Troy and Melanie (dot com)

Here we are…another month has passed. Well, Cole walks all over the place now. He power walks. He’s working toward his run. He also climbs…stairs, ottomans, couches, highchairs… He wears big boy pajamas. He eats table foods — potatoes, peas, green beans, diced fruits, bread, crackers, etc. He loves throwing and bouncing balls. In fact, he loves throwing anything. He jabbers, he squeals, he giggles. There’s the nutshell description of Cole at this point. He keeps us busy. He continues to give us joy.

Look for some new photos from Troy soon!

Several of you have asked us for ideas for birthday presents for the little man. So, Cole has kindly set up an Amazon.com wish list to give us all a variety of ideas. Just go to www.amazon.com and click on “Gifts & Wish Lists.” Then, enter “Cole Schneider” under “Find Wish Lists and Registries” and click “Go.” Click on the first Cole Schneider listing (the one that uses appropriate upper and lowercase lettering). On the left-hand side, you should see the birthday of August 28 and a “ship to” showing Austin, TX. And, you should also know it’s his list because all of the stuff should seem appropriate for a one-year old (Cole is not currently reading any Stephen King…lol).

Alternatively, use the following link and we think (fingers crossed) it will work:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/359VR3JO5OX27

And, here’s some general info that might help too:

Clothing size: Currently in 12 mths, but if you want him to get more wear out of something, probably better to go with 18mths+

Temperature Guide: In Texas, it will likely be 90s in Sept, 80s in Oct, 70s to 60s in Nov and then will go down to 50s/40s by Dec…maybe to 30s by Jan, then back up to 40s/50s for Feb and up to 60 by March and 70s by April, then 80s – 100s from May through next Aug.

Shoe size: Currently size 3, but again, probably better to think of the future and bigger sizes.

Likes: motion, noise, music, dancing, balls and throwing, reading, baths, time at the pool, Elmo, Cookie Monster, finger foods

Hope this helps — if you have any questions we didn’t cover, just give us a holler and, as Cole’s personal assistants (heh), we’ll be glad to help you.

Literally…he just keeps getting faster and faster with his walking. But, aside from that, here are just a few of the things he has done that we’ve found amusing (as well as challenging!):

> He removes corner guards from the furniture (a babyproofing thing).
> If we try to get him to eat something like his broccoli cheese meal by dipping a cracker into it and handing it to him, he takes a moment to wipe the broccoli cheese off of the cracker onto the highchair tray before eating the cracker.
> We have up play yard fencing to keep him in the living room. We have to put an old shelf on the outside of the end of it, as he will just push it open otherwise.
> He pulls the car mirror down into his lap.
> He pulls the throw pillows down off the couch to use them as stepping stools for climbing up onto the ottoman or couch. (Scratch that: He can get up onto the ottoman without pillow assistance now.)

What will be next??

On July 5, 2000, we loaded up our rented U-Haul truck, took our last looks (for a while anyway) around our parents’ houses, our old neighborhoods, and the city in which we’d both grown up, met each other, and fallen in love (Lancaster, PA) and drove into the sunset (literally…we didn’t head out of town until around 5pm) on our way to a new adventure, a new life in a big, hot state called Texas.

We left town, driving the U-Haul and my Ford Escort station wagon and towing Troy’s GTI behind the truck.  Our parents and Kevin were with us and we made a whole family road trip of it, taking turns driving each of the vehicles.  We stopped in Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and finally Texas.  We moved into our brand new apartment, visited with our families some more before seeing them off at the airport, and then sat back and wondered what in the world we had ahead of us now that we’d actually seen our plan through.

And then we met you oh blog friends or we stayed in touch with you dear “tenured” friends…and life was good.  And it still is.  And, we’re feeling sentimental today, so to commemorate the occasion, here’s a fun little list…

Some things we’ve learned since moving to TX:

• Staying hydrated will help prevent passing out.
• Austin is weird and folks here would like to keep it that way.
• Going to “the lake” means going to one of various sections of the Colorado River…and is always fun.
• Jalapeno Ranch is fabulous! (and no that’s not a place)
• The “worst barbecue in TX” is actually the best.  :-)
• Manor is pronounced “may-ner,” Guadalupe does not have a “pay” sound at the end of it, and Salazar is pronounced “sa-laser.”
• Things really are “bigger” here.
• Burnt orange is a beautiful color.
• Texans tell it like it is — you can drive down the highway and see business signs for “Guns,” “Flowers,” “Tacos,” and “Convenience Store”…hey, you’re not misled.
• It’s okay to traipse young’uns right along the highway if you’re doing it in a quest for great bluebonnet photos.
• You can get cupcakes from airstream trailers, have homemade soups delivered to your doorstep, and enjoy eating your dinner off of waxpaper here.
• 100 degrees and 112 degrees feel about the same.
• Allergy season is every season.
• “God blessed Texas with his own hands…”

But the number one thing we’ve learned is that this is a great place to start a new life, to have fun and enjoy life, to make great friends, to find fulfilling work, and to start a family. We love you, Texas! Thanks for 10 great years (so far)!

Well, technically, he took his first step(s) on June 23, 2010…9 mths and 26 days.  :-)  But, now, 11 days later, he is getting really good at it.  He’s a bit less wobbly and can walk across half the room.  He can also catch himself getting ready to fall and stop it and steady himself and keep walking.  His learning curve (babies’ learning curves, in general) is amazing to us — it’s SO much fun to see.

Well, aside from the walking, Cole cut his third tooth on June 21st.  He seems to be on his way to cutting another too…a lot of drooling and gnawing on stuff…we’ll see.  He has also learned how to climb, making us both proud and nervous.  He can climb the steps lickety split (note: we do use a gate but we let him climb the steps when we are right behind him).  He has also figured out how to pull a pillow off the couch and use it as a stepstool to climb up onto the couch or ottoman.

He’s still such a peanut by size standards (about 18+ lbs), but he is still growing out of those clothes pretty quickly.  He’s pretty much in 12 mth clothing now, though some 9 mths stuff still fits.  He eats like a Hoover though, so it’s really just the way he’s burning calories like a madman.  He is eating more 3rd foods and also some real foods (Cheerios, peas, which are gross at the other end, potatoes, and mashed bananas, which he’s still not sure about).  Puffs remain his favorite thing…that and juice.

As to playing, he loves walking around his activity table and playing the piano on it.  He loves his ball (the cheap plastic type you buy at the supermarket) and he’s good at bouncing it and throwing it to you.  He can give you five and wave bye-bye too.  He also loves the toys that light up and play music and his talking cookie monster.

For the most part, he sleeps well and through the night.  There are just some nights that go wonky.  He laughs, giggles, and squeals with delight.  He also likes to sit and read/play with his tongue pressed between his lips, like he’s really contemplating something.  Oh, he has also been enjoying our weekend trips down to the pool.  He has a floating ring/canopy thing and some water toys.

Anyway, that’s all I can think of right now.  It’s a fun age (aside from the fighting him to change his diaper and put on clothes) and we’re all enjoying it.  We’re contemplating his birthday now…crazy that it’s less than two months away.

P.S. Troy will likely post photos/videos later.

[caption id="attachment_1311" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="From E's Birthday Party"][/caption]

Wow!  Didn’t we just post about Cole being 7 mths old?  Well, guess that just further supports that post’s plea for time to slow down a bit.  But since that’s not really happening, let’s recap the latest and greatest Cole news now that he is, in fact, 8 months old.

Cole has now eaten and liked the following Gerber foods: rice cereal, oatmeal, mixed grain cereal, sweet potatoes, squash, peas, green beans, bananas, apples, pears, peaches, prunes, and a few combinations of the aforementioned (e.g., apple sweet potato, bananas, apples & pears, prunes with apples, etc).  He has tried the biter biscuits and just yesterday he tried a couple of the puffs snacks, but he’s still not quite sure about these finger foods.  He seems up to the challenge though.  ;-)  He drinks minimal amounts of water from his sippy cups, still finding their “drumming properties” to be of more interest at this point.  :-)

Troy has given Cole a new nickname — Nonstop — because that describes our little man well.  He is crawling everywhere…real crawling now, not scooting on his stomach.  He pulls himself up with ease all over the place and is a brave little soul, holding on with one hand to reach for things or walking a few side steps while holding onto the ottoman, couch, etc.  He seems to be trying to figure out how to stand up from a sitting position without pulling himself up too…I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.

He sleeps more hours now…has probably done about nine consecutive hours at the longest at this point…but that’s nothin’ to sneeze about, at least from where we’re standing (or crawling into bed).  *Grin*

He has discovered his ability to squeal…loudly.  He also babbles up a storm when he’s of a mood – some of the best mornings are when he wakes up and just starts babbling to his seahorse.  He hasn’t really said true words, though we think we may count “hi” and “hey” as his first words…he certainly makes those exclamations a lot.

He is interested in EVERYTHING and seems to discover something new everyday.  For instance, this week he has discovered the DVDs and Bella’s water and food dishes.  He loves his Around We Go activity table/walker — and we love that!  He loves books.  He loves all manner of “noise makers.”  He loves baths (and has just discovered his boy bits – fun, fun).  He loves his nana Bella – he finds her to be extremely funny and fascinating.  He loves it when we do the chicken dance for him…no, you won’t see that on video.  :-p

Anyway, he is a joy.  An utter joy.  I’m a proud, if tired, mommy and I look forward to seeing what else we get to report at 9 mths, 10 mths, and so on.

We are definitely not a pessimistic couple when it comes to illness. We all get sick from time-to-time and we heal and move on. Last week Cole, Melanie, and I all had a stomach bug (you can read all about it in the previous post). Yesterday I ended up staying home from work because I woke up with a fever and felt crappy all day. Well none of that compares to the onslaught of virus and bacteria buggies that have invaded poor Cole. Melanie took him to the doctor today because he’s been a snotty mess for a couple of days and we found out that he has RSV, bronchiolitis, and an ear infection. Talk about a whammy. Poor guy. He’s on Amoxicillin for the ear infection and we’re okay to give him Tylenol to help with the aches and occasional fever. They seem to be giving him some relief as I got a few smiles from him when I got home from work today. We are incredibly optimistic that he’s going to get better soon and go back to his smiley, happy self, but it never hurts to have a few more good vibes flowing in.

Thanks y’all!

Yes, I know we’re midway through January…given that mommy work is never done, I’m thinking that’s not too bad.  Anyway, I wholeheartedly agree with Troy’s wrap-up and love his 2010 goals.  I just wanted to add a few thoughts regarding my experience of 2009.  So, here goes…

2009 was the year I:

>  Gained a whole new respect for my knockers *heh heh*

>  Adjusted my definition of a good night’s sleep *read: SOME continuous sleep*

>  Felt most like a pin cushion

>  Met Zac Efron

>  Missed the most days of work ever  :)

>  Traveled the Pacific Coast Highway with my boys

>  Hated poultry for the first time and then miraculously loved it again

>  Perfected my rendition of “Itsy Bitsy Spider”

>  Fell in love with my husband all over again

>  Experienced the miracle of life firsthand…and it was awesome!

>  Embarked on my best adventure/undertaking yet…motherhood

There’s so much from 2009 that I’ll never forget and at the top of that list is holding my son in my arms for the first time…and then the second…and then the third…  :-)  Family defined my year.  Troy, Cole, and Bella…our parents (now known as grandma, opa, nonni, and pappi)…uncle Kev and Kelsey…friends near and far, extended family near and far.  2009 was unforgettable and 2010 looks to be a year full of Cole firsts and other Cole happiness.  :-)  Thank you to everyone in our lives in 2009 and here’s to a great year ahead!

Melanie: “Maybe we should co-blog today.”
Troy: (look of disbelief) “Are you in my head??”
Melanie: “Sixteen years, babe…sixteen years.” (how long we’ve been together)

Every year we celebrate Thanksgiving we have many, many things to be thankful for. This year, in particular, we’ve been blessed with a growing family and feel more thankful than ever. To commemorate our first Thanksgiving together as a family, Melanie and I decided we would write a blog post together and share our lists of things we are most thankful for.

Melanie’s List:

• That God was so good to me and helped me find the love of my life early in life
• That He was also so good to me and brought me the second love of my life this past August
• That I was raised in a family filled with love, with parents that helped me to be the best “me” I could be
• That I have a fur-baby that, after five years, still greets me (when I emerge from the bathroom, no less) with kisses and butt shakes like I’ve been away for months
• That I have a job that I find fulfilling, challenging, and enjoyable for an organization whose mission I respect and support
• That we have good health, a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, and even perks like a dvr and an iMac.
• That we have friends and family who are there for us and want for our best, who we can have tons of fun with, and who care enough to read this list…

Troy’s List

• my wife… 16 years? seriously? every day still feels new
• my son… words can’t express how he’s lit up my life
• my family… both near and far… I love you and miss you dearly
• my health (the worst thing to happen to me this year was nearly breaking my toe)
• our dog Bella who makes me smile everyday, no matter how bad my day has been
• my job… the people, the mission, my manager… who approved my 7 week paternity leave

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We hope you and your family had a great day celebrating all that you are thankful for.

Today’s photos

Morning bath time (Cole had an unexpected diaper blow out that necessitated the bath)

Bath time = splash time from Troy Schneider on Vimeo.

(the Longhorns are playing the Aggies tonight… which team do you think we’re cheering for?)

Troy’s been having all the blogging fun…  ;-)  I need to try to pop in here more often.  Anyway, this week was the beginning of a new chapter — going back to work was no doubt good and healthy for me, but it was tough.  Tears were shed.  I’m told it gets easier each day, so we’ll see how next week feels.  Anyway, some highlights from the week were 1) Cole and I doing a “duet” to Lean on Me during Glee, 2) Cole visiting me at the office, 3) the nice brunch my team greeted me with my first day back in the office, and 4) watching “Up” with my boys…very enjoyable.

This morning was a good one.  Cole is a pretty happy little man in the morning.  Even as I’m doing that one-eyed, sleepy thing where I have to tell myself I have to get up despite the choppy sleep overnight, I can’t help but be happy to do so as I listen to him coo and squeal happily and watch him give me his variety of smiles.  They are the best sights in the world!  :-D  So, we had some happy back time in bed this morning and we also had some happy time reading (except for the part where I cried a little…”Love You Forever” gets me every time!  But “Barnyard Dance” is more upbeat, so we ended with that) and some happy time looking at all the fun stuff in the nursery.  I think Cole loves Eeyore as much as his mommy does.  Yay!

So, anyway, that’s all I’ve got right now…no pics but I know daddy will be putting some up later.  Life is good…gonna enjoy the rest of my day and weekend with my favorite guys!