Rachel and I are huge fans of the NBC hit show show, The Office. We have every episode on my Ipod and we’ve watched each one multiple times. Well . . . needless to say, we were super excited when we found out that one of the characters from the show was coming to visit the Jr. High school where I teach. Phyllis Smith, who plays the character, Phyllis Lapin on the show was at JJHS today. You can read her bio here.

Being the huge fans we are (and figuring that Zane will probably one day love the show too), Rachel brought him over to get his picture taken with Phyllis. She held him and cooed over him (as everyone does . . . cause he’s sooo cute, you know!), but she did not autograph his forehead with a Sharpie (as was suggested by many of my students). We talked to her a bit. She’s originally from St. Louis, she used to be a St. Louis Cardinal cheerleader and she’s just a really nice person. If you too are fan of “The Office”, she told us that new episodes would be airing in April.

You can see pictures from Zane’s first celebrity encounter below.

We had two baby showers this weekend – one on Saturday in Cape and one on Sunday in Perryville. They were really nice (Thank you Beth, Kim, Brandy, Grandma Linda and Grandma Charlyn for putting them together) and it was so nice to get to see everyone. But, honestly . . I’m wiped out!! I think more energy was drained by the showers in those two days than by Zane in the last 3 weeks.

Although I’m tired, I’ve learned a lot in the last two days. Things that I’d like to share with you now:

1. People like babies way more than they like adults – Seriously, everyone has been so generous. We really can’t say, “Thank You” enough. Between friends at work, friends from church, neighbors and all of our other family members and friends who attended the shower (or sent gifts through the mail), we have accumulated so much stuff I don’t know what we’re going to do with all of it. It looks as though I may have to get rid of my grand piano and perhaps one of our vehicles (and maybe even the dog) to make room for everything.

2. The majority of the rest of my life will be spent installing batteries and putting stuff together. I’m pretty sure I spent less time studding, dry-walling, sanding, painting, and finishing my basement than I’ve spent putting toys together in the past week (toys, by the way, that Zane won’t even be able to play with for another couple of months). And what’s up with the batteries. I have to use a screw driver to put in batteries . . . really? I don’t think you should have to get out a toolbox for baby toys (but what do I know).

3. Babies smell good (OK . . . that’s random. But I think they do).

4. Thank God for digital cameras. If I had to spend money developing film for the number of pictures that I’ve taken since Zane was born, we would be filing chapter 13 about now. If you’d like to see the pictures from this past week, they are now on the website. Click here and Enjoy!!

All of our gifts - Thank You!

Anyone who knows Rachel and I at all knows that we’re not the most timely people . . . Uh, sorry. . . correction – anyone who knows me (Tyson), knows that I’m not most timely person. Rachel is actually a very timely person, but unfortunately for her, she comes as a package deal with yours truly. If we’re supposed to be somewhere at 5:00 PM people will usually tell us 4:30 just to make sure we’re on time . . . and that was before we had a kid. Now . . . we don’t even stand a chance. We just live in a state of perpetual lateness. If you want us to be somewhere at 5:00, you’d better tell us Noon (well maybe it’s not that bad . . . but you better give us at least an hour of wiggle room). And don’t expect us to look good when we get there. Rachel never has time to do her hair anymore so she just pulls it back while it’s still wet and this is what we affectionately refer to as “The Mommy-Do”. If it were socially acceptable, I would just leave the house in my underwear. At least we’d be more likely to show up on time.

The "Mommy-Do"

Zane had his 2nd apt. with the pediatrician on Friday and according to her, all is going well. She said he’s a good color. At first, I thought she was racist, but then I realized she was referring to his hue and not the fact that he’s caucasian. So that was good. I thought we were going to have to change doctors after only two visits. Anyway, Zane weighed in at 6 lbs, 10 oz. on Friday (10 oz. over his birth weight), but he’s probably up to 6 lbs. 13 oz. by now because he’s a really good eater (yet another similarity to his father). He’s gaining about an ounce a day. At that rate, I figure by March he’ll be in the heavyweight division for baby boxing. (Baby boxing . . . what an interesting idea . . . perhaps someone should pitch that to Michael Vick).

OK, back to the pediatrician thing. For some reason, I can never remember the word “pediatrician” when I’m telling people that we’re taking Zane to the doctor. It’s so embarrassing because I keep wanting to say “podiatrist”. Now I realize that a podiatrist is a foot doctor, but in the moment, for some reason, the word “pediatrician” just won’t come to me. It’s really weird. Perhaps down deep, I’m concerned that Zane actually needs an apt. with a podiatrist. Have you seen his feet? Proportionally, they’re like canoes at the bottom of broom sticks. And his big toe . . . yeesh!! You know when a cartoon character hits his thumb with a hammer and it swells up really big like a balloon and turns red. Well, take away the redness and that’s Zane’s big toe all the time.

OK . . . I’m exaggerating a bit (and I’m going to get in trouble for this post from Zane’s grandmothers), but seriously, he does have unusually big feet for an infant.