Inspired

Hello everyone! This is Stephanie, Joe's mommy. Ever since I gave birth to Joe, I've never been able to get over the incredible love you have for your own children. It's a love I've never ever been able to fathom before Joe entered my life. As you all know, though, I'm having a blast with this whole mommy thing. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing better in the world. If you haven't noticed yet, I love to write, and poetry is one of my favorite mediums. All I ever wanted to be was a mommy, and now that I am, I'm more inspired than ever to try to put these emotions going through me into words. Hope you enjoy...

To My Son
by
Stephanie Zvonek

My life
was forever changed the day you entered into it.
Screaming and crying and throwing a fit.
I’ll always remember what went through my senses
When the smell of you broke through all my defenses.

My love
for you is like nothing I’ve ever known.
And it will never change even when you are grown.
You’ve opened my eyes and allowed me to see
What miracles in life there can be.

My heart
is full, overflowing with love.
You are my angel God sent from above.
Every day I promise to
Devote my life to no one but you.

My soul
has awaken, faith’s come back to me.
And as you grow, your fan I will be.
Promise me that you will never ever
forget I will always love you forever.

bebe POD

Yesterday morning I was watching Fox News with daddy when mommy came in and said, "Today we're going to Babies R Us!" I was so excited because that place is like a baby superstore. They have everything from clothes to toys to baby essentials. That's where mommy registered for all of my cool stuff when I was still in her tummy, and I think that's where my Aunt Desi is going to register for her baby too.

Anyway, I got to try out all of these big boy carseats because mommy says I'm getting too big for her to carry around in my carrier. Daddy said we couldn't get a carseat yet, though, because I need my carrier for when I go out to eat and to the grocery store with mommy and daddy. I can't sit up on my own in a restaurant high chair or a shopping cart yet.
We spent a while walking around the store when I heard mommy say, "Let's go look at Bumbo's." Did she say Bumbo? What the heck is a Bumbo? I started laughing because mommy said, "bum." Then I remembered that it's not very mature to laugh at such elementary things, so I checked myself and settled down.
We got to the so-called "Bumbo's" and mommy pulled one out of a box and squoze me into it. When I say squoze, I mean I felt like my butt was going to get suctioned off when mommy pulled me out of that thing! I started crying because I like my butt and I didn't want it to get ripped off. Mommy pulled me gently out of the Bumbo and we tried something called a bebe POD instead. Ahhh! Much better.
We took the bebe POD home and I've been playing in it a lot because I love sitting up and this thing let's me sit up without mommy or daddy holding on to me. Also, mommy said that it's important that we find activities for me where I don't have to lay on my back because my head is flat as a pancake! The doctor told her that a lot of babies are this way because we spend so much time on our backs, and that's really the only way I can sleep right now. She said that my head would eventually round out once I was big enough to crawl and walk around because (okay, this is the part that grossed me out) babies' skulls are so pliable because they haven't fused together yet.
So now I play in my bebe POD, my Jeep, and my high chair a lot. Girls don't like pancake heads.

FOOD!

Lately my mommy has been feeding me stuff other than milk. It's kind of weird and I don't really know what I'm supposed to be doing with it, but mommy just shoves it in my mouth anyway. At first I make the most awful face I can because it slides to the back of my throat and I feel like I might gag and hurl all at the same time...but then I mouth it, and swish it back and forth, back and forth...and it tastes kinda good.

The doctor told mommy not to give me fruits and veggies yet, but she didn't listen. Has that doctor ever eaten plain rice cereal before? UGH! It tastes about as good as wallpaper paste. Not that I know what wallpaper tastes like, but that's what Grandma Sue told mommy, and she's probably pretty dang close.

Anyway, so far I've had pears, bananas, and squash. At least they make the cereal taste a bit better.

I think the best part is getting to make a big mess. After I take a bite I love sticking my fingers in my mouth and then smearing food all over my face. It's great! I wonder if that's what mommy is talking about when she says she can't wait until I can finger paint. Hmmm...

The 'Hawk

Daddy says this is my "soccer hooligan" look. I think I look pretty sweet. What do you think? Wait 'til I get some pics of me in my adidas jacket!

Dang, I'm good lookin'!

First Day of School

Ugh! I'm exhausted! School is definitely not what I thought it was going to be! Mommy and I got up this morning and headed in to school, and I was really happy to see my teachers again. I was smiling and giving my mommy a hug and kiss, and then something unspeakable happened. My mommy had the nerve to LEAVE! At first I was like, "Where's mommy going?" I figured she'd be back any second because that's what happens at home. She disappears for a couple minutes and then pops out again smiling. But this time, a minute went by, and then another...and another...and...another...and mommy never came back.

My teachers tell mommy I did well for my first day, but they're just buttering up the truth. I was fussy because all of a sudden I was supposed to get used to all of these new people I'd never met before in my life and I didn't sleep well at all. Finally I'd reached my boiling point and started screaming! The lady that was holding me put me in a swing...a swing! That's not what I wanted at all! I wanted my mommy! Where was my mommy? Why did she just up and leave me? Did she not love me anymore? Was I bad? Then, like a miracle, mommy walked through the door like an angel. The light framed her face as though she was wearing a halo! GOD HAD ANSWERED MY PRAYERS! Now, I think I'll settle in for a good nap since I can smell the comforting aroma de mama. Mommy says I have to go back to school tomorrow, and the next day...and the next...and the one after that too. Jeesh! I hope I get used to this soon!

KinderCare

Oh my gosh! I am so excited for school to start on Monday! Today I went to drop off my school supplies, and then mommy and I hung out there for a while. My teachers are so nice, and the kids in my class are so cool! I even made a new friend named Kean. Miss Kyla sat him down in front of me and he was like, "Wuzzup homie?" I was like, "Nuthin' just chillin' with my moms...hows 'bout you?" He said this school is off the "heezay fo' sheezay" and that Kylie, the only girl in the class, was "da bomb". He definitely doesn't talk like my mommy or daddy...okay maybe he sounds just a bit like daddy when he thinks he's being funny and mommy just rolls her eyes. I'll need to ask my daddy to teach me some of his slang so Kean and I can chill like villains.

Wanna know something cool? My mommy told me that she went to KinderCare when she was a little girl. Her KinderCare even had the bell on it! That was like a hundred years ago! KinderCare must've been around when people were living in the woods!

TTYL!

Getting Ready for School

Well, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that mommy gave up on trying to post more videos. She let one try to upload yesterday for over two hours and it still hadn't loaded. We need to get Uncle Tone to teach us how to make a movie! The good news is that there will always be plenty of pictures to post!

Well, it's my last weekend before I start school on Monday. Today I have to go to school to drop off my school supplies. I'm a little nervous about starting school because I'm going to miss being with my mommy all day. I also don't like strangers AT ALL! Mommy keeps trying to soothe me though, telling me that Miss Kristin and Miss Kyla are really nice, and that she'll be there to pick me up again every day, but it's still scary. I've never had to make friends before and I'm afraid the other babies won't like me or will make fun of me. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll find me a girlfriend.

Anyway, my daddy's new nickname for me is "Tiger Shark". I think he has been watching too much of Shark Week on the Discovery channel, but he says it's because I like to bite. It's true that everything I get my hands on I try to stick in my mouth, from my blankie to mommy's hand and shoulder. I also like to try to bite you if you kiss me on the face. I guess it's because I like to feel the way different textures slide across my gums. I'm definitely too young to be getting any teeth--ow! how bad are those going to hurt?!

Well, I better go so I can start getting ready for the day. Enjoy the new pics! Mommy and I had fun making them!

This one is of mommy and me pretending to be models...notice our serious, sexy looks!

This one is of me being a Tiger Shark on mommy's nose!


My cousin Mikayla took this picture. I think she wants to be a photographer because, as you'll notice, she went crazy with the props!


TTYL (for all of you old people out there, that means "talk to you later". No offense--everyone's old to me!)