NSJ

Because moving walkways rock.

Giving Jul a well deserved week off, Niko came out with me on my trip to CA in November. During the day he kicked back with Grandma Pat who introduced him to ATVs, Hula Hooping in busy parking lots, and pool hopping. The two of them were like partners in crime sneaking into Jimboree classes and loitering around the Google campus (parking lots in particular…see earlier reference to Hula Hoops). I wasn’t sure how he was going to do in a hotel bed but he rolled with the change like a champ. I mean rolled literally. The kid was constantly in motion, migrating from one side of the bed to another. He would wake up at 4am and ask me if we could “play toys” and I would tell him definitely, once the sun rose.  Shockingly he would sit there for two hours waiting for the sun to rise at which point I would feel a tap, “Daee, the sun is up.” I can’t sit in one place for two hours at 35, much yet three, so I’m going with nature over nurture on this one.

The three of us ate mexican food every night and had a grand old time. Niko is in a (long) phase where “mommy” is #1 and “daee” is #10 somewhere below Sumo, Buzz, Woody, and Spiderman candy.  Its nothing I take personally, but having a week where I’m #1, where when he falls and skins his knee he asks for me, is nice even if it comes with a 4am play toy wake up call.

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I figure I better post some pictures of Niko’s third birthday before he turns four. His birthday was three days after we moved in, so it was more of a, “Here kid play with this box…happy birthday” kind of birthday. An unexpected benefit having all your stuff in storage for a year is old toys seem new and unpacking is like a birthday party. I had only installed a TV in Niko’s playroom (life without noggin would be unbearable) so this year will always be referred to as “that one party where we all had to huddle in Niko’s play room to watch the Giants’ game.”

It was just the boys on a recent weekend. So we spent time riding Niko’s new bike from Elsie, eating ice cream, running around in the woods, and climbing on rocks. We are, after all, boys.

Sometimes I act like an adult and watch the sunset, but most of the time I run on the wall with Niko. I don’t know how long he will get pure unadulterated joy out of something as simple as running on a wall, but I’m sure it won’t be long enough.

Hi, remember me? I use to blog here.

This year, Niko declared he was going to be a prince for Halloween. Given we wait on him hand and foot this seemed really fitting and I was impressed with his self awareness. The neighborhood Halloween party gave him a chance to practice ruling the land. I encouraged him to go with a “wizened beloved leader” persona but he seems to lean more towards “dictator who really wants his apple juice NOW.”  The party had a candy hunt which I think might be encroaching on the easter bunny’s territory, but anytime you want to spread candy on the ground, I’m all for it.

[flickrvideo]http://www.flickr.com/photos/happyinwater/4059589874/?processed=1&cb=1256943466972[/flickrvideo]

For our annual trip with the Sladdens we headed to Sag Harbor to check out the ocean on this side of the nation. I was actually unaware the east coast even had beaches, so it was a nice surprise. I tried to get the kids to read The Great Gatsby for some cultural context but they seemed more interested in Monster’s Inc. Kids these days.

As usual, Mandy does  a much better job blogging about the vacation.

As a side note, we forgot our “real” camera and so all these pictures were taken and processed on the iPhone. Short of low-light situations the GS seems to have improved enough to replace the standard point and shoot camera.

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Annual pilgramige to Ann Arbor for the 4th. Food, family, and red, white, and blue.

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(photo credit to my sis)