25 Weeks

Today Baron is 25 weeks. Baron now moves the props and plays with them. I don't think we ever imagined him being able to move the props when we started the weekly picture project. Now we have a little guy who can move himself across the living room floor by strategically rolling and schooching (is that a word). I decided today if I had to choose one word to describe our son it would be DETERMINED.

Tupperware Time

We try new things each day to keep this little guy entertained. Today I took advice from a friend who said the tupperware drawer gave her girls hours of entertainment. We made a tupperware tower and a tupperware drum set. It was a lot of fun (for mom and Baron). Baron was enjoying it until he noticed the TV was on (picture 2).

Mom's Helper

This is my helper in the kitchen. Baron likes to sit in his high chair and watch whatever I do. Today I gave him a spatula to chew on. The poor baby must be cutting teeth. He has enough drool to fill a swimming pool and he puts everything in his mouth. I had to post this picture tonight because Baron was pounding the spatula on the top of his high chair and loved the noise. He was also using it to knock off the rubber duck. The fun part for him is watching me pick it up!

Spike!

During pregnancy I imagined a little baby boy with lots of dark brown hair and big brown eyes. I really imagined a mini-Nate. I never once thought we would have a baby with beautiful BIG (and always wide open) blue eyes. When Nate and I pulled out our baby pictures at 4 months it was obvious that Baron looks more like me than Nate, but I see Nate's happy-go-lucky personality in him everyday. And it looks like we are getting closer to the spiked hair too!

Toys toys and more toys

Nate stacked all of these toys in front of Baron during his crabbiest hour of the night (5pm-6pm). The result - the pacifier popped out and a serious case of the giggles started! Of course the video camera was upstairs instead of in the living room so I ran upstairs, but by the time I turned it on Baron turned the giggles off! Very typical :)

Happy 4th of July!

The 4th of July is a great family day! Maybe in a few years Baron will be able to stay up for the fireworks. Until then, we are enjoying his 7pm bedtime after a day full of playing, swimming and lots of sun!

Downtown Portland

Nate got off work early today because of the holiday so Baron and I drove downtown to meet him for a walk. We started at Nate's office and walked across the Hawthorne Bridge. The first picture is right after we crossed the bridge. In the background is Nate's office building (the tallest building) and the bridge. Then we strolled along the Eastbank Esplanade to the Steel Bridge (1.5 miles). While we were on the Steel bridge a tug boat came and the draw bridge lifted. I looked down at Baron to show him and noticed he had fallen alseep! We finished the walk along the west bank and back to the office. It was so much fun. I took pictures like a tourist. I have always liked Portland because of all the bridges and water. I am not sure Baron thought it was as much fun. He just slept off and on.

Summer is here!

It has been HOT the last couple of days, but today we hit the mid 90's. Thank goodness we have air conditioning. Baron and I had a play date today. We went to Lindsay's house for lunch and to meet another new mom (Erin) and her son Preston. It was a lot of fun! Then tonight when Nate got home we decided it was still warm enough to let Baron take a dip. He loves splashing in the water!

So once he had splashed with his hands for awhile, Nate decided to let him splash with his feet.

Shortly after the diaper came off and Baron was sitting in his little pool (aka our beer & wine cooler for parties!).

This was my favorite! Nate was pouring water and Baron was trying so hard to catch it.

Mmmm...rubber ducky! Or maybe he is saying YUCK!

Gus was hot and thirsty so Baron held up a bowl for him. They are becoming better pals everyday.

Baron was exhausted from his big day...and went to bed at 6:30! I think I better get to bed early too. I have a feeling I will hear a little voice through the monitor saying "GOOD MORNING" earlier than normal tomorrow.

Suprise visit from Auntie Susie!

We love company! Auntie Susie came to visit today. We met her for lunch in north Portland and then she came back to our house tonight. Baron skipped his nap so he was very sleepy during his late afternoon bottle. He even fell asleep in her arms for a few minutes.
This is my little Skipper (Gilligan's Island reference). He helped me bring in the diapers that we hung in the sun today. Then he unfolded everything I folded...lots of help! He sure thought it was funny. He was laughing like a hyena. For the record - Baron is attemping to talk. Today he started saying "Ba."

And this little piggy went in the mouth...

I think my brain has officially switched to SAHM (stay at home mom) mode. I am beginning to think in nursery rhymes. This is Baron's new trick. I guess when you are teething you chew on anything and everything!

The look of determination

...and he got it!

Sit 'N Play

Baron has mastered sitting on his own. Well maybe "mastered" is taking it a little far, but he can sit on his own now. He is enjoying the new view of his toys. Tonight he played with Nate for about a half an hour and then decided he would read the bed time story!

While mom and dad were gone...

Tonight is going to be a picture blog of Baron's time with his Grandma and Grandpa Holstein and Aunt Alyson while Nate and I were in Vegas celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary. It looks like he had lots of fun!
First Baron showed them how he can play peek-a-boo by himself! He loves to pull them blanket/clothes/toys over his face and then lift them off and smile.

I just had to put this picture on the blog because Baron's diaper matched Aunt Alyson's hair band.

They went to the park and Baron showed off how he can sit by himself...even at the top of the slide!

Aunt Alyson took Baron down the slide.

Baron looked concerned/overwhelmed...either that or the sun was in his eyes!

It was a big day! He was worn out by the time they walked home from the park.
And hungry! It looks like he was trying to convince his grandma that he can feed himself!

So after a long day of playing and eating it was time for bath. Grandma came up with a great way for Baron to sit in the bath instead of lay down and he had alot of fun! He was concentrating on the ducks floating by.
The next day he had to help his grandpa work a little.

And Griswold wanted Baron to through his ball for him.

Since Baron enjoyed the bath so much and it was a nice day - a bowl of water and the bath tub ducks were brought outside as entertainment. From this picture it appears that the dogs were hoping it was a water bowl for them! Look at those tounges!
It was so much fun that Grandma brought out a larger container of water and made a home-made pool!

Thanks Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Alyson (& Griswold) for taking care of Baron and Gus while we were gone! It was fun to go through the pictures tonight and see everything that you did!

Taking a break

Baron was playing and chatting on his tummy while I was in the kitchen today. Suddenly the chatting stopped. When I glanced over this is what I saw...

Sometimes we all need a little cat nap to freshen up.

My excuse for not blogging last night

I am posting this late because I was very busy making a cake for Nate last night. It was my first day home with Baron and it could not have been better! I LOVE being a mom...I feel like it is my true calling in life. It felt good at first to go to work - just for a change of pace, but the newness quickly wore off and my heart ached to be with Baron. The day that I really knew that I needed to be home was when I left Baron at Carla's and asked myself "If I could drive to any job right now - what would it be?" And the only answer that would come to me was "I would turn around and pick up my boy!" Then one day Nate said to me "I want you to stay home" and I didn't argue!

This cake was for Father's Day (but we had a big dinner party on Saturday so we didn't want it on Sunday). Thanks babe! You are the best husband and dad that we could ever ask for!

Father's Day!

I asked Nate to describe his first father's day and he said it was AWESOME! He is a man of few words tonight so I am doing the blog (he's been fighting a nasty cold for the past 3 days in his defense). It was a good day. We decided the best thing about Father's Day and Mother's Day is that both days are designated family days. So here are a couple of pictures from today.

Nate trying to act like Baron. We couldn't crack a smile out of him for some reason.

I'm not sure what caught their attention, but it was kind of cute.
Lastly - one of the gifts Baron gave his dad were these three pictures in a frame.

Is Baron trying to tell us something??

We didn't stage this picture - we promise. Baron was just hanging out on his tummy yesterday morning and Nate decided to snap a few pictures. Apparently Baron was making a silent statement...look closely and you'll see it too!

It's Official....

...I'm a stay at home mom! Nate and I decided over a month ago that it would just be better if I stayed home with Baron instead of working. We had to work really hard to figure out how it would work and it won't be easy, but we decided it was worth it! We loved (and still love) Carla because she did a great job with Baron, but we just felt it was best for our family. So today was a day of goodbyes at work and then when I got home Baron had a surprise for me (and went to bed shortly after). I feel truly BLESSED!

Peek-A-Boo

Baron loves a good game of Peek-A-Boo! Tonight while I was folding laundry he was laying in his crib playing and talking. Then all of the sudden he was making a different noise/scream. Nate and I have learned that this scream is the "I'm-on-my-tummy-and-mad" scream. So I peaked in his room and here is what was staring back at me. It turned into a fun game of Peek-A-Boo with lots of giggles.

Trying to sit up

Baron's new favorite toy is his alphabet drum. I am not sure if it is because it sings the ABC's to him or if it is because he likes the view from the sitting position. He isn't sitting on his own yet, but he lasts a few seconds before he collapses. This picture was taken at just the right moment. Because he is what the majority of his pictures from tonight look like...

Despite rocking from side to side and front to back, he was still enjoying himself and his time with his mom and dad.