not so fast...

This picture makes me laugh everytime I look at it.


We attempted a newborn photo shoot to capture our sweet, peaceful Claire as a sleeping newborn before she grows and changes too fast. The thought of her getting big already makes me sad. Well, it was anything but sweet and peaceful!

Baby Claire was wide awake when we wanted her sleeping and cross-eyed when we were trying to capture her awake. The second we took off her diaper she'd pee then poop on everything. Just as we'd get her calmed down and seemingly asleep she'd start to cry and want to be fed.


This picture captures it all too well. Just when we thought we got her perfectly positioned and sleeping soundly she sneaks one eye open just to make sure one of those little ducks doesn't waddle away. Not on her one-eyed-willy watch!

hate laundry?

Have I got the cure for you! ....


Ditch your dryer for 2 1/2 years and when you use one again, laundry becomes enjoyable!


Yep, the Dickson's here are LOVING soft towels, the delicious smell of dryer sheets and the ability to wash more than one batch of clothes at a time!


We always thought living here was temporary and didn't want to bother wiring our old house for a dryer. So, the clothesline it was in the summer, and drying racks on the not-so-warm days. I actually love the freshness of clothesline-dried clothes and we got use to slightly scratchy towels, but with a baby on the way, and no plans to move, we knew we needed a dryer. Really all we had to do was switch the lonely, abandoned electric dryer we had with a gas dryer, we were both just too lazy to ever do it.


But now.... it's great! And I think I've washed everything even possibly dirty in our house.... all in one day!

a child is born...

Claire Elizabeth Dickson


Born Thursday, November 19, 2009 @ 10:10 pm


7 lbs. 10 oz.


20 1/2 inches

Our sweet little baby girl arrived Thursday evening naturally, healthy and beautiful. We couldn't have asked for a better birth experience as I didn't have to be induced, or deliver an 11 lb. baby!

We've officially joined the ranks of proud parents and couldn't be more in-love with everything about her! It is such an amazing experience to bring a child into the world and actually get to see and hold the kicking little fetus that was in your belly for almost a year.
I'm still in awe!
And I find myself either laughing or crying while mesmerized by her and how much I can already love the little darling! We both knew we would love parenthood but so far it's exceeding all expectations.


We want to thank our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, nurses, mid-wives, EVERYONE for all the visits, calls, texts, emails, gifts, flowers, hugs and excitement you've shared with us! It's so great to be surrounded by so many loving and supportive people and to know that amid all the bad in the world there is still SO much love and so much good!

Thank you! We love you all!!

Love, Bruce, Melinda and Claire

bygones

Due Date: November 13th

Today's date: November 16th

And so you have it, this estimated date of delivery came and passed as I thought it would. I never really trusted my due date anyway so it didn't come as a big surprise. Nevertheless, I still had that date in my head and have all our baby supplies ready, fridge and freezer stocked and worked my last day at work on the 12th. And now I want a baby. I'm officially on my maternity leave with no maternal responsibilities. Bummer.

I don't mind still being pregnant- actually I love being pregnant, and I have to credit that love to having the easiest pregnancy ever.
The only complaints: 2 wicked leg cramps in the middle of the night and an increase in spider veins on my left calf.
Otherwise I love feeling my little baby move and watching my belly grow with the assurance that my baby is getting bigger and healthier.
Now before you women with a nine (ten) month hell curse my name for my ease of carrying a child, let me introduce you to this little guy:
This is my eleven pound love, the father to my child who is responsible for, can I say 50% of her genes? And by the look on his face you can tell he hated leaving that warm, cozy womb to enter this cruel world. I wasn't a petite baby myself, weighing in at 8 pounds, but now that I'm "overdue" this is what I fear. They've reassured me that I can't have a baby that big because I've been measuring small the whole time- believe me, I've voiced my concerns.
But for now, only time can tell. I really don't want to be induced so I'll hold out as long as I can, but the potential size of my child might thwart my desires for a natural birth.

Wish me luck!

Inspiration

This year was all about dressing-up as inspiring people. Whether they be great leaders, artists and performers, classic fictitious characters, or state fair participants, they made for really good costumes and a really awesome Halloween!

Halloween, I will love you forever!

Chi Town

Ah, Chicago, always a good time!

Day at the museum

Observing our primitive ancestry

So We Think We Can Jump


The famous reflective jelly bean in Millennium Park


White Sox game

Bruce's home run


sigh, what a beautiful skyline!


They were just too cute not to photograph


Same goes for these little guys.

And a HUGE 'Thank You' to Scott and Amy for being the best hosts ever!!

Do you see Oprah on stage in the yellow? I was star struck- I took so many pics and they all turned out like this 'where's waldo' shot. But she made it easier by wearing really bright colors.

We conveniently were in town for Oprah's 24th season kick-off party and this:




These people were lined-up at 10 am and the bash didn't even start until 5 pm! Die hards! Another testament that Oprah really does own Chicago- Michigan Ave was closed off just for her kick-off party and thousands of people waited around all day for her.
I only wish they could've captured some of the really awkward people trying to learn the dance- that was the most entertaining part!

It's that time of year again...

some things never get old:





*And speaking of things that never get old, I know I shouldn't love candy corn and creme pumpkins as much as I do, but I really really love them- only in October.

*I don't know if I ever thanked Stef and Natty enough for sending me some when I went without while overseas in Croatia. It was a pkg that wasn't shared! So, Stef and Natty, I thank you again!

This is also worth mentioning while talking about candy: I don't know if these are "dark-batman" Halloween edition Reese's peanut butter cups but they are sooooo good! I ate almost a whole bag way faster than I should ever confess.

Reese is one of our top 10 names we're considering and I think these tasty treats chalk up another point for that name.
(And if Reese it is, please don't tell my daughter she was named after her mother's dark chocolate + pb obsession!)