After-Christmas Post #2

We had a great time over Christmas. This year we spent Christmas at my parents', and on Christmas day Scott's parents came over for dinner and a visit.

It is a Hauner tradition to open gifts on Christmas eve, and this year was no different. After a Christmas-eve dinner of Chicken-noodle and potato soup, we settled into the living room to parse out gifts and begin the festivities.

Lincoln stole a peanut cluster before we could stop him. Don't worry - we didn't let him keep it! He had to go to bed before the gifts were all opened, but he didn't seem to mind much. He received some nice books, toys, and clothes - all in all he got pretty spoiled!

Mary and Randy also joined us for the holiday so my mom had two Grandbabies to spoil! Here she is with Everett and Lincoln.

My mom made turkey *and* ham for Christmas dinner, plus every side dish and desert we could hope for.  It was all delicious and I'm pretty sure I gained about five pounds that day.

On Christmas day, Lincoln wore his brand-new Christmas outfit (thanks Grandma!), and was extra-spoiled with *both* sets of grandparents. Here Scott's mom is reading him the book she brought him.

Overall we had a great Christmas and as always it was way too short. I'm already back at work and Scott's been spending some bonding time with Lincoln while Lucy is on vacation. See you all next year!!

After Christmas Post #1

Well, we're back from the holidays and here's the first of many pictures/videos that we've got to share.  I hope you all had a great time with family and friends.  I know we did.

Lincoln got some books for Christmas, and here's a video of him sitting down to enjoy one.  He's got a short attention span, so he generally only makes it through the first page or two (unless Mom or Dad is helping).

Daddy's little helper

This weekend we got our first real snow of the year, and Lincoln and I got a little father-son bonding time doing some household chores.

First, we shoveled snow off the driveway. Lincoln wouldn't keep his gloves on so his hands got cold, but it was otherwise a good outing.

Next, we swept the kitchen floor (Note Lincoln's little broom on the floor).

Finally, Lincoln picked up the magazines in the living room under the light of a half-moon.

Lincoln learns to babysit

Last weekend Mary and Randy went to a holiday party and asked us to watch Everett. Lincoln knew this would be an excellent opportunity to practice his babysitting skills, so we let him start by feeding Everett some bananas. He still has a lot to learn - he had a habit of eating the bananas himself - but we predict that in a couple of years the boys will be having lots of fun together.

A lazy Wednesday evening post

Linda is off knitting with friends, Lincoln and I are just hangin' out, so I figured it was a good time to update the blog.

There's not much to report except that Lucy (Lincoln's day care provider) had her appendix taken out on Monday (it was unexpected).  Lucy's daughter and friend have been taking care of the kids.  Lucy's surgery went fine and Lincoln is having fun, so everything turned out fine.

This picture isn't really relevant to this post and it's a couple of weeks old...but it is cute.  In case you don't know, this is Linda spending some quality time with Everett and Lincoln.

Thanksgiving Recap

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving - we spent the weekend hanging out at Grandma and Grandpa King's with a nice stopover at Grandma and Grandpa Hauner's.


Lincoln started his weekend with his usual inspection of the family store. Here he is testing out some of the equipment in the new rental store. It appears sturdy enough to support Lincoln's weight.

And here he is inspecting Grandpa King's sales technique as he checks out the features of this vacuum cleaner.

After a tough day at the store, Lincoln napped while the rest of the family practice their shooting skills. Here's a picture of me and Tracy trying out the shotguns.  

...and no holiday would be complete without an obligatory embarrassing bath photo.  How many kids can say that they got to take a bath in a utility sink?

Meet Mr. Duck Tub

Recently we noticed that Lincoln was getting a bit big for his baby tub - the water level was just barely high enough to cover his legs - not very warm and cozy for a winter bath. He's wasn't quite ready for the *big* tub, though, since he's still a little guy. At Target last weekend I found the perfect solution - the Duck Tub!! This inflatable tub is just big enough for Lincoln to splash around in without having to fill the entire big tub. He loves it - especially the giant duck head that quacks when you pinch his beak.

America's next top model

This weekend Lincoln modeled some outfits from his new fall collection. In the first, he's showing his continued support for the Huskers. In the second, he's showing his support for the U.S. troops.

Smelly Halloween

This isn't Lincoln's first Halloween, but it is the first Halloween where he got to go Trick-or-Treating. Our first stop on Halloween night was Tracy and Joni's house, where Lincoln got to try out his T or T skills and get some yummy candy. We then took him to some houses in our new neighborhood and met some of the neighbors. They are all very nice!

The photo at left is a good picture of his whole costume - you can see the fat tummy and the skunky tail.

Below, you can see that Lincoln took some time out to pose with Scott and me and with Joni. In the photo on the right you can see how happy he is to have some Teddy Grahms. When he really likes something he chews for a bit, then opens his mouth as wide as possible so everyone can see what he's eating.

Moving Day!!

Last week we officially purchased and moved into our new house!! It was a hectic, busy week - but we had lots of help from our family. Scott's parents came on Wednesday and Thursday to help do the move, and my parents were here over the weekend to help us get things sorted out and put away in the new digs. Since I have no vacation with the new job, my work was relegated to the evenings and the weekends, so we really appreciated the help!!

If you haven't received our new address, send one of us an e-mail (use the "contact" links) or post a comment and we'll send it your way.

Now and Then (Part 3)

This is the third installment in our series comparing this year and last year.

In this episode, Lincoln and Linda attend a halloween party with the same group of kids (and moms) as last year.

The first picture is "now". Lincoln is the skunk in the middle with the block.

The second picture is "then". Lincoln is the pumpkin sandwiched between the peas and the chubby pumpkin.

Now and Then (Part 2)

If you look back at this post from last year, you'll see that Lincoln was not to fond of leaves. Well, like everything else, that too has changed this year.

This picture and video are a from a recent backyard adventure. His next new experience will be snow, but hopefully, we don't seen any of that for a few months.

Now and Then

After this year's MRI company picnic, we noticed that we got nearly the exact same picture taken both years. For the most part, Linda and I look the same, but Lincoln has changed a lot. What a difference a year makes.

Good hygiene starts young

To counter-act the pudding (see the previous post), we try to brush Lincoln's teeth every now and then. He actually likes it...I'm sure it feels good on those new molars he's getting.

Sold! (The house, not the baby)

Good news!!

Yesterday, Stephanie, our Realtor, stopped by to put the "sold" sign on our house. We received an offer on our house just seven days after it went on the market, which is a huge relief! We'll sign it away on October 24 - and sign on to our new Milhaven house on the 25. It looks like Lincoln will be trick-or-treating in a new neighborhood this year.

Good nutrition starts young

We try to give Lincoln a variety of semi-nutritious food, but at the end of a meal sometimes he needs a little...pudding. We mix it up with whole milk for extra nutritious yumminess. He does pretty well with the spoon, although not all of the pudding makes it into his mouth.

Tour of Missouri

The 1st annual Tour of Missouri professional cycling race stated in Kansas City on Tuesday, and me, my Dad, and a friend were there for the festivities.

Watching a race like this in person really gives you an appreciation for how fast these guys are going. We spent about 4 hours watching the race and actually saw riders for a combined total of 1 minute.

This short clip is from the last 200 meters of stage 1.

It's Official!

Our house is "officially" on the market today!

Our Realtor, Stephanie, did a great job with the listing and all of the photos were done by a professional photographer. Feel free to pass on the link to anyone you know that is in the market for a home.

It's sad to put our house on the market - we've had a lot of great memories here. But I know that we'll make lots of new memories in our new house. Plus Lincoln will finally have his own bedroom!

Lincoln's First Haircut

Anyone that has seen Lincoln lately is familiar with his signature "hairstyle" - a few curls in back to give the illusion of a mullet, plus some long hairs on top that wave in the wind like a combover. Today Scott and I decided it was time for Lincoln to have his first haircut to even out his look. Lincoln got to use the same shaver that daddy uses for his haircuts, and he really liked it:

The brush in the video is something we bought to scrub the carpet to get rid of stains. Earlier, Scott was showing Lincoln how to spray on the carpet shampoo and then scrub...Lincoln was having so much fun that we let him keep the scrubber for a while.

Wildlife Run Amok

Scott's parents came to visit last weekend to help us get our house into "show" shape. We're putting it on the market next Tuesday and we (and our realtor) want it to look perfect. While we were working, a wild animal somehow got loose in the house:


That's Lincoln in the skunk costume purchased by Grandma King and Joni over the weekend. I think he really likes the costume - he spent a lot of time in front of the mirror admiring himself.

This weekend was also our 6th anniversary. We had plans to go out Saturday night, but unfortunately I was really sick on Saturday and had to take a raincheck on our anniversary dinner.

Go Motion

I think most of our regular blog readers know my friend Jim. Well, his band, Go Motion, was featured as Spin Magazine's Artist of the Day today at Spin.com.

It's a great accomplishment for an independent band. If you've got a minute, go give them a good rating so they become Spin's Artist of the Month.

Movin' On Up

Scott and I have been very busy these past few weeks finalizing the purchase of a new house! It's in the Milhaven section of Mission, just a bit south of our current house.

It has five bedrooms and three full baths (with a master bath!) and plenty of room for Lincoln to play. We don't close until the end of October, so we have plenty of time to pack and sell our house. It will be sad to move, but we're excited about having more space.

So you think you can dance?

Lincoln loves the first song on his Teddy Tunes CD. Here's a quick shot of his dancing skills.

Happy 40th Anniversary Mom and Dad!!

My parents celebrated their 40th anniversary yesterday, so I thought I'd share a photo of the special day that started it all. Congratulations Mom and Dad - I hope someday that Scott and I can follow your lead and have a long happy marriage like yours!

Also, in case anyone was worried - I have *not* dropped off of the face of the Earth. My new job at Commerce has just kept me very busy. I've been working, playing with Lincoln, and doing a (very small) bit of knitting. Scott's parents are staying with us for a couple of days while Lucy is on vacation, so Lincoln is getting very spoiled this week!

Lincoln likes corn

We don't know why he likes what he likes, but Lincoln seems to love corn. Here are a couple pictures. One of him gnawing on an ear of corn, and the other of him looking cool in Dad's sunglasses.

P.S. Lincoln and I are chillin' at home today while Lucy is on vacation and Linda's at work.

Working Mom, Sick Baby, and Stay-at-home Dad

Lincoln hasn't been feeling well, and since Linda started her new job and has no vacation time, I'm a new stay-at-home Dad. I was actually only home with him today, and it went pretty well. We think it's his teeth, but we're not sure.

Anyway, on a more positive note, here's a short "walking" video to show off Lincoln's new skills.

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Linda!

Linda turned 31 on July 15th, and it's taken until now to get anything posted (sorry). Happy birthday. What a year it's been.

To Swim or Not to Swim

While we were in Loup City last weekend, Lincoln took his first trip to the pool. The results were mixed. He was curious but a little scared.

Here's curiosity...


















Here's fear...

Catchup Post

We've been busy these past couple of weeks, so I apologize for the lack of posting. There will be pictures shortly, but for now I'll just catch everyone up on our goings-on since Lincoln's birthday:

• We spent 4th of July with Scott's uncle and aunt, Todd and Angela, in Kansas City. They served delicious food and we had a great time!

• We did 1-year portraits of Lincoln. We used Stacey Schmitz, who happens to be Gabe's dad. Stacey did an awesome job and the photos are awfully cute. He also has a gallery in the Crossroads so Kansas City folks should check out his work in person during First Fridays.

• We went to Loup City last weekend for Scott's cousin's wedding. We made a brief stopover in Lincoln to see grandma and grandpa Hauner.

• LINCOLN STARTED WALKING!! Finally, after months of pulling himself up, Lincoln finally took more than one step by himself. It happened all of a sudden this weekend at Scott's parent's house. We knew he could do it! We're trying to get some video of the big event to show you all.

• I started a new job today. I'll be working downtown at Commerce Bank as a Systems Analyst. It should be an exciting challenge since I'm new to the banking industry.

• Everett is already a month old and is almost as handsome as his cousin!

Whew! That's all for now!

Lincoln is 1!!

Lincoln celebrated his first birthday on Saturday. It's hard to believe that just a year ago we brought him home from the hospital as a helpless newborn. He is now almost walking, and had a great time at his party. Here he is opening presents.

Afterwards, he got a whole cake all to himself. Scott and I made it ourselves - it was chocolate with white frosting. We took his shirt off so he could really dig in.

He obviously liked it - he ate more than we expected. The kid really likes cake!

Lincoln was very generous at the party - here he is sharing some of his cake with Amari.

As of his one-year birthday, Lincoln is not quite walking but he sure is close! He can wave "hi" and "bye" and makes the sign for "all done". He weighed just over 17 pounds at his 1-year appointment, but the doctor says he's growing normally and hitting all of this developmental milestones. He's just a petite guy!

Lincoln's New Trick

Since Lincoln's going to be one year old on Saturday, he wants to make sure he has some new "big boy" tricks to show his pals at the party. Check out this video with his new skill.

Cutest Nephew Ever

We visited baby Everett this weekend and ate some pizza with his mom and dad. Everett is adorable, and he posed for us in his baby papasan. Lincoln can't wait until Everett's old enough so that they can start getting into trouble together!

Grandma

Posts have been a little less frequent lately because life has been a bit hectic. Last Thursday, we got the good news that Everett joined the world, but we also got the bad news that my (Scott's) Grandma King passed away.

Grandma was a very positive and strong person and enjoyed being surrounded by friends and family. We will all miss her greatly, especially at Christmas where she was always at the center of the activities.

We are very grateful for the time we had with her and that Lincoln got to meet her. Whenever we would visit, Lincoln would smile and laugh when he got to sit with "great grandma Virgie".

Welcome Everett Ehme!!

Lincoln's cousin has arrived!! Everett Ehme Davis was born at 4:15 am this morning, and weighed 7 pounds 13.5 ounces. He is a handsome little guy! He came before his due date, so we were very surprsed to get Mary's phone call yesterday afternoon that they were in the hospital.
































As you can see, mom, dad, and baby are doing fine.















The last photo is me being a proud aunt. He is really a cutie!

We Interrupt this Blogcast...

Before I go on, please make sure to read (and watch!) my posting from earlier today - it is really cute!

I have to post again today because Lincoln took his very first *unassisted* step! I couldn't believe it, and he couldn't believe it - but the kid is on his way to walking!!!

No More Sad Baby - Just an Eating Baby!

Okay, I promise no more "sad Lincoln" pictures! Luckily this post is about him, so he's happy.

I have here further proof that Lincoln does indeed eat food. In this video, he is enjoying some meat ravioli, courtesy of Scott. He really enjoys trying whatever we're eating, especially if we serve him with our own forks. Scott and I have also discovered that his baby foods are often quite delicious - one night we were having pork and Lincoln refused to eat his apple/prune dessert. I tried putting a bit on my pork, and it was yummy!

(A note on the video: Scott mentions on the video that there are parts we can "edit out" - but I think you'll enjoy seeing the whole thing!)

A Non-Lincoln Post

Aww, look how sad Lincoln is that this post isn't about him! Don't worry, we're going to have some video of him up very soon!














This post is actually about me! I would like to invite any (and all!) of our readers to join me in doing the Couch to 5k program from Coolrunning.com. It's a program to help you start running 5k (or 3 miles) at a time. I've already got a head start - I'm in week 4. I've been waking up at (gulp!) 5:30 every morning to get my runs in. All of Scott's running events have gotten me excited about trying a 5k sometime this summer, and I would love to have some company!

This Baby Stands Alone

Lincoln started doing something new this weekend:


As you can see, getting him to stand all by himself still needs a little prompting, but our baby is well on his way to walking!!


We had a really fun Memorial Day weekend. On Friday, Lincoln took his first trip to the zoo with Jennifer, Stacy, and Gabe. It's been years since I've been to a zoo, and it was a lot of fun. Lincoln saw elephants and even tried to pet a goat!
















We did a lot of housework this weekend, and interspersed it with some fun things. We went to the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning, had dinner with Gabe's family on Sunday, and even went to a block party that same evening.


On Monday we went to the mall, and discovered when we got there that we had forgotton the stroller. So instead of sitting in a boring stroller while we shopped, Lincoln got to crawl around, and even helped me snap this photo in Macy's:












Lincoln crawls around really fast, so I was very happy when he discovered these mirrors and decided to flirt with the cute baby.