Well, 'tis that time of year again when we are nigh on the start of a new year and left thinking "where did last year go?" I remember them discussing ad nauseum at the beginning of this year what a big deal it was for the 2000s to be over and what, in turn, they were gonna call this year, i.e. two-thousand-ten or twenty-ten. I like to refer to it as the year '10. Makes it seem archaic, when really its full of all manner of newfangled technologies and ultra-modern accoutrements. But then again, I do enjoy combing refined speech with backwoods, country drawl. It is a truly American dialect. But that is neither here nor there.
The baby is coming along nicely. It's amazing how quickly it is approaching and how very much there is still left to do. Since we know what to expect with this one, there is definitely less hoopla abounding the whole process. There are not too many surprises the second time around. We're hopeful to paint the bedroom in the next week (with the help of Leisa, since the last time Lizzie helped she went into pre-term labor) and after the first of the year we are looking into purchasing a van. I realize now that this is a lesson in humility, for there were many times I poked fun at men for owning a van and soon that man shall be me.
In some instances this pregnancy is a bit different, being that he is a boy. I feel, and so does Lizzie, that he is a very rambunctious kid, unlike BellaRose was in the womb. Sure, she would occasionally kick and you could see it/feel it but he, on the other hand, appears to know Kung Fu and is systematically checking the womb for weaknesses, as a means for quick escape. Finally, it seems, BellaRose may have met her match in him. In due time it will be her that is bullied upon and not the other way around.
As far as Christmas goes, we had a relaxing time. Lizzie celebrated her birthday as well on the 24th. Her and I went to P.F. Changs in Des Moines for dinner and then to Jordan Creek. It was a good time. On Christmas Day we went over to Lizzie's folks and had dinner-- I prepared a ham, a first for me--and opened gifts. Per usual, the smallest one, Ms. Bella, got the most presents. She definitely has gotten into the idea of opening presents and spares no time in destroying anything wrapped. She got her fair share of Barbies, books and a kitchenette set complete with food. Later this evening, in fact, we are traveling to my parents for our belated Christmas, where I'm sure she'll continue to get a prodigious great amount of gifts, all of which she'll want opened and made available to her immediately upon opening. Such is the life of a princess.
Unfortunately I have to work New Year's Eve and Day but its not all bad. I'll be making good money and it probably sha'nt be too busy. Or so I hope. We'll fill you in on more goings on when they happen. Certainly we'll be informing you of our new arrival come this February, in the year '11. See, doesn't that just sound nostalgic? '11? It could mean 1911, 1811 or maybe even 11 BCE. Its magical. I hereby bequeath permission to use my anachronism. Enjoy.
Later all. Hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and may you all have a Happy New Year! May the year '11 treat you as kindly, if not better, than the year '10 did. Toodles!
-Mike
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
It's (We're Told) a BOY!
Yes, after much hullabaloo and abounding hysteria the 20 week ultrasound deduced that our child is of male gender. The hospital, for insurance purposes, cannot 100% guarantee that our baby is a boy but given the word of the technician and the concurrence of the midwife, who exclaimed that technicians don't usually offer an educated guess on gender unless they are nearly cocksure, we are fairly confident that our growing child is a dapper little man. This came as no surprise to me, as my gut was telling me boy for quite some time. Elizabeth, however, was on the fence. I find that women do not, and moreover cannot, rely on gut feelings. Perhaps they don't have them. Either way, its a boy and we couldn't be more ecstatic.
With the addition of another male around the home, I find myself in a new and precarious dilemma. With BellaRose, I was highly confident in my ability to parent her in the traditional doting father way. I shower her with kisses, cuddles, gifts and offer a playful manner unique to most fathers. Its rough, yet sensitive and always intimate. BellaRose has no personal space when it comes to me.
With a boy I am perplexed, somewhat, on the idea of how to be a father to him. I know that no matter what I do I am always his father but I wanna be that awesome dad--the kind that teaches him my all and instills manly confidence in him. I feel like I have so little time to bestow my sagely advice and know-how onto this young chap and I've got to start early. Furthermore, I want to be a modern dad too, and not limit my son to only socially "manly" endeavors in life. If he wants to dance then he can dance. If he wants to be an artist then so be it. I'm not gonna limit him to only being a firemen, lumberjack or professional athlete. On the same token, however, I want to also teach some of those macho, guy things that my dad taught me. Auto maintenance, playing catch, shaving, etc., are important things I want to do with my little boy. Is it possible to raise a child in a happy medium of masculine-feminine folkways? That's what I'm going for. Maybe something like 7o% macho, 30% effeminate. Is that a good ratio?
Lastly, I'm a bit unsure about my ability to be intimate with my son, on the count that I'm not really intimate with any male children I know. Sure, I love my nephews and cousins but I don't hold them and kiss them like I do BellaRose. I'm a little worried that I won't be close to my son like I am to BellaRose. Again, this is probably nothing. When he arrives I'm sure I'll feel a closeness to him like no other. I suppose I should look no further than my own relationship with my dad as Exhibit A to the likely relationship I'll have with my son, in which case I shouldn't worry. Just gets the mind thinkin', ya know, having the knowledge that soon I'll have a son--a miniature version of me.
This is probably all sounding like nonsense. I'm simply over-thinking it. Most likely my child will grow up perfectly normal, with no lack of masculine identity and a strong and loving relationship with his parents. That's what we all hope for, right?
I'll keep you all posted. Lizzie is having another ultrasound in a few weeks. They couldn't get a good picture of the baby's lower spine, on the count her wouldn't roll over. He just simply burried his head into mom's womb and practiced his Tai Bo on the other side of her tummy, kicking away his frustrations like baby rabbit on speed. I blame this on the Starbucks we had just before our appointment, albeit it did work in making him more active. Anyways, I'll let you know how that one goes and maybe more evidence will come to light verifying the already concluded gender of Baby Davis 2.0--a boy.
Later all and have a pleasant October.
-Michael
P.S. I'll be 28 in not but a fortnight, yikes!
With the addition of another male around the home, I find myself in a new and precarious dilemma. With BellaRose, I was highly confident in my ability to parent her in the traditional doting father way. I shower her with kisses, cuddles, gifts and offer a playful manner unique to most fathers. Its rough, yet sensitive and always intimate. BellaRose has no personal space when it comes to me.
With a boy I am perplexed, somewhat, on the idea of how to be a father to him. I know that no matter what I do I am always his father but I wanna be that awesome dad--the kind that teaches him my all and instills manly confidence in him. I feel like I have so little time to bestow my sagely advice and know-how onto this young chap and I've got to start early. Furthermore, I want to be a modern dad too, and not limit my son to only socially "manly" endeavors in life. If he wants to dance then he can dance. If he wants to be an artist then so be it. I'm not gonna limit him to only being a firemen, lumberjack or professional athlete. On the same token, however, I want to also teach some of those macho, guy things that my dad taught me. Auto maintenance, playing catch, shaving, etc., are important things I want to do with my little boy. Is it possible to raise a child in a happy medium of masculine-feminine folkways? That's what I'm going for. Maybe something like 7o% macho, 30% effeminate. Is that a good ratio?
Lastly, I'm a bit unsure about my ability to be intimate with my son, on the count that I'm not really intimate with any male children I know. Sure, I love my nephews and cousins but I don't hold them and kiss them like I do BellaRose. I'm a little worried that I won't be close to my son like I am to BellaRose. Again, this is probably nothing. When he arrives I'm sure I'll feel a closeness to him like no other. I suppose I should look no further than my own relationship with my dad as Exhibit A to the likely relationship I'll have with my son, in which case I shouldn't worry. Just gets the mind thinkin', ya know, having the knowledge that soon I'll have a son--a miniature version of me.
This is probably all sounding like nonsense. I'm simply over-thinking it. Most likely my child will grow up perfectly normal, with no lack of masculine identity and a strong and loving relationship with his parents. That's what we all hope for, right?
I'll keep you all posted. Lizzie is having another ultrasound in a few weeks. They couldn't get a good picture of the baby's lower spine, on the count her wouldn't roll over. He just simply burried his head into mom's womb and practiced his Tai Bo on the other side of her tummy, kicking away his frustrations like baby rabbit on speed. I blame this on the Starbucks we had just before our appointment, albeit it did work in making him more active. Anyways, I'll let you know how that one goes and maybe more evidence will come to light verifying the already concluded gender of Baby Davis 2.0--a boy.
Later all and have a pleasant October.
-Michael
P.S. I'll be 28 in not but a fortnight, yikes!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Lemme Catch You Up
Well a lot has certainly happened since March of this year and definitely do NOT have enough time or space to completely update you on all our happenings and goings-on since then but I will do my best to apprise you of the most important changes in the lives of us three that a worth note. I have comprised a list for you so that you can breeze through them since you may already know some, any, or all of them. Enjoy.
1.) It definitely is worth noting that Elizabeth graduated from ISU in May. She has her B.S. in Child, Adult and Family Services. What a gal, eh?
2.) In April we moved to a new home--a trailer which we purchased here in Ames. We own it outright and have done a few upgrades on it, i.e. painting, electrical, flooring, the list goes on. Its in south Ames, just east of Duff Ave and very near Hickory Park. So far we have enjoyed it and BellaRose adjusted well.
3.) I have been working at Mary Greeley now for 6 months. I started in Valet but now have moved on and up to Patient Transportation. Basically I take patients to and from appointments in the hospital. I also take items to rooms/floors and take medications from pharmacy. I walk a lot during the day, which has been good, and I get to wear khaki scrubs. How cool.
4.) We survived the epic flood of '10, just barely. We woke up that morning to find the water encroaching on our abode. The night before we had moved our cars, which ended up being a wise choice. We packed up some stuff and moved things out of our shed and waded through knee deep river water with a backpack, suitcase and BellaRose. It took us a good while to get to the north side of Ames but we made it and ended up staying in Grandma Phyliss' old condo for a few days. We came back to find our trailer had not been infiltrated with river water. It got to within 6" of our door, though. We've had to replace our shed, which was a chore, and we are getting our kitchen floor redone, on the count it was starting to warp. All in all we lucked out, since others in our lot were certainly less fortunate that us.
5.) BellaRose is definitely in the midst of her "Terrible Twos". She throw fits from time to time but we have been pretty lucky that she has responded pretty well to our attempts at discipline, i.e. time outs or just frankly ignoring her pleas during hysteria. She is a very active kid who shows no fear and would willingly run off a cliff if you let her. She also has a penchant for dolls and dancing. Truly, she is a princess. Hard to believe in 2 months she will be 2 years old!
6.) What is probably most important is that Elizabeth and I are expecting another child in February. Specifically, its due Feb. 24th. We do not know the sex yet but we have our 20 week ultrasound a week from this Friday so we hope to know by then. We're unsure what we would like to have, since there are benefits either way--BellaRose could have a little sister playmate or a little brother for her to pick on, at least providing her a distraction that moves and makes sound without batteries. We shall see, I guess.
So I guess that is quite a bit of stuff to sum up but if I were to go to great length on all of them I'd be by the computer until winter. There was some other stuff as well that occurred but honestly, most of you who read this probably already know the details or we're just not sharing them. After all, we are allowed some measure of privacy. Its in the Constitution, I think.
Well, I hope this has been informative and I certainly hope to post a bit more frequently then once every six months. At least I'd like to post about the new baby. Keep your eyes peeled and I promise to inform you all on the progress of the new baby and any other goings-on in the Davis household. Au revoir, mes amis et bonne journee!
-Michael
1.) It definitely is worth noting that Elizabeth graduated from ISU in May. She has her B.S. in Child, Adult and Family Services. What a gal, eh?
2.) In April we moved to a new home--a trailer which we purchased here in Ames. We own it outright and have done a few upgrades on it, i.e. painting, electrical, flooring, the list goes on. Its in south Ames, just east of Duff Ave and very near Hickory Park. So far we have enjoyed it and BellaRose adjusted well.
3.) I have been working at Mary Greeley now for 6 months. I started in Valet but now have moved on and up to Patient Transportation. Basically I take patients to and from appointments in the hospital. I also take items to rooms/floors and take medications from pharmacy. I walk a lot during the day, which has been good, and I get to wear khaki scrubs. How cool.
4.) We survived the epic flood of '10, just barely. We woke up that morning to find the water encroaching on our abode. The night before we had moved our cars, which ended up being a wise choice. We packed up some stuff and moved things out of our shed and waded through knee deep river water with a backpack, suitcase and BellaRose. It took us a good while to get to the north side of Ames but we made it and ended up staying in Grandma Phyliss' old condo for a few days. We came back to find our trailer had not been infiltrated with river water. It got to within 6" of our door, though. We've had to replace our shed, which was a chore, and we are getting our kitchen floor redone, on the count it was starting to warp. All in all we lucked out, since others in our lot were certainly less fortunate that us.
5.) BellaRose is definitely in the midst of her "Terrible Twos". She throw fits from time to time but we have been pretty lucky that she has responded pretty well to our attempts at discipline, i.e. time outs or just frankly ignoring her pleas during hysteria. She is a very active kid who shows no fear and would willingly run off a cliff if you let her. She also has a penchant for dolls and dancing. Truly, she is a princess. Hard to believe in 2 months she will be 2 years old!
6.) What is probably most important is that Elizabeth and I are expecting another child in February. Specifically, its due Feb. 24th. We do not know the sex yet but we have our 20 week ultrasound a week from this Friday so we hope to know by then. We're unsure what we would like to have, since there are benefits either way--BellaRose could have a little sister playmate or a little brother for her to pick on, at least providing her a distraction that moves and makes sound without batteries. We shall see, I guess.
So I guess that is quite a bit of stuff to sum up but if I were to go to great length on all of them I'd be by the computer until winter. There was some other stuff as well that occurred but honestly, most of you who read this probably already know the details or we're just not sharing them. After all, we are allowed some measure of privacy. Its in the Constitution, I think.
Well, I hope this has been informative and I certainly hope to post a bit more frequently then once every six months. At least I'd like to post about the new baby. Keep your eyes peeled and I promise to inform you all on the progress of the new baby and any other goings-on in the Davis household. Au revoir, mes amis et bonne journee!
-Michael
Monday, March 8, 2010
Its Official, Bella is a Walker
Yes, that's right patient readers, our little darling, the apple of everyone's eye--BellaRose--can now walk. I suppose she has been close for some time now, say about a month, taking a a few steps at a time, walking from Mom to Dad only the rarest of times when she "feels" like it. However, as of late, BellaRose has decided to predominantly walk from place to place. This is a sudden shift, as she was about 75/25 crawler, meaning she crawled 75% of the time and only walked the remaining 25%. It should also be noted that she only walked with her Mom and Dad, never with her grandparents.
She really began shifting to walking, though, when we started taking her to Toddler Time classes, the mall's play place and Play Pals at City Hall. I feel this is because she started to see other kids close to her age (whom she now recognizes as actual people and not toys) that were walking. Just like when she started crawling, she started walking as if she could do it the whole time. We knew it was near, since she was constantly sliding along the couch or other things, pushing anything on floor she could and standing without assistance, even while holding things in her hands. We were eager to see her walk since she is now 15 months and we see other kids, much younger, walking. Of course 15 months isn't late, by any means, to begin walking but you want your child to be above average in all categories. I'm sure any future kids will walk a little earlier than Bella did just because they see her doing it. Then again maybe not.
Besides the walking, Bella is a pretty talkative and a mimicker. She copies, or tries to, most actions she sees you do with your hands. She also sings a little. You can tell its singing because its noticeably different than her talking voice. She says "hi" a lot and "dad" She seems to be very intelligent, if you ask me, but I'm partial I guess. She also is starting to enjoy the tv a little more, which is a blessing and a curse. We don't want Bella to become attached to the tv or for us to over use it as some sort of a make-shift babysitter. Plus, too much television watching at an early age has been linked to ADHD. I suppose, though, I'm happy she has some tv shows she likes to watch.
Well, that's about all for now. I'll update more soon, especially if BellaRose begins to drive the car or publish a novel. Talk to you all soon and hopefully Spring is no the way. I much prefer this warmer weather, even if it means rain. Take care now. Bye-bye.
She really began shifting to walking, though, when we started taking her to Toddler Time classes, the mall's play place and Play Pals at City Hall. I feel this is because she started to see other kids close to her age (whom she now recognizes as actual people and not toys) that were walking. Just like when she started crawling, she started walking as if she could do it the whole time. We knew it was near, since she was constantly sliding along the couch or other things, pushing anything on floor she could and standing without assistance, even while holding things in her hands. We were eager to see her walk since she is now 15 months and we see other kids, much younger, walking. Of course 15 months isn't late, by any means, to begin walking but you want your child to be above average in all categories. I'm sure any future kids will walk a little earlier than Bella did just because they see her doing it. Then again maybe not.
Besides the walking, Bella is a pretty talkative and a mimicker. She copies, or tries to, most actions she sees you do with your hands. She also sings a little. You can tell its singing because its noticeably different than her talking voice. She says "hi" a lot and "dad" She seems to be very intelligent, if you ask me, but I'm partial I guess. She also is starting to enjoy the tv a little more, which is a blessing and a curse. We don't want Bella to become attached to the tv or for us to over use it as some sort of a make-shift babysitter. Plus, too much television watching at an early age has been linked to ADHD. I suppose, though, I'm happy she has some tv shows she likes to watch.
Well, that's about all for now. I'll update more soon, especially if BellaRose begins to drive the car or publish a novel. Talk to you all soon and hopefully Spring is no the way. I much prefer this warmer weather, even if it means rain. Take care now. Bye-bye.
Friday, February 12, 2010
BellaRose Gets the Flu, Family Unites
Like the above newspaper-like heading reads, BellaRose did contract the flu (most likely from her cousins/aunt; they're forgiven) and had a bout of vomiting lasting 6 hours last night.
I was at a friends house when I got a call about BellaRose horking like she never has before. Her mother entered her room, due to ominous sounds of discomfort by Bella, only to find copious amounts of hork in her crib. After sitting with her for a bit it seemed she might be feeling better when just then, round two of 20 individual vomiting sessions commenced. I was still not home et so her Omi came up and helped out with the regergitating child. Finally, I arrived to the scene of the incident and helped comfort my darling child and relieve my wonderful wife of her vomit duties. We both sat with BellaRose for quite awhile, through numerous bouts of sickness, until finally we thought it best for at least one of us to get some rest while the other nurses the poor child back to health. Since mom had been with her in the beginning, I opted to stay up with her. Letting her rest in my loving arms, BellaRose had a few more episodes of illness before finally giving up the ghost and falling asleep due to pure exhaustion. In fact, we both fell asleep in the easychair for a bit before moving to the couch. At about 3 am, Lizzie came out to get us since Bella hadn't been sick for an hour or so and we layed her down in her crib and called it a night. Oh, and what a night it was. I had this ominous feeling that this was only the first of many nights like this, where mom and dad have to comfort a sick child until they fall asleep in your arms and then you have to clean up their "mess". Nothing makes you feel more like a parent than instances such as this.
I felt bad for the poor kid. You could tell she really hated getting sick like that and who doesn't. Lord knows I don't like the taste of stomach acid that lingers for awhile. And to be puking for that long, one can sympathize with her for being so upset. But she slept good and this morning we weren't quite sure what to expect. We are pleasantly surprised, however, with her demeanor thus far.
Since she woke up this morning she has been in high spirits, as playful and as chatty as any other day of the week. Her appetite as well was good and she was equally as thirsty too, which can be expected for a girl who vacated her stomach of all its contents the night before. I tried to make sure her breakfast was at a nice slow pace and it contained easy-on-the-stomach foods. She did real well and after breakfast was ready to take on the world. Later I gave her a bath since I was certain she had some remnants on her person from the night before. She much enjoyed that too, which she always does, and after getting dried off and dressed she was ready for her "nap". This one, however, would certainly be longer than normal to make up for lost hours. She is still asleep now, making this a 3 hour nap and counting. She needs it, even if it will mess up her schedule for today. If she makes it till 4ish she might not need another nap until bedtime. We shall see.
So, the scare of the flu bug may be over though it may come on stronger in the evenings. Only time will tell. I certainly hope she is overit. Nobody deserves to endure horking of that magnitude or scale, especially not a 22lb, 14-month old darling baby girl with eyes like diamonds and a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. I guess I'm a little partial. I'm allowed to be. I'm her dad.
I was at a friends house when I got a call about BellaRose horking like she never has before. Her mother entered her room, due to ominous sounds of discomfort by Bella, only to find copious amounts of hork in her crib. After sitting with her for a bit it seemed she might be feeling better when just then, round two of 20 individual vomiting sessions commenced. I was still not home et so her Omi came up and helped out with the regergitating child. Finally, I arrived to the scene of the incident and helped comfort my darling child and relieve my wonderful wife of her vomit duties. We both sat with BellaRose for quite awhile, through numerous bouts of sickness, until finally we thought it best for at least one of us to get some rest while the other nurses the poor child back to health. Since mom had been with her in the beginning, I opted to stay up with her. Letting her rest in my loving arms, BellaRose had a few more episodes of illness before finally giving up the ghost and falling asleep due to pure exhaustion. In fact, we both fell asleep in the easychair for a bit before moving to the couch. At about 3 am, Lizzie came out to get us since Bella hadn't been sick for an hour or so and we layed her down in her crib and called it a night. Oh, and what a night it was. I had this ominous feeling that this was only the first of many nights like this, where mom and dad have to comfort a sick child until they fall asleep in your arms and then you have to clean up their "mess". Nothing makes you feel more like a parent than instances such as this.
I felt bad for the poor kid. You could tell she really hated getting sick like that and who doesn't. Lord knows I don't like the taste of stomach acid that lingers for awhile. And to be puking for that long, one can sympathize with her for being so upset. But she slept good and this morning we weren't quite sure what to expect. We are pleasantly surprised, however, with her demeanor thus far.
Since she woke up this morning she has been in high spirits, as playful and as chatty as any other day of the week. Her appetite as well was good and she was equally as thirsty too, which can be expected for a girl who vacated her stomach of all its contents the night before. I tried to make sure her breakfast was at a nice slow pace and it contained easy-on-the-stomach foods. She did real well and after breakfast was ready to take on the world. Later I gave her a bath since I was certain she had some remnants on her person from the night before. She much enjoyed that too, which she always does, and after getting dried off and dressed she was ready for her "nap". This one, however, would certainly be longer than normal to make up for lost hours. She is still asleep now, making this a 3 hour nap and counting. She needs it, even if it will mess up her schedule for today. If she makes it till 4ish she might not need another nap until bedtime. We shall see.
So, the scare of the flu bug may be over though it may come on stronger in the evenings. Only time will tell. I certainly hope she is overit. Nobody deserves to endure horking of that magnitude or scale, especially not a 22lb, 14-month old darling baby girl with eyes like diamonds and a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. I guess I'm a little partial. I'm allowed to be. I'm her dad.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Thanksgiving, Birthday(s), Cruise, Christmas, New Years...
So, since our previous post, lots has occurred in the lives of we three Davis'. Of course, everyone's favorite, Bella, celebrated her first birthday on Nov. 16th. We had a weekend affair for her, going to a cabin at Don Williams Lake near Ogden on Saturday. She enjoyed hiking, in which we saw a plethora of deer. I'm now firmly of the opinion that Don Williams Lake is shelter for approximately several hundred deer. I saw hoof prints and actually sitings galore to back up such claims, don't worry. But that's neither here nor there.
Continuing, BellaRose also enjoyed going down to the dock and peering out on the lake, though she continually tried to crawl off the edge. We're entirely certain she would have plunged into the frigid water if we would have let her. No fear at all, that one. Saturday evening, BellaRose enjoyed her first campfire and we all had a good time enjoying the brisk fall weather. The next morn we packed up and made a quick trip the beach to gaze up on the lake once more (further hoof print sitings as well) before heading home.
The following Monday, her actual birthday, we celebrated at home with her Omi, Opi, Grandma and Grandpa (with Aunt Leisa and the twins), opening presents and eating some delicious Barbie cake. She had fantastic time tearing into her cake and presents. She's always been a fan of sweets and gifts, like her father. Weird to think she's already one now. Where'd a year go?
A couple weeks before Bella's b-day, I turned 27. We had a quaint evening, going out to eat at the Spice and I got a couple presents. Elizabeth is an excellent gift giver, though she'd deny it. I always enjoy the bounty of candies I receive. I'm still munching on them nightly. Yum!
Thanksgiving was the week after Bella's b-day, so we asked people who wanted to give her gifts to bring them then. There's little point in having a huge party for her, forcing relatives to drive to our house, which doesn't exist, when we're all going to be together for Thanksgiving a week later. When we have a house and room for it, perhaps we'll have a larger gathering. Anyway, Thanksgiving was enjoyable and BellaRose had a good time hanging with her grandparents. She also got to meet her cousin Roscoe for the first time (same for Lizzie too). Its not that we dislike him, he was just in the Air Force and stationed in Florida and it seemed that everytime he was back, we could never arrange a time or place to meet. Well, now he's out of the Air Force and living in Iowa so hopefully we'll see a lot more of Roscoe. Speaking of which, I need to call him.
Ah, now we are to the cruise. For those that don't know, Lizzie and I purchased a 5-day cruise to the Caribbean. It left Dec. 19th (from Miami) and went to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island. Though it rained at both ports, it was still a great time. We even purt our SCUBA certifications to good use, going diving at Grand Cayman. We saw a sea turtle, an eel, tons of fish and endless amounts of coral. It was pretty cool. We also went to Margaritaville in Jamaica, which was fun too. Either way, it is fun to say we did it and we got some great pictures.
We returned on Dec. 24th, Lizzie's golden birthday, and started making our way back home in time for Christmas. It was an excellent trip and probably the best time to take it. BellaRose stayed with her Omi and Opi, which is her home anyway, and they took care of her. We are truly blessed to have them so close and have BellaRose firmly attached to them too. According to them, she barely noticed we were gone and had a blast with us not there to temper their wild abandon with BellaRose, offering nothing but sweets and never ending playtimes daily. Naps, who needs 'em? Right?
The trip back to Iowa was eventful, what with the storm and all. We spend a lot of time in airports. I read one book and at least three magazines and that's saying a lot for a person that doesn't read all that much, especially in one sitting. But what other choice did we have? It was read or stare at the passers by, counting weird haircuts, foreigners and people with awkward gates. That latter was quite interesting but that's another post in itself.
We luckily made it on the plane to Iowa from St. Louis. We were half-worried the flight would be canceled but as we approached Des Moines, we were met with some bad news. Apparently a snow removal truck was broke down on the Des Moines airport runway so we were being diverted to the nearest airport...Minneapolis! So, yes, in snow storm that was embattling the midwest, we went further north, into the lion's den. We landed at Minneapolis, got some more fuel and were hosed down with some sort of de-icing solution and back to Iowa we went. This time were were successful at landing in Des Moines, a full 2 hours behind schedule though.
We got out, got to our car, which had been sitting in the snow for five days, and after scrapping it off, started making the deadly trek to Ames. The snow plows hadn't been out at all, really, so we were making our own path on the interstate. Other cars decided they could still go 55+ and zoomed past us but most of us making the trip maintained a speed around 25 to 35 the whole way. We made it, no problem, back to Ames around 12:30 am. We were glad to be home and after getting setlled in, we went to bed anxiously awaiting Christmas morning with BellaRose.
We started our Christmas with endless kisses for BellaRose, whom we desperately had been missing since we left. We also enjoyed a new family tradition, French toast a la dad, which Bella enjoyed greatly. Then it was time for me to wrap her gifts only to have them opened immediately following. I know it seems like cross purposes--wrapping the gifts just before they are opened--but it was how we used to do it in my youth, with my mom making my sister and I wait in our rooms,, plagued with anticipation, while she wrapped our gifts downstairs. Though Bella was likely not anticipating much, she still was happy to tear open her gifts, which she thoroughly loved. Her favorite? An inflatable microphone which came complimentary with a sing-a-long DVD of the Backyardigans. Of course, she loves the free item the most. At least she didn't like the wrapping paper the most.
That evening we had dinner with Omi, Opi, Uncle Jordan, Aunt Leisa, Parker and Kale, after which we opened up our gifts. Bella got a giant pink tub full of clothes and toys, though she seemed most interested in her cousins' similar tub full of toys. That's our kid, always curious about others.
The next day we went to my grandparents in Jewell for my mom's side family Christmas. Bella had a great time there though it was a bit overwhelming at times for her with there being so many kids and such loud noises happening almost constantly. She had a good time, again, tearing open gifts and investigating her neighbor's gifts too.
The day after that, we had my parents Christmas at their place in Boone. Bella once again made out like a bandit, getting lots and lots of toys. We also exchanged gifts with my parents, sister and nephews. We gave my parents some glasses we got at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in Jamaica. We also got them some other random things. My dad thoroughly enjoyed his official Tony Stewart pit crew hat. I'd rather have a Jeff Gordon hat myself, but I digress.
So, in total we had four Christmases and after the weekend we were all just happy to be doing nothing. We spent the week in between catching up on all that we had put off after arriving back from our trip and sorting through all our Christmas gifts. Also, we all three began coming down with the same cold. Bella had a fever, Lizzie had a sore throat and I am just now getting over my sore throat and congestion. Which brings me to New Years.
Last year we didn't do much for New Years so this year hoped to be a bit more exciting. However, since we all were starting to come down with something, it was proving to be just as simple as last years. I ended up going to James and Amy Hawcott's place to watch the Iowa State vs. Minnesota Insight bowl for the evening, which was very nerve-wracking to watch but in the end, I was overjoyed to see ISU win. After a raucous game of Settlers of Catan while watching Tropic Thunder, I left for Ames. I was home by midnight but my two soldiers, Lizzie and Bella, were long since asleep. It was a pretty decent New Years, though I did miss my Lizzie.
So, that should bring us up to date. Currently Lizzie is a week away from starting her last semester, which includes an intership at Creative Counseling Services with Amy Hawcott, and I am more seriously looking into careers. I mostly stay at home with Bella but soon I hope to take on some part time work. There is also an opening at the Story County Jail that I'm applying for, as well as others, so I am hopeful.
That's about it for now. Sorry for the lack of posts. Its been rather crazy around here. It hopefully will slow down soon, though I doubt that. Keep you posted the best I can. Until then, thanks for reading. Later all.
-Mike
Continuing, BellaRose also enjoyed going down to the dock and peering out on the lake, though she continually tried to crawl off the edge. We're entirely certain she would have plunged into the frigid water if we would have let her. No fear at all, that one. Saturday evening, BellaRose enjoyed her first campfire and we all had a good time enjoying the brisk fall weather. The next morn we packed up and made a quick trip the beach to gaze up on the lake once more (further hoof print sitings as well) before heading home.
The following Monday, her actual birthday, we celebrated at home with her Omi, Opi, Grandma and Grandpa (with Aunt Leisa and the twins), opening presents and eating some delicious Barbie cake. She had fantastic time tearing into her cake and presents. She's always been a fan of sweets and gifts, like her father. Weird to think she's already one now. Where'd a year go?
A couple weeks before Bella's b-day, I turned 27. We had a quaint evening, going out to eat at the Spice and I got a couple presents. Elizabeth is an excellent gift giver, though she'd deny it. I always enjoy the bounty of candies I receive. I'm still munching on them nightly. Yum!
Thanksgiving was the week after Bella's b-day, so we asked people who wanted to give her gifts to bring them then. There's little point in having a huge party for her, forcing relatives to drive to our house, which doesn't exist, when we're all going to be together for Thanksgiving a week later. When we have a house and room for it, perhaps we'll have a larger gathering. Anyway, Thanksgiving was enjoyable and BellaRose had a good time hanging with her grandparents. She also got to meet her cousin Roscoe for the first time (same for Lizzie too). Its not that we dislike him, he was just in the Air Force and stationed in Florida and it seemed that everytime he was back, we could never arrange a time or place to meet. Well, now he's out of the Air Force and living in Iowa so hopefully we'll see a lot more of Roscoe. Speaking of which, I need to call him.
Ah, now we are to the cruise. For those that don't know, Lizzie and I purchased a 5-day cruise to the Caribbean. It left Dec. 19th (from Miami) and went to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island. Though it rained at both ports, it was still a great time. We even purt our SCUBA certifications to good use, going diving at Grand Cayman. We saw a sea turtle, an eel, tons of fish and endless amounts of coral. It was pretty cool. We also went to Margaritaville in Jamaica, which was fun too. Either way, it is fun to say we did it and we got some great pictures.
We returned on Dec. 24th, Lizzie's golden birthday, and started making our way back home in time for Christmas. It was an excellent trip and probably the best time to take it. BellaRose stayed with her Omi and Opi, which is her home anyway, and they took care of her. We are truly blessed to have them so close and have BellaRose firmly attached to them too. According to them, she barely noticed we were gone and had a blast with us not there to temper their wild abandon with BellaRose, offering nothing but sweets and never ending playtimes daily. Naps, who needs 'em? Right?
The trip back to Iowa was eventful, what with the storm and all. We spend a lot of time in airports. I read one book and at least three magazines and that's saying a lot for a person that doesn't read all that much, especially in one sitting. But what other choice did we have? It was read or stare at the passers by, counting weird haircuts, foreigners and people with awkward gates. That latter was quite interesting but that's another post in itself.
We luckily made it on the plane to Iowa from St. Louis. We were half-worried the flight would be canceled but as we approached Des Moines, we were met with some bad news. Apparently a snow removal truck was broke down on the Des Moines airport runway so we were being diverted to the nearest airport...Minneapolis! So, yes, in snow storm that was embattling the midwest, we went further north, into the lion's den. We landed at Minneapolis, got some more fuel and were hosed down with some sort of de-icing solution and back to Iowa we went. This time were were successful at landing in Des Moines, a full 2 hours behind schedule though.
We got out, got to our car, which had been sitting in the snow for five days, and after scrapping it off, started making the deadly trek to Ames. The snow plows hadn't been out at all, really, so we were making our own path on the interstate. Other cars decided they could still go 55+ and zoomed past us but most of us making the trip maintained a speed around 25 to 35 the whole way. We made it, no problem, back to Ames around 12:30 am. We were glad to be home and after getting setlled in, we went to bed anxiously awaiting Christmas morning with BellaRose.
We started our Christmas with endless kisses for BellaRose, whom we desperately had been missing since we left. We also enjoyed a new family tradition, French toast a la dad, which Bella enjoyed greatly. Then it was time for me to wrap her gifts only to have them opened immediately following. I know it seems like cross purposes--wrapping the gifts just before they are opened--but it was how we used to do it in my youth, with my mom making my sister and I wait in our rooms,, plagued with anticipation, while she wrapped our gifts downstairs. Though Bella was likely not anticipating much, she still was happy to tear open her gifts, which she thoroughly loved. Her favorite? An inflatable microphone which came complimentary with a sing-a-long DVD of the Backyardigans. Of course, she loves the free item the most. At least she didn't like the wrapping paper the most.
That evening we had dinner with Omi, Opi, Uncle Jordan, Aunt Leisa, Parker and Kale, after which we opened up our gifts. Bella got a giant pink tub full of clothes and toys, though she seemed most interested in her cousins' similar tub full of toys. That's our kid, always curious about others.
The next day we went to my grandparents in Jewell for my mom's side family Christmas. Bella had a great time there though it was a bit overwhelming at times for her with there being so many kids and such loud noises happening almost constantly. She had a good time, again, tearing open gifts and investigating her neighbor's gifts too.
The day after that, we had my parents Christmas at their place in Boone. Bella once again made out like a bandit, getting lots and lots of toys. We also exchanged gifts with my parents, sister and nephews. We gave my parents some glasses we got at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in Jamaica. We also got them some other random things. My dad thoroughly enjoyed his official Tony Stewart pit crew hat. I'd rather have a Jeff Gordon hat myself, but I digress.
So, in total we had four Christmases and after the weekend we were all just happy to be doing nothing. We spent the week in between catching up on all that we had put off after arriving back from our trip and sorting through all our Christmas gifts. Also, we all three began coming down with the same cold. Bella had a fever, Lizzie had a sore throat and I am just now getting over my sore throat and congestion. Which brings me to New Years.
Last year we didn't do much for New Years so this year hoped to be a bit more exciting. However, since we all were starting to come down with something, it was proving to be just as simple as last years. I ended up going to James and Amy Hawcott's place to watch the Iowa State vs. Minnesota Insight bowl for the evening, which was very nerve-wracking to watch but in the end, I was overjoyed to see ISU win. After a raucous game of Settlers of Catan while watching Tropic Thunder, I left for Ames. I was home by midnight but my two soldiers, Lizzie and Bella, were long since asleep. It was a pretty decent New Years, though I did miss my Lizzie.
So, that should bring us up to date. Currently Lizzie is a week away from starting her last semester, which includes an intership at Creative Counseling Services with Amy Hawcott, and I am more seriously looking into careers. I mostly stay at home with Bella but soon I hope to take on some part time work. There is also an opening at the Story County Jail that I'm applying for, as well as others, so I am hopeful.
That's about it for now. Sorry for the lack of posts. Its been rather crazy around here. It hopefully will slow down soon, though I doubt that. Keep you posted the best I can. Until then, thanks for reading. Later all.
-Mike
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