DUNKin Donuts!

So basically this post just illustrates what a dork I am but most of you already know that. It also shows that Nikos may be developing a love affair for Dunkin Donuts - aww, just like his mom and his aunt!

Chicago - Day One

Last week Taki had a business trip to Chicago so Nikos and I, being the jetsetters that we are (to read: Taki and I trying to get Nikos amped for the looong flight to Aruba next month) decided to join him. Taki flew out on Monday and Nikos and I followed on Wednesday night. Again he was a champ on the plane, awake for the first hour or so and then asleep for the rest of the flight. Since we were on Southwest (who no longer boards families first btw) we sat down in an empty row and I pinched Nikos a few times as people walked by so he would look like quite the fussy baby. I couldn't get any real tears but I did get some squirming and groaning. I may have mentioned something like "ooh, is that a stinky diaper I smell??" - again, a fabricated concoction. And PRESTO - we got the whole row to ourselves. Hee hee! Of course, once our fellow passengers noted that he passed out for most of the flight sprawled in the middle seat they may have realized they had been duped but HA too late.

Right about now I would usually insert a sleeping-Nikos-on-the-plane picture (please see previous San Diego/Seattle/Philly posts) but I discovered that like an IDIOT I had charged the extra-special-you-can't-easily-find-in-stores camera battery and left it at home. Hello Heather - you left the battery in the charger? What a novice. Sadly, it was even worse. I brought the charger and left the battery sitting on the kitchen table. Thus, you will see no pictures until Day 1 in Chicago (which was actually Day 2 of our trip since we landed at a little before one in the morning on Thursday.)

While we waited for Taki to finish up with work Nikos and I stopped by Barnes and Noble (we had to go somewhere while our $65 replacement battery was charging at the camera shop) and picked up Good Night Chicago.

We are starting a collection of the Good Night books for the places we visit. So far we have San Diego, Seattle, Philly and Chicago. Fun!

While Nikos napped I took a few shots of the fountain next to the Art Institute of Chicago.

We met up with Taki at the Chicago branch of Method and Nikos impressed the crowd.

Lucky for us, Chicago's Greektown was mere steps from Taki's office. Opaaa!

Yes, authentic Greek beer.

Clearly, Nikos and the monkey are infatuated with me.

I apologize that I don't have a picture of the flaming Saganaki cheese that we ate - yum! - but Taki is a little slow on the uptake so he got a picture of the smoldering cheese. Blast!

Taki made fun of me for this shot but I thought it was fun. They go all out in Greektown.

After dinner we headed back over to the Art Institute of Chicago (free admission Thursday nights - wahoo!) Here I am threatening Niko that if he acts up he will only receive armor for his birthday.

Every child needs a gauntlet to play with.

Roar! Go LMU Lions.

I think Dolly Parton was playing here. Hee!

I really enjoyed the landscaped medians so I made poor Taki pose by about 20.

Stay tuned for Day Two.

He Shoots...He Scores

This video is from a few weeks ago but it took me awhile to download it. Enjoy!

Help. Pak and Play Needed in Chicago

Does anyone have any friends living in Chicago that could lend me their pak and play for a few days? Just found out the hotel doesn't offer them (?? - I guess they figure families don't stay at boutique-y hotels...this does not bode well for our trip to NYC) and that baby rental site babysaway doesn't have any available for Chicago. Boooooo. I could bring ours and check it but I was planning on just bringing Nikos, the diaper bag and the stroller since Taki already headed out with all of our other stuff. Thoughts?

Weekend Update with Heather Romios

Seriously, will this cold/flu ever end? It seems like Taki and I keep trading symptoms. I am starting to worry that Nikos is going to think that opening your car door at every third stop sign and spitting is an acceptable behavior.

Here are a few cute pictures from the last week or so. Sorry I am so late, please refer to the aforementioned spitting at stop signs (and occasionally out the window and on the car door, thus necessitating the stopping.)

First taste of chai and he is hooked. No comments about the Princess Leia hair people, I'm sick damn it.

Daycare was closed for vacation one day last week and Grammy came to babysit. She got some cute shots of Nikos in the "bath". Love how he is modest in this one. Way to hide the boys and make it look like a pose.

Lately he has become quite the little squirm bug, squirming all over the changing table, in his crib, in his high chair. Here's an action shot half way through butternut squash and corn.

Friday night Romios-hosted Happy Hour was not one to be missed. We were chosen as an impromptu venue for the Raiderette auditions. Some would say that as this point the night took a turn for the worse...I, on the other hand, say Go Raiders!

Unfortunately, Nikos left the festivities before the head cheerleader was selected (congratulations Kathy) and went to bed before I could get his 11 month picture. Of course I asked Taki to go take a picture of him anyway.

I think I am trying to stick to this since I am pissed that I wasn't clever like Meredith and Tom and their Spiderman photo montage. Boo! I guess that is what the next one is for...ha!

Saturday started out with Nikos and I heading to the city for my hair appointment.

After causing no less than three people to abandon their seat next to me due to continuous coughing - I wanted to tell them I wasn't contagious but since Taki appears to have sprung the same thing I wasn't so sure - we made it to Zindagi Salon. Nikos was the hit of the place, impressing everyone by sitting happily in his stroller for two hours and then falling asleep in what ended up being a two and a half hour nap. What?? I know. Much to Taki's chagrin I got in a few hours of mall shopping before he woke up.

When I arrived home Taki and Vernie were working on the deck so Mel and the kids drove out and we went on a walk. Somehow we managed to trick Vernie into doing seven hours of manual labor, all for attendance at the neighbor's First Communion (+ keg) party and Zachary's pizza. Thanks Vernie!

Mel, Kira, Maile and Tyke.

Nikos (behind the pizza crust), Mason and I.

Vernie (here's hoping he does not remember to wash this shirt and give it back.)

Nikos was totally into Mason.


Below are what I can only guess to be stills from a Zachary's photo shoot. I mean, what respectable mother would let her child go to a restaurant and then cover his face with a mixture of pizza sauce and squash? Certainly not me.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Ahh, still sick in the Romios household...but I can't help but feel better when Nikos giggles. So cute!

The Joys of Commuting and Uno, Dos, Tres!

Today I became a real, bona fide commuter. On my way out the door at work I realized I had forgotten my book on my desk. Argh! 23 minutes on the train without a reading material. Heading down the stairs to bart I swiped my pass, entered the turnstile AND REACHED INTO THE BLUE RECYCLE BIN AND PULLED OUT A FEW SECTIONS OF THE NEWSPAPER. What?? Just two weeks ago I was telling Taki "Who are these people that take papers out of that bin - especially the ones that take the time to sort through it for the ones they want? It's so bizarre." Yup. I am now one of them. It was like some sort of weird initiation. I tried to maintain some semblance of dignity by just reaching in and grabbing haphazardly (my score was the front page, 96 hours and sales sheets...not bad for a rookie) but I did have a scary glimpse into a future where I was rummaging around trying to find the Entertainment section. Here's hoping commuters will start using that bin to recycle Us Weekly and People!

In other Romios household news...Niko's third tooth started coming in! You can just see the tip of the top right tooth. Whoop whoop.