Tummy Time

Trying out some new tricks during tummy time. His neck is getting pretty strong! At this rate he'll be headbanging in a metal band by Easter.

Videos! Hooray!

Here are a few videos from my phone. It's amazing to me how much he has changed in three months!

Hiccups -11/20/11 Ten days old (don't know how to rotate the video... Sorry!)

Playtime on the activity mat. He loves the octopus! 01/15/12 -Nine weeks old

Pumping out gas, because sometimes it gets stuck. 01/21/12 -Ten weeks old

Making silly sounds on the changing table, looking at the bug mobile. 02/08/12 -Twelve weeks old

Today, waiting for Daddy to come home from work. "Talking" 02/10/12 -Thirteen weeks old

Happy Days

I am having so much fun with Odin! It's so hard to capture his smile on camera... It seems like he is all smiles and giggles while we are playing, but as soon as I try to take a picture of him he gets all serious. I love having conversations with him! I have a couple videos of him "talking" but can't upload them from my phone.

He's also starting to become more aware of his surroundings. Today he discovered that I am attached to his food source, so he looks at me and smiles and talks to me with my nipple in his mouth. It's hilarious! He won't stay latched for more than a few seconds because he gets so distracted. I'm glad this is a temporary phase because as cute as it is, I would worry he's not eating enough!

I take him back to the doctor next week to catch up on shots. He won't have another formal check up until next month. He did really well last month when he got his shots, so I'm hoping it's not too bad this time, either.

I can't believe he is three months old already! In another three months he'll be holding his head up, rolling over, teething, sitting in the Bumbo, eating solids, and dating! I'm trying to hang onto each precious minute I have with him and genuinely cherish each moment. I know all too well how fleeting time is, and this chapter in our lives is such a small percentage of the bigger picture. Putting it into this perspective has made me appreciate (and even enjoy!) the fussy times he needs rocking, the middle of the night wake ups, and the times it feels like all he does is nurse. One day not too far from now I'll wish he was this small and will long for these days and nights...

I read that by the end of this month he will no longer snuggle into me when I hold him, as he becomes aware that he is his separate entity and gains the muscle control to pull away when he's in my arms. So I've been snuggling him a lot lately, trying to take advantage of these last few weeks. Apparently I fall into the Attachment Parenting label, but I'm totally ok with that. ;)

Other things he is doing:
-Drooling a lot
-Blowing spit bubbles
-Reaching for things in front of his face
-Grasping and shaking things, then bringing them to his mouth
-Sucking on his fists
-Looking at his hands and fingers

Trying to capture his smile

Blowing spit bubbles

Snuggling with his puppy before nap time (why does my phone add the checker print?)

Baby feet! I gobbled them up =)

Who's that cute baby in the mirror?

It's Odin! He's the cutie

He loves looking at my phone

Flirty, Thirty, and Fabulous

I'm two weeks late on this post, but I'm 30 now! I have to document it!

The big three-oh-no!

My birthday was on a Sunday this year, which was nice because Scott was home. Amber came over in the early afternoon to take some pictures of Odin, then took me out to lunch while Scott watched the baby. We went to Flat Top, which is like Mongolian BBQ for you Michiganders. Not only was the food awesome, but we had some yummy cocktails, too. Afterwards we did some shopping at Target and then headed back to our place.

Cactus flower margarita? It was yummy whatever it was

This looks like a rum drink... Also super yummy

The second part of my birthday gift from Amber was she watched Odin while Scott took me out to dinner. She also watched him while we got ready to go. Amber freaking rocks!

New tights and shoes

Favorite dress

No smiling

We went to a super cute BYOB Mediterranean restaurant on Southport called Tango Sur. They of course played tango music, and it was dark with candlesticks on every small, closely-spaced table. It was intimate and romantic without being stuffy or pretentious. Scott did a great job picking out the place!

Fill 'er up!

Spinach mashed potatoes -yum!

After what seemed like hours, but was in reality only about fifty minutes, the conversation turned to Odin, and we started to wonder how he was doing. I texted Amber and she replied that he was great, and sent me a picture of him sleeping in his Boppy.

Nice work, Aunt Amber!

Our minds at ease, we decided it would be ok to go out for drinks after dinner. We went to a fancy bar in Wicker Park called the Violet Hour, and I was again thankful my birthday was on a Sunday because usually there is a three hour wait to get in. I had actually tried to get in a few times before but didn't want to wait, so my birthday was the first time I went inside. There was no line, and it was pretty dead inside. I had a fancy drink with vodka and champagne and Scott and I had a great time talking and reconnecting. It was really nice to have a conversation that lasted more than a couple of minutes.

On the way home, the wintry drizzle we were getting turned into a full-on downpour and thunderstorm! At the first bolt of lightening I thought maybe I was imagining things. A thunderstorm in January is craziness. Yay(?) global warming! We were glad to get back inside where it was dry and warm, and to snuggle with Odin. Although we were only gone 2.5-3 hours, we really missed that little guy.

Even though this was the first year I didn't have a birthday cake or pie, candles to blow out, or Happy Birthday sung to me, surprisingly I didn't mind. I had such a wonderful birthday and I can't wait to see what the next decade holds in store for me!

Amanda's Game Day Dip

My cousin Amanda made this for my Dziadzia's 90th birthday party last weekend, and I don't remember what she called it. It was fabulous though, and I've been thinking about it ever since. She found the recipe on pinterest, so I guess I could browse through her pins, but who has time for that? Anyway, here are the ingredients I remembered:

Hummus
Diced cucumber
Diced red pepper
Diced black olives
Dill
Feta

Serve with mini pita rounds, or if your grocery store doesn't have them (like mine), cut up large pita rounds.

Eating this Game Day dip is all I'm going to do in connection with the Superbowl. We don't have cable, weren't invited to any parties, and probably wouldn't go to any anyway since we are still recovering from yesterday's hidden dairy fiasco.

Sto Lat, Scott!

Happy 31st Birthday, Scott! Sto lat! Hope this year is your best one yet.