If You Can't Beat 'Em, Basham

Walk the Line

2011-05-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, NanaB and Granddaddy joined us for Simon's graduation ceremony. While Simon and several others have one more year before starting kindergarten, his whole class got to participate by singing songs (one in Spanish!), as well as accepting a special flower and certificate for successfully completing the school year.

Below, Simon and his classmates recite the pledge to the earth.

Naomi especially enjoyed the songs. And no, we did not plan for the sparkly gloves to be part of her outfit.

Simon, accepting his flower from Miss Michele.

Happy graduation!

Simon, with his classmate and friend, William.

It was a big day, topped off with lunch and a visit to Stakz. Happy graduation to you, Simon!

The Continent Song (Reprise)

2011-05-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

When Simon first started preschool, some may recall that he learned "The Continent Song." This is an annual lesson at his school. Apparently, he now knows the song in English ... and Spanish.

Note: Naomi is singing backup. :)

Naomi -- 2 Year Stats

2011-05-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

As we shared before, Naomi turned 2 years old last Sunday (May 15). She went to see Dr. Fraser for her checkup.

Stats:
Weight -- 30 lbs 5 oz
Height -- 36 1/4 inches
Head -- off-the-charts big :)

Our household will now say goodbye to whole milk -- we are now officially a 2% family!

Coming soon: Simon's graduation ceremony!

Hey Naomi, It's Your Birthday!

2011-05-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone? Our baby girl turned 2 this past Sunday! On Saturday, we started the morning off with homemade chocolate chip banana muffins and a special song by Captain Zoom. Later in the day, our families came to help us celebrate with food, homemade cake, Chaney's ice cream, and gifts!

Naomi, with her eyes on the prize. And yes, Simon suggested her birthday cake design. :)

Simon, "helping" Naomi open her gifts.

Armed with baby dolls, her own rocking chair, and a Dora backpack, she is ready to go.

NanaB wanted to capture a moment with all four of her grandchildren. From L to R, cousin Henry, Naomi, NanaB, cousin Ada, Simon.

The Bashams attempted a group shot. Front row: Uncle Dooney, cousin Celia, Aunt Nikki, Cort, Laurie, Naomi, YaYa. Back row: Papaw Basham, Mamaw Basham, Mamaw Preston, Simon, Papa.

We are so thankful that our families could join us in the celebration. Happy birthday, Naomi!

Goodbye Bluegrass

2011-05-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

Tonight, after visiting the AT&T store with both kids in tow, we emerged a changed family. We are now both smart phone carriers and text-friendly.

Upon our arrival at home, an exhausted Simon shows Naomi his skills in blowing bubbles.

Our peonies!

Little Dipper

2011-05-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, Simon is taking swimming lessons. He is currently on week 5 of 6, and he has made great strides. The boy who had a meltdown when water got on his face in the bathtub now makes big jumps into the pool, and goes all the way to the bottom before coming back up!

Here are some pics from one of his first lessons.

Simon, all goggled up and ready to go.

Simon, with his swimming group. His teacher, Ms. Caroline, helps him adjust his goggles.

And here he goes!

Blowing bubbles in the water.

Simon with his group, each waiting for their turn.

Again, he has come a long way. Jumping in, going under, floating on his back, using a kick board ... now we just need a pool at home so he can keep practicing all summer. On second thought, are there any friends out there with a pool who need us to come for a visit? :)

A Day at the Market

2011-05-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning, we went to the local farmer's market! We started off our visit with a hot breakfast on site. Simon and Laurie had homemade gravy and biscuits while Cort and Naomi had whole grain pancakes. As a bonus, Laurie and Simon enjoyed some chocolate milk from some local farmers!

After breakfast, Simon decided to get his face painted by a local artist. He chose a blue butterfly.

Naomi wanted to participate -- we were shocked to see how still she was during the application of her body art. And yes, that's a yellow ladybug.

Next, we got to pet some baby animals. We fed a baby cow ...

...a baby horse ...

(Naomi's "excited face" she learned from Granddaddy)

...and some baby pigs!

We had a fun morning, which was followed by a Sunday and Monday of sickness. After a Monday spent at several doctors' offices, we're hoping we're all on our way to recovery.

New Friend

2011-05-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our friends, Julie and Brice Boyer, on their newest addition! Their third child, Zachary Brice Boyer, was born on Monday, May 2. Simon was very excited to meet this little guy, and there was the added bonus of riding the elevator at the hospital. :)

Below are a couple of random shots of the kids, seeing as how it's been so long since we've posted. This is S's new "face" when we ask him to pose for a picture.

Naomi, on the way home from the babysitter one day. Her hair was WILD, seeing as how she had just woken up from a nap and we were being "windy" in our non-air-conditioned car.

Art Show(s)

2011-05-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

Simon's end-of-year art show fundraiser benefiting Plumtree Montessori was a success. Here is one of his paintings. He called it "Sunset."

Simon and Naomi have MUCH in common, but this is one serious contrast: Naomi happily writes/marks/paints all over her clothes, hands, and skin. Here, she colors her nails with a (washable!) marker. Interesting, since her mom is definitely NOT a nail-painter!

Finally, dad and mom shunned the water colors and markers for a tastier medium: homemade biscuit dough fashioned into "bunny biscuits" on Easter weekend. A tiny hand (this time with UNCOLORED nails!) approves.

Playing Catch Up...Again

2011-02-19T20:49:00.001-08:00

Many weeks have past, but we did want to document the crazy rash of parties and presents we enjoy with multiple Christmas and Simon birthday celebrations. Today: Vance Christmas pics.

Uncle David, Aunt Kelly, and Grandaddy focus before the gift opening commences.

Daddy, Naomi, Nana during peak present time. Crazy-nice hair bows from Aunt Kelly. They work nicely as beard-bows as well.

Some serious WiiFense by Grandaddy and Nana B during game time.

Simon and Naomi using some of their new toys to play "doctor" with mommy. Nothing says "health" like sharing a toy thermometer with many other people during flu season.

Christmas Adventure 2: Bowling Green

2011-01-01T06:53:00.000-08:00

We braved a treacherous I-65 on Christmas Eve and made it back to BG before Santa got there (whew!). It took 2+hours at 25mph in single file traffic on snow-covered roads during a storm to get there, but we made it.

And, it was worth it! Wide eyes and amazement were plentiful on Christmas morning.

I think Buzz/Woody are like The Beatles/Elvis. You can like both, but strongly prefer one over the other. Each kid's preference pictured.

Buzz Lightyear: Space Ranger.

Sheriff Woody.

Snow angel.

Christmas Adventure 1: Breck County

2010-12-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

Even-numbered years send us to Breck County on Dec 23 and 24. Both our families have big Christmas Eve bashes, so we have to alternate each year. We had a great time in Breck County, but missed the fun at Grandma's on the Vance side this year.

Nothing says Christmas like a young boy's introduction to Wii Bowling courtesy of Uncle Dooney and Aunt Nikki.

Naomi rocks the new pink Chucks and items from her Dora Dress-up Box with some help from YaYa.

Simon takes a spin on his new bike with help from training wheels, mom, and Uncle Dooney.

Present-opening madness at Mamaw Preston's with the extended fam.

Shiny paper.

Lots of snow and a Toy Story haul coming...

Trees, Trains, Toys

2010-12-27T18:34:00.001-08:00

The holidays are chocked full of fun festivities. Here is a rundown of the pre-Christmas 2010 highlights.

Decorating the tree is a family affair every year. It was nice to have FOUR sets of hands this year.

Naomi was especially into it, given that she was too small to hang ornaments last year.

In mid-December, there was a reading of The Polar Express on the old train cars at the historic train depot in Bowling Green. Simon got to play with a train set, complete with steam and a whistle, while waiting to board the train.

Dad and Simon inside the train on the club car listening to The Polar Express.

Finally, the most important Christmas prep: telling Santa what you want for Christmas. Simon's answer: "I don't know." Naomi not pictured...she was busy digging her nails into daddy's neck and shrieking "NO NO NO" (I guess we forgot to tell her if was "HO HO HO") when we approached Santa.

More Christmas fun to come!

18-Month Checkup

2010-11-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Naomi went for her 18-month check-up. She is great and healthy! Her stats are below.

Height: 33 inches
Weight: 27 lbs
Head circumference: Off-the-charts BIG :)

We are excited that she had a good check-up, and has been given the all-clear for eating any and all foods. I'm sure she and Simon will bond soon enough over a peanut butter and honey sandwich. :)

Pre-Thanksgiving

2010-11-19T21:03:00.000-08:00

The Thanksgiving holiday got off to an early start as our church had its annual dinner on Wednesday.

Naomi enjoys a range of T-giving staples with a grown-up fork. She used the correct end...most of the time.

Simon eats his dinner with a whole mess o' Jarboes (Left to right: Marvin, Brown, Kaye, and Paula).

One down, at least four to go!

Craft Time

2010-11-13T18:30:00.001-08:00

I was able to enjoy some craft time with Simon and Naomi this week. While Naomi itches to get her hands on open markers, she is usually content to color with crayons.

Simon was telling me a big story as he drew his picture ...

Naomi, showing her artistic ability.

The artists.

Name Quiz

2010-11-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

Naomi has taken off with her vocabulary, repeating most any words you ask her to say. We have been going through family members' names recently. In this video, you can hear her say Mommy, Daddy, and her word for Simon -- "Sat-sy."

The Number Train

2010-11-08T18:59:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows Simon knows that he loves numbers. He especially loves to play what we call "number cards." (These are index cards that we initially made for him when he was younger to learn his numbers from 1 to 10.) As he's gotten older, he began making the cards himself until he now has a very large collection.

On Sunday, while N was napping, he and I played number cards. All 253 of them.

Leaf Battle

2010-11-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

The Battle of the Leaves has begun. See here for a pic from last year's battle. Uncle David kindly pitched in to help on one of the first rounds. While Simon does like to help rake, he also enjoys having leaves raked on top of him while hanging out on the tarp.

Waiting patiently for the tarp to get full so that he can ride with the leaves to side of the road for the city leaf-pickup.

If you look closely, you can see his face peeking through. And don't worry -- we didn't leave him on the side of the road to be picked up by the city leaf-pickup crew.

Halloween 2010: Glasgow

2010-11-02T18:46:00.000-07:00

Since trick-or-treating in Bowling Green was on Sunday, we decided to join the Vances for trick-or-treating in Glasgow on Saturday. For several years, we've heard about the hordes of people that file through NanaB and Granddaddy's neighborhood, and we decided to experience it for ourselves.

Santa (cousin Henry), the Firefighter (cousin Ada), and the Cow (Simon) get ready to trick-or-treat with Granny-Great and later with Papa.

The Baby Goat (Naomi) was ready, too.

Owls (Cort & Laurie), Baby Goat (Naomi), and the Cow (Simon) -- lots of wildlife this year!

LOTS of trick-or-treaters!

Thanks to the creative genius of Aunt Kelly and Aunt Mandy, the whole Vance clan turned into owls for the evening. Happy H"owl"oween!

Halloween 2010: Show and Share/WKU Homecoming Parade

2010-11-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

Halloween festivities began for our household on Friday, October 29. Simon had Show and Share at school, and everyone got to show their costumes. This year Simon wanted to be a cow. So, a cow he was.

That night, we attended the WKU Homecoming Parade with friends Beth and Leah Keltner. Below, Simon, Naomi, Laurie, Leah, and Beth wait for the arrival of the first floats.

Simon and Naomi

Much to Simon's surprise, many people in the parade threw candy. The phrase we began to hear from him the most was an excited, "More candy!!"

Simon's parade loot!

Fall Festival 2010

2010-10-31T18:39:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, Simon's school had its fall festival. This year it was held at the farm of one of his schoolmate's grandparents in Oakland, KY.

Upon arrival, Simon and his friends played on and in the hay tunnel.

Family photo as we wait for the hay ride to begin.

Buckets of feed were set up down the middle of the wagon ...

... and Naomi watched ...

... as Simon and his friends fed the cows! Lots and lots of them.

It was a great day, and full of fun.

Coming soon: Halloween pictures!!

Fall Restart

2010-10-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

We will have to better with blogging. Here is a catch-up on some major fall adventures.

Bowling Green International Festival. Lots of dancing, food, colors, crafts, and local flavor.

Jackson's Orchard: The Cider Slider. A Simon fave!

This cute little punkin' found a cute little punkin'.

Cort ran the Chicago Marathon.

The whole family carved a pumpkin. Simon marvels at the guts below.

Run Chikin Run 10K

2010-09-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, we headed to Murfreesboro to visit the Vance/Moores. They were kind enough to host us so that Laurie and Jason could run the Run Chikin Run 10k on Saturday morning. Amanda graciously offered to keep all the kids that morning, and Cort rode out with us to be race support. The race began at 7 am -- it was warm and humid.

Laurie and Jason before the race.

We both finished -- Laurie with a time of 1.01.22 and Jason with a time of 1.05.59. The best part was all the snacks at the end -- delicious cookies from a local bakery, coffee from a local coffee shop, and (for meat-eaters like myself) chick-fil-a chicken minis!!!

Back at the Vance/Moore home, once cleaned up, Uncle Jason introduced Simon to a new game -- Pillow Mountain. Lots of pillows, slick sleeping bag, running, jumping ... how could it not be fun?

We then went to a place we'd heard a lot about -- the Discovery Center. What a great place! Simon enjoyed going down the twisty slide, climbing on a firetruck (seen below), and so many other things that I can't begin to list them.

Naomi enjoyed herself, too -- seen here crawling and picking up tiny rocks.

Labor Day Run

2010-09-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

On Labor Day Eve, we met the Vance/Moores in Glasgow at Nana B and Granddaddy's house for dinner and a sleepover for the grandkids. Below, Simon, Henry, and Ada get ready to sleep on their camp-out bed together. This actually went much better than one might think.

Once the kids were down, Jason, Amanda, Cort, and I loaded up and headed to Bowling Green to run the "Run for Sight 5K" on Monday morning. The morning was nice and cool, thank goodness.

After the race and a breakfast of homemade zucchini bread (thanks Jason and Amanda!), we headed back to Glasgow for the day.

In our absence, one of the fun things the kiddos did with Nana B and Granddaddy was to paint toenails and fingernails. Yes, the boys too. Girls got sparkly pink polish, and the boys got sparkly clear polish. The pic below shows Naomi's first pedicure.

Ballgames and Gospel Music

2010-09-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, we went to a Bowling Green Hot Rods baseball game with NanaB and Granddaddy. Everyone had a good time, especially when we got snacks -- Dippin' Dots, popcorn, ice cream cones. Who wouldn't have a good time?

Naomi with NanaB and Granddaddy

Simon, watching the game and waiting for his snack.

In other news, we tried a "girlie" moment with Naomi. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not very into hair bows ... but barrettes I can handle.

To begin our Labor Day weekend festivities, we attended the Preston Family Gospel Jubilee in Breck County. It was a beautiful day, and we heard some fun music -- including Cort! Sadly, I left my phone in the car, so no photos from the event itself. We did catch Simon on drums later that night.

More to come ... the "Run for Sight 5k" on Labor Day!

Heat Strike Over

2010-08-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

I proclaimed that I would not post until this summer long heat wave finally broke...and it has! So, hooray! Back to blogging! Oh, wait. I didn't say that? I just got lazy and let Laurie post pics on Facebook for 2 months while I contributed next to nothing? Well, that's less grand, but a lot more true. Let's just cut to the update and try to do better from now on.

All of the old carpet in our house is now ex-carpet. We have even-better-than-expected hardwood throughout. Here's the before/after of the play room.

Before:

After:

In other news, Naomi eats a lot. That's not really news, but what is news is that she walks to the cabinet and demands "Kah-koo." That's "cracker," and everything crunchy in a box is a cracker (pictured here, Goldfish). Chips, Triscuits, Cheerios...no matter. They are all Kah-koos. Kinda like how Southerners say "Cokes" as a catch-all for carbonated beverages.

The heat did indeed break, which means our second home (Kereiakes Park) will get a lot more family time.

SuperSimon

Double slidin':

Big weekend on tap with BG Hot Rod baseball, a birthday party, WKU football fan day, and an air nailer. I'll let you decide which one of those is the most dangerous.

Time for a Swim!

2010-06-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

Over Memorial Day weekend, we traveled to both sides of the family to celebrate the holiday as well as Cort's birthday. While we enjoyed time with family and yummy birthday desserts at both locations, we managed to sneak in a special treat on Monday -- our first swim of the season!

Below, Naomi models her swimsuit.

Simon was not to be outdone.

Simon had a lot of fun, although it was a bit sketchy in the beginning as he kept saying, "Don't let me fall in!!"

In other news, as I was rearranging things in the refrigerator tonight, I was amazed at how much milk we had in there. This picture does not even include the three cartons in the door.

Naomi Turns ONE!

2010-05-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

Naomi turned one year old on May 15. Our families joined us to help celebrate her big day.

We weren't sure what her reaction would be to her cake. Honestly, I didn't think she would do much with it. She surprised us all by digging in, and devouring almost an entire cupcake, icing and all. We were so proud.

Before all the birthday festivities, Simon's school had their graduation ceremony the same day. Here is Simon with a couple of his classmates on stage, being recognized for completing the 2009-2010 academic year.

After graduation...

After graduation, the family returned to our house to enjoy snacks and some made-from-scratch birthday cake.

The following Monday, Naomi had her one-year checkup. She weighed in at 22 lbs 12 oz and 30 inches long (both around 75th percentile). Her head, on the other hand, was in the 95th percentile. What can I say? This is something she and her brother already have in common.

-----------------------------------

In other news, today we received our first basket of goods from Hill and Hollow CSA in Edmonton, KY. Items included carrots, garlic scapes, beets, radishes, and strawberries. And I am eating strawberries as I log this entry. Yum.

Mommie Look!

2010-05-11T03:54:00.000-07:00

I can eat mashed up, grown-up peas! Well, sort of. They made Naomi gag a bit, but she got some down. Green beans went down better. And so did...

Sweet potatoes. She liked these. I think reading the Sunday paper sale ads helped.

In Mother's Day adventures, fun and love abounded with moms/YaYa/Nana B. But dads were not left out. PaPa set Simon up with a fun little battery-powered motorcycle...

while Granddaddy helped Simon with his first real tree-climbing expedition.

We are trying to post more pics of own food adventures, and Laurie hit a Cort-Laurie-Simon trifecta with these chocolate-chip scones. Everyone raved. Simon ate one on Saturday and Sunday mornings and asked for one yesterday. Alas, they did not survive the weekend.

The Great Outdoors

2010-05-01T03:14:00.000-07:00

Outdoor work and play has been the name of the game this week, as the weekend promises to be a total washout (happening now).

But, first things first: Naomi is crawling!

Now, onto the great outdoors. Simon and daddy mowing.

All plants and seeds are now planted in our backyard garden.

Given the forecast, we thought our picnic at the park had better happen last night. Simon+sandwich.

Both kiddos enjoyed the swings. Simon now requires sessions in the "baby" swings, the "big boy" swings, and the tire swing. This was laugh-out-loud fun for Naomi.

Family photo at the end of a fun evening.

Interdisciplinary

2010-04-26T04:18:00.000-07:00

Daddy teaches IDS (Interdisciplinary Studies) courses. The goal is to get students to see connections between different fields of study and aim at using various fields to get a clearer sense of an idea or problem. Simon seems to be heading that direction, given that most of his art portfolio consisted of pages and pages of numbers. In his defense, he had colored on a lot of them.

Simon shows mommy his mARTh.

Hey! An art sighting! Painted pottery with a flower inside.

Naomi shows off two of her top skills: standing and the "Big Eye."

The live auction of some of the artwork on display.

Food digression: Thai veggies w/rice. I used 1/2 the cayenne and it was still pretty hot! But, also tasty.

Bashams Strike Back

2010-04-17T04:04:00.000-07:00

Computer death is a sad event. It is also crippling to a family blog. We have been working from a little, borrowed Netbook from work and we will purchase a new computer soon. That said, I think I have figured out how to make this tiny little computer do this.

The big news is that Naomi is now walking with the help of a little walker.

In other news, cooking has been been at the forefront. Cort can make decent Indian food. Chana masala, mutter mushroom (peas and mushrooms), and homemade naan turned out pretty well, especially the naan.

And, oatmeal pancakes with peanut butter, banana, spices, and almond milk has become a breakfast staple lately, too.

Here's to the return of the Basham blog!

Easter Preview

2010-03-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

Why enjoy hunting Easter eggs only on Easter Day?

Naomi got in on the action ... sort of.

Simon letting Naomi in on the secret that sometimes there are M&Ms inside.

We All Scream for Ice Cream

2010-03-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

While Simon is completely potty-trained during the day, we are continuing to work on the night-time hours. His goal is to stay dry for seven nights in a row, and then he gets a treat. On Sunday morning, he met his goal again (this makes his longest stretch yet -- 14 days in a row and counting!) -- and earned a trip to the "Special Ice Cream Store," or Baskin Robbins.

So, between power outages last night, we made a run to get his reward. Here he is with his Oreo ice cream cone.

N had a great time, even without the ice cream!

Here's hoping for another 7-day stretch!

New Trick

2010-03-11T08:48:00.000-08:00

When I got home from work yesterday, Simon showed me his new "trick." And yes, his feet finally reach the pedals!

He took me to see the buttercups that are growing in our yard! What a pleasant surprise!

These just make me smile.

In other news, I had gotten a whim to crochet a scrap afghan. Here is the finished project!

Fun Day at the Park!

2010-03-10T07:35:00.000-08:00

On the way home from his weekend with NanaB, Granddaddy, Henry, and Ada, we made the decision to take advantage of the great weather and head to the park!

So we loaded up the double stroller, and joined the rest of Bowling Green on the playground at Kereiakes Park. Naomi watched Simon demonstrate how to slide.

Simon's discovered a new way of sliding -- on his belly.

Look Nao!

Naomi's turn!

Sibling bonding ...

Spring -- Finally!

2010-03-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

Simon was away with his cousins visiting NanaB and Granddaddy for the weekend. And since our washing machine is broken (a new one is on order), Uncle David and Aunt Kelly were gracious enough to let Naomi and I come over and do some laundry at their house. On Saturday, while the clothes were washing, Uncle David was working on his spring garden!

Naomi was a good helper, and shook the seed packets for him.

Leafy greens and radishes will be on the menu in a few short weeks. Exciting!

Naomi at 9 Months

2010-03-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

Naomi went for her 9-month checkup a little over a week ago. Her stats:

Weight: 20 lb 12 oz (75th%)
Height: 29 inches (95%)

She has been given the go-ahead on puffs, cheerios, and small bits of table food. This will be a work in progress, seeing as how she tends to get choked every time she tries anything that's not baby food. :) She'll learn.

Here she is chewing on a cracker. She managed to get a tiny bit down before choking. :)

Catch Up to Groundhog Day

2010-02-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

Pardon our hiatus from blogging ... our computer has been down with a virus. The doctors (David and Kelly) have it up and running once again. Thanks guys!

Many things have been happening at our house during the break, but I will just try to make note of a few highlights.

1. Simon is completely potty trained during the day. As he works on his night-time training, we have adopted the same method -- no diapers or pull-ups -- just big-boy underwear. Too much info? Maybe. However, after almost making his goal several times, last week he stayed dry for 7 nights in a row. As a reward? A trip to the "Target Store" to get a toy. He's now on Day 5 of another 7-day stretch. If he succeeds? "White Pasta," or fettuccine alfredo, from Fazolis for a dinner treat.

2. Naomi is working on another tooth -- this will be number 3. It's a big one on the top, and it makes her quite cranky sometimes. She is pulling up by her own strength while holding onto our hands, hangs out on her belly a lot, squirms till she reaches an object out of reach, and will stay in the crawling position by herself. Cort has been helping her stand by herself -- which she will do for a few seconds. She jabbers a lot, which consists mostly of "da-da-da." I try to get her to say "ma-ma," but she looks at me with the sweetest smile, and says, "Da-da!" Oh well. We'll get there.

On to the present...

Due to a previous snow-out, on Saturday we gathered with the Vance family to celebrate Groundhog Day. We donned our Groundhog Day shirts from years past, watched the Groundhog Day movie, ate yummy groundhog snacks, and played fun groundhog games.

Henry, Simon, Ada, and Jason enjoy a rousing game of whack-a-groundhog.

Fabulous groundhog cupcakes, courtesy of Kelly and David.

Yummy dirt cake, by NanaB.

Amanda, enjoying the yummy, very chewy tootsie roll groundhog from the top of the cupcakes.

Aunt Kelly, cheering Simon on as he attempts to lob the beanie groundhog into a basket.

2010 -- the year of the Paper Mache Groundhog Challenge. The entries are pictured below (from left to right): David/Kelly, the Bashams, NanaB & Granddaddy, the Vance/Moores. The winner? The neighbor who judged declared it to be a tie.

Belated Birthday Bash

2010-01-13T09:31:00.000-08:00

Simon's birthday is so close to Christmas, we have to wait a week to let family (and ourselves) recover before another round of snacks and cake. This was a small party, but big fun.

Simon blows out his 3 candles.

This is how you eat a cupcake Simon style. Mr. T would be proud...or pity the cupcake. One or the other.

One of several rounds of "Happy Birthday."

Not a quite a birthday snow, but not far removed. Here is our driveway/neighborhood after our round of real winter last week.

Tardy Santa

2010-01-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

Better late than never, so here are some pics from our Christmas travels.

Simon and Nana B start the festivities with some divinity-making.

Naomi stands with daddy in her Christmas dress at the Vance Christmas.

Big fun opening presents at Nana/Grandaddy's.

Simon leaves Santa a snack (on behalf of Naomi, too).

Santa responded by leaving toys including a play kitchen.

Naomi and PaPa open stockings at the Basham Christmas.

More fun at Mamaw and Papaw Basham's.

More to come soon from Simon's birthday!

Milk, Cookies, Santa...Ellipse?

2009-12-22T16:11:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our pre-Christmas post! Lots of big fun in the days leading up to the big holiday.

Proof of our 2009 Christmas Miracle: 126 homemade monster cookies made from scratch in ONE hour. No kidding...the double ovens made this possible. Only 46 cookies are pictured here.

Simon also had an early birthday party at school since his big day occurs over the break. Here, Ms. Michelle guides Simon on their celebration routine. On their b-day, they put a candle in the center of an ellipse and let the child carry a globe around the "sun" once for each year they have been alive. Meanwhile, the parents can read milestones from each of those years. This is all pretty much a formality that gives way to more important things: the snack.

Simon shares his b-day snack with two friends he talks a lot about: Tah'Janey and Nolan.

We cap off our pre-Christmas post with a tear-free visit to Santa! Simon even remembered what he wants...something he has been telling us for a month: a motorcyle (or bicycle...depends on the day). Naomi LOVES beards and is mesmerized by Papa Noel's most impressive one. Saint Nick was spared any brutal beard-pulling, though. She saves that for daddy.

It's the Most Wonderful Time...

2009-12-15T19:57:00.000-08:00

... of the year. And it is the season for:

Making treats. Here, Simon uses spices heretofore untouched in our 9-year-old spice rack to whip up some "strawberry berry." Ingredients: LOTS of celery salt (i.e., "sand"), coriander, marjoram, and mustard seeds. He tasted it and insisted it was good and tasted like strawberries...despite a face that looked like he's just kissed a pig.

There is no neat way to make "strawberry berry."

It's also the season for tree selecting. Simon picked a nice one from a local tree farm in BG. "Get that one, Daddy. You cut it down and you carry it to the car."

Also the season of holiday 5ks. The Family Vance/Moore/Basham ran the Christmas Lights 5k in Glasgow bedecked in proper yuletide apparel.

Also the season for appreciating the great things in life...small children in PJ's in the glow of the tree. Not much better than that.

A late decorating addition: popcorn string. Needles and almost 3-yr olds...not a great idea. But, he was actually very careful and only one minor stick.

Hanging Orville Redenbacher on your tree isn't nearly as cruel or messy as it might sound.

Turkey to Tinsel

2009-12-04T04:27:00.000-08:00

After FOUR Thanksgiving meals, the transition is complete from T-giving to the Christmas season.

Stop 1: Grandma's (Vances)

I know, this is cute. But it's slightly less cute when you realize that this is a ceramic dog. Then, it becomes slightly sad because these kids are clearly in desperate need of a puppy.

"Live! In! Mountain!" Don't question it! Don't ask what it means! Just shout it in unison and run at breakneck speed in a very tight circle!

Stop 2: Basham/Prestons

All of Mamaw Preston's great-grandchildren.

And their parents, the grand "kids."

Stop 3: The transition into Christmas. Bowling Green lit up the square last night. Fun and beauty and Christmassy weather.

Potty Like It's 2009

2009-11-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, we are currently enjoying a special time of parenthood: potty training. Encouraged both at home and at school, Simon did really well in the beginning -- at school only. Once he got home, it was a huge challenge. Now, after three weeks, he is doing remarkably well! He is even initiating trips to use the potty -- whether it be at home, a WKU men's basketball game, church, Target, or Lowes. He will soon be an expert on every restroom in town.

Below is his "Potty Chart" -- a sticker for each time he successfully uses the potty when he's not at school.

Once he received 15 stickers on his potty chart, we made a trip to the "cupcake store" -- otherwise known as Imagine Cakes and Candies located in downtown Bowling Green. We highly recommend it -- homemade cupcakes of different flavors and homemade candies (like buckeyes, all sorts of different truffles, you name it!).

Simon enjoying his well-deserved reward.

Take It or Leaf It

2009-11-08T15:55:00.000-08:00

Seeing as how we have moved to the "big city," we now have free leaf pickup service! On Saturday, armed with leaf blower and rakes, we decided to tackle the sea of leaves in our front yard.

Simon was waist-deep in some areas!

I promise there is some grass under there.

The results. And a special thanks to members of the Alvaton Church of Christ who happened to be helping some elderly and sick people living on our street. They commented that we didn't look old or sick, but we had our hands full. :)

Bananaween

2009-11-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

Simon gets the holiday started by fearlessly digging out pumpkin guts.

Costume roll call: Banana, Greg House, Monkey. It's candy time.

Cutest Monkey Ever wonders how she gets stuck with trying peas as her "treat."

Simon politely trick-or-treats, then makes a grab for all of Uncle David and Aunt Kelly's M&M's once he is in the door.

It's like a monkey fantasy: a banana 3x her size.

Pumpkins and Peas

2009-11-05T16:46:00.000-08:00

Last week we carved our jack-o-lantern. Simon had fun helping Daddy scoop out all of the goo.

Meanwhile, Naomi tried out a different toy!

Simon, with the finished product.

In other news, this week Naomi has been trying peas. Simon will gladly feed them to someone else, as he repeatedly tells us, "I don't like peas."

AND ... Simon is now in his big boy bed!

Up and Running

2009-11-04T19:00:00.000-08:00

Our lack of blogging lately is due to the fact that our Internet has been down at home. So, we will now play catch-up on our last couple of weeks.

While Cort was running the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC, the kids and I headed to Glasgow to spend the weekend with NanaB and Granddaddy.

Below, Simon concentrates on his task (notice the tongue sticking out).

On Saturday, we headed to Burkesville, Kentucky, to visit with some of our family that we don't see as often as we'd like. Below, Simon poses with Aunt Maedell.

Smiles with Aunt Marg.

While there, Naomi got her first taste of green beans! Although puzzled, she didn't hesitate to gobble them down.

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

On Saturday afternoon, we braved the brisk wind and made our way to Jackson's Orchard to pick out pumpkins. Below, Simon finds the perfect one.

He even picked out a couple of little pumpkins for himself and Naomi.

Our cart full of pumpkins and treats (apple cider slush, fried peach pie, and Simon's favorite: candy corn!)

Our quick family photo -- and yes, Naomi is there, hidden under blankets and hat.

Happy Fall, everyone!

the Miller Farm (Revisited)

2009-10-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

Last year, we paid a visit to the Miller Farm (thanks to friends Sue and Roger Miller). We recently received another invitation to come see their new baby pygmy goats!

Sue holds the two babies while Simon gets the courage to pet one. (And yes, it was COLD!)

Cort with his arms full.

Next, Sue walked us down to see the ducks. Armed with a bucket of corn, Simon was not scared in the least. He very energetically threw handful after handful at the ducks, saying, "Come here ducks! I've got more food!"

He even went in with the chickens to gather fresh eggs!

More pics to come from our trip to Jackson's Orchard!

Better Late Than Never

2009-10-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

So, we haven't updated in a while. We continue to be busy, busy. We'll be glad when October is over.

Simon, Daddy, Naomi -- outside, playing basketball and "big radio."

Simon's self-portrait.

Naomi's first experience with squash!

Weekend Excitement

2009-10-05T16:58:00.000-07:00

What a crazy-busy weekend! Our friends Derek and Susan got married, Naomi hung out with NanaB and Granddaddy, we celebrated Uncle Jason and Aunt Mandy's birthday, Naomi had her first taste of carrots, and Simon spent the weekend with YaYa and PaPa.

Oddly enough, we forgot our camera, so Aunt Mandy and Uncle Jason were kind enough to let us borrow some of the pics they took with their fancy new camera.

Naomi

Aunt Mandy and Naomi

Naomi's first bite of carrots ...

After the whole container was gone -- yes, those were good carrots.

Two Points!

2009-10-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

Lately, Simon has been telling us he wants to "go to the basketball games," meaning he wants to go to Diddle Arena and see the Toppers play. After assuring him that we'll be going in a few weeks, he decided to go out today with Daddy and Naomi to shoot a few hoops himself. NOTE: Check out this old photo to see how far he's progressed in his basketball skills.

And so it begins...participation in the sport that dominated his father's childhood and still today causes dad to spent far too much time pondering the merits of trapping the ball and calculating efficiency statistics. Good times, great game.

The Amazing Bumbo

2009-09-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

I have always been intrigued by the Bumbo Seat. I have seen them in stores, and I have heard of others who used them and loved them. Our friends, the Boyers, kindly let us borrow theirs. I put Naomi in, and after five seconds, I was amazed by this product.

Simon poses with baby sister.

More Cereal, Please

2009-09-23T05:40:00.000-07:00

Naomi's first bite of cereal ... what is this crazy goodness?

Big brother wanted to help.

Cereal face ... you gotta love it.

Naomi -- 4 Months

2009-09-19T04:31:00.000-07:00

Naomi went for her 4-month checkup yesterday. Shots awaited her, and she expressed her displeasure at the top of her lungs when she received them. She is around the 97th percentile on both weight and height -- she is a big girl!

Her stats:

Weight: 16 lbs 14 oz
Height: 26 1/2 in

Today we get to start her on cereal -- pics to come!

(photo by Jon Doss)

Master of the Universe

2009-09-16T19:03:00.000-07:00

Lyrics:

"Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars (x3)

Going around the Sun.

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (x3)

Going around the Sun.

Pluto is the dwarfish planet (x3)

Going around the Sun."

Jurassic Adventure

2009-09-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

After dealing with viruses and ear infections, Naomi and Simon ventured out for some adventuring on Saturday.

Simon and cousins Henry and Ada take time for a photo with one of the many large creatures found at Dinosaur World in Cave City, Kentucky.

The whole gang pauses for a moment with the woolly mammoths. (L to R: NanaB, Laurie, Naomi, Henry, Ada, Granddaddy, Simon, Aunt Kelly)

Ada, Henry, and Simon checking out the very large toenails of the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Henry and Simon digging for bones ...

A much-needed break at the end of our journey -- thank goodness for juice boxes, fruit snacks, puffed corn, and "square cereal" (and cokes for the grownups!).

The Continent Song

2009-09-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, Simon started preschool at a local Montessori School at the beginning of August. He has learned so much already in his short time there, ranging in topics such as the names of all the planets, to counting and learning his colors in Spanish, to learning about the seven continents.

He has learned a song specifically about the continents. A lot of you have heard this song ... many times. :) We thought we'd share it with those who haven't heard it.

Lyrics:
"Continents, continents, you have to know your continents.
Continents, continents, all around the world.
Asia, Africa, North and South America.
Europe, Australia, Antarctica too!"

Sharing

2009-08-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Simon is starting to warm up to the concept of sharing. He's always been a good helper and willing to try to do anything on his own. Letting others in on the fun? Not always his forte. But, today, Simon has his first "Show and Share" at Montessori. He took his interactive toy globe. Hopefully, he is sharing it as we speak (type).

As an example of helping, he played a major role in the making of some homemade sugar cookies this week (shortening-free...and just as good). He especially liked rolling them out and eating sugar straight from the bowl when he could sneak his hand into it. But, all of that paled in comparison to the final product.

First Bite (and with a fresh haircut)

Not sure this pic is clear enough for you to appreciate the number of crumbs on his face.

Sharing Breakthrough: "I share my blanket with Naomi." With kisses. Very sweet. This partially atones for the roundhouse heel kick he administered to Naomi's head a few days ago.

R and R at LBL

2009-08-21T04:06:00.000-07:00

Last weekend's trip to Land Bewteen the Lakes in western Kentucky yielded much fun with Cort's family. We were able to visit old friends, eat amongst some fine taxidermy, run through the woods, swim, catch fish, eat (and eat and eat...), and just hang out together. We used our photographic machine to document some prime events.

Dinner at the Catfish Kitchen in Benton. If you don't want it fried, call ahead. Really good food, though. White beans, hush puppies, slaw, seafood. That's all they serve...and they have mastered it.

Shoes/legs after running 12 miles on LBL's Canal Loop trail.

Simon really, REALLY enjoyed his first s'more (mostly just chocolate).

PaPa and Naomi always get along well.

Aunt Nikki and Simon play in the pool and try to determine if the floatie is a giraffe or a horse. We're still not sure.

Simon does a really great Captain Jack Sparrow impression on the playground.

Is Uncle Dooney helping or hurting? Hmmm....hard to tell.

A photo of one of the four seconds Naomi stayed awake in the Bjorn.

Too much love!

Family photo at the lake.

More coming including Simon's first fish!

The End of Maternity

2009-08-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

Laurie returned to work today with much fanfare from her boss and co-workers. This only overlapped Cort's summer class by three days, so starting Friday he will still have two-plus weeks to stay home with Naomi before his fall classes start. We have had a wonderful summer together, as all four of us have been home 24/7 for the better part of three months. It's been wonderful, even with all of the transitions that have occurred.

Everyone seems happy to be awake so early on Laurie's first day back.

Simon discovered a new and interesting way to eat pizza. You have probably heard of Chicago style pizza and New York style pizza. I think Simon was going for "LA Style" pizza with this look (notice the INVERTED huge sunglasses).

Simon wrote a lower-case "a" (and an "f", a "b", and a "d") all by himself for the first time last night. He was pretty stoked.

We get a short vacation to Land Between the Lakes with Cort's fam this weekend. Hopefully, there will be some pics of Simon's first fishing trip!

Big Changes

2009-08-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, we have MOVED! We are still in Bowling Green, but in a new location. Here is a pic of our new home. Come see us sometime!

Yesterday (Aug 4), Simon went for his first day of preschool. Here he posed with his lunchbox and new backpack.

Here he is, walking with Miss Jessica up to the school. We worried he might have an emotional breakdown, but he was such a big boy. Mommy was the only one who shed tears. :)

In other news, Naomi's "tag" finally fell off! Yes, folks, it took 11 weeks and 1 day for her "tag" to finally give it up. We celebrated by giving Naomi her first real bath.

Here's a random pic of Naomi -- just to add extra sweetness to this post.

Naomi's 2-Month Checkup and VBS 2

2009-07-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, Naomi went for her two-month checkup. The results: she's a BIG girl!

Weight: 13 lb 11 oz (97th percentile)
Height: 24 1/2 inches (97th percentile)
Head: 40 cm (50th percentile)

Last night was the second night of VBS -- Carnival Night! Below, Laurie and Naomi observe the fun.

Simon got to enjoy his 2nd VBS at our church ... he had a big time. Below, he shows his creative side to our friend Josh.

Here he shows our friend Brandon how great his aim can be.

After receiving an ice cream cone cupcake at the cake walk, he decided to taste-test his prize.

Then off to do a little horseback riding with Daddy, thanks to our friends Joe and Trina!

Simon posing with his balloon hat and ever-present ice cream cone cupcake .

Naomi had her own kind of fun.

PaPa and VBS 1

2009-07-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

OK, before we get to Vacation Bible School, I have to share this little story/pic. Naomi is becoming known for being a bit cranky in the a/noon and evenings. This is mainly due to the fact that she fights sleep all day long. Fortunately, she sleeps great at night. At any rate, she was an ANGEL for PaPa on his trip down to help us fix a window before the close of our house. She drank her bottle quietly and was all smiley and happy and talky with PaPa afterward. Actually, both of them were.

Onto VBS: Night 1!

Daddy and Simon try to stretch out a frozen t-shirt. This is not nearly as easy as it sounds.

Simon gives his canned smile. This will need work before our next family photo.

Classic VBS craft table.

Bread Makers

2009-07-21T05:39:00.000-07:00

Cortney and Simon have been wearing out the bread machine. Below, Simon is perfecting his technique on bread-making.

The finished product: paninis made with homemade garlic focaccia bread and homegrown cherry tomatoes, homegrown basil, artichokes, and mozzarella cheese.

In other news, Naomi has been practicing the "big eye." It makes a mother proud.

Class Reunion

2009-07-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

Last week, our friends Amber and Luke Harlow were passing through Glasgow on the way to their new home in Detroit. We, along with some of Laurie's other friends from high school (and their families), were invited to Amber's parents' for lunch, a swim, and time to catch up with one another.

Maddie and Grace Boyer posed with Simon before they got into the pool.

Simon showed Daddy his swimming skills ... and yes, those are pink water wings (borrowed from Maddie Boyer -- thanks Maddie!)

Naomi did not make it into the pool (seeing as how her cord has STILL not fallen off). So, here's a random shot of her as she's about to smile for the camera.

Naomi's First Picnic

2009-07-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Cooler temps on Wednesday morning prompted the family to visit Mammoth Cave National Park. After a quick walk to the Visitor's Center, Naomi declared to all in earshot that it was lunch time. So, off to the picnic area we went!

After our picnic, we paused for a quick photo.

After lunch, we attempted another walk, this time into the woods. As soon as the mosquitos and bugs came out, Laurie declared it was time to turn around.

July 4, 2009

2009-07-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July!

Six Weeks!

2009-06-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a recent picture of the little lady. She turned 6 weeks old this past Friday. Where does the time go?

Fun in the Sun

2009-06-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we went to a local pool with our friends the McClanahans. Simon was so excited to go with his friend Sydney, and her new little brother, "Baby JJ."

Below, Sydney and Simon hang out in the baby pool.

Simon even ventured out into the big pool with Daddy. He has come a long way from last year's pool experiences!

Seeing as how we are pool novices, we came ill-prepared for the fun. Sydney was kind enough to share her pool toys with Simon.

While the adults and the toddlers had fun in the water, Baby JJ and Baby Naomi had some fun of their own.

"I'm a Good Helper!"

2009-06-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

During the past week, Simon has been showing us what a good helper he is. Below, he helps Daddy make some yummy garlic focaccia bread using dough they made in Daddy's bread machine.

Naomi also got her first bottle this week. Simon "helped" Daddy feed her.

On one of the hot days this week, the "red car" got one of its rare washes.

After Simon got done washing the car, we pulled out the sprinkler for him to play in. Sorry, we didn't get any pictures of him playing in the "stinker."

Bjorn to be Wild

2009-06-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

We are a bit behind, so here are some updates from the last week or so. Cort's major summer travels are over, so we'll try to be more frequent with pics.

Naomi tries out the new Baby Bjorn for the first time.

Simon enjoys being in front of the double stroller (thanks Moore/Vances!)

Naomi...lookin' a lot like mama.

Tummy time success!

Basham Babies

2009-06-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Naomi turned three weeks old! I can't believe the time has gone by so quickly. Here's picture of the little lady from earlier today.

When Naomi is not snoozing in her basket, Simon takes the opportunity to do a little lounging of his own.

Those aren't the only babies around here -- check out the even newer additions to the family! Below is one of our baby tomatoes ...

... and don't forget the baby zucchini!

Lessons from Granddaddy

2009-06-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of weeks, Granddaddy has been coming to help out on some of the days Cort has had to work. During those days, he has taught Simon some important lessons ...

... like how to "play dirt." This includes shoveling dirt ...

... dumping dirt ...

... and getting covered up in dirt from head to toe.

Another important lesson that was learned was how to "paint" the house, Granddaddy's truck, the mailbox, the tree, the driveway. Of course, they painted with the best type of paint -- water.

Thanks, Granddaddy, for all of your help!

Two Weeks

2009-05-31T06:36:00.000-07:00

We apologize for the lack of pics on this post. Our camera is a little under the weather right now, but we hope to be back up and running soon.

Just wanted to give a quick update on the newest addition to the family. Naomi went for her two-week checkup on Friday. All four of us loaded up for the journey. I was a bit nervous about what her weight gain would be, but apparently she is doing quite well. She weighed in at 8 lb 11 oz!!! We couldn't believe it!!

Everything else went well. She was a little trooper, and hardly cried at all during the exam. Her brother, on the other hand, started crying when the doctor got out his ear-checking-instrument (not sure what those are called), b/c he thought he was going to check his ears. Once he realized he wasn't the target, all was well.

Happy Birthday, Cort!

2009-05-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

Although we started over the weekend, today we officially celebrate the birth of Cort. Today marks his 33rd year -- below are pics from the birthday excitement.

On Saturday, Cort's parents and grandparents came down to see Naomi and the birthday boy. Below, Cortney opens one of his gifts -- a toaster oven.

On Saturday, Laurie's family came to share the birthday love. Below Cort opens another gift ... a bread machine. (Yes, appliances are the trend this year.)

Aunt Mandy gets a snuggle in with Naomi during all the festivities.

Simon and cousin Ada were definitely more into the toys and books than in Cort's birthday appliances. When they get to be 33, maybe they'll ask for a bread machine, too.

Family Garden

2009-05-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

While Naomi was snoozing indoors in the nice air conditioning, Daddy and Simon tended to our family garden.

Simon liked digging and putting dirt in his bucket.

After breaking up the dirt, the guys gave the plants a nice drink.

We're hoping to have some nice red tomatoes in the future.

Firsts, Family

2009-05-24T04:57:00.000-07:00

Naomi is experiencing lots of firsts and lots of family in her initial days of life.

First Bath

First trip to the park: Simon shows Naomi how to ascend to terrifying "climbing pole." Don't worry--daddy is just outside the view of the camera. Simon LOVES this thing right now.

First "double car seat" ride.

All of these firsts were made possible in no small part by the grandparents. They stayed with Simon on the "hospital nights" which made his life as normal as it could be during the transition.

Nana and Grandaddy (not pictured...this means grandaddy has priority on the next post!) stayed us for a few days to help get everyone settled and did lots of comforting, cooking, diaper-changing, yard-mowing...they were a BIG help.

YaYa has spent lots of time (especially on HWY 259!) and energy helping us adjust, too. She brought Great-Mamaw Preston for a visit on Tuesday...

She drove down on Thursday to help while daddy worked...

And she and PaPa brought the Basham great-grandparents on Saturday.

And, thanks to all our family and friends for the food! Our fridge is empty, yet we never have to go to the store. Food just keeps showing up.

Weight Check Update

2009-05-22T04:59:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Naomi went for her first weight check. Miraculous news -- she'd gained! She cheered when she heard the news.

More pics of our first week to come ...

Naomi, Oh My!

2009-05-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

In a blistering labor time of just over two hours, Naomi Anne Basham entered the world on Friday at 10.20 am. It was a very intense sprint (by labor standards) after her water broke at 8 am. Laurie and Naomi (and all of us) are doing well, as we are at home now. Thanks to all who have helped and called.

We want to tell the whole story in person, so ask us when you see us. Here are a few initial pics.

Mom and Naomi just a couple of hours after her birth.

Naomi up close at just a few hours old.

Simon kisses (he LOVES her!)

Sleeping beauty.

Dirty, Dishes

2009-05-14T04:19:00.000-07:00

We are taking a break from all the baby-waiting to give you a look at what Simon is up to these days. He is becoming quite the little helper. In first video below, Simon helps daddy plant the garden and in the second he helps mommy with the dishes. All of those months of saying "I'll do it!," even though he couldn't, are turning into "I'll do it!"...and he can!

Gardening

Dishes

Let's hope he can also soothe crying babies. Although, I believe mom and dad will be saying "I'll do it" a lot in that area in the short term.

Baby Alert Level: RED

2009-05-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Office of Homeland Security (BGKY) has updated the Basham Baby Alert Level to RED!!!

Today's check showed that Naomi is a big girl (based on guesses that I am not convinced are that accurate, but...). The doctor suggested inducing labor if she has not arrived by Friday. Laurie is 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced and has had beginning pains on and off all week. There is a great chance that Naomi will come before Friday, and that is the prayer we request. We would like to avoid induction if possible.

But, this baby is going to be ready for Kindergarten if she decides to hold on for another week or two. So, it is Friday morning (at 5.30 am) at the latest, but hopefully before.

Baby Alert Level: ORANGE

2009-05-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

Homeland Security (Bowling Green Office) has updated the Baby Alert Level to ORANGE. Today's reading showed 75% effacement and 2 cm dilation. It really could be any time, so keep your email/cell/facebook/twitter/whatever hip, new technology everyone is using that I don't know about yet/ on a swivel.

Laurie and Naomi are doing great. Blood pressure was low, all tests were good, and she is measuring 39 weeks even though she is at 36.5 real time. It's gotta be close...although the doc said it could still be a week or two (doubtful, in our estimation).

Simon does his Joker impression.

Just the three of us ...

Soon to be four.

Basketball and Safety Checks

2009-05-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

In the recent days of warm weather, Simon has really enjoyed going outside to play, whether it be the park or playing basketball with Daddy in the driveway.

In other news, we are trying to prepare ourselves for the arrival of baby. Below, Simon makes sure his old car seat is just right for baby sister.

And after the 43rd time ... I think he decided it was good to go.

Baby Alert Level: Yellow

2009-04-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

First a primer in Baby Alert Levels:

Blue: calm; no chance
Green: all systems go, but little chance
Yellow: all systems go, 50% effaced, dilation has begun
Orange: labor could occur at any moment; keep your head (email/phone/etc) on a swivel
Red: baby is imminent

So, yes, Laurie is 50% effaced, 1 cm dilated as of this morning. Everything checked out great. She is 35.5 weeks right now, but measured 37 weeks. Simon was born at 37 weeks, so at this point it will be not be shocking whenever it occurs.

All this to say: we're in the home stretch.

Easter 2009

2009-04-13T19:25:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we introduced Simon to the art of dying Easter eggs. Cort tried to teach him how to use the egg dipper ...

...but Simon decided that just using his hands was much more effective.

Simon showing off his "peaster eggs."

Historically, we have visited both sides of the family for the Easter holiday, but this year we asked them to join us in BG (mostly due to my extreme state of pregnancy). :) They were entertained by Simon "playing peaster eggs" in the backyard. And yes, he hunted for both the real and plastic eggs. Needless to say, the real ones were not in great shape by the time the hunt was over.

Here is the little man, all dressed up for church on Sunday.

A family photo ... Happy Easter, everyone.

Eggcellent Birthday Fun

2009-04-11T05:45:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, the Vance family gathered to celebrate Uncle David and Aunt Kelly's birthdays.

Afterwards, NanaB and Granddaddy held an Easter egg hunt for the little ones. Below, Simon, Henry, and Ada await the call to begin with their gardening buckets in tow.

Simon, admiring the purple egg he found.

He really liked the green one he found up in a tree.

Simon, reviewing how many eggs he found, and wondering how to get to the M&M's that he knows are inside.

Preparing for "Baby Sister"

2009-04-07T16:19:00.000-07:00

On Monday, we went for another 2-week baby doc visit. Laurie is still measuring about a week ahead, and Naomi seems to be a bit on the big side. Otherwise, everything looks good. We go again on April 21, and afterwards we begin our weekly visits!

The past couple of weeks, we've been preparing for the arrival of "baby sister." Cort painted her bedroom a light green color -- Simon was his helper. As you can see below, he wanted Daddy to do "more paint."

During touch-up sessions on the room, Simon would go back and forth between "checking on Daddy" and crawling through his tunnel with his "friends."

Cort also put together Naomi's crib -- he's been a busy guy! We've even gotten her bedding on, which makes us realize how soon she could be arriving.

Simon's remark when he saw Naomi's bed was, "I wanna sleep in it!"

Spring Break Adventures 2009

2009-03-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

While Cort was off for Spring Break, the weather warmed up enough for some fun adventures! Simon LOVES going to the park, so we loaded up and went to the one down the street from our house (Basil Griffin Park). He loved to swing, slide, and look at the ducks. We did all three ... many, many times.

Simon down ones of the many slides at the park.

Simon going on what he calls "bumps."

Lately, he and his "friends" have also bonded quite a bit. They all gather on the couch under several blankets and eat a snack while either reading a book or watching "DoraBoots" (Dora the Explorer) and "Diego" (Go Diego Go).

Simon has also discovered the artist within with his new watercolors. Below is a video showing his technique with colors ... and how to "dip, dip, dip."

The Mind of a 2-Yr Old

2009-03-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

On Sunday before church, Simon asked Laurie to take him up to see the stained glass windows to "see baby Jesus." Upon seeing the baby Jesus in the manger, this exchange occurred:

Simon: "Baby Jesus need a diaper."
Laurie: "Oh really?"
Simon: "Baby Jesus need a diaper. Shew-wee baby Jesus."

Thus, a 2-year old reminds us of the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that he indeed needed cleaning and changing in his infancy.

Snow Business

2009-03-04T04:02:00.000-08:00

Laurie's 30th birthday weekend was highlighted by a trip to the Bird Attack Nest (click the link to read more about this trip) to visit with Laurie's fam. Of course, there was cake, ice cream, and presents:

Simon and Laurie blow out the candles.

But the gang also attended the MTSU vs WKU hoops showdown. There are a lot of blue shirts here...and that matched their demeanor after WKU left with a convincing victory. :) Simon has a laugh with mom about it all while Henry wishes he'd worn red and Ada pleads for the Raiders to play some defense. :) All jokes aside, Henry has the "M-T-S-U, M-T-S-U, GO RAIDERS GO!" chant working quite impressively. Simon countered with the "T-O-P-S, TOPS! TOPS! TOPS!" cheer. The passion of March...

The unexpected part came Saturday night while we slept. We woke up to 5 inches of the friendliest snow-family building snow I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Big fun for everyone...but mostly Cort and Jason. Here's a shot of "Snow Daddy" with our fam.

Finally, Cousin Henry educated Simon on the process of making ice cream play-doh before we made the trip back to BG. Big fun for all!

Happy 30th Birthday, Laurie!

2009-02-25T12:06:00.000-08:00

Some women would not want their age broadcast for all to see. But, when you can make 30 look so good, you may as well embrace it.

Happy Birthday, Laurie! Here's some trivia from your birth year of 1979:

Best Picture Oscar: Kramer vs Kramer
#1 Box Office Movie: Superman
Top Songs: YMCA (Village People), Heart of Glass (Blondie), My Sharona (The Knack), Ring My Bell (Anita Ward--good luck getting that out of your head), Devil Went Down to Georgia (Charlie Daniels Band)
Top Albums: Billy Joel (52nd Street), BeeGees (Spirits Having Flown), Doobie Brothers (Minute by Minute), Cars (Cars), Supertramp (Breakfast in America).
TV: C-SPAN was launched. ESPN begins showing sports 24/7. The Dukes of Hazzard, Facts of Life, Benson, and This Old House all premiered. Top-rated shows were 60 Minutes, Three's Company, That's Incredible!, M*A*S*H*, and Alice.
College Hoops: Magic Johnson's Michigan State team defeated Larry Bird's Indiana State Sycamores in the first chapter of a decade+ rivalry that carried over into the NBA.
Super Bowl: Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31

Also, Laurie shares a birthday with JOHNNY CASH! Anyone who knows me must understand how cool I think this is! Other famous Feb 26ers are Erykah Badu, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Gleason, Marshall Faulk, Victory Hugo, Buffalo Bill Cody, Fats Domino, and Michael Bolton.

Happy Birthday, Laurie!

Fun Times

2009-02-23T18:35:00.000-08:00

Simon took time out from exercising with Daddy's push-up bars for a photo.

He also loves to look cool by wearing his Valentine sunglasses ... upside down.

And lately, Simon has been joining Daddy for some jam sessions -- Daddy on guitar and Simon on drums.

Baby Name Bracket: CHAMPIONSHIP!

2009-02-20T04:17:00.000-08:00

We have a winner in the Baby Name Bracket! Naomi and Anne edged out Lydia and Emma with Naomi holding a slight edge over Anne in the championship. But, Anne's runner up finish completes our baby girl's name:

Naomi Anne Basham

It was a tough decision, but family roots won out for both names. That said, there were lots of good reasons to choose Naomi.

1. My oldest known female ancestor was named Naomi. Her son John was a wagonmaker in colonial America after moving here. Naomi and her husband (also John) came to America sometime later.
2. Naomi means "one who is pleasant" in Hebrew, but it also a Japanese name which means "a beauty above all others." Just like her mama. :)
3. Obviously, it's a solid Bibical name, like Simon.
4. It's a fairly simple, well-known name, but it isn't used that much (like Simon). We only know one other little girl named Naomi. This is one reason Emma lost out early. Even though we love the name, there are lots and lots of little girls being named Emma right now.

Same with Anne.
1. Laurie's family was full of "Ann(e)s." Her mom's middle name is "Ann."
2. Anne means "a woman graced with God's favor."
3. We were a big fan of many "Anna" names: Annabel, Anne-Cullen, Anarosa, Anna Maria, Anne-Claire, probably some others. This was a simpler version of some of those names that were a little too elaborate for us.
4. It's a classic, simple name.

So there you have it. I'll do at least one more post on baby names as the process of baby naming is something I've thought about a lot and have even taught in my classes (the book Freakonomics has TWO chapters on the economics of baby naming). I find the whole process absolutely fascinating.

Baby Name Bracket: Final Four

2009-02-19T05:07:00.000-08:00

The Road to the Final Four is complete in the Baby Name Bracket. Here's the skinny:

EMMA. Laurie is a certified superfan of Jane Austen. Of Austen's character names, this is the one we liked best.

ANNE. Steeped in tradition on the Cary side (Laurie's mom). It's a variant spelling of Laurie's mom's middle name.

NAOMI. Steeped in tradition in the Preston/Lynch/Jared family line (Cort's mom). The oldest known female ancestor in that line was named "Naomi."

LYDIA. Our favorite New Testament name for a girl. Simon was our favorite New Testament boy name.

Final matchup and championship tomorrow!

Baby Name Bracket: Elite Eight

2009-02-18T04:39:00.001-08:00

It's down to eight names today in our Baby Name Bracket. All of the pretenders have been weeded out and all the names left are names we truly liked. Some were eliminated early for various reasons, but some were right there until the final decision.

The Final Four comes tomorrow.

Baby Name Bracket: Sweet 16

2009-02-17T04:32:00.001-08:00

We have 16 survivors today in the Baby Name Bracket after some tough match ups yesterday. Hopefully, your favorites are still alive.

The number goes to 8 tomorrow.