First Real Food--Grey, Grainy Gruel

Anika made history today and ate her first real food.  Alicia and I have been holding off because it sure seems like the eating routine can only go downhill from here.  Soon there will be lots of messiness, the transporting of kid food, lots of chopping and cutting things up into tiny bites (only to have lots of it go to waste), and a more taxing feeding regimen altogether.  But as Anika will be six months old in about a week and the wonderfulness of exclusively breastfeeding (especially for the Dad) cannot last forever without extreme social awkwardness, we took step one this afternoon.

Anika before her big meal--she doesn't know what she's in for.

Anika studying her food and being more interested in the feel of the box than what's inside.

Here's a close-up of the box.  I find it strange.  Who are these infants who can stand up, fill baskets, and use garden tools in wheat fields?  Where exactly are their parents, and why are they half naked in the middle of the day?  On the back the blonde boy (with a full head of hair) is using a watering can! Am I supposed to think this "non-GEI," "organic," whole grain rice cereal will turn Anika into a mutant gardener of a baby?

Anika is equally confused.

First we practice with an empty spoon.  But that's something of a let down.

The first real bite is an interesting one, and most of the not-so-solid, rice-cereal mixture comes spilling out onto the floor (see note above about increased messiness).

We keep working at it and learn that Anika likes chewing on the spoon as much as her grey, grainy gruel.  Is this the stuff that Oliver Twist had to eat?

Anika ultimately decides that its easier to lick the food out of the spoon than to swallow.

All in all it was a successful first attempt at eating "real" food.  Tomorrow I'm hoping Alicia will let us try Dairy Queen. I suspect it would go much smoother. What kid doesn't like Dairy Queen?

Scary Glove

I don't remember what toys were like when I was a small kid, but I don't think there was anything like what I've come to call the "scary glove."  I call it scary because I think it's creepy looking, and it's a glove because it fits on your hand.  In some ways, this toy is brilliant.  It's like having a mobile play mat in your lap.  But isn't this thing just plain strange looking?  

Is this thing schizophrenic, or is it just me?  Its designer must have been OCD.

The "scary glove" in action.  Anika gets mesmerized by this thing, and she seems to like it as much as her play mat.

This is the standard 6 a.m. routine; the scary glove proves its worth in the laziness it affords Alicia and I.

Move Over Rembrandt

Alicia made me this incredible birthday card for my 31st birthday this year (this is actually the card we sent to Alicia's Mom for her birthday; mine didn't have my name on it.)

Hands down the coolest birthday card I've ever seen.

Having set the bar so high, I decided to stretch my creativity and make something for Alicia for her birthday (Alicia turned 30 on June 6th).  Understanding the limitations of my genes, utilizing Anika's inner artist was my only good option.  And Anika's footprints seemed like a natural enough theme (hand prints would have been a disaster).  Thus, we embarked on Anika's first art project.  Thankfully, Grandma Freeman came over to lend her considerable grandmotherly skills to the effort.

Flexing and stretching her feet muscles, thinking of her most recent mani-pedi, and getting ready to make magic!  This bumbo chair is brilliant.

This is Anika's determined and serious art face.  Who needs a paint brush when you have toes?

All ready for print number one--it's go time.

On our way to the canvas--feeling motivated.

Carefully and methodically perfecting her craft (I hear Rembrandt started with footprints too).

Anika insisted that we switch from black to blue.  As a budding artist, her color preferences are much more hip than mine.

Anika's finished product.  I imagine someday it will sell at auction for millions.

It's hard to believe her feet have grown so much!

Next week, Anika is going to start practicing the Prodigal Son.

Baby Shoot

Alicia's friend Brianna Millet (http://bcm4110.wordpress.com/) recently did a photo shoot of a bunch of Alicia's friends and their babies.  Here's Anika developing her modeling skills.

Relaxing, working on my facial muscles, and practicing looking cute before the big shoot.

Maybe someday I'll have my own trailer to get ready in instead of this teal green bumbo chair.

Mani-pedi please.

The Hope moms and their baby girls (Rachel and Josie, Melissa and Eva, and Kathleen and Elsa).

My friend Elsa and I finding our inspiration between shots.

 

 

 

Obliging my mom with a picture.

One of the real disadvantages of being immobile is that I don't get to pick my own poses.  This one is goofy.

More goofing around with Elsa.

All of the babies.  Anika is perplexed by the mayhem. 

All tuckered out after a hard day's work.

The Sounds of Anika Joy

Drum roll please.  This is my first attempt to incorporate video into our blog.  Unfortunately, when recording the video I forgot that there's no "rotate" function for video, so you'll have to manually rotate your computer to see Anika right-side up.  Here are the current sounds of Anika Joy (lower your expectations):

Old School Diapering

After four months of conventional diapers, Alicia has decided that it's time to transition Anika to old-school cloth diapers.  This is a good move for the Freeman family for several reasons: (1) Anika is currently on a 10-day schedule (her record is 13--yes 13--days), which means the worst part of cloth diapering is minimized (particularly for Dad, who almost has a better chance of getting struck by lightning than having to change and clean a dirty diaper); (2) cloth diapers are economical (high start-up cost but we'll start saving soon); (3) the cloth diapers appease our environmental consciences (though it's amazing how much out of sight out of mind takes over when we just dump our trash into a giant bin); and (4) the cloth diapers look good, despite how big they make Anika's booty look.  Here's our babe, showing off her new look.

I'm so happy you aren't sending my diapers off to landfills and that you can use that saved money for my wedding--I mean college--fund.

Practicing plyometrics to increase my vertical jump and test out whether my new diapers are going to slow me down.

They look pretty bulky, but I can jump and dance in these things (Dad's thinking volleyball star but I'm thinking ballerina).

Taking a breather to chew on my hands.

Showing off my big, cloth-diaper booty while I log some tummy time.

What do you think of my lady bug outfit?  (It's from my Auntie Lynn).

I like this open-air feel (whoever invented tank tops is brilliant)!

I like to laugh at my parents' funny sounds (hopefully, it's this easy to entertain me forever).

Happy, happy, happy.

Working out my neck muscles (and hoping that pretty soon my head doesn't make up close to half of my weight).

A Week in the Life of Anika Joy

Our family has had quite a busy week.  We celebrated Anika's dedication and Mother's Day last Sunday; Anika met "the Judge" and went to a Twins game on Tuesday; we volunteered at the International Justice Mission Twin Cities event at the Riverview Theater on Tuesday night (check out IJM at www.ijm.org); Anika rolled over for the first time (and five more times) on Friday while Mom and Dad were at a wedding; and we celebrated Uncle Tom's 26th birthday this afternoon.  Here's the whirlwind week in review:

This is Anika getting some rest in and bracing for the storm that was last week--she's all business.

Anika studying all of the people and focusing on looking cute in her polka dotted dress.

Most of the baby-dedicating crew up front (minus the Bensons).

The gang praying that our kiddos would love God with all of their hearts, souls, and minds and that we as parents would release any earthly claim over their lives--love this group of fellow Hope parents!

Pastor Cor married Alicia and I just less than five years ago and on Sunday he dedicated Anika to the Lord--so thankful for Pastor Cor and the rest of the leadership at HCC (yes, I did use photo-shop to color in my bald spot).

Anika and Grandma Barb celebrating Mother's and Grandmother's day!

On Tuesday, Anika met Judge Hansen, who I worked for in Cedar Rapids, IA after law school.  "The Judge" was a great mentor in my life, and I'm still grateful for the year I spent with him.  (Anika wasn't so sure what to make of Judge Hansen's cheering for the Indians). 

Not every day can consist of being on center stage at church and meeting federal judges.  This is Anika in her new chair that is supposed to help her learn to sit up on her own.  Low and behold, after all of her hard work on her back muscles, she rolled over six times yesterday--all for Grandma Kim.

Insisting on more working out and playing airplane with Mom.

Celebrating Uncle Tom's 26th birthday at Pizzeria Lola in South Minneapolis (it was excellent)!