I know it probably won't interest anyone who has experienced their own baby learning to walk, but for us it's a big deal. She actually does alright with it until she realizes that nothing is holding her up , then she freaks out and hits the dirt.
There are also a few new pictures posted.
Vacation and Holidays
Here are some new photos of our vacation to Seattle and some holiday stuff. We met Jeff and Amy while up north and spent a great day with them. They are already in love with the Pacific Northwest. Now I can see why. It is very beautiful up there. We are thinking about moving up there some day. There was a show on TV that spoke of the danger of volcanic mud flows from Mount Ranier wiping out Seattle-Tacoma. So, thats not good. Everything else is awesome there though.
Thanksgiving was fun. We forgot our camera so we don't have many photos but it was great being with the whole family and we missed those who couldn't make it. Gene and I came up with a great game called Shakeskin. We took many great shots but I have included my personal favorites in the gallery.
I hope everyones holidays have been good so far. Be sure to check out Genes new Blog.
NANA: Click on the photo of gene to see the pictures.
Finally a new post
After all these years, we finally have a new set of pictures. The baby is crawling, standing and clapping her hands on cue.
CLICK HERE NANA.
CLICK HERE NANA.
Babies first Crawl on Camera
She never performs for the camera. In order to showcase her new crawl I had to trick her into crawling towards the camera. Even then it's sort of a half effort on her part.
Our wild fun vacations.
Vacationing with a baby is somewhat oxymoronic. For Chris, however, it's delightsome and wonderful. For me, it is exhausting. My ideal is utter relaxation, his is closer to Clark W. Griswald from those Vacation movies.
Although tiring, I did enjoy myself and we made some great memories. I am including the beach in our vacation because it was only 2 days before we left to go camping, and going to the beach is a lot like camping. You have to bring shelter or else you will bake. You have to bring sustenance or else you will wither. And you must bring strong arms because you will be lugging a lot of crap back and forth. Oh yes-let's not forget the fire.
The beach was more fun than I thought it would be. It has been, perhaps more than a decade since I have swum at a California Beach. And it is the first time I have ever swum with Chris, in the nearly 6 years we've been married, at a California beach. But it was so dang hot that nothing sounded better. I was so drunk on the summertime beach feeling that so many trite songs are written about that I didn't even mind that the sand was everywhere, even in my baby's mouth when I was breast feeding her. Of course when she started crying, and crying I was less pleased but she eventually got over her jag and went to sleep. At the end of that day, and after being bothered by a possibly literal "gang" of people for our fire pit, we left the beach tired but happy.
Camping was slightly different because we did not go home, we slept there amongst those majestic trees and close enough to the restrooms to have people walking through our camp to get to them. You never appreciate walls until you don't have them, and the flicker of flashlights off your tent disturbs your sleep. Perhaps the trick is to camp in a remote enough area so as to not be bothered by others, but then there is the bear situation.
My sister Tina and her family came camping with us, and for the entire length of our short 2 night and 3 day stay my nephew asked about the bears. That child should work for the Department of defense, the terrorist division because he can think up more hypothetical scenarios than are humanly, or animalistically possible. I was also reminded of how things change with each generation. Jacob kept sneaking bouts with his Gameboy, and Christian watched movies but still lamented that it had been 2 days since he had last watched TV. With all of the besmirching those kids did, I was amazed at how composed Tina and Xavier were. And I was even more amazed that my parents used to do this with 6 kids. I do remember my sister saying once "I'm just going to go on my own vacation with my friends, and then I won't have to deal with any whining."
I have to admit that although beautiful, I do not think I will camp with a baby again. I slept so little that I found it a challenge to be excited about the beauty that surrounded me. Live and learn-live and learn. Regardless of what the actual memory of this vacation was, I know that I will forget the tough stuff and look back on it fondly.
Although tiring, I did enjoy myself and we made some great memories. I am including the beach in our vacation because it was only 2 days before we left to go camping, and going to the beach is a lot like camping. You have to bring shelter or else you will bake. You have to bring sustenance or else you will wither. And you must bring strong arms because you will be lugging a lot of crap back and forth. Oh yes-let's not forget the fire.
The beach was more fun than I thought it would be. It has been, perhaps more than a decade since I have swum at a California Beach. And it is the first time I have ever swum with Chris, in the nearly 6 years we've been married, at a California beach. But it was so dang hot that nothing sounded better. I was so drunk on the summertime beach feeling that so many trite songs are written about that I didn't even mind that the sand was everywhere, even in my baby's mouth when I was breast feeding her. Of course when she started crying, and crying I was less pleased but she eventually got over her jag and went to sleep. At the end of that day, and after being bothered by a possibly literal "gang" of people for our fire pit, we left the beach tired but happy.
Camping was slightly different because we did not go home, we slept there amongst those majestic trees and close enough to the restrooms to have people walking through our camp to get to them. You never appreciate walls until you don't have them, and the flicker of flashlights off your tent disturbs your sleep. Perhaps the trick is to camp in a remote enough area so as to not be bothered by others, but then there is the bear situation.
My sister Tina and her family came camping with us, and for the entire length of our short 2 night and 3 day stay my nephew asked about the bears. That child should work for the Department of defense, the terrorist division because he can think up more hypothetical scenarios than are humanly, or animalistically possible. I was also reminded of how things change with each generation. Jacob kept sneaking bouts with his Gameboy, and Christian watched movies but still lamented that it had been 2 days since he had last watched TV. With all of the besmirching those kids did, I was amazed at how composed Tina and Xavier were. And I was even more amazed that my parents used to do this with 6 kids. I do remember my sister saying once "I'm just going to go on my own vacation with my friends, and then I won't have to deal with any whining."
I have to admit that although beautiful, I do not think I will camp with a baby again. I slept so little that I found it a challenge to be excited about the beauty that surrounded me. Live and learn-live and learn. Regardless of what the actual memory of this vacation was, I know that I will forget the tough stuff and look back on it fondly.
A Day in the Park
After a somewhat tiring day, I got off work earlier than usual and we all hit the park. It had actually rained here this morning, which cleared the skies bigtime. Clean air, perfect temperature, and the company of my two favorite people in the universe. It was a perfect evening. To add to it, we happened to run into a Pioneer Day party being held by one of our old wards at the same park. It was great to see some old friend. Some of the kids I used to teach I haven't seen for almost two years. Kids really do spout up fast. Lenore seems like an adult already sometimes. She tricks me into thinking she is thinking profound thoughts like: "What is the nature of Time and Space?". Such a wise baby.
Vacation of the Western Nation
Vacation. A time where one does something enjoyable. It is generally done away from home, and usually means fun 24/7. Well...I think this description depends on who you are talking to.
Chris and I went on a 7 day excursion that included visiting and staying or briefly stopping in Reno, NV; Boise, ID; Salt lake City, UT; Herriman, UT; and Las Vegas, NV. I can honestly say that I had a really good time, but as the days went on I started to lose momentum. By the time we were in Vegas all I wanted to do was just take a very long nap.
I don't want to go into huge detail as to all the we did and whom we saw, but we did get to visit with Chris's brother, wife and our nephew Porter. The weird thing is that even though this was supposed to be a highlight of our trip we never actually took pictures of the cousins or Jeff and Amy. Why? Who knows. We just sort of accidentally didn't. Good thing they are coming to town sometime soon.
Overall, our vacation was more of an experiment than a vacation. We wanted to know how the baby (and we) would hold up on a road trip. She did very well, and we learned that we need to do most of our traveling in the morning, and that all would be well. But it is very different vacationing with a baby than without.
Here is a list of the things that we miss about traveling without a baby:
1) Both getting out at a gas station and peeing
2) Both getting out a a gas station just to stretch your legs inside the food mart (baby always seemed to be sleeping during these stops)
2) Staying out as late as you want
3) Gambling in Vegas (just seems kind of trashy to gamble with your baby on your lap)
4) Traveling long distances without a care in the world
5) Visiting with friends for as long as you'd like, without interruptions
6) Basically doing ANYTHING without interruptions
7) Spontaneity
Although there was some adjustment, we learned to enjoy our time anyway. Here is a list of what is awesome about traveling with our baby:
1) She laughs and smiles at everything and everyone (even grungy old men in casinos)
2) Watching her play with other kids. Owen kept macking down on her and saying "Her cute!"
3) Just spending time with her is awesome, and Chris really got an opportunity that he doesn't normally get
So our second list might not be as long, but it's not quantity it's quality. If someone told us today that we could go on the vacation of our dreams but it would mean that we would not have had Lenore, I think I can safely say for both of us-No Deal!
Irvine Park Day Trip
We had a great weekend with friends and family. Dave and Fawn came from Utah and suggested a get together at Irvine Park. We met up with Gene & Julie, and Bo & Laura as well. They had a little zoo there that was the main attraction. The majority of the animals were probably found locally (vulture, hawk, barn owl, mule dear). They also had an Ocelot which is native to South America according to Wikipedia. I was under the impression that bald eagles were illegal to keep in captivity unless it is being nurtured into better health. This zoo had a bald eagle that looked very permanent. I wonder if they sneak in and break it's wing once a month so they don't have to release it. The biggest crowd pleaser were the black bears. There were two of them and since the price of admission was $2, thats a buck a bear.
Lenore is much too young to give a damn about all these cool beasts. I hate to say that I am looking forward to her growing up because I love her as she is, but zoos seem like more fun when you have a kid with you. I nearly pee my pants when I see real live lions at the Wild Animal Park. What must a kid think?
It was great to have everyone together. Amongst us four couples, there were 5 kids and one on deck. It's hard to believe that we've all come to this point in our lives.
Here are some new photos of our day trip. I appreciate any comments that are left on this blog. So far only Coray & Kristine have left any responses. I am happy to hear any feedback and hope that this is getting out to the rest of our family. Even if you just leave comments so I know this site is being looked at.
Irony Realized
We recently took Lenore for her 4 month shots, and check up. I made Chris come with me because I wanted him to see the size of the needles that these sadist doctors use on our tiny, little baby. Although I wasn't looking forward to the shots (probably less than she), I was eager to find out how much she weighed. People constantly ask us how much she weighs. The most common comment we get is "She is so little! How old is she? Really?! How much does she weigh?" People are so bazaar If they aren't complaining or eye-balling you for being too large, they are smirking at the tiny size of your baby. "You don't feed her enough! She must be starving." I would defensively respond that we weren't starving her, but merely attempting to get her on a schedule.
So...we marched our enormous baby into the doctors office thinking that she would easily weigh 11 pounds, but probably weighed closer to 12. I was totally shocked when the nurse said she weighed a mere 10 pounds 9 ounces. Impossible! Look at her gut! So she still fits into newborn clothes, big deal! It was then that I realized that perhaps I was starving my poor little baby. I started thinking about all the times she cries in the middle of the night, or during the day and I would let her cry until she fell asleep. Was she crying because she had hunger pangs? Is she always chewing on her hands because she is hungry and not teething? Among all these questions came the one thing that I knew for sure; the doctor would not be happy with me.
When Lenore was first born, she was a poor eater. Some babies have the innate ability to latch on and eat with vigor. Lenore did not. I went to a lactation specialist twice because she fell into the severely underweight category, and had to return to the doctor twice at her two month visit because she was underweight. She even told me to use formula because the boobs weren't doing it. I became a feeding Nazi. She needed to eat every 2 hours and for 20 minutes at a time. She would fall asleep after 5 minutes, so I began nearly beating my child. I would rub her back, head, feet, legs, undress her, and blow in her face to keep her awake. Result: she put on the required weight.
I was of course, correct about the doctors response. I am to return in 4 weeks to have her re-weighed. It's a good thing our baby is active, and developmentally on target because she might have referred us to child protective services right there and then. Crap! She might have just taken Lenore from us right then and handed her to some big-breasted German wet nurse since my dairy is apparently not doing the job.
I suppose my dream of sleeping through the night will have to wait until I can fatten her up. Doctors orders are to feed the kid every 3 hours and when ever she wakes up in the middle of the night. No worries. I'm sure she'll begin looking more like her parents soon enough, and then people will start telling us, "What are you feeding her? She's huge! Maybe you should cut back." If it weren't for her superman curl which her father also possess, and the pointy chin which is unmistakeably mine, I might doubt that she was ours.
New Photos
We had a great family barbecue today. The occasion was my nieces birthday. I bought her a toy horse, plastic airplane and colored pencils. She is becoming quite a nice artist, specializing in equine profiles. Both Gene and i have a real hard time buying her gifts. We simply can't understand the appeal of Barbies and Lil Ponies. Therefore we tend to get her gifts that we think she should like. Gene usually buys her airplane themed toys. These we immediately take to the front yard to play with and within an hour the toy has been busted. My niece usually gets bored before we even finish assembling the toy and scurries off to the pool.
Last year I bought her a Spiderman action figure that stands about 10 inches tall and has over 60 points of articulation. You can basically pose it in any position. Its maybe the coolest toy I could think of. I was a bit heartbroken when she didn't respond to it the way I wanted her to. I hoped it would grow on her. Many months later, I asked her how she liked it and she said that she hadn't even played with it once. I told myself I wasn't going to get her any more gifts. I got over it before her next birthday, today.
Looking back, I have a real knack for getting people gifts that they could never want. Here is a list:
- A collection of Communist China propaganda posters for my wife.
- A trip to shoot model rockets with my niece.
- Water color supplies for my Mom.
- A bird watching book for my wife.
- A sleeping bag for my wife for Christmas.
- Morrowind: Elderscrolls 3 for the XBox for my wife.
A Fine Family Portrait
Here is a rare family photo. Better than Olin Mills methinks! Does she resemble either of us yet? There is still no consensus. Most people claim she is Vicky all the way. On occasion she is me.
I have jokingly been concerned since we went to the artificial insemination clinic. The nurse who performed it was a short, rotund, fire red-head. To me she seemed too casual and quirky in her attitude toward her work. Humming songs and such. I did get the chance to see the "genetic cells" under the microscope, but any coolness of that was wiped away when the nurse said: "you wanna see your little guys?"
The insemination is not quite as loving as the traditional method. All i did was sit around. After the procedure the nurse began to work on other dudes specimens. Thats when i noticed that those things could get mixed up easily if she were in an especially lax mood. Sure they are labeled, but I once baked cookies with salt instead of sugar and those were labeled too.
Suddenly i started to feel a bit queasy. Being that close to other dudes specimens was bothering me for some reason. Luckily we left soon after. In the back of my mind I always wondered, "Did that crazy lady use the right test tube?"
I am not much concerned about the paternity anymore. After all Lenore seems to have my butt chin. But every time someone sayes, "Oh, she is 100% Vicky," I wonder...
One of my buddies when he learned that we were pregnant, congratulated me like I was a real man. I responded by saying that my contribution was minimal. He came back declaring that it was I (Chris) who impregnated Vicky. I conceded but in my mind i was thinking, "It was either me or the crazy redheaded nurse who did."
Little Star
I read this Graphic Novel the other day called Little Star. It is a story about a dude and his life with a 2 year old girl. The art was cool, and the story was cool but what really made it stick out to me were the parallels the main character had with me. First off, he is constantly awoken by his little girl. Sure thats every parent. He is also an artist working in a pseudo-art industry with secret dreams of being a real artist. He likes to go stargazing to relax and ponder crap. He likes to take his family geocaching. So many things helped me to relate to this short illustrated story. It almost felt like it was a premonition of the years ahead. Vicky read it and she too was stunned by the parallels. She even spoke of writing the author to let him know that he nailed us down.
I have several friends who are trying their best to provide for their families. My best friend even returned to school at age 30 to ensure his family is supported with a better career. I admire this and may follow his example. My brother Gene can't seem to make it back to school. He is currently trying to become a pilot with hopes that his passion can become profitable. Meanwhile, he is very committed to providing for his family and so he works diligently at a different trade which allows his wife to stay home. And he was the irresponsible one growing up. My other brother Jeff, I worry less about. He'll will always be ok. He is very good at taking care of himself and earning money. But even still i am sure he feels the pressure as a new father.
I had a therapist once tell me that things tend to work themselves out somehow. Just because you can't foresee the end result doesn't mean that you should doubt it will turn out fine. Vicky and I prayed diligently for the chance to have a child. I really wasn't expecting the infertility crap to work. When She told me the test was positive I still didn't want to get my hopes up. Finally we have Lenore and its the most bitchen thing ever. I even like her when she is crying her head off and drooling all over me. But looking back, there was nothing simple about getting to this point. Vicky has 3 scars on her belly to attest to it. I seem to worry about it even though the outcome is well behind us. Maybe i should see that therapist again. $60 a session though. That could buy alot of comic books.
Bipolar Baby
Last week my mom got Lenore to bust up over flatulence noises. Fortunately it was caught on camera. We are trying to get her as accustomed to people as possible. Since I (her father) was such a shy kid, I feel like i need to work extra hard to ensure she will not be. I know that kids can't help but love Mom above all others. I feel the more kids get along with their family members, the better relationships they will develop as they age. For whatever reason, Lenore always seems to cry when Nana holds her. Perhaps it is because Nana is little and Lenore is accustomed to big holders. Or maybe we just happen to hand her over when she is cranky. Whatever the reason, it is our goal to try and break her of the 'cry with Nana' problem. Enjoy the video.
Family Home Evening Ideas
Make Collages using old magazines
Use Vickys parents' jacuzzi
Take walks
Shoot hoops
Write a story
Work on blog
Do yoga
Draw pictures
Invite a new member over
Do Family History
Memorize stuff (presidents, prophets, capitols, etc.)
Go to the library
Use Vickys parents' jacuzzi
Take walks
Shoot hoops
Write a story
Work on blog
Do yoga
Draw pictures
Invite a new member over
Do Family History
Memorize stuff (presidents, prophets, capitols, etc.)
Go to the library
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