Happy Birthday Marco!

We were lucky enough to get a chance to babysit Marco on his birthday. Here's a cute moment where we got Nikos and Marco sharing a birthday hug.

Walk Walk

Nikos and Marco strut their stuff in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt in Kauai.



Back at home and improving on his form, Nikos moves up to Run Run.

Giddy Up

We spotted this little toy marvel a few years ago under the direction of Ryan Grochol. Nikos started out rocking back and forth on it but just recently got the hang of jumping up and down. Here are a few fun videos that catch him in action. Warning - Vernie, you may not be able to watch these without getting motion sickness. Hee hee.

I Guess We Shouldn't Have Turned the Carseat Yet...

And in this corner...clocking in at 31 inches tall (7th percentile) and 21lbs 12oz (3rd percentile) the adorable NIKOS ROMIOS!

Nikos had his 19 month checkup today. Our pedi is really happy with how he is coming along, still plugging away on the growth chart, walking around and adding more words each day to his vocabulary. Of course, the only word he shared with her was "Cheers" when he tried to cheers her with his sippy cup. (Curiously enough, this is when she wrote something in her chart - hopefully it wasn't Clear signs that parents are lushes.) He did end the visit with a high five for Dr. Ray which I thought was a good sign.

Come On Baby Drive My Tractor

On MLK day Nikos and I met up with Jack and Brooke and Sarah and Marco for a playdate at Habitot. A great time was had by all!

Lots of time was spent in the new farm exhibit (the space shuttle took off for another museum as of the new year.) Here Brooke carts Nikos around in the mini John Deere - look for a version of this starring Nikos and Kira from last Friday if Mel ever updates her blog again! :)

Note the display behind them, they had a cool wall decorated celebrating MLK and Obama's inauguration.

Niko's turn to give Marco a ride.

Despite the traffic jam, Brooke still takes the time to flash her cheese grin. That girl knows how to work a camera.

Not to be outdone, Marco gives Nikos a push on the racetrack.

The little artists hard at work on their masterpieces. I think this shot was taken about 20 seconds after Niko decided to paint Brooke's arm. Whoops, sorry Jack.
Brooke shows off Niko's latest work on her right arm.

After Habitot Sarah and I took the boys off to Jupiter for a relaxing lunch on their sunny patio (Jack said he had to get Brooke home to nap but we all know that too much alone time with Sarah and I can be a bit much!)

Before We Are Four - To Do List

Alternate titles for this post include Are You On Crack Heather? and Why Taki is Applying for the Reality Show "Wife Swap"*.

* Disclaimer. I totally stole this punchline from a story a good friend told me. However, I feel no guilt about blatantly plagiarizing his witty remark since, after reading out loud a text from said friend which included the exclamation "Balls!" (in response to the Eagles flaming ruin of a playoff game) Nikos walked around the house for two days saying "Balls!"

So, some of you may remember that we started renovating our house when I was newly pregnant, adding on a few hundred extra square feet and basically gutting the whole place. Well, we still aren't finished. Did I mention that this construction started when I was pregnant with NIKOS? Uh huh. Geniuses that we are, we decided to save money by completing some of the finishing touches on our own. Taki assured me it would be done in no time. Uh huh. And so, last Sunday THE list made its debut.

Yes, even Nikos looks overwhelmed.

Update - 4 days later (Countdown: 5 weeks and 6 days) there is one item checked off on the list and it is on my side (the right.) This does not bode well my friends.

Aloha Part Two

So the problem with not finishing your vacation post immediately after you get back from vacation is that when you go to finish it you just get bitter that you are no longer on vacation. On that note, here are the second half of my pictures from our week in Hawaii.

Snug as a bug...

Not sure if you are able to see this picture without enlarging it - but I love the look on my mom and Mason's faces.

Some closeups of Kira.

Enjoying the vacation...

We popped over to the Hyatt to revisit our wedding site.

Taki and Nikos walk down the path that led to our reception site.

You had to see the flashback shot coming...here are Mel and Maile (she was about 23 months whereas Nikos is 19 in the above shot) at our wedding in 2005.

And the happy couple...

And back to the present.

Another stellar cousins shot.

Don't mess with the Pots and Pans band.

Not only did we see lots of whales...but there was constantly a shark circling.

I'm sure they will love me for this later.

I think they are both contemplating our return trip in 2011!

Aloha Part One

We just got back from a fabulous vacation in Kauai with family and good friends. We flew to the island with my parents and the Roberts family and then were joined by the Cecchins and finally Anut Sandy. We had a great time relaxing in the sun, reading books, napping, enjoying cocktails (some with less alcohol than others), swimming and spending time with those we love. Of course, I am already planning a return visit to Hawaii (either in Maui in '10 or Kauai in '11!) Please enjoy the smattering of pictures below - a few of the 487 I took!

Once again, Nikos was a stellar flyer on the plane. I was a little nervous this time since our last flight was in August on the way back from New York - before Nikos was actively walking around. He did really well on both flights, sleeping for 2-2.5 hours each way and than amusing himself with books, small toys, snacks and his new kiddie laptop (thanks for the suggestion D'Angelos!)

Upon arrival, Nikos, Monkey and I wasted no time bellying up to the bar at the Embassy in Poipu (okay, some of us were more belly up than others.) I told Nikos that this is where his Daddy and I had our rehearsal bbq before our wedding but he didn't seem too impressed. He was, however, very impressed by the virgin lava flow he got to split with me.

Walking on the Embassy grounds with Daddy.

Enjoying the sand and the pool.

Day one of One, Two, Threeees with Daddy.

The Cecchins arrive! We put them in charge of the kids and celebrate with a round of drinks (notice how the only full one is my diet coke in the foreground - ha!)

Daddy and Nikos cruise Poipu Beach.

Sarah and I took the kids over to the Roberts timeshare where Grammy and Pop-Pop were babysitting while Mel and Vernie enjoyed dinner at Tidepools. Nikos and Marco partook in some bed-jumping hijinks before we split and left the aftermath for my parents.

Isn't karma fun? After Mel and Vernie returned from dinner they brought over some frogs to amuse and rile up our kids.



Nikos, Marco, Kira and I relax in the hammock while we watch Maile and Mason fish in the pond.
Pool time!

We enjoy the calm seas at Brennecke Beach.



And lunch afterwards at Brennecke's!

We stick the grandparents and Anut Sandy with the kids at the pool - wahoo!

Nikos and Daddy check out the fish at Lydgate Park.

Oh look - they found a whale!

Eek. I think this post is long enough for now. I'll give you a break and post the rest tomorrow! :)