Teammates!

Spring has finally arrived on Delmarva. Soon we'll be complaining that it's too hot! Springtime home preparations are significantly accelerated this year given the nearing arrival of Kemba. There is lots to do and Julia has tried to help every step of the way! She even helped make her first snowman when 3" of snow interrupted our Spring a couple weeks ago.
On Monday I picked Jules up at daycare and told her that we needed to stop at Home Depot before going home. Part of me was expecting a tantrum of some sort. It was a nice day and I knew she wanted to go home and play outside. On the contrary, her response was to throw both arms in the air as she let out a loud "YEAH!"

I wanted to buy some manure and vegetables for the garden. As she sat in the nursery area, atop a pallet of mulch, I was loading the cart up with forty pound bags of sweet manure. She asks, "Daddy, what's that?" My answer of manure was not sufficient, so I elaborated that it was poop that we were going to mix into the garden because it makes the vegetables grow big. She accepted that answer, but later I realized that I may have to explain later on why we don't poop in the garden. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it!Next, we went to pick out veggies. There were two other Dads there, each with a child around Julia's age. One child was running around like a maniac as dad filled his cart. The other was whining the entire time. But not my princess! Julia was by my side, picking out veggies, asking all sorts of questions and giving plenty of input:

• "What does that plant do?"
• "Can we get more tomatoes? I like those!"
• "That one looks sick. Let's get this one instead"
• "Are those peppers spicy? You like spicy peppers, don't you?"

We head over to the checkout and my little girl is standing there, hands on her hips and proud as a peacock. You see, she felt like she picked out each plant herself and she placed each one in the cart. I was standing, waiting our turn and actually thinking that it doesn't get much better than this...she was such a good girl! Little did I know that she was about to BLOW MY MIND!

She turns to me, hands still on her hips and says, (and I quote exactly!) "You know Daddy, you and I make a good team!" Then she walks around to the front of me, puts her arms around me, gives me a big hug and say, "I love you so much Daddy!"

The cashier had to call for the stock boy in the back to bring the mop and bucket up, because she melted me right there. The other ladies in line with us were beside themselves. There are moments in your life that you never forget. Most are major milestones or changes, but for me, few things top this moment. I will be able to hear those 16 words clear as a bell, feel the warmth of the day and smell that sweet manure in my memories for the rest of my life!We came home and Jules helped me till in the manure. We're planting this weekend if Mother Nature allows and I know she'll be by my side, up to her elbows in dirt and loving every minute of it! I also know that Courtney and I are raising this little girl the right way...not bad for a couple amateurs!

Now Kemba on the other hand...we'll see. He's starting off by trying to enter this world ass backwards! Stay tuned!

-Andy

Julia's Big Girl Room

It's complete...well, except for curtains, but that's not my department! Julia has been so awesome about giving up her room for her little brother and she is really excited about her new room. Seems my strategy was right on!
We dealt with some minor curve balls, but overall it came together well. I was pleased with the trim. Best part was that we used decorative florets at the joints so that we didn't have to cut any 45 degree angles.The new windows went in without any problems. It's one of those projects that sound really complicated and even scary, but it's really easy! I did them all by myself...no help. It took about 2 hours for me to put three windows in, but that was mostly because of the trim work once they're in.

Without a doubt, Julia's favorite part is bouncing on her new big girl bed. She's growing up so fast! I am truly enjoying this age!!! It's great that she gets offended if you don't let her help with chores...I need to figure out how to make that mentality last into the teens! Here she is helping Mommy sew some curtains.
The other day, I asked Julia "who fixed up your new room?" She responded, "Daddy". I asked if anyone else helped and she said, " Papa, Uncle Louie and Uncle Brent." I was highly impressed with her memory. Yeah...she's probably smarter than me!

Special thanks to Papa, Louie and Brent. A lot of work went into this room and we got it done in good time thanks to all the help we got!

Now...what's the next project?

-Andy

OH BOY!!! Another Project!

Momma says that we need to get cracking on remodeling our third (and final) bedroom. This new baby is going to be here before we know it and we need to be ready! We have decided that the nursery will remain the nursery and Julia will get a brand new room...she is the princess after all!

This room is easily the coldest room in the house. It's on the northwest corner and has trees blocking what little sun it might see during the day. It does have a fabulous view of the lake though.
Courtney and I kick the project off by spending Martin Luther King Day stripping wallpaper. We actually did a great job...and by the way, the mixture of white vinegar and hot water is great for removing wallpaper and a lot cheaper than chemical removers!We finish stripping all four walls and Courtney is just whooped...we are admiring our work and I start thinking...that's where it gets dangerous. Our house was built in 1927. So I start wondering if there is any insulation in the walls at all. After performing a highly scientific "hammer test" it is determined that my suspicions were correct.

Well my little princess needs a warm room! So yesterday, we started stage two of the project. We removed the plaster in two walls, installed insulation and began hanging new drywall. My goal was to get all the drywall hung and we're a little less than half way there. All in all, I couldn't be more pleased with the progress.
Now that baby is coming quickly and I couldn't be happier. I have so much to teach him...plumbing, electrical, insulation, flooring, drywall, painting. The things that I've taken on in this house (with the help of some fantastic friends and family) are really starting to impress me. Now Julia is a big help, but I'm sure he will take it to the next level.Oh yeah...It's a BOY!!! Here's the photographic evidence...a view from the bottom. Let's the hope the ultrasound tech wasn't wrong. It looks pretty clear to me! Julia will soon be terrorized by a little brother. Boy oh boy is her world about to change.
But she is still and always will be my princess. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for that beautiful child...wouldn't you agree?

-Andy

Preparing for Christmas...in Pictures

Anyone who has been reading this blog knows that Jules is our BIG helper! Part of my motivation has become gathering as much evidence of her helpfulness as possible so that when she becomes old and defiant, I can use it to make my case.
When she is ready to help...she's ready to help. The tool belt is fully loaded for whatever obstacles those pesky decorations might throw our way!
Julia and her Partner in crime Mia are scoping out the tree! There are times when I think that Jules and Mia are definitely working together. For example, every morning Julia asks me to carry her downstairs and then Mia proceeds to try to take my legs out. This has been going on for 2 1/2 years now and I'm convinced that they won't stop until then succeed!
I have so many fond memories of helping my dad hang up the F#$%#&G lights. Pretty sure Julia learned a couple new words during this exercise. Mommy was pretty annoyed with me!
Julia is an equal opportunity helper...although truly a Daddy's Girl...here she is helping Mommy hang the Red Sox Candy Cane Ornaments.
Believe it or not, I'm struggling a bit in this photo. Homegirl is getting BIG! Only problem is that she's all about Daddy picking her up and climbing on me. One of these days I'm going to get hurt!
Here we are checking the NORAD update on Santa's progress on Christmas Eve. Everything is ready for his arrival and wouldn't you know it...Julia got everything that she wanted! This was easily my second best Christmas ever! Tough to top the year that Santa brought me the A-team action figure set!

-Andy

Cooking with Minnie Mouse

It is ironic that I am writing a post about cooking as I sit here eating one of the worst egg sandwiches that I have perhaps EVER made! Nothing aggravates me more than when I screw something up cooking. I am much more forgiving of others cooking mishaps then I am of my own. It is critical that my creations come out perfectly every time!
Hopefully in time, I can teach Julia a few tricks to help her to be a fantastic cook, but for now she'll just have to pretend with her toy utensils and plastic chicken legs, cookies, etc. We do make quite the pair in our aprons though!

Just after Julia was born, I went on a business trip to Orlando and for the first time (of many many more since) I bought her a toy. It was a little stuffed Minnie Mouse. I think it was like thirty bucks, but that's what I get for buying it in Orlando...besides, I would have spent anything on it. I remember my dad coming home from business trips and being so excited to see what he brought us. Even though Jules was only four months old, I knew it was something that I just had to do.
Now I would like to think that my little stuffed Minnie influenced her Halloween costume decision, but I'm sure the Disney Channel had more to do with that. Nonetheless, she dressed as Minnie for her first actual trick or treating experience. Major kudos to Mommy for making an AWESOME Minnie Mouse costume! I was awefully impressed! She even tried to make the ears and got close, but eventually had to just buy a pair.
Here are Julia and her cousins heading out for a major candy haul!

-Andy

Elmo, Princesses and Pumpkins

October was a BIG month for Julia. I've noted before how she is my little helper, but she is just starting to understand some of what we're doing. It is becoming more than just doing what Daddy does. For instance, she knows what a pumpkin is and what a jack-o-lantern is.

































So like every other house in America, we too need to spend money on pumpkins to make sure that their life doesn't end in vein, rotting in a field, but rather are wasted properly as jack-o-lanterns. This year we even saved the seeds to roast them...but I kinda messed that up. Courtney found a good recipe for them and I left them in a bit too long and the delicious recipe tasted only like burnt.

Now a couple weeks prior to this, Julia and I on a father/daughter excursion, drove all the way to Bivalve to get these pumpkins. They were grown by kids in our Westside Summer Camp and I wouldn't buy my pumpkins anywhere else. Jules picked out each and every one of them and got one for mommy, daddy, Julia and Mia. She never forgets Mia!














So now came the day to carve. As you can see, Courtney and I got all dolled up for the event. Good thing that we're not in too many of these photos. Julia jumped right in. She was pulling out seeds, telling me where to cut the eyes and nose and loving every minute of it! For me, this was really the first "holiday" related activity that she's gotten into to the point where I had immeasurable fun watching her.

Earlier in the month, we went to see Sesame Street Live...Elmo's Healthy Heroes! I thought the girl's head was going to spin. The show was later than her typical bedtime, but she was so good! She was totally captivated and was basically vibrating with excitement. I have discovered that "vibrating" is a true description of what a child does when they are really excited. I LOVE when she does it!














Julia is getting pretty independent. She likes to try to dress herself. The other day, I came into the living room where I left her with her pajamas. She was still wearing her clothes from that day. From the kitchen I heard her yell, "Daddy! I did it all by myself!" I ran into the living room to see Julia now wearing her pajamas over her clothes! Here's a shot of Julia playing dress up with some princess clothes!










She is after all...my Princess!!!

-Andy

Time...the only thing that they're not making more of!

Since Courtney re-awakened the blog last night, I figured that I should make a contribution too! There are so many things that I could post about that I don't even know where to begin.

Here are some Julia highlights of late:

Playing XBOX with Daddy!




Playing chess with Ben!




Playing Rock Band at Auntie Liz and Uncle Nate's!


Rock Climbing!


The truth is that it's all happening so fast! And I know that at least half of the people who read this blog have warned me about that. The other half are experiencing it with us. I feel like as I approach my 33rd birthday, I'm just starting to truly understand the concept of time.

When I was young, time was when the Muppets or the Dukes of Hazard came on TV. As a teenager, time was how late you could stay out without truly getting in trouble. In your twenties, time is when the bar closes...Oh how I miss those days!!!

Now, time is 8-12 hours of work per day...not enough to get everything done. Time is 90 minutes a day with Julia after work and before bed. And time is only about 2 waking hours a day with my soul mate and wife...nowhere near enough.

The good news is that I'm starting to really believe that life pays you back for the time it takes. If you invest time and work hard as a parent and professional, you get things like vacations and memories, retirement and grandchildren and you get to call you child when he or she is in their 30's and say "did you see what the Sox did today?"

I got that call from my father this summer, just as so much was heating up at work at Julia was as challenging as ever. I responded that I barely have time to breathe and that's when it hit me. Until that moment, I could never understand why my father seemed to never have time for things like that when I asked the questions.

This was just one more lesson to learn from him. Life makes time for a little of everything and it all comes full circle. We get the good with the bad, fun and stress, a career and then grandchildren. You just have to make sure that you make time to keep up with the Red Sox!

When I sat down to post this blog, I had no idea what I would write. I had no idea that I would go in this direction. I'm glad I did. For me this blog is not just about what Julia is up to. I know...that drives hits. People want to see cute pictures of her, not listen to me! I'm writing this blog to give Julia and any siblings that she might end up with insight into our lives and just who her mother and father really are.

By the way, speaking of siblings...Courtney keeps asking Julia if she wants a baby or a puppy...I don't know what that means but Julia answers baby almost every time!

-Andy

Back to School and Ready for Some Football

Over the summer, Courtney definitely found a new buddy in her very own mini-me...Julia. The two became inseparable and for the first time, Julia was exhibiting some separation anxiety when mommy wasn't around. Well that all changed. Julia went cold turkey last week.

Courtney has a week of hell every year when her sports teams return for fall practices. Most do two or more practices a day and that means that I become full time daddy and honestly, I was nervous. With Courtney at home all summer, she took a lot of pressure off me. Here I needed to jump back in with both feet.

It took a day to get our routine down, but by Tuesday I had Julia at school in time to get to work early. And she might be the only one year old at daycare that actually walks herself in every day. We don't want Julia to be one of those kids that you have to carry everywhere, so we look for every opportunity to let her walk, even if it means that it takes a little longer to get there.

So last Wednesday (day three of Daddy week) we finished breakfast and I asked Julia if she was ready to go to school. She nodded and walked over to the door saying "out". I opened the door and she holds her hand up and says "hep", which is Julia for help. I take her hand and she walks down the stairs, out to the driveway and down the driveway to the van parked out front.

This was the routine everyday, but on this day it got better. We get to daycare and I take her out of the seat, put her down and extend my hand to walk with her into daycare. She pushes my hand away and heads off for the door. That's right...miss independent didn't need Daddy to hold her hand walking into school. I could just hear her saying...Daddy, stop! You're embarrassing me! Good thing was that it was only in my head and hopefully I have a few years before I actually hear that!

With the return to school comes the start of football season and Courtney surprised me with quite possibly the greatest purchase that we have made for Julia in her short life. Check it out:

We're getting ready! She already does Touchdown and even says it...sort of. And when you put a football in her hands, she wastes no time spiking it! Do they make pink Micheal Vick jerseys?

-Andy

Daddy's Temper

This is the post that I've been waiting for! This is the one! The first one that she will truly despise me for writing! Especially when I call it up and show it to her first boyfriend. Now I wouldn't show it to embarrass her. I just want to help him out...let him see what happens when the little princess doesn't get her way!

She is definitely her daddy's girl! I've never seen mommy exhibit a temper like this. Now it should be noted that my temper only shows itself in the most trying of circumstances, such as when someone is driving too slow in the left lane or when I can't seem to figure out how to put a screen door together.

There's not too much to say about this post. The pictures say it all! Princess didn't like what we told her and she absolutely lost her mind! She was a HOT MESS! The best part is, as she laid flopping on the ground Courtney and I just laughed...and laughed...and laughed. I don't know if we have EVER laughed so hard together...at least not since I dressed up as Courtney for Halloween.

That's a story for another time...

-Andy

Put Me In Coach...I'm the Say Hey Kid!

Momma just couldn't resist getting Julia her first glove yesterday and even though I thought that was my job, I'm way psyched for it! It's a Cat Osterman model! Julia loved it! I think she's ready to go. Uncle Louie and I have been talking about starting an Under-2 travel team!

Julia gets more expressive every day and I think her favorite word is hey. I guess I say it a lot and she mimics me. She also seems to be putting little two-word phrases together. She's not even close to pronouncing anything right, but she seems to say "hey kitty kitty"...only is sounds more like "hey ditty itty".

Her top two teeth are coming in, so she is figuring out how to make "T" sounds. We're just trying to teach her to make those sounds without spitting!

-Andy

No Stopping Us Now!

With the onset of Spring, you expect all sorts of new growth and I feel like Julia too has stepped things up to keep with the season. We are actually getting to the point where her incredibly competitive Daddy (I know...I hide it well. You probably didn't know that about me.) is really starting to compare her development with other kids and I must say...she's kicking ass!

It wasn't too long ago that we were hoping that she'd be crawling when we head down to North Carolina to visit Kenny and Amanda later this month. As it turns out, she may be walking by then! She is currently pulling herself along and letting go without much regard for safety. And she just so happens to be a world champion speed crawler. She'll be competing in the infant olympics later this summer...wait a minute; that could be a real money maker!

Anyhow, yesterday Mommy had the fantastic idea to take Julia to the YMCA to go swimming. About a week ago, Mommy had signed us up at the Y. Apparently we need a little help losing the baby weight...no, not Courtney...me. She's done great. I'm the one that still looks pregnant.

So back to the pool, where Julia and I are sitting and waiting for Mom to change and join us. Looking at a pool crammed with about 20 kids in the shallow end yelling, splashing and playing around, Julia starts balling her eyes out. I figure that this will be a quick trip. But then Mom comes and takes Jules into the pool and she's as content as can be. She slowly did more and more, discovering the water and her surroundings and they spent about an hour in the pool.

Julia has also pushed for her Independence on the eating front. She likes feeding herself and fights things a bit more when we try to feed her. Of course as far as I'm concerned, she can keep on feeding herself.

The interesting thing for me with all these developments is that the first five or six months seem so far in the past. I remember so many days thinking what the heck have I gotten myself into!?! That thought is long gone and replaced by what is she going to do next!?!

-Andy

Super Secret Crawler

I'm guessing that one of the joys of parenthood is seeing your child develop and accomplish new things...sit up, roll over, crawl, pull up, walk, etc. Another joy is sharing those moments with family, friends and blog readers!

Our little girl is becoming more mobile every day...only she's sneaky about it and doesn't want anyone to know. She's begun pulling herself up really well and will even take steps with help, but she's not big on crawling, at least when we're looking.

The other night I was playing with her and got up to use the bathroom. She was out of my sight for about 45 seconds. When I came back, she was about 12 feet from where I left her. I've seen her crawl a limited amount from time to time, but for her to move that far that fast, she has to have it down.

So I decide to experiment. I place her in her area to play and scatter toys all around her, but at different lengths out of her reach. Then I sit in my chair and watch. She pivoted and swiveled her way over to a couple toys, all the while keeping an eye on me. So I turn my head and start watching TV. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as she thought I wasn't paying attention she turned, dropped and motored right over to a toy about six feet from her!

She definitely has a mind of her own. She won't come to you, unless she wants to. There are times where she'll sit for hours and play and others when she wants your undivided attention. Apparently she's choosing not to let us know quite how well she can move.

On another note the 6'5" dream is still alive. She's gaining about a pound a month and is into 9-12 month clothes. I'm worried about when we switch to more complex clothes sizes. I don't think I can handle the whole "T" thing!

I am afraid that left handed might be out the window though. She's developing thumb and forefinger motor skills with her right hand, but the left isn't even close. The good news is that if she's right handed she can be a catcher and carry on the Wisk legacy!

-Andy

Walk Before You Crawl

Julia got in this predicament all by herself! Once she got there she clearly didn't know what to do next! Times are exciting...sitting up, standing up, dada's and today Courtney thought she heard an "up"!

The interesting thing is she's not been a really aggressive crawler. Her cousin Ben crawls circles around her. Julia will take a crawling stride or two, and they've gotten effortless. She can definitely do it, but after a couple she gets up on all four and really presses to try to stand up. She even looks around as if she trying to find a way to straighten out and walk away.

Tonight she did the cutest thing. I was sitting on the floor next to her and she turned and took one crawl over to me and was trying to get up. So I put my arm out in front of her and she grabbed hold and pulled herself up. She then worked to maneuver herself closer to me and sort of dove into my chest and snuggled up. Daddy time has turned into my greatest joy!

Here's a picture of Julia chillin' with Uncle Louie, who recently moved to Salisbury. We're glad he's here. We're working so t6hat Julia is not afraid of every man that comes near her.

I know its been a while in between posts lately. We promise to try to do better. I'm sure that there will be lots more to talk about as the weather gets warmer!

-Andy