Three Cheers for Tubes!!

Waylon finally got tubes last Tuesday and is doing wonderfully well!! No more tugging of the ears, no more fussiness, and no more antibiotics and the nasty poos that come with them. Hip, Hip, Horray!!
Now if they could just come up with something to stop an ever increasing attitude!

My Hero!

Just needed to give a shout out to my husband, the greatest hubby I could ask for. Today when I came home from work the entire house was spotless. I mean, the man dusted and everything! He was apparently frantically cleaning for hours and was sitting in the chair sweating when I walked in...ha! While I'm more than grateful, it makes me wonder what he's up to! :) Thanks, Cole!

I'm Back!!

So it's been awhile since I last blogged. My apologies to those of you anxiously waiting on the edge of your seats dieing to hear what's happening with the Stinsons. And, by "those of you" I mean my mom. Since she was down here a couple of weekends ago I think I'm in the clear.

A lot has happened....the holidays were nice and quiet. We were sad that we couldn't make it to Iowa. There is no place like Iowa for X-mas. We were all sick, Waylon had RSV and a double ear infection. After 6 antibiotics the ear infection lingers still and we are hoping to see an ENT about tubes next week. My poor little man has been in pain for entirely too long! He has handled it well and kept a smile on his face.
After 2 months of pushing himself around backwards Waylon finally got some forward momentum at 9 months and is all over the place now. He has a unique crawl with one leg off to the side, just using his foot to push. Now, at 10 1/2 months he is creeping along all of the furniture and should be walking soon. How exciting! He has also started using some words. Dada and Mama, of course. His first "real" word was light. And boy does he love to say it...all day long. He likes to show off to anyone who will watch him point and say light. I think we may have a future electrician. He is also fond of hot, which sounds more like "dot". "Dot", which started out for the fireplace, stove, and heater, has now come to mean anything he is not supposed to touch. Works for me, as long as he actually follows through with not touching it! He can also say Papa (Cole's stepdad) and fish...okay, ish, but close enough. We are working on duck next.

With all of Waylon's new developments he still lags behind in one area....he REFUSES to hold his own bottle! He did it when he was really young, but now wants no part of it. Apparently it is mommy's job. He actually grabs my wrist and pulls the bottle to him. Little stinker. I think mommy has spoiled him. He is also not a big fan of the sippy cup either. Anyone have some advice???!

Well, it's official...I'm thirty-something. When you're 30 you're kind of teetering between being a twenty-something and a thirty-something. Now, it's finally here. I have taken the plunge into my 30's. May as well embrace it. Don't they say older and wiser? I think I'm just getting older.

I hope everyone is doing well. I hear it's a brutal winter in Iowa! We haven't seen a bit of snow this year and are missing it. Well, missing it in the visiting sense, not the living-in-it sense. Suckers! Hee!

Here are some pictures of Waylon from the last couple of months.

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Waylon and his uncle Aaron at Thanksgiving.



Waylon getting ready for his bath...no tushy, just like his daddy.



O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree



Waylon's ready for the weather to heat up so he can ride his hog.




The shirt says it all. A gift from his uncle Aaron.


Here's my Dapper Dan with his grandma getting ready to head to his cousin Klaudia's birthday party. It was a "dress to impress" tea party. I think he fit the part.

Hap"Bee" Halloween

I know this is overdue, but I'm terrible about keeping up with this damn blog. I wish I was more like Jenni and her sister Kim who you can always count on to have interesting and frequent updates.

Halloween was rather uneventful this year. We didn't have a single trick-or-treater show up at our house and Waylon is too young to really know what's happening. Our friend Angie Dial bought Waylon a bumblebee costume before Waylon was born since Cole and I were bees last year. It was a little small, but he looked adorable nonetheless. I had high hopes that the three of us could dress up together, but his daddy wasn't feeling it this year.

Here are some pics of Waylon in his costume, with his cousin Klaudia (you can't tell, but she was a unicorn), and W with his BFF Oscar. I threw in a picture of Cole and me dressed up last year so you could see him in all his glory!

Land of Enchanment? Not This Time!

In early October we headed to the Land of Enchantment (that's New Mexico if anyone cares). It was a short trip and didn't go as well as planned. Cole got the flu the day before we flew out and had to go have 2 IV bags put in. We were worried we'd have to cancel the trip, but he woke up the next morning feeling human again, so we headed out with great expectations. The first day we were there was wonderful....we got to do lunch with my pal Leslie in El Paso, then headed to Las Cruces and stopped by Cole's old firm to catch up with our friends. That night we attended the "Cowboy Benefit Dinner for Breast Cancer Research" with our BFF's Blaine and Joy Mynatt and had a great time! That's where the fun stopped. The next morning I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. There is nothing worse than being sick on vacation. We had to cancel our visit with our friends Cate and Jon, which was made all the more disappointing because Waylon and their daughter Ella were scheduled to have their first of many dates. Cole and Waylon went to watch football with Blaine and I stayed in our hotel and slept until almost 7 PM...poor me. Cole and I were disappointed that things didn't go as well as we'd hoped, but were still happy we got to see the friends that we did. Here are some pics of Blaine and Joy's kids Asa and Gracie, and Asa and Waylon.

Waylon, Waylon, 2x4

When we were in Iowa Waylon got sick and we put him on a Pedialyte-only diet for a day. Since that day he has been eating like a pig. If you don't get this boy his food fast enough he lets you know his displeasure...and loudly. We're not sure if he's going through a growth spurt, had a change in attitude about solid foods, or is simply afraid his parents tried to starve him and he must eat as much as he can whenever he can. Whatever the case may be, my child is uncontrollably hungry! His favorite food right now is whatever you're feeding him at the time. He has yet to reject anything. Up next...lamb! Can you believe they have lamb as a baby food option?!

He's really filling out. He has finally rolled over from back to front. He rolled over front to back at 3 weeks! But, not again until 3 months, so we have been anxiously awaiting him to roll over from back to front. I am still working with him on sitting up. The little stinker has the strength to do it, but likes to keep is legs straight and stiff as a board, which makes it difficult. He just wants to stand all of the time. Put him in his Jumperoo and the kid is in heaven! Here's a picture of him showing his team spirit last Saturday...Go Vols!

Do These Slippers Make My Ass Look Big?

Waylon turned 6 months old today! To celebrate he chilled in his birthday suit after his bath tonight. I know it's not his birthday, but 6 months is a major milestone in a little man's life. And, as many of you know, I feel every birthday celebration is made that much brighter by a good frolick in the nude.

He's just like his daddy....no tush to speak of! Why, oh why, can I not have that problem!

I-O-W-A

We returned from Waylon's first trip to the Hawkeye state last Tuesday and have spent the week trying to settle back into things. As nice as it was to be on vacation, it's equally as nice to be back in our own bed.

Despite Waylon getting sick, the trip was a success. We made it up to Lake Delhi to visit with my mom's family. What a great time! The weather was beautiful, the drinks flowed freely, and Cole made his first jump off Injun Joe.

Meow.... (that's for you Aaron)

Meow.....

Meeeeeooooow!!!

After 20 minutes of "deciding whether to just jump or dive" (yeah right, Cole, like you can dive!), Cole finally took the plunge.

I also had the chance to see my high school girlfriends (aka the Ya-Ya's). It was so nice getting to catch up and see everyone, including Erica's baby boy Cayle. I miss out on most of the get- togethers and am grateful I made it this time. It is funny to watch us all slowly evolve into soccer moms! Everyday I'm one step closer to a minivan. Kate, you were missed....I'm glad to hear you're all doing well and feeling better. Here's the crazy group...

Cole, Waylon and I had the pleasure of celebrating my Grandpa Dietrich's 75th birthday while we were back...Happy B-day, Grandpa!!! I know he'll probably never read this blog since they don't own a computer, but I thought I'd give him a shout out anyway. Here are some pics from the two day celebration.

Dietrich clan, my Grandparents, and Grandma and Waylon sharing a moment.

Waylon yucking-it-up at the party, and my dad, his wife Virginia, and Waylon.

Waylon finally got to meet one of my best friends and her two kids Nicholas and Hadley. Nicholas has definitely never met a stranger and took to Waylon rather quickly. Hadley on the other hand is a little spit-fire and didn't really care too much about hanging with Waylon. Kelly, it was so nice to get to see you! I have been brain storming ideas on how we can see each other more often and have decided you need to pack up your family and move closer to me! :) I miss you!! Here is Nicholas introducing himself to Waylon.

Waylon also got to meet his "uncle" Andy (aka Dupree) and "uncle" Travis. Both of whom are sure to be a bad influence on an impressionable young man and he's not allowed to hang out them between the ages of 5-18. Better enjoy him now fellas!

Waylon spent most of his time bonding with his Grandma JSM who spoiled him rotten and told him tall tales of eating fudgecicles. He misses her and asked me to send his love. Here are some pics of the duo.

We are all looking forward to our next visit to Iowa. We had a blast getting to see so many friends and family. There is never enough time to do everything we want to, but we did squeeze a lot in this time. Thank you to everyone who hosted us to dinner, drinks, or both. We love you all and miss you!!

I had to include a couple more pics of Waylon from the trip. Here he is doing his best Gene Simmons impression and taking a bath at Grandma's.

GO HAWKS!!

Summertime Fun!

As we all know, it has been ridiculously hot this summer. Too hot to even really enjoy being outside at all. We have, however, made it out on occasion to try to beat the heat. Here's Waylon skinny-dipping in his duck pool,



and at the lake.



Yes, that is my gigantic breast in the background...please, try not to be envious!

Congrats, Cole!!

Just wanted to congratulate my hubby on a job well done. Cole received an incredible (and much deserved) raise recently. He has put in a lot of hours this last year and I'm proud of his hard work. His first big purchase....a new grill! He hasn't stopped smiling since we brought it home.

Mr. Not-So-Happy

Wouldn't you know, the day after I bragged about my son being Mr. Happy his first tooth popped up, followed shortly thereafter by his second tooth. I didn't expect them so soon!

Needless to say, Mr. Happy turned into Mr. Not-So-Happy for awhile, but has now returned to his old self. I will enjoy it for now because I'm sure the top teeth will be on their way soon. Ughh!

Mr. Happy

Greeting and salutations! Cole is out of town on business, so I thought I'd take some time to post new pictures of Waylon. He will be four months old tomorrow! I can't believe how quickly time has passed. I'm pretty sure he's the happiest baby ever born, although I may be a bit biased. I'm sure all of that will change once teeth start showing up and he develops a little more of an attitude. He's bound to have one considering who his mommy and daddy are. :)

Waylon's really starting to get friendly with his feet. He's quite resourceful...big toe...pacifier...it's all the same to him.

And here he is chillin' in the tub. What better way to end your day than to kick your feet up and chew on some plastic. Ahhh.....life is rough for the wee ones.

My first post

Here it is...my first blog entry. I have been thinking for days about how to write a witty account of the exciting events in my life and have come to the sad conclusion that not only am I not witty, but my life is relatively boring. So, instead of entertaining you I will just share some of the mundane shit that goes on in my life. I will also be posting a ridiculous number of pictures of Waylon since he is the pride and joy of my (and Cole's) life, and because my mom asks for them on a daily basis.

This weekend I finally attacked the beast that is our flower garden. I could take it no longer. It has been taunting me for 3 months. As I pull out of the driveway everyday I swear I can hear it screaming "Help me!". Our once beautiful "garden" has pretty much turned into an extension of the lawn (it's funny how weeds thrive in these drought conditions, but the flowers are just crispy remnants of their former selves.) This task has been put off due to the fact that I know nothing about gardening coupled with the lack of desire to sweat my ass off in 90% humidity while squatting for hours. Truth be told it's more likely due to me wanting to play with Waylon every chance I get. Regardless, it wasn't getting done and was far beyond embarrassing. (When did I turn into someone who's embarrassed by the state of her flower garden....Crap...I think I'm getting old). But this weekend I did it....I attacked with full force. Ten garbage bags (literally) full of weeds later and the garden is...... 60% done! AHHH! This garden will be the death of me. Once I finally finish I will have to start over again. Who needs flowers anyway?!

I did get a couple of good snapshots of Waylon (looking awfully cute I might add) yesterday though, which saved the day. Maybe once I finish weeding I can get a picture of him sitting in front of my weed-free, dried-out flower bed.

Buona Finesettimana!

We have had what has become our trademark weekend – doing absolutely nothing! And we loved it! With the weeks that we typically have, we simply look forward to spending time together alone and with Waylon – mostly the latter, of course.

Our Friday was pretty uneventful. I got home relatively early (6:45) and made pasta with a sauce based on a prepared Marzano tomato and sun-dried tomato sauce. I sautéed some chicken, garlic, and mushrooms, deglazed the pan with some Coppola Rosso blended red wine, and added the chicken to the sauce for a short simmer. We topped it with some goat cheese and enjoyed.

Saturday proved more exciting – well, in our own way. I played golf with my friend Brig Stone, who was in from Nashville, his mom, and her boyfriend Tom. We played at Baneberry, in Jefferson County Tennessee. We teed off at 8:00 a.m. I played poorly, but we all had fun, and I was grateful to have been invited.

When I returned from playing golf, Suni and I decided we wanted a light dinner. I often enjoy a cocktail or two in the evenings, especially on the weekends. Suni rarely “partakes,” and it is actually quite a challenge to deliver a drink that she will truly enjoy. Ironically, the only beer she likes is Guinness, which just doesn’t taste right out of a can. She likes mojitos, but those are such a pain in the ass to make, and they never turn out right. I was so happy when the thought occurred me to make bellinis, a traditional Italian drink that was invented in a café in Venice, if memory serves me right. Suni and I had seen a Food Network show – one of Giada de Laurentis’ – where Giada went to the very café, Harry’s Bar, where the first bellini was allegedly made by bartender Giuseppe Cipriani. Our only exposure to the drink, however, was at the Johnny Carino’s chain in Las Cruces, New Mexico – not exactly authentic. (Although the bellini is supposedly one of Italy’s most popular drinks, I can honestly say that I never had one in my semester there).

So I decided that I would get the stuff to make her bellinis. All I needed was frozen peaches and a bottle of prosecco, the Italian version of Champagne. Follwing Giada’s recipe, I made a simple syrup by stirring two cups of sugar into one cup of water over medium heat. After the simple syrup cooled, I blended it with some thawed peaches and grated orange peel to make a sort of puree. The recipe said to strain it through a fine mesh strainer, but I did not have one. I spooned a couple of tablespoons of the puree into a champagne flute and filled it up with prosecco. It was a hit! She drank the entire bottle and proceeded to play “air piano” and “air banjo” to everything from a Bill Monroe bluegrass number to a children’s version of the “Beer Barrell Polka,” which she actually insisted that I download on the spot. It was a spirited night, and we both had a blast!

Our Sunday has been a laid back affair. We basically just lay around and did nothng. I have to get up early tomorrow, as I need to have a very productive day and then I have a doctor’s deposition in Nashville at 4:00 p.m. This makes for a very long day. Suni did, however, weed the garden while I watched The Boy. In fact, as I write this post, Waylon and I are hanging out listening to Waylon Jennings’ “Don’t Ya’ll Think This Outlaw Bit Done Got Outta Hand.” And, yes, Waylon is his favorite. I have been looking all over the internet for a Waylon Jennings pacifier. If anyone happens to see one, let me know.

I hope everyone had a good weekend! I am gone most of the week. Hopefully , Suni will make her first post while I am gone :)

Great-Grandparents and Such

You know how it is with a divorced family… so many parents and grandparents… it’s hard to keep track sometimes. Given the fact that both Suni and I have two sets of parents, it gets even trickier. Giving the grandparents distinguishing names has been interesting. Cole’s mom is “Nonna,” the Italian word for Grandma, which my niece Klaudia made “No-nee.” Hey, what do you expect – this is Tennessee. Suni’s mom, Jonnie, prefers to be called just “Grandma,” but I like “Grandma Jism” (her initials are JSM). That one hasn’t gone over all that well, and I don’t understand why.

Here is a picture of Waylon and his “Granny,” Cole’s grandmother and one of our heroes. These two get along famously. Granny will be 84 in August, but she is still as sharp as a tack. We know Waylon is cute because Granny says so, and she has never spared anyone from the truth, however unpleasant it may be. When someone offers up a compliment Granny doesn’t agree with, she always says “Well…” and kind of trails off. When we talk about how cute we think Waylon is, we get nothing but wholehearted agreement.

Waylon gets to spend a lot of time with his grandparents and great grandparents here in Tennessee, but he misses his Grandma Jism.

Tummy Time

OK, well, as it turns out, I will actually be posting more than I thought. Here are a couple of pictures of Waylon during "tummy time," which is always interesting. Waylon flipped over from back to front when he was only about three weeks old, but, until recently, he had not gone from his stomach to his back. Then last Saturday, I put him down for some "tummy time," and he promptly flipped over to his back and laughed. I yelled for Suni to come see. We kept putting Waylon on his stomach, but he would flip over in two seconds flat. After he had done this about five times, it dawned on us to get the video camera. Too late! He hasn't flipped over since.

Suni loves the photo on top, which she entitled "Whassahappenin,' Hot Stuff?" Our child does not normally look like some 40-year old cat who would hang out at the Regal Beagle with Jack Tripper, but this picture would suggest otherwise. He really does seem much older than he is. He's an old soul and my mom and sister say they have "known him before."

Our First Post

Encouraged by her Iowa friends’ blogs, Suni informed me recently that she wanted a blog. This was a surprise to me, as she was quite fond of making fun of the blog that I used to keep – Strange Things Afoot. But, alas, things have changed, so Suni will be hosting the Team Stinson Blog at this spot. “Our” blog will soon be accessible at http://www.teamstinson.com/!

I imagine that the content of Team Stinson will consist almost exclusively of all things Waylon, our three-month old little boy, of whom we are more than a little proud. You never know, though… as a reformed liberal, Suni may also wax eloquent about politics or Lord knows what else. At any rate, it should be fun. Thanks for stopping by.

To give Suni a head start, I have posted one of my favorite pics of the Little Guy.