Countdown to One: First days

Esch was in Philly yesterday and didn't get home until late - for the first time in a long time, I put William to bed and the house was totally quiet. I downloaded a trial version of Photoshop to edit my photos, and got sidetracked looking at a few albums on the computer, especially one titled "Baby's First Day." I stared and stared at the pictures. Every parent in history has felt the same way, but I can't believe that that tiny baby is now our William. Some days I feel like I can barely remember when he was born, but seeing these photos did bring it all back.

2 minutes old. Brand new. First picture with his Dad. How very proud Esch is.

I held him in the delivery room but only for a few minutes, and then he was whisked away. Here we are in the recovery room (our home for 2 days)... our first real cuddles.
He is 2 hours old.

First full day at home. I cannot get over how teeny tiny he is here.
His whole body fits in Esch's hand.

100th post!

Wow - Can't believe it's been long enough to have allowed for 100 posts, but seeing as W is almost a year old, and the blog began when I was pregnant with him, it makes sense!

We had a very nice long weekend - Esch took off Friday AND Monday, so we spent a few days both in State College and Clarion. On Friday, my 28th birthday, we took WW to his Grandpa's office, and to his Nanna's school! He had so much fun "working" at Grandpa's desk, and meeting all of the kindergardeners and teachers.

WWM's introduction to Nanna's class!

Casual Fridays don't only mean polo shirts; apparently BABIES are also allowed :)

That afternoon, I was treated to getting my hair done, and had a rare and wonderful dinner "date" with Esch at Spat's while the grandparents babysat. State College was hopping since it was a home football weekend, and we had the best table in the house, right at the corner window, watching the crowds outside. The best part of the evening was when we were taken to our table, I saw that a certain thoughtful husband had brought my favorite flowers- white hydrangeas - by earlier! Thanks, Eschy.

We went home and enjoyed some yummy birthday cake, and on Saturday headed up to tailgate with WW AND Georgia dressed in their Penn State finery:

Oh, Dad.

We saw "Uncles" Eric, Vinnie, and Mark and Leah, who are being very patient in waiting for their first baby... he's finally scheduled to arrive tomorrow, and we can't wait to meet him!

Instead of going to the game, we drove to Clarion to watch it on TV and celebrate Grandpa McC's birthday! That night Aunt Erika made us a combined "89th Birthday" cake - very cute!

William was able to attend his very first Clarion ALF (Autumn Leaf Festival) and we all partook in the delicious food. He had lots of quality time playing with Gula, Grandpa, and Erika... and even learned how to climb an entire flight of stairs. (Grrrrreat!)


Finally, Nanna's birthday was on Sunday, to round out the weekend of 3 birthdays in a row! We loved seeing everyone. There were many more pictures, which will be posted on Facebook. :)

Countdown to One

I am in a bit of denial that my little one will be... well, one. Only about 6 weeks left.

In honor of the countdown, I thought I'd do an extra post each week with some "vintage" William pictures.

Here he is, less than one week old... and last week.



Quick, someone distract me. I could stare at this in disbelief all day.

Videos Galore

Ahh! We forgot to post yesterday!

Had a busy weekend in State College. Daddy went to the PSU game, Mommy went to cousin Carey's baby shower, and W got to go to Uncle David's college soccer game! Here he is in his high chair in Nanna's kitchen. Note the "early riser" bib. So appropriate!



W has been picking things up right at left lately. In the past week, he's started to really show that he understands some of the things we say. He's now waving (at the right times!), playing "So Big," understands "up" and "down," and we're 99% sure he is saying "Georgia." All of these things are documented in the videos below. Let me know what you think! EVERY time he sees Georgia or a dog, he says "Ga-guh" excitedly, over and over.

He's still saying "vroom vroom" constantly. In fact, here he is on his rocket ("vroom vroom"), wearing his vroom vroom pajamas, HOLDING a "vroom vroom. "

Several new videos from this month are now on our YouTube page. I believe you can subscribe to it to be alerted when we upload new ones. I don't always post them here.

Click here for Videos

10 months - 1 week late

Since William did this week's post (heehee), I didn't yet get a chance to address the fact that he is TEN MONTHS OLD!

This time last year, I was getting fairly round (ok, huge) and dealing with the stifling September heat in Texas. I was counting down the weeks, and still enjoying that wonderful expectancy. I had an idea of how much I'd love this little person, and pictured our lives with him, but the daydreams came nowhere close.

Now I'm chasing a beautiful little boy with twinkling eyes around the house. He waves, he stands, he feeds himself finger foods. The tiny bundle of a baby who I first held in November is almost gone.

Sometimes I feel like I must drive him absolutely crazy with my nearly-constant photo-taking, but honestly, without these pictures, the moments pass by and the memories, though I can try to keep them filed away, really do fade. It's hard to remember what he looked like at 5 months, let alone how tiny and weightless he felt in our arms at 2 weeks old. Thank goodness for the hundreds of snapshots we've taken. I sometimes click through the files on the computer marked "November 2009," "January 2010," etc., and cannot believe that the baby in those scenes is our William.

So no matter how ridiculous I feel sometimes, that there are weeks when I upload photos of him EVERY single day, I know that it's worth it. I already appreciate the documentation of his first year - I can only imagine how much these pictures will mean to me when he is waiting for the school bus, learning how to drive, and going to college.

Here is my boy, 10 months old. Such a character, so much personality, and sometimes still a baby. I just don't ever want to forget:

How inquisitive he is.


How his overall strap is almost always askew.


How he can sometimes be so serious.


But also so very, VERY silly.


Bathtime. Ohhh, bathtime. Both of our favorite!


And finally, how he looks like this when I close the nursery door at night.

Guess Who?

Hi, everyone. It's Monday. I don't really see the big deal about Mondays - all of you grown-ups seem to dislike them. It's all the same to me! Being a 10-month-old is great.

I wake up cooing and babbling in my crib, and then the door opens and Mommy scoops me up and kisses me all over my face. It is SO annoying! She also usually laughs at the funny positions she finds me in. We go back in to Mommy and Daddy's bed, and I get my breakfast. Sometimes if I'm feeling generous, I snuggle nicely with Mommy for a little bit and she can pretend I'm still a little baby. Soon I remind her, though, that I would like to get moving. NOW! I try my best to crawl over the "cliff" that is the edge of the bed, but Mom never lets me. She keeps saying something about being careful and falling.

We change, Mom tickles me, Mom makes her coffee, and after tormenting playing with Georgia on the floor for a few minutes, I get to do one of my favorite things... sit in my high chair! I watch Mom from my perch as she makes my cereal in the kitchen and then delivers it, AND feeds me. What service! I love this restaurant.

The rest of my day is filled with:

2 naps (I struck a deal somewhere around 6 months and have become a REALLY good napper. I go down at the same times each day - 9:00 and 1:30 on the dot, and snooze for an hour and a half or so).

Superfun errands - I LOVE going to Weis and riding in the cart, especially. I am always the main attraction; I seem to generate the most interest from nice little old ladies who are very interested in how old I am, etc. etc. It's hard being a celebrity. I know I'm cute, but come on! I am very busy with my shopping. Next up, BABY aisle!

Walking Georgia, getting the mail, playing outside in the grass. I hope this nice weather never ends! Mom and Dad were right when they said that Pennsylvania would have a beautiful Summer and Fall.

Snacks, snacks, snacks - Man, getting these teeth hurts, but is so worth it! I can try all kinds of things now, and love almost all of them. Especially CHEESE. I am definitely my Mom and Dad's son!

Playtime. I like to create a scene of complete devastation in the living room. I've got it down to an art. It's soooo fun to get every single toy that I own out of the toy basket, throw balls and cars in every direction, and generally get the whole place looking like a disaster area. I have mastered pulling up on the coffee and side tables, couch, etc... and am starting to "cruise" from one piece of furniture to the other to get things I might want. Of course, my favorite items are Mom and Dad's books and magazines, remotes, and cell phones. And don't even think about leaving a cup, glass or bowl within my reach! They are almost as enthralling as the laptop. Mom was nice today and let me "borrow" the computer to write this blog.

At about 5:00, I hear the door unlock and swing open. Georgia and I lose our minds because this means one thing: DADDY'S HOME! The dog goes crazy, barks, cries, wags her tail like a maniac, often trampling over me with her big floppy paws, as we race together towards the door. Actually, we can't get anywhere near the door because of the darn baby gate The Parents installed, so Georgia and I gather there waiting for Dad to come pet/pick up/kiss us. We're like two very happy little inmates.

We go on a family walk, have dinner together, and my night time routine begins at 6:30. Mommy gives me a bath, Daddy reads to me, and then Mommy feeds me before putting me gently into my crib. I am usually asleep before I hit the sheets, but sometimes I just gaze sleepily at the doggies on my wall before I close my eyes.

Sounds like a pretty nice life, huh? I like it. Thanks for coming by my blog every week to see what I'm up to.


Proofreading one last time.


Hey! I'm working here!

Is it really September?

We were in State College this Labor Day weekend both for the first PSU game AND Uncle Tib's wedding. William had some long days with missed naps (which can always spell disaster) but he did very well with the crowds and excitement. He also had plenty of quiet playtime with his Nanna and Grandpa, which he of course loved (as they did, too, I suspect)!

The results are in, and I'd call the whole weekend a big success. PSU beat YSU soundly, the wedding was so much fun - on a cool, beautiful, sunny ALMOST-FALL afternoon. Congratulations to Tib and Mary!



Check out the new stepsisters, looking beautiful.



And because I can't resist, check out our handsome little devil: