The Brothers Boyer

William "Liam" Lazenby Boyer

2010-10-15T21:18:00.002-04:00

William "Liam" Lazenby Boyer was born Thursday, October 14th at 11:47 PM (he couldn't wait 13 more mins to share a birthday with me). He was 19", 7lbs 13oz -- healthy and sound.

Lazenby is a family name from my mother's mother's maiden name. Now all three boys have "inherited" middle names.

Already circumcised, Liam hasn't shown any of Brennan's conditions so I think I'm slowly easing into peace about his health.

Lisa's good. It was another precipitous delivery (I had full confidence he was going to be born hours past midnight) but everyone's good. She didn't get an epidural because of the timeline so while it was painful, the end stage was brief and hopefully her recovery will be smoother.

The boys are thrilled with him, especially Clay who has held him in his lap a few times and told me tonight, "I'm holding him because he's my baby brother, I love him and I want to take care of him." We're very blessed.

I've been uploading lower res photos from my phone at the hospital and we'll put up more when we're home (likely on Sunday). Photos can be seen at photos.scottboyer.com.

Thanks for all the prayers and the facebook feedback has been incredible. It's an unbelievable occasion to get well-wishes from so many wonderful friends spanning 30+ years. Thank you! It's been a great joy to hear my phone chirp and see another name from way back.

Scott

Brennan the Tycoon

2010-06-13T23:22:00.001-04:00

In five years we'll all either be working for him . . . or be dead by his hand.

Practicing Casting

2010-05-20T21:06:00.002-04:00

We had an amazingly beautiful, late-Spring evening and Clay was finally allowed to get out his birthday fishing rod and give it a spin. After about five minutes of practice, he was casting like a pro.

Old Hat

2010-05-12T19:55:00.002-04:00

A couple of days after my last post, we found out that we were expecting yet again. This afternoon, we had a quick checkup that turned into a full ultrasound (everyone is healthy and fine). The boys were with us and so they got to see the entire session and found out right along with us that we were having another son!

As the technician was conducting the ultrasound and we were pointing out all the various features (eyes, ears, spine, feet, etc), Clay leaned over to me and whispered, "God made that baby!" He's right, and we can't wait to see what His plans are!

The results of the ultrasound pushed the due date up a little from 10/25 to 10/18, so we'll have to see what the OB has to say. I do have very pricey tickets to an October 10th show in D.C., so hopefully this boy will cut Dad some slack.

Unrequited Love (Or Was It Simply Covetousness?)

2010-02-16T14:24:00.005-05:00

I (Scott) took Clay and Brennan to the gym and dropped them off at the "Kid's Zone" while I worked out. When picking them up afterwards, Clay immediately mentioned that he had made a new friend. I asked, "Was it a boy or a girl, Clay?" to which Clay replied that it was a girl but that No, he did not get her name -- but he really liked her coat. Erm -- ok, so the mystery girl had a nice coat. Check.

Clay makes friends all the time so I didn't give it much more thought other than his curious fashion fascination. Later, as were playing in the pool, however, Clay began telling me about a little girl at the Kid's Zone that wasn't very nice. I said that I was sorry to hear that she wasn't nice -- but I hoped that Clay was polite when she wasn't nice. Clay proceeded to tell me that he was polite, but she kept saying that she didn't want to play with him. When pressed on this, Clay admitted that his response to her request for space was to . . . (wait for it) . . . follow her more closely. At that point, I explained to Clay that perhaps she was a perfectly nice little girl and that Clay was the one who wasn't being very nice by ignoring her repeated requests to bug off. Clay put that in his pipe and went off to smoke it.

Even later, as we were driving away from the gym, Clay began once again to discuss the little girl at the Kid's Zone who didn't appreciate Clay's reprisal of Seinfeld's "close-talker". I asked him why he was so interested in this little girl and he said, "Dad, I already told you. She had a really nice coat!" As he continued to describe her technicolor dreamcoat in increasing detail, the pieces all fell into place: His new "friend" was actually the object of a little preschool stalking -- apparently brought on by winter garment-envy.

Is it too early to begin explaining to him the finer points of a restraining order?

Small World

2010-01-20T19:07:00.002-05:00

I was visiting a friend of ours, Kenny, when he introduced me to his brother, Scott, who thought my name sounded very familiar. He had graduated from Chancellor the same year I graduated from King George. Well, when I heard that I was pretty sure I could figure out how he knew me: some folks are famous as football captain or homecoming king. I'm that guy with the horrific accident at Track & Field districts in '92.

Well, I was half right. When I told him about my accident, he lit up and began telling me all the details of my accident. Details that time and trauma had stolen. You see, Scott was at the event. Done with his events, he was helping work the pole vaulting event. In addition, he was a member of the rescue squad. So when I came down and my leg snapped, he jumped on the mat to hold me down while a trainer stabilized my leg -- preventing far worse damage.

What providence that he was there at the time with that background! How awesome to run into him again nearly twenty years later!

The Reason for the Season

2010-01-03T17:31:00.001-05:00

The Reason for the Season
Originally uploaded by Scott Boyer

We were passed along this kitschy plastic nativity scene. When you press a little button, it lights up and walks you through the Christmas Story from the birth to the proclamation. Well, the kids love it -- and I'm growing to love it too.

After playing with it for a couple of weeks, Clay pretty much has the entire thing memorized. It turned out to be a great way to keep him preoccupied with the root reason for our celebration.

Hello Toledo!

2010-01-02T23:37:00.005-05:00

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for this fan favorite. Brennan comes down every morning, throws it in demo mode and begins singing his versions of the Alphabet Song or "Baa Baa Black Sheep" into the microphone.

Brennan's First Haircut

2010-01-02T23:02:00.002-05:00

Well, I finally broke down and let Lisa cut Brennan's hair. I managed to push through his second birthday -- so I guess it's okay to no longer have his baby curls.

More photos from the first haircut.

Sentimental

2009-11-15T23:30:00.001-05:00

Lisa's going through the boys' outgrown clothes, pulling out things to loan to friends. For so many of the outfits, I can mentally picture a photo we have of Clay or Brennan in them and I get sad. Sad? Really? The boys are still three and (almost) two. Isn't it a little early in our careers as parents to be wistful?

Poor Kid

2009-09-10T23:20:00.004-04:00

It's hard for even me to believe, but I'm almost feeling more sorry for Clay right now.

Brennan continues to mend. The diaper changes are becoming less awful (not good, but less-and-less of an absolute heart-wrenching event). The drugs continue to pay dividends (he's been running around since midday Wednesday while we desperately try to keep him from hurting himself). And he gets attention -- lots of it. Constant snuggling and affection. Kisses, hugs, and affirmation.

Clay, on the other hand, is almost an afterthought. He came back from my folks' midday Wednesday, and it's been nearly constant, "Watch out Clay! Look out for Brennan! Don't hurt Brennan. Give Brennan a hug. Give Brennan that toy." On and on and on.

This afternoon I was putting Clay down for his nap and I realized that I had barely paid him a thought for probably a week (or more). In the run up to the surgery and in its aftermath, Brennan has been the center of my universe and Clay has gotten very short shrift.

So I feel pretty lousy about that. Brennan still needs plenty of love and attention, but I've got to find some way to balance it and make sure Clay is cared for as well. Otherwise, Clay is bound to go off and get himself some sort of serious injury to share in the attention. Trust me, it's in his genes.

So Far, So Good

2009-09-08T16:08:00.002-04:00

Thanks to all for your prayers and encouragement -- it's been great.

We've been up since 4AM and just got home about an hour ago, so I'll keep this posting short as I'm hoping we all get a nap soon.

The upshot is that things went very well in both procedures. There was no need for a skin graft (which is good) and the urologist is very optimistic. Of course, we had high hopes last time -- so our optimism is tempered. Ask us in a week and we'll let you know how everything turns out.

In the meantime, we're all home safe-and-sound. We've got a cabinet full of pain killers, antibiotics, anti-spasm and anti-nausea medicine. The goal is to keep him sedated and sleepy while he heals. He's in a fair amount of discomfort right now -- much more accomplished at complaining and describing his "owies" than he was nine months ago. Not fun as a parent -- but this too shall pass.

Not In Control

2009-09-07T22:17:00.002-04:00

We had a really nice family evening. Lisa, her folks, my folks, the boys and I all went out for bowling. I'm pleased to announce that (unlike last time) I beat Clay both times.

After dinner, we shipped Clay off with my folks for a night or two and then I headed off to the grocery store to buy a little toy for Brennan for tomorrow to give him something to take his mind off the unpleasantness after his surgeries.

Now, Giant has a pretty good toy aisle for a grocery store, but it is just one aisle. Since Brennan is less than two (and therefore not a good candidate for most of the big kids' toys), that narrowed my options even more -- but I must have walked that aisle for 10+ minutes before settling on a little rubber firetruck.

Driving home, I still felt very unsettled -- and I realized that my issue was that I wanted this toy to somehow magically take away all the uncertainty and pain in store for tomorrow. I wanted it to make everything all right for Brennan -- and as cool as this firetruck was, it's only going to go so far.

I'm a planner -- to the point of obsession. Ultimately, I plan as a means of taking control of the situation and avoiding problems. But I can't plan my way out of this. Neither cleverness nor hard work can get me out of handing my little boy over to a nurse tomorrow morning as they take him off to an operating room.

So I'm in a pickle. My head knows that God's in control and He loves Brennan very much (even more than I do) -- but my heart and my gut are as twisted as they can get.

So prayers are appreciated tomorrow. Prayers for Brennan, for his surgeons, nurses and anesthesiologists. Prayers for a fantastic outcome. Prayers for quick healing. Prayers that Brennan would not be emotionally scarred by the event. Any and all prayers will be awesome.

Thanks

Back Under Quarantine

2009-08-23T21:26:00.003-04:00

Brennan's queued up for another round of surgeries (hopefully his last for both his birthmark and his hypospadias) on Tuesday, September 8th. Learning our lesson from last year (when we missed our first shot because of an upper-respiratory infection), we've preemptively put him on quarantine for the few weeks leading up to his procedures.

That means: No kids club at the gym, no children's church, limited play dates (Lisa can't live without them), etc. Fortunately, the weather's warm so we've been able to take the boys to the pool (as well as our gym pool) and try to keep them active.

Until then, though, we'll be praying and hopefully avoiding any little bugs. It's bad enough that Brennan will be going through some of this recovery at 22 months -- I don't want to push it back another few months and risk him remembering even more of it!

Ventriloquism for Three-Year-Olds

2009-08-10T11:42:00.003-04:00

To his credit, Clay has been an excellent tutor for Brennan's language development. Several months ago, Clay began picking up on our regular challenges to Brennan to speak -- "Brennan, can you say ______?" During meals (when they sit across the table from each other) or during car trips, Clay would begin throwing out words and phrases and prompting Brennan to repeat them. We thought it was adorable and, to be honest, it actually has done a lot to accelerate Brennan's speech development.

Somewhere along the way, however, Clay has found a way to manipulate this hobby to his own benefit . . .

"Brennan, can I have that toy? Can you say, 'Yes'?"

"Brennan, is it my turn? Can you say, 'Yes'?"

. . . and on it goes. Brennan has been a quick study of this deception and no longer falls for it -- but Clay still gives it a try several times a day.

Maybe it's time for me to invest in a howdy-doody doll for Clay?

Happy Birthday Martha!

2009-08-04T21:02:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Aunt Martha! We love you!

Claydini

2009-08-02T20:52:00.002-04:00

Clay and I went to a magic show while in Myrtle Beach. Later that week, we stopped in at a magic store in Barefoot Landing that I frequented regularly during my childhood. I picked out a simple trick for Clay and he's been practicing it. The look on his face when he pulls off the "dissapear" is priceless!

Off-Topic

2009-01-05T09:18:00.006-05:00

Obviously, this blog is about our sons -- but I was really struck by a thought this morning and thought I'd share.

I was listening to a news report this morning on the radio, discussing how the Obama daughters were starting school at Sidwell Friends this morning. It made me think of the classic Norman Rockwell school integration painting and how wonderful it is that although only 50 years ago these girls would have been blocked from attending the school, they're now celebrated. Pretty cool.

I'm Dreaming of A Quiet Christmas

2008-12-22T10:58:00.005-05:00

First, an update on Brennan: His hypospadias repair has hit a snag and it looks like we'll need some follow-on procedures to get all his plumbing back to 100%. There's no reason to think any of this is un-fixable in the long run, but it's still pretty discouraging in the short run. He's in some discomfort, and we just feel awful for the little guy.

On a semi-related note, it's been interesting to see how Brennan's hypospadias repair has almost completely pushed our worries over his cheek scar out of our mind. This kid's got a nearly 2" curved scar on his cheek. There's plenty of bruising and redness around the scar from the procedure. I'd imagine anyone that saw him out at the store would think, "Oh that poor little boy." But for Lisa and us it's no big deal. None at all. When we stack it up against our concerns over his other issue, it just pales in comparison to the point of insignificance. It's not exactly how I expected my prayers over his cheek to be answered (aka us "getting over" it) but there it is.

The rest of the family is just spent emotionally and physically. Poor Clay ends up in the middle of all of it. He's acting like a normal (nearly) 3 year old boy -- wild as a hare. I'm sure he picks up on Lisa's and my tension and he just amplifies it. We're so short on energy and patience that it's a challenge for us to deal with his outbursts constructively -- but we're trying.

I've been back in the office for the past week, but I've decided to go ahead and take off the week between Christmas and New Year's. If I don't my head may finally fall off my shoulders completely.

So this year, I'm hoping for a little bit of peace. That's my Christmas wish, for your family and ours, that the bells would peal "more loud and deep" to remind us "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep."

A-OK

2008-12-16T14:00:00.003-05:00

There will be no pictures accompanying this posting. If you could see what Lisa and I have to see every time we change Brennan's diaper, you'd be thanking me profusely for keeping it text-based.

We've been telling ourselves over and over for the past several days that while gruesome, everything is proceeding according to plan and that, at the end, everything will be just dandy. But uneducated pep talks and optimism can only take you so far.

Fortunately, Lisa was able to squeeze in a visit to our urologist this afternoon and he gave Brennan a clean bill of health. The swelling is continuing to recede, the color is improving and all the sutures appear to be healing well. Yay!

So that's a huge load off our minds -- I was practically crawling out of my skin at work this afternoon waiting for the word from Lisa.

Now I can get back to all the other exciting things going on in our universe . . .

Thankful

2008-12-11T20:29:00.004-05:00

Well, Brennan's all in one piece (when you consider all the stitches holding him together).

The first stage of the birthmark removal went well -- only about 30-45 minutes -- but the hypospadias repair was a completely different story: His urologist gave us an estimate of one hour to three hours for the reconstruction, based on the severity of the birth defect. After two hours of waiting, I became a little discouraged. After three I knew it was going to be a significant procedure.

In the end, it was a little over three hours for the reconstruction. After he was done, the urologist met with Lisa and I to discuss his findings and the results and confirmed that Brennan's birth defect was more significant than we had first anticipated. Fortunately, he still felt very confident in the outcome -- it just meant more work and more recovery.

Brennan has a bladder catheter that will be removed on Christmas Eve (season's greetings!) and is a very sore little boy. Thankfully, they've sent us home with Tylenol codeine which is doing wonders to keep him comfortable, docile, and resting.

In many ways, I've been very aware of the spiritual component to this whole process. I've spent a lot of time in prayer, and I've been so encouraged by all who've been faithfully lifting Brennan, Lisa and I, and his doctors up for weeks and even months now. There's no doubt in my mind that God has heard and blessed them.

On top of the prayers, the Christmas season has so deeply shaped my perception of today: A celebration of a God who came among us as a baby boy. Brennan's vulnerability and even suffering echo to me the scandalous reality of the Christ child sent into our troubled midst. I'm touched deeply tonight by a verse of Chris Rice's song, "Welcome to Our World":

Fragile finger sent to heal us

Tender brow prepared for thorn

Tiny heart whose blood will save us

Unto us is born

Saying Goodbye To The Birthmark

2008-12-10T15:04:00.002-05:00

If you asked me a year ago how I'd feel about removing Brennan's birthmark, you'd get an emphatic "Yes! Take it now!" A year later, I've grown comfortable, even fond of it.

Tomorrow morning, we'll begin a staged process of removal and I'm really going to be sad to see it go. I've spent a lot of time over the past couple of months staring at his cheek and giving it kisses. It's become very much a part of who he is, but I'm optimistic that the remaining scar will likewise become a unique part of Brennan and I will one day celebrate its presence as well.

In the meantime, I'm confident that removal (and doing it now) is the right path. We've met with a dermatologist and two different plastic surgeons and all agree that it is a sebaceous nevus. As such, it's very likely to begin to change heavily at puberty -- becoming thick and wart-like. There's also an increased probability of skin cancer. An excision now will eliminate all of this. The scar won't grow in proportion to his face (unlike the birthmark) so we're in essence "locking in" at a much smaller dimension. Finally, what teenager wants to worry about warts popping up on his cheek and a lifetime of removals? Life is complicated enough on its own.

So, tomorrow morning little Brennan will undergo his first surgery. Any and all prayers for a safe procedure and quick recovery are most appreciated!

Happy Birthday Brennan!

2008-11-29T20:06:00.005-05:00

Brennan turned a whopping one today!

Since we're trying really hard to keep him healthy, he's been under quarantine for a couple of weeks now (only a couple more to go). This meant no little pals over for his birthday.

Not to worry, I think he was sufficiently overwhelmed by the family we did have join us!

Yesterday we were able to have his Grandma, Grandpa, Oma, Opa, Uncle Matt and Aunt Kelley visit for presents and cake.

Brennan made out like a bandit, even getting his own firetruck ride to add to our stable of ride-on toys. This turned out to be a perfect fit as it's a little lower to the ground and he's been easily hopping on and off all day.

To Clay's credit, he tried very hard to celebrate Brennan's birthday selflessly. When I asked him all last night and today, "Whose toy is that?" while he was borrowing one of Brennan's new toys, he'd always respond, "Brennan!"

I did notice last night that he had put together a new scheme for getting extra time with his brother's gifts. Every time he saw Brennan open a new gift that he coveted, he'd proclaim "Brennan's getting tired!" As if, perhaps, Brennan should go to bed early and Clay would selflessly open the rest of Brennan's gifts for him (and test them all to make sure they were in proper working order).

In honor of his actual birthday today, Lisa's parents and our family headed off to the gym to play at the pool for some fun (and to get Clay "The Terror" Boyer out of the house). Everyone had a lot of fun and Brennan's making great progress in walking in the water and righting himself when he goes down.

Finally, please be sure to notice Brennan's "Walking for Dummies" bump on his forehead. In case you've forgotten, it's a family trait. All Hagen genes, I assure you!

On His Own

2008-11-21T15:35:00.004-05:00

Clay headed off to Oma and Opa's today for his very first sleep-over. They'll be taking care of him for a little bit while Brennan recovers from his surgeries next month, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to have a trial session.

In classic grandparent form, Oma and Opa have converted their home into Disneyland. He's got his motorcycle, bowling alley and his very own electric train set. Not too shabby!

For our part, Lisa and I are taking advantage of the opportunity. Brennan will go to bed early and we'll enjoy that most precious of moments -- a quiet dinner.

Clay "DOG" Boyer

2008-11-15T21:15:00.004-05:00

Brennan's gone mobile. And he likes to climb chairs -- usually kitchen chairs strategically located over hard kitchen tile flooring. He's been walking for about 6 weeks now, and he's quick. At this point, Clay's fairly self-sufficient and so we'd forgotten how closely you've got to watch these guys.

On regular occasion, we'll suddenly realize that we haven't seen Brennan for 30 seconds (he only needs 5). For a couple of weeks, we'd drop what we were doing and run off looking for him. Somewhere along the way, however, we realized we had a very willing candidate for bounty hunter already on-call.

Now, we simply say "Clay, where's Brennan?" and the big brother is off and running. Invariably, we hear either a loud thump or Brennan's squeal -- depending on whether Clay opts for the mace or the tazer to subdue his quarry -- followed by "I found him!"

Life is good.

I've Discovered Clay's "Carrot"

2008-11-09T21:53:00.004-05:00

So Clay has decided he likes running. Nay, he LOVES running. He participated in Lisa's YoungLives tot trot on Saturday and was smitten. On our way home from brunch after the race, he kept saying, "Go race now? Go race now?" I promised we would go running again soon.

This afternoon, he and Brennan both woke up much too early from their afternoon naps. Knowing Lisa was still in a serious sleep deficit from her preparation for the race, I offered to take them over to the local track and run off some steam.

Clay had a blast, and whenever he began to fade (mumbling, "Take a break? Take a break?") I'd just get several feet ahead with Brennan in the stroller and declare, "Brennan's winning! Brennan's winning!" Upon hearing that, Clay would suddenly find a fifth, sixth and even seventh gear and zip by us proclaiming, "Clay's winning! Clay's first!"

All in all, he ended up running 3 laps around the track (with some breaks in between each for dribbling a soccer ball).

I figure if I can get a 2yo to run 1200m simply by invoking his sibling rivalry, I can get him to do anything!

Daylight Savings Time -- Not As Cool As It Used To Be

2008-11-04T10:22:00.002-05:00

For years, DST was the adult equivalent of a 2-hour school-opening delay. You didn't get the whole day off, but you got a little extra bump to get you through the day.

Lisa and I are (were) notoriously late sleepers. We had our dogs well-trained to not beg to go outside and we'd just snooze the morning away. DST was like Christmas -- a whole extra hour before church! We might actually make it on time for once!

And then came kids. Kids. The kind that wake up at o-dark-thirty demanding to be fed. And now that Clay's potty-training, he's banging on the door pleading to be let out. And we get up. And by "we" I mean "Saint Lisa".

This wasn't in the paperwork I signed. I want a refund.

How Cool Is That?

2008-09-03T13:56:00.002-04:00

Clay likes to sing. I wouldn't say he sings well (yet), but he loves to sing. His repertoire includes:

Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star
Why Look At the Moon
Jesus Loves Me

He also loves a good bedtime read. I've been trying hard to work in stories from his children's bible as much as possible (hard to compete with Richard Scarry's Goldbug!). Last week, though, I suggested that we read from his bible and he ran over and grabbed it off the bookshelf. He brought it back and held it up and said, "Jesus Loves Me, this I know 'cause the bible tells me so!"

30 months old and he already knows why we should read the Bible! How cool is that?

Tribe Pride

2008-08-26T21:28:00.001-04:00

Can't Hide it! We had a wonderful trip with our friends in Williamsburg over the weekend. We went to see the W&M Women's soccer team play Penn State (now coached by two of Lisa's old teammates and good friends of ours). Clay spent most of the night running around with his buddy Addy and slept very well after getting home around midnight.

More photos from the night available here.

He's My Brother AND He's Heavy

2008-04-18T15:33:00.011-04:00

Brennan had a quick follow-up appointment this morning to get some vaccinations skipped at his four-month appointment. As part of his visit, they rolled him onto the scale again. This time he weighed a whopping 18lbs 4.5oz!. I took a look at the growth charts to see how he stacked up and he was (literally) off the chart. They had an asterisk for a footnote, so I scrolled to the bottom of the page and all the footnote said was, "Are you kidding me?"

Death By A Thousand Cuts

2008-04-13T22:07:00.009-04:00

Clay is refining his tactics in disobedience. Previously, if you asked him to do something and he didn't want to (climb into his chair to eat, go to bed, etc), he would shout "No!" and run in the opposite direction. Trying to be progressive parents, we offered him two or more choices -- all that resulted in our desired outcome ("Do you want to walk upstairs or be carried?"). This had a lot of success -- he was picking, we were winning.

Well, he's begun to take it to another level now. Instead of overt rebellion, he's taken a more circuitous route -- a strategy that could be best summarized as "One moment, let me do this first." For instance, let's walk through our "getting ready for bed" routine this evening:

Me: Clay, it's time to go to bed.

Clay: Let me first put this play train away. Oh, wait. Let me back it up j u s t perfect.

Me: C'mon Clay, seriously.

Lisa: Clay, Daddy said it's time to go to bed.

Clay: Oh sure, I'm just being helpful. Here let's walk up the steps. Oh, wait, here's one of Winnie's toy bones. Let me just take care of that. Can't have dangerous toys on the stairs, someone might fall and be injured! I'll just carry this down to the living room and tidy up a little bit.

Me: C'mon Clay, it's after 9:30!

Clay: I'm coming, I'm coming! Ooh, wait, let me just go do this . . .

Me: Criminy!

And on it goes . . . In these scenarios, the only thing I can do is pick the boy up and carry him (kicking and screaming) up the stairs. And let me tell you, nothing settles a 2 year-old down for bed like a good fit.

For what it's worth, I've learned more about patience in the last 25 months than I managed to learn in the prior 30+ years.

More Photos

2008-04-12T11:43:00.002-04:00

Uploaded another batch of photos last night. Only 2 more months of photos to catch up on!

Catching Up On Photos

2008-04-11T09:57:00.002-04:00

I just uploaded a huge stack of photos. That should bring us up to speed on photos from 2007.

In the next few days, I'll start adding the photos we've taken so far this year.

A Brennan Turnover

2008-04-10T19:50:00.003-04:00

Relish the Rolling Boyer! Marvel at his mobility! Gasp at his gyrations! Wonder at his whirling!

Where Were We?

2008-04-02T11:33:00.010-04:00

Let's see. How does my blog template go? Oh yes, I begin by apologizing for the intervening days (weeks/months) since my last update and continue by promising to do better. Ok, that is out of the way.

The plague is slowly moving out of the house. First, Lisa came down with bronchitis. Next, Clay began showing symptoms and was diagnosed with the flu. Now Brennan's had a fever and the sniffles for about a week. I've felt like Prince Prospero for a couple of weeks now, just waiting for the next shoe to drop. I've been sucking down my GNC Ultra Zinc Lozenges and I swear by those little suckers. So far, so good -- it seems like the illness passed over me and headed directly on to my father, who received bronchitis and the flu! Fortunately, it seems everyone is on the mend.

Brennan has his four month appointment today. He won't receive his vaccinations because of his fever, but they will weigh him. I hope they've got a large animal scale in the back of the office because I don't think he'll fit on the infant machine! Last week, a few days shy of four months, he already weighed over 17lbs. I give Clay five more months (six tops) before Brennan outweighs him.

I've begun (affectionately) referring to Brennan as "Plumpelstiltskin". On the rare occasion where I change his diaper, I find it very difficult to discern where his bottom ends and his thighs begin. He's got a tiny little pair of cheeks, surrounding by several concentric rolls of thigh. Either he's going to have a massive growth spurt, or he's going to be as round as he is tall. Only time will tell.

He is a happy baby, though. I remember Clay as a smiler, but Brennan laughs -- constantly. He giggles, he chortles, he guffaws -- and it doesn't take much to get him started. He responds to tickling, bouncing, or a good long stare. All are met with joviality.

Clay continues to adapt very well to Brennan. He insists on kissing him good night, comforts Brennan when he's upset, likes to help get him out of his swing and loves tickling him to get him to laugh. His latest trick is "God Bless You". Everybody gets a "God Bless You" when they sneeze, but Clay makes a special point to bless Brennan when he sneezes (which has been all the time during the past week). In turn, Brennan can't take his eyes off Clay. He always turns to see what Clay is doing and is enthralled. It really is the most rewarding thing to see them interact, I pray that their mutual adoration extends past infancy!

Lisa and I continue to adapt to the new state of affairs. I spend most of my evenings taking care of Clay and on the weekends spend a lot of time with him at the gym and our pool. Lisa spends most of her waking life (and sometimes her sleeping life) feeding Brennan. He is still a champion eater (explaining his magnificent rotundancy) and that keeps her pretty occupied. We try and make a point of at least seeing each other once every other day, and I catch a glimpse of my bride over the dinner table on occasion. I expect things will settle in over the next couple of months as Brennan begins to sleep through the night and begins supplementing his feedings with human food.

Well, that should bring everyone pretty much up to speed. Remember, in the world of The Brothers Boyer, it's quality and not quantity!

Three Months

2008-02-29T21:53:00.005-05:00

If it weren't for leap year, Brennan wouldn't be able to celebrate his 3 month birthday properly -- but here he is, February 29th and 3 months old.

He's becoming quite the happy baby, quick to smile and chortle. Of course, he's huge -- 90th percentile for weight at his two month checkup. Being a big baby has its benefits, he's a much better sleeper than Clay was at this age. Normally, he's down by 9:30 and then sleeps until nearly 4AM. Then it's a feeding and back to bed for a couple of hours. Another feeding as dad is on his way out to work, and then back to sleep again. A couple of weeks ago, that meant Lisa got another early morning nap. Nowadays, however, Clay has begun waking up at 7:30 and that means she's up for the long haul after the morning feeding.

Brennan's a strong kid! He's fully able to stand with only a little bit of help balancing. I can't remember when Clay began that trick, but I sure don't think it was at two months!

I keep promising photos, and we have them, I just need to sit down and carve out the time. With two little boys in the house, that gets harder and harder.

Dos

2008-02-20T12:13:00.004-05:00

Today is Clay's second birthday, Happy Birthday Clay!

Clay hosted quite the shindig on Saturday, with nine small children running or drooling (or both) all around the house. Considering the close quarters (those nine were joined by about twenty "chaperones"), things went surprisingly smoothly. Everyone played nicely, shared toys, and all-around had a great time. Clay was even honored by an international call from his great aunt, Martha, who was basking in the sun of St. Thomas.

I suspect that this is the last "easy" birthday party we'll have for quite some time. The setup was as complicated as cleaning the house, putting out his toys, and letting the cattle roam. Of course, we had huge help from the Ritners, who came up early and helped clean and decorate. To top it off, Scott's parents provided the balloons (an instant party hit for the under-five crowd) and picked up the pizza -- so things could have been much more hairy without the extra hands.

In addition, everyone was very generous in their donations to YoungLives. We don't have a final tally yet, but we'll be sure to share when we do!

So, last night I was taking Clay up to bed and as part of the going-to-bed ritual, I announced that everyone should say goodbye to the "1 Year Old Clay" as he would officially be "2 Year Old Clay" in the morning. As soon as said this, I felt my chest tighten and the panic rise in the back of my throat. Clay was going to be two! Twenty is just around the corner. Getting ready for bed took extra long last night, as I spent at least an extra twenty minutes with him, reading, snuggling and making shadow puppets before bed.

As unsettling as it is to see him grow up, I can honestly say that I have a lot of peace about it. Too many times in my life, I've let opportunities pass by -- not making the most of my time. Not with him, though. I've been very cognizant that his childhood is fleeting and I've made an effort to make the most of it. It's not been perfect, but it's gone well. I really want to look back on his childhood and have confidence that I've taken advantage of every opportunity to invest in his (and his brother's) life. So, year number two was fantastic. Here's to year number three being even better!

And where did this streak of maudlin come from? Criminy.

Goodwill Agent

2008-01-29T21:07:00.001-05:00

I have recently discovered a phenomenon: Clay is improving my social life. I enjoy taking him out shopping and on errands -- mainly to spend some extra time with him. As a fringe benefit, I've found that he makes being around other people infinitely more pleasant.

For the uninitiated, I'm a bit of a social misfit. I'm not much for, say, talking to people, interacting with people -- pretty much not interested in people. I'm the guy they had in mind when they invented internet shopping and self-checkout aisles. Get in, get my stuff, get out -- in as few syllables as possible. Think less misanthrope, more hermit and you're getting the idea.

With Clay in tow however, I'm a different man. He's pretty charming most of the time, and folks tend to be on their best behavior around him. They loosen up, they smile, they say nice things to him. As his father and biggest fan, that of course puts me at ease and the conversation just flows from there. I swear, I have had more conversations with random people in the last 24 months than I had in the preceding 30 years.

Chalk another one up for children improving their parents.

I'll Take This One, Please

2008-01-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Lisa and I were discussing over the weekend the reality that Clay is growing so quickly. Of course, having Brennan around now makes his big brother seem infinitely older.

We both agree that, if we had the luxury of "freezing" Clay at a particular age, I think we'd want it to be right now. He is just so much fun -- constantly learning and accomplishing new things. He's attempting to say almost every word or phrase we say, and not doing too bad a job. He's understanding so much more -- you can ask him to get something or put something away and he's eager to please.

He loves to wrestle and play, to give hugs and kisses. He seems to truly enjoy being around us, but is also willing to go off and entertain himself when we're doing chores. To top it all off, he seems to be past the fits we were seeing when Brennan came home and we're getting a little break before the "terrible twos" really begin.

So, we'll take him like this forever, I think. That's an option, right?

With Apologies to T.S. Eliot

2008-01-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

This is the way year ends, not with a bang but a whimper.

Scott spent New Year's eve and New Year's day curled up in a ball. Just as the Redskins were finishing their dismantling of the Cowgirls, his stomach began to rollover -- and stayed that way for the next 36 hours. To reassure my brother and sister-in-law, there's no way anything I ate at your house could have hit me that fast. I'm sure it was a bug I picked up in the days prior.

As a result, Lisa got her first opportunity to "go it alone" -- two days earlier than expected. To add to her list of responsibilities, she had a mewling husband upstairs while she reigned over the circus that is our two young boys.

Beyond my disease, things are going well at home. Clay seems to be fully adjusted, even whispering "Mommy, Baby" when he knows they're napping. He still insists on giving his brother a kiss when heading off to bed. The only wrinkle is that he's taken to mimicking his brother's cries -- which can be pretty overwhelming when you're hearing it in stereo. Hopefully that novelty will wear off soon!

Brennan is doing very well, eating and growing like a champ. At one month, he's already comfortably wearing 3-month clothes and continues to show strong neck and leg muscle development. He's also improving on his sleeping -- needing to be held less and less at night and sleeping for longer stretches in his cradle.

Lisa seems to be handling things very well -- I think this rotation has been easier than the last. We'll see how things go now that I'm back in the office full-time, but fortunately my parents continue to chip in on a regular basis and provide some much-needed respite care.

For me, the biggest challenge has been the emotional adjustment to Brennan. Since I rarely see him, and can't do much for him at this stage, the emotional bonding hasn't really begun yet. I have no doubt that it will naturally happen over time, but sometimes it's a challenge to interact with Clay and not feel concern over the difference between our bond and mine with Brennan. Of course, if I could turn the clock back 21 months and remember how I felt about Clay when he too was a cute lump then I'd probably find a very similar emotional temperature between us. In the meantime, Lisa and I are both making a point of setting aside time for Brennan and I to bond and build our relationship.

One of the other challenges is that, as a problem solver, it's sometimes difficult for me to be patient with some of Brennan's little issues that will need attention. His mild hypospadias won't be repaired for at least another 5 or 6 months (the initial appointment with the pediatric urologist is in a few weeks) and we can't even get an appointment with a dermatologist until mid-May to take a look at his birthmark. We think it might be a sebaceous nevus, but it's all hypothesis until then. My strength has never been in waiting for answers -- so this has been a mental challenge for me and will likely continue to be so!

Dogs' Worst Friend

2007-12-17T01:34:00.001-05:00

In the past month or two, Clay has taken a distinct interest in Winnie & Ginny. His favorite game is chasing them with his little push carts -- running them around the house and keeping them in shape. He also has found Ginny to be a useful stepstool for getting onto the couch.

So far, there have been no "incidents" other than a few growls from the dogs. We've made a point of trying to stay closer to them when he's on the prowl, but I think we'll be okay.

They've always been very "even keel", slow to anger and all that. They seem to understand that he's just a kid, and a little boy at that. Recently, he seems to be spending almost as much time hugging and petting them as he does terrorizing them, so hopefully we're past the worst of it.

In related news, I finally got off my duff and had Ginny tested for thyroid problems. She's been morbidly obese for at least a few years, and it was really beginning to affect her quality of life (climbing up stairs, etc.) We do a good job of restricting her diet, but she can't really exercise anymore and it was time to get it fixed. Sure enough, she registered a .2 on her thyroid test (healthy levels should have been around 1). So, we've got her on thyroid medication and expect her to be running laps in the backyard with Winnie by the summer. Shame on me for not dealing with it earlier!

A Good Big Brother

2007-12-17T01:20:00.001-05:00

Clay is definitely getting acclimated. He insists on giving his brother a kiss when it's time for bed or naps. He seems to understand pretty well that he needs to be "gentle" around the "baby". I've also noticed that "Mommy" has become inseparable from "baby". He never mentions one without the other.

I'm sure it's been a huge help that I've been able to be at home during this transition. Not only for Lisa but for Clay as well. Brennan definitely gets Mommy, but Clay gets me. I get him up, feed him breakfast, play with him, give him lunch, put him down for a nap, get him back up, play with him, get him dinner, give him a bath, and put him to bed. Whenever possible, Lisa makes a point of spending time with Clay, but it's just tough with around-the-clock feedings to keep her occupied.

We're all dreading the new year, when I go back into the office full-time. Who knows how it's going to all work out, but I'm sure it will.

Also, thanks to all our wonderful friends who have been bringing us dinner for over a week now. We are VERY well fed and I know there are more meals to come. It is such a blessing to pull a home-cooked meal out of the fridge night after night and not need to worry about grocery shopping, cooking, etc. Thank you so much!

Finally, I've uploaded a bundle of photos this evening. As always, you can check them out at photos.scottboyer.com

Two Peas in a Pod

2007-12-03T22:03:00.001-05:00

One of these is Clay. One is Brennan. Are you seeing a family resemblance?

Needy x2

2007-12-03T20:59:00.000-05:00

My assumption was that the biggest challenge in having another baby was starting the clock again on taking care of a child that, initially, can do nothing for itself. Almost every day, Clay has become increasingly self-sufficient. He can walk, he can communicate (asking for things, responding to you). It's wonderful to see him grow and accomplish something new every day.

I could remember, however, when Clay was little more than a lump. A lovable lump to be sure, but a lump all the same. He ate, slept (sometimes) and filled his diapers. As the dad, there was little I could do other than to give Lisa a hand and change the occasional diaper. But now, he calls me by name, even helping out -- bringing me things, throwing things away, etc.

So, I was intimidated with the idea of turning back the clock on a new child and starting all over. My reasoning (clearly flawed) was that we could do it because Clay was so self-sufficient these days and that would free us up to spend more energy on Brennan. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Clay, it seems, is going to need a chance to adjust to being the big brother. Ever since we've come home on Saturday, Clay has been a mess. Now, to be fair, Clay was already a little bit of a mess. I'm afraid he's inherited his father's temperament. He's got a short fuse -- when frustrated he goes into meltdown and begins chucking things or banging his head. Since Brennan's come home, however, he's gone from short-fuse to no-fuse. The slightest hiccup and it's a full-blown-fit.

So, the reality is that, for at least the short term, Clay's almost as needy as Brennan. We can't let him out of our sight, he wants to be held all the time, and I'm spending most of my days following him around, picking up whatever he's knocked over or soothing him as he's thrown his latest fit.

Calgon, anyone?

Brennan Donald Boyer

2007-12-01T18:18:00.001-05:00

Introducing Brennan Donald Boyer. Brennan was born on Thursday, November 29th at 5:49 AM. His vitals were 19" and 8lbs 9oz. Lisa's first contraction was around 3:45 AM, so Brennan sped his way into the world without giving mom the benefit of an epidural.

Everyone's healthy and happy -- well, Clay's not sure he's happy. He's more than a little unsettled at the moment. But he does know who the "baby" is, and has been willing to pat his brother and give him the occasional kiss.

Lisa and I both liked the name Brennan. Brennan Manning is one of my favorite authors, but our Brennan's certainly not named after him. Brennan took his middle name, Donald, from his Grandfather, Dr. Donald Hagen. Lisa's dad was blessed (some might say cursed) by having three daughters, so we were excited to be able to pass along his name to another generation of boys.

Photos are available at photos.scottboyer.com

The Blog Formerly Known as The Clay Show

2007-12-01T16:35:00.000-05:00

It's official, Clay is no longer the center of the known universe. I'm hoping that he figures this out sometime in the next 16 years.

This afternoon, a very tired little boy made his way home with his parents and new baby brother, Brennan Donald. He's now napping it off, sure that it was all a bad dream.

In honor of the addition, the site has been updated to "The Brothers Boyer". A riff on "The Brothers Karamazov", I thought it clever. Of course, the Dostoevsky classic's central story is patricide, but we'll just let that slide. I can still take them both, and I think I've got a fighting chance for at least another 15 years.

If you've bookmarked http://theclayshow.blogspot.com, then you'll need to update it to point towards http://thebrothersboyer.blogspot.com. Alternatively, you can always bookmark http://www.scottboyer.com -- that will point towards this and any future sites and make life simple. And no, there is no plan in the works for a version 3 -- at least not for a very long time!

One of those milestones you don't savor

2007-09-25T00:57:00.000-04:00

The unthinkable has now been accomplished.

On Sunday, Lisa and I were busy getting packed up before getting Clay out of his bed. Clay has reached the point where, as lovable as he is, he is definitely foot fodder when we're busy running around. We pack a bag, he kindly unpacks it for us. We move a pile of clothes and he is eager to spread it across the floor, based on color, texture, or the whim du-jour. So, in the interest of productivity, in bed he stayed while we attempted to get ready for our trip.

Finally, I was ready to get him. I was, without exaggeration, less than 15 seconds from going into his bedroom when I heard a loud thump. Not the sort of thump that a blanket or stuffed animal makes when thrown from bed by an angry child. This was more the sort of thump that 25lbs of 19 month-old flesh makes upon impact with a carpeted floor. The obligatory cry followed immediately.

I opened the door and there he was, standing in his pajamas, blanket in hand, looking at me and crying. The important detail, of course, was that he was standing outside his crib. I'm still not sure if he was more upset about the impact or if it was the life-altering reality that he was now capable of getting out of bed on his own. That's a serious responsibility -- getting out of bed on your own. One moment, he's sitting in bed, angry at us for ignoring his pleas. The next moment, he's made a quantum leap in the developmental process. Alarm clocks at 0-dark-thirty and 90 minute commutes are bound to follow. I feel his pain.

When I opened the door, the anthropomorphic train of thought I associated to my 19-month old son was, "What the hell just happened?" I think he was more surprised by this chain of events than I was.

In conclusion, Lisa is now researching some sort of containment unit that is part zippers and part frickin' laser beams. I, on the other hand, am simply hoping that this is a precursor to near-instantaneous potty-training. Just as long as there is an adequate break between this phase and the asking-for-the-car-keys phase.

Prayer Time

2007-09-11T22:34:00.000-04:00

Since he was born, we've been praying with Clay before bedtime. Recently, he's begun to enjoy holding hands with us as we pray before dinner. Now, apparently, he's taken to praying on his own.

He began praying at the end of dinner and Lisa grabbed the camera to catch him in action.

Renovation

2007-07-22T18:31:00.001-04:00

Lisa's folks spent practically their entire trip re-painting our old office to become Clay's new bedroom. Check out the results!

Survey Says . . .

2007-07-11T21:11:00.000-04:00

What's it Gonna Be?

2007-07-10T22:38:00.000-04:00

We find out tommorrow . . . Check back then.

What's New? What Isn't?

2007-06-15T19:27:00.000-04:00

Well, let's see: Lisa's sixteen weeks pregnant, Clay's cut three of his four back molars (c'mon #4!), Scott's little brother, Matt, finished his Master's degree (Scott has 3 credit hours of post-graduate work under his belt, and it was a 100-level undergrad class 10 years ago), Clay's learning to swing and slide on his new playground equipment, Clay's learning to swim (or at least float about 2" beneath the surface of the water before someone grabs him out), and Scott and Lisa are busy negotiating the outcome of Scott's office (and what kind of furniture Clay will grow into as the "big brother").

Lisa has informed me that we have two full memory cards of photos to upload to the web, so I'll get on that asap. In the meantime, thanks for checking in!

Deuce

2007-06-15T19:23:00.001-04:00

Well, I'd like to come up with some lame excuse over the hiatus in sharing photos, but I think we're about to learn what it really means to be "busy". That's right! We're expecting a little brother or sister for Clay around Thanksgiving!

A Molar

2007-05-06T12:38:00.000-04:00

Clay sprouted his first tooth when he was about six months old -- way back in August. Then he went on a bit of a spurt back in January, popping out several more. After that, he went back on vacation and has been slacking every since.

Just this week, however, Lisa noticed a new rough spot in the back of his mouth and sure enough, a molar is appearing on his lower right. The drool soaked onesies were also a dead giveaway.

Now, we're just hoping that his ability to grind food will increase his willingness to move up to grown-up food. He has taken a liking to pasta, jam-spread toast, and the ever present Goldfish crackers.

In the Snow

2007-05-06T12:35:00.000-04:00

It wasn't Clay's first snow, per se -- but it was the first time he got out to play. The dogs always get excited when playing in the snow -- and Ginny seemed particularly interested in this oversized bunny running around her back yard.

Bunny on the Run

2007-05-06T12:33:00.000-04:00

Clay, in his fuzzy bunny outfit, making the rounds.

Out with Lily

2007-05-05T15:27:00.000-04:00

Clay and his pal, Lily, enjoy the playground at Chick Fil-A.

Clay in Motion

2007-05-05T15:26:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty close to being caught up on posting our photos, but the backlog of videos is significant. Here's some of Clay's astronaut training from late January.

Head Banger

2007-04-28T12:34:00.000-04:00

Clay's developed the habit of banging his head against things. And I'm not talking about the random (and regular) pratfalls -- I'm talking about him purposefully knocking his head against something. Sometimes it's something soft (the carpet), but more often it's something hard (the wall, the tile floor, etc).

Yesterday, he was pushing a stool around and around the kitchen. Eventually, it tipped over and fell. It didn't fall on him, but he wasn't able to get it back upright and got frustrated, quickly. By the time I got around the island to him, he was howling and bopping his head over and over against a leg of the stool. I just put my hand on the stool where he was hitting it and let him go a couple of more times into my hand, and then picked him up to comfort him.

According to this article, it's a pretty common phenomenon for children who are frustrated and not yet able to communicate to bang their heads. Being common, however, doesn't make it any less unsettling. As the article suggests, we've been trying to not make a big deal out of it so as to prevent encouraging it further. I'm just hoping/expecting that the behavior will diminish as he becomes more capable of communication.

Clearly, he has inherited his father's patience . . .

A Week at the Beach

2007-04-28T12:31:00.001-04:00

Beach Photos are finally up

The weather was pretty lousy for sunning, but we managed to get out most days for a little bit. In addition, Matt and I got a lot of fishing in, catching quite a few puffer fish (very tasty!), mullet, a blue, a couple of sharks and a skate.

Hokie Hokie Hokie High! Tech Tech VPI!

2007-04-20T20:48:00.001-04:00

Although both Scott and Lisa went to W&M, Scott's parents were Hokies, Scott lived in Blacksburg while his dad was getting his PhD in the early 80's, half of our small group are Hokies and lots of kids who Scott coached since they were very young are at Tech now. One of Scott's star swimmers, Fred, was very close to being hurt, and we're so thankful for God's protection over him on Monday.

This week's tragedy would have hit hard if it occurred on the West Coast, but having it happen in our backyard made it all the more painful. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the mourning, the wounded, and everyone who is trying to find their way to cope with the mess.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make his face to shine upon you.

Where the Wild Things Are

2007-04-16T21:50:00.001-04:00

Every day, I become increasingly aware of what we have on our hands. This boy is "high energy".

See all the photos I uploaded this evening here.

More photos from last week's beach trip yet to come, and I really need to get a move on the backlog of videos as well.

Clay the Gourmand

2007-03-20T09:03:00.001-04:00

Now that Lisa has given me almost-free reign (no peanuts) to try different foods on Clay, I've been discovering that he'll eat almost anything.

At the top of his list? Macaroni and Cheese, Beef-and-Bean Burritos, and Ice Cream sandwiches. The Mac&Cheese he gets plenty of. As for the burritos and ice cream sandwiches, I just give him nibbles of mine and that seems to satisfy him.

More Photos

2007-03-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

Finally, I've uploaded all the birthday photos! Soon, I'll be uploading the photos and videos from Clay's trip to Florida to see Lisa's family.

View all the latest photos

Happy Birthday Clay!

2007-02-20T09:01:00.001-05:00

Clay turns one today. He is such a blessing, we can't wait to see what the next year brings!

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T14:23:00.001-05:00

www.scottloveslisa.com

Happy Birthday Addy!

2007-02-05T08:52:00.001-05:00

Clay's pal Addison Ritner is celebrating her very first birthday today!

Happy Birthday Addy!

Tickle Time

2007-02-01T13:32:00.000-05:00

We took this video when trying to show off Clay's new teeth. The best way to get his mouth open is to tickle him.

Light On, Light Off

2007-01-29T11:11:00.000-05:00

Clay has discovered our touch lamps (touch them anywhere to turn on/cycle through the brightness levels) and he loves them. At the very end, you can see him emulating his Dad on most weekday mornings . . .

Calling Mr. DeMille . . .

2007-01-27T08:55:00.000-05:00

High Energy

2007-01-26T09:16:00.000-05:00

Lisa and I have discussed it and we both agree: No more Red Bull for Clay.

On a Mission

2007-01-25T10:50:00.000-05:00

Nothing gets Clay moving like a phone cord.

We Love You

2007-01-21T20:53:00.001-05:00

It's been a tough month for us as a family. In late December, Clay lost his Great-Grandfather Pizzino and Great-Grandmother Pizzino (Lisa's Maternal Grandparents). Last week, a dear family friend of Scott's, Buck, who was in many ways another grandfather to him, suffered a fatal heart-attack. This morning, Clay's Great-Grandmother Richardson (Scott's Maternal Grandmother) passed away.

We're so thankful that Clay had an opportunity to meet them all, and we're thankful for the blessing that they have been for Scott and Lisa for so many years.

In our loss, we hold fast to our hope in the Resurrection, but we still mourn their passing and they will be dearly missed.

All Aboard

2007-01-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

Opa takes Clay for a ride around the couch on his new Christmas train.

More Teeth

2007-01-20T14:46:00.001-05:00

Apparently Clay heard all the talk about him falling behind in the dental race with Addy so he put his mind to it and has begun popping out teeth at an alarming rate.

This morning, Lisa noticed that a third tooth had appeared in his upper row overnight. At lunch, she realized that a third tooth had appeared in his bottom row since the morning. It's not yet 3PM as I'm writing this, so we may need braces by the evening. Stay tuned for further details as they "emerge".

Oh yeah, I've been catching up on publishing photos and videos that have been in the queue for some time. Check out all today's uploaded photos here.

Meeting the Extended Family

2007-01-20T14:33:00.001-05:00

Clay got a great opportunity to meet The Richardsons (Scott's Uncle Chip, Aunt Jenny, Cousin Betsy, Cousin Chad, and Cousin Lance) this Christmas in Bluefield. They showered him with wonderful gifts and loved all the attention.

Clay The Entertainer

2007-01-20T10:50:00.000-05:00

Marvel at the prancing, lithe Clayton while he is accompanied by his beautiful assistant, Martha.

Witness the Staid Richardson

2007-01-20T10:36:00.000-05:00

Clay has a way of bringing out the child in everyone, including his Great-Aunt Martha.

Have We No Shame?

2007-01-20T10:25:00.000-05:00

Clay loves grabbing onto anything that he can hold in one hand and walk around. His Great-Grandmother Richardson had several canes that Clay put to good use. At some point, probably between bath and bed, he was getting some late night exercise around a cane and his Uncle Matt added the perfect prop to his waistband.

Look At Him Go!

2007-01-20T10:05:00.000-05:00

Oma and Opa gave Clay a Thomas-the-Train push toy for Christmas. When he can't find someone to push him while he rides, he pushes it himself. He can attain moderate speeds on our carpeted floors, but nearly reached Mach 1 on Great-Aunt Martha's beautiful hardwood flooring.

Bang the Drum

2007-01-20T10:02:00.000-05:00

Clay loves to beat on everything. We captured on film one of the rare moments where he beats on something appropriate.

What Did Santa Bring?

2007-01-20T09:54:00.000-05:00

This was Clay's very first rush of the presents under the tree. He doesn't yet have a sibling that he has to jockey with for position. He also doesn't have enough hair to fully achieve "Christmas Morning Bedhead" -- so this will probably be his least embarrasing Christmas Morning recording ever.

Baby Steps

2007-01-20T09:45:00.000-05:00

Clay was practicing his walking after church in early December.

Shoot the Wabbit

2007-01-13T23:02:00.000-05:00

Ok, so clearly Clay is the headliner of this show, but I wanted to take a moment to brag a little. I went rabbit hunting today with Jimmy and Matt and shot two rabbits -- saw two rabbits, fired two rounds, got two rabbits. This is a vast improvement over my first hunting trip two years ago, where I froze up as the rabbit strolled right past me. It is also an improvement over last year, when I finally pulled the trigger, but failed to lead the rabbit -- possibly grazing the very last hair on it's hare tail. To top it off today, Matt added a monster bunny to my two for a huge haul of three.

I think my skeet training on my birthday (thanks Dad!) improved my shot immensely. The shot felt natural and automatic.

So, this evening, we had the Rothells and Yagers over for a rabbit feast. The menu included Lapin a La Cocotte and Golden Fried Rabbit. Both were a big hit and a great ending to a great day.

Ok, back to more updates on Clay -- soon to follow (I promise!)

Clay's First Christmas

2007-01-10T15:04:00.001-05:00

Clay had a great first Christmas, receiving far more toys than I think he even realizes. A couple of bows probably would have sufficed. We also got the opportunity to travel all over the place, visiting friends and family.
You can check out all this year's Christmas photos here.

Hooligan

2006-12-10T20:55:00.003-05:00

Clay showed up for the class on how to TP. He missed the most important point of the lesson: don't TP your own home. Rookie mistake.

Tickle Monkey

2006-12-10T19:59:00.002-05:00

Grandma Hagen tickles Clay during dinner.

Cheery Little O's

2006-12-10T19:50:00.002-05:00

Clay loves his cheerios. I think he enjoys pointing at them as much as he enjoys eating them.

Be sure to check out all the photos added today!

By the Grace of God

2006-11-30T19:08:00.000-05:00

That kid might (might) survive being raised by me. Prime example:

While in Florida with Lisa's folks, we had put him down to bed and were playing cards. He woke up after an hour or two and started crying. I volunteered to go in and check him and to make sure his diaper was dry/clean. After 9 months, we've learned that the quickest way to make this determination is to pick him up by the armpits, raise his waist to nose-level, and sniff.

So, I went into the darkened office that was serving as Clay's nursery, pulled him out of bed and hugged him for a little bit to comfort him. Then I lifted him up for his diaper check -- I had barely begun to sniff when I heard, "Thunk Thunk Thunk" from the general region of Clay's head. I quickly lowered him, wondering what was on the ceiling that might make such a noise, only to realize that "Thunk Thunk Thunk" was the sound of Clay's head intersecting, at a regular beat, with the ceiling fan that we had turned on to keep the room cool.

Needless to say, I felt awful. Absolutely terrible. But he seemed to get over it quickly. He cried for a moment or two, and then went back to bed. I can tell you if someone stuck my head in the ceiling fan, it would take me far longer than a few minutes to get over it.

I went outside, green with angst, and performed my mea culpa to Lisa and her family. They were extremely gracious: limiting themselves to no more than 5 coma jokes each.

In any case, he's likely to grow up to be a tough little bugger (assuming he matriculates from the School of Scott).

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jog

2006-11-26T16:54:00.000-05:00

Lisa and I got back into town around 5AM on Saturday morning after being in Florida all week. The drive from Jacksonville went smoothly -- Clay slept the whole way. Driving at night means no traffic, which is really nice. But it also means that Clay is asleep (no feeding, no diaper changing, no entertaining) which is really nice!

We had a wonderful time catching up with Lisa's family and appreciate all their hospitality. If they could line up some real Florida weather next time, that would be great ;)

More photos to come soon, I promise.

Say Hello To My Little Friend

2006-11-20T23:53:00.002-05:00

This little guy untied my shoes and was very friendly.

Clay Meets the Wildlife

2006-11-20T21:44:00.002-05:00

Clay got up-close and personal with the wildlife at the Brevard Zoo.

Clay Goes To The Zoo

2006-11-20T21:15:00.000-05:00

Clay took his first trip to the zoo, and Scott took over a 100 photos. You can view most of them here.

Clay Meets the Luthers

2006-11-11T11:51:00.000-05:00

Todd was in town for business and invited us up to join him and his parents for dinner.

Dennis and Peggy Luther treated Lisa and I to a fantastic dinner when we drove up to meet them in Gaithersburg on Friday. This was their first time meeting Clay, and he didn't dissapoint. He was well behaved throughout dinner and got plenty of compliments from the staff.

When the evening was over, the Luthers generously donated a playpen (which I immediately dubbed the "Claypen") so that Clay can roam but stay out of trouble.

We had a really great time catching up with them and appreciate all their generosity!

Swinging Babies

2006-11-11T11:50:00.002-05:00

What you can't see is the pot of boiling oil right beneath them -- and the "natives" dancing around in circles.

And Lisa gives ME a hard time for swinging him around!

Jack In The Box

2006-11-11T11:25:00.002-05:00

Lisa took Clay to visit Oma and Opa this week. Oma pulled out many of Scott's old toys and, despite being ancient, they still managed to amuse.

Rhythm Section

2006-11-11T10:28:00.002-05:00

When we visited the Ritners for Homecoming, Clay enjoyed playing with some of their home-made rattles. Stealing their idea, I took a little soda bottle, put some popping corn kernels inside, and super-glued the top on.

Clay took over from there.

Clay's First Bookmark

2006-11-11T10:08:00.000-05:00

Clay already has a favorite website: Banana Phone. Whenever he's sitting in dad's lap at the computer and starts to fuss, Scott brings up the page and, Bingo! -- instant gratification.

Learning New Tricks

2006-11-07T19:56:00.002-05:00

Clay has discovered that if he drops a toy, Lisa will pick it up. Watch him giggle each time he gets it down to the floor. He's always in the best mood right after eating.

Civic Duty

2006-11-07T18:49:00.000-05:00

This evening, Clay's civic duty was to keep Mommy & Daddy amused while waiting in line to vote.

I almost let Clay push the final "Vote" button on our spiffy new computer voting machines, but I figured that might be a violation of some sort of law. Plus, I'm still not sure of his party affiliation ;)

I hope everyone did their part and placed their vote today!