Long overdue!

Wow – it’s been almost 2 months since we posted updates to the blog. To our avid readers, so sorry! Let’s just say between work and raising Evan, we still haven’t figured out how to do much else.

It’s been a very busy couple of months in the Keller household. First, for those who don’t know, Brad’s company was recently acquired by a larger consulting firm, TranSystems. The deal took almost a year when all was said and done and it was a tough decision for Aegis, but it went very smoothly and looks very promising for Brad and the rest of the Aegis staff. Amy started back to work at Humana and although it’s very tough to be away from Evan during the day, the transition was not as bad as she was expecting and she’s adjusting well. We’re very lucky in that Brad’s mom, Sally, has offered to care for Evan for a few months until we get out of cold and flu season and Amy adjusts to her new schedule. We feel very blessed to have this opportunity (and we think Gramma likes spending the time with her second grandson).

As for Evan, he’s getting bigger every day and is doing great! You won’t believe how much he’s changed since the last posting (I can’t even believe it looking back at the pics). Since the last post Evan had his first Halloween dressed as a banana (his cousin Carter was the monkey), and also had his first airplane ride and trip to Colorado. He was a trooper and did great in the airplanes and in the mountains. The altitude never seemed to bother him. He also just celebrated his first Thanksgiving (check out the turkey pic) and was very spoiled by his G&G Rozek and aunties and uncles who came in town to visit. It was a fun weekend and we were so happy to have all of them visit.

Evan’s development has really taken off recently too. His motor skills improve every day and he’s able to hold and play with his toys and is now reaching for objects. He just started rolling from him tummy to his back and he’s getting really close to rolling the other way. Seems it could be any day now. He’s now eating rice cereal like a big boy and LOVES it. I swear he knows when I’m making it by the bowl and spoon so he starts whining, opening his mouth and reaching for the bowl. He even tries to hold the spoon – of course making a huge mess for mommy. He whines in between each bite because it just doesn’t come fast enough! Unfortunately his acid reflux and spitting up are still pretty bad. It doesn’t seem to bother him too much except laying on his back (which makes for sleeping during the night interesting). We think it’s just going to be a matter of waiting until it passes on its own. Oh, and we will have to apologize to him some day for his bad hair genes. Poor thing now has a Mohawk, after having lost everything on the sides and back. We just have to hope it grows back in quickly for the little guy.

Evan turned 4 months last week! Next is the big Christmas holiday season! Evan can’t wait for Santa to come. Something tells me he’ll be very spoiled, since he’s been such a good boy this year.

Evan's First Hike

This afternoon, Amy and I took Evan on his first hike. We went to a small wooded area near our house called Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve. We hiked around the trails for about an hour before we climbed a fence and walked over to my parent's house. It was Evan's first adventure in the Baby Bjorn carrier. He did great getting used to the carrier. He even fell asleep for about 15 minutes during the hike.

Also this weekend, Amy and I got to enjoy a few evenings of "adult time". On Friday night, my parents watched Evan so that Amy and I could have date night. We had dinner at a nice Italian restaurant and even found time to see the new movie "Couples Retreat" for a few laughs.

Aunt Dani, Uncle Brandon and Cousin Carter kept Evan entertained on Saturday night so that Amy and I could attend football tailgating and the first half of the football game. Apparently, Evan spent most of the evening smiling and giggling for Dani and Brandon...oh, except for the times when he was spitting up on Brandon!

Except for a few fussy moments today, we have all had a great weekend!

First Video of Evan

If this works, I have uploaded a video of Evan sitting on my lap and playing with one of his toys. He has recently started reaching for things and grabbing his toys. As you can tell from the video, he is also starting to visually follow objects. He is advancing every day!

Overdue updates...

Sorry, I've gotten a little behind in updating the blog. Blame it on lack of sleep. Good news, though! Evan has finally made the move upstairs to his own room and big boy bed! Ok, Mom and Dad are cheating right now and sleeping across the hall in the guest bedroom (BTW - our guests were right...that bed is HORRIBLE). It is only for a few nights until we are sure that we will not need to make 7 trips up the stairs throughout the night. Actually, Mr. Evan only woke up ONE time last night!! Wow, did that really happen?

We were also blessed this past weekend to have the female half of the Denver Gang come in town to visit us. Thanks to Tracey, Heather and Shannon for making the journey (Jenna was here in spirit). Amy, Evan and I had a great time catching up and spending time with the girls. I know that Amy needed the female time...since the boys out number her in this house.

Also, I updated a few more pictures on Picasa.

Week of Firsts and Lasts

With a baby around the house, every day is filled with new “firsts”. First bottle, first five-hour nap, first football tailgating. There are even a few lasts…like last time for wearing Newborn-sized outfits. This past week has been full with all kinds of activities and memories.

We were joined this week by Amy’s sister, Nikki. She flew in from Florida to visit with her nephew and help us out for a few days. It was really nice to have a third set of hands around the house to help with changings and chores. I think we could get used to the extra help!

Evan had his one-month checkup on August 27th. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 14.5 ounces (up 13.5 ounces from birth) and measured 21 inches long (up 2 inches from birth). Apparently he is a pretty average baby at the fiftieth percentile for height, weight, and head size. Overall, he is progressing just fine.

Last Thursday, Evan and Mommy visited Daddy at work for the first time. We were able to show him off around the office just before his meltdown. Amy and I were able to scarf down a quick lunch in my office before they left.

Later that same day, I had the highlight of giving Evan his first bottle! I was a little concerned that Evan might not take to the bottle right away, but it took him all of 5 seconds to figure out how to fill his belly from this new device. He downed 3 ounces in no time. As a new father, it was an awesome experience to feed my son for the first time!

This past weekend was also the official kickoff of the UofL football season (though we do not have high hopes for the team this year). With college football also comes the ever-famous tailgating event. The Keller family transformed the traditional tailgating grounds into a play area for toddlers and infants. Carter (9 months), Audrey (11 months), and Evan (6 weeks) played and slept in the shade of a tent set up for the little ones. It was DEFINITELY a transformation from the days of chips, burgers, and beer to the new era of toys, bottles of milk, diapers, and spit-up! That said, it was great to get out and show off little Evan.

As always, don’t forget to check out the most recent pictures of Evan.

Giving Up on Sleep

Life in the Keller household is slowly migrating away from survival mode (at times). Amy and I are still sleep deprived, but learning to cope with the bags under our eyes. I have even learned to catnap at red lights on my way to/from work. Hey, it is only slightly worse than those people who text while driving!

Evan still has not found his sleep/wake routine yet, but we have at least managed a few nights of sleeping in the same room together. He occasionally puts up a fight about going back to sleep after feeding. Other times, he completely sacks out. We just take turns rocking him back to sleep. I think I am going to wear out the floor from walking around in circles with him – the only thing that seems to work sometimes.

Amy let me off the hook for a few hours last week to attend fire department trainings on a donated burn structure. I think it only made me more tired, but it was nice to get out and put the gear on again.

Grandma and Grandpa Long briefly stopped by yesterday to get a quick “baby fix”. It was Dan’s first time meeting and holding Evan. They headed back north this morning, but there are rumors that we are going to see them again soon.

Check out the picture of Amy holding Evan (left). I would like it noted that I did not dress him that day…and therefore am not responsible for the fact that his pants are on BACKWARDS!

Except for the shortage of sleep epidemic that seems to have permeated into the Keller household, we are doing well and continuing to adjust. Evan had his two week (and 3 days) doctor appointment yesterday. He officially weighed in at 7 pounds, 14.5 ounces. He might have actually weighed more, but he dirtied and spit up about 1.5 ounces in the waiting room! Regardless, the doctor was pleased with his weight gain. All other body parts continue to check out just fine.

Evan has now decided that nighttime is the best time to cry and scream. If Amy even thinks about moving or trying to put him down after night feedings, you might as well break out the earplugs. He DOES NOT like to go back to sleep after those feedings. It takes a combination of walking around the house, attempting to swaddle him (he is Houdini with his arms), and rocking him in the swing before he will calm down enough to stop crying. Needless to say, most of these activities are at the expense of sleep for mom and dad.

Last evening, Evan got to meet his cousin Carter for the first time. Actually, he slept through the entire encounter, but the rest of us enjoyed a nice home-cooked meal at my parent’s house. Carter is now eight months old and growing like a weed! It is amazing how interactive and playful that he has become. I look forward to the day when the two of them can start playing together.

Our plan for the weekend: nap as much as possible!

Don't forget that you can check out the latest pictures of Evan on Picasa.

Settling In

The dust is finally starting to settle around the Keller household as we are all beginning to find our routines. I started back to work yesterday, which means that Amy is managing Evan’s needs all on her own during the day. She survived yesterday with even a little energy to spare. Needless to say, this is going to be a busy time for her.

Amy had her two week postpartum doctor appointment yesterday afternoon. Everything checked out fine and she is recovering more everyday. While she might not be ready for jogging yet, not much else slows her down.

Evan is continuing to grow back towards his birth weight. He is scheduled to visit the doctor on Thursday afternoon for the official weigh-in. We are crossing our fingers. The unofficial scale still shows him around 7 pounds, 11 ounces, so we still have about 6 more ounces to go over the next 3 days.

We are still trying to figure out this whole sleep/wake thing. Now Evan likes to stay awake after his middle of the night feedings. Amy and I are probably going to be caught up on the last eight seasons of CSI before he starts sleeping better.

Oh, apparently I have turned another year older today. The birth of our healthy son is the best present that I could ever ask for!

Still in Survival Mode

How can someone so little require so much attention? For someone who is supposed to be sleeping around 20 hours a day, we sure spend most of our waking (and sleeping) time focused around caring for this little ball of joy.

Seriously though, we are all doing well. The household is still mostly in survival mode (necessities only – showers can wait). However, we have been able to sneak a few moments of sanity – a family trip to Babies R Us, a walk each evening, a homemade meal, and even an entire movie for Mommy and Daddy! These moments remind us that the world is still rotating outside of our baby cave.

Amy is recovering from her surgery a little more everyday. She can no get in and out of bed and stand up from a chair without help from someone else (which makes a HUGE difference). We have ventured a little farther with each of our evening walks. Tomorrow is the big test for Amy, as I will be going back to work. I know that she will do great taking care of him on her own. Besides, I’m mostly the cheering section anyhow.

Evan is continuing to thrive. While it is not the official pediatrician scale, the lactation consultant weighed him yesterday at 7 pounds, 11 ounces. He is almost back to his birth weight. He continues to eat regularly and make plenty of dirty diapers (which I now know is important). We think that he might be a little confused about daytime and nighttime, but we are working on that flip-flopping the two. Last night, we were actually able to capture three whole hours of uninterrupted sleep! I never thought that three hours would sound like heaven.

Everyday is a learning experience for us. New ways to bath the baby, new ways to hold the baby, and new ways to sooth him to sleep (that’s an important one). I am trying to use every free minute to catch up on my reading of the parenting books. Nothing like a little late night cramming (just like college).

Happy 3rd Anniversary!!

I want to wish my beautiful wife a happy anniversary. It was three years ago today when we exchanged our vows and promised to love and honor each other. I could not be more proud of the family that we have become. Amy and I have an AMAZING marriage and an indissoluble friendship that is the foundation of our marriage.

These past three years have been filled with challenges and joys. We spent the first six months of our marriage commuting between two small houses, unable to move in together due to space limitations. Then, it was off to our first home together…if only for twelve months. After two months of a long distance relationship, we moved into a tiny temporary apartment in Louisville. The crux of our challenges was moving in with my parents (who were gracious to house us) for eight months while we built a new house.

We are finally settling into our new home with the addition of our beautiful baby boy. Things seem to finally be coming together. However, through it all, we have kept our sanity and sense of humor. Our relationship has grown with each of these hurdles and challenges.

I am blessed to share another anniversary with my wife and look forward to many more.

Home at last!

We are all home now and starting to get settled into our routine. Evan is doing excellent! He dropped almost a pound from his birth weight, but he managed to gain 3.2 ounces over the weekend. The doctor hopes to have him back to his birth weight by the time he is two weeks old.

Nothing can quite prepare new parents for the hectic, sleep-deprived routine that ensues once you bring the baby home. Plenty of our friends and family warned us about the tumultuous schedule that newborns necessitate (I often think that they even relish the thought of sharing that pain with someone else…the “sucker effect”). However, the crazy sleep schedules and poopy diapers are all worth it once you hold that little bundle of joy in your arms.

We were fortunate to have Amy’s mother, June, stay with us for the first few days. She helped keep us sane by feeding us, keeping the house clean and the laundry washed. She even gave us a few extra breaks for quick naps. Her extra help really allowed us to settle into our routine rather quickly.

The Rozek Clan (part of them) is visiting now. When we called them with the word that we were ready for Round 2 of guests, they immediately started packing the car and were en route only a few hours later. Needless to say, there is no shortage of arms to hold little Evan. There is currently a waiting list!

Like all other new parents, our schedule now consists of feedings and diaper changes every three hours (until he is back to his birth weight). Because he stays sleepy 90% of the time, the administrative functions of changing and feeding often run at least 60 minutes each time. That leaves less than two hours for sleep. After taking care of a few items for ourselves, we are usually left with about an hour and a half for sleep before it is time to wake and repeat. Short of the military or fraternity hazing routines, I am not sure much can prepare you for this deprivation except parenting itself.

We are still trying to keep up with the pictures and emailing them to friends and family. Unfortunately, we are running a little behind (some things just get triaged). I have managed to post about 60 pictures of Evan on Picasa. When you have a minute, stop and take a look.

Again, thank you for all of the well wishes and supportive comments from our friends and family. They (and Evan’s cute face) are what keeps us going during the waking hours. We cannot wait to get out soon and show him off!

Welcome Baby Evan!!

Evan Bradley Keller is finally here!! And what an entrance he made! He gave us all quite a scare, but more about that later. He entered this world at 7:19pm on July 27, 2009, weighing in at 8 pounds, 1 ounce and measuring 19 inches long. He has a healthy set of lungs and a FULL head of beautiful long hair. Mom is doing great and recovering from surgery. She is currently learning the art behind breast feeding.

As for the story, yesterday was a fairly relaxing day of entertaining out of town family and waiting for a scheduled doctor’s appointment in the afternoon. Our bags were ready in the car and we were mentally prepared to head to the hospital for an induction, pending the recommendation of the obstetrician. Amy had been enduring contractions throughout the day and hoped to show some progress for the effort.

The doctor was pleased with the progress, although it was less than we had hoped for. However, after consultation, it was decided that we would give Mother Nature one more chance to make things happen naturally over night and we scheduled the induction for the following morning.

Upon returning home, Amy and I went for a short walk down the street and back. Before we continued on further, we stopped by the house for a quick potty break. While I waited with our guests, Amy yelled from the bathroom that she thought her water had broken. It took a quick straw poll from the adults in the room to convince Amy that it was in fact her water breaking and it was finally time to head to the hospital.

On the way to the hospital, Amy maintained a chipper and positive attitude, even laughing between the contractions. Because she was feeling so strong, we opted to skip the expecting mother’s drop-off area and park in the garage. She even walked to registration and later to triage (even during contractions with her water breaking more and running down her legs). We got cleaned up and settled into a bed in triage. The staff ran through their typical admission exam and prepped Amy to move down to a delivery room for the duration.

Out of the blue, Amy’s contraction went from mild (easy for me to say) to completely off the chart. She was uttering phrases that would make a sailor blush. What I had failed to notice is the baby’s heart rate plummeted during the massive contraction. All of a sudden, the door to the tiny waiting triage room flew open and staff started pouring into the room, shouting orders, and taking action. The baby’s heart rate had dropped dangerously low and was not improving.

Within seconds, they started rolling Amy down the hall, straight to the operating room. For me, reality kicked me in the stomach when I heard “OB Operating Room STAT” over the hospital speakers. With those simple words, I knew the severity with which my wife and son were now faced against. As Amy was wheeled towards the operating room, I was directed towards an area to scrub up. I quickly called my sister and said, “There has been a problem. I need for you to get everyone here fast and safe.” She knew from my tone that there was not time to ask questions. She hung up the phone and immediately gathered the troops.

I was told to wait outside of the operating room doors until I was summoned. Staff continued to run in and out of the doors like busy bees. Finally, a doctor stepped out of the operating room and told me to sit down and breath. The baby’s heart rate had returned to normal. We had some time to relax and make some decisions. Our obstetrician was on her way.

I was allowed in to sit with Amy. She was strapped into the operating table and the drape had been placed. She was amazing and brave (probably more so than I was)! Eventually, it was decided that a long traditional labor (which we were probably facing) might continue to stress the baby. Instead, we opted to proceed with the C-section for the safety of the baby and momma.

Before I knew it, I was being told to look over the drape to see my baby boy entering the world. It was a miraculous and spectacular site. His crying voice was an absolute musical sound! As every parent knows, it truly is the miracle of life.

We were blessed with a remarkable staff of caregivers and prayer from God. Just over an hour after we arrived at the hospital parking lot, we were holding our beautiful new son.

As I said before, mom and baby are both doing great. He is asleep in her arms as I finish this posting.

Still waiting...

With less than 14 days left until the official due date, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new baby. I awake every morning amazed that we have slept through another night without having to race off to the hospital. We might be blessed with two more weeks of uninterrupted sleep, or we could soon be sharing our sleeping arrangements with hospital staff, family and hopefully our new son.

Our bags are still packed and waiting by the back door. They have been packed for so long that I occasionally have to dig through them for a phone or laptop charger. The magazine that I brought to read is going to be two months out of date. It will probably have more articles about Michael Jackson!

We have heard countless experiences from friends and families. Everyone has given us great advice for the upcoming challenge. However, it’s like trying to remember the 37 different golf swing instructions in the 0.7 seconds that it takes to whip your arm around. My mind is racing with different recommendations, tips and things to look out for. When is the tarry poop stage? Is it something to fear or is the breast milk poop that follows actually worse? Is it really true that an infant goes through 12 diapers in a single day?

Needless to say, we have a lot more questions than answers. Some day we will be old hands at this foreign process. However, for now, I am going to pick up my expectant father’s book and reread the section on what to expect after the delivery.

Recent Updates & Exciting Times

I have recently been a little remiss in fulfilling my duties as the family communications officer. My photo and blog updates have been absent, to say the least. I hope to post updates more regular now that things are really starting to change for our family.

As the month of June begins to wrap up, we are in full swing of the pregnancy. I believe that today’s count puts us at 35 weeks and 4 days (not that we’re counting). Amy has been AMAZING through out this whole process. Her body (like all expecting mothers) has undergone changes more rapidly than my boxer shorts. Everyday day seems to bring a new aliment or discomfort, often with the strange resolution of a previous symptom. By this point, slip-on shoes are a necessity and dropped items on the floor often remain until more nimble assistance can be offered by someone else.

Though we are still over four weeks away from our due date, we already have our bags packed and by the door. The house is filled with baby supplies, cribs, strollers, and a massive surplus of diapers. Still, I am frantically trying to finish Chapter 23 – What to Expect When You Bring Your Baby Home. The speed dial on our phones have been preprogrammed to Dial-A-Mom for that late night guidance on how to get the baby back to sleep. At this point, I feel like the soldier in basic training standing in the open doorway of the C-130 with a parachute in hand. I am scared to death to jump out that door, but there is no turning back now.

Fortunately, we are pretty well established in our new home. Most of the boxes have been unpacked (or at least stored in the basement) and the decorations are starting to appear on the walls. The baby’s room is finally painted and already furnished. With a few minor exceptions, the house is fully functional. We have already hosted out of town family on three separate weekends! With Amy’s large family, the guest rooms have really come in handy.

This is an extremely exciting (and often overwhelming) time for us. On top of our first pregnancy and the new house, we are still getting settled in a new city. Living in the temporary apartment and the parent’s house somewhat stagnated our ability to settle down and meet people. Additionally, both of our careers have limited our social and play time. Needless to say, like everyone else, we are encountering a shortage of functioning hours in the day. From what I am told, with a new baby at home we will soon sacrifice our sleep hours, too.

As always, we are so thankful for the support and blessings from all of our friends and family during this time of excitement and change. I cannot imagine undertaking this adventure without the help of those close to us.

I look forward to the day when I can post a picture of our newborn son on this blog!

IT'S A BOY!!!!

So many thoughts are racing through my head right now. Baseballs, dinosaurs, fire trucks, Legos, robots, Hot Wheels. What will he like to play with? Camping! Is it too early to think about taking him camping? How are we going to teach him how to ski when we live in Kentucky? Is his mom going to have to show him how to throw a better spiral than his dad? Is $1.00 still the going rate for the Tooth Fairy? I know that I am getting ahead of myself, but there are so many questions flooding through my mind.

Yesterday afternoon at 1:05 pm, I met my new son for the first time. Yes, son…we’re having a boy!! Wow, I am still beaming with pride, excitement, and relief. After a health scare (which put both of us through the emotional ringer), we went to the hospital for an unscheduled sonogram. According to the doctors, he is a very photogenic, healthy baby boy (and not shy about it).

After getting past the scary analysis part of the exam, we were able to watch as our son practiced the Running Man Dance in Amy’s belly. I’m please to say that he appears to be blessed with his mother’s rhythm.

As I sit in my office, I cannot stop staring at the sonogram picture of my beautiful baby boy. I cannot wait to meet him and hold him for the first time. The camping and Legos will come soon enough, but for now, I continue to pray for the health of momma and baby.

Rapid House Progress

Things are moving along very fast at the house these days. It looks more and more like a home every time we stop by to look at the progress.

The painters have finished painting all of the rooms and trim (check out the colors in the picutes). The hardwood floors have been standed and stained (you can all see them in the pictures). Almost all of the trim work has been completed, including the stairwell handrails. They also put the stone on one of our fireplaces last week.

On the outside of the house, we now have a concrete driveway and a VERY long public sidewalk.

They are working on the bathroom tile today. If the weather holds out, they are going to pour our front sidewalk and rear patio soon. I think (cross your fingers) that the kitchen and bathroom cabinets are going to start installation on Friday. Then, they will start installing the granite tops.

By next week, they might start installing the lighting fixtures and the plumbing fixtures will soon follow. Carpet will be the week or two after that.

Overall, things are progressing very well.

Midwest Ice Storm

Most of Kentucky was pounded last Tuesday by a snow storm that turned into an ugly ice storm. It started last Tuesday morning with about 4 inches of fresh, fluffy snow. For Kentucky, that is more that enough white stuff to shut down the schools and most businesses. Tuesday morning was fairly calm, but by Tuesday evening the storm had turned to freezing rain.

After spending some time at the fire station on Tuesday night, I drove home around 10:30 PM. By that point, the tree branches were already starting to hang low enough to scrape the top of my truck.

Sometime around 4:45 AM, we lost power at home. I added another blanket to the bed for Amy and went back to the fire station around 6:30 AM. By that time, the roads were almost impassable due to the tree branches. They were literally hanging all the way to the ground. I had to drive on both sides of the road to negotiate around the obstacles.

Around daylight, another storm surge dumped about 4 more inches of fresh snow on top of the layer of ice. I spent most of the morning helping out around the fire station and running a few calls. Amy spent that time bundled under blankets and reading through magazines.

Because Dani and Brandon had a two-month-old baby to care for, they really needed to find some place with power. Brandon called 30 different hotels before finally finding a room at the Seelbach Hotel in downtown. After an hour of loading the car with baby supplies, they were off for the evening.

Amy and I opted to stay the night at Dani and Brandon’s house since they had a working gas fireplace. We put the air mattress in front of the fireplace and loaded it with about 5 blankets. We stayed pretty warm throughout the night, but the trips to the bathroom were pretty chilly. By morning, the house was down to 50 degrees.

Dani and Brandon were able to extend their hotel room for another night and also reserved a second room. After making arrangements with the rest of the family, Amy and I decided to take the other hotel room. Heat and power never felt so good!

Mom and Dad decided to drive 4 hours north to stay with my grandparents in Illinois. We shut the water off at the houses and hoped for the best.

By Thursday afternoon, we had power back on at the office. Dani and Brandon got power back at their house by Friday afternoon. I stayed with them on Friday night while Amy enjoyed visiting her college friends in New York City.

Finally, by Saturday afternoon, the power was back on at Mom and Dad’s house. Since the temperature inside had reached 34 degrees, it took a few hours to bring it back to an inhabitable level.

All in all, we were pretty lucky. Several large branches came down at Mom & Dad’s house. Amy and I lost another tree in our new yard. However, none of the three houses received any damage from the storm (at least that we’ve been able to find).

I said it after the big storm last September, but we really do take the luxury of electricity for granted. You really cannot appreciate it until you have gone without it for an extended period of time. This last event was especially difficult due to the cold weather.

Thank God for the amazing efforts of the electrical companies all across the nation. We have seen electrical crews from Michigan, North Carolina, and Virginia (just to name a few). We are forever grateful for their efforts.

Overdue Updates

Well, I am a little overdue in updating our blog. With all of the new Internet technology out there, I sometimes have a difficult time keeping everything updated.

Carter Update: Little Carter is doing well and continuing to grow. It sounds like he keeps Dani and Brandon pretty busy and a little light in the sleep department. I think they are counting the hours until he can start sleeping through the night.

Amy and I have had a couple of babysitting practice runs, but have not watched Carter very much yet. I think the grandparents are busy filling that role for now. They are all very happy to look after the little guy.

House Update: Two more months and counting!! It cannot get here quick enough. Amy and I are ready to have a place of our own again. After a year, I am tired of living out of boxes and suitcases!

The trim and built-in shelves are finishing up this week. The tile crew is going to start laying the bathroom tile next week. I think the painters are going to start priming sometime soon. And, one of these days we are supposed to get our kitchen cabinets. Keep your fingers crossed.

I will try to get some pictures of the house progress posted soon.