Our First Edition

A nice day to visit

2011-07-07T14:27:00.001-07:00

The zoo! Our summer is so different now that we have a kid. No more are the days of doing adult things but we spend most of our time at The Children's Museum, the pool, and the zoo/aquarium. We have also become firm believers in the year pass because we probably spend between 45mins to two hours at any given place. It is nice to go back as often as we want for however long we want. Scott's favorite part on our zoo visits would be the penguins and the fish. For as long as we have gone, he has been drawn to those two things. As he is getting older, he tries to "find" the fish and will spend a lot of time climbing the stairs by the penguin exhibit. It is hard to catch them in the water.

4th of July

2011-07-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

I am trying to blog more and do less Facebooking so I have made a tiny goal to try to update at least once a month. We'll see how that works once school starts. The fall will be busy as I am on my last class and will be graduating in December. Yippeee.

We spent the fourth with family. It was wonderful and a lot of fun to see how Scott reacted to the fireworks. in fact, he was fixated on them. He kept pointing, clapping, and talking. It was real sweet because he just vegged last year. Everyone was there except for Amy and I have to admit, the holidays are not the same without her. Fortunately, she comes home in September and is going to be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Hopefully, we also get to meet "the guy."

Now that it is only a month until school starts, I am trying to fine tune the play. It is looking great and I am real excited to share it. The one part I am struggling with is finding a phrase that can be used throughout the play in order to make it flow in a more "sing-song way." It'll come, maybe not this year but over the next few years. I just need to introduce it to the team and get the ball rolling. I spoke with a few other people last year and spoke with the boss already so we should be good to go.

Summer Time

2011-07-03T15:44:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful day at the pool! It has been so hot outside and in order to get out of the house in 109 degree weather, the pool has been an absolute God-Send. Surprisingly, there was hardly anyone at the pool. I wish we had gotten pictures of the splash pad because that is still Scott's favorite part.

Whew....it's hot in Arizona

2011-07-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

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Due to the excessive heat we have been trying to spend most of our mornings in the pool. It is crazy to think that even at 10am it so super hot out. We stepped into the pool and it felt like a warm bath, pretty nice.

Summertime and the Living is Easy

2011-06-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

This summer has been incredibly different and so much busier than last summer. It is hard to believe that where once we had a two month old, we are now chasing after our fourteen month old. We have finally had enough time to sit down and write a post. Well, where to begin! We had our family vacation which was so much fun. We went to Washington State which I have been dying to show Matt. He, like me, fell in love with the green and the weather. It is too bad the housing prices are so high because we would move there otherwise. As Matt told me, when we get old and wrinkled...we will retire there. He is such a romantic.

In the hot Arizona weather, we have spent a lot of time doing free things which are either in water or inside. So, that leaves the pool, the aquarium, and the Children's Museum. I think Scott likes the Museum the best because there is so much for him to do. Also, it has been worth actually becoming a member.

Matt has been working for Axia (University of Phoenix) and Argosy University. While it is great to have the extra income, he is very busy. He is also continuing to write. He currently has his novel out to an editor and is still submitting his short stories like crazy. We have our fingers crossed but it has been wonderful hearing his stories nightly. I am in awe with how he can spin out his stories.

I am still working on my Masters and am set to graduate in December. I couldn't be more ready. It has been so much harder to plug away with a kid. Not that I mind, it has just made me realize how valuable time is. For example, I had to write a position paper on Implementing Sign Language in Early Childhood (which ended up to be 18 pgs long) and because of nap schedules, my work time was about two hours a day. Before Scott, I would have been able to dedicate more time during the day. My point is that I need to plan my planning and work time. Good news is that I have maintained a 4.0 for my Masters and am confident that will continue. I am also working on stuff for school next year. I am moving to 5th grade and couldn't be more excited about it.

This has also been a summer of transformation for Matt and I. We both began Medifast in March and have lost a ton of weight. Matt has lost 45 pounds and I have lost 52 pounds so far. It has seriously changed our lives. I know that sounds so cliche but I think it has improved our confidence, marriage, and how we are raising Scott. All good things.

Which brings me to our "buddy!" Scotty is so much fun right now. He is walking, talking, and making new discoveries every day. His new favorite game is to hide and find toys. He has been a joy and we have loved being able to spend so much time with him. He is also forming a few basic signs, like "all done," "more," "milk," and "eat." What a good boy!

Well, I think that puts you up to date with the Sinex clan. Sorry for the long post, must be blogging guilt!

Happy Birthday! 4/26/11 at OneTrueMedia.com

2011-04-27T09:53:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Scott!

Year Check Up

24 pounds
31 inches

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Happy Birthday Scotty!

2011-04-27T09:51:00.001-07:00

Yearly Check-Up
24 pounds
31 inches

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

So entertaining!

2011-04-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

California Family Trip 3/15/2011 at OneTrueMedia.com

2011-04-06T20:54:00.001-07:00

Our first family trip!

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Catch Up Time!

2011-04-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

Wow! Where has the time gone? Before Scott was mobile I had a camera attached to my hip. Now, I am more busy chasing him around and the pictures are becoming less and less. Funny though because while I am taking mental snapshots, I am wishing that there was someway I could transfer the mental snapshots to the computer because I know I won't remember these times when he is a teenager.

It is incredible how much Scott has grown. He is taking steps and addresses me as "Mama," and sometimes will call Matt "Dada." Nah, he calls him Dada, I just have more time in the evening with Scott while Matt is working upstairs.

Ok, so where to begin. Scotty is 11 months and we are now preparing for his first birthday. It won't be a crazy ordeal, just family to celebrate. As I am typing I am trying to control my laughter because Scott is playing Peek-A-Boo from behind my laptop. I should clarify that I am not initiating this, he is holding the back and slowly walking from behind it and smiling (so he is playing Peek-A-Boo with me).

Wow! As I was writing the above, Scott walked over to the window (not crawling, not holding on to anything). We are talking 13+ steps.

In March we went to California. Scott had his first visit to the beach, Seaport Village, and SeaWorld. All of which were a success and he loved it. I will upload pictures later.

Scott is getting into everything. He loves to get into our Tupperware and to try to make nice sounds with the piano. He gets real frustrated just banging on it. However, when he makes a nice sound on the guitar or piano he get this huge grin on his face. I just think to myself "that's my boy :)." He also loves throwing balls and playing catch. He still enjoys playing with ribbons. He will also spend a lot of time opening and closing doors. He also enjoys sitting in his toys. It is crazy to watch him! He is a bundle of energy and keeping us very busy. Gosh! So much, but I know that I will want to read back on this.

Earlier this week he went to Day Care for the first time and came back with Pink Eye, that was awful. However, we did like the Day Care and will take him back when Mimi leaves again.

9 Months Old

2011-01-27T18:34:00.000-08:00

Happy 9 months, Scotty!

The Sinex Family Year

2010-12-31T17:57:00.001-08:00

This year has been truly magnificent. We have been brainstorming (in true teacher fashion) about what has happened this year and how it will really shape us for 2011. So...here goes.

In January, we first got a true glimpse of our little man. There is something about 4D ultrasounds that really made parenthood a reality. We were very lucky to have family to attend and the pregnancy was wonderful. We also put together the remainder of the baby things. Matt also increased his course load for teaching at University of Phoenix Axia College.

In February, (to be honest) we don't remember much of what happened because of the arrival of our first edition. Heidi got older (26) and grew tremendously (that 3rd trimester).

In March, Heidi had her family Baby Shower at the Biltmore. She spoke very fondly of this experience because she didn't want a big show and really just wanted "tea with the ladies." It was even more fantastic because they surprised her with BBQ afterwards which Matt gladly attended. The house also exploded with infant accessories.

In April...well, there are no words for April because we welcomed Scott Andrew Sinex to our world, which is now his world too. We covered most of our feelings in our earlier blog posts but we can reiterate that the experience was surreal and will always be remembered. Heidi remembers it through epidural glasses and calls the experience "fun and painless." Matt however, knows better.

In May, we spent every minute circulating Scott around the families. In addition, we followed each other up the stairs...to feedings...and carefully transported him. Rule #1: Don't drop the baby! It is crazy to think back at the nervousness we felt. I am curious if the next one will have such helicopter parents (we've gotten better...I promise). Heidi also celebrated getting through six credits on her Masters and still maintaining a 4.0 despite being in labor during finals (that's my wife!).

In June, we enjoyed the summer and the tiny milestones: Scott lifting his head, drinking more formula, not spitting up as much, peeing on Daddy. We also took Scott on his first outing: Target. Scott also had his first Nana sleepover while we celebrated our 5th anniversary in beautiful Sedona.

In July, Heidi and Scott went to Austin where they visited the illustrious Amy who has had an exciting year too. Matt went to New Mexico for an International Baccalaureate conference after he was offered the position of teaching IB English at his school.

In August, Heidi shed many tears for going back to work. This was a hard month for all of us but thankfully we did not have to take Scott to daycare because of Mimi who has watched him for us.

In September, Scott was baptized. Scott also tried rice cereal for the first time, and started to roll over. Now, we can't get him to stop!

In October, we took our first trip as a family up to Flagstaff for Fall Break. We picked out our pumpkins and Scott loved the petting zoo. For Halloween, Scott was a chicken. We joked that Matt should be an egg but he settled on being a 1st time parent instead. Most believable costume ever. Matt also started teaching English for Argosy as well. Jobs total: 3.

In November, Scott had his first Thanksgiving. He also tried the Stage 1 meats which were disgusting :). We set up our Christmas Tree and Scott had a playdate with Baby Evelyn.

In December, we went on a magical journey to the North Pole where Scott met Santa (this was his 3rd Santa). We also went to Zoolights with the Corradi Family. The babies loved the lights and enjoyed dancing together. Scott loved his first Christmas, where he got lots of wrapping paper, ribbons, and four brand new teeth. He also began to crawl, which necessitated many baby gates being installed.

Who knows what the next year will bring? As of now we have an eight-month-old, two cats, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Happy New Year!

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On the Move

2010-12-23T18:48:00.000-08:00

The Sinex family spent most of the afternoon building our First Inaugural Gingerbread House. The design is original -- you may use the "comment" button below to request blueprints and/or catering services.

Also, Scotty got an early Christmas from Santa (Santa uses UPS). After passing his driver's test with flying colors, Scott is now approved for tile mobility. Check out his wheels!

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Zoolights and The Polar Express

2010-12-22T15:41:00.000-08:00

As I have said in previous posts, I have been looking forward to the Holiday season for months because of all the fun family things! In keeping to that theme, the Sinex family went to Zoolights and took a trip up North to ride the Polar Express.

We went to Zoolights with the Corradi family and had a wonderful time. The babies liked seeing each other and seemed to really enjoy the lights. Matt developed baby-ritis in his neck from carrying his little bundle of holiday joy, but didn't complain at all!

For the Polar Express we dutifully prepared Scott for the train ride and told him that he was going to the North Pole. I don't know if he believed us...obviously. I think he does believe in elves, though: he found one in the mirror of our hotel room!

However, he did wonderfully despite nearly freezing to death (yes, I layered him in 4 layers but I doubt it was good enough). I used my motherly instincts and even wrapped him in my jacket but still felt terribly bad. Scott did receive a bell from Santa though. We discovered how shy he is around new people. He didn't cry but shied to my shoulders and wouldn't look at the people...kind of reminded me of the way my sister used to act around adults. Real sweet.

Merry Christmas! Scotty already got a few of his presents early: four teeth and a partridge in a pear tree ;).

Thank you Aunt Karen..

2010-12-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

For the gorgeous Christmas outfit :)

Scott Crawling

2010-12-17T17:15:00.000-08:00

Scott began crawling about a week ago...we have finallyrecorded a video of it! We also recieved a very nice Christmas Outfit from Aunt Karen. He will be sporting it tomorrow at Zoolights!

Christmas Pictures

2010-11-26T18:29:00.001-08:00

Our little boy survived his first Christmas pictures this morning, Black Friday 2010. The JC Penney crowd was thick with shoppers hugging their bargains tight to their chests. Scott helped us pick out a new set of towels while we waited our turn to sit for our photographs. Once we purchased the towels, Scott played with the bead maze in the waiting area. The Little Mermaid played in the background.

This session with the photographers was by far the quickest and easiest session we've had so far. Scott behaved wonderfully, smiling readily and looking extremely happy. He especially liked playing with the ornament, as you can see below.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Our Anniversary

2010-11-20T05:08:00.001-08:00

I can't believe it has been three years since Matt and I got married! We always celebrate two important dates, our first date (June 19, 2005) and our wedding date (November 23, 2007). Last night we talked about adding our engagement in there as well (January 19, 2006). I remember when Matt first asked me on a date, he told me "life is too damn short." We have never broken up or really been apart for more than 2 weeks in our entire relationship. I have never been happier with where I am in my life or seen more bad-good movies. Yes, the clip inserted there was from our second date. Anyway, if you would have showed me a preview of my life about seven years I think I wouldn't have believed it. I am a lucky girl.

Last night, Nana and "Eh" took Scotty for a sleepover at their house while Matt and I had a date. It is such a different ordeal when you have a kid. Our date plan was to go to dinner and a movie. Specifically, we wanted to see Harry Potter and go to TexAz Grill which is way the heck down in Phoenix. Prior to having Scotty this wouldn't have been a big deal, we would have driven an hour to dinner and then caught a movie down there. Now, we had to configure getting the baby up to Nana's house and then driving downtown which added an extra 45 minutes. So, that put our movie date at around 10pm. We revamped of course.

We ended up going to Grimaldis and seeing Harry Potter by us. Grimaldis was delicious, it's so hard to find a pizza place that is not the same old "run of the mill" pizza, and this was actually really nice. We were done with dinner around 7:47pm. I have never experienced a movie on opening weekend so last night's feature was a treat. We actually stood in line, surprisingly only three Griffindor scarfs were spotted. The movie itself was...well...VERY close to the book at almost a rate where you know that if someone hadn't read the book they may be very confused by the conclusion of the movie. It was worth seeing, I'm happy I did but it was very different from the rest of the series.

I am thankful for

2010-11-13T19:03:00.001-08:00

I really enjoy this time of year. I love the scents, the sounds, and the general feel of autumn and winter. More importantly though, I have been looking forward to THIS time of year for the past year because I kept thinking about what it would be like to celebrate it with a family of three. I made a list in my head of everything I wanted to do, of course not everything gets done because life with an infant is a bit more challenging but it has been enjoyable all the same. So far, we have been to the zoo (pics to come) and Scotty loved the octopus and monkeys.

The biggest goal that I have made for myself is to try and bake more. I actually have been pretty good on this goal (gee I wonder why) and I have been consistently baking every weekend since about September. Matty is thrilled, my hips aren't but our house is a bit more delicious so I guess it evens itself out. The funny thing is, I have found it very therapeutic which is most shocking part to me since I have always been somewhat scared of baking (due to a childhood incident with baking my mom a cake-Amy, you may remember this one). However, I guess I have gotten over that traumatic experience and am getting better every weekend.

Now, on to what this blog is really about. Family life is going well, Scotty is growing everyday. I am shocked at how tall he is (28 inches from a mere 19 at birth). It makes me wonder how tall he will get. He has also developed quite the personality. He seems to know what he wants and tries to communicate it. For example, when we were in the living room and he wanted a bottle he pointed toward the kitchen (no not just once, repeatedly) and then stuck his fingers in his mouth and began sucking (Note to family: I know what you're thinking here). It was pretty cool though because he used to just scream and cry but now it seems like he's "communicating" or perhaps we are just more in tune to him. On a side note, I could also swear that I heard him say his first word, "Mom-Mom..." ahhh....wishful thinking...

We are getting excited for Thanksgiving. Amy is coming home (yay!) and there will be much rejoicing (see above).

When did our baby reach half a year??

2010-10-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

Scott at 5 minutes

Seriously, here I am thinking I still have a newborn but it is now becoming a realization that I am going to have a 1 year old in just 6 more months! Our Scott is getting so big and growing up so much! I can't believe how much he has changed and how much Matt and I have changed since he has come into our lives. We are so blessed!

Scott at 3 months

Scott Andrew at 6 months! What a big boy!

Flagstaff and the Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-08T20:50:00.001-07:00

We took a family trip to Flagstaff and to Prescott to gather pumpkins. We had a wonderful time! Here are a few pictures from our trip.

In front of the doors of Tinsley Hall. This is where Matt and I met. To be precise, Matt walked through these doors and we met right inside.

Loving NAU! He is such a good traveler!

Next, we went to the pumpkin patch. Our little pumpkin loved it!

What a sweet little boy :)

Standing on a haystack

Riding a tractor!

Made it through the corn maze!

Not really sure about the Merry-Go-Round.....

LOVED the petting zoo! SCORE!

Our family pumpkin selection and one tired baby! Time to go home! That was one successful 24 hour trip.

Beautiful Baby Boy

2010-10-08T20:46:00.001-07:00

Rice Cereal, Laughs with Lilly, and our little musician!

2010-09-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

Scotty "playing" the piano. This has become his new favorite activity. We do this at least one a day! I think we need to start calling him, "the Piano Baby."

Scotty has also taken quite a liking to cats. Sorry, no man's best friend for this little guy...this is a true cat lover! He has been laughing at Mimi's cat, Scout, and now Lilly :)

Lastly...Fall is coming round the corner. The weather is starting to drop and we are now able to take stroller walks at night. Scott even got to wear his Wall-E sweatshirt.

What a week....even the Target lady yelled at me

2010-09-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

So much has happened this week to make me really appreciate my life. I don't want to go into it. I am so grateful to have an amazing family to come home to and an amazing husband who really has never made me cry :). Matt, I love you. Thank you for being a fantastic father, husband, and friend.

Daddy turns 27!

2010-09-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

I am so late on this post but I was going through our pictures and saw a few cute ones :)

And they all rolled over!

2010-09-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

Scott began to roll over a few days ago but I finally caught it on film!

Scott gets Baptized

2010-09-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

Scott did a wonderful job. Matt and I were both very nervous but we were blessed to be surrounded by family and friends at Lord of Life Lutheran Church today. I have posted a few pictures from the event. We were thrilled with the turnout of family! Thank you to all you were able to join us for the joyous occasion. Scott is lucky to be so loved.

Loving being home

2010-08-30T19:33:00.001-07:00

We met up with Grandpa Bill, Uncle Derek, and Adrienne this weekend. We had a lot of fun looking at pictures from the Caribbean.

The more I look at Scott--the more I think he looks like a Sinex.

Look at the resemblance!

First Cereal!

2010-08-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

What an adventure....all and all a success

Auntie Amy and her nephew Scotty...

2010-08-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

For Amy...

First Week Back

2010-08-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

The first week back has been very difficult. I have not wanted to be away....but we have had a very supportive family! Needless to say, the evenings have become my FAVORITE part of the day. We decided to play dress up and make spaghetti. No really, we dressed up in Batman Capes for a good cause. A friend of a friend is fighting cancer right now and needs many prayers.

3 months 7/27/10

2010-07-27T21:58:00.001-07:00

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1 Month Pictures are finally in!

2010-07-24T14:53:00.001-07:00

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Scott's First Swim 7/18/10

2010-07-19T04:08:00.001-07:00

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Texas Traveler: July 12-16 2010 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-07-18T23:30:00.001-07:00

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Austin

2010-07-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

It has been quite an eventful week! Matt went off to IB Training and Scott and I packed our bags and went to Austin! It was a fun week and I can't wait to take Matt back. Also, Scott was a wonderful traveler and I am now an expert Airplane Diaper Changer :)

I will be doing a seperate post for all the videos and pictures that were taken :) Stay tuned! I will be getting them up within the next half hour :)

Head Over Heels

2010-07-11T20:29:00.000-07:00

2 Month Dr. Check-Up

2010-07-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

On June 28th, Scott had his 2 month checkup. He had 4 shots which he handled like a pro and we will be getting 5 more at his four month check up. We did get a video of Scott kicking the paper. However, if you listen closely toward the end you can hear a kid screaming in the background :(

Weight: 12 pounds (between the 25th and 50th percentile)
Height: 24 inches (between the 50th and 75h percentile)

A Change

2010-07-06T22:51:00.000-07:00

Wow, it is amazing how reactions change when you have a kid. I was watching Nancy Grace a few minutes ago and she was talking about an Amber Alert for a little 4 yr old girl. This little girl was taken out of her own front yard. I don't know, it phased me and I don't want Scott all over the internet for strangers to see. I hope I invited any family and friend who looks at the blog :) If I forgot someone please let me know :)

Scotty's First 4th of July

2010-07-04T21:59:00.001-07:00

First off, I'd like to express my dislike for Arizona summer weather. The high today was 104. Our original plan was to go to a free minor league baseball game at the Surprise stadium with Scott. We were very excited, but as 4:30 pm rolled around, we thought we would come home with a melted baby (even with his cute little hat). So, instead, we decided to head over at 8:00 for the 8:30 fireworks. Despite the heavy traffic, we arrived safely and enjoyed the colorful explosions. Scott has graduated to facing forward in his carrier, as you can see above. He is such a trendsetter.

Today, Scott also met baby Evelyn, the daughter of church friends (Mindy and Mark). The babies were cute together and almost the same size. It is amazing how much they grow!

Kung Fu Baby-2 months old!

2010-06-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

As you can see Scott has become very active. In between Kung Fu lessons he has accomplished a lot. He is:
1. Babbling more: we have heard all the vowel sounds and occasionally a consonant (p). He is also humming, laughing, and squealing.
2. He has graduated from four ounces to six ounces of formula per feeding
3. He is sleeping longer, although not quite through the night yet. However, we have only had to wake up at 4am lately--so I guess that wlould be early morning.
4. He is very attentive. It sometimes seems like he is listening to what we are saying and forming an opinion.
5. He is holding his head and chest up. He will also look around when doing this.
6. He definetly reconizes Mom and Dad. He loves to interact when we sing to him and will joke around during changing times. He is funny when Mommy changes him and ticked off when Daddy does....not sure why. It might be that Mommy sings and makes funny faces at him. Daddy is more technical.
7. He liked his mirror and will often hit and talk to it. This results in it falling on top of him.
8. Favorite toys: sparkly ball, bubbles, and Sunny the Lion (he LOVES this animal).
9. Enjoys looking out the window when in his carseat
10. He can touch his hands together.
11. He loves bath time and will squeal at his frog.
12. He is no longer in his bassinet.
13. He has outgrown NB clothes...they are making their way into the box for Sinex Baby Sequel

There are many more changes but the above are the big ones. We love our little boy. He is going to have many adventures this next month. Be prepared for Supreme Court Justice Scott this fall.

Gymboree!

2010-06-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

Gymboree was a ton of fun! Unfortunately, until Scott is 6 months (in October) we won't be able to make the Level 1 class because it takes place on Fridays from 12:00-12:45. However, in October, Scott will move to the Level 2 class which accomidates 6-10month olds. So, we will be doing that! We would have continued this summer but it seems that we'd be paying for about 3 weeks and no access to the play gym because Scott is not mobile yet. Good to know! We had an awesome time. Scott loved (Mommy and Daddy too) seeing other babies from 0-6months (Scott was the youngest one there) and other new parents. I wish I knew more people with babies because it'd be nice to have playdates and to exchange stories :). Anyway, some of Scott's favorite parts were watching the bubbles, playing with feathers, and reaching for the parachute (he appropriately had his arms outstretched upwards for that part). He also enjoyed the songs we sang as well. It was very interesting see babies ranging from Scott's age to six months. We have a lot of to forward to and it was amazing to think of how our little boy will change over the next few months. As a family, we came home with a ton of ideas!

Happy 5 Years!

2010-06-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

The picture to the left is Mommy posing with Baby Scott the night before our grand adventure. Notice: Scott is getting a bit too long for his bassinett and can no longer use it. We left Scott with Nana and Grandpop this weekend so that we could have a getaway on our anniversay. Scott must have conspired with the forces of nature, because the world did not want us to have the trip we planned.

On our way up, we received a call from relatives that the I-17 was closed do to a h orrific accident. We decided to go the long way around, through Wikenburg and Prescott. It would add two or three hours to our journey, but we would rather have a longer scenci drive than sit in the sunlight for hours.

It did take up an extra two of three hours, but eventually we arrived in Flagstaff. We approached our exit to find cars lined up for a mile and our exit closed. No problem, we thought, we'll get off at the next one. The next one was closed too. Then we saw it: the billowy white smoke of a forest fire. Heidi called Little America to ask how we could even get in. They told us that they had already evacuated the hotel, but we could cancel our reservations.

With a little help from Heidi's parents, we found a Casita at the Poco Diablo Resort in Sedona. Before we left Flagstaff, we decided to stop at Bookman's, our favorite used book and music store. Excited, we rounded the corner, only to find that Bookman's was gone. It wasn't that the building had been vacated; the entire building was gone. With heavy hearts, we turned towards Sedona.

Not wanting to go down the twisty 89A again, we decided to take what we thought was a shortcut: Schnebly Hill Road. We passed the sign reading, "Caution--Unpaved Road," and said to each other, "How bad could it really be?" Ten minutes late, Heidi began screaming and closed her eyes in terror at the sight of the sheer drop-offs and sharp turns. It was only after the initial shock of taking a wrong turn had worn off that Matt turned to heidi and told her to look. Before us was a beautiful view of the Sedona valley. What had so far been unbearable turned out to be something beautiful.

Meanwhile...Scotty was having a splendid time relaxing and having a fun time with Nana and Grandpop.

After braving the Hill, we arrived at Poco Diablo Resort. The next day, we took a jeep tour and browsed the downtown Sedona shops. We were then rejuvenated enough to come home to our darling boy on Monday and shower him with kisses.

Below are a few pictures from our trip.

Heidi on our balcony at the Poco Diablo.

Us on our private jeep tour. We were one with the wilderness :) We had a great guide who was really resourceful. As a fourth grade teacher I wished I was able to record him or take my class because we ate yucca, berries, and talked about the tribes. It was AWESOME.

Five years and still going strong!

Mommy and Baby

2010-06-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

Nana and Scott

2010-06-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

I finally got a video of Nana with the baby. I always forget to bring my camera around my family :) So here it is, some footage from today.

Chilis with Grandma Sara

2010-06-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

Met Grandma Sara at Chilis and despite a bath and feeding beforehand we had a very awake Scotty. Scott absolutely loved the table, it was hard to get him to not stare at all the pretty colors. We've decided that red must be his favorite color because he is constantly drawn to that color. Although, I have heard that red catches babies' eyes:)

Lots of Changes!

2010-06-15T15:43:00.001-07:00

I am getting a student teacher in the fall! I am very excited. Matt will also be teaching IB English :)

Bedtime At the Sinex House

2010-06-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

During pregnancy one of the best pieces of advice that I recieved was to establish a routine from the beginning. I was given the book Baby Wise which I read during my pregnancy and it helped tremendously. At first, it was hard getting Scott on a routine since newborns tend to switch around their nights and days. However, we worked with Scott consistantly. It's not like there weren't bumps in the road and times when we would stray but such is life with an infant. We got sleep when he got sleep, kept up with housework, and really strived to getting our life (as a family) established. Matt and I are both pretty neurotic about keeping a routine and keeping up with what we have to do (cleaning, work, cooking, etc). We also kept our bedtime routine. We would go to bed around 8pm with the baby. Once Scott's cord fell out, we immediately gave him a bath that night before bed.

Scott's Schedule

6am: Awake and feed

6:30am-?: Playtime/Tummy Time

9:30am: feed

10:00am: Morning Nap (Scott will sleep anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours, we read that you should never wake an infant unless it's been more than 5 hours since he has eaten).

1:00pm: feed

1:30pm-?: Playtime/ Tummy Time (this is when he is most alert so we try to do a lot of baby exercises with him)

2:00pm: Afternoon nap (Scott only sleeps about an hour during this time, which is fine because he goes to bed early)

3:30pm: feed

4:00pm: playtime and short stroller walk around the block (too hot during the summer, subject to change by September)

6:00pm: Bathtime and Baby Massage

6:30pm: feed

6:45pm: Read and Music in Nursery (lately, we've been reading in our loft which is right by his nursery. He has a music player hooked to his crib. One gift which I recieved from a student was The Peter Yarrow Songbook: Sleepytime Songs and this is what we use at night only.

7:00pm: Bed

10:30pm: Wake up for feed and change

2:30am: Feed

6:00am: It all starts again :)

We also change Scott constantly, we figure that he is most uncomfortable and irritable when he has a dirty/wet diaper. So, we check every 2 hours and after he feeds. At night, we change him whenever he gets up to feed (after he feeds). We also swaddle him when we put him down, especially if he is very alert.

Again, we try to keep this schedule but of course an infant is an infant and we DO NOT watch the clock. Fortunately, our schedule has been set up around him and what he was doing in the first place. Plus, as two teachers, we flourish in structure so this brings peace of mind to us.

Play Time Fun!

2010-06-10T17:35:00.001-07:00

Scott is finally discovering toys, it is pretty cool because he already has a few of his favorites :) This first video is showing off Kat's blanket (she did an amazing job!), and a few of his toys. At the end of the first video our little boy did have a slight temper tantrum so I had to stop the video. The second video is after the temper tantrum.

Auntie Amy Visits!

2010-06-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

After a VERY successful year at UT Austin Law, Amy returned home to meet her nephew. We were so happy to have her home and looking forward to seeing her Labor Day Weekend for Scott's Baptism. She accepted the role of Scott's Godmother :)

Happy One Month, Baby!

2010-05-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

Someone is too busy having a Birthday Nap to say "Hello!" So I guess we'll have to do it for him.

Scott has been having a busy first month, but he's enjoyed all of it. Highlights include:

Meeting everyone in the immediate family (and a few in the extended)
Going out to places like El Encanto, Cracker Barrel, the neighborhood park, Target, Weight Watchers, family outtings, Mimi and Popie's house, Nana's House, and the backyard
Being able to lift his head up (some of the time)
Cooing
Playing in his Play Gym
Loving his swing
Nearly growing out of his newborn clothes
Loving being held by Mom and Dad
Napping like a pro

Scott would also like to inform you that he is sorry his doctoral dissertation is not complete at this time. Wait until next month!

Uncle Derek Comes to Visit!

2010-05-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

Uncle Derek and Adrienne came to visit on Saturday! It was great seeing them again :). I am so happy that we have such a supportive family who is giving Scott such a warm welcome. Totally awesome :)

Tummy Time!

2010-05-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

We went to the doctor on Friday morning. To my surprise, my baby boy is growing like a weed. He weighs 9lbs 2 oz and is now 22 inches long! I thought he was getting heavier. In my neurosis I asked the doctor if that was "normal" or if I was doing something wrong. She laughed and said that he is perfectly healthy. We now have to get his second newborn screening, practice tummy time two to three times a day for five to ten minutes, and we come back to see her on June 28th for his two month checkup. Wow. So we have begun doing tummy time. Unfortunately, we put down the camera when he really started getting the hang of it. Here are some pictures of him on his back AFTER tummy time. As you can see, he survived and still was his sweet mellow self.

Look at those eyes!

2010-05-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

Scott is finally openning his eyes nice and wide. He is also spending more time awake. I am posting some pictures of him wide awake :)

He lost his belly button!

2010-05-15T17:18:00.000-07:00

Yep, at exactly 14 days old and Matt's first day at work, Scott decided to share this monumental rite of passage with his own mommy! I felt so honored. Matt had told me that, "If it falls off, please keep it, I just want to see it!" Of course, with this in mind, I tried to be careful but as fate would have it, the cord fell into a quite wet diaper. Thus ended my attempt to save a bit of a memory with my husband.

That evening we decided to give Scott his very first bath! We have many pictures of this event but he is trying to keep his modesty. God love him :) :).

Kind of enjoying the bath.

A Great Great Visit

2010-05-15T17:05:00.000-07:00

I have always considered myself very fortunate to have grandparents and a great grandma. However, Scott is even luckier. He has a GREAT GREAT Grandma. Needless to say, she wanted to meet her GREAT GREAT Grandson. I think she was even more thrilled that he is a little boy :). She was able to feed him and she thought he was just adorable and "so small." What a lucky kid. We were so happy to get such good pictures as well.

What an alert little guy.

We need to figure out five generations. We have three here :)

So AMAZING!

Professional Pictures

2010-05-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

We were pleasantly surprised with how well our photos came out. These were taken the day after Scott was delivered. He was only about 12 hours old!

Welcome Scott Andrew Sinex! at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-05-05T14:28:00.001-07:00

Birth through Scott's first week of life

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Dear Time, Please stand still.

2010-05-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

The past eight days have felt like a whirlwind of change. We have tried to capture as many moments as we can on camera and on tape because it seems like every day Scott looks and acts differently. He is an absolute joy! Throughout the pregnancy people would share anecdotal stories and information about their experiences (good and bad). For instance, people had shared that they never slept because the baby would cry all night. Scott is a wonderful sleeper -- we only wake up two times a night and he is not fussy at all. We both feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful baby. Not to mention, he is adorable! He has a full head of hair, a clear complextion, and dimples. I know I am biased but I think he looks perfect. I wish time would stand still because I am dreading going back to work and leaving him during the day. I have uploaded a pretty lenghty slideshow with many moments from the past week. We will try to update as much as possible. Time to get back to the baby!

He's Here!

2010-05-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

Scott Andrew Sinex
Born Tuesday, April 27, 2010
6:04 PM
7 lbs., 14 oz.
20 inches

Wow! Our little guy is finally here. We've had a whirlwind week here getting adjusted to life with Scott, so we haven't had much time to write.

The days before his arrival were hectic and surprising: contractions, body changes, etc.. After an "uncomfortable" appointment and a wave from the doctor as he had said, "I will probably see you tomorrow," Heidi came home. That evening, Heidi started having contractions which were a bit more painful as well as bleeding. We went into triage around 6:00pm. After an hour of checks, they kept us. Tuesday morning they started Pitocin. Once she recieved the epidural everything became much more pleasent. By 4:00pm she was at 10 centimeters and at 4:30 she started pushing. After an hour and half, at 6:04pm Scott made his arrival. It was surreal. Heidi was such a trooper and did wonderfully. Scott came out beautiful like his mom and mellow like his dad.

Everyone has been greatly supportive -- grandparents, great-grandparents, and friends all sending us well-wishes as well as coming over to cook and clean. We love all of you!

I am upset at the prospect of going back to work next Tuesday, but grateful for the time I have been able to had off. Heidi is happy to be done for the year and is settling in nicely with the baby routine.

Watch this space for more pictures and updates in the exciting months to come!

7 Days

2010-04-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

We're a little behind on posting, so we have a lot of news.

Two weeks ago, Heidi had an ultrasound to see how big the baby was -- our doctor thought he might have been as much as 9 pounds! Needless to say, we were very nervous going in. Here's what came of it:

Hair!

Sleeping Baby

It's harder to make out his face because there's less amniotic fluid -- and more baby!

As you can see, our little boy has hair (misspelled by the tech as "hait")! We couldn't be prouder. He also weighs in at 6 lbs, 5 oz. Not a big guy at all! Our doctor came in sheepishly the next week and exclaimed, "I couldn't have been more wrong!" Apparently, it's hard to tell from the outside. No more talk of C-sections or inducing early. If Scott doesn't make his arrival on the 25th, we'll need to induce on the 1st of May. There's also a pool for betting on when he makes his grand entrance. Grandpa Davis put in for May 1st, so he might win!

In other news, Matt went to Boot Camp for Dads on the 10th and got to hold a baby for the first time. It was a four month old, and much heavier than Matt expected. He'll be getting a lot of practice in the years to come, though. Matt was the only new dad there, so while it made him nervous at first, the class was tailor made for him. He got a lot of advice on how life will be different in the weeks after the baby and a few things to make the hospital visit smoother.

Heidi's last day of school was on Friday and she's very relieved to be done for the year. Her kids shed tears and gave her a hug on her way out.

That night, Matt's co-worker's held a joint celebration for Scott as well as another department baby, a retirement, and a send-off to Europe.

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first edition. As you can see, we're at 7 days and counting. We had Mexican food yesterday and Heidi ordered the spiciest thing on the menu. While it did bring on contractions, still no baby. The pregnancy has gone a lot quicker than we thought, and it's hard to imagine a time when Heidi didn't have a little creature swinging around on her frontside. The baby moves almost constantly, but, with less room, can't kick as hard; it's more of a wiggling or turning. This is probably going to be our last post before we head to triage and post pictures of our newborn. Wish us luck! We are ready.

A Most Amazing Surprise

2010-03-26T16:58:00.001-07:00

I walked into my classroom today after asked to leave for 30 minutes. I was under the impression that I needed to help a few kids in a colleague's room. After 30 minutes, I was asked to come back into a darkened classroom with no students. Little did I know, they had hidden under the desk and when the lights were switched on I heard "SURPRISE!!!!" Kids jumped out, balloons decorated my room, a banner hung from my cabinets reading "Welcome Baby Scott," and my white board decorated in kid writing "A baby named Scott." They had also moved all the desks and covered them in blue butcher paper. Yes, my kids had thrown me a baby shower. They had chips and salsa laying out for me as well as a Strawberry Shortcake and a cupcake for me to take home. It doesn't end there. All the kids say quietly on the floor while two of my girls presented a PowerPoint. I will link that as well. By the end, I was near tears because I looked at all their faces and they were smiling at me and I knew that they all had put so much effort into making something for me and for Scott.

There were gifts on the table which I opened with a kid-made crown on my head and "Thriller" playing in the background. I was told by my boy students that it's a boy shower and Scott would like Thriller. The first gift was a shirt signed by all my students. The second was a card from all the students I had ever had. Following were baby clothes, diapers, gadgets, blankets, and many kind worded cards.

As a teacher, person, adult, and mother, I am moved by such generosity. The party ended with a cheer and dance followed by a back flip...no joke.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Pack Your Bags!

2010-03-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

Quick Quiz:

Sometime in the next month in a half, Heidi and Matt are going on a trip to --

A. Disneyland
B. Abu Dhabi

C. Banner Del E Webb Medical Center

That's right! We're going on a fantastic voyage to BABY-LAND! According to BabyCenter.com, these are the things you're supposed to pack for your adventure:

A picture ID (driver's license or other ID), your insurance card, and any hospital paperwork you need
Your birth plan, if you have one
Eyeglasses
Toiletries
A bathrobe, a nightgown or two, slippers, and socks
Whatever will help you relax
A camera or video camera with batteries, charger, and memory card (or film or tape)
Toiletries
Comfortable shoes and a few changes of comfortable clothes
Snacks and something to read
Money for parking and change for vending machines
A bathing suit
A fresh nightgown, if you prefer to wear your own
A list of people to call and their phone numbers, your cell phone and charger or, if you'll be using the hospital phone, a prepaid phone card
Snacks!
Comfortable nursing bras or regular bras
Several pairs of maternity underpants
A book on newborn care
Photos of your other children
Gifts for older siblings
A notepad or journal and pen or pencil
A going-home outfit
An installed infant car seat
A going-home outfit
A receiving blanket

This week is Spring Break, so we finished packing just about everything. There's not much to think about or do now but wait. Be sure to watch this space for updates!

Belly Picture Progression

2010-02-28T06:11:00.000-08:00

This first picture was taken in mid-November right before our anniversary. I was about 16 weeks here. Not much to really see :)

This next picture was taken in December. As you can see, we started the nursery around the time we found out we were having a boy. I am about 22 weeks here. It was right around here that I felt my belly had first popped out and I discovered the comfort of maternity clothes!

Here we are in January! This picture was taken at 26 weeks! We had just begun our third trimester. At this moment, this were a bit awkward lol. We also started feeling massive baby movement.

Here we are now at 32 weeks! I am actually pretty proud of this shot. My belly seems to really have popped out here. I am sure we will be able to take one more shot before Scott's debut.

2/3 Done

2010-02-05T15:51:00.000-08:00

We're jetting into the third trimester now: bi-weekly appointments, fetal kick counts, and a very tired pregnant wife. It's hard to imagine that only last August, our son was only the idea of two pink stripes on a white stick.

Heidi is holding up well, but gets emotional at anything that reminds her of baby. We got her a small exercise ball to help her back, which she seems pleased with.

I'm still plugging away at Axia and putting up with high school juniors. All that fades away when I come home and look at what we've prepared. The nursery is all set to go, and we even went to Target a few days ago to buy diapers. I think now we're just anxious for the big day!

--Matt

My Montage 1/30/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-01-30T14:23:00.001-08:00

Our baby boy :) :) :)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Third Trimester

2010-01-24T18:17:00.000-08:00

With the third trimester just around the corner, we are in full baby preperation. On Tuesday, we go to the hospital for our "New Parents Survival Course," and on Saturday we go to Peek of You for our first glimpse of baby Scott. We will hopefully have a dvd filled with 3D and 4D images of our little boy. It will also be nice to have family there to witness this event :). We will post pictures/dvd accordingly on the blog for our loved ones to see.

Progress

2009-12-28T07:25:00.000-08:00

This break has been very productive. Matt has assembled the crib and Pack and Play. We were able to also put in the bedding. My dad also gave us a chair for Scott's room. We are getting so excited with four months to go.

For Christmas, I recieved the Cricut Expression from my family. Now, I can go crazy with decorating the nursery, fabric, and other crafy things!

The Nursery -- Getting Ready to Launch Scott!

2009-12-04T15:27:00.001-08:00

We have decided that Scott will be our little astronaut/scientist genius. We had considered a lot of different options, including safari, polka dots, trains, and a lot of other generic baby themes. I'm most happy with this one, though.

I would have loved to have this as a kid. I think we'll wait a few years to tell him that Pluto isn't a planet anymore, though.

Here, we have the chest of drawers on the left. This was Heidi and Amy's when they were wee babes. It is now getting filled with clothes. The item on the right was my changing table when I was a baby. It is also a dresser, as you can see. The changing table attaches to the top. This was graciously donated by Grandma Sinex.

The flowers with Winnie the Pooh were given to us at the "It's a Boy!" party at Heidi's parents house. (They are still debating on Grandparent names.) Please respond with suggestions! The Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls were Heidi's. We're not entirely sure who gave them to her. The red checkered photo holder (on the right), along with the Watch-Me-Grow Frame, was given by Heidi's grade chair.

Scott's wardrobe is building up! The red and blue tubs were in Heidi's nursery. We also have a few more primary color storage tubs.

Scott's matching sheets are on top of this bookcase. We also got a changing table cover which is the same pattern.This is our best find, in my opinion. We found our perfect fan at Home Deport. Notice the Earth Dome and circling rockets. It's also hard to see, but the chains have silver stars at the end. You should be envious. (I know I wished my bedroom looked like this!)

The Results Are In!

2009-11-26T05:49:00.000-08:00

On Monday, at 2:45, Heidi and I eagerly anticipated the results of a newfangled medical procedure. Behold the results!

Looks like an alien! Thankfully, our baby has a brain. Looks like a big one!

The baby has a spine, too! This is apparently good news.

This is a full-length baby shot. Heidi says it has my nose. And now...

It's a boy! Meet Scott Andrew Sinex. We couldn't be more excited. Immediately afterwards, we went to Once Upon a Child and got two articles of boy clothes. Heidi bought a red beach outfit and I purchased a blue dinosaur onesie. We had a wonderful time with parents and grandparents and are looking forward to our next appointment now.

20 hours

2009-11-22T17:06:00.000-08:00

It is less than a day before we find out if we are having and Scott or an Abby. We couldn't be more excited!

Baby movement

2009-11-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

We are starting to FINALLY feel the baby move. It started off as little flutters about a week ago. Then, the baby began to turn and what seems to be sommersaults. Today, the baby began poking and kicking. Matt was actually able to feel it as well. I was nervous when the doctor and friends began telling me to prepare to feel the baby move. I thought, "geez, what will that feel like," "how will I know the difference," "is that actually possible??" Well, it seems like it is :). Everyday seems to get more and more exciting.

We are nine days and counting until we know :the answer to the big question :). Due to the aggressive movemement and precise kicking and proding, we are thinking "That's our Scott."

About halfway through the poll

2009-11-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

It looks like we are almost tied! Keep up the voting :)

The dramatic assembly of Baby Einstein Play Pad and other Baby stuff

2009-11-07T15:50:00.000-08:00

It all started with a phone call at 8:00am. Our soon to be Grandma asked if I was dressed and wanting to scout baby stuff. At the time I was trying to get Matt situated (he is sick right now) and finish my morning cleaning. Grandma ended up going on Baby Scouting Adventure and called an hour later with news that she had quite a savings and quite a find! I headed up to Grandma's house and we went back to said location and continued purchasing baby items at awesome prices.

15, 16, 17...

2009-11-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

This is the clock we feel we're watching -- the countdown until we know the baby's sex. It's so frustrating! Everyone tells us it'll come, and then tells us with certainty that it is a boy -- or a girl. It looks like the whole family is excited, and it's just about all anyone can talk about. However, the minutes feel like hours. The wife is pacing and occasionally starts moaning.

I feel anxious, but will be happy with either outcome. I think we both just want to know.

Today, Heidi came home from Day-After-Halloween sales with the soon-to-be-Grandma. She had procured an orange, striped, "Too Cute to Scare" onesie, a matching hat, and a green peek-a-boo monkey blanket. I do not know what the monkey has to do with Halloween, though I suppose they should be allowed to celebrate it too. I'm happy that Heidi also bought a discount tombstone for next year's Halloween. It's my favorite holiday and we've never really decorated much for it.

Heidi and I spent the afternoon yesterday cleaning out the teacher room in its transition to the baby's room. We've gotten rid of a lot of the old junk and are making way for the new junk. At least the new junk will be useful. We're almost to the point where we can put in the crib, though we still need to move around one dresser and toss a lamp (one that's been mine since college started).

Heidi did start making Christmas cards to get her mind off the baby and I think they look very well done. I wouldn't mind getting one myself. We've also been playing a video game called Final Fantasy X in between grading and lesson planning.

It's hard to believe that in less than a month we'll know whether to start buying pink or blue. There's so much still to be done but I think we're preparing at a pace that is manageable. As a new school week starts tomorrow, we will be at 15 weeks, and I can't help feeling tired, but extremely happy.

Mom, Dad, and Baby

2009-10-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, this time next year, Baby will be a little bit more developed.

In the meantime, the cats are getting anxious.

Happy Halloween!

Hmmm...Interesting.

2009-10-23T20:21:00.001-07:00

Let's point out that thus far, Matt is the only one who thinks we will have a son.

We are in the second trimester!

2009-10-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

Behold the portrait above! At the start of every week, we get e-mail updates on our baby. At the end of thirteen weeks, you can see the baby has eyes, ears, fingers, and definitely looks like a baby. Next week, the baby will be able to frown and grimace. Basically, it will gain its mother's infamous facial expressions. Well, as long as the baby has Matt's dimples, I think we will be fine.

After weeks of nausea and tiredness we are finally done with the first trimester (though we may not be done with the nausea). We just had our OB appointment on Thursday where we heard our baby's heartbeat for the second time. This time, "Shrimp" has a heartbeat in the 140s and has migrated to a different part of its cave. It is incredible to think that a few weeks ago, our baby was the size of a sunflower seed and is now three inches long and weighs 1.5 ounces (about the size of a medium shrimp). So far, the months have gone by very quickly and we look forward to finding out whether we will have an Abigail Claire or a Scott Andrew (no stealing allowed -- we called them). You are hereby ordered to vote early and often at the poll on the right.

At the appointment, Dr. Forrest used a hand-held Doppler to find our baby's heart beart. Our own hearts always stop a little when the staff searches for Shrimpie's blood pumping. Apparently, my heart doesn't stop -- just as I thought he had found it, Forrest would say, "Nope, that's your heartbeart." When Dr. Forrest finally found the baby's heartbeat, which he claimed sounded like a "choo, choo" he said, "sounds like a girl to me." I told my department chair who had the same doctor and she said "he was wrong with mine, you will have a boy!" We will see. Honestly, it is our first, and I am just happy to have a growing family. I get anxious to think about all the milestones and lessons that we will be able to experience and teach "Shrimp."

This week was parent teacher conferences and all my parents expressed congratulations and pregnancy advice. It is really nice to have so many people offer support and be so positive. The biggest piece of advice which I have been told by women (and surprisingly men as well) is to drink tons of liquid.

Our official ultrasound is scheduled for November 23rd at 2:45pm. We are looking forward to pictures of our "Shrimp." I am looking forward to placing a name with the baby. Keep a lookout :)

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh

2009-10-01T05:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we heard our son or daughter's heartbeat for the very first time. We were afraid at first that the nurse wouldn't find it but she warned us beforehand that it may take a minute. Even so, we were apprehensive. Then, all of sudden we heard a faint "whoosh, whoosh" which quickly became louder as the nurse got closer. We held each others hand tightly and smiled widely. Our baby was pumping blood at 175 beats per minute, which we told was normal. "It is probably in an active phase," the nurse said. We find out if we are having a son or daughter in two visits (about 7 weeks).

Baby Countdown

2009-09-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

Due Date

2009-09-05T10:17:00.001-07:00

The doctor's office e-mailed us Thursday with our due date: April 26th!

The Moment

2009-09-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

The doctor's office was nothing like I thought it would be. I was expecting something out of a bad romantic comedy: kids running around everywhere, pregnant mothers moaning, the harsh fluorescent lights above us beating into our tired eyes.

Instead, the office was quietly immaculate. I walked in through double doors with glass inlays to see Heidi smiling at me from the art deco waiting room chairs. At 3:45 PM, there was no one else waiting. (Later, I found out that one of Heidi's co-workers was there as well.) The room was complimented by very colorful photographs of babies at every stage of development, from embryo to almost-born. The office staff had a hushed demeanor and kindness that put Heidi (and me) instantly at ease.

The nurse brought us back to an examination room. She was bubbly and very helpful. I was beginning to have doubts as to how much would happen this visit -- would I get to see my baby? Amazingly, within what seemed like 10 minutes, our doctor, Dr. Forrest had entered and began giving my wife a pap smear. The nurse wheeled in a portable ultra-sound device the size of which I did not think existed -- adorably tiny! It's hard to believe that this created the momentous image you see above.

As I held Heidi's arm, the doctor was pointing out features on the ultrasound. "And this is the placental pole," he said. "What's that?" asked Heidi. "That's the baby," he replied. I think that Heidi and I just exchanged looks of joy, excitement, and humility -- I do not think there were words.

Before we could even catch our breath, the visit was over and we were scheduled for a 4 week check-up. See you on the 30th!

The Stick

2009-08-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, August 16th, Heidi came bounding down the stairs with a stick. This stick:

Our first doctor's appointment is scheduled for September 2nd. We're eagerly anticipating confirmation of something we've been talking about and planning for a long time -- the start of our family.

With this exciting new chapter, we wanted to keep family in the loop. If you would like us to invite any other family members to view this blog (as it is private), please let us know!