Kyle Payne our brother-in-law took some amazing pictures of Hunter while they were visiting us. Thanks Kyle!!

Check out the website for more!
http://gallery.me.com/kyle_payne/100396

Whirlwind

It's been a bit of a whirlwind even since Hunter arrived. So this post we'll be playing whirlwind catch-up. Let's start with my family's visit.

Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Megan, Uncle Kyle, Hallee, and Madie all came down to visit the end of April. They came to be here during Hunter's baby blessing, and also so that Megan and Kyle could visit Temple University and scope out Philly. It was a lot of fun to have them all here, but our 2 bedroom apartment was hardly adequate to cope with 10 people for 5 days. And not just 10 people, but two 2-year-olds! Brooklyn and Hallee had a blast playing with each other, but they had lots of energy that was tiresome to contain. Although our visit wasn't completely hassle-free, the best thing was the baby blessing and just spending time together. We got some cute action shots of the time my family spent here.



To add to the maelstrom, I just got called into the Young Men's Presidency. I was immediately thrust into a flurry of responsibility, being called on to teach every Sunday, chaperone an all-day event/dance, and prepare for a flurry of summer activities coming up. I love it. I love being able to serve and help.

This week has been eventful as well. Brooklyn officially turned 2 today! We had a small birthday party in the park on Friday. We had cupcakes and Capri-sun. Mom and Dad actually put forth the effort to buy Brooklyn a birthday present, and I think we got it right: Lightning McQueen toy car. She loves the movie Cars.



In order to celebrate our anniversary coming up, we took the family to Bengie's Drive-In theater last night. It was so great! $8/person for a double feature! We saw Monsters vs Aliens and Star Trek. They were both great movies. I thought MvA was going to be better than it was, but it was still cute. Star Trek was incredible. The only thing I missed was some of the science talk that the tv shows have. The one thing I didn't like about it, is that it was over too soon! I wanted more, more, more. And with the way things ended, I'm sure J.J. won't disappoint.

Mom, Come Back!!

Mom Barrand came to visit, and we want her back!! She entertained Brooklyn, bathed and burped Hunter, fixed our futon, bought curtains and a bedding set for Hunter, sewed a awesome wall hanging for Hunter's room, cleaned our bathroom and kitchen, and helped with shopping, and much much more.
I don't know how many times I said during her four day stay, "How I'm I going to do this once your gone?."
She is a wonderful creative woman and we are so glad that she came!!







We went to the Annual "Westminster Peep Show Contest". Here are some of the highlights:
Peeps Rubix Cube

Peeps Hells Kitchen

St. Peepers Lonely Hearts Club Band

And just a cute picture of Hunter- Giving a senior pose, classic hand under the chin.

Projectile Sneezing Poo

Hunter was up last night from 11:30-3:30. While I was changing him, he pooed all over the new diaper,I went to the 2nd, and while I was placing that one, he sneezed, and a shot of poo, flew all over me, my leg, his new clothes and the 2nd clean diaper. I've never been shot with poo before- it was awesome. On to the 3rd diaper- At least they were free!



Confession- I was interested in Hunter's uncircumcised boy parts, (never one seen before), and while poking around, he peeded and got me in the face. Guess I deserved that.

By the way- I'm mad at Brad for posting that picture of me in the previous post. I know everyone understands i just went through a c-section, but there should be a universal law against taking pictures of the mother during the entire hospital stay. Why is it during the most "picture-taking" moment of your life- you have to look so awful! Grrr- Sigh.

Cid Hunter Baillio

We knew the time was approaching, and Celeste wasn't showing any signs of labor. So we planned for a C-section on April 9th. We cleaned the house. We brought out the baby bouncer, baby clothes and bassinet. We decided that the futon-as-a-couch just wouldn't cut it. Ever since the move, our futon cushion hasn't stayed on the frame. It slides down constantly. We don't even need to sit on it, and it starts sliding down. I think the frame is bent, and the cushion has lost its stiffness. So, we shopped around and decided to purchase a nice reclining couch! Our first major furniture purchase. So Wednesday we bought that to prepare for Mommy and baby's homecoming on Sunday. Late Wednesday night we dropped Brooklyn off at a friend's house for her first sleep-over. She loved it!

Thursday morning we woke up early, and got to the hospital at 6:15 am. The prepped Celeste and by 8:30 we were in surgery. I watched the whole thing again. I couldn't see a whole lot of the cutting part, but I could see/smell all the smoke coming from the cauterizer(?). They were using a heat gun to cut through things and close up bleeding things. Then at 8:43 am, Hunter was pulled out into the world. He was so cute and small. They cleaned him up, and sewed Celeste shut, and we spent the next hour or two in recovery. Hunter took to nursing right away and was very good at it.

Everything's gone well since. Celeste has been having a few wrinkles in recovery (too nauseated by the Morphine on day one, and a dizzy-spell after a shower on day three) but she's happy and excited to come home. Hunter is healthy and happy. He sleeps a lot, cries little (yeah!), and eats well (double yeah!). We're hoping our Easter Sunday includes not only a celebration of resurrection and atonement, but of new life in the house when Mommy and Hunter come home. If not on Sunday, then Monday for sure.

Brooklyn was a bit weirded out when she first saw Mommy all trussed up in the hospital bed, with machines and tubes and a new baby on her lap. It took her a while, but she warmed up to the idea of a new baby.

Daddy has the house prepped, the new couch in place, and he can't wait to have the place full with his new family!

Burrito

Check out Brooklyn's version of a Burrito.

Solid block of cheese, wrapped in tortilla shreds. Mmmm, Mmmm, Good.

Some comments while Brooklyn finishes her nap.

I feel like I've been pregnant FOREVER! Since I conceived in Boston- that seems like YEARS ago. The baby is pinching a nerve that gives me a sharp pain in my left butt cheek and shoots down my leg. Its a constant pain whenever I sit, stand, walk, sleep etc. I thought having Brooklyn's head in my ribcage was bad last time (she was breech), but this is way worse. So I'm ready for him to be OUT.

At least with this pregnancy no one has made the comment- "Boy, You look so tired, how are you feeling?".
I HATE that comment! It's like saying-"Boy you look really awful!".
If you have said that to me in the past- I do remember, and it's NOT OK- I haven't forgotten. :)
I think this time it's been better because I get a nap everyday. Whereas with Brooklyn I was working.


One a my new favorite websites is goodreads.com. I love how I can make a list of books that I want to read, and keep track of them. I never have to wonder- What I'm I going to read next? You can rate books, review them, or just make a list of books you have already read. I love looking at what my friends have read, and getting ideas and recommendations from them. I feel awesome when after a rate a book, a friends adds it to their "to-read" list. Sooo if you are a reader at all, please, I would love for you to sign up, and let me see what you are reading.


I've been recently called the Primary presidency, and now I have to lead Sharing Time once a month. I've been told about this website sugardoodle.net, which I LOVE. It gives the best ideas, if you have to teach any primary, youth, and RS lesson I highly recommend this website.


Brad and I were talking about "The Land Before Time" the other day- how it was the greatest movie when we were kids. And I'm talking about the "original" one, not any of the sequels. I was really curious if it would hold up today to the newer kids movies. So we watched it has a family. Brooklyn was glued to the movie and I only cried 4-5 times. It's still a classic. But I didn't realize that half of the movie is about his mother dying, and how much he misses her. Definitely not action packed and full of humor like "Cars" and "Finding Nemo". It definitely plays to your emotions. And the music soundtrack is BEAUTIFUL.


A few of the TV shows this season:

Heroes- It says something when I missed an episode this week and didn't even realize, maybe cause your stupid now and I don't care anymore.


Amazing Race- Thank you for a show that is consistently good, sad about the father and son getting kicked off though. Have you noticed how none of the teams really are mean to the others? They are all a little TOO nice. maybe things will heat up soon.


LOST- So this is the first time that I have watched the season episodes once a week, as they are released, I have to say it's more disappointing this way, and I forget what is going on. Next season, I'm going to try to wait for the whole thing to come out, be a bad mother and watch it all in one week. (And did we really think that Ben could have died? ha ha- big laugh)



Office/ 30 Rock- Still love ya!

Some Movies this Year that I'm excited about:

Spring

It's nice that spring is officially here. Warmer weather is on the way, and lots of fun things too. March continued to be an eventful month, despite our lazy blogging efforts.

I was able to recover my laptop hard drive, so my Thesis is officially deposited and accepted, and in May I'll be officially graduated!

My birthday was yesterday, and that was great too. Celeste bought me a couple games for the PSP, and with the B-day money from my parents, I bought a board game, Alhambra.

We went on a nice hike in a nature reserve. It was a sunny, pretty and it smelled like fresh-cut trees. It was wonderful. We haven't been on a hike for a long time, and it was so great to finally be out in nature.

Brooklyn now knows the sounds of making cookies in the kitchen. When she hears the bowls clashing and mom opening cupboards etc. She runs to the Kitchen screaming "Cookies!"


Celeste is due one week. She is hoping to go into labor soon to have a successful VBAC, but if she doesn't, we have a C-Section scheduled the 9th of April. We'll see what happens!

Sugarin'

This week we went to the Cunnigham Falls Maple Sugar Festival.It was cold, but felt good to be in the mountains doing something naturey. We learned the process of making maple syrup, played on the little beach, ate some pancakes with REAL and EXPENSIVE maple syrup and had Brooklyn play in a hoekey one man band.

Interested in Linux?

If you have ever wanted to learn more about Linux, now is your chance! Just follow the tech tips this week on LinuxJournal.com and you can win a subscription! It's very worth it. I have a subscription, and I love it!

Check the link for more info.
http://www.linuxjournal.com/video/upgrading-ubuntu-cutting-edge

"What's the deelio, Baillio?"

Brooklyn has been exhibiting some decidedly tom-boyish behavior this month. It's quite alright with me, since she still adores bracelets and purses and pink sparkly shoes, but still...it's a little random.


It all started with a little backpack full of dinosaurs that Celeste picked up at a consignment sale. It was a perfect fit for Brooklyn since, like her mother, she loves to organize things. Her favorite activity is taking things out of a container and putting them back in. So a dozen little dinosaurs in a cute mini-pack was perfect. She took quite a liking to them, and actually likes to play with the dinos. She roars and walks them up and down the furniture. It's pretty cute. It's the best $2 we ever spent.


Then, out of the blue, she wakes up one morning, rifles through the DVDs, picks up Tarzan and points to the TV. Ok. Let's watch Tarzan. After it was over, she picked up the DVD case and pointed to the TV again. What? Again? Ok. Well we watched Tarzan more than a couple times this week. After a few times too many, we suggested another movie to watch. She lined all the DVD cases in a row, and picked out Cars. What? Cars...really? Ok. So we watched cars several times this week too. Fortunately, we balanced out the masculine movies with some Mulan, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty.


While a lot of the movies were viewed on the TV, she actually preferred viewing them on my laptop. I don't know why, the sound isn't as loud, and the screen is small, but she liked it. She likes my laptop a bit too much. Celeste and I were talking money, or theater, or houses or something, and we turned around and caught the following:



Well, this week wasn't all pleasant viewings. The week started off with a big snow and some sub-zero temperatures. As a result, the Saturn stopped working. The battery died in the cold weather, and I couldn't resuscitate it for a couple days. When I finally jumped it, the speedometer wasn't working, and the Service Engine light was on. Great. So on Saturday we had to take it to the dealer to get it looked at...which won't be until Tuesday since they're so booked. Goo!

And another sad thing happened. Perhaps because of all the tinkering by little hands, or maybe because of the freakish cold weather, my laptop stopped working mid-week. The thing won't even turn on. I'm hoping a power surge fried the power connector, or something simple like that. My thesis is on there, you know. And lots of nice pictures. So, even if the thing is a brick, the hard drive better not be! So we have to have that looked at this week.


A few more things have happened in this, the beginning of a surprisingly eventful month. We auditioned for Seussical the Musical at a local theater troupe. Most of the auditioners were high school students, so of course we were cast as leads. The sad thing is I was cast as Horton, the main part of the play, while Celeste was cast as a minor lead. Bottom line, she would end up at home watching kids while I was out living her dream. So that plus some other reasons lead us to decline the parts. It was flattering to be offered such opportunities, but it was a great chance to come face-to-face with how rusty our skills are. It also spurred some serious investigation into more local theater scenes, a few of which have Celeste excited. So it was a positive experience. We also went to the DC Temple, which was beautiful and huge.
And went to a book fair this weekend and got some free books. And purchased a baby carrier for camping/hiking from REI. And had Stake Conference in Frederick.


And it's only been one week! Coming up, we'll be talking to some lenders and realtors to begin the house hunt, my birthday at the end of the month, and maybe even baby #2 (name still undecided).

Gettysburg

"What?", you ask. "The Baillios are soaking up MORE American history!?" Yeah, we live 30 minutes from Gettysburg. However, we didn't actually do anything historic there...unless you consider buying clothes and food historic. We visited an outlet mall right outside of Gettysburg and had a great time. We had a little wet weather so we passed on the real Gettysburg experience. We did gather intel so our return trip in the summer would go by without a hitch. We're excited to soak up all the history around us.

Retired

Today we say goodbye to my signature shoes. This REI purchase has taken me inside the earth, over the earth and all across the face of it. I took them caving in the deep recesses of the Utah caves. I climbed up sheer faces of rock in them. I flew through the Narrows at break-neck speeds. I glided over the earth as a hang-glider. I walked over Europe in them. Relaxed at Lake Powell. Soaked up American History. Walked across the fateful bridge where "the shot [was] heard round the world". These shoes have taken me through 2 graduations, marriage, and 1 kid. Needless to say, I'm sad to see them go. But all good things must end. Here's to Solomon river-hiking shoes! Here's to REI! And here's to a wonderful companion in its final days! You will be missed.

Alone

Celeste is away for a few days, and I've been playing the single Dad role. Let me tell you, it's a manageable task, but not one I'd ever want to tackle for very long. Being here alone with Brooklyn makes me appreciate that Celeste stays home with Brooklyn during the day. If Brooklyn went to a daycare center, or a babysitter every day, she would have another family. She'd learn lessons, have fun, create attachments, and none of it would be with us. On a normal day, I get to see her for about 3 hours, maybe 4. There's just not that much time there compared to the 8-10 hours Celeste is with her all day long. So, here's a "Huzzah!" for motherhood. And a "Huzzah!" for my wonderful wife!

Being alone, while Celeste is gone at a wedding in UT, makes me remember when we got married and the raucous adventure that was our courtship. I miss that. And remember what it was like to live alone. I was the king of alone. My friends and family called me a curmudgeon for a year or more while I was at college. I became well acquainted with my solitude and my bitterness and sarcasm. But, Celeste helped me out of that place. I was ready to leave, and she gave me enough challenges to keep me going. I don't mush out very much on the blog, but I love her and am grateful she saw fit to stay with me!

First Week

So the first week here has been quite eventful. Work on Monday was great. New faces, new environments, new tasks, a new job. The rest of the work week was a bit tedious because I'm trying to get caught up, and that means reading papers and briefs and code for 9 hours a day. But I'm getting there and soon I'll be interacting and developing and contributing. So I'm excited for that.

On Tuesday, the movers came with our stuff! BUT, the second they arrive he informs me that we will owe a "long carry" charge. A "long carry" charge is due if the back of the truck is more than 75 feet from the residence. Well, since we lived on the third floor, he said it was due. The charge is $75 per 100 cubic feet. We had 500 cubic feet, and hence owed them $375 in cash or else they were taking our stuff away! WHAT! Well, I told Celeste and she busted out the contract and found a clause that said they DID NOT charge for hauling up stairs (up to 3 flights). The guy tried to dispute that clause and eventually Celeste got him to agree to charge us half. So we owed $185. That was more reasonable, and we wanted them to start moving our stuff in, so we agreed. I was very objectionable to the whole thing, because the distance from the truck to the first step did not look like 75 feet. No way did it look that long. But the guy swore it was and I slightly trusted in his experience. I went to get the money from the bank, and--wouldn't you know it--we only had one debit card and we lost the pin number. AAAHHH! So I had to take a cash advance on my credit card (ICK!) to get the money. So I go home, drop the money off to Celeste and leave to go to work. I called Celeste and urged her to make the guy measure the distance to double check if it was indeed 75 feet from the truck to the first stair.

So, after the move was about 2/3 over, Celeste asks the movers to measure the distance. They tried making her pay the full amount if it turned out to be 75 feet, but she refused since we'd already agreed on half. Well, reluctantly, the movers measured the distance and it came up to 72 feet. (Celeste actually saw them measuring and swears it was only 62....) Well the guy still wanted us to pay! But Celeste refused to pay anything since it is LESS than 75 feet. Celeste walked away victorious and didn't give them any more of our money. They finished the move and they are out of our lives forever! E-Z Movers based in Chicago. NEVER USE THEM! And that's that.

The rest of the week went by without a hitch. Over the weekend, my brother Aaron stopped by for a visit. It was so great having him here and gleaning all that older brotherly advice. We shopped at the mall, ate out for lunch, and had some delicious homemade ice cream. It was tons of fun.


Saturday night, after Aaron left, we resumed some car shopping we had done on Friday....and ended up buying a car! We got a 2006 Chrysler Town & Country Touring. We got a great interest rate (after some fine haggling by your truly), and we're excited to have a van. It's a little surreal financing such a large amount, but we feel like grown-ups. Life's just moving right along. The next major purchase is gonna be a house. More debt. Huzzah.

Maryland!

So our new life finally has begun. January was a weird limbo month for us, and it seemed like Maryland would never come. And that it came too fast.

As you know, January started off with an amazing vacation in Costa Rica. Then I spent the next two weeks madly typing out my thesis. Ok. So it was more like one and one-half weeks. I just couldn't resist goofing off during the Martin Luther King holiday and enjoying my extended vacation. But I felt I made some decent progress: A 42 page thesis. That included an appendix and the filler pages. Then I jetted off to Champaign to finish writing the darn thing, and to get my professor's approval.


I got to Champaign on Thursday night and was welcomed in by the Maughans. It was so nice to see old friends again. That weekend we had a big bash and I got to see everyone for one last time (Andersons, Nyes, Noonans, Dokos, and the rest). I even played games on Sunday night with the Thorpes. It's gonna be hard to find someone to replace them as our gaming buddies. Champaign was not all fun and games, however. Well, the first 3 days were. But Monday and Tuesday were murderous. I had previously sent my thesis to all my colleagues in the lab. They all said that the thing looked great. (if they even read it). So I'm expecting things to be pretty easy going with my professor. Well, he was scared the thesis was so short. So he urged me to add a whole lot more. So I spent the next two days furiously typing away. Luckily, I jammed another 15 pages into the thing. Tuesday at 6:00pm, my professor signs the Certificate of Committee Approval. Huzzzah! That nearly seals the deal. I have a few editing rounds to go still, and a department review. And then I can deposit! So I'm in the homestretch, and it's going to happen!


Meanwhile, back in Colorado, Celeste was chillin' at home with her parents. They went to a stock show, the aquarium, the children's museum, and lots of other stuff. Brooklyn loved having her cousins around to play with. By the end of the third week, Grandma and Grandpa were just about ready to return to their normal lives. Grandkids are cute, but only if they don't overstay their welcome. ;)


So I embarked on Wed. to drive out to Maryland. We timed it so that I would pull into the Baltimore airport, right when Celeste's flight came in on Thursday. It all worked out great. My drive was a little shaky, with the crazy weather that passed through the area only a day or two before, but I survived. The scariest thing was when a huge suburban started skidding all around the highway in front of me. She ended up sliding backwards into the ditch. I'm just glad it wasn't me. I stayed in West Virginia (shout out to Tiana and Preston!) on Wed. night, then drove through to Baltimore. I got to the airport about 20 minutes before Celeste landed. I picked them up, we headed to Westminster, got into the apartment, and the rest is history!


We're excited to be here. It's a new adventure, and a new challenge. I'm stoked to begin real work, making real money. If anyone is in the Maryland area, be sure and give us a ring, we'd love to see you!