Checkup update

15lbs,9 oz; 26"

Good Job, Manu!

Take 3

Check-up time once again, and round 2 of shots. I thought shots were bad as a kid... They're so much worse watching them as a parent!

Airplane

Airplane time !



Up,

up,

and away!

Manu-palooza!

I know folks have been anxiously awaiting more pics of Arman, so without further ado:

Extra! Extra!

Headline: Peanut En Route to Grandma's Tomorrow!

Morning Walk

Scenes from our morning walk today


A summer bloom

Peace baby

Hydrant

Where the sidewalk ends

My Sunshine

"Never Leave Child Unattended"

Every last toy and baby item comes with this warning. Funny enough, I've even seen it on cribs. Seriously? Right. You're not going to find me hovering over Peanut while he's fast asleep. Of course you can't always always watch them.
Yesterday, like pretty much every other day, I was doing laundry. After the washing machine finished the cycle, I left Manu in the nursery on a blanket with a book and ran downstairs to transfer the clothes to the dryer. I came back upstairs to this scene:

I have no idea why he thought this might be a good idea. I guess Harvard is already pretty much off the list. As content as he was to lay like that, I decided that having something completely covering his face probably wasn't the best idea.

What a goof. That's ok. We wouldn't be able to afford Ivy League anyway.

A Thursday

Hello Thursday!

"Reading" Squishy Turtle and Friends.

Time for a change...again.

Piggy toes.


A boy and his sheep.

The Clutter I Love

I love uncluttering my life. While I like having "things", I hate storing things that go unused. You don't need 4 can openers before you get to the one you actually use. And if you think you may find a perfect spot for that lamp someday, it's time to toss it. If that day comes, buy a new lamp. Getting rid of stuff gives me a natural high....most of the time.

Manu turned 3 months old last week and it's time to unclutter his closet. The 0-3 month clothes simply no longer fit, but I cannot bring myself to pack them and put them away.

Wasn't it just a moment ago when his was swimming in every article of clothing we had?



Not to say that I'm not excited about this next chapter; I really am. He's full of sparkle these days. He smiles constantly, is discovering his voice, and kicks squeals with delight when you read to him. I try not to think about these days also passing as quickly as the first 3 months.

I don't want him to stay a newborn forever...but I do. I've decided to keep my memories pinned to a wall. It's the best I can do.

Manu's Mamu

Pittsburgh is a city in the middle of nothing. This is a fact we noticed when we moved here a little over a year ago, however, it didn't seem like that large an issue until Manu was born. Babies have a great way of bringing people, especially families, together. Trouble is, we're so far away from Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunts and Uncles that visiting is an such an elaborate ordeal for everyone. Bottom line: we don't see our families nearly as much as we'd like. That stinks. So we were thrilled when Manu's Mamu (urdu for your mother's brother) was able to come down for a few days before heading back to med school for the year.

They hit it off immediately. Faheem is a natural with little ones.

Manu was ecstatic to have a new face to to play with.

Tummy time so much better this way!

We begged him not to leave but turns out this school thing is pretty important. It'll be a couple months before we see each other again.


Good times are over, kid. You're going to be stuck with seeing this face for awhile.

Miss you, Fuma! See you in New York this fall!

Saturday in the Park

If we're lucky, once a week we get to spend an afternoon with Dad. This past Saturday we went to Schenley Park.

The main attraction this particular weekend was the annual Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix .


This made Dad pretty giddy.

Peanut and I got to spend some time with Dad which made us just as happy.

Amazing street animation

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Incredible...

The Halls Come to Town

This past weekend the Halls came to visit! While we used to see each other at least once a week in Buffalo, it had been months since our last reunion. We were so excited to be their hosts and share our city with them.

It was also an opportunity to finally introduce them to our little guy. Manu flirted shamelessly with Teresa.

The forecast called for thunderstorms all weekend but somehow we were able to dodge them altogether. We stopped in Mt. Washington to admire the view.


Dennis contemplates moving to Pittsburgh. Ok, maybe not.

Like all good itineraries, ours revolved around eating. Day1 Lunch: Harris Grill. For casual outdoor dining in Pittsburgh, you can't beat Harris'. The food is delicious and reasonably priced, the staff is chill, and the atmosphere is relaxed. Best of all, their menu is hands down the most entertaining I've read. With items like the "Volunteer Fire Hall Wedding Reception Baked Rigatoni" and "Harris Grill's Businessman's Lunch" (Three Grey Goose Martinis served in rapid succession), how could you go wrong?

While it seemed like our guests really enjoyed lunch, it was a struggle to get Manu to eat his. He decided then and there that he's no longer a fan of the bottle.


Day 2 Lunch: Primanti Brother's .Primanti's serves up a heart attack between two slices of bread. You choose your sandwich: steak, chicken, turkey, tuna, etc. and they top it with fries and coleslaw. The finished product stacks up about 1/2 foot tall.

This was a challenge. The baby and the bjorn caught what didn't quite make it into my mouth. I know. Bad mom.


Group shot in front of the Cathedral of Learning

Family pic.

On the last night after the baby was put to bed, we decided to partake in a friendly card game with dessert.

Perhaps we overdosed on strawberry cake or maybe it was way past all of our bedtimes as well, but as the evening progressed anything and everything became hilarious. It was the perfect ending to a great weekend. It really made me wish we could be neighbors again.

We had a great time, guys! We'll plan our trip up to Buffalo very soon!