Happy Halloween - Let's do the Tootsie Roll!

Happy Halloween everyone and happy seven months old, Nicholas! I'm going to let the photos speak for themselves on this post . . .

Mommy & Me

Just Like Daddy!

 

Nicholas' Six Month Update!

We can't believe our little baby is going to be six months old this coming Tuesday! He's growing so fast and does new things every day. Over the past month or so he started eating rice cereal, applesauce, pears, and carrots! He seems to be taking after his mom with his appetite - we'll see whose palate he gets. Here are a few shots of him eating - he gets that little mouth open really wide and even sticks out his tongue when food is headed his way.

Rice cereal - Yum!

Applesauce - double YUM!

"I love my new high chair! Thanks Aunt Donna & Uncle Pat!"

Nicholas is also becoming quite the wiggle monster - which I'm told is typical for a boy. He has been known to walk up my stomach as I am standing and holding him, try to crawl around my shoulders, flip around and shimmy down my legs when I'm sitting down with him, and just generally try to go, go, go. He is doing great in the sitting position - he almost doesn't have to use his arms to stay upright. He is a pro at tummy time and even pulls his knees up to the crawling position and rocks back and forth like he's revving up to crawl! The other day he did this in is crib and cracked himself up with hysterical laughter. Ah the simple things!

The Smith Family got him a great jumperoo for a baptism present - it's a great way for Nicholas to use some up of his endless energy. I am going to attempt to upload a video of him jumping away...

Nicholas' Christening - September 4, 2011

We had the whole family in town for Nicholas' baptism. His Godparents are Aunt Christina and "Uncle" Fred (our close friend and next door neighbor, and one of Nicholas' biggest fans!). It was a tight squeeze in our townhouse, but Nicholas loved all the attention. And he got to meet Pa, Uncle Mike and his girlfriend Abby for the first time.

Here are some shots of Nicholas getting ready for his big day! He wore the same christening outfit that Daddy wore when he was baptized.  It fit great and of course Grandma Busso had kept it in pristine condition! It's hard to tell, but the outfit is comprised of a onesie, vest, and long robe - plus he had little silk booties!

Here are some shots from the church - the mass and ceremony was at St. Louis Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA.

Here's Nicholas with Mommy, Daddy and all the grandparents!

Nicholas with Mommy, Daddy, Godmother Christina & Godfather Federico

The Smith Clan

The Busso Family

And here are some photos from the party that followed. Nicholas tried his first, very tiny, bite of frosting - can't say he really liked it all that much, but that is sure to change - all in good time!

Nicholas' first taste of frosting - looks like his sweet tooth hasn't come in yet!

 

Finally, here are some miscellaneous shots from the weekend - I think Nicholas spent the entire weekend in someone's arms - he loved it!

Pa and Nicholas

Uncle Mike & Nicholas

Look at him, sitting up like a big boy!

Aunt Colleen & Nicholas

Check out my new hat! Thanks Iarossi Family

Good morning Auntie Coll-Coll!

Our Visit with Nonnie & Natalia - Part IV

Nonnie and Natalia were back in town for a fantastic long weekend visit. As always Natalia kept us hopping and a definite highlight was the new Spray Park at Lee District Park. We went twice in one weekend! It was Nicholas' first time in a bathing suit and first time splashing around in water that wasn't in a bathtub. He LOVED it! Especially the bubblers that come up from the ground - he kept trying to "catch" the water. So cute! Plus who doesn't love a baby in a sun hat?

Natalia's scoping out the scene...

Nicholas trying to catch the water!

"Let go Mom! I want to ride this like the log flume!"

"Ok, really I just want to take a big gulp"

We also hit the regular playground at Lee District Park - which was wonderfully covered by a giant shade canopy. Nicholas tried to raid the snack bag...to no avail. See those angry eyebrows?

"Hmm...what do we have here..."

"Wow - peanut butter crackers, string cheese & fruit snacks - oh my!"

"Darn it - those chicks ate all the snacks and left me drooling - boo!"

And of course we had to go back to Burke Lake Park for a repeat ride on the carousel and train - and this time Daddy got to join while Mommy took her golf lesson.

Finally we spent some quality time at home just hanging out and playing the piano!

 Nicholas and Natalia are natural musicians!

Time to Take 5

Serious musicians...hard at work.

Things are getting sillier...

Full-on silly faces!