The Baker Life

The Boys

2010-09-25T16:15:00.003-05:00

Townes, anxiously awaiting the JC homecoming parade, and Grady, just starting to soak it all in.

Grady Baker "Master of the Double Diaper Change"

2010-09-18T11:49:00.005-05:00

I have to start this post by saying that for every diaper I have changed Jamie has changed 15 or 30. (we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary yesterday so I am trying to continue to give credit where credit is due) If I thought that Townes was a poop machine when he was a newborn, Grady has out done him! Grady has developed an innovative new technique I call the Double Diaper Change. He poops, cries just a little bit until you change him and while still on the changing table he waits until the last tab has been pressed down on the new diaper and poops AGAIN!! It somehow seems that he and Townes have joined forces and coordinated their bowels to explode at precisely the same time. I feel bad for the trash guys. Those kids are already working as a team. Jamie and I have our work cut out for us.

"Brothers that poop together, stink together" - David Baker circa Sept. 18th 2010

The Baker Boys (Look Out Ladies)

2010-08-30T17:15:00.002-05:00

I know, I know it has been over a year since we have posted anything on our lovely blog. The four of you who read this blog have waited long enough for news from the crazy Baker family. Well, here it goes... The most exciting news in our life is the addition of Grady James Baker (aka G Jimmy B). He was born August 18th and weighed 9lbs. 4oz. His crazy brother Townes is excited and very protective of his little brother. So protective that he rarely lets his mother take pictures of him. So far Grady has been an easy baby. He eats, sleeps and poops and when I say "poops" I mean "poops"! This kid will eat for ten minutes and poop for twenty. He's a real chip off the ole block!

Anywho, we will begin to post more so keep checking back!

Beam me up!

Townes the Party Animal

2009-05-28T09:51:00.003-05:00

Here are pictures from this past Sunday. Townes got to take a dip in Grandma J's baby pool. He loved being outside and being able to fun free without having me constantly at his heels. We had a great time!

2009-05-11T16:33:00.002-05:00

Townes and I took advantage of the beautiful weather today and played at the park. He stayed so busy, and only occasionally stopped long enough to pick up a stick or point something out to me. We are in toddler mode, full swing, and it's a blast!

Hoppy Easter!

2009-04-11T23:24:00.002-05:00

2009-04-06T00:28:00.002-05:00

Cousins, all together for the first time! Eli recently turned 2, Townes is almost 16 months old, and Parker is 4 weeks old. What a crew! Grandma J calls them Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

Future Realtor???

2009-04-05T12:30:00.002-05:00

I had to add this picture. Townes looks like he is smiling for a sale add! Who wouldn't want to buy a house from this kid?

Beautiful New Babies!!!!

2009-04-04T16:18:00.004-05:00

Cecilia and Parker!

Our families have welcomed two new babies in two weeks time! On March 10, Parker was born weighing in at 8 lbs 4 oz. My sister Jessy did great and Parker is a sweet, happy little guy. He is already starting to grin. Then, on March 24, Cecilia arrived at an impressive 9 lbs 1 oz. Michelle did wonderfully from what I hear, and Tommy and Sam couldn't be prouder of her. She is beautiful with chubby cheeks and dark hair. We are so blessed! Townes really doesn't know what to think about them yet, but he has been carrying his babydoll around lately (David just loves that I encouraged Grandma J. to get him a doll for Christmas). Today we were visiting Parker, and Parker started to fuss a little. We often sing the song "The Wheels on the Bus", and when the baby on the bus says "wah" then the parents on the bus say "shh". So, since Parker the baby was wah-ing Townes started shh-ing. Smart kid!

Birthday #1

2008-12-15T10:14:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-13T09:00:00.005-06:00

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!

2008-10-31T23:47:00.001-05:00

Whack'em and Stack'em

2008-10-22T13:40:00.002-05:00

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

2008-10-13T16:35:00.002-05:00

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

2008-10-09T15:38:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-10-08T17:28:00.002-05:00

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!

2008-10-07T22:29:00.002-05:00

Our Bundle of Joy!

2008-09-29T21:45:00.004-05:00

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

2008-09-14T16:47:00.003-05:00

Townes first blog entry...

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

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Kennett and the Jolly Cone

2008-09-08T20:57:00.005-05:00

(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'!!!

2008-08-16T22:44:00.002-05:00

8 Months Old!!!!!

2008-08-15T18:51:00.001-05:00

7 months old!

2008-07-21T23:17:00.002-05:00

11 Pounds!!!!

2008-07-21T16:54:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-17T13:23:00.003-05:00

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

2008-07-14T12:29:00.002-05:00

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...

2008-07-14T12:15:00.004-05:00

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!!!!

2008-06-26T14:10:00.002-05:00

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!

2008-06-18T02:01:00.000-05:00

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!!!!!!!!!

2008-06-16T16:33:00.000-05:00

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

It's FaFaFaFreezing In Here!

2008-06-06T14:33:00.000-05:00

(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!

2008-06-03T14:37:00.000-05:00

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...

2008-05-06T13:30:00.001-05:00

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

2008-04-28T22:19:00.000-05:00

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

2008-04-28T11:49:00.001-05:00

2008-04-26T23:51:00.000-05:00

Townes Laughing

2008-04-19T08:51:00.000-05:00

Townes and Me

2008-04-18T13:02:00.000-05:00

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

2008-04-17T18:00:00.000-05:00

Keep Your Mouth Closed!

2008-04-08T13:14:00.000-05:00

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.

2008-03-11T21:36:00.000-05:00

2008-03-11T21:25:00.000-05:00

A Certain Kind of Magic...

2008-03-11T15:11:00.000-05:00

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

2008-03-01T12:21:00.000-06:00

Townes Typical Mood

2008-02-29T17:34:00.000-06:00

Townes When Mom Gets Home

2008-02-27T15:27:00.001-06:00

Townes When Dad Gets Home

2008-02-27T15:26:00.000-06:00

I'm Crushing Your Head!

2008-02-26T16:07:00.000-06:00

Lot's of Things Going On...

2008-02-20T16:17:00.000-06:00

(The first picture is Townes mimicking Jamie; the second is
Townes Hell's Angels Membership Card photo; the third is Townes dreaming of
rollercoasters (or home invasions)

I happened to look up at the date of my last post and about pooped my britches!(Not because of shock but because I had to go to the bathroom) It has been awhile since I last posted on my blog. Our computer is still down at our house so posting is virtually impossible.

Many things have happened since my last post. Townes has grown to a strapping young lad. He is about 16 pounds and 24 inches long. He has officially reached "lunker" status! He has also, finally, begun to smile and coo quite a bit. This morning I was trying to wake up so I could begin my pre-work rituals and Jamie laid him on my chest. He must have found it amusing that we were both in our diapers! He waved his arms wildly and screamed with joy as a steady stream of drool quickly trickled off my chest. It was a sight to see! I love that kid!

I auditioned for Nashville Star. I have been kicking around the idea of auditioning for this show since the first season. Every year I have come up with some reason not to do it. This year I did and I think I made to Nationals. I am still waiting for the official word. It should be interesting.

OK, so I exagerrated a little on the "Lot's of Things Going On..." line but it seems like a lot to me.

Changing the Unchangeable

2008-01-29T15:00:00.000-06:00

Once again, I am writing about Townes. Some of you may be tired of reading about Townes but I am positive that the majority of those reading this blog are related to him.

The title of this entry is "Changing the Unchangeable" for a reason. Most of my life I have been hardheaded and spiteful to most of those around me. Family members and friends have made exceptions for my shortcomings and allowed me to continue this behavior under the belief that "you can't change people" (I will take this brief moment to offer my sincere apologies to the aforementioned victims).

I was on a fast track to an early dirt nap due to the stress and struggles associated with hardheadedness and spite. Then a little 8lb. 13oz. miracle entered my life and changed me forever. Without saying one word ( he is only able to grunt at this point) he is able to stop me in my tracks and bring me to my knees. He has mystic powers that melt my defenses and make me a "less" stressful human-being. I can't help but wonder if he does this to slightly diminish the anger and rage that I will feel when he gets older and acts just like I did! (Sorry Mom and Dad)

I am not saying that I am no longer hardheaded and I am definitely not saying that I am no longer spiteful. I am saying that this little boy has made me realize that there are more important things in life than my own selfish quirks. Politics, sports and money may have been important things in my life a year ago but compared to being a Dad, they are tiny dirt bumps on the forehead of life.

Top 5 Things I Love About My Son...

2008-01-24T16:09:00.000-06:00

5. I love the little grunt he makes and the reddening of his face before he farts or poops. I cannot help but laugh everytime he farts or poops because it is usually during a quiet moment when has just woke up. Let me add that his non-stinky newborn poops have made way to the new and improved "old trashcan" smelling dumps.

4. I love when he first wakes up ( yes after he poops) and looks around, yawns, grunts, stretches and begins to figure out that he needs to eat and he needs to eat right now! I really feel a bond with him during this time. The similarities between he and his old man are mind boggling.

3. I love the occasional smile and laugh that seem to come from nowhere. Obviously Townes hasn't figured out what is funny and what is not, though I like to try to convince Jamie otherwise. He usually lets out a laugh and a grin when I have made a "not so funny" joke about Jamie. Again, he truly is his father's son!

2. I love the fact that Jamie and I have created the most beautiful child in the history of the world. (In my opinion) He is perfect! I could not have hand picked or imagined a better baby. We are truly blessed with his perfection.

1. This one is a little sentimental but what the heck, it is in the #1 spot...I love the fact that I cannot imagine life without him. When I am away from him I miss him like crazy! I love changing diapers just so I can spend even more time with him. Hopefully, when he is changing my diapers in a few years he will feel the same way. I look forward to the future when we can go on vacation and he can cry in the backseat because "we aren't there yet." I look forward to teaching him the average skills I have accumulated through the years at various different activities. Obviously, I hope he takes the little that I know and adds to it. I guess to sum it up, I just love him.

My Two Cents...

2008-01-23T15:54:00.000-06:00

Most of you have read the news on the recent decision of Governor Blunt to not run for re-election. Many people have asked me what the real reason is for not running for re-election. I hate to disappoint my many admirers (I call them admirers because if they actually thought that I was privvy to that information they must think highly of me) but I am not, and never have been, high enough in the pecking order to know that kind of information. I can speculate but it would be just that..speculation. I can say this, I entered the Missouri political scene as a member of Governor Blunt's staff. I was fortunate enough to meet the Governor on numerous occasions and found him to be very personable and one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. I believe he has made the state of Missouri a better place to live and I am sorry to see him go. He was forced to make decisions that were unpopular with some but very neccessary for the state as a whole. I am proud to call myself a Republican and am thankful for the Governor's service to our state. I can only hope that the next Governor will continue in the direction that Governor Blunt has steered this great state.

Back By Somewhat Popular Demand!!

2008-01-16T09:32:00.001-06:00

I apologize for the long stint without a post. Our computer is currently taking a dirt nap and I am unable to access my blog.

Things are a little rough at the Baker house. Last week I was stricken with Influenza Virus and am currently recovering. Jamie is suffering some of the symptoms and Townes is clutching his rosary in hopes that the doctors made a mistake and accidentally switched him at birth.

If you have never had a flu test I highly recommend giving it a try! The long pipe cleaner they shoved up my nose and into the back of my throat was exhilarating! I began to wonder, when the nurse jammed the flexible Qu-Tip up my nose, if she was trying to remove my pea-sized brain and prep me for mummification. She assured me that she was not and that I should shut my mouth if I knew what was good for me. Those Oklahoma nurses are top notch!

Aside from being quarantined for the past week I feel pretty good and things are slowly getting back to normal. Townes welcomed me back to fatherhood with a fresh shower of warm baby pee and a heavy diaper full of poop. Just when I think I cannot be loved enough, I feel a trickle of warm dookie down the back of my hand and hear a chuckle of love from my pride and joy.

More to come!

My Boy, My Boy

2008-01-02T13:17:00.000-06:00

Well, life has changed forever. Our beautiful little boy is growing everyday and his parents are trying to figure things out as we go along. Some small things I have figured out as a new parent:

1. When changing a diaper, keep a cloth or something close by to obstruct the onslaught of pee that will undoubtedly be aimed directly at you. I, like many men out there, learned this the hard way.

2. Keep your jokes to a minimum. I have found that my sense of humor does not fly as far as it did before the baby arrived. My rendition of "Postpartum Blues" to the tune of "Bell Bottom Blues" is not funny (if you have postpartum depression).

3. Stop snoring! Before your child is born elect to have the small surgical procedure that removes the loose flap of skin in the back of your throat. I learned this the hard way that there is no excuse for my snoring. Sleep deprevation+crying baby+loud snoring+wire hangers= Manson Family Christmas. See Rule #2

4. Unless you are able to nurse, do not expect your baby to want you to hold him. It is OK that your baby cries everytime you hold him. You usually get him when he needs to eat or poop. He will need you later when you have a job and a bank account.

The list could go on and on but I thought I would just give you a little taste of what I am learning. More to come!

Townes Has Arrived!!!!!!!

2007-12-27T19:11:00.000-06:00

I am a little late with this post but the last couple of weeks have been hectic, to say the least. On December 14, 2007 at 7:05 pm Townes Alexander Baker was born. It was an amazing experience! Jamie was a champ at the delivery. I was preparing myself for a delivery similar to those you see in the movies with a lot of yelling and profanity but none of that ever happened. She was awesome!

So far, he is a perfect baby. He doesn't cry much at all and he keeps his room clean. He is a fantastic Salsa dancer and he can already beat me at arm wrestling!

Babies, Paint Sprayers and Babies

2007-12-13T08:53:00.000-06:00

We are getting closer and closer to the arrival of our first child. We went to the doctor yesterday and she informed us that it would be very soon. I was almost positive that we would have a precious baby boy this morning but to no avail. Maybe the house is still too cold for him and he would rather stay in the 98.6 degree hot tub he his floating in. I know I would. Or maybe he is waiting for his Dad to get the basement finished. What a sweet kid! On that note, I know in earlier posts I was unhappy with the Wagner Fine Spray that we bought. I tried using primer in it and that didn't work very well so I cursed its name. I have been using thinned Latex paint and could not be happier with its performance! It has multiple settings and let me tell you when you set the power level to 4, look out! I love it! I hate painting but I love this! I recommend everyone get a paint sprayer and paint something. Paint anything!

Relief At Last!!!!

2007-12-11T12:41:00.000-06:00

Finally, the power has been restored to the Baker home. I can now finish the painting that I had started in the basement, rid the fridge of all of the spoiled meat, cut the tree limbs that are currently blocking the driveway, check the water pipes and catch up on the news.

Peace Out!

The Iceman Cometh...

2007-12-10T23:14:00.000-06:00

The Baker family has been without power for three days. I cannot say that we have dealt with it the way our ancestors dealt with no power. With no TV I have been lost. I truly hate to say those words because I feel that I am a well rounded person and that I do not need TV to live my life. I do. I get all of my news from the internet or the TV. I get all of my entertainment from TV. I cannot help but think that God has cast this demon of an ice storm on us because I need to change my evil ways. I realize now that my life hinges on electricity. I have to have TV to function. No longer do I read, no longer to I do push-ups and sit-ups in the living room, no longer do I sit and play my guitar as much as I should. My weight gain and lethargy is due to my reliance on TV. I have no one to blame but myself. I will make a promise tonight that I will no longer rely on TV to entertain myself.

I cannot wait for our electricity to come back on. I miss sitting at home with the lights on and the heat churning. I miss my house!

If the ice storm is my fault and God has spread his wrath on Missouri to teach me a lesson, I apologize to everyone for bringing this terror upon us.

Freezing.

More Thoughts From a Soon to be Father

2007-12-07T09:52:00.000-06:00

As we get closer and closer to the moment that my life will change forever, even though it already has changed in some respects, I cannot help but ponder the many thoughts that I am sure all future fathers ponder. I wonder what interests Townes will have? I wonder if he will enjoy the same things that I enjoy? Will he enjoy the same things his Mother enjoys? Will he be athletic and if so what sports will he enjoy? Will he appreciate all kinds of music like I do? All of these questions continue to fill my head and sometimes haunt my dreams.

I hope he enjoys the outdoors as much as I do and looks forward to spring when the fish are biting or the fall when the deer begin to move. Of course, he might be allergic to everything in the woods and scared of "flying, stingy things".

I hope he enjoys all kinds of music. I hope he has an appreciation for the music of our past and recognizes that it had so much more meaning and originality than the music of his day or mine. Of course, he might think that the music his Dad plays is boring and that Danish Speed Metal is the only way to ignite the passion in his soul.

I hope he is somewhat athletic. I hope he enjoys sports and competition. I am not too picky on what sports he enjoys as long as it is not soccer or soccer. I really do not have anything against soccer players but I cannot teach him anything about this sport.

I hope that he learns that there is no such thing as "womens work"...anymore. I hope he finds interest and joy in the things his mother enjoys. Mainly, yelling at Dad. Just kidding! As a child I loved watching my Mother cook. I was always told that I should watch how she cooks because "women these days don't cook very much." Today, I enjoy cooking and making things the way Mom made them. Townes can hang on to his Mom's leg and follow her around and study the way she does things.

As I write this I realize that I am saying that I hope my child turns out just like me. "How arrogant!" you might say, I guess it does have a certain amount of arrogance and self righteousness to it but I know that I bonded with my Mom and Dad over these same interests. If I were interested in soccer my Dad would, most likely, not be able to teach me any fundamentals of the game. I say most likely because my Dad could have secretly played on the 1970 Men's Olympic Soccer Team and just not told me all of these years (You know, as not to brag). He did, however, teach me how to throw a ball, how to swing a golf club (I am still working on this 23 years later), how to catch a pass and how to shoot a basket. These are fond memories of my childhood and I hope that Townes will have fond memories of his childhood as well.

This turned out a little more serious than I had hoped but it's my blog and I'll cry if I want to!

Another perspective on snow....

2007-12-06T20:21:00.000-06:00

Jamie here. I have very fond "snow day" memories as well. Sledding, snow angels, cold pink cheeks, and soggy wet snow boots really could wear the 4 Johnsen kids out! However, so many things are changing right now, and the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw the flakes was "will we be able to get to the hospital?" David is a fantastic driver in the snow, and I know that nothing will keep us from OB when the time comes, but it did cross my mind! I am 36 1/2 weeks, and the knowledge that in theory I could have the baby at any time now is very exciting. Because he is a big baby I am pretty sure that if labor hasn't started on its own in 2 weeks or so, I'll be induced. Only 2 weeks!

Snow Day!

2007-12-06T14:32:00.000-06:00

It never ceases to amaze me how a smell can remind you of something in your past. Or a song can stir up emotions you have not felt in a long time. For example, watching reruns of Andy Griffith always reminds me of supper time when I was a kid. We would watch TBS from 4:30 until 6:30 so we would not miss "The Beverly Hillbilly's", "Andy Griffith" and "Sanford and Son".

Something that continues to amaze me is the fact that everytime it starts snowing the first thought that pops in my head is "maybe they will call off school." I do not mean that I want the local kids to get out of school early I mean that for a split second I am hoping they will call off school for me! Or maybe it is the hope that they will call off work. Either way it is very exciting!

I gotta dance!

What Will My Child Look Like?

2007-12-05T23:42:00.000-06:00

I have grown tired of thinking and writing about the rather large remodeling project we have undertaken and have chosen to write about another question I often ponder, "what will my child look like"? We know that our child is a boy so that helps me to narrow my visions a bit. I am hopeful that his looks will match his name, Townes. I also hope that he looks like either his Dad or his Mom and not a combination of both. A combination of both would leave him looking strange and not so friendly to the other boys and girls he will encounter throughout his life. I myself have deep set eyes, high cheek bones, a small nose and a round face. His mother has a slender face, a Norweigen nose and almond shaped eyes. A combination of these features could leave him looking similar Lyle Lovett or Buddy Hackett. Do not get me wrong, his Mother is beautiful and if he looked like her he would be a handsome young man. If he looked like his Dad, minus 130 lbs., he would not look too shabby either.

I know all of this sounds shallow and focused on the exterior of a child but I cannot help but wonder. We will love him regardless of what he looks like. Lyle Lovett is a great singer-songwriter and was married to Julia Roberts for a short while. Buddy Hackett was a great comedian and had it not been for his talent the original "Herbie" movie would never have been so successful.

We will find out soon what Townes looks like. I cannot wait.

Peace Out

Things I am Thankful for...tonight

2007-12-04T23:57:00.000-06:00

As I struggle through another night of scraping, painting and cleaning I happened to reflect on things for which I am thankful. Of course I am thankful for my family, friends, job, etc. but I have found a few more things that I feel worthy of mentioning. I am thankful for paint rollers. As I slapped on primer I began to imagine what this job would be like with a single brush. Brutal. I am thankful for shop vacs. Tonight I decided that I needed to clean up my work area a bit so I cranked up the vac and sucked away. It was wonderful! All of that loose crap that I have been struggling to scrape off the floor disappeared in an instant. Finally, I am especially thankful for the scraper that Jay and Jerry Howell from Howell's Carpet allowed me to borrow. Without this wonderful machine I would certainly be dead. It is loud, heavy and old as dirt but I love it! I love it so much I have given it a name, Don Knotts. Why Don Knotts you ask? I am not sure but I loved Don Knotts and I love this thing.

I have posted a couple of pictures of the basement at its current state. I cannot wait to post the final pictures.

All for now. Giddyup!

Basement Remodeling 101

2007-12-03T16:06:00.000-06:00

For the past three months I have worked on remodeling our basement. This might sound like a familiar statement to many of you. Many of you have probably remodeled your house or even a basement or two. I, on the other hand, have not. I am not a fix-it kind of guy. I do not work on cars, install ceiling fans, fix general plumbing problems, re-wire anything and the list goes on and on. I am of the mindset that "why try to fix this myself when there are qualified people to do this kind of work"? Sure I will pay the bloated "labor" costs if it allows me to wash my hands of the project. Unfortunately, I am unable to "Pontius Pilate" the remodel of our basement.

We are laying carpet. I lucked out on this step. I do not know how to lay carpet, period. We have someone laying the carpet and installing the tile. I found out that laying carpet and installing the tile is the easy part. Scraping the 2o year old foam adhesive off of the uneven concrete is the hard part. My parents tell me that we as a family scraped the same adhesive off the floor when the carpet was changed for the first time. I do not remember this and I am pretty sure why, any child that is subjected to that kind of torturous labor would probably choose to block it out of their memory.

We are painting. I hate painting and I refuse to take my time and I usually end up "coloring outside the lines." My Latest duty has been priming the walls. This is not too bad of a job if you have a good roller with a long handle. I found a good roller with a long handle but I still sought the easy way out. We bought a paint sprayer. I must have been spelunking on the Yucatan Peninsula when everyone around me bought a paint sprayer and had a horrible time cleaning it after they were done. I had no clue of the adventure I was in for! I bought the sprayer, filled it with Kilz and sprayed the basement wall. The Kilz was a little too thick for the sprayer and it came out in a fine mist that only allowed me to "touch up" some areas. It did not work as well as I hoped but I am confident that when I use something that is the right consistency it will work fine. Let's get to the good part. I finished my job for the day and began the clean up process. You are supposed to fill the tank with Mineral Spirits or another cleaning solution and spray it as to clean the nozzle. I put the mineral spirits in the can aimed it into a bucket with a little water and let her rip. The spray came out great! I thought to myself, "so this is what the paint should look like coming out." As I was admiring the amount of spray I took a deep breath (because I was squatting down and that is what chunky people do when they squat) and almost fell over. The Mineral Spirits just about claimed another life. I quickly grabbed my mask and put it over my mouth. Feeling relieved I took another deep breath, SAME THING! This time I put the sprayer down and went upstairs with the fresh air. I laid on the couch and enjoyed the ride. I met people from far off galaxies, I traveled to ancient times and made friends with those pesky sock gnomes that steal one sock every time you do laundry. It was the weirdest 12 mins. of my life. After I mellowed a bit I finished cleaning up.

As I told people about my ordeal I began to hear the same wailing and gnashing of teeth from them regarding the cleanup of a sprayer. Had I known that this was such a widespread epidemic I never would have purchased the sprayer. Oh well, you live and you learn. Or maybe it is "live by the sprayer, die by the sprayer."

I am almost done with my part of the basement remodel. I cannot wait until it is finished. It will be a nice room for the baby to play in and also daddy. I will update you when it is finished.

So close and now it is gone

2007-12-02T11:41:00.000-06:00

For those of you who did not catch the game last night, we lost. The Missouri Tigers we have watched all season did not arrive in San Antonio. Instead we had a team that looked a lot like the Missouri Tigers we have watched in previous seasons. I am not completely sure that the players are to blame. I will hang my vote on terrible play calling. We have watched an unpredictable, exciting, high-powered offense all year and last night we watched the most predictable and boring offense from the days of old. I am beginning to wonder if every team I cheer for is destined to fail.

I guess there is always next year!

Another Day in Paradise

2007-11-30T12:38:00.000-06:00

I find myself running out of things to do this time of year. I try to keep busy throughout the year with various hobbies. The unfortunate truth to the matter is that my hobbies tend to stray to the expensive side. Playing golf in the Spring, Summer and Fall can be very costly. Deer hunting in the Fall and Winter has proven to be very expensive this year. Trout fishing in the early Spring can be expensive when you factor in the gas it takes to travel to my favorite trout parks. The only thing that does not cost an arm and a leg is bass and crappie fishing. The only hobby that pays for itself is playing gigs at local bars and wineries.

Reality sinks in when I think back through 2007. I went trout fishing in March, had a great time and caught some fish. None to hang on the wall but caught some fish. I golfed all Spring, Summer and Fall. I still can't break into the 80's but I had a blast playing (most of the time). I bowhunted in the Fall. Nothing to hang on the wall much less fill the freezer. I went rifle hunting in the Fall and Winter. Again, nothing to hang on the wall and nothing to fill the freezer. So here I sit, deer season is winding down and I am about to enter a period that scientists and wildlife biologists call, hibernation.

Why did I take the time to write this post? I am not sure at the moment but with a child arriving very soon I find it very therapeutic.

Daddy Baker

Another Blog

2007-11-29T22:14:00.000-06:00

We had a novel idea to start another blog. I know that there are not many blogs out there and we felt that adding another forum for people to put their boring and mundane lives into words was essential to the advancement of society. As soon as I can figure out how to resize pictures and add clever captions to them we will make good on our promise to give you a "sneak peek into The Baker Life."

Tonight has been VERY exciting! We went to Target and bought some stuff and now we are watching the only channel our cable service provides...HGTV. Or at least that is what Jamie keeps telling me. Man, time flies when "House Hunters" is on! I hope you are picking up my sarcasm because I am laying it on pretty thick.

Our newest addition to the family, Townes Alexander Baker, will be arriving soon. Yes, we are naming him Townes. For those of you who don't know Townes Van Zandt, you should. Townes Van Zandt is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. If you get a chance, look him up. He was, and still is amazing.

Stay tuned for more excitement. Beam me up!