Jude's First Birthday Party

Jude's first birthday party was last night here at our house, despite the snow. Rescheduling it was not an option as we had already ordered the food and Adam & Jonah are leaving for Florida next weekend. So, the party must go on with or without much of our family as they were snowed in under 12"+ of snow.

We decorated the house with Hey Jude records, record bowls and a wall-sized picture and video slideshow of the birthday boy (movie below). The four of us even wore coordinating Beatles t-shirts. We ate pasta and salad listened to the pitter patter (or loud thumping) of all the kids run through the house.


Decorations


Mural Slideshow


Video for Mural Slideshow


A rare shot of the four of us

Jude was less than thrilled about getting messy with his cupcake. He shivered every time he tried to take a bite and just wasn't having it. He did enjoy the ice cream Poppy shared with him though.


Pre-Cake


Post-Cake


Cake video

Present time brought all kinds of wonderful toys and clothes. I think Jonah is enjoying the toys more than Jude:)


Jude with one of his new toys from Aunt Georgia

Thank you to everyone for enjoying the party with us. If you weren't able to attend, stop by to get your party favor.

And only six more months until Jonah's party...

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Happy 1st Birthday Jude!

Our little baby Jude is one today! Birthdays are very special days in our family as many of you have witnessed. I can't believe he is one already. It seems like he was born two months ago. It's sad and beautiful all at the same time. We are so lucky to have him in our lives and are grateful that he is a happy and thriving little boy. Happy Birthday Jude!

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January Update

Here is your January update...

We hope you're enjoying our new site and some of the blog entries. Adam and I have been keeping a journal of hilarious, sweet and interesting stories, and we've decided to start sharing them once a week or so.

Jude's birthday is this week (Wednesday the 3rd) and his party is this coming Saturday at 5:00 at our house. We'll be serving Fazoli's pasta dinner with cake and ice cream.

Jude has been walking since mid-December and is fast but unbelievably clumsy. There's a catastrophe every five minutes! He is beginning to say a few words. "Daddy" and "Hey there" are the two most distinguishable words. He slept through the night the last 5 nights in a row. Thank god!!! We have been working hard to make this happen, and I'm so very relieved that he's turned a corner. That was a long year of restless nights we put in. He's been fairly healthy but is fighting a cold right now. Respiratory conditions are particularly difficult for him as he is still growing out of the laryngomalacia. For the most part, his breathing is fine but he struggles when he laughs, cries or gets really excited. Hopefully it will be gone by this time next year.

Jonah is great as well. The highlight of his week is usually the time he spends at preschool. He loves his teacher and can't wait to return each day. He is learning to write his name and is starting to show some progress on colors. It's so strange that he knows how to count, his alphabet, is learning to write his name but doesn't know his colors??? He can sort by color but can't associate the word with the color. At least he isn't color blind. Adam and I are amazed at the progress Jonah has made in the last six months. The terrible two's carried over to the first few months of his three's too but the last 4 months or so have been smooth sailing. He has really calmed down, has a better attention span and has really improved his listening skills. The horrifying bedtime routine and temper tantrums seem to be a thing of the past...THANK GOODNESS! Seriously, I can't believe we have to do this again with Jude!

Adam and Jonah are taking a trip to visit Adam's parents in Florida later this month and spending a day at Disney. They are going to have so much fun. Adam is really looking forward to spending some time with Jonah as I am with Jude.

Adam returned yesterday from his annual cabin trip with his friends. I'll post pictures and details about this trip soon. I find this trip very entertaining as the guys get older. More info to come:)

Jobs are good, house still hasn't sold, weather is cold, Lost premiers tomorrow, Idol Hollywood week is coming soon...those are the highlights of the month.

Hope everyone is surviving winter. Can't wait to see everyone on Saturday!

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Straining and Draining...Seriously?

Watching the footage of the Haiti earthquake disaster, I'm reminded of our adventures with natural disasters while living in Florida. Hardly a good comparison as our experience was much, much less devastating than what Haiti is experiencing.

Adam and I purchased our first house in the spring of 2004 when we were 25. We were new homeowners, new to Florida and definitely new to hurricanes. We had no idea what the next year would hold for us. With no children and teaching 7th grade at a middle school just around the corner from our house, we had tons of time to work on the little house we purchased. Evenings, weekends and long school breaks were spent eating Hungry Howie's pizza and wings, listening to Damien Rice, Howie Day, Indigo Girls and Guster CD's while we refinished wood floors, gutted a bathroom, built a deck and painted.

Our first house (after all the renovations) - Tampa, FL

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VIP Day

Adam and I attended Jonah's VIP day at preschool last week. I was Jonah's VIP because Daddy was a last minute addition. The VIP party started with 4 of their favorite songs. The video of these 4 songs is below. Next, Ms. Meredyth read a few facts about each child's VIP, as answered by the kids. Jonah said I was 12 years old, that he likes me because I play with him and that he loves me because I'm his best friend. So sweet! Then, we made candy necklaces and hand print art. Cookies made by Jonah and story time were next before it was time to go.

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An Uninterrupted Night of Sleep

An uninterrupted night of sleep is something parents rarely get when there are little kids in the house. There is always something to wake at least one of the kids at night, whether it’s teething, bad dreams, thirst, coughing, searching for a pacifier, the loud bang of the dumpsters being emptied at the school across the street. Adam and I night after night take turns soothing the boys back to sleep and walking Jonah back to his bed when he can’t sleep. On occasion, ten hours will pass with little disturbance but usually not.

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Road Rage

Growing up in Ohio I never really understood this concept of “Road Rage”. I mean, of course I knew that it referred to getting mad at other drivers while on the road and yes, I saw news stories where individuals ended up in a fist fight (or worse) while at a stop light. I never once thought that I would be involved in something like this. It was common-place growing up to see someone sticking their middle finger out of the window in a fit of rage, but it always ended the same way. Both drivers exchange obscenities and then go about their merry way. Unfortunately this was not my Road Rage experience on a beautiful Saturday morning in Tampa.

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Welcome to our new site

Welcome to our new site. We have made the switch to a simple blog site. The old site was difficult to update without the help of our friend/pro bono site consultant.

Unfortunately, there isn't a photo gallery on this page, but we'll try to post plenty of pictures with the blog entries. Videos are now easier to post and view and will be in the body of the blog entries.

Because this new site is easier to create and maintain, we've added all kinds of fun gadgets like Jude's first birthday invite, his birthday wish list, blogs we follow, photo slideshows and some information about us. By the way, look for your invite to Jude's first birthday next week.

The blog entries from our old site have been transferred to this new page by month.

We're going to try some new content on this site and hope you will find it entertaining. Check back often, if you'd like, to read it.

Please join our site as a Follower. We'd love to know who is reading. Feel free to comment on any of the blog posts. To become a follower, you will need to create a profile using your email address and choosing a password.

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Swimming with the Boys

We took the boys swimming with the Behm's at Jen's mom's house. The boys had such a wonderful time. Jonah has never enjoyed swimming and Jude has never been at all. To our surprise, both boys loved it. Jude was a little apprehensive at first but had a great time after being in for a few minutes. Jonah was loving every minute of it. He practiced kicking and swimming with Daddy, cruised around in a floaty and played on the steps.

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone had a safe and fun evening last night and will find time to relax today. May this year brings you everything that Santa didn't:)

Love,

The Pressel Posse

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My first scrapbooking projects

It seems as though I'm one of those "scrapbooking people." It's so much fun. I'm going to the store to buy more supplies. This is so much fun.

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December 2009 Blog Entries

2009.12.31
Christmas Pictures

A few photos from Christmas are in the December 2009 folder of the photo gallery. Below are shots of Jonah coming down the stairs Christmas morning to see Santa's presents and his favorite present - the Superman costume. Not too many great pictures of Jude on Christmas. He was more interested in the bows and fell asleep before we finished opening presents at two of the parties. Party Pooper!

2009.12.31
More Conversations with a 3 Year Old

"I like to stare at people because my eyeballs have power!"

"That snow is upside down," as he picked an icicle off a car and ate it.

2009.12.28
Our Favorite Blogs

We have added a new section to the site titled "Our Favorite Blogs." This is a list of our favorite blog sites. Many of our family and friends are blogging about their experiences. Adam and I love to read about this. Please let me know if I have forgotten anyone's blog page. I'd love to add it to our list.

2009.12.28
Whew! We survived...

Wow! Christmas was great. Christmas was exhausting. The boys got one of everything. Santa, family & friends were so generous. Thank you to everyone for the gifts, love and great company. I will post pictures this week.

2009.12.23
Merry Christmas

2009.12.23
Best Buds

Jonah is thrilled that Jude is finally old enough to play. I know Jonah is still waiting for Jude to be able to walk and run so they can chase each other!

2009.12.22
My first product review

I'm not what you would call a "brand loyal" person. I buy what's cheap, as long as it works. For the most part, the cheap, off-brand products are just fine for us. I have always been a Shout or store brand girl when it comes to stain remover. After throwing out several of the boys' outfits from stubborn stains and listening to Jen rave about the Oxy-Clean stain remover, I decided to give it a shot. Yep, Oxy-Clean gets ANY stain out...blueberries, grape juice, grease, blood and whatever god awful mess boys get into - including the grown boy in my life:)2009.12.21
A visit with Santa and a trip to the Tykes Shop

We visited Santa and the boys did great. Jonah gave Santa quite a long list of toys he wanted:)

We spent Saturday morning with Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Jon, Aunt Erika, Zack and Alex on a trip to the Tykes Shop where the boys got to pick out gifts for Mommy, Daddy and Baby Jude. I can't wait to see what he picked out???

2009.12.18
Jonah's Christmas Party at School

2009.12.11
Save the Date for the Jude Extravaganza

Jude will be turning 1 in less than two months. Save the Date for his 1st birthday party on Saturday, February 6th. We're not sure how we'll fit everyone in our house but we'll find a way!

2009.12.09
Jude

Jude has his 9 month well-child appointment this morning (one month late). He's healthy and big! He weighs 22 pounds, 6 ounces and is 46.5 cm tall. He's 75th percentile for weight and 95th for height.

We also measured Jonah at the appointment. He's grown 2.5 inches since this summer! He's now 38.5 inches tall.

He and Jonah both received their h1n1 vaccinations today. What a relief!

2009.12.09
My new boyfriend

For my birthday, Adam got me a boyfriend! Isn't that great!!! For those of you that think it is a Ken doll, think again. It's Jacob Black from the Twilight movies.

2009.12.08
November Update

Here is our November Update!

Everyone is healthy...for now! We're still waiting for the H1N1 vaccination but hope to get it soon. Both boys have been fighting minor colds for a few weeks but nothing serious.

Thanksgiving was great as always. Jude pigged out on mashed potatoes, stuffing and bread while Jonah stuck with the fruit - a choice he often makes over cake & ice cream???

Jude took his first step on Thanksgiving day. He's getting better and better everyday. He's so pleased with himself and sometimes even claps when he walks. Too cute.

I was gone the last week of November on a business trip to Chicago. The trip was a huge success! Meanwhile, Adam played Mr. Mom to the boys. Janice was so nice to take the boys overnight one night so Adam could work late. Aunt Georgia put in a 12 hour day with them too!!! I bet she slept for days after that:) My mom & Adam's mom split the last day of the trip. Thanks to everyone for the help. We are very appreciative.

The house is still for sale. Traffic has really slowed down since Thanksgiving. I think we're going to be there until spring. On the up-side, we've had the most wonderful weekends with the boys because we do not have any house projects in progress. It's amazing how much time and effort we have dumped into our house the past few years.

Our house is buzzing with Christmas discussion. We're hoping to meet Santa later this week. Pictures to come soon.

Hope everyone is well. Have a great Christmas if I don't speak with you in the next couple weeks.

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November 2009 Blog Entries

2009.11.25
Conversations with a 3-year old

Jonah: "How do I get these bones out of my legs so I can wash 'em up and put 'em back in?"

Mommy: "Huh?"

Jonah: "One day a squirrel got in my blood and ate my pee-pee?"

Mommy: "Huh?"

2009.11.25
My Sister Jude

Jonah made a Thanksgiving place mat at school yesterday. We're still working with him on gender differences.

He wrote the first two letters of his name and drew our family, all new developments for him. Preschool and Janice are so great!

2009.11.19
Nice Hair

2009.11.16
Our Weekend in Review

Our weekend in review...

Chili dinner at the Pressel's, 3.5 mile bike ride with the boys and their cousins, movie night with two not so great movies and a pizza and popcorn picnic on a blanket during the movie, 2 hours in the playroom with Jonah, raked leaves again, cooked yummy dinner. Awesome weekend!

2009.11.12
My first office

I moved into my first office yesterday at work. Very exciting. I have a lot of junk to put away but it's pretty awesome.

2009.11.10
J

Who knew one little letter could make you so proud. Jonah wrote the letter J last night on the chalkboard. It's his first letter. Ms. Meredyth at preschool and Janice have both been working on writing, letters and tracing. It appears to be paying off.

P.S. I take no credit in this amazing development. Only spending two hours each day with your kids after work doesn't lend itself to a lot of educational activities. Although we did find time to teach him how to detect a gas leak this weekend with a soapy water bottle...

2009.11.04
October Update

Hi Everyone! October came and went in a flash. Here are the highlights from the month.

The boys are great. Jude just turned 9 months old and is crawling, pulling himself up on furniture and cruising around. I don't think he's anywhere close to walking but he gets into soooo much trouble crawling. There's an injury at least every five minutes. He had his first black eye from a fall a week or so ago. He's tough as nails though and rarely cries. I asked Jonah how Jude got the black eye and he said, "Um...I think it was like a sledgehammer or something." I think it was the coffee table, not a sledgehammer. Jude is getting tons of teeth. #3, 4 and 5 all came in at once, causing lots of sleepless nights and fussy evenings but seems to be better the last couple days (until the next tooth comes in). He continues to shock us with his size. He is growing out of 12 month clothes already. His 1st birthday is only 3 months away. I bet you are all anxiously anticipating your invitation:)

Jonah is enjoying preschool and looking forward to Christmas. He dressed up as a Pollen Jock from The Bee Movie for trick or treat. He wanted nothing to do with the stuffing in the costume to make him round like a bumble bee, so he was a very slim bee. He's sporting a big boy haircut these days but I don't have any pictures to post. I'll get them up soon.

The house is still for sale. There has been a consistent stream of traffic coming through it but still no offers. We're worried that it might not sell this year. Once the holidays come, no one will be buying homes.

There are lots of blog entries to read and pictures to view in the October 2009 folder of the photo gallery. Matt & Becca's wedding pictures are also up. Enjoy!

Love,
Mandy, Adam, Jonah & Jude

2009.11.02
Playing in the Leaves

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October 2009 Blog Entries

2009.10.30
Halloween

Jonah and Jude dressed up last night for trick and treat and made our way to Nana & Poppy's and back. Our Pollen Jock and dinosaur were so cute! GG, Pa and Mamaw Duncan arrived for a pre-trick or treat photo op and Pa was so nice to stick around to trick or treat with us since Adam was in Madison, WI. Thanks Pa!

Jonah also had his preschool Halloween party yesterday. It was a fun-filled day!

2009.10.29
Extra Extra Read All About It

The kiddos made the news. Their picture was in IN-75 Magazine that my cousin Matt writes.

2009.10.27
Carving Pumpkins

We carved pumpkins last night. It was such a warm night that we were able to do it on the deck. Adam is out of town so I kept Jude busy with a little snack in the exersaucer while Jonah and I carved the pumpkins. Jonah was pretty grossed out by the pumpkin "guts" at first but decided it was ok after a few minutes. The next two nights we will be finishing Jonah's halloween costume.

2009.10.26
Jonah's Preschool Pictures

Isn't he adorable!!!

2009.10.23
Pulmonologist Update

Jude had an appointment today with the pulmonologist. We were hoping it would be the last time but it didn't turn out that way. The doctor wants to continue seeing him. He said Jude's larynx is still not strong enough. He's been struggling a little with this cold he has. It's been interfering with his ability to suck from a bottle and he chokes a lot on food. Poor little thing. Other than that, he's doing really well. He weighed in at 20 pounds 14 ounces and 29 inches long! He's huge. He oxygen saturation remains at 100% thankfully.

2009.10.22
The Pumpkin Patch

We visited the pumpkin patch at Fulton Farms last weekend with the Behm's and the Bayman's. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time! Jude ate a leaf and Jonah peed in the pumpkin patch. It was a typical Pressel outing for us:)

The boys are doing well. They are both getting over this cold that's been going around. They got their flu shots last night but are still waiting for the h1n1 to arrive to Miami County. Jude just got his 3rd tooth and will visit the pulmonologist tomorrow - hopefully for the last time. Jonah's toenail is starting to grow back. There was a possibility it wouldn't grow back...ever! Gross.

I've been traveling for work and Adam's leaves for a business trip this weekend. I'm out of town again 2 or 3 times in November. No fun!

We have a 3rd showing today on our house. The people looking at it today just got a contract on their house. We're hoping to get an offer from them:)

2009.10.16
Zackary's birthday party

We celebrated with Zackary for his 5th birthday at Chuck E Cheese's. Jonah had a great time. Happy Birthday Zack!

2009.10.13
The germs are invading!

Washing hands, hand sanitizer, lysol, disinfectant wipes have proven ineffective. Our boys are getting this bug (not the flu) that's going around. It's wildly contagious. We heard that 210 students from Tipp high school were absent one day last week...that's 25% of their student population! We're crossing our fingers that Jude handles this okay. He is still at risk for complications from his laryngomalacia but we're hoping there won't be any problems.

2009.10.12
Matt & Becca Bayman

Sorry it took me so long to blog about this. I didn't want to post any pictures from Matt & Becca's wedding until I delivered the pics to them. I'll work on getting them posted to the site.

Matt & Becca were married a little over a week ago at Bruce & Debbie's house. It was beautiful and a great time. Congrats to them both. They are a wonderful family.

2009.10.05
Family Hike at Charleston Falls

We had a great and busy weekend. We looked at 13 houses Saturday morning. Matt & Becca's wedding was Saturday night - lots of pictures to come:)

Sunday included a hike at Charleston Falls and a trip to Target. Lots of pictures in the October folder of the photo gallery.

2009.10.01
September Update

September has come and gone and the holidays are right around the corner!

Jude is crawling! He started crawling last weekend and is enjoying it so much. He gets into so much trouble. Chasing after two is exhausting. His second tooth is making an appearance too. Jude is as great as ever...happy, drooly and content. He's such a delight. Christmas will be so much fun with him! He is 8 months old but is HUGE. He's already growing out of most of his 6-9 month clothes and in 12 months now. He's going to be as big as Jonah soon:)

Jonah is fighting a virus right now. He stayed home with Daddy yesterday and had a lazy day. He's back with Janice today but still not feeling great. His first month in preschool has been awesome. He loves his teacher and the activities. There has been a lot of conversation from him about halloween and what he would like to be. So far, he has suggested a drummer in a marching band and a knight. Both good choices. His toenail fell off a couple days ago. Gross! Other than his ailments, he's doing great! The bedtime routine is super easy and he's been happy and pleasant. I hope we've scared away the "horrible 3's"!

Our house is still for sale. We've had a ton of traffic during the month of September but still no offers. We're going on a big house hunting trip this weekend. Hopefully we'll be ready to buy soon.

Adam's job is still going very well. He really likes it. The commute is just awful but that's just short-term. He will be on a business trip over halloween so he will miss trick or treat with the boys. He's pretty bummed about that. My job is great and crazy as ever. This time of year is always crazy for me at work with lots of traveling, conventions, product launches, etc.

My cousin Matt is getting married this weekend at my aunt & uncle's farm. We are thrilled to officially welcome Becca to our family. Their sons James is beautiful and a riot. They are a wonderful family.

All September pictures are posted to the photo gallery. Enjoy!

Hope everyone is well.

Love,
Mandy, Adam, Jonah & Jude

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September 2009 Blog Entries

2009.09.24
Mum parade and breakfast

The mum festival parade is this Saturday. We'll be serving donuts, fruit, juice and coffee from 9-10 before the parade at our house. Then, we'll walk to Main street for the parade. Please feel free to join us.

2009.09.22
Finally...a tooth!

After almost eight months, Jude finally has a tooth. It popped through a couple days ago. Only 19 more to go!

2009.09.21
Very Gross, Very Pitiful

We had a little accident this weekend (Thursday night)...

Jonah dropped a sledgehammer on his toe Thursday night. Yes, we are horrible parents and it was all our fault. It was so pitiful and equally as gross...so so so gross! He's definitely going to lose the nail. The doctor said the X-ray also revealed that he may have barely chipped the end of the bone too, but there's nothing they can do about that. He's not really in much pain. It hurts to touch it, but he doesn't seem to be bothered by it. He limps around, not out of pain though. It think he's nervous to hurt it and there must be a weird sensation from the nail being ripped out of the cuticle. Oh yes, so gross!

More pics in the photo gallery.

2009.09.14
Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's (AKA Gayle/GG) birthday! Happy Birthday! We celebrated with her friends at El Sombrero this weekend and more celebrations to come.

This weekend also included a trip to Coney Island with Zack and Alex, a daddy adventure disc golfing with Jordan and Sophia and more activity selling the house. No offers yet but we're hopeful.

2009.09.09
Jonah's First Day at Preschool

Yesterday was Jonah's first day at preschool. He did great! I dropped him off expecting him to protest, but he didn't. He colored, played outside, counted with his friends and read books in circle-time. His teacher Ms. Meredith said he was awesome. He was EXHAUSTED when I picked him up though. Skipping the nap on Tuesdays and Thursdays is going to be an adjustment.

2009.09.08
Tomatoes, bucket trucks, museum & cuteness

We had a fun and eventful three day weekend. We walked to Hinders on Friday night for dinner. It was the most peaceful dinner out Adam and I have EVER experienced with the boys. They were perfect. I took Jonah & Sophia to the Boonshoft Museum Saturday morning. Jen, Jenn & I had a girl's night that evening while the boys played Wii at the Behm's. Sunday was a lazy day of napping and playing. Yesterday started with Ikea, then to Adam's parents to pick TONS of tomatoes, followed by a ride in the neighbor's bucket truck before going to a cookout at the Behm's. Very fun!

More pictures from the weekend are in the September 2009 folder of the photo gallery.

2009.09.01
August Update

Another month has come and gone. Here's an update on the latest happenings for the month of August.

Adam started his job at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati and is loving it. He is training, learning the software and is headed to Madison, WI in late October for a formal training course. The commute is manageable - usually about 1 hour & 15 minutes but can be longer depending on traffic. He loves working with Jason & Kate and has lunch with them occassionally.

Our house still hasn't sold. We had tons of traffic the first few weeks but that came to a complete stop once school started. We're still hopeful that it will sell before the year is up. We'd really like to be done with it.

Adam celebrated his 31st birthday last week and we just celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. We commemmerated the event with iPhones for eachother. Adam is completely amused with it.

Jonah and Jude have returned to wonderful, amazing Janice this week. Jonah was thrilled to arrive yesterday morning and have a playmate (actually 6 playmates). I think he's been pretty lonely at home.

Jonah had a rough month as he's really shaping up to be a difficult three year old. Luckily, the last 5 days or so have been wonderful. We'll enjoy it while it lasts. He is even more talkative than ever, if that's humanly possible. He says the most hilarious things and tells the sweetest, most naive stories. It's so cute to hear his perspective of the world. He has a great imagination and sense of humor. He tells us stories about going to the center of the earth, using the gas pump as a blow dryer when your hair catches on fire, shaking your hair like Brandon & acting mad & sad when you're in a band - it's very entertaining. We're trying to get him a spot in the afternoon class at this wonderful preschool here in Miamisburg. He's on the waiting list so hopefully a spot will open soon. He's potty trained (except at night) and looking more and more like a kid and less like a toddler. Before we know it, he'll be off to kindergarten like Sophia.

Jude is 7 months old already. He's sitting up, babbling and loves toys. He is the world's easiest baby, so content and easy to please. He just smiles all day long. We're still waiting on his first tooth - what is taking so long! Jude is eating baby food and is starting to eat puffs. He has started to rock around on all fours but I think he's still a few weeks away from crawling. He's back to waking up in the middle of the night but goes to sleep at 7p and is finally ready to get out of bed about 12 hours later! The boys look so much alike, but couldn't be more different in personality.

Adam's parents are getting ready to leave for Florida for their first trip to their new vacation home in central Florida. They are just spending a few weeks there in September but plan to spend a big chunk of the winter there with the rest of the snow birds. Steve is still a couple years away from retirement but can work remotely.

Zack & Alex just had a playdate with Jonah last night. Zack is in the pre-k class at Ginghamsburg and Alex will be headed to preschool too.

Hope everyone is well and getting ready for the change of seasons. I'm looking forward to fall for the first time in a long time. I can't wait for Halloween, pumpkin patches, watching the leaves change, apple cider and the smell of fall (is that weird?).

All August pictures are in the photo gallery. If you haven't visited in a while, there are lots of blog entries to read. You may have to click through the multiple pages at the bottom to read all the entries if it's been a while since your last visit. We've had a great, full summer with trips to Aullwood, a Dragon's Game, Jumpy's, Boonshoft, Wegerzin Gardens, the Miami County Fair, Young's Dairy, lots of birthday parties, the Tipp pool, treasure hunting, soccer & gymnastics camps and The Jonah Extravaganza. No wonder Adam and I are so tired:)

Take care and have a great holiday weekend!

Love,
Adam, Mandy, Jonah & Jude

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August 2009 Blog Entries

2009.08.31
Jonah meets a dragon

My company summer party was last night at the Dayton Dragon's game. Jonah had a great time in the Fun Zone and got to meet the team mascot. He thought it was so awesome but was disappointed that she didn't talk.

2009.08.27
Our Trip to Young's Dairy

We took the boys to Young's Dairy last weekend with the Behm's. Lots of fun...putt-putt, petting zoo, bouncy, tractors, food, batting cages, train rides. Here are a couple pics. I'll post more to the photo gallery in the next couple days.

2009.08.26
Happy Birthday Adam

Today is Adam's 31st birthday! Happy Birthday!!!!!!

2009.08.20
A big boy like Brandon

Jonah loves skateboards. Janice's 16 year old son is a skateboarder (or skater - what's the cool term?). Anytime we see a skateboarder, Jonah will ask if it's Brandon. On a trip to Target last night, Adam spotted a skateboard that was just right for Jonah. Now he tells us he's a big boy like Brandon.

2009.08.18
Growing, growing, growing

Baby Jude had his 6 month well child appointment yesterday (he's actually 6 1/2 months old). The doctor is so happy with his health. He's a whopping 18 pounds, 12 ounces and 28 1/4 inches tall. He's in the 90-95th percentile for height and 75-90th percentile for weight. He's a big boy! He is rolling over, sitting up, playing with toys and drooling:) I think it will be a few more weeks until he's crawling.

2009.08.18
Happy Birthday Sophia

Sophia is 5 today!!! I can't believe 5 years have gone by. She is starting kindergarten this year too. We celebrated with her family and friends yesterday at Aullwood. It was very nice of her to let every kid at the party help her with her presents. We have no idea what she received...we couldn't see anything:)

Adam had one simple task...to keep the chickens from eating the baby. He almost lost the battle.

More pics from the day in the photo gallery.

2009.08.13
Jonah Gets Around

With Pa on the Cushman...

With Uncle Jason on the Vespa...

And with Jude on the school bus.

More pictures in the August 2009 folder of the Photo Gallery.

2009.08.07
Our latest "remodeling" project

2009.08.05
Adam got the job!

Children's Hospital called yesterday. Adam got the job!!! His first day is Monday, August 17th. We owe Jason big time:)

Now all we have to do is sell the house...the hard part.

2009.08.04
My pretty princess

I think this is the closest we will ever get to having a daughter! Isn't he adorable!


2009.08.03
Lily is one!

Lily Behm turned one this weekend with a big party including some swimming and bouncing. She tore into the cake and got bunches of toys and cute clothes...girl clothes are so much cuter than boy clothes.

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July 2009 Blog Entries

2009.07.31
Double Trouble

If you can look at these pictures and tell me that Jonah and Jude don't look VERY similar, then you're crazy. Their personalities couldn't be more different though. Could they be any cuter:)

2009.07.30
Drooling with Gladness

If drooling were an olympic sport, Jude would be a gold medalist. He can soak through a bib and outfit in 15 minutes. It's kind of icky!

We were all at the Behm's house swimming a couple nights ago. Jude was sitting up, playing on a blanket and drool was just pouring out of his mouth. Sophia declared that he was "drooling with gladness!" That pretty much sums up his personality...drooly and so happy. Kids say the cutest things.

2009.07.29
Jonah's 3 year well-child appointment

Jonah had his 3 year well-child appointment today. He is 37 inches tall and 31 pounds - 50th percentile for both height and weight. He's healthy and meeting all of his developmental milestones.

2009.07.28
For Sale

Our house is on the market. We're hoping to move south closer to our jobs. If Adam gets the job at Children's in Cincinnati, we're hoping to be in the West Chester area. Otherwise, somewhere around Springboro will be our new home. Click here to view the MLS listing.

2009.07.27
Sitting Up and the Pool

We had such a fun and productive weekend. We spent the first part getting ready for our open house (many of you may not know that our house is on the market).

Jude is sitting up with support and seems to really like the new experience.

We went to the Tipp pool yesterday. What an awesome time we had! Jonah had a blast. He played until he had purple lips. It is perfect for toddlers.

There are lots of great pictures from the weekend in the July 2009 folder of the photo gallery.

2009.07.23
Adam's interview update

The interview went very well. Now we wait:(

2009.07.21
Adam has another interview today

Adam has another (hopefully final) interview today with Cincinnati Children's Hospital. They have already completed his references. We're hopeful this will all work out. It would be so nice to hear something this week! We'll of course keep everyone posted.

2009.07.19
Jami's Shower

I hosted my niece Jami's wedding shower this weekend. It was a very nice afternoon. Thank you to everyone for bringing dishes and the wonderful gifts for Jami.

Jami & Isaiah will be getting married next Saturday on Anna Maria Island. Best wishes!

2009.07.17
Is it Michael Phelps? No, it's Zackary!

No more floaties. No more life vest. Zackary (Jonah's cousin) is officially a swimmer! He learned to swim today in his Mamaw & Papaw's pool. Way to go!

2009.07.16
Watch out Le Tour...here comes Jonah

We took Jonah and Jude on a bike ride last night. Jonah completed his second 3-mile bike ride. Looks like Lance has some competition. Does Lance stop to pick flowers during his ride?

2009.07.15
Happy Birthday Alex

Jonah's cousin Alex turned 3 this weekend with a great party at the Troy park. Pictures from this party and Jonah's visit to the St. John's Festival are in the July 2009 folder of the photo gallery.

2009.07.14
Adam's interview

Adam's interview with Children's was awesome! They have already scheduled his next (and hopefully final) interview with the project coordinator and VP and are working on his references. The next interview is scheduled for 7/21. We'll keep you posted.

2009.07.09
Good luck to Adam

Adam has an interview with Cincinnati Childrens today. We're so excited about the opportunity! We'll keep you posted.

2009.07.02
Treasure Hunting

We're big nerds. We admit it. We have discovered, along wth the Behm family, that geocaching is so much fun. We found our first "treasure" on Tuesday. Adam and Jordan (and even Adam's dad last night) went out after the kids went to sleep and found a couple more. There are 50 in Tipp City! If you would like to be a nerd too, visit www.geocaching.com for more information.

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June 2009 Blog Entries

2009.06.30
Birthday Party Pictures

Pictures from Jonah's 3rd birthday party are in the photo gallery in the "2009/Jonahs 3rd birthday" folder. Thanks again everyone! It was a great party. Jonah had a blast!

2009.06.29
Party Pictures Coming Soon

Thanks to everyone for coming to Jonah's 3rd birthday party. It was so much fun. The kids and the adults enjoyed the jumpy much more than we imagined. Jonah received soooo many toys and was up playing with them at 6:00 this morning. We have bunches of pictures to share but it might take us a couple days to gather them from everyone, edit them and then get them posted. Keep checking back. I might send an email out to everyone when they are ready to view.

Jude's first birthday party is in 7 months! I'm not sure if we can top yesterdays party...but we'll try:)

2009.06.26
2 videos you must see

I uploaded two new videos. The first one ("Soccer Camp") is just a cute little clip of Jonah scoring a goal his first day at soccer camp.

The second one is a riot! It is from his sports sampler class that he takes on Tuesday nights. It was such a disaster. He didn't listen to ANYTHING!

Go to the "Videos" link at the top and view "Soccer Camp" and "Basketball Drills"

2009.06.24
Ugh! 2 sports camps in one day...not a good idea!

Yesterday, Jonah had his second day of soccer camp during the day and then another sports variety class at night. This is the only week he will have an overlapping class...thank god. Soccer camp was fine but the 2nd class was horrible. He didn't listen to ANYTHING. He was so over it. Halfway through, he decided he didn't want to play basketball anymore. His listening skills leave something to be desired...

Pictures from his 2nd day at soccer camp and a couple from last night's sports class are in the photo gallery (June 2009).

2009.06.23
Jonah's Birthday Party

Hope to see everyone at Jonah's 3rd birthday party - Sunday, June 28th 3:00 at 305 West Dow Street, Tipp City. There will be Italian food, drinks, a jump house/moon walk and a ride in the Apollo rocket ship. Can't wait to see everyone.

P.S. You may want to bring your own lawn chair. I don't think we'll have enough seats for 45 people.

2009.06.23
Soccer Camp

Jonah's first day at soccer camp was yesterday. He's the youngest and smallest in his class, but Jeni said he did pretty well. Pictures from soccer camp and art school are in the June 2009 folder of the photo gallery.

2009.06.16
"I'll cover my belly so it doesn't scare me!"

When Jonah wanted to watch a scary show, I told him no because the monsters would scare him. He thought about that for a second and said, "I'll cover my belly so it doesn't scare me!" Apparently, he feels it in his belly when he is scared. Covering up his belly must block the scariness from getting in. Kids say the cutest things.

2009.06.15
Big boy!

Jude had a well-child appointment this morning. He is a whopping 15 pounds, 13 ounces and 26 inches long. He's in the 50th percentile for weight and 50-75th for his height. Maybe he'll be tall!!! He is healthy and doing well.

I'm also happy to report that Jonah finally seems to be potty trained. Thank goodness! He still wears a diapers at bedtime, but it's big boy underwear the rest of the day. Yeah!!!

2009.06.11
Springhill's Annual 99 cent sale

Springhill's annual 99 cent sale is next week. If you've been, you know how good it is. If you haven't, you should definitely go. There are mobs of people but it's well worth it. Last year I bought hostas, ornamental grass, lavendar, coral bells, black eyed susans. There are also lilies, ground cover, shrubs, bare root plants and a bunch of stuff I wasn't able to identify but I'm sure was great:) Have fun!

2009.06.08
The 3rd Annual Jonah Extravaganza Birthday Celebration

Invitations are in the mail today! Don't miss it. It will be lots of fun with a bouncy house, an Italian feast and a unique photo op! Can't wait to see everyone.

2009.06.05
Jude update

Just wanted to give everyone an update on Jude. Anyone who has seen him recently can testify that he is doing soooo much better. His laryngomalacia is almost gone. He had an appointment with the pulmonologist on Wednesday. The doctor is thrilled with Jude's progress and hopes to discharge him in 4 months. He is still at risk for serious complications if he were to get a respiratory illness but that is unlikely now that the weather is no longer cold and nasty.

We are lucky and remind ourselves of that everyday. Jude had a serious case of LM but recovered from it better than we could have ever hoped. He still sounds abnormal compared to a typical baby, but it's so much better than it was. No more gasping from an obstructed airway.

Jude now weighs 14 pounds 15 ounces and is 26 inches long. He rolled over for the first time this week. He's sleeping like a champ, babbling away and is happy (when he isn't teething).

2009.06.04
Grandma's 85th Surprise Party

This past weekend was my Grandma Bayman's 85th surprise birthday party. We had dinner with our family and then an open house for her friends. I think she was truely surprised and happy to see everyone. Pictures from this party are in the "2009/Grandmas 85th Birthday" folder of the photo gallery.

2009.06.01
Goodbye to Janice

On Wednesday, we said goodbye to Janice, babysitter extroidinaire. We've been with Janice (or "Jamas" as Jonah would say) since September and she has been a wonderful daycare provider for the boys. She taught Jonah to count and his alphabet. She has been oh so very patient with Jude's stubborness with bottles and loves our boys like they're her own. Janice lives right down the street from my office and unfortunately the two hours of commuting each day just wasn't agreeing with the boys. We have promised to remain friends and enjoyed SEVERAL drinks together at Elsa's Friday during a girls night out!

Adam and I decided it was finally time to search for a live-out nanny to care for the boys while we work. Jeni's first day was last Thursday. We're excited about this new page in our lives and think it will be a wonderful opportunity for the boys.

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May 2009 Blog Entries

2009.05.26
Memorial Day Weekend

We had a great Memorial Day weekend. Saturday was our lazy day. We worked in the yard Sunday and ate at Olive Garden for dinner. A parade and more yardwork on Monday and then a cookout and swim party at Jordan & Jen's. Very fun! Too many calories! Pictures are in the May 2009 folder of the photo gallery.

2009.05.23
A visit with Baily

My nephew Baily is home this week from the Navy. We had dinner with him while he told us stories about his experiences. He actually had to clean the bathroom with a toothbrush because he laughed at his superior when they yelled at him. I thought that only happened in movies.

Another high point of the night was the bike ride Jonah and Poppy took around the block.

Several pictures from the evening are in the May 2009 folder of the photo gallery.

2009.05.19
Jude Update

Just a quick update on Jude...

He had a doctor's appointment yesterday. He weighs 14 pounds, 6 ounces. He's gaining weight nicely and is doing fantastic. His laryngomalacia is definitely not getting worse as they were sure it would. It's getting better everyday. He is smiling, laughing and jabbering all the time and is rolling over to his side. He isn't sleeping through the night every night, just here and there but is only up once.

Enjoy the pics!

2009.05.19
Food & Fun

Our friends Casey & Va Nia and their 2 year old son Bayden are visiting from Michigan this week. We had a cookout on Sunday and visited the Boonshoft Museum yesterday. Very much fun! Lots of pictures in the "May 2009" folder of the photo gallery.

2009.05.11
Our Deck

Once there was a window and a boring backyard...

Then there was a mess...

Now we have a deck and patio doors...

See more pictures in the May 2009 folder of the Photo Gallery!

2009.05.11
Mother's Day

We had a great Mother's Day weekend. We planted flowers and went out to eat. It was wonderful. Adam insisted that I have a Blizzard from Dairy Queen and not count the Weight Watchers points!

2009.05.02
More April Pictures

The rest of the April pictures have been posted to the "April" folder of the photo gallery.

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April 2009 Blog Entries

2009.04.23
Not to toot my own horn but...

Here's a picture of the beautiful swing on our front porch that Adam made a couple years ago. I made a new seat cover and 5 new pillows for it this week. I think it's pretty fabulous, if I may say so:)

2009.04.23
A visit with baby James

Our cousins Matt & Becca came over last night for a friendly poker game and brought their son James. He's a big boy and filled out Jude's little chair nicely:) Very cute!

2009.04.21
Jonah & Jude

Hi everyone! Just a little update for everyone. The boys are doing great. We are home this week finishing up the rest of my maternity leave. It's been so nice spending time with the boys. Jonah is thrilled to be playing outside and helping us with the deck we are building in our backyard. We'll send pics of the deck as soon as it's done. We just have a few more things to do.

Jude is doing very well. His laryngo malacia is mysteriously disappearing. It's so unexpected. He still sounds concerning compared to a healthy baby, but it's so much better than it was several weeks ago. He's getting strong fast and beating this condition. We couldn't be more relieved. I'm sure a cold or other virus would be scary for him to get, but the warmer weather reduces that risk. He was 12 pounds 12 ounces at his 2 month well child appointment. He's doing great!

Adam and I are so glad spring is here. We're finishing up the deck we started a couple weeks ago. We complain about the house projects and then are bored when we don't have a project to work on. Never happy:) We're looking forward to a visit from the Tjalsma's in May and making preparations for the Jonah Extravaganza the last weekend in June.

New pictures are posted to the April 2009 folder of the Photo Gallery.

2009.04.11
Great News from the Pulmonologist

Jude had an appointment with the pulmonologist today. He thinks Jude is doing very well. His weight gain is in the 75th percentile and he's thriving. Dr. Fink said he thinks Jude is beating this condition nicely and is almost out of the scary part. Even though he has a moderate/severe case of laryngo malacia, he is handling better than most. We are thrilled for this great news!

New pictures are posted in the April 09 folder of the Photo Gallery. Happy Easter everyone!

2009.04.06
Jude is 9 weeks old!

How time flies! Jude is already 9 weeks old. Sorry there are no pictures to go along with this update but wanted to keep everyone posted on his progress. He is gaining lots of weight, already weighing 12 pounds 3 ounces. He is smiling and cooing. He's the happiest baby. His laryngo malacia has gotten just a little bit worse in the past few weeks. He has good days and bad days but it's still very manageable. He will visit the pulmonologist again this Friday. His oxygen saturation levels are great and he is gaining weight, the two things most dangerous about his condition. It will probably continue to get worse over the next 2-3 months but will hopefully start to show some improvement around 5 months (June-ish).

I went back to work last week so he is now in the loving care of our babysitter Janice along with Jonah. She does a great job with him, even on the rough days. I think Jonah likes having Jude there with him all day.

Feel free to stop in anytime to visit the boys. I'll post new pictures soon.

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March 2009 Blog Entries

2009.03.31
Jude Slept Thru the Night!

Jude is 8 weeks old today and slept through the night for the first time last night. What a great baby!! We don't expect it to happen again tonight but will hope for the best. Jonah, of course, was up once last night. The newborn sleeps better than the toddler...GOOD GRIEF!

2009.03.30
3rd Annual Jonah Extravaganza

Save the Date! The 3rd Annual Jonah Extravaganza for his 3rd birthday will be Sunday, June 28th. More details to come in early June. I know you've all waited anxiously since last summer for the next party:)

2009.03.20
Our Boys

There are a few cute new pictures of our boys in the March folder of the photo gallery. Have a great weekend!

2009.03.17
Jude is doing well!

Just wanted to keep everyone posted about Jude. He is doing well. His malacia doesn't seem to be getting worse. He did come down with the cold we all had but is fighting it nicely. The pulmologist saw him on Thursday and was pleased with his breathing. His oxygen saturation is staying at 100% and he is gaining weight as expected. He did say that the next 6 weeks may be very rough, but so far so good. Keep your fingers crossed that he will recover quickly and be a medical miracle. He is already 11 pounds and sleepng pretty well. He's only up once or twice at night.

2009.03.14
Jonah's First Golf Adventure

Adam took Jonah on his first golf adventure to a little golf course just outside of town. They had so much fun. Jonah was a perfect angel. Adam didn't stop talking about what a great time they had all weekend. They can't wait to go back on the next warm day.

Pictures from this golf trip and a few others are in the March folder of the photo gallery.

2009.03.07
Another Jude Update

Just wanted to keep everyone posted on Jude. There's really no change. His breathing was a little worse than usual last night but nothing to be too concerned about. He's been a little fussier than usual the last few days but I don't think it has anything to do with his breathing. He seems to be addicted to breastfeeding so we're trying to break that bad habit. He sleeps pretty good at night and usually only wakes up once or twice. He has two doctor's appointments this week to monitor his progress. I'll keep everyone posted.

The last couple weeks have been a little rough for Jonah. He's been going through the expected "big brother adjustment." He's been very emotional and has regressed a little with his potty training. The last few days have been great though. He is back on track with his potty training and almost back to the "old" Jonah. Thank goodness!!!

2009.03.02
Jude Update

We wanted to let everyone know what is going on with Jude. A few of you may already know about his recent health problems, but many of you may not. Sorry it has taken us so long to communicate this to everyone. Things have been a little crazy. Jude spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Children’s Hospital. This all began with a silly little noise he made that sounded like a goose honking. We actually thought it was cute until we found out what it was caused from. It progressed into a lot of labored breathing. The pediatrician saw him Thursday and thought there was reason for concern and referred us to a pediatric pulmonologist. We never made it to the pulmonologist because Thursday night we ended up in Children’s ER. His breathing problems were getting worse and were keeping him from sleeping. They admitted Jude that night and the next day did a broncoscopy (a camera scope inserted down his throat through his nose). He has been diagnosed with laryngomalacia. Laryngomalacia is caused when part of the larynx doesn’t stand open and flops over, closing the airway (in his case it is closing about 80-90% of the airway at various times of the day). Unfortunately, there is nothing they can do to correct the problem and it is likely to get worse before it gets better. Luckily, he will grow out of it. They estimate that it will be 50% better by the time he is 5 or 6 months old and should be completely gone by one year. Right now we are concentrating on keeping him from getting a cold/flu. The pulmonologist stressed that even a stuffy nose will send us back to the hospital.

Jude is doing well right now. He’s sleeping well and seems to be thriving. He’s already 10 pounds! Jonah is doing great. He’s battling a cold but is enjoying being a big brother.

Let us know if you have any questions about Jude. We’ll keep everyone posted. Feel free to call and check on him or come for a visit, as long as you’re not sickJ

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February 2009 Blog Entries

2009.02.20
Roller Boots and Wings

Jonah received his first set of "roller boots" also known as roller blades. He is pretty dangerous in them but is slowly learning.

We also made a set of wings. We had so much fun decorating and making them. He finally got to put them on and then realized the sad truth...they wouldn't actually make him fly. So sad. He looked out the window and wondered why he couldn't fly like the birdies. It was pitiful.

Both boys are doing well. Jonah has been a bit of a pistol lately, as expected. The combination of being a new big brother and being cooped up in this house is getting to him. Jude is getting so big. He's already 9 1/2 pounds. He is a pretty decent sleeper and is super pleasant and mellow. He rarely cries except when hungry or taking a bath.

There are some new pictures in the February 2009 folder of the photo gallery.

2009.02.11
Being Lazy and Taking It Easy

Adam is taking 4 weeks off with me to help get adjusted to our new addition. It's so wonderful to have him home with us. I truly don't know how new mommies take care of 2 babies by themselves. It would be so stressful. With him home, we are able to nap, keep the house clean and do fun things with Jonah. But mostly, we just lay around and take it easy. If only life could be like this everyday!

There are also a few new pictures in the February folder.


2009.02.08
Introducing Jude Nathaniel Pressel

Sorry it has taken us so long to upload pictures and make the new baby announcement. We have been trying to keep it simple these first few days.

Jude Nathaniel Pressel was born on Tuesday, February 3rd at 10:50 am. He weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and measured 21 inches long. He is a beautiful baby and we are enjoying every moment with him.

We brought Jude home from the hospital on Thursday morning. Everything has been running fairly smoothly. The first night was pretty rough but last night was awesome. Hopefully tonight will be another great, restful night. Jonah is also adjusting well to the new addition, even better than we anticipated. Mostly, he doesn't pay any attention to Jude. Every once in a while, though, he plays and talks to Jude. It's really precious.

New pictures are uploaded to the photo gallery in the February 2009 folder.

We're looking forward to visiting with everyone. Give us a call and stop by to meet Jude.

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January 2009 Blog Entries

2009.1.31
The Baby is Coming

We had a doctor's appointment today. Our suspicions were right. Baby #2 is going to be a big boy. The doctor estimated his weight around 8 pounds 6 ounces - almost 1 1/2 pounds bigger than Jonah was. The estimate could be off one pound so hopefully he won't be quite that big...but could be huge! We are being induced Monday night so the baby should come sometime on Tuesday. Stay tuned:)

2009.01.24
Making Progress

I just got back from the doctor. I'm now 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. Making progress!! I've been having mild contractions for a few days but nothing too painful. Stay tuned. We think it will be any day...

2009.01.18
Pregnancy Update

I had a 37 week pregnancy check up on Friday. We're both healthy and doing fine. The best news is that I'm 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced! The baby is coming soon! We'll keep you posted.

Check out the new poll. When will baby #2 arrive???


2009.01.14
From the Archives Vol. II

We dug through the Pressel family photos a few days ago and uploaded 60 pictures to the "Pressel Family Photos" folder of the photo gallery. There are some really great pictures of Adam, Erika, Candy & Steve. I love the clothing. Lots of short shorts and tube socks:)

2009.01.12
Kiddie Kingdom

We recently converted our 3rd floor walk-up attic into a playroom for Jonah. We started it 11/16/08 and finished it right around Christmas. It's complete with a kiddie home theater and every toy imaginable! View the before and after pictures in the January 2009 folder of the Photo Gallery.


2009.01.12
Better Late Than Never

We never thought we would allow Jonah to use a pacifier this long, even though it was only at night and during naps. We just didn't have the heart to take it away. So we bargained with him... in exchange for throwing away his pacifiers, he got a Jeep. Last night was his first night without a pacifier since he was a very little baby. He handled it better than we expected. He cried and got out of bed several times, but finally fell asleep (3 hours past his normal bedtime).

He LOVES his new Jeep! He rode it around in the house last night, and we took him to the playground today to ride it again. His steering skills could use some improvement! There are several pictures in the January 2009 folder of the photo gallery.

2009.01.09
From the Archives

We sorted through all of our 35 mm photos last night and picked out our favorites. The scanned photos have been added to the photo gallery in the “scanned photos” folder. There are some really great pictures!

We also uploaded pictures from a photo slideshow created for the Bayman side of our family. There are some cute pictures from long, long ago. It is also located in the photo gallery in the "Bayman Family Photos" folder.


2009.01.09
Blanket Ride

GG & Pa (Mandy’s mom and step-dad) came over last night to celebrate Pa’s birthday. Jonah was so excited to see them and show them all his latest tricks. He insisted on a blanket ride. Don’t know what that is? There is a blanket ride video in the videos link above.

2009.01.08
Bubble Boy

There are updated pictures in the “January 2009” folder of the photo gallery. You will need to login first. Enjoy.

Jonah and Adam recently had a boys day out and went with Jordan, Sophia & Lily to the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. He had so much fun. The dancing room was his favorite part. You can view a video of Jonah and Sophia tearing up the dance floor in the "videos" link above.

Jonah is getting so big and changing each day. He can count to 10 and even knows his alphabet – thank you babysitter Janice! He loves to read, build with legos, play with trains, arts & crafts and, unfortunately, cartoons. He says the sweetest things and has the best sense of humor. Yesterday, he told mommy on the way to work that, “Mommy, I just miss you so much!” He really knows how to lay the guilt on thick. We finished the attic playroom for him a couple weeks ago. It’s a great space and full of toys. We’ll take some before and after pictures this week and post them so you can see “kiddie kingdom.”

Baby number two is doing well also with about 4 ½ weeks until the due date. He should be about 5 ½ pounds, about 18 inches long and gaining ½ pound each week until he arrives. We are prepared and ready to bring him home. Now we just wait. Adam is taking a month off of work when the baby arrives. We are looking forward to all being at home together for an entire month.

POLL RESULTS
Thanks for all the votes on the baby name pool. It looks like the winner is Elijah. We still haven’t decided on the name yet, but are leaning toward Jude. We’ll have to decide soon enough! A new poll is up and ready. Have fun!

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Welcome to our new site

Welcome to our new website! We will still be torturing everyone with pictures of Jonah and his soon to be brother, but now we will be posting our pictures to this site instead of emailing them through Picasa.

You can access the main page without signing in to the site, but to get full access to the rest of the features you will need to login. Let us know if you did not receive your login information. The site includes this blog - you can just read the latest posting or you can add comments to it by clicking on the subject header. There is also a polling feature on the site, contact information and, of course, a photo gallery. Visit the site regularly to read the latest blog entry or just wait until we send you an email when we upload a new batch of pictures.

The site isn't completely finished so please be patient. Let us know if you find any problems with the site. It should be completely finished by this weekend.
Jonah had a great Christmas. He met Santa and received SOOOO many presents! See more pictures from Christmas in the Photo Gallery above (December 2008)

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