Square Mat-O-Fun

Mom made one of the best purchases for me when she got this play mat. It is similar to the one they have at daycare, so since I sleep after my activities there, she figured it should translate at home. After the last picture you can be the judge.

College football = awesome

By now you probably have figured out that dad is a big UGA fan. He is a very proud alum and college football season sees the Dawgs as the preseason #1. That's huge. Since it was opening weekend, dad was fired up for the game against Georgia Southern. He was also interested to see how his current employer, the Michigan Wolverines, played with their new coaching staff.

Here's dad and I ready for my first game, thanks to ESPN Gameplan.

First we had to watch Gameday and see what smack Lou Holtz had to say about UGA's schedule. Blah, blah, blah.

The grandparents came over to watch the game too, but they ended up playing with me more. So I needed a nap.

After Georgia rolled over GSU, we watched UM struggle against Utah. It's going to be a long season for the Blue. Mom and dad then made dinner for everyone and we enjoyed a night out on the deck. Overall it was a great day and I can't wait until next Saturday. Maybe I can stay awake for the whole game.

The Grandparents Strike (Come) Back

Dad says that very few movie sequels ever live up to their predecessor's glory and hype, but that there are a couple of exceptions. Like The Empire Strikes Back as the sequel to Star Wars. After the Death Star is blown to bits, it really makes you wonder how they can top that, but the development of the characters creates an epic storyline.

So any way, my Georgia grandparents were on the way back up for their second visit with me. They had a great time during the first visit, so you would wonder if the second one could live up to that special weekend, especially after my diaper was blown to bits.

We were off to a good start, but so was Hans Solo.

My growth and development amazed them, much like Luke Skywalker's Jedi skills.

With all of the attention on mom and I, dad and Gaspar slipped to the dark (sleepy) side.

Since it was Labor Day weekend, they were here through Sunday, so there was plenty of time to entertain them with my cuteness. Mom and dad went out to eat on Friday night so grandma and grandpa GA got a little alone time with me. Since I was smiling and laughing now, they couldn't get enough.

For the record....

I actually slept last night. I don't know if it was because of my day of activity or that I'm finally understanding this routine thing, but I went to bed at 9:30 PM....woke up for my snack at 3:00 AM and mom got me up at 6:30 AM to get ready for the day....no other wake ups! I saw parts of mom's and dad's eyes I've never seen before. Amazing.

Let's see if lightning can strike twice...

Daycare: Day 1

We all knew this day would come, but we didn't know how well it would go down. I guess I was a little nervous last night because I was up about every hour (but what else is new...). There wasn't anything to be scared of. I had met the woman who would be taking care of me, and I approved. Mom has known Cathie Sobie for several years now, and she has watched the kids of some of her friends. They all seemed to be pretty normal, so why not.

Here's me telling dad that I bet mom is going to miss me.

Since it was a rough night of sleep for everyone, we were all a little slow to get going. Mom got up and got ready before she put me in my outfit (which she laid out the night before). Everything else was ready to go and after my breakfast of chest milk, we were off.

Arrival was smooth

There's the seal of approval.

I had a great day and Cathie took the best care of me. All the other kids were really nice, even though they are no longer the cutest ones there. Jealousy will slowly arise...Mom even came by at lunch to check on me and of course I smiled the whole time. I can't wait to go back tomorrow, but I guess I'll have to.

Me and my new pals.

When I got home I headed straight for a nap.

But I did find some time to hang out with pops.

Random cuteness from later that night.

I'll see you tomorrow, Cathie.

Viva la Sweden

When I think about Sweden, the two main things that come to mind are meatballs and blond bikini teams. But after a minute or two, I also think about their excellence in automotive engineering. You have Volvo, some of the safest, yet stylish autos on the road. There's also Saab, which are, "Born from jets," referring to the fact that their engineers used to build jets. Is it just me, or has Sweden never really been known for their air force? Is there a reason they don't make jets anymore? I'm just asking...

With all of this talk about Sweden, you probably think that we have a tripped planned to Europe. Not so. Instead, we decided to visit a little piece of Sweden right here in southeast Michigan. Ikea.

Ikea in Swedish means inexpensive furniture that you put together yourself. It probably doesn't translate exactly, but it's got to be close. Mom and dad were in need of some space-saving furniture for the living room and thought this would be a good place to brainstorm...and get me out of the house.

As you can see, I was raring to go on this adventure.

If you have ever been to Ikea, then you know it is a place like no other department or retail store. It's unique. I don't know if Ikea operates like every other business in Sweden, because they take care of your every need. Dad said he had a Swedish exchange student named Johan in his class during high school and the only thing he learned about Sweden was how to curse in the Nordic tongue. Good job dad.

When you first get to Ikea, even the parking lot is unique. There's "Family Friendly" parking. I couldn't tell if the spaces were any bigger, but hey, at least it was close to the building.

Here's mom loading me up in the Baby Bjorne. I wonder if that's Swedish too...

As we entered the building you had an option to dump your kids off at a little play area so a high school kid making minimum wage could chase them around. No thanks. Instead we went up an escalator to begin the shopping journey with neatly marked paths. I'm not kidding, they've got huge arrows on the ground to tell you which direction you "should" go. There were a ton of Ikea employees wondering around with bright yellow shirts waiting to pounce if anyone got off track. We decided to play it safe and take the recommended path.

There were a lot of neat things there and very well priced. One would think that maybe the quality would be lacking since the price was so low, but they've been in business for a long time. Maybe the sweat shops are just more prevalent in Sweden than we think...I dunno.

Mom and I checking out some seating options.

After a good walk through, mom and dad had some ideas and were ready to roll. I left very impressed. By the way, they do sell Swedish meatballs there....seriously.

We stopped to pick up lunch on the way home and as you can tell, I did not care what was on the menu.

* This week mom goes back to work and I start daycare....it could be interesting.

Two month check-up

Although I officially turned eight weeks old on Monday, I had to wait until this past Saturday for my two month check-up. Mom and dad were very eager to see how much I weighed and how much more I've grown. I, on the other hand, was not looking forward to this visit due to the fact that it was time for me to get four vaccinations = four shots.

Here I am before the trip. You can see the concern on my face.

When we got to the office we only had to wait a minute or so before we were brought back to an exam room. At least we got one with a view....of the parking lot. At least it was something to look at. A minute or so later a nurse came in and asked how I was doing, blah, blah, blah...strip.

I see underwear ads in my future.

Dad got me down to my diaper and after a quick look over, I was measured and weighed. I was now 22 1/2 inches long and weighed 12 lbs 6 oz. If you're scoring at home, that means I have grown almost 3 inches and gained just over 5 lbs since my two week visit. Good job mom. The doctor later told us that those numbers put me in the 50th - 75th percentile for height and 90th percentile for weight. I don't know much about percentages except that I am 100% adorable.

The doctor's record keeping methods concern me.

So after the pleasantries were over, here came the shots. I got a dose of Tylenol to help me with the pain, but that was going to take some time. The nurse grabbed the needles and started injecting a couple in each of my legs. It was one of those pains that takes a second to register, but once it does, here comes the crying. Dad said I turned as red as an apple. Not fun.

And all I got out of it were two Snoopy band-aids.

Mom and dad decided to celebrate my progress by going out for a few hours...without me. But that gave me the chance to hang out with my Michigan grandparents before their trip to Alaska. Tell the Inuits I said hello....or are they the ones from Canada?

More Video

Here is some more footage from the Meeks family archives. Hilarious.

We're growing on each other...

I'll be throwing that ladybug across the room before you know it.

I bet I crawl before I'm supposed to...

Happy birthday, grandpa Georgia!

Yes, the August activities continue as my Georgia grandpa celebrates the day he popped out of his mom. I'm sure that's exactly what he thinks about on this day each year. Dad told me he's 60 years old....he also told me that grandma Georgia is only 6 days older....ah ha. Have a great day!





* Happy belated birthday to my 2nd cousin Samantha. She turned 23 this past Friday. Can't wait to meet you.

Mom's big comeback

If you ask mom, the biggest thing she had to give up while pregnant was probably being able to play soccer (enjoying the occasional adult beverage was a close second). For about 10 months she had to watch dad run off to play once a week and then enjoy his outdoor season during the summer. She did, however, let him know in the slightest remark how "fair" that was. Dad just nodded and walked out the door....

So this past Sunday mom made her triumphant return to the pitch. She wasn't expecting too much out of herself since she had only run three or four times since I popped out. Combine that with about three or four weeks at the gym and you can guess how she felt.

So of course dad and I had to go watch. It may seem by the look on my face that the game wasn't that interesting, but it was a goal-fest....unfortunately for the other team. But mom played pretty well given the fact she hadn't touched a ball, except for in my room, in so long.

I'm proud of her though. She'll be back to top form before you know it.

* As a side note, dad won his outdoor league last week. Yeah dad. I couldn't attend due to threat of rain....

"It's Been a Hard Day's Night...

...and I should be sleeping, like a log.?" This Beatles tune couldn't have rung more true for me on Saturday. Thanks to various activities, I was awake from 9 AM to 10 PM solid, with only this little siesta I took on my aunt Melissa's chest.

She was in town to see family and of course she had to come over and visit with me. She, my mom and I took a little walk down to Panera for lunch while dad worked in the yard (we brought him back something, though). When we got back, mom and Melissa went over some interior ideas to help sell the house.

Boring.....

Later on, mom and dad had some friends over for a little bbq, so I helped dad in the kitchen and watched mom clean up a little. Some how I stayed awake through dinner and social time and was even on my best behavior while being held.

After everyone left, it was bath time. I like taking a bath, especially when they spray my butt with the sink hose. It usually calms me down and I spend a little time in front of the space heater to help dry me out.

So you would think it would be time for me to pass out, right? Oh no. Mom and dad did all the right things but I just did not want to go to bed. Maybe I wanted to see more Olympic highlights...I dunno. It took a good hour for me to settle down and go to sleep...around 11 PM. Sorry guys. Remember I'm cute.

Happy birthday, grandma Georgia

As you can tell from the last few posts, August is filled with all kinds of special days in my family and today is no exception. August 13th is my Georgia grandmother's birthday. Daddy won't tell me how old she is though...I guess he's scared I'd put it on the blog. Clever guy. Regardless, I hope you have a great day grandma. I see a video conference call in your future....

This day in history

Two years ago on August 12th, mommy and daddy got married and legally began their life together. This glorious day is what eventually led to my existence, so I say, "Well done you guys!" I hope you have a great day, and I know that kind of depends on me....so I'll try to be extra adorable.

Pic of the Day

It's hard to argue with it...

LaPointe

So as I was sitting around (lying on a pillow) the other day, watching our new driveway dry, there came a knock at the door. A strange man and his wife entered. I was unaware of any visitors for that day so I was curious. Mom and dad were very friendly with them so it seemed OK, and then I realized that I knew that voice. But where did I know it from. And then it hit me....It was the voice that I heard, although muffled, almost every day while I was in mommy's belly. It was usually shouting and directing orders at little kids, so it was strange to hear it in this context.

Then Mark LaPointe came over to meet me. He had been telling mom that he and Sandy would babysit me if they needed them to, so I guess this was their interview. I usually know right away if I like someone or not. If I poop or pee on them that's a dead giveaway. A smile is a pretty good tell as well. They were pretty excited to see me and said I was so adorable....kissing up always helps.

Happy birthday, Nana

Today is my Michigan great-grandmother's 85th birthday. That makes her 30,984 days older than me. I can't even understand what that number means, but there's a lot of them. Mom and dad packed Gaspar and I up for a trip to the MI grandparents' house so we could see her. Mom's cousin Mike was in town too, so more people got to check me out.

Mike brought me a Cubs outfit too, so I could celebrate their rare 2nd half of the season success. That's cool because the Cubs were one of my dad's favorite teams back in the day when they had Mark Grace, Ryne Sandberg and Andre "The Hawk" Dawson. Get back on the bandwagon dad...

Bro makes nice

As part of my daily activities, mom and/or dad get down on the floor and spend some tummy time with me. For those of you not in the know, tummy time is a good way for me to work on strengthening my neck and forearms. It's also a good time for me to see what the floor smells like...I'm basically on the floor and on my belly instead of my back and wiggling around. You get the idea.

Gaspar had been trying to steal some of my attention lately, so there was a slight rift between us. He decided to do the noble thing and beg me to forgive him, and also hung out with us on the floor.

I know we make an adorable team when we're together.

We had a good time and he liked it when I petted him. He even kissed me a couple of times. That's what mom and dad called it...felt more like I was stamp getting ready to be put on an envelope. I'll take it I guess.