Springtime!

Daniel's packing.

 Well, today starts my first day of Spring Break...I know, I know...some of you don't get a Spring Break.  To you, I wish you the best!  I recommend taking a week of vacation this month or so!  Anyways, today begins my adventure of "Single Dad" life...at least during the day.  I'll admit that I'm a bit nervous, but Katie left me a schedule and I had a bit of a practice run yesterday.  So, now he just needs to nap perfectly.  He went down at 8am, so...at least we got 20 minutes so far.

It looks like he's planning to put the giraffe in chains!

Aside from Daddy/Daniel time this week, I'll be doing quite a bit of packing/moving as we prepare for our March 30th/31st moving time.  You can see below that Katie's closet has made a dramatic transformation (mine has since done the same).  It's good for us to go through all of our stuff because it encourages us to donate/trash a lot of things that we...don't really need/want.  I DID find a box of old cards from since I was a child.  The oldest card was from my mother that she gave me when I was 6 or 7 years old.  It was a random gift where I could "use" the card to go to a movie (with a friend of course), get lunch, and hang out with mi madre.  I honestly don't think I ever used it because I was saving it.  Maybe I'll take advantage of that now...although my friend will probably be one of my roommates. 

It's a miracle!

Anyways, Katie and I had our busy week full of her 2nd grade folk dance nights (which went off quite well from what I heard) and my concerts/Parent-Teacher Conferences/honor band.  They were good times though.  However, I welcome the time off to get caught up around the house and for packing.  Now, I just need to stick to that plan...although video games are calling my name...

Grandpa Konrad, Daniel, and Rattle.

Daniel's over 21lbs now, so we actually have to move him to a convertible car seat because the weight limit is 22lbs on the current one.  Chunky dude.  His clothes are shrinking too, BUT we also get to bust out some of the clothes he hasn't fit into yet, including his "Captain of the S.S. Cutie" romper that I picked out.  He's a stud.  Welp!  Sorry, for being a day late.  I hope you enjoy my updates.  I got a wild week of hanging with Grandpa Konrad, lunch with my old professor, and a Guys' date with Michael Pollock and their firstborn, Jude.  Wild times.    

Is this considered Spelunking? 

March Madness!!

Hyuck!

How about that title for being original!  I'll take it though.  Sometimes originality slows down your creativity (I don't know if I actually agree with the previous sentence...the words just kept coming out as I typed and I really don't feel like changing it).  Now that that is out of the way, we can get started...so...how are you?  I'm doing fine.  Let's talk family...

We let him order.  They brought us "gyuahh" or whatever he was saying.

Daniel's been doing pretty well.  I feel like his overnight sleeps are improving.  It reminds me of the stock market.  You have little ups and downs here and there, but overall, it improves (or worsens)  Let's just hope we can avoid a sleep recession.  Katie had to go out and buy some pants for Daniel because he's just such a long little dude.  His other pants were looking like capris....looking like a fool with capris on the ground.   He's so very close to getting to a sitting position from laying on his belly.  He just gets stuck in this "in-between" position. He's also getting quite close to crawling.  I know, I know...he'll be doing it in no time, but man oh man, these life-steps are just so exciting. 

Hanging out with boxes.

I've had an eventful week of concerts, jazz contests, and grilling.  The weather outside has improved immensely over the past 4-5 months.  It took awhile to get there and it's been a mild winter, but heck, I'll take this 60-70 degree weather any day.  I mean, we can't all live like our friends, William and Lucy North in the rough California weather.  Anyways, yesterday we were able to grill out at Kate's parents' house.  It was a good time and I was able to work on my golf chipping as I humiliated myself in front of my in-laws.  It's all about the experience. 

Daniel being a sour puss with Aunt Jenny.

Kind of busy week ahead, but the following week I'm on Spring Break.  My first one as a father, so I better be getting some good day trips in order (Cancun, here we come!).  MY father has spring break that week as well, so we'll do some three-generation activities as well.  Maybe ice-fishing or something...anyways.  Katie has her 2nd grade programs this week (she's doing folk dance night instead of a traditional program, it sounds AMAZING) and it occurs over three nights.  I also have a concert, honor band, and parent-teacher conferences.  Oh well.  Busy is as busy does or whatever...

Snuggle Monster

Anyways... (I should have called this blog "anyways" due to my many tangents).  I want to ask for some prayers for my mother's family in Alabama.  They're dealing with a couple pretty significant health issues right now and we're really praying for speedy recoveries.  Thank you all so much and I wish you happy bracket-choosing!

Happy 6 Months!

We gotta get a beard going on you, boy!

 
Well folks, believe it or not, our son Daniel was born 6 months ago (take away 2 days).  It's remarkable how much he has grown.  We had his 6 month checkup this past Thursday and here's the info:

Height:  28" (95th Percentile)
Weight:  19lbs 15.5oz (90th Percentile)
Head Circumference:  Equivalent to Magellan's trip around the world.  (80th Percentile)
Coolness:  Very (101st Percentile)

What a big dude!  Our doctor says that his growth now is no indication of how large he might be when he grows up, but I think he's on his way to being as big Yao Ming...if not as tall as Yao Ming, he'll definitely be a better English horn player.  (The preceding sentence can be deemed as random and should not be taken seriously.  If anything, it could and should be ignored and we ask that you move on to the below picture of not one, but two cute babies, albeit it is the same baby.  Thank you.)

Mirror, mirror on the wall.  Who makes the stinkiest diapers of all?

Things have been going pretty well this past week.  We certainly have our ups and downs with his nights, but he's been napping better for us on the weekend and we feel like we're making progress in the evenings.  Katie had to play single mom on Friday and Saturday morning because I was attending a convention in Lincoln, NE to learn how to become a better band teacher.  It sounds like she did a great job, but being away from Daniel for my first night was a little rough.  At least I knew he was in good hands!

Sleeping on the go.

Probably the biggest news this week for us (other than Snooki being pregnant) was that my wife and I bought a house!  It's a beautiful place and so close to where we live now that you can see it from our apartment balcony.  We had only started looking last Saturday and we're already set to close at the end of the month...so this month'll be a bit of a whirlwind.  We really wanted a neighborhood where Daniel could grow up with lots of kids around and while driving to our house last week, our car was stopped about 1752 times to wait for kids to cross the street...I think we'll be okay.  Thanks to all of you who have already offered to help.  We appreciate you and will compensate you through food and beverages.

Hey baby.

Shout out Jen Martinez, Kate's sister.  It's her birthday!  She'll have a baby of her own in a couple months.  They are not finding out the gender yet, so I'm pulling for a boy...or girl...but probably nothing else.  Kudos!

Get used to it, son.

Happy Leap Year!

Sitting up!

We're definitely getting excited for this upcoming leap year.  It feels like it has been years since our last one.  It's also called a bissextile year (according to wikapedia...and you KNOW they're legitimate).

Well, "hi", folks!  How have things been?  They've been pretty swell here.  I missed my update last week, but I'll eat my hat if that ever happens again (my hat happens to be made of chocolate cheesecake...so it'll probably happen again).  Katie had Daniel weighed recently and he came in at a whopping 19lbs 5oz.  He's a pretty big dude.  We'll know what percentile of overgrown babies he is in at his 6 month appointment this Thursday.  We did an unofficial measurement and he was 2ft 3 1/2 inches.  Hot dog!  He's a growing boy!  He's been quite healthy except for the occasional stuffy noise whininess.

I'm not looking at the camera...oh well.

I cannot believe it's already almost been six months since Daniel was born.  That's half a year, folks!  I have a feeling the next six months will fly by too (based on what I'm told by my experienced counterparts).  We're nearing the end of our school year, which means we got some spring breaks coming up and a nice big summer with lots of plans.  Also, we're looking at houses, so we're hoping to some summer celebrating in an actual house.  In any case, our schedules have been calming down a bunch in the last few weeks which means more time home as a family.  It really is nice to be able to actually...ya know..spend time together.  I guess this is why we really want to take advantage of some of the larger breaks we have.  We are quite content and thankful for what we have though.

Cute.

Daniel's sitting up now and gets closer every day to doing a crawl/spider walk of sorts.  I think he looks like he's in a yoga pose.  Now...let me say that I have NO idea how to do a single yoga move.  I think one is called "Hot Doggin" or something.  Anyways...I'm predicting he'll be crawling by Friday.  Lofty goal, but we got some trainers coming in to work with him the next few days....so we'll see..

Staring contest.

Next week's the big six months and we'll be in MARCH.  I cannot believe we're that far along in the year.  What a tame winter we've had..I will NOT complain though.  Although, we do need to teach Daniel how to build an igloo...you know..for survival.  Such is life I guess..  

Nutritional.

We're Back!

We're back!

Well..it's been far too long, folks.  I would apologize for my absence, but I trust that you understood my circumstances.  However, with our new iPhones, I've found a faster, sleeker way of managing these blog posts so that I can do so more efficiently.  Also, Katie and I have set aside time each week to make sure this gets done.  What if one of us becomes famous!?  We'll want to make sure we had a blog keeping tabs on our parenting.  

Well, so much has happened in the past few weeks, I will have to touch on the "biggies' and most recent activities.  You'll notice some great pictures below of my buddy, Brad and his daughter, Amelia.  If you click here, you can see a picture of when Daniel was 1 month and Amelia was about 5 months.  Now, Daniel is 5 months and Amelia's about 9.  Goodness gracious.  

Amelia would prefer she be held to my son.

I'd say Daniel was checking out a lady, but I'm pretty sure he's looking at the balls in her hand.

Today we celebrated Kate's birthday with some bowling.  Not much of my own pictures, but it made for an eventful day.  Daniel took a nap through the loud atmosphere.  I was quite proud of him.  He's been sleeping better and better each night.  We actually got to 6am this morning (that's as opposed to 4am most other mornings).  

Some big milestones I should have noted:

1.  Daniel's 5-months old as of February 2nd.  He's HUGE!

2.  He has 1 1/2 teeth.  One is pretty much through, the other (we just noticed today) has a tip just poking through.

3.  He's almost sitting up.  He's so very close.

4.  He rolls back to front to back to front, etc like it's his job.  (We do not pay him though.  Child labor laws).  

Daniel's great though.  It's a constant state of learning, but we're thrilled with how well he's been doing for us.  Kate's been busy being back at work and I'm getting through a couple of my busiest weeks of the year.  We finally got some snow, but didn't take Daniel out into it for fear of...the cold I guess.  It gets pretty cold at times.

Well, hopefully this'll be a weekly thing now.  We're looking at Sunday evenings.  Thanks for being patient!  If anything, this'll be informative to our hardcore readers!  Enjoy the pics!

Good pic.

Playing.

Big Boy Daniel

Just a quick update to say Daniel is doing WELL!  No issues.  How's that for an update on two weeks?

Loves his Honey

Katie and I are back to school (proving to our dads that we are in fact no fools).  The best news of late is that Daniel has decided to sleep through the night so that mommy and daddy can not be Grouchy McGrouchersons in the mornings, days...and nights.  Also, after visiting with our pediatrician, we were given the go ahead on feeding Daniel big people food...if he was ready.  The Big Mac did not go down too well, but his crushed banana in a fishing net-of-sorts did.  Most of it ends up on his face and bib, but we just leave it there in case he gets hungry later.  (I want to follow this by saying that we do not, I repeat do NOT leave banana on our son's face following his feeding.  The preceding line was a joke and we are in fact good parents). 

Handsome Dude

Daniel's getting so big too.  On his 4 month checkup he was 26. 5 inches long (93rd percentile) and 16.5 lbs heavy (80th percentile).  He's growing out of so many clothes.  He's starting to look nerdy in his high-waters.  I'm thinking about buying him a pocket protector...We've seen some family of late, but not often enough because life happens.  I with my basketball band and Katie with her school obligations.  Sometimes sleep is the greatest priority, albeit happens little.  I want to clarify that my basketball band is a pep band that plays at basketball games.  Not a ball dribbling polka group that competes in area tournaments.  Minor clarification.  Although if anyone wants to start a brass quintet to enter in a local 5v5 tournament, I'd be happy to consider. 

 
We were able to see our good friends the Norths from sunny Mid-Cal.  I felt bad for them, son, they usually got 99 problems, but the cold ain't one...or maybe it is.  It was a blast seeing them.  You can check out some nice pictures on THEIR blog.  Isaiah attempted to gouge Daniel's eyes out, but Daniel tried to eat his hand...his own hand I mean.  Anyways, it was a humorous duel, put on by us fathers.

I'm thinking we got some COOOLD months ahead, so stay warm, and remember...stay..warm I guess.

Starting to get his butt in the air...you'll get there buddy.

Happy 4 Months!

Happy 4 months, Daniel!  We're so proud of all you have accomplished! Tomorrow is your appointment and we'll find out how big you've gotten, but til' then, party on!

Here's some rolling over...