Happy Half Birthday Baby!

The first picture she is just hours old, the second she is three months and sitting in the recalled bumbo chair and the last picture is today at six months eating her first bowl of cereal.

It is absolutely amazing to look back on the last six months to see how much changes. Bel was born 6 months ago today at 4:22 in the afternoon via unplanned c-section weighing in at 9lbs 8.4oz and measured in at 22 inches (tall). She has changed so much since then. She provides us with constant joy both in awake moments as well as those where she is sleeping so peacefully. Our little girl has gone to the cabin and she has traveled to Texas. She has rolled over and tried her best to not do it again (she doesn't like being on her tummy), she loves to smile and cuddle and like her mommy she loves to watch people all around her. She is finding her voice with baba's and dada's, goo's and gaa's and sometimes treats us to a very high pitched screech that her daddy just loves! Bel loves to jump in her Jumparoo at home and in her Rainforest Jumparoo at Grandma and Grandpa's. She loves her puppies (Kara,the Dalmatians and Gus Gus too.), spending time with family and going to Mary's where she has two more puppies to love and lots of kids to watch all day long! Our beautiful little girl has changed so much in such a small amount of time that it is hard to keep up with all that she does and is doing. We hope this blog not only helps us to hold on to everything she does, but we also hope it allows you to keep up with us in our ever changing lives.

First date after baby

We finally had a date just the two of us this Saturday. Bel stayed with Grandma, Grandpa and the three spotted puppies for the evening while DM and I headed out for a quiet dinner. We do realize that she is now 6 months old and that we should have tried to go out just the two of us before this, but some how the time just goes way too fast. My parents have watched her before, once when she was a couple of weeks old when DM and I went fishing with Nate at the cabin and her Auntie Stacey and Uncle Doug watched her one night when we joined DM's co-workers for their holiday gathering. Yes, the night before she was born (July 27th) was the last time it was just the two of us. So DM and I dropped the little pumpkin off at my parents and we headed out for a wonderful dinner at Ciao Bella in Bloomington. We got there before the service was busy which was very nice as we could actually hear each other talking. We had wonderful food including a desert that reminded us of the cruise we took last year with my parents, Jen, Nate and Ella. It was so nice to sit down for dinner without our little one grabbing at our plates or pulling the place mate with everything on it towards her. We returned to my parents where we waited until our dinner had settled and we headed out to the hot tub to relax in the hot water. WHAT A TREAT! When we were finished the little Bel had just begun to fight her exhausted self as she had been jumping in her Rainforest Jumperoo that Grandma bought for her and her cousin Lauren. She snuggled with Grandma for a little while longer and then we packed her up and headed home. It really is hard to imagine what we once were without her, but it was nice to have a couple of hours just the two of us.

The secret to having a good marriage is to understand that marriage mustbe total, it must be permanent, and it must be equal.
--Frank Pittman

The Palace Club House

Bel experienced her first and most likely last swim meet in the "Palace Club House." Some of you who read this know personally what its like to live in the water there, but sadly (or happily) the "Palace" will soon be replaced by a multi-million dollar natatorium/field house facility on the beautiful Saint Paul campus that many of us have called home over the years. The baby and I met Leah at the pool on Friday night after I finished practice with my team and picked up the princess from home and headed down in the cold of winter. Its a very different place to be when you are not the one swimming in the 5 lane pool (which leaks thousands of gallons a day) but brings back many wonderful memories like waking up for early morning workouts with the sun coming in the glass block windows which is nothing short of spectacular, or holding hands saying the Our Father, or praying to Mary before a meet. Such wonderful memories to look back on and knowing that such traditions live on with the new Tommies is very comforting. More than anything is was nice to take my LO to UST and though she will not remember the visit, maybe some day DM and I can go watch her swim in the new pool (which will be around 17 years old) when she becomes a little Tommie herself!