locks of luv

well its a new year so i decided why not go with everything new! i got a new job (kinda) and a new hairdo. as far as the job goes i got a promotion to assistant store manager at american eagle and as for the hair well thats a story in itself. so as most of u know i have had long hair forever (except for that brief year where i cut it and imediatley started growing it back out) so i decided it was time for a change. so i was talking with one of my coworkers and was telling them about my wish to cut it but really nervous (since i didnt know any1 up here) and my hair can be quite tricky and deceiveing. i also knew i wanted to donate it to the "locks of love" program (as im sure most of u know what that is).... no need to waste all that perfectly fine hair with all those kiddos in need of it. so my friend hooked me up with this salon/spa (very fancy) that would take care of the donation for me and in appreciation of my donation would cut it for free. talk about a deal! so with much nerves i made my way to the salon and here is how it went.

measuring the hair into sections and the length (13in)

no turning back now!

and thats my hair in her hand!

and its all gone! i think thats part smile part shock!

the finished product!

from the back

after we got home and i played with it a little bit

so thats all for the hair but of course i couldnt post a blog without adding a few pics of the little guy.

deuce all bundled up to go to the dog park. thanks to "ma" for the attire. they have come in great handy!

deuce and i all geared up to watch the cowboys. and thats all im gonna say about that!

here he playing in his activity gym. he really gets a kick out of this thing and it doesnt even light up anymore!

he' all smiles

i really dont know what he finds soo funny!

ok well that's all for now....

luv mel, dave n deuce!

Christmas 07 & Baptism

wow ~ christmas came and went faster than i can recall! the months and days just seem to roll by. deuce is now going on 2mo and learning, growing and gaining such a personality. as most of u know we went home (texas) for christmas and man was it great to be with family. but lets not overlook the traveling portion of this holiday, wich i think the stress of took years off my life! there is something to be said about a couple traveling through the airport with 4 large pieces of luggage, a carry-on, a stroller (a jogger one at that), a car seat and of course large coats (it was 15deg when we left). we totally looked like the grizwalds on foot! and to go through security is another story in itself. oh, of course nothing goes smoothly. u have to break the stoller down, take the sleeping baby out of the car seat, undoubtably the pacifier drops under the screening machine and i set the metal dector off twice. but after all was said and done the little guy did great on the flight both there and back (back being a day later do to a delayed flight) and i wont even get into the stress of all that! i dont wont to loose anymore years of my life! lets just say we made it. now back to christmas....wat a great time. it was soo nice to be with family and celebrate the holidays. we also did deuce's baptism while we were in so that father jim could do it and we are very thankful and feel very blessed for all the family that came to the church. well i could go on and on about all of our travel and christmas stories but i think thats enough talking because we all know everyone just really wants to look at the pics anyway. hee hee

we went to eat the first night in austin and dave decided that deuce should do a little coloring

dave on double duty

austin giving deuce a kiss. isnt he just precious!

grandmar and deuce

while the boys enjoyed opening gifts deuce enjoyed his milk! no cookies yet :(

nanna feeding deuce christmas morning. im starting to see a pattern!

deuce trying to take in all this christmas chaos!

dad feeding deuce when him and jeanette came over to visit before we left h'ville

the baptism ~

deuce with uncle father jim and his godparents kelly n kevin

so once we got home needless to say we needed a little time to relax (as im sure most of u did)

deuce's favorite spot to nap.....dad's shoulder!

deuce playing on his changing table after he peed on it (notice its missing its cover)

just relaxing in the tub after all this travel drama

this is a video of deuce playing and talking to his mobile that he got from grandma jeanette. we decided to put it on his changing table for now so he can enjoy it more.

and last but not least bronco ~ well im pretty sure he got spoiled rotten while we were gone. i had one of my co-workers house sit for us and i think she let him break all the rules. because now when we go to bed he automaticaly jumps in and he now begs for food when we sit down at the dinner table. but all n all he is still just as handsome as ever!

until next time....

luv mel dave n deuce!

Man they grow fast!

ok so im sure most of u guys are aware of this but..... i just have to say MAN THEY GROW FAST! kelly told me just after having deuce that i should take a few minutes everyday and just relish in his littleness (if thats even a word) because he will grow faster than i think. well...im here to say she was right (dont let it get to ur head kel) and it was prob the best advice i was given since his birth! so i dont really have much to say, but i wanted to share some new pics of our growing little boy! he now ways 7lbs 7oz and is starting to hold his head up more n more. he loves to look outside and lay on his changing table and look at the border on the wall. baths have gotten much better, he doesnt even cry anymore. such a big boy! deuce got to experience his 1st snow on the 5th and i did too! (my 1st real snow 6in, not just a layer ice over of the whole city) he has also been to the barracks and been held by "the few, the proud, the marines"! it was soo cute to see all these big tuff guys hold this tiny little baby. we also welcomed r new cousin in this week and we r looking forward to seeing him soon, along with every1 else.

so this is dave's idea of going to get deuce up so i can feed him n yes they both really are sleeping

deuce gettin his 1st bottle

the body bearers having a little fun with deuce. they really are softies at heart!

his first night in his big bed. already out of his swaddle.

deuce enjoying a little playtime in his activity gym! he really likes that thing

us enjoying our 1st snow or should i say im enjoying our 1st snow!

nothing beats the "i love mommy" shirts!

deuce playing (although he looks a little angry) on his changing table.

ahh bathtime and he's actually not screaming!

and last but not least ~ bronco! he got to enjoy his 1st snow as well!

until next time.....

luv mel, dave n deuce!

p.s. ~ cant wait to see every1 at christmas time!

The Arrival

to recall the events properly this will be a collaborative update by myself and dave.

first and foremost, the love that was born that day for our son could not be imagined until we touched, smelled, kissed and held the little rakes!

with us being proud new parents please excuse us while we boast about our boy!

ok so here we go...... if you've already heard the story than u can just skip to the pics, but i thought i would share with everyone the emotional roller coaster we went through in the days leading up to delivery. so after being late one week the doctors gave us an inducing date for the 16th of nov. so after starting the calling @ 730am and being told to reschedule @ 430pm for the following monday, we got a call @ 530pm to come on in to start the inducing procedure. so at that point the roller coaster had started...

so after what seemed like 48 hrs of labor(actually 8 or 9) you can see what great spirits mel was in. so if a picture is worth a thousand words, let me give the short version..."i have more cables hooked up to me than a d@#$ing kiss concert can we please get this baby out". the only thing to come from the inducing process was pain and a baby who was having a hard time dealing with the added stress.

so after a night of frustrating labor and 0 dilation, the doctor came in to speak to myself and mel about the concerns he was having about the stress the baby was going through due to a low heart rate from the contractions and inducting process. so for the overall health of deuce (david james II), with the advice of our good doctor we agreed the best course of action was a c-section. this is a picture of myself scrubbed out for the procedure, boy this outfit was very tight through the crotchital region.

15 minutes later our son is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the doctor and nurses are cleaning him up for his tuff mommy!

this is the earliest photo of the rakes' 3...smiles and cries!

deuce's first change of clothes and daddy's too! talk about being thrown into the fire, but i guess there's no other way to learn!

i think i was a little drugged and dad was a little emotional and deuce ... well as u can tell was a little upset about leaving his comfy little home! still a great moment in the recovery room! (from what i remember)

a big sigh of relief after surviving his 1st bath!

aunt kelly putting the magic touch on deuce and putting him to sleep! i cant express in words how thankful i was (and dave) for kelly being there! she was my emotional crutch and thank goodness because there were a lot of emotions flying around the days she was here!

a. marla (now known as grandmar) took her turn in relishing in deuce's cuteness! and no im not biased at all!

here are some more pics of deuce's 1st week at home

deuce ready for his 1st card ride home (from the hospital)

deuce chillin on grandmar's shoulder

our 1st thanksgiving. we spent it with the fishers' at krista and robie's.

yet another 1st ~ shopping!

deuce after his 1st bath at home. im showing the after pics bc i figured no1 really wanted to see the bath in action!

deuce doing a little chilln in the sun while napping. i guess he's taking after his mamma!

deuce's 1st meeting with santa even though he has no idea. he slept through the whole ordeal

and last but not least bronco~ he is adjusting nicely. of course he is curious and a little jealous but other than that i think he is already protective of the little guy. here he is checking up on him while deuce was napping.

all in all it has been a fabulous week. we are elated with joy and couldnt picture it any different!

until next time, luv

mel, dave and deuce!