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Saraya is going to be a big sister!
13 years ago
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Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Yummy!
With Kasey in Germany, Myla and I are having a great time these last few days. Don't get me wrong, we miss her, but we are managing to get by and entertain ourselves. It's pretty much business as usual - she's sleeping great at night (8:00 pm until 7:00 am), we've been going on a long walk every night, when we go out she gets chatty with at least one old woman and one young girl (if there are any single guys reading this, I highly recommend that you get your hands on an 11 month old baby and use him or her to attract the ladies - it actually works) each place we go, and she is getting into everything. Everything. Childproofing more of our cabinets and drawers has just gone to the top of my project list.
This last week, Myla showed some of her first signs of separation anxiety. I have to admit that I kind of liked it when I gave Myla to Holly on Thursday and Friday and she cried both times because she wanted her dad. She's also been really cute lately as she follows me from room to room. She'll be perfectly content playing with her toys or reading a magazine in the living room if I'm sitting with her in there. If I get up to go to the kitchen, she drops everything she is doing and crawls into the kitchen. It's funny because it's not that she is upset that I left her, but more like "Hey, where's dad going? If he's going in the kitchen there must be something really fun in there!" She then does one of three things: plays with the cranks on the windows, digs through the recycling bin, or grabs a dining room chair and spins it in place.
Finally, I have to report her dinner tonight. We've been feeding her some sort of meat-themed baby food for dinner each night and then giving her some vegetables or fruit after she eats some of the meat. She usually really likes the meat-themed foods and has no problem eating them. Well, for whatever reason she wasn't having any part of the meat tonight. Sometimes she will refuse to eat, but she always warms up to it. I couldn't get her to eat a single bite. So Myla's dinner tonight started off with a 1st course of Julienne Beets - Fancy French Style as the can describes. This is her new favorite food. I may buy her a case of beets from Sam's for her birthday. It would definitely be her favorite gift. The second course was shredded cheese. For dessert I switched things up a little bit and gave her some cut up pineapple for the first time. After one bite she started doing the sign for "more" so I obliged. She loved it. Dinner was quite a success, but you can only imagine the mess that is created by julienne beets, shredded cheese, and pineapple.
This last week, Myla showed some of her first signs of separation anxiety. I have to admit that I kind of liked it when I gave Myla to Holly on Thursday and Friday and she cried both times because she wanted her dad. She's also been really cute lately as she follows me from room to room. She'll be perfectly content playing with her toys or reading a magazine in the living room if I'm sitting with her in there. If I get up to go to the kitchen, she drops everything she is doing and crawls into the kitchen. It's funny because it's not that she is upset that I left her, but more like "Hey, where's dad going? If he's going in the kitchen there must be something really fun in there!" She then does one of three things: plays with the cranks on the windows, digs through the recycling bin, or grabs a dining room chair and spins it in place.
Finally, I have to report her dinner tonight. We've been feeding her some sort of meat-themed baby food for dinner each night and then giving her some vegetables or fruit after she eats some of the meat. She usually really likes the meat-themed foods and has no problem eating them. Well, for whatever reason she wasn't having any part of the meat tonight. Sometimes she will refuse to eat, but she always warms up to it. I couldn't get her to eat a single bite. So Myla's dinner tonight started off with a 1st course of Julienne Beets - Fancy French Style as the can describes. This is her new favorite food. I may buy her a case of beets from Sam's for her birthday. It would definitely be her favorite gift. The second course was shredded cheese. For dessert I switched things up a little bit and gave her some cut up pineapple for the first time. After one bite she started doing the sign for "more" so I obliged. She loved it. Dinner was quite a success, but you can only imagine the mess that is created by julienne beets, shredded cheese, and pineapple.
Playing with Daddy
Actually, in the second one, Myla had quit playing "Tea Party" but Matthew and Monchichi the Monkey were still having a good time.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Beautiful Day, Beautiful Girl
These were taken on our deck, as we enjoyed the 3rd day of our wonderful Memorial Day weekend. I know every mother thinks her baby is the sweetest thing ever . . . but seriously, right? :)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Bedtime Story with Grandma Blaze
"Thanks, Grandma, for taking care of me while Mom and Dad went to Boston. I had so much fun with you!"
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Pre-Birthday Post Marathon!
From now until Myla's birthday on June 5, we'll be posting every day (starting yesterday, actually). Today, I'll fill you in on some of the great things Myla has started doing lately. These last few weeks have been an especially fun time with her, as it seems like she does a new thing every day and she's just been an all-around happy camper.
For starters, she has become much more communicative. She does a few of her signs ("more" and "milk"), in addition to her gestures like bye-bye, hi, high-five, clapping, and pointing. She also says "daddy" pretty consistently, and even throws in a "mama" every now in then to keep me happy. She doesn't always say them in context, but sometimes she does. This past weekend, I realized that she understands a lot more than we know, when I showed her a picture of Matthew and me and asked her to point to Mama and to Daddy--and she did! To encourage her, I got really excited and clapped a lot, and so now when I ask her to do it she sometimes skips the pointing part and goes right to the clapping part. :)
The warm weather has also allowed Myla to have some new adventures--going swimming, going to the zoo, playing in a sandbox, and swinging at the playground. She seems brave and willing to try pretty much anything. She also loves being around other kids and gets right in there with them to play. But she's also really content to play by herself, and can entertain herself indefinitely with a bowl and spoon. I can't believe how easy-going she is, and how happy.
She's also picking up new skills, like feeding herself, using her sippy cup proficiently, and taking her shoes off within five seconds of getting in her car seat. She's moving around with ever-increasing speed, although she's not walking yet. I think she has the motor skills and balance to walk, but not the interest. She's pretty content to get where she's going by cruising or crawling. That's fine by me, since she's hard enough to keep up with right now!
Lest you think it's all sunshine all the time in our house, Myla may be learning the art of the tantrum. We haven't had any full-blown incidents yet, but we have seen the occasional leg-flailing or spontaneous tears when taking something away from her that she shouldn't have. We find ourselves saying "no" a lot more often, and the old "distract and divert" isn't working like it once did. In the next few months, Matthew and I will be learning the art and science of child discipline.
Finally, I'll say that one of the best things about Myla lately has been her smell. She still has her baby-smell, but now that it's summer it's mixed with the smell of the outdoors and of sunscreen. I told Matthew that this must be what heaven smells like. And when I smell it as she lays her head on my shoulder and nuzzles me, I'm pretty sure I'm already there.
Wow, sorry for the sappiness! But my baby is about to turn 1, so I'm entitled. :) Check back later this week and next for more photos and posts, and don't forget to submit your entries for the photo contest by June 1! (Click here for details)
For starters, she has become much more communicative. She does a few of her signs ("more" and "milk"), in addition to her gestures like bye-bye, hi, high-five, clapping, and pointing. She also says "daddy" pretty consistently, and even throws in a "mama" every now in then to keep me happy. She doesn't always say them in context, but sometimes she does. This past weekend, I realized that she understands a lot more than we know, when I showed her a picture of Matthew and me and asked her to point to Mama and to Daddy--and she did! To encourage her, I got really excited and clapped a lot, and so now when I ask her to do it she sometimes skips the pointing part and goes right to the clapping part. :)
The warm weather has also allowed Myla to have some new adventures--going swimming, going to the zoo, playing in a sandbox, and swinging at the playground. She seems brave and willing to try pretty much anything. She also loves being around other kids and gets right in there with them to play. But she's also really content to play by herself, and can entertain herself indefinitely with a bowl and spoon. I can't believe how easy-going she is, and how happy.
She's also picking up new skills, like feeding herself, using her sippy cup proficiently, and taking her shoes off within five seconds of getting in her car seat. She's moving around with ever-increasing speed, although she's not walking yet. I think she has the motor skills and balance to walk, but not the interest. She's pretty content to get where she's going by cruising or crawling. That's fine by me, since she's hard enough to keep up with right now!
Lest you think it's all sunshine all the time in our house, Myla may be learning the art of the tantrum. We haven't had any full-blown incidents yet, but we have seen the occasional leg-flailing or spontaneous tears when taking something away from her that she shouldn't have. We find ourselves saying "no" a lot more often, and the old "distract and divert" isn't working like it once did. In the next few months, Matthew and I will be learning the art and science of child discipline.
Finally, I'll say that one of the best things about Myla lately has been her smell. She still has her baby-smell, but now that it's summer it's mixed with the smell of the outdoors and of sunscreen. I told Matthew that this must be what heaven smells like. And when I smell it as she lays her head on my shoulder and nuzzles me, I'm pretty sure I'm already there.
Wow, sorry for the sappiness! But my baby is about to turn 1, so I'm entitled. :) Check back later this week and next for more photos and posts, and don't forget to submit your entries for the photo contest by June 1! (Click here for details)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
11 Months Photos
Myla will be a year in about a week and a half, so I'd better post her 11-months photos!
If you look carefully in this one, you can see her first tooth sprouting up (you may have to click on it to expand).
If you look carefully in this one, you can see her first tooth sprouting up (you may have to click on it to expand).
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Photo Contest!
Myla's first birthday is coming up in a couple weeks (can you believe it?), so I decided the blog should have an event to celebrate. I've settled on a Myla-photo contest. Here are the rules:
* Anyone can send up to 3 photos to either my gmail or yahoo e-mail account. Pictures should be Myla-related (pictures of/with her from the last year are the most obvious), but I will allow broad interpretation of the theme.
* Submissions are due by noon on Monday, June 1.
* Once I've received the submissions, I will narrow down the finalists to five or fewer, and will post them on the blog. At that point, we'll also post a poll for people to vote for their favorite.
* Polls will close at noon on June 8, and a winner will be announced!
In addition to the prestige, the winner will receive a $10 gift card to Target. Cheap, I know, but we're a not-for-profit blog. :)
Please send your photos--I can't wait to see them and share them!
* Anyone can send up to 3 photos to either my gmail or yahoo e-mail account. Pictures should be Myla-related (pictures of/with her from the last year are the most obvious), but I will allow broad interpretation of the theme.
* Submissions are due by noon on Monday, June 1.
* Once I've received the submissions, I will narrow down the finalists to five or fewer, and will post them on the blog. At that point, we'll also post a poll for people to vote for their favorite.
* Polls will close at noon on June 8, and a winner will be announced!
In addition to the prestige, the winner will receive a $10 gift card to Target. Cheap, I know, but we're a not-for-profit blog. :)
Please send your photos--I can't wait to see them and share them!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Chillin' on Air Force One
On Sunday, President Obama came to Notre Dame to give the commencement speech for this year's graduation. You have likely heard, read, or seen plenty of coverage concerning all of the protests and controversy surrounding this event, but it turned out to be relatively uneventful. Kasey was lucky enough to win one of the lottery tickets among faculty and attend the ceremony. She thought she was going to have bragging rights in our house until I used a few connections to get a little closer to Air Force one than most people ever do.
A longtime ND employee that I work with has some connections to the secret service that go back many years. My boss and I have been giving him a hard time for the last few months, joking that one of these times that President Obama comes to South Bend, he needs to hook us up with a trip to see Air Force One. Not expecting him to ever pull it off, he called this past week and said that he had arranged for us to go out to the South Bend airport to see the plane land and then get a tour of it. I didn't really believe it was going to happen, so I didn't tell many people about it.
We headed out to the airport about 11:30 am, and after going through multiple security screenings, lines of questioning, and hanging out with the local press, we got to stand out on the tarmac and get a fantastic view of the plane landing right in front of us. Unreal how something that big can make such a soft landing. After the President and all of his staff unloaded and headed for campus, we had to wait about 30 minutes for them to clean and sweep the plane.
It was just me, my boss, our coworker from ND, his son, and his son's fiancee. They let us walk out onto the tarmac and take as many pictures as we wanted in front of the plane, next to the plane, standing on the steps of the plane, and of course, waving from the steps of the plane. Unfortunately, they don't allow any electronics to be brought on the plane so there is no evidence of me sitting in the President's chair in his office or walking through his bedroom and bathroom. That's right. Full access to the entire plane. Unreal. The thing is huge. It was already tough enough for me to stomach the puddle jumper planes that I'm forced to fly out of South Bend, but it will be even tougher knowing that it is possible to fly in such style.
I won't bore you with the details because without pictures it's just not that interesting, so I'll leave you with just one story. So when I say they gave us full access to the plane, I mean we got to see everything. We walked up to the third floor to where the cockpit is located and got to take turns going in to check things out. I was the only non-Air Force person when it was my turn (I learned that Secret Service guards the President whenever he is on the ground, but that Air Force security guard the plane) to see things. So it's me, the co-pilot, the two Air Force security guys that escorted us around the plane, and one of the other backup pilots. The co-pilot invites me up to sit in the captain's chair. So I get a little bold and start flipping switches while asking "What does this do?" Just kidding. I was scared to move. These four Air Force guys start talking about all kinds of things that are way over my head, comparing the controls of different planes and talking about the engine power (I think). I realize that I'm sitting in the most famous plane in the world with four Air Force guys, so I can't just sit there like an idiot. So I interrupt them and blurt out, "Fellas, I have no idea what you're talking about. Let me ask a simple question - can this thing land itself?" The co-pilot started laughing, and said "Great question. It can definitely land itself, but unless vis is less than 300 feet, we always land it manually." That's right, "vis." For all of you non-Air Force speaking people out there, that is short for "visibility." I learned all kinds of abbreviations for airplane terminology, but I was sworn to secrecy.
Enjoy some pictures below, and if you know me, I won't be bashful in sharing more stories and details the next time I see you!
President Obama heading to Notre Dame.
A longtime ND employee that I work with has some connections to the secret service that go back many years. My boss and I have been giving him a hard time for the last few months, joking that one of these times that President Obama comes to South Bend, he needs to hook us up with a trip to see Air Force One. Not expecting him to ever pull it off, he called this past week and said that he had arranged for us to go out to the South Bend airport to see the plane land and then get a tour of it. I didn't really believe it was going to happen, so I didn't tell many people about it.
We headed out to the airport about 11:30 am, and after going through multiple security screenings, lines of questioning, and hanging out with the local press, we got to stand out on the tarmac and get a fantastic view of the plane landing right in front of us. Unreal how something that big can make such a soft landing. After the President and all of his staff unloaded and headed for campus, we had to wait about 30 minutes for them to clean and sweep the plane.
It was just me, my boss, our coworker from ND, his son, and his son's fiancee. They let us walk out onto the tarmac and take as many pictures as we wanted in front of the plane, next to the plane, standing on the steps of the plane, and of course, waving from the steps of the plane. Unfortunately, they don't allow any electronics to be brought on the plane so there is no evidence of me sitting in the President's chair in his office or walking through his bedroom and bathroom. That's right. Full access to the entire plane. Unreal. The thing is huge. It was already tough enough for me to stomach the puddle jumper planes that I'm forced to fly out of South Bend, but it will be even tougher knowing that it is possible to fly in such style.
I won't bore you with the details because without pictures it's just not that interesting, so I'll leave you with just one story. So when I say they gave us full access to the plane, I mean we got to see everything. We walked up to the third floor to where the cockpit is located and got to take turns going in to check things out. I was the only non-Air Force person when it was my turn (I learned that Secret Service guards the President whenever he is on the ground, but that Air Force security guard the plane) to see things. So it's me, the co-pilot, the two Air Force security guys that escorted us around the plane, and one of the other backup pilots. The co-pilot invites me up to sit in the captain's chair. So I get a little bold and start flipping switches while asking "What does this do?" Just kidding. I was scared to move. These four Air Force guys start talking about all kinds of things that are way over my head, comparing the controls of different planes and talking about the engine power (I think). I realize that I'm sitting in the most famous plane in the world with four Air Force guys, so I can't just sit there like an idiot. So I interrupt them and blurt out, "Fellas, I have no idea what you're talking about. Let me ask a simple question - can this thing land itself?" The co-pilot started laughing, and said "Great question. It can definitely land itself, but unless vis is less than 300 feet, we always land it manually." That's right, "vis." For all of you non-Air Force speaking people out there, that is short for "visibility." I learned all kinds of abbreviations for airplane terminology, but I was sworn to secrecy.
Enjoy some pictures below, and if you know me, I won't be bashful in sharing more stories and details the next time I see you!
Coming in for a landing.
Touchdown. I think I can see President Obama giving me the thumbs up through the window.
Touchdown. I think I can see President Obama giving me the thumbs up through the window.
President Obama heading to Notre Dame.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Easter Slide Show
Here's a slide show of our Easter in Kentucky. She's such a big girl in these, and so pretty! (Click on it to expand.)
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