It's not easy being green.

A reminder, a warning, and a review

Reminder:

If you have an IPASS do not forget to update your credit card info. After speaking with a friend, I realized that I needed to update my credit card expiration date info. Yes kids, even if your card number stays the same, update that expiration date to avoid getting a ticket in the mail.

Warning:

Returns at the Baby Gap without a receipt are a joke. A coworker of Nathan’s bought us a cute swimsuit and hat for Gretchen. The hat however is too big and I wanted to exchange it for a smaller size. Without a receipt you can not do any kind of exchange…well you can do one through the mail. By the time I would get the store credit in the mail, they would definitely be out of swimsuits and accessories. Please heed this warning before giving a gift without a receipt from there.

Review:

I recommend the movie P.S. I Love You. It is a love story (sort of.) It is actually more about dealing with lost love. However the large ensemble cast is wonderful. I loved many of the supporting characters. And it does not provide the cookie cutter ending one might expect.

More Memorial Day Pics

All Three baby cousins.

Lauren and Uncle Nathan

Gretchen and Aunt Sara (look they are color coordinated.)

Memorial Day Weekend

We will have to work on getting everyone to look at the camera and smile at the same time. We had a great time this weekend in Trenton. It meant so much to Nathan and I that so many aunts, uncles, and cousins came over to meet our new addition. We should have tried to get a group picture of everyone. Maybe next time.

Here is Grandma and her littles grandbaby.

The three amigos!

I wish I knew what Gretchen was thinking in this picture. Probably about how excited she is to hang out with her cousin Lauren.

Officially 2 months old! We head to the doc tomorrow for a check up.

The Teddy Bear Gang

This looks like a rough group!

I am obviously a fan of this outfit.

SISTER MARY ANN'S GASOLINE

SISTER MARY ANN'S GASOLINE

Sister Mary Ann, who worked for a home health agency, was out

making her rounds visiting homebound patients when she ran out of

gas. As luck would have it, an Texaco Gasoline station was just a

block away.

She walked to the station to borrow a gas can and buy some gas. The

attendant told her that the only gas can he owned had been loaned out,

but she could wait until it was returned.

Since Sister Mary Ann was on the way to see a patient,

she decided not to wait and walked back to her car.

She looked for something in her car that she could fill with gas
and spotted the bedpan she was taking to the patient. Always
resourceful, Sister Mary Ann carried the bedpan to the station,
filled it with gasoline, and carried the full bedpan back to her car.

As she was pouring the gas into her tank, two Baptists watched from across the street.
One of them turned to the other and said,

'If it starts, I'm turning Catholic.'

I'm ready for my close up

Daddy is a fan of taking close up pictures.

As you can see Gretchen enjoys her mobile. Mommy likes it too, it gives me enough time to eat breakfast or take a shower in the mornings.

I am wearing the baby shoe charm Gretchen (Nathan) got me for Mother's Day.

7 weeks

Gretchen likes to sit-up even if her head muscles are not quite ready.

Happy Sleeper...

30 seconds later... Angry Sleeper... she went back to Happy a few seconds later. I would love to know what she is dreaming about to cause all these emotions.

I love her toothless grin.

Here she is talking. Her sounds are still a combo of old man grunts and the beginnings of cooing.

Happy Family

I was thrilled with how this family photo turned out. We are going to go for a professional photo when she is three months.

Gretchen started smiling about a week ago! We were thrilled to see that little face get even cuter with a big smile. As you can see from these photos we are still working on our timing with the camera trying to catch the smiles.

Musical Baby

True story, I swear. I set the Euphonium down and placed Gretchen next to it to take the picture. She instinctively turned her head and placed her lips right on the mouthpiece! She is a natural brass player.

Obviously we have to wait a little while before she can begin lessons. She should probably be bigger than the instrument before we start.

She pinches her own cheeks all the time.

I just love the sight of my baby napping. I wish I could see it more often than I do.

Such a big girl

Gretchen is officially 1 month old. We celebrated by attending our first party at Julie's House. On Monday we had our official 1 month check up, where we learned she is in the 95% for height and weight. Even the doctor commented on how fast she is growing. Yesterday we went back to James Hart to visit the kids. Gretchen was very well behaved and really seemed to recognize all the sounds she was hearing.

Almost 1 month

Everything is going great with Gretchen. She is a very alert little one. She is up for long periods of time, last Tuesday she was up from 7am to 10 pm with only 2 hours worth of cat naps throughout the day! This is our record so far. However, it is not uncommon for her to be up for 5-6hours at a time. My mom said I was never a napper as a kid and I fear Gretchen is taking after me. However, I wish she would take after me now, because I love naps as an adult.

She is gaining head control and she likes tummy time a lot. She is even starting to scoot herself around a little bit. She started to cry yesterday in her crib and when we walked in she had scooted herself up against the side of the crib and banged her head. I wonder if that means she will crawl at an early age.

She is a big eater as well. If she is fussy you can bet she is hungry. I am curious to find out how much she weighs when we go in for our one month doctors appointment on Monday. Last visit she was in the 75% for height and the 50% for weight.

Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day I thought I would spread the word about an eco-friendly diaper, Nature Babycare. Nathan and I were hoping to use a cloth diaper service, but that did not work out. However we found these diapers and they are the next best thing. Use following link to learn more about them:

http://www.diapers.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=5985&From=Brand

As far as a first hand endorsement they work just as well as name brand diapers. They are a little more expensive, however I believe the environmental trade off is worth a few more cents. So if you know of anyone having a baby or your kids need diapers please check out this product.

Cubs vs. Cards and other pics

The battle for Gretchen's baseball soul has begun. Please notice how much more alert she is for her Cubs blanket than for her Red Bird. It may be an early sign of her loyalty.

Oskee Wow Wow

She does love to yawn.

A complaint

Well at least I have labeled this post appropriately so you can skip it if you are not in the mood to here me complain. I have been using Walgreens for years to develop film. In recent years it has been very convenient to upload my pics online and pick them up at the store the next time I ran out. Two weeks ago I decided to try the mail feature, since it is only 12 cent a print rather than 19 cents and it said one to two business days for delivery. However I soon found out that the delivery charge kind of takes away the 12 cent advantage. However I still ordered two sets of prints for the convenience of not running out to the store. I also ordered a second set to be sent to my mother-in-law in St. Louis. I thought it would be a fun surprise in the mail.

I just got my pictures in the mail yesterday, well over the 1-2 days they said and my mother in law still has not gotten her pictures. I am never using this feature again. It would have been much faster for me to just pick them up and then send them in the mail to her myself.

Speaking of pictures, I will post more soon.

Funny Faces

Gretchen makes the best funny faces, here are a few of my favorites.

Kung Fu Baby!

Peek a boo

Desperation!

One eyed Gretchen

Gretchen's take on Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker"

Good Friends

Ever since high school, I have been fortunate to have the common sense to surround myself with good people. Since the birth of Gretchen this has become abundantly clear. We have been overwhelmed, in the best possible way, with calls, cards, and visitors. Everyone has brought food and/or a little gift for Gretchen and it has meant so much to Nathan and I. The food has been very helpful but even more than that it has been wonderful to share our joy with so many who care for us and for Gretchen. Becoming a mom has been such an indescribable experience filled with loving emotions. I am just so thrilled I have been able to share this special time with so many wonderful people.