Dads 60th!

Two weeks ago we celebrated Dads 60th in Bmore. It was a show! We had a blast all the old gang came back and some of the new in good 'ol Bawlmer hon. The boys had way too much fun and Dad was thrillled. The party included an amazing cake from the secret baker over at Wegmans, a life-size 'bizarro-Dad' and chocolate on faces. Some pix to prove it.

By the way, Sean is 11 months today!!!!!!

Swimming!

Swim class started last week for us, some pix... video coming of today's. Sean is a water baby :)

8 months, already?

It's just insane how much time flies. I can't believe my little bitty baby is already a whopping 22lb. 8 month old -- BOY! (Ugh my back is killing me…)

In the past few months he's really changed so dramatically. He's saying "Baba" and “Mahmah” which is Daddy in Turkish, so we're assuming that's what that means. :) And the famous "Mah-mah".

He grabs toys and brings them (heh) to his mouth, little teeth seem to be on their way but nothing major is quite yet popping out. All the signs are there, the runny nose, the nighttime wake-ups, the entire hand in mouth. Unfortunately, he hates anything cold in his mouth, so the cute teething rings sort of defeat their purpose with us. AND the grunting has been going on—I know its him trying to communicate, but it’s not funny, its horrible! The loud, feed-me-faster semi-fit grunting. He’s pretty strong-willed, could be a problem later?

He’s so aware now of his surroundings, it’s scary how fast this happened. He knows when Mommy and Daddy are both coming home and when they leave in the morning (wahh, still hard for me, in fact, just recently god harder—it sucks!) He clings to me like a monkey now, it’s so cute but I’m a little afraid he’s going through a sort-of needy phase, hates to be left on his own or too long. I’m not sure what’s causing this, it’s cute but also a little difficult when you’re at home. He literally hangs on to the side of his crib from the floor  and can pick himself up off the floor by doing a pseudo-pull up. He’s strong!

Sean is quite active, oh my. He’s started throwing things from his high-chair, very fun. Loves reading books, as seen below... loves riding his train and horsey (from Gigi and Pop-Pop). Still needs a little help getting on and getting pushed but cracks up doing it. He's really developing into a very charming little man. Easily amused, thank god. He’s in love with his penguin which when treated like a punching bag, he just looses it, cracks up and can’t stop laughing—I love watching him.

It’s hard being a working mom BTW! Sometimes I can’t stand leaving him and other days I can’t imagine not doing what Iove. It’s so hard, but I know so many are dealing with this—so I’m not alone. Oh and STILL trying to get this work/baby/life schedule thing all figured out without feeling like a chicken with my head cut off. Someday… ok, maybe never.

6 months this Friday!

Today we are 97th percentile for weight, so we need to keep watching our foodies! :) More tummy time, doctors orders--but aren't we cute? We love eating and everyone is helping me not each too much. I can almost pull myself up now and try to stand. I love laughing and making funny faces. I haven't quite figured out this bouncer, but we're on our way! I still love to read and just started picking things up and putting them in my mouth--but with both hands, yay!  PS - I have insane focus and still maintain my vulcan grip :).

Then.. some photos from our first day with snow! 

Playing with Miss Olivia!

First T-Day 2009

(Thanks for the pix everyone!)

Back up to Bmore for a family Thanksgiving. It was so fun to watch Sean interacting with his cousin Jake and all of the family. Even at 5 1/2 months I can see him watch Jake and begin to imitate. We had a blast.

He's still quite the novice on the jumper, but its cute to watch him hang there and look at everyone. Little by little he'll figure it out. He jumps like crazy in the exersaucer and I'm already seeing some serious muscles in those little thighs, serious thighs of steel. I am so glad we bought this jumper he loves it, he's figuring it out little by little - Evenflo, Jump 'N Go (great for traveling!)

Happy Birthday Mom!

It's true. On days like today is when we miss you most Mom.

Sean is doing a whole list of new things. He's just starting to really sit-up by himself. He falls over, but he tries. He's on whole solid foods now and eats a small solid with his bottle at breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner with us in his big boy baby chair. :) His fingers are constantly in his mouth so little hands are always being washed. He loves sitting in his bouncer and on the couch propped up (of course, hates lying down) holding a book and staring at it for, minutes. :) My only fear has been little itty baby paper cuts, but thankfully we have soft books too. His little giggles have become more playful and goes into fits of laughter usually around dinner time when we see him in the evening. He knows when Daddy (or Baba) is coming home b/c he clearly looks at the door in anticipation--this I'm sure of now. The other day it was so funny, I looked down at him and he had one eyebrow raised. I said to him, how did you figure out how to do that? But he had and it was adorable--I wanted to share it with you so much. I thought of you so much last night in anticipation of today, so I just held Sean close and had some quiet time with him thinking of you.

Happy Birthday Mom, love ya--miss you!
Love, Nikki

Getting Bored! At 5 months?!?!?

Shopping for baby toys is fun, especially when you bring your child to the flu invested Toys R Us. :) So in my effort to try to remember all the details of Sean, well as much as I can blog about.... here's another.

Last week I brought Sean over to get a few presents for other little friends and for the first time I think he recognized not where he was, but what he was surrounded by. It was adorable, aside from the coughing kids running past. I was also on the hunt for anything new for little man. I gave him a little book to look at and he played with it the entire time, yep, I had to buy it. :) He loves it a book that sings some of the most common nursery rhymes, he likes to just keep turning the pages for now, but he seems really into it. At some point, he'll remember the words, right? :)

So Sean... at 5 months... gets bored. I never thought a 5 month old would get bored but he does. I've seen him give a few deep sighs and its clear he gets bored. He smiles after when you smile at him, but yes he gets bored. He'll give us the loud grunting, back arched pick me up noises if it gets bad--which does  happen.

I was on the hunt for a few things, including something to help him when he doing tummy time, which he needs more of. He can hold his head up and is beginning to start to sit on his own. If you say "Up, up, up" he knows what's going on and gets all excited. Sits up, then falls over, but it's so cute. He hates lying on his back, hates it doesn't want to be put on his back not even for a change-unless he's being entertained. :) He has definitely passed the 'I can just sit and smile' phase and now holds toys with both hands, examining everything. Toys have been thrown, he's figuring things out pretty quick.

One little toy, thanks Aunt Jo, which has been a huge saving grace at dinner, while he's doing tummy time, while he's getting changed has been this bad boy--he loves it. The Fisher Price Snail. I picked up this little snake thing, from amazon, which has been the new toy to examine while he's doing tummy time. Lamaze makes it. We're also at the mouth stage too. Everything goes in, almost everything. He takes the worm and sits on it, examines it, shakes it, eats it. It's hilarious.

Finally Momma cracked and bought the one item everyone seems to brag about, the Sophie the Giraffe teething doll. It's essentially a dog-like squeezy toy (which does not taste good, so wash it often) but he loves it. Teething may have begun, it's hard to tell. Everyone just says 'oh yeah he's teething' when they see the fist in mouth and the drool--who knows. But this little guy has come in real handy, takes it everywhere.

On of the biggest most helpful toys, is this one--the Bright Starts Hop Along Carrier Toy Bar. That's a mouthful. He has yet to get tired of it and it's always there to play with in his carseat. My only concern, is at night when he's in the car the lights that light up are really close to his face when they flash I wonder how good that is... but he loves it. Those are just some of the things he loves! Other Sean updates--officially can't stand his paci, doesn't even want it at bedtime unless he's overly tired. Eats rice cereal like its his job 2-3 times a day mixed with a variety of things we've tried. Aunt Jo made a good recommendation, so I bought two sweet potatoes, made a puree and stuck it in some Tupperware and its lasted the week so far. Loves them.