Tag Archives: love

22 Memories From My 22nd Month Since Going Dad

Only two more monthly memories posts after this one until I take a different approach. Much like the memories, I’ll never stop sharing, but we only have a finite amount of time each day, and an increasing number of memories will take more than I’m willing to use. Plus, it’s better spent making new memories with my family.

Our little flower is blossoming more and more, and just like I’ve probably said in the past several all of these posts, growing so fast and doing so much! Well, like I said, there’s only a finite amount of time, so I’ll get to it.

1. Right after we got back from our Colorado family vacation, Mommy had to go on a business trip and was gone for almost a week. This was the longest time we spent apart, and we missed her dearly.

2. In order to get our Mommy/Wifey fix, we utilized Skype each night. It was always late, but I’d sit on the kitchen floor with you as video-chatted together. Of course, you’d hardly sit still, but you did give kisses to Mommy through the phone.

3. Before school was back in session, we made use of the playground at the elementary school nearby. You climbed up the equipment and went down the slide non-stop for the first time and obviously had a blast.

4. Then, as school started and everyone was posting pics of their kids’ first day, we rubbed it in that it was just another fun day together at our house.

5. While Mommy was still away, I brought you over to our friend’s house to try out their trampoline. As active as you’ve become, I thought you’d easily get right to jumping, but it turned out that you must be afraid of being above ground.

Yeah, I'm fine right here, thank you.
Yeah, I’m fine right here, thank you.

6. At least you had fun playing catch with their dog. I think he enjoyed it too!

Throwing ball to Arkus

 

7. I captured my favorite picture of you to date and had it printed and framed using Pictli. Now we have it right above the sink to enjoy each day.

my sunday photo, #MySundayPhoto, toddlers, parenting

 

8. Mowing with you had always been tedious as I didn’t feel safe having you outside as I cut the grass, but with Mommy gone, I decided to give it a try. Turned out to be no problem!

9. Keeping with the “firsts” trend, we walked around our .4 mile loop together in our Soft Star Shoes. That was the most you walked at once and you did great!

10. You wouldn’t keep anything in your crib for the longest time, but this month you finally gave in and accepted the company of your My Happy Pillow bear. Yay progress!

11. Something that has yet to change, is your crazy demon stare into the monitor as you resist sleep.

12. Since you did so well on the school playground equipment, I thought I’d bring you to another playground to climb up and slide on. Instead, your fear of heights came out and you wouldn’t even allow me to go through the obstacles with you. Regression!

13. One of our neighbors was giving away their playhouse and swing set with a slide, and thanks to Mommy for seeing the post, we got it! Only problem was, our slightly sloped backyard made it hard to find a good spot to put it. Until then, we just used the slide by itself where I would lift it with you at the top and Mommy caught you at the bottom.

14. It used to be that we had to read a book out loud during dinner while simultaneously feeding you, but now you enjoy reading the books yourself. And you eat much better too!

15. After going back and forth, we finally settled on a good spot for your playhouse. Now that it’s together, Mommy and I wind up pushing you on the swing and helping you down the slide every day. Sometimes you even try to swing by yourself!

DSC_2692

16. We knew it was coming, and this was the month it happened, you started saying “No” to us. Let this mark the beginning of the backtalk. I hear it ends right around after college….

17. With all of the outside playing, we think you were bit around the diaper lining area which seemed like nothing major at first, but turned into a staph infection. We spent our Labor Day at the ER having it drained and cleaned. Thankfully you’re all better now, but that means all 3 of us have had a bout of MRSA this year. I think Mommy’s love helped your recovery a lot!

Mommy's Comfort in Hospital

18. Randomly, I took your diaper off at an attempt to start potty training you with a method I read about. Several pee puddles later, that was the last attempt for now. We’ll try again once you’re 2 years old. 🙂

19. Feeling confident that you were ready to attempt the trampoline again, I brought you to the Urban Air Trampoline Park. You started off timid, but with the help of the bigger kids, you finally warmed up!

20. Every time we try to comfort you after a little fall, because you’re upset, or something big like staph, we always say “It’s okay.” by habit. Well, you picked up on it and now you say it all the time. When you’re really frustrated or scared, you’ll say itsokay really fast with a strained voice. It’s funny, sad, and, well, funny again.

21. Mommy taught you how to be even more adorable (how is that possible?) by putting your hands to your cheeks. Cuteness galore!

hands-to-cheeks

22. And finally, one of the best animal noises you’ve done up to this point is the bear/lion sound. You make the best (and cutest) roar ever!

Time can be a real jerk for never slowing down, so it’s up to us parents to make the most of our time together. Getting hugs from Avery is the best feeling in the world, unless, that is, it’s getting hugs from Avery and my wife. We have a family hug almost every day that I wouldn’t trade for anything else.

Now I’m off to make more memories, see you back here in another month!

What is your kid currently doing or recently done that you absolutely love/hate? Please share, I’d love to hear!

“Nothing Gold Can Stay” Debunked: #MySundayPhoto – 08.23.15

Other than the pictures from our family vacation in Colorado, we have been eased up on the picture taking as of late. Maybe because we’ve felt it a bit excessive in the past, or just that Avery’s so active that we’d rather spend the time playing with our growing girl.

Whatever the case, I am absolutely in love with this picture and glad I took the time for a few shots (while playing) to get it. This was one of those pictures you don’t even realize you captured until going back and looking at them later. My wife and I were both in awe of this one.

 

my sunday photo, #MySundayPhoto, toddlers, parenting

 

My heart fills warm with love and I turn speechless every time I look at this photo. How much she has grown in just the past few weeks is unreal, exciting, as well as a little depressing. It makes me think of the poem, Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost, and how it’s both right and wrong.

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Right, because obviously so many beautiful things in life come and go every day. A newborn baby is only newborn for so long until they get older and older and older until they’re taking care of the couple that raised them.

Wrong, because, as you can see, pictures will forever capture that one “Gold” moment enabling it to “Stay” or last forever. Plus, that newborn baby will continue to be golden in so many ways throughout life.

Whoa! What happened? I feel like Will Ferrell in the debate scene from Old School where he snaps out of it after his winning debate. Even a pun-loving guy like myself has serious deep thoughts at times.

Anyway, I’ve gone on too long, but just wanted to say how much I love this picture I’m happy to have it for us to enjoy even as she continues to grow.

Do you have a certain photo that totally captivates you?

What do you think about the saying “Nothing gold can stay”?

 

OneDad3Girls

Red-Hot and Blue-tiful: #MySundayPhoto – 07.26.15

My wife was out in our backyard with Avery following her every move the other day and both were keeping quite busy. It was hot, as usual, but it didn’t seem to slow our little busy toddler down a bit. Kelley brought the camera outside to snap a few shots and ended up capturing this close-up of her red-hot cheeks and beautiful blue eyes.

mysundayphoto

 

Another job well done by my wife for getting such a great shot. Maybe I’m a biased parent, okay, I am (aren’t we all?), but her stare goes right through you. Not in a scary “I’m going to haunt you.” kind of way, but more of a “Hi, I’m cute, will you play with me?” way.

I love her deep stare photos, and it never gets old staring right back into her vibrant blue eyes.

Does your kid’s face turn bright red after playing outside?

Do you have a favorite “deep stare” photo of your kids?

 

OneDad3Girls