April 29

Daphne slept on my chest tonight while we watched TV. It never fails; her peaceful snoring always makes me snooze, too. She's still producing creamy, "orange marmalade" poop or side-effect diarrhea. Jennie spoke to her pediatrician today and he reassured us not to worry about Daphne's bowels, yet. If her chaotic colon does not correct itself by next Monday, we will have to take her to the doctor's office.

I begin my new job on Cinco de Mayo! While I feel sad saying goodbye to several of my current co-workers, I am equally as excited to begin my new opportunity. It helps that I already know many of my new co-workers (and I really like them, too). The life of a software developer is never dull.

Can you believe it? I still have not found any time to fix the tile in front of our dishwasher. I figured that having a baby would be a time vacuum, but I had no idea how radically my life would change. That being said, I would not trade Daphne for anything.

Here are a couple photos taken by Jennie's Mom's camera:

Grandpa holding Daphne (4/3/08)


Grandma loving on Daphne (4/20/08)


Mommy taking Daphne to the park... (4/24/08)


Mommy feeding Daphne a bottle (4/25/08)


Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 26

Happy birthday to Aunt Linda! Hopefully, rainy weather did not spoil your day.

Side-effects of Daphne's vaccinations were evident last night. She slept from 6pm until midnight, drank some boob juice, and then peacefully dozed until 6:15am. Unfortunately, she has been terribly fussy today -- crying, not sleeping, and lots of diarrhea. According to her doctor, Daphne should be back to normal in a couple of days.

Earlier this afternoon, we tried out Daphne's play gym (since she was wide awake and full of energy). Here are some photos of her playing:

Daphne gazing into a mirror...


Play gym fun time


Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 25

Happy Anzac Day!!! Today marks the 93rd anniversary of this obscure holiday commemorating the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps (World War I - Remembrance Day). As a boy, I was determined to travel to New Zealand and settle down. Why not? It's a beautiful country with no snakes...

Daphne's two month doctor visit went well. Here are her statistics:

Height = 22 inches (39%)
Weight = 10 lbs, 5 oz (42%)
Head Circumference = 37.1 cm (18%)

So, Daphne's height and weight are in the middle of the pack, but her head is smaller than average.

Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 24

Today, Mommy and Grandma pushed Daphne around the park in her stroller. She had a nice, warm bath after lunch in preparations for tomorrow's doctor visit.

Here are some new photos from today:







Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 22

Happy Earth Day!



What's the magic formula for determining Earth Day? Two days past the second full moon following the Vernal Equinox? hehehe Or, is it simply the fourth Tuesday in April?

Don't forget to hug a tree and recycle your garbage today!

Daphne is sleeping soundly as I type... Colic and fussiness notwithstanding, my little pooh bear gets cuter each day!

Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 21

Daphne's next routine doctor visit is this Friday afternoon (she will be celebrating 2 months of life). I really hope to attend, but I will only be halfway into my two week notice (and I am unsure if my current boss will be lenient to my plea). Jennie and I anxiously await to see if Daphne weighs over 10 pounds yet. I hear that the vaccinations may lead to extreme drowsiness and sometimes fussiness. We are used to her being fussy, but the drowsiness would be a new twist. I long for some restful sleep!

My exit interview takes place Wednesday afternoon. Funny thing about changing jobs, your co-workers seem to always ask the same old questions: (1) where are you going? (2) why are you leaving? (3) and, can you take me with you? hehehe

Do they honestly care where you are going? Or why you are leaving? I doubt it. It is simply polite small talk.

Why should the last days of a job feel somber like a funeral? It should be more like a wake with live music and a wet bar.

Oh well, I have rambled enough...

Daphne is beginning to wake up from her nap. Time for Daddy to help assist Mommy.

Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 19

Daphne is beginning to show signs of "baby acne" around her neck and ears -- a common condition in babies between 2 and 4 months of age. I will not pretend to be a doctor, but it has something to do with Mommy's hormones, etc. No worries, I suppose. Our little angel's "pizza face" will clear up soon enough!

Wow! Did you watch that heart breaker of a game last night? The Predators nearly won their first ever post-season game up in Detroit. While being out shot 54 to 21, the Predators trailed the entire game before notching the equalizer with 43 seconds remaining. The Red Wings came out strong, scored 108 seconds into sudden death overtime, and sent me to bed in a foul mood. Oh well, the best of 7 series is 3-2 in Detroit's favor with the next game being here in Nashville tomorrow at 2pm.

On Cinco De Mayo (also known as my sister's birthday), I will be starting a new job. I gave my resignation with a two week notice yesterday morning. After nearly four years, I decided to get a job closer to home. And, guess what? I will be able to access this blog from my new job! That's the ultimate perk!

Enjoy these photos from this morning:

Let's "pinky-swear"...


I'm a serious student!


C'mon, put up your dukes!


Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 17

Yesterday was an unusual day. Daphne cried for long periods of time and seemed to be persistently fussy all day long. The oddest part of it all was her lack of poo. Daphne normally produces more than her fair share of fecal gifts during an average day, but not yesterday. She went basically a whole day producing nothing more than a few diaper smears.

Frantic and worried, we GOOGLE searched "6 weeks no poo" on the internet and found that it is actually quite common for babies to not yield a number two from time to time (especially those that are only breastfed like Daphne). She appears well hydrated and very attentive, but her poor mid-section is probably upset due to her clogged plumbing.

According to Jennie, today was much better. Daphne had some major blowouts! hehehe That's my girl! Way to fill up a diaper or six!

Gotta run for now...

More pictures on the way,
Dave T.

April 15

Happy Tax Day!

Enjoy these new photos of our little tax deduction!

Daphne will be 7 weeks old this Friday...







Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 12

Today I entertained Daphne for several hours while Jennie visited some friends. Luckily, she behaved like an angel (no fussiness or colicky behavior). After a mid-afternoon feeding, I played paddy cake with Daphne and she began laughing (cooing with an ear to ear grin). I have to admit that I was one proud papa!

By the time Jennie arrived home, Daphne was enjoying some tummy time on Daddy's chest. Here are some new photos:

Napping on Daddy's shoulder...


Tummy time


Do not disturb


Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 10

Daphne has been sleeping soundly in her bassinet all this week. In fact, we have not resorted to using her car seat as a bed since last Friday. Daphne's baby cold appears to be gone as well (temperature back to normal, nose clear, better attitude).

Jennie's parents brought over some "barbecue and fixins" this evening as we watched the Predators lose to the Red Wings on the tube. Maybe Saturday afternoon Nashville will avenge the loss in this best-of-7 series?

Our new dishwasher has been installed and I'm excited! New appliances and gadgets always make a man's heart flutter. Male inborn behavior teaches us never to read the owner's manual. We just push buttons and turn knobs until we learn how it works (or at least we think we know).

Jennie snapped this photo today while my little Daffy-doodle was taking a nap:

Relaxing in my bassinet


Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 8

Today featured one of those tearfully blessed moments between Daphne and Jennie. While I was at work, Daphne smiled at her Mommy from ear to ear for the first time (and gas was not the impetus). Each day I rush home like an obsequious puppy to play with my little girl. I love bouncing her in my lap, exercising her little legs, and watching her stare back at my butt chin in amazement and awe.

I finally got in touch with Home Depot Direct's GE installation crew this morning. They agreed to install our new dishwasher Thursday. So, assuming all goes well and we have no leaks or issues, I can re-tile the kitchen floor this weekend (maybe).

The motto for this year's NHL playoffs is "the reason for the season". Tomorrow night, the second season begins and I am pumped up! I do not expect the Predators to win the Stanley Cup, but winning round one would be sweet.

Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 7

Daphne seems to be fighting off a pesky, little cold these days. Stuffy nose, elevated temperature, and increased fussy behavior are a few of the side effects. Once she is old enough to take Infant Tylenol drops, we will be able to relax.

Our kitchen is still awaiting the christening of our new dishwasher. My arms are still a bit sore from removing grout and tile, but the biggest headache will be installation itself.

I telphoned Home Depot last night, this morning, and tonight to reschedule my dishwasher installation with no luck. Getting in touch with the General Electric contractors hired by Home Depot Direct has proven difficult. Had I not already paid for installation services, I might be tempted to install the appliance myself. Oh well, I am sure it will all work out in the end.

As the NHL Playoffs commence this Wednesday night, I will be anxious to follow the festivities. The Predators begin their series in Detroit on Thursday night (full national broadcast on VERSUS channel at 6pm CST).

Talk to the hand...


Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 5

What a busy past few days! A hockey game, diaper duty, and lots of time spent chipping away porcelain tile in our kitchen has kept me swamped.

Little Daphne has been sleeping better at night, but she's still using the car seat most nights. We prop the car seat inside her bassinet and situate it to face Jennie's side of the bed. Swaddled tightly and draped with a soft blanket, Daffy-doodle seems to prefer sleeping upright. Our pediatrician told us that she does not appear to have reflux issues, but she is now displaying many of the symptoms: frequent spitting up, increasing fussiness during and after feedings, stomach gurgling followed by intense crying out of the blue.

MILESTONE ALERT: Now that Daphne is 5 weeks old, she is beginning to focus on Jennie and me while we talk to her. Until now, she was always staring off in la-la land. I long for the day when she begins cooing, laughing, and saying, "Da da is the best!"

Well, the Predators are going to the playoffs for the 4th year in a row. Written off and left for dead by the elitist Canadian media, the Predators were expected to finish near the bottom of the league this year. The ownership situation, salary dumping, and franchise uncertainty last summer made this a frustrating, yet satisfying season (for those that love an underdog). Simply making the playoffs is gravy; no one really expects Nashville to beat the great Satan, I mean the Detroit Red Wings.

Rain, rain, go away. I REALLY need to mow my yard. If this rain continues, I will need to buy a scythe...

Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 2

Our new dishwasher was delivered today. But, it is still boxed up sitting on a crate next to our fireplace. You see, I made the ultimate faux pas a couple of years ago.

In my struggle to be the ultimate handyman and "do-it-yourselfer", I installed tile flooring to the best of my ability. It took me three weeks to meticulously cut, measure, and lay 100 square feet of tile while reading every tile book I could get my hands on. I tiled under the stove, under the refrigerator, and even the pantry. But, I mistakenly tiled right up to the dishwasher (and not underneath it).

So, long story short, I have only two options:

(1) remove my countertops (including my 80+ pound porcelain sink) in order to lift the old dishwasher from it's lair --- sorry, not gonna happen. Too many possible failure points.

OR

(2) chip away a few tiles and remove the Hardi-Backer board in front of the existing dishwasher. Ouch! What a pain in the patooty! But, this may be a more manageable solution.

Because our kitchen sits on a wooden subfloor and not a cement slab, I had to install 1/2" cementitious board plus the tiles are 3/8" high. I effectively added nearly an inch in heighth to my floor. Geez, what a lesson I have learned!

Today is the birthday of my childhood pal, Chad. Happy 35th birthday buddy!

Tomorrow night, Jennie's parents are graciously babysitting baby Daphne at our house while Jennie and I attend our final regular season hockey game of the year. While it will be nice to take a three hour break from Daphne, we will most certainly miss her! The Predators can clinch a playoff spot if they beat the St.Louis Blues and the Vancouver Canucks lose their next game.

Aww, shucks!


I should've had a V8!


All those in favor, say "Aye"


Where am I?


Until tomorrow,
Dave T.

April 1

Happy April Fool's Day!

All is well with baby Daphne... She continues to amaze us with her little mannerisms and teeny little features. Daphne will be 5 weeks old this Friday! Where does the time go?

After much deliberation, we ordered our birth announcements yesterday. So, they should be mailed out by week's end. Keep an eye on your mailbox early next week. If I have your mailing address, you WILL receive a 4 x 8 photo in the coming days.

It seems this has been the House of Murphy's Law since Daphne arrived. If it is a major appliance and could possibly tear up, it has. Our new dishwasher arrives tomorrow for installation from the Home Depot. Knock on wood, I pray our 10-year old water heater does not die next...

Well, have a terrific evening! Jennie, Daphne, and I are going to relax on the couch and watch a DVD.

Until tomorrow,
Dave T.