Sunday, June 29, 2008

Sunday Morning Walk

Heading outside before anyone is up. Little bare feet touching the cool concrete.

Tiny footprints trailing you as you walk through the puddle left from the early morning rain.

Ten steps one direction, stop, turn, twenty the other way and ten back. 1/2 a block. Stop. Turn. Turn around again. Going nowhere and everywhere.

Holding your hands up in the air, grabbing nothing, pointing to everything. The breeze picking up, hitting us in our face. Stopping, smiling. A huge smile now as your hair stands up from the cool gust of air. Might as well be a burst of life blowing right through you.

A Stick. Pick it up. Show it to me, like it is the best and only prize in the world.

Turn it in your little hand.

Move it towards your mouth. "NO, not in your mouth." A look like, "I wasn't really going to, dad." Again to the mouth - "NO."

Put it gently back in the grass, like your sending it back home. Pick it up again, because you aren't quite done yet.

Twenty more steps. Up the neighbors driveway, scoop you up.

Down the sidewalk again. A bird cackles. STOP. Turn, turn some more. Where is it? Point, point again.

A Stick!

Scoop you up...I think it's time for a bottle and a nap.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Dire Consequences

"No, Harrison, you don't need another chocolate chip cookie"

"*Whispers* Here you go, just a little bite"

"Honey, I said NO"

"He's not, daddy's having a cookie"

"That's why he has chocolate all over his face? You can't start undermining me already, you start now, next thing you know he has a pregnant 15 year old girlfriend"

"Wait, I gave him a bite of a cookie and now he has a pregnant girlfriend? H, stay away from cookies...and girls"

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

One Year Old

IMG_1763

So it's official, you are a whole year old. We still can't believe it, and sometimes mommy still makes comments about how you aren't her little baby anymore.

You have a very distinct personality and it is becoming more and more apparent each day that you might be a little strong headed. You have started to point to everything you see and want to touch it all. You also love to be outside playing and sometimes get a little upset if we come inside before you are ready.

IMG_1688

You LOVE to stand up in the bathtub and no matter how much we say no you will try to stand up at least a half dozen times before you start with the big old crocodile tears. You like to test us on other things - like opening the entertainment center cabinets - you are going to be mischievous but we are as prepared as we can be I guess!

We had a great birthday party for you at our house. Your mother worked very hard to make it a great event. The theme was "Sailboats" complete with a mini cake for you and a larger cake for your guests.

IMG_1709

IMG_1710

Speaking of guests, you were able to meet your great grandparents, GG and Grandpa Lucas, my dad's parents. It was the first time they met you, you were a little leery at first but warmed up to great grandpa after he taught you how to "pat the cake, roll it, and THROW IT IN THE PAN" which you absolutely loved. You also took a liking to your great aunt and uncle - my Aunt Lannie and Uncle Dick.

Throwing it in the pan!

You have started taking anything, a play phone, a shovel, a dog, anything and pretending that it is a phone. You walk around holding the object to your ear and your other hand to your other ear, like you are trying to hear. I am not sure what that says about your mother and I's phone habbits, but you have picked it up somewhere. This has reminded of the Harry Chapin song, "Flowers are Red" because I hope that you continue to use that imagination, that ability to grab whatever and make it a phone - and I hope that as parents we let you foster that imagination without killing your curiosity.

IMG_1860

You absolutely love animals. You have learned to make a panting sign when you see a dog and if you see Riley or your stuffed dogs you start making the panting noises. If you see a dog when we are taking walks you have to stop and point and pant. It is amazing really , you can hear a dog bark from seemingly miles away and you have to stop and find it before you can move along. Your mom and grandma K took you to the zoo on your actual birthday to pet the elephants and feed the giraffes, which you apparently loved.

IMG_1921

You are still a little mini mite - as I like to call you. You were in the 5th percentile for weight tipping the scales at 18 pounds, 13 ounces. 50th percentile for height at 30 inches. You might be small but you are healthy and you sure are an active little man, so we really aren't that concerned...though the likely hood you are going to become a middle linebacker for the Boilers and the Packers seems to be a little further off than I had wished :).

Your mother and I can't wait for you to start talking and to see how you progress each day. Your going to be a crazy little man and we get glimpses of that each day. One year down and we couldn't be happier at how much fun we have had with you. Sure we have had some rough days, but we have been blessed with such a happy, healthy, beautiful boy. We know we are lucky and we are thankful each day that we have you!

Baby Smurf

You can see ALL our Birthday pictures here!

Monday, June 09, 2008

Things I've Learned in One Year of Fatherhood

- That it's not about the lack of sleep it's about the interrupted sleep

- Even though you just changed an incredibly wet diaper, there is still more and it will get you the second you take the old one off

- The time spent washing bottles and baby clothes will roughly be the same amount of time you used to spend exercising, reading, watching t.v. etc.

- For the first six - nine months you will wonder when he will start moving, after that you will wonder why he won't stop moving

- That you ABSOLUTELY. MUST. TOUCH. EVERYTHING. YOU. SEE.

- That saying NO for the first time will break your heart and it barely gets easier the 2nd and 3rd time

- You realize that NO is good for both you and he

- That mommy is a saint for being a milk vendor for the first 8 months

- Somehow no matter what mom and I are talking about it will eventually come back to you and how cute you are

- That what you didn't know today is only temporary because you seem to learn something new everyday

- That coming to get you out of the crib and seeing you peek through the crib slats is one of the only reasons I don't mind getting out of bed at 6:00 AM on a Saturday

- That toys seem to reproduce nightly

- Riley really cherished being the only "child" and now resents your mother and I

- He doesn't resent you so much, especially now that you feed him from the high chair

- That I can't think of how you looked when you were first born, and that makes me a little sad

- That I know now, no matter what I do in life that it will never compare to being a father

- That I am scared everyday that I will screw this up

- I am comforted everyday knowing that your mother will be there to save me (and you) if I do

- That I can't wait to teach you to do so many things - and I am not sure where to start

- The best way to end a day is putting you to bed and kissing your sleepy little head good night

- Picking you up from the sitters is absolutely fantastic because you walk over and grab me around the neck

- That you have brought your mother and I closer than I could have ever imagined

- That I am thankful everyday for your sweet little soul, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead for our family

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

11 Month Pictures

This is the first month I haven't written an update - I feel terrible. But I am putting up pictures and will have a 12 month post before his birthday.

Enjoy all the pictures by visiting our Flickr page.

11Months
11 Months

IMG_1797
At The Zoo With Pappa Roger and Grandma Lis

IMG_1778
So Excited!

Attack of the Naked Baby!
Attack of the Naked Baby!

IMG_1838
Goof Ball

IMG_1706
Walking and Talking

IMG_1700
Quack!