The Un-Unbirthday

Here's an interesting fact about Ro, perhaps his first interesting fact.  Ro doesn't have a half-birthday.  Six-months from August 30th puts him with an non-existent February 30th half-birthday.  Which, as it turns out, makes him quite rare.  There are only eight dates (seven, on a leap year) in the calendar year that do not have a corresponding half-birthday.  So, we had to pick a day to celebrate his six-months of life.  We chose March 1st.

Celebrations were at a minimum.  Just the usual monthly photo shoot with Nuper.  Though, Ro decided to pull all stops and celebrate in his own little way.  Right at his six-month birthday, he conquered the techniques of rolling back-to-front,  sitting-up without any support, and (!) growing two teeth (numbers O and P (thanks to his dentist dad for specifying))!  That's right, Ro has toofers!

Ro had his six-month appointment.  He was a real champ with his shots!  He only cried on the second poke in the leg. And even then I think it was more out of surprise then pain since the tears lasted a mere ten-seconds.  As it turns out, our growing boy isn't growing so much anymore.  He measured in at 19lbs 7oz for weight (77%).  27.5-inches tall (79%).  And an 18-inch head (94%).  Though, despite his current plateau in growth, he still has quite a bit of chunkiness.  I just LOVE his Stay Puft thighs!  

I found a Groupon for JC Penney Portrait Studio and decided to follow my friend's lead (of having all her kids' pictures taken at six-months), by getting Roosevelt's picture taken.  This boy is one stubborn kid.  He refused to smile!  There is no doubt he was a bit skeptical of the loud lady taking his picture.  (In her defense, she was doing her job - which is to try and get babies to smile in pictures.)  I think she was the exact opposite of what Ro is used to - quite and calm parents - that he just stared at her.  And he let out a little cry, twice.  Poor kid.  It wasn't until we stripped him down to his diaper that he allowed the corners of his mouth to turn upward.  I was a bit disappointed Ro wasn't willing to share his darling smile with the camera.  Though, the pictures are a great snapshot (imagine that!) of his true personality.  Wyatt calls these pictures his real estate agent/attorney pictures. Maybe I'll make business cards for him...

With Ro's new skills, he has made collecting him from his crib quite interesting.  He loves to move while he sleeps.  His favorite position to sleep in is on his side, up against the slats on the front of his crib - gripping them with his little hands.  It's funny how he has a preference so soon... Considering for the first six-months of his life he slept on his back, with zero movement.  

Speaking of sleep.  Ro still doesn't sleep through the night.  I thought I'd add this in just to add a little "reality" to this blog.  Sometimes I think I portray life as if it's always rosy, pun intended.  There have definitely been some hiccups and challenges since Ro was born.  Sleeping is one of them.  It drives me crazy when people ask me if he's sleeping through the night...because he's not.   He is getting there - most certainly he is.  He will sleep through the night usually one or two times a week.  I'm not sure why he doesn't every night of the week.  Maybe it's because I'm a softy?  I don't know.  I just feel like he is truly hungry sometimes.  Mostly because Ro does know how to put himself to sleep.  I always lay him in his crib awake.  And when he whimpers/whines, I wait a bit to see if he will go back to sleep.   I don't know, maybe I'm fooling myself?  Regardless, I am tired!  I don't think I ever feel rested when I wake in the morning.  Which, to be honest, I don't remember the last time I have felt rested in the morning.  Including pre-Ro and pre-pregnancy days.  So maybe my lack of sleep is my lot in life.  Like I said, it seems like Ro is getting there, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was sleeping through the night by next blog post.

Ro sure loves his dad!  Sometimes I get a little jealous.  Mostly when Ro and Wyatt will be happily playing in his room and then I'll walk in the room and Ro will start to fuss.  This doesn't happen every time.  Just around feeding time.  I've done a good job of conditioning him to associate his room with eating.  And there have been a few times where I'll be done feeding Ro before bed and he starts to cry.  After trying to console him for a bit, I'll lay him in his crib (to let him cry it out - since I know he always falls asleep).  Then Wyatt will waltz into the room to say goodnight to Ro, and swoop him into his arms.  And Ro stops crying!  ...and happily goes into his crib without a peep once Wyatt lays him down.  What a stinker!  Truthfully, I'm okay with it.  I know Ro loves hanging with me all day long and loves the break to spend time with Wyatt.

And speaking of hanging out with me... Roosevelt really does like pandas.  I promise.  I thought it'd be fun to channel this picture.  One of us had a lot of fun.

Lastly, we took Ro on his first hike.  We went to Beacon Rock in Washington.  I didn't know what to expect but was truly surprised to find how much Ro LOVED going on a hike.  He was sporting this grin all the way to the top!  And then it got cold, so he wasn't as thrilled on the return trip down...  Thanks to Wyatt's sister Mya for giving us the carrier.  I'm not sure we would've thought to purchase one otherwise.  

They Grow Up So Fast...

I know, it's totally cliche to say Ro is growing up fast.  But, it's true.  Ro hit five-months while we were visiting my family in Colorado, so his monthly photo shoot was delayed by six-days.  I don't think there is that much of a difference between five-months-old Ro and five-months-and-six-days-old Ro.  But maybe there is?

Ro and I had a wonderful trip to Colorado, filled with family and friend visits.  In fact, it was the first time since my wedding all Nichols siblings were in the same city.  The crazy part - it was completely unplanned and very much coincidental.  Especially since the three out-of-towner siblings went to Colorado for three completely different reasons.  And none of us knew we'd be together until a few days before we were.  It was a nice treat!  

Since this is my blog, I get to say whatever I want.  And I think Ro is the best baby ever.  Seriously, he is soooo mellow!  As in he rarely fusses or cries.  Rarely.  He's very tolerant of my craziness and lets me dress him in cozy bear suits, and allows me to drag him with me wherever I go without any complaint - including long runs in the freezing cold or rain, just to name a few examples.  Even when I KNOW he is dead tired, or hungry (like the time I forgot to feed him (I know, parent of the year award!)), and he still doesn't cry.  He deserves the Baby of the Year award for sure.

Ro has been oodles of fun!  He learned to rollover, front-to-back, last week and loves showing off his new trick at any opportunity.  He LOVES playing peek-a-boo, and will laugh and laugh every time we play it with him.  Ro started taking "big people" baths while he was in Colorado.  At first he was unsure about the whole thing...until he discovered he could splash water when he kicks.  Now he thoroughly enjoys "big people" baths.  And speaking of the water, he started swim lessons yesterday.  I can't think of anything more cute than a baby floating solo in a swimming pool.  Which Ro has done - with very close supervision of course.  And arm float rings.  I dunked him in the pool several times - completely emerged.  Ro's not sure what to think...currently he's leaning toward not liking it.  However, I think once he learns how to breath, he'll love it.  He really does enjoy everything else about the swim lesson; he just needs to learn that "bubbles" means he's going to get dunked.

Anyway, Ro is a true cutie!  We sure do love him to pieces!

Ro with Nuper, five-months

Momma G

Grandpa Ross and Grandma Maria

Uncle Brice

Aunt Judy

First time eating ice cream

Cousins: Cameron, Savannah, Cheyenne, Chardonnay, Mackson

Uncle Harold and Aunt Jeanna

Aunt Burgandy

The Sibs: Brice, Harold, Schuyler, Brittany, Mom, Burgandy

All the Cousins: Briggs, Orion, Cameron, Cheyenne, Roosevelt, Jeremy, Chardonnay, Mackson, Savannah

Papa Lou

JoVonne and girls

Tess and Carley

Ro and I brought the snow back with us.  "Winter Storm Orion" had us held-up indoors last weekend.  I love it when this happens!  Which it hasn't since "Winter Blast 2008."

FOUR

Pre-Ro, Wyatt referred to babies as "miserable little creatures."  And in turn, we have a brother-in-law who says babies are only miserable little creatures until they're four-months old.  At which point, their personality begins to surface and they become fun.  

Ro is officially fun!  Though, I have never thought Ro was a miserable little creature.  And I'm nearly certain Wyatt never thought he was either.  I am in love with this little boy!  

A few things about Ro:  He loves bath-time!  Most likely because he thoroughly enjoys being naked (or "nakie" or "pants off, dance off" as we like to call it).  He's fickle when it comes to entertainment.  He'll laugh at something we do one day, and the next he's "so over it."  He's so vein, he probably thinks this post is about him...and he enjoys looking at himself in the mirror.  He likes being carried in the laundry basket, on top of the laundry.  He likes putting things in his mouth: his hands, burp rags, toys, our fingers, anything he can get his mouth on.  He loves "talking" and will babble for minutes on end.  And, he loves Dr. Craft!  He was totally hamming it up with Dr. Craft during his appointment on Tuesday.  

Speaking of appointments, here is how Ro measures-up at four-months old: Weight; 17lbs. 2oz (84%), Height; 27-inches (96%), and Head Circumference; 17.5-inches (97%).  So Ro has leaned-out some, or more accurately, grown into his thickness.  Though, he is still very thick.  I love those thunder thighs!!!

Yep, Ro's a keeper!

In other news, we have new temple bags!  We found two vintage suitcases for 50-cents each at a garage sale last summer.  The catch, they smelled very musty.  So I tried airing them out.  Nope.  And then I Fabreezed them.  Nope.  And then I tried absorbing the smell (of must plus Fabreeze - YUCK) with baking soda.  Nope.  And then I wiped them out with vinegar.  Nope.  And then I ripped out the old linings and painted the cardboard with Shellac.  FINALLY!   I originally had wanted to keep the original lining but now that I relined them, I'm happy with the results.  Mine is the blue suitcase, and Wyatt's is the green.  

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Cards of Christmas' Past: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Pleasantly Plump

I like to joke that Ro is "pleasantly plump."  He is big for his age, which is now three-months.  I recently swapped all his three-month clothes for his six-month clothes.  He won't have an appointment until he's four-months, so I won't know until then how big he really is.  Though, I can tell he weighs more than he did a couple of weeks ago.  I finally bought a brace for my left wrist because it was hurting so bad.  Who knew having a baby could cause physical pain in the most peculiar places?  I'm hoping to have fully toned arms by the time he turns one-year.  Ha!  That'd be a first!

Notice Pangi photobombing in the background?  Love it!

Ro went on his first flight last week to Utah for Thanksgiving and did awesome!  Barely a peep from him to SLC and minimal fussing on the return flight to PDX.  I think he likes flying, just like his mom and the rest of the Nichols crew.  And kudos to his parents for not being "those parents" (as my flight attendant momma says) that pack everything plus the kitchen sink when they fly with kids.  One checked bag, a checked car seat, and two carry-on backpacks.  And I will say here, my opinion of Southwest is slowly turning.  I still dislike their cattle call process of getting people onto the plane.  But, I can't complain about free checked bags.  Now that we have baby in tow, it's something that came in very handy!  Plus, since we did have kiddo, we were able to board the plane after the A group anyway.  So, it wasn't so bad.  I might venture to fly them again...on purpose!  

Speaking of planes, I am totally against the FAA allowing cell phone use on the plane.  It is the one place where people aren't (as) glued to their phones...because they can't be.  It is the best excuse in the world for why you can do something other than be on your phone!  Wyatt being devils advocate pointed out that business people might benefit from having cell phone use.  I disagree, there is no better excuse to be unplugged from the world.  "How come you didn't reply to that urgent email?"  "Because I couldn't!"  Wyatt also pointed out you can't talk on the phone on the plane because of the lack of service.  So far... It's only a matter of time.  I just think this is a slippery slope.  If the FAA opens the gates, the floods will come.  

And I digress... Anyway, Ro is awesome!  We're still in love with him!  Sometimes I just want to love him, and squeeze him, and hug him so tight.  But I don't, because he might suffocate.  Instead I just hold him properly like a good mom...  And squeeze him a little. 

Best Christmas present ever!

Ro Turns Two...Months

I reached a proud motherhood moment...I was successfully able to keep my baby alive for two months!  I know, I'm sure many of you had big money wagered against me. I know I would've.  There were some instances where I thought for sure I'd be fired as a mother.  One of which was on the second day of Ro's life, in the hospital.  It was the middle of the night and I was trying to position him to nurse.  When next thing I know he's plummeting head first toward the tile floor.  Luckily I was able to snatch him by his ankle and save the day.  I still shudder when I replay the incident in my mind.  Yikes!  

Ro had his two-month appointment last week.  He's maintaining his thickness and big-headedness (literally, not figuratively) quite well.  Ro weighed in at 13-pounds and one ounce (94%).  He's 24-inches tall (86%), and has a 17-inch head (99%).  Can I just say here how much I LOVE Ro's pediatrician?  Seriously, the man is among the elite!  You can tell how much he loves babies because he will hold Ro the entire duration of our appointment.  And he's changed Ro's poopy diaper, twice...with zero prodding from me.  And he didn't laugh at my face when I asked him if it was okay to take Ro on "walks" (runs) in the cold.  (I seriously slap my own forehead when I think how I actually asked him that!)  I would live in Oregon forever just so all my kids could have Dr. Craft as their doctor.  

Ro's had several homespun photo sessions.  Seven alone were of him in his blessing outfit.  I was trying to mimic my friend's kid's blessing outfit photos (that her professional photographer sister took).  I failed, miserably, seven times...  Do you know how hard it is to get natural light in Oregon?  And then there was an eighth photo session of Ro with Nuper for his two-month birthday.  

We're slowly getting in a routine over here.  Ro's feeding schedule is a lot more predictable and he usually only wakes once in the night to feed.  He's slept seven-hours straight a few times.  Which I will confess, I woke him each of those times to feed him because I was worried that he would starve.  Again, I am grateful the advise nurse didn't laugh into the phone when I asked her if it was okay for him to sleep through the night.  You guys, I am clueless when it comes to babies!  It'll be amazing if Ro grows up to be a normal human being.

Regardless of all my foolish mothering, things here are great. I am happy.  Ro is cute.  And Wyatt has to bring home the bacon, sort of.  Life is good.  

PS - Did I mention that Ro was a hotdog for Halloween?  He was really good at being in character.