Addie Meets Santa

A short post for all those who have been anxiously looking for updates. We apologize...more pictures from Christmas in SoCal to come. For now, here's Addie meeting Santa at the Tucson Mall. For those interested, she loved Santa. She had just had a nap, woke up in a great mood and had a blast. She loved looking around at the decorations surrounding the photo area and smiled the entire time.

She's also loving her time in Escondido with her grandparents, aunts and uncles. She got to see Grandpa Beanpole early on Friday morning, then spent most of the day with Grandma Chris and Uncle Derek. He has been her favorite through the first couple of days, playing peek-a-boo and letting her jump until her little legs run out of jumps. Aunt Megan just landed tonight, so just about everyone is her. She's anxious to meet her new cousin Ryder, but he's in NICU for a few more days, so that might have to wait. Please pray that his lungs empty out of the fluid and he gets to go home soon.

Happy Thanksgiving - Bring on Christmas!

I have had such an eventful couple of weeks. First of all, Daddy went to Hawaii for 6 days in mid-November, so Grandma Chris and Aunt Bethie came out to visit me (they said it was to see mommy too - but we all know better!) It was so good to see them - we had a great time!

Then, the following weekend, Mom and I went to Granddad and Mema's house in Kansas City for Thanksgiving - it was a long plane ride, but it was so much fun standing on mom's lap and smiling at the people behind us. Standing and jumping on mom kept me entertained for most of the time - although mommy kept complaining that her arms couldn't take it anymore! I don't know why - I am only 19 pounds! Sheesh mom - keep up! Daddy came later on because of work.

Staying at Grandad and Mema's house was so much fun. At first, I was scared of almost everyone - but mostly men and especially Granddad. But after just a couple of days, I warmed up - and Grandad became my absolute favorite!! Everytime I heard his voice and saw him walk into the room, I kicked my legs and practically jumped into his arms!

And I was so excited to find out that I have cousins! How neat! Alek and I were instant friends. I had so much fun smiling and laughing at him - I even let him give me a bottle and feed me carrots. He is so wonderful - he sang me a lullaby and I went right to sleep! Thanks Alek!

Campbell is 4 years old, and she is a girl just like me. She was fun too - she would play with me on the floor and give me toys to play with. I really enjoyed smiling at her.

Cooper is only 14 months old - and I had to pay close attention to that one. He is over 30 pounds and walks kind of funny, so I was really careful not to get in his path. He was always smiling and toddling about! All that walking seems so interesting, I just might have to try that soon. He and I mostly have Mema in common - we both LOVE her, and most times would compete for her time and attention!

Actually all of the grandkids scrambled to get Mema's attention! But she is just the bestest - she would rock me and feed me bottles even when I was so extremely tired, I wasn't sure what I wanted or needed - she is the best rocker in the whole world! She did so much while we were there - she fed everyone (not just me!) and cleaned non-stop. I want to be just like her when I get bigger!

Overall, I would highly recommend family. They are the best! I loved sitting with Aunt Alexis and watching cartoons and flirting with Aunt Angela until she picked me up! Even Uncle Corey and Uncle Billy could coax a smile out of me - as long as mommy or Mema was close at hand! I thought watching Uncle Brett and Aunt Erin was exhausting - boy having two kids looks tiring!

Granddad and Mema even took us cousins to the playground for my first swing ride - but man, it was REALLY cold, and I wasn't too sure I liked it. Mema and Granddad took turns holding me and keeping me warm, so I was ok. I sure did enjoy watching the other kids run around and play - can't wait to join them next year!

Thanksgiving was a blast too - I just couldn't be left out, so I tried to eat everything on mommy's plate. Since that wasn't going to happen despite my best efforts, mommy got out my high chair and I had sweet potatoes with the entire clan - 14 adults and 4 kids - WOW THAT IS QUITE A BUNCH!

If there is even more family to meet and see - boy oh boy, I just can't wait for this Christmas thing everyone is talking about!

See you then!

Love,

Addie Jean

PS: And for all those family members I missed this Thanksgiving - here are my Thanksgiving wishes and excitement about seeing you at Christmas!

Perspective

WARNING: The following includes thoughts from the head of the male portion of the Tucson Trio. Those hoping or expecting Addie updates will have to wait for the next entry.

Anytime I need an attitude and perspective adjustment, there are two people I tend to look at to straighten me out. One is my brother, Stew. Being less than 3 months apart, we pretty much have lived every stage of life at the same time, give or take a few months here and there. He always seems to have the insight that I need so I can stop being self-centered and be the husband and father my girls need from me.

The other is definitely my wife. Being home all weekend with her and Addie, I saw just how much she tried to cram into her day. With the least bit of self-promotion at its core, I share that I did the dishes and cleaned some of the kitchen the other night while she was asleep, then did more dishes and got up early to take care of Addie the other morning. I realize that my exhaustion, similar to that my brother describes in his blog, is cumulative, but even two days at home doing little but playing Dad and house helper was exhausting. The thought of piling on cooking dinner, unpacking our house, getting up earlier than I do to feed the baby, picking up the house and any number of other chores...all after working at her desk for 7-8 hours...is a quick reminder of just how much more I should be doing at home.

All of this is a precursor to the fact that I have the luxury of going to Hawaii for five days starting on Wednesday for work (if you can call a trip to Hawaii work). I was discussing the trip with a co-worker and how I planned to relax and rest both mentally and physically when I was struck with what felt like a brick upside my head (figuratively of course) with just how much my wife will have to take on while I'm gone. She will have some help with our nanny and family members until Saturday afternoon, but Saturday night until Monday around 8:00 a.m. she will be on her own with Addie, who is taking more and more energy from us by the day. It was at this point I realized as much as five days on the beach sounds great, I'd rather be home with her and Addie. She's gone through so much the last few months with our move and raising our daughter...she's the one that deserves this trip. She will have a few days with her family later this month that will hopefully be relaxing, but it's not soon enough. I guess all I can do is give her everything I've got for these final 36 hours before leaving on Wednesday morning and hope that's enough to sustain her until I return. I love my wife...I hope I can show her how much before I leave.

God, Prayer, Doctor, and 96 Cents

Praise God - She Pooped! We took the baby girl to the doctor yesterday after STILL NO POOP...poor little thing was absolutely miserable, fussing before we even went into the doctor, screaming when the doctor pushed on her belly, NOT GOOD. But the doctor recommended an infant glycerin suppository and prescriped some stool softener. We immediately went to the store and asked the pharmacist where to find this item...they rang us up at a whopping 96 cents. 96 cents@#&*^!@!&^(! What an incredible bargin...

Thank you for your prayers!

(and also thank God that I resisted the urge to take a picture of the poop itself and post it for all to see...)

Praying for Poop

So far as a new parent, I have done a lot of praying...for a job for Eric, for a job for me, for a house, for a move, for Addie's acid reflux, for Addie, period. But today I am praying that somehow, someway, Addie will poop. It probably sounds silly and downright disgusting - but when your child won't sleep for two nights in a row because she is constipated, curls her legs up in her crib literally SCREAMING, and looks at you like, "why can't you fix it?" - it makes you get on her hands and knees and pray for poop.

God - bless this child with the ability to pass this "grumpy" (as dad likes to refer to them - because they make her quite grumpy when she can't!). Enable her to do it without a lot of further pain. Help the doctors figure out this new symptom and find a way to fix it. Please heal her little body and let her parents rest both mentally and physically.

Amen.

Halloween

Quickly...before I run out of battery on my laptop.

Me with my first Halloween "loot" - two tootsie pops and a butterfinger...daddy helped me out with their consumption
I was more interested in how much of my lamb costume I could get into my mouth than the actual appearance of the costume itself.
Despite the fact that it was almost bedtime - I tolerated the costume, the mass quantities of pictures, and trick or treating quite well - although two houses proved enough and I was ready for a bottle and bed after that!
Although people keep saying that October is when Tucson "cools off" to a mere 70s daily - this year beats the odds. This lamb costume was NOT meant for 80+ degree weather!


And her first attempt at cereal at 4 months and 1 day old - NOT a fan!

Pumpkin Patch

So in the spirit of starting new "family" traditions for the Arizona Gumby clan, we visited the local pumpkin patch last weekend to pick out pumpkins. (Before you say anything - YES, they do grow pumpkins in the desert - we were just as surprised as you!) We road a wagon drawn by a horse out to the patch and picked out a pumpkin - one for each of us - took WAY too many pictures, and went back to purchase them and take even more pictures before we almost sweat to death before leaving. Grandad and Mema Timmons were here for a visit and joined along. They had a good time seeing Addie - but then again who wouldn't?

We just did her 4 month old checkup, and she is doing much better on her acid reflux. In fact, the doctor took her off one of her meds. This pediatrician here is great - we really like him. Also, she is a whooping 17 pounds, and the doc was very impressed at how strong she is. Said that she is pretty advanced for her age (and the parents simply beamed at this news - not that it was "new" news to us - we have known it for quite some time!). She is almost sitting up completely by herself. She is close to rolling over, and loves tummy time now. She is also big enough for her bouncer, and does a tremendous job of jumping around to turn the music on. She also already knows certain words. UP is one of them. She will be sitting on one of our laps and we hold onto her arms, and say STAND UP, and she does! She is brilliant! Also, she is quite the reader. She LOVES books. She stares at all the pictures, and can even turn the pages when she is ready to go to the next page.

We are having so much fun watching her change daily. We are also so blessed - her nanny is AWESOME - she loves her so much and the two of them get along swimmingly.

Tonight is Halloween - she will be dressed as a furry little lamb - and don't worry - she will have plenty of pictures taken to share.

Love to all of you out there - we miss you all tons.

Eric, Kara, and Addie