Nate the Great

Nate Set to Fire Mommy

2009-04-08T19:23:00.001-07:00

Nate's publicist/mommy has been busy with her other writing commitments recently and as such has been slacking in her 'Nate the Great' duties. She understands that Nate's loyal girlfriends and family members (cough, Glenn and Bob) have been checking the blog regularly and have been quite unimpressed with its staleness. To make up for her recent shortcomings, mommy is posting a photo of Great-Uncle Glenn and Sir Nate at Great-Grandma Glenora's 75th birthday party last month Markdale.

Nate's Rep Denies He Was in Rehab

2009-03-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

While our little party animal has definitely been out of commision for the past few weeks, he hasn't been in rehab as some outlets have been reporting. The weight loss and gaunt appearance are the result of DDD (Dreaded Daycare Disease) that has forced Sir Nate to stick close to home reading My First Truck Board Book over and over and over again. Our little patient has even taken to bringing this favourite literature to bed with him at night, and leaving the light on, just so he can read well into the wee hours. Mommy and daddy have each made trips to Dr. Barman with the little sickie, only to be told that it's a cold/flu virus that's hit the kiddies hard this season. On a positive note, the steady stream illnesses has made Mr. Hard to Get very clingy, which mommy secretly loves. He's even learned to name all of his family members in his Christmas photo album, thanks to many an hour spent on mommy's lap. (Bob! Paul! Evan! Gigi! to name a few.) To help bring Nate out of his sick-induced slump, mommy took him to Culture's this week for his favourite blueberry/strawberry smoothie which seemed to raise his spirits slightly. We're hoping the trip up north this weekend to the fresh country air will mend him once and for all!

Brotherhood of the Travelling Pants

2009-02-20T10:45:00.000-08:00

Like the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants storyline, Nate #1, Nate #2, Theo and Joshua's mothers all met in their pre-natal class and have formed a close bond ever since. They reunited today to trade hugs (real men hug, dontcha know?) sippie cuts (our Nate had his first taste of goat's milk, oops) and toys (trains, action figures, police cars and kitchen accessories.) Mommy became slightly concerned at one point when her wee Nate seemed to turn into the Incredible Hulk and flipped Nate#2 right over the bean bag, barely breaking a sweat in the process. It wouldn't have been the least bit surprising if his shirt had ripped apart and he had turned dark green. (Mommy made a mental note to cut back on the protein.) Also attached is a photo of the bosom buddies when they were a few weeks old.

Like Father, Like Son

2009-02-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

Nate was kind enough to lend his sleeping daddy his blankey and duckie the other day after he came home from an Indian buffet and needed an afternoon nap on the couch. Which got mommy to thinking...that must be where Nate gets his ability to sleep soundly, because it certainly isn't from her. Like his father, Nate is a blistfully unaware of the nightly riots that seem to take place outside his window when the bars let out, or the deafening firetrucks that storm past 30 Church on a regular loop. Even the church bells tolling every hour on the hour don't seem to disrupt our marathon sleeper because when Nate's tired, he doesn't joke around. Take last night for instance. After a hard day at the office (daycare) our boy came home, polished off a man-sized meal, then proceeded to hit the deck at 6 p.m. never to be heard from again until 8 a.m. You'd think that 14 straight hours would be enough shut-eye to keep him sailing through the day, but think again, because a 3.5-hour afternoon nap ensued. Mommy is starting to think they should put Nate on the daycare payroll because they obviously have him doing hard labor all day.

Nate Considers Blackberry

2009-02-08T05:29:00.000-08:00

Nate is taking the weekend to make a big decision; Blackberry or Personal Assistant? Move over Busy Philipps, there's a new Busy in town. Between his two days at daycare and his Mondays with Nonny the Nanny, he's having a hard time slotting all of his wives, buddies and various appointments into the remaining timeslots. Mommy realized just how busy he'd gotten this week when she tried to make an appointment for Sir Nathaniel at the doctor's office. She finally managed to secure a time that fit his complicated schedule, but not after some serious juggling. So what kept our Busy Bee occupied this week? He entertained one of his wives, Gracey, for dinner and a couch jumping session. He helped ring in his great-grandfather (Giga's) 87th birthday where he polished off an entire piece of cake before digging into his mommy's (no wonder he has kankles). He made a pit stop at Top Cuts (Great Hair for Less and Purple Suckers Too) for his first 'professional' haircut and managed to squeeze in a training session for his new sous-chef, Matthew as well. The cherry on top of his week came when Auntie Beth presented him with an owl she had knitted for him last night. Some competition for ducky? Thankfully, Nate understands the value of some down time and has been fulfilling that need with Bob the Builder.

Nate is the Perfect Grandson While Parents Chill in Mexico

2009-02-03T15:46:00.000-08:00

Our little man spread the love between his grandparents last week while his parents took the Mayan Riviera by storm for Wendy & Dave's nuptials. He spent the first weekend with his Grammy and Grandpa pointing out the local hotspots, stopping only briefly inside the friendly churches to warm up. (Pass a TD bank? Dada! Pass Tim Horton's? Nonno!) Luckily the sitters stuck to Nate's Saturday market routine so he wasn't thrown off track too much. Nonno and Baba then took the babysitter baton on Sunday afternoon and highlights included watching Tipi Tales and Vivere (Italian soap opera). Nonno innocently brought Nate along to Giga's doctor's appointment on Monday only to learn that Nate 'doesn't do' doctor's offices. Despite a brief stress-filled 48 hours without his Beloved Blankey mid-week, calm was restored on Wednesday when said blankey was discovered lodged under the crib between a diaper box. Grandpa and Grammie breezed back into town on Thursday to take the final leg of the race. (Grandpa Andy gets the creative award of the week for skating Sir Nate around Nathan Phillips Square's ice rink in his stroller.) When mommy and daddy returned on Saturday afternoon - they had to do a double-take to recognize their grown-up boy! Many thanks to the ace babysitting team for their 10 out of 10 effort!

Nate Does Daycare

2009-01-20T15:13:00.000-08:00

Our little student-in-training started his third week of daycare and is finally starting enjoy the experience after a rougher than expected start! The first few days were met with bring-the-house-down screaming and monstrous tears anytime mommy or daddy left. (Truth be told, mommy wasn't much better.) There were even a few calls home from the daycare to come retrieve our master-crier. But slowly the tide began to turn and by the end of last week, our man was bringing home glowing reviews on his daily report card. Napped? Check! Ate all his lunch? Check! Nate even completed a tiring 9-4 shift today and when mommy went to pick him up, found him happy as pie with a mouth full of sand. Yum! Nate will still be spending Mondays with Nonno the Nanny and completing his daycare studies on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Nate Recovering from Wild Holiday Bashes!

2008-12-30T17:24:00.000-08:00

Our man has been partying so hard for the past week that tonight he waved goodbye at bedtime and went out cold without so much as a peep. It's been several nights in a row of holiday bashes that have seen Nate indulge in his love of bubbly (Perrier for the under-ager) and toast fellow revellers with his new plastic champagne glass.

The Christmas festivities began on the 24th with the Durkacz celebration in T.O. where Nathaniel Andrew got so hot and heated from dancing that he had to remove his shirt. When Nate wasn't bonding with his cousins, Evan, Pia and Nicholas, he was cleaning house with the new mini broom set and inspecting his new doctor kit and building blocks.

On Christmas morning, our man headed north to his Grammy and Grandpa's in snowy Owen Sound. Little did he know that a stunning Little Tykes kitchen awaited him, thanks to a very tuned-in and generous Santa! Our little chef-in-training didn't waste any time looking over the elaborate contraption, instead, he got right to work putting food in the microwave, turning on the oven and drinking back a Yop before putting it back in the fridge.

Nate was forced to part with his stunning kitchen for long enough to visit the Northern Lights with his family visiting from sunny Florida and to open his slew of gifts, including more Maple Leaf memorabilia from Great-Grandma Glenora and Uncle Sam. And of course we can't forget the Christmas dinner fit for a King where Nate polished off his turkey dinner like a champ before running back to play in his own kitchen (hence why he isn't in the family photo.)

Nate spent the rest of the week up north learning to toboggan, playing with his O.S. buddies, helping Grammie open her bday presents and lounging around in his new housecoat. Stay tuned for a NYE update - Nate-dog plans to get hot and heavy and ring in '09 with his on-again squeeze Sophia. (We hope Gracey isn't reading!)

Nate Loves Firetrucks, Really He Does!

2008-12-16T10:19:00.000-08:00

Our little firetruck-lover took a field trip to the station on Front Street this morning with his buddy Sean from playgroup. He waited patiently in the sub-zero temps for an invitation inside and was positively overflowing with excitement until the alarm went off as the nice fireman lifted Nate into the Big Seat. Tears of panic ensued and we were forced to vacate while the men with hoses darted off to save the day!

Nate Back With Ex-Wife?

2008-12-11T05:43:00.000-08:00

After she fled to the North Country (Yonge and Lawrence) in the summer, Nate's visits with his former wife, Sophia, had been few and far between. But on a recent dinner date with the stunner, it didn't take long for the old fires to start burning once again. It started off innocently enough, but then after sharing a romantic dinner with their parents, the two just couldn't take it anymore and sprawled out together on the floor with their blankies.

Nate Does Daycare

2008-12-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

Nate D. will be starting daycare for two days a week in January so we decided to spend the morning there today to get the little man oriented. Mommy was pretty sure that he would be happy to attend since playgroups are totally his speed, but she had no idea just how quickly he would take to the new school routine. He waltzed into toddler classroom, not a shy bone to be found in his body, and made a B-line for the kitchen appliances. When it came time to play outside, Nate tore after his new friends, leaving mommy in his dust. You'd think an hour outside with all the new exciting toys would be enough to wear him out, but not our Nate, he gladly headed back into the classroom and proceeded to explore the play dough and munch on the Cheerios at the table. Even when mommy experimented by leaving him alone to go speak to the centre's director, fully expecting he would burst into tears, she returned instead to find him oblivious to her departure, happily exploring the blocks. The only awkward moment was when our little horn-dog began humping a little girl's back - Nate - you only just met! The adventure (chin-chin as Nate calls it) tired the schoolboy out and mommy is hoping his nap will be nice and long!

Nate Wants "More Juice!"

2008-11-23T09:25:00.000-08:00

Mark this day on your calendars folks. Nate has graduated to a whole new level in Vocab 101 - he put his first two words together - "More juice!" We must give Daddy some credit for making the over-the-top fruit shakes that our little man just can't go without. After a full serving this morning - he was so desperate for more that he flat out told his mommy. We're afraid "Give me money!" won't be far off. Other words our man can proudly belt are: door, down, dog, duck, goose, wall, balloon, testa (head in Italian), banana, dangerous (da-da-da) and adventure (chin-chin). Of course he's also been calling out for his loved ones for a while now too. MAMA!

Nate's a Market Man

2008-11-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

There's not much in his young life that gives our Nate as much pleasure as his daily trips to the St. Lawrence Market. Whether he's visiting his pet lobsters at the seafood market or chatting up a storm with all of his favourite vendors, our man in truly at home among the stalls. His favourite culinary delights include potato and cheddar perogies, omelette sandwiches that he shares with his daddy on Saturday mornings and the crepes and chocolate croissants that he helps his mommy devour all too often. And let's not forget that summer meatball obsession that sent profits at the Ukrainian deli through the roof. While Nate has free reign of the market during the week (see photos taken on a quiet Thursday morning) things get quite a bit wilder on Saturdays when our music man takes in the buskers and magicians. P.S. A warm online welcome to Great-Grandma Glenora, the newest follower of the Nate the Great blog!

Nate Snags Box Seats for Santa Claus Parade

2008-11-16T17:42:00.001-08:00

Our little growing boy (see belly shot) didn't even have to put on his winter coat to catch the city's Santa Claus parade today. Jolly 'ol St. Nick himself paraded right past the window so Sir Nathaniel was able to catch all the action without taking any time away from his important pots and pans inventory. Nate also kept busy entertaining his special guests including cousin Evan, Auntie Tania and Uncle Jessie, Grandpa Jerr and Auntie Beth. Daddy prepared his world-famous homemade pizza while mommy prepared her world-famous/Duncan Hines cake.

Nate Hits Royal Winter Fair

2008-11-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

Our city boy put the cool back in country this week after hitting the Exhibition Grounds for a taste of the Royal. His parents felt a visit to the farmer's stomping grounds was the least they could do to encourage Nathaniel's affection towards animals. But while we always knew he had a soft spot for his furry friends (a visit to the dog park is a must on his daily agenda) after visiting the fair we're convinced he may atually have been a cow during a past life. Surrounded by Bessies as far as the eye could see, Sir Nate's mouth was hanging as low as the hundreds of udders stretched out before him. Like a kid in a candy store, it was almost too much for our cow-lover to take in. "Moooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!" he belted for all to hear. Nate also clapped and cheered with hundreds of school children during the Super Dogs extravaganza and was especially impressed with the World Champion Dog Jumper. Our boy may have to wait until Christmas for his next bovine encounter on the drive up to Owen Sound.

Lock Your Doors - Nate's in Heat!

2008-10-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

Our little pantless horn dog was at it again last night with his latest squeeze, Gracey Girl. While it's not the first older woman he's set his sights upon, it is however the first time he's managed to 'seal the deal' (sorry Nan!) and get her into his bed. The night started off innocently enough, a few knowing glances back and forth, some mild flirting and playing hard to get from Gracey, but then the floodgates opened and the two lovebirds started kissing passionately throughout the condo. They even took to the floor for a full-on groping session before Gracey's father was forced to untangle the sweaty twosome. It was only a temporary interruption though because Gracey then asked Nate if she could see his bed, to which he quickly obliged. All we have to say is, thank God that crib is solid! When it was all over and Gracey was forced to say goodbye, Nate let out a thunderous cry as the door closed behind her. But we're convinced Gracey is also desperate for another hot date because she left behind her pink hat. Coincidence? We think not.

Nate Solidifies Party Animal Status

2008-10-26T08:11:00.001-07:00

Nathaniel 'Tigger' Durkacz attended his cousin Nicholas' 3rd Halloween-themed birthday party yesterday at Ms. Miriam's Nursery School on the Danforth. We really shouldn't be surprised that wee Nate likes to party (he comes by it honestly) but the amount of pure stamina sustained during his 2.5-hour play session surpassed even his parent's highest party standards. Nate covered the toy-filled terrain in both playrooms like a real pro, pushing various models of shopping carts and strollers (preferably pink), organizing his appliances in the Betty Crocker Kitchen and like a true marathoner, stopping only to re-fuel on pizza and cupcakes. Other highlights of the bday bash included learned to drink from a straw for the first time, seeing Chaucha Mary again and almost clogging the pint-sized toilet after mommy thought she'd avoid leaving contents of a poopie diaper for some poor sod to find on Monday morning. We hope we're still invited back next year! Special thanks to Auntie Gwynda for supplying the Tigger ensemble and stay tuned for reports of Nate's first Trick-or-Treating session in the west-end on Friday night at Baba and Nonno's.

Nate Takes Europe by Storm!

2008-10-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

Our Canadian boy left a trail of broken hearts during his transatlantic voyage. Not a day went by on his 11-day trip that he didn't have one cousin or another doting over him, showering him with gifts or feeding him treats. The devotion was so over the top that had Nathaniel found a baby crown he could have bumped Charles off as the next in line to the throne. Here are a collection of Nate's little groupies/cousins from both England and Ireland.

While Nate spent the majority of his vacation in England, he also jetted off on Ryan Air for a rainy weekend in Kiltimagh, Ireland. While there, he spent his time tearing up Park Road outside Auntie Eileen's house, saying "Moo!" to the cows down the road and avoiding, much to Mommy's dismay, the local pubs. (Something about her being banned from those wild days in the 90s with Beth.)

It would be safe to say that our growing boy (now 27 pounds) ate his way through Europe. He fell in love with English Muffins, caused a bit of a scene with a bowl of rosee pasta at John Lewis and proved mommy wrong by tearing through plenty of green vegetables. Nothing was off limits, including many chocolate treats slipped to Sir Nate by his Grandpa Jerr. He even co-operated (thanks mainly to our beloved portable DVD player ) during various pub lunches.

While in England, Nate was treated to the Finest Italian Dinner Ever courtesy of Emilio & Frances. Since they live near Heathrow aiport, Nate became obsessed with pointing at the passing aircraft yelling something similiar to "zoom!" as they flew by. Our man marked his parents 3rd wedding anniversary and David Sherman's birthay on Oct. 15 at cousin Michelle and David's house in London. Nate also took in the world-famous Richmond Park, where he took a classic photo with Grandpa Jerr and yelled 'Moo!' while the deers were rutting! But the most hours were definitely spent enjoying Auntie Maureen's beautiful garden.

And last, but certainly not least, there was the shopping. If you thought Nate was a dapper dude before, wait until you see him in his new Euro duds. Mommy went a little overboard, ignoring the Credit Crunch and outfitting her wee boy in John Lewis and Marks & Spencers ensembles. She even passed on buying up threads for herself in her favourite shops, River Island, Next and Jigsaw. Now that's love! Here's a shot of Auntie Maureen pushing our shopoholic through Kingston and then afterwards by the River Thames.

Our frequent flyer was an amazing traveller (despite the 1.25 hours of blood-curtling screams on the flight over) and has settled back into EST with ease. Although he was so wiped out from the journey that he passed out in Gatwick airport on the way home before we even boarded the flight. Nathaniel, his mommy and Grandpa Jerr wish to thank our family SO MUCH for their warm and generous hospitality during our time overseas!

Great-Uncle Bob Commands Nate's Mom to Update Blog Already!!

2008-09-28T12:58:00.001-07:00

Nate's mommy was already starting to feel guilty over the recent dry spell on the 'Nate the Great' blog but it wasn't until last night's email from GU Bob pleading for an update that she was truly moved to recount the latest happenings in her young pup's life. Since so much has transpired during the last month - mommy thought fit to do a top 10 list... so here goes!
Top 10 List of Things Nate's Done Since Last Blog Entry
1. Nate took a trip to Ottawa on Porter Air with mommy in early September to visit his buddies Mathis and Amelie while mommy hung out with Danielle. He took baths with Mathis, made moves on Amelie and developed a love for pushing pink flowery strollers.

2. Nate spent Labor Day up in Owen Sound where he saw an Elvis Impersonator at the fish fry with his Grandma Mary Anne and Grandpa Andy and then promptly came home and started dancing the famous 'Hounddog' moves.
3. He took another trip up to Owen Sound mid-September for a wedding of mommy's childhood friend Kristi. While mommy and daddy had way too much wine at the beautiful Cobble Beach - Nate opted to take over the Harrison Park duck park with his grandma and grandpa.
4. Nate befriended Matthew from swimming lessons and has since taken to walking around the neighbourhood with him and and his mommy Vanessa and crawling with him in the park. (Matthew isn't old enough to walk yet, and Nate doesn't want to make him feel left out.)

5. Our tough guy has been keeping Tylenol in business this month while his two eye teeth are pushing through. All this while he was battling the Cold of the Season he was so kind to give to the entire family at Great-Uncle David's 65th birthday party.
6. Speaking of said birthday party, Nate met his cousins Chris, Maggie and Clare for the first time, after their whirlwind year in England.

7. Nate has given up walking during the past month and instead prefers to run everywhere, especially after the packs of dogs in St. James park.
8. Nate's mommy finally opened up her eyes and realized that there is a park, complete with swings, right inside the St. James park and in a bid to make up for all the lost time, has been taking Sir Nathaniel there for countless hours a day.
9. Our hungry man developed a love for eating dirt and sand this past month. It started in Ottawa when he face-planted in a sand pit and has continued ever since.
10. Two words. The Backyardigans. If he doesn't get to watch his DVD twice a day - then his world comes crashing down. Mommy doesn't feel too guilty putting him in front of the TV though because instead of drooling like a vegetable, the future Justin Timberlake dances and claps to his heart's content.

Stay tuned for updates from Nate's Big Adventure - Euro Style! Grandpa Jerr and mommy are taking our man across the pond to meet his aunties and cousins in England and Ireland for two weeks.

Grandpa Jerr Ushered to Work in Style

2008-08-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Jerr has been getting quite the royal treatment lately on his walks to the subway en route to his job at Carlson Wagonlit. He's been chaperoned by Sir Nathaniel in his carriage almost daily as long as the weather cooperates. Our little 14-month-old can spot his Grandpa Jerr at least a block away and starts to shriek and wave his arms madly (quite undignified behavior for a royal.) Grandpa Jerr and mommy have pledged to savour these walks because before long, our little man may be too embarrassed to cruise with us fogies!

Breakfast at St. James'

2008-08-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

Nate and mommy have been enjoying regular breakfast dates at St. James Cathedral park down the street from 30 Church. Seeing as Nate has a fountain fetish and mommy has a chocolate croissant fetish, both are happy with the arrangement. Yesterday our little runner got distracted by the grumpy old man on the bench and took a wrong turn into the flowerbed. Undeterred, he continued to take the park by storm until mommy had to bring him home kicking and screaming for nap time. If this tradition continues, mommy will have to up the ante on the elliptical!

Nate Returns from Wild Week in the Sound

2008-08-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

Proving he's just as much a country boy as he is a city slicker, our blue-eyed boy eased right into the quiet life last week. No sooner had he landed in the Sound at his Gammy and Grandpa's that he tore off his clothes, slipped into his Speedo and kicked back on his favourite floatation device. Never one to shy away from a good adventure, Nathaniel then spent much of the week tearing up the mean streets of Owen Sound with his Gammy in his new Wee Rider bicycle seat. Apart from getting caught out in a fierce Monsoon and another minor mishap with his mother at the helm, life was good on the 2-wheeler. Nate caught up with plenty of friends (Mathis, Amelie, Alaida, Sophia, Sage and Ava) and family (Great-Grandma Glenora, Great-Uncle Bob, Great-Auntie Gwynda) on his week-long getaway. Other highlights included staying up until 11 p.m. at Jim & Gabrielle's, feeding the exotic animals at Storybook Park, checking out the hot chicks at Sauble Beach and officially becoming an independent walking machine!

Nate Takes First Solo Steps

2008-07-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

Our little adventurer slapped his fears in the face today and took his first solo steps towards mommy, once in the kitchen, once in the bedroom and a third time to please daddy who was manning the video camera for archival purposes. We're awaiting a call-back from the Canadian Olympic Speed Walking team to see if our man can still qualify for Beijing in two weeks. While Nathaniel Andrew is suffering slightly from being out of his comfort zone, we expect he will eventually begin to enjoy himself. P.S. Today also marked the first day we snipped the little man's growing blonde locks!

Nate's Wife Leaving Him

2008-07-10T07:38:00.001-07:00

Nate has been taking in the last few precious moments with his beloved wife Sophia before she leaves him to move up to Yonge and Lawrence in less than two weeks. Gone will be the sunny morning walks to her daycare and the BBQ dates with his inlaws one floor down. He's putting on a brave face but has been crankier than usual...he claims it's the after-effects of his MMR shots seven days ago but we believe it's really more about the impending split with his one true love. Sophia is doing her best to cushion the blow by playing even harder to get than usual but it's obvious her heart is breaking too. On the bright side, Nate will get a chance to spread his wings and explore other parts of the city when he visits the Skinners. "What, mommy, there is life outside the core?" (P.S. Thanks to the Altons in Florida for Nate's swanky yellow shirt!)

Nate Goes to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo!

2008-07-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

Nate's new Raffi cd (thanks Gracey) inspired a trip to the zoo this week while daddy was on vacation. Nate-dog was positively bursting with excitement being surrounded by so many little people and not-so-little animals. It was almost too much for him to take, but after a quick power snooze, he woke up just in time to enjoy watching mommy and daddy push him up the Biggest Hill in History. Nate's highlights were the elephants, monkeys and zebras and of course sampling his first veggie burger as he took in the view of the 20-foot giraffe in the distance.

Nate Maintains Supermodel Figure

2008-07-03T11:05:00.000-07:00

Despite turning the ripe old age of one last week, our man is still maintaing his supermodel figure. After a visit to Dr. Barman today, the future Taye Diggs (only paler) registered in at the 50th percentile for weight (23 pounds) and 75th percentile for height (30.5 inches). Thankfully his head clocks in at the 90th percentile so there is plenty of room to hold his ever-expanding brain matter. The little trooper was having a grand old time until the doctor blindsided him with two painful shots. He cried like he was gunning for an Oscar but then as quickly as the tears began they were gone and he was back to flirting with the grannies on the elevator down.

Nate Goes Wild at 1st Birthday Bash!

2008-06-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Our resident party animal didn't disappoint at his first birthday party on Saturday, whopping it up with his wife, his girlfriends and his family and friends. He was especially rocking when Kayla the guitar-toting entertainer sang for half an hour, even crawling up to her and touching her leg. The fire-engine cake was a major hit, although there's certainly no way he's ever eating brocolli again after that experience. Special thanks to Nate's great-grandma Glenora for making the trip by airbus to be a part of the festivities! The birthday boy was showered with a slew of incredible gifts but he's had more fun playing with the wrapping paper and boxes they came in.

Nate Drives the Ladies Crazy (Literally!)

2008-06-05T06:12:00.000-07:00

Our resident stud muffin had Gracey Girl begging for more on their recent playdate. Despite her mother's pleas to play it coy, the blondy beauty threw all the rules out the window and literally smothered Nate with hugs of desperation. When the heat got to be a bit much for our boy and he needed to cool off with his mommy, Gracey began to beg "DOWN! DOWN! NATE! DOWN!" Tears ensued and the longing in her eyes for a Nate fix was positively heartbreaking. We always knew our boy had game, but this latest incident couldn't have made it more clear. We hope Gracey has recovered from her Nate Fever!

Nate Takes Windy City By Storm

2008-06-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

Nate Durkacz blew into the Windy City last Thursday but began his party weekend by waking up the entire Air Canada jet with his blood-curdling screams before he'd even landed. Maybe self-weaning wasn't such a good idea now was it Nate? You could have had mommy's boobie for comfort during the descent if you hadn't rejected nursing a few weeks ago. But alas, once into the busy terminal at O'Hare, our social butterfly was back to normal, waving at passersby from all around the world. The first night he met his great-Nonna Emilia, Uncle Leo, Aunt Natalie and Cousins John and Steph for the first time at the Durkacz home in Mount Prospect. Friday, our man spent the day with Baba Gloria and Nonno Andy while his mommy and daddy tore through the Magnificent Mile and broke the bank at Express. Stay tuned for mommy's new outfits this summer. Friday night was spent checking out Steph in her prom dress and doing the once-over on her date, Brian. On Saturday, wee Nathaniel got a taste of the Windy City's downtown core and visited Navy Pier with the entire family. By late afternoon though, he'd had enough action and said goodbye to mommy for the night - the first time he'd ever been away from her! He missed out on lots of fun including the architectural boat tour of the city, drinks at the 92nd floor of the John Hancock Center and dinner at Central Grille. Unfortunately, mommy and daddy's big night on the town got cut short when daddy developed the flu at dinner and pulled the plug on plans to hit a Blues club. The next day, daddy's flu kept us from visiting Chicago again and father and son bonded over their mutual sickness. (Wee Nate also developed the flu on Sunday.) Steph's Graduation party capped off the weekend getaway and then before long we were back to O'Hare and ready to board the plane (after a minor incident with the passports that we won't talk about, Gloria.)
Our little jetsetter is still recovering from his flu and has been sleeping around the clock and pushing away his food. Hopefully he's in better shape for this weekend - his cousin Evan is being baptized on Sunday!

Nate Cheers on Chelsea

2008-05-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

Nate celebrated his 11 months on this earth yesterday by watching Chelsea in the European Cup final with his Grandpa Jerr. While grandpa put back his beer and popcorn, Nate munched on Baby Mum Mums and milk. When times were tense and Grandpa Jerr lost his cool - so did Nate. When Grandpa Jerr screamed with excitement - so did Nate. (Although it could also have been the 7th tool that is pushing through the gumline.) When the penalty shoot-out was over, tears were shed from both young and old but at least we can look forward to bringing home the Cup when Nate is on the team in the year 2024.

Nate Takes Extended Mother's Day Trip

2008-05-15T08:35:00.001-07:00

Wee Nathaniel showered his mother with two packages this Mother's Day - a lovely pink iPod Nano and a not-so-lovely stinky diaper first thing on Sunday morning. Mommy prefers the pink gift over the brown one! Mother and son took another trip up north to the country estate to spend the holiday with grandma Mary Anne and great-grandma Glenora while Daddy was back in the Czech Republic. While up in Owen Sound, Nate had a passionate but very brief affair with Aleda from down the street and partied it up at the Rocky Racoon for Sunday dinner where he sampled his first chick-pea salad. Nate also enjoyed a country-style breakfast at the Leith General where he cozied up with Grandpa Andy (see first photo). Also pictured here is mommy with her 'fake husband' Uncle Bob who took over the domestic duties nicely this week for Anthony, carrying the diaper bag, going for lunch and running other errands across town.

Nate Locked Up After CUI

2008-05-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

Another young IT boy has found himself behind bars. Nate-dog has been locked up behind the dreaded baby gates after being spotted Crawling Under the Influence (of milk of course) and causing sheer havoc at 30 Church. His parents felt it was the right thing to do before serious tragedy struck. They certainly didn't want a repeat of mommy's historic fall down the hardwood stairs in 1976 which has enlisted countless head injury jokes over the past 32 years. So far Nate has taken the blockades in stride, save for a few moments of angry bar shaking.

Nate Lays Low at Country Estate

2008-04-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

Our city slicker turned his back on the T-Dot and headed north for the week to spend time with his family while his daddy was travelling in Europe and India. The week started off with a bang - Nate bringing the fine weather with him - but things took a turn for the worse when our usually sociable guy turned sour on a group of babies at the park. Mommy knew something was up when he would have nothing to do with her friends' happy children. Not even a Baby Mum Mum could entice him to join the festivites. A trip to the Harrison Park Inn for lunch with great-grandma Glenora and Uncle Bob was also cut short when a visible distraught Nathaniel made himself known to the busy lunch-time restaurant. After deciding that it may not be a teething issue afterall, poor wee Nate had to bend over so his grandpa Andy could take his temp. Turns out it was a fever that had felled our boy and then a nasty rash ensued. A trip to the family doc (who delivered mommy) revealed that our little patient was dealing with a dose of Roseola. His first virus, sniff! But no panic necessary, Nate-dog has made a full recovery and has set his sights on crawling up the stairs. Daddy won't believe the changes (including a much larger tuft of hair) when he gets home tonight!

Brotherhood of the Travelling Pants

2008-04-18T06:18:00.001-07:00

Nate hosted three of his buddies this week for some poker, hard liquor and good old fashioned cigar smoking. And after the 10-month-old bad boys finished discussing the latest roller coaster ride that is the stock market, they feasted on Cheerios and Sweet Potato Puffs. Mommy met Joshua, Nate #2 and Theo's moms in pre-natal class about one year ago at the Midwive's Collective on Dupont and kept in touch as our sweet innocent boys grew into the ladies' men that they are today. Attached is a photo of the boys mere weeks old with their proud moms and then on Wednesday flying solo on the couch. Sit with mom? How embarrassing!

Lock Your Doors - Nate is Crawling!

2008-04-13T08:59:00.001-07:00

To all you ladies who thought Nate was trouble before - watch out cause he's coming your way - and fast. As of April 13 at 8:45 a.m. Nate-dog has been on a tear, crawling throughout the house like never before. While he spent the past couple of months in reverse he's officially switched it into first gear and is taking no prisoners. It's only been a few hours and already we understand what everyone has been warning us about. Hurricane Nate is tearing apart magazines, knocking over mommy's neatly stacked collection of chick-lit and slamming his fists on the laptop. He has a talent for zeroing in on prey that is strictly off-limits. In fact, his new motto is: 'the more dangerous, the better.' He's already asked mommy if he's allowed to go on a pub crawl now that he's mastered the skill but we'll have to wait for his fake ID to arrive.

Radio Silence After Nate's First Casting Call

2008-04-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel 'Nate-dog' Durkacz got the call that every young aspiring model waits for -his first audition! One fresh morning in March, the Babyface agency called our blue-eyed boy to say his photo had been chosen and the following day he was due at a casting call for a financial company's billboard campaign. Well, to say our man was jazzed was an understatement. He ordered his mom to high-tail it to the Eaton Centre to pick out the perfect outfit which as you can see from the photo turned out to be a classic mix of 'baby boy meets Bay St.' The next morning, mommy let her working boy get his beauty sleep and then after lunch paraded him down Adelaide St. to the casting agent's office. After filling in some paperwork, Nate was escorted by a beautiful female photographer (who happened to take a shine to our boy) to have his Polaroid taken. Unfortunately for Nate, his first model shoot was forever tainted when she began to coo "Jackie, over here, smile Jackie!" Mommy never did follow instructions very well and was forced to explain nicely that she had filled out her name and not her son's on the forms - strike 1. Next up was the moment of truth. Our man was brought into a large, intimidating room with nothing but a lonely high-chair at the front and a casting agent sitting sternly in the back. The high-chair could have been on the set of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire thanks to the sheer force of the lights. A video camera began to roll as Nate was fastened into the high chair and ordered to perform. "Tell us about your son in under 1 minute!" piped the man at the back of the room. "Well, he's very social, loves to be around people," mommy gushed while Nate sat stone-faced trying to figure out what the hell was going on. "He really does, don't you Nate?! Come on, wave hello to the nice man!" Eventually, Nate warmed up (how could he not under those lights?) and a few smiles emerged over the course of the Longest Minute Ever. On our way out of the casting room, our boy met up with the same beautiful woman who had taken his Polaroid earlier. Of course now that he wasn't being filmed our favourite flirt decides to put on his best performance, getting so excited that his forehead hit mommy in the lip which caused her to bleed as the other hopeful moms looked on. Very cool. Thanks Nate. Unfortunately, it's been about a month and our pride and joy is still no closer to becoming a billboard darling. He hasn't quite thrown in the towel on his modeling career yet but mommy has overheard him telling friends he's thinking of starting a new venture as a Baby Rapper. Move over Snoop!

Nate Says Dada!

2008-04-08T16:08:00.000-07:00

Proving that he's a real man's man, our little chatterbox's first official word is 'dada'. Although the apple of Anthony's eye doesn't seem to be reserving the moniker for his proud papa. Instead, an innocent man walking along Front. St. was clearly caught off guard when Nathaniel identified him as 'dada.' But no matter, we are convinced that this is just the beginning and that 'mama' will be following shortly.

Nate Racks Up Frequent Flyer Miles

2008-04-01T17:11:00.001-07:00

Our little jetsetter has arrived back home from yet another flight to Ottawa on Porter Air with his mommy. He was a superstar flyer - much less nervous than his momma and spent the flight eating Mum Mums and flirting with the beautiful female flight attendants. Nate-dog spent the weekend kicking back with his buds Alex, Amelie and Mathis at their home in Orleans. On a jaunt to the mall on Saturday he got so excited at an indoor playground that he could have passed for a young Incredible Hulk. He stopped short of tearing off his shirt but did scream with delight and flex his muscles as he took in all the playground equipment and throngs of small children. Other highlights of the eastern jaunt included jumping in the stationary Jolly Jumper, hula hooping in the living room and sharing a single bed with mommy on Saturday night.

Meet the Skinners

2008-03-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

Last night Nathaniel hosted his future in-laws Hong and Ken Skinner for dinner. He spent the night trying to win them over and even took Mr. Skinner aside at one point to officially ask for his daughter Sophia's hand in marriage. The Skinners appeared to be charmed by our fair Nate who went to great lengths to explain his 'plan' for he and Sophia. They seemed very impressed when Nate polished off a jar of applesauce in record time and marvelled at his ability to smile in the face of adversity after the Great Jolly Jumper Mishap (the video of which will be shown at the wedding). For those of you who like to plan ahead, the happy couple is throwing around summer 2026 as a likely date.

Nate Hits Ripe Old Age of Nine Months

2008-03-21T11:46:00.001-07:00

Bring out the walker, this guy's getting old! Our boy in blue passed his nine month checkup this week with flying colours. The bruiser now weighs 20 pounds and is in the 75th percentile for height at 28.5 inches. He celebrated by eating his first cow's milk products (yogurt and cheese) as well as some yummy mashed potatoes. Dr. Barman instructed mommy to eliminate the middle-of-the-night suckles which the Nate-dog has become accustomed to. Here's hoping our plan to wean the hungry man off his 4a.m. feed works before daddy leaves for the Czech Republic again! While Nathaniel hasn't started to crawl in the traditional sense, he loves to push his way around the room backwards. His forward movement appears to be imminent but Nate's holding off until the Baby Proofers come to 30 Church. Our little curious monkey now enjoys sitting in the upright position in his stroller and you'd swear he was watching a tennis match as he takes in everything going on outside.

Nonno the Nanny

2008-03-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

Nate had his first taste of freedom this week when mommy went off to teach at Sheridan. 'Nonno the Nanny' and Nate wasted no time getting into trouble once mommy was out of sight. No sooner had she high-tailed it up the QEW than the Cheerio party began. Apparently the only person who enjoys the Whole Grain treat more than our Nate is his Nonno. The boys kicked back for a Blue Jays marathon and roamed the streets looking at all the pretty girls. No confirmation at press time, but a source says Italian soap operas were also heard coming from the condo unit. Nate is spending the long Easter weekend recovering in his crib from all the excitement.

Happy Birthday Nonno!

2008-03-17T06:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a shot of Nonno with his two birthday presents, Evan (a.k.a. The Wild Thing) and Nate (a.k.a. Nate-Dog). Tania and I got together a while back and decided it would be nice to get Andy two little boys for his birthday - so here they are Nonno! Enjoy!

Nate Passes 'Guardian Swim' With Flying Colours!

2008-03-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

"It was great having Nathaniel in my class. He has made a lot of improvement. I think we made a water baby out of him after all." - Nate's swimming instructor Kim, on his first report card.

For those of you who are regulars on the 'Nate the Great' blog, you will remember that mommy was convinced after Nate's first swimming lesson that he had most certainly drowned in a past life. Well, a lot can change in nine weeks. Plans are already being set in motion for Nate to take home double Gold in 2014 for the backstroke AND the front crawl. Tonight he spent his last swimming class splashing everyone (including the tweens in the adjoining class), launching himself down the slide into his mommy's arms and doing 'rockets' off the platform for his proud daddy, Nonno and Baba who were cheering from the bleachers. In fact, his daddy was so proud of the acrobatics that he tried to take photos of his Son the Swimmer but was quickly disciplined in front of the entire peanut gallery by the pool staff. Way to go dad! Nate is seen here with his fiancee Sophia and future mother-in-law Hong who also graduated with honours!

Nate is a Celeb Magnet

2008-03-03T08:55:00.001-08:00

Before Nate's arrival, mommy's celebrity encounters were few and far between. But ever since our mini celeb magnet was born, the stars have come a knockin. It seems like all we have to do is wake up and brush our teeth and bam - another celebrity spotting. We really wouldn't be surprised to bump into Brad Pitt making toast in our kitchen at this point. The latest A-list rendezvous occured this morning as mommy pushed her magnet up Church St. to take advantage of the above-freezing temps. We literally walked out of our building and smack into Mark Whalberg getting hosed down by a rain machine. Can you really ask for more on a Monday morning in March? Turns out he's in town shooting Max Payne. He had arrived in a silver Escalade and was sporting a black leather jacket to match his new jet black hair. On a sidenote, the cop who was holding down the barricade commented on Nate's 'beautiful blue eyes.' For those of you who don't follow mommies celebrity escapades, since the magnet's arrival she's had drinks with Matt Damon, dinner with Justin Timberlake, and brushed past Chantal Kreviazuk at the mall.

Boys in Blue

2008-03-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

Uncle Sam swept into Toronto last night to hang out with his nephew en route to Barrie from his spring break in Ottawa. Oh, those spring break days in Ottawa with Patricia...Dancing the night away at Minglewoods, Long Island iced teas from the Fish Market, sleeping in until 5 (p.m.)...sorry, back to the blog. The boys watched sports and talked about women but Nate had to pack it in before Family Guy started because he was just too wiped from all the excitement.

Nate Visits Great-Grandparents in the Country

2008-03-02T10:05:00.000-08:00

Nate is just as much a country boy as he is a city slicker and he proved this once again on his jaunt to the quiet town of Markdale yesterday to visit his great-grandpa Fred and great-grandma Glenora. Checking out the passing trees and mountains of snow was enough to keep the little passenger spellbound as his folks tore up highway 10. Upon arriving at Hamilton Lane, Nate greeting his surprised family, including great-uncle Glenn who was visiting from sunny Florida. He took the comments about his yellow nose in stride (a quick call to Nurse Donna revealed it was probably too many sweet potatoes) and instead turned his attention to playing billiards. The only downside to spending so much time in the car for our boy was the amount of trapped energy and as we all know with babies, they need to let it out at some point. So our man watched Nip Tuck and stayed up way past his bedtime before finally crashing last night.

Nate Tops Oscars Best Dressed List 2008

2008-03-02T06:09:00.001-08:00

Whether it was beginner's luck or a sign of things to come, Nate Durkacz topped the best dressed list for the 80th annual Academy Awards. The newcomer on the Hollywood scene had heads a turning with his tuxedo (Sabrina, Made in China, 6-9 months) and matching shoes (Robeez). And in a move that is sure to have the ladies swooning for years to come, he brought his mother along for the photo op. Only eight months old and this guy already knows how to work it! Special thanks to Nate's stylist Cheryl Murphy of Owen Sound for picking out the stylish ensemble.

Nate Celebrates Eight Months With Yet Another Photo Shoot

2008-02-21T07:45:00.000-08:00

Another month, another photo shoot courtesy of mommy, who by the way is the 'best customer' of the Shopper's Drug Mart photo booth guy. Daddy thinks this is a little obsessive but who could resist snapping away when you have such a gorgeous subject?
As he ushers in his eighth month, Nate is excelling at swimming lessons, where his teacher Kim has a MAJOR crush on him. "Those blue eyes will get you far in life," she said last week, as he used his big strong legs to kick his way down the pool. He's even braved two dunks under water now - a huge milestone for a boy who screamed the entire 30 minutes of the first lesson. Nate continues to plough his way through three meals a day - we never seem to make enough. Beef, pears, chicken or sweet potatoes - our man packs it all back like a champ. He's also developed a liking for Baby Mum Mums, a rice cracker that keeps him nicely occupied while mommy lunches with her friends. Other passtimes of our eight-month-old include: throwing things on the ground to watch mommy pick them up, pushing his way around backwards on the floor, eating everything that isn't a toy (remote controls, newspapers, telephones), lunging out of people's arms to grab anything dangerous, playing with his friends (he got so excited to see Gracey Girl that he threw up) and of course, quiet afternoons with his main squeeze, Sophia. His foot-fetish continues to fester, shoes, socks, stranger's feet - Nate loves to suck on them all. On the subject of sleep, we won't even go there, except to say that we hope the 'eight month sleep regression' is almost over! Nate is looking forward to his big weekend in St. Catharines where he plans to have a sleepover with Bianca and Annica.

A Love Affair to Remember

2008-02-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

Nate and Sophia penned love letters to each other through their long distance relationship - she in Hawaii and he in Florida. It added such a strong foundation to their union that they decided to pick it up again to get the old fires burning.

Hi Sophia,

I hope you are feeling better and that my sloppy kisses didn't make you sick.

I missed you at swimming yesterday but I did a dunk to make you proud. I definitely think that you are my good luck charm because I was a little off in the pool. Our teacher Kim even commented on the fact that I wasn't myself. My mom made up some excuse about me teething again, but it was really just that I was missing you in your sexy bikini.

If you are feeling better this afternoon or tomorrow, maybe our mommies could have tea and cookies and I could grab your bum while you crawl.

Love Nate

P.S. 2 more weeks of swimming!

My dearest Nate,

I am so happy to know that you are thinking of me. I thought our relationship was purely physical but maybe you really do care! I am feeling much better, although not 100% as I still don't feel like eating anything but boob and Cheerios (out of desperation). My mommy says that I am allowed to see you tomorrow but we have a doctor's appointment in the early afternoon. What time works best for you?

Love Sophia

PS: I hope you keep those wandering eyes to yourself this Friday. I saw how you were checking out Chloe and I didn't appreciate it one bit!

Nate Off the Market?

2008-02-11T15:32:00.001-08:00

While it's been a hot few months on the dating circuit for our Nate, he is on the verge of popping the question to his main squeeze, Sophia. Baby girls everywhere are crying themselves to sleep! (Even more than usual.) Sophia already lives in the same building, so moving arrangements shouldn't be that complicated. Here the two lovebirds are today, groping, holding hands and generally lounging around like an old married couple. Sophia may look disgusted, but she's just playing by the 'rules.' Luckily our mover and shaker decided to wait until the camera was off before grabbing wee Soph's butt as she moved into the crawl position. Won't these photos make a great slide show at the wedding?

Nate to Brad Pitt: Eat My Dust!!

2008-02-04T19:45:00.001-08:00

Nathaniel may very well be the new 'It Boy' of 2008. The blue-eyed stunner turned a myriad of heads on his Florida vacation - so much so that his father now understands what I've been telling him for months - our boy's got game! On the beach, in the pool, riding in elevators, on the plane - people young and old were flirting up a storm with our babe. "Oh, what beautiful blue eyes!" they would coo. "What a cute baby!" others gushed. All the shameless flirting would have been too much for most - thankfully Nate's mommy is accustomed to hanging with A-listers and wasn't bothered by all the attention. Our man caused quite the stir on Fort Lauderdale's main strip as he lunched at the St. Regis Hotel patio. While seated in his car seat as his folks feasted on sirloin burgers and lobster, the future soccer star got the bucket swaying back and forth with such force that passersby stopped, pointed, laughed, one woman even pulling aside her companion to comment "I've never seen a baby rock his own car seat before!" Other highlights of Nate's first trip across the border include swimming in the condo pool, playing with Soleila and Caelan, walking along the beach with his mommy and daddy, Seaquarium in Miami, touring the inter-coastal on daddy's friend's boat and last but not least, staying awake all through the night - our guy didn't want to miss any part of his vacation!

Nate is 7 Months Old!

2008-01-21T05:12:00.000-08:00

To celebrate Nathaniel Andrew Burns Durkacz turning seven months old today - mommy is getting her hair done! She's also posting these beauties taken a week ago at Mel, G & Juliette's place in Oakville. Nate told the photographer to continue snapping away because the light was just perfect and brought out his 'best features'. He's quite advanced, non?

Hungry Man Perfects Model Pose

2008-01-20T06:11:00.001-08:00

On the eve of his seven-month birthday, our hungry man proved he can be devour a full serving of oatmeal and apples PLUS an entire jar of blueberries/pears while still finding time to give mommy his best model pose. This morning Nate decided he was ready to serve himself and when mommy broke away for a few seconds to wet a cloth - she returned to find him deep in the gourmet muck that is President's Choice Organics. (Note, I will work PR for them some day.) Some of you may notice the new tuft of hair on the back of Nate's perfectly round head. It's reminiscent of the one daddy sported on our big date to his graduation from Brock many moons ago!

While Daddy's Away, Nate Will Play!

2008-01-18T17:35:00.000-08:00

Our boy has been making the rounds on the party circuit while his daddy is working hard in the Czech Republic. Boys, girls, men, women - any type of party-pal will do for our Nathaniel. But just wait 'till your father gets home! (Special thanks to Patty, Krista, Baba Gloria and Grandpa Jerr for keeping mommy safe from the boogie-man.)

Nate Attends Royal Conservatory of Music

2008-01-18T17:24:00.000-08:00

In a bid to produce a far better musician than his mother, we enrolled Nathaniel Andrew in classes a few months ago at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He has found the Swedish teacher most enjoyable, especially when she sings "I know a little pony..." and "Goodbye Nathaniel, see you next timmmmmmmmmmme!" Nate attends class on Friday mornings with his on-again girlfriend Sophia, who just returned from a five-week getaway in Hawaii.

Rest In Peace, Fair Adidas...

2008-01-13T17:08:00.001-08:00

Nate would like to wish a fond farewell to his beloved Adidas. They have been with him since the beginning, but now they must part ways. Our bigfoot has grown so fast that he'll be in men's shoes before we know it, sigh. This is a very sad day as the Adidas have been through thick and thin with our little man - the versatile footwear even managed to work with his tuxedo on baptism day. Special thanks to Rochelle for purchasing the sneakers - they will never be forgotten.
RIP.

Nate Has Perfectly Round Head

2008-01-13T16:56:00.000-08:00

Day in and day out, whether he's chatting with his favourite vendors at the market or running errands around the neighbourhood, Nate is constantly stopped by onlookers who comment on his 'perfectly round head.' At first we thought it was just a coincidence, but as more and more people take notice of his beautiful circular top, the more we think he really does have a special gift (besides all the obvious ones of course). Could Nate's head make it in Hollywood? I'm sure Matt Damon could use a head-turner for a son in his next movie. (Mommy is willing to throw herself in as his wife at no extra cost.)

Nate Can Multitask at Tender Age of Six Months

2008-01-10T06:57:00.001-08:00

This is definitely my son - already perfecting the art of time management. My main man shows he can throw back a meal and help Ange and Neil break in their fancy new camera at the same time! My only concern is that he'll take after his daddy whose idea of multitasking is driving on Hwy. 427 while checking his Blackberry.

Did Nate Drown in a Past Life?

2008-01-08T15:35:00.000-08:00

This is the burning question after our first swimming lesson at the St. Lawrence pool. While Nate-dog looks too cool for school in this photo taken beforehand, it was quite a different story when I dipped him into the wet stuff. Poor little man was scared out of his wits at the other screaming kids, the constant splashing and especially the instructor who really set him off with her rendition of the 'Hokey Pokey.' Not pretty. Here's hoping next week's more fun!

Spotted: Nate Durkacz Sitting Unassisted

2008-01-08T10:11:00.001-08:00

Our resident tough guy decided he didn't need his mama's help anymore while sitting up to play with his toys today. He is seen here sitting proudly on his quilt as if he's been doing it his whole damn life! We are very proud of his latest milestone and suspect that crawling won't be too far behind. Way to go buddy!

Nate Passes Out On New Year's

2008-01-01T11:05:00.001-08:00

The little party man had just about had enough when the clock struck 7:30 p.m. on NYE and he passed out in his 'crib'. Pushing through another tooth had put a dent in his lofty plans to stay up and party with mommy and daddy and some of their friends. Nonetheless, he took time out before crashing to take the annual NYE photo that now includes three. Nate has plenty of resolutions for 2008 - the most important of which is to get back to sleeping at night for his tired mommy! He also resolves to hit on less girls and get into shape at swimming lessons which start on Jan. 8. Thanks to grandma for saving Sam's yellow and black speedo for Nate to show off his quads at the St. Lawrence pool. Nate wishes all of his friends and family all the best for 2008!

Nate Celebrates First Christmas - Reviews Mixed

2007-12-27T19:26:00.000-08:00

Nate Durkacz had a busy holiday week - travelling up to his country estate in Owen Sound for Christmas and then back down to the bustling Durkacz household for a Boxing Day feast. He absolutely loved opening presents and seemed to have quite a natural talent for it. His favourite gift of all was his Toronto Maple Leafs jersey from his Uncle Sam. While Nate loved being ushered around in his wagon to see the Christmas lights and partying with family and friends, he was not prepared for the blended turkey that his mother served him to mark the holidays. The facial expressions alone were enough to scare off any lingering holiday guests. The festivities clearly tired out the poor lad as he slept for nine hours in a row last night.

Move Over Beckham - Here Comes Nate!

2007-12-21T09:55:00.000-08:00

Little Nate Durkacz began his soccer career (football to all his relatives overseas) while still in his mommy's womb. He would kick all day long, especially during conference calls on the speaker phone at work. It seemed as if he never slept - and just when I'd think he'd nodded off - I'd get a hefty jab to the rib. My co-workers would often ask if I was okay - fearing I would go into labor right in front of their cube - but I would reassure them that it was his regular 'womb workout'. Turns out he was just getting started. Our little man kicks his legs so hard now that he has come close to propelling himself out of his vibrating chair on occasion. I’ve tried to replicate his workout but I throw in the towel after about 30 seconds. So sure is his family of his future success on the pitch that it’s brought out the competitive – and sometimes not so friendly - side of Grandpa Jerry (Team Chelsea) and Nonno Andy (Team Juvenus). But mommy wants him close to home so maybe he'll start off slow with Toronto FC! P.S. He definitely gets his talent from his mommy who was the first girl to score a goal in Owen Sound's minor soccer league!

Nate to Become International Supermodel - After He Takes His Nap

2007-12-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

Nate just returned from his six-month appointment at Dr. Barman's office where she promptly predicted his future career as a supermodel - he was in the average weight category (17 pounds) and 100th percentile for height (28 inches.) We're not sure if his head size (85th percentile) will work for or against him. Nate took his two shots in the leg like a real man and barely cried afterwards. He passed out in the car ride home and is still snoozing in his bucket seat. This may be one of the last times he'll be doing that though - he has almost outgrown the car seat! Dr. Barman also gave Nate the all-clear for turkey dinner in Owen Sound (in the blender of course). Apparently this guy needs all the iron and protein he can get!
P.S. Doesn't he look like his daddy in this shot?

Nate's Photo Shoot

2007-12-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

If a picture says a thousand words, we need to find 999 synonyms for 'adorable' to describe these beauties! Rick Bogacz, photographer extraordinaire, snapped these classics in our solarium just ahead of Nate's big 6-month birthday. We love how he captured Nate's big blue eyes and gorgeous grin!

Christmas Comes Early for Nate!

2007-12-17T17:49:00.000-08:00

Nate had his first taste of the holidays on Sunday when he celebrated an early Christmas with his Grandpa Jerr, Marilyn and Eunice. Being only six months of age didn't stop the little man from tearing open his gift - a Baby Gap gift cert - with the same spirit as his uncle Sam showed in the early years. Speaking of Sam, Nate is sporting a hand-me-down from his 6-foot-5 uncle in this photo - don't think he would fit in it now!

Nate to Sport Speedo

2007-12-13T07:22:00.001-08:00

Our little man will be starting swimming lessons in January at the St. Lawrence Community Centre down the street. Nate wants to build up his skills in preparation for his summer holidays at his country estate where Grandpa Andy manages the backyard pool. Nate is also rather excited that his girlfriend Sophia will be joining him - he's anxious to see her in a bikini. (Note: Nate hasn't shrunk, photo is an oldie.)

Why We Don't Have a 'Family Bed'

2007-12-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

This is about as peaceful as our 'family bed' has ever looked, and notice there is someone missing from the photo? On Saturday night we were reminded once again about why the Burns-Durkacz family doesn't subscribe to the trendy sleeping arangement. We packed up our bags and took a trek up to Oakville for a sleepover at our friends Mel, G and Juliette's new home. Normally Nate has a bedtime of 8 p.m. but it was well past 11 before he finally succumbed to the Pack 'N Play that was set up in the guestroom with us. Shortly after we fell asleep next to him, Nate began shreiking for us to rescue him and the theatrics didn't stop until we finally brought him into bed with us. But once Anthony started to toss and turn Nate began to wail all over again. At about 4 a.m. after daddy was banished to the floor he began to snore like a wild boar. Fearing this would awaken Nate - who has just nicely began to sleep - I started throwing things at him to get him to stop. One by one, articles of clothing piled up on the snoring godzilla but he wouldn't awaken. I even threw Nate's Addidas which landed in his groin but the snoring just got louder. Finally the blaring ripped Nate from his sleep and Anthony was evicted alltogether from the guestroom. The little man continued to feed every couple of hours - a mother's milk so closeby is hard to resist - and we finally got up at 7 a.m. to brave a day on no sleep. The good news is when Nate got home last night he collapsed in his beloved crib without so much as a peep and went soundly to sleep. I guess you don't appreciate a good thing until it's gone!

All Nate Wants For Christmas...

2007-12-07T19:18:00.001-08:00

is his two bottom teeth. Poor little man has been pushing them out with all of his might for the past week to no avail. Although he has been trying to keep a stiff upper lip, sometimes the pain just gets to be too damn much and he gives in to the sweet relief of gripe water. On his recent trip to the Eaton Centre he begged Jolly 'ol Saint Nick to send the pearly whites by the 25th so he can enjoy the holiday in peace. For all of his Owen Sound girlfriends, Nate will be up at his country estate from the 22nd to the 26th, so you had best book your dates with him soon!

Burns-Durkacz Grocery Bills to Skyrocket

2007-12-02T20:06:00.001-08:00

Nate Durkacz had his first taste of solids today - and it wasn't pretty. He got down and dirty with his rice cereal and practically licked the bowl clean, begging for more. Despite a few confused and disgusted looks initially - he quickly warmed to the organic offering and spent most of the afternoon talking up a storm. We think he was asking about when he could expect his next meal.

Nate Has a Cousin!

2007-11-28T08:40:00.000-08:00

Nate just found out that he has a new little baby cousin, Evan Jacob, courtesy of his aunt Tania and uncle Jesse. Nate is excited but sad at the same time because he can't go to the hospital to meet the new 6 pound 11 ounce addition because of his bad cough. Instead, we've attached a picture of Jesse and Nate taken this weekend when he was practicing being a dad!

Nate Sleeps Anywhere, Anytime

2007-11-27T12:45:00.001-08:00

Just like his father, Nate doesn't need his bed to fall asleep! He can catch some zzz's pretty much anywhere, anytime. Take today for instance...he fell asleep in his stroller on the way home from the market and in the Baby Bjorn on the way home from the mall. On our second trip of the day to the mall with Grandma Mary Anne, he fell asleep again in his stroller. And don't forget the vibrating chair - he caught an early morning snooze in that fancy apparatus too. So with all these naps you'd think Nate would have had a rough nice last night - but quite the contrary. He broke his all-time sleep record - going down at 8 p.m. and crusing right through until the civilized hour of 7 a.m. Way to go buddy - keep up the good work! P.S. Now that I've written this entry - he won't sleep at all tomorrow!

Nate Loves Pretty Girls

2007-11-25T17:32:00.000-08:00

This afternoon in line at H&M Nate stared for what felt like an hour at the hot woman in line behind me. When I commented on this she replied: "he's starting early"! And his wandering eyes didn't stop there. When we got on the elevator at Sears, Nate locked eyes with a 12-year-old cutie who was shopping with her mother. Stared, stared and stared some more. But he saved the best puppy-dog eyes for last this afternoon when Eunice popped by for a visit. (See photo) He really does have good taste, just like his father! P.S. Don't tell any of this to his girlfriend Sophia, Nate is running wild while she's out of town!

Nate's Morning Workout

2007-11-24T07:02:00.000-08:00

Our little guy loves to kick up a storm first thing in the morning in his vibrating chair. Last night he slept from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. - and then again until 9 a.m.! Mommy and daddy were overjoyed because they went out last night to Claire's 30th birthday. The only person who wasn't so happy was Grandad Jerr who came for his first babysitting session and didn't even get to see Nate because he was snoozing the whole time. How rude!

Nate's First Taste of Winter

2007-11-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

He doesn't look impressed! Nate went for his first walk in the blistering winter wind this afternoon to meet mommy's friend Claire for lunch at Reuters. He seemed a little confused by the snowflakes but was pretty contained in his cozy bag under the stroller's canopy. Oh, the life!

Nate is 5 months old!

2007-11-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

Time has never flown so fast! It seems like just yesterday that I was sitting on the couch, days overdue and fielding calls from friends and family about the state of my impending labor. Now our little guy is celebrating his five month birthday...sigh..before we know it he'll be bringing home his first girlfriend! (Wait, he's already done that). Nate celebrated his big day by taking the subway with his mommy to Yonge and Eglinton Centre to have a playdate with Rochelle and her son Bradey who just turned a year old. The boys tore up the play area at Indigo - Nate was howling with excitement. He really is a very social little guy - I don't know where he gets it from. This photo was taken tonight in his Mega Saucer which he is starting to enjoy - but only in small doses. Tonight Nate may experience his first snow storm - he's very excited!

The face of a criminal?

2007-11-19T14:45:00.000-08:00

I'm very glad that we live in such a safe and secure country, but the passport rules for babies have got to go! It took two trips to the photo place and about 97 takes before we got this beauty - complete with a) no smile b) no open mouth and c) no laughing. Next time you get on a plane beside a baby you can rest assured that they've been well screened and will not be taking over the cockpit. P.S. We're going to Florida in January!

Nate's on a roll!

2007-11-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

Nate took a giant step today - or should I say roll... He was lying on his back when I turned to go to the kitchen for 30 seconds - when I looked back at him - he was on his front and as proud as could be. I couldn't believe I missed it - all those hours of watching and waiting - video camera ready - and that damn toast took me away during the big moment! But Nate didn't let me stew for too long - he promptly rolled over again a few minutes later. Go Nate!

Nate's Girlfriend Sophia

2007-11-09T08:44:00.000-08:00

Nate is already sleeping with his girlfriend, do you think it's too soon? This photo was snapped this morning after music class which clearly tired them both out. It takes a lot of energy to sing "twinkle twinkle little star" over and over!

Nate's Baptism

2007-11-05T19:15:00.001-08:00

Little Nate was baptized on Sunday at the Metropolitan United Church in downtown Toronto before family and friends. He was a little angel the entire service and even fell asleep for about half an hour in his mommy's arms. He seemed completely enthralled by the band and the choir. His mommy was also baptized - if ever there was a time to do it - it was with her sweet little man by her side. Thanks to everyone for making the day so special for us:)

Nate's 4 months old!

2007-11-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little man turned four months old on Oct. 21. We brought him in for his shots this week and to size him up! He now weighs 15 pounds, 3 oz which is average for his age and measures 26.5 inches - in the 90th percentile. He may be another giant like his uncle Sam.
Nate is still enjoying his weekly music classes at the Royal Conservatory of Music with his girlfriend Sophia, 5 months, and also has a weekly standing date with her on Thursdays at the local Rainbow Cinemas. Nate is trying really hard to roll over - he's come close several times but his darn shoulder keeps getting in the way. He has just returned from an extended trip up to his 'country residence' in Owen Sound and is settling back into the hussle and bussle of city life. This usually includes walks to the local market where he has befriended many of the vendors and lazy afternoons kicking back in his vibrating chair. Stay tuned for more updates...