Jackson Paul Wisk

We started this blog three years ago now and I just can't believe all that has happened in that time. The goal was for this journal to serve a dual purpose. First, we are fortunate to have friends and family from New England to North Carolina and it's great to give them a glimpse of how our family is growing and even some day-to-day life in the Maryland Wisk House. Second, and what may prove to be most important will be the opportunity for our children and hopefully even grandchildren to read about how they grew up.I'm not a photo guy...I'm definitely not a video guy. We have this awesome video camera that we don't use near enough! One thing that I've always done well and even somewhat enjoyed was writing. I think I'm pretty decent at it and one day this journal can be my gift to my children and hopefully, their children.So here we sit, on Sunday, May first with our five-day-old little man, Jackson. Born at 9:09 a.m. on April 26, 2011, he was twenty inches long and eight pounds two ounces. Naming this child was perhaps the toughest task that Courtney and I have taken on together thus far in our almost six years of marriage! I would say that Jack was pushing an hour old before he "officially" had a name. In fact, I was asked twice what his name was and actually had to reply, "I'm not sure".
I believe that there should be significance in names. Julia Elizabeth has significance in both of her names and now so does Jackson. Courtney's grandfather was named Jack and her father is Paul. That means that our son is named after two guys that are both about 6'5"...now I just need to tie his right hand behind his back and work on that nasty change-up!!!
It was kind of ironic that the doctor that performed JP's c-section was a Duke fan...given his Kemba nickname! I couldn't help but talk a little smack to her during the surgery, telling her that the only thing that would have made Uconn's championship sweeter this year would have been if they went through Duke to win it!

This may end up being my longest post ever. So much happened over four days in the hospital, but one thing was different than the last time. This time I was completely relaxed. Last time I had no idea which end was up, why she was crying or what I was supposed to do. This time both Courtney and I had far less anxiety. We just did what we needed to do.

I was caught off guard by the whole boy thing. Just like with Julia, I had the "pleasure" of changing the first diaper. Only thing was this time, he got the better of me. I forgot about all the warnings about boys peeing all over everything! He got me, he got his mom, he even got himself. He actually got his mom first. The first thing that he did upon delivery was relieve himself on his mom!Julia has been AWESOME with her little brother! She still refuses to hold him...I think she's afraid to hurt him, but that will come. She gives him lots of kisses and holds his hand. She spent a couple days with Grandmom and Pop and seemed to behave so well! They brought her to visit mommy a couple time and she was so well behaved in our small hospital room for 3 and 4 hours at a time that it was incredible! She is a pretty special little girl!
Through this whole experience, we have been so blessed with such giving family and friends! Clearly Grandmom and Pop went above and beyond in caring for Julia, but so many others sent gifts, food and most importantly to me, came to visit. Four days in the hospital is a long time...I don't care why you're there. I think that Courtney would agree that having visitors meant a lot!

So I had a couple mornings at home with Julia to get her ready for school and they were hysterical! The first time, we went downstairs and I put on one of her favorite shows, Super Why, to hold her attention while I went to shower. I told her that when I got out of my shower we would have breakfast.
I walk down the stairs after showering and I Jules greets me with a big "Hi Daddy". Then she says, "Look, I already ate breakfast!" There she was sitting on her Dora couch, covered and surrounded by powdered sugar! She definitely thought she was doing me a favor by going to the kitchen and helping herself to the bag of powdered donuts that were on the counter!

A couple days later, after we had gotten home, I wake up to some distant crying. I come down stairs to see Julia sitting on the floor in the kitchen with a box of cupcakes and cookies beside her. She was crying her eyes out because Mia had vomited and Julia was upset because "Mia's belly was hurting!" Apparently, our little helper came down, fed the cat and then started to feed herself when Mia got sick.

She's such a good kid, such a BIG helper and so much fun. But something tells me that the fun is just beginning as I can't wait to see how she and her brother grow together. My only hope is that she and Jackson are fortunate to have a relationship like my sister and I have. Sure...we drive each other nuts, but we have always made a pretty good team and always look out for each other!

So now I sit here, completing a post that has taken three different sessions to write...interruptions are frequent these days...reflecting on my family. Some call it the perfect family (one boy, one girl). Perfect or not, a couple things are certain, I have the perfect bride and partner, who continues to amaze me. In return, I do my best to drive her nuts! We are both all in and committed to raise these kids the best way that we can. These may be the most stressful days of our lives...certainly thus far, but these will be the best days of our lives!
-Andy

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

A Boy Named...Kemba?

So...Ummm yeah...I have a big mouth and I may have really done it this time! First there was LBMF and now after months of debate, we may finally have a name for our son...although not by choice.

You see, after the UCONN Men's Basketball Team made it's improbable run in the Big East Tournament, winning 5 games in 5 days, I kinda might have said to several friends and associates that if they go on to win the National Championship that I would name my son "Kemba"! Now as we sit on the eve of the National Championship Game with Connecticut set to play Butler, those friends and associates are aggressively reminding me of my off the wall guarantee!

Now let's be honest, we're not naming him Kemba...not unless Courtney has an affinity for the name that I'm not sensing right now; however, these very good friends of mine have guaranteed that they will do all that they can to make sure that he at least earns Kemba as a nickname! With Courtney's due date exactly one month from today, all I can say is "LET'S GO HUSKIES!!!"

Julia has a different thought about naming her baby brother. She has been calling him Wyatt for a few weeks now. Wyatt is a character on one of her favorite shows Super Why. A couple weeks ago, I was flipping through a name book and I showed Julia where Wyatt was. A few days later, she was flipping through the same book by herself. She said that she was going to find her baby brother's name. Sure enough she brought it to us and showed us the exact page that Wyatt was on!

Kemba Wyatt Wisk might have a real battle on his hands with his big sister as they grow up together. Julia seems to be becoming REALLY competitive! All of a sudden, she wants to beat me at everything that we do...running up the driveway when we get home, getting dressed in the morning, putting on our shoes, etc.
Last week I picked her up from school and asked her (as I always do) what she did at school today. She said that she played tag with her friends and she went on to say that "none of my friends could catch me because I'm super fast!" Then she proceeds to name each of her friends and tell me one by one that she is faster then each of them.

Well, I don't know where she gets this blazing speed from, (I know how I run and I've seen Courtney...neither is pretty nor remarkably fast) but I hope she holds onto it! It will be a nice compliment to her jump shot!
One thing is for certain...she is growing up super fast. Courtney and I were talking the other day about how the next few years could be the most challenging of our lives. What is remarkable is that they are also the best days of our lives. It doesn't get any better than this!

-Andy