Introducing...Baby G

The Barking Seal

2012-02-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

This week Andrew made his first middle of the night trip to the ER with a case of croup. They treated him with steroids and sent him home with some oral steroids to take for the next few days. Andrew does NOT like the medicine at all. A pediatrician said it's pretty much the most awful tasting drug out there. I believe it. These pictures were from a "successful" attempt at getting and keeping the medicine down by hiding it in vanilla yogurt.

P.S. Sorry for the blurry nature of the photos but that tends to happen when the subject is flailing around like he's being eaten alive...

Out for an evening ride!

2012-02-04T18:25:00.000-08:00

Catching up on the news...

2012-02-01T18:04:00.000-08:00

Hard at Work

2012-01-18T10:09:00.000-08:00

This year Anna is doing her own fill-in-the-blank thank you notes. Needless to say it has been slow going...

Here she is this morning finishing the last few from her birthday party!

Thank you everyone for thinking of my little girl on her birthday!

11 Months!

2012-01-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

It's a good thing Andrew turns 1 next month because these monthly photo shoots documenting his first year are becoming more and more difficult! This month he wanted nothing to do with this. The photos below are in fact the only photos I was able to get before he ran away down the hall. These were much easier before he could walk!

Andrew is very much a little boy now. Always doing something, mostly things he shouldn't be doing... He now will climb up on Anna's stool, has discovered how to open the toilet lid and get into virtually anything. While there are no consistent recognizable words yet he babbles all the time. He loves to kick balls and recently discovered "the baby in the mirror" with whom he now has conversations, makes faces at, and best of all gives big open mouth kisses to! He wants to be everywhere his sister is - in fact at the gym he refused to be kept in the baby room and wants to be in the big kid room with Anna. And luckily Anna still loves playing with him (whether he be Andrew, Timon, Flounder, Prince Eric, Chip or Sebastian).

Next month's photos will be from Andrew's 1st Birthday Party! Where has the time gone?

Back Home

2012-01-04T15:52:00.000-08:00

We had a great time playing in the snow in Ohio, but it's also great to be home playing at the park in the warm sun!

Snow Day!

2011-12-28T21:12:00.000-08:00

When we left for Ohio we were a bit disappointed there was no snow in the forecast, so we were thrilled to wake up and see snowflakes falling! It didn't snow all that much, just enough for a California kid to have a BLAST.

Just as Anna was the first time she saw snow, Andrew was not sure what to think and lost interest pretty quickly. Anna however, spent a while warming up to this....

She spent hours outside - luckily it wasn't too cold!

Ready to go!

Snow Angels

It wasn't snowing anymore so she decided to make it snow on her own

Running with Uncle Adam

Look at that concentration!

Uh oh!

Ready for the big hill out front

Uncle Adam played "catcher" and made sure she didn't slide into the road

Rosy cheeks!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:30:00.000-08:00

Thats Some Serious Bed Head

2011-12-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

10 months!

2011-12-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

This month has been such a fun month - Andrew is learning so many new things! Most notably, the kid is WALKING. Yep. He started taking his first real steps around the 1st of the month and hasn't taken a break.

He also claps and has started the same waving motion his sister used - moving his fingers up and down with his palm facing him. As Zach said, I guess that's the way it looks to them when we wave at him so I guess it makes sense!

Andrew's top two teeth have come in so now he has the four front "puppy teeth" as we call them - those teeth are sharp! He loves avocado and cheerios, although I think more Cheerios end up on the floor than in his mouth.

We've learned that he's petrified of Santa, and that sadly he can't be around when we Skype with Zach when he's away on business. The poor kid thinks that the face on the screen really is Dad and doesn't understand why Daddy won't hold him - resulting in much yelling, kicking and attempts at clawing the screen.

We're gearing up for the chaos that this Christmas day will bring - boxes bring endless delight and so far we've managed to keep him away from the tree but know we won't be able to on Christmas day. At least we'll have a few extra hands around to try to keep him from completely demolishing it!

He sleeps about 11 hours straight at night right now which is wonderful - we wish his napping skills were up to par though :)

I considered giving up on the sign this month but decided to give it a whirl - it actually went better than I thought!

Nutcracker 2011

2011-12-12T16:31:00.001-08:00

This year Anna and I headed to a local dance company's production of the The Nutcracker. Just like last year we met up with our good friends Allison and Grace (minus all the males in our families this time!) for a fun girls afternoon!

Ready for the show, posing like "Belle" does in an ornament on the tree

Getting in a quick cat nap on the way

There was a surprise visit by Santa when the show was over. Love the look on her face while watching Santa with another kid!

Best buddies Grace and Anna with Santa

The BEST part of the show for Anna was actually when it was all over and most of the dancers gathered out in the lobby to greet their family and friends. Since these were mostly dancers aged 8-18 they were just as thrilled to pose for pictures as the kids they were posing with.

Anna's favorite character yet she did not want a photo with him. The Mouse King was perhaps a bit intimidating in person!

Sadly we didn't get a photo with Clara before she left with her family, but such a fun afternoon for all!

The Blizzard of 2011

2011-12-07T16:37:00.001-08:00

As with many things since Andrew's birth, this year Anna had a much more active (and independent) role in the making of the Gingerbread House. While Andrew was napping I helped a bit with some of the frosting, but once he woke up she assured me she did not need my help. As you can see from the look on her face below, from the moment he started to cry she started to plot her plan of attack.

Delicious....

Observing

The house was looking pretty good until The Blizzard of 2011 hit. Aided by an old bag of coconut I found in the cupboard earlier in the day, Anna ensured that the Gingerbread man was snowed in.

Having emerged from his house with a snow blower to clear the front walkway, the Gingerbread man went back inside, leaving us with this as the final product.

Here Comes Santa Claus - watch out Andrew!

2011-12-05T20:41:00.001-08:00

We learned something yesterday. Andrew is terrified of Santa. And this is a kid who will generally let anyone hold him. EXCEPT SANTA. We gathered up the kids and headed to a Pancakes with Santa breakfast at church, eager to see how this year's visit with Santa would turn out. This is how it turned out...

Anna loved her time with Santa

And then THIS happened

Even being held by Daddy Andrew won't take his eyes off Santa

Pancakes!

Happy again, far away from Santa

Posing with her "friends"

Crafts

Keeping an eye on that fat man in the red suit

Attempt #2

Recovering

We finished the day with a trip to get the Christmas tree

Andrew had a MUCH better time

It's a wrap!

2011-12-05T11:12:00.000-08:00

Someone is loving it when Mommy uses the last piece wrapping paper on the roll!

Riding in style

2011-12-02T11:49:00.000-08:00

Andrew's first time sitting in the big boy seat in the shopping cart! Now I actually have room in the cart to put things when I'm at Costco! If only more stores had 2 seaters..

Baby Steps

2011-12-01T11:34:00.001-08:00

We're almost there.... 2 walking kids. Over the past day or so Andrew has started being brave enough to take a step or two on his own. But today I captured this on video and there's no denying that he'll be walking before we know it!

Artist in Residence

2011-11-30T14:36:00.000-08:00

Do you think he's teething?

2011-11-18T17:43:00.000-08:00

9 months old!

2011-11-13T18:16:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe the little guy will be 1 in just 3 months! We had a busy day to mark the event starting with his first family photo shoot. We're not sure how many photos we'll have where all 4 of us are looking at the camera but hopefully we'll get at least 1! Considering the fact that Andrew (and therefore Zach and I) barely got any sleep last night we're lucky we even made it to the photo shoot!

He's working really hard at trying to stand without holding onto anything but he's still got some work to do. He can crawl at a surprising speed and when on a hard surface crawls on his hands and feet so his knees don't touch the surface. I've been trying to capture on film what I call his "Yes! Yes! Yes!" fist pump but so far no luck - I'll keep working at it because its definitely a typical Andrew move at this age.
We made a visit to his pediatrician about 2 weeks ago and he weighs about 18.5 lbs and the doctor says his top two teeth should be coming through soon!

Andrew capped off his day with a celebratory first scooter ride at Colleen and Ryan's house :) He even felt the need to show off by standing only on one leg.

We'll have a lot of official photos from this day, but here are my traditional photos - these photo shoots are getting shorter and shorter!

Just taking a break

2011-11-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

Life is tiring when you're crawling, playing and learning to stand. Andrew's latest trick to let us know he's getting tired is to suddenly stop what he is doing and take a quick break. They usually last about 5-10 seconds then he's ready for more activity.

Playing

Resting

Playing

Resting

Playing!

Hakuna Matata (or Happy Halloween)

2011-10-31T21:49:00.000-07:00

What a fun few days! We have packed in so much in the last 4 days, no wonder everyone is exhausted! Simba (Anna) and Timon (Andrew) will need the next week to recover from the busy days and late nights!

Anna, as usual, decided what she would be back in July or August so she's had a lot of time to plot her fun. We've been singing songs and acting things out for months! This afternoon we had to watch The Lion King to help her get into character :)

Below are just a few of the many photos we have from this weekend - but first, a musical interlude :)

Carving our pumpkins

Andrew with the "Andrew Pumpkin"

Anna drew the face on hers so Zach could carve it out for her

The finished "Anna Pumpkin". Love the eyelashes!

Living room pizza picnic dinner while watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"

Tick or Treating at Blackhawk Plaza with Aunt Bridget and friends

Anna and Gracie

Preschool Halloween Parade

Ready to Pounce!

Simba and Timon

Trick or Treating sponsored by Guidewire :)

Fun for the adults ;)

Eating some dinner with friends before Trick or Treating

Simba and Ariel (Addison)

Showing me what she got (after every house)

Racing to the last house!

Candy is out on the porch waiting for The Great Pumpkin.... I wonder what special thing he will leave in its place for Anna?

School Photos

2011-10-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

Anna had her first school photos taken a few weeks ago and we got the prints today - such a big girl!

Silliness

2011-10-27T17:53:00.001-07:00

Just a normal day around here...

Partners in Crime

2011-10-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

Speed Racer

2011-10-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

When Anna was first learning to walk she wanted to walk back and forth, back and forth, over and over. Seeing this, my parents bought her this walking toy. She loved it but didn't use it for long as soon she was walking totally on her own and this did nothing but slow her down. Today we decided to get it out for Andrew to see how he liked it.

I think the photos say it all:

A little blast from the past... (look at that hair!)

Fun with Cousins

2011-10-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend in Santa Barbara visiting with family. My cousin RJ and his daughter Aliza were visiting family in California and came to Santa Barbara with my Aunt Bev and cousin Mareesa. The last time Anna and Aliza were together they were pretty indifferent to each other but this time they were best friends. The squealing was beyond anything I've seen before. Aliza is 5 and Anna is 3 but the age difference didn't seem to matter - other than the fact that Aliza was upset with Anna's lack of precision in her coloring skills :)

They had sleepovers - Anna in the bed and Aliza in the air mattress and would wake up RJ at 8:00 am every day by jumping up and down on his air mattress.

We were also lucky to fit in some play time and lunch with the Blabey Family!

I didn't take too many photos but here are a few of the fun festivities!

Slumber Party!

Reading together

Mareesa, Andrew & Aliza

Doing their homework

Aunt Bev, Andrew, Aliza & Anna

8 months!

2011-10-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

8 months and counting!

The little guy continues to grow and explore new things! He loves the swings at the park, he chews on his high chair straps, and stand still long enough and he'll pull himself up on the back of your legs rendering you totally immobile.

The toilet and the toilet paper holder are some of his favorite things to try to explore :)

He's eating squash, sweet potatoes, bananas and avocados. We're working on applesauce but so far he's not a fan.

We're waiting for more teeth but so far no signs other than lots of drool!

No recent doctor visits but an unscientific weight taken this morning by standing on the scale with me shows that he's 18.4 pounds.

As you can see, I can no longer get more than 1 or 2 shots with his sign before he totally destroys it!

Uh Oh...

2011-10-05T12:58:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Season

2011-10-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

Today we welcomed the beginning of "pumpkin season" around our house. That meant our first batch of pumpkin muffins!

It also meant our first trip to the pumpkin patch. This was more of a social visit with friends than a real search for the perfect pumpkin. The kids all had a blast with the animals, the maze and the "corn box"! Anna was reassured that we will return later in the month to pick out our pumpkins. Luckily she was ok with that and left happily with just a ear of "funny corn" and sadly, a splinter.

Andrew was not a fan of the "corn box"

Anna loved it

As did everyone else

Going through the maze with Gracie

Cheating with Gracie...

Brady and Hayden

The gang! Apparently the secret to keeping them still is to stick them in a patch of scratchy weeds - they don't want to move!

Encounter with a Hero

2011-10-01T13:51:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the open house at our local airport (LVK) and had the great opportunity to meet Captain "Sully" Sullenberger! Although Anna doesn't quite understand why this guy is a hero today, one day she will!

She also got the chance to sit in a medi-vac helicopter!

This shirt was clean this morning...

2011-09-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

That's what it says on the onesie Andrew was wearing today. Ain't that the truth....

Look at this kid! If this is the degree of messiness we get when I am spoon feeding him, I can't imagine what we are in for once he's feeding himself! Brady and Hayden, watch out - you might have competition!

Helloha!

2011-09-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

"Helloha" is Anna's way of saying "hello" when in Hawaii :)

We were all lucky enough to get to tag along on Zach's business trip to Honolulu and took his mom (aka "Gaga" along with us too as she had never been before and an extra set of hands is always a blessing!

Zach's meetings were in Downtown Honolulu but we thought that a family resort outside of town might be a better option for us. So we managed to get a two bedroom "villa" at the Marriott Ko Olina Beach Resort which was perfect for us. Unfortunately we were only able to be there for about 4 1/2 days so we tried to balance fun relaxing beach/pool time with some sightseeing for Gaga.

Overall it was a great trip but here are some of the highlights and lowpoints:

Highlights:

- Watching Anna play to her heart's content on the beach and at the pool

- Witnessing Andrew's first official crawl (more like a sprint) as he tried to chase down some birds

- Being able to experience Pearl Harbor with Gaga, one of the most patriotic people you'll ever meet. So touching to watch Anna and Gaga place a lei in front of the names of those who died.

- Mai Tais!

- Amazing Luau on our final night and Anna's encounter with the "Blue Girl" - at the end of the luau she was able to hold hands and dance with one of the hula girls who was wearing a shimmery blue grass skirt "like Ariel!"I think she was in love :)

Lowpoints:

- Forgetting the diaper bag in the garage at home

- Anna puking in the car on the way home from the North Shore

- Andrew waking up every morning even earlier than we could possibly have imagined

We'll definitely be back! "Helloha"!!

Greeting Gaga at the airport with the Leis that Zach bought for his ladies

Watch out birds - he's mobile!

Heaven!

Waimea Valley & Falls (just before puking!)

Anna and Gaga placing the yellow lei at the USS Arizona Memorial

Exploring at The Royal Hawaiian, Waikiki Beach

Who needs gel when you have sunscreen?

Feeding the Koi

Ready for the Luau!

Tattoos!

The "Blue Girl"

The Chief

Happy as can be on one of his many sunrise walks

Crawling!

2011-09-16T22:44:00.000-07:00

Tonight while having dinner on the beach we witnessed Andrew's first legitimate crawling! He saw a bird in the sand and took off on all fours coordinating his arms and legs! Watch out birds!

Andrew is 7 months old!

2011-09-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

Here we are at 7 months! Our little guy is into EVERYTHING these days. Baby gates are up. He pulls himself to standing, sits, rolls over and inchworms himself across the room with impressive speed. He now has 2 teeth (bottom front). He continues to be happy, except when he's NOT. And then he's really mad. He's still working to get the hang of this solid food thing - he' has warmed up to cereal but sweet potatoes leave something to be desired. Avocados are up next!

We were a bit late on his 6 month checkup so here are some recent stats (as of 9/6/11)

Weight: 17lbs 8oz (35th percentile)

Height: 27 inches (54th percentile)

Head Circumference: 18 inches (87th percentile!)

We had a dermatologist check out his birthmark on his jawline at his last doctor visit. She confirmed its nothing to worry about and can probably be removed when he's older (probably 7 yrs old).

Current nicknames include:

Honey Badger (if you don't know what we're referring to you MUST watch this video - http://youtu.be/4r7wHMg5Yjg) - per Mary's comment below there are some words in here you don't want your toddler to hear....
DJ Spazzy Jeff
Colonel Standers
Gruntelstiltskin
Squealy Dan

Here's to another month of adventures!

Bathtime!

2011-09-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

Andrew relaxing in his new bath seat!

Prayers

2011-09-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

Sometime last summer we started doing prayers with Anna at bedtime. Some nights they are focused and concise but more often they are the stream of consciousness ramblings of a 3 year old. I often joke that it's like we're attending the Academy Awards and the orchestra is about to cut her off!

We usually start with thanking Jesus for the day she had. Today she thanked Jesus for the "wonderful phones in my classroom". Tonight that was all she wanted to thank him for but we often have a litany of thank yous. - "thank you Jesus for the watermelon, thank you Jesus for the butterflies on my wall, thank you Jesus for my bunny...."

Once the thank you portion is concluded we then move on to asking God to bless the important people in our lives or people who are in need of some special prayers. It usually goes like this:

"God Bless....

Mommy

Daddy

Bridgie

Gaga

Uncle Adam

Gramma Jean

Nana

Papa

Jamie

Clarence

Brady

Hayden

Big Chris

Little Chris

Lil' Buster with a monka face and a pigga nose

Amen."

We've discovered however, that we need to do some more work with her on the whole Jesus/God thing. Yesterday we were talking about Little Chris who was crying at school. We were worried he would have a hard time today on the first day of school and talked about how maybe if we asked Jesus he could help Little Chris get through today. She stops, then turns to me and says "Mom - but Jesus is stuck to the wall! How can he be there to help Little Chris?"

As Zach said, at least she gets points for paying attention at church :)

The Wonderful Whales!

2011-09-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

Today was Anna's first day of Pre-K! Any worries I had about her moving to a new classroom and new teachers were put to rest as soon as we started getting dressed for school. She directed the "first day of school" photo shoot, telling me where to go to take photos and posing like it was her job!

We got to school, took some photos in front of the Whales board and then ran right inside and sat down to start her work. With a kiss and a hug I left her in the capable hands of Miss Pat and Ms. Swati. Just like any other day at school!

First tooth!

2011-08-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

It has been a rough day for little Andrew and I just discovered the cause - his first tooth just pushed through! It looks like the bottom left but my glimpses have been brief :)

Trip to Nana and Papa's House

2011-08-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

Last week the kids and I headed down to Santa Barbara to spend some time with Nana & Papa in the summer Santa Barbara sun.

Trips to the pool, the beach, the zoo, the "big girl" hair salon, a carnival at the Blabey's church, gardening with Papa, and visits with friends meant a wonderful and fun week for all!

Thanks Nana and Papa for a great week!

Solids!

2011-08-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

It's that time! Andrew has been grabbing at our dinners for weeks so we definitely think he's ready. I think he was a bit disappointed with his oatmeal cereal.

Ready...

Set...

Ick!

Good recovery!

Coach Sam

2011-08-27T17:32:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, Anna has been doing soccer with Lil' Kickers since she was about 18 months old. We have had many great coaches there but one stands out - Coach Sam. She started coaching Anna's class when it was still a parent participation class. A teacher at heart, she was not afraid to keep the kids in line and classes became much less chaotic and they actually started to learn things! So, we made the decision to follow Coach Sam from session to session. Whatever class Coach Sam was teaching was where Anna would be. And we weren't the only ones... we grew a core group of kids and parents who followed her around from class to class. When they tried to split our kids into two classes (one without Coach Sam) we protested - and won :) We had our ups and downs as a class - from the day almost all the kids were in tears after Coach introduced the concept of taking the ball away from each other, to the day of the first real soccer scrimmage.

One day about a month ago, Coach Sam gathered all the parents to break the news - she had just been hired as a full time PE teacher and was leaving Lil' Kickers. What would we do??? One thing was for certain, we would have a picnic to celebrate Coach Sam after the the last class!

Team Photo

Final Scrimmage

Party Time!

Coach Sam gets hugs from Anna, Jordan, Sofia and Summer

Playing in the water with Coach Sam and the presents she gave the kids

Soccer Dads

The Next Picasso?

2011-08-15T13:36:00.001-07:00

Maybe... Maybe not....

P.S. This masterpiece is big... about 2 1/2 ft tall

Next stop Notre Dame!

2011-08-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

Here we all are after this morning's mass where the babies who will be baptized soon were introduced and welcomed to the church. Special thanks to the ambassadors from the Gagnon Family (Justin and Gracie) for coming to support Andrew.

Andrew did pretty well, letting out only one mildly embarrassing burp during a moment of complete silence :)

Next stop on the baptism tour... Notre Dame! Stay tuned in September for photos from Andrew's Baptism at Notre Dame.

First "Big Boy" Bath

2011-08-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

Andrew's first bath in the "big boy" tub with Daddy!

Andrew is 6 months old!

2011-08-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe Andrew is halfway through his first year! One of the things I love about babies this age is how much they change in just a few weeks. It's amazing to watch them learn everything...

Andrew is now at the stage where everything he sees amazes him. And he wants to touch it. And put it in his mouth. This has meant that he has become much harder to put to bed as he just wants to touch his sheets, touch his crib, look around his room, and on and on.... However, once he's asleep he has been doing really well. He started sleeping through the night on July 21st and has done so pretty consistently since then. For the record, "sleeping through the night" means that he goes to bed between 6:00 and 6:30 then we do a "dream feed" right before we go to bed - he mostly sleeps through this. Then he sleeps until anywhere between 5:00 and 6:30 am. So, all in all, pretty good!

Which brings me to one of his mannerisms that is so distinctly Andrew.... Anytime that I rock him in my arms to settle him down before putting him in his crib, he immediate shoves his hand down the neck of my shirt then sucks on his hand through my shirt. We captured the moment a few days ago....

While he mastered the art of turning over while swaddled weeks ago, he has yet to really embrace the idea outside of that situation. He seems perfectly content however we put him down and most times that he does it is by pure accident (he just actually did it accidentally while I was typing that sentence!). We're convinced he will crawl before he really starts rolling over....

As for crawling, he has clearly figured out that it is possible. In the past 3 or 4 days he has started getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth. However most movement is propelled by his arms as he pulls his body across the floor. Something tells me it won't be long! For anyone interested in his progress, here's a video (apologies for the music in the background - turns out when you are making a video that does not involve the 3 yr old they do their best to somehow still be represented in the video...)

He continues to be one of the loudest babies we've ever seen when angry. Or tired for that matter. The easiest way to know Andrew is tired is that he starts yelling. Really loud. Not crying. Just yelling. Constantly. For no apparent reason. It's charming. Really.

When not tired or hungry though, he's a real charmer. How can you not love this guy?

Here are some more photos!

Reading?

2011-08-11T11:08:00.001-07:00

I know you are supposed to read to your children... But what happens when the audience just wants to eat the book?

Not sure how this is helping his vocabulary...

Destructo-matic

2011-08-07T16:40:00.001-07:00

Anna learns the hard way what happens when she leaves her puzzles out...

The Dress (and train and veil) makes the girl...

2011-07-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

This morning when I turned on the TV the show that happened to come on was a show recapping Charles and Diana's wedding from 3 decades ago. Normally I would have watched for a minute or two and moved on, but since the recent wedding of Princess Catherine (in Anna's mind Prince William was really just a face in the crowd), Anna has become obsessed with weddings. Especially weddings that include dresses with long trains and veils. In fact recently she informed me that when she gets married she is going to have a train so long that she is going to need a party bus.

So, given the extraordinarily large train and veil worn by Princess Diana I called Anna over and we settled in for a little royal wedding watching. The following is the photo that inspired this blog post - Anna sees Princess Diana's train for the first time.

Pure joy and amazement

She later decided to do her best impression of the bride. I don't recall seeing pink fuzzy slippers under her dress but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure Princess Diana would rather have been wearing these slippers than what she was wearing.

And of course, her best princess wave

Two peas...

2011-07-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

As some people know, we have quite a few outfits that Zach's mother saved from when he was a baby. So we of course play dress up every now and then to see what fits and snap some photos. The outfit Andrew is wearing today is one I distinctly remembered putting Anna in for photos so I went back and found them. Is there any doubt these kids are siblings???

Andrew - July 30, 2011 (5.5 months)

Anna - April 24, 2008 (4 months old)

As always, the best way to get your kid in a photo is to start taking photos they are not part of :)

Two peas in a pod....

Bon Appétit

2011-07-28T18:47:00.000-07:00

Can you sense her enthusiasm about her dinner? Who says parenting isn't rewarding?

Sweet Relief!

2011-07-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

A yummy treat on a HOT summer day!

A side note for the historical record - this was Anna's first trip out for frozen yogurt with one of us that she enjoyed. She even wanted to know why we had to share when the other kids there had their own... Perhaps it was the sprinkles!

Everything goes in this kid's mouth!

2011-07-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

Anna's Patio Cafe

2011-07-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

For anyone following the ""Daddy, I saw something I want at Costco" saga (click here for video), here's an important update....

Upon returning from vacation, Anna's Papa saw the video of her asking Daddy for it on the phone and contacted us to see if we had bought it for her yet. As we had not, Papa stepped in to be the hero and it arrived today much to Anna's surprise (and joy!)

Giving the fridge door a big hug :)

While I was working to put it together the box proved to be a lot of fun!

The finished product! Currently residing in the living room, it will find a new home once Daddy has the chance to put in all the necessary safety screws.

Working to prepare the Cafe's first meal

Enjoying the Cafe's first meal! Open for business :)

Is there a doctor in the house?

2011-07-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

Dr. Anna

Let's check your ears

Sounds good!

Time for vaccinations

Satisfied patient!

The Joy of Soccer

2011-07-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

As a parent, I think one of the great joys is being able to share things you love with your children. Over the past few months, Anna & Zach have started watching US Soccer together. They get out Zach's soccer scarves and chant "USA! USA!" while Zach attempts to answer Anna's every question. Yesterday was the US Women's World Cup Quarterfinal game against Brazil. Since Zach already spent the time writing up a blog post for another blog, I'll go ahead and borrow from The Thirsty Scholars (http://www.thethirstyscholars.com) and repost it. Enjoy!

SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2011

Reflections on USA vs. Brazil

Posted by Zach at 11:59 PM

Today reminded me why I love sports.

Today I saw a team that had every reason to roll over and quit steadfastly and unanimously refuse to do so. And I saw them rewarded with an unimaginable triumph on the world’s greatest stage.

Today I saw a bench player step up to provide an inch-perfect delivery on the game’s transcendent play. I saw the star player receiving said pass erase myriad recent frustrations with a conversion in the most dire of circumstances. I saw a star-crossed athlete make the play of the game, then have it cruelly taken away, only to clinch victory by making virtually the same play again.

Today I saw a team wear patches of the United States of America over their hearts and channel the unflinching fire and determination that have marked this country since its earliest days.

Today I saw twenty thousand impartial observers rise in unison to support a team who deserved better than it was getting on the field.

Today I shared an indelible moment with my three year old daughter, yelling and jumping and dancing with her after a miraculous 122nd-minute goal – and again nine penalty kicks later, the last of which she watched with wide eyes and an eager grin after I prefaced it with, “If she makes this goal, we win.”

Today I recognized that only sports can reduce us to the pure, unbridled joy that is so frequently and innocently embraced by our children.

Today I participated in something magical, sublime, and unscripted, even though I was half a world away and had absolutely no rational expectation that I could possibly influence the outcome.

Today I saw a team exhibit the best of the competitive human spirit, and do so, in some miniscule part, on my behalf.

Today I saw sports perfectly embody the metaphor for life that it so often promises to be.

Today was a great day.

The Great Communicator

2011-07-07T14:15:00.001-07:00

The other day Anna and I were at Costco. We came across this Patio Cafe and Anna immediately took a liking to it.

We took a photo so we could show Daddy what it was that she so desperately wanted. We forgot to show Daddy so today she placed an important call on Andrew's toy phone....

Will we or won't we be headed to Costco this weekend? To be continued.....

Artist in the Making

2011-07-06T15:51:00.000-07:00

Anna drew this today. I'm on the right with Anna in my stomach. Zach is on the left "growing hair" for our wedding (Zach did not have a shaved head back then). Apparently we need to work with Anna on the chronology of our family history :)

If April Showers bring May flowers...

2011-06-28T16:13:00.001-07:00

Then what do JUNE showers bring??? Stir crazy 3 year olds.

It is raining. And not just sprinkles or "June Gloom". Pouring rain. This is something we are used to dealing with during the winter, but not in June when Anna has been reunited with her beloved water table and expects to be able to run around the backyard to her heart's content. So today I had an unhappy and stir crazy 3 year old on my hands.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.... COOKIES.

We broke out the baking supplies, Anna's favorite red apron and "baked 'em up". Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies please!

"Mommy! Baking is my favorite thing in the WORLD" she declared...

Deeelicious!

Pray for sun tomorrow!

4 months old!

2011-06-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Well, we are a little behind on Andrew's 4 month post because we've been away from home in Ohio for the past two weeks celebrating Aunt Bridget and Uncle Adam's wedding! More on that to come!

At Andrew's 4 month checkup his stats were:

Weight: 15 lb 4 oz

Height: 24.25 inches

Head Circumference: 43.2 cm

This puts him right in the middle of the pack - the 49th percentile for weight and the 53rd percentile for length. However, he is leaps and bounds ahead in head size - 69th percentile! We saw my OB the other day and she remarked "He still has a big head!"

We also discovered that he HATES the crinkly paper on the table at the doctors office.

In other notes, he's still struggling to turn over on his own - he keeps doing it accidentally but hasn't been able to do it intentionally yet. He's still waking up at night. On good nights only once, on bad nights 2 or 3 times. Like his sister, he spits up. A lot. We're looking forward to the introduction of solid foods!

One of our favorite baby tricks of late is what we have termed "the ski jump". We're trying to get it on video but in essence, if he's standing up on your lap facing out, and you lean him forward he quickly snaps his arms down to his sides like a ski jumper. Trust me, its funny in person :)

He's a big talker and an even bigger smiler! As we like to say, he's really happy except when he's not. Then he's really not happy. No in between with this guy! He can now hold toys and continues to grab for them mostly for the purpose of sticking them right in his mouth.

No "official" photo this month due to our traveling, but here's Andrew on his 4 month birthday!

Knock Knock!

2011-06-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

Anna has always been a big fan of attention. Whenever she can get a laugh she goes for it. And she has learned that this joke ALWAYS gets her a laugh....

Prelude to the big day...

2011-06-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

Today was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner for Bridget & Adam's wedding! Things were, as always, a bit crazy today. My parents flew into Akron yesterday (well, technically this morning I guess) and had a TERRIBLE trip, which left them at Akron Airport at 3am with no rental car. They grabbed a cab to their hotel but were then stranded this morning with no rental car. So, I drove up to the hotel while Zach and the boys had some fun playing basketball.

Dad and I ended up going on an epic journey (complete with visiting rental car locations that no longer existed) and finally got them a car at the most odd rental car office I've ever been to. It was then a race back to Bridget's house for me to pack up for our time at the hotel and then back to the hotel to get us all ready for the rehearsal. The high point of the day to this point was the fact that I got to make a stop at a Dunkin Donuts for a wonderful cup of coffee! But we made it to the rehearsal on time (unlike the bride and groom ;) and were finally able to relax a bit at the rehearsal dinner.

Groomsmen

Bree and Ben

The groom speaks

The bride listening to her groom's speech

Uncle Dave and Uncle Tom

Adam's Dad and Stepmom

The beaming bride!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

2011-06-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

Today we headed out to the Zoo with Aunt Bridget, Uncle Adam, Gaga and Gramma Jean. Anna was thrilled to be able to feed the Seals and see a rhinoceros! (Her current favorite book is The Preposterous Rhinoceros)

Uncle Adam was nice enough to go buy Anna some fish to feed the Seals - he wasn't anticipating that they would just toss the fish right into the palm of his hand! Anna was very grateful though and Mom provided him with some nice anti-bacterial hand wipes :)

Some funny looking meerkats we found along the way

The Preposterous Rhinoceros

Gaga and Anna with "Zach the Zebra"

Long distance friends

2011-06-13T08:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I was catching up on email and came across a video of Anna's friend Grace "reading" while on the potty. Anna insisted on listening to Grace read while reading her own book. Who said a couple thousand miles needs to stand between storytime with friends?

Fun at the Fair

2011-06-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

Today while Daddy and Uncle Adam were at a golf outing, we decided to stop by the local carnival to see what fun it might have for Anna. She's never been a real thrill seeker so we were hoping there would be some tame little kid rides for her to try out. During a wild and crazy 35 minute visit we found 3 rides - two of which were kids only. Meaning Anna had to go by herself! We weren't sure how well this would go over but she mustered up the courage and ended up having a great time!

Look Mom! No hands!

Birthday Bowling

2011-06-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

As part of Aunt Bridgie's birthday celebration we decided to go bowling - this was Anna's first trip to the bowling alley. While she has become quite an expert at Wii bowling we weren't sure how the real thing would turn out. But they put the bumpers up and gave her a nifty contraption so she didn't actually have to throw the ball and she was in heaven!

Lining up the shot

Counting bowling balls

Celebration silly face

With the birthday girl!

Gramma Jean celebrates!

Sadly, Anna lost to Gramma Jean...

We continued the celebration at the Japanese Steakhouse - also a first for Anna. Again, we weren't sure how big a fan she would be of the open flame right in front of her...

Playing with chopsticks

Not real happy about the huge flame explosion in front of her

Now she's into it!

As a side note, right about now, the manager managed to knock an entire pitcher of water into Andrew's car seat. Thankfully he was not in it but the seat had water running out of it. Despite our best efforts at drying it out the poor kid had a very wet ride home.... On the bright side we paid 30% less than we would have otherwise :)

Devouring the noodles (note the cheese sandwich we had to smuggle in for her)

Happy Birthday Bridget!

Boys of Summer

2011-06-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are in Ohio getting ready to celebrate Bridget and Adam's wedding. Hard to believe its finally here! We're here a bit early to spend some time with them before the big day and try to help out as much as possible during the crazy last weeks before the wedding. Since Father's Day falls on the day after the wedding we decided to have a little celebration early by taking Daddy out to a baseball game. This was Andrew's very first game! Akron has a great little ballpark downtown for the Akron Aeros, the Indians AA team.
It was super hot so we tried to move around to keep in the shade and as fate would have it, Aunt Bridget got hit by a line drive in the leg and we had to head home early. While in a lot of pain, we don't think anything is broken and we're all hoping she can walk down the aisle in a few weeks!

Great Gramma Jean and Gaga Eileen

Anna and Daddy run in the stampede across the field

Nine-O

2011-05-23T14:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we had some of our good friends over for our monthly "Parents Club". As the kids have grown older it has been really fun to watch them interact with each other as friends. I think Anna & Grace spent almost the whole time people were here holed up in Anna's room. The other kids would pop in and out occasionally but I think you had to be in the right silly mood to hang with them for long!

Our friend Allison captured them on video being super silly and practicing the use of what now appears to be their favorite made up "word"...

Update from several months later - Anna and Grace still scream "Nine-O" at each other whenever they are together.

3 months old!

2011-05-13T08:06:00.000-07:00

Andrew is 3 months old today!

We are very lucky to have a pretty easy going kid with hunger being the main cause for his crying. And watch out when he's hungry... guess he takes after Mommy and Daddy on that one! And once he's eating he'll hold on to you for dear life!

Andrew has recently discovered his ability to put his fist (and anything that happens to be in that fist) in his mouth. This is now his favorite thing to do. We're hoping this doesn't mean he's going to be that kid who puts everything in his mouth - I guess time will tell!

His sleeping habits at this point are still a little unpredictable - this week we had one night where he went back to waking up every 2 hours but is now on a 3 night streak of waking only once somewhere between 2am and 3am and then waking up for the day around 6. I know that this could change at any point but we'll take 3 nights of it!

Can't wait to see what the next month has in store for us!

Clearly still getting the hang of "tummy time" :)

Out of the mouths of babes

2011-05-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening, Anna's favorite babysitter came over to stay with her and Andrew while Zach and I were out. Later that night I received this post on my Facebook wall and it was so spot on of a description of a few hours with Anna these days that I had to document it!

Some highlights of our evening:

"Nadi, your tushi is showing a little". (Bending down to put a dvd in).
"Nadi, why is your hair so dark and messy?" (Me: Well Anna, some people have dark hair and mine is wavy, so it can look messy.)
"Nadi, do you remember how to swaddle Andrew? You just put one side over him, and then the other side, ok?" (HAHAHA).
At one point she starting singing me the Ariel song and corrected me when I tried to sing it.

I love that little girl. She is 3.5 going on 20. :)

Star of the Week

2011-05-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Anna came home from school with a letter explaining that she was going to be the "Star of the Week" the week of May 9th. She was asked to make a poster with things like places she has visited, favorite activities, her heritage etc. It also said that she could bring something to class each day to share with the class (with the notable exceptions of pets and goody bags). What the letter doesn't mention and what I have since learned is by far the best part of being Star of the Week is that she would get to stand at the front of the line anytime they left or returned to the classroom. VERY exciting it seems.

Here is Anna with her poster!

In the interest of documenting what she liked at this stage in her life, here are some of the lists that we came up with to put on her poster board:

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Movie: Beauty and The Beast

Favorite TV Show: Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends

Favorite Game: Lotto Game

Favorite Activities:

- Going to the Park

- Playing Soccer

- Helping Daddy in the Garden

- Puzzles

- Going to the Zoo

Favorite Food:

- Macaroni & Cheese

- Sweet Potatoes

- Watermelon

- Cornbread

- Anything with Cheese!

Places I Have Been:

- Akron, OH

- British Virgin Islands

- Chicago, IL

- Lake Tahoe, CA

- Palm Springs, CA

- Phoenix, AZ

- Portland, OR

- San Diego, CA

- Santa Barbara, CA

- Tucson, AZ

- Yosemite National Park

As further evidence of the importance of being at the front of the line, here is the school Anna has constructed in our bedroom and the line of students. Belle (the one with no arms, as opposed to the one WITH arms) has been designated the Star of the Week and is therefore at the front of the line....

And the Tony Goes To....

2011-05-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

Last night was Anna's debut as a singer/dancer in her preschool's "musical". The use of the term "musical" might be a bit misleading as it is really just a series of unrelated songs and choreography. Nonetheless it was super cute and endlessly entertaining.

She of course decided to stand in the back row but at least didn't entirely freeze like we were expecting. We were very proud of our little star!

For those who are really interested, here's the almost full version of the show. Apologies, for some reason when I make the move to export to YouTube it cuts off part of the top of the frame...

Enjoy!

(http://youtu.be/hP9aXe_UbPk)

Wheel Day!

2011-04-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

This time last year I was away for a weekend of rest and relaxation with my mom (Nana) while my dad (Papa) stayed with Anna & Zach for the weekend. By all accounts, the highlight of their weekend was "Wheel Day". See last year's post here: http://introducingbabyg.blogspot.com/2010/05/wheel-day.html

This year was a bit different - I took Andrew on the March for Babies 3 mile walk in San Ramon while Anna & Daddy went to soccer class. Then we met up and headed to this year's "Wheel Day". Fire Trucks, Cement Trucks, "diggers", police motorcycles and the ever popular yellow school bus were all repeat sights but just as much fun as last year. O.K. I'll admit I think it wasn't quite as exciting as last year for Anna, but still a good way to pass an hour on a Saturday morning :)

Some of this year's highlights:

Model A

The ever popular Volkswagon "tent" bus

On the hunt for bad guys

Free school bus rides!

And for comparison...

2011

2010

See you again next year Wheel Day!

At the Hop

2011-04-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

I'm sure many of you have seen one of the numerous JibJab e-cards that circulate every holiday and anyone with young kids knows that they provide endless hours of entertainment. If you're a frequent reader you no doubt remember the Halloween JibJab card we posted back in October (http://introducingbabyg.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-fun.html).

Anna was lucky enough to receive an Easter JibJab card the other day from her friend Grace. The card featured Grace and her family dressed as bunnies dancing to "At the Hop". Anna and Grace are HUGE JibJab fans and exchange cards at every opportunity. After watching Grace's card at least 15 times in 24 hrs Anna decided that she wanted to send Grace something in return. Sadly we couldn't find a free card that was suitable so Anna decided we would send a video instead. Grace's family enjoyed the video so much that we decided to share it with you all to help you get in the mood for tomorrow's Easter activities.

Presenting Anna Sophia....

2 Month Checkup

2011-04-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

Today was Andrew's 2 month checkup and the dreaded first immunizations that go with it. He's growing and gaining which is all good news!

Weight: 11 pounds 9.5 ounces (41st percentile weight for age)

Height: 23 inches (46th percentile height for age)

Head Circumference: 16 inches (61st percentile head circumference for age!)

As a side note, at 2 months Anna was only 9 pounds (7th percentile)!

Like his sister he was a champ when he got his shots. He let out one brief cry and that was it. The nurse couldn't believe it! Unfortunately he wasn't quite as tough as the day went on and had a pretty rough afternoon. We're hoping he feels better tomorrow!

It was a successful visit to the doctor for Anna as she just got to watch, got no shots and even left with 2 stickers that she conned out of the nurses by telling them that she would be brave while Andrew got his shots :)

2 Months Old!

2011-04-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

Andrew is 2 months old today! He's growing and changing on a daily basis - he is definitely a big smiler now giving us "Happy Baby Time" where we stare at each other and smile and coo. These are the great moments!

He is also starting to become more aware of his surroundings, noticing things like his mobile for the first time. When he can manage to get his hand to his mouth he enjoys chewing on his fist and also on blankets.

With the move to the new house he now has is own room and is sleeping in his crib for the first time tonight! Before we know it he'll be sleeping through the night! :) Just kidding. Right now he has one "long stretch" of about 4 hours to start off the night then wakes up every 2 to 3 hours after that. All in all its not too bad but I can't wait until he gives us stretches of 6+ hours!

Here's some more photos of our little guy and his big sister (who always manages to sneak into these photos!)

A Day at the Salon

2011-04-07T16:14:00.000-07:00

Anna has been in need of a haircut for quite a while now, but between preschool, swim lessons, soccer class, being a big sister and having lots of visitors it has been hard to find the time. So, on a recent visit to Nana and Papa's house, Nana called her own hairdresser to see if she could get Anna an appointment at the "Big Girl Salon". Anna is used to sitting in a car and watching cartoons while having her hair cut so this was a big step into the world of "big girls". Watching her sit on multiple cushions to get her hair washed brought back memories of me doing the same thing in this very same salon when I was little!

Getting her hair washed

Very serious... it's hard work staying still

The finished product - a french braid that was demolished by the 3 yr old in about 5 minutes :)

Goodbye old friend

2011-03-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has known me since 1998 knows the car that is affectionately referred to as "Ed". Handed down to me by my parents, he survived winters in Vermont and Boston, multiple cross country road trips and most recently countless trips back and forth across the San Francisco Bay. He has witnessed college graduations, first apartments, marriages, first homes and the birth of two babies...

At 166,000 miles, he is showing his age. And today is the day to finally say goodbye... In the words of Zach, "He will be missed. But only in sentimental ways".

A look back at some of Ed's finest moments :)

Outside my apartment in Boston

At the end of a long drive through Wyoming that included a surprise blizzard

Posing at the Bonneville Speedway

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T17:48:00.000-07:00

Well, we weren't very well prepared for St. Patrick's Day this year, but thanks to some help from others we managed to pull it off in a respectable manner :)

Anna had a great time at school, learning all about the leprechauns and their pots of gold. We even saw the trail of gold (aka glitter) leading in and out of the school!

Anna (glasses from Gaga)

Andrew (bib from Anna)

Daddy's Celebration (from Carla)

Smile!

2011-03-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

I finally managed to capture a smile today during Anna's swim lesson!

Tummy Time x 2!

2011-03-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

1 Month Old!

2011-03-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

Happy

2011-03-12T15:31:00.000-08:00

While Zach was out of town for work this week we had a great visit from Nana and Papa. Andrew adores his Nana and loves cuddling with her and sleeping on her for hours on end. Here's the happy guy, just hanging out with his Nana...

Beauty School Dropout

2011-03-06T15:37:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite expressions Anna has adopted recently is "Mommy, I LOVE your hairstyle!" This morning she ran to the bathroom saying that she was going to make her hair pretty. Busy with Andrew I said, "OK, show me when you're finished". She emerged, immensely proud, hair clips jingling. All I could say was "Anna, I LOVE your hairstyle!" :)

Andrew's First Bath

2011-02-28T21:45:00.000-08:00

Andrew has the amazing (and unfortunate) ability to go from happy to VERY angry almost instantly. For this reason we had been dreading his first bath here at home - if he was anything like his sister, his first bath would not be a pleasant experience. True to form, he was most definitely not a fan of his first bath and even expressed his feelings by pooping in the middle of the bath... Hard to believe that one day he'll probably love the bath and even want to play endlessly in the water. But until then, here's what we're facing!

Siblings

2011-02-27T22:59:00.000-08:00

The likeness between Andrew and Anna as a baby is uncanny at times. Their looks, expressions and movements are so similar at times it is spooky. We captured Andrew in a typical pose and I immediately remembered that we had at least one photo of Anna doing the same thing. No doubt these two are siblings!

Anna (1/15/2008)

Andrew (2/27/2011)

2 weeks old!

2011-02-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe it has been 2 weeks since the joy and drama of Andrew's birth! Tomorrow Dad heads back to work so wish us luck!

Old School

2011-02-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

Those of you who have been following us for the past 3 years may remember that occasionally we have been able to dress Anna in one of her Dad's outfits from when he was a baby. Well today was Andrew's turn! Amazingly this is actually the best fitting outfit he has right now! Not to be left out entirely of the nostalgia, Anna was able to go to the bookstore with me and pick out some Berenstain Bears books! So fun to see your kids enjoying the same books you did as a child...

Life is tough

2011-02-23T17:16:00.000-08:00

Settling in at home

2011-02-22T20:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to everyone for all the calls, emails, cards and thoughts that have come our way over the past few weeks. As we get ourselves into more of a pattern I'm sure we'll update the blog with more details and stories of Andrew Callen's birth but for now here's a favorite photo of big sister Anna with her "little babes" Andrew :)

Introducing... Andrew Callen Gustafson

2011-02-13T17:30:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to announce the arrival of the newest member of our family, Andrew Callen Gustafson. He joined us at 2:25am PST on Sunday February 13th, weighing in at 7 lbs 11 oz and measuring 20 inches long.

He took a rather unconventional approach to birth - face up, head/arm first, and with his cord snugly around his neck - which earned him a 48-hour trip to the penalty box (i.e. the NICU). But it's mostly precautionary, and mom and baby are both resting comfortably at this point.

Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes. It has been wonderful to read the ongoing messages of support over the past day and a half.

All the best,Zach, Karen, Anna, and Andrew (aka "Buster")

The end of an era

2011-02-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

As Zach wrote about earlier today, tomorrow is the big day. As a very pregnant mom-to-be, tonight was a big nostalgic and emotional for me. It was hard saying goodnight to Anna knowing that tomorrow her world is going to change in a big way. I know it will be a wonderful change for our family but at the same time it made me a bit sad to think that tonight was our last night as a family of three. Imade Zach pose for a family photo before we headed out to dinner so we'd have one last photo of the 3 of us - note the presence of Buster's Tigger in the photo :)

Here We Go Again

2011-02-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

It's nearly a week past Buster's due date, so the good folks at Kaiser have scheduled us for induction on Saturday morning. There's a certian feeling of deja vu here, given that Anna was also induced a week after her alleged arrival date. But we're hopeful that it isn't quite a repeat performance. The first go-round was rough on all of us, as evidenced by the running diary I kept in the hospital and then transcribed to the blog over several weeks.

As a refresher, this is what we went through last time:

http://introducingbabyg.blogspot.com/2007/12/full-labor-day-diary-part-1.html

http://introducingbabyg.blogspot.com/2008/01/full-labor-day-diary-part-2.html

http://introducingbabyg.blogspot.com/2008/01/full-labor-day-diary-part-3.html

http://introducingbabyg.blogspot.com/2008/01/full-labor-day-diary-part-4.html

Here's hoping that Buster makes it easier on Mommy than his big sister did!

Mission Accomplished!

2011-01-21T18:26:00.000-08:00

Today Anna completed her first official job in her role as "Big Sister". I discovered the other day that while I've done lots of laundry and other things in preparation for the arrival of "Buster", with two weeks to go we didn't have a single diaper in the house. So today, Daddy and Anna went out on a mission to bring home some diapers.

Mission Accomplished!

Anna's New Ride

2011-01-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

Today was the big day - the transformation of our family from a one car seat family to a two car seat family. I scheduled an appointment with the police department to install the seats, not so much because we needed help installing them but more to actually remind us to get the infant seat out and cleaned up so it could be installed.

Anna had a great time at the appointment, mostly because she got to sit in the front seat and watch. She told the woman all about "Buster" and how that was Buster's seat. We weren't sure how she'd react to having her seat moved from the center of the backseat to one of the sides.

But turns out its the greatest thing that ever happened. She loves her new ride, especially when we open her window. Her FAVORITE thing to do is to re-enact one of her favorite commercials as shown below. I kid you not. She even responds to the name "Maxwell".

The happy girl

She sent her regrets...

2011-01-09T15:17:00.000-08:00

The following is the actual content of a text message I received from Nadya last night while Zach and I were out celebrating his birthday...

*******

Anna was looking at your wedding pics on the wall and goes "yeah, I wasn't there... I couldn't make it".

*******

Guess she had other plans that day :)

Moving up

2011-01-05T14:01:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of Anna's preschool level swim class which means that no parent is allowed in the pool during the lesson. I can't express to you how wonderful that is... nobody wants to see me at 35.5 weeks in a bathing suit :)

When we signed up for this session we specifically chose a class taught by the teacher she had previously. In the last few classes of last session the teacher tried to remove the parents from the pool with varying degrees of success. We figured that at least if the teacher was the same one she was used to we would have a better result. Thankfully, the month she has spent at preschool seems to have made a big impact on her ability to participate in activities without me me since her teacher was out today and we had someone new! Anna did great though, with the exception of sitting still on the top step while the teacher was working with the other kids. We need to work on that....

Blowing bubbles

Working on the back float

A quick kick around the pool to finish up the class