Where the Streets Have No Name

April at Last

2009-05-09T22:23:00.015-04:00

At the beginning of April we caught up with Grandma D., Aunt Deb, and Cousins Stephen and Elise for breakfast. Addy got a little restless so Grandma and Elise walked with her while she did laps.

Some more cold weather forced us to stay in but we made the most of it by creating Laundry Basket Racing. Addy really enjoyed it and would yell "Go" to get us going. Mama and Dada got their exercise that day.

For Easter we went to Grandma B. and Grandpa D.'s house. Addy looked very cute in her Easter dress and her nose didn't even look to bad. Addy's nose had a rough week before this starting with a bonk on table and followed the next day by meeting the driveway in a spill.

We were able to catch up with some of Amy's cousins who came over for Easter dinner. Amy was also able to get Great-Grandma updated with pictures from the blog.

Postage Due...

Here Addy is playing in a diaper box. She hasn't really excepted that she is a child in the 99%+ on the growth chart.

More fun with boxes. At least time Addy picked one that fits her a little better.

This weekend Addy was very tired and even had trouble keeping her eyes open during lunch. We were able to take her from lunch right to bed.

Addy shows off her skills of noodle eating. Notice the great eye work that accompanies the eating.

April signaled the end of the first semester for Matt. It was a good semester for Matt. He was able to put some of his hobbies together when he had to build a catapult for Physics class.

March Catch Up

2009-05-09T21:19:00.014-04:00

After a wonderful week in Mexico with Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Melissa, Uncle Andy and Cousin Lia, Addy was not ready to be away from her cousin. Besides web chats we keep Addy connected to her cousin by watching their Disney video. Addy absolutely loves watching Cousin Lia.

We started Addy with a spoon in the beginning of March and tried her with Jello. (Notice the tablecloth on the floor.) Addy liked the Jello and using her own spoon, but boy was mom glad she put the tablecloth down.

On one of the nice days in March we decided to take Addy to one of the local parks. She loved playing outside and exploring the various playscapes at the park.

Here she is looking out one of the holes in a tube connecting 2 slides.

Addy also enjoyed riding one of the horses. Of course Dada was near by to make sure she didn't slip off and to give the horse some movement.

Addy was good with the swing but liked it a bit less than she did this past summer and less than the slides.

Here Addy braves going down the slide on her stomach and her own (with parental supervision). She was also able to see one of her favorite things, a plane.

Addy has started to climb a bit more this month and started by climbing on her excersaucer (less the center).

Here I go Mama and Dada. Just the start of things to come.

Look Mom no hands!

February in Mexico

2009-04-05T15:27:00.037-04:00

At the end of February we met Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Andy, Aunt Melissa and cousin Lia in Mexico for a wonderful family vacation. The girls really liked seeing each other and sharing their stroller time together.

Both girls loved spending time in the nice warm weather. We made sure they didn't get burned by outfitting them with fashionable hats. Both girls were very cute in their hats.

Addy wasn't fond of the water at first but Lia loved it. Lia's love of the water helped convince Addy to get in. That and the use of Lia's floating intertube. Thank you Lia!

Once she got used to the water Addy loved floating with her Dada.

Lia and Uncle Andy had a lot of fun together.

When Addy was in or near the water she was always picking up leaves. She loved to collect as many leaves as she could.

Addy loved being in the warm Mexican weather where she could share her dada's love for nature.

Addy especially loved to watch the fish in the the pond near the buffet restaurant. As soon as she was done eating she wanted to get out of her chair to go by the railing and see the fish and turtles.

She also loved to stop and point to the fish when we were passing by in her stroller.

Melissa and Andy took Addy one time so Mama and Dada could have an evening out together. The first date night we have had since Addy was born.

Grandpa, Mama, Dada and Addy went on a tour to some Mayan ruins. Addy wanted nothing to do with the backpack we brought. I'm not sure if it was the heat or just because she is moving around more and doesn't want to be held down, but she was not happy. We sat on the grass under a tree and gave Addy her bottle which made her much happier.

We spent most of our time around the pool, but Addy was able to spend a little time on the beach as well.

Addy sat on the sand for a while and tried to stay out of the waves which she didn't like when they got her. She also found out that walking on sand is a bit different then walking on hard surfaces.

Look at our happy bathing beauty.

Addy wasn't happy to leave the warm weather, but she was interested in the packing process once we started it.

A week away from her car seat made her more interested in it.

Look Mama and Dada how well I can help with the packing.

One last view out of our patio before we go. We will miss the nice view and warm weather!

Most of February

2009-04-05T00:03:00.015-04:00

On Saturday morning Addy was hanging out contemplating the meaning of life while she was dressed so nicely in a bracelet and diaper. What a big girl she is becoming.

That same day Addy showed off her verbal and waving skills while looking very cute.

We put in new cupboards and a countertop in a nook in our kitchen. Addy really liked sitting in the the new cupboard, but it wasn't as big as she thought it should be.

We took advantage of a warmer day in early February and went for a walk. With the cold, long winter we were all going a bit stir crazy and enjoyed the chance to get out of the house. Addy really loves being outside and can't wait for summer to come.

A quick picture of Addy walking and pulling her toy cow. Thank you Aunt Melissa, Uncle Andy and Cousin Lia for this wonderful Christmas gift.

Teething is fun. Addy has been chewing on anything she can get her hands on. We think teeth must be coming in soon.

On Valentine's day we met Grandma Barb & Grandpa Denny in Lansing for lunch. They then took Addy back home with them for the night. It was our second night away from Addy which was nice but also a bit weird. That weekend we hosted a wedding shower for our friends Danielle and Doug. It was a lot of fun!!!

(Thanks Ma for the cake.)

January 2009

2009-04-04T23:01:00.022-04:00

We started the year with a visit from our friend Cat. It was great to see Cat and catch up with her. Addy loved sitting on Cat's lap and looking at all of her pictures including some of Addy.

Then we were able to catch up with Grandpa, Kim and Katy for Christmas. Addy loved sharing her new book with Grandpa and Aunt Katy. Grandpa really made the Dinosaur come to life.

Addy also wanted to show Grandpa her new walking skills. When we got to Grandpa's house Addy had on her new shoes which she was not used to walking in. By the end of the night the shoes were off and she was in her pajamas and was easily showing off her walking skills.

Even though Addy was walking she didn't want to admit she was getting big. She still was hanging out in her bouncy seat even though it was getting much closer to the ground then it was when she was 4 months old.

A candid shot of Addy's crazy hair and standing/walking ability. We wonder when her hair will sit down on it's own.

Addy is really into books and loves to sit with Dada or Mama to read. Here she is sitting on the couch like a big girl, reading with Dada. She loves the books where she has to open a flap to find something.

This last picture is not one of our better pictures but the story is funny. Addy had some chicken & noodles from chicken noodle soup, grilled cheese and some veggie meatballs for dinner. She ate the chicken and noodles but the pieces of grilled cheese and veggie meatballs went into a pile that you can see on the left side. This was her discard pile. Every time she came across one of these pieces she would pick them up and immediately put them in the pile. Great sorting skills.

December

2009-02-15T15:25:00.020-05:00

The beginning of the month started with introducing Addy to Christmas lights and the tree. She really enjoyed looking at and playing with the lights before we put them on the tree.

She really liked seeing the lights lit up on the tree and continued to think they were play things for little while. Then she moved on to the ornaments.

Mid month brought a new trick from Addy. She would bend over, put her head on the ground, stick her hand through her legs and wave to us upside down. This is the closest we got to a picture of it, but it was very funny!

On the 20th we went to Aunt Caroline and Uncle Bob's house to celebrate Christmas with Matt's family. We exchanged homemade gifts with all of us and family in England. What a very talented family we are a part of.

Addy enjoyed playing on top of the pool table...

and hanging out with Aunt Martha.

On the 21st we went over to Lia's Grandpa's house to celebrate Lia's first birthday. Addy and Lia played together before Lia ate her cake.

Lia really enjoyed her birthday cake and definitely got into it.

On the 24th we made our way to Grand Rapids to celebrate Christmas with Amy's family. We planned on going on the 23rd but a lot of snow and some issues at Amy's work caused us to miss the celebration at Great Grandma's house and not make it to GR until Christmas Eve.

Once we did get there we got dressed up and headed to the early church service.

Addy liked her dress but did not like her shoes at all. Every chance she got she pulled them off. Needless to say they didn't stay on for long.

In December Addy started taking a few steps and over the Christmas break she really took off walking. She was toddling all over the place. She had to keep up with her cousin Lia.

Between opening gifts on Christmas day the girls hung out together in their chairs. They had a lot of fun playing together. They interact more and more each time.

A lot of the homemade gifts this year revolved around the girls at least that was the case for the gifts Andy, Melissa, Matt and Amy gave to their people.

The girls gifts were more along the toys line for the girls and boy did Addy like them.

She also enjoyed hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa.

She liked talking with Grandpa...

and cuddling with Grandma, especially because she wasn't feeling well. Addy had a cold with goop coming out of her eyes. She started on medicine just before her birthday.

The end of the month brought about Addy's first birthday. We went out to dinner with Grandma Denise, Grandma Barb, Grandpa Denny, Aunt Deborah, Uncle Lee, cousins Stephen and Elise and Grand Aunt Caroline, Grand Uncle Bob, Cousin Robert and Dada and Mama. After dinner we went back home to have cake and open up some presents.

Addy enjoyed her cake but learned from her cousin not to eat too much.

Between Christmas and her birthday Addy got the hang of opening presents and Mama and Dada realized how annoying toy packaging can be.

November

2009-02-15T14:08:00.024-05:00

We are back on line and will try to do a better job at updating the blog more frequently.

The beginning of November started out with a visit from Grandma Barb and Great Grandma. They came down to see Addy and Mama on Mama's day off. Addy took a nap outside on Grandma B. and was able to show Great Grandma the leaves she picked up.

Throughout November Addy showed us many different funny faces. Below are a couple of our favorites.

Mid month Addy enjoyed watching Dada rake the leaves outside.

On Thanksgiving day we went to Grandpa Ken's house and Grandma Denise's house. Addy had fun hanging out with all of her family.

She had fun hanging out with her cousins and they enjoyed playing with her.

The day after Thanksgiving Grandpa Denny, Grandma Barb, Aunt Melissa, Uncle Andy and cousin Lia came over to visit. We were able to hang out and catch up for a while.

Addy particularly liked helping Aunt Melissa feed cousin Lia. It did seem that Lia's food disappeared a lot quicker with Addy helping. I'm not sure why that would be. :-)

Halloween Fun

2008-11-03T21:00:00.013-05:00

We went to an apple orchard with our friends Danielle and Doug who had just got engaged (Congratulations!) and Audrey, Neil, Evan and Amelia. It was a nice day and just slightly cold, but Addy was happy to wear this very cute hat Dad bought.
At the orchard there were a number of pumpkins to choose from.

Addy enjoyed sitting among the pumpkins looking for the best one.

She found one she really liked and wanted to show Evan how strong she was by trying to lift the pumpkin without putting down her favorite leaf.

On Halloween Addy had a hard day. That day she got her top 2 teeth and she wore this chicken suit that Dad picked out last year before Addy was even born. She handled the teeth and outfit well and enjoyed seeing all of the kids trick or treating.

The rest of the weekend plus has been even harder. Addy has been fighting a bad fever. On Saturday Mom and Dad took her to the after hours doctors office where she recorded a 104.9 degree temperature. She has been struggling with the fever all today as well. We went to her doctors office today and got some medicine which we hope will help quickly. Luckily Mom was already taking Monday as a vacation day and has Tuesday off.

October Fun & Games

2008-11-03T20:14:00.008-05:00

October brought some fun times hanging out with dad. Addy loves hanging out with her dada and he loves hanging out with her.

Addy also found a new place to play in the family room.

She pulled out the basket of toys and then crawled up onto the shelf.

For a couple of days she loved sitting on the shelf.

We also went to Stephen & Elise's soccer games and met up with Grandpa Ken and Aunt Deborah. Addy went right to Grandpa Ken. She enjoyed hanging out with him at the game and at lunch.

September & Family

2008-11-02T20:54:00.007-05:00

The end of September brought a visit from Aunt Melissa, Uncle Andy & Cousin Lia, as they were in town for their niece Milana's baptism. Grandpa Denny also came down to visit everyone. (Grandma Barb was sick and could not make the visit.)

Uncle Andy shared with Addy one of his favorite books. She really got into Uncle Andy's story.

Addy showed Lia some of her favorite finger foods, pasta pick ups. I'm not sure if any were shared, but it did seem like Lia was interested in what Addy was eating.

The girls sat nicely together as we were getting ready to meet Andy's dad for dinner.

We had a nice dinner with the family and then took the opportunity to take a group picture.

The following weekend Grandpa Denny and Grandma Barb came down. (The reason Grandma was ok with missing the prior week.) Grandma watched Addy while Grandpa, Dad and Mom went to the Michigan vs. Wisconsin game. (It was a very good second half of a game.)

To England We Go

2008-11-02T15:37:00.031-05:00

On August 28th Addy, Mom, Dad and Aunt Martha flew over to England for a week. Addy was wonderful on the overnight flight and slept the whole way. Grandma Denise picked us up at the airport and we drove 4.5 hours to the Lake District in northwest England. Addy was good for the drive up as well, but she enjoyed the break here where we were able to stretch our legs in the fresh air.

We met up with Aunt Deborah, Grand Aunt Caroline and Grand Uncle Bob who flew over with Grandma a few days earlier and Great Grandma and Grandpa and Grand Uncle Robert who live in England and Steen who came over from Denmark. We all stayed together in a wonderful house with a lot of stairs.

We brought a baby backpack instead of a stroller to carry Addy around in and she loved it. Mom and Dad were both able to carry Addy around with comfort and ease.

Addy was so comfortable that she even fell asleep a couple of times in the backpack.

Even though we had some rainy days, we were still able to catch the beautiful Lake District Landscapes.

Even more important than seeing the English country side was the time we were able to spend with Great Grandma and Grandpa, Grand Uncle Robert and the rest of the family. We loved having Addy get to meet and spend time with everyone!

A few pics that don't belong anywhere...

2008-09-22T22:36:00.008-04:00

... but Addy asked me to include them!

An old farmstead apple.

A tortured old tree.

And a robber fly taking a break in the sand from a day of hunting.

August and Everything After

2008-09-22T21:27:00.016-04:00

At the end of July, we were getting Addy all prepped and ready for her first Glen Lake August. She had fun trying out her froggy pool in the back yard! It only took her a little while to get over the giant eyes staring at her.

Froggy pool came with us up to the lake, and the weather was awesome and great for swimming, but Addy was all about getting into the lake.

As with the pool a month before, we planned on starting her out slowly, but all Addy wanted was to get in the lake!

She loved the waves and the sounds, and had fun splashing and kicking (sometimes gulping) in the lake. She can't wait to come back next year and do some real swimming!

She also took in all the rest of the fun that Glen Lake had to offer. She loved the swings and the sand, and the playing with friends and family.

The sand felt funny, but was fun to dig my hands and feet in!

And there were lots of fun people to spend the week with!

And of course there were some great views to wrap up each day. We can't wait to get back up there next year!
More updates to follow. Stay tuned!

Blogging vacation...

2008-09-21T20:25:00.006-04:00

... or at least a vacation from blogging.

We've had a really busy couple months, so we apologize for the lack of updates! We'll start where we left off so long ago and bring you up to speed. When last we left Addy, she was a sitting, rolling, giggling little 6 month old girl. She's definitely got a personality and sense of humor all her own, so when she finds something amusing, we just go with it. Over the 4th of July weekend, "burp, burp, burp" was apparently the funniest joke a 6 month old could hear.

We also started varying Addy's diet quite a bit, and still haven't fund anything she doesn't like. Some meals are messier than others!

In mid-July, we all went over to Grandpa Ken's pool for Addy's first time in the water (besides bathtime). We thought we'd start slowly with her feet in the water at the steps, but Addy was all about getting right it. She loved hanging out in the water and kicking her feet!

The end of our July took us to the Vyn's cottage for some fun. We spent the warm rainy weekend hanging out on the lake and playing a very long and damp 18 holes of golf at the nearby course. We also heard the great news that we'll be welcoming a brand new Sever at the beginning of next year. Congratulations Brett and Linda!

Thanks so much Jill and Craig for hosting again this year and thanks to everyone else for making the trip out!

Alright, that's the compressed version of our July. Stay tuned tomorrow for a look at our August!

Happy 6 Month Birthday Addy!

2008-06-30T21:15:00.010-04:00

Wow has our baby girl changed! It seems like every day she is changing in some way. We especially notice it on the weekends when we are spending more time with her. She is growing physically, now in 12 month old clothes, but also growing mentally. She is sitting up by herself.

We have started feeding her solid food. We started out with cereal which she has really enjoyed. She gets cereal at daycare and then also when she gets home at night. We have also started feeding her vegetables. She has eaten peas, carrots, sweet potatoes and green beans. So far we have yet to find a food she won't eat.

A week ago we were able to see Grandma and Grandpa as well as Aunt Melissa, Uncle Andy and Cousin Lia. It will be fun to see Lia and Addy grow up together and play together. They were playing well together and were even sharing toys as well as attention.

Even though Addy has become a hip 6 month old...

... she still has time to laugh and play with dad.

Memorial Day Memories

2008-05-27T20:45:00.008-04:00

We packed up the car this past weekend and took Addy for her first trip to Glen Lake! She was awesome on the trip up, sleeping most of the way, an only got up to eat and play when we were ready to stop anyway. Despite the $4.20/gallon fill-up in Cadillac, we had great travelling weather that kept getting sunnier the closer we got to the cottage! We also timed it pretty well, as Grandpa and Grandma Weener, Aunt Melissa and Uncle Andy, and Cousin Lia showed up just a little while after we unpacked!

We spent the weekend enjoying the weather (a little cool at the beginning of the weekend, but still pretty!), the company, and the Leelanau Peninsula! We took trips into Glen Arbor, Leland, Empire, and out to the Otter Creek beach on Esch Road.

It was nice to get a chance to see what the Cherry Republic garden looks like before it really takes off too! (I'll have to post a pic later this August so you can see what I mean.)

The weekend gave Matt a good birthday present as well. Not only was Sunday beautiful for most of the day, but it finished off with a really cool light show as a thunderstorm passed behind Alligator Hill.All in all, a spectacular weekend, and a great introduction for Addy, who'll hopefully grow to love it up there as much as we do!

Rollin', rollin', rollin'...

2008-05-07T19:15:00.004-04:00

What started this past Saturday as some fun twisting and side-lying turned into Addy's first back-to-front roll over. Her real goal is less a matter of turning over and more a constant struggle to catch her feet and put them in her mouth. When she puts her leg in the air and reaches to grab it, her center of balance moves up about a foot and she rolls. This is Addy last weekend doing the twist.

We'll work on getting the rolling event on film! We'll leave you with a picture of Addy's favorite new place -- chillin' on her blanket!

Leaps and Bounds

2008-05-01T20:37:00.008-04:00

Addyson is still full of happy little changes every day! The daycare folks say she's intent on catching up with the 7 month olds in her class. She's happy as long as she can see what they're doing, and they even like to come bring her toys as she sits and watches!

Thankfully, it seems like winter is finally giving up for the year, and we got in the routine of going on walks around the neighborhood every day. Addy is facinated by the trees, which get more colorful and interesting every day.

The other upside from all the time in the fresh air is that it tends to lead to some nice midday naps.

And after her naps (and food), Addy is spending more and more time in the really fun moods. She's talking more and more (especially mornings!) and her coordination surprises us. She now likes to grab her pacifier and put it in her mouth! It's not too much of a surprise considering how happy she is putting anything in her mouth to chew on over the last few weeks -- her fingers and her parents' fingers are top of the list. (sorry about the poor video quality on the first one!)

We can feel some small bumps in there, but nothing too exciting... all the literature says teething symptoms can precede teeth by as many as two months.

More than anything else, we (and all the rest of her extended family) are just so excited about how much more interactive she's getting!

The Week in Review

2008-04-17T21:22:00.005-04:00

We have almost recovered from last weekend. Addy had a bad cold and was miserable most of the weekend. Saturday she was only happy when she was being held and walked around or when we were having our taxes done. (What's up with that?) Saturday night/Sunday morning was a pretty sleepless night for all of us.

Sunday we saw Grandma and Grandpa when Matt picked them up from the airport. Addy still wasn't feeling well, but she always enjoys seeing her grandparents although she almost didn't recognize them with their Florida tans. We were a bit jealous.

Monday Addy and Mom stayed home from school/work to help recover. We enjoyed relaxing and napping together. Addy has nearly kicked her hacking cough and definitely is feeling better.

On Tuesday Addy enjoyed watching Mom wash dishes from her Bumbo seat on the kitchen counter. No worries, she was closely watched by Mom and Dad. She really seems to enjoy watching Mom working around the kitchen.

Wednesday and today we have enjoyed the beautiful weather by taking walks and visiting Aunt Deborah, Uncle Lee and Cousins Stephen and Elise. We really hope the nice weather is here to stay!!!

Happy 3 month birthday!

2008-03-30T19:13:00.010-04:00

Well readers, it's been a very busy month and the blog has suffered for it! Today is Addy's 3 month birthday and she is growing and changing every day. No, really, she's different every day! She enjoys daycare and all her friends and teachers there, and Amy and I race every day to see who gets to pick her up each day -- lots of the time it's a tie and we both go in to pick her up! Her latest craze is sitting up. Not by herself yet, but with a couple hands at her waist. She won't lie in your lap anymore and insists on sitting and looking around (neck control is WAY up). She even started using her bumbo at school and at home!

As you may be able to tell from the photo, drooling is also up quite a bit in the past month. While we feel like bad parents for doing it, Addy does enjoy television time with her parents. Friends reruns are her favorite. We're not sure what it is about the show - maybe the laugh track - but we enjoy sitting and watching her enjoy it!

Last weekend we went to Grand Rapids to see the family for Easter. Addy enjoyed spending the time with her Grandparents, Aunt and Uncle, and Cousin over the long weekend, even if the flu was running rampant through the family (ugh).

Despite the downs, the weekend was a great time to spend time with both sides of the family and to catch up with some friends.
Addy got to meet Mike and Stacey and their son, Owen, for the first time over the weekend too. Owen has about a year's head start on Addy, and it's amazing to get a glimpse of the changes that happen in the first year!

Going back a little further in this last month, Addy went to her first party. She got to attend her first Kenny party for St. Patrick's Day. We were a little nervous because we remembered the LAST Kenny St. Patrick's Day Party (the reason Steve had to buy new speakers). Anyway, Addy enjoyed all the people and the festivities, even if it did interrupt her sleep schedule for a bit!

Alright, I know there was a bunch more that went on in the past month, but I'm going to leave it there from now. Fingers crossed that the next update is a little more timely!

Measuring Up

2008-02-29T18:54:00.003-05:00

Mom took me for my 2 month check up today. We found out I was growing well, measuring in the 90th percentile for weight and length, 12 lbs 13 oz and 24 inches long! Mom and Dad knew I had been growing but even they were surprised by these numbers.

I also got four shots today. They lulled me with this good tasting stuff called Tylenol but then there were 4 owie pricks in my legs. Mom said I handled them like a trooper because I only cried for a minute.

Mom and I took it easy after my appointment and I got a few naps in. I wonder how Mom knew I was tired?

Play Time

2008-02-28T20:41:00.004-05:00

I enjoy playing on my under the sea playmat. Mom puts me there to play on my back as well on my tummy. I enjoy some tummy time, but get sick of it after a little while. I like to look at and talk to my panda bear, but I'm not sure a panda bear makes sense in my under the sea world. Oh well!

Visiting Grandmas

2008-02-26T21:17:00.005-05:00

I have been very lucky the last 2 days because I have been able to spend time with both of my grandmas. Yesterday Grandma Barb came down and visited me and was able to see my day care. It was nice for Grandma to see where I will be spending my days. She went to lunch with Mom and me and was able hold me for a while and feed me before she went back home.

Today Grandma Denise came and took care of me when Mom had her hair cut. She fed me, held me and played with me. We had a really good time.

I really am lucky to have such wonderful grandmas!

Thank You Changing Tables

2008-02-20T23:01:00.006-05:00

I've got Mom and Dad confused! When I get fussy I really just like hanging out on one of my diaper changing tables. Either the one upstairs or downstairs will do. Mom and Dad just can't understand why these locations soothe me, but I'm not quite ready to tell them. Maybe later I will divulge the secret, but right now Mom and Dad are just happy to have a place to help calm me down for a little while.

A Wonderful Weekend

2008-02-19T22:30:00.001-05:00

We had a great weekend in the DC area visiting family. I took my first long distance driving trip this weekend to visit my Aunt Melissa, Uncle Andy and Cousin Lia. Grandma and Grandpa also flew out to see them so we all got to spend a some quality time together.

On Saturday it was fairly warm, around 50 degrees I think, so we went for my second walk, but my first long walk (30 minutes). Mom and Dad were the typical paranoid first time parents who made sure I was bundled up. Very bundled up!

On Sunday Mom's high school friend Mike, his wife Traci and their daughter Katie came over to Aunt Melissa's house to visit. It was nice for mom to catch up with Mike and Traci and to meet Katie and for me to meet all of them. Katie's mom shared some of her mom wisdom and experience with Mom and Aunt Melissa. Mom really appreciated all of the insight.

We had a lot of fun seeing everyone and hope to catch up again soon!

Christmas in February

2008-02-12T20:37:00.000-05:00

On Saturday we celebrated Christmas with dad's family. Apparently everyone draws a name and makes a gift for that person. Dad's family is very talented and crafty! I was also able to meet my long lost Aunt Martha who is back from South Africa. She is very cool! I was able to hang out with Grandma, Aunt Martha and Cousin Elise.

On Sunday we were able to have dinner with Grandpa Ken, Kim and Katy. It was a wonderful dinner and a lot of fun to see everyone even though I slept through most of it.

Fun and Exercising

2008-02-12T20:06:00.000-05:00

I really am getting bigger! I'm able to lift my head off Dad's chest and look at him and Mom who is usually sitting on the other couch. Dad and Mom say they are very proud of me and love showing other people my trick.

I'm also enjoying hanging out on my tummy and looking into the mirror mom and dad prop up by me. Sometimes Mom puts her hands behind my feet which allows me to scoot around the mat or blanket.

The Good with the Bad

2008-02-12T18:59:00.000-05:00

Sadly mom's grandpa Weener passed away on February 2 before I was able to meet him or thank him for the coin he gave me for Christmas. Mom said he lived a wonderful long life of just over 90 years. The good news is we traveled to Holland & GR Monday and I was able to meet most of the Weener clan. There sure are a lot of them!

The especially nice thing was that I was able to meet the elusive Aunt Melissa, Uncle Andy and Cousin Lia. It was really nice for mom to see her sister and to meet Lia and it was nice for me to meet all 3 of them. Mom and Aunt Melissa even sound a bit alike.

On Tuesday I was able to hang out with Cousin Lia and get to know her better. We put our heads together and planned our next get together over President's Day weekend. I'm really looking forward to our trip out East.

Meeting more of the Family!

2008-01-28T15:52:00.000-05:00

Mom and Dad have been getting behind in their postings, sorry about that. We had our first big trip a couple weekends ago and headed over to Grand Rapids to see Mom's family. Apparently, the weather was pretty nasty on the way over, and Mom & Dad saw several cars slide off the road. I didn't find it as interesting and slept the whole way!

On Saturday, Great Grandma Grilley came over and met me for the first time. I like her! I spent three and a half hours awake and asleep in her lap. She must like me too for putting up with me for that long!

I also met my GrandAunt Sally and GrandUncle Randy who came over just to see me!

I was so good for everyone. I save all the cranky for when Mom & Dad get me home! Not really... I'm still pretty nice to them. My newest quirk, though, is to try to stay awake, even when I'm really tired! I'm not sure what I'm staying up for, but hopefully I'll figure it out or give up trying to figure it out soon!

I've also been getting out to see more and more of my parents' worlds, and have taken a trip to see Dad's office (Can you believe it's full of bugs??) and Mom's office (no bugs that I saw).

I still enjoy all the new things I've been seeing and doing in this first month since I got here. I'm sure that there are plenty more fun things to come!

Remembering her roots...

2008-01-15T19:39:00.000-05:00

We had a good doctor's visit this afternoon! Though I was very much NOT a fan of the rude awakening and disrobing, I did show Mom that I was putting that food she keeps giving me to good use! As you can see to the right, I'm now tipping the scales at 8 lbs 8 ounces, a gain of 10 ounces since last Tuesday! I also added an inch to my birth length.

Mom and Dad have a backlog of photos of me that they want to share, so I had them put this one they took last week on the site. I must have been dreaming of my old home where I spent the last 8.5 months!

I've actually grown a bunch since that picture was taken. I've been spending the past week eating and exercising. Mom and Dad are particularly happy at how much I like tummy time! Not sure why they thought I might not like it. They also seem to get very excited when I do pushups and hold my head up to look around. I can even hold my head up and turn it toward Mom when she calls me now!

What's in a name? (Part II)

2008-01-08T19:33:00.000-05:00

Way back in June, we posted an entry asking for name guesses/suggestions. While there were lots of great suggestions (and some interesting ones), we didn't use any of them. In fact, we had already picked out a name for a boy and a girl way before that point. We've been surprised, though, at how many people wanted to know where, exactly, Addyson's name came from!

Well, here it is. The names Addy and Addison pop up several times in both of our family trees. Addy, on Amy's side, is a girl's name (not sure what it's short for), while Addison showed up on the Whipple side a few times as a man's name. We liked the sound of both and decided to switch the "i" fo a "y" to make it a bit more feminine. Addy's middle name, Wing, is her Great Grandmother's maiden name (Great Grandma Grilley).

We're all excited around here today because we had yet another weight check at the doctor's office this morning and found out that Addy had put on 10 ounces in the past 4 days! That's more than a pound added in 6 days! (I added a weight listing to the right side of the page.) This news has relieved any of our new parent fears that she wasn't getting enough to eat. She's still just as cute!!

If you haven't already, you really should check out The Moore Report (link at the right side of the page) to see what's up with my Aunt Melissa, Uncle Andy and Cousin Lia. Particularly cool is the 9 months in 30 seconds video of Melissa. Check it out!

My First Expedition

2008-01-07T14:32:00.000-05:00

Apparently we had a record high of 59 degrees today. I'm not sure what that means, but mom and dad were pretty excited to have such nice weather. They dressed me up in this very goofy blue bear outfit to go out. Not only did I look silly but I also looked like a boy.

We then went out for a walk in something called a stroller. We walked to the end of the block and then came back and visited with aunt Deborah who had just come home. We met some of the neighbors who said I was very cute even though I was in this goofy outfit.

I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow. My parents were pretty happy to find out on Friday that I had gained 8 oz in 2 days! Everything else is going very well around here. I'm eating better and sleeping a little longer, even if I'm still a bit of a night owl!

Welcome to the world!

2008-01-01T15:29:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!!

I've finally made it here, and just in time for tax breaks and bowl games! My name is Addyson Wing Whipple.

After being squished by contractions that started at 8:00 am Saturday morning, I managed to make my way out by 5:48 am the following morning, December 30, 2007! My mom is fine and we came home yesterday afternoon. I weigh 7 pounds, 8.6 ounces and am 20.5 inches long and everything else is fine with me.

I've been spending the past couple days just sleeping and enjoying my family. In fact, I'd rather sleep than eat, which seems to bug my Mom a bit, but I don't mind much. I've already figured out that though they may be bigger than I am, I can pretty much make them do whatever I want, which is cool for me. In fact, I've worked out this neat system where I squeak and the big gray-haired one picks me up, changes my diaper, burps me, gets me new clothes, swaddles me, rocks me, pats me, and gets me to Mom to get food! This is going to be fun! He even seems to be getting the hang of this whole swaddling thing, which I enjoy breaking out of as quickly as possible!

Everyone seems to really love me around here. I think I'll enjoy it. I'll try to get my Dad to keep this web site current so you can see what I'm up to.

Since this is the first update that he's done in a while, I also cried until he mentioned that Aunt Melissa and Uncle Andy had my cousin, Lia Beth Moore, just a few days ago (December 21). I can't wait to see her so we can swap parental control methods!

Bye for now, Addyson

2 Months Later...

2007-10-07T13:28:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been a while since I added any new content, so I thought I'd better rectify that. (I've also been getting more frequent questions as to why therhaven't been any new updates... who knew people were actually paying attention?)

Anyway, after the last post, we heading up north for a week to spend time doing nothing (which is exactly the point of going). We just spent time enjoying the weather and the company, both of which were great!

Also played around some more with night shots...

It seems like a long time ago! We went on to watch a couple unfortunate football games and a few good ones. That just about brings us up to last weekend and the first baby shower!

It was a joint shower with Amy's sister, and a chance to catch up on our neice-to-be's progress! (A link to their site now included at the right.)

It's shaping up to be an exciting Christmas - New Year's holiday season this year, and as we get closer, I expect that posts here will become more frequent. Maybe I'll chime in this week to let you know all about Lamaze...

Sorry, sorry, sorry...

2007-07-31T18:05:00.001-04:00

Sorry to any of our few subscribers who've been without new content for several weeks. We'll do our best to keep things updated more frequently from now on!

Yesterday we had our full fetal assessment sonogram appointment. Pretty cool. Now Amy is finally convinced that all of this is real! Everything was in the right place and measurements put us right in the middle of the bell curve as far as development. We both agreed that the sonogram technician had a pretty cool job. We sat there for almost an hour just going through her checklist, taking measurements, and asking what certain things were. We came out with several snapshots, but the one below is the best.

I think everything will be pretty self-explanatory. The only thing that I'll point out is that the blotch underneath the baby's chin is its hand. Striking a pose!

101 Things...

2007-06-26T14:35:00.001-04:00

As I'm sitting here waiting for some good thunderstorms to brew (hopefully), a co-worker passed along an interesting list.

ESPN.com just published a list of 101 sporting events to see before you die. 1, 2 & 3 are Summer Olympics, The World Cup, and Winter Olympics (respectively). Of particular interest on down the list, though, is #17 - Michigan / Ohio State Football Game. Not too shabby!

ND fans will be glad to see that taking in any game at Notre Dame made it on the list at #23.

But who's counting...

2007-06-18T11:26:00.001-04:00

I've now included a countdown timer at the bottom right of the page. This countdown is intended to serve three purposes:

1) It let's anyone get excited about how little time they have left to wait (if they get excited about things like that -- not naming any names, grandparents).

2) It will hopefully serve as a motivational tool for both of us to get everything we want to do finished.

3) It lets me vent my innate geekiness in a constructive way.

Hopefully it turns out to be a fun tool!

Welcome to 11 weeks

2007-06-13T10:52:00.000-04:00

As we sit and count down the week left to go until we reach our first major milestone, the end of the first trimester (insert a chorus of angels here), we take the time to call attention to the Tigers' game last night, if you happened to miss it... particularly Justin Verlander's no-hitter. Only the 6th no-hitter in the Tigers' history, and it hasn't happened since 1984!

The Tigers are sure making the new DLP and high-def hookup worth the money, and their games are pretty much a staple in our weekly television lineup.

Go Tigers!

What's in a name?

2007-06-11T09:41:00.000-04:00

This is going to seem silly, but then again, I've never had a problem with silly...

Amy and I already have names picked out (and have had for quite some time), but we thought we'd ask everyone else what they thought!

So, what do you think? What should baby Whipple be called? Just leave a comment! (Commenting should now be open to anyone... not just gmail registered users.)

Making things more interesting around here...

2007-06-08T14:27:00.000-04:00

Alright everyone. The main reason for starting up this blog is now going public! Amy and I went for our first appointment today to check out the person who is going to be making some changes around here for the next 7 months or so (and beyond)! We're at 10 and a half weeks right now, so for all those who don't keep a pregnancy calendar handy, that means right around a January 4th due date.

Using all the latest technology from the start, we were able to get some pretty neat views. I tried to highlight all the interesting bits that are identifiable. We saw the heart working away and everything else looks to be in perfect shape and order. They were also able to take some measurements, and determined that the baby looks to be extremely intelligent and talented. Like we expected things to be any other way...

More news will come as it becomes available!

New content coming soon...

2007-06-05T12:07:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

Just wanted to let you know that we're still here and that new content will be added this Friday!

Amy's first post - Up close and personal!

2007-05-29T18:16:00.000-04:00

this is all... blah blah blah

Everything has to start somewhere...

2007-05-29T14:17:00.000-04:00

This is a test. This is only a test.

While having been a pretty avid web user, it turns out that I'm woefully behind the times in actually creating any content. For your sake and mine, I hope this comes into focus as I get used to it!

Just for kicks, here's a picture from last July's trip to Sarajevo! (J&D, can you believe in one month it'll be one year???)