We recently visited Natalie Mae Wooten in Ft. Worth. It was a fun trip--a little hard to make the drive from Austin to Ft. Worth and back in a day, but well worth it. Clayton and I dreamed of ways to buy property in Canada, watched the Hogs lose to UK in basketball, and talked sports while the four girls took a walk on a cold, sun shiny day. Lauren is getting around pretty quickly these days. Her army crawl has turned into an honest to goodness real baby crawl. Meshach is now on-guard because she enjoys pulling on his ears. Her favorite books are Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear and a Pooh book that has stackable blocks. She loves to say "light," "hat," and "Hi, dadda." And her smile is still the sweetest thing in the whole world.
We just returned from Driftwood and a visit to Grandmommy and Granddaddy's and got to see Aunt Pam and Uncle John in the process. I would post some photos, but I left my camera out there!!! I think I would probably lose my head if it weren't attached to my body.
We got a lot of yard work done this weekend--raked all the leftover leaves, weed eated the yard, fertilized trees and the grass, moved a couple of shrubs, and installed a mailbox. Ahh...isn't adulthood fun?
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
Spring 2007
Lauren modeling at the park. If you don't like the weather in Texas, all you have to do is wait a minute and it will change. Truer words have never been spoken. The high today was in the mid-sixties, a far cry from the ice we had last week. We tried to take advantage of the beautiful day by going to the park with our neighbors and we planted a Christmas tree in our backyard. Lauren supervised the planting of the tree. She also got to hang out with Granddaddy after her bath...
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Blizzard 2007
For those of you keeping track, we found all but one of the puppets. The circus master may never return from his last tour of duty (may he rest in peace). Today found us in the midst of the great blizzard of 2007. I think we got a quarter of an inch of ice/sleet/snow and they shut down the entire city of Austin. It was mildly amusing. Wherever you are, stay warm and dry, and we hope to see you after we dig out...
Lolo loves the snow. She tries to eat it by sticking her tongue out and catching it. It's pretty dang cute.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Cold, rainy, and sick
Rain has been coming down all day. We've gotten 4.7 inches of rain today, which is a record. The temperature is about 37F and we've got a winter storm warning through Monday. I'm not used to having to deal with this here in Austin. In White Hall, it's a pretty common occurrence, but only the third time I've experienced it since I move to the great state of Texas.
It's always difficult to deal with the rain, but I'm certainly thankful for it anyway. We've been pretty dry the last few years, so the rain is welcome. Getting a 90lb German shepherd out for his walk in the rain is a chore. Actually, getting him out is no problem at all. It's getting him in--I suppose I should say getting him cleaned off enough to let him in the house--is the hard part. And, no matter how thorough you are in drying him, the house still smells like dog.
To top matters off, everytime we take Lolo to the nursery at church she develops a cold the following Wednesday. It never fails. Seriously. The last 3 or 4 times we have taken her, she wakes up on Wednesday with a little rattle which progressively gets worse until goo is coming out of her nose. I seem to catch it every time she brings it home. Bethie has gotten it too. It is somewhat discouraging because we are making the effort to go to church--and believe me, it's an EFFORT. Anyone that has ever had a child understands what I'm talking about. You need to plan to leave thirty minutes before you think you need to leave if you want to be anywhere close to on-time. I think I've had more colds this year than I've had in the last 5 combined.
Here's a couple of shots from today's adventure in the marshland formerly known as Austin...
And a couple of lolo too:
Monday, January 08, 2007
Caught up...briefly
Merry New Year to you all. I've been in the process of updating our personal site this past weekend. Part of that entailed moving my "blog" to something a little more convenient and easy to upload. I'm trying to make the menu functions a little more static on my homepage so that I don't have to update them everytime I make changes to the site. Another goal is to make site managment a little less difficult so that Beth can make changes in her spare time...if such a thing exists.
Please let us know what you think of the changes we've made to our site and also to let us know that you dropped by!
I'll be updating this soon.
Please let us know what you think of the changes we've made to our site and also to let us know that you dropped by!
I'll be updating this soon.
December 2006
Merry Christmas to all. It has been a very exciting month in the Lewis household. I turned 32 last week--and I feel every bit of it. Planning for Christmas (Lauren's FIRST!!!) has kept us busy and business has been really crazy. With all of the hustle and bustle, it's hard to keep your eyes on the true meaning of Christmas, but we're trying!
Lauren is soooo smart. She's already saying, "Hi, Dada" when she sees me sometimes. Of course, she also says that to George (Granddaddy). She's also saying "Hight" which is "light" for the rest of us. She's also crawling and sitting up from a reclining position. We've re-arranged our house so that Lauren now has her own play room. It's baby-proofed and gives her lots of room to crawl around and play. Meshach is sad, though, because he doesn't get to come in her room--it's the "no-no" room for him. It's a no-no room for daddy sometimes, too, if he's wearing his work shoes.
We're excited about Christmas. Yesterday, we went to Grandma Ledbetter's house in Kingsland and Lauren got lots of great presents and I got lots of great food. We're going to Driftwood today for some festivities at Great Granny's house and we're hosting a Christmas breakfast tomorrow morning. Then, on Thursday, we're headed to the great land up north--Arkansas--to celebrate the holiday season with my parents. It's been an adventure packed month, and it's not over yet. The next time I write, it will probably be the new year.
Lauren is soooo smart. She's already saying, "Hi, Dada" when she sees me sometimes. Of course, she also says that to George (Granddaddy). She's also saying "Hight" which is "light" for the rest of us. She's also crawling and sitting up from a reclining position. We've re-arranged our house so that Lauren now has her own play room. It's baby-proofed and gives her lots of room to crawl around and play. Meshach is sad, though, because he doesn't get to come in her room--it's the "no-no" room for him. It's a no-no room for daddy sometimes, too, if he's wearing his work shoes.
We're excited about Christmas. Yesterday, we went to Grandma Ledbetter's house in Kingsland and Lauren got lots of great presents and I got lots of great food. We're going to Driftwood today for some festivities at Great Granny's house and we're hosting a Christmas breakfast tomorrow morning. Then, on Thursday, we're headed to the great land up north--Arkansas--to celebrate the holiday season with my parents. It's been an adventure packed month, and it's not over yet. The next time I write, it will probably be the new year.
October 2006
October 21 -- Another month has nearly come and gone. Lauren is seven months old now and learning something new every day. There is nothing like being a parent to make you understand God's love for us, his children. It's really quite humbling.
We took Lauren to the pumpkin patch today. Well, it wasn't a REAL pumpkin patch, just a local church pumpkin sale. But they had a LOT of pumpkins. Of course, I had to take my camera and here is a sampling. Lauren was joined by two of her buddies, Camden (left) and Sam (right). I have tried to teach Lauren to always be kind and respect those around you and not do stuff 
like pull other people's ears. She has taken all of that knowledge to heart. As you can see in the photo below, Lauren gets along extremely well with everybody. Unfortunately, I can't post the next photo in the series. I'm sure we'll find the rest of that ear somewhere around here...
like pull other people's ears. She has taken all of that knowledge to heart. As you can see in the photo below, Lauren gets along extremely well with everybody. Unfortunately, I can't post the next photo in the series. I'm sure we'll find the rest of that ear somewhere around here...I have also tried to teach her to share and be a giving person. Just on a whim, she gave Sam and Camden cute little hats to match the one she picked out for herself.
She noticed Sam didn't have his on right, so she thought it would be neighborly of her to show him the proper manner to wear a hat--"It goes OVER the ears, Sam," she said. "I'll give this back to you when you learn proper hat etiquette and not until then." She is very demanding. I think she gets this from her mother.
In the end, everything worked out just fine. Sam, Camden, and Lauren had a really good time at the pumpkin patch. So did their parents.
September 2006
September 24 -- I'm finally back online. The unthinkable just about happened. Our business computer died a week and a half ago and tring to replace it was difficult. Fortunately, I had everything backed up, but it's still a pain to reload all of the software.
Lauren went in for her 6 month check up and shots on Friday. I am so glad that we made it through that. I think it's harder for the parents to see their child get shots than it is for the child to get them. Lauren cried for a minute, but she was okay after that. She weighed 16lb 14.5 oz and was in the 80th percentile on height and the 70th percentile on weight. Tall and thin. I hope she doesn't wind up as a model :)
We put her down on her blankets in the living room today and we saw her almost crawl. I think it is a matter of days and not weeks before she becomes mobile. I've got a LOT of work to do around the house to make it childproof. This is all so exciting for me because I've never been around babies--for those of you who don't know, I'm an only child. We haven't had any small children on our side of the family since I was about 10 and I really didn't pay any attention to babies back then.
September 30 -- This is the first weekend we've had in a while where we can say that we're not TOO busy. We've always got stuff to do, but this weekend's load is a little lighter than usual. Lauren is helping me update the site. Over the last couple of weeks, I've gradually gotten the new computer up to speed and I fixed our old computer. Now we've got wireless access here at the house. This gives us a lot more flexibility to process images faster and keeps us from being without a computer if one goes down. It's also a good policy to have everything completely backed up. Just like you need at least two cameras at a wedding, you need two computers at home with all of your images on both.
We took a nice walk to the park this morning. I got a couple of really nice photos of Beth and Lauren--neither of which are hard to photograph. I'm really going to try to be a little more agressive when it comes to keeping this site updated. It's nice to know that it helps me keep in touch with everyone, even at a distance. My goal is to start putting little video clips online sometime within the next week or two.
It's hard to believe October is almost here. I went in Lowes about a week ago and they already had their Christmas stuff out. I cannot understand having Christmas stuff out this early. Before the end of this decade, they will have the Christmas stuff on the shelves by Labor Day...mark my words. It really just makes me sick.
No football this weekend. Beth and I just got back from the mall. We got her some shoes and a couple of shirts and a pair of pants. We got me some new sunglasses. Lauren got a rattle.
It's been a good Saturday. I hope you all are doing well.
Lauren went in for her 6 month check up and shots on Friday. I am so glad that we made it through that. I think it's harder for the parents to see their child get shots than it is for the child to get them. Lauren cried for a minute, but she was okay after that. She weighed 16lb 14.5 oz and was in the 80th percentile on height and the 70th percentile on weight. Tall and thin. I hope she doesn't wind up as a model :)
We put her down on her blankets in the living room today and we saw her almost crawl. I think it is a matter of days and not weeks before she becomes mobile. I've got a LOT of work to do around the house to make it childproof. This is all so exciting for me because I've never been around babies--for those of you who don't know, I'm an only child. We haven't had any small children on our side of the family since I was about 10 and I really didn't pay any attention to babies back then.
September 30 -- This is the first weekend we've had in a while where we can say that we're not TOO busy. We've always got stuff to do, but this weekend's load is a little lighter than usual. Lauren is helping me update the site. Over the last couple of weeks, I've gradually gotten the new computer up to speed and I fixed our old computer. Now we've got wireless access here at the house. This gives us a lot more flexibility to process images faster and keeps us from being without a computer if one goes down. It's also a good policy to have everything completely backed up. Just like you need at least two cameras at a wedding, you need two computers at home with all of your images on both.
We took a nice walk to the park this morning. I got a couple of really nice photos of Beth and Lauren--neither of which are hard to photograph. I'm really going to try to be a little more agressive when it comes to keeping this site updated. It's nice to know that it helps me keep in touch with everyone, even at a distance. My goal is to start putting little video clips online sometime within the next week or two.
It's hard to believe October is almost here. I went in Lowes about a week ago and they already had their Christmas stuff out. I cannot understand having Christmas stuff out this early. Before the end of this decade, they will have the Christmas stuff on the shelves by Labor Day...mark my words. It really just makes me sick.
No football this weekend. Beth and I just got back from the mall. We got her some shoes and a couple of shirts and a pair of pants. We got me some new sunglasses. Lauren got a rattle.
It's been a good Saturday. I hope you all are doing well.
August 2006
August 13 -- Well...we sold the truck...and the car...So, we need to buy a vehicle for Beth. I think we're going to get an '01 Volvo. The one we're looking at is in great shape-immaculate inside and out. Hopefully, we'll get all of that taken care of this next week. It's hard to get around without a vehicle when you've got a small child.
It is so HOT. I don't even want to be outside. The yard is dead and I'm trying to keep the trees alive. There are so many things that I need to get accomplished on the house this fall. Painting the windows (or replacing them entirely), landscaping (sodding) the yard, adding a front porch, and re-roofing are the things I'm trying to pick between. Of course, cost is the major issue. It always boils down to money. Funny how that works.
Lauren weighs about 16lbs now. She is chunky--or as Beth just put it, rolley, because chunky sounds fat. She rolls over on her tummy and holds her head up really well. We've also got her sitting up by herself in the boppie. It's so amazing to see her interacting with her surroundings. She is developing so fast.
I'm so glad she has a gentle disposition. It's nice to be able to go places because she is so well-behaved. I hope she stays that way! She sleeps about 12 hours a night, which is good for mommy and daddy too.
It is so HOT. I don't even want to be outside. The yard is dead and I'm trying to keep the trees alive. There are so many things that I need to get accomplished on the house this fall. Painting the windows (or replacing them entirely), landscaping (sodding) the yard, adding a front porch, and re-roofing are the things I'm trying to pick between. Of course, cost is the major issue. It always boils down to money. Funny how that works.
Lauren weighs about 16lbs now. She is chunky--or as Beth just put it, rolley, because chunky sounds fat. She rolls over on her tummy and holds her head up really well. We've also got her sitting up by herself in the boppie. It's so amazing to see her interacting with her surroundings. She is developing so fast.
I'm so glad she has a gentle disposition. It's nice to be able to go places because she is so well-behaved. I hope she stays that way! She sleeps about 12 hours a night, which is good for mommy and daddy too.
July 2006
July 2nd -- What an absolutely ridiculous month June turned out to be. I just put in a 78-hour work week at SRP plus had three weddings in four weeks and a family photo shoot at the capitol on that one off week. I'm completely wiped out! Hopefully, I won't be repeating that anytime soon.
My newest interest is in the field of bio-diesel. I think that it is a potential renewable energy source that could eventually compete with regular petro-diesel. So, one way that you can make bio-diesel is from very simple diatomic algae. Working at UT is definitely a benefit because they have one of the largest algae departments in the world--and they are free to UT employees and students. I've got a couple of samples that I'm trying to grow right now. I'll try to keep a running record of how it's progressing.
Lauren is G-R-O-W-I-N-G! She weighs about 15 lbs now. She has over doubled in size. I'm planning on updating my photo section if you want to see a few photos of her there. If I help her balance in a standing position, she will support all of her own weight. It's really awesome to see how she is developing. She pushes up onto her forearms if you put her onto her stomach and she is sleeping from about 9pm until about 7am. What a wonderful baby! We are so blessed.
Beth looks fantastic. You'd never know by looking at her that she had a baby 3 months ago. I'm really proud of her for getting back to her pre-pregnancy weight so quickly. I actually weigh less than I did before pregnancy. At my heaviest, I was up to about 159lbs and my jeans were starting to get tight. So, about 2 months ago I started riding my bike to work. It's about 6 miles from the house and it's uphill on the way and down hill on the way back. It's a pretty tough ride, especially if I have my laptop, a change of clothes, and my lunch! Since I have been riding, my weight has dropped down to 151lbs and I feel a lot better. I spent about $150 dollars on new tires (more street oriented versus off-road mt bike oriented), a new seat that is supposed to be better for guys, and new shoes. My old ones wouldn't click in and out of my pedals very easily. Between the bus and my bike, I think we could manage with one vehicle. So...
My truck is for sale. I'm selling it for $9000 if you know anyone that is interested. It's a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4x4 3.5L with manual transmission and a sunroof. I just crossed 90,000 miles and I've never had any trouble with the engine. Beth doesn't drive a standard, so we're going to wind up replacing it eventually--my boss may sell us his truck (a 2002 Infiniti just like my Pathfinder, but it has an automatic transmission)--and selling Beth's car which is entirely too small to get Lauren's car seat in with ease. My goal is to do all this without incurring any car payments, but we'll see how that goes.
My newest interest is in the field of bio-diesel. I think that it is a potential renewable energy source that could eventually compete with regular petro-diesel. So, one way that you can make bio-diesel is from very simple diatomic algae. Working at UT is definitely a benefit because they have one of the largest algae departments in the world--and they are free to UT employees and students. I've got a couple of samples that I'm trying to grow right now. I'll try to keep a running record of how it's progressing.
Lauren is G-R-O-W-I-N-G! She weighs about 15 lbs now. She has over doubled in size. I'm planning on updating my photo section if you want to see a few photos of her there. If I help her balance in a standing position, she will support all of her own weight. It's really awesome to see how she is developing. She pushes up onto her forearms if you put her onto her stomach and she is sleeping from about 9pm until about 7am. What a wonderful baby! We are so blessed.
Beth looks fantastic. You'd never know by looking at her that she had a baby 3 months ago. I'm really proud of her for getting back to her pre-pregnancy weight so quickly. I actually weigh less than I did before pregnancy. At my heaviest, I was up to about 159lbs and my jeans were starting to get tight. So, about 2 months ago I started riding my bike to work. It's about 6 miles from the house and it's uphill on the way and down hill on the way back. It's a pretty tough ride, especially if I have my laptop, a change of clothes, and my lunch! Since I have been riding, my weight has dropped down to 151lbs and I feel a lot better. I spent about $150 dollars on new tires (more street oriented versus off-road mt bike oriented), a new seat that is supposed to be better for guys, and new shoes. My old ones wouldn't click in and out of my pedals very easily. Between the bus and my bike, I think we could manage with one vehicle. So...
My truck is for sale. I'm selling it for $9000 if you know anyone that is interested. It's a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4x4 3.5L with manual transmission and a sunroof. I just crossed 90,000 miles and I've never had any trouble with the engine. Beth doesn't drive a standard, so we're going to wind up replacing it eventually--my boss may sell us his truck (a 2002 Infiniti just like my Pathfinder, but it has an automatic transmission)--and selling Beth's car which is entirely too small to get Lauren's car seat in with ease. My goal is to do all this without incurring any car payments, but we'll see how that goes.
June 2006
June 6th -- What an amazing trip! Lauren traveled 9.5 hours to White Hall, Arkansas, to meet her grandparents for the first time (then she traveled back another 9.5 hours...but we won't talk about that experience...). There is nothing like watching your parents interact with your baby. There is a whole other paradigm that gets stretched beyond recognition while watching your father (who is not known for his soft side) making silly faces and noises at his new granddaughter. Thankful does not even begin to describe my emotions regarding this trip.
Beth had a really good time visiting with my parents and grandparents--her most relaxed trip to Arkansas since our first one before we got married. Of course that translated over directly to my mood, too, which enabled my experience to be that much better. The only thing that wasn't 100% positive was the return trip. In retrospect, we probably should have left Arkansas on Sunday evening so that Lauren could travel at night. She doesn't travel as well when she's awake in her car seat for 9 straight hours.
We got to hang out with Aunt Deb, Carmen, Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Jamie, Paul, and little Ruby this trip. There were others we didn't get to call, but hopefully we will be back around Thanksgiving. There are some photos posted in the "photo" section from the trip. Please check them out!
Beth had a really good time visiting with my parents and grandparents--her most relaxed trip to Arkansas since our first one before we got married. Of course that translated over directly to my mood, too, which enabled my experience to be that much better. The only thing that wasn't 100% positive was the return trip. In retrospect, we probably should have left Arkansas on Sunday evening so that Lauren could travel at night. She doesn't travel as well when she's awake in her car seat for 9 straight hours.
We got to hang out with Aunt Deb, Carmen, Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Jamie, Paul, and little Ruby this trip. There were others we didn't get to call, but hopefully we will be back around Thanksgiving. There are some photos posted in the "photo" section from the trip. Please check them out!
May 2006
May 26th -- I know, I know. I'm such a slacker for not updating this in almost 3 weeks. I've been busy. My mouth feels a lot better, my daughter weighs almost 13 pounds, and Beth is just about down to her pre-pregnancy weight. All in all, it's been a productive 3 weeks. We've got a wedding this weekend at the Salt Lick Thurmon Mansion. This is going to work out really well because Mary will be able to baby-sit (the location is only 5 miles from the Ledbetter's residence). Hopefully, John will get to help us this weekend, too. I'd like to get him involved because I feel that he has a very artistic approach that will add another dimension to our business. The only thing he really needs is a better understanding of the camera.
May 8th -- I'm starting to feel a bit better. The cheeks have become a much more manageable size-about twice normal size. There's still a lot of pain, but I think I'm going to live. Lauren and I have been hanging out all day while mommy ran some errands. I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow, and based on how I feel now, I should be able to make it. The question is whether I'll catch the bus or have Beth take me. I probably don't want to drive while taking hydrocodene. Mary is supposed to have her going away party at school tomorrow. Pleasant Hill is really going to miss her. If I get to go, I'll take some photos. As I'm typing this, Jars of Clay started playing and it brought back a whole lot of memories. "Sinking" is off their first release, "Flood." I listened to this album all the time while studying for tests in college. This was their best CD by far--acoustic driven, catchy beats, and a great message. Beth is feeding Lauren. I continue to be amazed at the whole process. What a wonderful gift God has given humans. Being able to nuture and bond with a baby is such a great experience. However, some mothers don't have the chance to do that because they don't produce milk or have other issues. Fortunately, there is a way that some of those babies can receive breast milk, the best source of nourishment for a little one. Beth donated 153 oz of milk to the Mothers' Milk Bank of Austin (http://www.mmbaustin.org). Her excess milk will go to feed premature and sick babies. We were so worried that we were going to lose the milk (stored in the freezer) during our 2-day power outage, but having all that milk in the freezer helped keep it cold.
May 6th -- Well, it's been far too since I've updated the blog. I hope you'll cut me a little slack. We've had some severe thunderstorms ravage our neighborhood (we were without power for two days--unthinkable that this could happen in a civilized place--Arkansas maybe, but Austin??? please note the sarcasm). Not to mention the fact that I was turned into a chipmunk
So, having your wisdom teeth removed turned out to be every bit as wonderful as I thought it would be. It was quite painful, and I do feel much less wise. On the other hand, Beth has been terrific. She is taking really good care of me. It's been nice to be home and spend time (in the dark, too!) with her and Lauren. She is really spoiling me. My meals have consisted of jell-o and whipped cream, pudding and whipped cream (are you sensing a trend here?), macoroni and cheese (no whipped cream on this), and baked potato(e) (for all you Dan Quayle fans). IÂ had a T-bone steak for my last supper before the teeth came out. That was really good.
You would think my dental insurance would cover most of this...you would think. Delta Dental is not on my Christmas list right now, that's for sure. They covered a whopping $800 and left me to pay $1350 out of pocket. I could use a couple more weddings...if you know anyone, send them my way.
Lauren turned 7 weeks old last Tuesday. I stood on the scales with her yesterday and she weighs about 12lbs now. She has almost doubled in size!!! Hard to believe she'll be two months old in three days. How can she grow so quickly?
May 8th -- I'm starting to feel a bit better. The cheeks have become a much more manageable size-about twice normal size. There's still a lot of pain, but I think I'm going to live. Lauren and I have been hanging out all day while mommy ran some errands. I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow, and based on how I feel now, I should be able to make it. The question is whether I'll catch the bus or have Beth take me. I probably don't want to drive while taking hydrocodene. Mary is supposed to have her going away party at school tomorrow. Pleasant Hill is really going to miss her. If I get to go, I'll take some photos. As I'm typing this, Jars of Clay started playing and it brought back a whole lot of memories. "Sinking" is off their first release, "Flood." I listened to this album all the time while studying for tests in college. This was their best CD by far--acoustic driven, catchy beats, and a great message. Beth is feeding Lauren. I continue to be amazed at the whole process. What a wonderful gift God has given humans. Being able to nuture and bond with a baby is such a great experience. However, some mothers don't have the chance to do that because they don't produce milk or have other issues. Fortunately, there is a way that some of those babies can receive breast milk, the best source of nourishment for a little one. Beth donated 153 oz of milk to the Mothers' Milk Bank of Austin (http://www.mmbaustin.org). Her excess milk will go to feed premature and sick babies. We were so worried that we were going to lose the milk (stored in the freezer) during our 2-day power outage, but having all that milk in the freezer helped keep it cold.
May 6th -- Well, it's been far too since I've updated the blog. I hope you'll cut me a little slack. We've had some severe thunderstorms ravage our neighborhood (we were without power for two days--unthinkable that this could happen in a civilized place--Arkansas maybe, but Austin??? please note the sarcasm). Not to mention the fact that I was turned into a chipmunk
So, having your wisdom teeth removed turned out to be every bit as wonderful as I thought it would be. It was quite painful, and I do feel much less wise. On the other hand, Beth has been terrific. She is taking really good care of me. It's been nice to be home and spend time (in the dark, too!) with her and Lauren. She is really spoiling me. My meals have consisted of jell-o and whipped cream, pudding and whipped cream (are you sensing a trend here?), macoroni and cheese (no whipped cream on this), and baked potato(e) (for all you Dan Quayle fans). IÂ had a T-bone steak for my last supper before the teeth came out. That was really good.
You would think my dental insurance would cover most of this...you would think. Delta Dental is not on my Christmas list right now, that's for sure. They covered a whopping $800 and left me to pay $1350 out of pocket. I could use a couple more weddings...if you know anyone, send them my way.
Lauren turned 7 weeks old last Tuesday. I stood on the scales with her yesterday and she weighs about 12lbs now. She has almost doubled in size!!! Hard to believe she'll be two months old in three days. How can she grow so quickly?
April 2006
April 23rd -- Poor Meshach. His ear has been repaired, but it will never stand up again. They had to shave half of his head so he does look a bit odd. I think he'll be cute once his hair grows back, but it's hard to see him like this.
Yesterday was busy, as usual. I had an engagement session with a great couple, Rebekah and Jared. We went to the capitol and Barton Springs. It was a lot of fun hanging out with them. Their wedding is in August.
Beth and I went to Walmart yesterday to get a few items (and a couple of ice cream cones...each). Grandmommy watched sweet Lauren while we were gone. I think everyone had a good time.
April 17th -- Disaster. We had our semi-annual presentations today...almost. Technology is a wonderful thing when it works. When it doesn't, well, it gets ugly. To make a long story short, we tried to use Microsoft NetMeeting to host our online presentations. It worked pretty well last year, but at some point during the last year all of our corporate sponsors upgraded their firewalls. No one could see our presentations. We had 30 or so sponsors all trying in vain to view our presentations. This will never be advocated as a way to increase your sponsorship...We have rescheduled for Wednesday.
I posted some photos from Easter in the photo section. Lauren went for her 4-week checkup. She now weighs 10lb 4oz. The doctor said she was in the 90th percentile on length, 75th on weight, and 25th on head circumference. So, keeping with our thoughts that she's a supermodel, she's tall and thin. Oh, the doctor also said her eyes are going to be blue. I'm not 100% sold that they won't turn colors, but it would certainly be interesting if they stay blue. Beth's grandmother on her mother's side has blue eyes, her grandfather on her father's side had blue eyes, and my dad has blue eyes. So, I guess there's a recessive gene in there on both sides.
I talked to Clay today. It's good to have a friend like him. I was always told that you made your lifelong friends in college. With the exception of Mike Sherland, none of my "lifelong" friends are from school. Clay and I have been friends since we played little league baseball together in 7th grade (we were two of the youngest people in our class). We played football together on a state championship team in high school. Time has taken us apart and brought us closer together, but we've never lost touch. You don't get to pick your family, but if I could, he'd be my brother.
April 16th -- Easter. Lauren's first easter was a lot of fun. We woke up around 5am this morning. Lauren actually slept from 11pm until 5am, so we got 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep. That is truly a blessing. Anyway, we got up and Beth fed Lauren before we headed out to Driftwood for a sunrise service at the Driftwood United Methodist Church (they were holding a joint service with the Baptist Church of Driftwood). It was really cool to get to go to the service because the last time we were in that building, Beth and I kissed and said, "I do." Needless to say, there were a lot of emotions running through my head as I sat there and listened to the message this morning. There was some good old Gospel singing of the old hymns and Reverend Clark brought the Easter message.
After church, we headed to Mary and George's for breakfast--biscuits, bacon, eggs, and sausage. We watched "The Greatest Game" and Beth took a little nap. For lunch, we had Thanksgiving dinner. It was great. We topped it off with some homemade vanilla icecream. Going to Driftwood is really nice because it forces me not to work on the computer and it forces Beth not to do housework. Forced relaxation. It's a good thing.
April 14th -- Tax day is tomorrow, or I guess I should say Monday. We sent ours off today to relatively little fanfare :) Lauren got her first Easter card from Grandma and Grandpa in the mail today. It was really sweet (thanks, mom). Our insurance agent came by today and got Beth and I set up with life insurance. There's just something strange talking about life insurance.
Meshach has more issues than any dog should ever have - he doesn't deserve to have to deal with this stuff. We noticed that his ear was beginning to swell around the tip on Wednesday. It kept getting larger until I felt we had to take him to the vet. The only place open was the emergency hospital for animals on Lamar. I waited for about an hour before I was able to see a nurse. After she left, it was about another 30 minutes before the vet came in to see Meshach. She said that it was an aural hematoma and that he would need surgery to correct it. I asked for an estimate which was...$767. I love Meshach to death, but I just can't drop that kind of change on a dog's ear (the prognosis for recovery is good without any surgery, but there would be disfigurement of his ear). Well, needless to say, I was in a rather foul mood when I left the hospital. I talked to his regular vet today and he said that he could perform the surgery for $350. Now that's still expensive, but I think I can swing that. I just hate for him to be uncomfortable. He is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday.
Speaking of surgery, I'm scheduled to get my wisdom teeth taken out on May 4th. I've never been "under," and I am starting to get a little nervous about it. On top of that, I've got a woman who is wanting me to shoot a wedding that weekend. So, I'm a bit up in the air about my schedule right now, but it sure is frustrating when people don't confirm/commit to things like they should.
Beth and I are going to have a "date" night tonight. We're heading to Z Tejas in the Arboretum. Mary is watching Lauren this evening, so this is a real date! I'm sure we'll be home and in our robes by 8:00. :)
April 11th -- I SHOULD be getting my taxes ready to send off. We're actually getting a small refund this year thanks to posting a loss on the photography gig. I don't know whether to be happy or sad regarding said state of the business. :) Every time I sit down and begin writing on this blog, I have this notion that I should be a little more grand, a little more verbose. So, with that in mind, I bring you this random tidbit...
Amidst the cacophony of horns, sirens, and road pavers, my family was still able to take an idyllic stroll yesterday after I arrived home from work. As I walked along I could not help but have this euphoric feeling of happiness. Knowing that you are in the place you are supposed to be -- emotionally -- is very reassuring. Looking over at my wife holding our child is such an awesome feeling -- awesome as in awe inspiring. Knowing that I am solely responsible for their physical, social, and spiritual well-being of two other people seems rather daunting, but I'm confident that God is preparing me each day to be the husband and father that only He can make me.
We walked to the park and spent some quality time with an aging four-legged friend. It's hard to watch Meshach get older. He's lost a couple of steps from the puppy that used to follow me around on all of my adventures (mountain biking, hiking, etc.). Now that I think about it, I've probably lost a step or two myself. The circle of life continues and I am finding myself on top of the circle right now. I wish that things could stay like they are now--with most of the friends and family we love still here. But time, that precious commodity, is slipping away even as I type. I am thankful that we will all meet again someday, but it's hard to see those that you love get older. Having children has made me think about these things. I've gone and become a parent and, in the process, made my parents grandparents. As long as I was single, it was like time was standing still. In retrospect, I think that I was just trying to put the inevitable on hold. You can cheat on your taxes or on a test, but you can't cheat on time. In light of all these things, I'm still happy. I can't even begin to describe how blessed I am.
That took entirely too much work ... oh well. That was tiring. I think I'll wait until tomorrow to be super brilliant.
April 9th -- Angie Whitford stopped by this morning after church to see Lauren. It was great getting to see her. Andy is supposed to be home from Iraq for vacation in June. We're praying for you, Andy!!!
After church, I went to Sears and bought a new lawnmower because ours quit last week. Our yard was beginning to look like a jungle. I nearly cut off my finger today when I was pulling it out of the box. I lifted it from the mowing deck like a dummy. The blad swung around and pinned my finger between it and the deck. I couldn't get it out without taking the mower out of the box and setting it on the ground. I was then able to use my left hand to free my right index finger. OUCH! Fortunately, I didn't cut any tendons or ligaments and I suppose that I'll live.
Mary and George came by to see Lauren. Mommy is out mowing right now and I'm uploading some photos for a photo album.
April 8th -- I had a photo shoot yesterday evening (bridal), one this morning, and one tomorrow morning. I guess you could say that business is picking up. I really enjoyed getting to know Rebekah, Sarah, and Lee better this weekend.
Lauren's pediatrician advised us not to take Lauren to places where people congregate (e.g. church, the mall, etc.) so we've not been to church since the week before Lauren was born. It feels like forever. I'm really ready to go back. She is scheduled for shots in about a month.
April 4, 2006 -- Finally...I know, it's been a week and a half. A lot has happened during the last 10 days. Most notably, Lauren is 3 weeks old. She weighed 8lb at her two week visit, so I can only imagine how much she weighs now.
Meshach went to the vet on Saturday (poor puppy!) and we learned he is fat. He tipped the scales at 100lbs. So he's on a diet now.
Hmmm...let's see. We've had so many wonderful friends bring dinner to us...Alma (wow, what awesome Mexican food!!!), Cheryl, The Mears, The Johns, The de Konings, The Browns, The Hooks, The Martins, The Clarks and I know I'm leaving off at least one or two families...let me know if I've overlooked anyone. We're looking forward to seeing our good friends, the Pelczars this evening. Neither Beth nor I thought we would need any help with food, but that has been our saving grace this last month. I don't think we would have made it without it.
Yesterday was busy, as usual. I had an engagement session with a great couple, Rebekah and Jared. We went to the capitol and Barton Springs. It was a lot of fun hanging out with them. Their wedding is in August.
Beth and I went to Walmart yesterday to get a few items (and a couple of ice cream cones...each). Grandmommy watched sweet Lauren while we were gone. I think everyone had a good time.
April 17th -- Disaster. We had our semi-annual presentations today...almost. Technology is a wonderful thing when it works. When it doesn't, well, it gets ugly. To make a long story short, we tried to use Microsoft NetMeeting to host our online presentations. It worked pretty well last year, but at some point during the last year all of our corporate sponsors upgraded their firewalls. No one could see our presentations. We had 30 or so sponsors all trying in vain to view our presentations. This will never be advocated as a way to increase your sponsorship...We have rescheduled for Wednesday.
I posted some photos from Easter in the photo section. Lauren went for her 4-week checkup. She now weighs 10lb 4oz. The doctor said she was in the 90th percentile on length, 75th on weight, and 25th on head circumference. So, keeping with our thoughts that she's a supermodel, she's tall and thin. Oh, the doctor also said her eyes are going to be blue. I'm not 100% sold that they won't turn colors, but it would certainly be interesting if they stay blue. Beth's grandmother on her mother's side has blue eyes, her grandfather on her father's side had blue eyes, and my dad has blue eyes. So, I guess there's a recessive gene in there on both sides.
I talked to Clay today. It's good to have a friend like him. I was always told that you made your lifelong friends in college. With the exception of Mike Sherland, none of my "lifelong" friends are from school. Clay and I have been friends since we played little league baseball together in 7th grade (we were two of the youngest people in our class). We played football together on a state championship team in high school. Time has taken us apart and brought us closer together, but we've never lost touch. You don't get to pick your family, but if I could, he'd be my brother.
April 16th -- Easter. Lauren's first easter was a lot of fun. We woke up around 5am this morning. Lauren actually slept from 11pm until 5am, so we got 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep. That is truly a blessing. Anyway, we got up and Beth fed Lauren before we headed out to Driftwood for a sunrise service at the Driftwood United Methodist Church (they were holding a joint service with the Baptist Church of Driftwood). It was really cool to get to go to the service because the last time we were in that building, Beth and I kissed and said, "I do." Needless to say, there were a lot of emotions running through my head as I sat there and listened to the message this morning. There was some good old Gospel singing of the old hymns and Reverend Clark brought the Easter message.
After church, we headed to Mary and George's for breakfast--biscuits, bacon, eggs, and sausage. We watched "The Greatest Game" and Beth took a little nap. For lunch, we had Thanksgiving dinner. It was great. We topped it off with some homemade vanilla icecream. Going to Driftwood is really nice because it forces me not to work on the computer and it forces Beth not to do housework. Forced relaxation. It's a good thing.
April 14th -- Tax day is tomorrow, or I guess I should say Monday. We sent ours off today to relatively little fanfare :) Lauren got her first Easter card from Grandma and Grandpa in the mail today. It was really sweet (thanks, mom). Our insurance agent came by today and got Beth and I set up with life insurance. There's just something strange talking about life insurance.
Meshach has more issues than any dog should ever have - he doesn't deserve to have to deal with this stuff. We noticed that his ear was beginning to swell around the tip on Wednesday. It kept getting larger until I felt we had to take him to the vet. The only place open was the emergency hospital for animals on Lamar. I waited for about an hour before I was able to see a nurse. After she left, it was about another 30 minutes before the vet came in to see Meshach. She said that it was an aural hematoma and that he would need surgery to correct it. I asked for an estimate which was...$767. I love Meshach to death, but I just can't drop that kind of change on a dog's ear (the prognosis for recovery is good without any surgery, but there would be disfigurement of his ear). Well, needless to say, I was in a rather foul mood when I left the hospital. I talked to his regular vet today and he said that he could perform the surgery for $350. Now that's still expensive, but I think I can swing that. I just hate for him to be uncomfortable. He is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday.
Speaking of surgery, I'm scheduled to get my wisdom teeth taken out on May 4th. I've never been "under," and I am starting to get a little nervous about it. On top of that, I've got a woman who is wanting me to shoot a wedding that weekend. So, I'm a bit up in the air about my schedule right now, but it sure is frustrating when people don't confirm/commit to things like they should.
Beth and I are going to have a "date" night tonight. We're heading to Z Tejas in the Arboretum. Mary is watching Lauren this evening, so this is a real date! I'm sure we'll be home and in our robes by 8:00. :)
April 11th -- I SHOULD be getting my taxes ready to send off. We're actually getting a small refund this year thanks to posting a loss on the photography gig. I don't know whether to be happy or sad regarding said state of the business. :) Every time I sit down and begin writing on this blog, I have this notion that I should be a little more grand, a little more verbose. So, with that in mind, I bring you this random tidbit...
Amidst the cacophony of horns, sirens, and road pavers, my family was still able to take an idyllic stroll yesterday after I arrived home from work. As I walked along I could not help but have this euphoric feeling of happiness. Knowing that you are in the place you are supposed to be -- emotionally -- is very reassuring. Looking over at my wife holding our child is such an awesome feeling -- awesome as in awe inspiring. Knowing that I am solely responsible for their physical, social, and spiritual well-being of two other people seems rather daunting, but I'm confident that God is preparing me each day to be the husband and father that only He can make me.
We walked to the park and spent some quality time with an aging four-legged friend. It's hard to watch Meshach get older. He's lost a couple of steps from the puppy that used to follow me around on all of my adventures (mountain biking, hiking, etc.). Now that I think about it, I've probably lost a step or two myself. The circle of life continues and I am finding myself on top of the circle right now. I wish that things could stay like they are now--with most of the friends and family we love still here. But time, that precious commodity, is slipping away even as I type. I am thankful that we will all meet again someday, but it's hard to see those that you love get older. Having children has made me think about these things. I've gone and become a parent and, in the process, made my parents grandparents. As long as I was single, it was like time was standing still. In retrospect, I think that I was just trying to put the inevitable on hold. You can cheat on your taxes or on a test, but you can't cheat on time. In light of all these things, I'm still happy. I can't even begin to describe how blessed I am.
That took entirely too much work ... oh well. That was tiring. I think I'll wait until tomorrow to be super brilliant.
April 9th -- Angie Whitford stopped by this morning after church to see Lauren. It was great getting to see her. Andy is supposed to be home from Iraq for vacation in June. We're praying for you, Andy!!!
After church, I went to Sears and bought a new lawnmower because ours quit last week. Our yard was beginning to look like a jungle. I nearly cut off my finger today when I was pulling it out of the box. I lifted it from the mowing deck like a dummy. The blad swung around and pinned my finger between it and the deck. I couldn't get it out without taking the mower out of the box and setting it on the ground. I was then able to use my left hand to free my right index finger. OUCH! Fortunately, I didn't cut any tendons or ligaments and I suppose that I'll live.
Mary and George came by to see Lauren. Mommy is out mowing right now and I'm uploading some photos for a photo album.
April 8th -- I had a photo shoot yesterday evening (bridal), one this morning, and one tomorrow morning. I guess you could say that business is picking up. I really enjoyed getting to know Rebekah, Sarah, and Lee better this weekend.
Lauren's pediatrician advised us not to take Lauren to places where people congregate (e.g. church, the mall, etc.) so we've not been to church since the week before Lauren was born. It feels like forever. I'm really ready to go back. She is scheduled for shots in about a month.
April 4, 2006 -- Finally...I know, it's been a week and a half. A lot has happened during the last 10 days. Most notably, Lauren is 3 weeks old. She weighed 8lb at her two week visit, so I can only imagine how much she weighs now.
Meshach went to the vet on Saturday (poor puppy!) and we learned he is fat. He tipped the scales at 100lbs. So he's on a diet now.
Hmmm...let's see. We've had so many wonderful friends bring dinner to us...Alma (wow, what awesome Mexican food!!!), Cheryl, The Mears, The Johns, The de Konings, The Browns, The Hooks, The Martins, The Clarks and I know I'm leaving off at least one or two families...let me know if I've overlooked anyone. We're looking forward to seeing our good friends, the Pelczars this evening. Neither Beth nor I thought we would need any help with food, but that has been our saving grace this last month. I don't think we would have made it without it.
March 2006
March 13th -- Tried to get all of the last minute stuff done today - like a photo shoot, editing the photos, getting the photos online, washing the truck, packing my bags, loading the truck, getting to the hospital on time. You know, the usual. We got checked in on time and they started monitoring Lauren's vitals. They gave Beth some medicine to soften her cervix around 9pm. The cot they had for me to sleep on was actually pretty good and we both rested fairly well.
March 14th -- I woke up around 5am. I slept pretty good last night, but the nurse woke me up each time they checked on Beth. I decided to run to the house to get a quick shower and some breakfast before they induced labor--and...the coolest thing is that if you leave between between 11pm and 6am you park for FREE! I made it back to the hospital just before the nurse started the petosin drip at 7am. Everything progressed really smoothly until about 9:30am when the contractions got unbearable and we had to call in the anesthesiologist, Dr. Sanjay. Mary had to leave the room while they inserted the needle. Right after the epidural, Mary went to get lunch for me. However, Beth's cervix had other ideas for lunch and decided to go from 3cm to 10cm in about an hour. The nurses made her hold off on pushing until the doctor could arrive. After pushing through about five contractions, we welcomed Lauren Elisabeth Lewis into the world at 11:11am. Mary just barely made it back for the birth (although she wasn't in the room) and George came by, too. Lauren weighed 7lb 2oz and has got to be the most beautiful baby I've ever seen--I am really objective about these things--I can recognize an ugly baby when I see one!!!
I got to watch Lauren get her first bath. She liked the water okay, but the drying was a little bit annoying. She doesn't cry very much at all--right now. I'm not complaining. After the bath, they transfered us to room 747 on the 7th floor. The room is small with taup and olive paint. The equipment is, shall I say, dated. I have been rather underwhelmed by the state-of-the-artness of the facilities at Seton. Oh well, the staff has been, for the most part, really great. Our nurse during the delivery, Catherine, was fantastic. She is expecting in October and asked Beth some questions about pregnancy. She was really nice and very attentive. Our doctor, Shannon Abikhaled, could not have been any better (although I will say she didn't have to work very hard during the delivery phase!!!). So a big thanks to all of you who made this delivery possible.
March 15th -- Lauren has been sleeping peacefully this morning. I wish I could say the same for Beth. She can't take her eyes off of Lauren long enough to sleep. We didn't sleep so well last night, but that is to be expected. Lauren is nursing well and seems to be in perfect health. Thank you, God, for giving us this angel.
The first day of the rest of my life. There are no words to describe the feeling that hits you when your first child is born. You can't prepare yourself. There is nothing else like it. It is very humbling to know that my feelings about my daughter are only a fraction of what God feels for us. Thanks to God for giving us a beautiful, healthy bably girl. Thanks for all of the prayers and well-wishes (and dinners!). I'd also like to thank the staff at Seton Medical Center, most notably Dr. Shannon Abikhaled and our labor nurse, Catherine.
March 16th -- We brought Lauren home today. Mother, baby, and I have tried to get settled in. It's SO nice to sleep in your own bed. Lauren likes to sleep! This is great news for mommy and daddy.
March 17th -- Happy St. Patricks Day! This was Lauren's original due date.
March 25th -- Well, the last week was a bit rougher than anticipated. Beth was extremely ill with mastitis and Lauren had some tummy trouble to boot. IÂ missed a day of work and so I'm a bit behind there. Some school kids getting off of the bus tried to vandalize our stork in the yard. Fortunately Mary, the principal and #1 mom-in-law, caught them red-handed. Needless to say, the kids now give a pretty wide berth to our yard. Everyone is better now, thank goodness. Grandma Ledbetter (George's mom), Tina, John, and Lesa came by to visit us today. It was really good to see them. I can't wait for my mom and dad to come down and see Lauren (hint, hint). The weather outside is beautiful today--72 and sunny.
March 14th -- I woke up around 5am. I slept pretty good last night, but the nurse woke me up each time they checked on Beth. I decided to run to the house to get a quick shower and some breakfast before they induced labor--and...the coolest thing is that if you leave between between 11pm and 6am you park for FREE! I made it back to the hospital just before the nurse started the petosin drip at 7am. Everything progressed really smoothly until about 9:30am when the contractions got unbearable and we had to call in the anesthesiologist, Dr. Sanjay. Mary had to leave the room while they inserted the needle. Right after the epidural, Mary went to get lunch for me. However, Beth's cervix had other ideas for lunch and decided to go from 3cm to 10cm in about an hour. The nurses made her hold off on pushing until the doctor could arrive. After pushing through about five contractions, we welcomed Lauren Elisabeth Lewis into the world at 11:11am. Mary just barely made it back for the birth (although she wasn't in the room) and George came by, too. Lauren weighed 7lb 2oz and has got to be the most beautiful baby I've ever seen--I am really objective about these things--I can recognize an ugly baby when I see one!!!
I got to watch Lauren get her first bath. She liked the water okay, but the drying was a little bit annoying. She doesn't cry very much at all--right now. I'm not complaining. After the bath, they transfered us to room 747 on the 7th floor. The room is small with taup and olive paint. The equipment is, shall I say, dated. I have been rather underwhelmed by the state-of-the-artness of the facilities at Seton. Oh well, the staff has been, for the most part, really great. Our nurse during the delivery, Catherine, was fantastic. She is expecting in October and asked Beth some questions about pregnancy. She was really nice and very attentive. Our doctor, Shannon Abikhaled, could not have been any better (although I will say she didn't have to work very hard during the delivery phase!!!). So a big thanks to all of you who made this delivery possible.
March 15th -- Lauren has been sleeping peacefully this morning. I wish I could say the same for Beth. She can't take her eyes off of Lauren long enough to sleep. We didn't sleep so well last night, but that is to be expected. Lauren is nursing well and seems to be in perfect health. Thank you, God, for giving us this angel.
The first day of the rest of my life. There are no words to describe the feeling that hits you when your first child is born. You can't prepare yourself. There is nothing else like it. It is very humbling to know that my feelings about my daughter are only a fraction of what God feels for us. Thanks to God for giving us a beautiful, healthy bably girl. Thanks for all of the prayers and well-wishes (and dinners!). I'd also like to thank the staff at Seton Medical Center, most notably Dr. Shannon Abikhaled and our labor nurse, Catherine.
March 16th -- We brought Lauren home today. Mother, baby, and I have tried to get settled in. It's SO nice to sleep in your own bed. Lauren likes to sleep! This is great news for mommy and daddy.
March 17th -- Happy St. Patricks Day! This was Lauren's original due date.
March 25th -- Well, the last week was a bit rougher than anticipated. Beth was extremely ill with mastitis and Lauren had some tummy trouble to boot. IÂ missed a day of work and so I'm a bit behind there. Some school kids getting off of the bus tried to vandalize our stork in the yard. Fortunately Mary, the principal and #1 mom-in-law, caught them red-handed. Needless to say, the kids now give a pretty wide berth to our yard. Everyone is better now, thank goodness. Grandma Ledbetter (George's mom), Tina, John, and Lesa came by to visit us today. It was really good to see them. I can't wait for my mom and dad to come down and see Lauren (hint, hint). The weather outside is beautiful today--72 and sunny.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
time sure flies...
when you're having fun...or working your tail off. The last couple of weeks have been pretty hectic. Having to take care of your wife...and yourself when you're not used to it...has been a challenge for me.
ELL is starting to show--only we can really tell, but it's there nonetheless. The baby that ELL babysits has been really fussy to top it all off. We made a mad dash to Baby's R Us last night and bought a swing and a pack 'n play. $275. Yikes. The thought is that since ELL watches Hannah over here, we might as well get this now and put it to use. I'm going to write it off, too! We stayed up until 10:30 last night putting it together.
After work tonight, we decided to go to Outback. Ell was craving their chicken on the barbie. When we got back, we took the puppies for a walk. It was big fun...Zoe had a blast. Meshach had fun chasing frisbees and antagonizing Zoe. I'm glad Thursday is nearly here. Baby will be 11 weeks old tomorrow!
Thursday, August 04, 2005
thursday
Busy, busy, BUSY!!! Worked from campus some today and entertained a couple of potential clients. Hopefully, we'll get a booking here in the next couple of weeks...
too tired to write much tonight. Meshach and Zoe had a really good time chasing each other back and forth and back and forth through the house.
We are tiling the laundry room tomorrow - eek! Too much to do. I'll post photos when it's over!
too tired to write much tonight. Meshach and Zoe had a really good time chasing each other back and forth and back and forth through the house.
We are tiling the laundry room tomorrow - eek! Too much to do. I'll post photos when it's over!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Driftwood, part duex
Well, typical Monday for me, I suppose. Frank made it back from his vacation and we had our staff meeting. I thought it was going to be noon before everyone made it out of his office. I finally got to give him the good news about little Louie. He was really happy for us.
I bought E a little maternity top and surprised her with it when I went home for lunch. She really liked the color. It is a pale green (almost sea green) tank top that will stretch with her as her belly gets bigger.
E called me around 5 and asked me why I had gotten a letter from a girl in the mail. I had NO idea what she was talking about. She grilled me for about 5 minutes before she finally told me I had gotten a card from Olivia Garden...which was actually Olive Garden (just written in a girl's handwriting). I had complained last week because they messed up our to-go order so they sent us a gift card to make up for it. We both had a really good laugh about that one.
After we got home, we couldn't bring ourselves to take the dogs for a walk, so we loaded them into the truck, packed our overnight stuff and went to Driftwood since E didn't have to work on Tuesday. We had some homemade icecream, watched some TV, took a shower and went to bed.
I got up this morning and let the dogs out before I headed off to work. The drive was only about 30 minutes because I left at 6:15am. Because I was running early, I decided to treat myself to an Einstein Bros honey wheat bagel with maple walnut raisin cream cheese. Yum.
Work has been pretty good thus far; I'm just trying to complete the hydraulic runs on the air/water column.
I bought E a little maternity top and surprised her with it when I went home for lunch. She really liked the color. It is a pale green (almost sea green) tank top that will stretch with her as her belly gets bigger.
E called me around 5 and asked me why I had gotten a letter from a girl in the mail. I had NO idea what she was talking about. She grilled me for about 5 minutes before she finally told me I had gotten a card from Olivia Garden...which was actually Olive Garden (just written in a girl's handwriting). I had complained last week because they messed up our to-go order so they sent us a gift card to make up for it. We both had a really good laugh about that one.
After we got home, we couldn't bring ourselves to take the dogs for a walk, so we loaded them into the truck, packed our overnight stuff and went to Driftwood since E didn't have to work on Tuesday. We had some homemade icecream, watched some TV, took a shower and went to bed.
I got up this morning and let the dogs out before I headed off to work. The drive was only about 30 minutes because I left at 6:15am. Because I was running early, I decided to treat myself to an Einstein Bros honey wheat bagel with maple walnut raisin cream cheese. Yum.
Work has been pretty good thus far; I'm just trying to complete the hydraulic runs on the air/water column.
Saturday, July 30, 2005
first post
July 30, 2005 - I went in to PRC for a little while today to run the air/water column. We're about two days behind schedule. I put in a couple of hours there (about 9:30 until 12:30) before heading off to Chic-fil-A.
Elizabeth doesn't feel well today. Nausea continues though the medicine prescribed by Dr. Ward has really helped keep her food down. We had muffins from Pacha (and I snagged a Pacha Iced Latte which was absolutely fantastic). Lunch was courtesy of the cow from Chic-fil-A. Dinner was Rotisserie Grill...again. I think we're done eating there for a while. The food tasted like it had been under a heat lamp for a little too long. I put the sheets on the spare bed so E could get some sleep.
Then I decided to update this web site...(everything prior to this entry is from memory).
July 29, 2005 - I went to UT campus today to work on the double effect evaporator. I don't think there is much that I can do with it. There are too many things that need to be replaced...
E is feeling okay today, but not as good as yesterday. The medicine just doesn't seem to be working as well as it did yesterday. Margaret and Marshall came over to help E with Hannah. I am so thankful for their help. I treated Marshall and E to a sandwich from Thundercloud. That really seems to be the food of choice for the pregnancy thusfar. We had Outback for dinner. It was a lot better than last time we ate there with E's grandfather.
I met with Paula Workman and her mom at Magnolia cafe at 3:00pm. The rain really slowed down the traffic and I wound up being about 3 minutes late. Paula hadn't arrived yet, so it wasn't too bad. We discussed her upcoming nuptials and price lists, etc. I hope that we get the wedding. It would really help us out financially and I know it would be a blast working with Paula and Jamon.
July 28, 2005 - Thursday! The weekend is almost here. Today was a long day at work. The packing that was supposed to arrive on Tuesday arrived this morning at 9:00. Ian and I loaded the column and tightened it up. I ran until 6:15pm.
Breakfast this morning was Taco Cabana breakfast burritos (bean and cheese) at 5:45. That's a new one. Someone was having a craving! Lunch was from Chic-fil-A. E and I went to Rotisserrie for dinner. It just isn't as good as it was when the restaurant first opened.
After dinner I mowed the backyard. All of the recent rains really made the grass grow. I almost killed poor Roo, Meshach's stuffed kangaroo. I just didn't see him. Honest...
July 27, 2005 - E's Birthday! Happy 23rd, baby! I love you so much! I awoke my beautiful bride (who was sleeping in the spare bedroom because the air smells a little cleaner in there - long story) at around 6:30am and sang "Happy Birthday" and gave her a few birthday gifts (a willow tree angel and a charm bracelet from James Avery). She wasn't feeling very spunky on her birthday, that's for sure. We called Dr. Ward and they were able to fit her into their Wednesday schedule at 11:00, so I took off from work and went with her to the OB/GYN. That was my first visit to one of those offices and it was a bit unnerving. However, we saw a heartbeat!!! That was a life-altering experience. WOW! That's when it hits. You know deep in your heart you're going to be a dad. That's an amazing feeling. All these changes you are seeing in your wife - some positive (body makes its initial physical changes) and some not so positive (morning sickness that doesn't just happen in the morning) - are directly attributable to yours truly. That is an awesome responsiblity. I am actually relishing in the fact I get to care for her by doing the dishes, washing the clothes, and generally running the house. It's a bit nerve wracking, too. I've got a lot going on these days - 2 full time jobs, running the house, taking care of my wife, and trying to find time to spend with the dogs. Not that E isn't doing anything - in fact, I think she tries to do far too much. Right now I just want her to rest and get to feeling better. On top of all this, you start thinking about stuff like life insurance...EEEK!
July 26, 2005 - Putting the finishing touches on E's birthday gifts from James Avery and Hallmark. I am having the worst time trying to concentrate on work today. E feels terrible and swears it's all my fault! I know she's joking, but in a way she's right. I'm glad E doesn't have to work today. She doesn't feel very good and isn't eating very much at all. I am a bit worried that she's going to have to go to the hospital if she doesn't snap out of this soon.
The packing that was supposed to come today is now supposed to get here tomorrow. It will probably be Thursday before it gets here. We've got the column ready to go...we're just waiting now.
Work is rough today! The reflux pump on the reactive distillation column had a catostrophic failure and wound up spewing pentane all over the place. On the bright side of things, I think it all evaporated before it hit the ground so we didn't have to worry too much about cleanup. Too bad the Emerson Process Management guys were there. Lina did NOT want to shut the unit down, but I had to not so gently let her know she didn't have a choice. This was one of the bigger issues we've had since I've been at UT.
July 25, 2005 - Monday. Need I say more? The morning sickness is back with a vengence. I have to run the staff meeting this morning and I'm probably going to be late...No worries, I got it taken care of. Frank is on vacation this week and I'm sure everything will go down the toilet. Everything seems to go wrong when he's gone - stuff totally out of my control...
Thundercloud for lunch today...I think E will keep it down.
I told my parents today...They were excited to know they were going to be grandparents. Now, we have to figure out what to call them. Grandpa Cubby??? LOL. It will be good to have some little ones running around at Christmas. We're all getting too old and grumpy.
July 24, 2005 - E doesn't feel well today. I hope she's not going to be sick her entire first trimester. I don't think we're going to make church this morning. George and Mary invited us to lunch, but E doesn't feel up to it. She really wanted them to come by so that we could tell them we're pregnant. The original plan was to tell Mary on her birthday, but now that E is getting morning sickness symptoms, I don't think we'll be able to keep it from them.
As it turns out, they were able to stop by after their lunch. We gave Mary her James Avery baby shoe charm for her bracelet/necklace. Needless to say, Mary was absolutely elated. George looked a bit more terrified. Me? I'm still having a hard time believing all this is happening!
July 23, 2005 - We went to dinner with Josh and Nicole tonight at Thai Passion, one of our mutual favorite restaurants. Nicole is about 5 months pregnant, and she's really starting to show. It was really good to see them and talk about pregnancy and parenthood. Wow. This is all so crazy!!!
July 17, 2005 - Okay...we HAD to tell someone. We went to dinner with the Woods and broke it to them just before we sat down to eat. Their son, Caleb, is really a good looking little guy and really quiet to boot. I hope ours is as well-behaved.
July 10, 2005 - We did our 3rd & 4th pregnancy tests and they both turned out positive. I am 100% convinced. E is still a bit skeptical.
Elizabeth doesn't feel well today. Nausea continues though the medicine prescribed by Dr. Ward has really helped keep her food down. We had muffins from Pacha (and I snagged a Pacha Iced Latte which was absolutely fantastic). Lunch was courtesy of the cow from Chic-fil-A. Dinner was Rotisserie Grill...again. I think we're done eating there for a while. The food tasted like it had been under a heat lamp for a little too long. I put the sheets on the spare bed so E could get some sleep.
Then I decided to update this web site...(everything prior to this entry is from memory).
July 29, 2005 - I went to UT campus today to work on the double effect evaporator. I don't think there is much that I can do with it. There are too many things that need to be replaced...
E is feeling okay today, but not as good as yesterday. The medicine just doesn't seem to be working as well as it did yesterday. Margaret and Marshall came over to help E with Hannah. I am so thankful for their help. I treated Marshall and E to a sandwich from Thundercloud. That really seems to be the food of choice for the pregnancy thusfar. We had Outback for dinner. It was a lot better than last time we ate there with E's grandfather.
I met with Paula Workman and her mom at Magnolia cafe at 3:00pm. The rain really slowed down the traffic and I wound up being about 3 minutes late. Paula hadn't arrived yet, so it wasn't too bad. We discussed her upcoming nuptials and price lists, etc. I hope that we get the wedding. It would really help us out financially and I know it would be a blast working with Paula and Jamon.
July 28, 2005 - Thursday! The weekend is almost here. Today was a long day at work. The packing that was supposed to arrive on Tuesday arrived this morning at 9:00. Ian and I loaded the column and tightened it up. I ran until 6:15pm.
Breakfast this morning was Taco Cabana breakfast burritos (bean and cheese) at 5:45. That's a new one. Someone was having a craving! Lunch was from Chic-fil-A. E and I went to Rotisserrie for dinner. It just isn't as good as it was when the restaurant first opened.
After dinner I mowed the backyard. All of the recent rains really made the grass grow. I almost killed poor Roo, Meshach's stuffed kangaroo. I just didn't see him. Honest...
July 27, 2005 - E's Birthday! Happy 23rd, baby! I love you so much! I awoke my beautiful bride (who was sleeping in the spare bedroom because the air smells a little cleaner in there - long story) at around 6:30am and sang "Happy Birthday" and gave her a few birthday gifts (a willow tree angel and a charm bracelet from James Avery). She wasn't feeling very spunky on her birthday, that's for sure. We called Dr. Ward and they were able to fit her into their Wednesday schedule at 11:00, so I took off from work and went with her to the OB/GYN. That was my first visit to one of those offices and it was a bit unnerving. However, we saw a heartbeat!!! That was a life-altering experience. WOW! That's when it hits. You know deep in your heart you're going to be a dad. That's an amazing feeling. All these changes you are seeing in your wife - some positive (body makes its initial physical changes) and some not so positive (morning sickness that doesn't just happen in the morning) - are directly attributable to yours truly. That is an awesome responsiblity. I am actually relishing in the fact I get to care for her by doing the dishes, washing the clothes, and generally running the house. It's a bit nerve wracking, too. I've got a lot going on these days - 2 full time jobs, running the house, taking care of my wife, and trying to find time to spend with the dogs. Not that E isn't doing anything - in fact, I think she tries to do far too much. Right now I just want her to rest and get to feeling better. On top of all this, you start thinking about stuff like life insurance...EEEK!
July 26, 2005 - Putting the finishing touches on E's birthday gifts from James Avery and Hallmark. I am having the worst time trying to concentrate on work today. E feels terrible and swears it's all my fault! I know she's joking, but in a way she's right. I'm glad E doesn't have to work today. She doesn't feel very good and isn't eating very much at all. I am a bit worried that she's going to have to go to the hospital if she doesn't snap out of this soon.
The packing that was supposed to come today is now supposed to get here tomorrow. It will probably be Thursday before it gets here. We've got the column ready to go...we're just waiting now.
Work is rough today! The reflux pump on the reactive distillation column had a catostrophic failure and wound up spewing pentane all over the place. On the bright side of things, I think it all evaporated before it hit the ground so we didn't have to worry too much about cleanup. Too bad the Emerson Process Management guys were there. Lina did NOT want to shut the unit down, but I had to not so gently let her know she didn't have a choice. This was one of the bigger issues we've had since I've been at UT.
July 25, 2005 - Monday. Need I say more? The morning sickness is back with a vengence. I have to run the staff meeting this morning and I'm probably going to be late...No worries, I got it taken care of. Frank is on vacation this week and I'm sure everything will go down the toilet. Everything seems to go wrong when he's gone - stuff totally out of my control...
Thundercloud for lunch today...I think E will keep it down.
I told my parents today...They were excited to know they were going to be grandparents. Now, we have to figure out what to call them. Grandpa Cubby??? LOL. It will be good to have some little ones running around at Christmas. We're all getting too old and grumpy.
July 24, 2005 - E doesn't feel well today. I hope she's not going to be sick her entire first trimester. I don't think we're going to make church this morning. George and Mary invited us to lunch, but E doesn't feel up to it. She really wanted them to come by so that we could tell them we're pregnant. The original plan was to tell Mary on her birthday, but now that E is getting morning sickness symptoms, I don't think we'll be able to keep it from them.
As it turns out, they were able to stop by after their lunch. We gave Mary her James Avery baby shoe charm for her bracelet/necklace. Needless to say, Mary was absolutely elated. George looked a bit more terrified. Me? I'm still having a hard time believing all this is happening!
July 23, 2005 - We went to dinner with Josh and Nicole tonight at Thai Passion, one of our mutual favorite restaurants. Nicole is about 5 months pregnant, and she's really starting to show. It was really good to see them and talk about pregnancy and parenthood. Wow. This is all so crazy!!!
July 17, 2005 - Okay...we HAD to tell someone. We went to dinner with the Woods and broke it to them just before we sat down to eat. Their son, Caleb, is really a good looking little guy and really quiet to boot. I hope ours is as well-behaved.
July 10, 2005 - We did our 3rd & 4th pregnancy tests and they both turned out positive. I am 100% convinced. E is still a bit skeptical.
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