Cradle

Twenty-six years ago, my grandfather built my first-born, Keith, a cradle.  It was the most beautiful piece of woodwork I had ever seen.  I loved watching my baby sleep in that cradle.  I kept it in the living room window so during the day, I could watch him sleep…………

I did the same for my second-born, Corey……………

Now it is Zach’s turn.  Danielle and I cleaned up the cradle and made all new bedclothes and bumper pads for it.  We spent a day sewing those things and making burp cloths and receiving blankets.  That little outfit in the cradle says “I make mud look good”.  Here is the updated cradle the day we made the new bedding……..

As a point of reference, and just as a sweet look back, here is Keith and Mark when Keith was born, weighing 8 lbs. 13 oz………………

That was a big baby, I thought, until I had Corey, who weighed 10 lbs. 9 oz.  Zach weighed 5 lbs. 11 oz. when he was born (almost half of Corey’s birth weight) and as of his doctor visit today, he weighs exactly ten pounds today.  He measured in at 21 inches today.  Keith and Corey were both 21 inches when they were born.  Keith was ten days early.  Corey was six weeks late.  Zach was six weeks early.  Zach will be nine weeks old tomorrow and still doesn’t weigh what Corey weighed when he was born.  Here’ a pic of Corey and me when Corey was born……..

The pain told me he was big when I had him (natural child birth – ouch), but dang he looks bigger than it seemed at the time.

Comic Relief

We all watched Zach fight for his sweet little life.  Zach was in three hospitals in a very short period of time, the last of which being Riley Hospital in Indianapolis, where he was airlifted about twelve hours after he was born.

There was nothing fun or funny in the first week or two.  At some point, we found a ray of light and below are some pictures of happy moments from then up until now, in no particular order.

This is Corey peeking over the wall while Zach was in the NICU at Riley……….

This is Keith and Justin doing push-ups in the waiting room at Riley……….

This is the most handsome little baby boy, Zach, at home………………

Zach having tummy time on his star blanket………I’m not sure what his daddy stood on to take this pic (CORRECTION:  Danielle says that’s just how tall my son is – he wasn’t standing on anything – he IS a tall drink of water), but I dig it………….

Zach wearing glasses, at home………………

Danielle wanted to hold Zach but Corey didn’t want to share…………..

………….so he allowed her to kiss him………..how freaking sweet………….

Zach at Riley…………put me back…………it’s too bright in here…….

Corey and Danielle, aka Lady and the Tramp, when Danielle’s Mom took them out to dinner for Danielle’s birthday while Zach was at Riley………

Mark and Corey goofing with statues at Riley………………..

Mark enjoying some private time with Ronald McDonald at the McDonald’s restaurant in Riley Hospital…………

LIFE IS GRAND!!!!  I love my family!!!!

Baby box!!!

This picture is Corey and Danielle on Easter, opening Corey’s baby box.  I saved some of his shoes, his books, a file folders full of things from preschool and school, a calendar from the year he was born, the first outfit he wore (he wore it home from the hospital), his favorite pajamas and bathrobe when he was a boy, some of the little crafty things he made – just lots of the special things from when he was little.

Here is Zach wearing the outfit that Corey wore home from the hospital nearly twenty-five years ago.  So sweet.

My Dad, the farmer

These are pics of my dad at work – he’ll be seventy-seven in July and yes, he still works part-time on a farm.  The first pic is him in the field…………

…………..and this pic is him on the farm, compacting the pile in the bunker – scares the heck out of me but he loves it.  I went up with him one time several years ago and he took great joy in scaring the crap out of me.  I was screaming – he was laughing.

Water anybody???

Here are Carrie and Chloe waiting for water to drip out of the tub faucet.  Yes, they have a water dish and yes it has water, but they like dripping water from the faucet or the tub.  Somebody spoiled them by turning on a faucet to drip every time somebody went into the bathroom.

Keith runs a 5k

On April 17, 2010, Keith ran the Purdue University Cancer Center Challenge 5K.  This was his first 5K – next he will run a half marathon and probably then a marathon.  Go Keith!!!  His goal was to finish in the top 100.  He was #95 out of 1,330 runners/walkers.  Goal met!  His time was 22:51.  This is Keith – per usual with the smile – on the way to the run…….

This is Keith before the run…….

………..and this is Keith crossing the finish line!!!

This is the banner Keith signed.  All of the runners sign the banner and it will hang at next year’s run.

Mark, Justin and I went to the run to cheer Keith on.  I cried when the run started (surprise!).  We were all so proud of him.  He’s now training for the half marathon, which is in October.