And Then There Were Four

Nature vs Nurture

2011-07-12T08:17:00.003-04:00

This debate has been for years. Dane's big brown eyes and Baby's fair skin are from nature. The waters get a bit murky when it comes to behavior, intelligence, and personality. I've been thinking about this because my second baby was born a kind, gentle, old soul and my first baby was the complete opposite, hard to please, loud, and ready for war. Now that Dane is 2.5 years old, he is still a wild mustang, but AT TIMES is a great listener, optimistic, caring, rational, and very smart. So are these characteristics starting to shine through because of nurture? I'd like to think that all the hard work is paying off. But it wasn't until I had baby #2 that I realized how much I could instantly love someone. Baby will stare endlessly into your eyes for as long as you'll allow. He'll chuckle out loud if talk to him. He absolutely loves being in our arms and part of our family. I can comfortably say he is appreciative of his family and surroundings... and he's only 3 months old. With Dane, I constantly felt like a failure. No matter what I did, he screamed at the top of his lungs in my face as if he were saying, you are getting me/ it all wrong. And maybe I was. With it being my first baby, I'll admit I wasn't emotionally prepared for constant maintenance of caring for another person. Maybe my timing was off with him and it was my poor nurturing vs. his nature? Honestly I don't think so. I'm an overachiever so I tried and tried and tried to get it right. I'm glad Dane came first because I was more prepared for baby #2. I knew my children would be different, but I never comprehended that they could be total opposites. The question is..... will baby #2 become a terror at 2 years old? I just can't see it happening, but only time will tell. I hope I can nurture both my children into loving, caring, HAPPY adults because I love them both so very much. :) I would post more current photos but don't have time to download them right now. We're going to get Dane's haircut in a few.

Social Stigmas

2011-07-05T14:50:00.009-04:00

I asked my son if he wanted to paint an old rocking chair that I got from my mother's barn. Of course he said yes. Then I asked him what color. He said, "pink". Well we haven't painted the rocker yet but will before the summer is over. Why do I hope he changes his mind and wants to paint it blue or green? So my neighbors won't mistakenly think I have a girl? Dumb. I don't want to teach my boys that they have to be a certain way. In fact, I want them to be able to cook, clean, and everything else society assumes is the "woman's role". If I succeed, they will become better adults and better mates.

Yeah I know, easier said than done. Well, at least he'll be able to make a calzone.

AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR!!!!!!!!!

2011-06-17T11:19:00.003-04:00

He is sooooo very sweet. Too busy to write anything else. :-)

Pottery Class

2011-02-03T09:10:00.003-05:00

This is one of my favorite adventures I've done with Dane so far. I love doing freestyle ceramics. I took 2 classes in college and must say they were 2 of my favorite and most memorable classes. It's like therapy; my mind is lost in the fun and totally in the moment. We have our second class today and it's still so icy outside. I'm worried about falling seeing how I'm already off balance with my big belly, but I don't want to miss the class. The plan is to be extra careful, leave early, and have patience. :)

Today

2010-11-22T08:32:00.001-05:00

If someone would have asked me 10 years ago where I want to be in 10 years... I would have said exactly where I am today. Feeling blessed.

Staying cool

2010-08-13T14:07:00.008-04:00

Wowzer, this has been a hot summer!! We haven't let the heat and humidity stop us from enjoying the outdoors. We get outside everyday. Usually in the mornings, we go to some sort of mom's group function or hit a local playground. Then in the evenings, we take a long walk or bike ride with Daddy followed by some sprinkler time. Dane eats, sleeps and all around has a better attitude if he does something physical. He's not too much into doing crafts, coloring, painting, etc yet, but I'm sure that day will come. This morning he found a friend that wanted to play follow the leader. Everything Dane did, this boy did after him. Dane loved it. He's a natural leader and I believe he might be the President of United States one day. :D

Ballgame

2010-07-13T16:26:00.010-04:00

He went to his first ballgame. It was to see the minor league baseball team, the Columbus Clippers. Uncle Bruce gave us tickets to sit in his suite. Dane really didn't know what was going on with the game, but he had a blast hanging out with Daddy and his grandparents. He even lasted until about 8:30pm which is late for him. This marks the beginning of many I'm sure. His dad is a sports freak. As soon as Dane is potty trained, they'll be off on their own going to football games, basketball games, etc. etc. etc.

Starting the night off with some fries = yummy to my tummy!

Spidey came along.

I can't decide who is more handsome.

HAPPY!

Until this guy showed up!

Lately

2010-05-13T13:52:00.005-04:00

What have I been up to lately? Yard work! This will be the second summer we've spent at this house. Last year I was in baby stupor, a fog created by no sleep and probably a little PPD. This year I'm seeing everything so clearly. The botanist from within me has appeared. I have spent most of my sunny afternoons outside weeding and planting. So far I've got carrots, onions, broccoli, bunches of flowers, and a cat garden with catnip and a special grass. When Dane goes down for his nap, I grab my apron and get started. It's become my therapy.

Moreover, Brad and I took out our Koi pond...by ourselves. We then proceeded to take the rocks from the pond and recycle them into a walkway...by ourselves. It might not look professional, but we happen to love it. The walkway reminds me of a fairytale castle walkway.

Hopefully the creeping thyme will fill in some of the rocks over the next couple of years. I'm also going to plant clematises and morning glories by the trellis.

Cosi

2010-02-19T10:44:00.015-05:00

Yesterday, Dane and I went to Cosi. I've always been a science guru and wanted to go explore myself. It was not crowded at all, which was very nice. Now that Dane's getting more and more active, I feel it's necessary to get out every day. Otherwise I have a frustrated little boy that resembles a tornado. My plan was last minute so we didn't get to gather any friends to take with us. It was just the two of us. He had a blast and he did NOT want to leave. I'm thinking a yearly membership will be in our future.

Body exhibit, inside the nose. It sneezed!

Inside the stomach.

By a wall of zits

This cool guy came to life and talked about snot.

Don't eat that, it's a fake potato chip. Yeah, I know, I was thinking about the kazillion germs on it. Oh well, he's going to come into contact with a kazillion more.

FUN FUN FUN!

This by far was his favorite. The mud holes, blew air out of them. He probably spent 1/2 hour at these holes.

YAY, I had so much fun, when can we come back?!

Reading

2010-02-18T15:53:00.005-05:00

Dane is absolutely obsessed with books. Reading to him when he was an immobile teeny baby has paid off! I'm so glad because I LOVE reading to him. We go to the library at least one day a week if not more. I've also picked up the habit myself. I have read approximately 10 novels in the past 4 months! I can't believe I waited this long to read. I have truly been missing out! Mostly I blame it on the fact that I spent all of my twenties going to school therefore I was forced to read very boring textbooks. I always felt like reading was a task. Now I find it quite pleasurable. Every night after Dane goes to bed, I get my book and curl up on the couch. I'm on the third novel of the Twilight series. Do you think I care that it says "teen" on the binding?! Back to Dane.... his room has two baskets of books which he gravitates to whenever he is upstairs. I really need to get some sort of bookcase/ organizer for his room.

After Christmas Party at Gram's

2010-01-12T15:40:00.009-05:00

A few days after Christmas, Dane and I packed our bags and headed to Bellaire, Ohio. I always love spending time with my Gram. She's so very very loving and full of goodness. She's always been an inspiration to me. When it comes to marriage, she was my example. She and my late grandfather had a love like no other. My nephew Aidan spent one night with us. We had so much fun!

Isn't she lovely?!

Aidan!

Aidan and Dane co-existing.

We visited Aunt Patty too! She got a kick out of Dane walking.

Her cat was a watch guard. He made sure Patty didn't give Dane too many kisses.

Christmas Evening at GaGa's

2010-01-12T15:28:00.005-05:00

Ok, almost done with the Christmas posts... We went to Brad's parents on Christmas night for dinner. We had a great time and received lots of presents. It was important for Brad to spend the holidays with his family this year. Next year will be my choice. :)

I need to figure out how to use the "No red eye" feature on my camera.

LOVE this photo of Dane and uncle Brian.

Dane getting one of his many gifts from GaGa.

Christmas Morning

2010-01-12T15:09:00.009-05:00

We got Dane one gift. ONE. We figured he'd get so much from everyone else that it would be overwhelming. Besides we're on a budget, plus in future years, I'm sure he'll be asking Santa to bring him some expensive electronic item. We were right, he got plenty of gifts from his relatives. He was a happy boy. Here is Dane on Christmas morning enjoying his ONE gift from Mommy and DaDa.

Need I say more? :)

Christmas Eve at Jenny's

2010-01-12T14:47:00.010-05:00

On Christmas Eve, we went to Jenny's house, Brad's sister. We had a wonderful time. Dane loved spending time with his cousins. There was plenty of great food, wine, and happy times. Thanks Jenny!

I think Colin is showing Brad something interesting.

Dane loves his garden!

GaGa really wanted this photo, I think I'm going to frame it for her. (Even though she and William are the only ones looking at my camera. :)

Colin helping Dane, so sweet.

Bobby, being Bobby.

It appears that Dane is touching the chandelier, but he's actually going for the mistletoe.

Peterson/ Maxwell Christmas Party

2009-12-23T20:53:00.011-05:00

The party this year was lots of fun. The night included "Kendall Jackson" Chardonnay, very yummy food, a little gambling and good company. Dane was eating up the attention. He was so tired before we left our house, Brad and I thought for sure we would have to leave early. But he was trooper and relished in the holiday spirit.

Bobby and Dane

Sharon even had an retro high chair for us to use. You can tell he's a Peterson in this photo. :)

Uncle Craig

Daddy acting like a nut.

I'm really bad with names.

Brad's great aunt, I believe. She's always full of jokes and laughter.

Diane and Courtney, I believe, I always get her and her sister mixed up.

An Afternoon with Angie and Elijah

2009-12-23T20:34:00.009-05:00

My best friend in the whole entire universe visited us this week. She brought Dane a present. When we get together, silence doesn't exist. We talk and talk and talk. I know Dane and especially Elijah, being he's 4 years old, want to say, "SHUT UP ALREADY". :) The boys had fun playing together. Mid-play, Elijah comes to me and says, "Dane won't share." Cute! Another great day at Dunedin.

"Wow, for me?!"

He points at everything now, I love it!

Cool toy!

Dane pushed Elijah around in his radioflyer.

Going to Granny's

2009-12-23T20:14:00.004-05:00

Pandora, a close friend of mine, watches Dane every Tuesday and sometimes another day as well. I don't have to ask, she begs to watch him. She's never too busy. She doesn't have grandchildren around, so Dane has filled her heart. When he goes to his Granny's, I get to run errands, go to lunch, etc. I feel so blessed to have Pandora in our lives. She doesn't have to say how much she loves Dane, it shows in her eyes. Plus I know he loves her too because he goes straight into her arms when we arrive. On this Tuesday's visit, she surprised Dane by setting up a tree with a train around it. He loved it. He didn't even try to destroy it.

Maybe in a couple of years, I'll be brave enough to set up a train track around our Christmas tree.

Here she is hiding behind Dane. :)

Sledding

2009-12-23T19:59:00.004-05:00

When the snow appeared, we couldn't resist taking Dane on his first ride. It wasn't that deep so we had to carry the sled to our street's "island" to get the fun started. Although the weather was quite chilly, Dane enjoyed sledding. We're looking forward to deeper snow so we can take him up and down the side walks with Vincent. Next year maybe he'll be big enough for "Mystery Mound" over by Delhi Ave. A good day...

Swine Flu Bullcrap

2009-12-18T11:14:00.005-05:00

After Brad spent several hours waiting in a long line to get Dane the swine flu shot, now they are recalling it? WTF?! At least it's being recalled for "may not be potent enough to protect against virus" instead of "your child will grow a third ear." As advanced as our science community is, and the scrutiny the disease and vaccine received, you would think they would have gotten it right the first time.

The long line.

I was able to come to the rescue after taking the cat to the vets.

Thankfully the weather wasn't too bad. He stayed warm and waited patiently.

Spoiled

2009-12-18T11:05:00.003-05:00

It seems as if all the beings in my home are spoiled. That includes Dane, Brad, the dog and two cats. Plus I'm outnumbered as four of them are male. Everyone comes to Mama for love, comfort, food, clean clothes, etc. Sometimes it can be tiring but I do love it! We have a happy family. This photo was taken before Dane's haircut, but look at these two spoiled characters.

Christmas Tree

2009-12-16T11:10:00.008-05:00

I didn't plan on getting a Christmas tree this year. With Dane being one, I knew it would be more of a bother than an enjoyment. He is into everything. He LOVES to destroy anything. But when I saw a "table top" tree at Whole Foods, I couldn't pass it up. It was perfect. I'm so happy I got it. It really has brought our family some Christmas joy. I can't wait until future years when we can get a big tree. We'll always get a live tree too because there is something about the fresh pine and the little imperfections that make them impeccable. Brad spent at least a half hour straightening the tree as it was so crooked, it was pointing sideways. :)

What makes the tree even more special is the decorations on it. They were bought many years ago when Brad and I spent our first Christmas together.

Now I must get off here and finish my online shopping before he wakes up from his nap. Dane has been sick therefore we haven't been able to get out and shop.

His First Haircut

2009-12-16T10:51:00.008-05:00

I've been wanting to get his hair cut for some time. It was beginning to take the shape of a mullet. Just when I was going to schedule the cut, his Granny P told us to wait until after his first birthday (as if it were taboo to do so). Not to plague the tradition, we patiently waited until after his 1st birthday. I'd been preparing Brad that since Dane is a male that Daddy would be in charge of getting his hair cuts. So a few days after his birthday, they were off to the barber shop. I sent a camera with Brad and asked him to take a few photos. He captured the moments so well.

The before shot

The barber has a cool race car seat for boys. Dane sat in the chair like a big boy. He's doing ok.

Then he lost it.

Regained composure

Afterwards, my handsome prince

It was Daddy and Dane's special day out.

Dane's Birthday

2009-12-16T10:31:00.010-05:00

It's been over a month since I last posted and many exciting things have happened. The biggest event was Dane's 1st birthday. We decided to do something low key and stress free knowing that future years won't be. I made cupcakes and Daddy and I took him to his favorite place besides the pool.... the library. It was a good day and I feel blessed to have such a wonderful, happy boy.

Then off to the library. He loves to take the books off the shelves and immerse himself in them.

He's obviously going to be a genius. :)

Our trip to Hocking Hills

2009-11-03T10:26:00.010-05:00

Recently we took a one night trip to the Hocking Hills. The beautiful location holds a special place in our hearts because we got engaged and married there. Our trip was cut short this year because of some unwanted critters (mice!). Plus the baby had to sleep in the same room as us because there was no heat in the second bedroom. This meant mommy's sleep was minimal because Dane ended up in the bed with us. :) Regardless of the inconveniences, we still had a great time.

Of course the first thing he did was take all the books and video's off the shelf.

Vincent didn't want to leave the bed.

Daddy started off being the carrier. We went to Ash Cave where we had our wedding photos taken.

Gosh, isn't he handsome?! And I don't mean Vincent!

We found some nice people to take a family photo.

Then Mommy took over for the way back.

Solitude in the Shower

2009-10-26T11:40:00.003-04:00

I wanted to jot this down so I don’t forget how much this simple pleasure means to me right now. Before I had a baby, I showered because it was just another one of those daily tasks that had to be accomplished. Over the past 10 months, 3 weeks, the shower has been so very important to me. I savor the silence. I savor the warm water hitting my face. I savor the steam surrounding me. I savor the overall relaxation I get from it. I can remember when Dane was only a few months old and would cry constantly. The shower was my only escape. And even though Dane rarely cries anymore, I still find solitude in the shower. A few deep breaths in the shower and I feel alive. I never knew something so simple would mean so much to me; the things you learn when you’re a mom.

He used to cry so much, I thought... I must be doing something wrong. I think other people even might have thought... she is doing something wrong.

Now I know I didn't do anything wrong....

Overnight at Grandma's

2009-10-14T16:41:00.004-04:00

This past Saturday, Dane spent his first night at his GaGa's. It was a spontaneous plan and it turned out great! I wasn't worried about Dane, he adjusts very well these days. He slept 11.5 hours there! He's a great sleeper. It wasn't easy getting him to this point, but the effort has paid off in the end. I know the more GaGa takes care of him the more she will want to so I know she'll be ready to do it again soon. Plus Dane definitely benefits from being around her patient unconditional love. When he came home on Sunday, he was calm and happy. We missed him dearly, but had fun getting out for a night. Of course I didn't take any pictures until Dane was in the car ready to leave.

DaDa and GaGa.

Books and more books please

2009-10-13T10:43:00.012-04:00

Dane is an avid reader. He loves books more than any toy. I hope this trend sticks but we all know most boys will get to the point where they'd rather play than read. Because he likes us to read 20 million books to him at every nap time and at bed time, I decided I really needed to take advantage of our local library. I started repeating the words from his books in my head over and over like a bad song that won't go away. We needed new material. :) The library also has a small play area for children. Dane could honestly spend several hours there taking the books off the shelf and looking through them. A couple of times Angie and Elijah have met us there, and we always meet a few new friends every time we go.

My little reader

"What?!"

Yes, he still drools excessively. It's been like that since he was 1 month old. I have to change his shirt at least 4 times a day. People will say, "it must be because he's teething." Honestly, he must be teething every single day because it ALWAYS like this.

YAY, thanks DaDa for reading to me every other night. (We take turns!)

I love this one!

"You cannot be serious?!?!?! Read me another one NOW!"

Giggle Giggle Giggle

2009-10-02T09:06:00.006-04:00

Yesterday we went to our first class of toddler yoga. Every time Dane did downward facing dog, he burst out laughing.. hard. It was soooooo hilarious to him. But it didn't end there. Everything was extraordinarily funny the entire day. I'm not sure yoga had anything to do with it or if he's just entering the hilarious stage, but I'll take it. I didn't even have that great of a time at yoga, but if I don't see those giggles again, we're going back next week for sure. He's becoming such a delight; I have a hard time not sqeezing him simple. nom nom nom

Play Groups

2009-09-30T20:43:00.011-04:00

We have really been enjoying our play dates. It's nice to chat with other mommies with similar aged babies. We exchange recipes, tips, stories and much more. I realized today that I judged people's parenting techniques much more before I had a child. Now I get it. I understand. And even though we all do things differently, we do what works for us. Ahh, the little game called life and offspring. Amazing. Anyways, the babies have so much fun playing and tumbling and exploring.

My favorite picture, he loves this tunnel. He showed all the others how to go through it. I think he's going to be a natural leader like his mama. Not always a good trait, but certainly not a bad one either.

Of course we couldn't get them to look at the camera at the same time. :D

Mara, the oldest of the group. She's a little over 1 year is currently our only walker!

Lily, our newest member. Where are all the boys?!

Dane loved showing the girls how his toy worked.

Elijah's Birthday

2009-09-30T08:47:00.014-04:00

I'm so far behind on posting. Elijah's birthday was at the beginning of this month. Brad and Dane attended the party as well. We had a great time. Dane really enjoys being around people. He's not one of those babies that won't go to strangers, as least not yet. Here are some photos from our fun filled, superman kinda of a day.

Elijah and his best friend Kendal

Who knew that there is a black Spiderman?! I think it's all marketing but the kids couldn't stop talking about it!

Dane is the background being held by SueAnn

And held by Tonya

And a couple of dads obviously having a blast.

Supernanny

2009-09-09T10:15:00.004-04:00

Lately, I've been watching episodes of Supernanny. Wow, some of the children on that program are out of control, or should I say the parents have no control. My little bay-bee could never be so testy. :o) The show is very informative on discipline techniques. Being a first time parent, I have no clue how to discipline a child effectively. I guess many of the techniques Ceaser Milan uses could apply, but I better not, my neighbors would think I was insane. (I'm sure they already do.) Time-out? My mom never put me in time out and I'm well behaved. :) Seriously, time out is going to be an essential part of my discipline plan. I'm going to have to get on of those cute little chairs to sit in the corner. But I have plenty of time for that because my baby is an angel right now. :) Here is Dane at his 9 month appointment. He was 24.1 pounds (91th percentile) and 30 1/8 inches tall (95th percentile) and his big head was 19" (100th percentile). He received a clean bill of health and we couldn't be happier. I want to never take for granted the fact that I have a happy, healthy baby.

Summer Vacation to Kiawah

2009-09-02T10:26:00.012-04:00

Two weeks ago, we went to Kiawah Island; our first family vacation. Dane did very well on the plane considering he’s a constant moving baby monkey. The weather in South Carolina was not very baby friendly. It was so humid and hot. Brad and I had traveled to South Carolina yearly for the last 5 years; the first four were without baby and during the month of May. Therefore we imagined vacation would be a certain way. We had to first clear those imagines before we could really enjoy ourselves, which we did. We spent most days taking a bike ride in the morning followed by an afternoon swim at the pool. Dane is just a little too small to enjoy the beach. The unpredictable waves of the ocean made me too nervous. He loved the sand but he wanted to eat it as well. I know in the years to come, we’ll get to enjoy the beach more. The condo was quiet and peaceful; it radiates with good karma. Dane slept so well. Here are some photos from our special vacation with our baby son.

A walk on the beach.

The one and only time he touched the ocean.

He loves to flirt with the ladies!

Loving the carpeted floors.

"I'm having so much fun looking out this big window, wait is that deer out there?"

Yes, they were right outside the condo.

Daddy kicking it back.

Big Boy Bath

2009-08-13T09:25:00.004-04:00

Peterson (Dane's new nick name) has been taking baths in the tub for more than a month. We've been wanting to take pictures but always forgot to take the camera upstairs. He's a handful during bath time. He wants to stand up, splash and be his usual crazy self. Sometimes I fear him falling face first into the water, but thankfully that hasn't happened, yet. I covered up his baby bathtub and put it away in the basement. Speaking of, our basement is already cluttered and full of baby stuff that he no longer uses and he's not even a year old. I want to purge things, but if there comes another, we will not need to buy anything but diapers and hopefully something pink. Here's our little darling playing in the bath and being his usual adorable self.

8 Months old

2009-07-29T11:08:00.010-04:00

Standing up and climbing is all he wants to do. He makes Mummy and DaDa very nervous. With us having hardwood floors, he's cracked his head several times and I bet he does it a million more times before he gets walking mastered. Also instead of just saying Da Da, he also says the Na and Ga, but no ma yet. And the best part of 8 months old is he FINALLY likes to cuddle. I've been wanting this since day 1. It has made my heart blossom with more love than I thought was possible. I LOVE cuddling with my baby boy!

"Baby gate my ass, I'll get through this somehow."

"I will conquer this toy!"

"I'm way too cool in my new floaty."

When will I get to sleep in until 10am??

2009-07-22T14:11:00.004-04:00

Dane woke up at 6am today, about an hour or so too early. I'm so thankful that he sleeps as much as he does, but I still can't get used to the early mornings. I remember the days of waking up on my own, stretching my arms up and saying, "Hello day, I'm ready for you." Now I wake up grumpy, stumble downstairs to start the coffee and after about 2 cups, I say, "Hello Dane, I'm ready to play." I wouldn't change it for the world though, and I know it won't be like this forever. Before I know it, he'll be sleeping till noon and definitely not wanting to play with me. :)

Thankfully Vincent steps in for me and plays big brother.

Play date

2009-07-20T11:02:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow we have another play date at the pool. A few months ago I joined a mothers group and luckily have connected with a few mothers with similar aged children. The meetings are awkward but the playgroups are fun. With Brad and I being so anti-social, I hope one day Dane will be able to make friends with children on our block. We are not the type of people to start chatting with the neighbors. There are tons of families with babies so I'm sure it'll work out. Until then.... a few photos from the playgroups.

Water baby

2009-07-15T10:13:00.004-04:00

Dane LOVES to be in the water. He's been to the local pool a few times and last weekend we set up his baby pool. I was a water bug when I was a little tot and he is following in my foot steps. Plus the sun and water wear him out so he's completely content after swimming. So cute!

Ah stand up

2009-07-13T10:51:00.006-04:00

Now Dane can pull himself to sitting and standing. He loves to practice these new skills over and over. He's still not quite crawling on all fours yet. He drags himself, but is getting fast at it. Over the weekend we added a baby gate to our basement steps and completed a few other babyproofing projects. I'm not sure what to do about the steps going up because the cats have to come down. The gate with the cat door doesn't work at the bottom of steps. The more I do, the better I feel because I know it only takes a second for them to hurt themselves. Here's a few recent photos of our little man.

July 4th Parade

2009-07-06T11:34:00.005-04:00

Daddy took Dane to Bexley's fourth of July parade on Saturday. Dane enjoyed himself immensely. All the sounds and people kept him entertained. He also got to see his two uncles and his pap. Dane is a very blessed little boy to have such an awesome daddy. It also gave me a few hours by myself, which is a rare occurrence since Dane's arrival. Here's a few pictures Daddy took with the camera.

Later that same day, uncle Brian and Rikki came to our home for a visit. It was a good day.

Boy

2009-07-02T09:35:00.003-04:00

You are such a little boy. You're rough and tough and love to wrestle; you love being outside; and I've yet to see a tear come down your face when you cry. I figure it won't be too long before you're picking up an ant and eating it. Daddy loves it! He's so happy he has a partner in crime. Here's a picture of him enjoying his little buddy.

Granny P

2009-07-01T09:41:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we hung out with Pandora aka Granny P. Pandora is the mother of one of my best friends. Over the years Pandora has become a very good friend of my own. Pandora worked at a daycare center for several years and has a soft spot for babies. Besides that her 2 grandchildren live out of state. Anyways she adored Dane which of course made me very happy. Next week she is going to watch Dane while I run some errands. She even wants to watch him overnight soon which is going to be hard for me to turn down considering Daddy and I never go out here in Columbus anymore. The way I figure it, can a baby have too many grandmas? I think not.

A couple of nights without Mommy & Daddy and a tooth

2009-06-25T09:39:00.012-04:00

This past weekend, my grandmother and mother watched Dane overnight X 2! On Saturday morning I cried a bit, but realized that Daddy and Mommy needed some time to focus on each other. On Friday night, we had dinner and way too many drinks and on Saturday we went to a Dave Matthews concert with some great friends. It was a splendid weekend. And from what I heard from Mamal and Nana, Daner had a blast hanging out with his grandmas. It was a win win for everybody. Wheeling just might be Brad and I's new hang out spot. Also we got a call Saturday night on the way to the concert stating that Dane got his first tooth! I leave for 2 days and miss the first tooth, go figure. Here are a few photos from the trip.

The day we picked Dane up. Notice the red stain on his shirt, he got a Popsicle!

Mamal loves him so.

Daddy being silly.

On Monday, Vincent was so tired from being at dog camp, daddy allowed Daner to beat him up a bit. :) I guess he better get used to it now.

Sleep

2009-06-15T11:22:00.005-04:00

Thank you Buddy Boo because it is now official, you sleep through the night. It started about a month ago and was sort of hit and miss. Now, you sleep every night. Plus we wake up to delightful little boy, ready for your day. Ya know, I think we're going to keep you. :D

Your friends

2009-06-10T11:02:00.005-04:00

I'm going to switch things up a bit and write my blog to Dane. Why? No reason, just want to. :) A few weeks ago I took you to a local mom's meeting. We met all sorts of new people. After paying the $25 enrollment fee, we were assigned a weekly playgroup. Your playgroup consists of you, Alea - a 4 month old girl, and Kai - a 8 month old boy. It's so adorable seeing you play with your new friends. Actually I'm not sure I'd call it play, explore is a better word. The picture is you and Alea; Kai was napping through most of the playdate. Don't let the picture fool you though, she was crying because she had poop in her diaper, not because of you. ;)

Trip to Grandma’s

2009-05-28T10:13:00.016-04:00

Last week Dane and I stayed at Grandma’s house for 3 nights. It’s a 2.5 hour trip. I had to pack up all entertainment items; needless to say, my vehicle was overcrowded. The trip down went well, Dane slept the entire time. The way back, I won't discuss. While at Gram's AKA Mamal, Dane was a good baby. My grandmother has so much patience and love and I could see Dane feeling it. She even insisted one night that he sleep with her to give me a break. He did so well. I’m already planning a trip to Pittsburgh with my husband where we will drop Dane off at Mamal’s on the way. Also at home, I saw my Ma, my Pa, my brother, my nephew, my 2 aunts, cousin and friends. Here are many photos from the trip.

Nap time

2009-05-18T09:54:00.003-04:00

This morning Baby Boy fell asleep on the floor. This is a first for him. He took the blankets, built a nest and then slipped into a deep sleep. Why is this such a big deal, you ask? Because my baby fights sleep. Always has. (Believe me, I've tried everything!) Some days he doesn't even take a nap or it's only for a half hour or so. I think I read that babies his age sleep 12 hours at night and a total of 3 hours during the day. He's got the nighttime sleep down pat, just not the naps. So now you can see why this is big deal for me. He's a much more pleasant baby after a good nap. :)

Sitting up

2009-05-15T11:33:00.003-04:00

My mom stayed with us last week and taught Dane how to sit on his own. It was probably timing but none the less, we didn't see him do it before her arrival. We enjoyed having Nana stay with us. Here's a photo of Daner sitting. Yes, I know his shirt is soaking wet with slober. :) Usually I have a bib on him.

New Tricks

2009-04-28T12:04:00.004-04:00

It's been a few weeks since I've posted. It's amazing how much can happen in a baby's development in just a few weeks. Dane is eating food twice a day now. He loves his bananas and sweet potatoes. He also flips from back to belly. This morning we found him contently sleeping on his belly. We are going to have to get down on the floor and baby proof our home soon. It's only a matter of time before our little guy starts crawling!

Anniversary

2009-04-08T16:03:00.006-04:00

Today is my 3 year anniversary. Many people I know are in relationships with second best candidates. Not me, I feel blessed to have found my true love. Tonight we'll probably do a couple of our favorite things to do together to celebrate the day and our anniversary.
1. Eat a super delicious, mostly healthy meal.
2. Take a walk around the community.
3. Share a bottle of wine.

And of course hang out with our little guy. Below is a pic of my two favorite men in the whole world.

Human Development

2009-04-07T11:11:00.003-04:00

It's amazing to see human development from day 1. Dane is becoming more aware and his personality is starting to shine. He's reaching out with his arms and standing on his legs. His voice is loud and his actions are aggressive. He's going from an outside extension of myself to his own person. Wow, what a process! Here he is in his new toy from Aunt Jenny. He loves it!

Nail Trim

2009-03-31T10:41:00.003-04:00

I can't count how many times people told me to be careful when trimming Dane's fingernails. I'm thinking I heard it so much because everyone does it at least once? On Sunday, Brad said, "His finger nails are getting long." (I'm not blaming you honey, it was def my fault :) So I decided to get clippers out and cut them down. I had done it a few times in the past with no problems. Anyways, I cut his thumb to the point of bleeding. He screamed, I felt so bad. Then on top of that, it was the thumb he sucks. I put a band aid on it, but it came off after I saw him sucking on it; I was afraid he was going to choke on it. Of course bedtime was harder than usual because that's when he sucks it the most. THEREFORE, if you see my son with witch long nails, you know why. I won't be cutting them anytime soon. Gram told me to bite them off, I think I'll try that method next time. Sorry baby.

First visit to the ER

2009-03-23T11:16:00.005-04:00

On Saturday, I decided to give Dane formula. On days when his grandma comes to babysit, I like to have breast milk available for her to feed. The problem is.... when I pump breast milk, I feel like my supply won't have enough for his next feeding (maybe it's because he eats so often). Honestly, I would like to be able to give him formula once in awhile and not have to pump when I plan to leave. Back to the story, on Saturday morning, I gave Dane formula and a few hours later, he was violently vomiting and dry heaving for about an hour. Also during the episode, he was OMG passing out or AKA going to sleep. I thought for sure I had poisoned him. Talk about feeling guilty, whoa. We rushed him to the ER fearing that he might die from something. I would say this a first time parents syndrome, but people told us that it will always be like this until Dane moves out and even then the worrying never leaves. Thankfully he seemed to get better shortly after arriving at the ER. After 4 hours of waiting, the doctor said he was fine and had a tummy ache. It just so happened that my husband had our camera in his pocket because originally we were planning on visiting family. Awww, poor little baby boy...

Speaking of formula, I've tried 5 different kinds over the last few months. He either gags, simply refuses them, or see above. I wish there was a place where mothers could take their opened formula. They're so expensive and I know there are babies starving somewhere that could use it. Something tells me there is an abundance of formula that gets thrown in the trash.

Look Ma, I have a foot.

2009-03-19T14:20:00.006-04:00

Dane discovered his feet and examined them for 30 minutes. I'm going to miss this simple type of entertainment when he becomes a toddler. He hasn't been feeling well so seeing him happy made me feel better.

Sickies

2009-03-18T09:56:00.005-04:00

All three of us are sick. It's going on 2 weeks. Dane seemed to be the least affected until today. Maybe it's just because he couldn't complain as much as Brad and I. This morning baby boy didn't want to get out of bed. He felt hot so I took his temp and it read around 100.5. Time to bust out the Tylenol. The only thing that Dane thinks makes him feel better is nursing. Needless to say, the last few days have worn on my nips. The gluttony has produced more spit-ups as well. But these things are minor. It gets me thinking that at any moment, our civilization could undergo the bird flu or another purple plague. Too scary to ponder about for very long.

Today's agenda - take a walk and baby my baby (and baby my big guy when he gets home as well). I hope we get over this crud soon because Spring is here, the sun is shining, and life is good. Even though my men are sick, they are still sooooooo very handsome!

Date Day

2009-03-13T11:41:00.003-04:00

Having time alone with my husband is far and few between these days. I'm finding out motherhood is a balancing act that hopefully I'll master one day. Dane is a 24 hour project so it's hard to find time for myself let alone my husband. On Sunday, Dane's grandmother babysat while Brad and I went shopping. We had a blast... as usual.

Smiles

2009-03-10T09:36:00.003-04:00

Now that baby boy can smile, I can't get enough! In the beginning months I longed for his smile. I wanted any kind of feedback that I was doing a good job. Now I have it and I love it. He's turning out to be quite the charmer.

My Baby's Daddy

2009-03-05T08:59:00.007-05:00

Dane gets so excited everyday when his Dad comes home from work. It makes me so happy to see Brad interact and love on Dane. To know someone else is obsessed with Baby Dane as much as I am brings me comfort. Also having a partner to help with baby chores brings me relief. I have a new understanding for single mothers. I don't know how they do it, let alone with multiple children. I'm so blessed to have a wonderful husband. Below is a typical day at 5:30pm.

My wonderful friends

2009-03-04T10:54:00.009-05:00

I'm so thankful that I have a wonderful group of friends. They are actually like sisters to me because we've known each other for so long and have been through so much together. On Monday, Gwen, Tonia, Angie and her little man, Elijah came to my home for lunch. To make my life easier, we ordered a pizza. It was a fun visit.

It's surprising that even though Dane is only 3 months old, he is intrigued with Elijah. We are hoping one day they will be good buddies.

Elijah loves to hold Baby Dane.

Gwen wrapped Elijah up like a baby which he enjoyed immensely. I'm trying to break Tonia into baby mode by having her hold Dane. She loves babies but isn't very comfortable handling them. :)

And of course, Dane's favorite.. the bouncy chair... what will I do when he grows out of it?!

A weekend with the grandmas

2009-03-03T10:12:00.006-05:00

My mother and my grandmother stayed with us for 3 nights this weekend. It was so nice hanging out with them. We had an awesome time talking, cooking, and playing cards. They LOVED on little Dane the whole time. Is it possible to spoil a 3 month old baby is 3 days? Yes. Yesterday, the baby was very cranky and I think it's because he missed his NaNa and Mamal. Here are some photos of our fun filled weekend.

This is Aidan, my brother's child, my mom, and of course my lovely little baby Dane. Aidan's mother lives in Dayton so he got to spend a few hours with us.

And this is Gram. She rocked Dane to sleep all three nights. I still remember her song she sang him, "Baby Oh, Oh Baby Baby..." :)

And another one of Mamal and Dane. Although it was nice to get back into our routine, we miss them tremendously.

Verbal Communication

2009-02-24T20:35:00.005-05:00

So it begins, my little guy talks gibber. Is that a word, gibber? It means words that can't be recognized, or does it? Is that how you spell it? Damn it, I don't know. I have to admit my vocabulary/grammar is not the best. I curse and I use broken English. I used to use the past participle verb tense incorrectly aka "I seen the movie twice." I say, "used to" because my husband spent the first year of our relationship correcting me. I'm impressed with people that use big words. Golly gee, sometimes I have no idea what the word means, but I nod my head and agree with what they are saying. My big word is melancholy = which is the most played out big word a person can have. Maybe it's because of my Appalachian roots or my lack of desire in knowing the English language. I am a college graduate of two degrees, you would think I would have a few better words than melancholy. So how do I get my beautiful little boy to have an expansive, impressive vocabulary? Let's hope his Dad can lead in the language category.

Emma visits Dane

2009-02-23T15:21:00.003-05:00

GaGa and Emma came over Saturday to visit Dane. Emma is Dane's cousin. I hope that as Dane gets older he can spend more time with his cousins. When I was a youngster, a long long time ago :), I would spend most of my summers at my grandmother's house where my cousins and I would go camping, play games, hike and hang out. I'm going on a trip in September with my very special cousin Carrie and cannot wait to spend time with her. Anyways, here's a pic of Emma holding Dane.

Mom, will you please take off my clothes

2009-02-19T09:28:00.003-05:00

Sometimes it's hard to figure out what an infant wants since they cannot speak. Lil Dane has been grumpy the past couple of days. After walking endless hours around the house holding him, bouncing, jumping, even taking his temperature, I take off his clothes. And bam, I've a got a happy baby. When he was born, he had a slight temperature so the doctors ran several different tests checking for infection and such. They found nothing and said he is just warm baby, like one of those people who won't wear a winter jacket. I can't wait until Spring and Summer so he can lounge in his diaper habitually and I won't feel like I'm freezing him. So this is Dane last night after the naked discovery.

Some random photos

2009-02-16T09:31:00.017-05:00

Brad and I on our wedding day. The day I married my best friend.

I love this photo because it shows the cave in the background.

Then came Vincent, our naughty French Bulldog. This is him as a baby with GaGa.

This is him now. He anxiously waits for his dad to come home every day.

11/30/08!

Da Da helping Dane relieve some of his gas. Aunt Jenny showed us this nifty farting technique. As a mother of four, she's a great resource for advice.

And this is Dane a few days ago, our sweet little boy.

Valentine's Day fun

2009-02-15T15:24:00.004-05:00

My lovely husband gave GOURMET chocolates and beautiful red roses. I love love love having fresh roses on the table. It makes the room permeate with romance.

In the evening we went to Whole Foods and took little Dane with us. He did really well until the end when the music from the live band scared him. We thought Whole Foods wouldn't be busy on Valentine's Day, boy were we wrong. They had a wine tasting event and the place was packed. Then when we came home and our dear friend Renee came over. We had wine and talked and laughed and had a great evening.

Two days with no electricity!

2009-02-14T12:30:00.004-05:00

It's 2009, why hasn't technology advanced on the power situation? The electric lines should be underground with the gas and water, then the wind couldn't cause damage upon them. We should not have to go without electricity for two days in the cold winter! Our old community with lots of large mature trees doesn't help the scenario. Thankfully we have a gas fireplace in our bedroom so we survived. Papa Bear took the day off work to watch over us. Baby Bear spent two nights in our bed. We all snuggled and kept warm.

Our heat source..

Daddy moved the glider from the nursery into our bedroom as well as Dane's bouncy chair. We made the best of our time. :)

My day away, the boys will play

2009-02-09T14:20:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I went to my friend Jeanie's house for a pot luck luncheon. A group of women I used to work with get together once a quarter to chit chat and eat. As usual, we had so much fun. This time we even frosted/decorated Valentine's cookies. (I think I ate 10 cookies so far in two days = great for the postpartum figure :0) When I was away, Brad and his mini me hung out. Daddy played video games and Dane jumped around on his chair. Even though I was only gone for a few hours, I missed them both. Love you guys!

Bath night

2009-02-06T09:55:00.004-05:00

Tonight is bath night, a favorite activity of King Dane's. He loves milling around in the warm water. We've got the routine down... Daddy gets the water temperature just perfect; Mommy soaps him from head to toe; then Daddy dries him off.

I bleeped out his penis because I don't want him mad at me one day for posting a naked picture of him on the internet. :)

Cutest baby on the planet

2009-02-03T10:01:00.004-05:00

Before I got pregnant, it would often annoy me that everyone thought their baby was the cutest baby on the planet. Most times their baby just looked like any other baby and I would hear... I'm going to submit my baby's pics to Gerber because I've got a future model, blah blah blah, look at his face, blah blah. But now I totally understand it! It's funny how things become so clear when you have children. Anywho, take a look at THE cutest baby on the planet.

GaGa-fied

2009-02-01T09:54:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, I got some much needed time away from the house and went to Whole Foods & Babies R Us. While I was away, GaGa came to visit Dane and Brad. As Brad puts it, Dane got "gaga-fied", which simply means adored and loved by his grandma. It's very nice to have Brad's mother nearby considering all my family are 120 miles away. There is nothing like the love that comes from a grandma.

A snow day with Daddy

2009-01-30T15:17:00.005-05:00

Brad played hookie on Wednesday and stayed home with us. There was a bad winter storm which caused the roads to become treacherous. Franklin County was on a level 2. It was so nice having Da Da home because I got extra sleep in the morning and got a few things done when I was awake. Usually I'm so wrapped up in my little guy that the days passes by and nothing gets completed. We loved our day with daddy!

A visit from Angie

2009-01-29T15:50:00.003-05:00

My BFF came to visit Dane and I on Tuesday. She brought my fav Starbucks coffee and crumb cake. We also ate bananas with peanut butter and purple sprinkles ( a favorite in our household). Angie stayed the whole day with us! We had so much fun talking. I've been friends with Angie for over 20 years. Now that were both moms, we relate on a whole new level. I hopefully convinced her to start her own blog. Thanks for sharing the day with us Angie!

Sports

2009-01-27T09:56:00.002-05:00

On Sunday Brad went to an OSU basketball game with his father. He told me he saw several little boys at the game and one day he would be taking Dane. My husband LOVES all sports so let's hope little Dane does as well. I'm already planning on going shopping, getting my hair done, or a pedicure, or lunch with friends on those days when the boys go to a game. Can you tell I've been deprived? :) Here is a picture of my 2 favorite men on Sunday.

As a new mom and stay at home wifey...

2009-01-26T15:17:00.009-05:00

I've decided to start a blog. The idea came from my sister-in-law Jenny. Seeing her family blog motivated me to start documenting. To catch up, I had a baby 8 weeks ago. His name is Dane. Here's my favorite picture from the day he was born.

There was no advice, no story, nothing anyone could have said to prepare me for motherhood.