Seven Weeks and Smiling!

Look at that face! I've called several people over the past few weeks "the baby whisperer", but Kate and Rich Moehl take the cake! We had dinner with them last Saturday night and they were able to encourage the biggest smile I have ever seen on Jack's face.

*We're headed to Denver tomorrow to visit with the D's, attend Bob Thumel's wedding on Saturday (yes, for those of you who know Bob, he is ACTUALLY settling down and getting married) and help Kendall Ross celebrate her 30th birthday. We then part ways: Juice flies home and Nancy and I head on to Minneapolis to visit Great Grandma Dornfeld, see Jack's cousin Keaghan, Aunt Lynn and Uncle Mark for the very first time and spend time with our cousins Amy, Cameron, Allison and Lindsay. Jack and I will be back on August 1st. It's gonna be a big trip!

I've never had a hero like this

Cousin Mike (with the yellow belt)

Capt. Michael Zenk unfurls an American flag on board the C-17 Globemaster that will serve as a transport for combat wounded before taking off from Landstuhl, Germany. Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/13/BAPG11F2DD.DTL

That's my cousin, Mike Zenk. He and his family are stationed over at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. Mike is an Air Force nurse. He and the crew that he works with fly in to Afghanistan and Iraq and pick up wounded soldiers and bring them back to the hospital on the base in Germany. Check out the article up above that explains more of what he does on a typical day. I am so incredibly proud to call him my family!

This new chapter in life that they call "parenthood"/I'm just a few steps away from becoming a soccer mom

Ok. One, I watch T.V. Quite a bit more than I should. I'm familiar with the daily run ads for Sunny Delight drinks and Neosporin MAINLY because they air right around the time I am feeding Jack. Two: I watch two channels...TLC and HGTV and I've got to think that I am part of their MAJOR demographic. So, with that being said...I have recently joined my friends in participating in Stroller Strides--a mom group that meets at local parks and works out with their kids (in strollers). It's been great, but each time I sit on the park bench after the workout to watch the kids play, I feel like I'm in that Sunny D or Neosporin ad. And then my mind starts to wonder...am I going to start wearing jeans that feature " pleats with mom butt roominess"? Am I going to left myself go and be o.k with wearing the latest perfume, Eau de Baby Barf mixed with Similac? And, then I snap out of it and say to myself, "Oh, hell to the no" (ala, Whitney Houston) and I pop up off of that bench and drive my gas guzzling SUV to the closest strip mall to purchase my $3.00 coffee...and then I head to COSTCO...hmmmm

Grandpa and I have the same hair!

It's true! Jack's grandpas both, shall we say, have shiny domes. The best line, though, was one that another fellow bald friend shared with Rick Dornfeld. He told Rick that anytime someone gave him crap for his bald head, he was to tell that person that his bald spot/bald head was, "a solar panel for his sex machine". I want to laugh and say "GOO" (this translates to "gross" for those that you don't speak Robin yet) at the same time...it's about as bad/funny as Nancy talking about posting the kid's "junk" on the Internet. I freakin' love my family!

Go Cubs!

We had the pleasure of having dinner with our friends Joy and Mike over the weekend. We purposed dressed up Jack in his Cubs uniform for Mike who is a Cubs fan, maybe by default since he grew up in Chicago. Nevertheless, it turned out that Ellie had a Cubs cheerleader uniform and they promptly put it on her so we could take this fantastic pic.
(Jack, 6 weeks; Ellie, 8 1/2 months; Juice, older than God; Mike, younger than Juice...)

Thank you Jesus, Buddha, her high priestess, or whomever is watching out for us!

Alright...I'm not trying to jinx our good luck here, but Mr. Jack has slept through the night for the last three days. I'm elated! I'm starting to feel like myself again. I might actually cook dinner tonight or wash some clothes. Oh, who's joking? I haven't made a meal in months and have become totally addicted to the pre-marinated/ready to cook meat selections at New Seasons market.

I would also like to add that my child is already more advanced than his father. It took Juice six weeks until he started to sleep through the night and it took Jack ONLY 5 1/2 weeks.

...So Jack's got that going for him...which is nice...(Caddyshack, anyone?)

Wedding Weekend

Jack's first rehearsal dinner. Could be our Christmas pic. Act surprised if you receive this in the mail in December.


Uncle Ian got married yesterday to Courtney Stewart. The ceremony took place at Foothills park in Lake Oswego along the Williamette River and the reception was at Oswego Lake Country Club. I behaved myself (a first!) at this wedding and got Jack home in time to take a bath. Ah, parenthood. Weddings will never quite be the same...




Ian, Collin, Ryan, Juice and Chris Lindsey. Not quite sure what is going on in this picture, but I can bet that somebody farted or told a poo joke... By the looks of it, Collin might have done both...but then again, Ryan kind of looks guilty as well...



Jack's first wedding. Could be another contender for the Christmas pic. Again, act surprised if you receive this in the mail in December.

A shout out to Jim Des Veaux

Dear Jim (and Barb!)--Here's a picture of your lovely daughter after she was attacked by Keaton with princess stickers. Is she a good aunt, or what? We LOVE Nicole!

This one is especially for the Jack Addicts!

Oh my gosh! I mean, come on! Did I create a cute baby, or what?!

*Jack is busy entertaining his cousins and great aunts and uncles this weekend and will be back sometime Sunday or Monday. His uncle Ian is getting married on Saturday. We'll have lots of pics and stories to share!

Happy Hour with the Cadman and Moehl families!

Rich with his gal Madeline!


Kate, Robin and Carra. Even though I look like a walking zombie, I was absolutely thrilled to see my girls!

Brian trying to explain company incentives and accounting to Madeline.

Rich, Madeline and Brian discussing which is better: Corona or Pacifico?

Jack is telling and pointing out to Carra where his lunch comes from every day. (sorry Carra...I couldn't resist...)