Nico: 4 months

Dear Nico,

I enjoy you so much.  I love holding you and exchanging smiles. I love holding you a little bit too much. I tend to hold you long after you've fallen asleep in my arms, studying your beautiful features and just enjoying your little weight in my lap. 

Even though you are my third baby, I can't seem to get the nail trimming right.  You often have red marks on your face and head from your little razor-sharp nails.  I feel so bad when I find that you've scratched yourself again. Those nails just seem to grow (and sharpen) overnight.  I'm trying to do better!

This past week, you've gotten so loud!  You have this "Tarzan" yell that you do and it is hilarious (and, might I repeat, LOUD).   The "Tarzan" yell usually occurs when you are getting a diaper change. 

You are such a wonderful addition to our little family.  Your brother Bode adores you, and he will stop whatever he is doing to comfort you if you cry.  Gianna is a baby like you, a little older, but still a baby. She is very sweet to you, and will apologize quickly in her sweet little girl voice ("I sowwy, Nico") whenever she (accidentally) hurts you.  You two travel together in the car, side by side.  You've gotten much better about the car seat (thank you) and don't scream/cry as much in the car. 

Now, Daddy has three babies to tickle and love when he comes home from work.  The other night, he had you all in a row, assembly-line style, and tickled each of you, over and over.  You enjoyed the tickling as much as your brother and sister. It was...perfect.

We are a busy, happy little bunch and so glad that you are with us.  Happy 4 months to my love!

love,

Mommy

xo

It's Friday, I'm in love

It's Friday, and I'm in love with...

my little girl eating peanut butter toast in the morning.

I'm in love with...

my little girl trying to reach and do things "by myself."

I'm in love with...

little girl braids and...

my little girl loving books.

I'm in love with...

brothers wearing "sib shirts."

I'm in love with...

a big brother who narrates his car adventures to baby brother while Mommy is busy in the other room.

I'm in love with...

a boy who insists on staying in his pajamas alllll day.

Happy Friday.
xo

Saturday

Here is Nico hanging out with his big brother Bode and his faithful companion P in the playroom on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

Happy weekend.
xo

Ready to wear

It's Friday, and I'm in love with this little guy and all of his outfit changes! Okay, not really in love with all the outfit changes.  Here's a recap of today's outfits.

The first onesie, starting at 8 AM:

Another change around 9 AM:

Then, there were two outfit changes that I just didn't document.  One was due to a spit up and the other was just massive wetness around the neck from drooling.

So here we are around 1 PM or so. Nico has lines on his face from sleeping on me. I moved him to the swing and snapped this photo.

He then had the most massive blow-out EVER.  It was so bad, I threw this onesie in the trash (pictured above). It's a hand-me-down from Bode, so I don't feel too bad. Then I put this blue sleeper on him:

Followed (almost immediately) by this brown outfit:

And then, I kid you not, I changed him two times in a row because he spit up on one outfit while I was changing him. And then spit up on the next outfit I was putting on him.  I actually shrieked when he started spitting up the second time.  We were all on the bed, getting ready for bedtime stories. Gianna asked, "What's wrong, Mommy?" and RWF had to explain, "Oh, Mommy is just sad (ha!) because she has to change Nico again."

And this is what Nico went to sleep in (that's RWF changing  Nico into this onesie, because he watched me change Nico two times in a row):

So that makes almost 10 outfits for one day. Whew! Now is everybody tired and ready for bed? I am!
Happy weekend.
xo

MINUS seventeen

Priscilla sneakily laying on Nico's cozy blankets

This morning it was -17 degrees in our little hood.  Lovely.  We stayed inside.  The children played with Play-Doh and Legos.  Nico stayed in my arms, nursing for what seemed like the entire morning.  

At least we are all warm. I can't help but think of those less fortunate than us.  And the animals.  Let's all say a prayer for them.  Sending warmth and light your way, too.

xo

Nicholas gets a haircut

Sir Nicholas (as I like to call him) has had this...thing...in the back of his head for a couple of weeks. It's like a little fuzz ball in his  hair.  It's tiny, you wouldn't even notice it unless you were looking at his hairline. I tried everything to get it out...soaking it in the tub, rubbing it between my fingers, scrubbing it with soapy water, "tugging" gently, etc.  It just would not budge.  

This morning, I was giving him a bath and trying to remove the offending fuzz ball again. It would not go.  I decided that I'd have to just cut it out.   

I bundled Nico up and carried him out to the kitchen to grab the baby nail scissors (where I had left them yesterday...I am so disorganized).  RWF was sitting at the dining room table and he immediately (it seemed) said, "Why don't you cut that stuff out of his hair?"   I thought that this was funny because (a) I didn't even know that RWF had known it was there, and (b) we were thinking the same thing.  I huffed, "I am!" I then handed the scissors to RWF and held my baby's head for his first "hair cut."  I almost cried. (Not really.)  I did mumble, "His first hair cut...." RWF finally snipped the fuzz ball out and held it out for me, saying, "I suppose you want to save this,"  No, I do not. It is not really Nico's first hair cut.  At least, I am not counting it as such!

Then Sir Nicholas was ready to eat, having had a good bath and grooming.  After breakfast, we had a little photo session because I can't resist taking photos of every second of this little baby's life!

His pediatrician told me to go ahead and put him in a seat.  He said, "Look at him, he's ready!" So I pulled out the little seat and Sir Nicholas sat on his throne for the first time this morning. That is definitely worth documenting with a photo.  I love that all of my babies are using all the same gear.  That's special.  Whenever Nico wears a hand-me-down of Bode's, I tell him that  his big brother wore it, and that Nico should be honored to wear it as well.  (The onesie he is wearing today in these photos does not happen to be a hand-me-down.  I bought this, and several others, when pregnant. I could not resist shopping for my new little guy.)

See the perfect bubble?

Have a wonderful Wednesday.  Can you believe we are already in the middle of this week?

xo

Happy New Year

While I was making my traditional Hoppin' John for New Year's Day,  I looked out to the living room and saw everyone piled into one chair.  It made me so happy to see everyone so close, together.  I ran and got my camera to capture this:

Bode and Gianna love to sit with RWF when he is watching tv. They probably love watching tv, too, but they always want to sit with "Daddy" when they have the opportunity.

They have spent so much time with RWF over this holiday. It has been wonderful for them.  RWF took these shots today while out on a walk at Saratoga Spa State Park:

Super cute!  I wish I could be with them outside. I miss our walks.

Instead, Nico and I stay cozy inside.  I absolutely adore this baby.

In this photo (below), he looks like Gianna did when she was a baby.  He has Gianna's eyes in this photo at least.  And new hair growth is blonde, baby.  Is he going to look like Gianna?

I took Nico to the pediatrician yesterday. He weighs 14 lbs and 5 oz.  He is doing great. He cried after the nurse gave him a shot in the thigh (ouch). The nurse said, "You're not fooling me, with those thighs!"  Poor little guy.

Best wishes for health and happiness.

xo