Holiday! Celebrate!

Well, we are back from a weeklong trip to Gammy and Gampy's house and boy, did Niva have fun there! Baby Sunshine was so happy and rarely fussed in Katy, TX...that's a relief for me! This was the longest stretch of time that we were not on Niva's turf and I didn't know how this would affect her. Even though she was on vacation, we stuck to the same old baby routine to keep Niva on track.

Here's Niva getting ready for her first Momo Party on Christmas Eve...

I got 2 teeth, gimme that momo now!

Eggs and Bakey dominated Christmas Day too! The whole family showered her with gifts especially Paju AKA Unkee Wajee Claus. First, he revealed that a brand new BOB stroller will be delivered to us this week--for those who don't know, that is supposed to be the Cadillac of strollers. Then, he brought out a sweet little high chair which is about to revolutionize our lives. I felt like we were on The Price is Right with all these great surprises! Next year, when Niva is more cognizant of Christmas, I'm going to have to figure out how to make Christmas not all about the presents though....that one is going to be tough.

You mean this bow is not my present??

Hi guys! Like my new high chair?

Thanks for my special Christmas Cookies, T-Fu!

After a week of baby contentment, Eggs and Bakey decided to let out her frustrations on the car ride home to Austin. She must have been very sad to leave Gammy and Gampy's because she cried (more like screamed) about 70% of the 2.5 hour trip home. Unfortunately since we took separate cars, it was just me and my Lil Pardner in the car and I had no way of making her happy...not even Thumbkin worked! After making 2 stops for a bottle and some hugs, I decided to just Ferberize it the rest of the way home. Oh well. A baby's gotta do what a baby's gotta do...you are still the best gift I could ever ask for!

BEST GIFT E V E R!!!!!!!!

Merry Jhanko!

Niva officially rang in her introduction to solid foods with a big bang! Her Jhanko party was this past weekend-- friends and family gathered to watch Niva eat solids and celebrate this great milestone. We had so much fun! The Indian food from Tarka was so yummy and the coconut tres leches cake made by my good friend Josie was decadently delicious. It was so wonderful to see everyone and it was especially awesome to see all the well-behaved, content babies at the party-- Leo, Juliet, Taylor, and Niva. All the babies were smiling, playful, and bubbly...even as bedtimes approached. We are so lucky to have such happy kids!

Niva hanging with Paju at the party:

Hey, I gotta talk to my friend over there. 'Scuse me, Unkee...

For Jhanko, the 2 most important people to feed the baby is the mother's brother and the father's sister as they are the ones who will take over if something happened to the child's parents. Here are Unkee Wajee and Auntie Steph practicing their duties:

Niva shows quite an interest in her beautiful cake before it is cut...world-renowned pastry chef Josie Geck looks on:

This tiny banana is just my size!

Here are 3 of the 4 happy babies with their mommies...

Yo homies, got my PJ's on...almost my bedtime!

Overall, Niva's big bash was a success...thanks to all our friends and family for being a part of Baby Sunshine's special day!

What a Great Day to Be Alive!

Scenes from today's tummytime in the park:

Cheeks for days!

Niva is finally learning how to roll from tummy to back.

I did a little experiment and it turns out that Niva CAN hold the bottle on her own now...wow!

I feel so blessed that I can just pick up and go to the park with Niva on such a beautiful day!

Music Class!

We had such a fun music class at Book People this morning! Niva and I met up with our buds Karen and Leo to sing songs, dance around, shake rattles, and wave scarves. Heartsong, the group that put it on, sometimes does these free sample classes every once in awhile...since we are on a budget,  these free extracurricular events are awesome!

Yo Leo, what's up with these floating cheeses above our heads??

Oh and then as we were leaving the book store, Eggs and Bakey had her first celebrity sighting-- Jesse James...peh!

Party Weekend

This weekend was the first time Kraig and I went out together without our Baby Sunshine (besides the time we went out for an hour to buy a couch).

Mom and Dad outta the house?? Paaaarty!

Deuces, yall!

Our friends Jon and Becky got married so Gammy and Gampy made their way from Houston to spend the weekend with Niva. Although we didn't leave town, we still had to leave her for two nights-- one for the rehearsal dinner and one for the wedding reception. I missed her soooo much! The groom had an 8 month old chubby-cheeked niece at the wedding that made me long for my own chubby cheeks at home.  Eggs and Bakey and the g-parents had fun times though. Thanks for babysitting!

Gampy, I don't have test grades yet! Quit askin' me!

Check out these pearly whites for yourself, Gammy!

Good times, Gamz and Gampz! We'll always have the Baby Jumperoo!

Baby Mascot

Niva represented Nazareth Olive Oil at the Holiday Gift Fair at City Hall yesterday evening! Daddy had a table set up to sell our olive oil and Niva was out and about to help too.  Actually, Niva and I spent more time cruising the gift fair and gathering lots of yummy samples. So many people commented on what a happy baby Niva is. This warm feeling in my heart must be what it's like to be a proud parent...awwwww!

Free smiles with olive oil purchase!

Bonus picture of the day:

Niva shows off the beginnings of her first 2 teeth...

Don't mind my hat head. We just got back from the store!

Progress

I gave Niva applesauce yesterday and she made the sour face again and pursed her lips. Today, she actually took the spoon in her mouth but wasn't quite sure what to do with it...

And now she tells us she's had enough...

Just give me the usual!!

Now Entering the World of Solid Foods...

Yesterday, we had Niva Josephine's official Jhanko aka the ceremony in which she has her first taste of solid foods! What a big day for Eggs and Bakey it was! Gammy and Gampy have just come back from the motherland of Nepal and arrived at our house with a whole bunch of loot for their grandbaby-- beautiful outfits and tons of bling bling. Here are some shots from the day:

Niva in her beautiful traditional Nepalese outfit...her nap got cut short this afternoon so she is verrrry sleepy here:

Niva getting a taste of kheer (rice pudding)...the face says it all!

One of the customs is giving the baby a tray holding a book, pen, gold, soil, and a brick. Whatever she picks up represents what is to be her future-- Niva touched the book and the gold! Smart and wealthy!

Here's another traditional outfit called a lengha:

And here is the back of that outfit! This is the only time she will be allowed to wear such a scandalous outfit!

Showing off some of the baby bling...

Now, we are excited about the party in a couple of weeks to celebrate Niva's new world of solids! However, I am a little sad that I won't be Niva's only source of food anymore...another reminder that this is all going way too fast!

Christmastree Day

Niva helped us pick our first Christmastree this evening! It's an artificial tree, so hopefully we will be decorating this tree with her kids one day (like our Pebble Chase tree....awww!).

Ma, we need ornaments!! 

...and I will be the star!

And by the way, we had a Christmastree Day Miracle...I discovered Niva's first tooth emerging-- bottom, center! Didn't I just give birth to this kid? How does she already have teeth?? I can't keep up with all the milestones!

Good Times!

On Monday, Niva invited 3 week old Baby Sebastian out to her favorite spot for their first official play date. Guess where they went? Nope, not Tutti Frutti...they took advantage of the gorgeous weather and headed out to Butler Park! Way to go Sebastian for doing so well out in the world....see you again at the park!

Hey Sebastian, c'mon out here and join the fun!

Now, let me tell you about this tummytime business that my Ma keeps yapping about...

You got it! Good job!

Ta-da! Introducing my new homie Sebastian!

Such a gentleman...thank you for the kiss, kind sir!

Where Is Niva? Here She Is!

I feel like I've won the lottery! In addition to having Niva Josephine as my very own, I have discovered a song that soothes her about 95% of the time. A few weeks ago at our library storytime, we sang an oldie but a goodie called Where is Thumbkin. It was an easy song to sing and had cute little hand movements to go with it...so I started singing it to Niva using her name. Niva must love it because it gets her quiet fast when she's grumpy! I use it during Pajama Time, in the car when she's had enough, on our evening walks when she's ready to be home but we're not close....I don't mind singing it several hundred times if it keeps her content! What are the odds that I would just happen to find the song that does the trick?

Me? Grumpy? Never! Now sing me that song again!

In other news, the Baby Nursery has undergone a transformation. We moved the guest room bed so that there will be more space for Eggs and Bakey to play as she gets more mobile...here she is christening her new foam playmat: