Everybody say "Jump! Jump!"-- no, not the Criss Cross song..

The video refused to upload, so here's a still shot...

So I found this jumper at Kid to Kid in Buford, by the Mall of Georgia. It has quickly become his new favorite thing to do. Since he already had one at mom's and loved it, I knew I needed to grab one. He's quickly out growing all his old swings and seats and I'm running out of places to put him when I'm busy so that he won't hurt himself. The jumper is great because he's occupied for at least 30 minutes or so!

On a side note, for those of you who don't know and are interested, Kid to Kid is a consignment-type store in Buford where I buy alot of used baby items for Nicklas, including clothes, toys, high chairs/booster seats, carriers, etc etc etc. They will also buy your old baby stuff when you don't need it anymore, which I'm holding off the urge to do since I know we'll probably have another little bundle of joy eventually (yes, eventually, not any time soon!) They are located across Hwy 20 from the mall in the shopping center where REI and DSW shoes are as well.

I took Nicklas to the doctor this morning to check out a rash he's had on his back for a few weeks; it turns out its just ezcema. I need to keep him lotioned up more ofter because his skin is so so dry! My boy turns 6 months old today, and weighs a whopping 17 lbs 5 ozs! We're expecting teeth any day now!

Someone's almost six months old...

...And to mark the occasion, Nicklas has started to sit up all by himself! He actually started this last Thursday when I was at work and he was at my mom's house, so I missed it! At least she got it in pictures for me...(apparently, every time he's had his picture made in the last month he's been in this same outfit. I swear I do change his clothes!)

Then when he falls over, his favorite thing to do it shove his foot in his mouth, shoes and all. His little boots are all discolored on the toes from where he's been sucking on them. We actually took him out with some friends of ours from church to the bowling alley last Saturday evening, and while he was sitting on the table at our lane, he fell face first onto the hard surface...yikes! I was bowling and heard this scream that made my blood curdle! He was OK, I think it was just more shock than pain. We still have to watch him closely as he's getting his balance right! It's just the first of many bumps on the head, I'm sure...he's a boy, after all!

He's fascinated with Sierra and Sasha (our cat). He's trying so hard to pet Sierra's face, which she just loves. She's very gentle with Nicklas, and they like to roll around on the floor and play together. It's the cutest thing. He thinks it's hilarious when Sierra gets under his bottom to smell his diapers...she's my poopy-pants detector.

Sick Babies and Sick Daddies

Trying to sit up by himself...I think he fell over right after I snapped this picture

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile! Nicklas has been sick with an awful cold/cough for the last five days, while Robert has been sick with the same thing for a week. Plus, Robert also went to Savannah for the Georgia Music Educators' Convention this past week, leaving me home with a very snotty boy. I hate it when he feels bad, because it makes me feel horrible knowing there's nothing I can do for him. Viruses stink! Here's a rare happy face that I haven't seen much of lately...

Last week we started back in our new semester of Kindermusik. Nicklas has a lot of fun at these classes, but its murder trying to get him there and have him napped, fed, etc etc. There's just no good time of the morning for me to try and take him anywhere. I know it won't always be like this, but after sitting him out of church for three weeks and missing my Thursday morning Bible study, my life is starting to feel like a hopeless void of begging him to nap and begging him to eat! Does anyone else feel this way? I constantly feel like I'm doing everything totally wrong and I'll never have fun anywhere ever again. My meal times are a rushed 5 minutes of shoveling food in my mouth so I can get him to stop crying or take him home from wherever we are at the time and he's having a meltdown. Sorry to vent, I guess I just feel kind of alone.




Anyway, here's Nicklas at Kindermusik. He really likes playing with the scarves. He's one of only two boys out of a class of nine or ten children, but he's not the youngest anymore! There's one baby now who's birthday is two weeks after his. I like to watch the other children and see what developmental milestones we have to look forward to in the coming months. We're doing our best to get him to crawl, but he's just content to wait for us to hand him the toy he wants (or whine until he gets it!)

Happy MLK day!

We've decided to give solid foods another try. This time I've decided to make my own baby food, so I started with some carrots. Boy, Nicklas just eats them up! He gets bored with it after awhile, but if he's hungry enough he'll gobble them down. I admit, I did buy some Gerber First Foods today because they were on sale. And he really seems to like peas, too! Although, the food thing is REALLY messy, so I'm having to let go of my OCD no-mess self and let him be dirty for a minute. It makes so sense to keep wiping him off every spoonful...

A carrot goatee

FAMILY REUNION

JANUARY 18, 2009

Yesterday we traveled down to Wrens, GA for the annual Williams family reunion. It's basically all my Papa's (dad's dad) brothers sisters and their spouses and children. Nicklas and Alexis were a big hit! Above is (sitting) sisters Marie, Frances and Willena, (standing) Marie's husband Harold, brothers Owen and Murray, Murray's wife Sheila and Willena's husband Lawrence. Hey, I remembered everyone!

McKenzie entertained everyone with the Hula Hoop.

Nicklas had fun...Nana carried him around like a proud grandma. By the end of the day he was spent, but on the whole was very good.

I can't hear you ...

Too cute!

Our Four (Almost Five) Month Checkup

Yesderday I took Nicklas to his four month well-baby appointment. I know he'll be five months on Monday, but due to insurance and scheduling conflicts, this is the first appointment I could get. He now weighs 15 lbs 11 oz and is 25 1/2 inches long! My how we've grown! He's in the 75th percentile for height, weight and head circumfrence. Which is good, so we don't have a long, skinny kid with a giant head or something like that...at least he's even all over!

Dr. Hogan (those are her hands above) was impressed with all his milestones and tells me he's developing normally (which I pretty much already knew). She also says its OK that Nicklas sleeps on his stomach, since he can now roll over without difficulty. SIDS is not much of a problem once babies can roll over, she says. Sleeping on his stomach can also help with the discomfort of reflux, which Nicklas is still on medicine for. I can tell a difference on the days where I miss a dose, he's so uncomfortable! He might also have a tooth or two erupting soon, because he chews on EVERYTHING and his gums are rigid (according to the Dr.)

His ears were clear and there is no sign of RSV! Yeah! (We had a small infection just before Christmas. It was not fun...)

Here's my baby right before he got his vaccines....I decided not the be the most insensitive Mom ever and take his picture when he got his shot. Although, he did extremely well this time and only cried for a minute or two. My boy's growing up! (Sniff...)

I hate Sundays...

Well, that sounds a little harsh...let's just say the Sundays are hard for us. And hard on Nicklas, since he doesn't get to sleep well in the nursery. It's not for lack of trying on the part of the nursery workers, but with other crying babies and people talking he just can't settle down. And when he can't settle down for his first nap, then second nap is even harder and third nap...well, we're just hoping for a third nap! Most Sundays he just screams for a better part of the afternoon. He's just overtired from lack of sleep, but what can I do? It would be easy to send one of us to church every Sunday so the other could stay home for his nap, but I don't want to go to church without Robert or miss everyone every other week. He just has a very limited time span where he's happy (about a 90 minute period after eating) before he needs another nap. He's grown less and less portable now, since he's so interested in his surroundings and will no longer sleep in his stroller while I'm out running errands (or at the mall or anywhere)! I'm hoping this is just a phase and he will grow into longer periods of wakefulness so I can take him places again. It just feels awful to try and take him out and have to leave a restaurant or store because he's inconsolable and won't settle. And I feel guilty then for dragging him out when I knew better! God has really blessed me with parents who are close by and are willing to take him when I need a break! Robert and I went to dinner Friday night while Nicklas spent the night with Nana...it was a very nice break, although all we did was talk about him during dinner!

I know it sounds like I'm complaining (alot). But God has also blessed me with a healthy, happy (usually) baby boy who loves his mommy very very much! Robert and I are so thankful everyday for that, especially with all the things that can go wrong. Tomorrow we have our four month check up with Dr. Hogan, even though he will be five months old in a week. (Its the first appt I could get!)
More news tomorrow after we get our next round of vaccines...yeah!

Here's some great pictures for all to enjoy!


Everything goes in my mouth!

Sitting down to a family meal...mmmm, spaghetti!

Again, in the mouth! So what else is new??

Sierra misses being our center of attention!