More cheese, please.

Generally, I find staged portraits to be undesirable. The results can sometimes be stiff and unnatural. I was encouraged by friends/family to have holiday photos taken of Patty, so I obliged. I scheduled an appointment for 6:30 PM on a weekday to try to avoid the crowds. Apparently, there's no such thing as avoiding crowds at a department store portrait studio between November 1 and December 24. Who knew?

I hate being late, so I raced home from work and quickly pulled Patterson's hair into pony tails and got her into her dress and tights (that was the fun part). We arrived early for her appointment by about 15 minutes. Unfortunately, the photographers were running behind. One family had been waiting for an hour! After about a 40 minute wait, it was our turn and we were off to a good start. Patty sat on the tiny couch and smiled. (I was beside her, so I didn't realize her first smile was a gremlin smile until Matt told me later. Needless to say, we didn't purchase that picture.) Three hours later, when all was said and done, we had some pretty good shots! Patty paid them back for the wait by spreading cheerios all over the waiting area. Hey, I picked up as much as I could, but what did they expect from a one year old waiting for three hours in a small space?

This is Patty after three hours of waiting, posing and smiling. I think we all felt the same way, including the photographer. No more cheese, PLEASE!

The Butterfly and The Bear

It just so happened that Patty's check-up fell on Halloween day. Yes, there were lots of shots involved which meant there were lots of tears involved. Now that Patty's older, the doctor's office introduced a new trick. As soon as the shots were done, the nurse rushed out for the real meds - suckers! Patty gave the sucker a once over then stuck it in her mouth. This was her first sucker experience and she enjoyed every single bit! Eventually, she held the sucker upside down and created a sticky mess.

After our visit to the doctor, we took Patty to the park for some relaxation. Between the sucker and play time at park, Patty was feeling much better.

Later on, Cousin Aiden came by to help pass out Halloween candy. We actually got about six door bell rings, which was up from last year's zero! But, the real fun was hanging out with the Bear (Aiden) and the Butterfly (Patterson Pearl). The cutest picture of the night was the one below when Aiden helped Patty to fix her costume (bottom).

Since they're still really young, I wasn't willing to give them any Halloween candy, but neither of them seemed to mind as long as we kept the Cheerios coming!

Ten Little Ladybugs

We’ve been reading Ten Little Ladybugs to Patty every night for the past couple of weeks. Just recently, she actually started paying attention during reading time and she’s really taken a liking to this one. The book was given to her as a birthday gift from the Wills’ and it’s a fun one. As soon as I open the book and begin ‘Ten Little…” she starts grinning. I think Patty likes it because it rhymes and there are plastic ladybugs glued to the pages (but not for long if she has her way). I love the illustrations and the surprise ending.

If you’ve got a "little one" - get Ten Little Ladybugs!

Political Misconduct

Because of my growing belief in misconduct at the polls, I had gone back and forth on whether or not to vote early. I thought, somehow, voting on Election Day would reduce the risk that my vote would be tampered with. But after hearing reports of lengthy lines even during early voting and surveying my friends, I decided voting before the November 4 deadline would be the only option. Matt and I were better than anxious to get to our polling site on Friday and were prepared to go the distance. We'd wait in line until our votes had been cast. Luckily, we were finished in 25 minutes flat. No sweat.

We took Patterson with us and though she obviously didn’t understand what was going on, I thought it would be a great introduction to the political process – something sentimental for her to look back on when she’s old enough to mark her own chad. She felt differently. As soon as we got in line, she turned into the hulk! She pulled on the stanchions, yanked the shirt of the man in front of us, screamed in our faces, threw her pacifier across the room and socked me in the eye (a couple of times). Saying that I was embarrassed would be an enormous understatement.

Here’s to hoping Patty’s was the only misconduct taking place at the polls!

"Minotauro"

On Saturday, Matt and I were invited by our friends Kim and Jaime to attend the opening of a new MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Gym in Uptown called "Octagon." The gym was quite impressive and it was pretty cool being up-close with the octagon. The real treat, however, was getting to meet the UFC's interim heavyweight champion "Minotauro" Nogueira. He's

also one of the coaches on this season's The Ultimate Fighter which Matt and I watch weekly! I already knew he had a great personality from watching him on the show, but in person he was bigger and even more handsome! Here are pics of Matt and I meeting Nogueira - I got a shirt signed too!

Patty's Party

On Sunday, my aunt Gwen called to let me know: "that was the best party I've been to in quite a while!" So, the reviews are in, Patty's first birthday party was a success.

Our celebratory weekend started on Thursday night when my dad came into town from St. Louis, MO. It was his and Patty's first meeting and it didn't start off well. In the beginning, she stared at him, cried when he tried to pick her up and even cried when he spoke in her direction (even after he gave her several toys and a tiny Obama tshirt). By Saturday, she had warmed up and they hung out while Matt and I set up for the party (top photo). My dad spoke to her as if she were an adult (which I really appreciated since I have a special dislike for "baby talk"). They talked about the weather, bachi balls, and so on.

Once her guests began to arrive, Patty strutted around meeting and greeting everyone as if she knew it was her party! (The second photo is of Patterson meeting 3-month old, Morgan and her parents, Shawn and Darrin).

After the party, friends and family came to our house to watch the TX/OU game (which seemed to last forever even though we fast-forwarded through commercials) and to play a few rounds of Rock Band. We couldn't resist!

When the evening ended, Patterson was exhausted but reserved just enough energy to give the final verdict on the party (bottom photo)!

Coming to a stage near you...

The Wards have a new pastime – Rock Band! OMG. We got it over the weekend and we’ve been rocking ever since, people. On Sunday night, my sissy, Chase and Aiden came over and rocked with us for a while – it was SO much fun. Matt, Patty and I stayed up late after they left to get some practice in (I hear Patty took several naps the next day to re-coup!)

Last night’s band included Dad on drums, Patty on vocals and Mom on guitar covering tunes like “Creep,” “Say It Ain’t So” and “When You Were Young.” I didn’t take the photo (right) last night, but I thought a picture of Patty rocking a mohawk would be fitting!

If you're in our area anytime soon, you must stop by for a couple of "sets."

Walk it out!

Couldn't help but post these pics of Patty walking. She's still "wobbly," but her confidence level is as if she's been doing this for years!

Fair Fun

Matt and I are crazy about the State Fair of Texas! It's one of the things we look forward to most in the fall. And, yes, we've been known to visit more than once each season during the Fair's three-week stretch. It's a bit out of character for me since, let's face it, we all know the State Fair is "germ central." But for some reason, I just love the atmosphere...and...the Texas Honey Bread...and...the people watching...and...the smoked corn...and...the ice cold root beer...and the Desperado Tacos...okay, I think you get it!

Patty objected to our attendance last year so we weren't able to visit Big Tex, but she made up for it this year! It was a steamy first State Fair experience, but she was ready. She shared a corny dog with her dad and people-watched like a champ! She even demanded we take her out of her stroller so that she could walk around - unassisted, no doubt! Lucky for us, we attended on opening day before the crowd reached it's peak.

The picture to the left is of Patty and Mattie kicking off fall at the State Fair.

Just hangin'

It has been brought to my attention that I have not posted any photos in a while. Below is a picture of Patty from last month. I should note that in this photo she is hanging off the back of her infant bouncer. She now goes into her room to play and dance, but NEVER to sleep!

Proper Planning

Less than one month to go until Patty's first birthday. I cannot believe nearly a whole year has passed already. Even more amazing is the amount of growth that Patterson has experienced. As I was thinking about how she's changed since we brought her home (which really seems like yesterday), it occurred to me that I've changed a lot too. In only one year, Patty has already made me live a little better.

For instance, anyone who knows me knows that I'm big on planning. I am constantly making lists and outlining how things will get accomplished. Whether at work or home, I'm guaranteed to have on my person, a list of "whats and hows." I've even been known to throw in a few timelines for a little fun! Hanging out with Patty hasn't stopped me from making my lists - and checking them twice - but it has taught me to be a bit more flexible. I'm learning that it's no big deal when things aren't completed exactly according to my plan. No need to get my stomach in knots - just try to enjoy the ride (or, be sure to have a contingency plan - just kidding).

I have also developed an improved awareness of others. I don't mean to paint a false picture because I've always noticed and appreciated the efforts of people around me. But lately, I've been more interested in the paths that have lead to their success or failure. I, like the rest of you, have been captivated by the political and Olympic coverage over the past several weeks. No matter your political views, I'm sure that we can all agree that we've seen some pretty jaw-dropping performances over the past several months, right?!?! I've wondered over and over again what paths led to the making of a Michelle Obama or Michael Phelps or Lo Lo Jones. They, no doubt, had obstacles to overcome just like the rest of us. So, what set them apart from the non-success stories? I'm convinced it's more than destiny!

As I sent out the invitations for Patty's first birthday celebration, I got excited thinking about all the future celebrations that we will experience together over the years. My plan for her is no different than that of other mothers. I want to set her on a path to accomplish more than anyone thinks she's capable of and help some folks along the way.

Walker, Texas Walker

A couple of years back when I worked for the American Heart Association’s National Center, my department participated in the Heart Walk. This particular year, we had what I thought was a pretty clever team name - “Walker, Texas Walker” a play on “Walker, Texas Ranger.” Get it? Maybe you had to be there...

Anyway, I’m happy to announce that Matt and I have our very own Texas Walker! Yep, Patty’s walking!! She started last weekend and is now up to about six quick steps in a row before she proudly takes a seat and claps for herself. I can hardly believe how quickly this kid is growing up!

To my Gran’s horror, we decided to let her learn to walk sans shoes. We did some research and learned that babies learn better when their bare feet can grip the surface and they aren’t bogged down with those big, high-top walking shoes! And, they’re so unattractive! I’ve yet to find a cute pair!

From System of a Down to Strauss (and most things in between)

Matt and I have a pretty eclectic taste in music; we love all types - everything from Blind Melon to Beyonce. In fact, the only genre we both find intolerable is Country! Neither of us has ever been a fan of classical music either (although, working for the opera wore me down a bit and I did begin to develop a slight taste for it). Having Patty has really encouraged us to add classical music to our already diverse mix since we don’t want to limit her exposure based on our preferences (except for Country – I have to draw a small line somewhere!). Besides, it’s pretty relaxing and really seems to calm her down when she’s being a grouch.

We make it a point to play a mix of R&B, alternative, classical, pop, rap, folk, etc. during Patty’s bath time, while riding in the car, cleaning the house, playing and so on. She seems to be developing a taste for music because she now dances when a song she likes comes on. She even dances when I sing (this makes my day because it’s pretty rare that anyone finds joy in my singing)! Her favorite song from my voice box is “Weenie Man” which was taught to me by my very own Aunt Gwen! I know I’ve made this claim before about other actions of Patty’s, but her dance moves are the cutest. Hands down. Okay, so she really only has two moves, but they’re solid folks!

I haven’t been quick enough to get footage yet, but as soon as I have some, you know I’ll share.

The Sniff

When Patty was about 4 1/2 months old, her grandma taught her this cute little sniffing thing. She gets her face all scrunched up and sniffs. Lately, she's been using it to get out of trouble. When we catch her doing things she shouldn't, like grabbing Bassey's fur or pulling things out of my purse, she'll start sniffing because she knows we think it's so darn cute. I got a picture of "the sniff" during dinner a couple of nights ago - please excuse the carrots!

The New Work Weeeek!

Recently, my employer implemented a 4-day work week to offset rising gas prices. This may not seem like a big deal to some, but it’s H-U-G-E to me because it means that I get to spend one extra day with the Princess, Patterson Pearl. It also means that we can give grandma a day off!

So far, my off days have been busy with errands, but at least Patty and I are together. Take last Friday, for instance. We left the house at 10 a.m. for shopping in Rockwall (there went the gas savings!), then we took Bassey for a groomer appointment, visited a prospective pre-school (yes, my sweet will be going to pre-school in the Fall – I’m tearing up just thinking about it), went grocery shopping and baked birthday cupcakes for my Aunt Gwen. Yes folks, I said baked! From scratch, I made Buttermilk Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing. I got the recipe from the Food Network's “Down Home with the Neely’s.” The cupcakes tasted even better than they sound, the recipe was ridiculously easy to follow AND it only makes 12 cupcakes so you have enough to share with friends, but not enough to get yourself into trouble…unless you double the recipe, but that’s a different story!! So back to our “day off,” we ended the night with my Aunt Gwen’s birthday dinner and finally made it home around 10:30 p.m. I’m thinking we’ll make next Friday a day of relaxation! But whatever we do, we’ll be together!

Oh, the little things…

Last night, Mattie and Patty spent the evening playing in the backyard. Strapped snuggly into the baby bjorn, Patty paced the yard with “Da Da.” It seemed as if they watered every blade of grass (Matt has become a bit obsessed with the lawn). From time to time, Matt would sprinkle her with water and she’d giggle like her life depended on it. He’d do it again and she’d giggle as if it were the first time.

I didn't grow up with my father so it was extra special watching the two of them and an excellent reminder to slow down and enjoy the little things!

Choppers!!

About three weekends ago, an 8 1/2 month old Patty had two firsts: her first two teeth finally came in and she was sick for the very first time. She began gnawing on her hands at 4 months old and, naturally, Matt and I thought she was getting teeth early. Now, four months later, she has the most fabulous Pearly whites! Against the will of their owner, we're brushing them daily. Ironically, now that she's sporting two new teeth, I haven't been able to get a good picture of her smiling! I've been chasing a perfect "new teeth" photo for weeks!

Fabulous First Fourth!

Patterson's first Independence Day celebration was perfect! On any given night, she's usually cranky by 7:30 PM and asleep by 8:30 PM - you could set your watch to it! But on Thursday night, she stayed up until 10 PM, which was perfect because fireworks were getting started a day early in our neighborhood. We took her outside and she stared in amazement at the light show for a couple of seconds, then a car drove by and it was much more interesting than those silly, spectacular fireworks!

Matt and I ended up staying awake until 3:30 AM getting ready for our July 4th cookout. (We seemed to have forgotten that we are almost 30, but our bodies hadn't - we definitely paid for it the next day when Patty woke us up at 7:30.) We celebrated with Matt's family and Patty had a great time soaking up attention and jumping from Grandpa to Auntie Christy to cousin Seth to Uncle Marlon to Dad to Auntie Alex, and so forth. She followed my mother-in-law around the house most of the day, cruising right past me - the woman who birthed her! Once, she even cried to get to Grandma! Can you believe this kid? (see Grandma and Patty, top photo)

The next day, Patty and I went with my brother, Ryan, shopping for his trip to Florida. By Sunday afternoon, Patty was pooped! The photo to the right (bottom) says it all!

Ward's Daycare, now open for business!

Overall, our weekend was pretty low-key. But on Sunday, my nephew Aiden stayed with us for a couple of hours while my sister went to work. Since Patterson is now crawling and Aiden is beginning to walk, it was quite the circus! Aiden started off pretty shy and sat in my lap for the first 20 minutes or so, but soon he was down on the floor playing with Patty. They negotiated toys, played follow-the-leader, laughed at each other's hilarious jokes, toasted over apple juice, pulled each other's hair, "sang" songs, chased and ran from Bassey and showed each other the skills they had acquired. They seemed to be having a blast!

Matt and I noticed that when Aiden (13 months) was around, Patterson paid very close attention to him and tried things that she hadn't before. For instance, Aiden would stand without holding onto anything, and Patty would give it a try. He would use the wall to get to his feet and Patty followed. Since no one had told her she couldn't do the things Aiden did, in her mind, she could! (I like her thinking!)





At 3 PM, Matt had a brilliant idea - nap time! He turned to the Watercolor Jazz station on XM and closed the blinds. They must have been exhausted because they were asleep within moments and slept for the next hour and a half!

Keeping up with the two of them was exhausting, but watching them interact was high entertainment value! Shortly after Aiden left, Matt and I decided we had earned a toast of our own! Matt was in bed by 9:00 - no joke.

“Goodbye World”

My Gran has always been a huge baseball fan. For reasons I’m not aware of, her favorite teams are the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs. It’s so funny to watch her watching the games because she really gets into them. I don’t follow baseball and am not familiar with all the ins and outs of the game, but if you’ve ever watched baseball with my Gran, you know that you don’t need to know anything about it in order to keep up. You just need to listen for a couple key words:

1. “Sapheaded Cogy” – “Sapheaded (adjective) Cogy (noun)” indicates that someone made a major mistake. If these words ever left my Gran’s mouth, I knew things weren’t looking good for her team.

2. “Goodbye World” – When Gran yelled “Goodbye World,” it meant that something brilliant had happend. Someone had really “knocked one out of the park.”

On Thursday, June 12, Patty had a “goodbye world” moment. Up until this point, she had only been able to say “Da Da” (a LOT) and “Ma Ma” (on occasion). But when I got home from work that day, Matt informed me that Patterson was now able to say “bye-bye” AND perform a wave to go with it! While he was explaining this new development, I was thinking “yeah right, man.”

When I got home the next day, she was playing in her play saucer. I "chatted" with her for a sec and then left the room to get changed. When I came back, she looked right at me and said “bye-bye” and waved at me!! In case you, too, need proof, click on the following link to view video of Patty knocking one of her first words out of the park! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOC8VjToD7o

Popeye has graduated

Patty had never been a big fan of “tummy time.” We’d get her to play on her tummy for about 45 seconds, and then she was done. I mean screaming done! Once she mastered rolling over, she enjoyed being on her stomach much more. She quickly graduated from lying on her tummy, to pretending to fly (sometimes screaming in frustration), to scooting backwards, to dragging her body around with her arms! To be honest, when I first noticed this dragging situation, I was concerned. I asked Matt if he thought something was wrong with her legs since she wasn’t using them to get around. He said “no, but she’s going to look like Popeye if she doesn’t start crawling soon.” ( Jeez, dad! Can you believe we are in charge of managing every aspect of someone’s development? Me neither!) So, Popeye dragged herself around for about a week and a half, and then over Memorial Weekend, she went for it! She finally started crawling! She’s gotten pretty fast and her favorite things to do are chase Bassey around the room and find the smallest little piece of anything to put in her mouth. Matt tells me that when he gets home from work and Patty’s grandma leaves for the day, Patty chases her to the door and waits for her to come back in!

Up next, WALKING!!

Cousin Aiden

May 11, 2008 was my first Mother’s Day and the celebration of my nephew Aiden’s first year of life. His birth was scheduled for August 2007, but he decided to arrive three months early – guess my sissy was getting on his nerves – I don’t blame him for wanting out of there! (JK, sissy) He started off tiny – only 2 lbs, 7 ozs (top photo). By his first birthday, he was close to 30 lbs! You wouldn’t believe any of this if I didn’t have a photo to prove it because he’s grown so much in just a few short months. He’s the cutest!

We all knew he’d be a stinker because even during his 3 month stay in the hospital he made several attempts to remove the tubes that the nurses inserted for feeding, monitoring, etc. Here’s a picture of my sweet Aiden after eating (and by eating, I mean playing in) his birthday cake (bottom photo).

P.S. I love the top photo of Aiden because I took it while he was in his incubator and, even though he was hooked up to all the machines, he looked as cool as a cucumber having a day at the spa.

Nothin' but gloom

The evening of April 1 was the first time Patty and I slept apart since her birth. I had to go on a work-related trip to Washington, DC. I love the city, but it was miserable being away from Patty – especially at night. Plus, it was the first time Matt and I were not together to celebrate his birthday.

Patty was in good hands since Matt was home and my mother-in-law was with her the whole time. Even still, it was pretty tough. I have to admit, though, once I finally fell asleep, I slept pretty well! Since Patty outgrew her bassinet, our bed has become a “family bed” (we can’t seem to get her to sleep in her crib - call me with suggestions…seriously).

I took this picture while I was away. I thought it was pretty representative of how it felt to be away from Patty for so long (only 2.5 days, but still).

Cool like that

Patty and I were on the go, practically, from the time I got her home from the hospital. I’d take her on short trips to the mall or grocery store making sure to breastfeed her before and after each trip (I figured this would help her combat any germs we came in contact with). When spring finally arrived, I was so excited because we were able to start taking Patty to outdoor events and festivals (my favorite)! We started with the Deep Elum Arts Festival and have taken her to the Farmer’s Market and Taste Addison, so far.

We quickly noticed that she wasn’t a fan of bright sunlight. Every time we’d get out of the car, she’d bury her face in my chest. It was the cutest thing. Patty’s grandma solved the issue by picking up some sunglasses for her. Whenever she puts them on, it’s like her whole personality changes. She gets so cool. So, here’s a picture of the cool Patty at the Farmer’s Market (top) and Patty at the Deep Elum Arts Fest (bottom).

Shot through the heart

Valentine's Day was shots day for Patty. She had already survived her first round of shots and had pretty much cried for the first two months of her life. So I was ready! A breeze, right?

Uh, WRONG.

What happened next was shocking. I had never heard a baby (or any human) scream the way she did after the first shot -- I thought I'd expired -- and there were 3 more to go. She looked at me like "do something!" I felt terrible, but we got through it and they even let us come back for more shots! This is a photo of the calm before the storm that occurred at Dr. Shinn's on what we will call V-Day.

Day 2

On day one, I was convinced I had the wrong one. She looked...very...well, let's say "strange." And, she kept staring at me as if something was wrong with me. Wasn't she supposed to be sleeping anyway? The fact that she kept staring should have let me know she was mine. While I wouldn't say we're "nosey," we're definitely excellent people watchers (Matt, too)!

Since posting a "day one" picture was obviously out of the question, here is Patterson on day two...looking a ton better (trust me)!