Happy birthday Joseph!

9 Years ago my life changed when I became a parent. This boy was born to Lacy and I, under unexpected circumstances (profiled here: http://blog.spotd.net/2009/02/josephs-story-july-august-2005.html).

Having a child is a truly transformative event. I have never felt a greater understanding of what I think God must feel for us than at the births of my children. The physical miracle of pregnancy, the utter innocence and simple needs of the infant, and the unconditional love that I had for him are all evidence (to me) of our Heavenly Father's hand in our lives.

Echoes of that feeling have returned on many occasions in the last nine years. To say that birth is the most impactful demonstration of it shouldn't detract from these subsequent manifestations of God's love. The difference is a matter of degrees.

When a child is born to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is the privilege of that family to have their child blessed and to have their name formally recorded on the membership rolls of the Church. Normally this blessing is performed by the father, if he is an authorized and worthy holder of the priesthood.

I was able to perform these blessings for my children, and I am grateful for that. In Joseph's blessing, given just about 107 months ago, I blessed him that he would be kind. I mentioned it more than once. I have seen this spiritual gift in him so many times over the last 9 years. I think anyone who knows him, knows that he has a kind and empathic heart. I believe that promise was inspired by the Holy Ghost, and I credit my Father in Heaven for it.

I am so proud of this part of Joseph, which is not highly prized in some sectors of our culture. Among the people that I love and care about, it is appreciated, another thing that I am thankful for. Someday his kindness will make him a better husband and father than me. Someday his kindness will give others license to adopt more kindness in their own lives.

I love this boy. I read some earlier posts on his birthdays (this one from his 5th birthday has some nice photos of his baby/toddler years- http://blog.spotd.net/2010/07/happy-5th-birthday-joseph.html). I am so glad to be his father, and humbled by what he teaches me.

I love you Joseph! Happy Birthday!

Al Sur

This was the first year that we have taken an actual "spring break" trip with our family. At Lacy's urging we started looking at things to do and decided to head south to see family and have some fun.

We left Monday and spent a rainy day at my sister's house in Orlando. The kids had a great time, and I learned that Masters of the Universe (available on Hulu) has not aged very well. Our niece Nicole planned a delicious dinner, which included some fantastic cookies that are definitely not a part of my normal diet. I had 3 (they were pancake-sized and worth it).

The next day we went to Disney World, taking advantage of my brother's employment there to get a sweet deal. The kids had a lot of fun, and I've included some pictures below. Due to the crowd, we left the Magic Kingdom for Epcot at about 4pm, which was an excellent choice. We had a pretty tasty meal at the new restaurant in Mexico, as our first choice (the German Biergarten) was not available. We don't drink beer, but the buffet there is fantastic.

We will not be doing Disney during Spring Break again. Far too many people. But still a fun day.

The next day we drove to Miami, where we visited Vizcaya, an impressive estate (now a county park) with some beautiful grounds and a fantastic location. The house was built in the 1910's, and it must have been a fascinating time to be in Miami. We then enjoyed a visit with my aunt Elena and several of my cousins and their children.

The next day was spent at Zoo Miami (formerly the Miami Metrozoo). This has always been one of my favorite parts of Miami, though we hadn't been there in over 7 years. The vegetation now seems fully recovered from 1992's Hurricane Andrew, and the kids really enjoyed seeing the animals. Next time we will rent a quad bicycle to get around the very large zoo.

We visited my great-aunt Elsita, who we had not seen since the death of my abuelita in August of 2009. It was great to show her the kids and enjoy some of her delicious natilla (comparable recipe found here). We took a quick swim in the pool, and then I took Joseph and Millie to dinner with my Uncle Ari and Aunt Kelly. We also got to meet our new little cousin Star, born to my cousin Stacci and her husband JR. The name is a combo of Sta from Stacci and R from JR. Millie is pretty jealous of that name, and has asked me several times since why her name can't be star. Dinner at La Rosa was delicious. We also had a good meal at Havana Harry's (Tres Vacas Fritas & Churrasco), but La Rosa gets the edge for its equivalent meat and FAR superior black beans. La Rosa also serves the traditional toasted and buttered Cuban bread. Joseph ate palomilla twice.

Friday was a lazy morning packing our things and a drive back to Gainesville. We stopped in Orlando at Downtown Disney to enjoy dinner with our friends the Eichelberger's at T-Rex. We ate in the Ice Room, which was a trippy place to be. Periodically the light would change color and we are convinced that it made the kids a little crazy. After that we hit Ghiradelli's and cruised home.

It was a great little vacation. We've spent the last two days listening to our Church's semiannual General Conference and enjoying some "quiet" time around the house and some good food with friends.

Tomorrow? Back to the gym, to work, and to reality. Here are some photos, somewhat out of order, and a video of Millie showing off her rhythm.

A Visitor Tonight

Joseph had his first lost tooth. We are excited to welcome the tooth fairy to our house tonight.

A View from San Diego

These are some pictures that my sister-in-law Lillie posted on her blog.

In a few you can see that Isaac looks a little sick, but still as cute as ever. It's good to remember the fun times from this trip.

Christmas morning-


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Home

A ______ New Year!

Good? Yes. My family is home, safe and sound, mostly healthy and 3/5 asleep.

Prosperous? We'll see. After some of the expenses associated with what I am about to write, that part of the story remains unwritten.

Happy? Eh...

I am going to vent a little bit, in order to exorcise the demons of a hellish day from my system. This will be long.

I have just arrived home from a 2 week trip to California. I have spent the last 29 hours attempting to do so.

We go to California to see Lacy's family twice a year. I love these visits, as I love her family, and this trip included the arrival of a new nephew, born to Lacy's sister Lillie and her husband Ross. We had a great time with Lacy's parents and the rest of her family, but the trip was made difficult by especially persistent Eastern Time Zone sleep patterns from our kids AND the fact that EVERYONE became ill with some kind of cold/flu/sinus bug, with most of us still fighting it off (almost 2 weeks later for me).

I try to make these trips comfortable for our family of 5. I begin tracking airfares 4-6 months ahead of time. I try to make sure we have ideal layovers (around 2 hours- time for bathroom, food, and walking to the connecting gate). We often take early flights, and this time, stayed at the Hyatt located in the airport itself, which made for a very smooth departure, long but smooth flight to L.A., and easy connection to San Diego.

For our trip home I planned for us to fly from San Diego to Atlanta, 3 hour layover, then arrival in Orlando just after midnight on January 1, 2011. It sounded like fun to have our kids, accustomed (by now we thought) to West Coast time, experience the New Year with us, in a plane. It would be a new adventure for everyone. Then we would stay the night at the same airport hotel, wake up for a nice New Year's Day breakfast and then spend some quality time with my family at my sister's house in Orlando.

Nice plan, right? All was well as we packed the night before, strategically having everything we would need for the next two days in a single bag. Easy drive to the S.D. airport. Given how sick Lacy, Isaac, and Millie had been (Joseph and I having improved at this point) we made sure that the kids got some Benadryl and Lacy some cold meds to ward off pressure problems. This worked well for Millie, who zonked out during the flight. Isaac had some troubles on the descent, solved with a bottle, but poor Lacy felt like her head was going to be crushed, a pain, in her words, second only to childbirth. Despite the efforts of a kind and observant flight attendant, as we talked after the flight she was sure that she couldn't get on our next flight. She couldn't hear in one ear and the other had diminished effectiveness. She also continued to have a terrible headache for the next several hours.

We talked to Delta, but they couldn't guarantee the return of our bags, so the plan was to rent a car, drive to Gainesville, and then I would continue to Orlando to pick up our bags and car. At this time Lacy's pain was severe enough that we took a motel room a little south of the airport.

We slept pretty well and then got on the road. We had been driving for a little while when the GPS in the car, and later highway advisory signs, alerted us to an accident that had closed all southbound lanes on the interstate. The recommended avoidance route did not save us from a delay of more than 2 hours.

Finally, back underway, several bathroom and food-related stops later we arrived at our home in Gainesville, in a soon-to-be overdue rental car and with none of our bags. After unloading my family I got back on the road to Orlando. That part of the trip went well, I returned the car, noticing a major snafu with the rate which will have to be dealt with on Monday, and then got our bags, which had arrived in Orlando 20 hours earlier and which were patiently waiting for me in the Delta Baggage office.

Then to find my car, which could not be accessed the way we had left it because of a renovation in the Hyatt's lobby. After a half-mile of wandering, pulling 4 suitcases and a duffle, I made it to my car which...had a dead battery.

One of us had left the dome light on, so I called for assistance at a box in the garage and Juan was dispatched to help, the car started right up and 2 hours later, here I am, writing my first blog post of the year.

I really have very little to complain about. I am home. My family is alive, in their own beds, and we are together. We never lacked for comfortable shelter or a safe, working vehicle. In a time of need I was able to pronounce a blessing on my wife and daughter, which we feel was instrumental in Lacy's recovery and Millie's good night of sleep, absent the cough that had made her so uncomfortable. Joseph and Millie were especially great in dealing with all of the changes to our schedule, and Isaac's constant smile and sweet temperament helped make the drive less onerous than it could have been.

It definitely was an expensive detour, and we did not get to enjoy the New Year as we expected or spend the time we had hoped with my family. But writing this has helped me focus on the important parts of the day and the successes we experienced despite the travails.

Here is a quick rundown of some of the good and bad:

Good:

• Hyatt- They waived the full-rate cancellation fee we would have paid when I explained Lacy's situation.
• Hampton Inn- They had room, and their rooms had comfortable beds...and mouthwash. That last thing was critical, as my toothbrush decided to pass the new year without me.
• Ford Flex- This was the second time I have rented this vehicle. It is smooth, and comfortable, with plenty of nice features and I think the SYNC system is very slick. I spent 9 hours in it today and probably could have driven a few more based on the car's comfort alone.
• KFC in Morrow, GA- Thanks for being open on New Year's Eve.
• Joseph & Millie- They took it all in stride.

Bad

• Avis rate issues- To be dealt with later. I like Avis, but I will need to deal with this.
• Sinus problems- boo sinus problems. Boo.
• McDonalds in Morrow, Ga- I know it was New Year's Eve, but take down the 24 hour drive-through sign if you don't mean it. Tired, hungry 3 and 5 year olds don't like to hear that they will not be getting the Happy Meal I hoped to buy.
• The way that I ate in California, and over the last two days.

So, my vent is over, and I am happy to have done this, if only to weigh the events of the day and see how blessed I am.

Here are some photos from the car ride. Happy New Year!

Isaac enjoying the ride. Thank goodness we packed an extra sleeper. He was very comfortable.
I don't know how many of these seemingly Japanese-made Kleenex packets Lacy used.
Joseph and Millie enjoyed sitting "so high up" in the back, with the DVD player close at hand.
Your humble, and often impatient, narrator. I am wearing my Miami shirt. I wore it on yesterday's flight, hoping to watch some of the bowl game on the inflight TV. And they lost, badly. I should have seen it as an omen.

Living it Up

Lacy is out of town for a getaway with her mom and sisters. They are in Las Vegas and expect to relax, eat lots of good food, and see some of the shows.

My first day as a single parent was largely successful. The teething 7 month old took one long and one very short nap, but is otherwise delightful. Joseph and Millie are fun and very encouraging. Joseph said I was "The Most Caring Dad." He enjoyed P.E. today, where they ran two laps and are learning to dribble basketballs.

Millie went to dance class where she is a fearless user of ballet terms that I am not sure how to spell. We also went by the office for some of Miss Bea's excellent jellybeans.

Here are some recent pictures of these excellent kids.

Mistakes do Happen

Joseph was speaking the other day to my Tia Elena. He told her that he was 5 1/4. She may have misheard him, and asked if he was 5 1/2. He said, "No, 5 1/4. That's okay, mistakes do happen."

He can be very understanding.

Happy 5th Birthday Joseph!

Joseph actually turned 5 on Tuesday, and I wanted to pay a little tribute to him here. These are a few photos that help mark his life at various points.

He had to spend a little time in the hospital when he was born. He had a serious congenital defect that was corrected shortly after birth. It was a period of great growth and faith for our family, and I am grateful for his living reminder of how precious life is.

Lacy is holding him here, but this photo was snapped on my 26th birthday (I believe), the first day that I was able to hold him.

We got him home, not knowing that sleeping was not among the things Joseph would do well.

But smiling definitely was (and is). The below pictures can demonstrate that.

(Almost) without trying I have been able to inculcate Joseph with a love of 2 teams- BYU and the University of Miami. You have to start young.

What a smile.

I am named after my dad, and Joseph is the third Lowry to bear the name. Here he is around his 2nd birthday with his Papa Joe.

Joseph was almost two when Millie was born. He is a good and loving big brother.

And he loves his mommy (holding his hand here).

He decided he was going to the office. I thought my tie looked even better on him.

This was taken on Father's Day this year. I am truly a blessed man to have this family, and a little boy like Joseph.

I thought this was great. After a while of being neglected, the kids decided to use the sandbox. A toad had made his home there, and with not an ounce of fear, Joseph picked him up. He is such a great kid, and makes our lives more interesting and fulfilling, every single day. Often that means trying to explain to him why, despite how cool it would be, we can't build a rocketship in the backyard and why he can't learn to drive a motorcycle.

Happy birthday little buddy!

Joseph turns 4!

We shot this video tonight-



My little guy is 4! He was so excited when I reminded him that it was his birthday. He did this little dance-karate thing.

I am reminded of his birth, which I wrote about here, and which was very hectic. Lacy wrote a really nice message on her blog at the beginning of the month. I hope you'll take a minute to read it.

Joseph is a wonderful kid. He told me that I am his best friend because I "help him do lots of stuff all the time." He is occasionally afraid of getting "squibbled" (some word he made up for getting killed, especially by lightning), but he told me if Lacy or I get squibbled he will have to grow a replacement. He says such interesting things. He is great fun to take places, and I feel very blessed to have him and Millie.

Happy birthday buddy!

Joseph's Story (July - August 2005)

Joseph's Story
As written by me in July & August of 2005

This page is dedicated to my son, Joseph Edward Lowry III. It was always my intention to make a page where I could keep track of his growth. I never anticipated that he would have such an exciting beginning. Some people might look at what I've written and wonder how I could have written so much. To be honest, I didn't do it for you. I wanted to have a record of everything that had happened to Joseph, for his benefit and mine. I do hope that it is of interest and provides perspective on what has been a very tumultuous little life.
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Joseph was born on July 27, 2005 at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He weighed 9 lbs and was 22 inches long. Lacy was incredible during the labor and delivery, and we were overcome when our son finally arrived. The photo above was taken by my mom just seconds after Little Joey was born.
Unfortunately, it became apparent that his color was not right. Most babies have a bluish appearance when they are born. This rapidly changes when the lungs inflate and oxygen-rich blood goes through the body giving it a nice pink color. J-III did not turn that pink color so they took him to test his lungs. After a moment of examination at Lacy's bedside they decided to take him to the nursery to examine him more closely. I followed him there as they looked him over. After a moment they asked me to leave so that they could intubate him, or put a tube down his throat to help him get more oxygen. I left the room as they started not really knowing what it all meant.
We waited for a few minutes, expecting that all would surely be well and they would bring him back to our room. After a time our nurse midwife Ann Marie Fenn, OB-GYN Anthony Agrios, and pediatrician Marci Slayton walked in to discuss what was going on with Joey. At that point we were told that the level of oxygen that he was receiving was not sufficient and that our sick little boy would need to be transported to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida very soon. Needless to say, we were both shocked. Thus continued a very long day.
We were told that there were at least two possible causes for his condition- a diaphragmatic hernia or a heart defect. I think we were both still in shock, and it took some time for me to understand what all of that meant. I should take the time to point out that everything in this pregnancy had been wonderful, from Lacy's health to the entire labor and delivery up to that point. The occurrence of his condition only further highlighted some of the other things that went right.
That day a neonatologist from Shands was on his normal visit to North Florida and he was able to see Joseph right away. He prescribed a drug that improved Joey's oxygen levels, so that he was a pale white color, rather than the unusual blue. Dr. Morse (the neonatologist) referred him to Shands very soon, and the helicopter was able to take him there within 1 1/2 hours after birth. All of these things were a blessing for us, in the midst of a very scary time. All of the staff at North Florida were fantastic, and attended to Lacy and me with so much compassion and concern. Additionally, two of Lacy's friends from her time working as a diabetes research assistant, Jen and Liz, were there to care for her when I went to Shands to see to Joseph. There were so many people there who had a part in her recovery. Our hearts are full of gratitude for them.
As much as any of these occurrences, faith played a major role in our ability to cope with what was going on. Before he was taken to Shands from North Florida, my father and I had time to give him a priesthood blessing. It was difficult for me to put my hands on his little head and then focus on what Heavenly Father had in mind for this little guy. I felt very peaceful and knew that Heavenly Father would watch over him and those taking care of him. That peaceful feeling has been with me since that time, and I know that he is being watched over by Heavenly Father.
Joseph arrived at Shands that morning and was immediately subjected to a whole series of tests. They diagnosed him with a defect called Transposition of the Great Arteries. This page from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital explains the nature of this defect. If left uncorrected, it is usually a fatal defect. Fortunately, the doctors at Shands Hospital, specifically Dr. Paolillo with the help of others, performed a heart catheterization procedure called a septostomy. This procedure widens an existing space between the left and right ventricles of the heart to allow mixing of oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood. This allowed his oxygen saturation levels to improve so that the major surgery is no longer considered an emergency. Now it was time to determine where it should be performed.
Surgery on congenital heart defects is a highly specialized field. After consulting with one of the cardiologists at Shands we agreed that Miami Children's Hospital provided the best mix of expert surgeons and convenience for us, owing to my family presence there. After they contacted the hospital in Miami, they were told that they would come pick him up by jet that day (Thursday, July 28th). We waited at Shands until they took him, planning to follow him the next day. We arrived in Miami in time to visit Joey before going to my Uncle & Aunt's house, Ari & Kelly Sastre for some much needed rest after a long day. Joseph was stable, and we felt good about the people caring for him.
Today is Sunday, July 31st. Joseph continues to be stable, and we await his surgery, scheduled for Tuesday, August 2nd. The surgery is called an arterial switch. The surgeon will take the aorta and the pulmonary artery and switch them. This is the easy part of the procedure. The more delicate part of the surgery is moving the coronary arteries to the right place. All of Joseph's blood vessels are small, but the coronary arteries are very small. We feel very fortunate that our surgeon is highly skilled and very experienced. Additionally, Transposition is a common defect, and he has a lot of experience repairing this kind of condition. I will update this page with news on his condition as I can.
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Monday passed without incident. Sunday night was especially nice, because the nurse asked us if we wanted to give Joseph a bath. I changed his diaper for the first time. We went home tired, happy to have been able to participate in his care in a more meaningful way. Monday we met with Cristi, a nurse practitioner in the practice of Dr. Redmond Burke, the surgeon who would be performing the procedure. She explained what we should expect to occur. I'll provide a run-down of the procedure as I understand it:
Joseph is taken from the ICU by several nurses and the anesthesiologist to the operating room, where he will be connected to all the necessary machines. He is sedated and prepared for the surgery to begin.
A person known as the profusionist prepares the heart-lung bypass machine. In order for this to work properly, they have to reroute the blood away from the heart and lungs. Because blood wants to clot when it leaves the body, they must use blood thinners to keep it flowing. This allows the doctor to stop the heart so that the procedure can be performed.
The doctor can now begin the surgery, severing the aorta and pulmonary artery above the heart valves. The arteries are then switched, reattached with hundreds of tiny stitches.
Perhaps the most difficult part of the surgery comes next, where the coronary arteries are moved. The coronary arteries supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. These too must be reattached to insure that the heart gets nourishment. These are very small in an adult, and tiny in a child. Once again, much precision and many, many stitches are required.
Some time after the above procedure, he is removed from the bypass machine (hopefully) so that normal blood flow can be restored to the heart. This will allow the doctor to see that the heart is pumping normally and that there are no leaks in any of the valves.
At this point, his chest may or may not be closed, and the amount of time on the ventilator will vary. We are hopeful that he will be able to go home in about 2 weeks. During that 2 weeks many things will occur, and I will keep a record of that here.
The highlight of Monday occurred about 6:30pm. Our nurse at the time, Luisa, told Lacy that she should go to the bathroom because if she was going to hold the baby, she wouldn't be able to get up. Needless to say, this overjoyed her as she has been unable to hold him since the birth. When he was placed on her after being born, there was so much commotion that this constituted the first real time she has had to hold him in her arms. It was very emotional for both of us (I was fairly jealous) and he was calm and seemed so happy to be in his mom's arms. I gave him a father's blessing while he was there. She held him for almost an hour before it was time for us to go back to Ari & Kelly's house for dinner and sleep. Tuesday would be a long day.
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We got to the hospital this morning (Tuesday, August 2nd) at about 6:45am. Joseph looked very peaceful, and had a good night's rest according to Susie, his nurse. We had a few moments with him, snapped a few photos, and waited for Dr. Burke. He arrived and had a very reassuring manner. He explained a few things, and assured us that he would be gentle and do his best for Joey. We asked him if we could have a prayer with him, and he agreed. We accompanied Joseph to the opening of the operating room and returned to wait. At 9:30 we got an update that he was on the bypass machine and that we would hear from them again at 11am. We are calmer than expected, and have faith that Heavenly Father will hear our prayers and watch over our son.
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As we sat talking at about 12:30, Linda (another Nurse Practitioner from Dr. Burke's practice) came in to tell us that the surgery was completed and that they were able to seal his chest. This was great news, and seemed earlier than expected. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Burke came in to discuss the surgery, showed us some pictures of his tiny heart, and told us that Joseph would be out shortly. He came out and the change in his color was astounding. He almost looked like a different baby. We are so grateful, and know that the fasting and many prayers on his behalf were instrumental during this time.
We just went in to see him (2pm). The past six days made us accustomed to the sight of his little body and all the different tubes that helped him gain strength. As you can imagine, the number of tubes in his body post-operation seem to have multiplied. It still fills us with some apprehension to see him like that, but the peace that I've felt since shortly after we learned of his condition continues. We sat in his room for a while and watch him enjoy heavily sedated slumber. Very tired, we returned to the house to get some rest.
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We went to the hospital today and were excited to hear that they were going to extubate him. We did not expect this for at least another day, so it was a real relief to be able to look at his face. His swelling improved as well. The most difficult part of the post-surgery period is the waiting. It may yet be several weeks before we can take him home, so in the mean time we wait as various tubes are removed day by day. We see more and more of his personality (he has blue eyes) and feel a little bit more like real parents. He is a beautiful little boy, and I feel so grateful for his good recovery. Even Dr. Burke, the surgeon, mentioned today that he is a strong baby and having a very fast recovery. I just need to be patient and trust that all will continue to go well. Once again, Lacy and I discuss how blessed we are.
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Two days have passed since the surgery and Joseph's progress is exceptional. I came to the hospital this morning to see how he was doing and Dr. Bolivar, one of the cardiologists, mentioned that Joseph's progress was "amazing." He also added that he was on pace for one of the fastest recoveries they have ever had. The only concern was a collapsed lung that they optimistic about. It seems to be normal for someone who has been on a heart-lung machine and who has all of the accompanying secretions. This will probably take some time to pass.
Today was markedly better than yesterday. It is hard to watch him there, and today was so much more interactive. I got to hold him for the first time, and Lacy was able to feed him some breastmilk. His stomach was able to keep it all down without a problem, and so we are hopeful that they will be able to shift him to 100% breastmilk within a short period of time.
We also continue to be impressed with the breadth and quantity of prayers offered for Joseph. We received a nice teddy bear and some ballons from Investacorp, the Broker-Dealer with whom I am a registered securities representative. My father spoke with the CEO Bruce Swiegart, a very nice man, and he mentioned that some individuals confessed that while not normally inclined to pray, they felt impressed to pray for Joseph. He has been prayed for by Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, and Jews in Churches, Chapels, and Temples. His welfare has been the source of fasting and pleading. All of this for one small child, my child. It overcomes me to think of it, and fills me with gratitude. My own life has been so free of trials. The outpouring of love on his behalf is a source of strength and promotes my own faith.
All of this makes me think of the man who pleaded for healing from the Savior. He said, "I believe...Help thou mine unbelief." This was my prayer for my son, and the Lord has answered it and continues to answer it. This great blessing is not without price, for the responsibility it places on Lacy and me is to teach him to love and serve God and his fellow man. This means that our own lives must be consistent with that goal. Sometimes these kinds of prayers are not answered the way that we want them to be. Lacy and I feel very fortunate that ours was answered in the desired way, and we feel like something is expected of us as a result.
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August 5th- my birthday. I have everything that I could want- a loving wife and a healthy (and improving) son. I have seen the power of faith manifest in the life of my son, and that gift will last much longer than the other things I might hope for. I am also impressed by how blessed we are with regard to Joseph's heart condition being limited in scope. Many of the infants here in the Cardiac ICU are very small or have multiple significant defects. We can anticipate no further surgeries and a normal life for Joey. That is another gift.
I ran to the hospital to deliver some breastmilk and then Lacy's mom, my mom, Lacy and I went to the Gables Diner for a big birthday breakfast. Since then we've spent a great day with Joseph ( I fed him for the first time). Soon we will be heading back to Ari & Kelly's for some birthday pizza, and then perhaps back to the hospital tonight. Lacy's mom heads back to California tomorrow, and it has been wonderful having both of our moms here to see us and the baby. We will miss her when she leaves.
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I had a great little birthday party, a surprise by Kelly & Ari, and we had a nice night with everyone, which included missing our little guy. August 6th was a nice day as well, as Joseph's condition continued to improve. He had been eating expressed breastmilk from the bottle for the past two days, and they told us that Lacy could try to breastfeed him directly. Immediately he latched on to Lacy, and although the duration of the feeding was not all that long, it was promising. By the end of the day she had nursed several times and he seemed to be a natural. We went home pretty happy, but it gets harder to leave him each day.
I spoke to a father whose daughter has the same condition. She has not yet received the arterial switch operation, and I could see on the father's face the same look that I must have had. Even having passed through the same situation, I find it hard to put myself back in his shoes, so different do I feel today. Additionally, the complexity of these procedures is such that I could hardly promise him anything based on our experience. I do have great confidence in the Dr. Burke, and I told him as much. Even giving all due credit to Dr. Burke's prowess, I have to attribute a lot of Joey's success to Heavenly Father.
As if to further punctuate this, J-III was moved out of the ICU to what they call "The Floor." We share a room with a young kid named Joe (so at one point there were 4 Joe's in one room) and he is nice and keeps the volume down. We were surprised to be moving from the ICU so soon. They told us that Joe was just too healthy for the ICU. One step closer to going home. This also means that we are responsible for more of his care, and that Lacy can stay here overnight to nurse him. We are not happy about the separation and are even more eager to get home. Of course our concern from Joseph outweighs this desire, but I do think that we will be home by next Friday at the latest. That would be fantastic.
Some of you may noticed that I refer to Joseph by several different names (Joseph, Joey, J-III). The reason is that we still haven't figured out what to call him. I like J-III for fun. Its like his street name, or rap name. I know that some in the family like Lacy's sister Lillie like Joey for him. Lacy has yet to weigh in with her firm choice. Maybe when we get home this decision will fall into place for us.
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Sunday was our first night in a regular room and it was a long, tiring night. We quickly realized how pampered we were in the ICU with regard to the amount of nursing care that he received. We are grateful to have him close to us though, and look forward to having him home for good. Monday was a lot of sitting, with some errands thrown in, as we waited for Joseph's progress. By Monday night he was free of any oxygen tubes of any kind and had a much better night (or at least, I had a much better night). Monday morning the doctor mentioned that he would like for us to be able to leave in a few days. We didn't know exactly what that meant.
When the doctors came by for rounds Tuesday morning, we were so close to being discharged. They elected to keep him in the hospital for one more day, just to check on his chest congestion. The day has passed without incident, and as I type this at 10:49 on Tuesday August 9th, it is with confidence that Wednesday is a day of liberation for all of us, and only 8 days after surgery. I keep looking around for Joseph's gold medal, but I guess they don't actually have anything like that. We are so glad to be going home. We have developed a pattern here that is workable, but the idea of going home is the utopian ideal.
I feel like I should reiterate how fortunate we have been at every step of the way. Everyone we have interacted with has been wonderful, within the hospitals and without. Things like this bring out the goodness in all of us. I can honestly say I am grateful for trials.
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It is now the evening of August 14th and we have been home for several days. The routine of being a "normal" parent is decidedly lacking in routine. There have been a few sleepless nights, for Lacy mostly, and a few days where it seemed like all the little guy wanted to do was eat (another thing that has affected Lacy primarily). Still, for all these minor inconveniences, we are so glad to be home. After all, it will take some time for Joey to establish the behaviors that he was unable to learn over the time that he was in the hospital.
I went to Church today and I felt overwhelming gratitude, for God, family, and friends. My heart was full, and it was hard to keep all my feelings in check. I don't think I could describe them in a way that makes any sense, but they were there and in full effect. I know that the trials of parenthood will be many and varied, but Lacy and I have established the foundation upon which to build our future. We're so fortunate that Joseph will be a part of that.

My Kids (August 2005 - March 2007)

When I was wondering what to name this page, I realized that Joseph really is the Son of the Spanish Phrase of the Day. When I first met Lacy, I had only been writing the SPOTD for a few months. Her then-roommate, Cara Larson, was a recipient and this allowed me to get Lacy's e-mail address under the guise of adding her to the list. This led to regular correspondence, then a relationship, and finally, almost 3 years after our first meeting, to the birth of Joseph Edward Lowry III, the son of SPOTD.

17 March 2007
It's hard for me to imagine an age that is as much fun as Joseph's right now. At the same time it is a difficult age, but the speed of his development is amazing. He says new things all the time. He gets excited by it too.
I've added some new photos. In the first new one Joseph is walking in the woodsy part of my parent's backyard. In the second he and Nicole are having a "hwisy ride" as Joseph likes to say. The bottom left photo is Joseph enjoyed some of Lacy's salad (he'll eat almost anything). In the middle is Joseph with a phone (he loves the phone) and in the last he is enjoying some toast (who doesn't?).
I guess kids start to learn when things are funny, and even try a little comedy. Joseph does some funny things and especially likes to wrestle around, throw the ball, and build with his blocks. He looked at Lacy's belly today and called it a ball. We both got a kick out of that. It will be interesting to see how he is around his sister.


24 February 2007
I had one of those moments the other day. I was walking with Joseph to the playground near our house and I looked at this funny litle kid of mine and thought, "This is my son." It is a little surreal to think about having a child, raising a child, and everything that goes along with that. The time passes so fast. He is such a little sponge, sometimes he learns things that we don't even realize he is learning.


17 February 2007
We're having a lot of fun with Joseph. His new thing is singing. I've shown that in the video below. We wrestle a lot and he loves to be thrown around, especially on our bed. We are excited to move into our new house soon. We don't have much of a yard right now in our townhome and the new place will have a much larger space. Joseph is fun, sometimes a little crazy, but we wouldn't have it any other way.
He's learning to share and is a great eater. He chows down on every kind of fruit, loves bananas more than anything, and continues his obsession with The Wiggles. I can now sing most of the Wiggle songs from memory, but there are worse afflictions.

Lacy is closer and closer to the arrival of Lowry Baby Girl. No name yet, and we are keeping it a secret when we do come up with it, much to the consternation of the family. We are excited to have a little girl in our home. Joseph should be a good older brother.
14 January 2007
I made this little video of Joseph dancing and playing the other night. In the first part he is dancing to the Wiggles and even tries to stand on one foot. It's the first time that we realized that he knows the motions to the song. In the second one he is trying to catch up with the video camera, which leads to a Hollywood style chase in the living room.

12 January 2007
We had a great trip to San Diego and had a ton of fun with Lacy's family. I've included a few pictures from the trip above. Lacy's sister has also posted some great pictures on her blog.
Joseph is learning so fast. I plan to put together a little video that I took today of him dancing and chasing the camera. He is so smart (of course) and communicating just gets easier and easier. He loves to play and building has started to replace destroying as the game of choice. All in all good news.


15 December 2006
I've been a slacker lately, but much has happened. Joseph continues to get bigger and understand more and more. Among his favorite words are milk, Wiggles, and yeah. It is so much fun to be able to communicate with him more


20 October 2006
I can't believe it has been 3 weeks since I last wrote. Joseph has been adding new things at a rapid clip lately. He treats everything like a telephone, from acorns to wheat thins. He loves to hold things to his face and say his own version of "hello."


27 September 2006
Today marked Joseph's 14 month birthday. The time continues to fly by, and today was a special day for me as well because, for the first time, Joseph got really sad when I left for the office. He has never been all that clingy with me, but when he saw me going through my normal "get ready to leave" routine he came over and wanted me to hold him. I picked him up, gave him a kiss and put him down to leave and he followed me to the door where I could see him crying (really crying) as I walked away. It was a proud moment for me. Who'd have thought that seeing my son cry could make me so happy?
I've added a few photos above, with the most recent ones being of Joseph's recent trip to California with his mommy. You should also check out this little video that I put together.


7 September 2006
Joseph is walking everywhere now. He spends very little time crawling, almost none really, and enjoys climbing all over the furniture. As you can see from the picture above, he has taken to sitting in my favorite chair.
He continues to grow and develop at a normal pace, and his antics are a lot of fun. He talks more than ever, sleeps well at night, and loves to play and wrestle with us. He is a fun guy.


5 August 2006
Joseph turned one year old last week, the 27th. We were in California with Lacy's family and spent the day at the Beach, where Joseph enjoyed his first cupcake (see last picture above). It was a fun day. Today we had a small party with family and friends in Gainesville (my birthday is today) and it was also fun, though the heat kept he and his cousins a bit subdued.
It has been a wonderful year. Despite some of the issues related to Joseph's heart, being a father is something that is rewarding and well worth whatever effort is required. Joseph is walking frequently, talking all the time, and getting into EVERYTHING, but I'd rather have a spunky kid like him.


4 July 2006
Joseph is 11 months old and he is so close to walking. He has taken a few unassisted steps, and he can tell by our reaction how excited it makes us. As soon as his bottom hits the ground he is smiling and clapping. He is a pretty stubborn kid too, and teaching him to leave certain things alone is a bear.
Besides saying "Mama" or "Dada" we heard him say hello today as I was passing the phone to Lacy. We weren't sure if he actually said it, but a moment later he did it again. Pretty exciting stuff. He really loves going to the beach and going to the pool, which is a lot of fun for us. As you can see in the picture above, he got a little tricycle as a new toy and it is fun to see him push it around.


18 June 2006
My first Father's day was a good one. We woke up bright and early (Thanks Joseph) and left Naples where we were attending a conference. Being a dad continues to be pretty great. My life has changed a great deal since Joseph was born and I wouldn't have it any other day. It is a remarkable thing to hold him and see his growth.


4 June 2006
Being a dad is a wonderful experience. Joseph doesn't sleep as long as we'd like, but aside from that he is pretty much as easy a baby as we could hope for. Watching him develop is remarkable too. It seems like new things just come to him. The other day he lifted himself up and took his hands off of the bouncy seat to stand unassisted. It was only for a few moments, but Lacy and I saw and when he fell back to the ground we cheered and clapped. Now he understood this was a good thing and began doing it a lot. He is able to stand for longer periods of time, and I guess this a precursor to walking around.
Joseph's favorite song is Upside Down by Jack Johnson. Its from the Curious George soundtrack and we heartily recommend it. Every time it comes on he starts to bob his head or wave his hands. He's always liked music, but responds most consistently to that one. Needless to say, we play it a lot, especially when he is eating. By the way, when a baby eats, it is messy- ME-EH-SSY. I'm still getting used to this, including my probably-futile effort to have a 'clean feeding.' No doubt other parents will call me a dreamer.


23 May 2006
The news on Joseph is all good. He stands up all the time and we have become well acquainted with several kinds of gates to find the one that works in our house. It is not a perfect solution for his newfound tendency to get into EVERYTHING, but it will do.
We've taken him swimming and he really seems to like the water.


29 April 2006
Joseph got sick with some kind of stomach bug. It was no fun, but after a few days he seems back to normal and we enjoyed a really fun visit by Ross & Lillie Biesinger and their daughter Sophia. Lillie is Lacy's sister. Sophia is adorable and she and Joseph had fun getting to know each other. I have attached some pictures on this page for you to see.


20 April 2006
Joseph is crawling like a champ, loves to clap his hands together, and can pull himself onto his feet by using furniture. It is fun to see him grow and develop.
We visited the cardiologist a week ago and they are very pleased with his progress. He continues to have a murmur, probably due to the way they repositioned his arteries during surgery, but the volume of bloodflow is very good. I hadn't been to a cardiologist visit since right after we returned from the hospital, so it was a little bit surprising how it felt to be in a doctor's office talking about his condition. He is doing well.


29 March 2006
Joseph has now executed some successful crawls and weighs almost 20 lbs. One of his favorite things is (when he is in a good mood) to have someone say 'Da da da.' He will then repeat it, sometimes doing this funny thing where he holds his breath and turns red. Its really funny. I would like to be able to day that his 'Da da da' refers to me, his da-da-dy, but I think it is just a fun syllable for him.
We did the March of Dimes WalkAmerica last weekend and Joseph was great for the entire 8.6 miles. It took one mid-Walk feeding and 2 diaper changes, but we made it through. It was fun to see a lot of other families and babies. We were glad to participate.


5 March 2006
Joseph is doing great. He is on the verge on crawling, just got his first two teeth, is eating solid foods (pureed at least), graduated to a bigger car seat, and gets to be more and more fun. His heart is strong and the cardiologists have been very pleased with the outcome of his corrective surgery. He has a slight murmur, but it may not cause any significant trouble down the road.
I am going to put together some clips of the baby to post on the web. It will be fun to show him off to some of you that are far away. More on that to come.


4 December 2005
It has been a few weeks since I've written anything about Joseph. He is now 16 & 1/2 pounds and more than 26 inches long, placing him in the 90-something percentile for height and the 75th for weight. He is more interactive with his surroundings and can stand up quite well, though not balance- one thing at a time folks.
We saw some of the new babies in our Church congregation yesterday, and it is amazing to think that he was ever that small. Lacy and I are so glad to have him. We set up our Christmas tree and decorations last night and it is fun to know that we will share this Christmas with our little Joseph. He continues to smile all the time and was a great little traveler during our Thanksgiving trip to San Diego. He is generally sleeping better at night, despite being a bit restless these last few nights after having his second set of immunizations.


17 November 2005
Joey is over fifteen pounds and getting very strong.


7 November 2005
Joseph continues to develop. He makes all kinds of fun noises now really likes to play. I know that these kinds of things must sound mundane, but every day has new surprises and fun new developments. He is getting stronger in his legs as well (I work them out on occasion- he'll be walking in a week, I know it).
He still doesn't sleep for very long periods at night. We're not sure when this will change, and have tried a few different things to remedy it. I've put some new pics in. I hope you like them. Most of these were taken over the past week or so. He is now almost 3 1/2 months old now.


31 October 2005
Sorry to all of you other parents, but my kid is just about the cutest around. Check out the new pics.


18 October 2005
Joseph III is now over 14 pounds. We can really see his growth. I think I mention this everytime, but he smiles most of the time that he is awake. It tends to slow me down in the morning, because I can't really ignore him when he is looking at me. It is great to see how he develops.


7 Oct 2005
Joey gets cuter and cuter. We are still working on the sleep thing, but its not such a bad thing when you pick him up out of the crib and he is smiling at you before too long. He loves music and likes to play. I don't think we could ask for a better kid.
I added some pictures below of J-III with his little friend Hunter White. They're not really aware of each other yet, but putting them on the ground together was fun.


30 Sept 2005
Joey has decided that he would rather wake up every 2 or 3 hours to eat at night, rather than sleeping for 4 or 5. He seems to have picked up his parent's taste for food. I think it may be an issue with how we wrap him at night. He is a wiggler, so sometimes his blanket comes undone and he wakes up. Funny kid. He really is an easy baby otherwise, and we are in more of a parental rhythm now than ever.


23 Sept 2005
Time rolls on as Joseph is over 12 pounds now. He smiles even more and has started making some really cute noises. He had his shots this week and took it like a pro.


15 Sept 2005
Joseph is over 11 pounds now and doing great. His second follow-up with the cardiologist here in Gainesville was even better than the first and everything is looking well. Joseph is smiling a lot now, and is a lot of fun for us to interact with.


7 Sept 2005
Yesterday Lacy went to a New Mother's Lunch at the hospital where J-III was born. While she was there, she weighed him and he is a whopping 10 1/2 pounds. That's my boy!


29 August 2005
I got Joseph to stop crying and smile at my today. It was a major breakthrough in the "When will he be more interactive?" watch. Lacy and I are sure that he is very advanced (what parent doesn't?). He had his first trip to Church yesterday as well, and performed like a pro. He enjoys taking walks in the stroller as well, which makes it nice for Lacy and I.


24 August 2005
Joseph continues to grow, now over 9lbs 4 ounces, having gained almost a pound in a week. You wouldn't even know that he had open-heart surgery except for the scar. We continue to be delighted by everything that he does. He seems to be focusing more on objects that he sees, and we are hoping to see more smiles out of him- this is supposed to be the timeframe where that happens.


17 August 2005
Joseph had his three week birthday and is doing fantastic. Since being discharged from the hospital he has almost regained his birthweight. We went to the pediatrician and cardiologist on Monday. Both were very pleased with Joseph's progress. Not a bad thing when the only good news is good news.

My Kids (April-October 2007)

October 30, 2007
The kids keep on growing. It's really hard to break down months into a paragraph or two. Lacy has been blogging and provides some really funny stories. Joseph amuses us all the time with his endless energy and the stuff that he says. When he is finished eating he says "I feel much better." When we as him if he wants a particular food he sometimes says "No thank you." When he falls down playing soccer he gets up and says "I'm 'kay, I'm kay." He also says "Run Daddy! Run!" Sometimes I get home from work and asks, "Come play soccer with me Daddy!" It is a lot of fun.
Millie had her six month appointment today. She is over 27 inches, over 17 lbs and as sweet a little baby as I've ever seen. She laughs a lot, smiles even more and is sleeping every well most nights. It's dramatically easier in that department than it was with Joseph.
August 18, 2007
I can't believe this much time has passed since I've written here. A lot has happened. Joseph moved to a big bed and due to some special provisions is now sleeping very well at night. For about a week Millie has slept through the night. This is unreal for us, because Joseph took more than a year to sleep through the night, and it took a lot of work to get him there.
Millie is absolutely delightful. She smiles all the time, is getting so strong. She also laughs, likes to be on her stomach and has started sucking her thumb. At least for the time being it is adorable.
Joseph is growing up, in every way. Check out Lacy's blog for some great pictures- http://lacylowry.blogspot.com.

July 9, 2007
We have been in Marco Island enjoying the beach since the 1st. It has been a lot of fun to have Joseph at the beach with his cousins Nicole, Michelle, & Tison. We do the beach in shifts, as Millie is too small for our lovely summer weather. We built (and Joseph has destroyed) many sand castles. This morning Lacy is out with Joseph. He has settled into a nice little routine. Out around nine or ten, back for lunch, nap and then back out between 3 and 4. He loves to "fwim in da water." For him that means sitting on the steps, blowing bubbles, and screaming whenever I take him for a lap around the shallows. He is getting progressively more comfortable with the water, and with 21 days to go I think he may quit screaming before we leave.
Millie is as sweet as can be. She has an extremely mild temperament and smiles all the time. She is sleeping very well at night, last night from 10 to 5. Since we arrived at the beach Joseph has been sleeping on a full-size air mattress in our room. It has been an interesting challenge for him to transition from a crib. He has done fairly well, but it does make me miss the confines of the crib. 5:30 am has been my wake-up for the last few days.

June 23, 2007
Millie continues to grow. I'd forgotten how rapid the changes are when they are this small. She coos (sp?) all the time, and really likes to be spoken to. She shows a lot of interest in Joseph and he continues to be very sweet with her.
He learns new words every day. Did I already say he could count to ten? He can, and is quite enthusiastic about it. Then again, he's enthusiastic about everything.

June 11, 2007
We've had a very busy and very fun couple of weeks. Matt and Amber Nielsen were with us for the last week and we had a lot of fun. They have a five month old boy and it was great to have them around. I've put some pictures from the week in the photos section as well as up above. The big baby in the photo with Millie is Matt & Amber's son Carter. He was born to be a linebacker. The little girl in the picture with Joseph is Sahara Eichelberger. Her dad and I met freshman year at BYU, and they are here in Gainesville so he can attend law school.
Millie smiles all the time. She is really active, which is fun to see, but also reminds us of her brother, who doesn't know how to take a break. He is fun, but crazy. But I think crazy is a good thing for 22 month olds to be. He is doing this funny thing these days where he puts his index finger up to his mouth and says "Hmmm...I know!" and then he tells me what he knows. It is really cute. He's learning so much, so fast. He likes to sing along with the lullabyes, which is also fun.
Something funny- the other day I was changing Joseph's diaper outside of Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Que. He proceeded to pee in his own face! I felt bad for him, and quickly covered the source of urine, but couldn't help but laugh.

May 25, 2007
Millie is now 4 weeks old! The time is flying by. She has started smiling a little bit, and I definitely think it is more than gas. This past week we had some great pictures taken by our friend and photographer Lisa Emmerich. She also had her second child in April. Her oldest, Sasha, is just a day younger than Joseph. Millie is sleeping better, and her strength also seems to be increasing as she is also squirmier. She is at least 10lbs 8oz. That was her measurement last Friday at her 3 week appointment. I'm a little surprised at how much I enjoy having a little girl.
Joseph loves music. And jumping. I think his favorite toy would be a trampoline that makes music as he jumps. He is a very good brother and although he misses having Lacy's full attention, I think he is adjusting well (for now). He got to play with his cousins Nicole, Michelle, and Tison yesterday, and that makes him as happy as anything else. He is also enjoying his increasing footspeed, as running away after the bath is a new fun trick.

May 6, 2007
This has been a very nice time for our family. I have spent most of it at home, and we were glad to have the company of Lacy's mother. I'll start with Millie.
She is a great little girl, who eats and sleeps well and just seems to be the sweetest thing I've ever seen. To our eyes she looks like a little girl and gets prettier every day. She is very strong, and every time she is awake and uprights she lifts her head up. She also seems to try and focus hard on faces. She responds well to our voices and is fun to watch.
Joseph has adjusted well to Millie's joining our family. He kisses her goodnight and gets excited sometimes when she appears from a nap. His vocabulary is really growing. Its hard to remember the time when he couldn't tell us when he was hungry or thirsty, or when he wants to get down from his high chair. He has some new habits. At bedtime he sometimes like to take one of his favorite books to bed. A few times when I have put him in his crib he looks up at me and says "Bye."
He still loves The Wiggles and Backyardigans. His absolute favorite activity is jumping up and down. He has gotten quite good at it, and especially enjoys playing at the gymnasium near our house, where they have free play on Friday mornings. He is as much fun as a dad could hope for. Life is good for the Lowry's.

April 26, 2007
Today is an eventful day for our family. At about 2 am, Lacy woke up with contractions and what she believed to be her water breaking. The pattern was similar to what transpired the day of Joseph's birth. We got to the hospital, but not without some excitement (which you will have to ask me about) and learned that she was not as far along in the process as we expected. This caused some frustration and anxiety, but Lacy possesses impressive fortitude and before too long, but not before intense contractions, Lacy began to push. Just thirty minutes later she gave birth to Camilla Jane Lowry. Millie weighed 9 lbs 14 oz, and many of the hospital staff were rightfully impressed by Lacy's all-natural delivery.
To me the birth of a child is beyond miraculous. From a detached perspective, it fascinates me how a complete, functioning human is formed over a period of months within the womb of a woman. From a personal perspective, it is one of the most moving emotional and spiritual experiences that you can have. I don't even have to elaborate on the way that my experience in the birth of my children has differed from Lacy's, but I know that the tremendous relief I felt was amazing to me. I cannot express in words what it is like. I see divinity in it, and I am thankful to my Father in Heaven for the well-being of my wife and daughter.
When Joseph was born in 2005 and diagnosed with a severe heart defect (you can read about it here) it was a complete shock. Lacy had experienced a worry-free pregnancy and we were stunned that anything could have gone wrong. We were fortunate in that instance that his outcome was so positive (something I must also ascribe to a divine blessing). I didn't realize how that had affected me until today. When Millie was being examined I kept waiting for bad news. Its almost the opposite this time around. There isn't anything wrong with this little girl and we couldn't be happier.
My mother offered to watch Joseph during this time and it is a tremendous help. I really miss him, but it is great for Lacy to actually be able to relax and spend time getting to know Camilla. We love our little girl.

Awesome Video Saturday LXIII

Today I have a video of Joseph with his monster truck costume. I made it for him and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

I also thought this trailer for the next Harry Potter film was pretty cool:

And finally, because yesterday was Halloween, check out this creepy old ad for dolls.

¡Tres años!

Brand New
6 months or so.
Almost a year
Two years
Two weeks ago.

This little guy makes my day, every day. Happy Birthday Joseph!

Family

I put some pics of family time at the beach over at Lacy's blog.

Awesome Video Saturday XXV: My Awesome Kids

This is a great video of Joseph taken last night. He decided to take over Millie's feeding.



This video is a few months old, but I'd never posted it. Millie doesn't know whether to laugh or cry.



More new videos can be found here, on my YouTube page.

Arrrrgh! It were Halloween!

Joseph loves coming to the office. Not for me, mind you, but for Bea and her cow full of jellybeans. You pull on the vaca's tail and out pop the jellybeans. As soon as he walks in the door he goes straight there.
He came by yesterday, dressed as a pirate for halloween. These are from my Q.


The hat doesn't stay on too long.


A mouth full of jellybean.

La Familia

Lacy went with Joseph to a pumpkin patch the other day. I had to put these pictures up. The kid is growing so fast!

Joseph the Chef

He likes to help us cook.

SPOTD Kids

I love this picture of Millie & me. Lacy has done a nice job of posting pictures of the kids on her blog. Since we got a new computer at home I don't even deal with pictures very much, hence the long lag time since the last update of the SPOTD kids page. Here is a cute one of Joseph getting his hair cut last week. Check out her blog for more.