Hello, my name is Dave!

It's been so long since I've posted, I thought I would just re-introduce myself. I'm Dave Pacheco, married to Esther, father to Alex & the yet-to-be-born little boy!

Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let me share some cute pictures with you.......no, not of me.......sorry to disappoint you........

We took a bunch of pictures of Alex when we were at my parents house last weekend. Alex is going to be featured in the next Grace Magazine (The alumni publication that goes out to all Grace College alumni, donors, and friends). They do an ad in each issue that encourages people to send in baby announcements, and in return, they will get a "My Very First Grace College T-shirt" t-shirt. Alex is making his big modeling debut.

Here are two pictures that are cute, but didn't make the cut for the magazine.





Okay, compare the picture above with the one below. It's the same picture, only the one above is "touched-up" a little bit. I cropped and color-enhanced it in Photoshop, and I fixed the slice of ball near his left arm that's missing. I thought that was so weird that the original picture had that little slice missing. I think we have some crazy "slice-deleter" feature in our camera. Whatever the cause, I put it back in with Photoshop.



Okay, now here are the two photos that I sent to the Grace Magazine editor, Judy Daniels, to choose from. I like them both, but I told her that she could have some fun in the caption with the basketball picture ("Here's an early basketball signee for the Grace College Class of 2028.").





This picture is one we couldn't use because it really didn't show off the t-shirt enough. It's such a cute picture though of Alex sitting at my parents' piano.



Well, I guess there are enough photos here for one post, but I wanted to share something else cool, at least I think it's cool, that Alex did today. He has given high-fives for awhile now, but today, I got him to do a fist-bump. I've been working on it with him for a while and today he made a fist all by himself and "bumped" his fist into mine. I cried tears of joy....okay, not literally, but I thought it was pretty cool.

One last exciting thing. In the midst of creating this marathon post, Esther told me to come and feel her baby "pooch" (that's what she like to call it). Anyway, Esther has eaten a lot of sugar today (dark chocolate covered pretzels from Trader Joe's). The little tyke was all over that place in there, kicking and punching and being a generally active baby. It's always so cool as a dad to be able to feel that!

I guess that's all for now, hopefully it won't be so long before I post next time!

Let me try this again

Shortly after I made my last posting, Dave called me and said that I did not describe the last picture correctly. Like I said, sometime I don't really see it! I rotated the picture, and I think it makes it easier to see.

(Dave here). Ok, here's how you see it. He is looking straight up at the "camera". There is a big dark spot at the bottom of the picture. Directly to the left of that spot is his right hand coming up towards his chin. If you just keep following that line of sight, you can make out his nose, eyes, and then rounding of his head at the top.

When we were listening to his heartbeat at the ultrasound, I distinctly heard "Here we go Steelers, Here we go!!" You might scoff, but I know what I heard.

Hope you have fun looking at Elijah!!!!!!

The new kid needs some blogging time

So many people have asked me if I am ever going to post some pregnancy picture of me. Sorry to say, I am not going to start today, but rest assure, I definitely have a pregnant belly! No more regular clothes for me! But I will post pictures of the baby and according to what we saw it is A BOY! I was starting to think that is might be a girl because this one moves differently and I have serious heart burn (thank goodness for Tums!). So I figure that I am carring this baby a little higher. This just shows that you just never know! Enjoy the pictures
This is a picture of his profile. His head is the on the bottom left and you can see the side of his nose, mouth and chin. You can see his chest on the bottom right side.

This one is a little harder to see. Sometimes I don't quite see it. He is looking straight at you. Kind of eerie! So the top of his head is at the top of the picture. The round object to the right of his face is a little hand. Good luck figuring it all out!

A Toddler at Last!

He loves his new found mode of transportation. He has already made several thousand trips walking the lap through the kitchen, dinning and living room.
I love the freedom this gives me. Since just walking up the stairs makes me winded, I like that I do not have to carry him everywhere! We may walk slower but at least I am not winded by the time we make it to our destination.

I had to make it up to him

Well, after making Alex pose in the snow for a picture, he was not the same. We came into the house and he just did not know what to do. He wanted held and then he did not, he wanted down and then he wanted up. I did not know what he needed or wanted, he did not know what he needed or wanted. We were just struggling together. Then I noticed that it was 11:00, Barney was on. Here is a picture of him watching Barney. After the show was over, like magic, he was back to normal, a happy, content, little boy! He played for a little bit, ate lunch and then went down for a nap like clock work. Thank you Barney!

And the snow just kept coming!

This is what Dave woke up to at 4:45 this morning! I woke up at 5:15 to him talking on the phone about whether or not to cancel school. While Dave worked, I laid on the coach and watch the news. After Dave announced that school was closed, my job was the watch the bottom of the screen for Wheaton Academy's school closing. It took at least a 1/2 hour to get all to the "W" to make sure Wheaton Academy's was announced. That is a lot of school closings!

It started snowing yesterday (Thursday) morning around 8:00 and never stopped all day. A 1/2 hr trip that Dave has to get home, took 1 1/2 hours! The news kept saying that the worse had not gotten to us yet. I have not heard what offical amount, but it look like we got at least 6 inches!

While Dave was out shoveling the snow, Alex and I headed out to get some pictures. Alex was not to sure about standing in the snow! Just think, next winter this boy will be begging me to go out and play in the snow! While shoveling snow, Dave helped the mail lady get her truck unstuck, and helped the neighbor girl get her sports car out of her driveway.

Thankful Thursday

So, I am not sure how much of a Thankful Thursday this will be but I will try. I am feeling a little like a trapped animal in my house with it being to cold outside I just don't want to go anywhere and yet I just want to go anywhere!!! What am I to do???

Things I can be thankful for......
1. A garage!!! How excited I get when I am on the way home and it is cold outside and I know that I have a garage to pull into when I get home. The other great things is that not everything is frozen when I get in the car!
2. How great it is to have friends who blog. It makes me feel a little more connected with the outside world while I am feeling trapped at home.
3. Bible Study starts this coming Monday. Every Monday, Alex and I will have some place to go and I will have some good quality time with fellow Moms!
4. Public Television is wonderful! We have have very basic cable right now and therefore the only kids shows we get are on WTTW Public Television. They have some great shows for Alex in the morning. Every Mom's know those moments when their kids need a little distraction while then get some stuff done!! Barney comes on at 11:00, Alex will sit in his chair for the full 1/2 hour that it is on! What is it about a dancing Dinosaur that kids love?

A new place to hide

This is Alexander's favorite place to play now. We keep his balls in here and before he would just open up the doors and take the balls out. Now he will crawl in to take the balls out!

The other day I was on the computer and I heard Alexander playing next to me. I look over and did not see him. I looked around to see where he could have gone to so fast. Then I noticed the head popping out of the cabinet. To cute and therefore I had to take a picture.

Bookworm

My son is just to bright for me at times. He loves for me to read him books. When he finds one, he will bring it to me and expects me to read it to him over and over and over and over again. There are times that I hide them so that I can get stuff done. Well this morning, he was on to me. He brought me his Noisey Farm book and we read it about 5 times and then he got distracted by something out the window. I took the opportunity to hide the book. He went looking for it and could not find it. Every other time before this, if he can not find it, he will just find another toy to play with and life goes on. This time he headed (crawled) down the hallway. I soon followed to find out what he was doing. Well, I found him on his way up the stairs. I told him that I was staying downstairs, but he headed up anyways. He rounded that corner at the top of the stairs and was out of sight. I waited and soon enough he came around the corner with a book in hand. The boy could not find his book in the family room, so he headed to his room where we keep his books to get another one for me to read! He brought the book all the way down the stairs and handed it to me! Having putting that much effort of get this book, I could not turn him down and read it to him until he was done and never tried to hide it from him!

Thankful Thursday

I know that it has been a long long time since I have done one of these....so enjoy this one for who know when the next one will be!

1. A warm house! It is cold outside (I am not thankful for the cold)! To add to that, I am thankful that I enjoy being in my house. There are plenty of days I decide it is just to cold to go anywhere!
2. A son that sleeps. Alex had decided to now sleep for 13 hours at night and still gives me a good 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. For an introvert like myself, these times are a blessing.
3. Alex has been healthy this winter and I am very thankful for that. We have been to the Dr, once for sickness back in November. I remember last winter, I was probably there once a month for some reason or another.
4. I love that we can hear the baby's heart beat every month. It is just a little bit of reassurance that everything is ok!

I am Legend

Last Saturday, Dave gave me some time away from home. I was feeling a little trapped and just needed some time by myself outside of the house. So I decided to catch I am Legend at the movie theatre. Oh, my, goodness! What a great movie. I wish Dave would have gone with me because it is one of those movies that you just need to process about afterwards. The emotions I felt, it has been awhile since I have shed that many tears for a movie for so many different emotions. So, if you are looking for a good movie that both men and women will like, go see I am Legend. Plus it is a great action movie to see on the big screen. I am sure that you will miss a lot if you wait to watch it on DVD on your little screen! Don't forget to take someone with you. You may need to debrief.

Alex's chair

I am not sure who is more excited about this chair, me or Alex. The chair is Alex's Christmas gift from the Tucker Cousins, but I really wanted this chair too I have looked at this chair in Pottery Barn's catalog, before I had a kid, and thought it was the coolest thing. So I am very excited to have it in my home for Alex to enjoy. He has enjoyed climbing in to sit down and then turning around to get out. Something he just can not do on the rest of the furniture in this house. After lunch today, he watched Thomas the Train in his chair before his afternoon nap. It was so cute!

Spring Fever

Wow is it nice outside! According to TWC.com is is 65 degrees here in Aurora. I was just outside doing to things I should have done in the fall but never got around to do them and I started thinking of the things I would like I would like to do with our landscaping come this spring. Of course, I then had to remind myself that Spring is not for at least two months maybe three months depending on how March treats us! And then on top of that, I don't get to plant flowers until at least the middle of May! That is four months away! By that time...I may be just to big to be able to do much of anything outside.

But with all that said, I am very thankful for a day like today that I could open a window and let some fresh air in!

Funny Story

First I have to give some background to the story. My husband is addicted to tossing balls. If there is a ball around, Dave (without thinking) will pick it up or kick it up and begin to toss it in the air and then catch it. He will often do this while lying on his back watching TV or just talking with people.

Alex has also taken a liking to balls. Like most boys, they are his favorite toy. So last night, Dave and I watching Alex roll onto his back on a pillow on the floor and then throw one of his small balls. He did this a few times before Dave realized what he was doing. He was doing what he has watched Dave do over and over again. Lie on his back and throw the ball in the air and catch it. Only, Alex was unable to catch the ball. So he would throw the ball in the air, roll over off the pillow and go retrieve the ball, then crawl back over to the pillow, lay in his back and throw the ball again! It was very cute. This is our first reminder that our son watches us very closely!

Long time over due

We have had some excitement in our family. And this new is bigger then my recent news! My brother and sister-in-law, Joel and Lisa, had their first child at the end of November! I can not believe it has taken me this long to blog about this....but hey, better late then never! My parents went out to visit them in California over Christmas and look this video Micah on his first Christmas morning! Isn't he precious!

Christmas Update

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year. Alexander stayed out of the tree and he actually opened his own gifts! He is getting so big. We spent our first Christmas Eve in Chicago this year. Dave enjoyed singing in the the Christmas Eve service, and then we headed over our friend's house (The Garcia's) for some good Spanish Food, a seafood dish called Paella. I am not someone who loves seafood....but this was an amazing dish. Even Alex could not get enough. We took off Christmas morning for Indiana and spent the next few days with Dave's family. On Thursday we drove back to Chicago in time to pick my parents up at the airport. They spent a few day with us before we took them back to the airport. It was a good thing they flew out of Midway, because O'Hare was having a lot of cancelled and delayed flights. My parents did not have a problem with any of their flight!

Here are some pics of our Chirstmas!

Alex playing in the box that the presents from Grandma and Grandpa Robinson came in. Who cares what is in the presents when you get a box this size!

The Big Announcement

Some people have been patiently waiting for this post....and here is finally it. As you can see from the picture, we are expecting the fourth member of our family! I took the test twice because the box came with two test! I have been feeling ok, just a little tired and slow mornings. Alex spends many morning playing while I hang out in the floor with him. I am very glad that he can entertain himself. We went for our first Dr. appointment two weeks ago to hear the heart beat (that is always the coolest thing to hear). I am almost at 13 weeks. We are due July 8th. We will be posting some pics of my growing belly as the weeks go by.

Back by popular demand!

Here he is once again. Just as cute as ever. Lots of things happening around here. To much to get into right now....but I will post again to fill you in (I promise!). Just thought you were long over due for a Alexander fix!

Halloween Update

Hello everyone....I thought you would enjoy some picture updates.....


Our church has a Fall Festival every year at the property we are building our building on . They had pony rides for the kids! So we introduced Alex to ponies for the first time. Alex was eating apples at the time, so one pony had a little nibble on Alex's hand because it smelled like apples. Alex was not sure what to think about it! He did not actually take a ride on the pony, maybe next year!
This year we passed out candy to trick or treaters. It was great to see the neighbor kids all dressed up! Plus it was fun to be a part of a neighborhood again! We decided that Alex did not need to trick or treat this year. One reason, I really did not want the candy around the house for me to eat and the second reason is with all of Alex's allergies, he would not have been able to eat any of it!!! It might be awhile before he goes trick or treating. So we bundled Alex up and he sat outside with us while we passed out the candy. He enjoyed watching all the kids!

The missing pumpkin

Sunday morning, as a pulled out of the driveway, I looked at the front of my house and though that something was amiss but could not put my finger on it. I pulled into the driveway when I came home and realized what it was my pumpkin, MY PUMPKIN IS GONE! Well, who ever took, if they were planning on carving that pumpkin, they were disappointed when they got home. The pumpkin they took has a big crack on the bottom from being dropped! It was probably already starting to rot! At least I still have my pumpkin by my door. Apparently that one was to close the house to take.

Alex's favorite past time

It is Pumpkin Time

Since it was a beautiful day today, after Alex's nap, we went to a Fall Festival. What I was really wanting was pictures of Alex with pumpkins to go with the pictures I have of him from last year. Not only did we find pumpkins but we also found, pony rides, hayrides, a haunted barn, tilt a whirl, petting zoo, and much much more. We made a mental note that Alex will love to go back there when he is two! There was not much for him this year. Here are some pictures of our afternoon!

When we first sat Alex down...he really did not want to touch the pumpkin. Here is is being so brave.

He is just so cute!

This pumpkin weighed 319 lbs! That would be 16 of Alex!! I will stick with just one, Thank you! (A note from Dave: The pumpkin being referred to is the orange one.)

Taco Soup

I had a request for the recipe for Taco Soup. So, I decided to share it with my faithful readers. Dave found this recipe in a magazine during our first year of marriage and we have been eating it every winter since!

1-2 lbs of browned ground beef (or ground turkey)
2 cans whole kernel corn, undrained
2 cans chili beans (hot or mild), undrained
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 envelope Taco seasoning

Dump it all in a pot and cook it until hot. Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips or anything else you put on a taco.

I always make this in a crock pot so that it simmers all day (like chili, the longer it cooks the better it tastes). This last time, to get more veggies in it, I browned the meat with sauteed onions and green peppers. I have also used half the amount of meat and a can of back beans (increases good fiber and reduces the saturated fat without getting rid of the good flavor that ground beef adds to the soup). Change and adapt this for you family. I am sure it will be your family favorite!

Birds

So it all stared in Tuesday. Alex and I ran out in the morning to run some errands. As we were getting out of the car at home I could hear a bunch of birds singing. I went looking for them, but could not see them. I thought that it was strange for it sounded like a huge flock of birds, I should have been able to find them easily. That afternoon, during Alex's nap, I happen to look out our back door and there they were, hundreds of some kind of black bird. They were covering our backyard and our neighbor's. They soon flew off and disappeared. Until Wednesday, I heard them again. There in our front yard, hundreds of that same bird. It was freaky, when something would spook them and they flew off, your could he them taking off. I am sure that if I would have been standing outside, I would have felt them taking off. I watched them move from one yard to another like a dense fog. Then today....gone...did not see them. Not even a stray.

Thankful Thursday

Here is what I am thankful for.....

1. I have recently found the joy of Garage Sales! Alex and I go garage sale-ing every Friday. I love it b/c it gets me out of the house and every so often I find a really good deal. Hopefully the rain stops for awhile tomorrow so we can get out.
2. Taco Soup. This has been a favorite of Dave and mine for awhile. Now I think Alex is very thankful for it. He loves it!!! The best thing....so easy to make.
3. Breakfast with friends. A few months ago some friends and I started going out for breakfast one Saturday a month. This past Saturday was the morning. Dave was in Bloomington...but I really wanted to go. So I got a babysitter and headed out for a relaxing morning with some good friends!
4. My brother and sister (in-law) are having a baby! It is so fun to think about Alex growing up with their son! I can not wait to met him. They are due at the end of November.

Go Team

Well all the hard work that the Wheaton Academy Golf team put into this season paid off. Thursday they headed down to Bloomington IL for the State finals! So Alex and I said Good-bye to Dave for a few days as he went to cheer on his team!!! For those who don't know, along with the communication duties and teaching classes, Dave also coaches golf. After two days of golfing....the team placed 5th in the State. They were a little disappointed, for they did not play well the first day. They stepped it up the second day and finished well. But I say, for being a young team. they did great!!

Yeah for Mars!!!

I can not believe anyone would want to mess with Chocolate. I am guessing that not a lot of women were a part of this decision, for the majority of women would know better!!!! Click here to find out what they wan to do with our sanity. Last I heard, there was not word on what Nestle was planning on doing.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for.....

1. Golf season is almost over. Dave has been very, very busy with work and golf for that last two months! Alex and I will enjoy having him home again! Alex does not get up until after Dave's leaves for work and is asleep before he gets home. I think Dave will be welcoming the change of pace also!

2. Fall is finally here.

3. Pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks! Sooooo good!

Brownies

OK, I found a great little way way to make already great brownies into even better brownies. Make up you favorite box mix or make your own if you want to, then spoon in a few dollops of peanut butter (I used creamy, but crunchy could work also). Using a knife, swirl the peanut butter around and bake according to the box directions! Enjoy them hot with glass of milk!!! Our small group enjoyed them on Sunday and then I enjoyed them the rest of the week!

Look what I can do

We took these pictures today...but Saturday night, while Dave was at Wheaton Academy's Homecoming, Alex accomplished something big!

Funny

I found this in a Reader's Digest. Maybe I will use it in a few years!

"Even through the toddler was having a furious tantrum, his mom was unfrazed. "You may as well give up on the crying," I heard her say as she lead him to the store exit. "You're stuck with me for 18 years."

Cute?!

How could I forget about my son

Here is a picture of Alex at the wedding. He did a great job. It helped that the wedding was outside. The little noises he did make were not noticable. His new thing in life is the throw everything overboard and then sign "please" to have me pick everything up so he can just throw everything overboard again. Let me tell you, it is great fun! At home or in the car...he does without, but at the wedding when I wanted him quiet...his wish was my command! When I got sick of picking everything up, I got out some snacks to munch on. He did not throw those overboard! Thanks Melissa for the use of the stroller! Thanks Kim for inviting us to celebrate with you and for letting Alex come with me!

On the road again

Well, as you read in the last post, Alex and I made a trip to Ohio this past weekend. My friend, Kim, from youth group got married this weekend. I was not going to miss it. Dave had a golf match on Saturday and the wedding was not until Sunday, so he could not go with us. We left him in Chicago Mia! I think Mia enjoyed the uninterrupted time with him! She had a lap and a side of the bed all to herself! Cat bliss!

Anyways back to the wedding. Kim was a beautiful bride. The wedding was sweet and simple. Those are often the best! Her best friend Bekah was her maid of honor. Bekah arrived in town from Disney World that morning. Needless to say, she was a little tired by the end of the day! She married Jake Reeder. They went to the same High School, but did not hang out in the same crowd. So they did not know each other until recently. They started talking at gathering at a mutual friend's house. They have been happily together since. I hope I have the story straight. If I do not, please let me know.

Mary, a friend from Church, watched Alex during the ceremony so I could get some pictures, but I was unable to figure out how get take pictures, talk with friends and take care of my son during the reception. I figured, taking pictures was the least important, so no pictures of the reception. Here some on pictures of the ceremony...enjoy!

Kim and her Dad

Jake and Kim Reeder

Home Sweet Home

It all started the weekend before when Dave, Alex and I went to Indiana for our niece, Julia's Birthday and Dave's Dad's Birthday! After School on Friday, Dave come home, we ate dinner finished packing and we were on our way. Alex must of been to excited to sleep, for he us awake for the whole three hours! Mind you, we left at 7:00, which is his bed time! We had Dave's Dan's Birthday Saturday morning and Julia's Sunday afternoon. In between, we had a blast with family. Alex decided that playing with his cousins was more important then naps.


After Dave's Dad's Birthday, Alex decided not to nap. So, we all got to go watch Jack play football Saturday afternoon. Isn't he cute in his uniform?
Sunday afternoon, we packed up the car again and headed home just in time for Small group!

Alex and I spent that next week getting ready for our weekend trip to Ohio. Dave had to stay in Illinois for golf. So, Friday morning, I packed up the car and headed out yet again. My friend, Kim was getting married and I was not going to miss it! Alex spent the weekend visiting great grandparents and playing with my friend Melissa's two kids. By Monday morning, Alex and I both were ready to go home! With a short stop in South Bend to visit a friend, we completed our 11 hour trip home with much relief. I have never seen Alex get so excited to be at home and play with his toys again! The boy went down for the night like butter!!