The Dyegest

Baby Urban Outfitters Model? I think so!

2008-12-16T16:40:00.002-06:00

This is a re-post from LeftCheek.

Note the dispassionate, detached look, the post-ironic koala shirt and vintage sweater, the black skinny-pants and the sparkly shoes. I think we have a toddler hipster on our hands.

My question: if you are posing as a member of a group that is made up of self-aware poseurs, does that make an authentic member of that group? Does Joss get a pass to subscribe to Paper and argue about hipster bands that are so new they don't even exist yet? PBR's out of the question, as is American Apparel, but PB&J and the Cool Kids are okay, right?

Father's & Son's - or - Great-Grandmothers & Mothers & Daughters

2008-11-18T13:04:00.007-06:00

These pictures were taken at a birthday party for the stunning lady with the white hair. I know what you're thinking, "Why does she prematurely dye her hair white?" I don't know. When you see her, ask her.

Oh, the joys of learning to drink through a straw!

Most of the pictures I (Jason) took here were with a shutter speed of 1/13 (there's a reason I barely passed Photo II, and it wasn't my technical prowess). This worked indoors in that it allowed the photos to be bathed in the light from the gorgeous windows to the left and the bits of atmospheric lighting above us. This generally worked because Joss was generally subdued today. So, if she seems like she's moving at a higher speed than normal, I would have to suggest that she isn't. Rather, we've all slowed down.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-30T20:43:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Let the Sunshine in

2008-09-11T13:35:00.004-05:00

Chicago's Millennium Park, Labor Day, 2008. The fountain sculptures.
It was crowded with kids much larger than her. That's okay. Jocelyn knows how to make it work.

We're back!

2008-08-22T21:51:00.006-05:00

Dear Friends,

Thank you very much for your prayers, finances, logistical and moral support as the case may be. I'll give a brief run down of our Medellin leg here and then I'll post subsequently re: the Bogotá portion. We were 'relieved' of the burden of carrying our camera in Medellin, so we are sans photograhic memoirs at this point. A few dear friends will be forwarding us some of their pix which we will get up shortly, though. I'll give overviews of our time in both cities first and then we'll give brief close-ups on specific details afterwards.

In Medellin, we had a wonderful time meeting new people and learning about other cultures and lifestyles. We visited a school, a soccer outreach, a Compassion program, a boys' home and various churches, in addition to some tourist places as well (Pueblito Paisa, la Feria de las Flores, el Metro/Metro Cable, Botero Plaza) and of course shopping districts and a couple restaurants: Crepes & Waffles and Hatoviejo.

The core group of people that we were in contact with throughout the Medellin leg was a collection of young leaders from throughout the city that worked with youth in some form or another. Our team hosted a weekend retreat with them and we were able to spend some quality time cultivating relationships. Thanks to Facebook, we're able to keep up those friendships in spite of the distance.

One thing that stood out to me among others was how the youth workers bridged so many 'lines of demarcation' to network together on a regular basis (i.e. social class, location, affiliations, etc.). It seems that the norm in the American Midwest is to find a cozy spot, develop your circle of trust and then structure your life so you never really have to interact with those who have significantly different lifestyles, values or goals.

While this is not news in and of itself, our time there was was a stark reminder of how powerful and encouraging it is to exchange ideas and experiences with those who see life through a different set of lenses.

We're still organizing photos and what not - as you know we've been quite busy as of late between the tech issues, the hospital visits and my new job. We are still formulating our thoughts and are eager to share with you our next steps relating to Colombia and our vision for the children there. Stay tuned for detailed updates in the near future. Thank you again for being a part of our journey.

Much love,
Jason, Jennie & Jocelyn :)

Chao!

2008-08-02T08:30:00.001-05:00

We're gone.

BUT, we'll be back. The 15th. With plenty o' pix.

Chao!

The Library

2008-07-27T22:01:00.004-05:00

I'm gonna save actual comments for ChicagoDads. You can visit there if you actually like my photo-essays. Otherwise, enjoy the shots sans the syllables.

Jocelyn's First Pool

2008-07-20T21:17:00.004-05:00

Las Carcajadas

2008-07-19T21:25:00.005-05:00

The Cart

2008-07-19T21:20:00.000-05:00

The Cake

2008-07-19T20:59:00.004-05:00

Dancin' in the Rain

2008-07-17T20:51:00.005-05:00

Nothin' like dancin' in the rain on your birthday!

It's cold; you go ahead - I'll wait here!

Time to dry off!

Wheeeeeeee!!!

Just A Hair To The Right

2008-07-17T20:43:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure if Jocelyn innately desires to be an interior designer or she simply can't resist the rollers on the chairs.
Either way, she's all about remodeling.

Pixley Princess

2008-07-08T20:15:00.003-05:00

She was all excited to sport her new necklace.

Turtles 'n' Tots

2008-07-03T21:34:00.007-05:00

The park district sponsored an event called Turtles 'n' Tots.

Daddy took Joss on her first fishing trip there.

Mommy helped Joss play dress-up.

Joss loved the table where she could investigate the turtles' world up close and personal.

She loved it so much, in fact, that we couldn't get her to leave it in order to check out the other exhibits.

We even tried abandoning her hoping she would follow us.

No luck. No separation anxiety here. No love. Little Miss Independent. 'Mommy and Daddy who?' Didn't even bat an eye. The truth hurts.

Eventually we whisked her away to play with a near by dog.

Then we had a pic-nic!

She was not too excited about the tee-pee; that's as far in as she went.

Waiting for Daddy at Target

2008-06-27T21:18:00.003-05:00

Sprinkles

2008-06-27T21:05:00.007-05:00

On our way to the park for some wet 'n' wildness

Splishin' and a Splashin'

Movin' and a Groovin'

All tuckered out!

Eleven Months Old!

2008-06-20T12:07:00.001-05:00

Let us start off with a little story:

Jocelyn has been rather fussy these last few days, largely because her molars are finally starting to come in. So, despite her best fights, screams and - today - clamp-downs on my fingers, I rub her gums down with Baby Orajel as often as I remember before naps and bedtime. I got all four sides of her mouth (her four-sies serve as the dividing line) with no small struggle, of course (did I mention that she nearly bit through my finger?).

Now, I must mention that Jocelyn isn't much of a kisser. She just doesn't show affection in that manner. When we move in to kiss her on the cheeks, she juts her whole neck and head as far away as possible. So, a delightful little change that she's shown recently is initializing the face rub and kiss. It's really cute. When she was younger, I used to have her "bite" (pre-raptor teeth) my nose. This is even more precious on the rare occasions that it happens. So of course I went in for the full kiss. It was sweet.

A moment later, I'm calming her down with some juice as she's on my lap. And I notice something on my lip. I pick out my tongue for a taste. It tastes like Dentist Office. While trying not to freak out the baby, I try to wipe the smear, but it's too late. My lips have gone numb.

She tricked me.

Now, on to developments:

She's been experimenting with standing and walking for the last month and a half now. And although she's not quite able to do either independently just yet, she has made some tremendous strides. For instance, she's able to stand on her own for about ten or so seconds at a time, sometimes more, sometimes less. I think it has a lot to do with fear. We've noticed that when Joss isn't so self-aware, she'll continually stand on her own (she's yet to learn to stand-up without support, but we're confident she'll get there) while freeing up her hands to grasp something else.

And then she'll realize that she's standing and that that's a bit risky.

I'm constantly amazed at how she figures to move from one object that is supporting her to another. It's as if Joss does risk assessments and physics problems in her head in a way that would make Big Blue green with envy and give a heart attack to steroid-addled mathematicians.

And she climbs. She sometimes climbs down, too. We were at the Field Museum here and going up and down the steps was an adventure for her. It was like Rocky.

Her little laugh-thing now is the shaking of the head. Shake heads with her, it's the cutest and funniest thing in the world. Nod your head every once in a while to keep things interesting. But, if you want to see the most joyous smile in the US, shake your head with our li'l Joss.

And, she adores, loves, worships at the paws of dogs. Dogs! Of all sizes - though she seems to prefer dogs that are just her size and dogs with a funny walk. Sometimes she'll cry if we pass a dog without giving her proper time to acquaint herself with it. Sometimes she'll cry if we don't spend forever with that dog.

Alas, animal lovers, we ain't getting one. We'll just freeload off our neighbors.

Guau Guau

2008-06-15T20:18:00.002-05:00

Wepa!

2008-06-15T20:05:00.002-05:00

Cabalgando

2008-06-15T19:53:00.004-05:00

Navajo Baby

2008-06-10T21:14:00.003-05:00

Joss learned how to grind her own corn meal at the Native American exhibit.

She could do it with her eyes closed by the time we were through.

Jammin'

2008-06-06T18:07:00.002-05:00

And you thought Mozart started young.

Her first road show is in the making.

Little Stinker

2008-06-03T09:57:00.004-05:00

During our reprise at the Field Museum Jocelyn found new ways of expressing herself.

Jocelyn was happily playing on the other side of the forest sounds exhibit until her friend in the striped shirt came along and started investigating this side. Apparently, she felt the natural thing to do was mark her territory. Maybe it was the skunk suit.

Climbing, Bouncing & Sliding

2008-05-30T20:46:00.004-05:00

Borinquen Bread Basket

2008-05-29T20:33:00.001-05:00

One of our favorite dives, El Borinquen, is just up the street. What better place for Joss to dig into the bread basket?

We'll be sure to work on manners before our next photo shoot at the dinner table.

Happy Birthday Chloe!

2008-05-29T10:03:00.001-05:00

Chloe turns 6 months today!

Field Day

2008-05-28T20:17:00.002-05:00

The Summy Clan came to town so we checked out a family pass from our local library and went to the Field Museum.

They have a Crown Family PlayLab that truly caters to children of all ages. We were only there for a short time but we did manage to dress Joss up in a turtle costume before we left.

We had so much fun we're going back Saturday afternoon!
Wanna join us?

Standing, Walking Tall and Other Newsbits

2008-05-10T23:06:00.003-05:00

Yes, she's standing in this pic. All by her little self. Well, her self isn't so little anymore. She's tall. We knew that was the case. But she's gigantic tall.

And she's walking.

She's also sleeping a bit more. Well, taking longer protracted naps - sometimes three hours at a time. At night, however, she generally (if we're lucky) will wake up twice. Which makes us take on this look more than her.

She can get into just about everything. We've figured how to keep her fairly occupied with a limited amount of non-hazardous materials. But every once in a while, she may find the remote. Or an old cereal puff that she didn't finish eating earlier.

Now, notice her hair. It's blond-esque. Kind of like Jason's brothers. It's also getting long (Jason apologizes for not fixing her hair or putting actual clothes on her before this photo-shoot. But, c'mon, he's a dude). And, finally, the curls are starting to surface. Really cute pix of her in her Pebbles piggies are due soon.

Oh, and she's doing really good with books. Especially of the cardboard variety. She can open pages, and one of her favorite books (Playtime Peekaboo!) is tactile. She loves opening and touching the pages.

Raspberries Jam

2008-05-10T22:34:00.002-05:00

I've been wondering why - even in the midst of her unholiest of upsets - Jocelyn would throw back and laugh and laugh anytime we give her a raspberry on or near her belly. What could possibly be so humorous about rapidly blowing our lips on her belly?

However, today, I think that we have found the answer. Thanks to the miracles of YouTubery, we now have insight into what she sees and why she laughs.

Used to be...

2008-04-23T22:22:00.004-05:00

When she was younger and would be able to fall asleep on my shoulder rather than almost exclusively in her crib, other fathers with more fatherly experience would advise me to treasure these moments. These moments of your little child clutching your shoulder, fixing her face into the shape of your neck, resting. They are precious. They are fleeting. They will not last. She will soon be a holy terror, without the holiness.

Listening to her breath bob up and down like forced waves or a sleepy Miss Piggy (she used to have a breathing problem that we still aren't too sure about, but it seems to have resolved itself finally; so, God is good), watching her back expand and retreat slowly, noting her deep icy blue eyes lost to the world as they are covered by a heavy drape, and looking at her little mouth curve in lazy smiles and frowns - it was all so and too wonderful for me.

It was a good thing. And like all other good things, its days are numbered.

She learned to crawl on my birthday, one month ago. Let's call that day Day 1. Of Armaggedon.

Before, my wife and I used to be able to do activities while she was awake. All we needed to do was spend some time with her, make her feel loved and appreciated, read to her, change her diaper. And feed her. Comfort her when her gums were splitting open with new aspiring teeth. That sort of thing. But generally, she was pretty self-sufficient. If she was feeling particularly angst-y, we could plop a Baby Einstein video in. Baby Einstein - either to its credit or our detriment - worked in a magical way that no other drug or affection has been able to replicate.

It used to be so easy.
It used to be that she would eventually go to sleep if we let her alone enough, because she had no other options. She had nowhere else to go, unless she decided to keep turning (and every once in a while, get a limb stuck between two posts and in need of rescue). Eventually, if all is taken care of, her boredom would get the best of her and she would enter the dream world of infants, possibly facilitated by one of the plush elephants from the Baby Einstein world. You see, it used to be easy.

Nowadays, however, she gets into every thing. Every. Possible. Thing. She stands up in the crib; so putting her down for a nap usually entails taking her out in her stroller until she conks out from all that exposure to the sun and vehicle exhaust. It used to be easy.

Resultingly (beat that, OE), she is constantly tired and cranky. Her high-maintenance is at a peak generally by the time I get home, although I am assured that she has never, for one moment while I was gone, let up or allowed her mother to find a moment's rest. I only have the baby for her first waking hour and her last three hours (some of which may be in that pseudo-sleep stage where she merely pretends to sleep but is really playing Godzilla in her crib, practicing terrorizing all of the other pre-K kids by taking their lunch money and organic granola and yogurt), so I cannot complain too much. But, c'mon! It used to be easy.

I'm not so sure of what I'm doing all the time with her. So, sometimes, she screams in my ear. And I run out of tricks to calm her down. It used to be easy.

She also walks. But it is highly assisted walking. The sort of walking that she does merely by putting it in her mind that her legs are going to goose-step in a rapid succession to a particular place, but her core doesn't yet know how to respond. So we give her a little moral and physical booster by holding her little hands aloft, so that she remains vertical, or at least at a bit of a slant (she walks like an over-joyed version of a cartoon character with purpose). My back hurts.

It used to be easy.

She's entirely social and aware. She laughs an excitable and contagious laugh whenever she encounters another pre-adolescent. But sometimes she seems like she wants nothing to do with members of her own family. She screamed bloody murder when my brother came to pick her up one time. If we hadn't learned our lesson then, she may have done the same with Jen's family (she certainly gave the cringing 'I'm ready to scream' look).

There was a time, it used to be easy.

The apartment is anything but childproof. And we don't have enough vertical space to move everything three and a half feet off the ground. Which means that we have to watch her. All. The. Time.

She's in an in-between stage right now. In between a dependent aloofness and an independent aloofness. In between needing to be carried and needing to walk on her own. In between an almost permanent smile to a shifting curiosity.

It's a foreshadowing. This is what her teenager years will be like.

Life used to be easy.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnd she's off!

2008-03-29T21:51:00.005-05:00

Here Joss demonstrates the fish-out-of-water technique she's perfected for squirming across the floor. No fins required.

This year for daddy's birthday, Jocelyn decided to crawl. What a gift! So far Tickle Me Elmo is the only thing she's willing to exert effort to move towards, though.

After Elmo stops, Joss stares it down until someone turns it back on.
Where have I seen that look before??? ;)

Lime 'n' Lively

2008-03-29T19:52:00.004-05:00

Gotta love the tongue action. We think her top two teeth are finally breaking through, so stay tuned, sports fans!

Swing into Spring

2008-03-29T19:48:00.005-05:00

We're in the habbit of taking Joss to the park each day now, weather permitting. She L-O-V-E-S the swings! We tried piquing her interest in some other attractions, but she's just not there yet. There is a wonderful baby park a couple blocks from the house. We'll be glad to take you on your next visit!

Spring Break in Oklahoma

2008-03-29T19:33:00.009-05:00

Alma, our prized field correspondent, sent in these memoirs from spring break when the girls went to visit the guys in Oklahoma.

Note: This is Jason. I thought it was about high-time to provide some commentary with these pics. Just so you know, my family is from Chicago. But moved to Oklahoma. So you know that there's something wrong with us.

This is my dear grandma (Abuela) Rosa. She, along with her husband, Luis, fled Chicago about 18 years ago to ranch and retire in the cheaper and fairly warmer climes of the Okie state.
I forgive them.

These are my parents. They need to get a computer. Seriously. Rose Mary and Charles. At least my poppa knows who to root for.

That's my baby brother Caleb. With him is Alma. Alma also knows who to root for. Alma, by the way, still lives in Chicago. So far, so good.

Lalli - Alma's daughter - is adorable. I think that bowling ball weighs more than she does, though.

The part of "Hey Dummy" is played by middle brother Charles (aka Unkie Chunkie). Wendy is playing the part of Elizabeth.

"Do you believe in miracles?"

Lallie playing at the amusement park.

Dramatic re-creations of rural legends are a huge tourist attraction in northeastern O.
Not pictured is Charles playing the part of Babe the Blue Ox.

Do those chickens have large talons?

Joss's Cousin Chloe: the Movie, pts. 1 & 2

2008-03-27T20:50:00.004-05:00

My brother's gone and one-upped us by posting on YouTube. Forget this old-century blog stuff. He's down with the web 2.0.

Her name is Chloe Elizabeth Dye. She's the gorgeous four month-old daughter of David and Teresa Dye. And yes, that hair is the real deal. No artificial highlites or hair-growth potions. All given to her free of charge by God's personal self.

Here's an older one (I'm telling you. Be prepared to be amazed!)

Soooooooo Big

2008-02-29T12:05:00.004-06:00

We were creatively mixing it up with her toys the other day.

Jason ran across this condensed version of motherly wisdom.
Hold on to your hat:

The De-Evolution of Sleep

2008-02-21T15:00:00.006-06:00

Jocelyn demonstrates her "think outside the covers"
approach to nap time:

Our landlord was kind enough to put new siding on our building. All last week. All day long. All during Joss's nap time. She still hasn't gotten back into the swing of napping and fusses (read: thrashes and screams) quite a bit before she'll go to sleep. And even then she only sleeps for 20 minutes - if that - sometimes. It's also had an effect on her night time sleep, as we were up from 10:30-1:15 with her last night. We're hopin' for sweeter dreams in the very near present.

The Many Shades of Valentine

2008-02-14T17:31:00.008-06:00

Baby on Board

2008-02-07T22:01:00.000-06:00

I picked up Joss from Jennie's work today. It was a late day for both of them, so I made it as soon as I could. But I'd yet to vote and didn't expect that I would have needed to pick up the baby. But that's cool. I love being with her and I love watching these otherwise cool and detached passengers react to seeing this big, gruff, stay-puft marshmallow of a man play tender with a pink-encased six month old in a sling.

But this one ten-year-old gets on board with his father about halfway through the subway ride. The child is pesky, talkative and generally grating on my nerves. I take care of baby - who's a bit tired and sad-looking. She's not making any noise, but it's the hour that we put her down for bed and she is a bit hungry. And to top it off, there are a lot of people on the train. Just previously, she was reaching out to touch the fabric on some men's jackets. After getting a kind of stern look from an older gentleman, I had to remind her that that type of action is inappropriate.

The kid is complaining about some dinner arrangements. He only likes oatmeal, he reminds his father and informs those of us with ears to hear, over and over again. And the train - which is moving at a remarkable rate for rush hour, I think - is moving too slow for his taste. Which he also informs us about, to our passenger pleasure. But his father is patient and, probably much like I'll be, conciliatory toward the child. He's reassuring him, but only half paying attention. As any good parent would be at this stage.

I'm stroking her cheeks and chin every once in a while. Lifting her up and down. She's not smiling even when I blow on her. Neither is she so impressed when I - as we ascend from the subterranean pits to the sky like a freight train to Valhalla - show her the great, wet outdoors.

She looks around at the train* and the passengers. Setting her sights on a few faces or shapes, but never committing. That may be a major relational problem at a later stage in life. But, for now, she's just tired and hungry, but not tired and hungry enough to make a show of it. In fact, it's more of an anti-show.

The son and the father are making their way to the doors on the right side of the train, the ones to exit when the train is elevated. As the train pulls into the station, the son is making his way out while the father, in a last fleeting moment, gains some perspective on the train he did not have in his corner and notices what was inside of my man-sack. Joss.

Like really notices her.

"Oh my goodness. What a be-yootee-full baby. Mijo, she is so pretty! Those are the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. O, son, you have to come look. Look at the beautiful little girl with the beautiful blue eyes..."

At this point, I begin to worry that the man may be disconnected from his own flesh and blood, who doesn't give a flip, if the doors shut on him while he reluctantly makes his way to the exit.

"You have a very bee-yutiful girl!" he reminds me as he steps onto the platform. There is always a mix of a sense of pride and a sense of embarrassment when people throw superlatives at her, or about my wife. I've personally never been very good at handling compliments. I had learned that pride is a sin and accepting compliments (even if they're not directly addressed to me) is an endorsement of my own pride (which, for whatever reason, is monstrously big) and has therefore always been a tricky thing.

So I sheepishly say, "Thank you" and blush out my cheeks. The doors close. And the car erupts in laughter.

Everyone shares a laugh in this except for Joss. Who just wants to go home.

* The train, it should be noted, is her friend. She sleeps by the train. Literally, she probably hears that same train we are riding in pass by her windows at least five times a day. It soothes her, it excites her, it sometimes forgets to call. The train is her bff.

Yet I think that relationship is mostly with the exterior of the train. The inside is a different beast altogether.

From the Archives

2008-02-07T19:53:00.000-06:00

Alma, our prized field correspondent, just sent these in today.
They're from Uncle Caleb's last night on the town.

Come home soon Uncle Caleb! We miss you <3

Pearly Whites

2008-02-07T11:52:00.001-06:00

(click on image to enlarge)

You can now officially see them when she smiles. Yeah!
And they work, too:

vOte fOr hOpe

2008-02-05T00:01:00.000-06:00

dOn't fOrget tO vOte fOr hOpe tOday!

A Perfect Pair

2008-02-04T16:46:00.001-06:00

Yes, sports fans, the official count is up to two now. I'm working on a better picture, but so far, this is what we've got.

Yes, We Can! - Si, Se Puede!

2008-02-04T07:01:00.000-06:00

This song & video, featuring a star cast, by Will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas was inspired by Barack Obama's 'Yes We Can' speech.

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.

Yes we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality.

Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.

Yes we can heal this nation.

Yes we can repair this world.

Yes we can.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea --

Yes. We. Can.

Celebrities featured include: Jesse Dylan, Will.i.am, Common, Scarlett Johansson, Tatyana Ali, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Adam Rodriquez, Kelly Hu, Adam Rodriquez, Amber Valetta, Eric Balfour, Aisha Tyler, Nicole Scherzinger and Nick Cannon

http://www.yeswecansong.com
http://www.barackobama.com/
http://factcheck.barackobama.com/

eschatObamacal!

2008-02-03T11:34:00.000-06:00

J forwarded me a post that's eschatologically Obamarific. Adam J. Copeland writes:

"Barack Obama is the candidate who embodies eschatology*; his campaign is one of eschatological hope. . . .

In this speech, Obama claimed that his Iowa victory will be remembered as the time when Americans remembered again what hope is. He then described hope in several ways, concluding,
Hope-hope-is what led me here today - with a father from Kenya; a mother from Kansas; and a story that could only happen in the United States of America. Hope is the bedrock of this nation; the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us; by all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is; who have the courage to remake the world as it should be."

You can view the original in full glory here.

I can only agree. This world is horribly screwed up and it is God's full intention to restore all things to what they were designed to be. Clearly, when we (having full access to tap water) buy bottled water in bulk while millions go without any access to clean water at all (let alone tap water) there is something terribly wrong. We have monopolized the resources (water, food, education, land, capital, medicine, etc.) and intentionally mis-distributed them to our favor. Thus, we exploit the third world and even those in our own midst who are on the wrong side of this system we perpetuate. Which is why I back Barack who A) recognizes this and B) cares enough to do something about it.

Obviously, this hOpe of re-making the world to what it should be is not a policy, as Copeland recognizes. It's a mOtive fOr pOlicy. It's been a mOvement since the apple in the garden, and I'm excited that it's gaining mOmentum. And what if I cast my vOte and Obama ultimately does not get into the White House? Well, more of the same. More survival of the fittest to the detriment of the disenfranchised. I guess we'll pack our bags and flee to New Zealand. But, in the mean time, I'll be there Tuesday to vOte fOr hOpe.

*eschatology: study of the end times or, basically, what to expect when heaven comes crashing down to earth

BugShots

2008-02-02T13:25:00.000-06:00

Baby + MugShot = BugShot!

We applied for/renewed our passports today. I found this great site where you can upload and print your passport/visa photos FOR FREE. (I generally pay between $15-$20 plus tax) It helps you line them up properly and everything. It also lists the specifications for over sixty countries. So if you have friends in far places, share the love!

If our last name isn't incriminating enough, these sure are:

Reason #91 why not just anybody can babysit our little princess

2008-01-30T16:09:00.000-06:00

Some of our favorite invented captions include:

Welcome to the redneck day spa.

“Hey Fred, is that a rain cloud? Dude if it starts to rain we’re in trouble”.

“… Yeah, my wife gave it to me after we signed my life insurance policy”

Hey genius! If you knock that bottle over and get glass in my pool, someone could get hurt!

CANNONBAL-ZZT-ZZTTT-pfffft……

h/t to MarkO

We Have a Breakthrough!

2008-01-29T19:41:00.000-06:00

Look very, very closely:

(click on images to enlarge)

No, wait, try this angle:
Okay, you're just gonna have to trust us.
It's there and it popped through.

City of Eternal Spring

2008-01-26T22:53:00.000-06:00

1600 Meters High and 6º north of the equator, Medellín (Colombia) is called the City of Eternal Spring. We're excited about this because Jason and I will be going there this August with a group from our church. Stay tuned for more details. Please let us know if you have any babysitting availability that first week as, unfortunately, we must leave the little one behind this round. We just had our first team meeting this evening. We're really excited and will be updating you on further details very soon!

Lightweights

2008-01-25T18:00:00.000-06:00

Jocelyn loves her new frog.

He velcros all the way around her so they can wrestle together.

(A little oatmeal still in the system, there.)

All better!

Process of Elimination

2008-01-24T19:53:00.000-06:00

Oops. I thought I was doing the right thing. I didn't want to starve the child. Plus, she feeds so much better when the food is thicker . . . besides, what's not to love about oatmeal???

A little background: yesterday we transitioned from the baby rice-meal to the baby oat-meal. She was doing so well with the rice-meal that we finally embarked upon a great new flavor: OAT. And, since she had been doing so well with such a nice, thick consistency of rice meal, I thought I should probably stick with the same consistency when we transitioned to oat, that way it's just a new flavor, but everything else will be familiar. And that's pretty much where I erred. The good news is we know for sure that Jocelyn's digestive system works great. The bad news is, Jocelyn preferred not to have us find out like this. As a result, she has boldy gone [in her diaper] where no Dye has gone before to settle the score. In fact, I think she's got the upper hand, now.

She spent most of today (untill 16:00 hours) cringing and hollering while she showed me exactly what she thought of those oats. I just gave her straight milk today while she flushed out her system. It was so bad we didn't even go in to work today. (We'll go in tomorrow instead.) I'm not sure when we'll start on oats again.

6 x 6

2008-01-17T20:25:00.000-06:00

Exactly six months ago, Jocelyn - well - came out and entered into the bright hot lights of a hospital room. She's hated bright lights since then.

These pictures are from that literally 11th hour (PM) of July 17th, 2007 up until this week. I'm always amazed at the stunning transformation in her face. And especially since it's only been six months (I can't believe I just said that. It seems so much longer. Maybe because so much of it was spent awake.).

Enough words. Enjoy:

This lady got the idea from us and took it a step further, though:

Surprise!

2008-01-16T19:12:00.000-06:00

Titi Wendy threw Uncle Chuckie a surprise party.

Except, she told him about it - a month before the big day.
Don't worry, though. We were all definitely surprised . . .

The surprise's name was Tom. At least, that's how his name tag read. Later, we saw his driver's license which donned Athanasios. We soon realized why he was using a different name. Now we wonder how often he changes it.

We're not sure if Tom used an alias because he is in the witness protection program or if he's running from the Fed's. What we do know for sure is that his table manners MUST have warranted him a priority profile on America's Most Wanted.

This is Portia's stunned reaction after being side-swiped by Tom's hospitality. Portia is now being treated for PTSD.

Poor Lali almost didn't get her food. She was very grateful when she did.

We all had an absolute blast! It was like dinner at Ed's or something straight out of SNL. You can't buy live entertainment like this!

We also got to say farewell to Uncle Caleb who went back to OK that evening. We're hoping he's back in no time.

Bundle o' Joy

2008-01-15T16:26:00.001-06:00

Look out winter -

Here I come!

How soon we pass

2008-01-15T16:00:00.000-06:00

My cracked fingers are dirty and splochy with all sorts of marks on them from various types of markers. As I'm writing this on the bus, I can only find a red chisel-tip Sharpie and a handful of orange notecards.

At an intersection, a man walks adjacent to the bus wearing an aqua-green plastic robe. It looks a bit like a garbage bag. Or a cheap Halloween costume. On his head lies the pastel foam crown of Lady Liberty. He is advertising criminally high-rate fast loans to the poor from a walking billboard that promises freedom.

We pass the Faith in God Nails and Hair Salon. I doubt at this moment that I'll get home in time to hold my daughter. She did not nap this afternoon. Which means that she was screaming all afternoon. Which means that she is going down early. Which means that she'll be home before my half-hour ride gets me within vicinity of her squeamishly happy hug.

On Friday I picked her up from my wife's job. My wife's boss was sad to see her leave so soon.

My wife's boss is great. Jen and the baby get to come into a downtown women's empowerment firm's office three times a week for several hours. And the baby is adored there.

Jen needed some extra time to finish some projects. I was the delivery man, bringing baby on a sling, only in style.

She wore a faux-fur coat like she was born to wear it. Her deep blue eyes and edible cheeks would only guarantee that she had to be something out of a television commercial for baby angels who don't murder furry animals for clothing.

We bounded through the State of Illinois Center. The little one is drawn to windows like a moth to the flames (the difference being that she is not burned to a crisp by windows) and stretched her little neck back. And arched her little head back all the way until she was dizzy. I waited for her to get a grasp on what she was viewing. She is amazed. I am amazed at her amazement.

She is looking at the passengers as they pass by our perch on the bench in the subway. Busy people leaving their busy offices. Still buzzing from the joy-kill that was a week spent in an office, haggling with people every work-day for five days straight about things that they do not care about, and neither do the people they are doing business with.

And they notice the little girl with the big blue eyes gazing at them. And just as they pass, for an instant and just for an instant, they smile back. A warm, inviting smile. A smile that seems to transport them to another time, another place, another season, another mood. They are in the woods. They are walking their child. They are kissing their lovers. They are breathing deep. Their hair is being run through by the wind, or by a loved one's fingers. Their steps are lighter. They have the ability to say anything. They have the power to say nothing. They are gorgeous and bright and the world is happy.

And as Joss arches her back and her neck and lifts up her legs to continue her glancing at them while they pass, they move on. They correct themselves. They are grown-ups, living in a grown-up world.

Neo Cons

2008-01-15T15:58:00.001-06:00

Joss loves her new big girl shoes!

Check out our little big-foot-baby!

Last Call for Christmas

2008-01-15T15:47:00.000-06:00

We closed out the Christmas season at granMoe's last weekend. While we had tons of fun, it confirmed that Joss does not enjoy sleeping in the pak-n-play. We brought home a very wired baby and tons of great memories.

Kohl Children's Museum

2008-01-15T15:19:00.001-06:00

On Thursday we took a field trip to the Kohl Children's Museum with some friends. I wish I could send Joss there for pre-school.

It has everything from a music emporium to a water exploratorium, including a car wash, a Dominick's and a Potbelly's. So, kids can wash their car on the way to pick up the groceries and stop for a sandwich on the way back!

Of course, Joss is just a few months short of fully enjoying these options, so she and Sam-the-Man took advantage of the baby ballerina bar and bonded for a bit.

I highly recommend you grab the nearest kid (grandson/niece/neighbor's brat, etc.) and race on over. I've never seen so much fun in one place!

Titi Lis

2008-01-15T13:57:00.001-06:00

Titi Lis popped in for a bonding session on her way back to Boston. Have a wonderful last semester! We're really proud of you. We love you and we miss you. Thanks for the visit!

Child Labor

2008-01-15T13:39:00.000-06:00

We started back to work on Monday, 1/7/2008.
Joss was all decked out for her big day.

SuperBabie on the train.

This is not the most flattering picture of my boss, but I was in a hurry. There was/is a ton of backlog to catch up on. Jocelyn does okay for the morning portion, but she doesn't want to nap which results in a particularly high-maintenance baby by the afternoon. My boss adores the child though, and is very sympathetic. I'm not sure how sympathetic the folk in the surrounding offices are, however . . .

Up and Running!

2008-01-15T13:27:00.000-06:00

My computer, that is. Not Joss. Not yet, anyway. A hearty thanks to Uncle Phil and Auntie Fran for handling our technical difficulties. Joss was delighted to see herself in lights again!
Our favorite IT guy, Craig, will pop in Thursday to network me so I can work from home. Wahoo!

The Honeymoon's Over

2008-01-04T13:57:00.000-06:00

Yep, it's official. Just got off the phone with my boss.
The babe and I go back to work Monday.

I'm a little nervous. It's a business attire (i.e. suits) environment with particularly high-end (i.e. independently wealthy) clientèle, so I'm hoping they will embrace a teething/screaming child, and I hope I don't let my boss down as she's pioneering grace in this field. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.

If you ever have a Mon, Wed or Fri off and would like to babysit so Joss can stay home, just let me know!

O8ama!

2008-01-03T22:08:00.000-06:00

I guess Iowa serves a purpose, if only once every four years.

Solids Sigh

2008-01-01T14:01:00.000-06:00

Well, we officially started solids a few weeks ago, but alas, mommy cannot photograph herself feeding Joss due to technical difficulties. As such, mommy needs to rely on daddy to capture the moment.

However, daddy's camera skills are somewhat lacking. Exhibit A:

Our new strategy is to have daddy do the feeding and mommy take the shots, so stay tuned for next time . . .

Editor's Note:

What the artist was attempting for (and to some degree was successful) in this installation was to capture a sense of the urgency and primal-ness of the subject doing a task she is fully capable of (eating), but with new and confusing means (A spoon? Who had ever thought of such monstrosities. The audacity!).

Much like Millet's The Gleaners or Munch's The Scream and their portrayals of the taboo and downtrodden, the artist (aka, Daddy) threw an unconventional light into an unconventional sub-genre of subject matter. The uncanny response threw the Cute Baby Picture world into a frenzy. Aunt Mildred swore she never saw anything like it. Uncle Charlie almost swallowed his monocles. "Would the 'America's Funniest Home Videos' crew ever show such a work?", asked many crowded outside the Museum of Contemporary Baby Art.

Will the grandma/baby/puppy-dog crowd see the veracity in this magnum opus? Perhaps not. But perhaps you, reader, can find it in your soul to identify the anguish that the subject (aka, Daddy's little girl, aka, Princess) has felt in this period and that the artist tried to represent.

Original copies will be made available (and signed for a modest fee) at the Museum of Modern Baby Art. Opening bids will begin at $3,500. Please make your checks payable to Daddy Dye.

Thank you,
The Artist formerly known as Jason (but always known as Daddy)

Sarah's Visit

2008-01-01T13:48:00.000-06:00

Auntie Sarah popped in for a bit. She's most likely moving to Israel this spring/summer, so we're not sure when we will see her again. We realized we forgot to get a shot of her and the baby last time, but Joss was asleep this time, so this was the best we could do:

We'll miss you, Sarah! Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Day with the Fronczak's

2008-01-01T12:47:00.000-06:00

Joss has been on many a train, but I think this was the first time she was awake for most of the ride. She got hungry, so we took her out of her restraints to feed her and she had so much fun staring out the window!

Grannie had the place all deck'ed out, as usual!

Auntie Carrie flew down to surprise us - the bestest gift of all!

Jocelyn had a blast opening presents.

We all had a blast playing with T.M.X. Tickle Me Elmo!

Once again I used up all the memory on my camera thinking I could download the pictures and re-up, but that proved to be wrong. We had a wonderful dinner and watched "A Christmas Story" afterwards.
Fun times!

Christmas Eve with the Dyes

2008-01-01T11:58:00.000-06:00

Auntie Heidi and Uncle Brian hosted the Gala.

Uncle Brian was speechless when we volunteered him to play Santa for next year's festivities. Isn't he a natural, though?

Here's Chloe rehearsing her manger scene.

Uncle Chuckie got jealous and he wanted to play baby Jesus as well.

Justin is the most fun a kid can have. Just ask Joss.

We also went downtown to look at the *Marshall Field's* windows (Boo Macy's!) and oo-ed and awed at their Nutcracker theme this year. (Well, okay. Aunti Heidi, Auntie Teresa and I oo-ed and awed and the gentleman kindly indulged us.) Afterwards, we goofed around at the Bean for a bit. Alas, my camera was maxed out, so I don't have proof, but Auntie Heidi does so we're going to see if we can get some pics from her.

Auld Lang Syne

2007-12-30T23:15:00.000-06:00

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

BFF's

2007-12-26T16:29:00.000-06:00

Jocelyn is trained to smile for the camera.
Chloe is still in the "blinded by the flash" phase.

Chloe looks like a doll next to Joss (who looks like a tank).

Jocelyn is enthralled by Chloe.

*DOINK*
Joss was just a little too excited for this photo op.

"Psssst, Jocelyn - what's that fragrance you're wearing?"

"Bebe Phreshe from Paris. I think it's in your stocking this year."

Jersey Tribe

2007-12-22T23:33:00.000-06:00

The Jersey Tribe drove down for Christmas. They started yesterday at 8:00 pm and arrived today shortly after 5:00 pm.

Lali loves babies almost as much as they love her. She gets tons of practice with her nieces and she took care of Chloe like a pro.

Lady stopped in to warm up for a bit as well.

Chillin'

We dropped our Scrabble game mid-spell as we looked at the clock and realized we were horribly late for Uncle Brian's birthday party. (I would have posted pics of that, but J forgot the camera. Teresa, the babies and I stayed home.)

Teresa was exhausted. Partly from the drive, partly from being a new mom. So, while the rest of the crew went to Brian and Heidi's I got to babysit my niece so mom could get some sleep. Isn't she a cutie?

Itz Yo Birfday!

2007-12-22T12:53:00.000-06:00

Daddy is sure this is Joss's favorite new video:

Mommy is sure daddy needs counseling.

Joss just isn't sure at all.

Happy Birfday JC, fo shizzle!

Gotz Invasion!

2007-12-20T16:27:00.001-06:00

Auntie Grace and Uncle Sean stopped over on their way up north.

Cute and Cuter.

Jocelyn wasn't quite sure what to make of Uncle Sean.
Neither was Auntie Grace.

Auntie Grace was overjoyed to see someone shorter than herself.

Thanks for stoppin' by, guys!

Daddy's Lengthy Girl

2007-12-20T15:33:00.000-06:00

Linda and Chandra came by for a visit on the eleventh and Joss weighed in at 17 lbs, 3 oz and measured 26.25 inches in length.

As you can see, she's finally touching the floor on her Entertainer. Hooray!!!

Snow Day

2007-12-20T15:06:00.001-06:00

After a long and grueling road trip in less than favorable road conditions Saturday night, daddy declared a snow day Sunday morning. We were all in favor!

Alma

2007-12-20T14:58:00.000-06:00

Uncle Caleb brought his lady friend, Alma, over to meet Joss and play a friendly game of Scrabble. Well, it was friendly until the end when it became a two point game. Hopefully we didn't scare Alma away . . .

The Luckiest Nut In The World

2007-12-07T08:48:00.001-06:00

I ran across this this short film on global economics at this other site about the causes of poverty. Take a peek if you have time.

Pop 'n ' Play

2007-12-06T22:12:00.000-06:00

Auntie Fran popped in yesterday to play for a bit.

Workin' Women

2007-12-04T14:39:00.001-06:00

WAHOO!!! We went down town yesterday to show of the babe to my old boss. She was smitten with the child and offered me back my old position AND WELCOMED ME TO BRING JOCELYN TO WORK WITH ME!!! I'm considering three days a week, 10-3 and then satellite for the rest. How's that for a Merry Christmas?

Home at Last!

2007-12-04T14:31:00.000-06:00

the Proud Papa updates:

they [mom & baby] are both home now, out of the hospital. teresa is still in pain, but the medicine helps and Chloe, well, she's always hungry, tired, gassy, or needs a diaper change.

All Dressed Up

2007-12-04T14:17:00.000-06:00

Welcome Chloe!

2007-12-01T14:19:00.000-06:00

The proud papa notes:

Chloe (first shoot of green grass) Elizabeth (to whom God is the oath) Dye was born 10:29 EST in Toms River, NJ to proud mom Teresa Dye and proud papa David Dye. She weighed in at a whopping 7lb 5 oz and was 19.5" long! She is very healthy and eating well! Praise God!

The Comin' of the Cousin

2007-11-29T21:24:00.000-06:00

Joss was first. I don't mean that to sound territorial. She just was. She was (obviously), the first child in our little family. But she is also the first grandchild. And thus spoiled.

Now, some of us gotta share our love. And that's quite all right and fits in neatly with our Christianity.

We are eagerly awaiting (on pins and needles... so to say) the birth of li'l Chloe, Joss's first cousin (although she's met and made many friends already who we expect to remain life-long friends and fam).

Look forward to sharing pix (esp if we can get some of the two of 'em together. Double your pleasure with Doublemint Dyes) and news.

Update!:
7 lbs., 5 ozs. Got the call at 9:55 pm, CST.
They're in north Jersey.
Poor daddy sounded tired. I know for sure that mama was too.
Hopefully, we can post something up by the weekend.
I'm so excited!

Matters of the Heart

2007-11-29T08:35:00.000-06:00

Joss finally saw her pediatric cardiologist today. She was feeling ARMY STRONG and didn't even wince the whole time.

See her dog tag? The Echocardiogram came back great! Her pulmonary artery is all closed up - Yeah!!! The reason she has difficulty breathing and feeding is due to congenital tracheomalacia, (or a soft trachea) which should stiffen up by the time she's about a year old.

Meet Jocelyn's BIG sister - the Marshall Field's Christmas Bear from 2005. She's 1 1/2 years older than Joss.

The doctor was running late and I think his receptionist felt sorry for us, so she gave Joss a bear to keep her amused during the wait.

It worked!

ZZZ's

2007-11-27T16:43:00.000-06:00

We ran across the following article, Snooze or Lose. It's really got us thinking about sleep. It chronicles some sleep studies and their results and also highlights the efforts some school districts have made to help kids sleep more and shows a steep payoff in the area of academic achievement for those that do. It also talks about some ramifications for adults, as well. I'd go into more detail, but I'm really trying to get to bed earlier, so I need to get going . . .

Turkey Time!

2007-11-27T16:42:00.000-06:00

Joss wanted a turkey 'thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis big'!

Grannie found a Joss-sized turkey for her instead.

Uncle Jeffrey and G-Gram helped her digest.

Then, Uncle Jeffrey schooled Joss in the ways of life.

Awwwwwwwww!

Baby Zeb's First Road Trip

2007-11-27T15:57:00.000-06:00

Some old friends called on Wednesday afternoon and wondered if we were free on Thursday. I said sure! I then asked if they were in Chicago, and they told me, "No, but we can drive down tonight." [Note, they live just barely south of Canada in the Iron Ore Range of Minnesota]
INSANE!!! And we love them just the way they are :)
Thanks for makin' the trek, guys!

Jake and Heather play with four month old Joss and five week old Zeb.

Who knows, this could be the biginning of a beautiful relationship! ;)

Silent Night

2007-11-21T12:01:00.000-06:00

What Christmas carol are you?
Find out here.

I'm Silent Night, apparently.

"You are 'Silent Night'! You really enjoy Christmas, and you like your Christmases conventional. For you, Christmas is about family and traditions, and you rather enjoy the rituals of going to church at midnight and turning off the lights before flaming the plum pudding. Although you find Christmas shopping frustrating, you like the excitement of wrapping and hiding presents, and opening a single door on the Advent Calendar each day. You like the traditional carols, and probably teach the children to sing along to them. More than anyone else, you will probably actually have a merry Christmas."

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing alleluia;
Christ the Savior, is born!
Christ the Savior, is born!

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Quality Time with Auntie Carrie

2007-11-14T02:42:00.000-06:00

While Auntie Carrie would not consent to a private photo shoot with Joss, mommy did manage to get random apendages of her in a couple shots to prove she was actually here.

G-Gram's 80th Birthday Bash

2007-11-13T17:30:00.000-06:00

Auntie Carrie's Christmas Card

2007-11-13T09:59:00.000-06:00

Auntie Carrie bought Joss a dress for Christmas:

Fronczak-Dye Family Portrait

2007-11-13T09:31:00.001-06:00

My gram and her children's children's children.

Phuntastic Foley/Dye Foto Phest 2007

2007-11-11T15:36:00.000-06:00

Our local branch of the Foley Clan kindly agreed to pose for the camera with us:

Nothin' like a little friendly card sharking

Joss flying on Falcor from The Neverending Story

Joss: "Gee, Bob, soft lighting really becomes you.

"Weeeeeee - this is fun!"

Joss: "It's not everyday that I get to be the tall one."

Cute and Cuter! (I'll never tell which is which . . .)

Three medium-height Foleys with a super-small Dye and a super-tall Dye.
Next time some of us will have to stand on steps to even it out ;)

And, of course, for those of you still hungry for more, we have a slide show:

The Morning After

2007-11-11T15:29:00.001-06:00

Proof indeed that both Jocelyn and Uncle Jeffrey survived their adventure in babysitting with a renewed sense of zest and vigor.

So, who volunteers for next weekend?

First Date

2007-11-11T15:22:00.000-06:00

Uncle Extraordinaire Jeffrey graciously volunteered to babysit Joss while mom and dad went to a Hawks game with some friends. It was our "first date" since the babe.

Mel's Diner

2007-11-08T12:56:00.000-06:00

Come on now, you know you're a fan! Remember the sitcom 'Alice' from the seventies? Joss's dress reminded me of the waitress uniforms at Mel's Diner. Whaddya think?

I figure she could be written into the cast as Mel & Flo's love child.

Loads o' Fun

2007-11-05T13:03:00.000-06:00

Why I think laundry should be an olympic sport.

The Line-Up

The good news is Bubbleland's right across the way.

Joss loves to watch the dryers spin!

Hula Baby

2007-11-04T19:15:00.001-06:00

Divina

2007-11-04T18:50:00.001-06:00

Jocelyn has been practicing all night for the niño jesus look-a-like contest.

She's a shoe in!

Now, she just needs to grow a halo . . .

OPERATION SFMS

2007-11-01T11:36:00.001-05:00

After a friendly visit from her entourage of therapists, we have mobilized OPERATION SFMS. Jocelyn rated stellar for developmental and physical therapy, and only okay for occupational therapy. Apparently, she needs to develop her fine motor skills a bit more.

Hence OPERATION Stimulate Fine Motor Skills. We're spending intentional time helping her to reach for and hold onto small objects. Also, her occupational therapist will come and play with us once a month to steer us in the right direction.

Also, not entirely unexpected, Jocelyn did not do very well on her speech therapy evaluation. The speech therapist observed her take a bottle and concluded that it would be wise to follow up with a pediatric cardiologist. In addition to speech therapy on a weekly basis, we will ask her new pediatrician to give us a referral to see a specialist when Jocelyn has her next round of shots on November 14th. We believe this is all related to Jocelyn's little tubie situation. We're sure she will grow out of it and we will definitely keep you posted on her progress.