Wednesday, August 19, 2009 10 Weeks old already
It's hard to believe the Sydney is already 10 weeks old - now going on 11. She has been such a doll for the most part and it had been quite an experience watching her grow, finding out how she likes to be held, and what sights and sounds she responds to in the many diverse environments she has experienced already.

Sunday, August 2, 2009 Sydney's Baptism
We had Sydney baptized at Christ Church in Cary, NC while family and friends were there to witness this blessed occasion.

Saturday, July 25, 2009 Month 2 - She's growing!

Monday, June 13, 2009 Hangin' with the Haugland's
Jenny and Jody stopped by for a visit tonight and got to see how Sydney has grown. Even though she is too young for her high chair, we put her in there anyway. She was content for about five minutes until she realized that we were eating and she was not!

Jody got his first glimpse - Sydney was pretty good to him

Hmmm....this is new

Alright dad, where's my food?

Snoozing in a sea of pink

Sunday, June 12, 2009 Bath Time

Bath time in the house! She loves the warm water and does bicycle kicks

Sydney already seems to be fascinated with the camera - it's a good thing, cause it isn't going anywhere!

7-10-09___I got my baby back, baby back....
It's high time I get to work showing my beautiful daughter off to the world. More to follow this weekend!

Welcome Sydney! She's one month old already and looking like her mom!

Is she about to blow bubbles?

There's the angry baby face, having fun using my "Acidic" PhotoShop action

Finally, some smiles after alot of key shaking and silly poses

As you can see, we had some fun doing this shoot!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 Back to the doctor
We took Sydney back to the doctor this morning for her one month check-up. She was over the 70th percentile on weight, length, and cranium (that means her brain is growing!) She has gained almost 2 lbs since birth and is still eating well. For the most part, Sydney is going 3 hours in between feedings and occasionaly will pull a 5-7 hour stretch at night!

And the official 1-month weigh-in is 10 lbs, 6.5oz

Sunday, July 5, 2009That's a wrap!
Just like that, our little gumball is already a month old! She has been a joy to photograph and everyone just wants to hold her while I take pictures. She has grown so much already - the time has flown by, just as everyone with kids says it would. Here are some of the best images from the first five weeks.

Coming Soon!

Sunday, June 7, 2009Introducing Sydney Marie...

It's a miracle! Words can't describe how Kristi and I felt after Sydney came into our lives...actually Kristi can describe it best (exhuasted, emotionally overwhelmed, anxious, overjoyed). Here are a few shots from Sydney's first few hours in this crazy world, made by yours truly.

Sydney just 10 minutes old, not her finest angle, but nonetheless beautiful

Somebody please take this horribly generic hospital garb off me!

Kristi gets her first hug and kiss

Mom and Dad are so proud!

Our sleeping angel

Saturday, June 6, 2009Baby Sydney has arrived...

After 29 hours of labor and a C-section, Kristi gave birth to our beautiful baby girl, Sydney on 6-6-2009 at 11:38 PM - she was 8 lbs, 7 oz and 21.5" at birth.

More posts and details to follow.......

Saturday, May 31, 2009Due Date, but no cigar 40 Weeks!

Throughout the last week, Kristi has been talking to Sydney, telling her to come out now! It seems our little sweet pea is already being disobedient, but we won't hold that against her! I just knew she would be a June baby, and my estimate a couple of weeks ago was June 3rd. We'll see if that comes to fruition. Kristi is scheduled to have a doc appointment tomorrow to see about a possible induction later this week if things don't progress in the next couple of days. I hope that's not the case, as I hear that process is more painful. We just want Sydney out safe and sound ASAP!

Hurry up baby Sydney, and keep kicking those legs!

Friday, May 30, 2009Final Baby Bump Pictures 39.75 Weeks

Still no signs of Sydney coming yet! We thought this was going to be the weekend, but Kristi hasn't had the slightest pain or contraction. It was Kristi's idea to take some more pictures of her pregnant belly (I wasn't going to press the issue). I set up my little make-shift studio backdrops and had a time getting the setup we had back in March for that shoot. We finally got some good images after some flash tweaks and booting Stewie, who always wants to be in front of the camera, out of the shots.

Mom waits, and waits....

5-24-09___Almost there - 1 cm dialated! 39th week
Kristi went to the doctor on Thursday and the good doctor said she was dialated to 1 cm, which means things have been set in motion. The "gears are turning" as they say, so really any day this week (we have a friendly bet going on with the family as to the date and time Sydney will arrive. Massive kicking and stretching from the wee one has mommy ready to give birth, and the sooner the better. I on the other hand want her to go full term and need every day to mentally prepare for this life-changing baby.

Mother, frustrated with the wait, ready to hold baby Sydney

5-16-09___Two weeks left (or there about) 39th week
Our little sweet pea is almost here and Kristi is doing everything she can to get Sydney out - from bouncing around on her big excercise ball to eating spicy foods - Sydney seems pretty content in her warm, comfortable womb with no plans to come early. Kristi latest doctor's visit was pretty much the same as last week, as Sydney is measuring big but hasn't "dropped" yet. Kristi hasn't been feeling that great the last couple of days, so I have been trying to make things easy around the house for her. We have been trying to get more rest around here, especially me who hasn't felt well in while (I think the stress from all the projects, work, and not getting enough rest has finally caught up to me). The nursery is ready for Sydney now, with the closet curtains finished and everything being clean!

Kristi and her mom did a fine sewing job, don't you think?

5-4-09___Less than 4 weeks until the oven dings! 37th Week
I put the countdown widget on this page so everyone could see how close we are to see Sydney in person. However, when I look to the left while writing this site or viewing the live page, my heart skips a beat, part from fear and part anticipation while awaiting the long journey of fatherhood. It doesn't seem that long ago that Kristi was waking me up one morning with tears of joy showing me that test you can see to the left!

On a side note, Sydney is probably exhausted from classical music and Pink Flyd by now, so I have had to move on to something I always said I would do. Sydney is getting to experience a new Led Zeppelin album every night, and tonight she gets to hear the mighty fourth album, Zoso, whatever you want to call it. From there, we will move on to the later albums, random live stuff, and the recently released live set "How the West was Won" from 1972 (awesome, by the way). I would love to play her some jazz and acoustic rock, though the softness of the music might not make it through the belly.

5-2-09___My lovely, swelling wife
Kristi and I enjoyed a cool cookout with co-workers on Saturday at Pullen Park. We played the ever-popular tailgating game Cornhole (official rules here) and feasted on grilled meats, side dishes, and enough desserts to feed everyone in a half-mile radius. Kristi is still feeling well for the most part, except as the title says, for the inevitable swelling of the lower legs and feet. It is amazing that all that blood/water whatever gets trapped down there. Honey, if ever there was a reason to prop your feet up on the boss's desk, now is the time! At this point in the pregnancy, getting enough oxygen is more like a chore than natural habit - during church, it was all Kristi could do to keep up singing the Psalms. It's easy for me to laugh, although if I swallowed a basketball, I think singing would be a workout too!

Kristi and Sydney on the bridge

Ah, finally some good back support!

This image opportunity was just too funny to pass up! Kristi was relaxing and Stewie decided to get off the couch and stand with his front paws or her shins for some reason. Here is the paw print he left after just a few seconds

Fossilized pug print

4-30-09___Nursery & Ultrasound Update 36th Week
We had another long visit at the Atrium yesterday and were excited to get one more look at Sydney before she arrives. Well the excitement ended quick, as she was not turned right to see her face, much less being too big at this point to see any good facial expressions. I guess we are lucky have gotten the images we have so far, at no additional cost of course! In the end, we have been hoping and praying for a healthy little girl above all else. With the digital and belly measurements, she came in about 6 lbs, 12 oz thus far. If you factor in the 10% margin of error and a steady, healthy progression for 4 more weeks, Sydney is on par for about 8 1/2 to 9 lbs. at birth (a good healthy eater, and hopefully sleeper!) Kristi breathed a sigh of relief when the doc told her that, though I still think we have sneaky one trying to hit double digits!

The nursery is ready for a baby, although there are still a few cosmetic finishing touches yet to be put in place.

No photo albums posted yet - maybe this weekend - here are some pics for now.....

Cool Pack & Play courtesy of the Talis crew!

Kristi's awesome micro suede rocker (Thanks, Mimi!)

Some crafty shelves I whipped out; who knows what will actually go here

Closet properly nested by Sydney's beautiful mom!

Diapers everywhere - this probably won't be a fraction of what's needed.

Finally, a self-latching castle wall to keep Stewie out and eventually Sydney in!

4-21-09___Can a girl get some "change?" 35th Week
It's never too early to start saving, and now that poor little Sydney is so, sooo in the hole (even unborn) from the irresponsible Federal government, I think we'd better start saving some silver - Don't worry, I'll try to keep political rants off of Sydney's page from now on! I am trying to get the baby shower albums together and maybe by this weekend, there will be something for everyone to flip through...

One of three piggy banks for Sydney - This one is just a bottle while the other two are actually swine-inspired.

All my peeps at work threw us a nice shower last Thursday - We have very generous friends and co-workers (thanks Abe, for the photos!)

4-20-09___Diaper Cakes Galore 34th Week
All the cake has been eaten and punch drank (or is it drunk?) and all the shower festivities have come to a close. We have had 3 baby showers in the last 3 weeks and are still trying to organize all the great gifts we received from family, friends and co-workers (Sydney is a very fortunate baby already). It really means a lot to us as everyone has given so much support during this time of excitement and anticipation.

Thanks Nat for this great cake!

Thanks Jenny for the cool tower-o-diapers!

4-19-09___Raleigh Baby Shower 33rd Week
Kristi gathered with her family and girlfriends for this event. There was a diaper parade/catwalk (don't ask), chocolate fountain, and a mountain of presents for baby Sydney. Also, there was a dirty diaper with melted candy bars game, which I'm glad I didn't have to participate in (my vision of Snickers and other chocolate treats would be scarred forever). Kristi is so blessed to have such wonderful and generous friends and family.

4-07-09___Nursery Update 32nd Week
Wow - the days are really flying by now! - we're getting down to crunch time. No more ultrasounds are scheduled and Kristi will only be going for a few more quick check-ups for vitals and weight gain. We haven't decided yet if we are going to pay the extra and get real "official" 4D images closer to the due date, as we already have good ones from the last ultrasound (see below!).
After taking almost a month off, construction of the nursery is finally complete! All that's left are a few wall items for display and storage, the rocker (which should be here any day now), mounds of diapers, and of course.......Sydney! We should have the nursery progress album up by this weekend!

Sydney has wall letters! Kristi designed a cool font, I did the grunt woodwork, and she finished it off with several coats of semi-gloss to match the eye-popping red color in the bedding.

Mission Organization Complete! It's funny how a seemingly easy project idea turns into hours and hours of labor - I decided to dismantle the builder's single wire shelf since that wasn't going cut it to maximize closet space. I built in 2 full shelves with hanging rods and a bonus side shelving unit attached to the wall for toys, shoes, diapers, whatever...(sighs of relief, as now mommy can really nest)!

4-5-09___Garner Baby Shower 31st Week
Kristi and I attended a great couples shower at Laura's house yesterday in Garner for fun games, music, feasting, and of course opening gifts. We were so pleased with the turnout, as friends from church and most bro's and sisters from out of town stopped in. The diaper changing relay and cotton bowl games were a riot, as men of all ages watched a little of their pride slip away!

Sydney received some much needed items, mostly to wear and for the nursery. Thanks to all who gave the shower and helped organize the event, as we will not soon forget that groovy night!

3-11-09___Ultrasound Madness! 28th Week
We went for another ultrasound today for the 28 week check-up and from a growth standpoint, Sydney's size is right on par for her age - she is weighing in at 2 lbs, 12oz. and should be around 15 inches in length. I don't know how the big GE machine knows all that from a few measurements, but I'll trust it anyway. We got some great images of Sydney today and I learned a little about the doppler imaging used to track blood flow through the body - pretty cool stuff! She is breached, but she has some room and time left to turn around. Kristi is officially in her 3rd trimester this week - It has gone by so fast! Here are some of the images we got today.....

Look at that foot!

She has her mom's looks - just beautiful!

3-4-09___Belly pictures 27th Week
After some coaxing on my part and Kristi giving in to my pleading, I was allowed to make some photos of Baby Sydney still in the womb. I setup a quick, amateur studio (some old black curtains and a wooden frame) in the living room. Then, I brought out my light stand and umbrella with my Nikon speedlight. We took a bunch of different angles and poses (trying to keep Sydney the focus, of course!). We got a kick out of Stewie trying to get in all the photos, as the jealousy is already kicking in - I think he knows a big lifestyle change is coming his way. Anyway, here are the best images of the evening's bunch. Stay tuned for this Wednesday's Doc visit........

Pug jumps into the frame (what's new?)

Mom and Dad show a little love!

2-22-09___More kicking and reaction 26th Week
Kristi had another baby check-up last Wednesday and everything is still looking great. Sydney's heart rate was 150bpm and the doc was pleased with Kristi's vitals and overall progress. Monday is the official start of the 26th week and we are awaiting another doc visit the second week in March. I am still working on a few touches in the nursery, including the closet shelving and getting the wired network web cam in place. I'll be able to view the nursery while at work and even listen in on Mommy and Sydney (cool, huh?). We have been talking to Stewie a lot about Sydney lately and tonight Stewie started barking at something right beside us. Kristi said Sydney jumped a little, possibly in reaction to Stew's ferocious bark!
I have been compiling a list of classical music that I own and would like to purchase to play for Sydney. You know, there's a lot of critics out there who doubt playing soothing music to a baby in the womb is beneficial or not, but I say give it a try! We enjoy the music and it's bound to be a stress reliever for mother and child. If anyone has any suggestions for music, let me know, as I am always open for advice. I have been trying to coax Kristi into some tasteful maternity photos along the way, but have been met with some resistance. Below is one of the few I am allowed to post on the web so far, as well as the nursery progress as of January.

The expectant mother, patiently waiting

Sydney's room as of January
(photo gallery of the construction progression coming soon)

1-21-09___She's gaining alright.... 21st Week
Sydney I mean, not my lovely wife! She is about 7 inches now and should weigh around 10-11 ounces. Kristi is really starting to feel deliberate movement now, with some Kung-Fu action starting early some mornings. Look at those long fingers! Wise man say, "Big baby in 4D image equals big baby at birth!"