Legos!

How much fun are legos and blocks??!! Mommy and Daddy have even more fun than me . . . they are the builders and I am the demolition expert!

Missing my boys!

I am on my first business trip without Nikolai and Colin along, and I miss them!! Here is a shot from the car window in Flagler Beach, Florida. So far I've been in meetings and have only seen the ocean for a few minutes, but I have some time on the beach tomorrow before my flight. According to Colin, Nikolai started making a "La" sound on Monday night. I tried to get him to make it on the phone for me, but he apparently kept looking around for me when he heard my voice on the phone, and didn't talk for me. Thanks to our neighbors who let Colin and Niko hang out last night after they accidentally tripped our alarm system and couldn't turn it off (I hope this means they need Mommy around and don't have too much fun without me!)

In with the big guy. . .

Here is the little guy chatting up the big guy surrounded by some of his cousins. Lucky that Santa didn't take offense when Nikolai grabbed ahold of his beard!

For Me?

Nikolai's most loyal Germany-based fans are clamoring for Christmas photos. From what I can tell, he is bigger than Hasselhoff over there! Here he is the night before Christmas, checking out the pile of loot that Santa had to delivery early due to the size contraints of his sleigh. Someone must have been VERY nice this year, and never naughty!

On the Move

Nikolai is no longer content with mucking about on our dirty floors - he is ready to

stand up and walk like a big kid. Lucky for us he can only get up the first stair, but I'm guessing it won't take much for him to be running up and jumping down the first flight all on his own. Yikes!

Happy 2008!

The New Year is here, and I promise to not go so long between blog entries . . . I know the world is crying out for more Nikolai pictures, and I promise not to disappoint. Santa was so good to us this year, and I hope he was good to everyone else as well. Thanks to everyone who made our holiday so wonderful!

Now, for the run-down of Nikolai's accomplishements in the 6 weeks since I've made an entry! Nikolai is:

1. Learning to climb the stairs
2. Pulling up on furniture
3. Bonking his head on a daily basis as he practices items 1 and 2
4. Eating biter bisquits, zwieback toasts and all kinds of mashed fruits, veggies and meats
5. Working on getting more than 2 teeth
6. "Talking" all the time
7. Getting into everything!
8. Playing with Christmas presents, including his role-and-play ball, dump truck, race cars, Discovery Farm, Penguin Bowling, and Colin's favorite, a wrapping paper tube
9. Being his cute little self

Best wishes for a good 2008 - may you all forget your resolutions by February, because I love you just the way you are :)

Sarah

Daddy's Boy

Since Nikolai is an incredible 7 months old, Colin has been busy teaching him all that he'll need to know to survive in the world as a man. The top picture is Nikolai learning to simultaneously play pool and watch football, while waiting for Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house. My mom transformed their sewing/computer room into an Irish pub-styled pool room. The room turned out great, and I have a feeling that Niko will be building forts under the pool table for many years to come while the grown-ups have a pint. Don't worry, he knows not to scratch the felt!
Here is Nikolai earlier in the month helping us brew beer for the first time. Colin recieved a beer brewing kit from my parents for his birthday in October. He is busy sterilizing the fermenting tub in this photo. We made a Hefenweizen for our first batch, because we agree that it is inappropriate to let a baby drink anything darker than that. Just kidding, don't call the authorities. Right now it is fermenting in the closet . . . we'll let you know how it turns out.