Birthday #1

Yesterday marked Townes first birthday. His mother worked her tail off to make sure that our baby had a wonderful birthday and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. He didn't demolish his cake like we had hoped. He slowly picked at the icing and never really grabbed it by the handfuls. I guess he is used to picking up Cheerios. Townes got LOTS of toys and had a great time when we got home last night trying them all out. He told us that he was thankful for a stress-free birthday, unlike his last one.

Tag'em and Bag'em Part II

It is that time again! You guessed it, I will be loading up the truck and heading to Greentop, Missouri for another round of deer hunting. Every year at this time I get down right giddy. For a couple of days me and a couple friends get to pretty much do whatever we want. We have no responsibilities other than making sure the others come back alive. Oh yeah, and we get to hunt the elusive Whitetail deer.

In follow up to my previous post entitled, "Whack'em and Stack'em", I did drop a small doe with my bow. I did not see any monsters to fling an arrow at but that is what this weekend is for. I get the chance to throw some lead in the direction of a freak nasty buck!

My wife often asks me, "why do you love deer hunting"? A question that, on the surface, should be easy to answer. But getting to the love is difficult. Last year I wrote this in hopes of providing some insight into my love of this sport. This was written 2007 BT (Before Townes)and talked about the first year that we would not have my good friend Matt with us.

"As I gaze upon the rolling hills of Central Missouri or the crop covered plains
of the Northeast I can not help but notice that the leaves are beginning to
change. The farmers have begun to harvest their drought stricken crops as the
summer weather angrily makes its exit much like a tired infant before
bedtime. Each new morning greets me with a slight chill, a moisture
covered lawn and a feeling of euphoria and giddiness. These rarely felt
emotions can only spell one thing…Deer Season.

What is it that sparks this excitement? Why is my usual imaginative mind only able to carry one thought at a time? Once again, I find myself daydreaming of the
vast and sometimes barren landscape of Northeast Missouri. I think about
the kill, poker, laughing, Wal-Mart, Rosie’s Northtown, Scott, Justin, Matt, the
list goes on and on. Each and every night I remember something else I love
about deer season, a sight, a smell, a joke or just simple laughter. For
example, last night I remembered the feeling of climbing out of the “Silver
Bullet” to relieve myself and looking up at the beautiful star cluttered sky
above Northeast Missouri. For many this would not seem like much of a
memory but for me it is one of the most beautiful sights in the world.

This year brings new excitement and a bittersweet reality. The new excitement comes from the new edition to my household. In late December my first child is to be born, a son named Townes. I look forward to seeing his face, watching him grow and eventually taking him on his first deer hunt. I could easily go on for hours on this subject but that will be another time. The bittersweet reality comes with the absence of one of the founding members of this motley crew. Matt Neeley will not be joining us this year on our quest for fun and excitement. I repeat Matt Neeley will
not be joining us this year on our quest for fun and excitement. Gone are
the sounds of what seems to be a fully automatic weapon discharging round after
round until the beast finally stops moving. Gone is the trickle of smoke
from his freshly lit Marlboro Light. Gone is the $20 he will pay Scott to
field dress his deer. These things will definitely be missed this year and
longed for next year. As Scott, Justin and I are staring up at the
Northeast Missouri sky, Matt will be staring at the beautiful Arizona
skyline. He will not be with us physically but will certainly be in our
hearts and minds.

Though there will only be three this year, the
remaining hunters will press on. I will enjoy my own bed this year.
We will each have our own hunting area. A doe and a button buck will enjoy
one more year of life. The “Silver Bullet” will not be as crowded.
Would I trade all of that to have our missing member back? In a
heartbeat. But we will continue on. We will fight the good fight
because we know that we have many more years ahead of us. We will enjoy
our sixth year and we will bring back the outrageous stories that fuel the fire
until our return.

These rarely felt emotions can only spell
one thing…Deer Season."

First Halloween!

Whack'em and Stack'em

I am leaving Saturday morning for a short expedition to Greentop, Missouri. I know, I know you are jealous. I mean who wouldn't want to go to Greentop? The answer, not many people who enjoy hunting the mighty Whitetail deer would turn down a trip to Greentop this weekend. The conditions are perfect for a full freezer! The bucks are beginning to comb their hair and throw on some aftershave and the does have been having "girls nights" and sharing secrets on playing hard to get. It should make for an exciting weekend!

I will be taking the 2007 Archery Research Velocity, Easton Carbonaeros and WASP's out for a joyride. I can't wait!

The only problem with leaving for these trips is leaving my family at home. Some of you will probably click off of this page right now but it is worth saying. I truly miss my wife and baby boy when I leave. But I am sure they enjoy when I am not home pestering them all weekend.

Hopefully, I will have some updates and pictures from this weekend when I get back.

Our Little Pumpkin

Here are some pictures from the Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival. David played a great show at the winery, and Townes hung out with his cousins Sam and Eli! It was really crowded, but it was a beautiful day and it was nice to see everyone. Townes wasn't too sure what to think about all of the pumpkins and people. He was a little quieter than usual, and we were both worn out by the time we got home! Sam and Eli were so cute--always on the move and happy just to play in the dirt! It was hard to keep track of which sippy cup belonged to who. Townes wanted to get down and play too, but he was easily distracted by chewing on his stroller seatbelt.

Townes One Year Ago

Here is a recent pic of Townes, and what he looked like on October 9th, 2007. Back then I was 28 weeks pregnant, and for my birthday we had a 3D/4D ultrasound done. It was really cool to see into his little world! At that time his estimated weight was 3 lbs 11oz, and exactly one year later he weighs 23lbs 4oz! At the time I wrote in my journal "I just can't believe that sweet little face is really OUR baby". And now that he's here, at times I'm still amazed by how blessed we are to have sweet Townes as our baby. He brightens up the world, and brings a smile to everyone he meets! He's an absolute joy! I know that he's too little to understand that it's his mom's birthday, but his smile and laughter are a gift to me every day. I'd better wrap this up because he is currently trying to eat the phone!! Ha! -Jamie

Townes Had a Big Day!

Townes got to meet the Governor today. It was very exciting to see Townes smile and even hug the Governor.

Both of them have exciting futures ahead of them. Maybe one day this photo will pop up when they are both running for office. Maybe Blunt/Baker 42'?

Townes Alexander the Golfer!

Our Bundle of Joy!

It seems like just yesterday we were heading to the hospital to welcome our little boy to the world. Now 91/2 months later we are struggling to keep up with him. He finally started crawling a few weeks ago and has decided that crawling is a little too slow for this Ramblin' Man. I am pretty sure that walking, or even jogging, is in the near future. Gone are the days of leaving him in one spot and washing dishes or cleaning house. Not that I ever did that, it just sounds better.

He cut his first tooth not long ago and steak and potatoes are now on his menu. Just kidding. It is more like puffs (which he eats by the handful) and little chunks of mashed potatoes but we call it steak and potatoes.

He is quite the social butterfly and loves to show off his gums and tooth to strangers. He loves little old ladies and seems to really make their day. It seems that even the coldest of people really melt when he flashes that smile. We couldn't be more proud of him. We have even loaned him out a few times to our single friends who have found that acting like the single parent of this kid is beneficial on the dating scene. Again, just kidding. Sort of.

Well, there is quick update on our family. Yes, our world revolves around Townes, as it should.

Like Father, Like Son

Townes first blog entry...

As you can see he is very witty with a touch of cynicism. Can you say Pulitzer Prize?


dcsssssssssssssssssswedxtgggggggggggggggggggfgggggggggggggggvweq2rcassssssssssssssssssssssssssszzzzzzzzzzzzzzxtzrz

Kennett and the Jolly Cone

(Jamie, Townes and I at Bill's)

Jamie and I have recently suffered a couple of major losses in our lives. My Grandmother passed away a couple of weeks ago and Jamie's Grandfather passed away on Labor Day. Both of them had a major impact on our lives.

My Grandmother was a beautiful person that certainly had a profound affect on my life. She was a wonderful role model, cook, friend, spiritual advisor, the list goes on and on. I will miss her very much but she will always be close by in my thoughts and memories.

Jamie, Townes and I traveled south for the funeral and I was able to introduce them to a couple of spots that are dear to my heart. Kennett and the Jolly Cone. Kennett is a town in Southeast Missouri that is the Baker family "Garden of Eden". We bought cookies from Causbie's Bakery and more importantly we stuffed our faces at Bill's BBQ. If you have not been to Kennett, do yourself a favor and go. Throw my name around and you might get a free smile at McDonald's. You're Welcome!

On our way back home we stopped in Van Buren and grabbed some ice cream at the Jolly Cone. Townes loved it! Actually, Townes couldn't enjoy the ice cream just yet so Jamie and I made sure to eat it in front of him and tell him how good it was. Needless to say he was upset and paid us back with a 12 pound diaper and the promise of a fresh pile of Sweet Potato puke on our carpet when we got back home.

It was a bittersweet trip. We said goodbye to a woman who helped mold the person I am today and took a trip down memory lane.

(Notice the "amused" look on Townes face)


(Townes just left a little puke on the carpet)

Almost Crawlin'!!!

8 Months Old!!!!!

7 months old!

11 Pounds!!!!

That's right! I have officially lost 11 pounds in one week. I have been worn out all week due to a lack of calories but am excited to have made it this far!

Here's to another succesful week!

Mid Week Update

Here is a quick update on my weight loss mission. I should have a big number to post on Sunday's weight loss total. I have cheated a little this week and checked my weight a couple of times. Luckily it was good enough news to stay motivated and not head for the buffet to smother my sorrow. I have been eating a lot of Weight Watcher's Smart Ones and Lean Cuisine's this week. They really aren't that bad. Some are better than others but for the most part they are somewhat filling. Today I ate the Spicy Szechuan Shrimp and Vegetables from Lean Cuisine. It was pretty good. A bit garlicy (if that is a word) but good. One big change that I have implemented this time around is concentrating on lowering my sodium. This is another big challenge for me because "My name is David Baker and I am a salt addict." I love salt! I love it on everything! The food that I cook is extra salty. My heaping plates at the Chinese buffet are given an extra bath of soy sauce just to make sure that I cannot taste anything else but SALT. I read on the Internet that one ounce of salt will cause your body to retain SIX POUNDS of fluid. SIX POUNDS!!!!! I am not sure how accurate that is but either way it can't be good for you. Table salt is absorbed almost instantaneously into your cells, which makes it hard to flush. That was enough of an intervention to get me to rehab. I say all this because I am pretty sure that most of the weight that I have lost this week is fluid but it is still weight. I am still happy and still motivated.

For those of you who are wondering what I have been eating this week and how long on plan on eating out of a plastic dish, here is your answer. As I said before, I have been eating lots of low calorie meals. I start the morning off with a couple of Lean Pockets. I have tried the Sausage, Egg and Cheese and the Bacon, Egg and Cheese. Both are pretty good and curb my morning fix. At 140 calories a pop, I take in 280 calories at breakfast. For lunch I will eat another low calorie meal. Usually a Healthy Choice Cafe Steamer that usually range from 300 to 350 calories. I have tried the Cajun Chicken and Shrimp, Chicken Marsal and the 5-Spice Beef. All of them were pretty good but I am still looking for a go-to meal from those. For dinner (or Supper for those where I come from) I will eat another low calorie meal usually around 240 calories. Now comes the good part. If you have not tried the desserts that Weight Watchers makes you are missing out. Do yourself a favor and go to the grocery store and pick up the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sunday. It is amazing and only has around 200 to 220 calories. The Key Lime Pie is wonderful as well. So my total calorie intake for the day is around 1,100 calories.

I can't say how long I will continue to eat these low calorie meals. They are very fast and easy which makes it very hard to try something else but this diet is about making life changes. I have to start learning how to cook healthy and portion control. It's kind of like riding a bike with training wheels, I am not ready to take them off and fall just yet. I want to get a good feel of the pedals before I try to conquer the Tour de France.

See you on Sunday!

Turning Over a New Leaf

For most of my life I have fought an addiction that many others fight on a daily basis...food. Food has become my heroin. I crave it, I become angry without it, I hate myself for abusing it, I need help but refuse to admit I have a problem, and worst of all I am slowly becoming another person (or two).



I have decided that it is time to change the way I live. I am tired of looking like Jabba the Hut and even more tired of feeling depressed. I have made the decision to DIET! Trust me, this is not a new concept to me. Like most overweight people, I have tried every diet known to man. From The Atkins Diet to Body for Life I have tried them all. I have lost and gained more weight than I care to know. Don't get me wrong, these diets really do work if you can continue to live your life that way. Diets are about limiting and changing one of the most important things in your life...eating. No diet will keep excess weight off of you for the remainder of your life unless you make some permanent changes to your eating habits.



I have taken every diet pill known to man and none of them provide the results we fat people are looking for. We are looking for instant weight loss and the ability to eat whatever we want. We all have friends or relatives that can eat whatever they want and never gain a pound. They can walk from the front porch to the mailbox and lose 8 pounds! Others, like me, can eat a Circus Peanut and jiggle for weeks. I told Jamie just yesterday that there are a lot of things I would give up to be like one of those people. But as the old saying goes, I can "wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one fills up the fastest." It is time to suck it up and do it!



The diet I have chosen is one of the oldest diets around but one that I feel is the most effective and the most forgiving. I have chosen the Low Calorie Diet. Most doctors will tell you that a little exercise and a low calorie diet will knock those unwanted pounds right off of you. I think they are right. The Low Calorie Diet is not new to me. I have done this before and lost a significant amount of weight. Of course, I gained it back, and then some, but that was due to my unwillingness to make the proper life changes needed to become a slim and healthy person. The concept behind this diet is very simple. Find out what your daily max is on calories and don't go over that. If you do, do some sort of exercise to burn off that excess amount. You have to burn more than you take in. Pretty simple huh? You can buy Weight Watchers and Healthy Choice meals at the grocery store that tell you exactly how many calories are in each meal. Keep track of how many you consume. For example, if you get a craving for a Double Quarter Pounder at Mickey D's go ahead and eat it BUT you have just consumed 740 calories. If your calorie max is 1600 calories you only have 860 left for the rest of the day UNLESS you do some sort of exercise. There are many tools online to tell you how many calories per serving are in everyday foods. One such resource that is very helpful is http://www.thedailyplate.com/ Here you can put in your weight, age, height, etc. and your goal weight. The site will tell you how many calories you can consume in order to reach your goal weight. You can also log everything you have eaten throughout the day and it will keep track of your calorie totals.





I hesitate to put my starting weight and "before" picture on here yet. I will wait until I knock a few pounds off before revealing my starting weight. I will put updates on here every week to tell the 4 of you how I am progressing and how my detox is going.

Remember, this is MY version of the Low Calorie Diet. I am not sure that this is what a Doctor will tell you to do but it has worked for me in the past.

Son of Jor-El! From the Planet Krypton...

Jamie and I were checking out a loud noise we heard in our barn and found this little guy crawling around a smoldering meteor. He has many strange powers that could one day save the planet from evil villains like, making fart noises, pulling his feet to his mouth, rendering humans unconscious with his dirty diapers and screeching in such a high pitch that all canines in a 20 mile radius will rush to his aide, etc. The list goes on and on.

Phew!!!!

We finally have a weekend with no plans! YESSSSSS! It seems that for the past two months the Baker family has either traveled or had our weekends filled with activities. We have either attended weddings, wedding showers, baby showers, family get togethers or I have played a gig somewhere in the area. This weekend we, I, have nothing going on. Jamie will be attending a wedding shower this weekend but I am beside myself trying to figure out what to do. I am pretty confident that I will wait until the last minute to decide and end up sitting at the house. Or knowing my luck it will rain heavily all weekend! Oh well! I will sit around and watch TV if I have to.

In Townes news....He is now rolling over whenever he feels like it. He would rather put his big toe in his mouth than his thumb. I hope this isn't something that we are still trying to break him of in 18 years. He still has no teeth but we are pretty sure that anyday one, or all, will pop out.

BTW...I got pee pee'd on last night but I was too tired to care. I just wiped him down, changed his diaper and flopped in bed. Townes was too tired to laugh at what he had done so we both went to sleep. I will remind him tonight. I'm sure he will get a kick out of that.

Watch out--he bites!

Can you see the drool rolling off of his chin in this picture? Our poor baby Townes is teething like crazy, chewing and slobbering all over anything that he can get his hands on! We don't see any popping through yet, but I would expect them to cut through any day now. I think I may need to start buying infant Tylenol in bulk, and I might purchase a pair of leather gloves to protect my fingers!! -Jamie

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!!

How can you not be a proud Father when you have this little guy at home!

It's FaFaFaFreezing In Here!

(above:

Townes screaming a profanity that I will not repeat in fear that his grandmother is reading this blog)

(below: Townes got so excited that the air was back on he put on his stocking cap)

It seems our air conditioner was headed toward the light but was banished back to purgatory (our house) and will bless us for one more steamy summer. It is so nice to sit on the couch and not lose weight. Townes is no longer screaming profanities or biting the heads off of his stuffed animals. Jamie and I no longer engage in mortal combat everytime we hear "Old McDonald" or "Polly Wolly Doodle". Life is so much better with a little Freon in it!

It Sure is Hot!

Here is a quick update on the inner workings of the Baker Family. We are hot and sick! Just kidding. Kind of. Townes and I have been sampling some of the local diseases and are happy to report that none are fatal. I was stricken with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Townes was overcome by Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. We were both lucky to only have mild cases physically but the emotional scars might never heal. If you notice, both diseases have very nasty names that lend their suitors to isolation and ridicule. We were both heavily recruited to appear at the local Ringling Brothers Circus Sideshow but had to decline due to scheduling conflicts. Instead we stayed indoors and watched as the CDC quarantined our house. I am happy to report that the blisters have healed and the fevers have cooled and Townes and I know who our real friends are and we are better men for enduring such hardship.

Now on to the heat! Our 35 year old air conditioner decided that it was time to see Jesus. I finally broke down and turned on the air conditioner and all that came out was the final warm breath of a hall of fame air conditioner left over from the Carter administration. Normally, Jamie and I would be fine plugging in 17 box fans and eating Central Dairy Star Gazer Ice Cream all night to beat the heat. But since we have a 6 month old who truly hates the heat I need to bite the bullet and call the HVAC guy. The heat has made Townes a little angry lately and he is very vocal with his frustrations. Jamie and I were heartbroken to learn that instead of his first words being "Mama" or "Daddy" they were "Poop!" and "Crap! It is hot in this house!" Needless to say, we are all hot and will hopefully get some relief soon.

Beam me up!

Sometimes I Amaze Myself...

This past weekend was very eventful and one that I will remember for years to come. Townes and I hung out Friday night and kicked it with Uncle Nate. Townes was in a pretty laid back mood most of the evening until I tried to put him to bed. For some reason he is not a fan of his crib. I am not sure if he is sick of the same old lullaby's that play as background music or he simply doesn't feel good. I often wonder if he is, or will be, a music lover like his Dad. If he is a music lover than I can chalk up some of his bad moods to the three songs he hears over and over again from his various baby traps. I know one of them is Old McDonald, I am not sure what the others are but I am sick of them as well. The strange thing is I find myself pulling the handle or flipping the switch and playing these songs repeatedly to try to attract his attention and keep him from crying. Then I realized that if someone kept pulling a handle and playing "Honkeytonk Badonkadonk" or anything from Coldplay I would be a little crabby as well.

Anyway...

Saturday morning I awoke with the strange desire to fix something. (Quick Disclaimer: David + Tools, Math, Plumbing, Woodworking, etc.= Chernobyl) I had been eyeing the basement bathroom's sink and faucet for some time. Each time I walked past it I had a desire to get rid of the old and bring in the new but I was hindered by my lack of "fixing" abilities. I would open the cabinets and look underneath the sink and quickly become overwhelmed at the various drains and pipes that made their home under the faucet. But this weekend I decided to get down and dirty. I will summarize it by the time it took me to do it.

Turn Water Off: 1 min.

Remove Old Faucet and Sink: 15 mins.

Read Directions on How to Properly Remove Old Faucet and Sink: 5 mins.

Place New Faucet and Sink: 5 mins.

Read Directions on How to Properly Place New Faucet and Sink: 5 mins.

Drive to Lowes and Pick up Parts: 30 mins

Hook up New Faucet and Sink: 15 mins.

Hook 30 Year Old Supply Lines to Faucet: 5 mins.

Drive to Lowes and Pick up New Supply Lines: 30 mins.

Drive Wife and Baby to Hoods to Check out Sale Items: 1 hour

Hook Supply Lines Up: 10 mins.

Turn Water Back on: 1 min.

Having No Leaks on the 1st try: Priceless

Total Time to Replace Sink and Faucet: 3 Hours and 2 Minutes*

(*Denotes New Baker Record-Previous Record 14 days, 3 Hours and 27 Minutes)

I will add some pictures later to prove that it works.

A New First

As you can tell by the pictures below, Townes began eating cereal yesterday. At first Jamie and I were a little apprehensive about how well he would like the cereal or if he would instinctively chow down on anything that he puts in his mouth. We were surprised and relieved to see him eat that nasty cereal like his Dad eats three day old sushi at the Chinese buffet. I have now confirmed it, Townes truly is my child! It isn't the fact that he bears a striking resemblance to his old man or how he cries when he is hungry, tired or needs to poop. Yesterday was the only true paternity test needed (not that there needed to be one). He nearly gnawed the rubber coating off the spoon and when he was finished he kicked his feet and beat his hands on his high chair and cried for more. MY SON! We were so proud of that little guy!

He continues to amaze us everyday with his new accomplishments and feats of strength. Jamie and I devote at least an hour a day going over our short and long term goals for him. So far he responds by giving us a confused look and pukes on himself. Once again, just like his Dad! We have decided that since he can eat cereal now he is old enough to change his own diapers. I will give you updates as we live vicariously through him!

Just a Few More

Townes Laughing

Townes and Me

I thought I would take the opportunity to update the four of you who read this blog on the growing relationship between Townes and myself. I must admit that the words "I quit!" escaped my mouth a few times when I was forced to participate in Townes' late night ritual of screams and gnashing of teeth (or gums). Much like the mysterious howl from the Hound of the Baskervilles, Townes would awaken in the wee hours of the morning with a cry that would make the hair on your neck stand on end. At times I wasn't sure if Townes was simply hungry or if a barn owl had just killed a rabbit in the back yard. Needless to say, we had some rough times that pushed us both to the limit. Townes confided in me last week that he had contacted numerous attorney's in the Central Missouri area in regards to divorcing his father. I, in turn, confided in him that I had contacted a few doctors regarding a "return to the womb" procedure. Luckily, we both failed in our attempts and have decided to get along.

The past couple of weeks have been bliss and I am beginning to enjoy every aspect of fatherhood. A month ago I cringed when Jamie had to go to work and leave me all alone with Townes. Now I enjoy our father/son evenings and appreciate the one on one time I get with my baby.

I guess this is a little sentimental but I have realized that I am getting soft in my old age. Plus, just look at the pictures below, who wouldn't be a softie with that little guy!

Townes Latest

Keep Your Mouth Closed!

I just wanted to add a quick note about a new first in the realtionship between my son and I.

Sunday was a beautiful day filled with sunshine, birds and 70 degree weather. Jamie and Townes slept most of the day due to Jamie's lack of sleep from the day before. Anywho, I brought Townes into the living room with me because he loves to watch reruns of High School Reunion and Andy Griffith. We played on the couch for a few minutes and I began to notice that his big, gummy smile had turned into a look of confusion and surprise. I quickly began trying to cheer him up by giving him a big smile of my own. Suddenly I realized why this strange look had come across his face, TWO WORDS: Projectile Vomit. I know what you are asking yourself, "did David still have his mouth open?", the answer....YES! Folks, I am not talking about a little drop of partially digested breast milk on the tip of my tongue, I am talking about a direct, you sunk my battleship, shot to the mouth. The taste was terrible. The only way I can explain it is imagine what old skim milk mixed with Grapefruit juice would taste like. I gagged like I had just swallowed...well baby puke! I screamed like a little girl and proceeded to take Townes back to his Mother while I washed my mouth out with Comet. Just kidding. Kind of.

I have now reached a new pinnacle in my life. I have been pooped on, peed on, puked on. Townes has now peed in my mouth and puked in my mouth. You can bet your bottom dollar that I won't go for the Trifecta.

A Certain Kind of Magic...

Something has been bothering me for the last couple of weeks. Jamie recently went back to work which leaves me at home ALONE with Townes. I have come to realize that Townes knows when Jamie leaves and he is left with his Dad. Much like bees, dogs and horses, Townes can smell fear. He catches a big whiff when Jamie pulls out of the driveway.

He begins his night with a small nap just to mess with my head a bit. This nap is not for relaxation or because he is actually tired, this nap is to fool me into thinking that it is going to be an easy night or that I have time to do something other than tend to him. I fall for this trap everytime by getting comfortable on the couch or starting a project that I have postponed.

Next, he begins with a steady cry which signals to me that he needs to either eat or poop. It is easy for me to recognize this cry because I use the same one. I quickly get the bottle warmed and ready to go and start the 10 minute process of positioning Townes to the proper bottle feeding posture. Now that he is ready to eat I give him the bottle....he chews on the rubber nipple, quickly spits it out and begins crying. When I finally do get him to take the bottle he is so worked up that it is remniscent of waterboarding.

Now that 3 hours have passed and he has given me his warm up routine for the night then comes bedtime. Bedtime consists of 2 very simple tasks- 1. Put pacifier in baby's mouth 2. When baby spits out pacifier and starts crying put pacifier back in mouth (repeat steps 1 and 2 until you achieve desired effect). This game lasts at least 2 hours. Most of the time he reaches up and pulls the pacifier out of his mouth. This completely baffles me! He pulls the pacifier out of his mouth and then cries because the pacifier is not in his mouth! Jamie keeps reminding me that he isn't doing this on purpose, but I beg to differ! These are just some of the psychological games that my 3 month old son plays with me.

I say this not to complain about spending quality with my son. I say this to point out the fact that Jamie has magical powers she uses to get Townes to calm down and go to sleep. I have no magical powers.

A Couple of Townes Pics

Townes Typical Mood

Townes When Mom Gets Home