"Say Cheese"...

So, I thought I'd post some family pictures that we got taken not too long ago. My sis in law, Rebekah took them for us again, and she does a great job! One child was hard enough to get a decent picture, but trying to keep two kids happy puts a whole new spin on things! As much as I hate getting pictures taken, I love having pictures of all of us together. So even if Josh had to tickle Bailee and throw leaves to get her to smile and I had to hide Gabe's binki as soon as the picture was taken, it was all worth it in the end.

Happy Turkey Day!

We ran the Turkey Trot again this year, and it was possibly the coldest race yet. We pretty much run it because after a 5 mile run in the morning, when the Thanksgiving feast rolls around, you don't have to hesitate the least bit when you serve up that slice of pie that is really a serving for 3 people :) We waited for 40 minutes (the race started late) in below freezing temps and it took about a mile before my toes thawed out and I could feel them again. It just reaffirmed to me how much I hate being cold, but also how out of shape I am. Josh decided that the pilgrim costume was a little more conducive to running than the turkey costume he ran in last year and all four of us that ran ended up with pumpkin pies (Josh donated his to some church charity...hence three pies in the pic). It's funny how a little pie can be such a big motivator when you are running (the first 1000 men and women get one). Even though it was cold and I was sore for days after, it is a fun tradition that we look forward to. We had a great Thanksgiving at the in-laws, and as always with the Deans, lots of good food and company! Thanksgiving always helps me to stop and recognize just truly how blessed I am and although I feel undeserving of such abundant blessings I am sooo thankful for all I have been given. Thanks be to God for the amazing blessing of my faith, family and friends!

I already have a love-hate relationship with my son...Love this,

This was just one spit up! I thought the design of a ski hill was pretty amazing, so I had to capture it on camera (my mind has been on skiing lately). He usually slimes me multiple times after each feeding. I think he thinks it's funny because his prime times to spit up are right after a bath when he's nice and clean, or immediately after I put clean clothes on him. We both change at least twice a day (I can only handle smelling like spit up for so long) and go through multiple burp clothes, which means my laundry is doubling..aahh. I thought babies were supposed to know when to stop eating, but I just think this little man loves to eat and won't stop until he is literally spitting up while he is eating, he is so full. Oh well, although it doesn't smell like roses, and it's no fun to clean up, I am grateful for my sweet little guy who is healthy, happy and oh so spitty (for lack of a better word :).

hate this!!

A "Fairy" tale Halloween...

This was Bailee's second Halloween, but really the first time she ever went Trick-or-Treating. The little cowgirl and I walked around to a few houses and she would say "Thank You" and after they gave her the candy, then she'd say "trick or treat". So, she had it backwards, but we'll work on it for next year. She got a ton of candy after only going to a handful of houses, but the funny thing is, she really could care less about eating it. I know, she's definitely not her mother's daughter in that aspect. She'll just take it out, ask me what it's called, organize it, then put it back in the bucket, and repeat. As for mine and Josh's last minute costumes...Josh decided it being "a Dentists favorite holiday", or the "holiday of tooth decay", that he needed to be a tooth fairy
(he preferred to be called the tooth "banker"). I made his tutu and wand and he drew the tooth on his shirt. It was actually quite a challenge to get him to come out of the house, but he was a good sport,,,afterall, he brought it upon himself. A stranger on the street said it best, when he said, "You know it's Halloween when you see a grown man in a tutu!" As for me, I went as Deb (Napoleon Dynamite's girlfriend) straight out of the 80's! My friend was Napoleon and since her husband didn't want to dress up for the party, I was her date :) I got all my garb at the thrift store for dirt cheap, and my favorite was the jelly bracelets and double socks...ahh the memories. All in all it was a "fairy"tale night...haha.

The Rummies Visit..

I don't know how or where that name came from, but it has always been used in my family to describe...well, my dad and anyone with a rummy-like personality (whatever, it's hard to explain). I am getting a little behind, so I'll do a quick update. Dad and Nick came out for a couple of days. I was so excited to see them and we did lots of fun things and ate lots of great food! They were able to come to the OSU vs PSU game and even though we lost, we still had a good time. The main reason for their quick visit was Gabe's blessing, Little Gabe got all dressed up for the occasion and I am so grateful to my hubby for being able to give him a blessing and a beautiful one at that (short and sweet...hmm sounds like someone I know j/k :) Anyhow, Bailee was a little bipolar towards Nick, and would randomly say, "Nick's nice", only to turn around an hour later and say, "Nick's scary". Bailee is scared of everything, mind you, but I think the "magic tricks" that he did for her backfired. However, Bailee started crying when we dropped them off at the airport because she wanted to go with grandpa and Nick, so I think things are looking up. I always hate when family has to leave, but it made it a little easier knowing we would be seeing them soon at Christmas...yay!

Virginia Is For Lovers...

As the saying goes, "Virginia is for Lovers", well love it we did. Last weekend we took a little trip through W. Virginia into Virginia. The drive this time of year was absolutely breathtaking (for lack of a better word), with the rolling hills and dense vegetation, the colorful leaves were amazing! The kids were champs and were great travelers, even Bailee seemed to enjoy the scenery as she just sat and gazed out the window for quite some time. On our way there, and one of our many feeding stops, we randomly ended up at the Bob Evans Homestead. We missed the big festival starting the next day, but we stopped for a yummy dinner. We had an eventful couple of days and stayed in Lexington. We took a carriage tour of the historic town, and of course Bailee was scared of the horses at first, but it wasn't long before she was having a good time. We then met up with the Fawsons in Buena Vista, VA which is the home town to the Knights, the SVU knights that is. Anyhow, Josh and Dave were roomies and teammates here and as alumni decided to come back for homecoming. I know, sounds kinda cheesy, but I think Josh was more interested in seeing his best bud than participating in the festivities. However, I got a tour of the campus, and town (which didn't take long :), as well as my first taste of raw chicken, and blowing $70 after checking into the only motel in BV and after seeing/smelling it, immediately checking out. Our trip also included a visit to the coolest petting zoo. I know you will be shocked to hear that Bailee was terrified of ALL the animals and cried to leave the entire time. Granted there were llamas and other animals roaming freely and her father who actually finds it amusing to watch her get scared (as by the camel in the pic). Here at the zoo, Josh and I spent the best ten bucks of the trip and rode on an elephant. I was surprised at how hard and rough its skin was as his huge ears flapped against my feet I was trying to keep my flip flops on, all the while a little disgusted by the texture on my toes. It was quite the experience...Anyways, the only real downer of the trip was the sleep deprivation. Sharing a hotel room with a toddler and a newborn isn't exactly a recipe for a good nights rest! All in all, good times, great friends, and lots of laughs.

Fine Dining?!

So, it's no secret that Josh and I don't have much of a "refined palate". There is evidence of this in the fact that Josh's all time favorite place to eat is the Der Dutchman. This Amish restaurant is the epitome of down home cooking (maybe that is why he likes it, one of the few times he gets home cookin :) and the "Barn Raising buffet" is sure to please every time. Yesterday we decided to make the pretty country drive to the Der Dutchman. We went early in the evening and you'd better believe we were the youngest ones there by at least 40 years (old people love this place...and buffets). In the restaurant they have one buggy booth, the type of buggy pulled by horses, that the Amish still use today for transportation. Well, we couldn't resist the opportunity to dine in true Amish style (and we thought Bailee would enjoy it). So, I guess the secret is out, all the Deans need for a good time and fine dining is a buffet and a buggy...who'd a thought?!

Scaredy Cat!

Okay, so Bailee had a wonderful 2nd Birthday! All she wanted to do and talked about literally for weeks was to go to Chuck E Cheeses. So, we went to Chuckees and no sooner did we walk in when "the mouse" came walking out. Sadly it pretty much ruined her whole Chuck E Cheese experience because she kept worrying about the mouse. We told her the mouse went home to take a nap and she was able to relax a little. However, there is also a stationary, mechanical mouse that "sings" and "dances" next to the stage, and that scared her just as much. Anyways, that is just one example of Bailee's many real fears. And when I say fear, I mean she usually breaks down into a state of hysteria until she is removed from wherever or whatever is scaring her. As you can tell, she is also scared of Santa, Bob the Builder, the Geico Gecko, Chuck E, and not pictured the Easter Bunny. Oh, but that is not all, she is scared of balloon animals, anyone wearing scrubs (reminds her of the Doctor I guess), nursery (well, not anymore, but she used to say "nursery kinda scary", just to name a few. So, I am a little worried and hoping this is just a stage, but I wonder is there such thing as omniphobia?

9/11: A Day To Remember...

September 11th will always be a day to remember. A day of sadness, anger, fear, and sorrow. A day when many lives were lost and the effects of what occurred literally changed a nation. However, for me, 9/11 remains an unforgettable day for another reason. It was a day of happiness, relief, joy and gratitude when our "Sweet little Angel" was born. Although the effects of what occurred five years later may not have changed a nation (yet:), it certainly changed my life! What a blessing little Bailee is, and lucky for us we now have a reason to celebrate on this sad day. We love her so much and hope she has a wonderful Birthday! Happy 2nd B-day!!!

Introducing...

Baby Gabe has arrived! Gabriel Joshua Dean was born 8/28/08, weighing in at 7 lbs 11 oz. So, we are officially a family of four and so far things are going just great! The surgery went smoothly and I don't know what I would have done without my amazing hubby. I tell ya, it really pays off to have a husband who's a nurse, and a good one at that! My mom is in town helping out for a week (thank goodness), and I just love having a little baby to hold. Bailee too loves to hold Gabe, and gives him lots of hugs and kisses. I know she is going to be a great big sis, a little bossy, but I guess that comes with being the oldest child. ;) Just a quick update, but I thought you'd like to know that we're doing great and looking forward to this new adventure!

Like Father, Like Daughter...

Okay, so even though Bailee really is a total Mommy's Girl, I love this picture. Josh is a big fan of these Converse shoes (Chuck Taylor's) and if he could, he would own them in every color. So, when Josh saw these shoes, he of course thought it was imperative for Bailee to have a pair. Anyways, I just hope Bailee knows that she doesn't have to wear the same shoes as her father if she wants to follow in his footsteps, and yes, they are big shoes to fill, but I know someday she could do it.
p.s Thanks to Rebekah (my sis in law) for taking and making this picture...I love it!

This is what Bailee has been reading...

And this is what I have been reading!

So, some friends and I decided to crash the teeny bopper party Friday night at Barnes and Noble and get the book hot off the press. Since I got the book, I must admit my priorities definitely went out of whack, and my dear husband even asked my when I would be coming back to the family. I figured this would probably be the last book that I read for a while (since Jr. arrives in 23 days woohoo!) so I guess I justified neglecting my loved ones one last time. So, there has been some good reading going on at our house, but now that I am finished, I should probably follow Bailee's example and read more of the "good word".

Hmmm....Where Should I Begin?

We have lots to share about our summer so far, so I'd better get started. First of all, our trip home to ID was great, fun, and of course went by too fast. Bailee and I went out for two weeks while Josh studied for the boards (we figured we wouldn't see him anyways since he studied all day:) then Josh came out for a week and we did lots of fun things. Bailee's personal favorite, as you can tell from the picture was the splash park, but the "bucket" in particular. Weeks later she is still raving about the big red bucket that dumps out water on the kids. Note: Bailee only watched the bucket from a safe distance making sure not to get dumped on!
SInce my parents are remodeling their kitchen, we didn't have much of a place to cook, so we ate a lot of bad food(well good depending upon how you look at it). Bailee is recovering from an addiction to McDonald's breakfast burritos that grandma got her addicted to. She would wake up and the first words out of her mouth was "Beeto" (burrito). However Josh and I are having withdrawals without our sno cone fix. They don't have any around here, so we took advantage and loved the sno cones...w/ice cream on the bottom...mmmmm.
We also took a vacation from our vacation to Island Park. This is one of our most favorite places ever! No matter the time of year, it is so beautiful. We went canoeing, wakeboarding (well Josh did as I jealously watched from the boat), hiking, the playmill theatre, and Josh and dad played a killer game of Jenga. You should be impressed that these two mastered the game...if that is possible. They played the pieces till you couldn't pull anymore out...I was impressed (hence the picture). p.s. I am convinced the only reason it never fell was because the foundation was a Book of Mormon...my Book of Mormon.
Josh, Bailee, Cooper and Nick went to Bear World. Josh and Nick said they thought the kids would like going there, but judging by the picture in the gift shop, it looks like the adults were enjoying it more so than the little ones. Actually, they all had a great time.
We did lots of other fun things, but I just really enjoyed being with and doing things with my family! We had some mallow roasts, got haircuts together (Thanks Kac! p.s. It was a little traumatic at first, but it is starting to grow on me...no pun intended) and just plain old hung out. Anyways, always a good time, with good company, but good to be back...

Happy _______ Day!

I just wanted to wish my "other half" a very Happy Birthday! I am so glad we could spend our Birthday together (even if it means having to share a cake :), and as the saying that we both like goes, "God knew I loved you too much to just be your friend, so He let me be your sister." Love ya "Biff"
I also wanted to wish the two best fathers in the world a Happy Father's Day. I have been blessed with the best dad in the whole world, as well as an amazing husband and father. They are both great examples of fatherhood and I love them sooo much!! Again, as the saying goes, "Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad." I must say these are two very special "dads"!!

What Motivates You??

Okay, a little addition to the last post of the latest with the Dean fam. First of all, in Josh's words, "He can die a happy man." No, he did not win the lottery, and the Buckeyes did not win the National Championship, so why can he die happy??? Josh got to school and learned that his idol, mentor, motivator, hero, whatever you want to call it, Lance Armstrong was coming to OSU. He ran to the store bought a disposable camera and waited on the front row for 1 1/2 hours. Well worth his wait I must say, not only did he get some great pics, but he got his autograph and a LIVESTRONG bracelet (that's right, Josh is bringing back the bracelet) that he threw into the crowd. Lets just say he was in one good mood when he got home! Well, my motivator is a bit different. It's actually my growing belly that motivates me to get out and excercise. Josh and I ran in a 5K last week, but we signed up to run in the Race For The Cure a couple of months ago. I must admit I wasn't planning on being as large as I am, but Josh said it was only fair that since I was "with chid" that he too should be "with child" and ran the enire 5K with Bailee on his back. She actually loved the backpack and seeing all the people, etc., I don't know if I will be running another race anytime in the near future. However, I just invested in the best invention (actually coming in third after the wet suit and the electric blanket :). I know it sounds silly, but the Belly Band is amazing to run with. It helps the belly not bounce around as well as reduces back, leg, and any and every other pain that comes with pregnancy when I run. I don't know how I ever did without it. Anyhow, I highly recommend it (I should be getting paid for that endorsement or something). Well, I am going home in 10 days and I am sooo excited. I have really had the "home bug" these past few weeks and can't wait to see everyone. That's all from the Deaners for now...until next time...