Sitting Pretty

Hi guys! I have been working a bunch on my sitting this month. I sit as much as I can and wherever possible. I don't quite have enough balance and strength to sit upright and unassisted for more than a minute or maybe two, but I can now sit while leaning on my arms for support for many minutes in a row. I still fall over or forward lots, but practice makes perfect! I even try to sit up in my bouncy seat. It has a slight recline to it which is not be my liking anymore. Momma has to be sure to strap me into it now, as you can see, or I can and will squirm out of it. While taking these pictures, I tried to take a nose dive forward, so no more freedom in the bouncy seat for me anymore. Much to Mommy's chagrin, I still am showing no interest in rolling over. She thinks its because I am too chubby to pull it off. How mean, huh? I am much more interested in scooting or working on crawling while I am on my tummy. We'll see what I figure out next.

A New Slide Show

Four Months Old and Growing Up

Hey Everybody! I turned 4 months old on Friday, but Mom thought it best to wait until my doctor's appointment today to give you the low down on my progress on the growth and development fronts. First off, I continue to be a big boy. I weigh in at 17 pounds 10 ounces which is in at the 93rd percentile. I am 26 inches long which is at the 90th percentile. I have graduated to my 6-9 Month size clothes. I continue to have a little Laub head which measures 16 inches and is in the 20th percentile.

All went well at my doctor's appointment, although I had a bunch of shots again, and of course, they hurt! My doctor was impressed with my standing, sitting, and head/trunk control during tummy time. She said not to worry that I haven't rolled over yet. Many kids aren't doing that until 5 months now adays because they sleep on their backs as opposed to their tummies. I will continue my tummy time play and see if I catch on. Mommy and Daddy wonder if I ever will or if I'll just go straight to crawling since I spend my tummy time trying to push up and not rocking back and forth at all before I get fed up and get irritable. My doctor and Mom decided that I will likely wait until 6 months the start on solid foods because of my tummy issues and since breastfeeding is going so well!

In other news, I have recently taken an interest in reading materials such as my books and the newspaper. I like to look at the pictures. I also like to imitate things my parents are doing so I try to type on the computer or use the remote control. I am also paying a lot of attention to how they eat their big kid food. I have also started to laugh and giggle more consistently. One thing that amused me recently was jumping in my jumperoo which Mommy dug out on Friday. My hair hasn't fallen out yet, although it is getting thinner in front. New hair is growing in underneath that looks a little lighter but we still don't know yet if it is lighter brown or dark blond. My old hair is also looking lighter and appears to have a red tone to it. My eyes look like they will stay blue.

Finally, I was a little traveler on Saturday and went with Mommy and our friends Jennifer and her daughter Cordelia to the Kansas La Leche League conference in Hutchinson, Kansas. It was 4 hour drive for me but I did well on the way down by sleeping the whole way. Cordelia was a bit upset and I was getting overstimulated too by the drive home so we took turns crying for the first part of the drive home but then we finally fell asleep again. Anyway, the conference was fun. I liked the change of pace and all the people. Mommy said she enjoyed being around adults and she learned a bit, too.

The weather is so nice now that Mommy and I will likely be getting out and about quite a bit more. Today it was 70+ degrees so we went to the park 6 blocks away from our house. I slept the entire way and took a nice nap at the park, so Mommy wasn't able to give me my first experience on the swing. Next time!

Check out my Slide Show!

I Found My Thumb!

My thumb is yummy. In fact, so are all of my fingers! Heck, I like to suck on most anything including my pacifiers, my fist, my clothing, whatever is in front of me. Until recently, I was desperately trying to suck on my fingers but couldn't get it just right. Now I've figured it out! I also finally got control of my thumb so I can use it alone, although I have been known to suck on a few of my fingers at once and very loudly I've been told. I also got my pacifiers back and forgot how to use them at first. Now I'm a champ at using those, too, and I even try to suck on my pacifier and fingers at the same time!

I am now close to mastering the art of getting myself to sleep by sucking away on either my fingers or my paci. Sometimes I even drift off naturally with no sucking assistance. Mommy is sure excited! She doesn't mind me using my thumb or the paci if it can help me soothe myself. Like I've said before, I could suck all day long. She figures that we can work on weening me from these habits when I get way older. After all, I am a baby, right?

Happy Love Day

Mommy told me this morning that today is all about love. Well, I feel pretty loved so let's celebrate! I celebrated today by wearing my lovely Valentine's Day onesie, complements of Grandma Sharon (see pictures below). Daddy got all creative and made Mommy 6 mixed CD's of all the songs she had on her labor playlist on the MP3 player from when I was born. He made cover art and everything! Mommy thought it was pretty cool. Mommy and I got up and made Daddy breakfast and gave him his gift (a comfy cashmere sweater). Then, this afternoon, we made pot roast and Devil's Food cake for supper. It was a pretty sweet day. And now I'm pooped!

A Quarter Year Old

Hey There! I couldn't get online yesterday to give you the rundown of my 3rd month birthday, but yes, I am now a quarter year old. I kept Mom and Dad up the night before so no computer time for me. Instead, we all three went to bed at 9:30pm and slept in til 9:30am this morning (with many interruptions by me, of course). Mom and Dad figure that maybe they got 8 hours of sleep somewhere in that 12 hour block. I know, I should be nicer to them, but my tummy continues to wake me up. I do try to go right back to sleep after being burped or doing my tooting exercise, though. That is except for at 5am when I was awake and ready to play, but I did play quietly by myself in my co-sleeper for a bit before going back to sleep again. All in all, it was a good night, and I was a much happier camper today. Anyway, Mommy said I should tell you all that I am about 16 pounds already - she had me weighed at a baby store with my clothes on on Wednesday and it said 16 pounds 7 oz. so if you subtract some for the clothes its around 16 even. What can I say, I am a big boy! I love to try to sit by myself, although I usually fall over sideways eventually or I slump forward. I also like to stand and sometimes dance or bounce. Mommy just took out my exersaucer and I have played in it a few times. I am still discovering all the cool toys attached to it and the many sounds it makes. I am about 24 1/2 inches long so I can touch the floor of the exersaucer on my tiptoes. Mommy is also hoping I will get over my stage fright and smile more for the camera but that thing freaks me out! I'm not scared of it, but every time she brings it near me, my eyes get big as saucers and I get very quiet. I simply stare at the camera despite her coaxes to talk or smile. Believe me, though, my smile is something. The few pictures where the sneaky camera did catch me are nothing compared to the live ones, let me tell you. Mom says I am going to be a little heart breaker. Well, I better go get some beauty rest. Peace out y'all.

Growing and Changing

Look at how big I am getting!

I am getting very good at smiling.

I am a dramatic stretcher.

My drooling and bubble blowing skills are world renowned.

I also love sticking out my tongue but the camera usually misses it.

A New Web Album

Here is the link to my web album for this month. Remember, my parents are continuously updating the old ones, too, so check those out as well and keep checking this one as the month progresses.

2 Months to 3 Months

Fevers Are No Fun

Well, after writing you all last night to tell you how wonderfully I did with my first set of vaccinations, my Baby Tylenol wore off and I developed a little fever. It hovered around 100.5 degrees, but luckily, never got past 101. I tried to smile and coo my way through it, but it did make me a bit whiny, clingy, and tired. Mommy & Daddy stripped me down to my diaper and gave me some more Tylenol as instructed by the doctor. I had a somewhat rough night and wanted to feed every hour to hour and a half. It made me feel better. I still had a fever this morning so Mommy checked in with the nurse who said to keep giving the Tylenol and call again tomorrow if it hadn't broken yet. Mommy let me use her as a pillow, and I slept most of the morning. Finally, at about 2pm, I woke up all sweaty and my fever had broken! Yeh! Now I am back to my old self and am having fun playing. Mommy finally put some clothes back on me, and get this, she finally broke down after hearing I was almost 14 pounds yesterday and put me in one of my never-been-worn 3-6 month sleepers. It feels nice to be in clothes that don't ride up in the arms or legs! Mommy is a bit scared, though, because this sleeper fits me almost too well. She thinks there is no way I will stay in this size for very long, either.

I'm a Big Boy! With a Few Owies:(

I went to see the doctor today for my 2 month check-up. My cool doctor is a UND graduate and originally from Grand Forks, ND. She was suprised at how big I had gotten. And the scale confirmed that I am strong like bull. I weigh just shy of 14 pounds at 13 pounds 14 ounces - that's at the 90th percentile for weight for babies my age! I am also pretty long: 23.5 inches. That's at the 75th percentile for length. Stupid Mommy and Daddy call me Fathead sometimes, but actually, my head is on the small side - only 15 inches in circumference. Mommy says that its my chubby cheeks that make my face look plump. She also thinks that my long body frame and more proportional head (instead of the usual huge heads that most babies have for their bodies) make me look like an older kid instead of a baby.

The not-so-fun part of the visit came when I got my shots. I first knew something was up when the nurse gave me this gooey stuff to drink (Baby Tylenol). I protested at first, but it wasn't that bad. Following that, I had to drink another dropper full of stuff. Again, not so bad. Then the mean doctor poked me 3 times in my thighs! Ow!! I cried mightely at first, but settled down once I was back in Mommy's arms. She says I was a trooper and did great because I haven't been cranky since the shots. We ran errands around town at Walmart, Kohls, and Sears after the check-up. I took some naps in my stroller but when I was up I was pretty happy. I even smiled at a stranger in the check-out line at Kohls. I'm a social butterfly!

But now its nap time. Mommy says I also get more of that grape Tylenol stuff. Its not milk, but I guess I'll humor Mommy and slurp it down again.

Kickin' It on My 2 Month Birthday

I am 2 months old today! Mom commemorated the event by having a little photo shoot and putting me in my best attire. Check out a few of the best pics below. I am such a big boy, don't you think? I had fun today smiling and cooing which Mom and Dad are still having trouble capturing with the camera. I'm fast like a speed boat. My bubble blowing skills are also growing each day, although Mommy says that my drooling is getting out of control. What does she know. Its just the price you pay for being the best bubble blower around! In sad news, I was a bit torqued off today because my beloved binky has been banished away. Why you ask? Good question. Mommy says its because it has changed my sucking patterns and pracitices and is affecting my feedings. She claims it hurts her more than me to take the paci away. Doubtful. I really love that thing! Oh, paci, how I miss you... In other news, tomorrow I have my 2 month pediatrician visit. Mommy warns me that I might not like it. Something about shots, whatever those are. She muttered something about how if I was so fun today, she couldn't wait to see my reaction tomorrow.

My Nicknames

My parents seem to call me everything but my given name. This started in utero when they took to calling me Nicky. They promise me that someday they will refer to me more often as Nick or Nicholas. But just to keep you up to speed, here is a list of my other monikers.

1. Gizmo: My Grandpa H.'s nickname for me so my grandma didn't find out I was a boy when I was in my mommy's tummy
2. Piggy Smalls: A shout-out to Biggie Smalls, my eating ability, and my size
3. Fathead: because of my big head
4. Houdini: because I always wrestle my way out of being swaddled
5. Burrito Nicky: I look like a burrito when I'm swaddled
6. Snorter: I snort when I'm upset
7. Emo: I am very emotional
8. Drama King: I tend to go emo. very quickly
9. Baby Bird: I open my mouth and bob my head like a baby bird when I'm hungry
10. Penguin: affectionately pronounced "Pengin", because I make penguin noises and flap my arms around
11. Pterodactyl baby: Mom stole this from our friend Phil Melton, she thinks, because I make squeaking noses like a dinosaur
12. Squeaker: I squeak a lot
13. Rockstar Nicky: given to me in the hospital because of my spiky dark hair with cool blond highlights
14. Nicky Bobby: in honor of the Talladega Nights movie character Ricky Bobby
15. Little Nicky: the original inspiration for calling me Nicky, the Adam Sandler movie "Little Nicky" about the son of the devil. They thought it was funny because I was originally due on Halloween. They also love Adam Sandler movies.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk

Check out my rockin' outfit complete with sneaker slippers.

Go KU!

We're #1!

Maybe I could be Baby Jay!

Ha Ha!

My First Bottle

Mommy wondered if I was up to the challenge, and boy was I!! She finally sat down and figured out that strange breast pump contraption and pumped me a big 4 oz. bottle tonight in only around 15 minutes, So, once my 9:30pm feeding rolled around, Daddy got ready to take on the roll of Bottle Feeder Extraordinaire. Mommy stepped out of the room at first so I wouldn't be confused, but that wasn't needed. I was an old pro in no time flat. Within minutes my parents were marveling at how well I was doing. Ain't no big deal! I'm already about 13 pounds so no one should doubt my eating prowess. I even showed them a cool little trick where I held the bottle up by myself (I didn't just prop it up, I gripped it, really!). I drank almost the whole 4 ounces. But now I am sleepy so I had better say goodnight for the evening. I guess this means that soon my parents will be dumping me off on babysitters. Who's up first?!!

My First Christmas

Merry Christmas everybody! I've had a very good weekend. I am a pretty happy baby. First, I gifted Mom and Dad with some new milestones - I am cooing and smiling a bunch now, plus I am sleeping pretty good at night, too. I think they liked that present which is good because I don't have access to my cash just yet (its being put into something called a "savings account"). It was a fairly quiet holiday for my family. Since my grandparents and aunt and uncles came last month and Daddy used up a bunch of his vacation time at work, we decided to stay put here in KC. I enjoyed the time we spent together, just the three of us. I had Mommy's and Daddy's attention all to myself so I could show off how I play in my play gym, shake my rattle, and dance to the music. I did not, however, get to enjoy the meal Mommy made today - the mean 'rents put me in my swing so they could enjoy the meal without interruption! Oh well, I kind of like my swing. I got some other do-dads for Christmas gifts as well including clothes, shoes, a baby monitor, a cool gadget that vibrates my crib, and lots of books. Hope you had a happy holiday, too! Mommy finally got around to putting together my next web album. Mom and Dad have had a hard time capturing my smile on film (the camera is too slow!), but they've gotten close. Enjoy!

1 Month to 2 Months

Happy Birthday to me

Hi everybody! (Hi Dr. Nick). Today I am one month old. I wanted to get the party started off right. So, at 5:00 in the morning, I was ready to rock. But, Mom and Dad were being a couple of wannies. But, I got them on the path by giving Dad a couple of right hooks and by getting Mommy to feed me. No one was getting in my way.

It was an OK day, I guess. Dad needed a haircut, so we went to Brookside. I've never been there - at least not on this side of the world. But, that was pretty boring so I slept through most of it. We did see our friends the Rasulovas. Their kid Theodore is getting huge - or so Mommy and Daddy say.

But, I gotta admit, I was pretty crabby for a good part of the day when I wasn't sleepy. So, Daddy played some My Chemical Romance, or "My Chem" as the big kids say. Mom and Dad kept saying "Emo (music) for the emo." I'm not really sure what that means, but I'm thinking that it's not necessarily a compliment. They don't understand how tough it is to be my age. Anyway, it's late and I'm hungry, so I'm gonna go. I got a big day of church tomorrow. I should be on my best behavior now that I am a child of Christ, right? Mommy and Daddy promise more pics soon.

I'm in the Jungle, Baby

Ahhhhh!!! What in the hell is this thing that Uncle Byron put on me?!! He thought it would be cute to put us in matching outfits. Guns 'N Who? I don't know, some old dudes who were barely around when Byron was my age. By the way, weren't they supposed to have an album out around my birthday again? Besides, oversized rock T-shirts are a fashion-don't. I'm sure TLC's Stacy and Clinton would concur.





That's okay, Appetite was still awesome.

More photo albums

My Firsts

My Visitors

Mommy & Me

Daddy & Me

Labor & Delivery