The Dubs

Christmas Trees and Whatnot

2011-12-08T11:25:00.001-08:00

2011 has been a year of tremendous blessings in our home. First and foremost, Eli entered our family in a surprising, but healthy and exuberant manner. One week before his arrival, Tim successfully defended his Master's Thesis in Electrical Engineering and I got to be there for the presentation. It was such a blessing to sit like a (hugely pregnant) fly on the wall during what was the culmination of countless late nights and hard work. I am immensely proud of his perseverance and endurance.

In addition, 2011 has also been a year that has stretched us. It held unseasonably high expenses. Perhaps we should have seen the writing on the wall this time last year when our heater went out. I looked at Tim and said, "Can we call the Landlord?" Yeah...we bought the house a year and half earlier and of course the initial purchase insurance had expired six months prior.

Replacing the HVAC ended up being the beginning of a long line of unexpected debits - thank the Lord for savings. We are so thankful God had provided for us throughout the years and allowed us to save so that we could tread through the extras without fainting entirely as each bill arrived. Although, there were a few that did take my breath away. In the last month, we sat down to look at and then recreate our budget. A season of deliberate, mindful saving is before us.

With that said upon looking back over the last couple of years, we haven't been diligent stewards and have not paid sufficient attention to where we were spending money. It is no great shock to me that God is taking us through a period of evaluating our needs versus our wants.

Honestly, I am enjoying this time of reflection and reevaluation. Well, I enjoy it when it is easy. I don't enjoy it when I need to forgo an over priced coffee that I used to spoil myself with weekly or the adorable dress that is on super sale but I do not need or have specific reason to buy.

Life is full of seasons and that is my mantra lately in so many areas of our life whether feast or famine. Speaking of seasons, it is Christmas time and one of the most magical times of the year. (Did you enjoy that transition:) ) Like many of you, one of our festive Christmas outings is getting a tree. There is something so special about picking out a tree, dramatically driving it home without it flying off on the freeway and then trying to position it just right in the tree stand - "a little to the left, sweetie....no, back to the right...okay, now a bit forward...back to the left..."

Well, this year we headed to the tree farm with our budget in mind and were unsettled at the thought of spending anywhere from $50 to $80 on a tree especially when we will be traveling a lot this month. We walked around and took some photos, but couldn't bring ourselves to shell out the cash. I realize that we sound bah humbug but it is what it is.

Tim and I put our heads together and came up with a diy Christmas tree. It doesn't have pine needles or smell wonderful, but it was thought up with love and consideration for the season. Holidays (and everyday) are about making memories and investing in ways that last. I think I will always remember this year's "tree". The best part is that I honestly love how it turned out. I just might keep the branches around year round - tamed down anyways.

Merry memory making!

With just the glittery ornaments (favorite)

With added memory ornaments

Drumroll, please...

2011-12-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

I don't think we ever properly introduced our second not-so-little bundle of joy. It has been a little over six months since he joined the Whitacre clan and I never got my act together enough to send out a baby announcement.

So, drumroll please...

We are so proud and thankful to announce the six monthaversary of the vivacious Elijah Ryan Whitacre. He was born on May 20, 2011 at 8:55pm. He weighed in at 7 pounds 9 ounces and 20.5 inches long. He sported a full head of dark hair and captured our hearts from day one.

Eli, as we call him, is a fun loving kid. He loves to laugh especially at Kona, Asia and most of all his big brother, Jude. He is pretty easy going and loves to be held. He likes to be tossed around and "rough-housed". When he is tired he sucks his thumb - adorable! He makes crazy sounds including a not so adored screeching/high pitched scream when he really wants some attention or when he gets very excited. He is sitting up, but doesn't do much purposeful rolling. Crawling...what's that? Most remarkably he has already had six hair cuts and he still has a mop of hair.

Six months later we can't imagine life without him.

Our Little Dinosaur

2011-10-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

Eli is a joy. Really, we are enjoying him immensely. He is a very happy and curious baby. He loves sounds, people and the outside. His favorite things are his big brother and his dog.

On the note of him liking sounds, he also loves to make sounds. At the beginning of October he was making these strange growling/talking noises that have since developed into what I would call a screaming witch sound. It can be a bit unnerving these days but he is content as can be and I think he might even think he sounds good. I don't want to burst his bubble just yet. Although, Jude has on occasion told him he is being too loud.

Lucky for you, I can't find a video of the witch call so here is a clip of our little dinosaur "talking" to his brother (or anyone who will listen).

Jude Update

2011-10-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

I knew I hadn't written in quite some time, but recently visited our site and saw that the last post was Jude's dramatic morning. It is time to update that situation.

We saw a dermatologist in SLO and were told the growth was a pyogenic granuloma. It is a blood vessel that makes its way out of the skin's surface and becomes an outgrowth. It isn't anything of concern, but is problematic in a two year old because it will bleed incessantly with the slightest touch - duely noted and experienced. We were told we could try to hold him down and keep him perfectly still for an in office removal or as they suggested go to Stanford for a "conscious sedation" and have it removed while he is not fully present.

My wonderful sister-in-law works for a local, highly reputable dermatologist. She ran the options by the doctor and the doctor felt that she could very easily take it off locally and there was no need for Stanford. Thank goodness! We figured it was worth a try.

The morning of the appointment we talked to Jude about going to see the doctor and having his bump removed. He was glad it would be coming off as he would complain of it bothering him periodically. The best part was that his Auntie DeDa would be helping.

He sat on Daddy's lap and cried for about one minute when the numbing shot was given. Then we put a Curious George DVD, his favorite, in front of him and in about five minutes the doctor was done with the removal and cauterization. He is still boasting a red scar, but it is slowly diminishing. There is a twenty percent chance of it coming back, but it is very treatable.

Other than heart failure during the first incident, I think we have all come away in good shape. Jude is doing great and loving life - especially motorcycles, airplanes and helicopters.

Here is a more recent picture of Jude with chocolate (not blood) all over his smiling face.

First Scare

2011-08-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Tim with His Mini-Me's

I have been debating whether to write about this or not, but alas I have chosen to share the drama of last Tuesday morning. It actually started a little after midnight on Monday night.

We heard Jude start crying, which is fairly normal for him. I guess I fell asleep (the product of two and a half months of disjointed sleep) I woke up about an hour later and realized he was still crying off and on. This was surprising. Then I heard him ask for water. I woke Tim and asked him to get Jude water. He stumbled into the kitchen and went into Jude's completely dark room, handed him the water and came back to bed. A few minutes later, Jude was quiet and back asleep.

Tim left early on Tuesday morning to meet some guys for a morning Bible Study so when I heard Jude talking and calling for me at 6:30am I knew I was on duty. I was standing outside his door listening to him and realized that he was saying, "Mommy. Yucky. Wash." "Hmmm....this can't be good", I thought. It wasn't.

I opened his door and greeted him as I turned on the light. To my utter shock, his face, hands and pajamas were covered in blood. Yes, you read that correctly - B L O O D. There was blood on his bed sheet and bloody hand prints on the crib railing. I took a deep breathe and kept in mind that he was standing and talking happily, but my stomach was in my chest and my eyes were filling with tears. I tried to keep my voice calm and steady for Jude and told him we needed to clean him up. First things first, I called Tim and asked him to come home asap.

Let's back up a bit...in late June, Jude got a red spot on the left side of his jaw back near his ear. It began to stick out a bit and then by the end of July had significantly increased. In mid-July the doctor told me to watch to see if it grew. Boy, did it! In three weeks it tripled in size. I am pretty sure it will be diagnosed as a Hemangioma when we see the dermatologist.

Back to Tuesday morning. Jude's red "bump" as he calls it had either burst in the night or he had picked it and broken it open. However it happened, it was quite a bit of blood for a twenty two month old. I took a picture of Jude before I "cleaned" him up because I wasn't sure what the doctor would need to know and I am not great with blood or anything medical for that matter.

Enough Said

Holy Cow

Tim then walked in the door as Jude was beginning to eat some banana bread (good sign that he was hungry and wanted food pronto). As we were discussing what to do, Jude stood up and said "Wow" and acted like he was dizzy. I flipped at the thought of him being light headed so we all got in van and started driving to the ER.

At the end of our street, we paused and looked at each other. After our recent ER experience, we wanted to stop and think about what was best and what was necessary. We decided to make our first stop Tim's sister Linda's house. She works at a dermatologists office so we figured she'd have some insight into what we should do. At this point I should stop to say that this is the story from my perspective and not Tim's. I'm pretty sure he knew Jude was fine once he saw him eating the banana bread.

Linda cleaned him up and stopped the bleeding and we all returned home. Jude watched some Curious George while I gained my sanity and Tim eventually left for an appointment. We saw the doctor later that day and will be pursing further diagnosis through a possible CT scan.

I was hoping the hemangioma would shrink with all the blood loss, but it hasn't. It looks worse than before. Jude is just fine and up to all his antics, jokes and silly faces. Though he does touch his "bump" and ask me to cut it off. Maybe someday, Kiddo, but it ain't gonna be Mommy.

Jude, you are a courageous little man and we love you so much.

Camping with Kids

2011-08-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

Every year, the Whitacres and Friends meet in Big Sur for a summer campout. Last year, Jude and I were in Austin, Texas visiting my BFF since elementary school so we didn't make it. Thus, 2011 was our inauguration into camping with kids. Let me just say that it is a whole new world for us. We had a great time and Jude especially thrived (during the daylight hours). On that note, I think it took us the same number of days to recover from camping as the number of days we actually camped.

The best part about this annual trip is the people. Tim's brother Brian and his family fly out from Tennessee and friends come from far and wide to enjoy their company. Jude got to hang out with his cousin Rose (Brian's ten month old daughter), as well as the other adorable and "same as cousins" kiddos Edie (5), Clara (2), Emery (21 months), and Everette (8 months).

We look forward to and plan for this trip every year and it has without fail been a very special time each summer. This year we lucked out on a river site which as a huge blessing of white noise for the kids while they slept.

Our days were spent playing with the kids in the dirt, water, tents or the back of the van. We sat, ate, slept, walked, talked and mostly enjoyed a slower pace of life for a few days. Of course, we managed a few trips to the camp store for ice cream before dinner.

Jude's favorite activities included throwing rocks into the river, wading in the river and jumping off tree roots. Eli's favorite activities included watching the wind in the trees and being held all the time.

I think the thing I will remember most about the 2011 Big Sur campout is the fact that we got yelled at by our neighbors on the first night because Jude was screaming bloody murder and we couldn't calm him down. It was epic! Eli slept through it so I don't know why the neighbors couldn't:) I'll have you know the consecutive three nights were much better - Praise the Lord.

Here's to many more Big Sur campouts over the years and to watching our kids grow up together (which means we'll be growing old together)...

Garbage Day

2011-08-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

We had a moment - Jude, myself and...the Garbage Man.

Tuesday morning at Casa de Whitacre is garbage day. Jude loves listening for the truck and then finding me to tell me it is close. We then run out the front door and sit in front of our neighbor's house to watch the truck make its way around the court. We watch it lift the garbage cans, dump them out and put them back down. The best part of all is when the Garbage Man stops to wave at Jude and honk his horn.

We have been doing this for many, many weeks now. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of garbage trucks but seeing the joy in Jude's face is priceless. I'll follow garbage trucks around town to see Jude light up like that. Don't worry. You'll get to see it too. I am posting a clip below.

Well, this Tuesday we proceeded with our normal routine. After the Garbage Man finished his pickups in the court he turned onto our street and then backed up (on the wrong side of the street) to come alongside where we were cheering on the sidewalk. He said hello. Jude was speechless and wide eyed. Then he said he had something for Jude and pulled out a toy yellow garbage truck! It was the coolest thing ever.

Honestly, it was so sweet of him to have thought of Jude and brought the truck with him. We will definitely continue to run out to the sidewalk on garbage truck day (as if I have a choice).

Thank you, Garbage Man! You made our day.

This is a clip of Jude's pure delight in garbage trucks. It was taken during a recent camping trip when the garbage truck made its rounds through the campgrounds.

The Ranch for the Fourth

2011-07-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

We Kimmel kids were blessed to grow up on Kimwood Ranch in Potter Valley, California. It is now Kimmel Vineyards and continues to be one of (if not the) my favorite places on earth. I remember spending my summers running wild through fields, playing in the creek, swimming in the pool and imaging up all kinds of games and adventures with my brother, Ryan. It was the childhood I would love to now be able to give our boys.

Every year we return to The Ranch (as we affectionately call it) over the Fourth of July. This year, we spent most of our days down by the creek with Jude. He had so much fun and Grandpa even found him a turtle! I am so happy he is getting to experience some of what I love even if it is only for a few days a year. Though, I am foreseeing a future of week long "Grandpa Camp" in his future with lots of tractor rides, hikes, swimming, turtle hunts and so much more.

This year included my Nana Lillian giving Jude a haircut, which she hasn't done since my brother was little. I have seen so many photos of Nana cutting my brother's hair that it was a sentimental moment for me. Plus, I really miss my brother. He flies an F-18 for the US Navy and is currently deployed. Speaking of which, my brother's dog, Buddy, was in tow and Jude really loves him.

To top it all off, Jude got to gobble up the famous "NanaCakes" which were so delicious. We always put in a special order when we go up there. They are the best pancakes ever.

Kona was in seventh heaven with room to run and so many wild animals to chase.

Before hitting the ranch this year, we were able to meet up with my best friend from childhood, Mellissa, and her kids in Santa Rosa. We now live states away from each other so this was a true treat for us. The best part was that she got to meet and hold Eli in the first few weeks of his life. She was able to do the same with Jude and it has been so cool.

Here is a glimpse into a our Nor Cal adventure:

Introductions

2011-07-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I didn't spend much time thinking about how Jude would respond to Eli when they were first introduced. One thing I knew for sure, I was going to cry when they met. I would tear up when I did take the time to stop and think about it.

It went better than I ever could have hoped. My mom brought Jude to the hospital and he was holding a bouquet of roses from our yard. He melted the hearts of all the nurses as he strutted down the hospital hallway to visit us. He absolutely melted my heart too when he wanted to sit on the bed with me and talk. At first, he didn't see Eli who was lying beside me. I pointed to him and reminded him that we had been talking about a baby brother and that now he had arrived. Jude looked at him and got really quiet for a while clearly processing what now lay before him - a baby brother. Then he wanted to kiss him and hold him. It was amazing.

I know they won't always want to kiss and cuddle each other and that the transition is still in its infancy. With that said, I am thankful the initial introduction will always be a sweet memory for Tim and I. We are thrilled to have brothers so close in age and look forward to seeing their similarities and differences as they grow together (as we all grow together).

Telling Pictures

2011-07-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

I found a few photos of the boys that are similar and thought it would be fun to see them all in one place.

This is my mom holding Jude a few days after he was born:

This is my mom holding Eli when he was three days old:

This is Eli at six weeks:

And this is Jude at six weeks:

I wouldn't say they are duplicates, but they are definitely brothers! And...isn't my Mamasita the cutest thing you've ever seen? She's an amazing Nani and the boys love to snuggle with her (obviously).

Sharing with Mommy

2011-06-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Jude discovered the glories of a chocolate shake a couple weeks ago. He asked to taste mine and the rest of the meal kept coming back for more (who wouldn't?). We started playing a little game of trying to drink from the straw at the same time. I think I know where he gets at least half of his silliness from.

Happy! Happy!

2011-06-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

My goal was to edit the video of Jude meeting Eli for the first time and get it posted before I posted anything else. Well, the video is still unedited so I am going to move on and then go back otherwise who knows when the next post will be.

We skyped with Tim's brother and his family on Saturday morning. Their daughter loves "If you're happy and you know it". We all sang it together and Jude thought it was the greatest. To say the least we have been singing it ad nauseam for the last couple of days. He says, "Happy! Happy!" when he wants to sing it. It is actually really cute (the first couple of times). We have started asking him to start us off...here we are on our ride home last night.

It Happened One Friday Night...

2011-05-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

I am not sure where to begin with all the thoughts mixing up in my head, but I'll do my best to tell the birth story of our second son, Elijah Ryan Whitacre.

As I have said before, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes about three months ago. It has been a trying journey in discipline, attitude and acceptance. One of the major concerns with the condition is the risk of a large baby - aka too large for the mother to deliver. Our OB wanted him out and about by 39 weeks to avoid this situation. At 37 weeks I was 70% effaced, 3cm dilated and the little one was sitting at zero station. By all counts he looked ready to go and the doctor didn't see any reason why he wouldn't come on his own. Then 39 weeks came and went and she started talking about induction. I was adamantly against it and she willingly heard me out and we continued waiting. I went in for a routine appointment on Friday (39 weeks, five days) and we had a "heart to heart" about the risks of waiting too long. We compromised as I agreed to have my membranes stripped to try to get things started on Friday, May 20th at 11am. I was already 5cm at this point. My water had been leaking slowly since noon on Thursday as well.

Contractions and some cramping started at noon. I put Jude down for his nap, took a shower, ate and laid down for a nap myself. Tim came home about 2pm and began getting our final things together for the hospital. After napping, we decided to start walking. With Jude and his tricycle we set out around the block. I was talking and walking through the contractions, but having a hard time telling when they were starting and ending. After the walk, I laid down again and the contractions slowed so we decided to get up and at it again. This time Linda, Tim's sister, was with us and we set out for a longer walk. Every few contractions, I would need to pause and breathe through but nothing that seemed "strong enough" to be doing much from my perspective.

On a random side note, we had Kona with us on the walk and a car drove by with two dogs in it that were barking their heads off at her. One of the dogs actually fell out of the truck window it was barking and leaning so hard. Tim helped the owner calm the dog and get it back in the truck. Maybe we should have known the drama was on the horizon with dogs falling out of trucks around us.

By around 7pm, contractions were continuing, but I was still working through them without much difficulty. At this point I was feeling discouraged and that there wasn't much more I could do to speed things along so I tried to come to terms with the fact that this too would be a long labor.

My mom arrived at about 7:20pm. At 8pm, I was officially discouraged and decided to go to bed. At about 8:35, Tim came in to check on me and I told him to tell my mom and Linda to get some rest. It was going to be a long night. While he was talking with them, everything changed.

My water broke with fury. I don't know how else to put it. It was very painful and sudden. I called to Tim and burst into tears. The tears were a mix of the surprise pain and disappointment that my water had broken and we were definitely headed for the hospital. At this point, things might start to get graphic so if you don't want details I suggest you stop reading. I can be very good at giving too much information.

Tim began talking me off the ledge as I was very upset. He got me off the bed and tried to get my now very wet clothes off and get me on the toilet. Then the contractions started with wild abandon coming one on top of another. I collapsed onto the floor shaking uncontrollably with my teeth chattering really hard. I think I kept saying, "I need to get a grip" and "breathe". Tim began trying to dress me so we could get in the car. I could not fathom getting in a car at this point, but had little to no ability to communicate what I was thinking. After another contraction on the floor I told him I needed to get on the bed to be more comfortable. If you have ever seen our monster bed, you know this is ridiculous. Doesn't matter. We got on the bed and I let out a very primal scream as I felt the unstoppable urge to push. Tim yelled for help and Linda ran in (Linda and my mom had been getting our things into the car and trying to take care of last minute details as quickly as possible). She assured me that I was having a bowel movement and it would all be okay. Yep, I am openly telling you that I pooped on our bed. Welcome to the land of childbirth. This is when Linda called 911. Another contraction hit, I grunted and pushed while digging my nails into Tim's arms and telling him not to leave me. Then I finally get out what I have been thinking for the last minute: "He's here. He's coming." The next thing we know is Eli's head crowns and less than two seconds later the rest of Elijah followed caught by the steady, strong hands of his hero father at 8:55pm. Eli cried out right away to everyone's relief. The 911 operator said she could hear a baby crying in the background.

Thanks to our Bradley class we had reviewed what to do in case of an emergency birth so we worked to make sure Eli's airways were clear and then we laid him on my chest and covered us with blankets. From there Tim spoke reassuringly to me until the paramedics arrived. I was in shock and remained in some state thereof for almost 24 hours. We took a ride to the hospital in an ambulance and were very well taken care of.

Tim, Linda, my mom and everyone did such an amazing job in a very surprising and stressful situation. All I can say is that everything literally changed in a moment's time. We are so thankful that both Eli and I were fine and there were no complications. That is without a doubt due to the grace of God.

To say the least, we have talked about the events of Friday night over and over and over again. Were we missing the signs? What should we have done differently? What the what?!?

Then there have been comical moments remembered like when Linda was frantically looking for something to wrap me in and brought out one of Tim's favorite flannels and I refused to put it on. I was in shock and not answering anyones questions, but I managed to refuse to mess up my husband's jacket - Ha!

I think that might top our list of most exciting Friday nights. What's yours?

Jude and I hanging out before our first labor walk.

Walking

Wow, big mama.

Jude being silly on our walk.

Paramedics Team hard a work.

I have decided to shut out the world at this point.

Tim cutting the cord

Even in the back of the ambulance, there is no denying Nani's excitement that her grandson has arrived.

In the hospital hanging with my new man

7 lbs 9 oz and 20.5 inches long

Cutie Patootie

I heart heat lamps

I heart my Auntie Da

I double heart my goofy Daddy

First Easter Egg Hunt

2011-05-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

Easter snuck up on us this year. I wish I could say that we did a great job of communicating the significance of Easter with Jude or that for the weeks leading up to it we talked about the amazing miracle of Jesus' resurrection. In so many ways, Easter is THE most significant of Christian holidays. Well...we didn't do a very good job, but I'm counting on the "there's always next year" saying in hopes of doing better.

At the last minute, we were invited to an egg hunt at some friend's house. They have an amazing, expansive yard that was perfect for the big event. I didn't really think Jude would get it or stay focused, but boy was I wrong. They split the kids up and the little kids hunted first. How cute is Jude in the line-up!?!

Second from the left - that's our boy!

He did great, as you can see for yourself in the movie. He caught on rather quickly and at one point was walking around signing and saying "more, more". We had a really good time and Jude scored some great candy! Too bad I can't eat any right now or it would all be gone. For now, we are rationing.

Post hunt photo op

After we got home, Jude went down for his afternoon nap and Tim and I commented that we didn't think he'd remember the eggs and candy when he got up. Once again, we were wrong. Upon exiting his bedroom, he spied his egg bucket and said, "egg. egg". Darn it. I guess we should have hidden it...and now we have.

Mom, this one shakes. I love eggs.

Mama, have you ever tasted this stuff before?! More, please.

We had a great Easter weekend and hope that you did too. It wasn't great because of egg hunts and cute kids, though we love those too. It was great because we were reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus and the breathtaking significance of His resurrection. He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Amen.

Differences

2011-04-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

First things first, I am over and I mean O-V-E-R using Critter to reference our first born. That coupled with the thought of having to come up with and use a nickname for our second born tips me over the edge. I will be going back to using their tried and true given names. Since there are approximately three of you who read this anyways and I know where you live, I think I may have over dramatized the situation. I know, it's shocking.

With that said, I am feeling the final stretch of this pregnancy looming before me. It has been a good pregnancy and up until about eight weeks ago I would say that in a lot of ways it was better than my first. I remember a dear friend telling me during my first pregnancy to live it up. She called it the Queen Pregnancy because it was all about me and the baby. There was no toddler to chase, feed, change, soothe, engage, teach and train. It was just me and my belly bump kickin' up our feet and biding our time.

For me there have been some distinct differences between the two pregnancies. Some are positive and some are less than positive, but I am so thankful that I get to be pregnant again and that we get to grow our family and welcome our second that I am "content" (struggling) to handle each difference as it comes.

I can't seem to remember exactly what week I am at. Last time, not only did I know the week, but each week I read the current chapter in the baby and me book.
I am chasing a toddler which is much more active than sitting at a desk. I didn't think it was making too much of a difference until about a couple months ago when my back and hips started complaining.
I get to take naps! This is a big plus and one of the benefits of having the first two so close together. Jude takes an afternoon nap and if I'm tired I can usually sleep longer than him!
I "showed" much earlier and in the past month have been asked repeatedly by strangers if I'm due "any day now?". Ummmm....no. But then I get to watch the pure tactless shame was across their face, so it's cool.
I feel prepared in some ways and in other ways, I've heard myself say "He'll live" if there is something that we don't have or haven't considered for the baby. And...it's true. There is so little that a newborn needs aside from Mom and Dad that I know I don't need my ducks in a row to feel calm about this guy coming.
It is known and by "it" I mean a few different things. The labor "it" meaning I know what a contraction feels like and I know it is going to be hard, but I also know what "hard and pain" mean in context. The baby "it" meaning that I'm excited to meet him, but it is not a blissful and naive, "my baby will be an angel that nurses like a champ and sleeps through the night at six weeks" delusion. It is an excitement based in reality, but that doesn't stifle our joy in any way. If anything it makes it more authentic.
This round I have gestational diabetes. This has been hard and at (many) times driven me to tears. I want to control it and make it better, but it doesn't work like that and my wonderful OB continues to remind me of the same. I might have more to say about this later, but right now I don't feel like getting into it.
Round one I stopped work a month before Jude's due date and literally spent almost every day taking a relaxing walk, swimming laps and lounging by the pool. That will not be happening this time and I will not be a golden tan color when the baby arrives.
I feel like I am nesting more this time. For example, last week I cleaned behind the fridge. Enough said.

That's all I've got for now. I am so thankful to get to do this again - pregnancy and child birth. I cannot wait to meet him and begin to discover this little boy. He's moving and groovin' in my tummy as I write. His ears must be itching:) I love you, little man.

Forty Eight Hours

2011-03-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

It has been seventeen months since Tim and I went anywhere or did anything for a more than a few hours sans Critter. To be honest, it hasn't felt like a huge loss or something I was sorely missing. I think more than anything that speaks to the timing of Critter's arrival into our lives and marriage. We were "ready" for him. We wanted him (in most ways) to turn our lives upside down...and he did.

With that said, last weekend we broke our record and went away for two whole nights. Yep, that's right. We were away from our little man and free as birds for almost 48 hours! This was all made possible by my wonderful Mamasita. She came and hung out with Jude so we could take time away together before son number two arrives and turns our lives upside down once again.

smiles of two free birds

Saturday was a beautiful day. It was so gorgeous I even got a little too much sun. We started out with a scenic drive with lots of ooohhhs and aaaahhs. It doesn't matter how many times I have seen different Central Coast areas, I am rarely without amazement at the beauty of this region. Next, we headed down to Rincon, a surf spot Tim and I have surfed in the past. It was more of a lake than the ocean, but was redeemed by the fact that there were about ten dolphins playing nearby. We sat and took in the serene and glorious creation before heading back to town.

Not Rincon, but still beautiful

Perfect day for learning to paddle board

We later walked the pier, rode cruiser bikes (I might have just been self-conscious, but I think I got some silly smiles from people noticing a very pregnant biker), ate delicious Italian and then shopped State St a bit. By about 5:30pm, I was starting to feel all the walking and biking so we headed back to the hotel for a little chill time before dinner.

bff

cruisin' with the belly

Earlier in the day, some locals had told us that a Mexican restaurant was having an anniversary menu with dinner for half price for just that weekend. Uhhhh...we're there. Sure enough, we showed up and downed delicious burritos for less than $15!

We concluded our trip on Sunday by sitting at a coffee shop people watching and talking about baby names and other what nots. It was a low-key, lovely time spent with my best friend doing a lot of what we did when we traveled together in the past - chill, take in the scenery, eat and enjoy each other's company.

It was a blessing to "get away" although I am thankful for all we have to come back to in Critter. I missed him. I loved getting to see his chubby cheeks and ginormous belly on Sunday and hear him "talk" about this toy or that airplane.

One thing I realized was that this kid has got me trained. Critter loves airplanes. His ear is tuned to the sound of an airplane engine. Every time he hears one, he points skyward, looks up and repeats the sign for airplane. If he's outside playing and hears one, he runs in and tells me that I must join him in looking for it in the sky and watching it in wonder. There were probably four or five times on Saturday morning that I heard an airplane, said something to Tim and pointed skyward. It became a little embarrassing, but also reminded both of us how much joy we gain from sharing in Critter's excitement and interests.

We are so glad we took the time to get away together. And are so thankful for supportive and sacrificial family that really made it even an option for us. Tim and I have always talked about wanting to prioritize our marriage and it felt good to take an active step in walking that out in a tangible way. I am anticipating that it will take more than seventeen months to do this again, but today I am thankful for the time we were given.

Fun with Scissors

2011-03-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

"They" say never to cut one's hair while pregnant. I think it is because of the hormones and the possible overly dramatic reaction that may ensue. I said, "What the what?!" and went ahead with it because I couldn't handle the long, stringy stuff that was posing for hair on my head.

Here's how pregnant I am:

Seven Months

Here's how the cut turned out:

Here's how much fun my boy had with Auntie Da while I was away:

Baby Blues

My Boys

2011-02-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

I love having a boy and the thought of adding a little brother to the mix is something I am looking forward to with anticipation...and trepidation.

Critter is so "boy" that I am wondering what our little addition will be like. Will he be like his big brother? I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

You can see what I mean in the video at the end. I love it! Boys are so fun.

Checking out the beach after having gotten soaked by the waves.

Watching a bird dive in the waves.

We were on our way to a friend's Mustache themed 30th Birthday - Creepers!

Just playing with his dump truck - Vaaroooom.

Studly trimming our front tree.

Studly's "mini me" holding down the trimmed branches.

Nothing stops Critter from getting outside.

Goofiness is apparently genetic.

Enjoying the ball pit at the Children's museum.

I've fallen and I can't get up. Mama, can you help me instead of taking pictures?

We had been at the park for all of three minutes when Critter dove into a puddle.

Riding home in just a diaper after puddle swimming.

Throwing Cans

2011-02-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing I have come to understand as a mother it is that anything can be turned into a toy. A few months or so back, Critter was very interested in lids - taking them off, putting them back on and repeating twenty times. When I used up the breadcrumbs, I washed out the tin and put it in his room in hopes of gaining five minutes of uninterrupted self-entertainment.

This morning he discovered another way to use it - throwing it. Now this comes as no surprise because he has a tendency to throw everything like a ball. We are working on what can be thrown and what cannot, but that is not the point. Normally, he would throw said item (if it wasn't a ball), realize it wasn't bouncing or rolling and then move on to something else. When he threw the can, it boingggged on the carpet. He laughed and thought that was the greatest noise.

After a few minutes I realized that the grandparents, aunts and uncles might want to see this so I grabbed the camera and tried to get him started on it again. It isn't quite as good as the organic realization and throwfest, but when he tries to get behind the camera to see the video it pretty much makes up for the re-creation.

Thirty for Thirty

2011-02-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

We met in our teens, dated and married in our mid-twenties, started a family in our late twenties and BAM here we are entering our 30's. Where has the time gone?

My wonderful Hubby turned thirty on Friday. To celebrate his milestone in the blog world, here are thirty things (in random order) I love about my One and Only:

1. His humility despite his incredible talents and abilities.
2. His love for people.
3. His dedication to his family.
4. The way he comes home from a long day and plays tirelessly with his devoted first son.
5. His generosity.
6. His tush (don't gag, it's true).
7. When he has to ask if something matches (not usually a good sign).
8. His sense of humor.
9. Integrity. Integrity. Integrity.
10. His love for music and that he will (hopefully) pass on his mad skills to our kids.
11. How he eats whatever I make, even though I'm always trying out random recipes.
12. That he chose to marry me.
13. His adventurous spirit.
14. His laid back, PNG infused demeanor.
15. His smarty pants brain.
16. His willingness to admit when he's wrong.
17. His willingness to fight with me, even when I'm not fighting fair.
18. His mad good looks.
19. His faith.
20. His dreams.
21. That he is completely himself in all situations.
22. He is a servant to those around him, including Critter and I.
23. His love of flight.
22. His creativity and thoughtfulness.
23. The fact that Critter hugs him for a full minute in the mornings at the thought of Tim leaving for the day.
24. The fact that if Critter wasn't taking up so much hugging space, I would do the same.
25. That the best part of our day is when Daddy comes home.
26. That when we were dating, Tim's friends would remind me what a stand-up, amazing guy I was with.
27. That we have spent countless hours laughing together.
28. It feels like we have always been best friends.
29. That he fixes things (even when I call him at work and complain that the internet is down).
30. That he is the only one like him in six billion and he is all ours forever and ever.

Blast from the Past (Christmas 2001)
Me, Tim and our good friends Andy & Stephanie

Fun with Soup

2011-01-19T21:18:00.000-08:00

One of the gifts Critter found in his stocking on Christmas morning was a set of "big kid" cups from his Aunt Kristy. I hadn't even thought of moving him onto cups yet and he has been excited about them since day one - Good call, Auntie.

Tonight after starring at our fridge contents for five minutes and unnecessarily air conditioning the kitchen trying to figure out what to feed Critter for dinner, I spied leftover tomato soup. Tomato Soup!?! Yep. Our sixteen month old eats almost anything especially tomatoes and olives. The only problem with soup is that he doesn't feed himself consistently with a spoon yet and the thought of spooning him food for the next half hour wasn't sounding pleasant. So, I slightly warmed the soup in one of the cups and he drank it up - yum!

To make the best use of my time, I proceeded to fill out some paperwork in the kitchen. When I looked up from my "to do" this is what I found:

Moral of the story: Tomato soup is good, clean fun (especially out of a cup).

Can I have another, please?

2011-01-12T19:19:00.000-08:00

Thai Honey Peanut Chicken
recipe and photo from www.thepioneerwoman.com

I realize that for most of you this is old news. I have heard friends talk about The Pioneer Woman for a couple years now. It took me this long to jump on board and actually peruse the website. I did so last night and kept interrupting Tim's thesis work to tell him about all the delicious recipes I was coming across. I thought he'd me more excited given the fact that it directly benefits him. So, now I share my excitement with you.

Tonight, I made Thai Honey Peanut Chicken and loved it - . It was so easy and delicious that I have decided to link to it in case a few of you want to try it. I roasted veggies as a side and it all came together quite nicely. Plus if you're a vegetarian, the recipe says you can substitute tofu and it works great as well. What I loved most is that I didn't have to go grocery shopping to try the recipe. I had everything I needed in my cupboard, freezer and fridge. That may be a cooking woman's dream come true.

For those of you who give it a shot, enjoy! I know we did.

Never Too Young for Chores

2011-01-06T22:34:00.000-08:00

He loves to vacuum and sweep! He insists on "helping" whenever I'm doing either. We plan to encourage and foster his love of chores for a very long time.

Christmas in Nor Cal

2010-12-30T19:48:00.000-08:00

Critter and I trekked it up to Nor Cal the Monday before Christmas to spend some extra time with my family. I was a little apprehensive because lately he has been very clingy, especially around "new" people. My family is not new to him by any means but I was thinking it would take him a day or two to warm up. Wrong. Thankfully and joyfully very wrong.

Critter went immediately to his Nani from the car seat and proceeded to give hugs all around to Grandpa and Aunt Kelly. It was wonderful and special as was the rest of our time with them.

For the most part, we laid low only getting out to run errands or go to the park between naps. Grandpa, Tim, and Uncle Ryan did take Critter on an adventure to Train Town one day. It was good to be with family and watch Critter play, interact and enjoy his Kimmel side.

Christmas Day was a blast. Critter was pretty good at tearing wrapping paper, clapping and screaming in excitement as gifts were opened or when he deemed it necessary to liven up the party. Grandpa and Nani surprised him with his first laptop. That's right, fifteen month olds with laptops! It works on the alphabet and phonetics, but Critters favorite setting is music and sounds. My extended family came over for dinner and an epic white elephant gift exchange in the late afternoon. My Nana (Critter's great-Nana) gifted him a very cool quad bike. Jude immediately got on it, pushed the button and rode into the sunset (actually, it was down the hall in my parents house).

The days following Christmas were spent wedding dress shopping for my sister, Kristy. Karl proposed to her on Tuesday, the 21st, up at Kimmel Vineyards on a swing (he built from a tree he cut down at the ranch earlier in the fall) that he hung from an oak tree lit up by white Christmas lights. To put it nicely, he rocked the proposal and we are excited for what lies ahead of both of them. To the point: Kristy found her dress! It is gorgeous and I can't wait to post pictures come June. Happy wedding planning.

Because I am terrible at choosing just a few photos, here's a slideshow and a couple movies of our week.

My amazing wife of 6 years

2010-12-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

Wow,

6 years ago Jill and I were just about to start our journey together as husband and wife. We had dated for 3 1/2 years before I had finally gotten my act together and asked her to marry me.

A short 4 months later we were at the chapel of camp san luis about to say I do. The day was december 19th 2004, a mere 2 days away from the official beginning of winter. Unlike today, which is a wonderful day to stay inside and cuddle up next to a fire in order to stay out of the rain, 6 years ago there was not a rain cloud to be seen. It was a very crisp fall day which allowed us to take pictures outside.

I remember how surreal it was when the music (played by family and friends) started and the doors at the back of the chapel opened to the most beautiful woman in the world, my wife to be! The music was an instrumental I had heard on a surf movie (Fernie Apodaca and others from the Shelter soundtrack for those who care). Every time I hear it my mind and emotions go right back to that day with me standing as my beautiful bride walked down that aisle. Our ceremony was traditional, with the exception of the 500 carat diamond paperweight that I tried to pass off as Jill's wedding ring.

After the ceremony we took more pictures before heading over to the officer's club where the reception was just starting. We had soooo much fun at our reception.... so much that some might have even thought we were either crazy or drunk. The funny thing is I don't think Jill drank anything, and I only had a glass of wine. Our family and friends danced, laughed, danced, and ate our way through the evening with us. I love that we had sooo much fun dancing out our own wedding. We both look back to that day and are continually blown away by how blessed we were to have such a celebration to kick of our marriage. Our families and friends did so much to make that day special for us. Jill had put so much work into making sure that everything was not put off to the last minute, which allowed us both to truly enjoy that day. For all of you who know Jill, you know she is able to get things done. This is something that amazes me and I hope will rub off on me more and more!

Since that day years have come and gone, with a cat, a dog, a house, a kid joining our ranks. As I think about those six years I am overwhelmed with how lucky I am to have my best friend in the world as my wife. She puts up with me and my many quirks and dysfunctional ways in a loving way that I don't deserve. How she is still able to laugh at my attempts at humor is something that astounds me. Memories of camping next to trains, living next to trains, moving out to a vineyard where the trains followed us... Hmmm, I have never thought about this train theme in our lives. Anyways, that will be another discussion at some point. Back to my wife. We had the absolute best time in the world travelling for 2 months around the south pacific. Paradise living in Huahine, rainy day hikes in Moorea, minivan touring in New Zealand, hotel hopping in Vanuatu, and returning to my childhood home in Papua New Guinea all were made special because I was able to be with Jill.

The end of that trip marked the point at which we started adding to our family. Our son came in September of 2009 to deprive Jill from sleep for 8 months. He is soooo extremely lucky to have her as a mother. There have been many hard things about having a son but Jill has continually impressed me with her ability to love him through all of the sleepless nights, diaper rashes, and tantrums (both his and mine). Now I have the privilege of seeing his face light up at the sight of his mom. She is so fun, loving, caring, and wise with how she interacts with him. He knows he his loved beyond his imagination by his mom and that is such a gift to me.

So how do you truly let your wife of 6 years how thankful, grateful, and in love with her you are? I don't know. I do know that no matter what I do it will never really match how amazing she is.

I can say that it has been such a great journey thus far. Jill has been and continues to be the love of my life, my best friend, the mother of my children, my confidant, my better half, and I want you all to know how lucky and blessed I am!!!

Puddles of Fun

2010-12-18T15:08:00.000-08:00

Today we decided to have a little adventure down to the park in the rain. Kona desperately needed some outside time and the Kid doesn't seem to mind the rain. This first clip is our crazy one being restless in the house before we decided to get out.

Hope all of you with little ones are managing to stay sane in the rain. Raise your hand if you just had the words "insane in the brain" scream out at you from inside your head. Now raise your hand if you actually raised your hand.... you see what I did there?

I Get What I Pay For

2010-12-15T19:58:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in a quiet house. Jude is sound asleep and Tim is playing a rare game of night soccer with his city league team. The Christmas decorations are up, which at our house means a lot of garland and white lights.

I realized this year, as I ran like an excited schoolgirl to the mailbox, that one of my favorite things about the Christmas season is receiving Christmas cards and letters. I love seeing pictures of friends and family. I love hearing about their year and what they have been up to. We hang the cards and photos from ribbons in our dining room and I look at them multiple times a day. In fact, I often leave them up long after all the other decorations have been boxed up and stored.

On the other hand sending out the Whitacre Christmas card is not nearly as exciting as receiving. But don't get me wrong, I know it is part of the deal so I do it. Sometimes I enjoy it because we have a lot to say or I really like the picture we chose. This year...not so much.

When I started looking into buying photo cards, things began to add up. It looked like on average it was going to cost somewhere between $100 - $150 to print and send cards. To some this might not seem like much. To me, this sounds like much more than I would like to spend. So what did a thrifty, frugal, downright cheapster like me do? I tried to make my own. Normally, this isn't such a bad idea. I've done it in the past and they have turned out decent. Perhaps they don't look like I ordered them from Papyrus or my local stationary store, but they work.

I sent my files to print on Sunday night and picked them up on Monday. When I opened the envelope my heart sank. Yes, I do realize that children are starving in Africa and in the larger perspective of things this doesn't matter, but my heart still sank. The photos and text are grainy, pixelated and muddled. I brought them home and was embarrassed to show my hubby. After looking at them, he suggested that next year I have him do a double check on file size, etc before I submit anything - duly noted.

I considered scrapping the whole idea and not wasting more money on stamps. But alas, I have attempted to set my pride aside and am sending them out tomorrow as is. What is done is done. I guess in the end, I did save money, but I also got what I paid for. I would say that I've learned my lesson, but I haven't really. I will try again to save money next year, but will at least bring in the brains of the operation before pressing submit.

And Then There Were Two

2010-11-08T21:05:00.000-08:00

Shortly after Critter's first birthday, I found out we were pregnant. That's right. You read correctly: Pregnant. I had a inkling a week or so before but kept putting off the test because I have a weird thing about finding out early and feeling pregnant forever and a day.

Well, I peed and there it was on the stick. I think pregnancy test results should come with an exclamation point, but that is another subject. I thought I found out around five weeks and was bummed that I hadn't had enough self-control to put off the test a few more weeks. On the other hand, I was really excited. Tim and I had started talking about the possibilities and the timing of our kids, that is if we could have things our way. We wanted them closer versus farther, but decided to just see how things played out. Now we know - homerun, touchdown, Gooooaaaaaallllllllll.

To tell Tim, I made Critter this silly hat made out of newspaper and letters clipped from a magazine that read Big Bro. I told him that I made Critter a hat and he smiled and said that was nice. Then he reached for him and looked at me with big eyes, "Really?!?". I grinned my response.

Then a couple of weeks (okay, one week) later I started to pooch out. I kept telling myself that women's bodies tend to react more quickly the second time around. But, I couldn't even suck it in anymore. I started going to the gym more, but to no avail. One week ago, I finally made an appointment with my doctor and she thought I was further along than I had originally estimated. Today was the ultrasound to determine where we're at in this forty week journey.

When we got the first ultrasound with Critter, I was six weeks and he looked like a little peanut. I couldn't even tell it was a baby other than his beating heart. Today was a different story. When the ultrasound picture came on the screen, I gasped. This was definitely a little person. We got to see his/her arms, fingers, kidneys, stomach, bladder, heart, spine, and more. The tech said I am twelve weeks and one day today, but that the doctor will decide the due date and let me know.

We are ecstatic, honored and blessed to be expecting our second child. I am looking forward to the journey of being pregnant with a little one year old boy to chase, teach and love. When I say looking forward I mean scared, nervous and tired at the thought (just kidding, kind of). In all seriousness, we cannot wait to meet this little one and welcome him/her to our family.

I am reminded through the gift of new life the amazing God we serve, the Creator. "For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13

One

2010-10-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

I remember sitting in a mom and baby class when Critter was just six weeks old and wondering if either of us were going to survive until he was six months. Last week, we celebrated Critter's first birthday. Not only have we survived, but on most days we have thrived. It has been a blessing getting to know this little man that God in His infinite grace and mercy has blessed us with.

I don't know what I thought before I had Critter, but I think I assumed that I would just know my son not that I would need to get to know him. Well, I have definitely had to get to know him and continue to do so each day. What I can say about this special boy is that he is strong in spirit and in personality.

He loves to laugh, wrestle, and explore. His Daddy is his hero (and mine). He is bright, loves music and playing with balls. He loves his dog, airplanes, birds and insists on touching all the trees and bushes that we walk by. He loves food and eats whatever we are eating (for this I am very thankful). He is full of life and adds so much to ours.

We celebrated his actual birthday with Nani, Grandpa and Aunt Kristy at the beach for the afternoon. The next day, we had a party at Tim's Aunt and Uncle's place in Templeton. Activities included lots of toy time, a zip line and a trampoline not to mention exploring in the trees. The highlight of the evening was Critter's reaction to his first cupcake - he gagged multiple times. He also managed to wipe most of the frosting all over his chest, face and hair. Critter was blessed by so many people who love him. As parents, Tim and I were blessed to see Jude surrounded by friends and family who love him and support us as we stumble along raising him.

As I look back I cannot believe how quickly the year has gone. My infant has become a jabbering toddler with a will of his own. I am looking forward to what lies ahead, but also think back fondly (and not-to-fondly sometimes) to what we have come through this year.

Happy Birthday, my sweet Son. I love you more than I could have ever known. And just think, Jesus loves you even more!

Look, Dada! No Hands.

2010-09-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Have you ever visited downtown Paso Robles? If not, you must. Not only do we have fabulous wines and amazing restaurants, but it also boasts a beautiful park in the centre. There is ample grass, trees that will be changing colors here very soon, a picturesque gazebo and lots of great people watching.

In the past few months, a new park feature has become my favorite - the playground. The little kids' (as opposed to the big kids') playground is just perfect for Critter. It sits under a shady oak tree and isn't very high off the ground. We have started going there a few times a week and in the last few weeks he has mastered it completely. The fact that I am impressed goes without saying, but he's not even a year old and he can climb up the stairs, over the bridge, fearlessly go head first down the tunnel slide, turn around and climb off the slide to crawl to the stairs and start over again.

He loves climbing and sliding. He practices going up and down and up and down. He also loves the steering wheel, but that is another video. Like a true master, Critter ends with big finish. "Look, Dada! No Hands".

Red Ball, Orange Ball

2010-09-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

If I had to guess I would say that Critter's love of balls - large, small, light, heavy, soft or hard it doesn't matter - started when his Grandpa visited in May. If my memory serves me correctly, it was the first morning they were with us and Grandpa got on the floor with Critter and started throwing a small, hard plastic ball with him. Jude caught on right away likely because he loved throwing anything and everything he could get his hands on. This was much to his Grandpa's joy since he played baseball through college - second base for Cal Poly, SLO - Go Mustangs!

Since then, his obsession has grown and now he has favorites. He loves his medium, red, bouncy ball which we have rightly named Red Ball. There have been a number of times when Critter is very upset for one reason or another and we don't know what else to do so we say, "Red Ball", and he starts to giggle. It works almost every time. He loves talking about it, bouncing it and kicking it.

About a week ago, we were taking our morning outing to a nearby park and lo and behold on the street (not near any homes) was a lonely, worn, orange basketball. I watched to see if anyone was going to pick it up, but given the early hour of the morning there was no one else out and about. We picked up the ball and proceeded with our jungle gym adventure.

Being the show-off that I am, I decided to show Critter my not-so-stellar basketball skills. I dribbled in circles, between my legs and bounced up and down with the ball. He loved it. He thought I was pretty good (some day he'll understand otherwise, but for now I'll take what I can get). From that point on, he has loved Orange Basketball. It is much heavier than Red Ball, but he manages to lift it over his head to bounce it across the floor.

I not-so-secretly hope that he loves sports as I do. Me? Competitive? What? But even if this is just a phase it is fun to see him figure out what he likes and doesn't like.

Cousins

2010-09-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

On September first two thousand ten at four fourty four in the morning, Critter's cousin was born. This precious little girl's name is Rose. She was 21.5 inches long and six pounds six ounces. She is gorgeous like her Mama and we just know she's gonna be sweet and playful like her Dada.

This is Jude's first cousin and we are so excited to welcome her to the family. We showed Jude her picture online and filmed his reaction. Perhaps he is reacting more to how much he loves his Papa and every word his hero utters, but we're pretty sure he's also ecstatic over a friend for all those family reunions we have planned.

Or maybe he is just laughing at our ancient computer...

Shoes for a Little Boy

2010-08-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

I admit it. I was giddy in the Target shoe aisle and it wasn't even for me. I was in the little boy aisle. I was browsing the size threes and Critter was busy seeing how many boxes he could pull off the shelves before I gobbled him up and put him back in the cart.

For the most part, Critter goes bare foot and I know this is something Tim loves. I've heard a story from when Tim was a wee one in PNG that he refused to wear shoes to school. I think if he didn't have pansy American feet now, he would still be barefoot.

Barefoot is still great when we're inside at home, but more and more Jude wants to push his Cozy Coup down the street or climb through the bark and up the stairs at the playground. The time has come for shoes.

We have been blessed beyond words by dear friends with hand-me-downs galore. Literally, I have not purchased more than two clothing items for Jude. With that said, shoes seem to be different. I've tried repeatedly a variety of shoes we have been given, but they either slip off or cut off his circulation (fat ankle syndrome likely from me). Today, we bought shoes.

I don't know why it feels like such a big deal, but it does. My little baby boy isn't feeling so baby like anymore. There are times where I miss the cuddly little guy, but in reality I love the moving, adventurous, discovering phase as he embarks on little boyhood. I know this is only the beginning. For crying out loud, he doesn't even walk on his own yet.

Right now it is his first pair of shoes. Hopefully soon it will be his first tooth. In another couple years it will be his first bike. Looking forward to lots more firsts, Critter.

The Family Band

2010-08-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

My Nana gave us her piano when we were first married and she learned that Tim played. I love hearing Tim play music whether it be piano, guitar, jimbae or any other instrument. I on the other hand have never had the knack for music and you don't want to be around when I'm trying to play guitar or pretending I can play piano.

Today Aiya (Tim's mom) captured our most recent addition to the family band. Just in case you're wondering, it was a one man band and his manager until recently. (Sorry for the angle of the video)

Cozy Coup

2010-08-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I was really proud of myself. I assembled the Cozy Coup. I realize this is not a difficult task, but when I saw all the parts and the five pages of directions I thought, "This is a job for the man of the house."

Well, the woman of the house is not patient, so I set to work. While Critter took his afternoon nap, I followed the step-by-step instructions. An hour and a half later, he was cruising in his car. We have ridden around the block and down the street to the park. Lately, he is enjoying pushing it around on the grass or sidewalk. He also loves opening and closing the door and climbing in and out of his bright red and yellow ride.

Thank you, Dauphins, for sharing! We love you guys. And not just because you give us cool toys:)

Here is a photo of us upon completion and another of Critter enjoying the result of my efforts.

Umm...Cool, Mama, I think

Three Dollars Later I Admitted I was Wrong

2010-07-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

One of the things I have learned (am learning) to appreciate about my dear husband is his love of cheap electronic "deals". Since moving into town a year ago from the country, we have enjoyed meandering the neighborhood on calm Saturday mornings perusing garage sales.

About a month ago at a garage sale practically across the street from us, Tim happened upon a Red Roomba. You are probably thinking to yourself, "I know that word, but can't remember why". That is because it is the robot vacuum cleaner that was heavily marketed not so long ago. I didn't know that people actually bought them. Apparently, they did, but now they are selling at garage sales for $3.

We didn't know if it worked, but it was in the original packaging with all the parts, etc. Tim said it looked like it had only been used a handful of times. I am not one to collect "junk". If I had it my way, our garage would be near empty and once a year we would take a truck full of stuff to the Goodwill just because it takes up space and time in our lives. Tim is very nearly the exact opposite. Naturally, my inclination was to leave the Roomba to some other sucker to store in their garage, but it wasn't a fight I wanted to take up. Tim saw the look on my face and responded like a true electronic engineer, "Jill, the sensors and servos on this thing are worth way more than $3. Even if it doesn't work, I can use the parts." I have lost track of the number of times I have heard statements like this. Our garage is full of these statements.

We got it home. It went in circles and didn't work. Surprise. Actually, no surprise at all. I had to keep in mind it was only $3 and Tim was enjoying the process. After google searches and a complete deconstruction and cleaning, my brilliant husband got it working. It turned out that it just needed to be cleaned out.

I was wrong. Tim was right. I'll say it again if I need to. He's brilliant and this may be the deal of the year for us. Thanks, Love, for being so handy and frugal.

The Roomba is awesome! It sweeps our tile and carpet floors while I am busily doing other things on the never ending to-do list. But the best part about the Roomba is captured below. It turns out it doubles as a babysitter/entertainer for our little crawler. When this video was taken, Critter had only been crawling for about five days. He figured it out pretty quick when he wanted to chase the vacuum.

Crackin' Up

2010-07-12T20:14:00.001-07:00

I posted this originally without any text and then viewed the comments and realized that I look goofy in the video. I am used to doing silly things, but I thought it was funny that I didn't even consider what I looked like or what I was doing. When I watched the video before posting it, all I saw was Jude laughing and having a good time. I guess a mother's love truly is blind...to her own ridiculousness:) Enjoy. I did.

Nash - Chat - Fla and Back Again

2010-06-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

We took our first cross country trip with Critter in early April. Please hold your laughter and horror as I describe our original plan:

Tuesday, drive to San Francisco and fly to Nashville. Wednesday, drive to Chatanooga. Wednesday night, start driving to Florida. Thursday, complete drive to Florida. Friday, hang out in Florida. Saturday, drive back to Chatanooga. Sunday, hang out in Chatanooga before driving to Nashville. Monday, chill in Nashville. Tuesday, fly back to San Fransisco and drive back to Paso. Just in case you forgot as we apparently did, Critter was six months old.

Most of the trip went according to "plan" except that instead of Critter and I driving back with the rest of the gang from Florida we caught a 1 hour flight from Orlando to Chatanooga. It may be the best decision of the year. It ended up taking the drivers twenty hours to get back to Chatanooga due to the Spring Break traffic coming out of Florida - Oh my.

Our first hint of trouble came as we sat at the Gate in SFO and I took Critter's temperature. It was 101F. I freaked out. Critter had never been truly sick before and we were about to get on a three hour flight. We ended up on the phone with the pediatrician sitting in our seats asking if we should get off the plane. They said it was okay to go, but if the temp got over 102 we needed to head to a hospital. Thank you, that is very comforting.

Critter ended up doing great because he slept for most of the flight. We were able to see my sister, Kelly, during our layover in Dallas. Critter was his happiest of the day with Kelly (no surprise there:)).

We finally arrived in Nashville and when I saw Tim's family, I cried. It had been a long day and my baby was sick. To Tim's surprise, close family friends, the Grahms from Papua New Guinea had randomly met up with his siblings in Nashville and suprised him at the airport. They were lucky enough to meet me with tears streaming down my face - lucky them:) Tim loved getting to see them and I enjoyed meeting another part of his very exotic other life.

The rest of the week was spent with Tim's siblings - Brian, Susan (wife of Brian), Julie, and Linda as well as lots of their friends and family. It is always fun to be with Tim's siblings. I am so blessed to be a part of his family. They make me laugh and they also challenge me to be a more real, honest person. I love my in-laws! So much in fact that sometimes I am offended by the word in-law because of its negative connotation, but that is another subject.

We drove to Florida to see Tim's Dad now known as Grandpa Steve. We didn't get to spend as much time with him as we would have liked, but the time together was good. We ate seafood on Anna Maria Island (see beautiful beach pictures) and then headed over to Grandpa Steve and Donna's house for a BBQ/Family Reunion. It was a great BBQ and we were grateful for all the family that came to hang out: Aunt Linda, Joselyn and her five (beautiful and way too fun) kids, Papa Emmerson (Tim's Grandpa) and Grandma Kay, and Donna's son and his three boys as well.

The week was a blur of travel though a few high points in no particular order were The Waffle House at midnight, seeing the Hawkins (Susan's Parents or my Outlaws), spring in Tennessee, eating so much junk food I wanted to barf, the crystal, clear blue water off Florida, the wisteria growing like weeds up tall trees, and...coming home.

On that note, this blog is a perfect example of why blogging needs to happen immediately after a trip and not two months later when the special details are all hidden away in my brain where I cannot seem to find them!

Warning: This slideshow is long so you might want to grab a snack for endurance. Also, we have a lot to learn about photographing the actual trip versus Jude during the trip. You will see very little of Tennessee or Florida, but a lot of Critter with people who love him.

Appearances

2010-06-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the messy look. I'm working on changing up the blog and I can't find a preview button so I'm working with what I know, which isn't much.

Critter Movin'

2010-06-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

I was in the kitchen listening to Critter play and decided to video him. He has been learning a lot this week and is putting a lot of it on display. He's doing his army crawl still, but gets up on his knees and feet quite often. He has begun moving from tummy to sitting and back again. My new favorite is the motor sound. I think the only thing he isn't doing in this video is showing his taco tongue. He has been playing around with folding his tongue and sticking it out - pretty cute if you ask me.

I had a hard time turning off the video camera so this one is pretty long. You also might enjoy knowing that many of his big grins are directed at his favorite toy of all - Kona.

Introducing Critter

2010-06-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

First things first: I was recently informed that it might be a good idea not to use my son's first name in a public blog. With that said, I will now try to refer to Little Man as Critter. Sometimes I just look at him and think that with all his squirming and giggling that Critter just fits. Okay, now that is out of the way...

Critter and I had a very full Saturday. He attended his very first swim party. He and DaDa swam it up in the pool and he impressed everyone with his excellent froggy kick skills - well, maybe not everyone, but Mama was impressed. From the swim party, we went to a baby shower that I was helping organize for a good friend. I wasn't sure how the day was going to go because of so many activities and so little time for quiet peaceful sleep. Well, it went great.

Critter loves, loves, loves people. I know I have said this before, but it is becoming clearer and clearer as he continues to grows and express himself. He smiles at everyone, scoots around and grabs onto strangers' feet asking to be picked up and played with. He is an absolute ham; flirting with nearly every girl in the room (but none more than Mama, of course).

I think the reason I am struck by this is because if you have ever spent an extended period of time one-on-one with Critter you will soon realize that he gets bored quickly. I have (more times than I would like to admit to) gone shopping so that he has people to look at and smile at. If he could talk, I think there are a few times he would ask, "Mama, is it gonna just be you and me? I mean are there gonna be any friends coming over? Really? Just you and me? Huh."

Today it struck me that how it might make me laugh to realize how social Critter is and how being with people energizes and excites him, but that God has made him this way for a purpose. I was thinking today about Psalm 139:13, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb". God created Critter and knew from before time who he would be and what he would be like.

I am still getting to know my son and hope to always be learning more about him, but God knows Critter inside and out. He has a purpose to use the joy Critter gets from being around people for His ultimate glory.

I love Critter more than I thought possible. He brings me great joy...and also brings me to my knees. Today, Critter's naps were short and disjointed, but he smiled, laughed, played and made many new friends. Today was a great day. Thanks, Lord, for Critter.

Kona Plays With Jude

2010-06-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

Jude is now scooting to wherever he wants to go. Last week he decided that he wanted to pet Kona. She is used to Jude trying to pet her but this time she started to play with him. You'll see her uncertainty in the beginning, but then she gets into it. My favorite part is listening to Jude laugh. Kona brings him so much joy!

KonaBear & JudeBear

2010-05-06T13:21:00.001-07:00

Yesterday evening, I sat Jude on the grass in our front yard so I could water the flowers. About a minute later, I turned around to see how he was doing. He was sitting contentedly, pulling grass, and looking around, but the best part was that Kona had laid behind him encircling him with herself. I could just see her looking up at me and saying, "Hey Mom, since you can't sit with Jude I'll take care of him for a few minutes." I wish I had a camera. It was precious.

Please do not eat the paper

2010-04-28T10:06:00.001-07:00

It finally happened. I knew that it would, but I wasn't prepared when it did.

We were in Target choosing a sippy cup for Jude. Jude was holding my bright blue shopping list as he has many times. I'm talking to him about the features of the different sippy cups so he can tell me which one he will actually use. It is a nice thought anyways. I turn to look at him and see that in is hand is half of a bright blue, now soggy shopping list. His eyes are really big and he is starting to get red-faced. My eyes get even bigger as I realize that he has eaten half the shopping list. I tipped his head back to see where it might be and it was stuck to the top, far back part of his mouth. I am so thankful it was bright blue. I was able to stick my fingers into his mouth and get it all out. We were both still staring at each other wide eyed.

He coughed and gagged a few more times as I held him close to me. Oh man, my little man, I am so sorry I wasn't paying more attention. Who cares about sippy cups, anyways!?

We survived and I learned a good lesson: Shopping lists are a choking hazard. That is true, but more than that Jude is exploring more, grabbing more, tumbling more and I need to be paying attention more. Long gone are the days of strolling through a store making googly goo faces at Little Man while he coos in his car seat. Way to up the ante, Jude. I love you, kid.

"Solids"

2010-04-28T10:01:00.001-07:00

Ahhh...I am so behind on blogging that I have been putting it off, which really makes no sense. I love posting, but once I have a list of all the things I haven't posted it feels overwhelming. Boo stinkin' hoo. Get on with it, Jill.

This post is long overdue but back in mid-March, Jude started "solids". I don't know why they call it solid because in reality it is soupy. We started with rice cereal and breast milk. We thought we were videoing, but it turned out to be on the time lapse setting.

It took him a couple weeks to get the hang of it, but now he gets frantic if I don't feed him on time. He leans forward in his high chair and opens his mouth as big as he can. Once he gets the first few bites down, he starts smiling and laughing. He might not look that much like me, but sometimes he really acts like me (frantic when hungry).

Road Trip

2010-03-31T13:48:00.000-07:00

Last week Jude and I ventured up to Santa Rosa to visit Grandpa and Nani. I realized that if we didn't take the opportunity to visit now, it would likely be five months by the time Jude and Grandpa got to hang out. The last time they cuddled was Christmas. It is important to both Tim and I that Jude know, love, and learn from his grandparents.

In an attempt to break up the drive time, I stopped and visited a vineyard manager I used to work with along the way as well as Big Lots in Salinas on my quest to find inexpensive outdoor cushions. Although, it was nice to catch up and I did find the cushions I was looking for, in the end it turned out that extending the total trip time was not a wise move. A combination of a late leave time, multiple stops, and hitting Novato, north of the SF Gate Bridge, at 4:30 pm created the perfect storm inside the Whitacre mobile. At precisely the moment, we hit stop and go traffic, Jude announced his absolute displeasure with my drive plan. He was done. The crying began and so did my search for an alternate route. I called my Dad and he instructed me to take an exit about 20 minutes from where we were. I almost pulled over on the freeway to play with Jude in the median just because neither of us could take it anymore - Jude, the car, and me, Jude's crying. We made it to our exit and instead of the median we played in the parking lot of Progressive insurance in Petaluma. There was a cool wind that felt lovely on Jude's hot cheeks. After about fifteen minutes of jumping, tossing, standing, and bouncing, I put Jude back in his car seat. He complained but refrained from breaking into a rage. Dad was right and the back way was much quicker. Within thirty minutes we were pulling up to my parent's house and Jude was free from the car - for now.

For the next day and a half, Jude got kissed, hugged, cuddled and played with by his wonderful grandparents and his Aunt Kristy. They fed him solids, helped him sit and play (with pillows all around just in case), went on walks and the most fun of all "swam" with Jude in the hot tub.

The trip south went much smoother than the trip north. We had a great time in Santa Rosa. I am so thankful for supportive, involved, and loving parents and grandparents. Since having Jude, I am coming to a better understanding of the benefits and joys of having family close. I wish there was a way for Nani and Grandpa to be a daily part of Jude's life, but in the meantime I am very thankful for the time he gets with them.

Time with Friends

2010-03-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, Jude and I drove down to SLO to visit with Nikki and her four boys (and a girl on the way:)). We had a great time catching up. We took a nice walk with the older two (Isaac and Caleb) on their bikes and the younger two (Josh and Jude) in the strollers. Nikki is a very dear friend and confidant of mine. She has been a huge support and encouragement in my life and especially since Jude's arrival. We got a picture of all of us after the walk. Some of the most simple times in our lives are the moments I enjoy most.

Nani Visits

2010-03-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

My mom, hereforth called Nani, visited us (read: Jude)last weekend. We had a fabulous time with her and Jude loved loved loved all the attention. We hauled him all over the place and he did a really great job. Nani got lots of smiles and laughs and got to see how much he's changed in just six weeks.

Nani arrived on Friday afternoon just as Jude was waking from his afternoon nap. He was a little shy at first, but I think it was more due to the fact that it takes him a few minutes to wake up sometimes. Once he realized that Nani had come to visit and shower attention on him, he was all over her with cuddles and smiles. We laid low that evening and Nani helped with Jude's bedtime routine including bath and story time. I have included a video below of her reading Jude his bedtime story - it is precious.

After Jude's nap on Saturday morning, we took Nani to our favorite Saturday morning coffee spot - Amsterdam Coffee House in downtown Paso. We met up with Aunt Linda, Tess, and Aiya (Tim's mom). We had a nice time loading up on caffeine and hanging out. Jude ended up taking a nap on my chest while we were there. He hasn't slept on me for weeks so this was a sweet time for me.

From coffee, we headed out to the wildflowers. They were just starting to come out and though the wildflower carpet was not in effect it was still beautiful. The blue flowers were really brilliant and my personal favorite. Jude enjoyed watching Kona play ball and we even had to build a stream crossing to get over to the meadow. It was a fun adventure.

Saturday evening, we went in separate directions taking advantage of an eager babysitter. I headed to the gym and Tim joined a friend to fly RC planes. Nani enjoyed her time taking Jude for a walk after he woke up from his nap.

On Sunday, we watched Tim play soccer in the city league. This was Jude's first soccer game and he loved it. Mostly he loved jumping on Nani's lap and people watching, but someday he'll come to love soccer too. From soccer, we went to lunch and then carved out time for the much needed Sunday afternoon nap. Ahhhhhh...I love sabbath Sundays.

Nani wasn't leaving until 7ish so we met up with Aunt Linda, Tess, and Rachael for a walk along the Salinas River. It was a really nice walk. Kona especially enjoyed playing fetch in the river. Jude wiggled his toes in sand for the first time and Nani enjoyed putting Jude's hat on sideways (see slideshow). I think one of Jude's favorite parts was that whenever he got tired of sitting in the stroller there was an eager fan ready to hold him instead of me who lets him know that he's okay and can sit it out. Hey, holding a sixteen pounder while pushing a stroller and heeling a seventy pound dog is not an easy task.

We had a wonderful time with Nani and were sad to see her go. I enjoy so much watching her love on Jude and get to know him. He loves his Nani so much and so do I.

Slideshow of our time together:

Video of Nani reading a bedtime story to Jude:

February Photos

2010-03-07T17:25:00.000-08:00

We had lots of fun in February enjoying some warm weather between rain storms, a wedding, and other Whitacre wildness;) Here are a few of our favorite moments.

Playtime

2010-02-27T12:22:00.001-08:00

This is probably one of the longest videos I have yet to post. I took it this week of Jude playing outside in his exersaucer while I attempt to video and throw the ball for Kona. If you listen closely you can hear Jude laughing at Kona. He really loves watching her. He also give me a few big grins when he turns and sees me. It melts my heart. Jude knows how to have a good time and I love watching him enjoy himself.

Jude and Dad sharing secrets

2010-02-20T11:52:00.000-08:00

I just uploaded some new photos to Facebook from our outing to the park this morning. After the park, nursing, diaper change, and clothes change Jude had quite a bit to talk about.

Tim is telling Jude some secrets and Jude proceeds to share them with the world and give a bit of a monologue. I love watching Tim and Jude interact. I know I'm partial, but Tim is a wonderful father.

Droolmiester

2010-02-19T10:17:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the formatting of the last post. Apparently the preview function is not an exact replication of what the post will look like. Note to self.

This is a classic Jude drool moment. He drools like this all day, every day. I have to change his shirts regularly to keep him from getting cold in wet clothes. I put bibs on him sometimes, but he blazes through those as well. I wonder if this is one of the effects of his mouth breathing habit (thanks to me)? Hmm...

Thoughts on Judo

2010-02-19T10:11:00.000-08:00

This week Tim and I were giving Jude his much loved nightly bath when I looked at Tim and said, "When did he get so big? He looks like a little boy now." And he does. He is interacting more and more.

His greatest joy comes in the form of a four legged friend, KonaBear. Kona doesn't realize yet that she has a stalker, but I'm sure one of these days she'll return the favor. Jude loves watching Kona.

The other day Jude, Kona, and I went to watch Tim play ultimate Frisbee on his lunch break. At one point Jude started to get fussy (bored, I think) and I said, "Where's your KonaBear?" Kona was running back with the ball I had just thrown. He saw her coming and just started giggling. He loves watching her. His eyes get really big and he usually talks to her about who knows what. I love it and someday Kona will too.

I think that right now the only thoughts going through Kona's head are "Are you kidding me? I can fetch, sit, run, jump, and feed myself and yet they are so impressed and captivated by this new little person! And he can't do anything but drool a lot and squeal in my face...annoying." Kona is a very gracious and loving dog.

On another note, I worked on Jude's baby book last night and realized just how much hair he has really lost. His initial pictures show lots of black hair and now he is outdoing Donald Trump for the ultimate comb over. His hair has lightened significantly as well and we are seeing hints of auburn. Tim was a blond toddler and I had strawberry blond hair for quite some time (once I got hair, that it).

Jude and Dad playing on the bed. My boys are so silly... and I love it!

Jude showing off his bandaids from his four month immunizations. He didn't cry as much this time, thankfully.

Playing in his excersaucer (Thank you, Wommack family).

Social Butterfly

2010-02-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday mornings, Jude and I pack up and head down to SLO for a mom's class. This class was my saving grace during some very hard weeks during Jude's second month. I look forward to them each week, but know that one of these days Jude will take an extended and much needed morning nap and we'll have to say goodbye to class. In the meantime, I am finding it quite amusing that Jude loves the class as much as I do.

Last week, I put him in his car seat knowing that he was going to get hungry on the thirty minute drive to SLO. Part of the class includes weighing the baby, feeding, and weighing again to see how much milk they are taking at a given feed. It is really encouraging when you realize that even though they are eating quickly, they are getting enough food. With that said, I always try to bring him to class hungry. With about ten minutes left of the drive (Cuesta Grade), he starts to complain in the back seat. I try to soothe him with my sweet words and quickly move on to trying to distract him with silly songs - nothing works. He wants food and he wants it now!

We park and I take him out of his car seat and give him a pacifier so that I can get him weighed without him crying the entire time. As we enter class, there are a few hellos from moms already having arrived. Everyone is chatting and having a good time. Jude spits his pacifier out and just stares...and then he smiles. I should have known then but it took me to the end of class to fully understand the implications of that smile.

He went to scream crying with real tears to giggling and looking around at everyone within about a one minute period. I was able to undress him, weigh him and re-dress him without so much as a fuss. I laid him on his back and he would arch around to look at the babies sitting across from him. He loves to stand, so I helped him stand and he just smiled and giggled at everyone. Throughout the class he giggled, laughed, talked, and smiled atveveryone. He had a great time.

I tried to feed him, but he basically looked me straight in the eye and said, "Listen, Mom, I'm here with all my friends and we're having such a good time. Can we please do this later?" Umm...really?!? I thought you loved to eat? I thought you were screaming your head off a half hour ago begging for me to pull the car over and feed you? "Mom, that was before I saw my friends." Sorry, my bad.

Anyways, he did the same thing today at class and I have come to the conclusion that our weigh ins have likely come to an end since he hardly eats with so many fun people around. It is cute to watch him light up around people and enjoy them so much. I never thought a chubby kid like Jude would put anything over food, but apparently social time ranks higher.

I'm really enjoying getting to know our son.

Capturing the Laughter

2010-02-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

Well, we have been trying for a month or more to capture Jude laughing on a video, but every time we would turn the camera on he would stop and stare at it. Make sure your sound is turned up for this one because the filming is a little wiggly due to trying to keep the camera out of Jude's line of sight. We caught a few of his giggles and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

2010-02-05T19:16:00.000-08:00

I just filmed Jude playing in his exersaucer. He really discovered it this week and has been enjoying it a lot. His favorite piece of it is a toy with a lion, cat, duck, dog, and something else on it. When he pushes different parts it makes the noise of the animal. The part he is playing with in this video is a little book with a mirror behind it. Jude loves mirrors! The best part to watch for is that in the middle he completely spits up and just keeps playing like nothing happened. So funny. I love this kid.

Grandpa's Birthday

2010-02-04T14:05:00.000-08:00

I just had to post this picture because it turned out so funny. It is my Dad's birthday today and in true form I put his card in the mail this morning. I figured that since he wouldn't get his card for a few days that it would be nice for him to get a little something in his email on his actual birthday. So...to Kona's dismay and Jude's wonder we set up this shot. My dad said that when he opened it he laughed out loud - mostly at Kona. He thinks we should rent her out for funny photo shoots since she lets us man-handle her so much. She looks so cute in birthday hats, though! Happy Birthday, Dad & Grandpa. We love you and wish we could be with you to celebrate today:)

Date Night

2010-01-26T09:26:00.001-08:00

Tim and I "celebrated" our five year wedding anniversary on December 19th. I put it in quotes because by celebrated I mean almost completely ignored because we were in a small tiff and were in Tahoe with friends that weekend followed by a week with my family in Santa Rosa.

Almost one month later, we were able to go to dinner and really celebrate and reflect on the last five years. Tim spoiled me by taking us to Thomas Hill Organics, a restaurant I have been wanting to try in downtown Paso. It was delicious and an absolute treat. We talked some about the last five years, but mostly we were Tim and Jill - out to dinner by ourselves enjoying each others company. It has been at least four months since we have been able to really do that.

One of the things that we talked about is how we both really want our marriage to come before our children. This is one of those priorities that is easier said than done. Jude's needs are so immediate and if they aren't met, he cries. Now let's be honest, sometimes I cry too when my needs are being met (Tim....I need you (read in a whiny voice)). I know that this season of infanthood won't last forever, but even in the midst of it I want Tim to know that he is my priority and the main man in my life. I'm still working out what that actually looks like on a day to day basis. We are hoping to be able to trade babysitting with another couple so that we and they can get at least one date night a month.

The other thing that came up is how amazing it is that God allowed us to be parents - US! We are blessed by Jude in so many ways. He adds a depth and purpose to our lives that can't be matched. He really makes us a family. I love that when Tim leaves for work, I get to look at the little critter in my arms and see pieces of Tim staring back at me...only this time I know more math that him!

Honestly though, in many ways I can't believe how fast the time flies - five years later with a baby seems and yet I have vivid memories of our wedding day - seeing Tim for the first time, our first dance (I was so embarrassed), dancing the night away surrounded by friends and family. It was a great day and if anything was the foreshadowing of the fun Tim and I would have on our little adventure together. I love my husband. Thanks God for giving me more that I could have asked or imagined.

Hmmm...I hear Jude talking to himself in his crib.

Jude with socks

2010-01-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

Jude got a slight diaper rash so I was airing him out for awhile on his playmat. I forgot to take his socks off and it was so cute I had to video him. He's doing so much better on his tummy!

Thanksgiving 2009

2010-01-14T15:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is correct. I am blogging about last year's Thanksgiving. My favorite part is that the last blog I posted says I am trying to put up a more photos on a regular basis...hmm...that didn't work out too well so far.

Anyways...we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with the Whitacre clan. Brian, Susan, and Julie flew out from Tennessee and all met the Judester for the first time. It was amazing to watch them love, cuddle, and care for him over their visit. I never knew what a blessing it would be to watch others love on our child and take joy in him. One of my favorite things was watching Brian, Tim's big brother, holding Jude at every chance he could get. I think Jude probably took 75% of his naps in Uncle Bri's arms...and loved every minute of it.

We had Thanksgiving on Friday at the Hawk's Nest with the regular crowd joined by the Wilkins, family friends from Fresno. The Wilkin's just had their second girl, Emery, less than a month after Jude. In true Hawk form, Thanksgiving include a bizarre game of some sort. This year it was pilgrim crochet. If I remember correctly it included Plymouth rock, turkeys, pillaging, and other interesting obstacles. In the end, it ended up being a free for all of cheaters:)

On saturday we added the Marschner's (more friends from Fresno) to the crew and continued to have a great time of fellowship and hanging out. We visited Morning Star Youth Ranch where Tim's mom volunteers. It was a beautiful day at the ranch.

On Sunday, we had a surprise birthday for Linda (after a really lame, fake birthday party after church). We each made her coloring book pages and told her something we love about her or a story we remember. Of course, Tim and I got teary eyed because we love our Linda to pieces.

I'm not going into much detail, but we did have a great time with family and friends. There is always so much to be thankful for throughout the year, but this year God truely blessed out socks off. Here is a quick slideshow of our time together:

A Photo Entry

2009-11-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

I am trying to take more regular pictures of Jude since I'm with him all day. Please enjoy a few of our favorites from the last week.

We hung out at a coffee shop this weekend and towards the end we were giggling about how big Jude is getting. He is quite the eater and as such is packing on the pounds. I love tubby babies...especially mine. Photo 1 - Jude's tummy is hanging over his pants. Photo 2 - Tim wants to know if he has extra arm joints or if those are just normal rolls of goodness.

Tim's coworker's wife crocheted Jude a beautiful pair of booties. Literally, they are gorgeous. We took a picture of them next to him for a thank you.

Jude snuggled up in the blanket my Nana Lillian made for him. Isn't he sweet?! (ignore the underlining. I can't figure out how to get rid of it)

Often, I call him my Jude Bear. I couldn't help but take a picture when he was wearing his bear shirt and staring at himself in the mirror. If you were that good looking, you'd stare at yourself too:)

Linda snapped this photo of Jude right after his bath. He's very content and as usual his hair is out of control. I had tried to brush it down, but decided to just let it be.

These next two pictures are after a feeding. Jude is full to the top and we are once again giggling (trying not to wake him) about his big tummy. We love it and can't keep our hands off it.

Mini Timmy

2009-11-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

I was browsing through photos this weekend and came across this photo of Tim being held by his siblings when he was a wee thing.

My jaw dropped! I knew that Jude was a Whitacre, but he is Tim's mini me. Seriously, check out the resemblance between my main man and my little man. At least I know Jude's gonna be super good looking :)

Our Little Movie Star

2009-10-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here are two clips I took yesterday. Jude is beginning to wake up and spend more time alert before crashing again. We are getting to know one another and I am trying to learn his likes and dislikes and listen for when he's had enough. That is such a simple sentence and such a difficult job. There are times when I want so badly for Jude to "use his words". Too bad he doesn't have any yet:) Enjoy!

2009-10-27T19:49:00.000-07:00

More pics of Jude and even a time lapse of him falling asleep. The first picture here makes me wonder if he is passive aggressive or really thinks I am number one??? The time lapse is funny because you can see how his color changes drastically between when he cries and when he relaxes.

Jude is here! Jude is here!

2009-10-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

September 24, 2009 will go down as one of the best days of our lives because our first child, Jude Justice Whitacre, made his debut. With that said, here's the back story.

On Tuesday night, September 23rd we celebrated Tim's Grandpa's birthday. We ate yummy chicken and veggies and laughed a lot at the Hawk's Nest with family. I waddled around and broke up the party early because I was tired and not feeling well (Every party has a pooper. That's why we invited you...party pooper).

Apparently, all this partying was too much for me because a few hours later at 2:22 am my water broke. I immediately went to the computer and googled to make sure that what I thought had happened had actually occurred. I got back into bed and told Tim. My water breaking first was not in my birth plan (insert psycho laughter here at the thought of a birth plan). I was very concerned that if my water broke, I would need to be induced. Tim prayed for me that contractions would start on their own...and they did about 20 minutes later. Praise Jesus! We got up, did some laundry, straightened the house, made sure we had everything packed, and then pretended to watch Robin Hood, the cartoon movie. I labored for about four hours at home moving around as much as I could. I rocked in Jude's room, sat on the labor ball, and leaned on the counter while timing contractions. They were anywhere from eight to five minutes apart.

My doctor had told me that if my water broke I needed to go to the hospital immediately. I knew this, but didn't want to go in. My "plan" was to labor at home as long as possible. Tim called the hospital to see what they wanted us to do and of course they wanted us to come in, so after a nice hot shower and a double check of the to-bring list, we drove to Twin Cities Hospital a bit after 7am. Sure enough, my water had broken and I was dialated 4 cm.

After getting checked in and laboring in the room for a while as they monitored me and the baby, I was able to get into the labor tub. It felt really good and did make the contractions easier to endure. There is something to warm water and weightlessness.

We headed back to the room and at around 11am Dr Prewitt came to check on us and support us. She did a great job helping me focus and reset my mind. The contractions were coming hard and consistently at this point and I was beginning to struggle. She really helped me to welcome the contractions and think of them as purposeful and useful for the end goal: A healthy baby boy.

I continued to labor throughout the afternoon. I took a couple showers, walked around a bit, sat and rolled on the labor ball, and continued to be as active as possible. I was getting tired. My body felt so heavy and my hips felt like they were being ripped in two every couple of minutes. My friend Nikki calls it "the ring of fire"...well said.

At 4pm, I asked the nurse to check my progress. She did and responded that I was going to hate her. Not the words I was looking for. After many hours I had only dialated one more cm to 5 cm. I cried and asked for drugs. The nurse challenged me to labor for another hour until Dr. Prewitt would return and perhaps I would make significant progress within that time. For the next hour and a half, I continued to try to relax through the contractions and remain as active as possible. I was hoping for the best. At around 5:30pm, Dr. Prewitt checked my progress and confirmed that I was still at 5cm. I cried again and asked for drugs...again. This time I got them - Stadol (spelling?). I hate this drug! It made me completely out of it. I felt like I passed out in between the most painful contractions I had felt yet. The contractions came faster and faster and harder and harder. I felt every piece of them, but was mentally incoherent. It was a very difficult two hours.

At 7:30pm, I was checked again and had dialated to 7 cm. This was encouraging, but I was fading. My exhaustion was beyond anything I had ever experience before. I couldn't hold my own body weight anymore and I didn't feel like I could continue to press on. I requested the epidural and Dr. Prewitt agreed that I needed to rest if I was going to be able to push the baby out.

The epidural arrived at 8:30pm. After eighteen hours of labor, I was thankful for the advancement of medicine. My mom, Tim, and I rested for three hours until midnight when it was time to push. The epidural was administered very well and I was able to use my legs during the pushing including squatting. I was very thankful for this. I pushed for three hours and at 3:18am on Thursday, September 24th after a grueling 25 hours of labor Jude Justice Whitacre was laid on my tummy. I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it.

One moment that I will never forget occurred as the nurses were cleaning Jude up as he laid on my chest crying. I was crying and then I began talking to him. He moved his head and looked up at me and I could tell that he knew my voice and found comfort in it. I cried some more.

Labor was really hard and this is probably more information than anyone wants to know, but it's my story and for some reason I feel the need to share it. It didn't go as I had hoped. I think there are things I can do differently next time to be better prepared, but in the end I am so thankful for the amazing staff at Twin Cities Hospital, an incredibly supportive Mother, an enduring, loving, strong, and helpful husband, and most of all for a healthy, happy baby boy. What more could a girl ask for?

Little Whit's Nursery

2009-09-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

The walls are painted. The dresser is packed full thanks to the generosity of our friends, the Wommacks. The closet is organized by size and style. The diapers are stacked and the bedding is washed. We still haven't hung photos, but believe it or not we don't think Little Whit is going to notice or care.

Here are a few pictures of his nursery. We'll be placing the glider in the corner where the vibrating seat and car seat are currently sitting. The glider will come down with my mom who very generously found it, re-covered it, and is bringing it with her once she gets "the call".

We're excited about how it turned out and hope that when he is two years old the tree and monkeys don't become monsters in the night...

From the doorway:

From the corner where the glider will sit:

Close up of the wall scene (yes, that is our dog, Kona watching the monkeys play in the tree):

One month between Jobs

2009-08-31T23:01:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the day arrived, but alas it did. Friday was my last day of employment for at least four months. Earlier in the pregnancy, as I fought off exhaustion and nausea in the afternoons sitting behind my computer I thought the day would never come. I have to admit that as "prepared" as I always think I am, this too has caught me by surprise. I actually teared up when I walked in the house on Friday evening and Tim asked me how my day went and if I was excited.

It isn't that I'm not excited or that I would even want to go back to work on Monday. It is more that this is another time of transition and with that, for me, comes a bittersweet reality. I have basically grown up professionally with the same very supportive and invested company and coworkers. The last six and a half years have had plenty of ups and downs (as Tim will testify to), but in the end the good far out weighs the hard. As I look back I am very thankful for my job and the people I have been able to work alongside and learn from.

I am also thankful that Tim is so supportive of me taking time off before the baby comes. He insists that my "job" now is to rest and relax (even though he knows I'll probably have a hard time sitting still). I'm one day in and I have to admit that I laid down for a few minutes mid morning and took an hour nap in the afternoon - lovely. I'm looking forward to this time of transition and reflection. As my mind clears from work matters, my thoughts turn to Little Whit and the proximity of his arrival. My excitement is building as the nursery comes together and I fold onsies and hang up sleepers in the closet.

Tonight my heart is full - Full of thankfulness for the things that have been and full of excitement (and nervousness) for the things that lie ahead. Maybe that is why I can't sleep and instead I am blogging:)

Blessed by a Baby Shower

2009-08-02T20:09:00.000-07:00

We are blessed to be surrounded by friends and family. In July a few college friends threw us a baby shower. It was so fun to be spoiled, but most of all to see people I feel like I hardly see anymore.

My Mom, Nana, and Sister Kristy also came into town for the weekend. It was blazing hot and I don't think our air conditioner did a darn thing for the house. They suffered through with me and it was great to have them in town. To put a perspective on how hot it was my Mom and I were attempting to sleep in Tim's and my bed on Saturday night. By 11:30pm, we were both out in the living room sprawled out on the tile floor trying to stay cool. There would be no good night sleep in that kind of heat.

On Saturday evening, my family and I went to dinner with Kelly and Kristin. Yeah for amazing Thai food in Paso. Kelly, Kristin, and I were a bit of a three musketeers kind of crew back in college (oh, so long ago). It was so great just to have them around. I think one of the things I love most about showers is the fact that it ends up being a bit of a reunion.

The shower was set for Sunday afternoon. We decided to play hooky from church and go to the movies instead. What can I say? The movies are air conditioned. We saw The Proposal with Kelly and Kristin. It was the perfect movie for a girls weekend. My Nana and I were sitting by each other and laughing about how much we were crying (total suckers for a it-would-never-happen-in-real-life romantic plots).

Then it was off to the shower. Like I said, I think my favorite thing was having so many friends in one place. The shower had a surfer theme and the favors were the most adorable white chocolate suckers that Kelly had made that were of a Little Dub surfing a wave. Of course, because the ladies are all very talented, the food was delicious, the games were fun and low key, and the whole thing was very special. Another great part, was that everyone who has a baby brought their baby - so fun:) We were unbelievably blessed by all the gifts. A couple highlights for me were the bedding from my mom, a hand-knit blanket from Nana, a swing from my sisters, and the Ergo from friends. Seriously, though all of the gifts were amazingly thoughtful and so useful (which you know I like).

I can't close without also mentioning that two of the gifts were especially for Kona and Asia. We know our friends know us when they buy gifts for the animals that we absolutely consider part of the family. We call them our little zoo. Kona got a bone and a chew toy. Asia recieved a cat nip mouse - who could ask for more?

With that, I want to give a special shout out to Stephanie, Nikki, Kelly, Kristal, and Kristy for being such sweet and giving friends (and sister). I know that showers take a lot of time and effort. Thanks for blessing Tim, Little Dub, and I with your mad showering skills. You are all loved very much (and not for showering as much as for being who you are in our lives).

I'm hoping to get a few shots of the shower itself to post later.

Fourth of July

2009-08-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

We are way behind on our posts, but honestly did anyone expect it to be any different? Probably not.

The Upper Barn at Kimmel Vineyards

We were in Nor Cal for fourth of July with my (Jill's) family. It is a tradition to spend the weekend of the fourth at the family (Kimmel) ranch in Mendocino County. I grew up there until I was about ten and it is one of those places that will always be "home" for me no matter where I am. It holds an amazing sense of place with loads of open space and habitat surrounding about 40 plus acres of vineyards; we recently released our first vintage of the family label, Kimmel Vineyards. When we were younger (not long ago) and spent way to much time in the sun, we used to spend whole days swimming in and reading beside the two "lakes". They aren't lakes. One is a resevoir and the other is more of a large pond. This trip was much more about sitting around talking and eating, two of my favorite things.

The Fourth of July Crew

We arrived on friday afternoon. It was in the nineties so we promptly changed into our swimsuits (thank you, Nikki, for letting my borrow) and walked to the closest lake for a swim. It was probably quite a site because we only had one floating reclining chair thing, but we all wanted to use it so we all held on to the sides and chatted. I kept freaking out because the reeds on the side of the lake are creepy and if we got close everyone kicked to get back to the middle. Good times. Of course, Kona and Molly (Kimmel Padre's dog) had a great time playing keep away with the ball and swimming in the lake as well.

Kristy (sister) and I

Because the weather was so nice, Tim and I ended up sleeping under the stars in the back of the truck. It was serene to fall asleep with so many stars overhead. Actually, it was almost serene except for the fact that Kona slept with us us well (and by slept with us, I mean she slept on my legs and made it really uncomfortable).

Saturday was very relaxed. Tim and I took a walk to the back "lake" and threw the ball for Kona. She loves the ranch, but what dog wouldn't. The afternoon was consumed with napping and browsing through magazines - excellent. That evening was the Fourth of July so in typical Kimmel style we BBQed and hung out on my grandma's patio.

Nikki & Kona representing Saturday Afternoon at the Ranch

Sunday was a "get-r-done" kind of day. We recently grafted Sauvignon Blanc onto a small part of the vineyard, so we went to check it out. It was bit out of control with lots of shoots coming out of rootstock. Seeing work that needed to be done, we all jumped in and cleaned up the vines: Dad, Mom, Nana, Uncle Jim, Aunt Debby, Tim, myself, and the three dogs. Next, we checked fences and decided to raise a few of the wires because there were corners of the vineyard where deer were getting in and eating the leaves (difficult for photosynthesis if there are no leaves). My Dad was showing Tim what he wanted them to do by lifting the wire over his head and P-O-P! His shoulder popped, he winced, grimaced, and slouched. It was not a good sign. We took him back and set him up with ice for his shoulder. Tim and I went back to mend fences. We almost finished when my uncle came and told us that we needed to take my Dad to the ER. We did and it ended up being a very eventful Sunday. My Dad tore his rotator cuff - poor guy.

Tim and I stripping the unwanted shoots. Unfortunately there are no pictures of us fixing fence.

We finished our weekend by eating pizza with my family in Santa Rosa and hitting the road for home. It started out as a relaxing, easy does it kind of weekend and then ended up going out with a bang...or maybe it was a pop.

Wii

2009-07-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

I'm keeping it short and sweet today, but we had another birthing class last night. I am really enjoying them and soaking up all the information. The first week I was the only person asking questions. This week a few more women chimed in. I ask so many questions that when I was scratching my back the teacher asked if I had another question...

We did a word association game and then mingled with the other couples. I thought it was amusing. The purpose was to write down the first thing that comes to your mind...

Baby - Boy
Doctor or Midwife - Assist
Pain - Endure
Medication - Don't ask (I don't want to be asked if I want any)
Hospital - Smells
I think there were others but I threw the paper away.

The best part about the night was the tour of the maternity ward, labor rooms and post pardom (spelling?) rooms. They should have the laboring tub up and running by the time Little Dub decides to make his big entrance. Tim and I were cracking up at the back of the tour though because he wanted to ask if he could bring a Wii and play games in the laboring room. He thinks that Wii Fit should develop a labor game that the men can play while the women labor:)

By the way, we did much better this week with the relaxation part of the class. I was quite proud of our maturity. Though, if we are proud of our materity are we really mature?

Thinking Out Loud

2009-07-08T16:08:00.000-07:00

I went in for a routine gestational diabetes test last week and it turns out the I had to go back today for further testing. Apparently my blood sugar levels were high after the one hour test last wednesday.

Today the testing started at 8am when they took blood to see if they could continue the test. I had to wait 40 minutes for the go ahead. Then I got to drink the 12 oz of syrupy non-carbonated Sprite type soda at around 9:45 am. I might add that I had to fast for all this blood work. From 9:45 until 11:45, I had by blood taken once per hour. It was not pleasant, but I'm still alive. The worst part was having a crazy case of the shakes from not eating and gulping down the sugary beverage. After the final blood was drawn, I went directly to my car and ate...I love food.

I am hoping and praying that everything comes back normal and that over the three hour period my body was able to process the sugar appropriately. I should get the results on friday.

On a lighter note, Tim and I went to our first birthing class last wednesday night and for some reason I had a major case of the giggles. I thought that everything was really funny. Okay not everything because I also had a case of momentary bi-polar when they showed the labor and birth video and I cried when the baby was born. I was thankful that the lights were off for the movie. Right after that I found everything funny again though and I am positive that everyone else in the class was thinking, "Those kids are not mature enough to be having a baby". Perhaps that is what I was thinking as well...Or, we are just going to be better able to laugh through the hard times?

The class ended with relaxation practice and of course neither Tim or I could handle this part. They asked for us to stand with our partner behind us and of course Tim (jokingly) stands in front of me insisting that I am supposed to be rubbing his back. Once we got our positions in order, they were directing the partners to start at the scalp and run their fingers through the pregger's hair, down the neck and arms, and out the fingertips. How am I not supposed to laugh when I can feel Tim behind me doing strip tease moves as he follows the instructions?

We'll see how tonight's class goes. Perhaps after all the testing today, I'll have less energy for giggles which might work in my favor. In the end, I think I'm glad that we are so goofy and easily amused. It makes life more fun when you take it less seriously:)

26 Weeks and the "New Casa"

2009-06-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

We are officially in our third trimester! Yeah and scary. I can't believe how fast it has gone so far. I'm not sure I'll feel the same way once the typical Paso Robles summer hits and we have a week or two of 105 degree days.

I am growing a lot...as you can tell by the photo below. Little Dub is a moving machine and is really making himself known. We actually saw him move this week versus just feeling him. It was pretty crazy because it looked like he was trying to punch his way into the world.

Jill: Kona, Where is baby?

Kona: Silly Mom, Baby is in your belly!

We have been in the Crazy Horse house (yes, that is the name of our new street) for a couple of weeks now. We are settling in, but the place is still pretty much a mess. We are currently working on cleaning it up and choosing what we want to put on the walls. Tim took so many amazing pictures on our South Pacific trip that I think many of them will become our decor, but choosing is a challenge.

No progress on the baby's room. Tim insists on setting up the rest of the home before embarking on painting the room, etc. I am trying to agree:)

Here are a few pics of the new place. Please hold your judgment on the general disarray of everything.

Front of house:

Entry way/Front door:

Front door/Entry way from inside:

Living Room (from other side of entry way pic):

Kitchen from top of dining room:

Kitchen towards dining room:

Guestroom:

Kicker

2009-06-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe it has almost been one month since our last post. In some ways I am not suprised considering the fact that so much has happened in just a few weeks.

First of all, this kid is a kicker. Every week I feel like he moves and grooves more and more. I have lately found myself suprised at the randomness of his movements. I'll be sitting at my desk at work or even better yet be on the phone and he'll do a jig or some kind of karate chop and I'll lurch or lose track of what I'm saying. It is a bit comical and makes me laugh. I love it.

After we found out that Baby Dub is in fact Baby Boy Dub, we hit the ground running...on everything but Baby stuff. We are so excited and are starting to talk more seriously about names and the like. By the way, naming someone is a really big deal. I am a bit overwhelmed at the thought of it. I'm not sure that we'll settle on anything until after we meet him. We're actually thinking about not naming him until he is three or four so that we can get to know him and name him appropriately...JUST KIDDING! Are you crazy? Yeah right, I could have the patience to wait for anything for three years...except for Tim to propose, of course:)

Seriously though, we closed on a house in Paso Robles and proceeded to paint it and move in within one week. It was crazy, exhausting, and stupid, but we're glad it is "over". We had good friends and family helping us and that made a huge difference. I'll get some photos up here soon, but in the meantime, I just wanted to say that we are alive. We are still blogging. God is good.

It's a BOY!

2009-05-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

First of all, Praise the Lord! Seriously, I am in complete awe of the miracle growing inside of me. Tim and I had an ultrasound yesterday and were blessed with a really great Tech, Lisa, who spent a lot of time with us, showed us the baby from many different angles, and printed us a lot of pictures.

We were able to see our little boy's feet, fists, spine, and profile. The best part was watching him open and close his mouth, swallow, and make a sucking motion. It was fascinating and definitely made me tear up. Our Tech commented that he has a bunch of room, but was scrunched up in a little ball towards the side of my tummy. I said, "That's my boy. We like curling up and cuddling in small places." Anyways, here are a few of the photos. Thanks for celebrating with us.

Card from Baby Whit

2009-05-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

I must post because the little one in my tummy gave me a card for Mother's Day. It was really cute. It proceeded to rail me for already calling it names that will give it complexes and got mad at Tim and I for taking great trips without "it". But, it did tell me that she/she crashed the party in Australia:)

My present? 1. Larger in the middle (how else would anyone know I'm a mom) 2. Cravings that give me a reason to eat whatever I want even if that is bag after bag of sour patch kids 3. Excuses because I can blame it on Baby anytime I don't feel like doing anything 4. Belly Rubs...Baby told everyone that they can rub my belly anytime they want whether they know me or not (this will be my first lesson for baby...not cool) 5. The card - He/she said she would have made me something better but he/she needed help from Dad and he is difficult to work with;)

It was honestly the coolest card ever. It is definitely going into the Baby Book. Love you, Tim;)

Mama's Day

2009-05-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

So today was the day to honor all of our mothers for being the amazing people that they are. How should we go about celebrating such an endless profession in a manner that would be fitting to the trials and hardships associated with the job? Most people would respond with champagne brunch and flowers. This is not the way of the Hawk/Whitacre mothers day celebration. Here are a few snippets of what made the celebration itinerary this year.

Somehow the paintball gun has become a part of most gatherings that we join in on at the Hawks house. A few mothers days ago we gave our mothers paintball guns and all the kids ran up the hill without any weapons. The mothers proceeded to shoot us (their unarmed children) as we attempted to run back and forth while hiding behind the small trees. Luckily we were allowed to wear some protective gear. This year consisted of shooting a cardboard sign with a mother painted on it after beating a mothers day pinata until it spewed forth delicious candy. What could be better then this... well actually... just being able to hang out at with our family is what makes it special. The violent party games just give it that extra little kick, kind of like Slap Ya Mama.

Swimmin' It Up

2009-05-07T23:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I posted about the baby moving and wanting Tim to feel it...he did! Tonight the little swimmer was having a dance party and Tim got to feel it kick. We waited for awhile, but then we both felt it at the same time and we looked at each other with big, wide eyes.

It is such a miracle. Every new little piece of this process makes me realize more and more what a special journey we are on...crazy, scary, special.

He/She's Moving!!!

2009-05-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, I can't help but write even if I don't have a picture to post with it...which is my favorite part about looking at other people's blogs.

Anyways, Today I am completely confident that what I am feeling is Baby Whitacre and it is making me absolutely giddy. It stops me in my tracks and makes me smile. I cannot wait until it is significant enough for Tim to feel.

Three and a half years later

2009-05-05T21:55:00.001-07:00

Okay. This is a bit embarrassing, but our last blog on this site was November 2005. What can I say? Blogging didn't really stick for us on the first round, but after blogging on the South Pacific trip I think we'll do better on round two. Or maybe I should say that I am hoping we will do better on the second try.

I am hoping to chronicle our first pregnancy and share our experiences with those who aren't close by us. Not just the pregnancy, life in general really. But tonight I have pregos on the brain.

I don't have much to say right now probably because I'm tired, but one thing I did notice tonight is that for the first time since being a pudgy (and I was very pudgy) baby and toddler, by tummy is sticking out further than my chest. Normally this would freak me out. Before I was pregnant or even thinking about being pregnant, I was really nervous about gaining weight and having my body change. Now that I am in the midst of it, I am so proud of my belly and feel so blessed to be able to experience the changes.

Tim and I are trying to take pictures weekly now to be able to look back at the stages and development. Here I am at 15 weeks, I think. My mom saw this picture and said that my butt is still bigger than my tummy so I probably should post it...thanks, Mom:)

The next picture is at 17 weeks during a trip to Shaver Lake. I might not have the hops I did in the South Pacific, but clearly I still have the awesome hair did.

Here I am today, after a jog/walk at nineteen weeks:

Last but not least, I think I can feel the baby move, but am not totally confident. I should be able to distinguish it more in the coming days and weeks, but for now I try to evaluate whether what I'm feeling each time is a gas bubble or a flutter kick from our little swimmer.

Oh, how we love new babies!

2005-11-30T20:58:00.000-08:00

This is another best freind, Nikki and her new little boy, Isaac Andrew. This is just two days after Isaac was born - he is a doll. He really looks like the gerber baby, just perfect. Nikki is my bosom buddy and since she moved a few hours away, I miss her like crazy. I can't wait to see Isaac and Nikki again soon...Can you tell I love all the new babies in my life???

Me and my favorite niece, Ruby Rae Costello

2005-11-30T20:51:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite little girl in the whole wide world. She is the daughter of my best friend, Mellissa. She is three months old and very cute as you can see. This picture was taken at her dedication party. I hadn't seen her since a few days after she was born. She's grown so much. I'm excited to get to know her more as she grows and to hopefully walk alongside her and her mama for a long time to come. Ruby, we love you!

2005-09-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

The joy of living in the country

2005-07-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

The Wife in the Yard, living off the land, or at least pruning the hedges...

Our Baby

2005-07-08T23:59:00.000-07:00

This is our new kitten Asia. If you ask her, she would tell you her name is Asia NO!!!

2005-07-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

Our Special Place

Finally found our special place

2005-07-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

Well everyone, we have moved into our new place, and thought it would be a good idea to start getting with the times... so we are stepping out into the blogging world. Well onto the show...
We love our new house, which we just started renting this month. It is a two bedroom, two bath house out in the wine country of east templeton. Tim starts working full time in a little over a week. This means the end of the college life, and onto the real world. As I write this, Jill is finishing up a baby blanket/quilt for little Ruby Costello. This is her first quilt and I have to say it looks great to me. Seems my wife is quite the seamstress. Pictures of our new place will be up here soon so everyone can see what it is like where we are at. Tonight we hung out with Scott and Whitney Casares...... went to the paso park and listened to some fun music... came home and had salmon and sausage... had kalua frozen yogurt with kalua on top and chocolate shavings and chocolate chips and coconut and ... overall a good night.