Poop’d

We went to dinner, Jordan poop’d the babysitter.   Nothing else to say…

And We Are Rollin’…

Today Jordan rolled over for the first time.  I am not sure if it was back to front or the other way around…..but either way, life from this day forward will be on the go.

Lake Powell

If you have never been, you need to go.  Go to Lake Powell.  Go see the magnitude of Glen Canyon Dam.  Go see the contrast of the beautiful sandstone cliffs against the sparkling blue water.  Go…

 

Old Man and The Sea

As I stated in my previous post, we went to Lake Powell last week to relax for a few days.  While we where they we had a lot of fun just hanging.  But I most say that the most memorable part of the trip was a conversation I had with my a local Ole Timer.  He considered himself a fisherman, I thought he was more a storyteller. 

I am just glad he let me snap this pic so I will always remember him.  

 

What A Great Day

Today was my day…..my birthday.  And my wife let me do as I pleased.  SO at 6:00 AM I got up and hiked 7 miles in the South Mountains and then had lunch at Los Dos Molinos.  What a great day!

The Simpler Things In Life

This past weekend we decided to escape the heat and take Jordan on his first road trip.  A cruise up the 87 was in store.  We decided to hit Payson…just about an hour and a half north of the valley and a few thousand feet higher in elevation.  It was beautiful up there.  Tall pines. Fresh air.  Beautiful.  While it was 110 + here, it was only in the low 90s there during the day; 70 at night…..what a treat (for us).  We went to the rodeo (pic below).  We spent the night “socializing” with some great people.   But more importantly we really thought about the simpler things in life and where we wanted to be raising Jordan and his future siblings.  We both come from much smaller areas than this valley and sometimes we really miss the slower pace.    The fresh air.  The land.  All the great things we both remember being able to do as a kid.

I will leave it at this.  Only time will tell if we are Phoenix for life or if we are headed to greener pastures and the simpler things in life….

Power of the Smile

It doesn’t matter what it going on in the world.  It doesn’t matter what has got you down.  I know what can cure you.  The smile of a baby.  When this little guy beams from ear to ear all my cares melt away.  So, if you are having a bad day….take a look at this.  It will cure what ails ya.  You can thank me later.

Gibberish?

Jordan is now almost three months old and the Gibberish has begun.  When you hear this blast of vocalization you have to ask yourself….is he speaking, is that baby talk or is it just nonsense.  Well my vote it in.  He is talking, the kid is a prodigy.  I actually think a couple of times he even throws out a “Mama”. 

Poo Poo

So much of my life lately has been aligned with the stand up comedy of Bill Cosby.  Changing diapers is no different.

 

When Jordan was first born, we kept track every time he dirtied a diaper.  If he pee’d we noted it BUT if he went Poo Poo…..We celebrated.  We would high five.  We would sing…Look at the Poo Poo…how cute…the Poo Poo!  Well I must say it was cute in the beginning but the Poo Poo is no longer cute.   It looks different, almost unearthly and somewhere along the way God put stink in the Poo Poo (and yes, I realize it is only going to get worse.)   But now we no longer rejoice…it is no longer look at the Poo Poo….It is now..Jordan, oh look what you done…..the Poo Poo!

Who or What Will He Become?

Having a child evokes a lot of thoughts and emotions.   You think about life, how you lived it, decisions you have made and what the future holds…..especially what the future holds for your child.  Now every parent has big aspirations for their offspring…..will they grow up to be a lawyer, a doctor, maybe even president….will they will change the world?  I also know a lot of parents even envision their child as a sports star, maybe an All-star centerfielder, or an All-Pro Quarterback.  And I can say that I am no different.  I definitely have these same high hopes for Jordan but as it appears right now I think he is destined to become the next great Jedi Knight.

May the force be with you, little one! 

Braxton Hicks Contractions?

I really wish before this whole process started that someone would have told me what Braxton Hicks contractions were.  Because let me tell you, as a first timer the moment your wife mentions she is having contractions panic sets in.  A world of emotions and thoughts swarms through your head…..crap, I don’t have any bags packed; crap, the nursery isn’t set up; crap, we haven’t even taken a single birthing class; crap, am I even ready for this life changing event…what am I supposed to do.  Well all that panic was for not once Jessica informed me of the term Braxton Hicks and what they were.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, it all makes sense.  The uterus is a muscle and it has to get a few workouts in before the  BIG PUSH…..I get it.  I just wish I would have initially got the memo.

Baby Jordan Is Here!

After a long, tough delivery on mom and baby, our son has arrived.  The world’s newest Steelers fan sprung into this world at 11:29 AM on May 30, 2011.  He weighed 7lbs. 15ozs. and was 21 3/4” in length. 

First Photo Shoot

It’s Go Time!

I always wondered how my first experience with fatherhood would begin.  Some can argue that it truly began about 10 months ago on our anniversary at a resort just south of the valley but forget about that and let’s fast forward.  What I am talking about is the night it truly became “Go Time”.  The moment that we had prepared for….the entrance of our son into this crazy world.  The “moment” began on Sunday, May 29.  I can remember it vividly.  Jessica really wanted a tablet so we could entertain ourselves in the hospital while not having to lug a laptop around.  SO after much deliberation we decided to go with a Samsung Galaxy from Verizon (great little device but that is a whole other topic).  After making the purchase late on a Sunday afternoon we headed home.  (Now this day was no different than any other day in recent history or so I thought, from my view point, Jessica was having contractions but none of them were serious enough to consider it Go Time).  Well I was wrong and today was totally different!  I was in the bathroom when Jessica came in and told me that she thought her water broke.  “What do you mean you think?” I replied.   If Hollywood has taught us anything it is that when your water breaks it is like Niagara Falls…..the big gush.  Well her’s started as a stream so she felt wet but she wasn’t sure.  WELL, my mind started racing…..and in that moment I thought….we don’t have any food for the dogs.  What are they going to do for the next few days?  SO yes, Jessica’s water broke and I decided to go to Petsmart.  Upon my return she informed me that her water definitely broke and it was Go Time!  I was ready.  Everything was packed and I was calm.  What I was not ready for was what followed.  Jessica’s water broke at 5:45 PM and she spent the next hour or making phone calls, making sure everything was in order around the house and even repacking all the bags we had just packed in preparation of Go Time. 

I was losing my mind.  I didn’t remember in any of our classes the nurses stating that if your water breaks take your good sweet time getting to the hospital.  They way I remember it was, “Your water breaks, go to the hospital….NOW!”  Even worse yet, she had me grab the camera so we could chronicle the event.  I am trying to back out of the garage and she is taking pictures.I am trying to rush her into the hospital and she is stopping to have a total stranger snap of few pictures of us (like we were tourists).

Eventually I got Miss Congeniality into the hospital and they took it from there but all I can say is I thought I was prepared for Go Time but my wife definitely threw me off my game.

McDowell Mountain Music Festival

As we do every year we attended the McDowell Mountain Music Festival with the Speedie crew.  We went to the show on Friday night….mainly because one of our favs (JJ Grey & Mofro – www.jjgrey.com) was headlining.  I definitely took full advantage of having Jessica as my DD.  What a show and everyone had a great time!!  Well at least that is what I remember.

Stress For A Future Parent – The Name Game

We have all had the stress of naming the family gold fish or even worse the family dog.  Well you want STRESS – try picking a name for your baby!  Something that they will have to live with for years…..possibly the next 100 years.  Now that is STRESS!!!  Choose poorly and you will set up your offspring for years of harassment and destine them to be made fun of while classmates find anything and everything to rhyme their name with.  SO after months of deliberation and ruling out Jermajesty (I kid) and Geoffrey Jr. (II) we are stuck between Jordan and Jaxon.  So I ask, help alleviate our stress and tell us your thoughts.  Jordan or Jaxon?