Happy Birthday!
By Dad | December 4, 2009
Dear Niko,
Momma asked you how old you were and you told her, “TWO”. You are right. Happy Birthday stinker. You in are in Oklahoma City right now visiting Auntie Lisa and your cousins. I’m flying out to meet you guys in a couple hours to go to Momma’s cousin, Kaylyn’s wedding tomorrow. It’s been lonely in the house the last couple days without you and I can’t wait to see you. I still can’t believe that I’ve known you for two years – the best two years of my life. You are the most amazing creature to walk the earth.
Love you, love you, love you.
Dad.
Topics: Milestones | 5 Comments »
Testing
By Dad | November 15, 2009
Dear Niko,
I asked your Momma if she could help me think of a title for this photograph and letter. She came up with “Look, there’s my cute baby”. I agree with her, but I thought we’d call it testing. Testing, as in testing your strength; you pulled yourself up onto that bench by just using your hands. It was pretty cool. Testing, as in testing my patience today.
It’s not really your fault, and I get that. You see, you’ve been getting ear infections quite frequently, so Mom took you to the specialist, who aside from being verbose, judgmental, annoying, and not very good with children, told her what we already knew, which is that your pacifier and bottle are contributing to your ear infections. So we took away your pacifier and bottle this week. Now, you’ve only been using your pacifier only when you sleep (except at school, where you sleep without it), and you’ve only been taking a milk bottle when you wake up and before you go down for the night. You don’t really like to drink milk out of anything but a bottle (except at school of course, where a cup is fine). This weekend you wouldn’t nap without your pacifier, and you my little bug, are not so much fun when you haven’t napped. Combine that with crying for a bottle that we weren’t going to give you and turning into an irate pterodactyl instead of sleeping, and I almost failed your test.
Even though we did get lots of playtime together and had tons of fun the rest of the weekend, I did want to let you know though, as we’re always very honest and open with each other. We played with your new blocks, and you sorted them by shapes and colors, and counted every group. Every time you seen a STOP sign now, you say “Octagon”. We spelled out words on your flash cards with ABC blocks – even “shoulders”, which is your new favorite song, as in “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” which you now sing along with “BAYYBEE!”.
Sorry I sent you to your room (a lot) today.
Love you little bug.
Dad.
Topics: Eating, Learning | 1 Comment »
Frankeniko
By Dad | November 6, 2009
Dear Niko,
This year for halloween you were Frankenstein (the monster). It is very important not to confuse Frankenstein the Monster with Dr. Frankenstein, the monster’s creator, which now that I think about it, would have been a great costume for me. Man, that would have been pretty awesome. Oh well. You looked super cute, though kind of Frankenstein meets Vietnam Vet if you ask me (which your mom did not). All the kids at your school had a little parade on the Friday before Halloween and walked around the block in their little costumes. Sky was DJ Lance Rock. She ruled. We went to the Park Slope parade on Halloween night which was super fun. There were a million kids and parents in costume. My favorite was the Star Wars family with their stroller disguised as R2D2. I can’t wait to watch Star Wars with you for the first time.
Your favorite book these days is Where the Wild Things Are or as you call it, “Max”, as in “We read Max Daddy”. You have also learned how to say “nope”, as in “Niko, would you like to brush your teeth?”, “Nope” or “How about this book?”, “Nope”, or “Niko, please try on your Frankenstein outfit!”, “Nope”. However, we are your parents, and as you can see from the picture above, we win. ”Yup”.
Love you frankenkiddo.
Dad.
Topics: Holidays, School | 1 Comment »
In case you missed me
By Dad | October 21, 2009
Dear Niko,
You’ve had a bit of a tough week this week as you haven’t been feeling too well. You and Mama both really. I think the dramatic change in the weather hasn’t helped; nor has the fact that all your classmates seem to have the same runny nose. We took this picture a couple weekends ago at the Brooklyn Aquarium in Coney Island. You really love it there, especially the big sharks. It was warm enough to run on the beach a little bit too, though they don’t really seem to clean it off season, so there was tons of broken glass.
You were really funny the other day. You love to read your books in the orange lounge chair in your room, and you very carefully choose which books you are going to read, stack them up in your chair and climb up, get cozy and start reading. I was in the kitchen and heard you shouting in your room. When I looked in, Simon was in your chair, all 20+ lbs of him. You were shouting “Simon, Go!, Go Simon!, Siiiiimmon!” which he of course ignored. You then tried to tickle him, which I think eventually worked. I wonder how it felt for you to get a taste of your own medicine, chair and pillow stealer.
Love you baby. Hope you feel better.
Dad.
Topics: Being Cute, Home | 1 Comment »
Walking!
By Dad | February 4, 2009
Dear Niko,
You can walk! If any of your friends ask you when you learned how to walk, you can tell them January 24, 2009. You don’t have to tell them that you still prefer to crawl. Nice job stinker.
Love,
Dad.
Topics: Milestones | No Comments »
This is a stick up
By Dad | January 22, 2009
Dear Niko,
You did it! You’ve been reading a little bit. You read and said the words “ball”, and “hi”. Momma thinks you said “dude” the other day too. You also see the word “clap” and clap. Well, I’m pretty sure you aren’t actually reading, but more memorizing words, but it’s kind of cool anyway.
You’ve been getting really close to walking and even climbed up on the bed by yourself. You like to tickle my feet and say “ticka ticka ticka”.
See you later cuteness.
Love you.
Dad.
Topics: Milestones | No Comments »
Happy New Year!
By Dad | January 1, 2009
Dear Niko,
It is 2009 and you are just one year old. Your life is going to be someone else’s science fiction novel. I hope not the post-apocalyptic kind. One day you’ll be showing this picture to your grandkids while sitting in a rocker just like this one in a log cabin by a stone fireplace. Love you baby. Looking forward to a whole new year with you.
Dad.
Topics: Holidays | No Comments »
Swinging
By Dad | December 28, 2008
Dear Niko,
I don’t really have much to say except that I wish I looked as cool as you. Also, I got a cool new (actually quite old) lens for my camera and was pretty impressed that I was able to get this shot of you swinging with manual focus only. Manual focus is when you have to get the picture to not be fuzzy without a computer doing it for you. There once was a time, long ago, when people actually had to do stuff by hand slowly and methodically. Everything moves much faster now, but I’m not sure we actually have saved ourselves that much work, just enabled ourselves to do more in a world that now needs more. Remember that it is not always about just getting it done. Enjoy what you do and the rest will come.
Love you,
Dad.
Topics: Being Cute, The World Out There | No Comments »
Arms Up!
By Dad | December 27, 2008
Dear Niko,
We got to spend a bunch of time with your grandparents. Mornings are always the most fun over there (and not just because we get to sleep in, though that helps). There are so many things to do – memory cards, puzzles, balls, records, big legos, and musical instruments. The house is always a bit too cold, but your Mom and and I are the only ones that seem to mind and we just wear tons of clothing (while crazy Jeff walks around in shorts).
Love you lots little bug.
Dad.
Topics: Being Cute | No Comments »
Jah Niko
By Dad | December 26, 2008
Rasta,
Wa a gwaan dread? Happy boxing day stinker.
Bless,
Jah Dad.
Topics: Being Cute | No Comments »
Christmas Morning
By Dad | December 25, 2008
Dear Niko,
Your Dad isn’t much of a holiday person. Momma thinks I’m a grinch. A grinch is a fuzzy greenish monster that takes all the fun out of Christmas. Christmas is a holiday that is meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus, who is the father of the Christian religion (or maybe the son). It is a joyous time of many gifts that happens right around Hanukkah (which is the Jewish holiday of many gifts). I didn’t want to celebrate Christmas, but your Momma told me how excited she used to be as a little girl-waking up at the crack of dawn (which should come naturally to you) to run down to the Christmas tree and see what presents Santa left for her. Santa is a very round, jovial, red-faced, white-bearded grandpa-ish man in a red suit that flies around the world in a sled pulled by wingless raindeer (one of which has a red nose and is named Rudolph) to deliver presents to all the kids around the world on the night of Christmas eve). Santa never gets old because he has to travel at the speed of light in order to make all his deliveries which keeps him relatively at the same age you see. He’s like the opposite of Wooderson in Dazed and Confused (He gets older, they stay the same age).
So, after much thought (mainly realizing that listening to your Momma is better than not listening-and hey, there is a lesson in there for you too stinker), you got to experience your first Christmas.
Happy first Christmas little bug.
Love you.
Dad.
Topics: Holidays | 3 Comments »
Haircut
By Dad | December 18, 2008
Dear Niko,
It was bound to happen eventually. We cut your hair, but only a little bit. You really needed it. You’ve gone from being a baby to a little boy – a cute flannel-wearing little boy that we love very much.
Dad.
Topics: Being Cute | No Comments »
Jedi Lesson 1: The Light Saber
By Dad | December 17, 2008
Dear Niko,
Yes that is a light saber you are holding in your hands. Feel its weight, don’t put it in your mouth. Chances are you’ll be a jedi like your dad and stuff, but in the meantime, you should probably give Parker his light saber back.
We went to Nashville so you could meet Parker and we could hang out with his parents. It was pretty freaking cold. Colder than it should be down there in my opinion. You were pretty good on the plane and I think it helped that we got you your own seat and sat you in your car seat. Thanks for being cool.
Love you.
Dad.
Topics: Friends, Travel | No Comments »
Happy Birthday Part 2
By Dad | December 14, 2008
Dear Niko,
Your first birthday was so special we celebrated twice. This photo was taken on your actual birthday. You were born with a shiner, and somehow managed to get one in time for your first birthday. Lets try not to make this a tradition.
Now that you are a one year old, you don’t drink formula anymore and have switched instead to organic whole milk. You have also started throwing your food around which we hope will end soon.
You now weigh 21.7lbs and are 31″ tall.
We are pretty convinced you would be heavier and taller if you threw less food on the ground.
Love you lots.
Dad.
Topics: Milestones, School | No Comments »
Happy Birthday
By Dad | December 4, 2008
Happy Birthday. You are one year old today. Can’t wait to watch you grow up.
Love you,
Dad.
Topics: Milestones | 2 Comments »
Fall Milestones
By Dad | November 2, 2008
Dear Niko,
Today was daylight savings time – your first “fall back”.
Also, all that primary election stuff is finally over and Barack Obama will be running against John McCain making history as the first time both major parties have chosen Irish candidates to lead their parties. O’bama will be following in the foot steps of Thin Lizzy and bringing a little bit of rock n’ roll to the middle class, while McCain will most likely be bringing a little bit of rock n’ a hard place to everyone but the upper class. Before you put any money on any of the stuff I just told you with your buddies, come see your Dad about the meaning of sarcasm.
Here are some of the things you can do these days:
• Words: You can say Dada, Mama, Ball, Uh Oh, and Bye Bye. Senor Jeff is pretty convinced you started saying Car today too, but we’re going to see how that one goes.
• You wave and say bye bye.
• Your favorite word is “Meow” or anything Senor Jeff says in his silly tone.
• You can stand up very easily, though still need to hold onto stuff.
• You are a little bookworm and love to sit in a pile of books reading them all (mostly upside down)
• You go to sleep around 8pm and wake up around 6am. When you wake up, you entertain yourself for about an hour or so and read some of the books we put by your crib. When you are ready to get up, you stand up and start calling us.
• You watch a tiny bit of Sesame Street and your favorite letter is E which you crawl around saying.
• You favorite activity is swinging.
• Our favorite activity is hanging out with you.
Love you stinker.
Dad.
Topics: Being Cute, Doing Stuff, Milestones | 3 Comments »