John,

I ran across this article and thought it would be great daddy advice for raising a little girl.

1. Love her mom. Treat her mother with respect, honor, and a big heaping spoonful of public displays of affection. When she grows up, the odds are good she’ll fall in love with and marry someone who treats her much like you treated her mother. Good or bad, that’s just the way it is. I’d prefer good.

2. Always be there. Quality time doesn’t happen without quantity time. Hang out together for no other reason than just to be in each other’s presence. Be genuinely interested in the things that interest her. She needs her dad to be involved in her life at every stage. Don’t just sit idly by while she add years to her… add life to her years.

3. Save the day. She’ll grow up looking for a hero. It might as well be you. She’ll need you to come through for her over and over again throughout her life. Rise to the occasion. Red cape and blue tights optional.

4. Savor every moment you have together. Today she’s crawling around the house in diapers, tomorrow you’re handing her the keys to the car, and before you know it, you’re walking her down the aisle. Some day soon, hanging out with her old man won’t be the bees knees anymore. Life happens pretty fast. You better cherish it while you can.

5. Pray for her. Regularly. Passionately. Continually.

6. Buy her a glove and teach her to throw a baseball. Make her proud to throw like a girl… a girl with a wicked slider.

7. She will fight with her mother. Choose sides wisely.

8. Go ahead. Buy her those pearls.

9. Of course you look silly playing peek-a-boo. You should play anyway.

10. Enjoy the wonder of bath time.

11. There will come a day when she asks for a puppy. Don’t over think it. At least one time in her life, just say, “Yes.”

12. It’s never too early to start teaching her about money. She will still probably suck you dry as a teenager… and on her wedding day.

13. Make pancakes in the shape of her age for breakfast on her birthday. In a pinch, donuts with pink sprinkles and a candle will suffice.

14. Buy her a pair of Chucks as soon as she starts walking. She won’t always want to wear matching shoes with her old man.

15. Dance with her. Start when she’s a little girl or even when she’s a baby. Don’t wait ‘til her wedding day.

16. Take her fishing. She will probably squirm more than the worm on your hook. That’s OK.

17. Learn to say no. She may pitch a fit today, but someday you’ll both be glad you stuck to your guns.

18. Tell her she’s beautiful. Say it over and over again. Someday an animated movie or “beauty” magazine will try to convince her otherwise.

19. Teach her to change a flat. A tire without air need not be a major panic inducing event in her life. She’ll still call you crying the first time it happens.

20. Take her camping. Immerse her in the great outdoors. Watch her eyes fill with wonder the first time she sees the beauty of wide open spaces. Leave the iPod at home.

21. Let her hold the wheel. She will always remember when daddy let her drive.

22. She’s as smart as any boy. Make sure she knows that.

23. When she learns to give kisses, she will want to plant them all over your face. Encourage this practice.

24. Knowing how to eat sunflower seeds correctly will not help her get into a good college. Teach her anyway.

25. Letting her ride on your shoulders is pure magic. Do it now while you have a strong back and she’s still tiny.

26. It is in her nature to make music. It’s up to you to introduce her to the joy of socks on a wooden floor.

27. If there’s a splash park near your home, take her there often. She will be drawn to the water like a duck to a puddle.

28. She will eagerly await your return home from work in the evenings. Don’t be late.

29. If her mom enrolls her in swim lessons, make sure you get in the pool too. Don’t be intimidated if there are no other dads there. It’s their loss.

30. Never miss her birthday. In ten years she won’t remember the present you gave her. She will remember if you weren’t there.

31. Teach her to roller skate. Watch her confidence soar.

32. Let her roll around in the grass. It’s good for her soul. It’s not bad for yours either.

33. Take her swimsuit shopping. Don’t be afraid to veto some of her choices, but resist the urge to buy her full-body beach pajamas.

34. Somewhere between the time she turns three and her sixth birthday, the odds are good that she will ask you to marry her. Let her down gently.

35. She’ll probably want to crawl in bed with you after a nightmare. This is a good thing.

36. Few things in life are more comforting to a crying little girl than her father’s hand. Never forget this.

37. Introduce her to the swings at your local park. She’ll squeal for you to push her higher and faster. Her definition of “higher and faster” is probably not the same as yours. Keep that in mind.

38. When she’s a bit older, your definition of higher and faster will be a lot closer to hers. When that day comes, go ahead… give it all you’ve got.

39. Holding her upside down by the legs while she giggles and screams uncontrollably is great for your biceps. WARNING: She has no concept of muscle fatigue.

40. She might ask you to buy her a pony on her birthday. Unless you live on a farm, do not buy her a pony on her birthday. It’s OK to rent one though.

41. Take it easy on the presents for her birthday and Christmas. Instead, give her the gift of experiences you can share together.

42. Let her know she can always come home. No matter what.

43. Remember, just like a butterfly, she too will spread her wings and fly some day. Enjoy her caterpillar years.

44. Write her a handwritten letter every year on her birthday. Give them to her when she goes off to college, becomes a mother herself, or when you think she needs them most.

45. Learn to trust her. Gradually give her more freedom as she gets older. She will rise to the expectations you set for her.

46. When in doubt, trust your heart. She already does.

47. When your teenage daughter is upset, learning when to engage and when to back off will add years to YOUR life. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

48. Ice cream covers over a multitude of sins. Know her favorite flavor.

49. This day is coming soon. There’s nothing you can do to be ready for it. The sooner you accept this fact, the easier it will be.

50. Today she’s walking down the driveway to get on the school bus. Tomorrow she’s going off to college. Don’t blink.

Week 30

Week 30

Memorial Day has come and gone and now we are headed into the summer. The weather is still really nice, and you will not hear me complain once if it stays in the 70s and 80s until the end of July. Usually around this time it has already hit 100 degrees and is hot and humid but so far it has been a very mild start to the summer.

I am pregnant, yes very pregnant and I still have 10 weeks to go. It makes me laugh to hear the comments people make, not trying to be offensive in anyway but facts are facts. “You look really pregnant today” “You are starting to waddle” “You must be getting close to your due date” “How far along are you?, You still have 10 more weeks, wow”

Yes, I am clearly pregnant, and am much bigger this time around, I walk slower and I am scared to death what the next 10 weeks are going to be like. But our baby girl is healthy and so is her mommy and that is all that matters. So if I need to slow down a little bit and waddle as I call it I will. But I will make sure going forward to tell my friends when they are pregnant that they look tiny and beautiful and not say “you look really pregnant today” because stating the obvious doesn’t help when you are uncomfortable.

How Far Along: 30 weeks

Baby Size: 15.5 inches, 3 pounds (the size of a head of cabbage)

Total Weight Gain: still 19 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Absolutely!!

Sleep: This last week I have slept better than the previous few weeks but I am very exhausted, I feel as tired as I did in the first trimester.  

Best Moment This Week: Sleeping through the night for the last 3 nights in a row without having to get up and use the restroom.

Miss Anything?  Bending over, I can’t do that many more I get feet in my ribs and it hurts, so I always have to bend with my knees.

Movement:  You still move a lot but this weekend you must have caught up on your beauty rest too because you didn’t kick me as much.

Food Cravings:  Lately, my appetite has picked back up, I am back to eating a normal diet but no cravings or indulgences.

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? Nope, just trying to eat small meals and stay hydrated so I don’t have heartburn.

Gender: Girl!

Baby Milestone of the week:  Your brain cells are developing at a rapid pace. Your fingernails and toenails are fully developed. You can also regulate your own body temperature.

Labor Signs:  Still having contractions that I am calling Braxton Hicks go to the doctor this week for our 30 week checkup and we will see what she says.

Belly Button in or out? It is in but the top of it sticks out and you can see it in my shirts.

Wedding Rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time:  This last week my hormones were all over the place, I was much more emotional than usual.

Looking Forward To:  It’s hard to put in words but I have a lot of anxiety going into these last 10 weeks. Most people would say that you know what to expect with your second child but for me it is the complete opposite. I was induced with Nolan and never felt a contraction until 25 minutes before he was born. Yes, I was extremely lucky and was only in any pain and labor for a whole 25 minutes. It happened so fast I barely remember it being painful.

So this time around I don’t know what to think, will labor be fast or will I be in labor for hours? Will I feel contractions and have to rush to the hospital, will I have to call an ambulance, what about Nolan will we have enough time to find someone to watch him? All these thoughts are racing through my head every day.

I am feeling a lot more movement with you and can feel my stomach tighten already. I need you to wait until at least 37 weeks so you are fully developed and I would not like to be confined to bed rest. Now we are in the home stretch of going to the doctor every two weeks, each time I pray that she will tell us everything is fine and there are no signs of labor yet.

So my little girl keep cooking and be good to your mommy because we can’t wait to meet you but we will be patient while you finish your development. You are going to need all the energy you can get to keep up with your big brother so enjoy the peace and quiet now in my belly.

San Antonio Part 2

Day 2

Yes it is still raining and there are even flash flood warnings but we are making the best of our trip. Last night Nolan and I had a dinner date at a Mexican Restaurant on the river. He walked all the way there by himself holding my hand and back without his stroller. While we were eating our chips and queso he was flirting with the waitress and making everyone laugh and smile with his “Num Num Num” noises while he ate.

Saturday morning, yep still raining and thundering. By this point I was ready to call it quits and head back to Dallas but I really wanted to check out the San Antonio Children’s museum and I am so glad we did before we started our drive back. Nolan had so much fun exploring and it wore him out before our car ride home.

San Antonio- Sea World

This weekend Nolan and I headed down to San Antonio to go to Sea World. I have never been before and I will say it is nothing like what I thought it would be. I was expecting a place where we would see lots of animals, like an aquarium but at an amusement park. To my surprise the only time you could see the animals was during the shows besides the sea lions, sharks, alligators, and dolphins. All the other animals you could only see during the shows.

So our Friday morning started off looking out the window to huge dark clouds. The rain will pass I kept telling myself. Oh how my optimism did not pay off this Friday! We were at the park by 9:45 right before it opened at 10:00. Right as the gates opened at 10:00 a huge down pour of rain started our adventure, oh what’s a little rain I kept telling myself. After about 10 minutes of down pour the clouds parted their way and we headed to see the sea lions. Nolan loved this area of the park; he got to see- The otters, sea lions, and seals. His favorite part was the seal in the window that would wave and give kisses. We then headed to see Cylde and Seamore in the Mystery show The Cannery Row Caper

Ready to go to Sea World

Waving and giving the sea kisses, yes he kissed and waved back

After the show the dark clouds rolled right back in, black this time! Uh Oh- okay we should go to an area that is covered- dolphins and shark reef. As we headed out from the show the rain was pouring down so hard you could barely see anything. We were soaked, we stopped in the gift show and bought an umbrella, best choice so far. Nolan sat tight in his stroller with full cover and mommy used her umbrella. When we got to the Dolphin Cove it was practically empty because everyone was taking cover from the rain. We got to see the dolphins up close and practically all to ourselves, Nolan got to reach out his hand and pet a few. I think he was more interested in the big pool they were swimming in than the dolphins themselves but he was smiling from ear to ear.

Next up shark reef! This area of the park was what I was expecting the whole park to be like, it was more of an aquarium feel. Lots of fish and the huge tanks were you could sit back and see everything. Did I mention this was the only covered area in the park, yes we were inside and dry! But we got stuck inside for about an hour and Nolan was cold with lunch time approaching.

Playing in the rain while stuck at the Shark Reef

We made a run for it in the pouring down rain, to head to a restaurant with the rest of the park and eat some lunch. In order to get here I had to walk through and area of the park where the water was up to my ankles! But we made it and ate a good lunch while the rain poured down.

Now comes 1:30, yes 2 and a half hours of being rained on at the park and it finally stopped to give us a break for a few hours. We got go to the penguin encounter, alligator alley, and the children’s area where Nolan got to ride Grover’s Round up a carousel for the first time. He was nervous at first but once he realized they were horses going up and down he was excited and patiently waited in line.

Then for the highlight of the day! 3:00 showing of One Ocean  otherwise known as Shamu! This was by far the best part of the day and worth waiting out the rain. It is incredible how large the killer whales are and how well trained they are.

Week 29

Hi Baby girl,

We are in the home stretch! We had our 28 appointment last Friday and got to see you. You were showing off your breathing and showing us your hand with your little fingers opening and closing them. Based on the sonogram it looks like you too will have your daddy’s nose! You were measuring to be 16.5 inches already which is long and your weight is right now track. You are sitting comfortably head down and giving my ribcage some nice jabs. You still have some space to move around but your little home is getting smaller as we approach these last 10 weeks.

The nursery is coming along, your curtains are up and your dresser is put together. It looks like a big girl room and I love it, no theme just sophisticated- coral, red, aqua, and grey! You have lots of clothes that I cannot wait to dress you up in and I have been working on my newest craft project headbands.

How Far Along: 29 weeks

Baby Size: 15 inches, 3 pounds (the size of a butternut squash)

Total Weight Gain: 19 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Absolutely!!

Sleep: It hasn’t been too bad so far. I do wake up about twice a night, 12:00 and 4:00 so I am wondering if this is going to be your pattern when you are born, if it is I can definitely live with twice a night!

 Best Moment This Week: Your brother likes to feel you kick so he puts his hand on my belly and says baby kick.

Miss Anything?  This week it is getting hard to bend forward, I am really having to bend with my knees otherwise you let me know I am squishing you.

Movement: Yes little lady you are very active! I can feel your little toes in my ribs and you stick your butt out.

Food Cravings:  No cravings this week, food actually doesn’t sound good at all. I have not been feeling so well this week. I am starting to experience heartburn (again feet in my ribs) which is causing discomfort and making me nauseous

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? Not specifically but not feeling great

Gender: Girl!

Baby Milestone of the week: Your muscles and lungs are continuing to mature. You are soaking up lots of calcium as your skeleton is hardening and your bones are getting strong.

Labor Signs: It has been doctor confirmed that I have been having contractions but nothing longer than 30 seconds and nothing painful. We need to make it to 34 weeks with no labor signs so they don’t put me on bed rest little lady! Let’s work together on this one.  

Belly Button in or out? It is in but the top of it sticks out and you can see it in my shirts.

Wedding Rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy but I am definitely feeling the waves of emotions. I am a little all over the place and can cry with the snap of a finger.

Looking Forward To: snuggling with you in the first couple weeks while the two of us bond. Even though I will be tired and exhausted the first couples days and weeks are the best.

3rd Trimester here we come

It is hard to believe I am headed into my third trimester and we will be welcoming our little girl into our arms in a few months. The Texas summer heat is starting to arrive but for the most part it has been very mild so far. We have set lows for the month of May being 36 degrees! While being pregnant it can stay as cold as it wants for as long as it wants because summer will be here soon enough.

We just celebrated Mother’s Day and I cannot express enough how incredible my life is being a mother to Nolan Michael Connor. I am in awe everyday on how wonderful you are. You like to test your limits as we approach the terrible two but for the most part you are a well-mannered little boy. This weekend we played at the park a lot and you are officially at the age where you can go up and down by yourself while mommy and daddy watch you from a park bench. You love the slide and go up and down up and down. When you were first born I would describe being a mother as “he just makes my world stand still” and almost two years later I can still say when I am with you I feel at ease and like my world is standing still. I just want to soak in every smile, laugh and giggle of yours while smiling back at you. I tell you all the time you are so smart and you really are. You will repeat everything we say and you retain the information. It is so much fun to watch and you make us so proud.

You are very excited to be a big brother. You touch my belly often and refer to it as your sister while saying love you, goodnight baby, and sister. I can’t not wait to see you with her and the bond the two of you will have. You are going to be such a proud and helpful big brother. I have no doubt that you will protect her and teach her everything you know. I picture you now holding her hand patiently showing her how do things as she learns. And then on the other side I know that you are going to want your own space and she is not always going to get to follow you around.

How Far Along: 28 weeks

Baby Size: 15 inches, 2-3 pounds (the size of a head of cauliflower)

Total Weight Gain: 18 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Absolutely!!

Sleep: The first two trimesters were not bad but this last week that has changed. You are officially training me for what it is going to be like waking up all night with you.

Best Moment This Week: You are a little wiggle worm. You have non stop dance parties at all hours of the day and night.

Miss Anything?  Today I miss heels. Summer is coming and I am not a fan of dresses with flip flops but my heels can wait as I carry you around for a few more weeks.

Movement: All day everyday, wiggle wiggle wiggle

Food Cravings:  I still like ice cream and sweets but I like those when I’m not pregnant too, nothing unusual.

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? Not this time around

Gender: Girl!

Baby Milestone of the week: If you were born today your lungs are developed enough that you would be in our arms soon after a few days in NICU

Labor Signs: You move so much I am trying to decide if they are Braxton Hicks contractions or just you running out of room. You do take my breath away sometimes.

Belly Button in or out? It is in but the top of it sticks out and you can see it in my shirts.

Wedding Rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy, but I am definitely feeling more emotional.  

Looking Forward To: Meeting you, I think about it everyday. I cannot wait to see if you will have the same eyes and smile as your brother.

A few pictures from this weekend also