Update...

So, I was a little premature on my last post. Just a little; 24 hours to be exact. I will be posting soon with more of the story, but I will make it brief for now for obvious reasons. At 6:19 a.m. 12/12/09, Jayden Rylee Becerra was born. She weighed in at 8 pounds 5 ounces. Just to give you an idea of how crazy the whole process went, I'll give you a few of the facts. Jess went into labor at 2:45 a.m. on 12/12. We got to the hospital at 5:15 a.m. and Jayden was out at 6:19 a.m. Jayden was in such a hurry that she beat the doctor to the hospital and the nurses had to do the job. For those of you doing the math, that's only 3 hours and 34 minutes from start to finish! I'll post more details soon.

Mommy and baby are doing great. Everyone is happy, healthy and ready for Christmas! I wonder what it means if our little girl already made such an amazing appearance. Broadway? Well, I guess every little girl has to bring a little drama...

5 A.M. Friday Morning...

Jess woke me about an hour ago and told me she is having contractions. I feel the need to post right now as a sort of marker for myself and an almost play by play for anyone interested. I hope nobody expects me to be in the delivery room cutting the umbilical cord with one hand and blogging with the other, because I won't (because Jess would probably strangle me... one handed). But really, I could not possibly be expected to be on top of everything, I generally am found to be irresponsible when it comes to organization and information. In short, if I forget to call/inform some of you, I apologize in advance.

Right now Jess is in the shower, probably enjoying the warm water being that it is so cold outside this morning. She is calm and collected, but naturally uncomfortable. I suppose in a couple hours (hopefully) that will change. We have made some prearranged sitter plans. Karen (Jess' mom) will be taking care of Jaycee when we go to the hospital, and will stay with her until further notice.

The bag is packed and I about as ready as I can get, hopefully Jess feels the same way. I really hope this is it. Blogging soon...

Sweet Teeth...

I love sweet stuff. I love chocolate, peanut butter, ice cream, and chocolate peanut butter ice cream! It shouldn't have been too much of a surprise that Jaycee would inherit my love for all things sweet. The funny thing about it is that Jaycee doesn't enjoy my taste in food. In fact, she prefers what mama is eating for lunch, dinner, or breakfast. She doesn't trust that what I'm eating she is going to like. She'll eat everything on Jess' plate but avoid mine like poison. With that said, Jaycee seems to make an exception when it comes to dessert. She will eat any dessert I eat any time. Jess doesn't dislike sweets, she just isn't as fanatical about them as me (and Jaycee). I know a lot of kids would rather eat cookies than carrots, so it isn't a shock that our little one goes for the sweet stuff. On the other hand though, its funny how she bends her own rules on eating for them. Now, if we could just get her to understand what a cavity is...

We've got a bleeder...

We have been experiencing two developments at the same time. The first is Jaycee's new found strength. The second is the unbridled rage of a toddler. Tough combo. This is where the story begins...

Jaycee LOVES Mr. Potato head. By far her favorite toy (this month). She can be found creating her Frankenstein like creatures with ears for arms and any other arrangement you can imagine any time of the day. Most of the time she sits quietly and plays nicely.

One problem with her love for Mr. Potato Head is her lack of willful sharing of him or his parts. Exhibit A: (below my right eye above my cheek)

Silly me, I thought it would be so funny if I dressed up with Mr. Potato head's parts. So I put on his hat and rushed Jaycee over to see how funny I was... Whoops. Her response was slightly less than expected. Instead of laughing with a huge belly laugh (like I pictured), she screamed like a Banshee and slashed at my face like Freddy Kruger. I flew back, in the hopes of keeping my eye, and the plastic hat fell off my head and onto the floor. Jaycee stepped back, bent down and picked it up, then gingerly walked away to return the hat to its rightful owner.

It wasn't particularly painful and I hadn't thought much of it until I looked in the mirror. It was a perfect line and a tiny drip of blood was running down my cheek. The funny thing is that I have had this same thing happen with Jaycee (on accident) and I only had a red mark on my face for a couple minutes. This time was much different. Thanks to Jaycee's Herculean like strength, I will probably be carrying a scar around for awhile.

After nursing my wound, I returned to the scene to show Jaycee what had happened and get her to understand that she shouldn't do it again. I got down to her level to show her my cut and she touched it very gently. Then she looked at me as if to say I brought it on myself. You know, raised eyebrows on an otherwise expressionless face. Then she gave me a hug and went back to playing. I'll take this as a serious reminder that what I think is funny isn't funny to everyone, especially Jaycee.

The only dilemma left is what to say to people that ask how I got the cut. I have noticed when I tell people my 20 month old did it, they laugh. I am considering telling everyone I was in a knife fight. Its kind of true. Only problem is; I lost...

Still Learning...

It is a little sad to me to sit here and write this thinking that 20 years from now, I won't remember every single moment that happened today with Jaycee or her growing sister. For example, after dinner I sat Jaycee down to have dessert (pumpkin pie in case you were wondering). She wanted to stand to have her dessert, which I generally don't allow, but decided to let her when I saw how excited she was. After a few minutes of standing on the chair and eating, Jaycee leaned over to me, gave me a gigantic hug and a wonderful kiss. It pains me to think that I won't remember that specific moment that was so important to me today. Sure, there will be the rare occasion that something crazy happens and I'll remember it forever, but inevitably the memory will get fuzzy around the edges and turn in to more of a folk story than an event. It happens to all of us I guess and it is a part of life. That doesn't mean I have to like it. Then another life lesson emerges from the teachings of the wisest 19 month old I have ever met. Jaycee won't remember any of this either. She won't remember the hug and kiss from today, or our terrifying emergency room visit last year that turned out to be the overreaction of two scared new parents. She won't remember how it felt to go to the zoo or Alaska as a family. You know what she will remember though? She'll remember that her daddy loved her from day one. She'll remember that daddy has always protected her and guided her, encouraged and smiled for her, and she'll remember that no matter what this crazy world throws at her, her daddy will always be right behind her to catch her. If for some crazy reason, Jaycee or her siblings are reading this twenty years from now: I can only hope you got half as much from me that I got from you. And I hope you know how much I love you. And I hope you aren't reading this as late at night as I am writing it...

Tick Tock Tick Tock...

I have never been a very patient person. Waiting just makes me anxious, so I try not to do it very often. Of course, when waiting for a baby, one doesn't have the luxury of not waiting. So basically, I'm anxious.

The funny thing about this round is that some of those concerns I had with Jaycee are there. Like, having a happy healthy baby, being a good dad, and all those other general concerns. At the same time, I noticed that a lot of those other fears from round one are gone. Like, changing diapers, how much my life would change, having a girl, and all those other fears of the unknown.

I am kind of entering this step with confident cautiousness. Sort of like when you watch a clip on T.V. where someone falls off a bike and breaks his leg. You know its coming and you are kind of curios, but you also turn your head slightly like it makes it easier to watch out of the corner of your eye.

This is just one of those times where I just want it to be here. The more time I'm left to myself the more anxious I get. Not to say ALL the anxiety is bad. I am really anxious to see Jaycee interact with her sister and am excited to see her in the role of big sister. I am SO looking forward to holding a tiny little creature that won't squirm out of my arms and I can't wait to rock a newborn until she falls asleep with her little hands and feet and toes and lips and nose. I guess kids are kind of like potato chips, you can't just have one... unless that's all you want...

What a difference a year makes...

The worst part of the summer break is here... the end of it. I am happy to say that we got a lot done though. Our Alaskan adventure, our trip to Solvang, visiting with relatives and cousins we don't get to see very often, our visits to Sea World, the Wild Animal Park, and Zoo, and of course our lazy days by the pool, and the list continues. As I think about all the stuff we crammed in, I couldn't help but think about last year's summer vacation. Twelve short months ago we had a very different Jaycee, as the pictures illustrate.

We have a mouth full of teeth, words, and a lean mean running machine (to name a few things). Since I have become a boring adult, it seems like each year that passes just means I have to remember how old I am and nothing really changes except that. But as I look back on this year, I see how much life really does fly by us. I hate all those silly clichés that every parent says: "Enjoy them while they are young", "They grow up so fast", "You'll never get these years back" and a whole bunch of other one liners. The thing is they are true, but the other thing is that even with all that knowledge, you can't stop time. I guess even if I could stop time, I probably wouldn't. Part of the fun has been watching these changes and enjoying new discoveries.

So, as this life clumsily tumbles down the road, I watch our little baby turn into a big girl and prepare to welcome a new baby to do it all over again. I picture my life something like a train ride along the coast. As we steadily climb hills, I stick my head out the window and feel the cool breeze in my hair. I look ahead and see plenty more hills along the windy tracks, but then I turn my head to look behind us and I see all the ground we have covered and those big hills look like little speed bumps and those windy tracks look more like subtle curves. Its time like these when a man just has to sit back, take a deep breath and say "Life is Good"...

Everyone loves little girls, especially their Daddys...

So, how lucky am I to soon be the proud Daddy of yet another little pink bundle! Before Jaycee arrived, I went through the whole boy/girl debate in my head and when she got here, it all seemed so silly to try and categorize life with a boy versus a girl and vice versa.

When we were thinking about expanding our family, I knew early on that I wanted another little lady. It isn't like I don't want a boy, its more like I had a vision of my life and it just felt like at least two girls would fit perfectly.

Then on the realistic side of life, I am pretty happy that we get to recycle a bunch of baby girl clothes, toys, bedding, and every other gender specific thing we have from Jaycee's early days. Then there is the fact that Jaycee and her sister will be close in age, so I have a good hope that they will get along famously and be great friends throughout life.

I guess for me, the most important part of building my family is creating a solid foundation and safety net that will always be here, even if I'm not. Boy or girl, growing our family is a cornerstone of any strong family. When I think of some of the amazing families around me, I find the common thread of togetherness as an immediate family. That isn't to say that extended family isn't important, because it is. I like to think of it as torch passing. The core of a family lies in its immediate family and when immediate becomes extended, the core moves as well.

I suppose I am stating the obvious, but sometimes I need to do that. Its like taking a step back to look at a gigantic canvas that is your life's work in progress. I have never been an artist, but when it comes to my family, call me Van Gogh...

Leavin' on a Jet plane...

This summer has started off with a big bang! We had our first family vacation when we went on our Alaskan cruising adventure, then we went on our first family road trip to central California to visit with family. As we rushed around packing and stressed out at the airport, it occurred to me how much more complicated it is to travel with a little one. It adds a whole new element of worry that I didn't anticipate.

Anyone who has had the unfortunate experience of flying with me knows what a horrible traveler I am. For some reason, as soon as the automatic doors spread open at LAX (or Heathrow, San Diego, SFO, Atlanta, etc.) and I walk in, I lose my mind. I become this confused/stressed whirlwind who mutters his gate number over and over as I pace around the terminal waiting for my row to be called to board. Then when I get on the plane, I am not much better as my palms begin to sweat and I question the pilot's training and whether the plane is properly maintained. Then, as the plane's engines power up, I wait to hear the clunk of an engine falling off the wing. So you think its better when I'm airborne? Wrong. Instead, I spend the duration of the flight tense and sweaty waiting for the pilot to announce some kind of emergency landing all the while staring at the guy in the row in front of me that is asleep and has been since he sat down and I think about kicking his seat until he wakes up partly from jealousy and partly because he should be awake since he is sitting next to the emergency exit and should remain vigilant in case we should need his services. Then... the landing. The sounds make me wish I was deaf and all I can do is contemplate my quickest escape route should the wheel fall off the plane as we land and come to a sliding stop on the runway. For the most part, the whole experience I described occurs internally and people around me are unaware that they are seated next to the worst plane passenger in the air. So you can imagine what adding Jaycee to the mix did to me. As if pacing around the terminal wasn't enough, now I had to push a stroller in circles with me. My escape plans became more elaborate and I was forced to plan who I would have to push out of the way should the inflatable slides pop out of the sides of the plane. The funny thing is, for the most part, the 20 some flights I have been on have been basically difficulty free (knocking on the biggest piece of wood in the room repeatedly) and safe. I am aware that my thought process is irrational and unnecessary, but I really can't help it. I wish I could.

With all that behind me, I can proudly report that Jaycee is the ultimate traveler. It took her all of 5 minutes to figure out that the plane was awesome and that she could flop around like a monkey while staring out the window that gives her a view from 37,000 feet. Then it hit me like only a lesson from Jaycee can. This is what being a parent is about. Inside you could be a wreck on the brink of meltdown, but on the outside your kids would think it is business as usual. Don't mean to toot my horn, but I think I accomplished that much. I guess I am happy once we land at our destination and should try to focus on that, right? Here's to the sleeping guy in the emergency row and anyone else who reads this story and laughs. For those of you not laughing... we should start a support group...

Seriously...

One at a time...

Here we are again. In 6 short months we will be welcoming the newest member of the Becerra Family. I am totally excited and looking forward to the adventures we will encounter as a family of four. It seems like since Jaycee was born, life has been this crazy super fast roller coaster that doesn't have an end point. As we go along, we hit a loop-de-loop and before we get situated, we dive into a stomach-dropping plunge that leaves us reeling. Even with that, it is easily the most fun I have ever had in my life. So when the time came to talk about number two, there wasn't much of a conversation. Of course I wanted another little munchkin running around! I thought about all the fun things we would do and how much Jaycee would love a sibling.

Then a little nagging thought...

What about Jaycee? All those times where we sat together poking the dogs and laughing. Or the time we spent playing with toys or reading books. The Adventures of Jaycee and Her Daddy will never be the same. I spent a lot of time these past couple of weeks thinking about all those things that make a grown man cry and some of them did. Then, I finally put things in the proper context. Things will change and that has been the theme as Jaycee has been growing. Nothing has been the same from one day to the next, so now it just means we will get the chance to watch another little baby grow and Jaycee will get to be there with us learning and growing too.

Is this a time to be sad? I guess so. But, what am I sad about? That we are bringing another source of happiness and love into our lives? Hardly something to be upset about. Besides, by the time BB2 (Baby Becerra #2) arrives, I won't even have time to think about what is going on. One at a time daddy, one at a time...

Round Two...

So, to the surprise of few and the joy of many, we have an official announcement: Jess is pregnant!! We are happy to share our wonderful news that Jaycee will be a big sister in December.

FAQs

Q: Was this planned?

A: Yes. Next.

Q: How has Jess been feeling?

A: She has been doing well. She has been feeling tired lately, but other than that, all is well.

Q: When is the next one?

A: Hahahahahaha. Next.

Q: Any other big news?

A: Yes actually. I'm glad you asked. Jess recently discovered that she will no longer suffer at the hands of six graders! She has been reassigned to a great new school and has third graders. For those of you not familiar with six graders, this is a very good thing.

Q: Do you have some names chosen?

A: Yes. Next.

Q: What are they?

A: You'll have to wait and see.

I hope this FAQ list has answered many of your questions. We are hoping that, with some luck, The Becerra Bunch will be replacing John and Kate Plus Eight soon, so any other questions will have to be directed to our publicist.

Just Kidding. We are holding out for a sitcom. Anyway, we are very excited and cannot wait for our new little one to bring even more love and joy into our little home...

Quiet Please, Jaycee has something to say...

Jaycee's latest act is the speech. No, I don't mean speech in general, I mean the speech. As she goes through her day, she occasionally encounters a situation where an announcement is necessary. For example, Bella (our Chihuahua) has figured out that all she needs to do is follow Jaycee around when she is hungry. For the most part, Jaycee doesn't mind sharing with the dogs, but she has her limits. When Bella was getting a little too pushy and started trying to take food out of Jaycee's hand, Jaycee felt like she needed to take a moment to address the situation. Jaycee stopped walking, put her hand in the air, as if to announce that she needed everyone's attention, then she pointed her finger in Bella's face. Jaycee then proceeded to unload a series of verbal tongue lashings, which included some "wa wa wa" and "dawoo dawoo". We haven't fully learned Jaycee speak, but you get her point when you watch her.

Jaycee's lectures are usually reserved for the dogs, but her speeches are for everyone. Sometimes she'll stand there for two minutes with all eyes on her, speaking to everyone that is listening. What happens if you don't listen? Simple, she gets louder. Something tells me this kid won't be the one hiding in the back of the classroom...

Baby-Destructo...

I am always amazed how such a small creature is always so sure about what she wants (and doesn't want). Jaycee is very particular about her wants. When she wants a blanket, she wants a specific one. When she gathers her toys, she puts them in order. If you should happen to move one, she gets angry and is forced to reorganize them. It is very funny to watch.

Now for the dark side. When Jaycee wants something that see can't have or if she just isn't getting it fast enough, the tantrum emerges. The problem with the tantrum isn't that she throws herself around and slams herself on the floor, but its when she gets destructive with her surroundings. When Jaycee gets angry, she throws anything she can get her hand on and even smacks things against the floor, all while screaming. This reaction has earned her the nickname, baby-destructo.

Her personality, when she isn't angry, also contributes to her nickname. Jess and I recently purchased our first house and have had some work to do on it. We had to paint and scrub, but we also had to remove wallpaper and we had a few paint spills to scrape off the floor. We noticed that Jaycee wasn't very interested in the painting or cleaning, but she was very involved in the demolition. She helped to rip wallpaper on the wall and even grabbed a chisel and smacked in on the floor like her daddy to get the paint off.

I'm curious to see where her affinity for destruction leads her. I thought doctor or veterinarian would be her calling, but now I'm starting to think demolitions expert could be a career path. I can see it now: Baby-Destructo Inc...

Another Animal Lover...

I guess I'm not totally surprised. When Jess and I first started dating, I knew well that she was an animal lover. Not just the "I like the zoo and puppies" kind of animal lover, but a hardcore "I like animals more than people" kind of animal lover. I am a moderate "animals are cool" kind of guy myself, so Jaycee was sort of predisposed to a zoological upbringing.

Any of you who know our current animal count, feel free to skip ahead, but for those of you who aren't fully aware, here's the breakdown. Part of being a hardcore animal lover means that you HAVE to stop on the side of the road and keep whatever animal is there (Charlie), you HAVE to take the animals that nobody else wants(Bella/Buster/Rooster), and you HAVE to do it every time. Don't get me wrong, I think Jess' compassion for defenseless animals (i.e. her 6th graders) is admirable. She thinks nothing of changing her life to help a little creature (she even refuses to kill spiders) and has a long list of animals that she has helped in some way or another, but I digress. On to the current list: 1 cat, 3 dogs, and a rooster (yes a rooster). It may seem like a small list, but a small house plus a toddler equals tight quarters. By the way the rooster lives outside. Anyway, in a given day Jaycee can interact with 4 different species of animals and she loves it.

It has been a lot of fun watching Jaycee figure out what each creature is and she really loves her animals. She shows this love by giving them hugs and kisses and being generally excited to be around them. Since I am obviously the odd man out, I started thinking about what is going to happen when Jaycee gets old enough to be an "I like animals more than people" person? I have visions of waking up to jungle noises instead of alarm clocks.

I guess I sound a little selfish right about now, but it is MY blog! After all the dust settled in my whirlwind imagination though, I came to a realization. It isn't the fact that Jaycee is going to bring animals home to add to the collection, but rather that I can't imagine telling her no. To make this kid smile I dance around, I sing, I let her rip out my chest hair by the fistful, and a whole slew of things I wouldn't let anyone else do for a million bucks. I don't really see that changing and I imagine at some point she is going to trade chest hair for hairy creatures, but I'll still be trying to make her smile. You do the math. I guess I should start figuring out where to put the llama...

Get out of jail free...

I knew it was coming. I knew that eventually Jaycee would figure out how to turn her daddy into a pile of warm play-doh that let her do whatever she wanted; I just didn't think it would be so soon. One of Jaycee's newest little gimmicks is the biggest teeth smile you have ever seen. If she were to smile any bigger, her face would surely crack. The funniest thing about this giant grin is when she chooses to use it. When she sees something funny or is smiling back at you, she has a standard sealed lip smile. But when she sees you have something she wants, that magical grin appears as she walks toward you with her hand(s) out. You see the picture. How could you not hand over what ever it is that you have that she wants? I'm sure it won't be long before she starts to flash that smile instead of throwing a tantrum.

Also new in Jaycee's bag of tricks is the pointer finger. Not only can she show you exactly what she wants with her finger, but she has also found it to be a useful tool when trying to figure out if something is worth playing with or if the dogs are asleep or not. As I write this, Jaycee is poking Bella (our Chihuahua) in the nose to she if she wants to play or not.

Between the pointing and the grinning, I am rarely confused about what Jaycee wants from me. The question is: how the heck am I supposed to say no...

A Daddy's dream...

Before we found out if we were having a girl or a boy, I often found myself thinking about the future.  Like a lot of expecting fathers, I had a hard time picturing a baby, I could only envision a walking talking kid who wiped their own butt.  So when it came to thinking about a boy or a girl, I found it easier to picture a boy.  I saw myself out on the soccer field coaching his team, cleaning him off with a hose after a good mud romp, and a list of other things I remember from my childhood.  When it came to a girl... blank.  Now it wasn't because I didn't want a girl, it was more that I just honestly couldn't picture how it was going to go.  I mean, I can't brush long hair or put on nail polish.  I just couldn't picture bonding with her like I could a boy.  Then we found out we were having Jaycee and all the sudden I had to start figuring it out.  We were going to be together everyday, so I had better get this straight.

As my blog details, all has gone swimmingly.  In fact, now I can picture how its going to be when I have a walking talking kid who wipes HER own butt.  I have to be honest, that picture isn't much different than the picture I had of a boy.  I can see myself out on the soccer field coaching her team, but instead of blue or yellow jerseys, I see pink.  I think we all spend a lot of time talking about men and women being equal and how a girl can do the same things as a boy and it wasn't until Jaycee's arrival that I really understood how important that lesson is.  I couldn't dream of denying my daughter a chance to bond with her daddy simply because she was a girl.  Whether its soccer or anything else, I have every intention of taking my opportunities to be wherever she wants to be.  Whether she follows my dream of being a professional soccer player or her mommy's path to teaching or any dream for that matter, she'll know that when she looks behind her daddy will be right there.

By the way, to all of the parents with boys playing soccer with Jaycee in a few years: Look out, because girls kick butt...

Waking up is hard to do...

So, Jaycee is a big girl.  As she gets bigger, I love watching her personality emerge even more.  Of course, as soon as we see some of her traits, we can almost immediately identify which ones are Jess' and which are mine (or at least we think we can).  Naturally, we fight to claim the best ones and try to give the cranky ones to the other person.  Some of them though are plain as day.  One of the clear ones is the hard time Jaycee has waking up.  She'll poke her head up look around the room and slam her head back down.  Then she'll do it again, and again, and again for a few minutes.  Then, she eventually sits up.  As she is trying to fully awaken, there is a lot of eye rubbing, yawning and a few long stretches then she starts to make her announcements.  I am not sure yet what she is saying exactly, but she is obviously being bossy and NOT in a good mood.  That's usually when I go to pick her up.  At this point, I am not allowed to put her down on the floor, because she'll immediately claim that her legs aren't working yet and she is frozen in place.  So we usually have to walk around for a few minutes and get the rest of the yawns out, then I am permitted to offer her breakfast.  Whose trait is this that makes it so hard to wake up?  Mommy's.  I guess I thought at this point I'd be teaching Jaycee the daily schedule, but that's not the case.  Oh well, it could be worse.  She could have a hard time getting to sleep...

The Frustrations of a 12 month old...

So here we are.  We made it to 12 months without any major hiccups.  Sure we had our rough patches, but we made it.  It has been fun watching Jaycee learn how to walk and become pretty good at it so quickly.  It was like literally watching her gain independence right in front of our eyes.  It is exactly that independence that leads to my post.

Jaycee is able to go everywhere (mostly) that she wants in the house; however, that doesn't mean she can have anything she wants; for example, my laptop, cell phone, iPod, and a few other things that are not for babies.  Other than that short list, its all fair game, including television remotes and cordless phones.  Well I have learned that she only wants those "forbidden" things.  She has in excess of 35 toys ranging in all sizes, noises and functions; but she still thinks that a rectangular piece of plastic (iPod) is the most interesting thing in the room.  The funny thing is that I don't even keep it where she can see it, but she watches when I pick it up and put it down so she has a pretty good idea where it is.  So starts the frustration.  I must say, her tantrums are becoming very loud and violent when she doesn't get what she wants.  Usually I tell her sorry and let her cry it out, but she found a way to get me involved.  When she is crying she'll sit on her bottom, then throw herself backwards.  She only does it when I am close enough to catch her ironically and she then proceeds to yell at me as if I pushed her back with my invisible hand!  Luckily, the episode is over in a few minutes and its back to business as usual.

The funny thing is that it used to bother me, but now it is just part of our day.  And for those of you who would like to see this in action; alas, Jaycee saves this performance for her mommy and daddy exclusively.  Put it on video you say?  I think you'd have better luck getting Bigfoot on tape, because when Jaycee see a camera she is pretty sure its the coolest thing in the room and she needs it.  Then it starts all over again... 

My Buddy...

Jaycee is becoming a big girl; physically and every other way.  We see this in so many ways now.  Like right now, I can write this blog because she is playing so nicely with her toys.  In fact, not only does she not need her daddy to play with her, but when I do she gets annoyed when I touch her stuff.  Along with her ability to walk and her latest attempts at conversation, she has definitely gained some independence.  Watching her walk around being a big girl, I found myself wondering: what now?  What do I do?  Being that so much has changed, I probably need to as well.  Which brings me to today's story.

I have a weakness for Carl's Jr.'s Breakfast Burger.  If you haven't had/seen this fast food breakfast marvel, I'll tell you about.  It's a breakfast sandwich with a burger patty!  I love this thing.  Jess has been trying to get me to drop the taste for it, citing its unhealthy aspects, but she has thus far been unsuccessful.  The mixture of breakfast and lunch makes it perfect for me, but I digress.  So I picked one up with Jaycee this morning and brought it home.  With the burger comes an order of hash brown things and a drink.  So we get home and have a seat on the couch.  One of the cool parts about Jaycee getting big is that she can eat more things that we eat. (I know you see where this is going, but first allow me to preface this by saying that Jaycee does not eat fast food, so this was a rare occasion.)  When we eat now, Jaycee is very interested in our food; this was no exception.  So I sat her next to me while I was eating my burger and reached in the bag for a little piece of hash brown.  I handed it to her and she opened her chubby little fingers and took the piece and casually ate, like it was no big deal.  She was so casual about it that she even crossed her legs, leaned back and watched TV!  (Where did the baby go?)  So we both sat there enjoying our breakfast.

I guess what I noticed in those couple of minutes was that I definitely lost the little baby and got a big kid in her place.  But, along with the big kid, I got a buddy.  We spend all day, everyday together and it makes sense that we would be great buddies.  Then I am reminded again of how lucky I am to be home with Jaycee and what a great sacrifice my wife makes to keep it that way.  What a great life to have...