Bacchus Orion

Rowan Elizabeth

2009-04-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

Rowan Elizabeth was born on 03-05-09, about 2 hours before she was scheduled to be induced (cheeky!), thereby proving that she is my daughter, and always arriving early for things! I would write a super-comprehensive blog entry here, but have a squirmy baby on my lap. You can check out my brother Steve's blog (Sensio Ergo Sum, link from this page) for more baby pictures, as well as pictures of the proud big brother Bacchus.

Hellooooo....

2009-02-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it's been awhile! Sorry about that! We have been super-busy here, with the holidays, post-holiday madness, renovating a house, and preparing for the arrival of Rowan Elizabeth, which could happen any day now. I went to my 36 week checkup (I had Bacchus at 36 weeks, if you recall), and everything looks good. I've been having practice contractions on and off for over a week now, and, not being the most patient person in the world, would just like to get things moving!!

Let's see...updates: Drew returned from the Missouri Grape and Wine Conference at the Lake of the Ozarks which took place last weekend, but has been under the weather since that time. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the dip in the lake he took on Monday night. :) He's been working double time on the Rocheport house, which now has a shiny new roof. The kitchen cabinets are being completed, and are beautiful, and I can't wait until things start coming together. We tentatively picked out tile/carpet/flooring for several of the rooms yesterday. Now that the roof is almost finished, we just need to do floors, ceilings, walls, and fill in the blank canvases that are the kitchen and bathroom. So, it needs just a teensy bit more work!

Bacchus is growing and learning new things everyday. He has mastered the alphabet, and seems well on his way to memorizing any one of the six "Curious George" books that we read every night before bed. The other morning, he surprised us by proclaiming his breakfast "dee-wish-us", and continues to be a good kid, most of the time. He has his two-year old moments, for sure, and insists on doing most things "MYSELF!!", but all in all, we have a good time. He is an empathatic little thing, always asking, "Ok?" if you sneeze or cough or have been crying (that requires hugs). We have taken to singing our own version of John Denver's "Country Roads" every day on the way home from work. It goes like this:

"Bumpy roads, take me home, to the place I belong! (sung with his head thrown back) Lower Rocheport, mid-Missouri, bumpy roads, won't you take me home." Then Bacchus yells from the backseat, "One more time!!", and that continues from exiting the highway to our house. Some days, he declares, "No singing today, please. Shhhh!" , with his finger to his lips. So I guess it's not every day.

He is really into Thomas the Train, and says "hello" to all of the engines he knows when we pass several old freight cars off the tracks on the way to daycare. It's really cute, "Hi, Thomas, hi Gordon, hi Percy (extra funny, as he can't pronounce his 'r's yet), hi Henry"...etc. He also loves to count the school buses we see in the mornings (sometimes up to ten), and says, "Wait, bus!!", if one is "getting away".

I don't think he fully grasps what/who Rowan is, or what she will mean for him and life as he knows it, but he knows where she is. He will come up to my belly, and try to lift up my shirt to say "hello". ("Hi, Wowan!) It has not softened his propensity to climb all over me like a jungle gym, so we're still working on that. We are attempting to build up his confidence as a "big-boy helper", so that he will feel useful by throwing away diapers and handing mommy burp cloths and such. Oh, to dream!

A shout out to my family members who are still struggling with various forms of cancer: Robbie, and Uncle Bob, we think about you every day! I was happy to see Aunt Elizabeth last weekend, and she seems to be doing really well. I was sorry I couldn't have gone into labor on the 5th, and delivered her namesake. :)

I'll try to get some new pictures up here soon. Drew and I got a fancy new camera over the holidays, and the memory card is apparently too fancy for the software our computer currently has, so we've had some issues.

That's all for now. I hope anyone who reads this is having a fabulous week!

Happy Birthday, Bacchus!

2008-12-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

Our beautiful little boy turned 2 last month. We celebrated with some friends at home, and it was great. As you can see from the 2nd picture, Bacchus was not keen on being the center of attention, when we sang "Happy Birthday". He did, however, perk up when he opened his presents. He really enjoyed his Diego sunglasses ("go-go fass"), his electric guitar, and his Mr. Potato Head from Uncle Josh. Later that weekend, Uncle Steve and Aunt Delara brought more presents from Kearney, and his favorite is his "bike" that talks and has lots of sounds and music, from the movie "Cars". LOTS of sounds and music...did I mention that? Thanks, Nana, Pop-Pop, Te-te and Wa wa!

That's it for now... we are decorating our Christmas tree tonight, so we will hopefully have some pictures of that to post, soon. Thank goodness Grandpa Lemberger is visiting with his fancy camera, as our digital camera appears to have broken. :)

Pumpkin patch pictures from October

2008-11-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

We had a great time visiting Kearney, where we got to spend time with my sister, Jessica, and her son, Grayson (pictured here with Bacchus).

Ah, the funny stories begin!

2008-10-28T15:09:00.000-07:00

I had an employee that needed to borrow something from me that I had at home, and I have a tendency to forget those things if I don’t write them down, so I made a little note on the back of my hand, in red ink. Bacchus saw it last night, and said, “Oh, no! Mommy, ouch!” I told him that it wasn’t an “owie”, but that I had written someone on my hand with a pen. Then he said, “Mama, no-no, pen, hand”. Yep, that’s right. That’s what I get for trying to teach him something.

I went to wake him up this morning, and he said, “Ouch”. I asked where the “ouch” was, because in the car coming home from Kearney , he said, “Ouch, tummy”, and later had some bowel issues…so he gets it. Anyway, I said, “Where is the ouch?” After a lot of guesses on my part, with a “no” answer, he said, “Ouch, cookies!!”. Um…ok.

I was asking him what he wanted for breakfast this morning. “Banana cake (bread)?”, “no”, “Eggs?”, “no”, “Bacon?”, “no….OH, YES!!! Bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon, BACON!!!” - yelled, while jumping up and down on his knees. So, apparently he likes bacon.

Te-Te and Wa-Wa

2008-10-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

Uncle Te-Te and Aunt Wa-Wa make great bread for a Bacchus sandwich!

A taste of things to come....

2008-10-15T15:47:00.001-07:00

While picking Bacchus up at daycare today, one of the one year olds toddled over to me, holding his little arms up. I couldn't resist, so I picked him up, marveling at how light he felt compared to our big boy. I was focused on the fact that Dane appeared to have a poopy diaper, when the sitter said, "Uh-oh...look at that face!". I looked over at Bacchus, who was staring at me, open-mouthed. He jumped up, ran over, and started tugging at my pant leg, as if to say, "Hey, mom! You picked up the wrong kid!"

I quickly surrendered Dane to have his diaper changed, and Bacchus and I headed for home.

Funny story from Nana

2008-10-12T11:05:00.001-07:00

One evening this past week I saw on the chicken-cam that there was an egg in a nest, so I said "Bacchus, do you want to go out with me to get an egg?" He jumped up and ran to the door. He looked out, stepped back and said "Nana -- it's DARK!" I said "That's okay, here's a flashlight for you." He was excited to have the flashlight, and started down the sidewalk, but he was holding the flashlight so that it was pointing at the sky. I said "Bacchus -- you have to shine it up ahead so you can see." So, he pointed it at his head and continued stumbling down the path in the dark :)

09-27-08

2008-09-27T06:48:00.000-07:00

Things have been very busy here in Rocheport. Drew has been working 14 to 16 hour days at the winery for the past week, and has another grueling week to go. That's crush, folks! (In a year where most of the crop was not lost.) Our babysitter took a few days off, and so Nana and Pop-Pop have been here since Wednesday, helping out. They brought Bacchus to my company picnic on Friday, at Stephen's Lake Park, and he had a ball going down the slide (first with Nana and trepidation, then by himself, with glee).

There was a hayride at the farm last night, so Bacchus, Nana and I went treasure hunting this morning. All we found was 30 cents, and somebody's wallet and dorm room key (and about 99 plastic cups, wine bottles, corks, cigarette butts, and some unmentionables).

The new baby Lemberger is gestating nicely, as far as we know. 16 weeks and counting!

Nana and Pop-Pop are heading for home today, and Drew might have Sunday off. Everyone keep your fingers crossed. Please to enjoy these latest pictures!

Bacchus and I have a special moment!

Pony rides!!

This is a picture Nana took of her chickens...aww...

Sad news

2008-09-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

Bacchus' great-grandfather, Anthony Dohr, passed away last Tuesday. Drew and I spent Friday and Saturday with the family, attending the wake and funeral, where he gave a wonderful eulogy. He will be greatly missed!

Funny story

2008-08-12T04:24:00.000-07:00

Last night, Bacchus wanted to take his shoes and socks off in the living room. So I obliged, then went back to laying on the couch, tired from telling people what to do all day, and growing another human inside of me. I then asked him to put his socks and shoes in his room. He has a yellow mesh clothes hamper, in the shape of a duck, that hangs on his closet door, where we stuff all of his laundry. (I thought this would be an easy request. He loves to help by throwing away diapers in the "cash", and putting his sippy cups in the "ink".) So, I said, "Please put your socks in the duck!". I didn't think anymore about it.

Later, I was checking my email, while Drew ran a bath, I heard him say, "Oh, no! How did your shoes and socks get into the bathtub??" I forgot there were more "ducks" to consider! Luckily, the shoes floated, and didn't get too wet. Heh.

Hmmmm....what's this?

2008-08-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

Bacchus and Mommy at story time

2008-08-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

Bacchus and Daddy

2008-08-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

The Missouri River 340

2008-08-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

So this is what someone looks like after paddling 340 miles down the Missouri River...doesn't that look fun? It's been a few weeks since the race ended, and Drew's body is slowly returning to normal. He took a quick 14 mile training run this afternoon, in the 93 degree heat, well, because he's crazy. He is looking forward to possibly participating in the "Gritty Fitty", which is a 50 mile race in Kansas on August 30th. Sometime, between now and then, grape crush will begin in earnest. Drew and the crew set a company record last week, bottling almost 25,000 gallons of wine. He was up and at work by 5:30 every morning, putting in almost 12 hour days. Good practice for upcoming crush!

We are looking forward to a visit from Uncle Steve and Aunt Delara sometime this week, who are visiting our folks before heading off for a much needed vacation in Europe. Maybe I'll have some new pictures of Bacchus to post!

4th of July

2008-07-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

Bacchus and I had a great time at the annual Rocheport 4th of July pet parade. There were lots of dogs and kids, and a few horses thrown in for good measure. Bacchus made some new friends, and just smiled and waved at the others. The little girl in the first picture is Lily, his maybe future girlfriend?

Today, Bacchus is 20 months old! There is a street party in Rocheport tonight, in his honor. (Ok, that's a fib. The street party is actually a 340 pre-race party and fundraiser for this year's race charity. But Bacchus doesn't need to know that!) Nana and Pop Pop are coming in from Kearney, and Josh and Courtney may join us as well. Drew is out in the boat shop, feverishly trying to finish painting his boat before the festivities tonight. We'll post pictures as soon as we can!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T10:39:00.001-07:00

Nothing like pajamas and a safari hat, right?

It's been a whirlwind of activity here in Rocheport. Drew is finishing his new kayak for the Missouri River 340, which is coming up in July, and we're still working on the Rocheport house when we can. Drew is heading to St. Louis this coming weekend for a wine tasting he does every year for the St. Louis Cathedral, organized by Aunt Helen, and another tasting (maybe in Forest Park?) on Saturday. As I have some obligations to attend to, Bacchus will be staying with Grandma and Grampa Lemberger on Friday, and with Aunt Jen and Uncle Paul and/or Aunt Marie and Uncle Steve on Saturday. That should be interesting! Bacchus has been experiencing some separation anxiety lately, and prefers if both Drew and I are on hand at all times. Um...yeah. He has been talking up a storm, with his favorite words being "hock" (milk), "side" (outside), "tuck" (stuck), "hep" (help), etc. He is starting to have the ability to repeat most things, and we are amazed pretty constantly. For the last two weeks, he has been putting himself in time-out after a "no-no", like using crayons on the coffee table, or throwing his sippy cup on the floor. Weirdo.

That's the update from here, how is everyone else doing?

Bacchus visits the Grandparents

2008-05-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

Bacchus traveled to Kearney last Tuesday, and stayed with Nana Louie and Grampa Gary until Sunday. As you can see, a good time was had by all! He helped out with the chores, like gathering the eggs and helping with the chickens, and relaxed by doing some yoga. He has had some teething issues lately, and his favorite word is, "no". He also learned how to say "Stuck!", and seems to think that his diaper is "stuck" on him, and when he is strapped in the carseat, he is "stuck". Sometimes it's hard being 1.5.

Drew and I were off work last week, and did some work on the Rocheport house. I'll try to get some current pictures of that project on here sometime soon. Hope everyone is having a great week...

05-08-08 update

2008-05-08T05:47:00.000-07:00

This was his first corn on the cob experience. It was pretty funny. Too bad there is no audio! He was really laughing and having a good time. And the look on his face when he stuck the end in his mouth was great...I had to tell him, "No, the end is yucky!", and he happily went back to munching on the kernels. We also give him a cold cob when his teeth are hurting, like one huge teething toy.

These other pictures were taken at Easter, at the Lemberger's in O'Fallon. I came down with the flu that day, and spent the majority of the day resting in the guest room, and feeling generally miserable. Everyone else had fun, and Great Aunt Helen helped Bacchus make his first decorated Easter project. I think everyone had a great time. Enjoy!

Good times in Kearney-town with Nana Louie and GG (Grampa Gary)

2008-04-06T05:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a "before" picture...check out that mullet!

2008-04-06T04:59:00.000-07:00

First haircut video...hope this works.

2008-04-06T04:46:00.000-07:00

Banana Face/Go KU (for Uncle Steve)

2008-04-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

1st haircut! 04-04-08

2008-04-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

more pictures

2008-03-08T13:17:00.001-08:00

"Did you know the human head weighs eight pounds??"

Our Christmas card this year...

Bacchus and Drew checking out the front yard.

Happy March

2008-03-08T13:01:00.001-08:00

Finally, some new pictures, as promised. Above, we have his first, joyful experience with spaghetti. Drew said, "Don't use that one, his eyes were closed!"...I say, it just proves that he was really enjoying that meal.

The above picture took place on Christmas Eve, when Aubie and his newly affianced woman, Myra, came out to Rocheport for dinner and celebrations. I'm not sure what prompted Bacchus to make this face, but we really enjoyed seeing it!

This was Bacchus sitting on Great-Grandpa Marchbank's lap, this past fall. Grandpa had trouble hearing, but Bacchus wasn't talking much then, anyway, so they got along fine.

This was an "action shot" taken by Drew about two months ago. There were several shots in the series, but this was the cutest. :)

Someone secretly replaced my happy baby with Folger's Crystals

2008-02-28T17:55:00.000-08:00

Ok, so we've hit a bit of a rough patch...Drew and I both got hit with the flu, and then Baby B got a cold. He struggled through night after night with coughing/crying fits, which seemed twice as bad because he'd been such a good sleeper before. His cough finally seems to be winding down, which is good, but he seems to be a good deal fussier than before. Maybe it's the cough, maybe it's teething, maybe it's the horrible diaper rash we struggled through, again. Today he was more like his old self, and I didn't want to bang my head repeatedly against the wall during dinner time. Thank goodness!

Development wise, I think he's doing well. Here is a brief list of the words he says (or some approximation thereof): ball, hot, truck, hat, yes, baba (bacchus), light, juice, CRACKER (that was his first), night-night...let's see...what else. I feel like I'm forgetting some. Probably am. I'll add to the list later. He will say "mama" if prompted, but hasn't said it while holding out his arms in a really pathetic gesture for attention. I'm sure that comes later.

In other news, for those of you who don't yet know, I received a promotion at work last week. We had two out of three Unit Supervisor jobs available, and I interviewed against 18 other people, and was offered one of the two slots. It is going to mean a lot more work for a little more money, and probably lots of headaches. I really struggled with whether or not I would accept it if offered, but in the end, decided that I would take it. I'm focusing on the positives, like a get a real office with an actual door, and a nice big window. And I need to remember that I will only be as stressed as I allow myself to be.

My parents were so excited about my promotion that the went to Belize the next day. Ok, my promotion wasn't really the reason, it was a scheduled church mission trip. I've really missed talking to them this week, but have kept up with their antics by reading the blog posted on the First United Methodist Church of Kearney, MO's website. You can see a hilarious picture of my dad, balancing a full-size aluminum ladder on his chin. One of his many talents. I'm pretty sure my mom is going to try and smuggle a small child back into the country. They arrive back in town this weekend. Everyone say a little prayer for their safe return.

We have some great pictures we need to download...I'm going to set Drew that task. You won't believe how Bacchus has grown!!!!

Oops...

2008-01-26T07:32:00.000-08:00

So, we've been offline for awhile! Right after my last post, we lost our desktop computer in a freak thunderstorm. We finally, in desperation, dug Drew's old laptop out of the basement, and got it working last week. Windows 98, anyone? Eek. Anyhoo, it's better than nothing!

Bacchus update: He started running around shortly after his 1st birthday, and hasn't stopped since. His favorite activities include reading, puzzles, and throwing anything he can carry into the trashcan when we're not looking. I think we've lost three sippy cups in the last month. He can say "truck", "yes", "light", "cracker" (1st word, of course, and he calls most food "cracker"), "night-night"...I think that's about it. He loves to listen to "kid tunes" on the dishnetwork, and he sometimes sings along, and dances in a circle. Awesome.

We had a little heatlh scare last month when he got croupy, but a visit to the doctor took care of it. He's still drooling like it's an Olympic event, and lately his nose has joined in the fun. Double Awesome!

Well, that's it for now! We have about 4 months of pictures stored in our camera, which will hopefully find their way to this blog soon. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

One, one, one!!!

2007-11-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, time has flown, and Bacchus turned one just the other day. It was a low-key affair, being on a Monday, and that was just fine for us. He had cake for the first time, which he seemed to enjoy, and I'll try to get some pictures on here soon. He had a good one year well-baby checkup, and is still in the 80% on height and weight. Let's see...what else...Nana Louie and Grampa Gary came down to visit the weekend before his birthday, allowing Drew and I to attend a wedding in Hermann, MO. Believe it or not (or probably, believe it, because many of you haven't seen us in awhile), it was the first time Drew and I left him at home and went out of town. After a year. It sounds pretty sad when I actually type the words, but it's really not. Bacchus is just the kind of kid you want to take with you wherever you go. He likes doing pretty much everything that we do, so taking him with is just fun. That is not to say that Drew and I didn't enjoy time alone...because we did. And I only called home to check on him three times. That's not too bad, right?

Let's see...development-wise...he has eight teeth, and has been crawling and cruising for a while (seems like forever). He's experimenting with shoes, and looks like he's THINKING about taking some steps here in the near future. His hair is finally grown long enough to look unkempt at times, and he drools more than I thought was humanly possible. He's eating table food for the most part, and we've started experimenting with different diluted juices and things, in addition to his whole milk. So far the only thing he's literally taken out of his mouth instead of swallowing is broccoli. He seems to pretty much like everything else. We had a rough patch of a few days after his shots at his well-baby check, but last night things were back to normal...sleeping peacefully all night. I think he has a little bit of a cold, which probably didn't help things.

Grandpa Lemberger and Uncle Paul have been visiting with us since Friday, trying to hunt deer here on the property. So far, no one has been successful. It's too warm, or something.

For Thanksgiving, I believe we're heading to Kearney-town, where we can spend some quality time with all the family who can make it. Drew will also be heading to Colorado for some hunting with friends for several days after the holiday, and Bacchus and I will hang out in Kearney while he's gone. I have to facilitate a training session in Rolla the end of the following week, and will stay there for two days, so Bacchus will most likely stay in Kearney with the folks until that's done. Should be interesting!

That's it for now. Pictures soon, I promise. Take care, all!

More random pictures

2007-09-30T11:54:00.001-07:00

Jackie, Gretchen and I had a good time at the Rocheport General Store...

Bacchus looks somewhat innocent after successfully pulling Aunt Marie's hair out of it's ponytail.

Big boys sittin' on the couch together

Bacchus wears Grampa Gary's hat with panache.

Smily Smilestein!!

Crush Festival, Renewable Energy Expo

2007-09-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

Les Bourgeois Crush Festival, 2007Baby Bacchus preparing for the grape stomp at the Crush Festival (toga and laurel wreath courtesy of Nana Louie). We're not going to show you the picture of his face when we actually put him in with the grapes, but it is available upon request. Let's just say that he wasn't digging the squishiness.

Here Bacchus relaxes with a few Cheerios, having braved the grape-stomp experience for approximately 15 seconds.

Hey, everybody! C'mon in! The bubbles are awesome!

See, everybody? This one is just to show you that he is not always photogenic.
Watch out, folks!! Here I come!

Last weekend was one of our busiest weekends of the year, so far. The Renewable Energy Expo took place in the fields behind our house on Saturday and Sunday, and the Crush Festival at the winery took place on Saturday. Mom and Dad Marchbank, along with Aunt Barb, came to the festivities. A good time was had by all!

Bacchus started crawling a few weeks ago, and pulling up, and "cruising" (which here means moving along pieces of furniture while standing up, NOT doing what some high officials do in airport bathrooms). He has entered a whole new world of hitting his head on things, crawling so fast he face-plants, and learning about gravity. He has three teeth coming in on the top (one already came in, causing Drew to call him "snaggle tooth"). All in all, he's a pretty happy kid, teething and all. He has been getting up disturbingly early these days, but this morning, broke the 6:00 a.m. barrier, much to my relief. 4:45 a.m. is just TOO early, and I'm a morning person in general.

Drew and I will start renovations on the Rocheport property, having been approved by Planning and Zoning, the Rocheport City Council, paying a fee to the city, and obtaining the proper license. Good times. I'm pretty tired of the process, and we haven't actually started yet!

Hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather...

Whew!

2007-09-11T03:01:00.000-07:00

Ok...so it's been awhile! Part of that time we can attribute to our trusty old computer crashing...but the rest, chalk it up to having a 10 month old. Bacchus is growing like a weed, and learning something new all the time! Within the last month, he learned to crawl, pull up, wave "hi" and "goodbye", do the 'How big is the baby? Soooo big', and babble a variety of sounds. Just yesterday he started saying "hi, daddy", which comes out as "hah, dada". I'm not convinced that he knows what he is saying yet, but Drew is. :)

Crush started weeks ago, so the Les Bourgeois crew has been pretty busy lately, working some weekends. They purchased a new bottling line, which has had Drew in fits recently, trying to work the kinks out. He's done a few sunset cruises lately, which has been nice.

My office just opened up a sub-office across the street from where I was, which is called the Reentry Opportunity Center (or the ROC. Heh.) It's focused on helping clients obtain employment, get their GED, or improve their family lives. I don't facilitate the classes, but am merely a presence if needed. Basically, it means that I moved from an office of about 50 people, to an office of 4. All women, who get along. Amazing!

Bacchus woke up today at about 4:00 a.m., and has been intermittently crying, which is the reason for this early morning post (it's actually 5:09 a.m. here). He is apparently only wanting to fuss when both Drew and I are in bed and trying to sleep. My being awake is apparently all it took for him to settle back to sleep. Today might be a two-cupper day in the coffee world.

Other than what is listed above, we haven't really been doing much else here. Drew is attending the planning and zoning meeting in Rocheport tonight, to get approval for the changes we want to complete on the new/old Rocheport house. Should be interesting. Let the porch demolition begin!

I was going to post some pictures, however that doesn't seem to be an option this morning. It HAS been awhile since I posted, and the format has changed. Jessica, any help?

Take care everyone!

First song!

2007-08-08T04:05:00.001-07:00

Bacchus sang his first song last night! He was following Drew, who was singing "Ya ya ya ya, ba ba ba ba". Today he's still saying the words, and sometimes with a "mam" thrown in for good measure. He also does this with his tongue turned sideways in his mouth (I can't do it), which looks pretty funny. The cuteness pretty much balances out the fact that he woke up at 4:45 this morning!!

We have his 9 month check up today. This will be the first one without shots, which is good, because Drew is crushing grapes, and probably won't make it to the appointment. (He usually handles the shot part while I go make the next appointment!)

Within the last few days, he has learned how to sit up from being on his belly on the floor. He's still SO CLOSE to crawling, but mostly gets around by rolling or scooting. He likes to watch the morning news with me (I think he thinks the heat graphic on the weather report is 'pretty').

Well, it's time to get to work!

New pics, as promised!

2007-08-05T04:21:00.001-07:00

This is Drew and Curtis pulling in to the finish line, after 79 hours and 4 minutes...

Drew was tired, but excited to see Bacchus!

Drew and Curtis receiving their medals, along with Mark, the crewman.

It was hot, but we survived!

This was a picture of Bacchus doing a push-up that somehow disappeared after I'd posted it.

Mission Accomplished!!!

2007-07-28T05:19:00.000-07:00

Since the last post, our lives have been consumed with the Missouri River 340, which is the worlds longest non-stop canoe/kayak race, from Kansas City, Kansas, to St. Charles, MO. Drew and Curtis Bourgeois participated, finishing yesterday, in a time of 79 hours and 4 minutes. There is a website you can check out, which has all the relevant info, for those who are interested. It was quite an undertaking, and I'm happy to say that it's over. Here's a copy of my final update, just sent a few minutes ago...
"

On 7/28/07, Sara Lemberger wrote:

Sorry to keep you all in suspense!! We (mom, Bacchus and I) traveled to St. Charles yesterday, to surprise Drew at the finish line of the MIssouri 340. Drew had estimated that he and Curtis would be paddling in between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m., but we got to the boat ramp early just to be safe...which was great, because they found a burst of energy at the end, fueled by another tandem team passing them several miles back. They paddled hard, covering 20 miles in only two hours!!!! They finished the race officially at 3:04 p.m., with a total time of 79 hours and 4 minutes. Whew!!!!

Drew and Curtis were tired and travel weary, but enjoyed sitting with a bottle of champagne and telling stories about the race. There was a reporter (from the Columbia Missourian, I think), who had interviewed them pre-race, at several of the checkpoints, and who arrived in St. Charles after the finish. She will have audio clips, as well as a slideshow on the Missourian website (I'm not sure exactly when). We are so proud of their accomplishment! The conquering hero is still sleeping right now. I THINK he took his medal off before bed, but can't be sure!! :)

Please forward this to anyone who was getting the original emails that is not on this list. I'm writing from home, and don't have all the addresses that I had before. Thanks everyone, for your support over the past week, for Drew and me...I have new respect for single mothers...

Love, The Reunited Lemberger Family

We have tons of pictures, and I'll be uploading them as soon as possible.

Gotta go...Drew is sleeping, and Bacchus is fussing...

July 11th, 2007

2007-07-11T03:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long since I posted! We've been fairly busy here, as everyone has been, I imagine! Let me see if I can summarize:

We purchased the house in Rocheport on 06-15-07, and for awhile, were busy with demolition. We are now to the point that Rocheport Planning and Zoning needs to approve our plans for the outside changes to the house, and that could take until next month's meeting. Drew went to a meet and greet last night, but got side-tracked by plans for a new boat ramp in Rocheport. Which leads us to the next item on our agenda...the Missouri 350.

The Missouri 350 is a kayak/canoe race from Kansas City to St. Charles on the Missouri river. It's touted as the longest race of it's kind in the world. It takes place from July 24th through the 28th. Drew and his boss (Curtis) have signed up, and Drew has been busy building the kayak for the last several weeks. It's nearing completion, and then they will start training, and then will participate in the race. They have 100 hours to make the trip, while stopping at eight or nine mandatory checkpoints along the way. Anyone interested in being in the "support crew" should call us...the support team meets the team at the various checkpoints along the way, supplying food, water, and God forbid, medical care. I think my parents are going to be helping in Kansas City, and will hopefully then drive to Columbia to keep Bacchus and me company for the rest of the trip. I think "basket case" may adequately describe how I might be feeling during that time!!

I've been busy at work, getting ready to transition into a new building that will host GED and various other classes every day. For me, it means moving from a building with 100 people, to an office with three other people. It should be considerably quieter, and more productive. I've been making a lot of jewelry during quiet moments at home, and selling it for extra spending money. It's not much, but it keeps me busy.

I've been thinking a lot lately about my friend, Kathy, who died last summer from a brain tumor. We are approaching the year anniversary of her death, and I'm still having a lot of trouble dealing with that. Part of that is guilt that I haven't seen her husband, Shawn, or her son, Lucas during the past year, having been caught up in my own family, for one, and not knowing what to say to him, also. Yesterday, as I was cleaning out my office, in preparation for the move, I glanced through my 2005 calendar (yes, I keep them, just for this purpose), and saw all the casual "dinner with Kathy" notations, that took place before she got sick. There weren't nearly enough of them. Not like the old days, when we got together at Booches, our favorite bar several times a week. We grew up, and she was pregnant in '05, and all of our lives started changing. Gather ye rosebuds, people...

Well, that's it for now. I woke up at 4:30 this morning, thinking about all the things that have been nagging at me lately, begging to be done, and I decided that updating this site could be easily taken off the list. (Check)

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day. Oh, shoot. I forgot to mention Bacchus, and this is, after all, his blog. So, in a nutshell, he's doing great. He has been toying with words, mostly "Ba ba" and "ma ma", but in a whisper now, instead of out loud. Maybe he's trying them out? He's up on his hands and knees, rocking back and forth, but instead of getting his legs moving in a forward motion, he collapses like a bad souffle. Jessica said that Grayson did that for what seemed like a few months before crawling. I can wait! I'm patient! We're having some general fussiness in the evenings, and I think that bedtime is creeping slowly sooner each night. He's sleeping longer in the mornings, for sure, and hasn't woken up during the night for several weeks. He is much smilier in the mornings (much like me!), and we enjoy several minutes waking Drew up in the morning before we head off to Columbia. I'm not sure Drew enjoys that as much as we do, but it gives me a chance to run in the kitchen and make my sandwich to take to work, or do some dishes, etc.

So THAT's all from here. I miss you guys! (Whoever reads this...and I'm fairly sure that if you're reading this on a regular basis, you would be someone I would like to see more often!)

Rainy day

2007-06-28T15:48:00.001-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Lemberger visited us last weekend, and we all had a great time. They treated us to lunch at the bistro, to celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary! The last two pictures were taken this evening (you can see his teeth on the portrait, as well as red, "tired baby" eyes!). What a beautiful boy! Drew has been off for the past two weeks, working on the house and generally not being at work. I've taken off a few days here and there, to help out. I spent yesterday scraping off the first four layers of wallpaper in the dining room, leaving about two more to go. Demolition is going pretty well! That's all from here...

Morning exercises

2007-06-21T15:15:00.002-07:00

Mom took these while visiting us last weekend. He's so strong!! Maybe he'll skip crawling, and go straight to weightlifting.

"Baby fish mouth!!"

2007-06-18T14:42:00.001-07:00

Well, we closed on the Rocheport house on 06-15-07...went relatively smoothly. Drew and I spent the rest of the day down at the new property, joined by Mom and Dad mid-day. On Saturday, Drew ripped the rotten floorboards off the front porch, while Dad and I ripped the carpet out of the living room. Several friends joined us in the late afternoon, and then we had Drew's party at the A-frame. It was a nice time, but hot, and Baby B and I went home at 7:30 to cool off and go to bed early. Bacchus had a really fussy day on Sunday. I don't think he was napping well, and may have had some teething issues, combined with the ridiculous heat and humidity. I was also probably not hydrated enough, which I think has affected my milk production. It was a rough day all around.

Drew and I predict that he will be crawling by the end of the week. He is getting so strong! Mom got a picture of him in the push-up position, which he can hold for several seconds. Last night, he also started imitating me, to some extent. I was saying "Ba, ba, ba", and first, he started opening and closing his mouth like a fish (which was hilarious...oh my gosh "Baby fish mouth!!"- a funny line from When Harry Met Sally), but at the end, he would throw in a few "bas". He also said "ma ma" once, but I don't think it was on purpose. Drew pretended to be really offended that he would say "ma ma" for the first time on Father's Day.

Rocheport house pics

2007-06-13T15:41:00.001-07:00

This is the house we're closing the deal on day after tomorrow. I hadn't been inside since our initial walk-through, and it's amazing how your mind can distort things over time! Some rooms were much smaller than I remember, and I don't remember the floor being so uneven. It's still beautiful, though, and we're really excited to start working on it.

Steve "tagged" me, for real this time

2007-06-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to come up with seven facts about me that aren't generally known, so here they are, in no particular order:

1. When I read the local newspaper, I am (sometimes) compelled to keep reading until I read the name of someone I know. This is usually pretty easy if I just look at the local arrests from the day before.

2. I was once invited to throw out the first pitch at a Kansas City Royals game, because it was United Methodist day, and I was the president of the Methodist Youth of Western Missouri. I turned it down, because mom and dad were out of town, Steve wasn't home, and I didn't know how to get to Kauffman Stadium. ( I was in high school, and really shy.)

3. I didn't have any imaginary childhood friends, or boogie men that I was afraid of, or anything like that (that I recall), but I did have an older brother who would torment me, which leads me to

4. One of Steve's friends started calling me "Back-seat Sara" in high school (even though I was a "good girl" until my mid-20s), because Steve would make me ride in the back seat of his car when taking me too and from school. Just because.

5. I can't stand the word "phlegm", or any derivative of the word, and the noise even makes me vomit just a little bit.

6. When I was about 12 or 13, I went to this ultra-Christian camp with my best friend, and all of the counselors had bird names. My counselor's name was Pecker. For real. And I was the only person who thought it was funny.

7. I pretend to be grossed out whenever Bachhus spits up on me, but I secretly smell it later, and think it smells pretty good. (Eewww, I know.)

Baby update: He has another tooth coming in on the bottom, and is ON THE MOVE. He isn't crawling yet, but he can stick his butt really high up in the air, and slide forward on his face, or he alternately will raise himself up on his arms, and his whole body slides backward. Once he puts two and two together, we'd better watch out. He's rolling to get from point A to point B now, and we've had to start baby-proofing. He bonked his head on the fireplace bricks over the weekend, and they are now covered in pillows.

We're closing on the Rocheport house on Friday. I'm peeved at the mortgage company, because they "forgot" to lock our interest rate in 40 days ago, and now the rate is 6.75 (instead of the 6.25 we did the initial paperwork with). I called them today, and they are going to "do their best" to get us 6.5. I told the lady that I was confident that she could do better, either rate wise or by knocking off some of the closing costs, and for her to think about it and call us back tomorrow. I was polite, but firm, and expressed my displeasure about the situation. (Dad, I think you would have been proud of me. I was ASSERTIVE.) Drew said that he thought we didn't have a choice but to go through with the closing on Friday, but I think there is ALWAYS a choice.

Anyhoo, that's it from here. Looking forward to seeing Mom and Dad on Friday/Saturday, and celebrating Drew's birthday, the house closing, and Father's Day all at once. To anyone reading this that I haven't talked to, we are having somewhat of a party at the A-frame on Saturday night. We've reserved a pavillion, and there will be live music (there is some other event going on with several bands, so there is a cover charge to get in that night). Hope to see everyone there!

Scooting!...er...kind of...

2007-06-03T04:14:00.000-07:00

On Friday, the sitter warned me that when I put Bacchus on the floor, I should expect that he will not stay in the same place. "Oh, is he crawling?"- me, "No..."-sitter (whose name is Sarah, btw). "Is he doing the 'soldier crawl'?"- me, "No, not exactly"- Sarah. Ummm... yeah. So what's he doing? Well, on his tummy, he's pushing up pretty strongly with his arms, which causes his body to move backwards very slightly. You can't even really tell that he's doing it (moving), because it's just a little bit at a time. Maybe I can take a time lapse video of it, or something. So, he's moving. Albeit backwards, at a very slow pace. But movement is movement, and we're very excited! He's also big on the "fake cough", and still smiling at anything that moves. What a great kid!

We're going to set up the pack-n-play in our bedroom, for naptimes, as we can no longer trust him on the king sized-bed ( even though it would take him an entire nap time to push his way to the edge).

We went to the Rocheport General Store last night, to grab dinner and listed to a jazz duo (sax and guitar). We've heard the same duo before, and they're pretty good. Bacchus was totally mellow, and appeared to like the music, as we were able to stay an hour past his normal bedtime, with no fussing or problems.

Well, that's it from here. A belated happy birthday to Nana Louie, who celebrated yesterday with family in KC. Love you, mom!

Well, Baby B just woke up, so I'm off to start my day!

Pics from Memorial Day weekend

2007-05-29T15:20:00.001-07:00

These pictures were really great...actually three different naps, on Saturday. Then, Bacchus playing with Grandap Gary, and Drew and Bacchus after we got back on Monday night.

Memorial Day Weekend...with teeth!

2007-05-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

Bacchus and I had a great time visiting Mom and Dad over the weekend. Uncle Steve and Aunt Delara were also there, with Uncle Josh and Courtney, too. We played Catch Phrase on Saturday night, and watched a movie on Sunday night. Drew stayed in Rocheport for a sunset cruise that had been booked, but ended up being rained out. He really missed a fun time. One of my favorite moments was looking up to see Delara, Steve, Josh and Dad, ALL fiddling with their laptops. To quote Kip on Napoleon Dynamite..."I really love technology". We capped off the weekend by finding that Bacchus had a tooth breaking through on the bottom, and Steve said one is coming on the top as well. There were some tears (mostly Bacchus'), and one trip to town for baby Orajel (thanks, Grandpa Gary!). He was fussy all day yesterday, too, but today seems back to his normal self. Thank goodness!

Jacob and Jan Carla's wedding day 05-20-07

2007-05-23T15:41:00.001-07:00

General pictures from the wedding day. Bacchus had a great time, as did we all!

Smiley babies are the best!

2007-05-19T07:42:00.001-07:00

Thank goodness Bacchus is smiley most of the time!!!!

Drew's new baby...

2007-05-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

Drew has been working on this timber frame gazebo for weeks...it looks so beautiful on the wedding site! I tried to take a picture of Bacchus next to it, so you could get an idea of scale, but the camera battery pooped out. I'll take some tomorrow at the wedding. I can't wait! And I'm so glad Drew is not going to be staying out in his workshop until 3:00 a.m. anymore! (At least this week, for those of you who know Drew:)

05-18-07 pics, Bacchus and Poppies

2007-05-18T07:48:00.001-07:00

Baby Fight Club II: The Wrath of Bacchus

2007-05-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

For the last three nights, the kicking has been back full force. Last night, for the first time in weeks and weeks, he needed to be fed in the middle of the night. I'm guessing it's another growth spurt. Other than that, nothing is really new here. Our friends Jacob and Jan Carla are getting married in the fields beyond the farm house on Sunday, and Drew has been building a timber-framed gazebo for the ceremony to take place in. I'll have pictures when it's up. They are having a "barn-raising" this afternoon to erect the structure on the wedding site, which should be pretty interesting! Maybe I'll take pictures of that, too.

My sitter had the day off today, so we're at home, kickin' it infant style. I think Bacchus and I will got for a walk on the trail later, if it's not off-limits. The flood water never breached the trail, but it's still right up to the concrete barrier they erected and fortified with sand bags last week.

Hope everyone is having a fantabulous Friday!

Mmmmmm....carrots!

2007-05-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

Bacchus had his first non-breastmilk or formula foods tonight...carrots. The word that best describes his expression most of the time was "concerned". He didn't seem totally opposed to the idea of the weird orange stuff, but was wary. Not that this stopped him from eating, of course! He got a good few tablespoons worth of it down, and then washed it down with good old milk. We'll see how his tummy reacts!

I was thinking today about how this time, right now, is probably the easiest time, parenting wise. He doesn't crawl or roll over yet, so he stays where I put him, and he's sleeping 10 hours a night, which has allowed me to catch up on some much needed sleep. I have a feeling that when he becomes mobile, I'll never get a moment's peace! I'm sure enjoying life right now...:)

and more...

2007-05-08T04:53:00.000-07:00

Gretchen, Lara and I after singing in Amie's wedding this past weekend in Lee's Summit

Bacchus giving Oscar Bomgaars a special greeting

He pulls them off my face all the time!

This one's for you, Uncle Steve! I'm afraid he's going to outgrow this outfit before football season even starts!

6 months!

2007-05-08T04:42:00.000-07:00

Fun in the Jump-er-oo!

I'd really like to know what he's whispering out of the side of his mouth...
I

Daddy and Bacchus time...

Things I've learned so far...

2007-04-30T14:58:00.001-07:00

I know Drew and I have a lot to learn, but here are some of the things I've learned since becoming a mom:

1) How to kick an object on the floor into the air, and catch it in my hand (usually a burpie cloth).

2) How to clean spit-up from a variety of surfaces, without throwing up myself.

3) How to con Drew into changing a dirty diaper (I'll get it started, and then call for "backup", and then say, "Oh, I have to wash my hands...can you finish up here?")

4) How to smile at 3:00 a.m., when I really feel like crying.

I'll just have to keep adding to the list.

Oh, and I thought of something to say when people who don't understand breastfeeding ask me why I'm still doing it..."Why buy the formula when you can milk the cow for free?". Tee hee.

Saturday 4-28

2007-04-28T12:23:00.000-07:00

Good times...

The first rule about baby fight club is....

2007-04-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

Oh, you know. I'm not even going to say it. I will say that for the last few nights, I think Bacchus has been secretly hosting baby fight club/crib matches in his room, usually between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. I can't think of another explanation of the wall-jarring noises emanating from his room. (It doesn't help that his crib is on the other side of the wall from our bed.) Seriously, he has been raising up his legs, and then slamming them down on the mattress repeatedly, sometimes on and off for two hours. This is usually accompanied by fussing/talking (or crowd noise?). If you can get past the fact that it keeps you up during the night, it's pretty funny. Most of the time, he puts himself back to sleep. I'm guessing he maybe has gas? Maybe we'll give him gas drops before bed tonight, to see if there's any change.

He self-eliminated his 6:30 p.m. feeding in the last few days, so now he eats at 6:15 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., and 7:45 p.m. We haven't introduced solids yet, holding out for the 6 month mark. Which, by the by, will be on Cinco de Mayo. Ole!!

Congratulations to my brother Josh, who will be graduating from Baker University in May, and starting his first teaching job in August. How cool is that?

That's all for now, folks.

Tuesday, April 24th

2007-04-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

Good morning, all! We spent the past weekend in the KC area, with the GPs watching Baby B while I rehearsed for a wedding I'm singing for in two weeks. It was a great all-around weekend, getting to see friends and family. We'll get to head back up for the nuptials on the 4th and 5th, so the GPs will get plenty of Bacchus-time (and I will spend part of the reception pumping in the bathroom!).

Bacchus is still growing strong. He isn't growing as fast as he did initially (thank goodness), but he's pretty much at the maximum capacity of some of his clothes. I tend to measure his growth using his jammies (how he fits into them), and he's almost outgrown them.

Last night we took him into the hot tub, which was not very hot, and he had a good time splashing around. Boy, is he buoyant. Those chubby thighs kept floating up. It was toward bed time, so he wasn't as smiley as usual, but he didn't cry, which was a plus.

That's it from the greater Rocheport area. How is everyone else doing?

Monday, April 16th

2007-04-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

Drew and Bacchus having special times...

Nothing much new going on here. We'll be heading to Kansas City this weekend, for a wedding music rehearsal for my friend Amie's wedding on the Cinco de Mayo. It will be good to hang out with the parental units for a night, at least. I just hope there's enough Bacchus to go around. There usually is. :)

Quick prayer for anyone involved with Virginia Tech...

TGIF!!!!

2007-04-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

Bacchus is happy that it's Friday, too.

Grumpy Thursday

2007-04-12T05:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm officially tired. Drew is sick, and Bacchus has a cold, and consequently was up several times last night. I was also tired yesterday, when I went to the grocery store after work, got a cart full of of stuff, and had it all run through the checkout counter before I realized that my wallet was not in my bag. I ran out to the car, and it wasn't there, either. I called my friend Tracy at the office, who found it on the floor of my cubie. The nice manager at the store put my whole cart in the walk-in cooler, and it only took me about five minutes to go to my office and retrieve my wallet. Then, when I got to the sitter, I had forgotten the pumped milk, and had to go back for it. Then, I opened her freezer to put the milk in, not realizing she had stuff on the freezer, which slid onto the floor behind said freezer (the lights were off in the kitchen). Mump.

When I went in to Bacchus' room to get him up this morning, he had a big scratch over his left eye. I had just trimmed his nails a few days ago, and still haven't found the offending nail. Double mump.

I have to admit, though, that even when I'm bone-tired, and am going into his room to feed him for the first or second time during the night, he really is beautiful in the ambient light of the nursery. Once he's calmed down and eating, he often gives little smiles, and when he's done, his mouth looks like a little cupid bow.

This morning, when I was feeding him at 3:30 a.m., I thought back to an early morning feeding when he was first born. I was Tired (for real) back then. I was trying to drink lots of water, and Drew was really good about always having a fresh bottle of water on the table next to the recliner where we took care of business. I reached for the bottle, and took a big swig, and felt SOMETHING foreign in my mouth. I wasn't sure what it was, but I knew I didn't want it there. I had Bacchus in my arms, and the only thing I could do was spit. So I did. And out crawled a huge box elder bug. It wasn't very funny at the time, but I can laugh now. And always use water bottles with lids. :)

Today I heard an article on the radio that scientists were trying to determine if a certain substance had a positive or negative effect on gums or gum disease, and realized that all the subjects were losing a significant amount of weight. It turns out that the substance (and I can't recall the name right now) is most prevalent in breastmilk. Interesting...

Bacchus meets Mr. E. Bunny

2007-04-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, so he was a little more interested in stuffing his hand in his mouth.

Bacchus, Easter, 2007

2007-04-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh...look at those dimples!!!

Pics from Steve's wedding, St. Patty's Day, and Easter

2007-04-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen a bluer-eyed, chubbier baby???

Misc pics...I did it!

2007-04-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday

2007-04-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

Baby B slept all the way through the night last night...woo-hoo! He was probably tired from being out on the town with Drew, who picked him up from the sitter because I had to teach class until 6:45 p.m. Drew took him to Trattoria, and then down to Booches to hang out for a bit. He said Bacchus sang all the way home, which he does a lot in the mornings on the way to work, too.

He rolled over back to front two days ago, but hasn't replicated any rolling over for the camera yet. Last night he was very close to rolling over onto his tummy, but didn't quite make it.

Because of all the travelling we've done in the past few weeks, we're staying put for the Easter weekend (sorry families)! We'll probably go to the annual brunch at the bistro, where Curtis dresses up as Mr. E. Bunny. That should make for some good pictures...

Well, that's it from the Mid-Missouri area. Is anyone reading this thing? Helloooooooo....

Milestone reached!

2007-04-03T05:20:00.000-07:00

That's right, the little guy rolled over last night for the first time. The sitter told me he was getting close, but that his arm was in the way. When we got home, I put him on the blanket, and sure enough, he was getting all the way over on his side, and turning his head, but not quite making it. I had the video camera on him for about 20 minutes, waiting for the magic to happen, and encouraging him to "go! go! roll!!" (I'm sure he thought I was nuts). After a while, I just decided he'd do it on his own schedule, and ran downstairs to put a load of laundry in the washer. Sure 'nuff, when I got back, he was on his tummy!! And he wasn't fussing, like he normally is on his tummy. Maybe because he was on his tummy BY CHOICE. Anyhoo, we missed it. I did vow to leave the videocamera sitting out, so I can grab it when he's doing something cute, which, dang it, is pretty much all the time.

We (Bacchus and I) survived the weekend with Drew being in New Orleans. Drew survived too, albeit with sore kidneys. But that's a story for another blog.

That's all for now!

Baby + Thunderstorm = No Sleep for Mommy & Daddy

2007-03-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

I think the title says it all. I was super tired this morning, after Baby B was awake at 1:30 for his normal post-midnight snack and again from 3:30 to 5:00 a.m. His eyes were WIDE OPEN, and he kept looking at the window at the light show. Today I'm the "officer of the day", which means I have to be available and in the office all day, to handle any walk-ins or crises that may arise when someone's regular officer isn't here. And on Fridays, NO ONE is here. Anyhoo...I'm going to soldier on.

I went to pump, and realized that I had left vital pieces (ie valves) to my pump at home, so had to run to the store to buy replacements. Apparently, I had thrown everything in a bag this morning, except the thingies that make the pump work. Oops. That's tired, folks!

Drew left this morning to drive to New Orleans for a bachelor party for our friend Jacob. A bunch of guys in a 15 passenger van, spending the weekend in the Quarter. I asked if he wanted to take the camera, and he said, "No, too much liability". I'm not sure if he meant the camera might be damaged, or that it might capture things not meant for us delicate ladies to see. I don't think I want to know. I asked if I should set aside bail money, but Drew said he had plenty.

Drew and I decided to put King Ave. up on the market, so called the Trib and placed an ad, to start running on Sunday. Drew's cell phone was the contact number, and figured he could take calls on the way home from his trip. Only the Trib messed up, and started running the ad yesterday (apparently, because we already got a call). So, he may have a busy phone amidst the revelry. Should be interesting!

Well, that's it from Mid-Mo. Anyone wanting to come to Columbia to watch Bacchus while I take a nap this weekend, feel free! The guest room is open...zzzzzz.

Wedding recap

2007-03-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

Had a great time in Nashville last weekend, when brother Steve married the lovely Delara. It was a great, low-key ceremony, in the Ba'hai tradition, with lots of time for friends and family to relax and get to know each other. Bacchus was great on the way down, with a good combination of sleep and play, with a little fussy time thrown in for good measure. We were lucky enough to get an adjoining suite at the Hampton Inn with Nana Louie and Grampa Gary, and Josh and Courtney as well. Great to have baby help close by. Connie was in attendance (surprise!) which we were really grateful for. Also, old friends Michael and Melissa were in from Fredericktown, and it was great to reconnect with them (Hi, guys!).

Bacchus "found his voice" over the weekend, and can be really vocal at times, which is hilarious. I sing to him a lot, and he often accompanies me. :) He was extra fussy on the way home from Nashville, and letting him chomp on my finger seemed to be the only soother. I guess it just confirms Jessica's suspicion that he's starting to teethe. Yahoo.

Oh, Steve, if you're taking timeout from your honeymoon to read this, I just read that Don Cheadle is working on (directing and starring in) a biopic of Miles Davis. Just FYI!

Well, that's it from the greater Rocheport area. Hope everyone has a fabulous week!

Lazy Sunday

2007-03-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

Well, Bacchus rocked the Rocheport General Store again last night (3rd weekend in a row). They had an Irish band playing, and Shepard's Pie on the menu. I had some friends in from out of town, and we all had a great time. Bacchus was wearing his new driving cap that Drew bought him in Pennsylvania, along with a green and white striped outfit. I'll try to get some pics on here (Jessica, help!), because he looked so precious. At one point, he was laughing at Jan Carla, and her mom, Nirma. He was laughing so hard, that pretty soon, almost everyone in the store was watching him. Sorry, six piece Irish band. You were shown up by a 4.5 month old.

I'm starting to make lists of stuff in preparation for our trip to Nashville on Thursday/Friday. Gretchen has graciously invited us to stay with her in St. Louis on Thursday night, which will break up the trip somewhat. I can't wait to see everyone. Our thoughts and prayers are with my Aunt Connie, who will not be able to make it.

Well, that's it for now. Time for laundry/dishes/babycare/shower/grocery shopping, etc. Later!

P.S. For those of you keeping track, yesterday was the 8 year anniversary of our first kiss....aawww.

Aaahhh....Friday

2007-03-16T05:28:00.000-07:00

Nothing much new in Bacchus-world. He's still as cute as always, and markedly happier in the mornings (much like me!). I can usually get him to have one laughing fit in the evenings, and take turns calling different family members to hear it. He's not making any moves to roll over yet, which is totally fine with me.

Drew and I put a bid in on an historic home in Rocheport yesterday, and are waiting to hear from our agent. "Fix-R-Upper" would be a mild term for this house, but it is beautiful, and has so much potential. It was built in 1840, and sits on a large corner lot, which is actually four small lots put together. We'll see!

Aunties Gretchen and Amie are coming into town this weekend, and we plan on going out to dinner and seeing an Irish band at the Rocheport General Store tomorrow. And they're calling for SNOW.

We are getting ready to travel to Nashville next weekend (I'm starting to stress and make lists now), and we'll see how Bacchus does on an extended car trip. So far, he's only been in for two hours at a time (to KC or STL). He probably travels much better than I do (just ask Drew). Well, that's it for now...hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2007-03-14T05:42:00.000-07:00

Ok...I dressed Bacchus in "real" (a.k.a. "big boy") clothes today before dropping him off at the sitter. (It was a red, white and blue striped shirt with jeans, from his aunt Marie, but that's beside the point.) I think I've been putting off this step for several reasons. Practically, it's easier to change a diaper when you just have to unzip or unsnap a onesie. Also, they are the cutest outfits, and babies are much snugglier when wearing them. On an emotional level, perhaps I've been delaying the inevitable...facing that fact that I don't want him to grow up. I've always had problems dealing with changes, big and small. When I picked him up from the sitter the other day, and he smiled when I entered his field of vision, I suddenly had the thought that, someday, he WON'T smile when he looks at me. I'm not always going to have his complete and utter trust. Someday, I will disappoint him. He won't always grasp my finger in his chubby fist and look up at me while he's eating his meal, and the Itsy Bitsy Spider won't make him giggle anymore. Aaahhh...

On a happier note, he slept all night. Woo-hoo!

Full night's sleep

2007-03-08T05:46:00.000-08:00

Ok, now that I watched my dad update pictures on this last night, I realize that I can do it just as easily, and can actually post stuff to update everyone on the wee bebe. Ok, so he's not so wee, having weighed in at his 4 month appointment at 17.5 lbs (in the 95th percentile). As Drew likes to say, "He likes his groceries!". I went back to work in mid-January, and we are all adjusting well. Bacchus has been sleeping through the night since about 9 weeks of age. Except for last week, when he suddenly forgot what he was doing, and started waking up two to three times per night, needing food/comfort, etc. We broke that cycle over the past weekend, and I'm pretty sure it was the Johnny Cash impersonator that did it. Let me 'splain. We went out to dinner with our friends Jacob and Jan Carla, to Abigail's in Rocheport. Bacchus started getting fussy around 7:30, his usual dinner time. I tried to feed him (albeit awkwardly) at the table, but he just fussed around. Drew ended up holding him, and he had a good time looking around at everything in the different environment. At 9:00 p.m., he was still in good spirits, and apparently not hungry, so we headed over to the Rocheport General Store, where there was a Johnny Cash impersonator band playing. Playing loudly, and quite badly, I'm sorry to say. Anyhoo, Bacchus was totally into the new environment, and had a good time being passed around to a few people. At 9:45, we finally called it a night, and went home, fed him, and put him to bed. He's been sleeping through the night ever since. God Bless you, horrible Johnny Cash impersonator!

Drew has been in Pennsylvania since last Sunday, attending a winery convention of some sort with the other winemakers. Dad Marchbank, thank God, agreed to come and help out at the house, where he has been feeding and caring for all the animals, including me. I'm going to miss coming home to a house smelling like dinner! He has also been doing little things around the house (wiring the living room for internet, painting a patch job in the bedroom/bathroom, etc) that is so appreciated. Grandparents are awesome.

Well, that's the update for now. Sorry this has been so long in coming! Hopefully, I'll be able to update it regularly from now on. We haven't taken any videos, and I wouldn't know how to post them if I did, but I'm willing to learn. Everybody needs to be able to hear Bacchus laughing. It's so cute that when I'm home, I call my office line, and leave a voicemail of him laughing, so I can listen to it all day at work. Life is good.

Bach as a pirate, a frog et al

2007-03-07T17:02:00.000-08:00

More of Bach...

2007-03-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

FINALLY... some new pics!

2007-01-10T07:01:00.000-08:00

Pictures...

We've got lots of catching up to do on pictures and my Dad is helping me put some of them on the website. This is his first attempt to do that!

Grandpa is watching...

2007-01-08T07:21:00.000-08:00

OK, GP is now looking at you via computer rather than in person! You're still 'looking good'!

New pics of Bach

2006-11-19T18:36:00.000-08:00

Baby Bach gets cuter every day... Mom and Dad have been taking turns staying with the new parents.

Bach

Welcome to Baby Bach!

2006-11-09T15:04:00.000-08:00

Born on November 5th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
Weighing 7 lbs 14 oz
20.75 inches long

His first moments in the world... more pictures here