Cuddle Time

Hank loves to cuddle with his daddy.  I love this picture of him.  Doesn't that sweet face just melt your heart?

Play Yard

In an effort to get Hank to sleep longer at night, I have been trying to keep him awake after feeding times.  A couple of nights ago, I put him under his Baby Einstein Play Yard in the hope that would help to stimulate him.  You can see how well it worked by looking at the pictures below.  He fell fast asleep! (Note: He really does love the play yard...especially as he is able to focus more and more each day.)



Oscar Party

Hank and mommy went to an Oscar party last night at a friend's house.  So, naturally, Hank wore his tuxedo so that he would be ready for the red carpet!

This last picture was taken after we told Hank that it was an all girls party so he would be hanging out with women all night.  He was pretty upset!  He wanted to hang out with the guys!

Hank and Mommy

Hank and Mommy matched last Sunday when they went to church so we had to take a couple of pictures.

Hank and Grandaddy (Emily's dad)

Some people have said that Hank looks like my dad.  My mom took several pictures of them together after chuch last Sunday and I guess that I can see a little resemblance.  I still think that Hank looks more like Russ, but what do you think?

Hank and Nonnie (Russ' mom)

Nonnie came in the middle of February to help take care of Hank while I had a follow-up doctor's appointment.  She stayed for 5 days and we had a great time as usual.  Here are a few pictures that I took of Hank and her before she went back to Tennessee.

One Month Old

Hank turned one-month old yesterday so we attempted a photo shoot to commemorate the day.  Hank's Nonnie (Russ' mom) found some shoes that actually fit him.  They are size double zero.  We thought that his skinny legs looked so cute with the tennis shoes on.  Nonnie says that he looks like the blue M&M from the M&M commercials on T.V.

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hank is just starting to fit into newborn sized clothes.  This shirt was still a little big on him, but I think that he looks good in red!  And what other time is he going to be able to wear this Valentine's Day shirt.  I like to think that he is reaching for me in the 2nd picture below, but I'm pretty sure that it was just reflex!  Happy Valentine's Day!

~ Emily

First Walk

We have had a pretty bad winter so far with lots of snow and low temperatures.  Yesterday, we got a little break from the cold as it was mild and in the 50's.  So Hank, Scout, and I decided to venture out on our 1st walk together.  I wasn't sure how it would go since Scout usually drags me on our walks as she tries to chase squirrels.  However, we only saw a couple of squirrels on our walk so I would say that it went pretty well overall.

As we were finishing up our walk, I ran into one of our neighbors down the street who just had a little boy exactly one week after Hank was born.  She was also on her first walk with her little guy and her dog.  It was probably comical if someone was watching us trying to hold onto our strollers with one hand and wrangle our dogs with the other as we introduced ourselves.  It's great to know that Hank may have a playmate just down the street!

~Emily

We took this picture when we returned from our walk as proof that we survived!

We still made sure that Hank was good and bundled up for his walk.

I just thought this was too cute not to post.

Red wine and new fatherhood don't mix...

Friday night as Emily and I sat downstairs watching television, she in the recliner and I on the loveseat holding my son and working on my second glass of wine, I had a sudden flash-forward and envisioned a gangly teenaged Hank lying on the now empty couch, relaxing with his parents.

I got a bit misty, and through a few embarrassed tears I recounted my vision to my now grinning wife, who tenderly and a bit laughingly took my hand as I vowed to add "new fatherhood" to my ever-expanding list of things you shouldn't mix with red wine - watching "Saving Private Ryan", video clips of 9-11, etc. You get the idea.

And the boy can't even smile at me yet. I'm in big trouble.

Bath time...

Now that the umbilical is off, it's time for Hank's first bath!

Musings of a new father

I knew I'd be a jealous father, but I didn't know how jealous until I had to share Hank with everybody on the planet.  We've had a steady stream of visitors since the day he was born.  My mother stayed on for two weeks after the birth, and she has our eternal gratitude.  My grandmother was hot on her heels and stayed for around four days, and we had a wonderful visit.  Emily's parents pop in and out more often now, and they are always welcome.  Let me tell you - I'm tired of sharing.  I suppose it's just one of those things that I will have to get used to as a father.  But I don't have to like it.

I've only been back to work for two weeks, but I already feel like he has changed just a little bit every time I get home.  I'm torn between cherishing the present and anticipating the future.  I'm ready to teach him how to shoot, but I know I'll miss being able to hold him with one hand.  The thing is, I prefer this anxiety to settling into the mundane.  The day Hank becomes routine is the day I start missing all the little things, and I don't want that to happen.  His mother might welcome a bit of routine, at least in terms of his sleeping habits.  But that's understandable.

Speaking of Emily, she's taken to her new role like a champion.  She is doing a fabulous job keeping the fort.  And let me make this perfectly clear - the role of "homemaker", or "housewife", or "domestic engineer" is not to be trivialized.  I feel like all the fancy names I just listed are ridiculous - these terms wouldn't have been coined if people didn't feel the need to condescendingly defend the responsibilities of the traditional wife.  And that's what Emily is - she is my wife, my partner, and my teammate.  The role she plays in our marriage is invaluable.  It's been tough - she's a highly educated professional, and now she's taken what our modern society views as a politically incorrect step backward.  Believe it or not, she actually got a few negative responses from people after telling them that she planned to raise our children full-time.  But the most important job anyone can do is devote maximum effort to raising children.  You can praise soldiers, teachers, policemen, and firemen all you want.  A good parent trumps them all.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be financially able to have someone stay at home full-time.  We are grateful to God that we are.  It won't be easy - we've made a few adjustments already, and I'm sure there are more painful ones one the way, but this is important enough to us to make it work.

Anyway, here's a photo of Hank for those of you only like to look at the pictures.  As Frances McDormand said in "Raising Arizona", he's an angel straight from Heaven.