NiklasSmith.com

Niklas Doesn't Recognize The Trump Building

October 2009

2009-09-01: A big lull after I promise increased posting? How unlike me. Really, though, I haven't had much to report because Niklas was staying with his grandparents while Andrya and I were in Vegas. Let us celebrate the fact that I didn't have to sell my computer to cover my shockingly poor performance at the sports book. Anyway, Niklas had a very good long weekend with Grandma and Papa Meeker. There was a ton of playing with classic toys of the 70s, trips to the playground and, allegedly, a detent with that cat who hates me. There was even some kicking and screaming when it was time to go, so it appears that a good time was had by all.

Today, I took Niklas to the playground by the apartment and two other playgrounds up by the new place (which still has a dearth of furniture). Playgrounds in Chicago feature shade, which is something I advise Bermuda look into. Niklas had a fabulous time at all of the playgrounds, particularly the one at Sheffield and Wrightwood which featured about 50 other kids his age pretty much running amok. Niklas particularly enjoyed some gear things that you could turn and a periscope thing. Also, he climbed up a rock climbing wall that I'm not sure I could make it up, so I guess that's his thing.

2009-09-08: Well, Niklas has certainly been up to a lot of late. Last week, his uncle Eric was up to pain his room (and a couple of other rooms, but remember who the start is: Niklas) in the new condo. It looks super cool with three blue walls and one orange wall. I'd post a picture here, but I'm afflicted with the plague (which also affected Niklas which I will get to in a bit if you stop hasseling me for two seconds). Niklas had a great time hanging out with his uncle and the two of them demonstrated a great ability to chat up waitresses when we went out to lunch.

Over the weekend, we went down to Grandma and Grandpap Vennard's house for an early birthday party for Niklas. There were fabulous presents and a cake of his very own that he could devour/destroy at his sugar-rushed leisure. Upon being presented with the cake, Niklas had this to say; "Cake? Candles? I'm three!" While slightly inaccurate, it was still pretty cute. Niklas spent the rest of his weekend dragging the giant wagon grandma got him around the yard, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows and driving off-road type vehicles (he could stand to work on that a bit). A fabulous time was had by all.

Less fabulous was the cough Niklas picked up while we were in St. Francisville. It seems that dragging a two year old all over the place for a month or so might impact his health a bit. Noted. This is only the third time he's been any kind of sick and it was hands down the worst. He was up half the night coughing on Sunday, so yesterday's car trip up featured the super rare morning nap. There were also some labored breathing noises which concerned us until we figured out that he was only having trouble because he was insisting that he breathe through his stuffy nose instead of his mouth. He's refined like that, I guess. Anyway, he woke up a few times again last night, but after a three hour nap this morning, he was pretty much back to normal although is voice still belies a bit of sinus congestion (which is to say it sounds a bit funny). I have a bit of the plague myself, so he may have a bit of an edge. We'll see how that goes.

2009-09-13: It's Niklas's birthday! Woooooooooo! Party! Wooooooo! We haven't done anything birthday related yet, but Niklas is quite excited. He spent several minutes this morning running aroung the coffee table saying "ready to go, ready to go!" even though we were just going to the grocery store. Maybe three year olds have a passion for produce.

2009-09-16: Well, Niklas and I are off for his first ice skating lesson. Niklas's prediction: "I not going to fall down.". I'm probably less optimstic.

2009-09-24: Well, our stuff has finally arrived from Bermuda. With it was the disc I needed to repair my computer after an automatic Windows update turned it into a zombie with no useful computing capabilities. Anyway, it hasn't been all fun and unpacking around here. Last night, Niklas had his first trip to the emergency room. He needed a couple of stitches over his left eye after a mishap involving me, his stuffed lamb, high speed chases and the hinge on the coat closet door. Niklas actually seemed to have a pretty good time in the ER as busting his head up just before bedtime gave him an awesome excuse for staying up super late. Less popular was the actual application of the stiches which, given his reaction, was the worst thing ever to happen to Niklas. He's doing fine, though, as I would hope you would have surmised after I led off the update with complaints about Microsoft.

2009-09-29: Niklas got his stitches taken out yesterday. He looks a lot better now that he doesn't have string sticking out of his head. We're just about settled into the new place, so hopefully, we'll be able to resume doing fun stuff during the day as opposed to running a seemingly endless bunch of errands. On the plus side, Niklas enjoys errand running, so there's that.

Grandma and Papa Meeker were up with Uncle Eric on Sunday for a final belated celebration of Niklas's birthday. We went to the Rainforest Cafe for lunch which we thought would really appeal to Niklas what with all the animatronic animals and whatnot. INCORRECT. As soon as we walked in the door, there was a life sized fake boa constrictor that horrified Niklas even though he's seen actual boa constrictors at the zoo and had no problem with them. The snake, though, wasn't nearly the most terrifying aspect of the place. We had had just been served our food when Niklas let loose with a blood curdling scream. The reason? A guy wearing a tree frog suit. Again, Niklas has seen tree frogs and guys in animal suits before, so I'm unclear as to what the problem was, but something was problematic, let me tell you. After lunch, we went home for cake and presents which were much more enthusiastically received.