Nicholas Gets His Feed On...

After trying to put introducing solids off until Nick is 6 months old, I finally caved today, because he was so attentively watching us eat this morning that he actually opened his mouth when we did. It was so sad! So I mixed up some single-grain rice cereal for him. He seemed to enjoy the process of eating, and has lost enough of his tongue thrust reflex, I think, to continue, but he did not care for the taste at all! But, then again, who does? Have you ever tried that stuff? Blech!

Not Me! Monday!

It's time again for Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama to provide a place where "we can be brutally honest with each other, and live to tell about it, while we shroud the severity of our statements by pretending we so did NOT really do them!" You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. As for me and my houseful of hooligans precious boys...

This week I did NOT buy sugar-free Jello in bulk at BJs, because at 10 calories a serving, I decided I could eat 6 a day! NOT ME! That's just sick and wrong!

And I did NOT have to pack up all Nicholas's 3-6 month clothes, including those adorable overalls in every possible color. He hasn't been able to wear those clothes in weeks, so why would they still be in his drawers, deceptively leaving me with the impression that another load of laundry was NOT in order? And I certainly did NOT tear up when I discovered his second pair of baby Timberlands are too small. That would just be silly!

I was also certainly NOT asked by my teenaged son to not come to his wrestling tournament on Sunday. (He simply cannot be any of the following: a) so embarrassed of his family he will not be seen in public with them, b) so fiercely independent that he already needs a testosterone-only outing, or c) actually not on the wrestling team!) And, subsequently, I was NOT denied the pleasure of taping his first (and second) ever win(s). (3rd place in his weight class!)

So, I most definitely did NOT ask him to change back into his singlet, so I could document the event for all of our friends and relatives to see. NOT ME! I would never do that, since not wanting to be featured on this blog is probably why he didn't want me to come in the first place!

Further, I am NOT so far behind on laundry that as I was transferring one load from the washer to the dryer and starting another, I did NOT return to find my sweet husband using a basket full of whites as a playpen!

And even had this occurred, Nicholas certainly did NOT enjoy it more than the johnny-jump-up, jumperoo, and playmat full of a bazillion annoying noisemakers combined!

And I did NOT even for a single second reconsider the importance of matched-up socks and folded towels!
Nope, NOT ME!

Finally, I did NOT reinforce Nicholas's enjoyment of bubble blowing by teaching him to blow raspberries, because he is so stinkin' cute trying to imitate me doing one. And there is NO WAY that my whole family spent all weekend spitting up a storm (much to the baby's delight)! NOT ME and MY family! (Insert hillbilly music here.)



What have you NOT been up to?

Nick's Official Inauguration Seal

This was just too cute to not share. My cousin, Aaron, did this Obamafication of Nicholas. It is definitely going in the baby book (which, incidentally, isn't started and the biggest reason I blog--to hang onto the good stuff), and I am considering enlisting him (or his brother) to write all my blog entries! Why the creativity gene skipped me, we will never know. I can only hope my kids got my share! Love you, Aaron! ;)

Baby's First Inauguration

Where were you when America swore in her first African-American president?


Is Nicholas really going to have to say, "In my Bumbo-seat"?

Not exactly the most dignified response you are likely to hear. But rest assured, Nicholas will never have to utter these words. His true reply will have to be, "In my crib," because though he tried to witness his first historic event, a boy's gotta nap! He did not make it past the regaled entrance of our 44th president, so he'll just have to catch it on Tivo. It's a great world in which this boy is privileged to grow up! To be perfectly honest, it is my prayer that this is a question he will never be asked. I pray that just as Will and Jack cannot fathom a world without computers, Nicholas and Gabe will never comprehend a world without the equality of opportunity. Could this world be that great?

Not Me! Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. As for me and my dysfunction...

This week I did NOT nearly throw a party when I realized if I wash my hair in the evening, my straightener can shape it into the style designed by my stylist, and I can totally avoid the hairdryer! What kind of person is so lazy, they cannot spare 30 minutes for the hair dryer? NOT ME!

I also did NOT think that my classes began this week only to discover they do not begin until next week. Please, people: I am WAY to organized for that to happen. I have iCal for crying out loud!

And earlier this morning I did NOT discover that my nearly 8 year-old child keeps a journal that more closely resembles a "book of grievances" about his upbringing. I also did NOT read (just one) entry in which he bemoans not receiving a Christmas gift he "found" early. Further, I did NOT guiltily add $1.50 in quarters found while cleaning his room to his piggy bank, thinking it should be labeled "therapy fund." And even if I did, I definitely would not violate his privacy further by blogging about it! I should also clarify that I did NOT clean his room, because as a competent second grader, he can certainly handle that himself!

Finally I did NOT just let Nicholas wear pajamas all week,because they seem to stick less to the Amazing Aquaphor-Coated Baby. There is no way I would allow a child of mine live like that. And if you have been talking to Gabe, I have NO idea what a "pajama day" is! NOT ME!

Why is this sooo cathartic? Join me, won't you?

Nicholas's 4 (well, actually, make that almost 5) month appointment

Nicholas's 4 month appointment was delayed until 1/7/09 because of the holidays, but it snowed (A LOT) on the day of his appointment, so there was no way I was going to venture out in that with an already cold-ridden baby! So today, he had his checkup. He weighs 16 lbs. (50-75th percentile) and is 27 inches long (97th percentile). He received 2 shots and 2 oral vaccines. I usually split them up and do 2 one day and the other 2 in 2 weeks, because it just seems like so much to put such a little person through, but given the delay already, I decided to do them all today. You never know what the weather in New England might do in 2 weeks in January or February! What I thought was cradle cap is actually a very bad case of eczema. He has it everywhere: legs, arms, trunk, back, neck, scalp...everywhere! The dr. asked me to switch his soap and use Aquaphor instead of lotion. If this doesn't clear it up by his 6 month appointment, we will have to use a topical steroid and further investigate the cause. The doctor says that in cases this severe, there is often a milk allergy. JOY! All in all, though, Nick is doing great and growing up fast!

Please remember to add Abby to your prayers today!

Will you please pray for Abby?

I wanted you to know about Abby.

She was adopted from Guatemala. At three years old, she was diagnosed with a high-risk, aggressive form of Leukemia. Certain genetic complications have put her chance of surviving the treatment at about 20%.

I am praying for her and her family. Would you pray for them too?

You can find more about Abby here, on her family blog.


Abby faces the most critical of her treatments tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14th. Please keep her in your prayers.

Will's First Wrestling Tournament

Weighing in at 100 lbs., Will wrestled three matches in his first tournament today. The first was over in 44 seconds, with Will losing to a more experienced wrestler. The second, below, ended in a draw after 5 minutes. (Will's in black and gold, by the way.) By the end of the second match, Nicholas was DONE with whistles, the yelling, all of it, so Jim, Jack, Gabe and I took the napless wonder home. Will described his last match as, "I got squashed." He reports that it was over even faster than his first, because the wind got knocked out of him as soon as he was taken down. Though not the performance he had hoped for, I am proud of how hard he fought in his second match and his determination to learn from the wrestlers who delivered these defeats. I am also incredibly proud of his three brothers who happily sat around for 3 hours to cheer Will on for (almost) 8 minutes. Wrestling is A LOT of waiting!

Nicholas is 20 Weeks Old

At almost 5 months of age, Nicholas is a sweet and easy baby. He loves his jumperoo and will happily play there or in his johnny jump up. Though still not a fan of tummy time, he tolerates it and is trying to scoot around while reaching and grasping for toys. Above all of these events, though, he just loves to be held, and there is no shortage of arms happy to comply!