Christmas in photos

We've been having a fabulous holiday. It's been really fun, and here are some photos to sum it up...
N and I went outside during the "snowstorm" and tried to take a picture with all the flakes. Unfortunately all you can take away from this is that it was windy and cold. No visible snow. I promise it was falling. Nothing like Colorado, but hey, this is Dallas. Snow is snow.

Here we are Christmas morning in our Christmas pjs. E felt like this was a tad on the ridiculous side, but at some point we'll have this picture as ammo. Plus, look how cute we are all Christmas-ed up.

Here's N after all the present opening. I mostly love this picture because his eyes are just so dang blue.

After all was said and done, he tended to play with the toys he already had more than anything else. Here he is chewing on something he's had since before he was born. I wish I would have known - we could have wrapped things from around the house! Just kidding...

He did get a new ride on toy that he likes a lot. He doesn't understand how to work it yet, but he really likes sitting on it.

"Whaddya mean I'm going too fast, Dad?"

N preparing for New Year's Eve. He's ready to party!

This is E's favorite picture from the season. See Zoee hiding behind the ottoman? See N, trying to blend in with his camo pants? I think they're practicing for some kind of black op.

Happy New Year everyone!

An experiment

Yesterday for dinner N had oatmeal with pear and pineapple, green beans, and water. (Plus a bottle - don't freak out baby feeding Nazis. He just gets his bottle after all his solids are done. During dinner he drinks water from a sippy cup.) He ate everything and seemed to enjoy all of it.

Why is this important?

Today for dinner N had oatmeal with mango, green beans, and water. (Again, plus the bottle.) He did not, however, eat and enjoy everything. Yesterday, every bite was followed by a smile, a coo, or some sort of baby babble. It didn't matter. Whatever we stuck in there was perfectly delicious.

Today, not so much. Oatmeal with mango - totally delicious. Green beans - like acid. His response to green beans - Geez, are we trying to kill me or something? What's with the putting deadly things in my mouth like that? Can't you see I'm going to die if you feed me one more bite of the deadly green beans?

Only in baby land this translates to hysterical crying. I seriously thought he was in some kind of dire pain for the first five minutes of dinner until E realized what was going on. We tried an experiment after getting the little guy to chill out for a second.

We alternated bites of cereal and bites of green beans in varying orders and sequences. He quite certainly melted into hysterics with each bite of green beans, and was totally fine with everything else we offered him.

This may all be normal. Some kids don't like green beans. The real question is why he loved them yesterday?

The kid's fickle.

Christmas in Fairfield

I'll admit that I've been a delinquent blogger lately, but I've got a good excuse. It's the holidays. I'm preoccupied. But we are having fun and here's a photographic montage of our last week or so...

N and C playing friendly together. They're sharing toys in front of the Christmas trees. Basic skills already!

Look at his amazing blue eyes!

Here are N and C hanging out in their MamaQ's lap. They really do seem to like each other a lot.

Look at those smiles. Someone was making them laugh.

Here are N and I opening presents. He didn't really know what to make of all of this, but he did like the new toys.

Here he is ripping (ha!) into a package. He did pretty well, despite needing assistance with the whole process.

Perhaps his favorite new toy is the classic stacking rings. If I knew he was going to love something that cost $5 and didn't light up or make any noise I could have saved a lot of money. E pointed out that these toys must be classics for a reason.

Here is E hanging out with N playing with the rings. He is really a big fan.

Finally, N has started eating teething biscuits as of late. Zoee is extremely jealous of his getting biscuits and not her. Here they are staring each other down. Eventually N gave the leftover cookie to Zoee, but not before dissolving most of in his mouth and getting it most everywhere. Good times had by all.

School picture day

As I have been the subject of countless horrible school photos (fourth grade, I never want to see you again, same for you seventh), I was very happy to find that my son hasn't carried this gene on. He's apparently an amazing photo subject. Simply pull out the camera and he's posing with a magazine-worthy smile. That whole baby model deal is sounding better and better...

Because he's my kiddo and because I can, I purchased the picture package sold at his school. (They've got a curriculum, even if the most advanced parts of it include learning to sit up on your own and having someone help you smear paint on paper.) The picture package included digital prints, so I'm showing them off to the world. Here's my handsome little man.

It's Christmastime now!

We just finished a fantastic Thanksgiving week down in Houston with the family. We had a wonderful time with everyone, but after we got home we realized that all of the Thanksgiving pictures aren't on our camera. I'll post some of those whenever I can convince someone to send me some. In lieu of those pictures, here are some of my family preparing for Christmas.

N LOVES our Christmas tree. He's a wonderful Santa, but it's hard to get him to pay attention.

N loves hanging out in E's chair with him. Here they are chilling out.

When he can hang out in the buff he tries to. He's not just pulling socks these days - he tries to take it all off. I'm concerned I've got a streaker on my hands. A naked baby at the very least.

Here's our tree. It's all set up at the bottom of our stairs. I think it looks pretty good for a first iteration. Special thanks go to J for helping me pick out ornaments.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Six months!

How is N six months old already? Check out his latest moves... He's a sitter now! (And apparently really happy about it. Disco moves.)
Sometimes I think he's shocked that he's capable of doing this.

To celebrate his six month birthday, he went to bed as usual and E and I shared a glass of wine. (With baby monitor.)

He's also starting to learn the sippy cup procedure. He's terrifically bad at it, but he likes to play with the cup nonetheless. He gets some out of it - but he's not overly thrilled with the juice/water mixture. (3/4 water, 1/4 juice - we call it wuice.) I figure he'll get into it as he gets better with the cup.

Last, Promised Land Dairy has released their holiday flavors. I've never tasted milk so fantastic. It's like a milkshake, but it's 2%! On top of that - cinnamon vanilla! Come on, it's like heaven.

Can I get a witness?

911 operator: 911, what is your emergency?

Me: Um, I just witnessed a car accident. On Forest Lane near Garland High School.

911 operator: Were you in the accident, ma'am?

Me: Er, no. I just saw this one car change lanes into this other car. Do I need to go back? I left the scene.

911 operator: No ma'am. It would be helpful if you could tell me what happened though.

Me: Well, the tan car swerved into the black SUV. You're sure I don't have to go back or something? I don't really want to - I'm running late.

911 operator: No, really, you're fine. Just give me your name and telephone number so the insurance companies can contact you if necessary.

Me: Okay. Here they are. And really, I'm not going to get a ticket or something?

911 operator: You're sure you weren't actually IN the accident?

Me: Oh yes, I just saw the whole thing.

911 operator: You're fine. Really. Thanks for calling.

Me: Right. Uh, yeah. No problem.

Baby bellies - a new delicacy

I've recently found the best way to make N laugh. It requires chowing down on his belly, but he LOOOVES it. See the above.

Things I never expected to do

Last week I had to head to DC for work. It was the first time I'd left N at home overnight without me. I was terrified. I think the whole thing was much more traumatic for me than for E or N. Or Zoee, for that matter. How could my little man really survive without me for a week? Seriously? He doesn't need me overnight?

E pointed out that he sleeps overnight. Really. For like 10-11 hours. (I know, we're super lucky.) I guess he really doesn't need me to sit around waiting for him to wake up, so really the worry was unmerited. He didn't forget me either and E had a good time with all the male bonding. It was good for all of us.

What I never expected to do was flash pictures of my child at random strangers. I was sitting at the Jet Rock cafe in terminal C of Washington Reagan airport when the woman next to me asked how my burger was. I told her it was tasty, and the next thing I knew she and I were commiserating over a beer about our children, breastfeeding on business travel, and how weird it is to be able to just sit and have a meal without any demands on you, even if it is in the airport terminal. By the time we finished our burgers I knew that her name was Pam, she had two kiddos, she worked construction, and she was from Pueblo, CO. She had seen six pictures of N, learned about my plans for breastfeeding, and knew that my husband was doing a great job with our kiddo.

It was a little weird, but at least it took my mind off the torturous hours until I could actually get home. And hey, if I ever make it to Pueblo I know I could look her up and get shown around.

Super Sick

This is E. I just wanted to put a non cute post up because ... well because I can. Clostridium Perfringens, A.K.A the "Buffet Germ." It struck A and me. Friday evening and let me tell you that food poisoning is something horrible. I haven't been that sick since I was 10. If I had to equate this to a similar feeling it was like I went out and drank heavily for 5 days straight but didn't get to have any of the fun and all of the bad after effects happened over the coarse of 6 hours. The next morning felt a lot like the scenario I just described as well, but that's getting me too far out of my timeline.

A and I had a nice date on Friday. I had been working a lot and finally had caught a break in my schedule. Besides, who wouldn't want to go out and have lunch with a beautiful woman while our childcare needs were being taken care of by paid professionals? So out to lunch and around town we went. 6 PM came around and I had to lie down while A took care of feeding N. 8 PM came around and I had to go talk to the comode. A was feeling pretty good at around 7:45 and decided to have a turkey sandwhich; the smell of said sandwhich drove my stomach over the brink.

My sweet, sweet wife was trying to take care of me, but I thought I had the flu or something contagious so I kept shooing her away so that there would be one unsick adult capable of taking care of Mr. N. 9 PM rolled around and A found out that a turkey sandwhich wasn't such a good idea. We were a sad and pathetic couple. Luckily we have 2 bathrooms on the first floor of our house. This was very fortunate indeed. At around 2 AM we both started feeling better. By better I mean we were all out of fluids to expel and no longer felt like we had to do a 5 yard dash to the bathroom every 30 minutes. If the 3 AM mark had rolled around I think I would have had to play the "Grandma come get my baby because I'm too sick to change a diaper let alone hold my head up for 15 seconds" trump card. But no such card play was needed.

N was fine and not traumatized by our neglect in any fashion. He slept like a baby throughout our entire episode. A and I managed to keep our sense of humor through the night as well. Several jokes were made and we even had a "Whose trip to the bathroom was the worst" contest at one point. The judges declared it a tie.

The next day was Halloween and Nonna, Pops, and Gigi came to see N in his outfit. We pawned off as much N duty as possible on them. They were happy to do it and we were happy to allow them the opportunity.

Besides the grandparents taking care of N the next day, I have to say the next best thing to have happen is that our diets are going AWESOME. I lost like 5 pounds in one day!!!

N's first Halloween

This weekend we celebrated Halloween with the family. Pops and Gigi came up and Nonna came down. We all had a good time - especially N. He LOVES flirting with people, so getting out and having a ton of people ooh and ahh over his cute monkey suit was right up his alley. Here he is at Rockwall's Scare on the Square grinning his little head off.
There's only so much he can handle before he needs a nap though. He took a break from trick or treating for a little nap.

We had a good time. It was great to see the parents and N loved all the attention. Successful first Halloween!

Too cute for words

Just couldn't resist... The cutest thing ever. To date anyway.

N buffs up

It's been getting chilly in the Big D lately, and we weren't entirely prepared. We didn't have an appropriate hat for N - so he borrowed one of E's for a while.
Needless to say, it was a tad on the large size.

We purchased him a hat of his own, which I totally think is way cuter. Maybe overkill, given it's whole deerstalker ear flap formation, but I couldn't pass up the super cute pompom on the top. I think he's annoyed with the whole thing, but he's learning to love it.

Finally, he's been training for all the running he plans on doing soon in his jumparoo. He LOVES the jumparoo. Who knew? The best part of the video is the last five seconds or so. He REALLY gets into it.

Rolling prowess

Here's proof that N can go from his back to his belly and then from his belly to his back all on his own. It takes a bit because he kept flirting with the camera and not focusing on what he was doing. He does it though - good work N!

Dear BOA

Dear Bank of America,

When a retailer reports that they've had hundreds of credit card numbers stolen and that mine is among them, I appreciate your proactive measures to prevent it's misuse. Specifically preventing anyone else from using it. But not EVERYONE from using it. Namely me. I need to use it.

Or at the very least tell me you're cancelling it and that my new cards are on the way. Don't let me go to the SuperTarget with my napping baby to buy groceries/diapers/toliet paper for the first time in four weeks, spend an hour wandering around picking up everything we need (and a good amount we don't need) and then trying to use my card (which you have thoughtfully cancelled for me) and having it be declined. Should SuperTarget hold on to all of my things? I have no idea why you won't let me use my card, BOA. I leave, without any of the numerous things I need (and don't need). And now my baby is awake too. How I am supposed to go back and get all of those things now, BOA?

I appreciate your fruad department making me wait 30 minutes to talk to them (32 minutes, to be exact, according to my cell phone) before you tell me how helpful you've been. But honestly, couldn't you have called? Emailed? Posted it on my online statement so when I paid my card off yesterday (before I went shopping, may I point out) I could have known it was cancelled?

BOA, you've been wonderful to us most all the time. I just really was pretty embarrassed telling the Target checkout lady that, no, I didn't happen to have another card on me. I've got a diaper and some wipes, does that help? A change of clothes for a 5 month old? Maybe my driver's license? I've got a diaper bag and two cards lady! (In retrospect, this was maybe poor planning on my part, but I honestly didn't think I needed anything else.) I hope we can be friends again soon. And thanks for letting me use my card until the new ones get here. It means my baby doesn't have to go around sans diaper for the next three days. Now I just have to wait until afternoon nap time to try and venture out again. Should I go back to the same Target? At least I know where everything I want is located.

Love,
me

There's a reason...

There's a reason that God made there be two parents and one baby... This is hard work for just one parent.

Both N and I will be happy when E gets back from his "business" trip in Anaheim. Sure, business. I'm guessing he's out riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain.

Okay, he's actually out there presenting all sorts of scientific and inspirational stuff. He's brilliant and sharing that with all kinds of people. And not really going to Disneyland. But I totally would if I were out there with him. Man, it would be great to go to Disneyland, especially now that we've got a son to justify doing some of the things that are considered "just for kids".

Come home E, we miss you!

N gets a boost

N is getting more and more interactive. His five month birthday was yesterday, and in honor of that, here are some pictures of him. He's super duper handsome. Just look at those baby blues. I think they're defintely going to stay blue. I've swooned a little just now. Good thing I'm already married. Well, and we're related, so I'm pretty sure that's illegal and all. All I'm saying is he's handsome. Geez.
He's started making this new face - all the time. I don't know if his bottom lip is especially tasty or something, but he tastes it all the time. E decided to try it with him.

N loves his Exersaucer. He really likes to spin around and look at all the different toys. Check him out, playing. Okay, so he's still a little short, so we gave him a boost with a book about animals. He likes to read the book and to stand on it too. It's perfect for this purpose, but he can't wear socks while standing here. His feet just slip off, so we let him go barefoot.

If he looks shocked it's because I won't stop flashing the camera in his face. I stopped after this and we played with his toys. He really likes that one in the front where he can spin the wheels around and make noise. Noise is awesome.

N's baptism

This weekend the whole family (and some friends) came in for N's baptism. It was kind of a big production, complete with little white tuxedo and everything. It's not quite a wedding, but when you're only two feet tall and can't quite walk yet, you don't really need a dancing reception after. A party at home works just fine. Anyway, here N is getting some pointers from E on how to handle being in front of the whole church. I think he was taking it pretty seriously, understanding the whole scope of what he was taking on and all that.


Here's N getting ready to be baptized - E is doing a good job of holding him. Check out his godparents (my brother and E's sister) in the background.

Like a wedding, you do all the family pictures after. Here's me and E with N and both sets of my parents (MamaQ and Grumps and Pops and Gigi). Check out N's fantastic white tux. He was a real ladies man. The only guy getting baptized with four little ladies - he was definitely flirting with everyone, which seemed a little inappropriate given the importance of the whole event, but what can you say to a five (almost) month old?

Here we are again with E's parents (Nana and Granddad).

Here we are with the godparents...

Here's a picture with my dad, my brother, and my Grammy. Somehow my sister-in-law, N's cousin C, and my sister managed to avoid all these pictures, though I'm not entirely sure how.

After all this church-y-ness, we headed back to my house where the boys promptly went to bed and the rest of us threw a party in their honor. My dad grilled shrimp, E made fantastic potato tortes, there was more dessert than any reasonable person could handle, and everyone had fun. Then, like the good exhausted new parents we are, the whole thing wound do so that we could be in bed by 10 pm. We still can live it up, just not quite as late as we used to...

A cuckoo clock?

See me, sitting in my office, door locked, pumping breastmilk and working away. (Remember, my pump makes a pheew whump noise?) Very busy. Very efficient. Bottles balanced on my knees, crouched over the keyboard, hiding behind my locked door. Thinking this isn't all that bad, actually, because I'm getting a lot done and not getting interrupted.

*ring ring*

---
A: Hello? pheew whump

Coworker: Hey! I'm at an offsite but here's some info you needed

A: Oh thanks. That's super helpful! I'm gld that you called! pheew whump

Coworker: Do you have a cuckoo clock in your office?

A: No, why? pheew whump

Coworker: Do you hear that noise? It sounds like a cuckoo clock going off. Maybe it's the connection.

A: Er, yeah, probably just the connection. pheew whump

---
Pumping at work is an adventure.

Our little monkey

So this past weekend we had some birthday celebrations... They involved sushi, a wine party, and generally a bunch of things I wasn't allowed to do while I was pregnant. I had some delicious cupcakes (see below) and the best gift EVER from my loving hubby. He handed me a couple of earplugs, turned off the baby monitor, and tucked me in before marching out to sleep on the couch and listen for baby nighttime needs. A night of full uninterrupted sleep... Something I never thought I was going to be so desparate for. It was amazing. He must truly love me.
My little man had a birthday gift for me too, albiet a little belated. Not to jinx it, but last night he slept from 7 pm until 5:15 am all on his own. No parental involvement whatsoever. I hope this continues - but who knows.

In other news, we're all ready for Halloween here. Our little guy is going to properly represent as a little monkey. I think he's about as adorable as they come in his little outfit, but you be the judge. He's even got a banana. Which he really does chew on. Yum. Cloth banana.

Interesting - N is about the same size as his stuffed monkey. They look eerily similar when he's all suited up.

Even E agrees that this is a fabulous costume - and he's not typically all that into costumes and whatnot. But check out that face. He's awesome! (Also note that he's a tiny clone of E. E is super handsome, so that's totally fine with me.)