8 Weeks Later

Now that it's been 8 weeks since Anika was born, Alicia and I decided it's high time we get more active and start getting out the two of us.  Thus, on Thursday night we hired out babysitters for more than an hour's time for the very first time (Grandma and Grandpa Freeman have pretty good rates, if you have a coupon), and we went to the new Vertical Endeavors in Minneapolis, to utilize our new memberships. 

New Minneapolis VE--higher walls and just minutes from home

Alicia getting ready to climb again (looking pretty good for having given birth just 2 months ago!)

  Given that the rock climbing wall at the University of Minnesota is where I first started to get to know Alicia (and became interested in climbing), there's something fitting about continuing to rock climb together in our post-Anika life.  We even saw a climbing club of young kids while we were at VE, and were impressed with their skills.  (Maybe that will be Anika one day!)  Our lack of stamina was depressing, but wearing out after 3 or 4 routes was about right for our first time away from Anika together.

In other news: Anika has now weighs more than 10 pounds (soon to be 11); she will now use her eyes to track her leopard rattle from one side of her face to the other; and we think she may be on the brink of smiling for reasons other than gas or dreams of milk.  Here are some of our favorites pictures from the last week.

Post bath in the great fuzzy towel with a hood that Grandma Freeman made Anika

Anika likes this pose, where she touches her feet together

Lazing around before bed with Mom and Dad

Looking cute in her bird sleeper

Anika likes her leopard rattle

Thinking about physics like Grandpa Kim

Thinking about political science like Grandpa Freeman

 

Saturday Morning With Dad

Today was the first time it was my job to not only put clothes on Anika but also pick those clothes out.  This sounded like a simple enough task: (1) call to mind that your daughter is 2 months old; (2) read the labels and find corresponding pants and shirt; (3) try to coordinate colors to make clear Anika is a baby girl and not a boy.  But nothing is as simple as it seems.  I located a 0 to 3 month shirt with pink and purple in it, put on her little jeans (apparently called "jeggings"), and coordinated the purple in the onesie with cool purple smart wool socks (thanks Aunt Lynn!).  Alas, 15 minutes later, by the time I got downstairs and was ready to feed her, she was shivering in her shirt.  I discovered that I needed to apply a bit more skepticism to the labeling of baby clothes:

The rolling of the sleeves did not solve the problem

She was surprisingly content despite drowning in her onesie

Proof that I can read labels--spatial reasoning is not my strong suit

Thus, we were back to the drawing board.  Flumoxed by how hard this seemed, I resorted to the most simple outfit I could come up with.  White shirt, jeans, and socks.  Hard to screw up (the outfit looks good on my wife), and I knew everything I was putting on fit her.  She tolerated this process fairly well.  It's nice to know she's so forgiving already.

Not my best diapering

Wondering why she's getting undressed twice in 20 minutes

Fairly pleased with the result, though I worry I've failed at step (3)

Done and bored with entertaining Dad's struggling with basic tasks like putting clothes on me

We then move to feeding, which went well.  The fussy-ness begins, and I resort to Tim McGraw and dancing her around the living room.  The dancing around and singing because it's the only thing that seems to lull her to sleep, and the Tim McGraw because it's the only music I know most of the words to.  (I listen to mostly sermons and sports, talk-radio in the car--this may need to change because I don't know how I feel about singing about "bbq stains on my white t-shirt" and "corn popping up in rows" to my daughter.)  Alicia has found success with Sugarland.

She likes to be close to the speaker; she's going to like worship at Hope

Tim McGraw works like a charm (it's not my vocals), and she is fast asleep in the kitchen while I make myself some breakfast. 

Breakfast is served and all is right in the world

Mom comes home from breakfast with the small group girls, and she and Anika moved on to more sophisticated tasks. 

Tiger mom in action

Child prodigy?

What a Week!

This past week, I took my first long business trip away from Anika--5 days in lovely Warroad, Minnesota.  (The best part was the walleye.)  Alicia was good enough to send me a picture of the day each day I was gone, but it was amazing how big she (Anika, not Alicia) seemed by the time I got home.  Anika had quite the week.  She gained more than 6 ounces, started making eye contact for extended periods of time, cleaned her room for the first time, went to yoga, took her first road trip (to Rochester with Melissa and Eva to visit Amy, Josh, and Callan), went to her first birthday party (Parker Harrington's super hero party), changed her bowel activity in major ways (I'll spare you the gory details), and learned how to read thanks to multiple trips to Barnes & Noble with Alicia.  I'll let you guess which is most exciting to me.  Nothing earth shattering we know, but every change seems like a big one when your daughter is so tiny.  Here are some of our favorite pictures from the last couple of weeks.  Enjoy!

Anika hanging out in the kitchen while Mom helps Dad cook Valentines Day dinner

Yes, that's lobster tail, with risotto, made by Dad--with some help from Mom (lobster inspired by Andy B.)

Two beautiful girls

Anika expressing her distaste towards the bow about to be put in her hair

Anika's first bow (I admit, it could look worse)

Hanging out looking cute with Mom

Anika's animal buddies

Anika finally got up the energy to clean her room (now if we can just get her to sleep in it)

No sign that her belly is getting any smaller; it looks like there's a bowling ball inside

Beautiful dress that Mom wore when she was Anika's age--will look great this Easter

I already like Anika's fashion sense--minimalist

Who is this man who keeps taking pictures of me?

Lying close to Mom

Snuggling up with Dad--my new favorite way to pass an afternoon

Buddies

It is truly baby season in our lives.  Here's a picture of the moms at our friend Melissa's shower, about two months before Anika and Melissa's daughter, Evangeline, was born.  Julie, you're next!

Miss (Elijah), Julie, Amy (Callan), Becky (Ellery), Melissa (Evangeline), Alicia (Anika), Rachel (Josie)

In the first 6 weeks, Anika has proven to be quite the socialite, having accepted visitors and traveled all over the Twin Cities for play dates.  I think this is pretty amazing considering Anika sleeps 16 hours a day, still can't talk, and only bathes every 4 to 5 days.  I don't know what her friends see in her.     

Callan and Anika (not sure how I feel about Callan already laying around with his shirt off around Anika)

Elijah and Anika (is that her arm under his head!?)

Parker and Anika

Kaia, Alicia, and Anika

Josie and Anika

Evangeline and Anika

It's going to be such fun to watch this group of little ones grow up together.  What blessings!

Five Weeks!

Anika's now five weeks old.  She weighs over 8 lbs, 6 ozs.  Pretty soon I'll be walking her down the aisle.  Here are some recent pictures: