Super Baby, Monkey, and Speed Racer

 Super Baby

 Monkey in the Tree

Speed Racer

Yesterday Aunt Maegan and Becca did another photo shoot. These might be the best yet. Connor was a great sport (as always). We need to print all these scenes we do and make a book or something... These pictures make me soooooo happy!

Little Poseidon

We all know that  Linear B tablets show that Poseidon was venerated at Pylos and Thebes in pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, but he was integrated into the Olympian gods as the brother of Zeus and Hades. Okay fine, maybe nobody knows that, or cares, but we can certainly all agree that...

This kid is awesome. On Friday night Becca and Aunt Venus had a photo shoot. Connor, the little Greek God, was up for the challenge and came through with flying colors. Again. He's up to about 12 pounds now and really aware of what's going on.

**While he is much more aware, he might not have known his mom put him in the mouth of a blue ceramic fish that cost $60 at Hobby Lobby. And the people who end up buying that fish after we return it today will probably have no idea what's been inside that fish's mouth.

Picture and a Video

Here is a picture of Becca and I a couple months ago. We visited Enchanted Rock for the weekend. Everyone told her that a 9 month pregnant lady shouldn't be hiking. We not only made it to the top but we also went into a cave. We do what we want!

Plus...

Here is a video of Connor waking up in the morning.
It's from last week: Talking Up a Storm and Double Sneeze Video

Six Weeks, Six Hours

Six weeks have flown by...

Connor has been here for about a month and a half now. He is getting so so so so big! Becca said he's going through a birth spurt right now, eating all the time. He's also super tall already. Watching him grow everyday has been one of the greatest joys of my life.

Six Weeks...

Six Hours.

Two Little Lines

Sometimes I try to remember the afternoon Becca told me she was pregnant. I was outside doing yard work waiting for Becca to come outside so we could head to lunch. It must have been a Saturday. She opened the garage door and called me inside.

In the living room she was standing there looking at me. With no build up, out of the blue, she said, "I'm pregnant." All I remember is this light headed floating feeling mixed with disbelief. Time seemed to freeze up. Then we hugged and I could hear David Gray's Tidal Wave playing the background from the iopd. It was such a great and scary moment.  

After that I demanded another test. Becca cried (happy tears) and we talked a lot and headed up to Target, picked up a two pack. Then stright to our favorite old haunt, Jason's Deli. Becca went and sat down and I asked her, "What are you doing? The bathroom is that way... Go take the test!" I needed confirmation, and I needed it immediately. She ended up waiting until we got home. Took the second, and got that life changing second line.

I needed a third. The next morning she hit three for three. Then it happened: I was a believer. I was going to be a dad. I was... scared.

It sort of reminds me of the poem Easter, 1916 by Yeats...

All changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.

Of course he wasn't talking about children headed into the world and nothing was terrible about it. But it pops into my head when I think back. It's so hard to remember life back then, that is to say life before Connor. It's hard to remember a time when I didn't love something so much in a way I never could have imagined.

Those two little lines changed everything. In the best way.

Connor's Crazy Mom

Here is a picture of Connor's crazy mother playing in our bluegrass band. She is playing a washboard with the spoons. And by washboard I mean the centerpiece from our coffee table strung around her neck with a coat hanger. Connor's Uncle Scott sounded pretty good on the banjo as well.

*It actually sounded pretty good. Garden Ridge might have a new market they could explore.

Still Smiling

Last night Connor got all snuggled up in his little wrap blanket. It was a busy weekend and he had to endure listening to his parents play Settlers of Catan and band practice with the Southerlands. Somehow he was still smiling Sunday night!

Four Friday Pictures

Becca on the hammock in the backyard. One of my favorite pictures.

Close up of Connor snuggled up in his blue blanket.

The first time I ever gave Connor a bottle. We both love striped T-shirts!

                  My little guy!

It Does a Body Good

Connor had his five week check up yesterday at the Birthing Center. He's quickly closing in on 12 lbs. That comes out to about a pound a week. This kid loves milk and it's certainly doing his body good. Becca tells me all the time he's getting fat like I was as a baby (I was very, very chunky). I tell her that's a good thing. That way he can end up 220 lbs like me. Of course, I've decided that's way too much and now want to get down to 210. So in a way, he's coming up and I'm going down.

What else??? Hmmm...

Connor has started laughing and smiling more. It comes in little flashes and it's easy to miss. But there's just nothing better in the world. The other day Becca and I were talking about ways to make extra money. I had several ideas, some better than others.

I said, "Maybe it's time I finally started my male modeling career that I've been putting off."

The SECOND I said that Connor started laughing really hard and smiling. Becca also started laughing at me. Geez-not a single supporter. We'll see what Expecting Mothers Monthly has to say about that. I've submitted the following picture to them. Fingers are crossed.

Connor's Aunt Maegan. She's Pretty Cool.

This is a picture of me and Connor's aunt Maegan. They met for the first time last Friday, though I've been sending her pictures and videos for the last month. Somehow I don't have a picture of this yet. She made several threats to steal Connor but I couldn't blame her. I just made sure to keep the two in eye sight. I can immediately tell she's going to be an awesome aunt and I'm thrilled about this. Anyway, Connor also thought she was really cool and she designed a football scene for him to be in.

Last night we got a text that she's already getting materials ready for our next photo shoot. It's hard to express how grateful I am that Connor has such a wonderful group of family members and friends that support us and him. It's been such an amazing experience to see how much love and joy can come from this little guy. Everyday it seems like we have people over and experiences and it's been really good. It makes me feel very thankful to Connor and Becca.

Dog Meets Boy

Connor (human) and Macy (dog) have a good relationship. Connor lets Macy lay on him and lick his face. In exchange for this, Macy lets Connor receive the lion's share of attention. It's a pretty good trade off.

It took Macy a couple weeks to figure out what was going on. At first she thought Connor was an alien dog without fur. They are about the same size and neither of them can walk. So it makes sense. Gradually Macy realized he never goes outside and his barking sounds a lot like a baby crying. So she put two and two together.

Last week she tried eating one of his diapers. I walked in and found the diaper on the floor, partly chewed up and open. I decided no further punishment was necessary. She probably bit off more than she could chew on that one. Pun intended.

Touchdown!

We've had a big weekend visiting Gramma and Grandpa McCoy and Mema Judy. We watched lots of football and had some heated croquet tournaments. Connor was spoiled rotten and was held the entire time. He got lots of kisses and hugs. And an awesome photography session!

Last night my sister Maegan and Becca created this football scene. We've all been wanting to start making little scenes like this for a while. There are several good ideas floating around for scenes to put Connor in. Such as:

Beach 

Gladiator

Bookworm

Pirate

Firefigher/Police Officer

Scuba Diver

We are also taking requests. The possiblities are endless with a kid this cute! 

Last Night by the Fire

Show me a cuter baby... I dare you.

Papi and Mimi (sp?)

Last night Becca's parents came over to visit. They really love Connor. They have let us know that they would like to be called "Papi and Mimi."

Well... I'd like to be called "not too sure about those names."

But I guess that, considering the fact that they are amazing in-laws and grandparents, they can be called whatever they want.

In the Line of Fire: Changing Diapers

Changing diapers is always a treat, truly my favorite part of the day. About a week ago Connor developed a small rash on his butt. So now we've made the joyful act of cleaning pee and poop even better by including a butt paste that must be smeared on to each cheek before frantically locking that diaper back on.

Here's the crazy part:

The process now includes, and this is just after putting the butt paste on, putting your (read: my) face about three inches from his butt and blowing to dry everything off. This puts you directly into the line of fire (two lines of fire depending on how you look at it) for about ten unnerving seconds. What won't we do in the name of love???

And I do not use the "pee-pee-tee-pee." I am living dangerously.

My Favorite Picture. My Favorite Video.

The collection of pictures and videos of Connor seem to be snowballing each day. Sometimes I think we are taking too many pictures of this whole adventure but then I imagine him off in college one day. That will leave me with lots of time to go back through and read and laugh and look at all this... maybe even cry a little. I do feel that I'm getting more sentimental each and every day.

So the picture up there is our first sonogram. It was taken at a few months old and they are the only sonogram pictures we have. He as about the size of a golf ball. Now he's the size of a watermelon. A 22 inch watermelon that is. It is definitely one of my favorite pictures.

Below is a my favorite video. It was taken about three hours after his birth. Becca finally fell asleep for a little while and I was still wired and running on adrenaline. Connor and Becca look absolutely beautiful. This video is short but definitely a keeper:

Watch Video Here

Spoiled. Rotten.

The most common question we get is:
A) How did he get so cute? (god made him that way, duh!) and
B) How is he sleeping?

He does sleep. Let's get that part clear. How much he sleeps is the gray area. This kid is an expert at falling asleep, staying asleep, being cute while he sleeps. But only if, and this is a big IF, someone is holding him. If (god forbid) Connor wakes up to find he's been stolen away to a swing, bassonet, blanket on the floor, or bed, you can strike all the good stuff I just said from the record.

One recurring piece of advice we'd always hear when Becca was still pregnant: You can't spoil a baby.
Well I beg to differ. This kid is spoiled. Spoiled. Rotten.

Becca lets me know he sleeps about four hours at a time at most. I don't know this because I sleep on the couch in the movie room on week nights. On weekends I'm back in the bedroom, but usually sleep through whatever kind of game that kid decides to play around 3am. My wife refers to my nightly sojourns to the movie room as "Daddy going out of town."

Sunday night rolls around and you'd think I'd be headed on a red eye to Boston for the week. Becca lets Connor know I'm packing up and leaving for the week. Of course Connor just sleeps through it. That is, of course, as long as someone's holding him.

Sweet Judy Lee

               At Magnolia Cafe circa 2012

*I love to keep secrets. One secret I've kept is that I once had a band called Alabaster Jar. My ill-fated band performed (read: played once at an apartment) back in 2007. A music video DOES exist and if you keep reading you will find a link...

Connor had a great weekend. Saturday his great-grandmother, Mema Judy, came to visit. She has been a huge blessing to our lives. Every diaper this little guy wears, and there a lot of them, comes from Mema. She also buys us wipes. She also can get everything she needs from a Walmart and be out the door in five minutes flat. No joke-it's in the music video. 

So without further ado, here is the music video that Becca and I made a few years ago for Mema. I wrote the music and lyrics after observing her unique behavior for over 20 years. She is my favorite grandmother. 

Watch the Sweet Judy Lee music video here

*admittedly, wildly inappropriate and not for children. you have been warned*

Happy Birthday Connor, From Becca

Dear Connor,

You are one month old today. I know for moms and dads who have children who are two months, or two years, or 20 years, one month seems like nothin'. But for me, your mom, who could hold you forever while you're sleeping, listening to your innocent breaths and smelling your sweet skin, one month seems like a lifetime.

It seems like only yesterday I was standing in the kitchen, happy tears flowing, trying with all my might to get the sounds out of my mouth in order to tell your dad that before the year was over, we would become a family of three. By the way, that is also the number of pregnancy tests dad made me take before he finally believed me.

What I've learned over the past month is that no class, book, or person could ever prepare you enough for becoming a mommy or daddy for the first time. It is not possible to understand how tired you will be. How much you will worry. And how much you will delight in the spontaneous facial expressions your newborn makes while they are sleeping. Don't even get me started on those cute sneezes...

So, while I am heartbroken that you are already a month old, and that before I know it you will be as tall, or taller than your dad, I am so excited of all the precious moments we will share in month two.

Love,
Your mom, who is typing this with one hand and holding you close to my heart with the other!

Oh When the Saints...

Watch the Music Video Here

It turns out Connor loves old-timey Americana music. Mema came over to visit today and we played this song for her and Connor; we start slow and then play it faster each time. We are trying to expand the repertoire. Our second favorite song to play is Sweet Chariot and third is Old Time Religion. This kid might turn out a musical genius. Or not. 

Time will tell. 

Morning Time = Sugar Time

Becca just sent me this video at work.

Watch Video Here

My guess is that morning time when Connor wakes up (around 10am) is the best because that's when the sugar supply is the highest. My working theory is that Connor is always producing sugar for us to get but the reserves are highest in the morning. He's like a little nectar crock pot that works all night to cook up some good sugar.

Alas I'm usually gone by 10am. In fact I'm gone by 7am, but that means I get home around 4pm everyday. Usually a couple naps have occured and there is sugar to be had. This is good news for me. I give Connor lots of kisses and get the sugar but he usually just looks at me like I'm a crazy fiend trying to find sugar. Becca does it with much more grace and he smiles. She definitely is the one who can make him smile. I have, however, become a master of producing a "Not the Mama face" from the baby a la the hit show Dinosaurs. Don't pretend like you don't remember this.


Even better news is that today is Friday and that means the weekend is starting and that means I'll be home sleeping-in and that means sugar time!

Video Update: Sneezes

We all know babies do cute things. My personal favorite thing Connor does is sneezing. Sometimes they come in pairs, sometimes a solitary sneeze. Either way it's one of the cutest things on earth. He also does some pretty decent smiling (attempts) in this video...

Watch the Video Here

Growth and Mircales

This kid is getting big. He seems to be gaining weight steadily and rapidly at this point. But what's really cool is how tall he's getting. Those long fingers and toes make me wonder what shoe size he'll end up with one day.

Last night he weighed about 9 1/2 pounds. Huge! Of course I weighed that AT BIRTH, but still... the kid gets some credit. I wonder if all dads like to hang on to the "I'm bigger and stronger... brought you into this world, take you out of this world" mentality for as long as possible. Of course that's a losing battle! I can't wait until we can start training sports and wrestling and boxing and lifting weights together... It will be fun to watch him grow big and strong until one day he will bench 350 and I'll say, "You know son, one day I could do that..." And of course he won't be all that impressed.

But that's a great thing. The miracle of birth continues through the miracle of growth. Sure he's gonna grow up too fast and I'm gonna blink and he's gonna be six, but each day I get to watch him grow is a blessing.

Last night I was holding his little head in my hands and was awed by the idea that this person started out as a single cell. Ten months later and a few million cells later, there's this miracle of life. When it's all said and done he'll have hundreds of trillions of cells. That's amazing to think about! Life really is the greatest miracle of all.

Let's just hope I can remember all this when he needs a bigger pair of shoes (read: 25 bucks) every three months for the next 12 years!

The Week in Numbers: Week Three

Becca's feeding and I'm typing. This weeks list comes mostly from Becca. This weeks list is mostly about bodily functions. This weeks list might be slightly uncalled for.

Weight Gained: 1 lb
Weight lost by Becca: 27 (if she weighs in the morning. I guess that's important.)
Inches grown: I don't know. A lot.
Minutes at the boob: 49 hours
Diaper blowouts: 7
Diaper blowouts requiring a change of sheets: 3
New friends made: 14
Cute farts: 109
Songs learned on guitar: 0
Not-cute farts that Michael did and blamed on Connor: 31
Tentative encounters with Macy: 13
Trips to the doctor: 0

And from me...

Job applications turned in: 0

*Seriously, this kid continues to be a drain on my resources. I don't expect him to have a job yet, what with the economy and all, but he can at least turn in a few apps. He sleeps late everyday, monopolizes large chunks of my time, and loves napping. I'm not even entirely sure this kid's employable.

**Good thing he's so cute. I think I'm gonna have to hang onto him.