Cuteness Goes on Tour!

So, the First Annual BY Universe Layin' Up Weekend, wasn't totally spent layin' up....

I mean, what did you expect? (Look who I married)

Sunday was the day (or morning out!). We got the Pizz all cuted up and then got our God on...

Then breakfast....

(where the big girl got to sit in the big girl chair!)

Then.... shopping....

All the Total Cuteness Package went forth and dished out some heavy doses of cuteness...

"Would you like a side of Cuteness with your French Toast?"

The Closing-out of the DQ

Well, times here are a-changin'!

Seems that one of the unfortunate things that comes with the advancement of the Pizz's diet is the decline in Sauce production. It is so sad. The DQ's is closing up shop.

For weeks she had moaned about producing the sauce. How she couldn't wait to be done with it. How it was too painful. How she couldn't deal with lugging the Madonna Pump around.

But funny things happen when the end is drawing near. Ol' DQ gets nostalgic... Yup. Seems she couldn't put the sauce producers away just yet. Poor poor girl!

Also, the angst of winding down production has affected the DQ in other ways. Namely, for those of you who know the Maine, when she gets anxious or angry, what does she do?

Oh, yes.... she organizes...

Seems the Pizz's closet has just been nagging the Ol' DQ just too too much. She couldn't handle having the 1 y old outfits next too the 3 mo old dresses. (Oh gosh!) Nope. Not the jackets near the pants.... (Oh My!!!)

Seems just was just waiting to find an excuse to organize the closet. Then, one day, while surfing the Internet (and not guest blogging on the BY Universe... how dare she!?!?!) she found them. Labels. But not any old labels, very special baby labels, designed for organizing baby clothes. Wow!

So now the Pizz has a supremely organized closet! If she ever wanted to go back and wear her 3mo old outfits, she knows exactly where to look!

"While the DQ organizes, the Pizz continues to pass on the cuteness!"

First Annual BY Layin' Up Weekend!

Well, last night The Pizz got to wear her lucky nightgown to spur on the Dukies to victory.

In honor of that, and the fact that her parents had a long, stressful workweek, this weekend has been christened the First Annual BY Layin' Up Weekend.

We have many activities scheduled for this weekend. Including: laying on the couch, napping, drinking sauce (all 3 varieties), sitting outside, napping, watching TV, petting Ham, taking pics of the Pizz, oogling the wonderful weather, working on the Blog, and sleeping some more... not necessarily in that order....

All to celebrate Layin Up!

Ahhhhhhhh

Bustin' Out of Jail

As all of you loyal BY viewers can attest, the Pizz is growing and developing at a tremendous rate. Her newest thing, over the last month or so, is turning over and pre-scooting. So much so that when we put her down to nap in her crib, she is never in the same position when we return.

To which, the DQ and I have been commenting on how we needed to lower the crib... lest the Pizz break free of her confines and break something else...

So finally, today we rectified the situation. Sort of.

It started off very simply. The Pizz did a hefty dose of spittoon in her bed during her late PM nap (She didn't take to the Daylight Savings switch so well... blegh!!!) The DQ took the Pizz away to clean up and then downstairs to prepare for her dinner. This left the Editor in charge of the crib-cleaning. Great! Since I had to rip off some sheets (which are a royal pain in the arse to change!) I figured I'd lower the mattress... Great!

I took off the bumpers... then the spittoon sheat... then pulled out the mattress (whew, really not soft... wow!) Then saw the crib directions in a nice, neat folder on top of the mattress board. (Wow, that DQ thinks of everything!!!) I re-read the directions and figure out how to detach the board. Then I lower it and reattach. (All of this while running downstairs to see the Tournament Brackets being announced!) Then put the mattress back on.

The Pizz is by now finished with her dinner and ready for her bath. The DQ arrives in the nursery with the Pizz and pawns her off on me. (I loooooove bathtime!) I dance off the with Pizz for bathtime, leaving the DQ to finish the crib.

Bathtime was completed seamlessly... but not before the Pizz wanted to streak the house! I, being the wonderful father I am, decided that was not a bad idea.... Thus we continued our routine of nightly BabyStreaking... (this includes a nice BabyMoon to both the DQ and the Ham...) What is BabyStreaking, you might ask... well... picture Will Farrell from Old School... but with the Pizz inside the GM... (usually with the Editor running around the house, screaming 'We're going streaking!!! Wooo hoooo' She loooooves it!!!)


Now the Pizz is ready for her new bedtime. The DQ is finished and I bring her to bed. I put her down, noticing how much lower I have to stoop to place her in the crib. 'Hey, babe, where are the bumpers?' 'Oh, she doesn't need them now... She also could use them to climb out...' ... 'Ok'

So we put the Pizz down to bed and go downstairs to the kitchen. I to my Brackets and the DQ to preparing the dinner. (ahhhh) Then the Pizz cries... argh... I go in and plug her... Nothing too exciting... just crying in her bed.

I go back to the kitchen and chat with the DQ. About 10 min later, the Pizz starts crying again. 'Hmm. Maybe we'll let her cry this one out....' 5 min later... still crying.... 10min... still crying, with some semblance of amplification... 15min later.... crying continues... 'Damn, I'll go plug her again!'

I drudge upstairs. I get up to her room and open the door. I look in, peering through the dark shadows.... Hmmm... I see something moving on the side of the crib... what is that? My eyes adjust to the light... Wow!

I see two legs sticking through the slat openings in the crib. Wailing and kicking away with the high pitch screams of my daughter. The Pizz was trying to break free. Seems I had caught her in the act. I start laughing.... 'Maine, you have to see this....'

She comes upstairs.... 'I think we need those bumpers.'

'Yup... I think we do'

"So close to freedom... yet so far!!!"

K-Pizz and G Funk!

Well, last weekend, La-La made an impromptu visit to the lovely Green Machine... and she did not come alone....

She brought Grayson, The Pizz's cousin. However, since this was her first visit to the GM and the BY Universe, she needed a gift. A name fitting for the BY Universe.... and so she became the G-Funk!

And the camera snapped away...






Pizza was eaten on Friday (it's Lent, of course)... Then on Saturday we went to the beach....
and it was cold and windy...




The Pizz had to bundle up... while the grownups drank Parental Sauce to keep warm....

And then there was more time for pictures!!!

Total Cuteness Accessories

Well, for her birthday, the K-Pizz got a present....

Barrettes!!!

(or as we call them in the BY Universe.... Total.... Cuteness.... Accessories!!!!)

You might ask: how can the Total Cuteness Package get even cuter?

Well, take a look!!!

To Cut or Not to Cut

This is the question... and it seems to be the first major argument in our raising of the Total Cuteness Package... (if we really do fight...)

Ever since the KPizzle was born, I have had visions of that mop of hair and the Total Cuteness Pigtails and Ponytails that could be had. I figured this cuteness vision would be in short order... probably before her 1st birthday!

Oh she would be sooooooooooooooooooooo cute!

But now it seems that the DQ has been cutting her hair behind my back!!! All in the name of "expressing the cuteness!" Hmmm... she just let it slip about 30 mins ago... I was apoplectic!!!!

Unbelievable... did we not learn anything from the tail of Sampson and Delilah!?!?!?

If it was the right thing to do, why was she sneaking behing my back???

All this time, I thought the hair was getting longer and becoming more manageable... allowing her new Total Cuteness Accessories to have full effect... (this was going to be a post, but has now been pushed back a few....)

So what do I do, BY Universe?

"Are you telling me I could lose my power of cuteness???"

What Goes In...

So, I've been meaning to post this one for a while now but keep forgetting...

We here at Baby Yarnoz have slowly been advancing the Pizz's dinner time menu. It started in December with rice cereal. The Pizz had now idea what this solid schmutz was on her tongue, but it definitely wasn't the Sauce! She would push it out with her tongue and cry like the dickens!!! But this didn't last long... the DQ's perseverance paid off, and the Pizz began eating like a champ.

Rice cereal turned into oatmeal. Then there were peas... and carrots... and squash... and sweet potatoes... and bananas... and apples... and pears.... you get the picture. The most recent addition was mango just the other day.

The Pizz eats it all down like a champ! In fact, practically the only time the Pizz cries these days is when you are not feeding her fast enough. Seriously. Dinner time is now a stressful endeavor. As soon as you put her in the highchair, you better be ready to feed. She inhales it. You sit there feverishly shovelling it in her mouth, just to keep her quiet! Next thing you know, the food is gone... she is full ... and you are spent..... collapse in a sweaty heap!

Now this lovely change in our daughter's eating habits has produced a not so lovely change in the after effects!!!! What goes in....

Must... come.... out!!!

It has been an eye, and nostril, opening experience!!!! All the colors of the rainbow go in, travel through the small innerds of the Pizz, and wind up in the diapers. Whhhhhhhhhhhhewww! It's amazingly odoriferous! No more Tapioca for Daddy... Now the new foods just pass right through... Some (sweet potatoes) don't even look like get digested. (The first time I changed her diapers after some sweet potatoes, I though the DQ was playing a joke on me and just scooped some directly into her drawers... nope)

During all of this, the Pizz is still passing out cuteness... and some giggles too. It is almost like she knows the stink she created and is laughing at us.

Happy Half-Birthday!!!!

Six months ago.... today.... the KPY graced us all.

The End of Daddy DaddyDaycare

You know what they say... "all good things must come to an end"...

Well in the case of Daddy Daddydaycare, it has. With the arrival of the DQ yesterday evening, the Ita and Wowo show left the GM this morning.

** sniffle, sniffle **


It truly was an amazing help from the dynamic Yarnoz duo. Daddy and the Pizz were treated like royalty. To the point where the duo was exhausted.

The Pizz got daily, personalized care.

Daddy got food, clean clothes, and a clean house.


Wow.

What did duo get? A whole lot of Kemper Cuteness! (and naps... see insert)

Other little highlights/reminders from the week that was:

1. Books-A-Million called. They granted Wowo a lifetime membership to the coffee shop, if he would only buy that book on the Spanish Empire. Too bad he left early.

2. The Crazy Blizzard of 2010. Supposedly, it only really snows here once every 5 years. Wow. Were we lucky or what!

3. The Alcohol Board Commission posted on their website that they now expect a 25% decrease in their revenues. Hmmm.... wonder why?

4. Man, I cannot determine what was my favorite meal: chicken caccitore, filets, flank steak, meatloaf, chicken and orzo, pork chops or omelets. Hmmm. Without a doubt, meatloaf. Ahhh... with baked potatoes and mixed veggies.... ketchup... Brings me back to childhood. Couldn't tell it was turkey! (and neither would Wowo if Ita didn't slip!!!)

5. Bloomberg noted on their website that their viewing numbers had increased by 75% over the last week in Wilmington. They were going to beef up their marketing here. Too bad I just deleted that channel.

6. The Pizz was christened the "Total Cuteness Package" by her dad this week. Or TCP for short. She's starting to become ticklish too...


7. Daddy can now watch sporting events in peace!

"Wait, are you telling me no more Ita and Wowo? I'm stuck with this dude?? Blegh!!!"

Postcards from the KP

Well, now that the DQ is on her way back from Haiti (yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!) we can celebrate

The Pizz did her part too! She wanted to send her mom daily doses of cuteness. Since she is the TCP (Total Cuteness Package), she didn't have to do very much. Almost daily, she posed and passed out her cuteness to my camera-phone. These were subsequently emailed to the DQ as postcards!

This way the TCP did her part to keep her mom going!

Enjoy....

"Waiting patiently for sauce!"

"Where's my sauce!!!"

"Feed me!"

"Drunk on food!"

"Creepin to the left!"

"Rockin the bouncer!"

"The Hair!"

"My Dad's a Hottie!!!"

"He's sooo dreamy!"

"Are you looking at me?"

"Dinner Time!!!"

Frozen in Wilmington

Well, last night the snow came to our sleepy little resort town... and did it come!!!

2-2.5 inches of the white stuff

But, while it was cold and frozen outside... the Pizz was warm and cozy on the inside!!!

Brrrrrrr!!!

A respite for the Ita and Wowo

Well, after the long, hard week of caring for the Pizz and the Daddy, Ita and Wowo deserved a respite day...

So I took the K-Pizz to daycare for the day...

And Ita and Wowo went out on the town... (although it was frigid cold to do anything!)

But how can you leave this hunk of cuteness for too long?

New KPY Pics

New Pics on Snapfish

Including some from Ito/Wowo Daycare

Kemper Vision

Abdominal Activity, Ita and Wowo style

DaddyDaddy Daycare

Hello all...Long time no posting... (but more to come)

As of this posting, the DQ is flying charter style to Haiti to go help at her clinic.

We here at the Green Machine must move on. So Daddy Daycare has imported some daycare for Daddy too!

Ita and Wowo have been very nice to offer up their considerable amounts of free time (ahhh to be retired!) to come and lend a hand.


Ahhhh

Kemper Does Austin, 3

Well, sorry for the delay... (Daddy Day Care this weekend!! Whew!!!)

So back to the weekend... Sunday morning was very leisurely. Everyone awoke at their own pace. The grownups had coffee, Michael had breakfast and the KP had sauce! Then shower time. Then the grown up dudes went to Sears to get an oil change! (yes had to have some man time at Sears during the weekend. Did I mention it is a supporter of the BY Universe!!!)

We all regrouped at the house to gather up our stuff and head off to lunch. Another Tex-Mex restaurant! Man I love it!!!! Fajitas from the source!!!! Unfortunately, Daddy sat in the way back of the car... and got a little carsick! Damn.... Didn't puke, but just got queasy. We made it to the restaurant and ate the yummy fajitas... Yum... My stomach was still doing somersaults, but I was able to trudge on... like a trooper!

Then the airport OCD started kicking in... Flight was at 430pm... It was 1230... Tick tick tick tick. Stomach did another couple of jumps.. Then we took off... after I finished my 4th refill of diet coke (ahhh refills!).

We pull up to the airport ~130pm. I got out of the car and collected our bags. (that was my job... the DQ had the KP). I said goodbye and took off for the double doors.... Have ... to ... get... on ... the ... plane.... Then I heard the words "Uh oh" from behind me. I turn around to see the DQ holding the KP awkwardly.

"Babe, we've got to MOVE!!!" "Yes, I know, Mike, but we have a problem!"

"What?" She mouthed the word "POOP"!!!

Oh crap! "Can't we make it through security first!?!?!?" "No, Mike, I felt it leaking through when I got her out of the carseat!"

Great... The KP left a present in the car for our lovely guests. That is definitely no way to wooo a man! I'll have to talk to her about it later. Now, we have a problem. We have to find a bathroom. We enter the ticketing lobby. Nothing around. Uh oh.... tick tick tick... My heartrate is now beating through my throat!

The DQ trudges off to the side of the lobby, away from the masses. "Where are you going?!?!?" She plops down on the side of the lobby, right in the middle, near a bank of chairs for cover. "Are you seriously going to do this here?!?!?!"

Before I could get an answer, the diaper bag was out. "Guess... so" KP was placed on it. She was all smiles... damn she is cute! The DQ sets out to work on the mess. I scan the lobby to see it we're being watched. Nope, but probably all over the security cams. I turn back to the DQ, to see the clothes being ripped off. Man! Did she ever have a blow out?!?!?!? Green poop down her legs ... everywhere! She had been storing up this BM for a while.

Then the DQ fingers for the diaper tabs. "wait a second!?!? where are we going to put -?" Blammo!!! Diaper wide open and poop was everywhere!!! I mean wow!!!! Green lathers of poop all over her frontside and backside. This was a all-hands-on-deck moment. I grabbed the wipes and started wiping. Holy cow! I also took out a plastic bag to contain the biohazardous waste. Whew! It reeked too... Throughout all of this, the KP was coo-ing and passing out cuteness left and right. Sweat was running down my brow... tick..tick..tick... I mean, if there was a security camera on me, with sweat running down my face, nervously checking my watch... I would be screwed. I realized that I am getting a full cavity search for this one. Back to the cleaning of the KP's cavities.... The DQ looks up and hands me the biohazard bag, and says "Deal with this!" Whew! Oh my god... How can something so cute produce this!?!?!?!

I looked up, saw the trashcan across the lobby, and grabbed the bag. I made my way towards the can... visions of "24" through my head... if I was a terrorist, this would be one hell of a way to drop a bomb (literally... the KP figuratively dropped a big one). I throw the bag away, and run back to the DQ. She was finished putting the KP back together. Whew!

Tick tick tick

Then we get in line for our tickets.... got em

Then we get in line for security.... damn this thing is long.... tick tick tick... Sweating profusely now! "Maine we're ... not ... going ... to ... make ... it" "Calm down you silly goose!"

We get through security finally... No strip search for me. The KP was totally passing out cuteness to everyone in line. Even the screeners. Some asked how old he was.... I wasn't in the mood to correct. He's 5 months!!

Tick tick tick...

We make it to the gate. Hooray! Check the time... 3:30pm!!! "Whew!!!!" The DQ looks at me with a mixed bag of scorn and distaste... "Damn you're a spaz!" Yes, I am. But I am a spaz who is not going to miss this flight!!!

Flying was totally uneventful. The KP went through it like a breeze! She did do some early crying before takeoff, but with a quick hookup to the tap, she was all good!

We landed in Atlanta on time. (A miracle!) Since we had a long layover, we decided to get something. Where did the two young Parents of the Year go? A bar!

Ahhh yes. Daddy needed another beer. The DQ had to go find a bathroom.

So I sat down at a small table with the Pizz, watching football (just like her Daddy!)

"awww she is soo cute"

I look over to my right. Cougars! I didn't know how I missed them!!! Man, they hunt in packs!

"Yes she is ... Thank you."

"Travelling alone with her?" Gametime!!! Time for me to throw some Daddy charm!! "Why yes. She's been great, being without her mom and all!"

"Awww... what happened to her mom?" "Well, it was a sudden accident. Her mom caught Ebola while doing relief work in Africa. She was taken emergently to the CDC here in Atlanta. I had to take Kemper to see her."

"Oh my gosh! How tragic? How is she coping?" putty... I can see the digits flowing now... Score one for dads everywhere!

"She's doing great... she's a real trooper for her daddy... **sniffle, sniffle**..."

Right then, "Hey babe!" The DQ arrives and picks up the Pizz. "Did you miss Mommy?!?!?. The cougars stare quizzically. Damn, I got DQ'd!!!

"It's a MIRACLE!!!!" I stand up and hug the Maine... "She's alive!"

The cougars turn their heads in disgust... and start focusing on other prey!

The DQ- "what did you do?"

"Nothing babe....CHECK PLEASE!!!!"

And thus ends our eventful trip to Austin....