Busy Week

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

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

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

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!!

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

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

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.