We finally braved the airways with the little dude…of course he was totally fine, as always. It was quite a logistical adventure through multiple states involving cars, planes, trains, and a boat (if you count one of the rides at Coney Island).

Phase 1: Pennsylvania
We rendezvoused with G-mom and Uncle Ben for some wholesome family fun in Amish country. We stayed at a great resort that had its own petting zoo (with greedy goats and a smug llama) and putt putt course.

Phase 2: New Jersey
As if that wasn’t fun enough, we met up with Dad and Uncle Dave for a day at an amusement park, followed by a quick stop over at their house.

Phase 3: New York
Off to Diana’s for Cousin-palooza! Tyson and Beckett were so happy to see each other again. We had a few field trips like Coney Island (Dianna and I rode the Cyclone – heck yeah!) and fossil hunting. Other than that, most of the time was spent playing in the backyard or running around in superhero capes.

Well, I was always impressed with how many of Trav’s relatives we could squeeze in on a visit to Missouri, but I think we came pretty close with the number of MY relatives we just saw on this trip! But not to be outdone, the day after we got home we managed to see 5 of Trav’s relatives. We are all stocked up on kinfolk!

Here are the photos and a video of the original song “Sometimes”

Hope everyone is having a great summer so far. We spent the last week in May at Seabrook Island – our usual beach stomping grounds. Tyson has lost any previous fear he had about water – he had no issue marching straight into the ocean or taking a running leap into the pool. He has also taken a liking to the sand. We had some fun field trips: outdoor concert (Tyson loves to get down with the ladies), Firefly distillery (it’s not just about the alcohol…they have animals there too), and we even made it to Charleston one day for a carriage tour and the aquarium. Our last day of vacation was actually Trav’s 40th birthday! Mom and I could not figure out what to get him, so we ended up chartering a boat for an after dinner cruise! Capt. Harry took us around to see the shrimp boats, dolphins up close, an eagle’s nest, a couple of ship wrecks, and the sunset while we drank a little bubbly and of course, had cake! It was definitely memorable. Check out the pictures here.

That’s right…we took a 2½ year old to Disney…during spring break…and it was awesome. We had a plan, utilizing my extensive advance research and years of training with fellow Disney fan Sandi. We got up early every day, even though Travis protested at first, claiming we were supposed to be on vacation (this was no vacation – this was Disney – there’s a difference!). We had a bit of cold weather – it was in the 40s most mornings. Travis had to visit the gift shop to purchase an additional long sleeve shirt (mouse propaganda). We picked a strategically positioned hotel that put us in walking distance of two of the parks, which made it easy to return to our room every day for nap time (another key to our success). The lobby had a swan fountain (as it was The Swan hotel) and after seeing it, Tyson informed us “the big ducks don’t like the water – they spit it out”. Ok, enough about logistics, on to the fun stuff!

Tyson loved everything – and not just the rides, shows, and characters; but every crack in the side walk he could hop over, the endless variety of benches he could climb on, and all the retaining walls he could jump off of. I think we rode every possible ride with him (and I might have slipped off for a couple of roller coasters too). He was really impressed by the castle, but he discovered there’s not too much to see inside. He also liked the “big ball”, and at least it contains a ride! We were surprised how much he enjoyed the various shows – particularly Disney Junior Live and the Nemo musical. At one point we were in a theater and when all the lights went out he yelled “oh no, I can’t see my mommy or my daddy!” The audience was quite amused. We all had such a great time. Tyson claims his favorite thing was “the horses” (carousel), but judging by his reaction, I would say it was meeting Mickey Mouse. When he first caught sight of him, he said “that’s Mickey! I’m gonna give him a hug, and a kiss, and a high 5!” And he did.

It’s hard not to get sentimental (and maybe a little misty eyed) the first time you take your kiddo to Disney. Riding Small World with him, realizing that both of our own parents took us on that same exact ride when we were little; playing in the fountains outside Imagination, just like I did 27 years ago (yikes!) with Ben and Dianna; and drinking margaritas at the Mexico pavilion with BFF Sandi (ok, that wasn’t that long ago). Travis and I celebrated our first anniversary at Disney and last week we celebrated our 15th there. It’s a special place and this was a trip we’ll never forget.

And here’s what you’ve all been waiting for: the photos!

Just got back from a very romantic dinner at the Waffle House with my two favorite boys (yes, reservations were required).

Photos

… my true love gave to me:
12 lbs. of chocolate
11 tears for Santa
10 days vacation
9 Aunts and Uncles
8 older cousins
7 dozen batteries
6 broken ornaments
5 Grand-par-ents
4 McRibs for mommy
3 days in Blairsville
2 Christmas parties

and a ha-aa-aa-appy new year! – Enjoy the photos

Ah, another year, another turkey!  The Chattanooga folks came down to join us – Uncle John, Aunt Sarah, Cousin Laura and Beau.  Tyson warmed up to everyone in no time.  We filled ourselves with good company and the classic “brown mushy foods” of Thanksgiving (quote from Laura – love it). The next morning, Tyson couldn’t wait to play with his new train and eat another John roll!  Check out the photos and sweet yoga moves here.  Alright, time to put the tree up!

So here’s the deal – Tyson thinks I’M the lady in the Starbucks logo. Any time he sees it – on a sign, on a cup, in a store – he points and says “Mommy!”.  And that is where our costumes derived from…I was the lady in the Starbucks logo, Travis was a barista, and Tyson was a cup of coffee.  Ok, well, he was supposed to be a cup of coffee, but he refused to wear his costume.  Good thing he’s cute. You might notice the big scab on his nose – he took bad spill earlier this week at daycare.  That did not slow him down! He really got in to Halloween this year – he would hold his bag open and say “trick-treat-please!”

Check out the photos!

This post is full of random stuff from late summer/early fall.  We took a trip up to Blairsville. Highlights:  Paw Paw let Tyson play one of his guitars, they shared their love of fruit, and Tyson went on his first boat ride at Uncle Tommy’s (check out the before and after photos). We had one last trip to the beach right before Labor Day with G-mom. Highlights: not crowded but the pool bar was still open, Tyson had his first swim lesson, and he liked to “walk the dogs” on the beach. Missourians came to visit (Nana, Aunt Erin, and JP). Highlights: Legoland, movie time every night after the little dude was asleep, and Nana having to buy a new car to make it back home. Tyson’s 2nd birthday! Highlights: visiting Tanglewood Farms (a petting zoo full of miniature farm animals), watching mommy chase a pumpkin down a hill that Tyson kicked over (“go go pumpkin!” he shouted), and lots of pizza and cake!

And here is a side note for my college friends: to this day, my favorite cup is one I got at my very first Field Day party freshman year. On October 3rd, that cup turned 20 years old!

Check out all the pictures here.

Well, since kids are back in school and Labor Day is around the corner, guess we better send out our summer pictures! Tyson has had a few more “firsts”: first trip to a winery, first roller derby bout, and first lobster! For some reason his baby book does not list these milestones…guess I’ll just write them in the margin. Hope everyone had a great summer.  We’re going to squeeze one more beach trip in before the fall/holiday madness is upon us!

Feels like we were just taking down holiday decorations and now we’re getting ready for a beach vacation! Winter and Spring went by fast. Tyson has been honing his toddler skills: RUNNING, talking (current favorite word – “NO”, close second – “bee”), mastering his iPad games, and becoming a playground expert. Tyson recently started a new daycare called the Clifton School and it’s on Emory University’s campus. Pretty sure that means an automatic spot in either their medical school or law school. Of course we’ll let him choose! When I picked him up after his first day there, the teacher said “boy, he’s a good eater!!”. Yes, yes he is. He’s already been on his first field trip…to a field….literally! As usual, Travis has been documenting everything with his new camera. Here are the photos and a couple videos: Dancing | Bubbles

Whew! Getting to January feels like finishing a marathon (as if I would know). We were busy busy, but enjoyed it all – Thanksgiving, the Pink Pig, Tyson’s first trip to a casino, seeing the lights at the botanical gardens, and of course lots of visits with family and friends. Tyson’s walking skills have been improving daily, which adds adventure to any event. It definitely impacted our decorating.  We decided it was easiest just to put a baby gate around the tree (for its own safety). We called it our “tree in captivity”. Opening presents was fun – his birthday was the trial run – now he’s a pro. We thought a great gift would be one of those remote controlled flying fish. Tyson loves balloons and Travis likes remote control thingies, so this was the perfect combo. Well it was much bigger and more complicated than we anticipated. Like many parents, we were up till midnight assembling (it required referencing a YouTube video and several glasses of spiked eggnog). The next morning Tyson was very suspicious of the giant orange fish staring at him. When we made it “swim” over his head – it was official – he was terrified. George (that’s what we named it) is now deflated in the garage, waiting for his comeback. I’d say his favorite new toy is his tent…he can break a sweat playing in that thing. The dogs like it too. Since it’s been so long since our last post, you know we’ve got a zillion pictures – enjoy!

As we sit here eating candy corn, trying to think of clever words to type for the blog, we just decided to say… enjoy the photos! 

Hard to believe the little dude is 1! We started off the day with a birthday breakfast at Waffle House. Then daddy attempted to put together Tyson’s new car (thanks Grandpop!), but due to more parts than anticipated and Tyson’s “help”, the project had to be put off for another time. After lunch and a good nap, he was ready for the party. A good time was had by all! I think Tyson loved each and every one of his gifts. He was very cautious with his cake…taking his time and only using a couple fingers to swipe some icing. I know many were expecting a big mess, but he was relatively tame! After all the family and friends departed, we finished cleaning up and removing toys from their packaging (wow – you truly need tools to bust through some of that packaging – one toy was literally screwed to the box!). It was a great day. Enjoy the photos!

P.S. Thanks Ali, Beth, and Jen for our additional surprise birthday party on Monday!

Tyson has been a very busy boy over the past two months. First, he discovered the efficiency of crawling on all fours versus the army-crawl. Then, with the aid of a walker and Mommy, he has figured out how to walk on two legs. During it all, we made our way to Seabrook, SC and Point Pleasant, NJ for some fun in the sun. Here are the videos and photos …

Video – Crawling

Video – Walking

Video – Talking (sort of)

Photos

Tyson had his first haircut today!  It really was getting long and he had been mistaken for a girl a few too many times (even when wearing a blue outfit with tools all over it – really?).  He got to sit in a cool antique toy car while getting his locks snipped.  Now he definitely looks like a little boy!  I decided to get my hair cut too – it’s been awhile (like, since Tyson was born).  My hair had gotten so long that Travis suggested I donate it to Locks of Love – they make wigs for kids with cancer.  So, mom and I headed down to our friend Stephen’s salon where I had 11 inches chopped off!

Check out our before, during and after photos.

Well, anyone who has met Patti knows she is outgoing (to say the least!). So when a milestone birthday comes around, she has a milestone party. Family and friends gathered at Tommy and Nikki’s new lake house for the festivities. Dad and his friend James provided the entertainment, but the grandkids couldn’t resist stepping up to the mic too.

Enjoy the photos…

Recently we had a visit from the Missouri crew – my sister Erin, her husband Chris, and the three boys: Devin, Elizhah, and Jeremiah. It was great to see everyone, but especially fun to watch all the kids playing together. This was the first time Tyson met his cousins from Missouri, and Jake stayed overnight to join the fun. It was a pretty rowdy bunch! We managed to fit in a visit to the Georgia Aquarium, the Stone Mountain Laser Show, a trip to the park, and countless hours of playing RockBand!

As always, it seems like the time goes by too fast and everyone has to say their goodbyes, but here are some photos of the time we enjoyed spending with you all.

1st tooth!  Tyson has his first chomper.  He dealt with it pretty well – he was fussy one afternoon and the next morning it popped out!  19 more to go…

2nd foods!  He’s advanced from baby food to table food.  If it were up to me, he’d get pureed sweet potatoes and cheerios until he’s 5.  But we need to move on, according to friends, doctors, and day care.  He seems to enjoy this new evolution…

3rd quarter numbers! He just had his 9 month doc visit and here are the latest stats:  20.8 lbs and 29 inches long.  His weight seems to be plateauing a bit, probably because he’s working out (by army crawling at lightning speed around the house).

4th of July!  We had a great weekend celebrating Independence Day – cookouts, pools and parades!

Check out the photos and these videos: Ear Inspection, Airplane, Army Crawl

The little dude just turned 7 months old!  He’s crossed the 20 lbs mark and is putting away that baby food (no teeth yet). We’ve had a busy spring, so instead of listing out every adventure, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

I’ve been feeling a little sentimental lately – maybe it’s because I had my first mother’s day (waited a long time for that!) or maybe it’s because I watched Eat, Pray, Love again the other night – but I just wanted to say how thankful I am to be surrounded by such fantastic family and friends.

My favorite things (according to Tyson):

1. Rolling over to get out of Tummy Time – video
2. Hanging out with family and friends
3. Sitting in the high chair (not too sure about eating yet) – video
4. Jumperoo – the greatest invention of all time!
5. My feet

Here are the pictures to prove it.

Big news – I got a new job! I transferred to a different department which allows me to work part time. Now I work a few hours in the morning and then spend the rest of the day with Tyson!

We took the little dude in for his 4 month checkup last week. He weighed in at a healthy 17 lbs – still topping the charts! Except for the residual cold symptoms (all 3 of us have been sick the last couple weeks), Tyson is doing great. He’s holding his head up, expanding his babbling vocabulary, and even lets out the occasional giggle.

We’ve had a roller coaster of weather recently. There have been gorgeous sunny days for us to take long walks and then so much snow it shut Atlanta down for a week! Personally I’m ready for the warm weather to stay – more trips to the park!

Here are some photos.

Things have just quieted down after the holidays and now we have a chance to catch everyone up on our adventures (here’s the photos).

We took our very first overnight road trip to Blairsville to see Maw Maw and Paw Paw. Man, does Tyson travel with a lot of baggage! Overall, I think he was a very good house guest.

The big day was here in Atlanta. We started with a nice quiet Christmas morning at home. Later we went over to G-mom’s for dinner, during which a Christmas miracle happened! We had our first white Christmas in Atlanta in 128 years! Just half an inch, but we’ll take it. I hope Tyson doesn’t expect this every year now.

After all that snow melted away (ha), we went to visit friends. Kayla napped while Tyson rocked out with the band (a.k.a. Sandi and I making fools of ourselves playing Rock Band)!

The folks from Philly made it down for a quick visit. They showered the little guy with gifts and us with essentials – booze and chocolate!

Speaking of booze, Travis and I did manage to stay up and ring in the new year with a glass of champagne. Of course we did go to bed immediately after.

Now the holidays are over and it’s back to work. Tyson just finished his first week of day care and we all survived, including me.

Happy 2011 everyone!

I can’t believe its December! I can’t believe Tyson is 8 weeks old! We’ve had a lot of visitors this past month – we managed to see ALL the grandparents during November (and that’s no easy task)!

We had a “Grandmother Thanksgiving” with Nana and G-mom. Nana deserves a round of applause for braving air travel for the first time in over 30 years AND doing so at the busiest time of the year…clearly she’d do anything to get her hands on that grandbaby.

Tyson seems to be growing every day. He’s quite good at lifting his (rather large) head up now during tummy time and he’s making all sorts of new happy noises (a nice change from just crying and pooting). I feel like next week he’ll be driving! Check it out:

• Tummy Time video
• Conversations with Tyson video
• November photos

Lots of “firsts” this past week…

• First time in the stroller: Tyson was skeptical in the beginning, but then decided he could nap outdoors as well as anywhere else.
• First Halloween: His first official holiday (we’re not counting Columbus Day). Looks like he’s going to have a sweet tooth!
• First time Trav got to play his drums: Definitely a hit.
• First visit from Kayla: Sandi and baby came over for the afternoon. She may be 3 days older, but he’s 5 pounds heavier!
• First adult outing (also first time wearing jeans without elastic waistband): Met Danielle for lunch and only called home to check in once.

Check out the pictures here!

Boy, are we tired! I guess sleep deprivation is the norm for new parents. And we definitley underestimated the amount of dirty diapers he could generate! We saw the pediatrician on Friday and his weight is up to 10.5 lbs (he had the typical drop in weight the first week, but he has bounced back with gusto). He has quite the ravenous appetite…he’s up to 5 ounces per feeding.

While Tyson is taking a quick nap, we thought we’d upload a few pictures from his second week.

First off, we want to thank everyone for their emails, phone calls, texts, cards, and visits! If we haven’t gotten back to you, please know your well wishes are much appreciated…we’ve just been a tad busy.

So here are the highly anticipated, often requested, sometimes demanded, MANY pictures of Tyson’s first week. We start off before he was born… and FYI, even though I had contractions for 17 hours, the doc did not make me attempt to push the big guy out (thank goodness!). Off to the c-section, which was a quick and surreal experience. Travis bravely watched the whole thing. 20 minutes and 20 staples in my stomach later, our little family was reunited in the recovery room. Over the next 5 days in the hospital, we had lots of family and friends come to visit. Tyson definitely enjoyed all the attention. The nurses told us repeatedly that he was the cutest baby they had ever seen – of course I believe them.

Finally on Tuesday, we were released into the real world (check out Tyson’s dapper going home outfit). So, we’ve spent the last few days adapting our schedules and adjusting the surroundings for the little guy. You might notice I look a bit tired, but we’re starting to figure things out! Oh, and the day we came home, Travis’ Wii drum set arrived. I ordered this for him LAST Christmas… and it shows up the day we bring a newborn home! I think it’s a sign Tyson is going to be a drummer like his daddy.

Hi everyone, we are still in the hospital and slated to leave on Tuesday. We promise to then post a huge array of pictures, but here is one to hold you over and let you know the family is doing fine.

Born today, 10/8/10 at 5:25 PM, weighing in at a whopping 10.2 lbs and 22″ long, we would like to introduce everyone to Tyson Edward Cook! Thankfully the doctors decided a c-section would be his official exit strategy. And yes, that is a healthy head of red hair folks. The family is doing well, albeit slightly exhausted. Stay tuned for more details, and of course, photos. But for now, good-night!

Amanda’s doctor decided earlier this week to induce labor (because the baby is big, while Amanda is small). So we are now at the hospital, in our room, watching Jeopardy! Overall Amanda is doing fine, although she is a bit uncomfortable. The mid-wife said her first exam “was perfect” – whatever that means. I’m just observing from the sidelines and doing my best to stay out of the way. In two more hours she gets to eat something, and we’ll be watching the Braves in Game-1 of the NLDS. What a great day this is shaping up to be!

Showers have definitely been in the forecast lately! Thanks to all those who helped plan (Bridget, Sandi, Amie, Danielle, Carlye, Heather, and August) and all those who participated (you should’ve already received your beautifully hand written thank you note…my fingers are still bleeding). Check out a few of the photos.

Because of all our generous friends, family, and co-workers, the nursery is pretty much fully stocked and ready for our baby. Good thing, since we went to the doctor this morning and found out Cletus is in position and the launch sequence has begun! NO NEED TO PANIC – it will probably still be a few more weeks, but things are starting to happen. We’ll keep the blog updated as major things occur!