Happy Birthday Cousin A

Yesterday was Cousin A's eighth birthday party. Here are a few pics. Pay particular attention to the last shot, where Granpa P offers to hold A's birthday money in a safe place. Good try GPP.

Other news: Maureen was the recipient of the covetted tutu, originally worn by none other than Aunt Carrie.

Fair 2008

The fair never, ever, ever changes. That's why I can't wait to go each year. There are too many good memories I have as a boy; and it's nice to see how those exact same experiences influence my kids. Maureen seemed perplexed that the two story man (Freddy Farm Bureau) spoke -directly to her - he said her name! The cows were big. The roosters were too loud. The goats were a little creepy. Maureen got her driver's license from Safety Town and rode her tricycle (daddy propelled) through the main drag. Red means stop. Green means go. Yellow means slow down. The nice State Trooper (you don't hear that phrase too often) gave her a yellow sucker after the ride. We saw the blue ribbon bale of hay, the blue ribbon stalk of tobacco, and we even got to see the beer that Papa Paul & Uncle Scott submitted (ribbon?) We actually went to the midway to see if Mo wanted to ride something, but once we got there we were all too tired to care. We decided to go home instead. Rowan slept through it all.

Morning routines

6:08 am - I hear rustling grunts both over the baby monitor on my bedside table and from the baby's room the mere 15 feet away. I lie still, wondering why we need the monitor. I start to pray that he falls back to sleep. He does not. I know good and well that he is hungry and there is little I can do. I'm tired. I want those last few minutes of rest before getting up. He starts to cry. The wife still sleeps.

I gently say "Kristin", feeling guilty. She doesn't stir. I say it a bit more forceful, yet still gentle, "KRISTIN." "What?" she moans, not quite awake. I feel guilty again. I ask her the last time she fed the boy. She repeats, "What?" in the same confused tone as the first. Then, realizing what I asked mumbles, "2:30". I feel guilty again.

"It's 6:08", I try to say in my most supportive tone. Pause. No response.

I offer, "I'll go change him first before you feed him."

She mutters her appreciation as she rolls over.

The grunts turn to wails. I groan. I know this will not go well. I walk into Rowan's room and he is tensed up and crying hard. He seems unsatisfied with his savior this morning and I can feel his disappointment as I lift him out of bed. "I want the shorter, softer one. Not you."

I swiftly shift him to the changing table and try to cram a pacifier in his mouth. He refuses the offer with a sustained wail. The clock is ticking; the race is on. I fumble to unzip his sleeper, wrangle his legs loose and hopelessly search for the tape on his diaper. I blindly wipe his bottom in the dark and try the pacifier again. No deal.

"Mommy" emanates from the next room over, like the buzzer of a game show telling me I just lost the grand prize. Kristin springs into action, finds Maureen's pacifier - she is pacified. Game on. I pull out a fresh diaper and try to put it on Rowan, but his little hand is blocking my attempts. I marvel at how strong this little person is but manage to get the job done.

Kristin comes to both of our rescue. Tag. Rowan and I are both relieved.

His prize? Mother's milk. My prize? Precious minutes of solitude in our kitchen for a quick fix - a double shot of Medaglia D'oro (espresso.) This is a new brand I am trying out - the local imported foods shop stopped carrying Cellini, the brand I've come to know and love since my trip to Italy back in the late '90s. I hate change.

The TV monitor focused on Maureen is on and she is stirring. I have time to look at my on-line Scrabble matches with my brothers - my move. I begin to shift the letters and I hear, "Mommy?" again. It's 6:35. The day has begun. My cup is half full.

Go to sleepy little baby

Smiling boy

Caught for the first time on film; a smiling baby boy!!

Merry-go-round

More photos

Here are a few shots from Friday night pizza at our house:

Date night

We were able to take a date night last night. The trick was to feed Rowan just as were about to walk out the door to keep him as full as possible; to buy us as much time as possible. We met our good friends Alley and Steve at Bonefish - I know, why go to a chain restaurant on a rare night out opportunity? Well:

1. Location was the key: we had to pick a joint near Aunt Kathy's house - she graciously watched the kids, and we had to be nearby because Rowan was a ticking time bomb. There are some good non-chain restaurants in the area, but chains seem to dominate the east end.

2. It's down-right yummy. The monkfish special was very good!

It was just really nice to get out and have uninterupted conversation with adults, if only for a couple of hours. Maureen was in heaven because she got to be with Aunt Kathy, and cousins A and G. And she has a certain affinity toward her Uncle Scott that none of us can quite explain. Throw in a visit from Papa and Meemaw and Mo's visit was complete. Rowan got a bit fussy toward the end of the evening, but he just needed a little water (in lieu of breast milk) and he was fine (or that's what they told me!)

We get to reciprocate with Scott and Kathy in a couple of weeks.

Other news: Aunt Chrissy was in town this weekend and we got to see her twice. Here's a photo of her wrestling match with Mo on Friday night. I think Maureen won.

It's Sunday morning at 7:27. Kristin and Mo are trying to catch some more Zs after a late night (9pm is late for both of them). Rowan is downstairs with me, asleep in the swing. He is making cute little kitten noises. I think my quiet moring is about to be disrupted though - everyone is beginning to stir. That's ok - I think I'm ready to start the day.

Arnold the snoring pig

Water babies

Mo and Claire had a nice evening of watery fun last night at the pool. We get to see her and her parents again this Friday night.

Swim party

Last night was spent with Kristin's extended family - cousin Jeanine and family are in from Colorado. The occasion last night was her son Jack's birthday out at a subdivision swimming pool. This function was hosted by her parents (Kristin's uncle Mike and Aunt Jane). I think we pushed the limits of fun because we had to make a quick milk stop for Rowan on the way home in the parking lot of a gas station, across from the malls.
Tonight brings more swimming fun - we've invited Cousin Claire and parents out to our pool. We are trying to take advantage of what summer we have left before the pools close down and school starts up. Yes, this is the exciting life of a daddy of two.
I've included some recent and random photos for your viewing pleasure:

Da Beach part dos

The beach trip almost did not happen this year with the arrival of Mr. Rowan in late June. I think the call of the tide was too strong and last minute plans were put in place. Even later, Kristin decided she and the kids would join the family, and later yet I decided to take a couple of days off work to at least share half the experience. Kristin and the kids drove down starting Friday morning and I took a flight to Raleigh late Friday afternoon (after work) - We arrived at the same time and of course I caught quite a bit of grief over that.
We stayed with the very hospitable Dolberry family over Friday night, and headed for Emerald Isle on Saturday for a 4pm check in. We had a total of 12 folks with us including the Dolberrys, Aunt Kathy and her monkeys and the Grandfolks. The Dolberrys and I cut the stay short, leaving Tuesday morning - everyone else is still having fun in the sun.
Maureen was more interested in the sand than the water. She did not want to get wet at all and opted to make castles instead. I think she remembers a Curious George cartoon about building sand castles. Rowan got a bit of beach time, although he was bundled up so much you could hardly see his face. Our stay included some really yummy meals, a round of putt putt, a couple of rounds on the go-cart track and some nice, old fashioned rest.
It's weird not having the family here and I look forward to their return. I keep hoping for some tears from Mo over my absence, but I think she's having so much fun to notice. She loves being pampered by her MeeMaw! I think that's a fair trade off.
Well, time to go back to work so I can help pay for this trip. See you soon.

Da Beach.

Here are some photos from our recent trip to Emerald Isle North Carolina. Story to come (when I'm not on company's dime!)

July 22 update

Hi ho everybody. All is well in the house. Last night marked a high point at AQUATOTS (to be said as if you had the fanfare in the background) as Maureen was totally submerged, many times and with her permission. No Tears!! The first time was actually a mistake in the baby pool. It was one of those slow motion moments where I saw her fall backwards and I could see her crystal blue eyes still open as she descended. It was only a matter of two seconds that she was under, but it seemed longer to me. She popped up all smiles. I believe that gave her confidence in our class to allow me to take her under. One, two, threeeeee! She also jumped into my arms from a standing position. I feel like we have to be extra vigilant at the pool now that she is even more cocky about her aqua-abilities.
Rowan and Kristin were pool-side, cheering us on. They came straight from a real estate showing. He went with Kristin because we couldn't figure out the logistics of me bringing both kids to the pool. It would have been easy if there was a parking lot at our pool, but it is surrounded by street parking and there aren't too many sidewalks. Maureen is at a point where she will roam, or stop unexpectedly. We'll figure it all out.
My boss is on vacation this week, so I feel like I'll get some things accomplished! Hope everyone is doing well.

Photos

OK - I got a jump start on the weekend and am able to provide the cute shots I promised in my last entry. Here you go.

Blogging lapse

I realize I haven't written much lately. I think I'm getting up too late to get anything written before the family wakes in the morning. All is well in our household. Rowan is gaining weight and progressing nicely - he weighed 9 pounds, 9 ounces as of Wednesday at the doctor's office. He received a clean bill of health - Yahoo.
Maureen is still at the head of her class in Aquatots at the pool. We are slowly inching our way down underneath the water's surface and she seems ok with it. She doesn't like being on her back, but seems to really enjoy all of the other aspects of the class.
Other news: we're getting glass block windows in both bathrooms; we have a beach trip in our near future (yee-haw); we get to see Uncle Dolberry and family again this weekend on their way back home; we're looking for a new car. That's all I can think of at the moment.
I'll post some more cute pictures this weekend - I know that's what keeps bringing you back to this site!

Rowan

Asleep

Here's a quick glimpse of what we see quite regularly. He's a good sleeper. If you look back some 21.5 months ago on this blog, you will see how worried we were about Maureen sleeping all the time. Not the case with Rowan (or as some people call him, Mr. Bean). He is a good baby and has a gentle disposition. This weekend, Ro gets to meet his Uncle Dolberry, Aunt KMD and Cousin APD. They are coming in from North Carolina for a quick visit on their way out west, and we get to see them again next weekend on their way back to NC. Again, Dolberry chickened out of taking the Fleetwood Mac bus for this trip, opting for the safe environment of the family car.

Highlight for the weekend (besides family Dolberry visit): High noon, roof-top concert by Lost Cat Reward on Sunday. Email me for more info.

Obsessed with the Wiggles

Aquatots!

Maureen had her first swimming class last night and she was the star student. We kicked, blew bubbles, floated on our backs and practiced entering and exiting the pool. Mom and Rowan were on hand to cheer us on. Well, actually Mom cheered us on and Rowan slept. I'm the bald guy in the foreground.

"How you doin?"

Hospital Photo

Aw! Aint he cute?

Alas,

I have to go back to work today after a week of baby-land. I remember right after Maureen's birth, work was a hard thing to get my head around for the first week. Good news is that we have this Friday off for the 4th so I get eased back into the machine.

Rowan is doing well - he had his first check-up yesterday and he got good reports. We also got some helpful tips (pun intended) on treating his circumcision wound a little better.

Thanks goes out to the friends and family who helped out by keeping Maureen occupied through the week, and for the food and nice presents that were sent. I think we're going to make it! Have a great week - I hope to be writing more soon.

Mo & Ro

Beautiful little boy

Hello sports fans, Sparky's Mojo is back with the whole Rowan story. He was born last Wednesday morning at 8:12 am. He brought many surprises - he was much smaller than his older sister - a full pound and seven ounces lighter, though only 1/2" shorter. Maureen had a full head of brown hair and very pronounced eyebrows; Rowan has no eyebrows, sparse blond hair and white eyelashes. We are trying to figure out who he takes after but are unable to confidently pin him on a relative. He looks like Rowan. It just proves that you can't measure against anyone else - he is his own person - and we are very happy.

Rowan is, for the most part, a very calm baby. He has taken off with the feeding concept and seems to know exactly what to do. We're in the re-learning process about baby-care. The whole circumcision thing is new to us - and a bit daunting. He seems to still ache from the procedure.

Maureen seems to be doing OK with her new baby brother. She manages to get her fair share of attention - last night we were having dinner at home with Kristin's parents and sisters; we were all jabbering about Rowan, when all of the sudden Mojo broke out in song. Immediately she was center stage and all was right with the world.

Here are some more pictures documenting the last week. I'm on vacation and will be home for an extended stay to help while Kristin heals. Feel free to stop by for a visit!

Introducing Rowan

Rowan Patrick

7lbs; 7 oz

19"

Miriam's birthday

We went to a birthday party for 1-year-old Miriam last night. Miriam is the niece of Maureen's future uncle Jeff. The party was held in a really nice neighborhood on the east end - there was a wonderful spread of Asian food (Jeff's family is from the Philippines) and they had a huge bouncy inflatable (we used to call them moonwalks.) Maureen was in heaven. We had to pull her out, much to her disappointment, when the bigger kids took over. But the bigger kids would only be interested for five minutes or so, and then they would leave and Mojo would go back in. She was able to play with her cousin Claire. Because Claire is a year older and more sure-footed than Mo, she was able to climb the ladder inside the bouncy to go down the 10' slide. Maureen was disappointed each time she disappeared to do so, and would yell, "Claire, where are you!" All in all, it was a nice outing. Miriam was cute as a button. It's hard to imagine that she and Mo will be in the same class in school - Maureen seems to be so grown up compared to a one-year-old. But, she's an October child and that's where the cut-off happens. I guess kids catch up quickly.

"Here you go Joby"

As hoped, I received a disk in the mail (yes, the US postal service) this Wednesday with a series of cute videos. Here is Maureen feeding ice cream to her uncle Joe, or Joby as he is know in some familial circles. Thanks for the vid Chrissy!
Baby Dood is getting bigger and bigger and mama bear is getting more uncomfortable and anxious. She is big-time nesting now, preparing for the little guy. We have a full day of chores in store for us on Saturday, and we hope to enjoy the day together on Father's Day Sunday. With this preparation, I am getting pretty jazzed too.
I really think Maureen is putting the pieces together about a baby coming to live with us. The more she realizes, the more she wants to avoid the whole conversation. We're trying to talk with her and prepare her accordingly. We ask if she is going to help take care of the baby and give him hugs and kisses. She agrees quickly, and changes the subject quickly. I'm sure she'll need time and support through this whole process.
Have a great weekend. Be good people, and don't drive like my brother.

Papa Joe's Bday

You are never ready for your propane tank to go out on you. For yesterday's birthday party for my dad, the plan was for a BLT dinner for nine adults and two kiddos. To avoid the mess and smell, I was going to fry the bacon on my two-burner skillet outside. Well, if you are paying attention, you'll know where this is going. After frying up about thirty pieces of bacon in the kitchen the whole house smoked up and the place smelled like a Sunday Morning Cracker Barrel. But soon the guests arrived, the smoke quickly dissipated and we had a really nice party. My sister Chrissy took some fun videos that I hope to post soon.

As for my last post about the baby boy, no need for concern. I am very excited!

More on the Dood

I've been calling Baby Boy Dood lately, short for Maureen's idea of a name: Doodoo. It is becoming more and more of a reality that The Dood will be here soon. Am I ready? Good question.
Was I ready when Maureen was born? Definitely not. We both kind of adjusted to her. I think I'm in the same boat when it comes to Dood. I think we can handle the new baby part, it's the two kid dynamic that makes me uncertain. I'm sure we will just make it work.
It's weird though. Before Maureen was born, I had a sense of who she was. I guess, with the first child, you get so wrapped up in anticipation that you have this bond already in place. This new baby seems to be growing behind the scenes. At one point, I told Kristin that I sometimes forget she is pregnant. That went over well!
I know that I will love this new baby boy more than words describe. Watch this blog as I attempt to profess that love many times over.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THIS WEEKEND: Papa Joe's birthday party (here) on Sunday.

Happy Anniversary part 2

It was a happy anniversary indeed.

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 3rd anniversary! We are celebrating by showing our support for a free Tibet.

Namaste, y'all!

Growing pains

We went to Maureen's Aunt Kathy's birthday party yesterday, and there were quite a few kids there, closer to her kids' ages. Maureen is at a point where she wants to play with other kids, but still needs adult supervision most of the time and can't run as free like the older ones. A and G are great with Mo, but she just can't compete when there's running and throwing and fashion shows and giggling about tooties involved. So poor Mo is stuck with Mom or Dad looming over her. We may be a bit overprotective and could possibly give her a little more rope, but, until she can easily master stairs (a StairMaster?) and become sure-footed, we're not likely to leave her side.
Maureen certainly LOVES* her cousins A and G, talks about them constantly, and longs for any face time possible with them. She gets giddy at the mention of them. We are happy that she will be seeing her cousins often over the summer and hope that they will be very close throughout their lives. I realize though, that A and G are growing as fast as Mo is, and there will always be an age gap. But fear not because Baby Doodoo** is on the way. I hope that Mo is as loving and nurturing for Dood as A is for G.

*Mo also loves her cousin Claire, who is closer in age to her. We look forward to seeing the two of them become close friends as they grow together. And even though cousin APD lives miles away, he is a special entry in her nightly "Godbless-ings".
**DooDoo is Maureen's name for the new baby. I probably should not start with the nicknames (especially nicknames that relate to fecal matter) until he is officially with us.

New hit single

Oh, I just noticed I got the date wrong. Oh well.

Happy B-day GPP

Yesterday was Grandpa Paul's birthday, and Memorial Day (yes, he is a Vet). We spent the day at the track and had some bar-b-que (not bean soup) at our house for dinner.

Movie of the week

Karaoke with the Mojo

We went to a pizza joint with GMK, Kathy, Scott, and A&G tonight where they had family karaoke. A' sang Sweet Caroline with Kristin - a beautiful duet indeed! Maureen and A sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Not a dry eye in the joint!