DeeDee and Dougie

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2010-07-04T18:38:00.000-04:00

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A GRAND Saturday

2010-06-26T18:40:00.000-04:00

Boy's Toys...Napping with the Remote Control

Hey, little guy, you spent today with DeeDee and Papa and we had a wonderful time.

Your mama met us at Einstein's early this morning. She was going to work, so she left you and your cot with us. We had quite a morning. We ate bagels outside and you watched a little dog and the birds (who were begging for crumbs from the people eating on the patio). Then we went to SAMS and to REI to look around. We did not do a lot of buying, but we had fun looking.

After that, we went to the library and you had a blast in the Children's department. You tried out all of the kid sized furniture, picked out a book to carry around with you and found a toy to play with. Papa and I know that you (and Papa and DeeDee) walked at least a mile in the short time we were there.

The Papa tunnel...but you've gotten so tall
you are going to have to bend over to get through!!

When we got to our house, you played for a few minutes before you told us that it was time for lunch by heading to your high chair. You had a great lunch...and then it was time for your nap.We changed your diaper, took off your shoes and set up your cot. You fussed just a minute before you fell sound asleep. Although you woke up at the 2 hour mark, you dozed and rested for another 40 minutes before you decided that it was time to get up. You were such a big boy sleeping on the cot, and you took a much better nap than you do in the porta-crib.

After your nap and another diaper change it was time to meet Mama at Slopes for dinner. You LOVE BBQ and you ate almost the entire kid's portion...which is pretty big. Then we had to say good-bye as you and Mama headed to Trader Joe's and then home to take a bath.

We hated to see this GRAND day end!! See you soon!!

Learning Words!

2010-06-25T19:26:00.000-04:00

Papa just got home from work (notice the very sweaty hair)...
But, as soon as you see him, you KNOW its time for dinner!!

Hey, Little Guy. You are starting to figure out the intricacies of language. You have been able to follow directions for quite a while now, and you know, and demonstrate that you know, your body parts whenever I ask. Papa and I always know that you are content when you are riding with us and "chatting" to yourself...you always sound so happy and peaceful at those times. But, until recently, you had not begun to say meaningful words.

Yesterday, you called me DeeDee for the first time...it was a very special moment!!

I know that soon we won't be able to shut you up. You will be like your mama and talk all the time once you really 'get' the idea that the words you say can make your communication with others in your world much more efficient than sign language or whining. It is magical to watch you make this discovery!

Happy Father's Day, Big Dude!!

2010-06-20T18:56:00.000-04:00

From your little Doodle!!

I love you, Papa!!

Very Busy Days

2010-06-19T22:39:00.004-04:00

Hey, little guy, I can't believe how busy I have been since school got out. I thought I'd have some down time once school was out and I didn't have to sub.

Right after I finished proctoring exams, I had to go to St. Louis with your Aunt Peggy and Great Grandma for your Great Aunt Peggy's funeral. Aunt Peggy was very special to me...she was my godmother and my father's sister. She was 90 years old and had lived a very long, good life, but we were all sad that she is gone.

It had been years since I have been in St. Louis, so we took advantage of the free time we had there to do a little touring. We saw the house we lived in when I was a very little girl and we saw the schools that I attended in kindergarten and 1st grade. We also saw the school that my sister Peggy attended in kindergarten. Even though we did not move, she and I did not go to the same school for kindergarten.

This is the house we lived in until early 1957

This is the cool playground at Lee Hamilton Elementary

School, where I went to Kindergarten

This is the sign in front of the school where

Aunt Peggy went to Kindergarten

This is the back of the school where I went to

first grade. It used to be called St. John and James,

but now it is Mother Teresa of Calcutta

When we were in St. Louis, we were able to see all 9 of Great Aunt Peggy's children. It had been so long since we have seen them!! It was very good to reconnect with our extended family.

The boys and Ginny smoking Stogies

Shelley and Peggy

Kelly, Kathy and Sarah

Your Papa wants to make sure that I tell you that when we were in St. Louis, we ate lunch at Rigazzi's on the Hill and had frozen concrete's at Ted Drewe's twice!! Your Great Grandma LOVED Ted Drewes and wanted to go back for "dinner" the last night we were in St. Louis. Those concrete's were our dinner both times we went, so we weren't as bad as we could have been. We wanted to bring your Papa a frozen custard, but couldn't figure out how to get it all the way back here, so he had to settle for a Ted Drewes t-shirt. Some day we will take you to the Hill and to Ted Drewes...I know that you will love the Italian food and frozen custard!!

The day after we returned from St. Louis, Papa and I left for LA. It was very hot, but we picked almost 50 pounds of blueberries while we were there. Your Papa LOVES blueberries and eats them every day. We do think that we have picked enough to last us until the 2011 blueberry season.

Fun at DeeDee and Papa's house

We finally got to spend some time with you the day after we got home. DeeDee came and picked you up from your house and you came over to visit and have dinner with DeeDee and Papa. It was so good to see you!! We really enjoyed our visit. When we took you back to the house, you gave Papa his Father's Day card and gift since you are spending this weekend in South GA with your Daddy and Grandaddy. We will miss you, but I'm sure that you will have a wonderful visit. Have a safe trip and we will see you when you get home.

Friday at the ELC

2010-05-29T21:19:00.000-04:00

Hey, Little Doodle, we had such a good day on Friday.

When DeeDee arrived at the ELC, you thought that I was going to take you on an adventure. It took a while for you to get used to the idea that we were not going anywhere, but once you did, we had lots of fun and adventure right there in school.

We did lots of fun things...we went to the football field to play ball and stroll around the track, DeeDee taught you 'No More Monkies Jumping on the Bed' and you learned some of the motions, you 'painted' the building with water (and got wet enough that you needed a new set of clothes), your daddy came to visit and feed you lunch, you took a good nap, and enjoyed your snacks. However, the highlight of your day was getting to play at the water table...what a fun way to begin the summer!!

Here are some pictures of you, Bradley and Ella enjoying the water.

You were having SO.MUCH.FUN!!

Pouring water on your head...notice the water dripping off of your chin...

Your outfit says 'Little Squirt'...quite appropriate.

Your favorite piece of playground equipment...you love to climb up and go down the slide.

Ella stayed pretty dry...but Bradley is getting ready to take care of that. Watch out, Ella!!

Bradley was quite wet.

You were the wettest of all, and didn't mind a bit!!

DeeDee had to take you inside, strip off your clothes, put on a dry diaper, and take you home to Mama in your diaper. We had such fun telling her about our adventures when we got to your house!!

Little Boy Heaven

2010-05-27T12:22:00.000-04:00

Hey Big Guy!! What fun you had at DeeDee and Papa's house yesterday!! You were in Little Boy Heaven...sorry I don't have any pictures.

First of all, your Papa was working from home yesterday, so when you and DeeDee arrived, he was already home!! That was such a treat. You love being with your Papa so very much. When he came out to the car, you got a huge grin on your face and reached up for Papa to take you into the house.

You have a definite pecking order these days...Papa trumps DeeDee and DeeDee trumps Mama, when DeeDee arrives at the ELC and you know that you are going on an adventure with me. Your Mama was at the ELC when I got there, and you were just getting up from your nap. We both waved at you and you grinned at us. Miss Janice handed you to Mama, and quick as a wink, you turned to me and put your arms out for me to take you. You gave your Mama a ton of kisses, but you would not let her take you back. When DeeDee put you on the floor, you took my keys and went straight to the door. You stood facing the door and would not turn around. It was TIME.TO.GO!! (That's why DeeDee doesn't drop by to visit you at the ELC any more...every time you see me you think it is time to go on an adventure!!)

After we got home, while you were eating your snack, you heard banging going on in the back of the house. You kept looking toward the noise and we could tell that you wanted to investigate. So, when you got down from the highchair, you made a beeline to the back of the house and found that the electrician was working on our electrical box. HEAVEN!!

You spent the next several hours watching the electrician work. He was doing some very interesting things and you really wanted to see every little thing he did. He also had a big red panel truck parked in front of our house and you watched that whenever you were removed from the work area. You really had a fabulous time watching everything that was going on, and you also saw some areas of our house that you had not seen before. You really wanted to try to crawl up the pull-down steps into the attic when Papa and the electrician went up there.

The electrician did not finish until 7:45 and by that time you were well past your bedtime and having a VERY hard time staying awake. When he left, we plopped you in the car to take you back to your house. You were sound asleep before we made it out of the subdivision.

DeeDee gets to work in the ELC tomorrow, so I'm spending the entire day with you and your friends. I'm really looking forward to our day together. See you tomorrow, big guy. Love ya!!

Busy Days

2010-05-17T11:08:00.001-04:00

Ready for the Baptism

Hey, Buddy!! It's been two whole weeks since your DeeDee has had time to post to our blog. I have worked every day for the last two weeks!! School is almost over and everyone seems to need help. There were several days when I could have worked two or three jobs in one day, if that were possible.

You are feeling much better. Your cough is gone...but now DeeDee has it...and your ears are no longer infected. However, last Thursday morning you woke up with a terrible rash. Your mama did not know what it was, so DeeDee stopped at your house on my way to work to look at it. We just couldn't figure out what it was. It looked sort of like early chicken pox, but you didn't have many marks on your stomach and back. They were mostly on your legs. I wondered if you had gotten into a nest of chiggers, but since you were not scratching much, that theory did not make sense either. Since you could not go to school, your mama got you a babysitter for the morning and then DeeDee came over after I was done with work. I took you to the Dr. after your nap. The Dr. said that your rash was a reaction to the Amoxicillin you had been on. No more penicillin products for you. I am so glad that we found out about your allergy before you had a really serious reaction.

Spots!!

You were a very good boy at the Dr's office. You even grinned at the Dr. a time or two, which is a real breakthrough for you. You weighed 27 lbs and were 2' 8.5" tall (32.5"). You are getting so big!!

On Saturday, you spent most of the day with DeeDee and Papa. Your mama dropped you off at 8:30 because she had a school activity to go to. We ran errands. You fell asleep in the car on the way home, so DeeDee sat in the car and read her book while you slept for about an hour and a half. Then you were ready to play with Papa. You watched him cut the grass...you really wanted to go outside and help him, but DeeDee told you that it was dangerous to be out in the yard with the mower running, so you watched from the door. You ate several snacks and played and played. By 2:30 you were so tired that you were getting unsteady on your feet, so you went down for a nap...you didn't want to go to bed, but once you were in there, you were asleep in minutes.

15 months old...Me and Papa

Your mama came to pick you up to go to Lila's baptism. Mama let you sleep until 3:30 and then she dressed you in clean dress clothes for your big outing.

Papa and DeeDee just loved having you at our house on Saturday. We hope that we can have another special day together very soon.

Sick Day #3

2010-05-01T14:54:00.000-04:00

Hey, Big Guy...you were so pathetic yesterday. Your Mama took you to the doctor, who discovered you have Croup and an ear infection. After DeeDee finished subbing with the 5th graders, she came over to take care of you while your Mama attended a couple of events that she HAD to go to. Papa came over, too, when he finished at work.

Since you had not eaten much at all yesterday, we decided to take you to Havana, one of your favorite places, to see if we could get you to eat something. You love their black beans and yellow rice and you did eat quite a bit...very little hit the floor. You also had lots of people to watch, which distracted you from feeling quite so miserable.

When we got back to your house, we gave you your medicine (not your favorite thing...Tylenol is OK, but the Amoxicillin is not your favorite...and you HATE Motrin) and got you ready for bed. After a little playtime, you went to bed without a peep.

Unfortunately, that durn congestion kept waking you up. The only way that you were able to sleep was on either DeeDee or Papa's shoulder. You were so tired that you couldn't stay awake as long as you were being held upright so that the mucus did not choke you.

DeeDee and Papa hated to see you feeling so bad...but we loved having you snuggle down on our shoulder and sleep. You are such an active, independent little boy that you never let us hold you like that!!

Papa and DeeDee hope that you feel better very soon!!

Sick Day #2

2010-04-29T20:45:00.001-04:00

Pictures from our day together...

Resting in the rocking chair

You did not feel well...your fever was down since you were taking Motrin and Tylenol, your nose was running and you had a croupy cough. Your eye-teeth are coming in, too, and your gums are really swollen.

Even though you were feeling pretty rough, we did have some good times, too. Your little personality is starting to show and you have begun to tease.

Watching the lawn guys work...wishing you could be outside with them...

Mischief in your eyes!!

Sick Day

2010-04-28T17:03:00.000-04:00

Hey, Little Guy, your Mama tells me that you missed school today. She said that you woke up in the middle of the night with a 103 degree fever...your first ever high fever. I am so very sorry that you are sick. Lots of other kids in the ELC have been sick this week, too, with that same pesky fever.

Papa and I babysat for you last night, but we didn't even get to see you. Your Mama said that you were fast asleep by 6 o'clock, and we didn't get there until 6:40. I looked in on you a couple of times...once you lifted your head, but did not really wake up. Your Mama said that you did not take a good nap at school and that you had been cranky and clingy. You must have been getting sick yesterday. I hope you get better very quickly.

On Monday, Papa and I babysat, as well. You were feeling pretty good then. You greeted me at the door of the ELC with a huge grin on your face. I was so glad to see you, too, since I had not seen you in almost a week. You kept trying to open the door for me, but you (thankfully) couldn't do it...as much as you love to be outside, you will become a real escape artist once you learn how that door works!!

We drove back to your house and played for a while before dinner. You were eating when Papa arrived and you had to get out of your chair to help him pack his bicycle in the car...and then you had to show him some interesting things in your yard before you would come back inside. Once inside, you finished dinner, got your PJs on and played with us until your Mama came home...and then, you were very ready to go to bed.

If DeeDee doesn't get called in to sub tomorrow, I am going to come over and stay with you while your Mama works. Because you still had a fever at 11am today, you can't go back to school tomorrow. You can't go until your fever has been gone for 24 hours. I do hope that you will be feeling much better tomorrow. It is so sad to see a little guy who is not feeling well.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-14T20:58:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter!!

2010-04-06T11:07:00.000-04:00

Lunchtime with DeeDee

Hey, Dougie, we all enjoyed a great Easter. We had a party at Great Uncle Eugene's house and you loved getting to spend so much time outside. It was sunny, and quite warm, but you didn't care because you LOVE being outside.

Chillin' with Papa

A slinky from DeeDee and Papa

When you came into the house to cool off, you practiced going up and down the steps. You got very good at climbing up the steps...no crawling allowed. You even refused to crawl down the steps, which made life a bit more challenging!! You are a very busy boy, and you really wore your Papa out. (Sorry, no pictures of the stair climbing...)

You found 7 eggs during the egg hunt. Your cousin Lucy was the egg hunt winner...she found 97 eggs.

Got the keys...gotta go!!

After the egg hunt, it was time to go home. You were hot and tired and it had been a very long exciting day!!

Walkin' ALL the Time

2010-04-02T11:31:00.004-04:00

Happy Easter Everyone!!

Hey, Big Boy!! You are SUCH a big boy...you never crawl any more. You love the view of the world from your feet...you can see a lot more AND you can get into a lot more, too.

Papa and I had a nice visit with you on Wednesday and we had so much fun. DeeDee picked you up from school. You were outside playing when I got there, and once you gave me a big hug, you went back to climbing up the ladder to the slide. Oh, my, you LOVE playing outside and you did not want to leave the playground.

DeeDee had to park a long way from the ELC and you were so happy that you got to climb up the stairs all by yourself (with me standing close behind you). You were so tired, but you wanted to explore everything and had your own idea about the route we were going to take to the car. I think you walked an extra half mile so that you could explore all of the interesting things that caught your attention.

When we got back to your house, you ate a bit of dinner and drank a ton of water. Your were so thirsty after getting hot and sweaty outside, and you just weren't interested in eating.

You were so excited when Papa arrived on his bike. You helped him with his bag, and then you led him into the extra bedroom to show him your favorite "toy"--the telephone. You showed him that you even know how to turn on the speakerphone!!

Raspberries for Papa!!

Papa took his shower while DeeDee gave you a bath and your Mama left to run some errands. Then we went for a ride in the car to pick up a sandwich for dinner. You fell asleep in the car, but woke up when we got home, so all three of us ate dinner...this time, you were ready to eat. After dinner, it was almost time for you to go to bed. You were a little unsteady on your feet since you were so tired...but you weren't too tired to show off your new talent -- blowing bubbles and making raspberries!! You love making this new sound!!

Then it was time for bed and time for DeeDee and Papa to go home. Night, night big boy...see you soon!!

More Milestones

2010-03-20T13:28:00.002-04:00

Hey, Sweet Boy, this has been another week of milestones for you.

You have started to engage in pretend play. You love to "talk on the phone"!! You pick up the toy cell phone DeeDee gave you, put it up to your right ear, and say "Hi" with a distinct southern accent. You then proceed to walk around (still mostly holding on to furniture) holding a conversation with someone on the other end of the line. You usually don't say a whole lot...but you do respond in monosylables, just like you are listening to someone tell you a story. I wonder who does that at your house??

It's GONE DeeDee!!

You love to eat. You are impatient, too. If we put two pieces of food down on your tray, you stuff both pieces into your mouth. So, DeeDee and Papa have started giving you one piece, and waiting for you to tell us that the food is gone before we give you another. You often sign "More, please" while you are still chewing!! Now, we ask you to give us the sign for "Gone" before you get another piece. You learned very quickly to tell us that your food is gone...smart boy!!

You also learned how to drink from a straw last weekend. That will make it so much easier on everyone when we go out to eat and have forgotten your sippy cup.

When you were at our house last weekend, you learned to climb up on the camel stool. You are the third generation of Papa's family to enjoy that special stool. Papa played on it when he was a little boy, your cousins Trey and Hailey played on it too...and now, it is your turn.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

It has been a month since you took your first little baby steps and you are beginning to favor walking over crawling. On Tuesday, DeeDee and Papa babysat for you and whenever you wanted something, you dropped to a crawl immediately. We babysat again on Wednesday, and what a difference a day makes!! On Wednesday, you took off walking whenever you wanted to get something...except when you wanted DeeDee and Papa to chase you to keep you out of the computer cords. That is one fun game in your book and you giggle happily when we catch you and drag you out from under the computer table.

Papa and DeeDee have loved the time we have spent with you this week. It is so exciting to see how fast you are growing and learning.

Eating Like a Big Boy!!

2010-03-06T20:04:00.011-05:00

Hey, Dougie. You cane home from school on Thursday with DeeDee. It was really fun having you over at our house for a change. Since you have moved, you don't get to DeeDee and Papa's house very often.

DeeDee helped to proctor exams at your Mama's school on Thursday morning and then I came to pick you up about 12:30. You had already had lunch, but had not yet had your nap. You enjoyed riding to the car in my Grandma stroller. You fell asleep in the car on the way to DeeDee's house. DeeDee stayed in the car with you while you slept. I had a good book to read and the sun was shining brightly, which kept the car nice and toasty, so I didn't mind. You slept for about 40 minutes after we got to the house.

Once we got inside, you ate a 2nd lunch while DeeDee ate her lunch. You had goldfish and applesauce and ate the rest of your peas from your lunchbox. You also ate the rest of your bread, which I spread with hummus. You did not want the strawberries your Mama had packed for you...you are not really fond of strawberries yet.

After lunch we played and played. You were so cute with the TV remote controls. Whenever I told you to call Papa or to call Mama, you crawled and got the remote and put it up to your ear as if it was a telephone. By 4:20 you were really tired, so DeeDee got out the MP3 player and cranked up the children's songs. You chilled on my lap while the music played and I sang the songs to you. It was a really nice cuddly time that lasted almost an hour.

After your cuddle time with DeeDee, it was time to eat again. You had crock-pot chicken and red beans and rice. You LOVE beans and rice. DeeDee bought you a new bowl last weekend, so I put your food in the bowl and I gave you a spoon. You did very well with that spoon considering that it is the very first time you have tried to eat using a spoon. I was very proud of you!!

Sometimes, your hands are just more efficient!!

Papa came home just as you were finishing your dinner. You wanted him to pick you up right away...and he did, once we washed the food off of your face and hands. You and Papa played while DeeDee did the dishes and then it was time for a bath. OH, how you LOVE your bath. You swam and swam in the water and didn't want to get out even when the water was getting cold.

After you were snug in your PJ's, Papa put you in the car for the ride back to your house. You fell asleep in the car yet again. This time, you were out for the night. When Papa brought you into the house, we took your coat off and put you in bed. Your Mama said that she did not hear a peep out of you ALL night. Playing with DeeDee and Papa wears you out!!

We love having you visit us and can't wait for you to come to our house again. When DeeDee went to the consignment sale today, I found a toy cell phone for you so you will not have to pretend with the remote controls any longer!! I'll bet you will enjoy your new "cell phone".

Baby Steps!!

2010-02-19T09:01:00.004-05:00

Our little walker...just after the big moment

Hey, Dougie!! You took your first steps last evening, and DeeDee and Papa were there for the big event!! We were so excited to see you let go and take four little baby steps right into your Mama's arms!!

Your Mama had to go out to a dinner last night, so Papa and I came over to babysit. We beat you home because you had to go to the doctor for your 1-year check-up. You weigh 25 lbs., just like your Mama did at her first birthday, and you are 29 inches tall. You did not get any shots because you had an ear infection. The doctor gave you Amoxicillan instead...the first antibiotic that you have had to take. You are a very strong, healthy boy. You don't like going to the doctor...your Mama said that you cried the entire time you were there.

Thank you, Aunt Katie and Uncle Michael!!

After you got home, we got to see you open your birthday present from Aunt Katie and Uncle Michael. They got you a really cool letter train that spells your name. You had fun playing with your new train.

While we were waiting for your Mama's ride to arrive, we were sitting in the front room by the computer. You pulled up on the shelves on the room separator. You let go and took those first four baby steps!! It was a really big moment for all of us.

After Mama left, Papa and DeeDee took you to Havana to have some of your favorite food...black beans and rice. After dinner, we took you home and put you to bed. It had been a very momentous day and you were beat. You fell asleep immediately!!

DeeDee is sorry that she has been so busy that she has not gotten to blog about our trip to Boston. We had a wonderful time, and I will share our adventures on our blog very soon.

Love ya, Dougie. See you soon.

Birthday Boy

2010-02-09T17:24:00.005-05:00

I'm ONE !!

Wow, Dougie, you turned 1 year old on Sunday. It is so hard to believe how much you have grown and learned in one short year!! It was a very exciting birthday week. You had 4 parties!!

Playing at my party

On Thursday, you had a party with your friends at the ELC. Everyone was so excited. The other kids couldn't wait for 3:30 to come so that they could party with you. Ella even took a nap to get ready for the big event. You blew out your candle with your Mama and you really enjoyed opening your presents. Everyone had a great time riding trikes and pushing wagons around the lower cafeteria. When your party was over, it was time for everyone to go home.

Look at my cool birthday hat!!

On Friday morning, the ladies in the front office had a great party for you. You had a yummy apple cake and you blew out your candle with one big sneeze. You really loved eating cake first thing in the morning and you were hungry because you hadn't had any breakfast. You had a great birthday hat and bib and got more presents. You have started to figure out how much fun it is to open them.

Thanks Uncle Jamie, Aunt Rebecca and Jack!!

On Saturday, your Mama had a family party at your house. There were lots of people there to share your big day. Your Daddy, Granddaddy Norris and Molly, Granddaddy Ellis and Pammie, Uncle Jamie, Aunt Rebecca and Jack, Great Aunt Mary and Great Aunt Bernie, DeeDee, Lisa Downey, and Claire and Dan all came to celebrate with you. Ms Claudia made your birthday cake. You had a really good time visiting with everyone, opening presents and eating your birthday cake. You even decided to wash your hair with the icing!!

A Party with Papa

On Sunday, which was your real birthday, you spent the afternoon at DeeDee's house waiting for your Papa to come home from his trip to Seattle. Papa had a birthday while he was gone, so the birthday boys decided to go to Mellow Mushroom to celebrate before it got too crowded with Super Bowl fans. Papa enjoyed feeding you and you both ate some of the birthday cake from Saturday's party. Papa was so glad to see you and spend some time with you after being gone for almost 5 days. He hated to miss your other parties, but was glad that the two of you got to share a party when he returned.

Busy Week

2010-01-30T11:40:00.004-05:00

Hey, Dougie. This has been a very busy week. Even though it was busy, I'm happy to say that I got to spend time with you and that made the week very special. I'm sorry to say, I don't have any pictures to share again this week, but I'm sure that we will make up for it next week with lots of 1st birthday pictures!! It's so hard to believe that an entire year has gone by since you arrived. It has been a very special year and Papa and DeeDee have loved every minute that we have spent with you.

On Monday, DeeDee subbed for a class of first graders and then picked you up from school. We had a nice walk home to your condo. You enjoyed the stroller ride. Of course, you were ready to eat as soon as we got to your house. You are trying to get more teeth, molars this time, so you did not eat as much as you usually do.

After dinner, Papa arrived from work. He rode his bike to your house. When he got inside, the two of you played "chase" for almost an hour. You were laughing and talking with Papa and me. We really enjoyed the time we had to play before it was time for you to go to bed.

On Tuesday, I worked at your school for a few hours in the morning, and then took you with me to have lunch with Grandma Dugie. We went to IHop and you loved watching all of the people. You loved your ham and pancakes, too.

On Wednesday, DeeDee got to work at your school ALL day! All of the children were feeling a little puny, so there was lots of crying. You had a very runny nose and had a hard time getting to sleep at nap time. DeeDee shared part of her lunch with you...you had craisins for the first time, and loved them. I loved being able to spend the day with you.

On Thursday, DeeDee subbed in a Kindergarten class. The children were very well behaved and helped me out a lot since I was not feeling 100%. I had picked up a cold from one (or more) of your little friends, so my voice was pretty squeeky by the end of the day.

On Friday, DeeDee stayed at home. There was no way I could sub because I could not talk at all. I sounded like a croaking toad whenever I tried to say anything!! I had lots of computer work to do that kept me busy until 11PM...I did not get the rest I needed, I'm afraid.

Papa and I hope that we get to see you sometime this weekend. Papa is going to miss your birthday parties next week because he has to go out of town for work. DeeDee is sad, because that means that Papa will not be here for his own birthday either. Papa will be back on Sunday, which is your actual birthday, and he is planning to come over to your house to see you as soon as he gets off the airplane. I'm planning to have a special little celebration for both of you when Papa gets home!!

Lunch with GreatGrandma

2010-01-20T11:01:00.003-05:00

Hey, Dougie, we had a great day yesterday. Sadly, I don't have any pictures to share.

I picked you up at the ELC a little after 10am and we rode up to Grandma Dugie's house to surprise her. She did not know that you were going to join in our lunch date. She was so surprised that you were with me.

Grandma Dugie was so excited to see you. She does not get to see you as often as she would like because your mama is very busy these days and does not have many chances to get up to her grandma's house with you. Grandma Dugie let you explore her house from back to front. You checked out all of the rooms and tried to figure out just what you could get into. You did a good job of rearranging the framed pictures on the table in her living room.

You loved it when Grandma Dugie picked you up, rocked you back and forth, counted 1-2-3 and dropped you on the bed. You giggled so much at that fun game. As part of the game, she also taught you the correct way to get off of the bed so that you would not hurt yourself. You learned very quickly to climb off of the bed backward...because you wanted her to repeat the game.

We went to lunch at O'Charley's and you discovered their yummy rolls. You kept signing "More, please", and would have eaten as many as I would give you. You also shared DeeDee's lunch...you ate chicken and beef and shredded cheese, which was a fairly balanced meal considering that you couldn't take your eyes off of those rolls!!

After lunch we all went shopping. DeeDee found a neat CD/DVD set that has all kinds of kids songs on them. We played the CD in the car on the way back to the ELC and you clapped along with the music, until you couldn't keep your eyes open. You really needed a nap, so DeeDee was glad that you fell asleep. I took the long way back to school so that you would have time for a good nap.

It was a fun outing. We are going to have to have lunch with Grandma Dugie again real soon.

An Afternoon at the Park

2010-01-18T21:07:00.006-05:00

Papa's office building is right across the runway from the park.

Hey, Dougie, today DeeDee, Papa and your mama took you to a very special park. It is at an airport, so you get to play and watch airplanes at the same time. On top of that, you can see the building that Papa works in right across the runway. It is a really nice place to spend an afternoon.

Even though it was a bit chilly, we all wanted to get outside, so after your nap, your mama met us at the park.

Papa and your mama pushed you on the swing.

You rode the bouncy airplane, which provided a wonderful vantage point to see the planes taking off and landing.

You met a new friend. Her name was Jazzy. At one point, you climbed up the cement steps to play with her. You are very new at climbing steps, so Papa stayed very close in case you started to fall.

You made it!! You and Jazzy were so excited!

After we had been at the park for about an hour, you told us that you were hungry, so we went to a nearby restaurant and had dinner before you went home to bed.

We loved our trip to the park with you, Dougie!!

Saturday with DeeDee and Papa

2010-01-18T15:10:00.012-05:00

On Saturday, Papa and DeeDee babysat while your moma did a bit of shopping. We did lots of fun things...

Eating lunch -- egg whites are OK, and so are peas and ham and banana and prunes and bread and Life Cereal...yep, you ate it all!!

Watching the birds outsite your back window

And identifying them on the Internet with Papa...

Both of you boys love your technology!! Papa found a website that had pictures of the birds and their calls. What fun!!

Some interesting stuff outside my front door...

I sure would like to go out there...

Maybe I can escape!!

You can't catch me, Papa!!

It surely is fun when the Old Dude chases me...I love playing with Papa!!

DeeDee and Papa had a wonderful time babysitting on Saturday...and you had fun, too. Let's do it again real soon!!

Cabin Fever!!

2010-01-10T21:43:00.004-05:00

Eleven Months Old

Hey, Dougie, everyone has cabin fever these days.

The temperature here in the "sunny south" has barely reached the freezing mark in more than a week. Even though the sun has been shining most days, everyone has been freezing.

To top that off, we received a light snowfall last Thursday, which created havoc here in Georgia. You see, Thursday was one of those rare times when the temperature got above freezing, and after a little rain and a little snow fell, the temperature quickly went down to 18 degrees. That created a layer of black ice underneath the snow and resulted in numerous traffic accidents on Friday morning. Every school in north Georgia was closed, and everyone who could remained inside through most of the weekend. Papa worked from home on Friday so that he did not have to get out in the bad weather.

On Saturday, Papa and DeeDee finally ventured out, on foot, to our neighborhood restaurant for a late lunch in the middle of the afternoon. When we left our house, the snow was somewhat slushy where the sun was hitting it, but there was still a lot of ice around. By the time we got back home, everything had frozen up again...and it wasn't even dark yet!!

Today, we drove to church and then later drove to your house to see you after your afternoon nap. Your mama needed to run some errands, so we all piled into the car and drove up to the mall area to get some things that she needed. Lots and lots of people were out since everyone was very tired of being a prisoner in their homes. The crowd at Costco was unbelievable!!

We went to dinner after shopping. You did not eat very much since you were so very tired...you got up at 5am this morning, so your mama was very tired, too. DeeDee did get a couple of really cute 11 month-old pictures of you...I can't believe that you will be ONE YEAR OLD in less than a month.

Love ya, Dougie. It was so good to see you today. Enjoy school tomorrow and we will see you later this week.

Baby Sign Language

2010-01-03T21:54:00.006-05:00

Technically, the more correct way to sign "More, Please"

Hey, Dougie, Papa and DeeDee are so glad to be back home. We were so glad to see you this weekend.

Yesterday, you went with Papa, DeeDee and your mama to Ikea. You had so much fun riding in the buggy and watching all of the other kids.

Today, Papa and I came over to your house to see you. Papa played with you while your mama and I finished putting your bedroom together. It looks so nice now...it is the perfect room for a little boy!! You had so much fun having Papa chase you all around your house...you were both crawling everywhere and you were giggling up a storm. You really wore your Papa out!!

Your version...we get the message every time!!

After the room was complete, we all went to Mellow Mushroom for dinner. Papa and DeeDee are so impressed that you tell us when you want "More" using your baby sign language. It is so nice to be out with a little boy who does not shout or whine for more food, but who politely and quietly lets us know that he needs more to eat!!

First Christmas

2009-12-28T14:55:00.007-05:00

Playing in the condo kitchen with a gift from Aunt Katie

Hey, Dougie, what an exciting time you had during your first Christmas season!!

Your biggest gift this year is moving into your new condo. All of the work involved in moving from your old house to the condo sort of overshadowed the usual Christmas activity. Everyone was exhausted from packing everything up in boxes at your old house, and the actual moving day, which occurred on Friday, 12/18, and the unpacking at the condo. The unpacking part is not quite done yet, but at least all of your stuff is at the new place so your mommy can unpack while you nap. It is also nice that she has this week off of school so that she can get a lot done during the daytime.

Another gift from Aunt Katie

Even though everyone was tired, we kept all of the Christmas traditions and even started a few new ones. Since Aunt Patty decided not to serve a traditional dinner on Christmas Day, Papa Mike and DeeDee decided to have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. We had planned the meal for noon, at our house, so that you and your mommy and daddy could go to church at 4 to hear Lucy sing. Unfortunately, your mommy's new washer and dryer had to be delivered on Christmas Eve...between 12 and 5...so we quickly modified our plans.

Helping Papa cook dinner at the condo

DeeDee and Papa packed up all of the traditional Christmas fare and headed to your condo for Christmas dinner. We had ham, sweet potatoes, dressing, cranberry relish, peas, banana bread and pumpkin pie for dessert. Your mommy told me today that the only food you are eating right now is the yummy leftover garlic peas that we had on Christmas Eve!!

The men delivered your new washer and dryer (they are front loaders, so you can enjoy the laundry show at home now, too!!) after 3 on Christmas Eve, so the delivery was not finished in time for you to go to hear Lucy sing. You and your mommy and daddy came to church at 5pm with Papa and DeeDee instead. We were so glad to have you with us!! After church, you went home and went to bed. You were very tired after such a long day.

Eating Papa's pancakes

On Christmas morning, Papa and DeeDee had your Aunt Katie's friends, Lindsey and Bill and their two boys, over for pancakes. You and your mommy and daddy came, too. You loved Papa's blueberry pancakes and baked apples. Your mommy wouldn't let you try Papa's famous chocolate chip pancakes, but I can tell you they were superb and you will love them when you get a bit older.

Playing with Joshua and Zachary

Lindsey and Aunt Katie went to high school together, and since Lindsey is Jewish, and was always looking for something to do on Christmas morning, she came to our house every year for a chocolate chip pancake breakfast. It was so much fun having everyone at the house again this year to continue the traditiion...we did miss Aunt Katie and Uncle Mike, though, since they were in Denver and could not make it South for Christmas.

Tackling Zachary

You really enjoyed meeting Lindsey's boys...Joshua is almost 3 and Zachary is just your age, and almost exactly the same size as you are. Zachary did not know quite what to make of you tackling him...your day care must be a bit more rough and tumble than his is.

At the party...with Christy

After breakfast, we all went to the traditional family party at Aunt Patty's house. There were over 50 people there and you did great meeting all of the new people. Even though you are teething, you were not cranky at all. You really enjoyed the party!! As always, you love people...the more, the merrier!!

This week is a little quieter for everyone. You and your mommy are trying to get your condo set-up, and DeeDee and Papa are down in LA for some R&R. We miss you and can't wait to see you this weekend, but it is very nice to have a bit of a rest after the busy month of December we have had.

My teeth hurt!!

Your mommy said that you are sleeping well in your own bed and not waking up as much in the middle of the night. Good for you!! She also said that you have a blister on your gum, so one of your new teeth must be ready to pop through. I hope that your mouth does not hurt too much. Hopefully, you will have a new tooth to show off when we return!!

Love you, Dougie. Papa and Dee will see you in a couple of days.

10 Months Old!!

2009-12-11T11:23:00.010-05:00

Dougie, DeeDee just cannot believe how busy she has been lately. It's been an entire month since I posted to our blog. Don't worry, I'll try to give you a good recap about all of the things we have done since my last post.

You have grown so much in the last month and are doing so many new things!! You are now an expert crawler and you pull up on everything. You even let go and stand on your own for just a second or two. You wear big boy shoes now...you have the cutest little pair of white Nike's that make you much more confident on your feet. You clap hands, wave bye-bye, show us how big you are by raising your hands over your head, and, the other morning, you pointed to your mama's nose when she asked "Where's mama's nose?"

Big Boy Shoes

You are the star music and dance student at school. When music comes on, you stop whatever you are doing to listen to the music and then you start dancing. Right now, your 'dancing' is bouncing up-and-down and back-and-forth because you are not quite ready to move your feet yet. You love to shake the jingle bells during music time.

Magnets are one of your favorite toys. You love to play with the magnetic toys at school and the large magnetic letters at school and at DeeDee's house. One of the things you have always loved to do at DeeDee's house is to watch the laundry in the front loading washer. Whenever you hear the machines going, you make a beeline to the laundry to watch the show!!

Still watching the show!!

You are a very social little boy. You love people and when a new person comes in the room you smile so broadly and won't stop until they come over to talk to you. You love your school friends and are learning to play with them at the train table. You like to roll the ball with your friends and your teachers. You also love to play outside on the rocking horse at school. You will no longer stand for being left behind when the other kids go outside even though it has been very cold lately.

A serious conversation with Ella

You had your 10 month check-up on your 10-month birthday. You weighed 22 lbs 6 oz and were 30 inches tall. You are getting so big that it is hard for your mama and DeeDee to carry you. You are almost half as tall as your mama and DeeDee!

You and your mama have been staying with DeeDee this week. You are moving into a new house in another week. DeeDee and Papa are excited because you will be living so much closer to us. We are enjoying having you here with us until you move. The adults are not getting as much sleep as we would like, however, because you are learning to sleep all night by yourself in your own bed. It is a huge change for you so you wake up and cry several times during the night.

Papa has been out of town on a bicycle trip this week. He is coming home today and can't wait to see you. He told me to give you a big hug and tell you that he would see you this afternoon when you get home from school.

Dougie, we love you and are having so much fun watching you grow!!

9 Months Old!!

2009-11-08T20:24:00.012-05:00

Do you like my Panda shoes?

Hey, Dougie, yesterday you were 9 months old. DeeDee and Pappa spent the day with you and your mommy at her school Christmas fair. We had so much fun looking at all of the pretty things the vendors were selling. You spent a lot of time in the ELC playing with Pappa in the morning, and DeeDee stayed with you while you took a nap. We were so happy to be able to spend this special day with you.

You have had so many milestones this week. You finally got your two front teeth!! Yeah!! No more pain...you have been much happier since the teeth have come in.

You have also started to crawl!! You are so excited to be able to move all over the place. We are going to have to really baby proof the house now!!

You learned how to get into a sitting position on your own, too. You are also trying to pull up to a standing position ...although once you get up, you haven't figured out that you have to hang on...so we have to watch you very carefully so that you don't fall.

The recycle bin is just impossible to resist!!

You are getting to be such a big boy!! It is so hard to believe that in just 3 short months you will be one-year-old. I wonder what other wonderful things you will be able to do then.

Halloween Night

2009-10-31T20:59:00.004-04:00

Our Happy Halloween Boy

Hey, Dougie.

You spent Halloween night with DeeDee and Pappa while your mommy went to the homecoming dance. We had a lot of fun. You practiced your "almost crawl"...you are not yet moving on your hands and knees, but you are so close. You push off with your arms and scoot forward. There is a little knee action, but not quite enough to call it a crawl just yet. You also enjoyed watching the washer go round-and-round and watching Pappa make cookies.

We did not have any Trick or Treaters at our house because we are not on the Halloween route through our neighborhood. We were hoping to get just a few so that you could help us give out candy. You are just not old enough to go Trick or Treating this year. You looked so cute in your "Baby's First" onsie!!

My cute "Baby's First" Onsie

You had a great dinner of baby carrots, baby applesauce, green peas (which you learned to pick up off of your tray even though they kept rolling around on you) and graham crackers. You also had a 4 oz bottle of milk before you went to bed. Before bed, DeeDee and Pappa gave you some baby Orajel and Tylenol. Those two front teeth still are not in. DeeDee went with your mommy to your six-month check-up and I can remember Dr. Taylor saying that those teeth would be through any day...and now, its almost time for your 9 month check-up and they still are not in. You even have a blister on your gum, where one of the teeth is trying to break through. I sure do hope that they come in soon.

I'm so glad you stayed with us tonight, Dougie. We loved having you...it was such a nice way to spend your first Halloween night!!

First Halloween

2009-10-29T16:23:00.005-04:00

The happy duck hunter

Hey, Dougie. Today was the Halloween parade at the ELC and you looked so cute dressed up like a duck hunter!! You had camo pants, that were a gift from one of Pammie and Granddaddy's friends down south, and you even had a wooden rifle that your mommy found at a yard sale!!

Here are some pictures of you before you went to school today. I'm sure that you were a big hit with all of the big kids and your teachers.

The serious duck hunter

You weren't impressed with that hat...it came off pretty quickly!!

Too bad you didn't have a duck...since someone wouldn't cooperate with a costume of her own. Pappa tried to talk her into it, but your mommy didn't think that was such a good idea.

Hope you had fun in the Halloween parade, Dougie!!

Finger Foods

2009-10-20T20:57:00.008-04:00

First Try--that little Puff isn't where you think it is!!

Dougie, today was a milestone day...you started to feed yourself finger foods!!

After your mommy and Pappa went to work this morning, DeeDee gave you your breakfast. You had cereal and a jar of bananas. DeeDee also gave you some Puffs to eat. When you saw them, you opened your mouth like a little bird and wanted me to put the Puff right in your mouth...but DeeDee had other ideas. Last night at dinner, you were able to get one little piece of broccoli into your mouth all by yourself, so DeeDee knew that you were ready to start eating finger foods without her help.

Instead of putting that Puff in your mouth, DeeDee put it down on your tray and showed it to you. You started pushing that little Puff all over the tray, and once your hand was damp, it stuck to your hand. You tried and tried to get the Puff into your mouth. You worked a long time at it and it finally went into your mouth!! DeeDee clapped for you and told you what a big boy you are. I was so proud of you!!

DeeDee kept giving you Puffs and you kept working to get them to your mouth. By the time you were finished with breakfast, you had eaten about 12 Puffs all by yourself!! You got so good at it that you were able to get the Puffs to your mouth in seconds after DeeDee put them onto your tray. You are a very fast learner!!

Both Mommy and Pappa called before you went down for your nap and they both talked to you and told you how proud they are that you are growing up to be a big boy!!

I can't wait to see what new foods you will discover now that you can feed yourself!!

Love you, Dougie. See you soon!!

8 Months Old!!

2009-10-09T15:45:00.010-04:00

Hey, Dougie. You are now 8 months old. You are such a big boy. Pappa and DeeDee love to watch all of the new things you know how to do now.

You love to eat solid food and are getting more comfortable eating things with texture. On Tuesday you ate broccoli and bananas!! Pappa cooked the broccoli really well and you loved it!! We already knew that you loved bananas from a baby food jar, so we tried the real thing and you thought it was wonderful. Oh, and grapes...you tried grapes, too. Even though you were exceedingly tired, you gobbled them right down. Peel me another grape, Mommy!!

You are finally getting your top two teeth. Your mommy saw one of them the other morning. You have been really drooling lately, so I'm sure that both of them will be in soon.

You are quite the observer. You love to look at things. You and Siam, our neighbor's cat, stared at each other for quite a while on Tuesday. And, of course, one of your favorite "shows" is still DeeDee's washer. You sit in your tot wheels and watch the clothes go round and round for the entire wash cycle!!

You get so excited when Pappa gets home from work. You follow him around in your tot wheels and squeal with laughter. We love to hear you giggle!! You know that it is time for fun with Pappa. He gets down on the floor with you and plays and you pull his hair and climb all over him.

You love playing with the cores from rolls of paper towels, water jugs and oatmeal boxes...for some reason, these things are much more interesting than toys. You also love pulling the drawers out of the coffee table...soon you will be filling them with your treasures.

Aunt Sherri, I LOVE this table!!

Pappa and DeeDee are in LA this weekend. Your Granddaddy Dewaine and Grandmommy Molly are visiting you. You are also going to get to see Uncle Jamie and Aunt Rebecca. We will miss you, but I know that you will have fun with all of your company.

You would have loved to see the spider web that Pappa and DeeDee saw yesterday morning...it was really cool the way the sunlight was hitting it...and the spider was HUGE!!

See you on Tuesday, Dougie.

Busy Times

2009-09-27T15:14:00.008-04:00

Pappa and DeeDee at Alberta Falls

Hey, Dougie. Its been almost 3 weeks since I've made an entry on our blog. I have been thinking about you, but was not able to get to the computer to update until now.

Pappa and DeeDee have been on vacation. We went out to Colorado to see your Aunt Katie and Uncle Michael and then spent a couple of days in Rocky Mountain National Park. We stayed at the YMCA of the Rockies, which is ajacent to the park. We can hike into the park from our lodge, which we love to do. Of course, the park is so big and there are so many things to see that we always drive in at least once a day, as well.

We saw lots of wildlife this year. The Elk rut occurs in September, so we always see lots of Elk. This year we also saw ducks, wild turkeys, deer, lots of different kinds of birds and 3 bears!! We saw the bears the first time when we were walking along one of the YMCA trails, getting ready to cross over into the park. We saw them again after we entered the park. They were traveling parallel to the trail foraging for food in the stream and meadows. We didn't get too close to them because they can be very dangerous. The Elk, however, were not at all shy about getting close to the people...as you can see by this photo...that is the mirror or our car in the picture!!

When we first got to the park, it was quite warm. However, on our last day there, a front came in and the temperature dropped very quickly. We hiked up above Alberta Falls and got back to the parking lot just in time for a little rain. By the time we had a snack and had hiked around Bear Lake, the temperature had fallen about 20 degrees and rain was falling very hard.

Snow for our ride back to Denver!!

By the next morning, we had snow!! Colorada did not disappoint us...we always get a bit of snow on our early fall trips to Colorado.

We were so glad to see you when we got back home. You and your mommy stayed with us this weekend and you and Pappa really enjoyed hanging out together. You do all of the "boy" things...you especially like playing ball with Pappa. You could push that ball back and forth for hours without getting tired of the game. You have also enjoyed watching DeeDee's washer...your mommy took a video of you. The video is over a minute and a half long and you did not even move...you were so interested in watching the clothes spin around.

We are so glad to see you again, Dougie!! We missed you so much.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-09T15:32:00.007-04:00

Finger Lickin' Good!!

If you only knew how much your mommy HATES carrots!!

A Night with DeeDee and Pappa

2009-09-03T10:35:00.005-04:00

Hey, Dougie. You and your mommy spent the night with DeeDee and Pappa last night. Pappa and I had a great time with you before you went to bed while your mommy was at her school meeting.

When we ate dinner, you ate applesauce. It wasn't any of that baby stuff, it was regular Publix applesauce and you LOVED it!! You reminded me a lot of your Aunt Katie...the only food she liked before she was 1 year-old was applesauce. She ate it every day and she wanted to feed herself. Unfortunately, when she was finished, she would always wash her hair with the leftover applesauce. Needless to say, it didn't take DeeDee very long to figure out that Aunt Katie could only feed herself at dinnertime...I would take her directly to the bath tub as soon as dinner was over. You wanted to help feed yourself last night, but since I did not plan to give you a bath, Pappa and I decided that we would feed you instead.

When you got up this morning, your mommy put you in one of your new fall outfits. It looks so cute on you!! As soon as you were ready for school, you wanted to play. You sat up and played with your favorite musical toy and the new ball that Pammie sent you. You also had a very good time showing us how good you are at sitting up these days. You have finally learned that bracing yourself with your hands when you are leaning forward prevents a face-plant...you only had one of those this morning.

It was sad to say good-bye to you when you left for school. Pappa and DeeDee are going to LA later today, so we will not be able to see you this weekend. Thankfully Pammie and Granddaddy are coming to visit for your daddy's birthday, so you will have another set of grandparents to love while we are gone.

Love you, Dougie. See you next week.

Weekending...

2009-08-29T19:16:00.011-04:00

Enjoying Saturday

Hey, Dougie. Yesterday DeeDee subbed at the ELC. I took care of you and 8 of your friends. We had a very good day, even though the rain was pouring down when everyone arrived at school. DeeDee had to walk through a huge puddle to get to the center...thank heavens she had worn rubber sandals.

The day was very dark and rainy...it finally started clearing up around 2pm. We were not able to go outside because it was too wet, but we still had fun.

Every time that the other kids ate, Ms. JoAnn and I put you in your high chair so that you could have a little solid food. You still aren't sold on solid food, but you are beginning to realize that some of it is pretty good. You prefer eating it off of my finger rather than using a spoon, which is just fine. Yesterday you ate some apricots & applesause (mixture) and some rice cereal. You had it all over your face when you were done.

My outfit for Blue and Gold Day

It was Blue and Gold day at school. All of the big kids and teachers were allowed to wear casual clothes. They had a pep rally and got out of school early, so they were really happy. There was a big football game last night, and your mommy had a dinner to attend, as well. She sent you home with me, so that you would not be up too late.

Pappa and I took you out to dinner and you ate just a small bite of bread. You were not really hungry for solid food and you were getting very tired. You were so excited when DeeDee sat in the back seat with you on the way home and fed you a bottle. When we got home, we put you in your PJs and Pappa gave you the rest of the bottle. Then, you decided that you were ready to play again, and you and Pappa had a great time having a conference on the sofa. You finally finished the last couple of swallows of milk and were asleep before you hit the bed.

This morning you and your mommy were up very early. We heard you talking to her at 4:30AM. She decided that it was way too early to get up for the day, so she fed you and you went back to sleep until about 7...that was much better for everyone.

Today we had a very laid back day. We went to breakfast and to REI and then came home so that you could get a good nap. After your nap you watched the clothes spin around in the washer and learned to play High 5 with DeeDee. You laughed and laughed every time DeeDee said "High 5!" and hit your hand with hers. Your mommy got your giggles on video...something she has been trying to do for a while. When Pappa got back from his bike ride, we went out and did a little more shopping and then went to get dinner. You were so tired by then that your mommy was planning to take you home and put you right to bed.

Dougie, we had a wonderful time with you and your mommy. Pappa especially enjoyed having so much time with you last night and today, since you were rested and full of energy...usually when he gets to see you, its late and you need to go to bed.

DeeDee and Pappa can't wait for a chance to spend another fun day with you. Please come visit us again very soon!! Pappa and DeeDee love you.

Back to School

2009-08-25T20:01:00.003-04:00

Hey Dougie, you have had a very exciting couple of weeks.

School started on Monday, 8/17, but sadly you were not able to go...you had pink eye. You had to stay at DeeDee's house on Monday and Tuesday because the doctor said that you could not be with other children until Wednesday. Your Great Grandmother was sad that you spoiled your perfect attendance on the very first day of school!!

You started school on Wednesday and you are adjusting quite well. DeeDee is really enjoying getting to substitute in the ELC...I love getting to be with you and your 9 friends all day long. You really keep me and the other ladies jumping.

You have not been feeling great for the last couple of weeks. Besides pink eye, you have also had a cold, a fever and have been teething. Those new teeth that Dr. Taylor said were just about ready to pop through, have not appeared yet. I really wish that they would since they are making you so miserable. You chew on everything, trying to help them break through.

You are still not very interested in eating real food but you do like sitting in your new high chair. Your favorite game is PICK-UP...whenever anyone puts something on your tray, you immediately throw it on the floor and expect them to instantly retrieve it and give it back to you...so that you can repeat the process again and again.

Enjoy the rest of your week, Dougie. I'll see you at the ELC on Friday!!

Food, Glorious Food!!

2009-08-19T10:02:00.010-04:00

Hey Dougie!! You had your first solid food on Sunday, 8/16. Your mommy gave you sweet potatoes.

You were not really sure what that orange stuff was...or what you were supposed to do with it.

You are teething and have a cold, so you really did not want anyone to mess with your mouth. DeeDee is wondering if you thought the food was more medicine...you had a fever for two days last week and you had to take Tylenol to bring it down...you were not crazy about that either.

At least you got enough in you to get a good taste of the yummy food. On Monday you got a small taste of sourdough bread and avocado. You were not totally thrilled with any of that stuff going into your mouth. It's just not the milk you were expecting...but the spoon surely was fun to play with!!

I'm sure that once you figure out this solid food stuff, you will be a very good eater!! You have been "chewing" when you watch people eat for at least a month now. All you need to do is to connect the dots.

6 Month Milestones

2009-08-11T09:59:00.006-04:00

Hey, Dougie. DeeDee and Pappa really enjoyed babysitting for you on Sunday evening. Your mommy had to go to a school function and your daddy was driving back from his visit to Pammie and Granddaddy. Daddy came by here on his way home and you and Daddy had a great time playing on the floor. Your current favorite toy is an empty oatmeal box that Pappa gave you to play with.

DeeDee babysat for you yesterday. We had a great day. You had a good time "visiting" with yourself in the mirror...you haven't quite figured out that the other baby you see in the mirror is actually YOU. DeeDee loved watching you play with that other baby!!

You had your six-month check up yesterday afternoon and DeeDee got to come along and meet your pediatrician. You weighed 18lbs 12 oz and were 27.75" long. What a big boy!! Dr. Taylor said that it was time for you to start eating solid food. You can look forward to cereal, fruits and vegetables...I'm sure that you will be gobbling down lots of new things very soon. The doctor said that you are doing GREAT and that your two top teeth are going to pop through any day now.

You are with Great Grandma and Ally today. DeeDee is coming over to see you. You actually "talked" to me on the phone just a minute ago. I have been putting the phone to your ear whenever your mommy calls me and you would smile, but never "talk". This morning when Aunt Mary put the phone to your ear and I talked to you, you "talked" back!! I loved hearing your little voice on the telephone...you'll be chatting away to everyone before we know it.

See you in a little while, big boy. Love ya!!

Happy Half-Birthday, Big Boy!!

2009-08-07T16:01:00.018-04:00

Dougie, you are 6-months old today!! It is so hard to believe that you have been with us six whole months. You have grown so much since the day you were born. You started out at 7lb 15oz and 22in long. We will find out on Monday exactly how big you are now. I can't wait to tell everyone just how much you have grown.

In addition to your size, you have grown in so many other ways. You now have two teeth and are actively working on getting a couple more. This is the first picture of your teeth. The only way we could get a picture was to take it while you were crying. Sorry about that...

You are very good at sitting up by yourself, although you occasionally throw yourself backwards, so we are still very careful to have someone sit behind you when you are sitting up. Your cousin Christy had a good time protecting you today. You have not started crawling yet, but you are just about ready to take off. It won't be long now.

You are interested in everything, and you want to get to whatever interests you. You can tell from the above picture that you thought DeeDee's shoes looked very interesting. You were ready to pull them off of my feet. You tried to do that, but we distracted you because they were really too dirty to be eaten by a little boy.

You adore your Great Grandma...look at the way you are looking up at her. She adores you, too. You are lucky to have each other!!

You love to devour books!! You are not so much into reading them yet...just literally devouring them. For some reason, you have a real "taste" for reading!!

Great Grandma, DeeDee, Christy and Ally took you out to lunch today. Since your mommy was not there, you did not get your long awaited first taste of real food (you have learned to smack your lips like a pro whenever you see anyone eat), but you did enjoy watching all of the servers come and go. We all decided that when you are with us, we should ask for a table by the kitchen and you will be content no matter how long we linger over our food.

After we got home, you played for a while and then you got very tired. When DeeDee left, Ally was giving you your bottle. We hoped that you would fall asleep while you were drinking it and then take a good long nap so that you would be well-rested when Mommy arrived to pick you up. DeeDee just talked to Mommy. She said that you didn't get that long nap, so you are a very tired boy right now. She is going to give you a bath and put you to bed very early tonight. She hopes that you will sleep through the night...that would be a very nice present for you to give her on your half-birthday!!

Dougie, I hope that you enjoy the rest of your half-birthday. DeeDee and Pappa will see you on Sunday...and hopefully you will finally get to eat some "real" food with us!!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-05T09:40:00.003-04:00

What a Difference a Week Makes!!

2009-07-29T09:21:00.004-04:00

Hey, Dougie.

DeeDee babysat for you while Mommy was at work all last week and on Monday and Tuesday of this week. You have learned so many things in just one week.

When you came to DeeDee's last Monday, you hated playing on your tummy. You also did not like to nap in the bed at all--you wanted DeeDee to hold you while you slept. When I put you in the bed, you cried and cried and when you finally went to sleep, you only slept for about 15 minutes. Needles to say, you were a very tired little boy.

Yesterday, you were totally different than you were just one week ago!!

The biggest news is that when DeeDee put you in the crib for your morning nap, you fussed for only about 2 minutes and then you fell asleep and stayed asleep for 2 hours and 20 minutes!! Your mommy said that she thinks that is the longest nap you have ever taken...way to go, big boy.

You also love playing on your tummy now. If DeeDee or Mommy puts you down on your back, you immediately flip over to your tummy so that you can get your toys. Your toys are very interesting and you love discovering all kinds of new things that you can do with them. You only start to cry when you are getting very tired.

You are also starting to pop your bottom up in the air. So far, you have not gotten up onto your knees, but it won't be long!! DeeDee is going to have to baby-proof her house very soon.

DeeDee and Pappa are heading to LA for the weekend, so I won't see you for 5 whole days...I wonder what you will be doing when I see you next week.

Love you, Dougie!! See you on Monday.

Tooth #2

2009-07-27T08:31:00.004-04:00

Hey, Dougie. You got your second tooth this weekend!! DeeDee is so glad that it has finally come through since your gums hurt you so much on Friday.

Pappa Mike and your daddy went bike riding yesterday and you, your mommy and I just hung out at your house. You took a really nice 45 minute nap for me while your mommy went to get a pedicure. She enjoyed the pampering and when you woke up, DeeDee read you a book and we played with some of your toys.

You were a very sleepy boy by the time Pappa and Daddy got home. The girls made the boys get their showers in a hurry because we were very hungry and you were almost ready for bed. At the restaurant, you sat in the high chair and watched everything that was going on. You didn't cry, but by the time we all finished our food you were rubbing your eyes. I'm sure that you were asleep before you even got back to your house!!

I will see you in a couple of hours, Dougie. You are staying with me again today and tomorrow. When I pick you up at Mommy's school, we are going to hit the bookstore before we come back to DeeDee's house. I know that, as always, you will enjoy the outing.

Red Letter Day

2009-07-25T20:39:00.003-04:00

First time in a high chair, Big Boy!!

Hey, Dougie. It's been a great week. We had so much fun.

Yesterday, your daddy and DeeDee took you out to lunch with us and you sat in a high chair like a big boy for the very first time!! You used the high chair cover that DeeDee made you for Easter. You loved chewing on the cover strap and being able to look all around the restaurant. You were especially interested in the bar...but your daddy told you that you would have to wait another 20 and a half years before you could get anything from the bar. That didn't phase you, you just kept looking at all of the people and all of the pretty bottles up there.

When DeeDee took you to your mommy at her school, you got to visit with Ms. JoAnn. She really misses you this summer and can't wait for the ELC to open again on August 17. Ms. JoAnn could not believe how big you have gotten in just a little over a month. You gave her hugs and lots of pinches, which you distribute liberally to anyone who holds you.

Your mouth was very sore today...your right bottom tooth is getting ready to pop. I wonder how long it will be until your second tooth is through.

Your daddy and Pappa Mike are going to ride bikes again tomorrow. They are going to ride up in your neck of the woods, so I will come to see you, too. I'm sure that we will find lots of fun things to do. Love you, Dougie. See you tomorrow.

And the Blankie is Passed!!

2009-07-21T19:59:00.005-04:00

I love Mommy's and Aunt Katie's Blankie!!

Hey, Dougie. We had a great day today!! You have decided that the blankie used by your mommy and Aunt Katie is pretty special. You kept it with you today and even slept with it. It is so well used and loved that it is super soft and you just love it. DeeDee loves to see you using something that was so special to your mommy and Aunt Katie.

DeeDee is making you practice a bunch of new skills and you don't always want to learn them. Sometimes you are unhappy with DeeDee and you let me know it with your very loud voice. You are practicing spending time on your tummy...not yet one of your favorite things. But, boy, did you show off for Mommy when she came to get you today. You showed her that all of the hard work that you and DeeDee are putting in is really worth it.

You have also been practicing going to sleep in the Pack-n-Play. That's another thing that you are not crazy about, but you are learning that you have to take naps, and that the Pack-n-Play is the best place in DeeDee's house to sleep. I'm sure that it won't be too many more days before you have learned that lesson very well.

Sleep tight, Dougie. See you tomorrow.

Sunday Fun

2009-07-19T21:10:00.003-04:00

Only when you are sleeping!! Notice your muscle shirt...

Hey, Dougie. We had a lot of fun today. Your mommy and daddy brought you over to see DeeDee and Pappa Mike. Your daddy and Pappa went on a 14 mile bike ride together while you and Mommy and I went downtown to pick-up her necklace.

After the riders got home, they took a shower and then we all went to Mellow Mushroom for dinner. We sat outside on the patio because the weather was so nice. The humidity was low and the temperature was in the low 80's. This is quite unusual for mid-July in the South and we all really were enjoying the break from the heat and humidity.

You loved sitting on the patio. There were lots of people to watch as well as ceiling fans and colored lights on the ceiling. You were really a good boy while the rest of us ate our dinner.

You were a little cranky today because your teeth are bothering you. You seem to have several more teeth that are trying to come in right now.

When we got home from dinner, your mommy trimmed your fingernails and toenails while you slept. Your mommy said that she is not able to trim your nails any time other than when you are sleeping. I took a picture of her doing this so that, when you are a little older, you can see how this process worked. In this picture, you can see how much you are growing...your shirt looks like a muscle shirt. Your mommy said that you won't be wearing THAT shirt again. She said that she is going to have to go on a shopping trip to buy you more new clothes...she plans to just skip the 12 month size and go straight to 18 months.

DeeDee is going to babysit for you all this next week. It will be so much fun!! I will be so happy to be able to see you every day!! See you tomorrow, Dougie.

Success!! A Tooth!!

2009-07-17T09:49:00.004-04:00

Drooling and Chomping in May

Hey, Dougie. How exciting...you got your first tooth on Wednesday. You won't show it to anyone yet, but DeeDee put her finger in your mouth and felt that sharp new addition...it won't be long before you will be eating lots of new foods!! You have been drooling and chomping on your fingers for months now...so this is a real milestone. I'm sure that there will be more teeth coming in soon because you were still drooling and chomping yesterday.

DeeDee surely enjoyed your visit yesterday. Your mommy and daddy brought you over to see me. Daddy helped dig some roots out of our yard and Mommy and I took you downtown to pick out a necklace that she has wanted for a while. You had so much fun riding in my stroller and looking at everything in the shop. You were such a good boy...not a peep out of you.

When we got back to the house we had chocolate pie that Pappa Mike made on Wednesday evening for your Mommy's birthday. (Alas, your mommy wouldn't let you try the chocolate pie, even though you have a tooth now...) Her birthday is today and I'm sure that it will be her most special birthday yet because you are there to share it with her!! Happy Birthday, Mommy!! Have fun on your special day!!

Can't wait to see you again, Dougie. Love ya, DeeDee

Welcome Home, Dougie!!

2009-07-13T09:20:00.004-04:00

Dougie, you're back!! Pappa Mike and DeeDee were so happy to see you and your mommy yesterday. We really missed you while you were gone.

Pappa Mike and I arrived at your house at 4pm...you and mommy had just gotten up from a nap, so you were both a little groggy. It didn't take long for you to wake up and be ready to play with us. Pappa Mike had not seen you in almost a month and he could not believe how big you have gotten and how much more active you are now.

Your mommy and daddy got you a new walker yesterday and they said that you really liked it. You were not interested in showing us how you cruise around in it...you wanted to sit in our laps and to sit in your bumbo seat. We all had fun watching you try to pick up your toys from the floor when you were in your seat. After a while, you got hungry, so mommy fed you and then we all went to dinner.

When we first got to the restaurant, you were content to sit in your carseat. After a while, you decided that you wanted to get up and see what was going on. Everyone took turns holding you and you checked out the entire restaurant and jumped and jumped on everyone's lap. You have VERY strong legs and you were having a very good time showing everyone just how strong they are.

You are also getting very interested in checking out everything within your reach. You like to hang onto DeeDee's hair...and you are very interested in eye glasses, too. You have already stretched out a pair of your mommy's glasses and you tried to get DeeDee's glasses at dinner last night. You have always been a very curious boy, but you are now starting to go after the things you see in your world. You are entering another exciting stage!!

Pappa Mike and I are so glad that you are back home, Dougie. We can't wait to see you again soon. Love ya, DeeDee

Missing you, Dougie!

2009-07-10T21:03:00.006-04:00

At the lake with the birthday girl (pic complements of Aunt Ann)

Hey, Dougie, its been almost 2 weeks since I last saw you. It seems much longer than that. It's vacation time in the South and everyone has been enjoying a change of pace lately.

You and your mommy went to the lake on July 2 to help your godmother, Aunt Bernie, celebrate her 50th birthday. I hope you had a lot of fun and enjoyed your first fireworks show. Pappa Mike and I could not join everyone at the lake because we had to go to LA to work on our house. David had finished all of the work in our living area so we had to go down to get everything back together. We worked very hard and everything looks much better, although there is still construction dust everywhere. Hopefully, we will be able to finish everything up when we go down the next time. Here is a link to some pictures of our new room.

After the 4th, you and your mommy went down South to visit your Great Grandmommy. You got to see the ocean for the first time and to feel the salt water on your toes. I hope you enjoyed it, Dougie. I can't wait to see pictures.

I hear that you are coming home tomorrow...and I surely hope that the rumor is true. I have missed you so much and can't wait to see you and give you a big hug and a kiss!!

See you soon, Dougie. Love ya!!

Aunt Karen Comes to the Rescue

2009-06-23T15:32:00.004-04:00

Hey, Dougie. DeeDee is thrilled that you are getting to spend time at her house this summer while school is closed. However, I had a real problem. I do not have many of the things that babies need at my house...since my last baby was born 30 years ago!!

Aunt Karen kept a lot of Bryan's baby things and she has generously loaned some of them to me. She has really been a godsend. After your mommy dropped you off at my house this morning, you and DeeDee took a car ride over to Aunt Karen's office (it's only about 15 minutes away from DeeDee's house). She brought me her Fischer Price 3 in 1 Travel Tender and her Graco Totwheels II. Now you have a bed to sleep in when you are at DeeDee's house. And, oh my goodness, the Totwheels were a great big hit with you!! You loved sitting up like a big boy and playing with your toys on the tray. You also were so excited to be able to move around on your own. So far, you are only going backwards, but you didn't care since, at least, you were moving.

I'll see you again on Thursday, Dougie. Love ya, DeeDee

Fun at DeeDee's

2009-06-17T20:42:00.008-04:00

Hey, Dougie, didn't we have fun yesterday? You got to stay at my house all day!! I picked you up at your mommy's school at 8am. Because of your car seat, I drove your mommy's car to my house and she kept my car at school.

We did all kinds of fun things. We played with the special toys you have at DeeDee's house, and you got to sit in DeeDee's "Grandmother stroller" (Thanks again, Alcie!!) on the deck. We decided that it was just too hot to take a walk...the summer heat and humidity are pretty bad already, even though it is not quite officially summer.

We played on the floor. You had some tummy time, and you loved playing peek-a-boo. You were all smiles and giggles!! We listened to music and DeeDee took lots of pictures of you...even one in your sunglasses. You are such a cutie!!

You didn't sleep very much since your mommy forgot to bring DeeDee the pack-n-play and you had to sleep on the floor or on the sofa in the living room. DeeDee's living room is very bright, so it was hard for you to stay asleep for long.

You really love taking your bottles. Whenever you thought that DeeDee was going to take your bottle away, you reached your little hands up and pulled the bottle back into your mouth. You are a very humgry boy and you are growing very quickly.

You were very glad to see mommy when she got to DeeDee's house just before 4. You gave her a huge grin and snuggled into her arms. Mommy stayed for dinner so that Pappa Mike had a chance to see you. He is going to Missouri on his week-long bike ride next week, so it will be a couple of weeks before he gets to see you again. Even though you were very sleepy, you really enjoyed your time with Pappa Mike...and you kept eyeing our dinner. It won't be long before you will be able to join us at the table...and it looks like you are anxious for that time to come.

Love ya, Dougie. I can't wait for your next day at DeeDee's!!

Last Day of School

2009-06-10T14:52:00.002-04:00

Hey, Dougie, school is out for the year!! You get to stay home every day now with your daddy and your cousin Ally. I know that you will miss your friends and will be glad to see them again in August. DeeDee will miss being able to sub in the ELC with you. I love working in the ELC because I get to spend the entire day with you.

Yesterday I subbed in the ELC so that Ms. JoAnn could attend the end-of-year events. It was your last day of school. You had a lot of fun playing at the Activity Station. You were so cute when you hit the "piano" keys and made music. You hit those keys again and again when you figured out that you were making the sounds yourself!!

Unfortunately, you were a little cranky again...drooling a lot, too, so I'll bet you are teething. You really chomped down on my finger when you got it into your mouth, which is another sign that your teeth might be the cause of your discomfort. You did not sleep very much. When you did fall asleep, you woke up screaming after just a short time. That is not at all like you. You usually take good naps and then lay in your bed and look around quietly after you wake up. I do hope that whatever is bothering you is better soon.

See you soon, Dougie. Hope you have a wonderful summer. I love you!!

An Unsettled Day

2009-06-04T21:05:00.003-04:00

Hey, Dougie. Today DeeDee spent a lot of time with you in the ELC. It was not one of your best days. You just could not seem to get comfortable. You were so sleepy, but every time you got to sleep, either in my arms or in your crib, you would wake up fussing in just a few minutes. It was obvious that something was bothering you, but no one could figure out what was wrong. Maybe you are teething or maybe you have a little bit of of bug. Miss JoAnn, your mommy and I just have to guess since you are not big enough to tell us where you hurt.

DeeDee took you for a walk in the stoller to distract you and it was the best time you had all day!! You did not cry one time the whole time we were on our walk. You loved watching the birds and feeling the breeze on your skin. It was drizzling very lightly, so we had to stay under cover, but you did not really care. You just love being outside. DeeDee was so glad to find something that made you feel a little bit better!!

Love you, Dougie. I'll see you again tomorrow. I hope that you are feeling much better in the morning.

Giggles for Grandma!!

2009-06-03T16:29:00.007-04:00

Hey, Dougie, I sure did have fun with you today in the ELC! When I got there at 12:30, you had just finished eating and you were reclining and watching the world go by. After a while you got tired of just sitting there, so I picked you up and started showing you one of the musical toys. I started turning it over and over so that you could hear the metal cymbals clanging. You thought it was SO funny. Before I knew it, you were giggling out loud every time I turned that little noise-maker over. This was the first time I have heard you giggle and it is such a fun thing to hear. I love that you are now able to actually play with me!! You are getting to be such a big boy...you'll be 4 months old in just a couple of days!!

Laughin' and Dancin'

DeeDee and Pappa Mike loved visiting with you on Sunday, too. Pappa Mike danced with you while we played Toddler Tunes on the MP3 player. You really loved it when Pappa Mike danced around the house with you in his arms.

Of course, you had to be facing out

so that you could see everything that was going on!!
--Just like your mommy did when she was your age...

Sleepy Boy

By the time we left, you were totally worn out. Your mommy put you in your bed and you went right to sleep all by yourself!!

Love you, Dougie. See you tomorrow.

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!!

2009-05-23T23:19:00.006-04:00

Hey, Dougie, DeeDee and Pappa Mike are spending Memorial Day weekend down in LA (Lower Alabama). We usually have lots of fun riding bikes and kayaking while we are here. Unfortunately, it has rained and rained ever since we arrived so we have not gotten to do the things we like to do. Pappa Mike did get a fairly long bike ride the other day, but when he went out today, he only got as far as the entrance to the subdivision before a big shower hit.

Tonight, after dinner, we were finally able to walk down to the bay and take some pictures. Both Pappa Mike and I brought our cameras and we were hoping for some good sunset pictures since there was a small break in the clouds right at the horizon. Hopefully, Pappa Mike got better sunset pictures than I did!!

Pappa Mike taking pictures at the bay

We love to watch the birds here, too. Pappa Mike saw a Sparrow Hawk on our way into town the other day. He had never seen one before and he couldn't believe how small it was. While we were eating dinner tonight on the restaurant patio the Laughing Gulls were making a huge racket...some little kids had given them a bit of their leftover dinner, and the gulls had called all of their friends over to join in the feast. Unfortunately for the gulls, it wasn't a very big feast so they got a little irritated and let those kids know that they wanted more.

I can't wait until you are old enough to come down to LA with DeeDee and Pappa Mike. I know that you will LOVE doing all of the fun things we do here.

Busy Sunday

2009-05-20T16:28:00.005-04:00

Hey, Dougie. DeeDee and Pappa Mike were so happy to see you last Sunday. Great Grandma Dugie came with us to your house and she loved seeing you, too.

It was a very busy day, so we did not get a very long visit. DeeDee had to sing in a concert at 3 o'clock, all the way on the other side of town. It was a very rainy day, too, and traffic was heavy. It is really a mess to drive in that kind of weather.

Great Grandma Dugie, Pappa Mike and DeeDee took turns holding you. At first you weren't sure about all of the new people in your house, but after your daddy held you a minute and told you that it was OK, you decided that we were OK!!

Pappa Mike and DeeDee are going down to LA (Lower Alabama) this weekend so we won't get to see you. Hopefully, you will be able to come down there with us later this summer. The work on the house should be done sometime in June and then we will be ready for a little guy to visit!!

Love ya, Dougie. See you next week.

What a Big Boy!!

2009-05-14T20:36:00.006-04:00

Hey, Dougie. DeeDee surely enjoyed spending time with you in the ELC today. It was so much fun seeing you do all kinds of new things. You fell asleep in my arms shortly after I arrived at the ELC and I put you down in the crib and you slept for 45 whole minutes. You are certainly getting good at sleeping in your crib...your mommy told me that you slept for 8 hours straight last night. That is really a milestone!!

After you got up, you spent about 20 minutes in the bumbo chair. You looked like such a big guy, sitting up all by yourself. You watched all of the other kids playing and I could tell that you can't wait to be big enough to play with them. While you were in the bumbo, you were playing with a ball...you swatted it to me a couple of times, but you really wanted to hold onto it.

You have also started using a new kind of pacifier. It's called a Nuk, and it is the same kind that your mommy used when she was your age. The Nuk is so much easier to keep in your mouth and you really seem to like it.

I'll bet with all of the activity you had today, you will sleep well again tonight!!

Love you, Dougie. See you soon.

The Camel Chair

2009-05-14T20:12:00.003-04:00

Hey, Dougie. Pappa Mike and DeeDee went to Florida to visit his mother on Mother's Day weekend. We had a very good time. We did not do a whole lot, but we did get to visit with your Great Grandma and Pappa Mike's sister Judy and her husband Garry. We got to see your cousin Hailey, too. She is getting so old. She is 16 and has started driving. It seems like just a while ago she was as little as you are now.

Your Great Grandma gave us the Camel Chair to bring to our house for you. Several generations of Pappa Mike's family has "ridden" the Camel Chair when they were little. They liked to pretend that the Camel Chair was a horsey. Your daddy will be interested to know that your great grandparents bought the Camel Chair when they were living in France. The chair is almost as old as your Pappa Mike. You will have lots of fun "riding" the Camel Chair when you get a little bit bigger.

Pappa Mike and DeeDee missed seeing you on Mother's Day. Luckily, DeeDee will get to spend some time with you this week at the ELC after she proctors AP exams.

Three Month's Old!!

2009-05-07T20:37:00.007-04:00

Hey, Dougie. Today you are three months old. DeeDee was able to spend several hours with you today in the ELC. It was such a treat and you gave me the most special Mother's Day gift...you grinned at DeeDee and I was (finally!) able to catch that beautiful smile on camera!!

I loved being with you today. You are three months old and I got to sing "Happy Birthday to You"!! We had some really active tummy play time. You were holding your entire upper body off of the carpet and you were trying to scoot around. It won't be long before you will be moving all over the ELC with your friends. After playing so hard, you got very sleepy and you fell asleep in my arms. You slept for over an hour and you did not even wake up when your mommy came in to feed you. But when you did wake up, you were a very hungry boy and you let everyone know it!

Miss JoAnn brought me a bottle to give you and you polished it off in no time. When it was gone, you were mad...you cried louder than I have ever heard you cry. Miss JoAnn wasted no time filling your bottle again so that you could have more milk. When the second bottle was gone, you still were not satisfied, so DeeDee gave you MORE milk.

After three bottles, you finally seemed full and satisfied. I'll bet you are going through a growth spurt!! Your mommy said that you are going to the doctor's tomorrow and I'm sure you have grown a bunch in the last month. DeeDee can't wait to hear how much you weigh and how tall you are. I know that you are going to get some shots tomorrow, and DeeDee hopes that they don't make you too cranky.

Have a good weekend with your mommy and daddy. Make your mommy's first Mother's Day very special!! I know that you made her a present at the ELC. I'm sure that she will really like your gift. Be a good boy and smile a lot for her on her very special day. DeeDee and Pappa Mike are going down to see Pappa Mike's mother in Jacksonville for Mother's Day, so we will not get to see you this weekend. DeeDee will be back at your mommy's school on Monday, so I will visit you in the ELC then.

Love ya, Dougie!!

Super Busy Days

2009-05-05T17:15:00.003-04:00

Hey, Dougie. I can't believe that its been so long since I posted a message on our blog. DeeDee has been super busy in May. School will be out in just a couple of weeks and lots of teachers need substitutes. Most days between now and the end of school, DeeDee could work two or three jobs if she could figure out how to be in more than one place at a time!!

DeeDee and Pappa Mike have managed to spend some time with you even though life has been busy. We saw you at Lucy's First Communion party last Saturday. As usual, you were very curious about what was going on and you were wide awake during the entire party. You got to meet your Aunt Mary and cousin Garrett from Wisconsin and lots of people in Amy's family. Of course, everyone thought that you were a really handsome guy...and DeeDee has to agree!!

I worked at your mommy's school on Monday and got to see you again. You were eating when I arrived at the ELC, but once you were done, DeeDee held you for about 20 minutes before she had to leave. You grinned at me a couple of times, which was really special, since you are usually a very serious guy.

I also got to observe one of your first attempts at making choices. You are really growing up. While DeeDee was holding you, you were not totally happy with something (I'm not sure what it was) and you really thought about crying, but decided not to. I saw you stick out that bottom lip, and your chin started to quiver, and it looked like you were going to really crank up, but you didn't. It was just like you thought about it and decided that you didn't really need to cry after all. What a big boy!! It was really cool watching your baby thought processes at work.

DeeDee will be at Mommy's school again on Thursday. I can't wait to see you then.

Attention Deficit Disorder

2009-04-26T19:35:00.003-04:00

Hey, Little Guy!! Hope you are feeling better today. When we saw you last night, you were very congested. Everyone was concerned about you...we think that you are probably allergic to the horrible Georgia pollen. It has been pretty bad lately, and lots of people have had runny noses and coughs. I just talked to your daddy and he said that you are feeling better than you did yesterday, which makes me very happy. Hopefully, your congestion will be gone very soon.

We really enjoyed being with you last night. Pammie and Granddaddy came up to spend the weekend with you. DeeDee and Pappa Mike came over to your house to visit with Pammie and Granddaddy, and while your mommy and daddy were at church you had 4 doting grandparents taking care of you!! Your Granddaddy said that you certainly had "Attention Deficit Disorder" since 4 adults were there to take care of your every need. He definitely had that right!! We all enjoyed taking care of you and visiting. We do not get to see Pammie and Granddaddy often enough.

After your mommy and daddy got back from church, we all went to the Mexican place to eat. We met more of your extended family there, so you had even more people to look after you. You do not seem to mind being the center of attention!!

Have a good week, Dougie. I hope that your congestion is completely gone soon and that you enjoy spending your days at the ELC with your friends.

Love ya, DeeDee

Subbing at Daycare

2009-04-21T22:09:00.005-04:00

Hey, Dougie. Today was another special day for DeeDee. I got to substitute at your day care center. I loved being able to spend the entire day with you!! I also enjoyed getting to meet all of your nice new friends.

The day was very busy since there were 9 little children to take care of. You were the youngest at 10 weeks, and the oldest was 3 years old. Only 4 of the children were walking and 2 of you were not even crawling. There were three adults in the center to take care of you and your friends. All of the adults stayed busy changing, rocking, feeding and entertaining babies. Of course, no two of you were on the same schedule!!

You did smile at me several times today. I almost got a smile on camera...almost. You take after Pappa Mike and don't like to smile just because someone wants you to. I do like the picture at the top of this post...it is your almost smile!! And check out those big, blue eyes and long eyelashes!!

You are a cutie and I love every minute I get to spend with you!! I hope that Miss JoAnn will need me to substitute again soon!!

A VERY Special Birthday

2009-04-21T21:42:00.005-04:00

Hey, Dougie. I had the BEST birthday! You came over to visit DeeDee and Pappa Mike. We got to be your first babysitters while your mommy and daddy went to the Prom.

We had so much fun with you. You played with your toys, batting them with your hands. You got so excited that you had your legs going 90 to nothing, too. Pappa Mike made sure that you got your first experience on a bicycle...he put you on the bike seat and you peddaled your legs just like you already knew how to ride that bike. Both Pappa Mike and DeeDee fed you a bottle. By 9PM, when your tummy was full, you were so tired that you just crashed on our bed. You slept soundly until your mommy and daddy came to get you at 11:30. They left the Prom early because they did not want to be away from you any longer than they had to be.

On Sunday, you and your mommy and daddy met DeeDee and Pappa Mike for dinner for my birthday. You were wearing the cute outfit that DeeDee found for you last weekend down in South Alabama. You looked great in your dinosaur outfit...it fit perfectly, too.

DeeDee just loved spending so much time with you on her birthday weekend. It was very special...it was one of the best birthdays I have ever had!! Thanks for making it so very special, Dougie. I love you.

Ready for Dougie

2009-04-17T16:32:00.011-04:00

Hey, Dougie, tomorrow is DeeDee's birthday and your mommy and daddy are giving me the best present. They are going to let me and Pappa Mike babysit while they go out to your mommy's school prom. They are even going to bring you over to our house for us to watch you. I am so excited. I have been getting ready all week for your visit.

I bought the same model rocker that you have at home, which you use all the time for both playing and sleeping. I put it together last night. Today, after I finished subbing, I went to the drugstore and got the battery I needed to get the rocker vibrations working. Hopefully, you will be happy as a clam and feel right at home in your chair at DeeDee's house.

Your rocker came with a few toys, but I also bought you a couple more. Every little boy (and girl!!) needs a ball. I love the one that they have at the Early Learning Center which is so light and easy to pick up. I got you one that is a bit bigger than the ones you have at school, but which you will still be able to hold and eventually throw. I also found a couple of other toys which make really cool sounds...I know that you will love making lots of noise with them. Everything is so bright and colorful. It really makes DeeDee's living room look festive. It will be just perfect when you come and add your emerging baby personality to the mix.

I can hardly wait...see you tomorrow evening, Dougie!!

Love, DeeDee

OH, the Places We'll Go!!

2009-04-07T15:33:00.003-04:00

Hey, Dougie. DeeDee got the BEST surprise yesterday. My friend Alcie, who is now a Great Grandmother, purchased her "Grandmother Stroller" many years ago. She recently decided that she did not need it any longer, since she does not plan to keep the Great Gandkids by herself. She does not feel that it is safe because even the toddlers can run faster than she can.

She decided to give her "Grandmother Stroller" to ME so that you, DeeDee and Pappa Mike can have some great adventures! I feel honored that Alcie thought that I was the one who should inherit her stroller. She said that she hopes that we have many happy times pushing you, and your future cousins, in her stroller. Someday, when you are visiting DeeDee, I will have to take you to meet Alcie so that you can thank her yourself for this wonderful gift!!

Today, you are two months old. I hope that you are having a good day. It is colder today than it was on the day you were born. It has been snowing lightly all day and the wind chill is in the high 30's or low 40's. Spring is supposed to start coming back tomorrow. I surely hope that the weatherman is right!!

Have a great week, Dougie. I will see you after Easter. Love, DeeDee

Happy Easter..one week early

2009-04-05T19:05:00.003-04:00

Hey, Dougie. DeeDee and Pappa Mike met you and your mommy and daddy for dinner tonight. We really wanted to see you since we will be out of town next week. We will miss seeing you on your first Easter. I know that you will enjoy your first Easter Egg Hunt. This year you will need some help, but it will be a good chance for you to learn the ropes so that you can hunt for the candy all on your own next year.

Since we will not see you next week, DeeDee and Pappa Mike brought you your Easter present. DeeDee made you a shopping cart / high chair cover to keep the germs away when you start riding in a shopping cart or sitting at the big table in a high chair in a restaurant. The fabric is a Thomas the Train design, which your mommy and I chose because your daddy likes trains so much. The cover has places where you can hang your toys so that they don't fall on the floor when they slip out of your hands, and it folds up into its own bag so that it will be easy for your mommy and daddy to carry. Hope you enjoy it, Dougie. You are not quite ready for it yet, but it won't be long until you are.

You are getting so big. The infant insert is out of your carseat and you have started to hold on to things. Today you kept grabbing the string of your pacifyer and yanking it out of your mouth. You really wanted that pacifyer, so your mommy had to help you keep it in your mouth. Pappa Mike couldn't get over how big your hands have gotten and how much you are using them. You have also started smiling. Yesterday, your mommy finally got a picture of your smile. Since we could not get you to smile today, I am posting the picture that your mommy took yesterday. Your smile is so cute...I'm sure that we will get many more pictures of you smiling for the camera in the days to come.

We will miss you on Easter, Dougie. Have fun and eat some chocolate for DeeDee and Pappa Mike!!

Dougie Goes to School

2009-04-01T19:58:00.003-04:00

Hey, Dougie, you are a big guy now. You started school this week!!

I heard that you were really doing well and having a good time. So, today, when DeeDee had some unexpected free time, I came on over to the ELC to see how you were doing for myself.

Today you had three very nice teachers working with you and all of the other kids who come to the ELC. You have lots of new friends. There are two little girls surrounded by a whole passel of little boys. You, of course, are the youngest, but being the new kid in school, you are the most popular!! You had all kinds of visitors today while DeeDee was there. Even the school Principal came in to see you and the other kids. He didn't stay long because one of the teachers offered to let him hold one of the other babies.

One of the nice things about the ELC is that your mommy and all of the other mommies and daddies who work at the school are able to come in to see you and your friends throughout the day. There is always an extra set of helping hands to care for someone who needs a little extra love.

Dougie, you were a little fussy today. I think that you had a tummy ache for a while. You were really tired and wanted to go to sleep, but there were too many things going on. You are so curious. You don't want to miss anything, so you fight going to sleep. I'm sure that after you get used to the ELC you will figure out that its OK to sleep when you are tired. You won't miss that much and you will have much more fun when you are awake and rested.

I'm so glad that I got to see you today, Dougie. DeeDee will come to see you at the ELC again very soon.

Getting Ready for BIG Adventures

2009-03-26T16:54:00.007-04:00

Flirting with Great Grandma

Hey, Dougie. I loved being with you this week. On Wednesday and Thursday I came over to your house to help your mommy get ready for your trip to South Georgia for your Grandma Pam's family reunion on Saturday. I know that everyone down there is very excited that they will finally be able to meet you!

The plan was for you and your mommy to pick-up your daddy at school at 3PM on Friday and to drive down south. You were going to spend Friday night at Grandma Pam's and Grandpa Doug's and then go to the reunion on Saturday. Your mommy and daddy had planned to bring you back home as soon as the reunion was over. However, it has rained and rained all day today. In fact, the rain is still coming down very hard. Your mommy called me just a little while ago and said that you were going to spend another night at Grandma and Grandpa's and come home tomorrow morning after the rain stopped. I'm so glad that they decided to stay until tomorrow. It is way too dangerous to drive in this heavy rain!!

You are in for a big week next week, Dougie. Your mommy is going back to work and you are going to go with her every day to the Early Learning Center at her school. Miss JoAnn will be there to take care of you every day and you will have lots of new friends. I am sure that you will have a great time.

Almost a smile...Look at those dimples!!

You will be showing off all of the new things you have learned lately. On Thursday, you turned over from your tummy to your back all by yourself!! You have started to smile at people, too, so I am sure that you will charm everyone you meet when you go to school!! I hope that you have a wonderful first week. DeeDee will try to stop in to see you in your new environment one day this week.

Utterly Content!!

2009-03-24T16:34:00.004-04:00

Hey, Dougie. This pictue is my current favorite. Your mommy took it on St. Patrick's Day, while DeeDee was holding you. Notice my green shirt...I know, its not kelly green, but it was the best that I could do.

Do you know why I like this picture so much? Because after many attempts, you finally succeeded in getting your little thumb into your mouth and keeping it there long enough to drift off to sleep. You have been trying to do this for a couple of weeks now and you finally had your very first success!! You are a very determined little boy, and I am sure that before long, getting that thumb will be second nature to you, but right now, its a great triumph when you succeed. You don't yet succeed every time you try, but you definitely keep trying.

Pappa Mike and I visited you this past Sunday. Pappa Mike had not seen you in 2 whole weeks and he could not believe how much you had grown and how well you were holding your head up all by yourself. We had a very good time with you, even though you were pretty tired after your long trip to the University of Georgia in Athens on Saturday and your visit from Miss JoAnn from the Early Learning Center earlier Sunday afternoon.

I hope that you have gotten a lot of rest the last couple of days. I am coming up tomorrow to see you and to help your mommy get ready to go back to work. I can't wait to see how you are doing capturing your thumb!!

Love you, Dougie. See you tomorrow.

Away on Vacation

2009-03-18T16:34:00.007-04:00

Kayaking on Weeks Bay

Wow, Dougie, I can't believe it has been over a week since my last post!! It has been a very busy week.

Last Wednesday, DeeDee and Pappa Mike went down to the Gulf Coast. DeeDee had to meet with some of her customers, and while we were there, we also checked up on our house and got a little R&R. Before we left, Pappa Mike had worked very long hours for about 3 weeks. We were very ready for some time away.

Pappa Mike rode his bicycle every day. He loves to ride for hours. He usually rides over 30 miles every time he goes out. DeeDee and Pappa Mike also got to go kayaking twice while we were there. It was so much fun and very relaxing!!

I can't wait until you are big enough to go with us in the kayak so that we can show you the Great Blue Herons and the Osprey. It is nesting season for the Great Blue Herons and it was so cool to see the father herons sitting at the top of the pine trees, with just their long necks and little heads showing. They were keeping an eye on the bay to ensure that the mother herons and their chicks stayed safe.

Not quite ready for visitors

We are having work done on our house down at the coast, so it is not ready for you to visit quite yet. Hopefully, it will be ready by summertime. The entire living area of the house is torn up right now and there is dust everywhere. The fake beams on the ceiling, the carpet and the fireplace have been torn out. The popcorn is off of the ceiling and it has been redone. There is still painting, crown molding, floors and a French Door to be installed. I am so glad that we are not living in the house while this work is going on!!

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. You looked so cute in your special outfit. You went out to eat with the girls again. Your mommy, Great Grandma Dugie and DeeDee went to Chili's. We did not have very good service, so we were there a very long time and you got a bit impatient. Your mommy got her favorite dessert, which made her very happy.

You are learning to suck your thumb. Yesterday, when I was holding you, you were finally able to get your thumb into your mouth and keep it there for several minutes. You want to suck that thumb so bad and it frustrates you so much that it keeps popping out of your mouth and you have to figure out how to find it again. I know that it won't be long until you will be sucking your thumb like a champ.

Aunt Katie Goes Home

2009-03-10T14:56:00.003-04:00

Aunt Katie and Dougie in the Sleepy Wrap

Dougie, Aunt Katie had to go back home today. We will all miss her. And, she will miss you very much. She told me how much she enjoyed being able to spend the last two weeks getting to know you. You are a lucky boy to have an aunt who loves you enough to spend so much of her vacation time with you.

I got to see you for just a very short time this morning when I came to your house to get Aunt Katie to take her to the airport. She was trying to convince your mommy that she should allow her to pack you up and take you home with her, but your mommy did not think that was a very good idea. Aunt Katie was sad when she had to leave you with your mommy.

On the way to the airport, Aunt Katie and DeeDee stopped by to see Lindsey and Zachary. He is just two weeks younger than you are, but he seemed so tiny!! You are a lot heavier than he is. It is hard to believe that you were that tiny just a couple of weeks ago.

DeeDee and Pappa Mike are going to south Alabama this coming weekend. We are leaving tomorrow after Pappa Mike gets off of work. We will come back home on Sunday. I am hoping that I will get to see you tomorrow before we leave...otherwise, it will be six or seven days until I will get to see you again. I'm sure that you will grow a foot in that amount of time.

Love ya, Dougie. See you soon.

Sunday at DeeDee and Pappa Mike's

2009-03-08T20:38:00.008-04:00

What a handsome guy!!

Dougie, you came to our house for the first time today!! It was so nice having you, your mommy and daddy and Aunt Katie here with us. It was a beautiful day...perfect for your first trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Your daddy and mommy say that you love your carseat, just like your mommy did. You were quiet all the way to our house.

You were very hungry when you arrived so the first thing that your mommy had to do was to feed you and then change your diaper. You were a little fussy, so DeeDee held you while the rest of the family ate their dinner. Pappa Mike made his famous Broccoli Chicken Fettuccine because it is one of Aunt Katie's favorite dishes. He wanted her to have a special dinner before she leaves for home on Tuesday. We also had a nice salad and Strawberry Shortcake for dessert.

Chattin' with Pappa Mike

You love to sit facing the world, just like your mommy did when she was your age. You like to observe everything that is going on. You especially like to look out the window. I think you are going to love the outdoors just like your daddy, Pappa Mike and Grandpa Doug.

After dinner, DeeDee turned on the MP3 player so that you could hear the music she bought for you. I don't think that your daddy liked the music very much, but your mommy and Aunt Katie remembered some of the songs. They especially liked singing "Little Bunny Foo Foo." They tried to teach it to your daddy, but he thought it was a silly song. I'll bet that when YOU start singing it, you can get your daddy to sing along with you.

Dougie, Pappa Mike and I loved having you here at our house today. We hope that you will come again very soon.

Happy Birthday, Dougie!!

2009-03-07T14:07:00.009-05:00

Today you are one month old!! The time has gone by so quickly. It just does not seem possible that at this time last month DeeDee had not even met you yet.

You have grown so much in the last month. You are getting longer every day. You were really long when you were born @ 22". Today, you are already pushing through the toes of the 0-3 month size clothes!

What a difference in just one week!!

Since you were born, Spring has begun to arrive here in the South. You wouldn't have known it last Sunday when we got such a big snowfall, but Spring is coming quickly. The flowers are starting to bloom. The birds are flying everywhere collecting sticks and mud to use to build their nests. The weather is getting warm. You will really enjoy getting out in the fresh air in your stroller and watching the world come alive.

When we go to bed tonight, we turn our clocks ahead one hour because Daylight Savings Time starts tomorrow. It will stay light later in the evening so when your daddy comes home from work there will still be time for an outing before it gets dark.

Tomorrow, you get to make your first trip to DeeDee's house. I can't wait to have you here. You are coming with your mommy and daddy and Aunt Katie. The adults will have dinner, but your mommy won't let you taste Pappa Mike's cooking just yet, so you will just have to watch us eat. I am hoping that we will have time to take a walk on the trail in our neighborhood so that you can see Springtime for yourself.

Hope your one-month birthday is special, Dougie. I love you!! See you tomorrow.

Lunch with the Girls

2009-03-04T15:59:00.003-05:00

Dougie, yesterday you went out to lunch with the girls and, of course, you were the star of the show--and you slept right through it!!

Great Grandma Dugie took DeeDee, Mommy, and Aunt Katie out to lunch. We had to go in two cars because we wouldn't all fit in your mommy's car, since your carseat takes up a lot of room. We had a very nice time. You sat on the window ledge in your carseat and slept the entire time we were in the restaurant. We were out in the patio room and, although it was cold outside, it was toasty warm inside. Everyone had a good meal and there was even half an Asian wrap leftover to take back to the house for your daddy to enjoy later.

After lunch, Great Grandma Dugie and DeeDee went to Great Grandma's favorite store to look around and you went with your mommy and Aunt Katie to JoAnn's and Walgreen's. After I dropped Great Grandma off at her house, I came over to your house to see you. Your mommy was feeding you and then you fell asleep on her and she fell asleep, too. Aunt Katie and I worked on sewing a burp cloth that she was making as a gift for Zachary. It was the first time that she had made one of the burp cloths and she did a good job, but was not totally happy with it because it was "not perfect." I think that Lindsey and Zachary will like it just fine!!

Pappa Mike came over the your house for just a few minutes before we had to leave for Zachary's Bris. He was so glad to see you since the heavy snow kept him from visiting you over the weekend. He couldn't believe how much you had grown and how much longer you are awake and looking around now.

Aunt Katie, Pappa Mike and DeeDee went to the Bris and were gone about 2 and a half hours. When we got back, we came in to see you again for just a minute. Your mommy gave DeeDee some things that needed to go to her school. DeeDee was working there today, helping with final exams. DeeDee dropped off all of the stuff while she was there.

I did not come see you after school today because I still have a little congestion and I do not want to pass that on to you. I hope that I will feel much better tomorrow and be able to come and hold you for a while!!

Hangin' with Aunt Katie on a Snow Day

2009-03-02T21:23:00.008-05:00

Aunt Katie and Dougie

Hey, Dougie, today was your first "Snow Day". We don't get too many of those down here in the South, so you really need to enjoy the ones you get. I know that your daddy was thrilled that he had a snow day today. He really enjoyed having a bonus day at home with you.

Today you and I hung out with Aunt Katie all day. We had a really good time. I took lots of pictures of the two of you together. You like to sleep all curled up in Aunt Katie's arms. You usually don't like to sleep that way when anyone else is holding you. You and Aunt Katie have a very special bond already!!

You are growing so much. You were wearing a 3month sized outfit today and you were about to punch through the toes of your little suit. If you weren't so long, the outfit would have fit you fine!

This is one of the pictures DeeDee took of you today...you look just like your daddy. I know that he is so proud!! He was going to read you a story today when he got back from running errands with your mommy. You told him that he would have to wait until later because you were very sleepy and you needed a nap. Daaddy told you that was OK. He held you while you slept and he told you that he would read you the story later.

I hope you sleep well for your mommy and daddy tonight. DeeDee will see you tomorrow. I love you, Dougie.

Snow in the South

2009-03-01T19:37:00.009-05:00

Snow in DeeDee's front yard

Dougie, it has been so long since I have seen you. The last time I was at your house was February 25th and today is the first day of March. Pappa Mike and DeeDee were on our way up to see you today, but we had to turn around and go home because of the snow. The weather man said that the snow would stick to the grass, but not to the roads. He was wrong!! When we left our house, the snow was coming down very hard. We expected to find clear roads once we got out of the neighborhood, but no such luck. DeeDee was very sad because she had counted on seeing you today...I guess that I will just have to wait until tomorrow to see you.

Mommy's nursing covers

Yesterday I made two more nursing covers for your mommy. She made one just after you were born and she is using it all the time. She is getting lots of compliments on it, too. Pappa Mike and I also went to the scratch and dent sale at REI. We found some really good stuff, including a bike for Pappa Mike and an extra set of paddles for our kayak. I also found a really neat book to read to you. Pappa Mike and DeeDee are going to keep it at our house, so that we can help you learn about animals when you visit us.

Dougie's new book

Since I couldn't visit you today, I made another nursing cover for Aunt Katie's friend, Lindsey. She had a little boy named Zachary last Tuesday. He less than 3 weeks younger than you are. Maybe you can play together sometime. Pappa Mike, DeeDee and Aunt Katie are going to get to meet Zachary at his Bris on Tuesday. We are anxious to meet him and to see his mommy, daddy and big brother, Joshua.

Lindsey's nursing cover

Keep your fingers crossed that the roads clear off early tomorrow so that DeeDee can come see you. I can't wait to hold you again and to see how much you have grown since last Wednesday.

Music for Dougie

2009-02-26T15:57:00.003-05:00

DeeDee is suffering from Dougie withdrawal. I did not get to come to see you today. I called your mommy and Aunt Katie and they had planned to take you for another car ride to do some errands. They sounded like they had everything under control, so I decided to stay at home to get some things done here.

I really missed seeing you today. I won't get to see you tomorrow, either, because I have to teach Kindergarten at the school here in my neighborhood. I can't wait to see you this weekend.

I ran some errands by myself today. When I went to WalMart, I found a set of 3 CD's with 150 of the BEST songs for little kids. DeeDee loves music...she even sings in the Community Chorus that meets near my house. I put the music on my MP3 player so that I can bring it when I come to see you. I will enjoy singing to you so that you can learn all of these good songs. When you are older, we can sing together!!

Love ya, Dougie. See you soon.

Aunt Katie is Finally Here!!

2009-02-25T21:30:00.007-05:00

Aunt Katie and Dougie

Dougie, your Aunt Katie came to visit you today and she is going to get to stay with you for two whole weeks. She lives so far away that she had to fly on a big airplane for 5 hours to get here. We got out of the airport faster than I ever have in the past. Everything just worked very smoothly and we did not run into any bad traffic on the highway either. When we got to your house, it was just over an hour after Aunt Katie's plane landed! She was so excited to finally get to meet you. When DeeDee picked her up at the airport she wanted to come straight to your house. She didn't even want to stop for a snack.

This is a picture of you and your Aunt Katie right after you met. I hoped to take a lot of pictures of you meeting Aunt Katie, but the batteries in my camera died and I only got 4 pictures. This was the best one. Aunt Katie brought you two pairs of pull on pants to wear with your onesies. They will look very cute on you.

You are still getting lots of gifts. In addition to Aunt Katie's gift, you received another very cute outfit in the mail today. Miss Ann, from across the street, came over to meet you while I was there, and she brought you an outfit, too. You are going to be one well-dressed little guy!!

Your daddy came home just before I left and he and Aunt Katie agreed that since they both like to hold you so much, she will have to do her holding while Daddy is at work. He will hold you in the evening. Sounds like that plan will work for everyone.

Still Tired from the BIG Weekend

2009-02-23T17:24:00.004-05:00

Dougie, DeeDee came over to visit you and your mommy today. When I got there, this is what I found...

You and your mommy were sound asleep on the sofa in the den!! I'm glad I brought my book with me because you both slept for over an hour before you were ready to eat again. I really enjoyed sitting in the room and watching you both sleep. You were sleeping so peacefully together.

When you finally woke up, your mommy changed your diaper and then you had your lunch. Your Great Grandma Dugie came over to see you, and since Mommy had lots of food left over from the weekend, we ate our lunch when you were done. We even enjoyed another piece of the cake from your Baptism. It is really yummy cake!!

After sleeping all morning, you were not at all tired, so Great Grandma Dugie and DeeDee played with you while Mommy got a shower and did a couple of things that needed to be done around the house. After about an hour of playing you got very tired and wanted to go to sleep. You are not able to get to sleep without sucking, and since mommy is discouraging the pacifier, I let you suck on my finger...and you can REALLY suck!! You are much stronger than you were last week...way to go!!

Mommy said that her friend Beth and her two little boys may come over to play with you tomorrow. If they do, I probably won't see you. I will definitely see you on Wednesday, though, when I bring your Aunt Katie to your house. That will be a very special visit for all of us. She is going to be able to stay 2 whole weeks, which is quite a treat since she lives so far away and does not get to visit often.

Love you, Dougie. See you soon.

Your Baptism

2009-02-22T15:03:00.000-05:00

At the church with your Great Grandmothers

Dougie, we had your Baptism yesterday. So many people came to be with you on your special day. You were very good and you slept most of the day, unconcerned that you were the star of the show and everyone wanted to hold you!!

The Baptism was scheduled for 12:05pm and everyone was on time. Your Grandpa Dewaine and Grandma Molly were there from Northern Virginia, and your Great Grandmother Norris, Great Uncle Tom Norris and Great Aunt Beth came in from South Georgia. Of course, DeeDee and Pappa Mike and Grandma Pam and Grandpa Doug and Great Grandma Dugie were there. Tons of folks were there from your mom's side of the family, too...Great Aunts and Great Uncles and cousins galore. There were also a number of people from your mom's school who came to see you for the first time, too.

Fr. Joe officiated at your Baptism and gave a wonderful little homily in which he said that you were a very loved little boy and you would learn about the love of God through the love of your family and friends. Three other priests attended your Baptism...they thoroughly enjoyed themselves because none of them had ever attended a Baptism that they did not have to officiate. Your Great Aunts Mary and Bernie and Great Uncles Michael and Glen were your godparents. Lucky you to have twice the regular number of godparents!!

Fr. Joe holding you with your mommy and daddy and your godparents

After the ceremony we went back to your house and everyone ate Slopes BBQ, your mommy's favorite...she had Slopes right after you were born two weeks ago!! Your mommy and daddy got you a beautiful cake, which was delicious.

Most people left by 3PM, but a few of us stayed around to watch your mommy and daddy open your presents. You have received so many really nice things from the people who love you.

Great Aunt Bernie and Great Uncle Glen, DeeDee and Pappa Mike and Grandma Pam and Grandpa Doug left about 4. I think that your mommy and daddy were really tired and really needed a nap. Grandpa Dewaine and Grandma Molly were staying at your house and leaving for home early Sunday morning, so I'm sure that they were very happy to take care of you while your mommy and daddy got a little rest. They wanted to get as much time with you as possible.

Grandma Pam and Grandpa Doug were planning to go home about lunch time on Sunday, so they were coming over to your house to play with you on Sunday morning. You have had such a busy weekend that I'm sure that this afternoon is rest time for you and your mommy and daddy.

I hope that you enjoyed your special weekend, Dougie. I know that everyone else did. I will see you tomorrow. We have to get ready for your Aunt Katie's visit. She is coming on Wednesday and she gets to spend 2 whole weeks with you. She works in a hospital with sick little babies and she can't wait to get to be with you, her new healthy little nephew.

Running Errands and Other Fun Stuff

2009-02-19T19:49:00.000-05:00

Dougie, you and I had a lot of fun today. While your mommy was getting ready to run errands, DeeDee held you and, since you were awake (for a change), we were able to play. I took your soft little rattle and shook it for you. You loved it and followed the sound with your eyes--you even turned your head to follow the sound when I moved it way over to the side. I cannot believe that you are able to do that when you are only 12 days old!!

You just loved following the sound of your rattle

We had a great time running errands with your mommy. She let me stay in the car with you while she ran into the stores so that all of the people would not want to talk to you and breathe on you. We don't want you to get sick. There is a lot of flu and colds going around right now. You slept for the entire time we were on our outing. You really like your car seat.

You loved sleeping in your car seat while we ran errands

When we got home, you were still sleeping, so DeeDee was able to hold you while your mommy ate her lunch. Then mommy fed you because you were really hungry. After you ate, DeeDee held you while your mommy made her nursing cover, which she will need this weekend because you are going to have lots of company for your Baptism on Saturday.

Great Grandma Dugie and your cousins Emily and Gregory came to see you. And then two of your mommy's friends from the Marist front office brought some food and spent some time playing with you. After that, you were ready to eat again, and sadly, it was time for DeeDee to go home. I won't get to see you tomorrow, Dougie, because I have to teach the big 7th grade kids. I will see you on Saturday for your Baptism. Maybe we can talk your mommy and daddy into letting you try Slopes for lunch!!

Sleeping in the Bassinet

2009-02-18T17:33:00.000-05:00

Dougie, DeeDee had to teach 6th grade today, so I didn't get to see you. I talked to your mommy a couple of times. She told me the wonderful news that you slept in your bassinet for an hour an a half today!! That is a big first...way to go, big boy!!

I'm coming over to your house tomorrow. Mommy and I are going to take you for a car ride. She has to run some errands and I will stay with you in the car.

There are lots of big storms in the area tonight. I hope that the lightning and thunder don't scare you. I know that your mommy and daddy will hold you and take really good care of you.

See you tomorrow, Dougie!!

Daddy Goes Back to Work

2009-02-17T16:55:00.001-05:00

Dougie, your daddy had to go to work today. It is the first time he has been away from you for more than an hour or so since you were born. He was not looking forward to having to leave you at home today.

I had a great day with you today. You were pretty tired from your very busy Presidents' Day...you had so many visitors. Everyone is very anxious to meet you.

Your Great Uncle Glen's sister Jill sent you two bags of clothes yesterday. There are so many cute things that her sons, Aiden and Nathan, wore. Your mommy and I went through the bags twice. The first time we just admired all of the cute outfits, and the second time we separated the clothes by size...there are quite a few things that you can wear right now...and there are some things that you will never wear if you don't wear them pretty soon. You are growing like the weeds in DeeDee's front yard!!

You slept on a pillow on my lap while your mommy took her shower. And, just like last week, you peed all over your outfit. We had to change your diaper and your clothes before your mommy could feed you.

Great Grandma Dugie brought us lunch and then she took her turn holding you. You were having a great time looking all around the room. Your mommy and I were going to take you out in the car to run some errands after lunch, but your mommy was so tired she fell asleep while your Great Grandma was holding you. When Great Grandma had to leave, you slept in my arms and your mommy slept on the sofa for another hour and a half. When she woke up, I took you up and changed your diaper so that you would be nice and clean before you ate.

Right before I left to go home, your daddy called from school and said that he would be leaving by 4:00...he couldn't wait to get home to see you.

Your First Babysitters

2009-02-16T16:03:00.000-05:00

It was so good to see you last night, Dougie. Pappa Mike and DeeDee really enjoyed spending time with you. The most fun thing was that your mommy and daddy let us babysit!! We were thrilled to get you all to ourselves while they went to the drugstore and to Starbuck's. They didn't stay away very long, but I think that your mommy especially enjoyed getting out of the house for a little while. It is the first time she has been outside since she and your daddy took you to the doctor last Tuesday.

While mommy and daddy were gone Pappa Mike held you while you slept. I took lots of pictures of the two of you together. You kept covering your face with your hands...you love to put your hands over your face...almost like you want to keep out the light so that you can sleep. Of course, you don't have any trouble sleeping, as long as someone is holding you. Your daddy said that one of your eyes was bloodshot yesterday morning...we all think that it is because you stuck your finger in it.

I didn't get to see you today, but your mommy said that you have had lots of company. Your Great Grandma brought two of her friends from church to see you, and your Great Aunt Ann and Great Uncle Tom visited, too. Sounds like you have had a busy day.

Your daddy has to go back to work tomorrow. He really hates that...he'd much rather stay home and help mommy take care of you. I'll bet he gets home as soon as he can tomorrow night so that he can hold you all evening. I am coming over to help your mommy take care of you during the day tomorrow. I can't wait to see you.

Sleep well for your mommy and daddy tonight so that daddy isn't too tired at work tomorrow.

Happy Valentine's Day, Dougie!!

2009-02-14T15:00:00.001-05:00

Dougie, you are one week old today and it is hard to believe how much has happened in 7 short days. You are already learning so much and are so much more comfortable being in this world than you were last week at this time. You are a very smart little boy and you learn very quickly. You have definitely learned that you much prefer to sleep in someone's arms or to sleep snuggled up next to someone rather than to sleep all alone in your nice new bed!!

Yesterday, your mommy showed me the cute little Valentine's outfit that your Aunt Rebecca gave you. I can't wait to see you in it...you will surely be a little heartbreaker!! If your mommy and daddy send me a picture, I will post it on our blog.

Pappa Mike and I were out shopping this morning and we saw the cutest little boy, who was about 6 years old, with his Grandpa. Grandpa was buying the little boy his first big bicycle and both of them were so excited!! It was a very special day for that Grandpa and his grandson. We can't wait until you are ready for your first big bicycle. Pappa Mike can't wait to show you how different the world looks when you are traveling on two wheels.

Pappa Mike gave me the cutest Valentine's Day card...in honor of you. He said that this year I was his "Grand Valentine"...how sweet is that? So from Pappa Mike to DeeDee and from DeeDee to you, Happy First Valentine's Day!! Here's our card...

Friday the Thirteenth

2009-02-13T21:31:00.000-05:00

Dougie, I was so glad to see you today. You change so much every time I see you. I was surprised that your fingers looked shorter today. They didn't shrink, its just that you are starting to fill out. Its easy to see that your mommy's milk agrees with you.

Your Great Grandma Dugie came over to see you and to hold you again today. You slept in her arms in front of the window in the sun. Before long, your jaundice will be all gone if you keep up the sunbathing.

We all had Pappa John's Pizza for lunch. I'm sure that you would have liked to have some too, but your daddy said that you had to wait just a little while longer before you could have your first taste of pizza. He is sure that you are going to like it. He is also planning for you to be his Starbuck's buddy, since your mommy and DeeDee don't drink coffee.

You have lots of clothes and you are trying to make sure that you use all of them. You had to change your clothes twice while I was at your house today. Your daddy changed your clothes to freshen you up before DeeDee held you for your nap. Then, while you were sleeping, you peed all over me and yourself!! You were just laying there and sleeping so peacefully and all of a sudden I felt a warm wet spot on my jeans. Sure enough, when I picked you up to assess the situation, I found that my jeans were wet and so was the entire back of your new clean outfit...and so, your daddy had to change your diaper and your outfit again!!

After that, you slept peacefully in my arms for about 2 hours!! It was wonderful...I love to hold you and watch you sleep. You did not wake up until just before 5pm, ready for your mom to feed you. I left right after that since Pappa Mike was waiting for me at home, and he was hungry, too!!

Dougie, the Nipper-Napper

2009-02-12T19:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday your mommy found the name for your nursing style in her baby book...you are a nipper-napper!! You take a nip and then you take a nap!! Mommy had a terrible time keeping you awake long enough to nurse. You were really tired because you had gotten very little sleep since you were born because you were hungry. Mommy's milk came in yesterday, and you were finally feeling satisfied. You would take just enough milk to feel content and then you would fall asleep. At one point mommy and DeeDee were both trying our best to keep you awake. Even DeeDee's cold hands didn't totally wake you up.

Your daddy is a champion diaper changer. I think he has changed every one of your diapers so far. He really loves to hold you, too. He did not even want to go to the store because he just wanted to stay home and hold you. You are a much loved little boy!!

Pappa Mike finally got to hold you last night. He just loved holding you and talking to you. I know that the two of you are going to be great buddies. Pappa Mike will make chocolate chip cookies for you and he will teach you to bicycle and to kayak as soon as you are old enough.

DeeDee had to work today, so I did not get to see you. I can't wait until tomorrow when I can see you again. I was teaching 7th grade today and I just kept thinking that once those big kids were just as little as you are right now. It doesn't seem possible that you will be that big in just 12 short years!!

Dougie, I really missed you today. I will see you tomorrow.

Your first day at home

2009-02-11T10:08:00.000-05:00

Hey, Dougie, you seem really glad to be home. I know that your mommy and daddy are thrilled to finally have you home with them.

Yesterday, you made your first trip to the pediatrician...that's a big word for baby doctor. He said that you were doing great. You had a little bit of jaundice, but nothing serious. The doctor told your mommy and daddy that it would help to sit with you in the room of your house that had the most indirect sunlight. When I got to your house, the three of you were enjoying watching all of the activity at the house next door. It is a HUD home, and bids are due by Monday, so the traffic was constant. It was good entertainment!!

Your mommy and daddy were eating strawberries, pineapple and grapes from the Edible Arrangements bouquet that was sent by the people your daddy works with. They enjoyed it so much that they finished it in one sitting!!

You love to nurse!! If your mommy would let you, you would nurse 24/7...your mommy really needs a rest so DeeDee and Great Grandma Dugie decided to set up a "baby holding" time for you at least once a day. Yesterday, Great Grandma took her turn and she loved it!! I went to the store for your mommy and when I came back she was happily holding you in front of the picture window so that the sun was shining on your little head. You both looked very content...you were asleep and the sun was helping your jaundice.

Last night DeeDee and Pappa Mike picked up your mom's car from her school. Pappa Mike drove the car to work today and he is going to come up to see you tonight after work. He is so excited that he is finally going to get to hold you!! Right now, I am getting ready to leave our house to run some errands on the way up to see you and to have my special "baby holding" time.

Can't wait to see you, Dougie!!

Wecome to the World, Dougie!!

2009-02-10T09:54:00.000-05:00

Today you are 3 days old...and what a weekend it has been!!

We have been waiting for your arrival forever. It seemed that you would never get here. On Friday, your daddy called to say that you were definitely on your way. Pappa Mike and I were so excited. We couldn't wait to meet you. Unfortunately, you decided to take your time making your grand entrance.

You were born on Saturday, February 7 at 12:42pm...on the first Saturday in February, just like Pappa Mike. Saturday was a beautiful southern winter day. It was sunny and warm, letting everyone know that Spring is on the way.

Saturday was a very long day for the people who were at the hospital waiting to meet you...Grandma Pammie and Grandpa Doug arrived first about 9am, and DeeDee and Pappa Mike showed up about an hour later. Your daddy came to see us a couple of times to tell us how things were going. We were so excited to see him coming across the lobby about 1:30 with his camera and copies of your footprints to show us. You were finally here!!

Just after we found out that you were here, your Great Grandma Dugie and Great Aunt Bernie and cousin TJ arrived at the hospital. Everyone was hoping to get to meet you right away. Unfortunately, it was just about 5pm before we FINALLY got in to see you. Your mommy and daddy were happy that Aunt Bernie and TJ had time to go to Slopes for BBQ before we came up to your room. They were both VERY hungry and enjoyed some of their favorite food.

You were so beautiful...dark, slightly wavy hair, beautiful hands and feet, and teeny tiny little fingernails. Right away you sucked your thumb...it was so cute. Everyone took pictures and took turns holding you. Pappa Mike was sad that he could not hold you because he had just gotten over a very bad cold and he did not want to take a chance that you might get sick. TJ decided that he would wait to hold you until you were a little bigger. We only stayed with you for about an hour...your mommy and daddy were so tired. They needed some rest.

On Sunday, Pappa Mike made some of his famous Chocolate Chip cookies for your mommy and daddy. He knows that it will be a while before you can try his cookies, but he will make lots of them for you when you get a little bigger. On the way to the hospital we had to stop at our favorite store and get you your first REI gift. We found a cute little fleece Patagonia jacket. You didn't say much about it, but your mommy was thrilled that it was in Marist colors.

You were a little cranky on Sunday...you had been prodded and poked by the doctors and nurses and it was not fun at all. Everyone was sorry that you had to go through all of those procedures, but we told you that it was going to help you be a healthy and strong little boy.

Monday was your last day in the hospital. I brought your mommy and daddy lunch from Chic-fil-A, another one of their favorite places to eat. After lunch, your mommy was so tired that she kept falling asleep while you were nursing. After a while, I took you from her and you slept in DeeDee's arms for an hour and a half!! It was so wonderful to hold you while you slept so peacefully. The best part was that your mommy and daddy both got a good long nap, too. I was the only one in the room who was awake.

After your nap, the nurses started to visit to help your mommy and daddy get ready to take you home. There were lots of complicated instructions--you are really going to make their life interesting!! I helped mommy and daddy by taking 4 bags of stuff home with me, which I will deliver to your house today. Since you were going home in your daddy's truck, there was not enough room for everything that you had collected during your brief stay in the hospital.

At 10pm last night, after Pappa Mike and I were already in bed, your daddy called to say that you were finally home from the hospital!! Welcome Home, Dougie!!

Oh, and Dougie, one more thing. Tell your mommy and daddy not to be cross with me for calling you Dougie on this blog. Tell them that DeeDee is very familiar with this cyber-space stuff and that she knows how careful you have to be on the Internet. She is teaching you right from the start that you should NEVER reveal personal identifying details on the Internet.