The Gagtastics

Mr. D

2011-08-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Danny's been sporting this hair - itude around the last few weeks:

So his current nickname is "Mr D"

Which means he needed THIS tattoo:

Yep, not much going on over here...

My baby is turning 1 tomorrow!!

2011-06-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

As I'm getting ready for Daniel to be a whole 1 years old tomorrow, I have been spending a lot of time looking at baby pictures. Not just of him but of Jonathan as well! They change so much in a year and it just goes by too fast!!!!!!! At this point in their lives everything is about what new thing they have learned. How many words do they know? Are they walking, running, jumping? How much childproofing do you have to do now? There is so much to teach them in their first few years! Letters, animals, sounds, how to use a spoon, how to do a puzzle, how to walk, put on a shoe.... Everyday is full of learning. When I was looking at their pictures though, I was also remembering how beautiful their hearts are and how sweet their spirits are. There is so much that I have learned from them! These are just 5 amazing things that have been great reminders to me from watching them!

You won’t learn to walk unless you learn to fall: Watching both of my kids learning to walk has been amazing. Not only is it the most adorable thing in the world, (with their tummies sticking out, their legs spread so wide they could straddle a pony, and their arms held up for balance) but their joy and excitement every time they successfully take a step and fall into my arms has been some of my happiest memories of mine from the last 2.5 years. If they had given up the first time they fell down though they never would have learned to walk. Heck, if they had given up the first 200 times they fell down they never would have learned! I constantly think when I see them bonk their heads or fall down or run into walls, “I don’t know how you stand it!” I mean when was the last time you fell backwards off of a swing at a park that was as high as your chest? If I had done that not only would my friends and family would be hearing me complain about it indefinitely, I probably wouldn’t be getting back on the stupid swing any time soon! I wish I always had the courage and strength to get past the times when I “fall” or “fail” or “don’t succeed” and keep trying until I get it right!

Share your love with every part of you: My kids adore me. It’s not even a boast (except for the fact that I love it!) it’s just true. You know how I know? Jonathan always comes looking for me first thing in the morning to give me a good morning kiss. He is sad when I say good bye, he’ll stop whatever he’s doing and will give me random hugs (or “Love” as hugs are called here) throughout the day. He shows me what’s going on whenever he gets excited and also looks to me for comfort whenever he is sad/sick/hurt. Daniel comes over and lays on me. Full on, pushes me down to the ground then crawls on top of me and lays down. Not because he’s tired, but just cuz. He’ll share toys with me that he normally would hoard and he has the world’s biggest smile every time I pick him up or kiss on his cheeks. There are many people in this world that I love but I’m learning how valuable it is to let them know with every part of me from my conversations to acts of kindness to my time.

Forgive completely: If I go out and don’t take the kids with me they get ANGRY. Their feelings are hurt and they are crazy upset. Now obviously as an adult this really isn’t that big of a deal. People have hurt me way more than not taking me with them when they leave the house. In fact if Brian wanted to go out and run errands without me I’d be thrilled! However as babies, my kids don’t have that kind of big picture perspective yet so when I go out, they are upset. With me. One of the best things about babies though is that five minutes later they don’t care. They are off playing games with Brian totally fine with the fact that I’m gone. When I come home they are happy to see me, and the fact that I had upset them earlier is totally gone from their minds. AND the next time they are mad at me (like let’s say I say no to cookies before breakfast) they don’t bring it up again. They don’t say, “Well not only am I mad about this, but that one time you also left me when you went out!!” Total forgiveness and no grudge holding is a beautiful, beautiful thing!

See the beauty in the mundane: I had no idea how cool rocks were. I’m not talking about gemstones, cuz I’m definitely all over their coolness factor, but I’m talking about your average, plain ol “found in the garden” rock. My boys could definitely tell you how cool rocks are though. For example they look completely different when wet, they make great splashes when dropped into water, they sound cool when they are being shook in a cup, even just counting your rocks is a great time. They only thing that is uncool about rocks is that mom won’t let you eat them. I have loved re-exploring the world around me through my boys’ eyes, because almost everything has something cool about it!

Crankiness and Laughter are equally contagious: (but only one of them is a happy infection!)

I have been a mom for 2.5 years and I am so thankful for these two boys that teach me every day about Love!

2010-11-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!

We bring you the exclusive tale of "Octo-Oreo"

editor's note: We realize that Octo-Oreo is nonuple stuffed, however for the sake of a more sensational story, she will now be referred to as Octo-Oreo

"Octo-Oreo" says that she doesn't regret her decision to be nonuple stuffed, even if the decision sets her apart from other Oreos that choose to be stuffed in a more traditional fashion.

In her first daytime television interview, Octo-Oreo opens up about the struggles she faces being nonuple-fied. However she refuses to say whether or not another Oreo will share part in the care of her stuffing.

A source close to Octo-Oreo reveals that Octo-Oreo is concerned about making ends meet. Right now, she is looking for a mode of transportation for carrying her and her lil stuffings around.

UPDATE: OCTO-OREO IS NO LONGER STUFFED! THE WORLD MARVELS AT HER POST-STUFFING FIGURE!

Friends and family deny rumors that she will be showing all in Playcookie

EXCLUSIVE: STUFFER RESPONSIBLE FOR OCTO-OREO'S STUFFING SAYS, "Maybe it wasn't the best choice"

*note, unfortunately, we can not say that no cookies were harmed in the making of this story

Apple Orchard 2010

2010-09-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

Went to the same apple orchard that we took Jonathan too last year right before he turned 1. Although most of the pictures are HERE, these are a couple of comparison pics between last year and now.

Then: (left) Jonathan was thrilled he found an apple.

Now: (right) Jonathan walks along collecting as many apples as he can hold.

Then: (left) Jonathan is just learning to walk around, he uses the large pumpkins for support.

Now: (right) Jonathan is picking out a pumpkin and tries to lift up two to carry.

With all the apples he picked, he helped me make a tasty apple crisp, and in a few weeks, we'll go back out to bring home our Halloween pumpkin!

Nickname Update

2010-08-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

It's been over a year since we've updated the list of nicknames for Jonathan and we haven't written any of the ones down for Daniel yet, so this is a catchup post!

Previous updates are HERE

There is no way I can remember all of the nicknames that J has had in the last year+, some of them he gets and they only last for a week or so. So this is a list of the ones that are used most regularly

Jonathan:

Mini-Mini
Bernocoles
Squish
DumbleDork
J
Jawa
Slick
Jo Nathan
J-Bird
Little Man
Chunk-a-munk or Munk-a-Munk
Chimichanga

Daniel:

Probie
Captain Tough & Fluff
Most Mini-est
Woogles, or Snoogles
Nonny Nonny
Bug-of-Love
Thing 2
Chunk-a-Chunk

and they both get called "Sugar Bear" without discrimination :)!!

Bye Bye Crib!

2010-08-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight Jonathan graduated to a big boy bed!! Tis very exciting indeed!! Although he never climbed out of his crib, he climbed IN several times so we thought it was time. Thankfully his crib converts to a toddler bed (and then later on to a twin bed) so the actual conversion only took Brian about 30 minutes.

Jonathan was very excited about the whole process. Not only because his bed was getting infinitely more awesome, but also because he got to help Papa with the construction and had some of his own little tools to work with.

Papa evaluating the situation:

Jonathan also making a survey (note his own little drill!)

"Ooooo Papa, you should probably let me handle that drill, let's trade"

"Well, this has to go"

Jonathan being Papa's "Man on the Inside:"

"I got it, Papa!"

He immediately started bringing in his toys:

The Production Crew:

Ta Da!

The whole thing was really so much fun, Jonathan's joy is so contagious and we were all pretty excited by the end!

So how did bedtime go? A M A Z I N G !!! I am so incredibly proud of my little man. We did his bedtime routine like we always do, laid him down in his crib and he never once got up and in fact he seemed to fall asleep even faster than normal!

Things like this keep reminding me of how fast he is growing up, he such an amazing little boy it's easy to get all mushy every time he starts doing more and more "Big boy" things! I love you little man!!

Jonathan's first time hanging out in his crib (20 months ag0):

2010-08-09T17:15:00.000-07:00

Took this picture at the park yesterday

Which reminded Brian of this expression:

Which led to this

A Brotherly Raucous

2010-08-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

If you're hangin' out with brother and he's ignoring you, you should...

Command his attention!

Side effects may include: chaos, confusion, and the satisfaction of a job well done.

Oh Brother :)

Daniel's First Photobooth

2010-08-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

We have this little red camera and whenever Jonathan finds it he brings it to me and we do our "Photobooth" This was the first time Daniel was awake for one and let me tell you, doing self portraits with two boys is triple the challenge then doing them with just one!

Introducing in his photobooth debut, Daniel Joel Gagliardi

Also starring Jonathan Matthew Gagliardi

and some other minor character...

July Photobooth!

2010-07-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

What?! 3 Months since our last photobooth?! Madness! Here's to getting through the rest of the week and being thankful for the small joys each day!

Daniel Joel

2010-06-11T16:51:00.000-07:00

Most of you remember how little Jonathan wanted to be born. With him we induced labor and, when that didn't work, two weeks later scooped him out via C-section. Also, he came out a full grown linebacker at 10 lbs 11 oz. Because of this, we thought that his brother Daniel would be similarly huge and resistant to change. We were half right.

We scheduled Daniel to be delivered via C-section two days prior to his due date, assuming that he would be late. The day before Daniel was scheduled to be born at about 1AM, Tif's water broke and she went into the hospital. I woke up the boys' Grandma in Illinois and she and Grandpa started the three and a half hour trek north with a fresh pot of coffee to watch Jawa.

Jawa's Grandparents got to Appleton early that morning and I went to the hospital to be with Tif. The doctor originally was planning to just do the section as soon as I got there, but apparently most of Appleton's fetuses had similar plans that morning and we got bumped back in the C-section order several times.

We waited patiently in the smallest labor and delivery room available as we were told first 6am, then 6:30, then 9, then 12, then "sometime near 1." We also were apparently going to get moved into a different room with enough room for a cot for Papa, but that room was taken by another over zealous fetus as well.

Finally we went to the Operating Room for the C-section at about 2pm, and at 2:13, Daniel was born!! He was 9 lbs 12 oz and 21.5" long. His head was 37cm and he was a little purple (hence the O2 mask). The doctor described him having "Linebacker shoulders" as he came out.

As you can see from the above exhibits, he is tied with his brother for the title of most awesomest kid to (eventually) walk the face of the Earth.

The End...for now ;)

Photobooth Monday

2010-04-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

Brian was setting up my computer to the scanner yesterday. When he was done I found this amazing series of pictures on my screen:

I love my family :)

Link Party: Etsy

2010-04-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

I am completely addicted to etsy.com!! Although so far I've only purchased one very adorable hat, my list of things I love is ever growing!

If I posted every time I found a new treasure I'm sure I would quickly get ignored, so I've compiled a list of my top 7 favorite etsy finds!

7. Macbook Decals
6. An Entire Sock Monkey Outfit!
5. Alien Monster Beanies
4. Stork Pouches
3. Hand Stamped Pendants
2. Mr. Darcy Proposal Mug
1. Newborn hat and diaper cover set

Jonathan's Last Easter As An "Only"

2010-04-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Lots of adventures happened during Easter week for Jonathan! We made easter jello jigglers, which he thought were very strange and would not try at all. We decorated sugar cookies, which he enjoyed more than jello but didn't quite get the purpose of it all. The favorite part of his Easter fun however was decorating the eggs!! We were just going to let him do one because after jello and cookies we just figured that he would also feel "meh" about it. WE WERE WRONG! He ended up decorating them ALL save one or two that his Aunt Sarah could sneak by him! :)

Queue pictures of said events (If your viewing this on facebook, you won't be able to see because it's an embedded slideshow):

(I learned that I should not take pictures when I first wake up! None of him and his Easter basket are in focus!! :D)

He had a great week and weekend, and especially loved getting some extra snuggles in with his Grandparents and Auntie Sarah!

Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of him in his Easter outfit! GAH! When it stops SNOWING we'll take him out and get some portraits done for sure!

Because Everything He Does We Celebrate

2010-03-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

As an avid crayon eater when I was a child (mmm forest green) I was less than thrilled when I read that a great activity for Jonathan's age was coloring. Nevertheless, completely prepared for rainbow colored diapers, we broke out the Crayola and went to work!

Hands full, ready to go!

Trying it out

Didn't take long to figure this out!

Who says you need paper to use these crayons??

Finished

TADA!

Mom got jealous and wanted to color a picture with J-Man too!

TADA X2!

And the best part is all the crayons lived to be chewed on another day!

A Sticky Situation

2010-02-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

Some things are best enjoyed outside :)

(click on picture for larger version!)

A Weighty Gamble

2010-02-24T11:34:00.000-08:00

Place your bets here!! Since this time there is no guessing as to when baby boy #2 is arriving (unless he decides to make his appearance early) We are taking bets on how much he will weigh and how long he will be!

The person that is the closest (or spot on) will win a free Personalized Letter Art print (of your own design)!

When you place your bet be sure to write how much you think he will weigh AND how long you think he will be!! :)

Rules:

Place your bets on the blog, not on facebook so that I can find them all when the time comes!
One bet per person
First come, first serve: Check to see what other people guessed before you because if you bet what someone already bet then they'll be the ones to win!

Here is some trivia that might help you out:

Jonathan was born 10lbs 11oz and 22in long
Jonathan was born 13 days late
Baby #2 will be delivered via c-section 2 days early
At 20 weeks gestation, baby #2 was larger than Jonathan was at that same time
I was born 7lbs 8oz and 20in long (and 2 weeks late)
Brian was born 9lbs 1 oz and 21in long
Both Brian and I's younger siblings were larger at birth than we were

Only 99 days to go!

Getting Ready

2010-02-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

We are slowly creating an all boys room little by little. I learned something fun today, the difference between toddler bed sheet sets and crib sheet sets is only a matter of $$$! The dimensions are exactly the same. So for LESS than we would have paid to buy one crib bedding set we bought two toddler bedding sets to go with the cribs. The only thing they don't have is a crib bumper (which we don't use anyways!)

Jonathan's new bedding is all about cars, trucks, and construction:

Thing #2's bedding (using the same colors) is all about robots!

We also picked up some fun matching wall decals! Slowly but surely we are getting ready for June :)

Going Mobile

2010-02-19T17:40:00.001-08:00

As much as I love my camera and love taking pictures, I do not always have it on me every time I want to capture something Jonathan is doing. This blog post is dedicated to four pictures from this week taken with my cell phone :)

Imitating Papa:

I could never imagine being excited on the West Coast for 34 degree temp so that we can get quality 20 minutes of outside play!

Gangsta...

Enjoying the children's section of the library, and he was thinking this chair needed to go home with him!

Splish Splash

2010-02-17T11:48:00.001-08:00

I grew up reading Calvin and Hobbes, and even though I always enjoyed bathtime I always assumed that most kids react like this:

I however have been blessed with the other extreme. Sometimes it will be an hour before my pruney little has to be pried from the tub!

Ever since he had his first bath in the tub at 20 days old, it has been the best part of his day :)

(The top right and bottom left pictures are his standard "Wild Water Splashing Rampage" face :D)

Lil Packer

2010-02-15T09:35:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely Valentines Day exploring Green Bay and then having muffins and drinks at our favorite coffee shop. While were were out and about we wandered around Lambeau Field and checked out the pro shops. We arrived too late for the field/Hall of Fame tour, but we'll be back when it's warmer!

Here is J being a reluctant model for their "gear" for kids :)

3x3 Equals Joy!

2010-02-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

It's still snowing :)

(click HERE for a larger size!)

Groovin with Third Day

2010-02-08T15:27:00.000-08:00

Lil Rocker Dude:

My Messy Boys :)

2010-02-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

On my list of someday projects that involve lots of time is uploading old pictures on to the computer.

I think this oldie of Brian (left) was a great way to start :)

Oh boys...soon there will be three of them.

Fresh Air

2010-02-03T15:06:00.000-08:00

Today we took a much needed walk around the neighborhood. There was fresh snow on the ground but more importantly, no ice on the sidewalks! SPRING IS NEAR!

Heading Out:

Checking it all out (and most important not once looking at the camera for Mama, little stinker)

This stuff is not easy to walk on!! (J-ster won't catch himself when he falls because he doesn't like the feeling of snow on his hands)

WOOHOO!! He tries to run away as far from me as possible anytime I put him down outside. He should have been a jungle boy...

"Don't wanna come back inside!! Stop taking pictures of me and take me back out there!!!"

Then we came in and had smoooooothies!! Jonathan says "mmmmmmmmmmm" everytime he takes a drink :)

Stylin'

2010-01-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

Dear Son, you better be nice to your mom when you get older because I will always have pictures like these!!!!! Mwahahahahaha :D

My Dearest Little Foot

2010-01-26T13:02:00.001-08:00

As I'm going through Jonathan's baby things to figure out what we will need for his new brother, I can't help but keep noticing how much he is constantly growing and changing!

Time to go snuggle before my 15 month old is a 15 year old!!

My Little Blessing

2010-01-25T12:13:00.000-08:00

Today I am especially thankful for my little boy that always sleeps so well!

Repairs

2010-01-20T08:18:00.000-08:00

We are taking in our car for some maintenance tomorrow morning. Unfortunately even though I can find repair shops for our cars, computers, washing machine, and cell phones, I can't find one for our son.

I made a list of the more common problems we are having with Jonathan, so if anyone knows of a good child mechanic please let me know!!

80% of the time his brakes fail resulting in many head on collisions
More and more fuses are blowing as he ages
He has multiple leaky valves
Traction is particularly bad on ice, water, and smooth trails
I can't get him to steer straight and over compensating just makes it worse. Alignment is off?
Often hesitates and stumbles while accelerating
Continuously needs refueling.

^^^ This can not be normal, can it? ^^^

:) :) :)

Comfortable in Awkward Situations

2010-01-15T10:22:00.000-08:00

Jonathan has recently discovered that he can climb up on our furniture. So, he has taken to watching his pre-nap cartoon sitting next to me on the sofa. Not today however, this morning he had another idea:

T'was A Dark and Snowy Night

2010-01-06T09:16:00.001-08:00

Well, we did it. Or I should say Brian did it because I couldn't :) Jonathan's hair was all kinds of different lengths in various places around his noggin, so last night he got his first haircut! He did NOT like the sound of that shaver on his head, but he patiently endured and now he'll be growing that adorable curly hair nice and evenly.

The Crime Scene:

From the surveillance tapes:

The Verdict:

ADORABLE AS CHARGED!

Case of the Mondays

2010-01-04T09:35:00.001-08:00

Everyone should have a photobooth morning

My Boy

2010-01-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

I do love this face so very much

Christmas-palooza

2010-01-03T14:49:00.000-08:00

Wonderful Christmas in Oregon this year, it was so hard coming back!! I loved seeing my family again!! Because we were on a 4.5 hour flight Jonathan got some of his Christmas treasures early. Including a brand new bristle block set which turned out to be fun for all! :)

Good times! Miss you all so much!

Growing up

2009-12-30T08:57:00.000-08:00

Jonathan got his first pair of big boy jammies from his Grandparents down in Oregon! I was sure they wouldn't fit, (denial!) but they do and he looks so much older in them!!! Here are some bedtime routine pics in his new monster jams :)

Putting away his toys:

Brushing those teeth:

Reading a story:

And just because :)

I love you little man!!

Poll Time

2009-11-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

Online Surveys & Market Research

The Inevitable

2009-11-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

Obviously Related?

(Picture on left taken Dec. '08 and Picture on right taken Nov. '09)

A Day in the Life of Jonathan:

2009-09-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

A Photostory of an average day in the Gagtastic household.

Starting off the day normal

Emptying out the cupboards is way cooler than playing with magnets!

Then I saw...

...an open DISHWASHER!

BUT MOM *bambi eyes*

Fine! I'll just play in a box!

Now if I push this over here...

Didn't work out quite like I was thinking...

BANISHED!

But being banished can be fun because...

...Look at what I can reach now!

2009-07-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

This is a video of Jonathan heading back to the hotel with his new toy:

Grandfather insight

2009-07-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

My dad wrote this up while Jonathan and I were visiting in Oregon, I love it :D :D :D

As most of you know, Tif and Jonathan are staying with us for a few weeks. This is a great opportunity for Lisa and I as we haven't had a lot of time with the grandbaby. I've been able to spend some quality moments with Jawathan (not a spelling error, btw). So far, I've taught him some of the fundamental and traditional tribal dances from our family. In exchange for this treat, he has been able to give me access to some of his thoughts:

* I'm not really sure what I want right now. I'm not hungry or sleepy. I'm not thirsty and there really isn't anything that I want. I guess the best plan right now is to keep crying until something comes along.
* Oh, wow. Did I just puke? I can't believe I just did that in public. My bad.
* Whoa, whatever Grandpa just made is completely loaded with cheese. I think I love him.
* Gads, here comes that dog with the ginormous tongu.... ugh... all over the face. Yeah, I need a towel.
* OK, Grandma, I get it. No, really. I get the idea. Yeah, yeah, I love you, too. Seriously, now. ALRIGHT, PYSCHO LADY, QUIT KISSING ME!
* Note to self: Sharing toys with Dog will most likely void the aforementioned toy's warranty.
* Not too sure what I should be doing right now.... Sooo... I guess blowing spit bubbles is in order.
* No, look, when I cry like that, it means that I want steak and potato, not that slimy green stuff in the little jar.
* LEGS! LEGS! WORK WITH ME NOW! C'mon, if that geezer Grandpa can walk, I should be able to, right?
* Oooo, fuzzy kitty.... I wonder what happens when you pull on the.... OK, I really hope that becomes a manly scar at some point.
* Are you seriously going to make me wear that? Oh, you are SO going to regret my teenage years.
* What's with you? That's not a "Aww-Isn't-He-Cute" face. It's a "I'm-Gonna-Hurl-Lunch" face. Just sayin'.
* No. No way. I'm tellin' you, if you put me in that car seat one more time, I'm gonna... well, do THAT. Now change my diaper. Again.
* I have no idea why you're all upset. I don't recognize you because from the ankles down, you all look the same.
* Do you all sound that way? Is that even a language? What the heck does, "Goo goo diddums" even mean?
* Wait, you're telling me that it's going to take me fifteen more years before I can even hope to be considered "hulking"? Oh, that sucks.
* Whoa. Have I got a Super Colon or what? Wow.
* No, I have no idea what the slimy substance is on my hand. That's why I wiped it on you.
* Yeah, that's right. I'm crying. Again. Wanna know why? Well, let's see. You're eating something out of a container that says, "Ben & Jerry's", while I, on the other hand, am eating something out of a container that says, "Strained Peas". I think this mystery is solved, mmKay?
* Oh, please. Not the Five Cheeky Monkeys story again. C'mon. Read me some Cussler or Koontz for a change. At this point, I'd even take a hallucinogenic Dr. Suess.
* You know, after the first few bites, the dog's food isn't so bad.
* OK, Dog. Step away from the stroller. I have a weird plastic toy and I'm not afraid to use it.

Back When...

2009-05-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

I watched one of my favorite all time movies last night "The Trouble with Angels" What a great movie ( ♥ Hayley Mills and Rosalind Russell!) No love triangles, sex, or suffering, just plain 'ol fun mischievousness!

Anyways I love this line from it.

"Be happy, that's the greatest gift a mother can give her children." -Reverend Mother

Getting Ready For Summer

2009-05-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Trying on life jackets in the store (taken with my phone...)

Over Achiever

2009-05-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

Jonathan was playing in his bedroom when all of the sudden I hear a large "BAM!" Even though I know there is nothing dangerous in Jonathan's room I am still very curious as to what he has found that would cause that large of a noise when banged against a wall...

Lo and behold he was playing with a 5 gallon water jug. More than half his size...

baby toys are so passé

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

Baby-zilla

2009-05-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

Hey mamas!!

Where do you put your baby when YOU take a shower?

Weekend!

2009-05-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

Playing at the beach

+ going to parks (Jonathan is still unsure about swings =D)

+ going to photograph flowers in Milwaukee

= an excellent 3 day weekend!!

More weekend pictures can be found HERE and HERE

There's not an app for that....

2009-05-04T23:42:00.000-07:00

To me Apple's commercials for the iphone imply that whatever I could possibly need ever, "There's an app for that" So I have to ask...

If I stick it in my roast will it tell me if it's the right temperature?
If I peed on it will it tell me if I'm pregnant?
If I dip it in water will it tell me the PH level?
If it is raining is there an umbrella app?
If I stood on it will it tell me how much I weigh?
If my baby spits up will it act as a burp rag?

If so, then maybe it's time for an upgrade.

Crazy Crawler

2009-05-01T11:55:00.001-07:00

Bandanna Dude

Clyde

2009-04-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

Came home the other night and lo and behold sitting INSIDE our house by the door was a frog.

Meet Clyde (taken after he was shoo'd outside)

Before Coffee

2009-04-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

On the weekend Jonathan has two choices when everyone is waking up. Try to find the grumbling mass that is hiding under all the blankets (aka: mom) or hang out with the more morning-inclined father...

Morning bonding time with new iphone applications...

Nickname Addendum

2009-04-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

Nicknames Jonathan aquired while being 6 months old...

Bertram
Squirtle
Chunky Nation
Little Foot

Happy Birthday!

2009-04-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

Jonathan worked very hard to put this together for his Grandpa ;)

Happy Birthday Dad!

If you give a mama Spanish rice

2009-04-21T13:31:00.000-07:00

If you give a mama Spanish rice, chances are she will have an allergic reaction.

If she has an allergic reaction, she'll need some benedryl.

If she needs some benedryl, the baby will know he has 1/2 hour before mama will need a nap.

If baby knows it's almost naptime, he will try to show mama how awake he is.

Chances are he will want to play in his jumperroo.

If the baby plays in his jumperroo, chances are he will have a blow out diaper.

If he has a blow out diaper, he will need a shower.

Taking a shower will remind the baby of his bath toys, and he will want to play with them.

Playing in the bathtub will remind baby of his other toys and he will want to get out and play with them.

When he gets out of the bathtub he will be cold and need to put on some clothes.

Putting on clothes will make him cranky and he will want to eat.

While he's eating he will remember how sleepy he is and he will want to take a nap.

After the baby falls asleep, mama will fall asleep too.

Chances are mama and baby will sleep til daddy gets home from work.

When daddy gets home he will be hungry...

...Chances are he will ask if there is any left over Spanish rice.

Dr's Appointment

2009-04-16T12:16:00.001-07:00

Jonathan had his 6 month check up on the 7th...

Here's the gist:

Arrive
Lots of waiting
More waiting
Various comments on Jonathan being as long as an 18 month old
Continued waiting
Saw Dr, got the go ahead for sunscreen
...waiting
Jonathan took a short nap...
...still waiting
Got a shot
Made an appointment to do it all again in 3 months.

Thrilling :)

Blogging

2009-04-15T13:11:00.001-07:00

I know I know I know.

I'm behind on blogging.

It will be ok.

Yes, Jonathan had another Dr's appointment.

Yes, it was Easter.

Yes, he's played outside.

Yes I'll blog about it soon.

:D

Easter Shoot Take 1

2009-03-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

The Original Idea:

More interested in the eggs then looking at mommy! (never did look up...)

And after I had given the idea up...

"Wait! I wasn't done with those!" *reeeaaach*

"Got it!"

Taking Stock:

Gathering the Loot:

"Anymore?"

stay tuned ...

A Bedtime Story

2009-03-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there were three people. A Papa person, a Mama person, and a Baby person. When it was time to go to bed, the Papa person got into bed first and said, "I have so much space!" The Baby person got into the bed next and said, "My space is just right!" Mama person got into bed last and said, "My space is too little!"

After they were all in bed the Papa person said, "I am very tired!" The Mama person said, "I'm a little tired!" and the Baby person said with bright eyes, "I am just right!" So, the Papa person went to sleep right away, the Baby person went to sleep at his normal time, and the Mama person went to sleep too late.

When morning came, Papa person had too little sleep and was not happy. The Baby person had too much sleep and was way too happy. The Mama person woke up, looked around and said, "I need a vacation."

...

And they all lived happily ever after!

St Patrick's Day

2009-03-22T00:12:00.001-07:00

St. Patty's Day was a gorgeous spring day here in the Arctic Wasteland! Brian got off work early and we headed down to a park on the Fox River where we were excited to find a cool bench swing overlooking the lake.

There were a bunch of geese staking out their nesting grounds so part of the entertainment was in watching all the goose fights

Some cribbage and a baby nap later we headed back home and celebrated irish style!

Black & Tan's! (Guinness & Harp)

Delight!

Hale's Visit

2009-03-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

Whew! Really behind on blogging!

Last weekend was great! Haleakala flew in (to the fabulous Outagamie Airport I might add) and spent an extended weekend with us! So wonderful to see her again!

As I am very bad at putting things to words here are some pictures!

Spent one day downtown, Hale posed for me as I prepared for my first engagement shoot

Played a little wii - Jonathan got pretty into it we're going to have to watch out for that one...

Took a lot of jumping pictures ... even when we met up with the Amy friend :)

Hale and Brian insisted on walking out on the ice lake during our jaunt to High Cliffs State Park

And Hale, in order to make sure the ice was safe was throwing large rocks on it... while they were both standing on it... She really is lucky that she has made it to be almost 24 :) :)

We had to find a cheese factory for her to tour since after all she was in Wisconsin, unfortunately they must be growing the cheese in a different part of the state...

The "trying very hard to be fabulous" cheese factory :|

We also found this little gem on our cheese factory hunt (yes, this really is a real car dealership):

Good times... I wanted to keep her forever!!

The rest of the pictures can be found HERE

A Busy 5 Month Old

2009-03-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

Practicing a new technique today, made a bajillion mistakes (bad light, high iso, MOVED THE CAMERA!) but still, I thought the end result was funny, even in all it's imperfections :)!!

*edit: this picture is take 2*

PRESENTING TO YOU:

Baby on the Go!

(you can click on the pic for a bigger size)

Coffee Break

2009-03-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

Chillaxin and playing cards at Starbucks last night.

Jonathan is constantly watching EVERYTHING that we put into our mouths

So we gave him a shot (empty cup):

He also was helping me unravel our cribbage game:

and then he realized dad was taking pictures of him (I love this picture!):

Which do you think

2009-03-04T15:32:00.000-08:00

Looking at the previous post---

Click Here for Poll Online Survey
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View MicroPoll

February made month 4 go by too fast!!

2009-03-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

As I was going through my photo collection I realized that before I started taking pictures of a 5 month old I needed to get these pictures of my 4 month old up!!

Some highlights of month 4:

Being Superman on my knee (one of his favorite places to be!)

New crinkly toy (Jonathan is in a faze where he loves all things crinkly)

Having some laughs during tummy time

Not impressed that mom is taking his picture AGAIN

Links! (it's what's for dinner)

first valentines day... hanging on to one of Mommy's roses!

The toy that was too big :)

Crib time! (aka mom needs to wake up a little more time)

Playing with Daddy

Way past bedtime

With Mommy

Tickles!!

We love our new camera... but we've got to work on our self portrait taking!!

Other pictures of month 4 can be found HERE

My Guys

2009-03-02T00:18:00.000-08:00

I found this picture yesterday, I can't believe I forgot about it! This is when Jonathan was still brand new to us! I think he is like 3 weeks old here!! Just a little guy!

He's only *almost* 5 months old but he's changed so much!

Ghezuntite

2009-02-26T13:50:00.000-08:00

Brian captured Jonathan's sneeze on camera the other day :D

Photoshop...

2009-02-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

What I do during the hours a day I spend feeding Jonathan

Doesn't he look like his daddy right now?? Picture taken yesterday...

Bells and Whistles

2009-02-23T22:00:00.001-08:00

In a cool new children resale store in Illinois, Jonathan got a new toy. (well actually he got several but this was the coolest) It has these little holes on it the blow out lots of air when it's turned on and you stick these toys on the holes and the air makes the toys do cool things (like a fan turns on or something spins) He's a little young for it but he enjoyed watching it!

It's almost as big as he is!

Daddy showing him how it's done

And that puts an end to that

2009-02-23T21:23:00.001-08:00

Scene: Driving to Illinois
Time: Midnight
Mood: Tired, trying to stay awake (me)

TIFFANY: So what if your parents went to bed?
BRIAN: Then we'll go in through the garage.
T: What if they changed their password?
B: They didn't.
T: What if they did?
B: Then we'll knock on the door.
T: What if the door is electricfried?
B: Like a fence?
T: Yes.
B: Then we'll use the rubber soles of our shoes.
T: What if the door is also ON FIRE?!

...

B: Then we are staying in a hotel.

Way to kill the what if's" disaster scenario Brian!!

(He's gonna be a great dad!) :D

Playing around

2009-02-18T15:31:00.000-08:00

Jonathan (who has now crashed in exhaustion) and I were playing pretty hard today :)

Cofessions of an Internet Junkie

2009-02-17T22:29:00.000-08:00

I remember reading one time about how the Devil doesn't have to destroy our souls with something dramatic like the occult or murder... he only needs us to waste time. He only needs us to do nothing when we could be doing something.

I am blessed to have this brief opportunity to be a stay at home mom. I am thankful everyday that I have been able to spend these first few months of Jonathan's life with him without having to juggle him with a job. However, as I stay at home with my baby I find more then ever how easy it is to waste time.

The thing is, even if I can't get the house clean because his naps are in my arms, or I can't get a shower in because he is feeling extra needy, somehow I always find a way to be connected to my computer. Not only have I become quite skilled at baby holding/internet browsing, but baby feedings are often accompanied by hulu.com playing in the background. And if I DO happen to be away from my computer there is always my phone's million applications to let me know whenever I miss something.

and what would I be missing? What is it about being online that draws me to my computer again and again. After all,

I would rather call my friend then see their sassy status updates on facebook. But the last friend I talked to was over a week ago.

I would rather write and send snail mail because I know how much more it would be appreciated then tapping a quick text. However the last card I sent out was for Christmas.

I would rather be making new friends that I could share experiences with than chatting with strangers in an online forum. But I let the effort and my lack of courage get the better of me.

I would rather have the peace that comes from reading my devotions and journaling. Instead I give my time to playing online games and checking the news on IMDB

How did it become so easy to waste time when it is quality time that makes us truly happy?

When everything becomes virtual how can you relate to a God that is a reality?

Blogging my thoughts, my real thoughts is not easy. I actually believe most of the time these reflections belong in a personal journal. Maybe it's the wine I had with dinner or the lack of sleep, but take it or leave it these are the confessions of an internet junkie.

4 Month Check Up

2009-02-15T18:41:00.000-08:00

Tuesday was the 4 month doctor's appointment. Jonathan is doing very well (of COURSE!)

He is able to start eating cereal now! Which, as you can see has put him into a state of "What are you guys possibly trying NOW?" :)

Actually, he probably could have been on cereal months ago! He has no problem eating it, he doesn't spit it back out and he will eat quite a bit! That's my boy!!

He is 27.5 inches long and weighs 17.3 lbs (apparently the nurse's hand weighs .2 ounces - who knew?)

ok....

Dinosaur Child

2009-02-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

ME: (after hearing baby chirping and growling in his swing) We don't have a baby, we have a little raptor!!

BRIAN: That's even easier. All we have to do is throw a cow in there every once in a while. Oh, and make sure the fences stay activated.

Stroller Day at the Zoo

2009-02-15T10:28:00.000-08:00

We took Jonathan to the zoo last Saturday for his first visit. It was family free day at the Milwaukee Zoo. What Brian and I learned is that anything says "family free" what it is REALLY saying is "All strollers UNITE!"

So in the spirit of things before we headed to the zoo we of course had to buy a stroller. (We'd hate to not fit in!)

Brian and Stroller Baby: (if you look closely you can also see his sweet new hat)

he was quite a fan of the stroller, he fell asleep about halfway into the day and it was one of his best naps in a long time!! :)

Jonathan's favorite zoo attraction was the aquariums. The building was dark except for the glow of the tanks and he was completely captivated. He especially liked the sharks and the giant fish of the Amazon.

The building was so dark the picture is blurry...

We thought that Jonathan could relate the best to the giraffe

If you are bored like I was...

2009-02-02T00:38:00.000-08:00

Absolutely beautiful landscape pictures

Here is that dirty unnecessary roughness play by Harrison during the Super Bowl

Creative Photos:

Random Food Recipes

Redecorating Idea

Beanie

2009-01-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

Jonathan talks in his sleep :) He used to do it occasionally, now he does it all the time. Today I was so sure he was awake, his dialogue was so constant so I went into his room and turned on the light. DEFINITELY still sleeping. Thankfully my tip-toeing out didn't wake him up for reals!

Nickname addendum:

beanie beanie beanie beanie escalade <---- premium beanie

beanie beanie beanie beanie beanie beanie bot <---- This is actually the "official" nickname, other nicknames are just the spawn of this one

beaner schniztle

beaner schlöppen

Should Be Sleeping

2009-01-28T01:33:00.000-08:00

Playing with Photomatix.

Original:

HDR:

It's a little much for me, but it was a fun 3am project...

Me and My Gang

2009-01-27T12:54:00.000-08:00

Cute setup, uninterested child! :)

Say What?

2009-01-27T12:52:00.000-08:00

Me: Honey, where the links that were in Jonathan's crib?
Brian: They are attached to his ball.
Me: Why?
Brian: It was his mace.

Brewed Awakenings

2009-01-26T15:47:00.000-08:00

During this period of living in a snow globe, Brian and I have been spending our Sundays at our favorite local coffee shop Brewed Awakenings playing games and having lunch. Yesterday during our cribbage game, Jonathan thought he'd help daddy pick which card to lay down.

lucky for Jonathan, Daddy won that game. :)

The Randomizer

2009-01-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged to do this by a few people. The directions have ranged between choosing 20 to 25 random things about yourself. I picked 22.5

Facebook Rules *edited by me* : Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with *20 - 25* random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose *however many people you want* to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because *you tagged me or *I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs (or the + sign) on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your random things, tag 25people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

My hobby is sleeping (and breathing)
I wish I had the guts to dread my hair. LOVE it!
I'm like a lobster, *in the sun* I turn red when I cook.
I'd rather be poor and live in the wild then wealthy and live ... not in the wild :)
Before I met Brian I didn't like: Wine, Curry, Spaghetti, Hummus, Eggplant, Tea, Beer, or Lamb. Now I just don't like Eggplant
I have strong opnions, like, birds should not be bred into captivity and
"Weenis" is a terrible word.
"Twanky" however is awesome. Along with: "Snorkel", "Schlep" and "Ergo"
As for Hilary Swank, "Yes she's hot. She's hot as heck. She's a female Boris Becker."
Poetry should not be assigned in school. Is it poetry if it is wrung out of you?
Swimsuit and underwear... not that different.
Favorite Song: Storybook Love (Princess Bride Theme)
I long for adventure and an adrenaline rush. Life is precious but mellow right now.
I think my alcohol tolerance is higher then it is. Give me two, 1/2 glasses of wine and I'm done.
Never said no to a dare... til I met Hale.
I secretly pretend I'm Magneto from X-Men when I walk through automatic doors
Pajamas and pretty papers = adoration
Contentment is spending all day on a beach creating and dreaming.
Love photography. Have big plans down the road.
Prefer to be cold rather then hot. However, would rather live in the tropics then any place it snows
I plead guilty to the use and abuse of "..."
Right now my life relates best to this section of quotes from P.S. I Love you:

Holly Kennedy: All I know is, if you don't figure out this something, you'll just stay ordinary, and it doesn't matter if its a work of art or a taco, or a pair of socks! Just create something... new, and there it is, and its you, out in the world, out side of you and you can look at it, or hear it, or read it, or feel it... and you know a little more about... you. A little bit more than anyone else does... Does that make any sense at all?
Gerry Kennedy: Yeah... you're saying you want to paint socks.
Holly Kennedy: [ecstatic] Maybe!

22.5 While typing this I ate 8 ...

What A Day!!

2009-01-23T19:56:00.000-08:00

WHEW! I'm sure glad that I don't speak baby!! Jonathan was having a rough day and I'm sure he was chewing me out infant-style! Poor little man! He hasn't ever been this cranky before and his mama is tired!! And of course, being the sympathetic mother that I am, I took pictures.

Introducing the many grumpy faces of Mr Jonathan Matthew Gagliardi:

Football

2009-01-18T17:58:00.000-08:00

Come on Steelers! We are watching the game tonight and while we were watching it/eating our delicious chicken salad, we had Jonathan sitting on the sofa propped up against me. Well, I look over a few minutes later and his head was drooped down to his chest... HE HAD FALLEN ASLEEP SITTING UP! It was very very cute!!

This is his new fuzzy hat I bought him at Target on Saturday:

It also came with mittens, it's a little puppy dog face on the top w/puppy dog ears!!

Brian and I went exploring some new stores this weekend. We went to Penzey's Spices and stocked up on some amazing ones! This "Northwood Fire" spice is going to be a fantastic bbq seasoning!! yum yum! We also went to the World Market (my first visit there) and I think it is now my most favorite store EVA! Conveniently there was a HUGE sale (75% off loads of things) and we got a cute coffee table and 2 end tables! (and also a job app for me). Next week, we're exploring the Fava Tea Company!

We were very excited, yesterday it was in the 20° range and WE ALMOST PUT ON SHORTS!!! Off course none of the snow melted but compared to what it's been, it felt like summer!

blogging during nap time

2009-01-15T10:49:00.001-08:00

Busy Busy Busy!
What a joy Jonathan is!! He has started laughing and he is enjoying the world around him! It's been so fun watching him discover his toys like he is seeing them for the first time!! In his own specialness, he sometimes forgets how to let go of a toy after he grabs it and then panics because the toy is "attacking" him :D

His 4 month doctors appointment is coming up soon! It will be fun, Jonathan will probably be as tall as his doctor by then... hopefully he'll be able to fit through the exam room door, at the rate he's growing we're gonna have the next Fezzik on our hands!!

His current nicknames to date are:
Beany
Beaner
Beany Bot
Baby Bear

and he is also affectionately referred to as "Our Little Raptor" due to his bird/dinosaur like growls and chirps!

Bathtime is still the favorite activity, lucky for me he has put his baby muscles to work by splashing away as soon as he touches the water! :)

He has so much energy, it's going to be good for him to move around, thankfully we have his jumperroo right now to burn some of that energy off, and we are guessing that in a week or two he is going to be rolling around here! (he's sooo close!!)

Brian is working hard trying to finish his training. We are both anxious for the next step, to find out where we will be living after this is over,even though as of now we still have no idea when he'll be done. I'm praying that we will be out of here before next winter. Unfortunately I forgot to pack my space heater parka, so this weather has been keeping us inside for the past couple of months. We did find a fabulous coffee shop downtown that we try to get to once a week so that we don't get cabin fever!!

Happy 2009!!

as always, we have a constantly updated Jonathan gallery HERE we are much better at taking pictures than blogging!! :D

December

2008-12-29T11:57:00.000-08:00

December was a crazy month for us! We spent the first week point five of it in Indiana for Brian's work. He was supporting a center in Muncie. It was a very blah trip, he was working very long hours (seriously like 11-12 hour days *yuck*) and everything we tried to go do/see in Muncie was CLOSED! no lie!! 2 state parks, 1 garden, a zoo, even a museum, ALL CLOSED! :D Apparently during the winter if you live in Indiana you LEAVE Indiana...

Jonathan had his 2 month check up on the 23. We liked our Dr, she was very sweet and had lots of energy! Jonathan weighs 14lbs and 14oz and is 25.5 inches long. (He's in the 4-11 month range...) It was a VERY long day for him because he had to get 4 shots!! (who gives a baby 4 SHOTS in one day!!) Brian had to hold him down, I couldn't I left the room :( :( and then we drove to Illinois and he hates his carseat so all in all it was not his best day!!

Our water pipe to our heaters froze on the coldest day of the month (windchill -35) our landlord was very good about getting a guy out to fix it the next day though so it worked out in the end. He let us borrow some space heaters in the interim... oh the adventure!

Christmas was nice, we were able to celebrate it with Brian's family this year and had 3 days full of festivities and loads of people!! Jonathan was given LOTS of attention and is slowing coming down from being held all the time :)

More Christmas photos can be found HERE keyword "christmas"
and don't forget to check out current adventures HERE

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

it's been how long??

2008-11-21T23:39:00.000-08:00

OK there has been so much going on in our lives that blogging has been pushed way back in the to do list. I actually haven't even gotten to that part on my to do list but I'm skipping a few things. (like finishing cleaning! :D)

The move:
Like 2 weeks after Mr Jonathan Gagliardi arrived in this world, it was time to pack up the ranch and get the heck out of Dodge. Or in our case, we moved to Wisconsin. The drive was much better then we anticipated. Jonathan does not like his car seat, but he slept most of the way and we didn't mind pulling the car over and taking a break when he got too upset. We did the trip in four days instead of five, stopping in Couer d'alene, ID, Billings, MT and I think Mitchell, SD. We made it through the pass just in time I hear because a week later there was crazy snow and we wouldn't have been able to go through! The drive was very... brown. Lots of different shades of brown. We had just missed the fall color. However it was still exciting going through way more states then I've been to in my entire life!

Oregon: Between Bellingham and Wisconsin we stopped in Oregon for a quick visit with the fam. It was wonderful that Jonathan got to spend so much time with his grandparents before we left. It was great times. We headed to Coos Bay and spent a day at my ocean. The waves were amazing! (I miss them!!)

Arriving:
We arrived at our new apartment with a tinge of trepidation since we didn't get to see it before we signed the lease!! Thankfully it is in a good neighborhood, and the actual apartment overlooks a very cute little pond. There are a few maintenance issues but nothing big. *whew!*

Appleton, WI
It's a cute college town. A bit bigger then Bellingham and definitely more sprawled out. (there is IN the town!) We are 30 minutes from Green Bay so Sundays are a little crazy! You go to the grocery store and everyone is in a panic to buy their cheese curds before the game begins!! It's a good thing this family is Packer-friendly! There are SO many restaurants here. They are everywhere!! But I guess since it gets pretty cold here, there is a big market for indoor activities. (like eating! *cheese curds*) They rightly have the claim on dairy though. Their cheese IS wonderful and so is their milk!

Jonathan:
He is getting to be so big! I read somewhere that they are suppose to grow like an inch a month. He is 6 weeks old and has grown 3 inches! Holy moly! He has such a great personality. He loves playing and bouncing high in the air. He is also SO cuddly which is great because we love cuddling him!! His hair is still deciding whether or not it is going to be red, I think in the end it will be a nice strawberry blonde!

OK, it's 2am here, this mama is getting some zzzzz's!

We also have a new photo gallery! It can be found HERE

The anticipation is over!

2008-10-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

Jonathan finally got to meet Grandpa and Grandma Campbell yesterday!

They arrived in Bellingham around dinner time, so we all met up at Bob's for a delicious meal. Unfortunately for our waitress, once my mom met her grandchild the LAST thing on her mind was ordering :) :) :) :) Jonathan had her complete attention and the waitress had to ask a few times what my mom wanted to order :)

The great thing was Jonathan was awake the WHOLE TIME which has to be some kind of record! He was totally loving the extra attention from the grandparents!! He slept for practically the entire night afterward, apparently it's exhausting being loved so much!

Unfortunately in the rush to get out and over to Bob's we forgot our camera :( Brian did get this snapshot with his phone though, I don't even think they knew we took it! :) We will get lot's more pictures when we are down in Oregon though, and probably this weekend as it is our last weekend in Bellingham!!

2008-10-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

Jonathan tid bits:

Birthstone is Opal (Hope)
Astrological Sign is Libra
Flower is Calendula or Cosmos (White, Yellow and Varied)
Born in the Chinese Year of The Rat
Will start kindergarten in 2014, be old enough to drive a car in 2024, finish high school in 2027, and will graduate from college with the class of 2031, give or take a year. Can you imagine?
Shares a birthday with: Michael W. Smith, Rachel McAdams, Simon Cowell, Toni Braxton, and Vladimir Putin

New Things

2008-10-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today was an exciting day for a baby who is just 5 days old!
First "Uncle Gus" came up for a visit. It took a little coaxing to convince him that Jonathan wouldn't break if he held him (he didn't) and although Jonathan slept through the whole thing, he made some pretty cute faces for Gus.

Later (Because we were all getting very stir crazy from being stuck indoors for a week) we decided to take a short walk around Boulevard Park to get some fresh air - plus we got to try out our new sling! Guido seemed to enjoy both the car ride and the sling/walk. And by enjoy I mean he slept through that too :) :) :)

Home!

2008-10-11T23:07:00.000-07:00

Last night we finally got to take Jonathan home from St Joseph's!! Therefore we all spent today recovering from being at the hospital, aka we all slept much better and longer! :) Jonathan is still sleeping almost every moment, although he is very excited we he is woken up to get fed! He's patiently put up with his mom and dad taking pictures & videos of him, not to mention cuddling with him non-stop!! (they're very in love) Brian is being a fantastic dad and husband taking care of everything while Tiffany and Jonathan spend most of their time crashed out in the bedroom! (They are very thankful for him!) The highlight of the day was Brian taking Jonathan out for "man time" where they watched Iron Man together! :)

Jonathan at 4 days old:

Mommy loves my mouth-

Hanging out with Daddy-

Taking a break from the tough eat/sleep regime-

Mommy checking me out ... again-

Test driving the swing-

Day 3

2008-10-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

Only a few more hours before we all get to head home!

We were feeling ambitious this morning so we decided to tackle bathtime! Guido didn't love or hate his sponge bath, but like everything else so far, mostly just grumbled that we were waking him up for yet another thing :)

He also got his picture taken for the St Joseph's website which means mom got to get him all dressed up (it was very exciting) The picture will be available HERE on Sunday!

2 Days Old

2008-10-09T20:05:00.001-07:00

Jonathan and Mommy are doing so well at the hospital the Doctor is going to send everyone home tomorrow! Today has been a very quiet day because Jonathan loves his sleep! We've had to wake him up for every feeding except one. He is a very mellow baby (so far *fingers crossed*) he just complains and grunts when we wake him up :) :)

More pictures:

Jonathan Matthew Gagliardi

2008-10-08T16:34:00.000-07:00

WE HAVE A BABY BOY!!! YAY YAY YAY YAY!

After 13 long days of waiting past the due date Jonathan Matthew was born at 6:24pm on 10/7/08 via c-section! YAY!

Stats:
10lbs & 11oz
22in long
15in diameter head

!!

He is a beautiful big boy and is doing very well. He's been sleeping lots and daddy and mommy can't stop holding him!!

Here is a picture his Auntie Sarah took of him and his proud papa:

He has all ten fingers and toes and really cute fuzz on his face (it looks like he's trying to copy daddy's sideburns) His hair is really light blond and has the slightest tinge of red in it. Pretty much he is adorable in every way :) :) :)

Check in for more pictures and updates!!

Pictures

2008-08-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

Brian and I took some pictures of us (with me being all pregnant like) and they turned out pretty cute:

The Dark Knight! er, Hiking with the Toomeys!

2008-07-29T16:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know my wife usually is the blogging half of our holy union, but today she told me I had to. Then she started hitting me. So here I am.

We had a fun weekend this weekend, I'm supposed to tell you all about the hike we took on Sunday. But instead I'll tell you about going to see The Dark Knight. "Freaking awesome" comes to mind. The movie was excellent, right down to the license plates (as my wife and sister pointed out). And his freaking car turns into a freaking awesome bike!! that does flips on walls! If i could get away with it I would start asking donors if they "wanna see a magic trick?" before I stick them! (I think that's grounds for termination though...).

Anyways, the real story of the weekend was not my wife cringing in utter terror through most of the movie, but rather our trip out to the mountain loop with Drewandjulieandmckenzie (aka ¡DAJAM!). We met up with ¡DAJAM! at the park and ride down by where they used to live and stuffed our faces with super heavy food and coffee before embarking into the land of composting toliets. After checking the weather numerous times we confirmed that our heads were not getting wet from rain but from very wet sunshine, and off we went. First we headed down to the big four ice caves where the smallest part of ¡DAJAM! was rudely awakened from her slumber and forced out into the extreamly drippy and cold sunshine. She was not pleased by this. We only got about half way to the ice caves with ¡DAJAM! before we were further hindered by 50 foot gap in the bridge over a raging torrent of a stream. So, we headed back to the vehicle, toweled all the excess sun off, and headed further back into the wilderness.

Approx. 7.1 miles past Barlow Pass on the gravel "highway" we came upon our next adventure: North Fork Sauk Falls. The trail head was washed out here, so me and the masculine third of ¡DAJAM! decided to drop the ladies off at the end of the road 0.2 miles from the trail head and drive back down to park, where we climbed back up the 134.6 mile road to the top of the mountain to join them. We picked a a whole slew of berries (mostly thimble berries) which put the smallest portion of ¡DAJAM! into high spirits. when we finally reached the falls we beheld an absolutely amazing view torrents of water rushing down and through the valley. Really it was a great hike and we finished the day picnicking by the river. Thanks to ¡DAJAM! for the great day.

Having now fulfilled my obligations to the blog, I will redirect you to the album of photos of the day.

4 year olds

2008-07-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

The other day I had one of the 4 year olds in my classroom ask me if I "ate my baby"

today, after I told him to stop sucking rainwater off of the ground because it would make him sick he said "you mean I'd have a baby?!"

Lovin' Life

2008-07-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

I've decided that picking berries is my favorite outdoor activity right now! 2 weeks ago it was 11 lbs of strawberries and this week it was 8lbs of raspberries! Although our freezer is getting crazy full, I'm so excited for blueberry season (in 2 weeks!)

Registered!

2008-07-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

We finally got our registry all set up! yay! We're registered at Target, because that's what you do right? :) REGISTRY

Pregopotamus

2008-07-12T12:00:00.001-07:00

Some random person noticed that I was pregnant today! That's all... it made my garage-saleing life

2008-07-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

Yeah, explosions in the sky!

We very independently spent the day walking around the beautiful independent-feeling Fairhaven, looking in toy stores that promote independent play, then getting lost in the independently owned Eclipse bookstore. Eventually we headed down to Boulevard where many other independents were, and sat on the boardwalk for a few hours reading our independent books til the very short and not very impressive show!!

Dr appointment 28 weeks

2008-07-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

Craziness! Went in for the grand 28 week appointment and had to get my Rhogam shot. Now we weren't sure if I actually needed the shot because we still didn't know Brian's blood type. He went in to find out 4 weeks ago and they still hadn't gotten back to him. But since I'm A- they gave me the shot as a precaution just in case he was +. AN HOUR AFTER I GOT THE SHOT they decide to get back to us and say that Brian is ALSO A- and I didn't need to get the shot after all..... thanks Puget Sound Blood Center....

in other exciting news.... baby loves iron! he's taking all of mom's so she get's to take fun green pills. Apparently even though fatigue is a sign of pregnancy, needing 10-12 hours of sleep a day is a sign of anemia! who knew :)