Daddy Diary: Dr. Appt, a camping trip and 1st Father's Day

6/17/13

There's so many things to update you on with this post...just to thank you for reading all the way through (no hard feelings if you skip ahead!) this epic entry, there are lots of pictures at the bottom of the past few weeks...

Not long after my last update, Laura had Erica in for her 2 month check up at the doctor. She is a growing little girl!!! She was 24.5 inches tall and 11lbs 10oz...some big growth since her birth! She's grown 3 inches taller and packed on nearly 3 more pounds in her 2 months with us! For the second time at the doctor's office, she pee'd all over the scale while trying to weigh in! I'm beginning to wonder if she has a little bit of K-9 in her...she pees all over the place!!! Her favorite place to pee, by far, is her bath tub!!! It's almost a regular occurrence for her to tinkle as soon as she hits the water when she gets a bath. Anyways...she is in the upper 90 percentile for her height, but is still considered lean for her height...apparently her height is that of a 4 month old...roughly!

For the second year in a row, Laura and I celebrated my last day of the school year by speeding out of town on a Friday afternoon, heading north to Lamb's Campground on the shore of Lake Superior!!! Located in the small "town" of Schroeder, south of Lutsen by about 15 miles, we found this spot a couple of years ago while doing some scouting for a campground we'd like to visit. We are very picky when it comes to camping. We like camping in a tent with woods separating us from our neighbors. So many campgrounds, especially State campgrounds have such open spaces and almost no separation between sites...when we are camping, we want to be in the woods, not setting up our tent 10 yards up the lawn from our neighbors! If we want to do that, we'll just camp in our front yard!!! We found Lamb's as we wrapped up a day of scouting, feeling very demoralized without finding an ideal spot on the North Shore...but knew instantly that we wanted to camp there the next summer. We found a couple of sites we'd like to have, and called last spring to see if there was availability. We got our #1 spot for the day after school was out and headed out of town. After our first night, we knew we wanted to return again this year, so we booked the same spot for the same weekend. I don't know if there is a better camping spot in this state, or even this country. Our tent is about 15 yards off the shore of Lake Superior, with a full view of the lake at our spot, while our car sits up a slight hill above and behind us for easy access to supplies. The campground has shower facilities, a hiking trail to a beautiful waterfalls, and cabins that people can rent if they wish. To top it all off, a cool little bakery sits on the highway, just off the entrance to the campground...needless to say, breakfasts are super easy...and I'm not sure if there is any other way to start a day camping than with a delicious vanilla latte!!! Ohh...I almost forgot...this is a Daddy Diary, not an ideal camping diary...anyways...this was our first extended time away from Erica. We are brave, and have taken her on a road trip to the North Shore before, and Laura has taken her to ND...but we are not stupid!!! Lamb's campground is only 40 minutes up the shore from my parents place, so were close enough to quick hop in the car if we needed to get her from them. Sometime in November last year, when we got our bill to pay for this year's camping, we asked my parents if they would be alright baby sitting while we camped. Of course they were alright with it, and they were looking forward to baby sitting their granddaughter for that weekend long before they even met her!! The first morning, Laura was missing little Erica. Before she was born, we had both talked about how odd it was when people we knew commented on how much they missed their little kids while away. Laura was surprised to find out how much she missed her that first morning. She was a bit mopey, but after a fresh hot chocolate and a great chocolate muffin from the bakery, she began to cheer up a bit and appreciated the silence and lack of dirty diapers. We sat down at the table and came to the realization, that we should enjoy the silence and some time alone together...and we also realized that if we were to drink all day, we had to get started in the morning!!! We enjoyed our first mimosas in over a year together on the beach in front of our campsite on a beautiful, sunny morning!!! A perfect start to a perfect weekend with my sweetheart!!! Over the next few days, we would have many conversations about how much we missed our little girl, hopes and dreams for Erica's life and our future together as parents. As we drove back to my parents Monday morning, we were definitely missing both of our girls (Lexi was with Erica and the grandparents too)!!! My parents enjoyed their time with our girls and were surprised to see/hear Erica's babbling and smiling face so much. She has definitely grown up and developed a lot over the past few weeks!!!

We arrived home from our camping trip mid-afternoon on Monday, a week ago today, and then headed out early Wednesday morning to beat the rush hour on our way to ND for a few days back at the farm with Laura's family. We left a little after 6am from our house and made our way north. We stopped at my favorite breakfast spot...the Iron Skillet in Fargo...a trucker stop!!! It has the best country fried steak and eggs...mmmm...country gravy and hash browns...wow...if we can be in Fargo around breakfast time on our travels, I make it a point to stop there!!! Erica did great on the way to Fargo. We didn't have to stop for her once...almost a 4 hour journey. She travels really well. And we figure that if she's sleeping and not fussing, no point in waking her up to feed...we're not horrible parents...we'd stop if she woke up hungry!!! We made it to the farm by early afternoon for a relaxing few days with Laura's family. Erica's grandparents were happy to see her and her great grandparents stopped by a while after we arrived to greet their great granddaughter as well. While some of their friends were over visiting, I got busy with my farm work. Yes, I am a farmer...I know...you had no idea! Every time I'm out there and there is green grass, I get busy and work my fields...on grandma's awesome John Deere mower!!! That sucker is awesome!!! It has an almost zero turning radius, a 6ft cutting deck...and it can haul some serious tail!!! Even with a 6ft deck, it still takes over 4 hrs to mow all of the grass around Laura's parents' and neighboring grandparents' yards and grassy areas around the equipment buildings behind the houses. A few years ago I asked if I could try mowing...apparently, when a dumb city slicker asks to cut your lawn, you take him up on it at every chance...and you strategically plan your mowing schedule so it's due for a cutting when the dummy arrives for work!!! The next morning I morphed into a lumberjack and helped Russ cut some deadfall from a nearby bible camp so there could be some firewood around the farm. A couple of guys with sharp chainsaws makes fast work of cutting enough firewood to load a pickup bed!!! While the boys were away, mom and Grandma C watched over Erica and kept her entertained at the farm. When us boys got back, we unloaded the wood and had a quick bite to eat with aunt Brenda who stopped by. After that, grandpa Frank let me play with the farm equipment. I wanted to play on the Bobcat and dig a hole with the front end loader...my favorite tractor/truck as a little boy. It worked out well because the garbage/yard waste pile needed to be burned, so Russ and I headed out there to push the pile together, dig my hole...and putt around with the bobcat. It was a blast!!! The rest of the evening we hung out with Erica's grandparents. The next day, uncle Brett and Carissa came out with their 2 dogs (Lexi's cousins) to hang out with us at the farm for the afternoon. While the dogs chased the ball and each other, we all hung out and watched them play. Erica burrowed in on Carissa for a snooze while we sat outside and laughed at the wild beasts playing in the yard. That afternoon, Lexi and her cousins had a couple of treats...some Frosty Paws (ice cream treats for dogs) and some big rawhide bones...and a healthy snack of Beggin Strips from grandma...The next day, Saturday, Laura and I packed up the girls and said our goodbyes and made our way home. Everyone was sad to see Erica go!!! It had been a month since Laura had her home, so they liked seeing the changes...Erica has gotten much bigger, she completely supports her head on her own, and over the past 2 weeks, she has been sitting up with a little help...not to mention all the babbling and cueing she's been doing. The ride home took a bit longer than the ride to the farm. All of those treats Lexi had the day before came back to haunt us...she was so gassy in the backseat. Erica looked thoroughly disgusted after the first gas leak, and the windows had to be rolled down a few times to fumigate the car by the time we hit the cities. Poor Lexi. She never got sick, but the look in her eyes indicated a major battle was taking place in her tummy!!! After a couple of stops for daddy's Father's Day presents at Albertville and Cabela's...we finally made it home...almost 9 hours after we left the farm!!! Both Erica and Lexi were more than ready to get out, and mom and I were right there with them!!!

After doing some errands after we unloaded the car, Laura and I decided to stop at Applebee's and use some gift cards we'd been hoarding for a while. Erica was a little fussy while we were trying to eat. I took her for a quick walk outside, and returned with a calmer baby. A few more bites into my meal resulted in more fussing and a decision to end my meal and take Erica out to the car and sit with her while Laura finished her meal and boxed up mine for the road. As I was getting up from the booth and was placing Erica in her car carrier, an old lady approached us and asked if she could take Erica for a walk around the restaurant while we ate. It was a very nice gesture of this very old lady, but I politely declined and told her I was taking her to the car. At that point she became more insistent in taking Erica for a walk and placed her hands on her as if she was ready to grab her. I gently grabbed the lady's wrist and said, "No thanks" again, with a bit more firmness in my voice, trying not to make a scene in the busy restaurant...on a Saturday night. She then asked Laura, "Won't you let me take her for a walk?" Laura shook her head in between bites. She finally figured it out, and blew us a kiss and said "God bless"...but dang, lady! I know she meant well, wanted to help, and hold a cute baby...but I'm not about to let a stranger hold Erica, let alone an old lady!!! Had it been a younger person, lady or guy...I'm not sure what would've happened. My daddy instincts were on high alert and was definitely not going to let go of Erica...but I don't know what would've happened if the circumstances were any different. I'm glad things worked out that night, but it really made both of us aware of the reality that somebody, good or bad intentions, may literally grab our baby at any time while we are out in public, so we need to be on high alert and ready to react!!!

On to the final piece of this epic blog entry...my first Father's Day!!! It was an awesome day! We had breakfast with at my parents' house with my grandparents there with us. They enjoyed seeing Erica again as it had been about a month since they had seen her as well. After breakfast, we borrowed my dad's new mower (a smaller version of the commercial mowers you see guys zipping around on) and power washer. I blasted the deck in preparation of refinishing it...as soon as this weather cooperates for more than 1 day. I also mowed the yard in record time. It normally takes a little more than half hour to do our yard with the push mower, but about 15 minutes to do with dad's mower!!! While waiting for my parents to pick up the truck and trailer, I zipped across the street and quickly took care of our neighbor's yard and did the front yard of our old neighbor next door...much to his delight and entertainment of seeing me cruise around! The rest of the day was spent just as I wanted...with my 3 girls! We bought an umbrella for our patio table a while back, so Laura and I enjoyed some wine while Lexi chewed on a bone under the table, and Erica sat in her new seat on top of the table. My parents delivered my only request on father's day...Chipotle!! After a couple of glasses of wine, we didn't want to drive and had decided on grilling steak, but they were headed out to dinner and grabbed Chipotle on their way for us....YUMMM!!!! Laura and the girls also gave me the sweetest cards a dad could ask for! I can't wait for the next Father's Day to see how much bigger and more developed Erica will be.

And with that...here's the end of this epic novel. I hope you're still awake?!?! Thanks for checking in on this blog and continuing to read it. The entries have gotten a little more sparse, but with any luck, that may change over the summer. Daddy Daycare kicks in next Wednesday when Laura goes back to work and I take over as Mr. Mom. My goal for the summer is to have Erica on a napping routine, and to read some of my books...and that's all I have planned for the summer, so hopefully I can blog a bit more frequently with some shorter entries with a bit more entertainment value, rather than encapsulating a few weeks into one marathon entry to scares away any readers I may have attracted over the past year! Thanks again for reading my Daddy Diary and for sending us your best wishes. We greatly appreciate it! Take care!

Grandpa changed some diapers while we camped

Our girls in the back seat on the way home from the farm...look closely at Erica's face in the mirror...you can tell it stunk back there!!!

Laura got me the cutest center piece for Father's Day!!!

The view from our tent while camping...what a view to wake up to each morning!!!

Grandpa Tim, Great Grandpa Paul, Erica and I on Father's Day

Our campsite

Reading the paper together on Father's Day...and some tummy time...2 birds with 1 stone!

The campground on the shore...the red tent at center is our site!!!

Mommy and Erica next to the tractor at the farm...we're going to get a picture with Erica in the hubcap of a tractor each time we visit the farm to track her growth in a fun way!!!