POOL and BASEBALL!

It's finally been consistently hot here in Montana so we decided it was time for the pool. The first time we were beating a storm so we just introduced Niko to the baby pool and it was only a short time before we were kicked out because of lightning.  This time it was beautiful the whole day and we were able to stay for hours. Nathan and I introduced Niko to the big pool right away and he had no reaction when we got in (he's like his dad in that way). He hugged his turtle like this the whole time he was in it...people at the pool that he was just adorable (and so do I).

 My sister Kaitlyn and her husband Adam came to play with us too :)

 And Niko was flirting with the lifeguard....oh man we're in trouble :)

 Poor kid didn't get his nap, but he was still a happy baby. (We are really spoiled with this one.)

Adam left early for softball practice and then we went to his game after Niko woke up from nap. We only got to see about 15 minutes, but it was fun and we got this cute picture.

If you know how much I love baseball (everyone should at least try playing!) then you know I had to take a picture of his first experience with a glove. I had to take it even if it was just him chewing on the leather strings (which was a habit I had when I played).

Family Time

A couple of Sundays ago we had a little get together at my parents' house. Kaitie and Mom made pizzas on the grill and they were delicious as always. Then Niko had a frozen Go-Gurt (I don't know if that's how they spell their made up name), his grandma gave it to him of course. And his Aunt Kaitie was so thrilled to have the messy yogurt child on her lap for his new experience, but she helped him eat it anyway :)

His daddy is sleeping the background...I wish I could fall asleep that fast anywhere!

Here is a random picture, but Nana is so awesome. She can put this kid to sleep anywhere...and I'm jealous.

I'm jealous because Niko is a swaddle baby. He loves to be swaddled to sleep and it's a pain when we are out so I decided to quit swaddling him...and we are doing it cold turkey. I was exhausted the day after Harry Potter (since we had to do the midnight premier...it's the only way!) so I thought I might as well stay exhausted until we get this sleeping without a swaddle thing down. Plus when we got home he was swaddled and on his side, I don't want him rolling over with his arms pinned at his sides! He has actually done really well...Niko has completely spoiled me he is the best baby!!! So here's a few cute ones of him sleeping without his swaddle.

SIX MONTHS!!

Our little boy is six months old as of Wednesday...it is flying by me way too fast! He just keeps learning new things and getting bigger. He looks more like a boy than a baby every day! Nathan took these pictures..he was pretty excited to be able to be a part of the monthly pictures and I think we got some really cute ones.

He demolished the sign and had ink running all over him, but cute pictures are completely worth it :)
He is now 21 pounds and 27.5 inches long (90th percentile in case you were interested)...he is a big boy and people are shocked when they find out he is only six months. We love our Cheeko Niko :)

Independence Day Weekend

We had a very busy weekend! On Friday and Saturday we finished up our garage sale that has been piling up for NINE years! So glad we were able to get rid of all the items we never used and make a little money doing so. Now we just have to take the rest to Goodwill. Niko sat outside with us and really enjoyed all the attention from new people, he's a big flirt and has started acting shy (which is cute, but I will not be encouraging by any means). Then Saturday we met the Wardell family (family friends for forever) at Cooney Dam and rode their wave runners. It was also Niko's first experience with a lake...he was okay until his feet touched the water!

On the way home we had to stop and get a milkshake from the Drive In which usually has the best ones ever. Lyndi and I used to drive all the way out there just for their milkshakes. However, they just weren't as yummy this time........Niko sure liked mine though!

Sunday we did our regular brunch with Nathan's family with a few extra people. Nathan's brother and his wife and also his aunt and uncle were in town for the long weekend. It was the first time they had seen Niko and the first time they had seen Nathan since before his deployment. So after church we went back out to their house. Actually we stopped by the pool but they had left. We put Niko in the kiddy pool for his first pool experience anyway and he loved it. We will definitely be doing more swimming this summer.

On the fourth we hung out at home and cooked burgers then Nathan went to talk business with his brother. So Niko and I played a couple games with my family before stopping by over there. I love this picture! Nathan was standing behind the couch and Niko was playing with Joe's hair :)

Then we went to Laurel for the fireworks. I was worried that he would hate the lights and noise and scream the whole time, but he enjoyed it. At least the first half, then he fell asleep.

He loves grandma :)

Here Kaitie!

He's diggin' them :)

And now too tired to care.

Random

Niko is officially too heavy to be drug around in an infant carrier...this is his first ride in his new car seat.

They LOVE each other! (I don't know why
I was worried about him)

Nathan wanted to check out UVU and talk to the National Guard there to see if they had a slot there for him. So this is our first family trip to Utah. We stayed at my sister's house and played with them in between getting things done for school stuff.

At Arctic Circle on our first family road trip

Watching TV with daddy at the cousins' house

Cousinly love...they all love him so much. They always
tell me how cute he is and Avarie is always
trying to take care of him

We went to Gateway Mall and played in the fountain.
Niko was only okay with it if I held him.

 We do have pictures of Anika, Aiden, Zander, Avarie and the friend Zander made but I don't have them with my pictures yet.