'm pretty content on getting some stuff done here. If this weather lasts for much longer though I'm going to start getting cabin fever.

Mommy

Monday Sauvie Island Adventure

2007-05-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Monday Auntie Fe, Jason, me and Niko took a trip to Sauvie's Island. We went to some of the wildlife areas and saw a bald eagle, osprey, wood ducks, purple martins and blue herons. We also found the beaches--which I never knew where they were. We also found the clothing optional beach but alas it was too cold to take a dip! :)

We took Niko for a walk along the beach but he pretty much slept the whole way. We were pretty tired after leaving Sauvies but were very hungry. We went up to Mississippi Pizza Pub and had pizza. Jason and I ordered a roasted garlic and pine nut pizza and it was very tasty. I realized after my third piece that little Niko might not appreciate my fondness for garlic though! I guess we'll find out when he gets fed today.

Niko is sleeping in the swing now with Love me Tender playing--kind of an odd song for a baby swing isn't it?

Auntie Fe bought us a G diaper starter kit yesterday. I put the first one on Niko today. We'll see how it stands up. It can't be any worse than some of the blow outs we've had with the cloth diapers. The diaper covers are adorable--I hope they work out. We might have to discontinue the cloth diaper service in the near future as most day care facilities won't deal with them. Also I don't know how much better it is for the environment if we continually have to be doing laundry to clean the diaper covers when they leak. Using cloth diapers might actually be using more natural resources than disposals at this point. What to do, what to do.

Mommie

Sunday Moring Ritual

2007-04-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

I used to take a walk most every Sunday morning. I would call YaYa and Poppie and Grammy Cookie and Uncle Mike and Aunt Tushanna and catch up. Soon Niko and I will get into the walking thing, but for now I am just taking him out of the bedroom early in the AM to give mommy a chance to sleep uninterrupted for a few hours. This morning we shared in a couple of diaper changes, a nice nap in the baby sling, a bottle of breast milk (I didn't have any) and we did get to talk to Grammy Cookie and Uncle Mike and Cousin Port. Now Niko sleeps as daddy pays the bills. This is a good ritual. Mommy gets her sleep. Daddy gets some chores done. Niko gets whatever he wants!! For now anyways.

Daddy

Saturday morning

2007-04-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday morning and we had a good night with Niko. We got home from having dinner and beers with Sarah and Drew at Bagdad and fed, diapered and bathed little Niko. He really is starting to enjoy his baths I believe. We got through this one with only a little bit of wimpering when he first got wet. We got him in his basinett and sleeping by 10:30--which is good because both me and Daddy were very tired. He woke up once at 3:00 to eat but other than that he let us sleep until around 7:00. I had to bring him in to bed with me at that time because he was grunting so much I couldn't go back to sleep. He has been grunting a lot lately when I put him in his bed after a feeding. He keeps himself awake and can't seem to get back to sleep. I thought at first he was just straining to make a poop but he does it so often now I don't think that's it. He doesn't do it when his lying next to me or on my stomach in bed. He must just want to be next to Mommie and this is the only way he knows how to say it :)

Jason is got Niko in the sling now walking around the house doing various tasks. Niko seems to like it this morning. He will probably be swayed back to sleep--even though he just woke up about 20 minutes ago from a nap in the swing. Ahh....what a life!!!

Mommy

Friday afternoon

2007-04-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

Daddy is home from work and we are sitting on the front porch on the slider with Niko. We are thinking about going down to the Bagdad for a beer. We called to see if Sarah, Drew and Maggie want to join us--haven't heard back from them yet.

We are hoping for good weather this weekend--it would be nice to spend a lot of time outside. We haven't exactly been sequestered inside but the weather hasn't really encouraged us to spend a lot of time outside either.

Nikki mentioned the other night how nice it was to have a Spring baby instead of having a newborn in the middle of the rainy Winter season. After thinking about it for a sec I have to totally agree. It would be very hard to have a new baby and be stuck inside most of the time because of the rain and darkness.

Hooray for Spring (but boo for weeds--which are plentiful in my yard right now!)

Mommy

Old Man Head

2007-04-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

6 weeks has really taken its toll on poor old Dad.

Daddy

Niko's New Blog

2007-04-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and Jo left last night to fly back home to Barry in Pennsylvania. I'm extremely sad to see her leave. She has been a tremendous help and I'm going to miss her daily company. I'm feeling a little blue today due to her departure as well as the anniversary of my Dad's death coming up. But I do have a beautiful baby to spend time with and talk to...if he would just wake up! Niko has been asleep in his swing since about 9:00 this morning and it's going on 11:45. I would like to take him outside so I could do some gardening but I'm afraid of disrupting his sleep--I don't want to tick him off!

Mommy