Nixon: Six Months

Somehow we're at half a year already.  Time, please slow down.

Nixon's biggest accomplishment this month has been rolling over.  After weeks of trying, he finally made it all the way over while we were visiting my parents in CO.  Apparently, he was just waiting until Grandma and Grandpa could watch.  Now, he doesn't tolerate being on his back for more than a minute or two before he flips over to his tummy.  He's already moving on to pushing his little butt up in the air, so crawling will probably be happening soon.

This has been a tough month for the little guy, full of upheaval as we moved back from overseas.  He's been a trooper through it all, but I'm sure he's ready to settle down again (as we all are).  We've been trying to keep things as normal for him as possible, with the same schedule, same bedtime routine, etc.  However, we're living without our furniture right now, so the poor guy is also having to adjust to sleeping in the pack n play rather than in bed with us (an air mattress isn't the safest for babies).  I also suspect that we're in the middle of a growth spurt plus possible teething, so all that combined means naps and bedtime are a bit of a struggle right now.  Aside from sleep issues though, Nixon continues to be his smiley, happy, playful self.

Things Nixon has been loving this month:

• His walker - one of the first things we did after we arrived in NC was buy the little guy a walker.  He's been taking advantage of our lack of furniture and cruising all over.  It's so much fun to watch him enjoy his new-found independence and explore his surroundings.
• Sitting up in the boppy - he can sit on his own without any support for a few seconds before toppling over, but with the boppy he's a pro at sitting.  He loves being able to see what's going on around him.
• Evening walks in the stroller - right before dinner (Nixon's fussiest time of the day), we head out for a loop through the neighborhood.  The fresh air and being in the stroller helps him get in one last quick nap, which makes bathtime and bedtime much, much more enjoyable.

Meeting Great-Grandma

An Update

We finally have internet at our new house, which means I can finally get around to sharing a few updates on what's been going on.  It's been several weeks since we said arrivaderci to Italy and it feels like we've been going nonstop since then.  We spent a couple weeks in Colorado, catching up with family, readjusting to life in the States, and taking a little breather from the stress of moving.  We didn't get out and do a whole lot while we were there, but we did manage one hike in the mountains.  Nixon was a trooper, snoozing in the Ergo for the majority of the hike.

The highlight of the trip for Nixon, aside from the constant snuggles from all his grandparents, was a visit to the fire station.  Turns out he's a pretty good junior firefighter.

We've been in NC for a little over a week, and have been busy with moving into our house, buying a car, exploring the area, etc.  Things are finally starting to settle down into a routine, which all of us (mostly Nixon) are appreciating.  I'll be posting a few updates on the house once all our stuff arrives from Italy.  Also, Nixon's six month (!!) update should be up soon!

Nixon: Five Months

How are we one month away from half a year??  I know I say this every month, but time is flying.  Baby Nixon keeps getting bigger and bigger (especially his cheeks) and his little personality is really starting to come out.  He's still extremely curious, which works out great when we're in crowds or out and about doing things, because he's usually too busy looking around to be fussy.

This month has brought quite a few changes, as we're in the process of moving back to the States, but Nixon has been taking it all in stride.  We've been able to keep his schedule pretty much the same, despite living in a hotel.  We try to be extra careful not to wake him up during naps and after bedtime, and so far he's still sleeping like a champ, although I expect that flying back to the States will change that for a little while (since I'm getting around to posting this after we've made it to the States, I can say that the only thing that's messed up is his schedule is shifted by a couple hours).

His favorites this month:

• Bath-time has become even more fun.  Nixon has officially outgrown his baby bathtub, so all baths are in the big boy bathtub.  He has discovered that with the extra room to move around, he can take splashing to a whole new level.  We put a few inches of water in the tub, lay him down, and let him splash around to his little heart's content.  Best part of his day.
• Still loving his daily dinosaur shriek practice sessions (lets hope he doesn't do this too often on the plane in a few days...)
• Being outside - he loves the fresh air and abundance of things to look at (unless the sun's in his eyes, then it's the worst thing ever).
• Playing with Daddy - nothing puts a smile on this little guy's face like his daddy.  

Things I'll Miss + Things I Won't Miss

Let me preface this post by saying that I have absolutely loved living in Europe.  Italy will always hold a special place in my heart and there are so many wonderful things about this country.  As we get ready to leave very soon, I'm beginning to realize just how much I'll miss Italy.  That being said, I'm also looking forward to some of the conveniences that come with living in the States.  And so, a list of things I'll miss, and a few things I'll be glad to leave behind.

Miss:

• Cappuccinos - Italian coffee is just so much better, plus they're way cheaper than in the US.
• Pizza - like coffee, pizza is way better here.
• Traveling all around Europe.
• The history and the old architecture.
• The wine.  Especially getting liter for under 2 euros.
• The gelato.  Holy cow, the gelato. 
• The sweet Nonna across the street, who is absolutely in love with Nixon and always tickles his feet.
• Running trails through vineyards with views of castles (this one is more Donovan, because lets be honest, it's been awhile since I've gone running).
• Traffic circles - yes, they take a little while to get used to, but they make so much sense.  And they're super convenient for when you need to make a u-turn.  

Won't miss:

• Showers barely large enough to turn around in
• Lack of a garbage disposal.  Digging food particles out of the drain gets old fast.
• Not having a dishwasher - this one is not specific to Italy, as many places here do have dishwashers.  Our house, however, did not, and I now despise doing dishes.
• No air conditioning, or AC that barely works.
• Tripping the breaker each time I run two large appliances at once.  I lost count of how many times I accidentally turned the oven on while the dryer was running and then had to go outside and flip the breaker.  
• An oven so small I can only bake six cookies at a time.

Lake Garda

Over the weekend, we took a day trip to Lake Garda to visit a few of our favorite spots one last time before we leave this beautiful country.  Our first stop was in Arco, a cute little town on the north side of the lake that we've visited a few times before.  We ambled through downtown, had cappuccinos and apple strudel, did a bit of shopping, and ended the morning with lunch and gelato before moving on to the next stop.

We gave Nixon a teeny tiny taste of Donovan's pistachio gelato - despite drooling most of it out, he seemed to enjoy it

After a drive along the lake, going extra slow to let the little guy get a good nap in, we stopped in the town of Malcesine.  We've stayed just outside of this town before, but never actually explored within the town, so it was fun to see a new-ish place.  Nixon got to see the water (we were going to dip his feet in, but there wasn't a good place) as well as tour his first castle.

Judging by his face, Nixon may have inherited his mom's fear of heights

Our cue to head home

After a couple hours in Malcesine, Nixon was reaching the end of his rope.  So, we said goodbye to Lake Garda and headed back, thankful we were able to squeeze in one last trip.

The Next Step

Sadly, our time in Italy is drawing to a close.  In a couple short weeks, we'll be flying back to the States, where we'll spend a couple weeks catching up with family before making our way to our new home in North Carolina.  We're sad to say arrivederci to this beautiful country, but we're looking forward to new adventures ahead.

The last few weeks have been filled with packing, organizing, purging, cleaning, and everything else that goes along with a move.  But despite the never-ending to-do list, we've taken the time to enjoy some of the many things we'll miss.

Snuggling with Uncle Ralphie at brunch

Sneaking cake crumbs with Aunt Jessica

Some makeshift baby entertainment while we pack the basement

One last walk around the lake

Baby human and baby swans

Nixon: Four Months

It's hard to believe another month has gone by already, but somehow Nixon is four months old.  Seriously little one, you're growing up way too fast!  It's been so fun to start seeing his personality really start developing over the last few weeks.  He loves to "talk," and sometimes makes himself laugh when he makes a funny sound.  He's grabbing onto toys and is so close to rolling from his tummy to his back.  As far as his sleep schedule, he's still waking up around twice a night to eat, but he never has problems going right back to sleep so I can't complain too much.

We celebrated his four month birthday yesterday by getting another round of shots.  Poor baby screamed through them again, but he doesn't seem nearly as uncomfortable this time.  He's in the 68th percentile for weight at 15.5 lbs and the 64th percentile for length at 25 inches.  His head, however, is in the 83rd percentile for size, which could explain why he doesn't like tummy time very much anymore.  That's a lot of head to hold up.

What Nixon has been loving this month:

• Bathtime is still a favorite, even more now that the fun of splashing has been discovered.  He'll kick his little legs, look at me to see my reaction, and then smile really big.  It's adorable.
• Talking - Nixon has definitely discovered his voice.  His sounds range from soft little coos to incredibly high-pitched baby dinosaur shrieks.  I like to joke that he holds contests with himself on how weird of a sound he can make.
• Riding in the car.  The exceptions to this one include when he's hungry, too hot, or when the car stops.  As long as he's comfortable and the car's moving, he just hangs out in his carseat, looking around and talking to himself.
• Looking at everything.  He is turning into quite the curious baby, and he's usually happiest being walked around so he can take it all in.  Happy baby, arm workout for mom.  Win win.