Oh, How different they can be...

It is not just that my son and daughter are just that...male and then female. They are remarkably different in every way. Their entrance to the world strikingly opposite. Wyatt came quickly and with great ease. Addie took two trips to the hospital in 24 hours, getting my water broken, and pitocin. She was very high maintenance. It is not that Wyatt was never fussy, but oh how Addie's fussiness differs. Wyatt had the usual episodes here and there. Addie however seems to be as the doctor told me yesterday..."a miserable baby." Just what any mother wants to hear. Yesterday, I had to excuse myself after 30 minutes from a baby shower when the celebration of this new life to come was rudely interrupted by yours truly screaming nonstop. And there is the messy work. Wyatt never once spit up or had diaper rash in his first year of life. Addie has blisters on her bum and projectile vomits regularly. The only thing the two have in common is their looks, their dislike of the carseat, and two parents who will love them despite their difficulties!

Her First Pink Accessory

Sleeping Beauty

Pretty in Pink

Our Trial Day

Well, we came home from the hospital on Tuesday and David took the week off from school to help out. We are unable to have family in town until this coming Monday, so I am really glad David has been around to help with our adjustments to a family of four. Things are going well. Addie came out of her cacoon last night just in time for our bed time. She pretty much decided that as long as there wasn't any milk, she didn't want to be awake. So as soon as it came she wanted milk for about four straight hours while she enjoyed the world around her. Hopefully we'll help her figure out day and night soon! We go to the doctor at 11:30 today and I think all will be well. David has resumed a trial day of studying beginning at 9:00 this morning, so I am getting a chance to attempt the role of mom of two with help just a holler away in the basement. So far so good. I got a shower. A big accomplishment I suppose. Wyatt has clothes on and I think we are ready for the doctor already. Addie had a good hour of wakefulness this morning and has been napping. She'll eat soon and then we'll be off to the doctors where Wyatt proudly will introduce Addie to Dr. Birmingham. I suppose the first hour of my trial day is actually not off to a bad start considering I was able to write this post. I hope the rest is the same way, but I am expecting some hurdles. Hopefully tonight we will post some new pictures. Until then, pray the day goes well!

Wyatt meets Addie

Wyatt went to see Addie last night at the hospital. Mom and Addie were on the bed when we came in and after a few jumps to show off, Wyatt is quite a jumper now, he said, "I want up. I want to hold Addie." Notice the big smile on the big brother. Heather and Addie come home today. I am leaving in a few minutes to pick them up from the Hospital.

Couple of Pics for the Family

Adelaide Grace is Born

Addie and mom are healthy and doing well. Addie was born Nov. 5 at 9:34pm. She is 6lbs 12oz. and 19.5in. long.

Great Grandma Adelaide

Our little Adelaide is named after Heather's grandmother on her father's side.

Did she really give birth 12 hours ago?

How beautiful is my wife? Does she look like she gave birth to our second child 12 hours ago? I might have to look into this. She might be a mutant. You know, the superhero kind with special powers. I've always suspected.

Joys of a Summer Baby

Now I know the title of this entry seems a little contradictary for all who have had a summer birth. However, after having a summer birth already and now being 38 weeks pregnant in November, I am beginning to think heat isn't such a bad thing. For starters, you don't have to wear a lot of clothes. It seems that even though it is fall, I am burning up at any given point during the day unless I go outside in which case I am then freezing! Second, in your state of hugeness those maternity sweaters and such items that can keep you warm look awful regardless of how much weight you've gained. Finally, the biggest benefit to a summer baby...flip flops. Who knew that socks and shoes would be my arch enemy. I really don't think I can reach my feet without much pain on a good day, but then on those dreaded days of afternoon heartburn bending over becomes...well, let's just say impossible!

Man's Best Friend

Wyatt loves to play with "the kids" as he calls our young neighbor friends. As fall/winter temperatures arrive and the weather is chillier, I have fallen victim to wanting to stay in my warm cozy house all day long. Fine for me, boring for a kid. So on the occasion that I can't muster up the desire to get outside, Wyatt relies solely on his best friend "dog, dog" to be his playmate. I'll open up the back porch slider and he and Sierra will play outside. Sierra lasts about as long as any good dog would put up with torturing from a two year old. However, when she's ready to come in we end up with a very lonely boy. Wyatt will follow her around the house and order her to come outside again, "dog, dog sit outside...dog, dog sit outside!" They seem to have developed quite the love-hate relationship.

Yesterday, it seems I got roped in to a trip outside in 45 degree weather. Here are a few pictures from our adventures in the leaves.

Technology for Today

It seems that our parents are becoming hip youngsters in 2006. David was able to get a laptop for school this summer thanks to a generous supporter. He bought a mac. He has been a fan for a while and had some great experiences with it at the last church where he worked. We never owned one personally but knew that we would by one for our next computer which just so happened to be this summer. We are forever greatful. The even better news is that we have somehow turned our parents on to macs as well. It certainly helps to have grandchildren to persuade them of these things too. The laptop we bought has the capability to video chat...basically meaning we see and talk to each other live on the computer. Now of coarse no one really cared to video chat with just David and me, but they sure want to see Wyatt and lest we forget Sierra too.

David's mom and Bob bought one a month or so ago. Wyatt has seemingly lost all interest in talking to Grandma and Papa, Patch or Kev on the phone. He now says he wants to talk to them on the "puter". So, the family gets to see Wyatt in action which has been a tremendous amount of fun...and of coarse, not so fun for me, as I am constantly asked by all to give a glorious pregnant profile (maybe fun at twenty weeks...not 38). So, my parents have also purchased a mac laptop, and we too are video chatting. Meemaw, Papa, Teetee, Buncle, Mama Flo, and Papa Rudy all got to chat with us this weekend. Technology doesn't come without its glitches though. We seemed to have a little trouble last night connecting with Meemaw and Papa and Teetee, but we'll get it worked out soon.

Now the best part of all, Grandma and Papa from Ohio and Meemaw and Papa in California (all paying for these fine machines)...I hate to burst your bubble but Wyatt seems only to think, ask for, or talk about his one very short interaction video chatting with Teetee (who doesn't own and hasn't payed anything torwards a computer)! Somehow, in Wyatt's eyes, Teetee can't be beat when it comes to family! At times, even I, the one who gave birth to him, can run a distant second.

We love to see and talk to you all!

Seems like Forever

We are getting a lot of practice on patience and waiting around here. The baby is due in two and a have weeks, but somehow I seem to think she is coming earlier. Wyatt was born 14 days early, so it seems that I have convinced myself that she can't be born on or after her due date. Probably a bad idea to think so positively, but what is one to do in these last days? I have now been dialated to 3cm for ten days and am 50% effaced. Conditions really don't get a tremendous amount more primed for a baby to be born...but just not ours! Each day I wake up I seem to get more things done in preparation for her arrival. Of coarse, the general prep is done. If she came today, we have our plan for Wyatt and all the baby stuff together. I even have a bag pretty well packed this time. The neighbors are waiting for our call to take Wyatt and his bag is packed too. We are all ready. Everyone but the main attraction apparently.

I've been telling myself as I accomplish a task that I thought I'd get around to after the baby was born that God just must have been giving me this one extra day to make things even less stressful than they could be. But how much laundry can be done? How many times do the sheets need washing?

And, the question David really wants answered is how many more desserts will he be forced to exercise self control in before this baby pops out. The poor man can only take so much. I know it sounds wierd for a man to not want dessert but I have tortured him too much over the years. I'm the baker and he's the eater. By the time I'm done baking, I don't want to eat. But David hates turning away anything sweet and hot out of the oven.

I am at the point where I can't find many other things to prepare before she comes. So I suppose I need to just sit back and wait. And all who know me know that this is probably the hardest thing for me to do. As a young child, I couldn't wait to eat our new food from the grocery store until we got home. I had to try something in the car on the way home. To this day as an adult, I still have to try something on the way home. Patience is not my virtue. I suppose God decided that after 28 years of impatience, it is time for me to learn!

Happy Halloween!

This is Wyatt's third Halloween. It's hard to believe. The first one I vividly recall the onesie t-shirt with a pumpkin on it that he pooped through. It was a doozy! Last year Wyatt a dressed as a monkey to attend his neighbors party. We barely made it through the door and he pooped, so I had to take the whole costume off to change his diaper and try all over again! This year, thankfully, no poop. We had a very bad nap day, so we went trick or treating at 5pm. Wyatt once again was a monkey this year. He has entered his shy stage with strangers, so he wouldn't even say trick or treat. However, we did manage to get a thank you to all of our fun friends who passed out candy. We were home and in bed by 7pm. At least Wyatt was. I am on my way to try running a marathon or something to get the baby out of me!

Welcome Back!

We are sorry that our Fall 2006 update is coming to you midway through the semester, but I guess that is how things go. We are once again really enjoying our time here at Covenant and continue to experience God's grace and mercy in our lives in many new ways.

Our summer was busy but quite an experience. From week long power outages to traveling to California for six weeks...we really didn't have much down time. I took a new job this summer. As much as the coffee shop was a wonderful place to work and meet a variety of people to engage with, I decided a job that allowed me to be home in the evenings with Heather and Wyatt was the best fit. I work on campus in the Development Department working on donor relations. The job is a great fit and will hopefully be the best suited for when the baby comes. I really only worked a few weeks this summer before I was headed off to California for my internship with Harbor Presbyterian Church.

My experience at Harbor was invaluable. I was given the chance to basically follow really great leaders of a church planting movement and listen to their vision, learn from their wisdom, and offer and extra support and help when needed. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the summer except for the few weeks I had to spend apart from my family. If you would like to see more about Harbor Presbyterian Church, check out their website at www.harborpc.org.

This semester I am taking some great classes and continue to grow from the great wisdom and knowledge of the professors here. I already feel like I am swimming in a pool of things to do that won't be finished by the time our daughter is born, so keep me in your prayers. She is due November 21st and I hope that I will be able to finish a lot of work before then.

Heather is doing well and anxiously awaiting the birth of our little girl. She is hoping for a Wyatt-like arrival (two weeks early)! Keep her in your prayers as she recovers from a fall down the basement stairs. Nothing happened to the baby, but she has a sprained ankle as a result. These last few weeks of pregnancy with a sprained ankle have been rough.

On a lighter note, a great friend of mine from Covenant and I will be traveling to Chicago this coming weekend to run the Chicago Marathon. We have been training since last spring and are very eager to enjoy the race!

Be sure to scroll down to read some of our more recent fall experiences. There are some fun pics of Wyatt from the summer and the fall. We will surely be updating you withing the next month or so when the baby comes! Until then, thank you again for your prayers and continued support during this great journey. We want it, we need it, and we are so grateful for it!

God Bless,

David

The Poopsmith

(an old potty picture)

Today Wyatt said he wanted to poop in the potty. His usual morning poop hadn't taken place yet, so I thought what the heck let's give it a try (we've been practicing for quite some time). Wyatt sat on the potty for over thirty minutes while watching a video and eating a fruit leather from Trader Joe's. He really was trying...we even heard the gas to prove it, but still nothing! He kept standing up looking to see if he made "plop plops" but nothing ever appeared. Eventually, however, he stood up and we saw YELLOW! Wyatt did it...well, not the poop, but he pee peed in the potty for the first time! He was so excited that he did it, so he picked up the bowl and carried it to the potty and dumped and flushed. It was an exciting day. About thirty minutes after the diaper was put on, Wyatt finally pooped...little pebbles. The poor guy. We picked the worst poop to experiment on. The little guy just couldn't get it out!

CLICK BELOW FOR SOME ADDED AUDIO ENTERTAINMENT...Wyatt's choice!

http://www.overtherhine.com/music/mp3rarity/Poopsmith.mp3

Big Boy Bed!

Earlier this summer we posted a picture of the big boy bed when we brought it into Wyatt's room. It has been in there for months now, and we've just been waiting for the perfect time to introduce it to him. After all of the summer travels and returning back to St. Louis I decided that this past weekend would be the best time to transition. And by transition...I do mean basically...kick Wyatt out of the crib to make room for the baby. So, on Friday night, David took Wyatt outside and I moved the crib into the baby's room and set it up for her. We basically took the approach that Wyatt wasn't allowed to get out of the bed and he'd have to ask for us to come and let him get out of the bed. We expected we'd have some disciplining to do, but our expectations were quite wrong. I had never thought that Wyatt would cry about the big boy bed. I just thought he'd try to sneak out and we'd have to spank him. Well, when we put him down Friday night he said he wanted to sleep in the baby's room because his crib was in there and when we put him in the big bed...he went bolistic. He was so upset! My heart sank and I had know idea what to do. David of course asked a very Davidlike question..."Have you read anything about this?" My response, "yes, but about three months ago...i have spent more time talking to other moms." So, we bunkered down and sang "You are my Sunshine" about fifteen times until he settled down a bit. David laid on the edge of the bed and I rubbed his back while we sang. We told him he had to stay in his bed, we loved him, and walked out the door. He cried about one minute and never got out and slept the whole night through. The picture above is from the morning after we woke up.

Naptime...a little different. On Saturday, we put him down and he cried a little and then started playing in his bed. He hadn't go out...yet. David was studying in his office and I was lying in bed when all of a sudden I hearn a loud pitter patter of feet. I told David and he ran upstairs and while he was en route I heard a quick paced pitter patter once again. David opened the door and Wyatt was trying to climb back in bed looking over his shoulder with a look of fear when daddy walked in. David said, "Don't you get out of that bed!" And our little boy melted in his daddy's arms because he had messed up. David said goodnight and closed the door, and Wyatt hasn't climbed out since then!

He loves to sleep in the big boy bed at night, but naps are another story right now. He just has a harder time falling asleep in a different bed when it is daylight. He's not climbing out and for that we are very thankful!!!! I am sure he'll grow into a more solid nap in the big bed soon enough.

Until then, David and I feel like our first baby is truly not a baby any more. I really felt like crying that first night, but I am so proud of our little man!

(Picture to come...we are having technical difficulty.)

Eckart's Farm

On Sunday, Wyatt was still suffering the effects of cough and runny nose, so we kept him out of the nursery at church. Thankfully, his demeanor hasn't really changed. So, we went apple picking at Eckart's Farm about 30 minutes out into the country. We saw goats and cows and other fun animals. Wyatt even attempted to feed them by hand. We took a tractor out to the apple orchard and had a great time picking Green Delicious, Jonathan's, and Sun Crisp apples. I think on Tuesday we'll make our apple pie. After
that, we hopped on the tractor and rode to the pumpkin patch where we picked a great pumpkin. I took Wyatt to Wal-mart the day before and tried to get a pumpkin but they didn't have any, so I made it up to him by taking him to the patch. He was very excited! We took the tractor back to pay for our apples and Wyatt enjoyed a nice snooze on the way home.

Towers

Wyatt discovered the novelty of building towers last Christmas when he was given a set of blocks that Pop from Tennessee made him. Since then, his towers have evolved from three or four block stacks to some rather intricate castle like structures. He will sit for 45 minutes by himself just to keep working on a tower...and of course the inevitable happens...the tower falls and he just starts all over again.