back to SoDak...

Well, I uploaded this picture purely for the readers' enjoyment and it thoroughly embarrasses me. I love my mother but I am a little upset that she let me get my haircut that way...and equally upset at my Aunt Carolyn who executed it (she used to be a hairstylist). And can we all agree that my stonewashed cap is totally rad? I'm sad to say I think this picture was taken the same year I cut my best friends head open accidentally with my buck teeth...I really wish I was kidding (I'm still sorry about that Jen). Well, here I am many many years of orthodontia later and sans perm...hopefully looking a little better.

We are headed back to SoDak (that's South Dakota for all of you non-residents) this weekend to Jason's hometown of Pollock, SD which consists of 300 people...8 of whom he graduated high school with. (yep, 9 people in his entire class, you did the math right). His mom is getting re-married and we are all in the wedding. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about squishing myself into a bridesmaid dress 3 months after having a baby and standing next to my very thin 15 year old sister in law....oh well. It should be a really fun time. My parents are also making the trek and they've agreed to take Tyson for the night of the wedding so that means an entire night of uninterrupted sleep!!! I may even have a beer or two (which is pretty much a requirement just to enter South Dakota I think). Come to think of it, I might have to start drinking along the way as making an 11 hour drive with an infant sounds less than appealing. Anyway, I will be without access to a computer probably until tuesday so no more posts until I get back. Hope everyone has a fantastic Labor Day weekend!

His first crush...

So there we were, playing on the floor as usual. Tyson was showing off his rolling over capabilities when all activity halted. Tyson was riveted...I look up only to realize that he is completely enthralled by Oprah. It seems he is quite smitten with her. I hated to break the news that she was already taken. Anyway, I promptly turned off the television and am now being very careful to always face his playtime in the other direction. I honestly thought he would be a little older before I would have to give up my horrible TV habit....bummer.
Nice shirt Tyson...you aren't kidding:) Don't think the irony was missed at the fact that he looks like he just drank a grande macchiato from starbucks.
In all honesty, he did have a pretty good night last night and is starting to get this nap business down. It's still a struggle somedays but it's slowly getting better.

the hissy fit...

Well, my worst fear came true...the other night was not the start of a pattern. I feel as though it was just to show me that it was biologically possible for my child to sleep but that it probably wouldn't be happening on a regular basis. As if I hadn't already figured that out. At least when he's naughty on the weekends I have Jason's help so I can get a little rest...otherwise it's a very difficult day. Here's to hoping he'll behave tonight.

here fishy fishy fishy...

One of Jason's favorite new hobbies is to try to contort Tyson's face in as many ways possible. I must admit that his little fishy face is pretty cute.
Tyson actually seems to enjoy this game...wierd. Honestly, you'd think I would stop being surprised at how much alike Jason and Tyson are but it never ceases to amaze me. I wonder if it's wierd for Jason to watch himself grow up?

On another note, we had a pretty good night last night. I really don't want to jinx anything so I won't go into details but he woke up happy and actually napped today. I'm hoping this is the start of something great cuz if it's just a teaser someone might end up on the business end of a hissy fit (mine).

photo shoot...

Well, Tyson had some pictures taken at 2 months old by my very talented coworker Tracy Mueller. In addition to being a nurse, she also runs Candid Photography. I really love how these turned out and decided to post a sample...I wanted to post them all but I realize that would have been overkill.
I really love this picture because after so many problems with weight gain, he has very visibly caught up...notice the cheeks:)

Mama and baby:)

I kind of think he looks like an old man with this toothless grin and his bald, shiny head.

This is very much a typical Tyson face.

I adore this picture because you can really see the chin dimple!...thanks Grandpa Dale for passing that gene.

Tyson actually had a fairly good night last night (meaning he only woke up twice instead of 4-6 times)...largely due to the fact that this little acrobat now flips himself onto his belly and then promptly falls asleep. Apparently my little man has no interest in what the literature says about tummy sleeping....American Academy of Pediatrics be damned! I'm worried about the fact that he is this stubborn at 2 1/2 months of age...what will he be like at 2...or 16?

no time for siestas...

Due to Tyson's inability to sleep in general + his quick meltdown factor, I have now become one of those mom's I used to make fun of. I have read so many books on childrearing or the sleeping habits of babies my bookshelf now resembles the baby section at Barnes and Noble. I am asking perfect strangers for advice in effort to find my sanity...but so far, no luck. But, since Tyson seems to find sleep unnecessary, he's hit some developmental milestones with all the extra time spent NOT napping! I was attempting to put him down today for a nap (not sure why I still try) and of course heard the screams coming from his room. I poked my head in the door just to make sure there was no bloodshed only to find my infant tucked in the corner of his crib on his tummy! He has only rolled from tummy to back a couple of times and now it seems that if you piss him off enough, he will roll from back to tummy! Turns out he's even more stubborn and determined than I originally thought. I used to be convinced he was some sort of evil genius sent to break me...now I think maybe he will be a ninja:)

awww...

So there I was with my camera...again:) I am actually quite proud of this shot and would love to tell you it was effortless...
but as you will see by the rest of these, it took some work...

and a little pain when Tyson cracked Jason in the nose with his skull.

but they had a pretty good time anyway:)

the mad cow...

So I'm sad to say that the entire Haak household has been sick with the flu this last week. It started with Tyson getting a little stuffy and ended with Jason and I sounding like we had speech impediments due to the congestion. Tyson really only was stuffed up and has almost completely recovered...Jason and I are still working on it. I had to ingest about half a bag of cough drops this morning so I wouldn't cough directly into my eye doctors mouth during the part of the exam when they sit uncomfortably close to adjust those crazy glasses.

The saddest part of having a sick baby is that any progress previously made with sleeping is now gone. He once again will only sleep while people are holding him and his eyes fly right open the minute you try to set him down.
Due to the congestion, I purchased a humidifier for the baby's room. I was excited becuase it was on sale. I don't know why other customers hadn't already snatched up this bargain...

maybe they get creeped out by the look of steam coming out of a barnyard animal. I think it's cute:)

I used to be this big!

Tyson met his second cousin (or first cousin once removed??? I always get confused) Mariah. She is not that much smaller in this picture than Tyson was when he was first born. I hadn't realized how much he had grown!

It almost looked like Tyson was going to put his arm around Mariah...

but instead decided to punch her in the face.

rub a dub dub there's a baby in the tub!

While at my parents house in MN, we decided it was easiest to give Tyson his bath in the kitchen sink. At first he was okay with the whole idea...

but then he quickly realized it was a wolf in sheeps clothing...or a bath in the sink. He's a smart cookie that Tyson.

Then at my sister's house we tried to have all three boys take a bath together...We quickly realized however that a 4 year old +two year old + infant = trouble...and possibly some injuries. Tyson got a quick dunk while the boys sat amazingly still for about 2 minutes and then they were allowed to splash around all they wanted.

I think Tyson was a little jealous of their motor skills (aka-the ability to splash each other).

tum tum

What time is it??? Tummy time! Tyson actually tolerates tummy time very well and seems to almost enjoy it.
I am always taking new pics so I can update the blog. I'm starting to wonder if he would recognize me without the camera in my face...or if he thinks his mommy was made by Cannon.

Funny that he still looks surprised when I take pictures...you'd think he'd be getting used to his paparazzi mom.

We thought he had had enough of tummy time when he started to get a little whiny...

but he was quickly distracted by the Vikings game on TV.

Clearly living in Wisconsin has not yet tainted his love for Minnesota.

boys will be boys

My little trip took me all the way to Crookston, MN where my sister Jenny and brother in law Jeremy live with their two little boys, Tate and Teagen. They were very excited to play with their new little cousin...and here Grandma Becky is playing right along. Either that or making sure they don't poke Tyson too hard.
At first they were very enamored with Tyson, especially Tate-the older of the two.

Then they started to get a little bored when they realized Tyson couldn't play trucks with them...

so they decided to make him part of the game anyway. Apparently Tyson's back makes a fantastic parking lot for matchbox cars.

Tate is playing his "excited song" for us. He loves his harmonica!

Grandpa Dale and Grandma Becky attempting to wrangle 3 of their grandchildren for a picture.

memories...

My sister Jo's 30th birthday party last summer...ahh those were the (skinny) days.

I decided I wanted to take advantage of my maternity leave and take Tyson back to Minnesota to visit Grandma and Grandpa Svaren with another side trip back to Fargo for his cousin Brianna's birthdayt party. It was an interesting drive since I was by myself with him for a good portion...Jason had to work, but we made it in one piece. Since I am at my parents house, I can't upload pictures so I raided their stash. Here is a shot of my sisters and I want to add a disclaimer about my shirt. My oldest sister Julie was originally wearing that ruffled monstrosity (sp?) but convinced me at the last minute that it would look better on me...I was so eager to please my big sister I agreed. I think we can all agree that the end result was less than desirable, especially whe paired with my high waisted pants and super cool haircut.
This was last fall during our annual family lefse making marathon.

oh what a day...

Jason was pretty excited we were able to bust out the UND outfit for his doctors appointment today. The funny part was that everyone saw the logo and thought it was a different school...most thought it was some obscure college in Illinois. We get very strong reactions to people once we tell them we came from North Dakota...apparently they are surprised anyone makes it out alive:)

He's singing the UND fight song I'm sure of it...because he's a genius of course.

I love the Fighting Sioux this much!!! Thanks for the outfit Tina!

Well today Tyson had his two month appointment with the pediatrician which unfortunately meant it was time for shots. He actually did pretty well...only a few tears were shed and they were all from him. I was able to surprisingly hold it together. I did however dislike the nurses technique. Instead of two nurses poking at the same time so it was done quickly, she did it three separate times! I almost took the syringe out of her hand to do it myself she was so slow...but nobody in that office knows I'm a nurse and I intend to keep it that way so I refrained. It wasn't until I got him home that he totally freaked out and became completely inconsolable. I spent much of the afternoon/evening holding him while bouncing on the exercise ball (one of the few things that calms him down). On the upside, if he keeps this up it'll be like I have my own tiny personal trainer who will whip me back into shape in a quick minute. He also is fairly tempermental on our little walk/jogs. It seems he is the most calm when I jog but gets upset when I slow to a walk. He had me doing interval training on my second day out! I'm starting to think he's some sort of evil genius...who has a winning smile and a fantastic ability to toot louder than most adults I know.

smiley faces...

Tyson is starting to be much less angry at bath times...he was in a great mood afterward when we tried on his fancy robe.
The smile was probably Jason's doing...that kid can be crabby all day and Jason comes home and gets him to smile right away. It's pretty cute to see how much they adore each other...maybe it's due to the fact that they are identical and enjoy looking at themselves.