A Quiet Weekend

You have to enjoy quiet weekends or at least weekends where you are at home most of the time . We started off our weekend meeting our friends the Dennistons at Chick-fil-a on Friday night. Their kids enjoy the indoor playground and Reece just loves to watch through the window. Then we hit Home Depot for some paint. We decided to redo our guest bedroom, the last room in the house to be painted (although I now what to repaint some other rooms in the house). Since Joe is going back to school for his PhD we decided to touch up the guest room and give him a quiet place to read and study. I must say --- I Love It! Joe painted on Saturday (while I entertained Reece) and he did a fantastic job. We used the Behr color 'harvest brown', it is a dark taupe. The bed in there is white wood and we decorated with a chocolate colored bed spread and used accents with multi-shades of brown (thanks mom for the borrowed bed coverings). Once we get the finishing touches up I will post a picture, but we are very pleased with the look. This is so much better than the white and purple motif that was in there.

Saturday night, I spent some time with my college girlfriends. While Joe and Reece went and hung out with the Daniels' boys. I love spending time with my girls. No matter how much times goes by between our gatherings, we always enjoy ourselves. This time Bella, Amy's little girl, also joined us. We had great conversation, amazing food (thanks Kris for the lasagna) and great dessert (Suz - I made the eclair dessert last night because I couldn't get enough). I am so glad that everyone makes a gallant effort to stay in touch and get together, even though we all have such busy lives.

On a Reece note... this weekend he started laughing and smiling with squinted eyes. I don't know where this is coming from, but it is soooooooooooo cute. I tried to capture it on camera, but the pictures don't do it justice. He just puts his nose in the air, squints his eyes and flashes his non-existing pearly whites.

What a ham!

Live Free or Die... The New Hampshire Motto..

What a trip! Joe, Reece and I set off on July 18th for a week in New Hampshire with my Aunt Sharon, Uncle Robert and a visit to my grandmother, who we call Nannie. We had the absolute best of times. We took a new airline, SkyBus (due to the cheap rates) and although we had to drive to Columbus, it was well worth the trip. This was Reece's first ride on an airplane and he was perfect. As we took off he downed a bottle and fell asleep for a little while. It was 8pm and we foolishly thought he would sleep through the ride. Well, we weren't counting on the number of little girls that would keep his attention throughout the flight (at least he was a hit, I am just fearful about what dating will be like if he is already flirting).

Our first two days in New Hampshire were rainy but it was wonderful to just sit back and catch up with Aunt Sharon and Uncle Robert. Reece fell in love with their dog, Molly, and I think the feeling was mutual. The two of them were inseparable and I can't count the number of kisses that were passed back and forth. Reece even figured out that if he dangled his pacifier strap over the booster seat then Molly would come closer and Reece would be laughing at the joy of another face full of kisses. We also had our share of Dunkin Donuts (man we need a few of those around here - their butternut donuts are to die for), a great Chinese meal (a wonderful pu pu platter appetizer followed by a feast), and some quality time with Nannie. Reece really turned on the charm for Nannie (can you believe she is 92 years old, she doesn't look it), the two of them shared numerous laughs and smiles.

On Friday, July 20th, Sharon and Robert took me and Joe to the Vince Gill and Amy Grant concert in honor of our 5th Anniversary (Happy Anniversary babe). It was an outdoor concert and a beautiful night. The only downfall was that Vince Gill was sick and as he put it "Happy and higher than a kite" -- he was a little doped up on cold medicine and boy was he slap happy. It was a riot to listen to him. He didn't have his voice, in fact he sounded more like Barry White instead of the high pitch notes of a normal Vince Gill. The music, food and overall atmosphere were a hit for us. Thanks Sharon and Robert for a great celebration! And thanks to Maryellen for watching and entertaining Reece (as well as giving him puffs 'whenever and as many as he wants' --- we now call Reece 'Puff Baby').

The next two days were spent on Uncle Robert's boat in Lake Winnipesaukee , the 11th largest lake in the country. The days were beautiful and the lake was amazing -- living in Indiana, I had absolutely no idea how big a true lake could be. There were probably hundreds of boats (of all sizes) on the lake and we still felt like we had it to ourselves. Reece was great - he endured his life vest only because I think he knew what was coming. He loved the feel of the boat moving across the water. In fact, he fell asleep every time we cruised for long periods of time. He also got to try out his new float ring. Uncle Robert found Reece the perfect water float. It allowed Reece to swim in shallow waters without his vest on. And although Reece and I didn't stay in the water for too long (it was a warm 77 degrees, but still felt very chilly) Joe and Uncle Robert enjoyed the water immensely. Reece also enjoyed some down time on the boat with everyone (he thought he could handle an Aunt Sharon special - a sandwich made for Joe and Uncle Robert). After a day in the sun we would unwind in the evening and then head to bed early. Reece slept pretty well - I think he knew it was vacation and so took advantage of the fact Joe and I would go in and sleep with him if he woke up. And so almost every morning he would wake up around 3am and want one of us to get him out of the crib and crawl into bed with him. He would then sleep until around 7:30 or 8am. It was nice to have slow mornings.


On our last day in NH we took a drive north into the mountains to see the sights. We had breakfast at this small diner in a small town just at the foot of the White Mountains. It was so pretty and peaceful. The views were amazing! We had such a great time - thanks Sharon and Robert for allowing us to get away and taking such great care of us. We had a blast!!!!

On the go...

What a great week. Yesterday we had a visit from Kristen Townsend. Kristen is a college friend of Joe and Lisa's who currently lives in Florida. It was so great to see Kristen and to catch up. She was in Ohio for a family reunion and came over for a few hours to meet Reece. The two of them hit it off right away. Reece was all smiles for Kristen and fell in love with his Mickey Mouse ears (thanks Kris)! Not only did Reece get to spend time with Kristen, but he also got to spend a lot of time with Sam. Sam and her parents watched Reece for me in the morning and then I returned the favor and took Sam in the afternoon. The kids were great and other then a little dancing on the tables were well behaved (I'll let Joe explain that one sometime). It is so much fun to see the two of them interact - they really do try to talk and entertain each other. Enjoy the pictures below.

Now we are off to New Hampshire to stay with Aunt Sharon and Uncle Robert (Uncle Bob the builder). We can't wait to spend some quality time with them, see Nannie (my grandma), and to relax. Stay tuned for some great stories and pictures.

Joe is home!

We are so excited to have Joe home. Poor Joe is tired from his long week of conferences and orientation, but he found enough energy to play with Reece. Reece was ecstatic to see daddy and to get his belly tickled by dad's goatee. It was fun to hear Reece's loud laughs as he was tickled. Welcome home Joe! We love you.

We're Making it...

I have to admit that I wasn't looking forward to a week without Joe. It is nice to have a true partnership and to share our parenting duties. When one of us is gone, those extra hands and patient mind are missed (I don't know how those of you with two or more kids do it). And yes, there have been a few moments that have tested my patience (and my hearing) but overall we have had a great time. We've had lots of running around to do, new toys to try out (thanks Kendra) and funny faces to make. Reece is having fun testing out his tongue too-- he loves to look at me seriously, stick out his tongue and then smile. He was having so much fun doing this that I couldn't stop laughing at him, which made him laugh and in turn had me in tears! Oh, I love these moments. I posted a few of the greats for all of you to enjoy as well. Have you ever seen wider eyes? :)

Davis Family fun on the Fourth (and beyond)...

We just rolled back in to town from the Davis family vacation to Brown County(ish) Indiana. What a great time we had together with Mom (Nana), Andrea/Dan/Leah/Ellie Hoover (my sister) and Ben/Marlo/Jillian Davis (my brother). We stayed at the same cabin we've inhabited for the last 3 years...Woodland Retreat. It's a great place - a three bedroom cabin with a wrap-around deck, hot tub, pool room, spacious living area and just a short drive from Lake Lemon. We spent part of all three days on the beach just enjoying the sun and fellowship. We also played some putt-putt, family games, darts, pool...and ate some wonderful meals. The girls are getting so big...the twins are 4 and Jillian is 3...they play together very well and are great with Reece. Next year, Reece will be a big cousin! Marlo and Ben are expecting their second baby, so we're excited for them and praying for a healthy little one.

Reece did okay with his nights away...unfortunately each night got a little worse. The first two were great, but then the third and especially fourth nights were challenging. But, by the third day at the beach he was doing great with the water. Though it was a little cold, he decided he likes being in the lake. Although he mostly listened while he was with the cousins, he was all talk once we got home tonight. He also started trying to crawl a little bit...we can't wait to see what happens next. By the way, he's also trying teething biscuits. They're super messy, but he sure loves 'em. He's also holding his own bottle now, giving us a little bit of a break...

Here are some great shots from the weekend...

First Emergency Room Visit...

Well, it happened - Reece fell and it was bad enough that we had to rush him to the Pediatric ER. He is okay - God completely had his hands on Reece. It is amazing to think that at this time last year I was pregnant and scared and not sure about how I was going to feel having someone else truly depend on me. Sure I love to help everyone out and to be there for friends and family, but to have someone depend on me 24 hours a day 7 days a week... that's another story. As a husband and wife, we depend on each other, and I know that Joe is there for me no matter what and he knows I am there for him, but Joe can also take care of himself. Watching Reece fall off the changing table and land directly on his head (hitting both the wall and the changing table with his head) knowing that I was right there and just a second too slow has hit me hard. Yes, I know all of you parents out there can probably relate. Our children became little movers and have a mind of their own and believe if they stretch a little harder they might be able to reach that stuffed dog just on the other side of the changing table; instead they end up, well, I don't want to visualize it again.
I no longer spend time worrying about someone being dependent on me, I'm too busy loving, laughing and trying to care for all the needs of my son. I am just reminded that we can't do it all alone. There are some things out of my hands and instead in my prayers.
Reece had a hard fall, a truly hard fall... All scans at the hospital showed that he is a healthy growing boy and although he may have a few bruises he won't remember today's fall at all. After spending all morning at the hospital we came home and he took a long nap, when he first woke up I wasn't sure if he was going to give me his million dollar smile... but it didn't take long for him to share it with me. I love that smile!

June flys by so quickly...

June has been incredibly busy for us...which means lots of new stuff for Reece to see and learn. June always means North American Convention is in town - or "campmeeting" for long time ChoGers. This past weekend Lisa and Nana brought Reece up to campus on Friday night to the opening session and President Reardon tribute. While on campus Reece got to meet Aunt LeAnne and Uncle Steve from Kansas, then we had dinner with them on Saturday evening.

Since campmeeting was in town, Vision of Hope was performing and we were able to have them at New Life. Our good friend Andy Denniston is a part of that group (second from right in this picture that was stolen from the Denniston blog) and it was great to hear some Gospel muzak.

On Monday, Lisa and Reece came out to support the New Life softball team. We had our ups and downs...ending up with a split in the double-header. Here's a picture of Kaitlin Klotz (our new pastor's middle daughter) with Reece and a shot of the team after a long, sweaty night. Notice the bright red leg of our catcher!

Tonight we had the joy of watching our good friend Sam Brand while her parents got some well-deserved R & R. Sam and Reece had a great time hanging out together. Sam was tying to teach Reece how to move about...she can really get around quickly for a 5 month-old. Reece took some notes, so we'll see if he can't get motivated to start crawling around.

Jersey or bust...

Last Thursday we started on the long trek to New Jersey for my cousin Jonathan's wedding. It was going to be a long weekend, but we were very excited to see family. We drove 6 hours Thursday and stayed in Beaver Falls, PA with Chad, Jamie and soon to be Kate Briscoe. We enjoyed a great dinner at Sal's, ice cream at Handel's and a tour of Geneva College (Chad is the assistant basketball coach there). Jamie is now 38 weeks along and counting down the days before Kate is due to arrive - she looks fantastic. Check out their blog at http://www.briscoebaby.blogspot.com/ . The next morning Reece decided to wake up at 4:45am and convinced us he wanted to get on the road. After packing up we headed out by 6:30am... 6 more hours to go before hitting New Jersey.

Joe and I really can't be more proud of Reece, he was a great traveler all weekend long. After a few quick stops to stretch we pulled into the hotel in New Jersey by 1pm. Ah... it was nice to get out of the car. We relaxed and took a nap and then headed out to dinner with family. Looking back I now realize that this is the only time Reece slept! :)

On Saturday we had donuts with my brother Jamie and Melissa (our roomates for the weekend) and then met up with family to swim and chat around the hotel pool. Jonathan and Meg's wedding started at 3:30pm. The wedding was held in a picture perfect little town, Ridgewood, about twenty minutes from The City. Meg looked beautiful and Jonathan was as handsome as ever. Their fairy tale continued in a reception like no other! Talk about a PARTY!!! Appetizers were served and I swear I thought they were mistakenly serving the main course... Joe's favorite were the coconut shrimp the size of hockey pucks. When we finally made it into the dining hall, I was already stuffed... little did I know there was still tons of food to come. The night was so much fun..... well, it was fun for everyone that is except for Reece. While we were across the street from the hotel with loud music, dancing, and great food --- Reece was back at the hotel with a babysitter testing out his lungs. The poor little guy was exhausted and having some teething issues. Joe and I came back early in the evening to try and calm him down... he didn't really want us, but wanted Orajel. He was smiling before we were out the door. However that didn't last too long, we received a call around 9pm and he was screaming! The traveling had caught with him and he was exhausted... so I was off again towards the hotel. Luckily he was asleep before I made it back to the room. I happily rejoined the party. It was so great to spend the evening with family. Thank you Jonathan and Meg for a wonderful event! May God bless the two of you as you enter into this next phase!!

And let us not forget Father's Day! While we weren't celebrating in a great fashion (a long car ride is not what Joe had in mind) I would like to celebrate the amazing father Joe is. What a blessing to have a man who truly takes his role seriously. How thankful I am that we both have had such great examples of remarkable fathers. Thank you Dad for always being there for me. And my thanks goes out to Dad Davis for shaping Joe into the caring person he is. To all Fathers --- Happy Father's Day.

Chad and Jamie Briscoe with Reece

Joe and Reece resting in the hotel... the only time Reece slept!

Aunt June (mother of the groom, sister of my mom), with my mom

Most of the Baldwin Clan (mom's family)...

Happy Father's Day!!!



Oh yea, I almost forgot -- if you want to see a slideshow of Reece's recent 6month pictures then click here www.brandphotodesign.com/reecealbum1/ turn your sound on. And if anyone needs pictures taken then talk to these guys - they are seriously the best! http://www.brandphotodesign.com/
Good Night!