Taking a Walk

For some time now you have been mastering the art of standing on your two feet under your own power. From the beginning you would hoist yourself up using the side bars on your crib and then hold on to them for support as you stood or slightly jumped in place. After a while of this you discovered that you could get yourself standing, then holding onto the side bar with one hand, you could lean over and pick up some toy that caught your attention and thereby be standing in your crib holding the bar in one hand and a toy in the other. Shortly thereafter you began letting go completely, as if to say "Look mom, no hands!" While doing this you would make motions which were likened to those of a surf boarder keeping his balance while riding on his board. Your ability to make subtle controlled falls in order to get yourself back down also quickly developed.

At this point you now walk around the parameter of your crib using the side rail for support as you make your trip around confines of the crib. This is quite amazing to all of us as you seem to be well on your way to walking anywhere under your own power. For this reason your mother and I have begun to work with you by holding your hands and getting you to take a few steps here or a few steps there. We got you a pair of shoes, which you really enjoy wearing because while they are on you, your full attention turns directed at pulling at the velcro strap and then putting it back down. I suppose the sound is something of an attention getter, and this process keeps you occupied for some large moments in time.

Your also beginning to get a little bit of air underneath your feet as you make you gentle little jumps at the side rail of your crib while watching whatever happens to be on the television. We are trying to locate a new place for us to live because our current arrangement is in very tight quarters, not allowing you ample room to move about on the floor. Our goal is to in the next few months move into a larger place with a thick plush carpeting that you will be able to crawl around or run around on without much fear of your hurting yourself when you have your occasional tumble. These tumbles are to be expected as a young one begins to fully learn the use of his legs and feet and works to fine tune the balance that is required to make this motion possible.

I am going to leave this post at this. And now we are going to have a little bit of father and son story time because I really just feel like reading to you. Perhaps "Green Eggs and Ham" will be a good selection for tonight. After that it will soon be time for you to turn in for the night.

A Thanksgiving Adventure

In the fall of the year a certain family festivity of ample food consumption and great thanks giving occurs on a Thursday. We call this day, "Thanksgiving". Family and friends gather around the table to enjoy a great meal that has been painstakingly assembled.
For partaking in these festivities with your family of your father's descent we took a little roadtrip to the Winchester, VA / Martinsburg, WV area. During this visit a day after the great feast we took you for a trip to the Apple Blossom Mall where we had made an appointment with the picture people who took a 20 minute photo shoot with you. Above I have posted a few of the resulting images from this encounter.

Some Photos

Here are some current photos of you. You can Look back on these when you are older and hopefully appreciate them as much as I do. Thanks to your Grand Mother, Teresa Hostuttler for the camera that has made many of them possible.

Security Blanket

A Firm Handshake

      My Son, I find it at this time, an age at which it has become apparent to me is a vital age for a father to teach his son the principles of a firm handshake. For this reason exclusively I sit at my lap top writing these words to you know as I get up after a sentence and go to your crib-side and introduce myself to you.I give encouragement towards you for us to have a mutual agreement as we exchange with one another this, a firm handshake. This is a time in your life, of which you may have little recollection, when your age only approaches 3 months. You play with your turtle as you await my return; each time I come to you I see great amazement that this guy is back again, awaiting my firm handshake.Always find time my son, for your son, and teach him the principles of a firm hand shake. As arising comes the time, when this lesson has put you to sleep, I see you grasping the covers and thus I proceed to tuck you in tight and turn out the light, after a kiss and a firm handshake.

It's a Boy!

It's a Boy!

   At 8:41pm on April 3rd of 2012 my beautiful wife gave birth to our first child. A 7lb. 10oz. baby boy. He was delivered via a cesarean section due to the fact that attempts to induce labor were slightly less than successful. So, this is how my story begins and this is the point at which my life is forever changed.

   I was given a chair located directly outside of the operating room doors and yet sitting was seemingly impossible for me at this moment. Sit down? How could I possibly sit, my son is now being born?! While pacing back and forth in front of that door I suddenly heard a whimper that would be followed by a scream and instantly my head turned toward the door. I could not believe how that single small sound could captivate every iota of my attention. "That is my son's voice" I thought to myself as a few tears began to roll down my cheek. It wasn't long after and a nurse was bringing him out to me and for the first time I got to meet my son, Jacob Solomon Hiett. My life is now forever changed and every thought to cross my brain now has a new attachment included within it.