Lizzie Sue - Happy 2 Months Old!!!

Dear Lizzie Sue,

Today you are 2 months old...yes Daddy actually posted on the exact day for once! As we started last month due to Mommy's wonderful idea...here is a picture of you and Roxie Bear.

Mommy and Daddy agreed last night at dinner that we can hardly believe you have only been here for 2 months. For one thing it feels just like yesterday that we brought you home, yet at the same time it feels like we have known you forever. Just the other day you spent all day with Mommy, Aunt Julia and Nana taking Aunt Julia to the airport after her visit. Daddy had the day all alone at home and although he enjoyed watching TV and playing video games all day, he missed you terribly and was so happy to hold you when you got home.

You will not understand this for many MANY years to come but becoming a parent make you look back at all those memories of your childhood. I can remember a time that Daddy's father licked his thumb and used it to wipe some dirt of Daddy's face...I also remember thinking that when I become a parent I'll never do such an embarrassing thing to my own children. So with that said we just aren't going to talk about what happened last night when you had a little milk on your cheek. Let's just say your cheek got clean and Daddy failed at keeping that promise to his 7 year old self.


In the last week or so you really have started to become your own little person. Most of the time you no longer like being held facing Mommy or Daddy's chest. Instead you want to be held facing out which makes sense, since you recently started being able to focus those eyes on objects further than a few inches from your face. Most light fixtures and patterns on the walls have been closely scrutinized by you over the last couple of days....Daddy hopes you are not judging us as parents on all that dust. Also you have picked up a habit of getting very fussy/cranky just before you fall asleep. We agree that it is your way of showing your lack of enthusiasm for taking a nap as you might miss something important while you are asleep. Eventually you fall asleep anyway so don't worry that your parents aren't letting you get enough sleep. Now if only we can get you to sleep all the way through the night and we would be all set. Once battle at a time. Also you have a new friend, his name is Mr. Shower Curtain. In the last 2 weeks you have become fascinated with our dark blue shower curtain that has gold suns, moons and stars on it. Who knows...maybe a future astronomer or astronaut on our hands...or you might become a shower-curtainoligist...only time will tell!

We can't wait for spring to get here as it will fall right around the time we can start taking you outside to play in the grass, go for swimming lessons this summer, go for backpack hiking trips, and all sorts of other fun adventures to come. Also Mommy and Daddy are just sick of the snow! So take the snow...Lizzie says "my iron fist kung-fu shall defeat you snow... KAAPOW!!!"

We love you,

~Daddy & Mommy

Grammie Sue's visit pt. 2, Baptism, Aunt Julia's visit, & 8 weeks old

Dear Lizzie Sue,

Daddy's mornings just aren't the same anymore. Last week I slept-in until you (or mommy) woke me up. Then I'd take you downstairs, hand you to Grammie Sue, and go back upstairs to have coffee, take a shower, and get going for the day. Grammie Sue is back home in Pittsburgh and Mommy, Daddy, and you miss her tons! Having her and Gramps here to help around the house, help with you, and just hang out with at night was awesome.


On Thursday night your Godparents made it up to VT. Over the years, Penny and Tony have been like a 2nd set of parents for your Daddy, so Mommy & Daddy wanted to have them be involved in your life too. We all had some great dinners out together during their visit. And by all I mean us adults...you either slept or ate your own meals on your own schedule. Come Sunday Grammie Sue and Gramps were ready to get headed home, but first we had to have a Baptism.



So with the goal of a Baptism in mind, we took off to church to get the job done. Once there we met up with your Nana & Pops, Great Grammie, and Auntie Julia. It was a great service and you were an angel throughout the entire thing. You wore a 5 generation old baptismal gown. You wore it, Daddy wore it, Grammie Sue wore it, Grammie Sue's Mommy wore it, and Grammie Sue's Grandfather wore it...needless to say it's seen better days and I'll be shocked if it makes it another generation. Near the end of the baptism you let out one little squeak, to which someone in the congregation commented that a child who cries during a baptism is going to become a pastor. Just in case you aren't keeping track at home, so far we have a rockette, a violinist, a pianist or a pastor...any which way Daddy would be pretty happy.

After the service we all went back to the house and Gramps channeled his Polish mother and we had enough food ready to feed a small army. Everyone ate, everyone was happy, everyone was merry and you were passed around and well loved! The newest person to meet you during your life adventure was Aunt Julia. Yes she kinda looks like Mommy, but I'm pretty sure you could tell the difference pretty quickly.



Auntie Ju Ju has been staying with us for the week and she's been a huge help. Mommy's been working in the afternoon, Daddy's been at work all day, so Auntie Ju Ju's been taking care of you in the afternoon. She's enjoyed her time with you because it's all been practice before your cousin, Brooklyn, makes her appearance in June.

8 weeks, that's like almost 2 months...oh they grow up so fast. This week it seems like that light upstairs clicked on. Just the look in your eyes show us emotion, we can tell that brain of yours is racing, and you are a lot more alert when you are awake. Only a few weeks ago when you were in your car seat you could have been mistaken for a doll. Now there is no mistaking it...you are growing up and clearly going to be a little firecracker!!!

We love you,

~Daddy & Mommy

Future Jobs, Your 1st Superbowl, 7 weeks and Grammie Sue's visit pt 1

Dear Lizzie Sue,

Today you are 7 weeks old. I'll be honest, Daddy has a hard time with this whole weeks old, half a week old, 6 weeks and 2 days and 7 hours old...I'm much. more of a month and a half, or 2 months on the 24th. On a totally different note I want to let you know something and then ask you a question. Since Mommy has the right parts to do the whole feeding thing, changing diapers has become my job. Every time you wake up in the middle of the night to eat, I wake up to change you before mommy feeds you..I just wanted you to know I'm doing my part as your father. With t hat said, I have a question for you. How come you can lay there totally still while I take the old diaper off and clean you up and the moment I go to put a new diaper on you turn into one of the rockettes practicing your kick line? Of course if this lands you a future job as a rockette, keep it up...if not please help daddy out at 3am and stop kicking...Thanks!

In 7 weeks you've already had many first...and i'm not talking about all those fun ones like the first time you lift your head up or your first smile...i'm talking about the beer drinking, men burping, tv watching, football fan important firsts. You've watched your first steelers game (read as slept through), you've watched your first post season steelers game (read as slept through again), and you've watched your first supperbowl game, more importantly it was a superbowl with the steelers in it, and most importantly the steelers won!!!! Ok fine you slept through most of this game as well, but you were there! I know there are old wives tales about being born under a full moon or with an eclipse or a comet in the sky, yet I think being born in time to watch Big Ben throw a superbowl winning touch down pass to Santonio Holmes with less than a minute to go in the 4th quarter has to be some omen for you being a die hard steelers fan!!! Maybe you'll get a job working for the steelers and work at bumping up Daddy's name on the season ticket list.

This past sunday Grammie Sue and Gramps showed up to spend a whole week with you in VT. This was the first time they got to see you(their first grandchild) in person since facebook pictures and youtube don't count. Needless to say they were both wicked excited to hold you, love you, play with you, love you, feed you, love you, change you, love you, bathe you, love you, spoil you, and love you. In case you are a little slow on the uptake...they really really love you!!! Seeing Gramps wrap you up in his big arms and baby talk with you is awesome. Just last night he was holding you and giving you a bottle. He said "wow you are loud eater and all you do is sleep, fart and eat....just like me. Guess I'll have to teach you how to play cards just like me too!" I don't know about you but Daddy is excited for the day to see you sitting at a table playing card games with Gramps. Also Grammie Sue has been a life saver this week. Mommy just started going back to work in the afternoon and nights so instead of Daddy being all alone and totally lost, Grammie Sue has been around to help. There a few more days/nights work of Grammie Sue and Gramps's visit to go including your baptism and you meeting your God-parents too. Don't worry Daddy will write all about.

We Love you,

~Daddy

Lizzie Sue - Happy 1 Month

Dear Lizzie Sue,

Happy 1 Month Birthday today (ok fine 2 days ago, yes daddy is still a slacker)! Mommy came up with a great way for everyone to see how you are growing. Here is a picture of you with Roxie Bear.
Roxie Bear was given to you from a wonderful woman at Daddy's office. As you get bigger, Roxie Bear will stay the same size and we all will be able to see you grow over time.

So you are a month old, it feels like only yesterday we brought you home from the hospital. You have had a busy first month of your life, from the many different visitors at our house to your frequent trips to walmart and church. You also seem to be pulling a fast one over on everyone who meets you outside of the house. At church or when we run into friends you always are sound asleep and angelic. Nobody ever sees you at home when you are "encouraging" mommy to get ready to feed you faster or "motivating" daddy to get that diaper changed quicker.

You spent 4 nights at Nana and Pop's house, went shopping with Nana and Mommy, and spent a couple of nights falling asleep in Pop's or Great-Grammie's arms. You spent the two hour car ride, both times, out cold in a Mommy milk coma. If only we could travel with the cats and it was that simple. Also you just had a visit from Aunt Sarah and Uncle Matty. Daddy is an only child so your going to end up with tons of random aunts and uncles...get used to it.

Mostly you have spent this 1st month sleeping: be it swaddled, in your swing, wrapped up in receiving blankets, in sleep sacks, next to us in bed, in your co-sleeper, or laying on Mommy or Daddy's chest while we watch tv...yep you seem to enjoy your sleep...you get that from both of us! Just in case you think this next month will be boring, I'll let you in on a secret...your going to have a bunch more visitors this coming month. Aunt Julia will be here for a week and she'll be babysitting you while Mommy and Daddy are both at work. Also Grammie Sue and Grumps...I mean Gramps...will be here for a week too!

You are already starting to show your personality and seem to be more and more alert and intelligently processing things while you are awake. We can't wait to see what this next month brings as you seem to be changing ever day. We can't wait!

We love you,

~Mommy and Daddy

Lizzie Sue pictures

So I've gotten some messages about more pictures. So in case anyone is reading this and not friends with us on facebook here is a link to a bunch of pictures anyone can view.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020444&l=29599&id=70000700

Cheers,

~Keith

Happy Due Date

Dear Lizzie Sue,

Today is your due date, January 15th. Since you didn't get the memo I'll spell this one out for you. Today is the day that mommy is supposed to go into labor, go to the hospital, the stork drops you off for us and that makes means this is supposed to be your birth day. Don't get me wrong, we are very happy you decided to join us three weeks early, yet daddy was really hoping for 3 more weeks to get things done around the house. That's ok...we still love you!

So in this past week, you have had some new adventures. This past Sunday was your first Steelers game (don't worry they won!) Just like your mother, you slept through the entire first half of the game. It's ok the Steelers are a 2nd half team anyway. Since it is the playoffs, and they play again this sunday, we aren't going to let you be a jinx. So you will be wearing the same exact outfit you wore this past sunday.


Also Uncle Whitney came to visit. You should know that before this visit Uncle Whitney hadn't changed a diaper or given a baby a bath. You helped him check both of those items off of his birth control list. (I'll explain that when you are older). By the end of his visit he felt a lot more confortable with you in his arms. And now you are celebrating your Due Date at Nana and Pop's house for the weekend. Have no fear, you are being well loved this weekend!









Love,
~Mommy & Daddy

Lizzie Sue - 2 weeks

Dear Lizzie Sue,

Today you are 2 weeks old. One week and a day to your due date...Jan 15th, guess you had another plans. It feels like yesterday that your mother told me her water broke and 15 hours later you came rushing into our lives 3 weeks early. In such a short time, your mother and I have fallen deeply in love with you. Becoming a parent is a life changing event and I am so happy you are the change in our lives. In just 2 weeks you have already had great adventures such as explosive diapers, a trip to walmart, a visit to daddy's work, peeing while daddy attempts to change your diaper, doing 2 nights back at the hospital to get the yellow out, no longer sleeping on your back but instead only sleeping on your stomach on mommy's stomach, your first bath and the first time you lifted your head up all on your own. Here's to the adventures yet to be had...

We love you,

~Daddy

First Bath


















Nap time


















Lifting your head