Congrats to Campbell's Family

Campbell Joane Walker

On Friday, we had the pleasure of visiting the Walker family! We brought Jason's Deli, and Mom, Dad, and Campbell were all doing great! ( After visiting the Fair Pair plus one and bringing them Jason's, we figured it wasn't a bad trend to start!) After picking up Jason's Deli, Andrew drank lots of juice really fast and puked all over the back seat. We arrived at the Walker house with Andrew stripped down to a diaper. I'm glad they still let us in... If we didn't come with food, who knows, though.

Anyway, Andrew did not care a thing about the sweet new baby girl, but he was quite taken by those two big Walker "Gogs" and their "gog" door . I ignored him, and Meg and I talked baby. Since I forgot my camera, but here are some shots that Blake took. Of course, neither baby would cooperate and pose.

Take note of two things: 1. Meg JUST had a baby. She looks fabulous! 2. Andrew (22lbs) is about 300 times (actually only 4X) bigger than Campbell (roughly 5.5lbs). In fact, I looked back through the Belly Book, and Andrew was 5.5 lbs the first week of January 2008... That's right, people, he wasn't born until February 2008. Think about that. C

Congrats, Walker Mom and Dad. You guys are naturals!

:)


Anne

PS Buckle your seat belts, folks. Video-Pa-Looza is coming soon...

Andrew's Easter

In true Anne form, it has taken me a while to get to the Easter post. Either way, yay Easter... let's go.

What better way to celebrate Easter than for Chris and I to pick a church for our family. It has only been a few weeks, but we really like First United Methodist. "Methodists?" you ask. Well, "maybe" is the best answer I've got... Chris grew up Catholic, and I grew up a Religious mix, or mutt. Either way, we have had countless talks and prayers and conversations with friends, and we decided to try a few churches. After our first visit, we absolutely loved the vibe at FUMCR (Oh yeah, I can shorten the name 'cause I go there). The nursery welcomed Andrew, screaming the whole way, with open arms. (I believe she said to Andrew, "Oh, I know it's terrible. They're just gonna leave you here.") The ladies in the nursery were adorable. We both got something a little different from the service, and more importantly, we felt like we fit. Yay! By the time we picked Andrew up from the nursery, he couldn't care less that we had left him. (I actually think he was a little sad to go.)

Well, we were so happy with FUMCR that on Easter Sunday... we went to mass at St. Joseph's. Hmmm. :) Since Chris's parents stayed the night, Mom watched Andrew, so the four of us could go to mass together. It was a nice service and completely packed.

Now to the good stuff... the first Easter Egg Hunt. Andrew took a nap once we got home from church, so all the grown ups (Us, Chris's parents, Mom, and Diane and Tom) got to enjoy a wonderful brunch and some delicious mimosas. When Andrew woke up at crack of noon, he got to "open" his Easter basket and have an egg hunt.

I had to convince him that the basket was worthy of his attention, and getting him to hunt eggs was darn near impossible. Once he picked up an egg, he shook it, danced to the lovely sound of animal crackers in plastic, and looked around the room. What happens next can only be explained as the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Andrew, egg in hand, walked over to Grandpa and handed him his egg. He walked back over to his basket, picked up an egg, shook it, danced, and then brought the egg to Grandma Sharon. He proceeded to give everyone in the room an egg until we all had one. Luckily, I got it on video. I did start the video after he passed out a few, so that's whey some people are already shaking their eggs. (You will also see that poor Lady desperately does tricks for an egg, but she never gets one.)





I love that sweet baby. After he shared all of his eggs, we convinced him to find all of the "hidden" eggs. The pictures below are some of his stellar "finds" along with some shots from the night before when he opened the basket of goodies from Grandma and Grandpa.

:)

Anne

Mommy Tips and Tricks

Since I have so many friends who are expecting or recently have had sweet babies, I thought I would share my new found wisdom. (Much of this wisdom was passed down to me by my sister Martha and my Mom. Thanks!) I know that every mom, dad, and baby are different, but I know I am always willing to listen to what has worked for other families.
Here are some tips and tricks that have worked for us!

1. Vibrators: I knew I'd get your attention starting out with that one. I'm all about shock value, but you need to get your head out of the gutter and think babies. According to the dictionary, a vibrator is any machine that causes a vibrating motion. A lot of baby products have this soothing massage capability. My mother, the genius, figured a way to have this technology all the time. She gave us a back massager that looks like a bug. This little miracle worker turns your boppy, a pillow, the couch, the bassinet, or anything else into a soothing baby massager. It works like a charm. You can tuck it into your diaper bag, and you can have a calm baby anywhere you go.

2. Burp Cloths: My advice is to keep it simple. I have about 40 burp cloths. About 10 of them are cute, and the rest are plain white cloth diapers. I have a basket tucked in the end table in the living room, so they are out of sight but ready to use. I recommend going for the cloth diapers because they are inexpensive and bleachable. Trust me, there were days I did laundry just to have clean burp cloths. Babies spit up a lot.

3. Storage: For the most part, Chris and I added a lot of baskets to our house; however, most of them remain out of sight.
-End tables: We have a basket tucked in each end table. One has Andrew's burp cloths, and the other has toys and books that he can easily access.
-Coffee Table: This basket holds baby memory stuff, so it's right there when I have a spare minute (ha!) to add to it... baby book, scrap book, photo albums, journal, etc.
-Andrew's Dresser: This basket holds all sorts of random things, but it's super cute.
-Changing table: This basket has spare toys and rattles that have saved us in diaper changing tantrums.
-Bathroom: Andrew's bathroom has several baskets: one for tooth care, bath care, and bath toys.

4. Flannel pads: I had never heard of these, but luckily my mom had. They block liquids from getting to cloths, furniture, or anywhere you don't want.

5. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. Anyone and everyone wants to hold your baby. You need a nap, so ask someone. They all can't wait for a chance to babysit, so you can sleep or wash your hair or go to Target.

6. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to tell people you are ready for some quiet family time. Having a baby is exciting and exhausting. People are really excited, and sometimes they forget that your hormones are raging, you are going on no sleep, and you may not want company. It's OK.

7. Talk to your husband. He wants to help, and he wants you and the baby to be happy. He will be the bad guy if you need him to be. He can also change a diaper, give a bottle, or rock a baby... even if he never has.

8. Baby 411: I linked to the website, but I have actually used the book much more. It's a very parent-friendly "how to" guide for having a baby. It uses words like poop, and it explains important ideas like the color of poop and what each color may mean about your baby. The book tackles tons of topics like sleep training (an overview of several major philosophies), introducing foods, nursing, etc. we have used this book countless times, and it stays in the living for easy access!

Yay to babies, mommies, and daddies. I know every family is different, but I thought I would share what has worked for us.

:)
Anne

Dancing in Your Underwear

We all know that Andrew prefers being in his diaper and only his diaper. (If not, flashback to naked eating.) For all intents and purposes, he likes chillin' in his underwear. Who doesn't? It's so freeing just walking around the house in your underwear (assuming you don't have house guests).

Anyway, the Shacks took being in our underwear to a whole new level this morning and joined the likes of the Risky Business Tom Cruise. We danced... so hard... in our underwear. If I weren't so modest (ha!), I would totally set up a hidden camera to catch the next random dance scene in our bathroom.

Imagine if you will, Chris in his undershirt and boxers, Andrew in a diaper, and I'm in a bra and undies. (See? I told you I was modest. I could have said panties.) Chris stands in front of the mirror brushing his teeth, I'm beside him straightening my hair, and Andrew erupts into spontaneous song and dance. (It was a beautiful medley of "dadadas" and "thathathas".) Since my personal mantra is "No one should ever dance alone", I joined in. Very shortly thereafter, Chris joined in! We were all singing a completely wordless and made up song while dancing in a way only Elaine from Seinfeld could appreciate. If that doesn't scream Dancing with the Stars, at least it would probably make a quick hit on America's Funniest Home Videos.

Sadly I don't have video of dancing in our underwear; however, I have the next best thing: Pantless Basketball for Midgets. By the way, only Andrew is pantless. Obviously, Mom and Dad were only spectators.

Nice assist, Dad.

:)

Anne

PS: Yay, Baby! Megan and Blake had their sweet baby girl, Campbell, this morning! I will blog about that after I visit Mommy and Baby tomorrow!

PPS: And yes, I know I have tons of sweet Easter thing to tell you, but Dancing in our Underwear waits for no blogger.

All About Andrew

I just learned how to use Animoto, so here's my first attempt. :) Anne

Security Cracker

Through my years, I have heard many people refer to things as their "security blankets". For Chris, he had an actual blanket. For some, it's a pacifier, a stuffed animal, or their Lovie. After watching Andrew very closely in all his new walking adventures, Andrew has a security cracker. I know what you're thinking, "Is it the same dingy cracker all the time"? No, and although we are super laid back and not quick to hand sanitize, that would be gross for even Chris and me.

No, Andrew has developed a "need" for his security cracker whenever life throws him a curveball. In new situations like staying the night at Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Walt's for the first time, walking to the mailbox unassisted, being introduced to a new food, or sliding down the slide, Andrew just needs a cracker. He will fuss and fuss until you slide that security cracker between his fingers. Then, life is good. I think the best part is the fact that he rarely even eats the cracker. He wanders around with his little fingers tightly grasping that cracker without a care in the world.

Case in point: After staying the night with Grandma and Grandpa, Andrew came home and all he kept asking for was his "Caca". I gave it to him thinking he was hungry; however, he carried it to the backyard, on the swing, and down the slide. After about 15 minutes bonding with his security cracker, he no longer needed it, so he fed it to the dog.

Here's to all the "Security Crackers" out there. Thanks for getting us through life's little adventures. And remember, when you see a little chubby baby toddling around with a cracker or two in his hands, they might be more than just a snack.

:)
Anne

The Anniversary

Three years ago today, we lost my Daddy. Three years ago, I lost my Daddy. I still can't believe it sometimes. The anniversary feels a little different to each of us and has felt a little different from year to year. With each new baby milestone and the Easter holiday around the corner, I have been thinking a lot about Daddy. (The picture above is Daddy and Mom walking down the aisle at our wedding in 2003.)

For Chris and I, this represents our first (of many) Easter egg hunts. It will be the first time we hide eggs in plain sight and watch with gleeful anticipation as our newly walking Andrew toddles around to "find" them. I'm sure the day will be so much fun, but it will be a little sad having all Andrew's grandparents there except one.

Growing up, Easter egg hiding and finding at the Gesino house was a science, so I am ready to start the tradition at the Shacklett house. Though I'm sure on Sunday will have many happy memories, I know I will be a little sad, too.

So, with Andrew's first Easter egg hunt on the horizon, I want to remember Daddy for a minute or two. For all who knew him, Daddy was a great big kid. He filled his desk with toys and candy. He readily issued "Dad" jokes while biting his lip to hold back a huge grin showing how proud he was of his latest jewel.

Around this time each year, that playful streak came out in full force and brought out the equally playful side of Mom. (Of course, I had no idea of these playful Easter Eves until recently.)

In my mom's words, "Each year, hiding the eggs with your father was more fun than Christmas Eve." I can picture the two of them giggling their way through our house while we slept upstairs waiting for a visit from the Easter Bunny. Each year, they became craftier and craftier trying to fool the four of us with the egg hiding spots. Easter morning arrived, and we woke up with Easter baskets at our doors brimming with treats left by that oh-so thoughtful Bunny. With baskets in hand, we'd rush down stairs to show off the goodies to our super sneaky and sleepy parents, Mom with her coffee and Daddy with his Dr. Pepper. (It didn't click until we were older as to why they were so sleepy on Easter morning...)

Then, the hunt began. To some parents, the act of watching your children tear apart your house cushion by cushion sounds terrifying. My parents encouraged it, and apparently, they loved every minute. In my estimation, the entire hunt lasted only a fraction of the time it to took to plan the night before, but to them it was always worth it. They tried so desperately to fool us, and each year they actually hid one so well they couldn't find it. I guess the smell eventually led them to that last, elusive egg.

For many happy Easter's past and many more in the future, here are some of my Gesino Family Easter favorites:

1. After hunting for eggs, we would dump all the candy into our baskets and compare. I loved that my parents put all different colored jellybeans into the eggs and our basket... Knowing the whole time, we were going to pick out all the black ones to give to Mom. (I guess it would have been suspicious if the Easter Bunny left one big egg full of black jellybeans for Mom.)

2.As big kids (in our 20s), my parents loaded eggs with change and even some folding money. We tore through the house like there were hundreds in each egg. Seriously, our parents should have declared the house a disaster area and moved. It would have been easier than putting the house back together, but it was mad fun! (Do I dare try this with Andrew and his future brother or sister?)

3. One year, when I was way too old to still believe in the Easter Bunny, Scott and I left out carrots for him. (We thought it supremely unjust that Santa gets cookies, and the Easter Bunny gets... rabbit food?) On Easter morning, we bypassed our overloaded baskets, to check on the carrots... Sure enough, the Easter Bunny had stopped to nibble the ends. See! He really is real!

I'm sure there are so many more, but those are the three things that come to mind this time every year. Mom and Dad were a great couple and made excellent parents. Hopefully, Chris and I can carry on the tradition.

I love you, Mom. For those who haven't seen Mom's playful side, check out the video below.

And, finally, here is a blast from the not-so-distant past... Andrew's first Easter!

:)

Anne

Mommy's home

After a big ole giant cheeseburger in The Woodlands, we headed back to Dallas. Needless to say, I was chomping at the bit, so I took a big fat nap to pass the time. The closer we got, the more excited I became. I couldn't wait to hold and kiss my sweet baby... Poor Chris- don't worry. I missed you, too.

I arrived in Richardson a little after 5. Sadly, I called through the house , and only the familiar call of our high maintenance dog could be heard.

But wait! Is that the garage door closing? I called one more time, and heard two beautiful, questioning syllables, "MaMa?".

Yay baby! Thanks for saying my name. I missed you.

I guess Andrew doesn't need to say my name as much as Daddy's... as long as he says it at moments like that.

:)
Anne

Mommy's Away

I am missing my boys so bad right now. I won a scholarship to attend the Texas Library Association in Houston, so I couldn't pass up a free trip. It's been amazing, and I have learned some great stuff to bring back to school. Having said that, I am ready to be home squeezing my fat baby. I've checked in lots, and Daddy is holding his own. The house hasn't burned down, diapers have been changed regularly, and Andrew has only eaten cookies for dinner once. Way to go, Chris.

It makes you wonder what babies think? Does Andrew know that I am gone? Does he miss me? I hope he does. I mean, I don't want him to be MISERABLE, but a few begging "mamas" to Daddy would be good for the ego.

The countdown to baby-squeezing begins... I have 9 hours and counting...

:)

Anne