The Next Chapter

It all began September 27, 2009, with this initial post at Nub In The Oven. Back then Mom and Dad were merely Niki and Jason, with very little concept of what it was really going to be like to be Mom and Dad once our Nub came around. And so, with family and friends around the country with whom we wanted to share our experience (not to mention our Nub once he came around) we launched this little website, not sure where it would lead us. Well, 745 posts later, our Nub is a full-fledged Jonas and we'd like to consider ourselves a full-fledged Mom and Dad. Nub In The Oven has been an amazing journal of our journey to parenthood and Jonas' journey to becoming a little boy. Which leads us to today and yet another transition. The fact is, it's been a while since Jonas was that little Nub pictured above. And as Jonas grows into a boy, it seems to us that it's time our little online adventure grows up as well. Over time, Nub In The Oven has come to be a daily newspaper of sorts for all things related to Jonas and our lives as Mom and Dad. So, as Jonas turns 2 years old today, the time seems right to move on. And that leads us to our exciting announcement that starting today, we are transitioning to a new newspaper-themed website that will allow our family and friends to share the next chapters of our lives. From here on, we invite you to visit us at Daily Gewirtz, where we will be able to tell our story in an even more engaging way. Nub In The Oven will live on as an active archive for us and anyone else to revisit over the years, but we hope our readers here will join us in our next endeavor as our journey continues. Thanks for reading and sharing our adventures. We look forward to more fun ahead.

Happy Birthday!

Hard to believe out little boy turns 2 today but he does! (And if there was any doubt, he's got the bump on his head to prove that he's a wild little 2-year-old when he wants to be...) Jonas' day started out with a brand new Jeep and a heap of kisses from Mom (and Dad!). The first of many surprises to come today for our happy little boy and his family and friends.

Bearded Ones

Jonas has a real treat for his birthday weekend as his Nana and Papa are paying a visit from New York. One of the things Jonas likes to point out of late when he's video chatting with Nana and Papa over the computer is the fact that "Papa has a beard." And so it was that the Big Guy got to feel those scratchy whiskers in person last night at dinner, followed of course by his own inspection to see how his own goatee was coming in. (Not very well at this point...)

On the Round

Jonas has taken a liking of late to a red ottoman that previously had been home to a bunch of his toys. Now that he's getting tall enough, he is enjoying hoisting himself on top, having a seat and taking a look around.

Jonas and Woof Woofs

Seems we've had a number of dog-related posts of late, which is something considering we don't even have a dog. But in many ways, it feels like we do as some of Jonas' best "friends" around the house are the canine type. That includes this friendly mutt who Jonas likes to hang out with...

...But fortunately for Jonas, he does have a few real dogs in his life, including his Mima's pal Penney. The other day at her house, Jonas took a liking to Penney's bed, prompting Penney to check out who was crowding her space...

...The dog thing even extends to the car, where Jonas enjoys wearing his "Doggie Hat," an item of clothing that perhaps unlike any other seems to bring out the Big Guy's part-Russian ancestry.

Smothered in Love

Poor Blue Dog. That's one of Jonas' pals in his room and for some reason the one he chooses to smother with his hugs. Most of his other friends get a gentle, standing embrace, perhaps a peck on the cheek if Jonas is up to it. But Blue Dog seems to be the one Jonas reserves his most passionate affection for, an embrace that involves tackling Blue Dog to the ground and laying on top of him. He's in there somewhere. Poor Blue Dog.

Lying Around

Jonas has found a fun new way to read books of late, choosing to lie on his belly to turn the pages himself (provided, of course, that he has his car slippers on...) instead of sitting up and having Mom and Dad serve as narrator. Mom and Dad are just fine with this development.

Nooks and Crannies

It would appear that Jonas is getting more and more creative with his play spaces, to the point where Mom and Dad need to keep an ever vigilant eye.

Best in Show

Dad and Jonas were home the other day hanging out when Dad decided to see if there was anything interesting on TV that they could watch. And sure enough, the Westminster Dog Show provided more than enough entertainment for a little boy who enjoys himself the "woof woofs." Jonas seemed intrigued by the pointer group especially, watching in awe as they pranced about...

...but soon after that his thoughts turned to his own dog. And in an adorable move, he made sure to check out the tail just like the judges do as well as give him "nice pats" to show off his best attributes. We're not sure if the burpee in his mouth would count against him in the judging.

Step on the Step

In another of Jonas's many mini-milestones, recent weeks have seen him stand up on his own to brush his teeth, a process that formally involved Mom or Dad holding him while the brushing commenced. Now, Jonas seems to look forward to the moment he gets to "step on the step" as he says, which provides him just enough height to see what he's doing.