For Mel (and Anyone Else Who Doesn't Know What a Kiddopotamus Is)

I am terrible at using a blanket to swaddle (even though Jennie assures me that it gets easier with practice). So I am very grateful that Angie introduced me to (and gave me my first) Kiddopotamus. (Mel: you may recognize it because Hillary has one and there are pics of Owen in his.)

It starts out looking like the picture to the left. You just slip the kid in the pouch and then pull the left side over his chest and velcro it. Then you pull the right side over and velcro that. Then he's snug as a bug (or a burrito). The final result?

A HAPPY BABY!

This thing's a lifesaver for me. However, when he was smaller, he would Houdini his little hands up by his face - especially when he was hungry. He doesn't do that as often now, but sometimes he kicks his little legs until the the bottom part comes undone and one little leg is flopping outside the Kiddo all by its lonesome. (It's actually kind of funny though.) It also works in the carseat because there is a little hole in the back for the buckle to go through. It comes in 3 sizes (Premie, Small, and Large: 4-7 months), many colors and patterns, and in fleece or cotton. When it's so warm out, I just put Wes in a onesie and wrap him up. It serves as a great blanket without the suffocation hazards. He loves it too! I think he likes it more now than when we was a newbie even.

Our Trip to Wisconsin

Yesterday we headed up to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to hit up Summerfest 2007. They have a number of huge artists/bands come throughout the 10-day run and the majority of them are free! Brian was sad we had to miss Weird Al on Tuesday and we're going to miss Collective Soul tonight. Last night, Daughtry played on the main stage (which costs extra moola) along with Dashboard Confessional on one of the free stages. Throughout the week they've also had Sugarland, Steely Dan, REO Speedwagon, Def Leppard w/ Foreigner, Fuel, Sum 41, etc. etc. Anyway, needless to say, it's a huge event. You can check it out at the link: http://www.summerfest.com/index.html

We left Schaumburg around 1:00pm because we wanted to make a stop on our way to Summerfest at...

The JELLY BELLY FACTORY!

We had originally intended on going on the tour at the Jelly Belly Factory in Pleasant Prairie, WI (which it's really just a distribution center, not where they actually make the Jelly Bellies, so Brian was a bit disappointed), but right before we got there a group of 1st graders had shown up so we would have had to wait for 30 minutes before even taking the tour and we wanted to get to Summerfest before 4:00pm.

However, we still had a good time in the retail shop taking pictures of Wes in the Belly Flops (the Jelly Bellies that were mishapen and messed up) and sampling some Jelly Bellies - we were only brave enough to try Roasted Garlic not the Harry Potter ones like Vomit and Boogers. And let me just say, as real (and gross) as Roasted Garlic tasted, I'm so glad we didn't try the other ones just as a test. (I'm just wondering who has to taste test those...sick.) So Brian stuck with his usual Jelly Belly sours and I got a few Buttered Popcorn.

Unfortunately, we accidentally left the camera in our car when we went into Summerfest so we have no picture proof, but we were there! We left there around 6:30pm or so (since we were already getting tired and knew we wouldn't last until 10:00pm to see Dashboard Confessional) and on the way back we stopped at this little cheese place right by the border of Wisconsin and Illinois. Of course, Brian had to get a little picture taken as a Cheese Head.



As we were buying our cheese curds, we chatted with one of the owners and found out that cheese isn't naturally yellow-orange! Who knew?!? As a kid, we'd always thought yellow-orange was the real color of cheese and white cheeses were weird. Come to find out, some guy just found a tasteless, odorless yellow-orange oil that could make Wisconsin cheese unique! Cheddar is naturally white! I always thought there was a difference between white and yellow cheddar. It makes sense when you think about it though...cows don't produce yellow-orange milk. I'd just never thought about it before.

Happy 4th of July!

Wes has officially seen his first 4th of July fireworks extravaganza! Well, sort of....

What really happened was we got to the park about quarter after 8 to get a good seat. (And it was packed.) Wes was tired, but being that it was a new surrounding, he was happy to stay up and check things out for a while while the sun was setting.

Then, as it got darker, he must have realized how tired he was so he started get a wee bit fussy. Since our child rarely cries and we were in a public place, and Mom's usual failproof tactics of calming her child weren't working, we fed him and then promptly stuck him in his car seat and wrapped him in his Kiddopotamus.

Unfortunately, the fireworks hadn't quite started yet, dashing Brian's hopes of his child witnessing his first fireworks show. Luckily for Dad, Wes didn't quite get a chance to fall asleep all the way before the booming began. Dad's wish came true and his son witnessed his first fireworks! (What he could see is questionable and then I had to block his view because his eyes were glued open from being so tired. You can imagine.) Brian took the great firework picture, by the way.

I spent the entire show holding the pacifer in while covering both Wes' ears (we had no idea we'd be right under the fireworks and it was so loud) and rocking the car seat. All the while watching the show myself. No one can say moms aren't talented!

This is our little family pic we took before we left. Notice our red, white, and blue polos. We're so coordinated and patriotic! Brian made some very patritoic mini cheesecakes too. They had blue blackberries and strawberry jam on top!

This pic is one of my honey. I just thought he looked good and thought I'd share. :) By the way, this is my first blog post and I hope you enjoyed it!

Anatomy of a Bobblehead

What makes a bobblehead? How do they work? What ingredients would one need to make their own?

I would submit you would need at least the following ingredients:
1) A subject with a funny face
2) A head disproportionate to the body
3) Motion to make the head 'bobble'

If the above is true, I would like to congratulate my wife on giving birth to a real, live, bobblehead!

Especially for Grandpa Hanks

Who knew that waking up and stretching was genetic? The next time you wake up and throw your arms over your head and arch your back...just think that you've probably been doing it your whole life!