Gobble Gobble

Well folks my first Thanksgiving has come and gone. Rather than eating Turkey it seems that I represented the Turkey. My parents were fortunate enough to have been given lots of nice clothes for me to wear. Instead of buying me clothes they seem to only buy me festive holiday costumes. Anyways here is what I have to say about Thanksgiving

I'm 11 weeks old now. I am a real big shot and very advanced for my age. Look at me! 11 weeks old and sitting up in my high chair. Please ignore my Grandma's assistance I am not quite advanced enough for photoshop. I know my secret of assistance sitting in the high chair is safe with Grandma. She is always saying to me "Remember what goes on with Garndma stays with Grandma" My Mom isn't supposed to know about ANY of it. Sounds like Vegas baby. My Mom said the secrecy is  as fine with her as long as it is Mission Bay Park we are walking and not the strip in Vegas.

 Grandpa "Pop Pops" Bruce heard I was a good runner and wanted to go running with me. He also heard I am a really good coach. In the picture below he's trying to get me to divulge a training plan  that will guarantee him a qualification to the Ironman in Kona.

As you can see I am so not interested. Ironman is soooo long it puts me to sleep. I am head coach for my Mom and Dad's racing and training.They promised to keep it short and exciting. You'll hear more of my coaching tactics in future blogs. For my Mom I have one word of advise.

Faster Mommy Faster!

For my Dad: Try not to smile so wide. You are going to get bugs in your teeth.

Double Digits!

Annika Ruth here again, reporting on the most exciting news I can think of. Well folks, I have gone and done it. I have made it big! I am 10 weeks old. Double digits!

 Speaking of double...it looks like there are two of me. For the record I don't have a twin. That is my reflection in the mirror. When I was 9 weeks old I didn't even know what a mirror was. Also I didn't like tummy time, but now look at me go.

In other news for a "stay at home" Mom my Mom and I don't stay home much. I am so mature I allowed my Mom to swim 12,500 yards this week. Blah, blah, blah, I know that Michael Phelps swim that in a morning. Well, I hate to tell you but my Mamma....she ain't no Dara Torres. Plus there was a lot of stroke work and kicking which takes forever, so that's pretty good. Enough already, this blog isn't really about her anymore. It's about me! All her yards she owes to my good behavior and to Coach Sickie's entertaining me. After swim the party really starts. We often go do something with the fun focused on me.

This week we had two big outings to the library. Thursday we went to Baby Sign Language story hour and sing along . I know 9.5 weeks old was a little young for a story hour but my Mom needs to start learning this stuff. She has a lot to learn. I know this because when she sings children's songs to me she often repeats the first verse over and over. Why not the second or the third verse? Because she doesn't know it. Do you know she doesn't even know the "Hello Song". Every children's group begins with the "Hello Song"! Whoa, we got work to do. So anyway, sing language was ok. The Pt. Loma library is really cool for toddlers and kids. The whole downstairs is a children's library complete with a pirate ship. The ship has lots of nooks and crannies to curl up with a book. For now I prefer to curl up in my Moby wrap or sling next to my Mommy but someday...
on a rainy day I might give it a try.

Friday was my favorite activity day ever. We went to the library in La Jolla for mom and baby yoga. It's all about the babies ...sorry Mom's but you don't really need fancy yoga attire or even your yoga mat to attend. we learned songs that my Mom has already forgotten and stretches and exercises to go with our songs. Once again, we sang the "Hello Song". You may think I am young going to yoga at 10 weeks old but it's for babies 4 weeks and up. I really nailed the final pose shavasana.

Shavasanah

Next up...my First Thanksgiving

Down Hill In A Hurry

After my trip to Gymboree you could say things went downhill in a hurry. I had my 8 week check up. It started out just peachy. Well peachy other than being stripped first out of the Moby wrap and then out of my clothes to be accurately weighed and measured. My Mom, Dad, and the Pediatrician standing around talking about me. How tall I am and how much I weigh. I'm told this is one of the few opportunities in life to celebrate weight gain. In case you are wondering officially I am 23.5 inches tall and weigh13 lb 4 0z. That was Thursday though I am sure to have grown since them. Currently I am in the 90% for height and 97% for weight. The pediatrician said that is largely due to hormones and milk supply transferred from Mom at this point. After the first year he said genetics plays it's hand. He looked at my parents and said I may stay in the 90% for height (courtesy of my Dad) but not so much on the weight.I am hoping to grow tall quickly so I can ride my Mom's bikes. She said it hear first... "I can ride her bikes as soon as they fit me"

Anyway, my Mom and Dad were beaming with delight on account of my thriving. The pediatrician was telling them that their new goal for me could be a 12 hour sleep. He was suggesting I work on eventually sleeping from 7 p.m. until 7:00 am ...without eating. I heard that and I started to yell. Not cry, yell you know how the poor demented patients yell in the nursing home for attention or help when anybody walks past their door. Hey, Hey, almost in a drunk like fashion. Seriously though, my parents eat dinner after 7:00 p.m and breakfast before 7:00 a.m. and they suggest me going without food without even asking my input. I had to holler out. Do you think they took me seriously? No, they all started laughing. Next thing I new things got really dirty.

Thing went down hill in a hurry. Time for an oral vaccine, which I smartly tried to spit out. Followed by not one, not two, but three sticks to the ham bone.

I'm not much of a cry baby but that really made me cry.You are probably wondering why my Mom didn't protect me from such an insult? In her defense she did ask the pediatrician if there was any benefit to splitting up the shots. Basically he and my Dad said the only benefit in that would be to the Doctor's office because there would be extra co pays. It would just spread out the trauma. In one day we got it over with. Over and done....for 8 weeks anyhow. 

Not to worry though. It wasn't long and I was the all smiles again. In fact I may just be "The Happiest Baby on The Block." I may just be the only baby on the block. Speaking of which my Mom got the video from the library. She thought it was great and so did my Dad.

Friday afternoon my Dad was off work due to Veteran's Day. You see from what I gather, in honor of the Veterans, the hospital my Dad is currently held hostage working at, the VA, closed the clinic and only took care of emergent surgeries. We sent my Mom out mountain biking while my Dad studied. He studied for a long time. When my Mom came home she got me into my jammies and he was studying. Enough I said and I sat on his book and closed it.

Saturday rolled around and my Dad headed off to work. It was raining cats and dogs which jipped me out of my trip to the pool and my stroller ride around Mission Bay. How rude of that rain! I settled for a swing in my swing. Word up on the swing, for a while I didn't like it but on the video "Happiest Baby on the Block" it was suggested to turn the swing up to the highest speed and swaddle the baby in it. That's what mimics the womb I lived in for 9 months. What do you know it worked and my Mom was able to "get in a workout".

Folks there you have it. If she complains about her results on race day or being OTB (off the back of the group she is riding with) whatever you do don't blame the baby! Seriously folks it is not my fault. Same thing goes for the skinny jeans. It is not my fault my Mom nibbles the goodies off the salad before my Dad gets home for dinner. Ok, in her defense it is often 8:00 pm or even 8:30 p.m.  I'm probably on dinner number 4 myself at that point.

 I recommended she try kick boxing for a rainy day workout. I even demonstrated.

Moving on to Sunday. The sun shined again (that may be grammatically incorrect but I am only 9 weeks remember). I had a Daddy Daughter Date while my Mom got to ride Great Western Loop with her friends again don't worry they flip flopped for the afternoon. I used to ride GWL in the good old days, then she realized she had an extra passenger and GWL was not so much. I asked my Mom how the ride went and she said the climbing is a bit slow but guess what? The bike still goes down hill fast. Rumor has it she didn't set any records changing a flat tire but ...Once again don't blame the baby. BA, that's Before Annika, she was not the fastest climber nor the fastest flat changer by a long shot.

Gym Dandy Day

Hello all. It's Annika Ruth reporting on what is new and exciting. Well at 8 1/2 weeks it is all new and exciting to me. So this morning after swim practice my Mom took me to the mall nearby. We were on a mission to buy a birthday present.. The mall in UTC is a really nice mall for Mom's as it has lots of room for strollers and it's outside.  There were lots mom and baby combos there which makes me wonder if they don't go there to mingle? Hmm, just a thought.

Anyway we went to Gymboree and found our gift and of course maybe one or two things for me my mom couldn't resist. Of course she justified by saying she waited 34 years to have me and their were some really good sale sand they will appear on this blog for your entertainment. Before you say I am spoiled, please note I did not beg or whine for the garments. Plus research shows you can"t spoil a baby. Duh !I was fast asleep in my Moby wrap. Yes, my Mom is still carting me around in that wrap. According to her she is Kanga  and I am Roo. That is when she isn't referring to me as one of the following: Bug, Munchkin, Monkey, Good Baby, Cutie Pie, Sugar Pie or Cutie pie Pumpkin. I guess she's saving my real name for later.

Back to today's happenings. We were in line to check out when we heard quite a commotion.

I told my mom it was not appropriate to film this. When I get bigger I will have my moments too but she said I might think differently if I was awake for the previous 5 minutes during which the girl in pink was on wrestling with the boy and to be truthful beating the tar out of him. I'm guessing my mom is really going to keep me in the Moby as long as possible until I am 20. I'll have my moments but I am fairly certain my Dad will not reward them with cute clothing. Nope, it will Carharts canvas not Carters cotton and I'll be busy with a rake or a shovel.

We apologize for not obtaining photographic consent but we presume these children are and would like to remain anonymous.

Trick or Treat!

My first Halloween was a blast. My parents went all out and dressed me up. Wonder what inspired them to choose this outfit?

We only had 6 Trick or Treaters. You are probably wondering how I got my moneys worth out of my costume with only 6 Trick or Treaters?

Don't worry my Grandparents think it is worth every penny. I even wore my costume to the pool that morning and modeled it on the pool deck. The first time I tried on my costume I cried. There was so much laughter I thought I was being made fun of. Now I now they were laughing with me, not at me.

 My Mom told me kids would knock on the door and say "Trick or Treat" then we would give them candy. Funny thing is nobody said "Trick or Treat." They all said "Happy Halloween". I guess that is the politically correct term these days. Maybe next year I will get candy out of the deal.