new friends

Mike and I decided to see a midwife for our prenatal care.  Through our midwife we were able to get our prenatal care in a group setting.  It was a wonderful experience.  The best part was getting together and swapping baby stories.  Miles got to meet the other babies and we got to share our experiences with others. 

smile

Miles started smiling at 6 weeks old.  How fun!  He locks eyes and does the sweetest little grin.

one month

Miles is one month old today!  He is growing fast and changing everyday.  The best part is seeing his little face come to life with new expressions.  He still seems to soak in his surroundings with a very serious expression.  Its awesome to see him take notice of sounds and movement and focus in on them with intent.  Taking in the world for the very first time.

Happy New Year!

This is how the Novaks party!

monkeying around

People say that baby boy clothes aren't as cute as baby girls clothes.  But the best part about boys' clothes is that its all monkeys and robots.  And who doesn't love monkeys and robots.  Angie gave Miles a monkey themed Christmas gift.  Here he is in his monkey duds with his sock monkey.  So cute!

lumber jacks

Garth came over and just happened to be wearing the same shirt as Mike.  And, it just so happens that Miles had a matching vest.  So, obviously we had to put Miles in his vest and do a quick photo shoot.   Pretty manly if you ask me.

cousin love

Miles got to meet his Nagel cousins for the first time during our visit home for Christmas.  Abby, Jake, and Cade have a ton of cousins, but Miles is their first cousin on the Nagel side of the family.  Jake and Cade were glad he's a boy, and Abby is just glad that aunt Kalli finally had a baby!  Abby is going to make a great babysitter, she can practically do the job all ready. 

Baby Blues

We made our first trip out to the farm to see my family for Christmas.  Miles did great on his first road trip.  He slept most of the way, and I guess sleeping is sort of his thing.  He nearly sleeps all day.  We got some great shots of him being exceptionally alert.  His eyes are that mysterious shade of blue gray that so many newborns start out with.  We have been debating and wondering about the color of Miles eyes since he arrived.  It is surprising to us.  With Mike's dark features, we really assumed Miles would follow suit.  But his complexion and hair aren't nearly as dark as Mike's, and those eyes are still so mysterious.  Looking at this photo of my mother and I, it makes me think he just might get those baby blue eyes, too.

bassinet

Miles has been sleeping in his bassinet.  It is adorable and convenient.  He even rocks himself when he swings his arms and kicks his legs.  The sad news is that he is growing so fast he will soon outgrow it.

Novak Christmas

We celebrated the Novak Christmas early year.  Cozy to spend the holiday at Angie's.  This was one of our first outings.  Miles spent the day sleeping in the loving arms of family, and my exhausted arms got a rest.  It was different for Mike and I being with family as parents and not just kids anymore.  Fun to take photos with cousins and exchange gifts around the tree.  Thanks for a great holiday Angie!

friend

Miles met his first friend today.  Our neighbors just had their first baby four days after we had Miles.  Our due dates were both December 7th.   It was fun to check in with the neighbors about our pregnancies as our due date approached.  Now that the babies are here we will have fun sharing parenthood.  Miles and Olive are fast friends!  We look forward to lots of play dates in the future.

thanks mom

We were so lucky to have my mom come and stay with us for a week after Miles was born.  She came prepared with plenty of freezer ready meals.  And the best part is she was there to reassure when we felt overwhelmed or unsure of ourselves as new parents.  Thanks Mom!

photo shoot

Today Miles endured his first photo shoot.  I am sure we will subject him to many more in his future.  He was a good sport about things.  Although he may have been stunned by the bath he had previously.  Grandma Lori and I did lots of soothing and staging while Mike snapped away with the camera.  We used the best for our Christmas card, and it was a tough choice, because really they are all adorable.  Here are some of the top pics.

P.S. special thanks to Kelly who knit this adorable little cocoon for Miles.  Thanks :)

first bath

Miles had his first bath today. He cried for most of it. It was pretty crowded in our tiny bathroom.  Mike did the scrubbing, Miles did the squirming, I helped hold the slippery little guy, and Grandma Lori was spectator and coach!  I love this photo of Mike and Miles, a proud Dad and a clean cuddly baby.  The best!

5 days old

visitors

Our first days at home and our first visitors.

home

Home from the hospital. Shackleton meets Miles for the very first time. Karma kept her distance. Shackleton got just close enough to peek inside, and backed away as soon as Miles made a sound.

snow storm

During our stay in the hospital Mpls had a snow storm. We watched the snow fall outside the hospital windows, and tried to guess what our new life would be like as a family of three. Mike was exhausted from lack of sleep, and I was on a serious baby high. As for Miles, he took in his surroundings and studied things in a very serious way.

Miles Michael

Miles was born on December 3. He shocked us all weighing in at 9 lbs. 13 oz. A beautiful healthy baby boy. Amazing to see him for the first time and wonder who he will be. We look at him and see bits of us, but the best part will be discovering who he is.