team i²

Phoenix Thanksgiving

2011-12-15T16:35:00.000-06:00

"Team Sorensen" took a family trip to Phoenix, AZ for Thanksgiving...mostly to see Natalie/Steve & new baby LUKE! His arrival was quite traumatic and quite miraculous.We praise God that he is a seemingly fine healthy, growing baby (and we will try to post a pic soon).

nice plane ride down

the cousins thanksgiving outfits (made my Shannon)

the "girls" listening to Disney music in their "hideout"

snack break back at "base camp" after hiking

and this video speaks for itself:

Halloween

2011-12-08T09:59:00.000-06:00

Thought we should share some fun pix from the end of October. Most are from Halloween with a few randoms:

-Irene decided that she wanted to paint the pumpkins instead of carving them...or as Isaac liked to call them, "Bunkins"...

-Irene wore the Cinderella dress from her summer Disney trip...and Shan whipped up a last second ear thing because we live in MN and MN is cold.

-This was arguably Jeremy's best costume ever (closely followed by the Ewok)...Shannon was instrumental in pulling it off. She dyed the entire thing, made the tie, made the hat, and made the boots...and Isaac was a brilliant "George".

-She also whipped up a "fairy godmother costume" as well...(CJ is the sultan from Aladdin-Annika was Jasmine, Eric was Aladdin, and Bee was the tiger, Rajah)

-Irene wrote her own bday card for Shannon...she spelled her name and Isaac's with no assistance from me. Super cute...

-Apparently Shannon used to do this as a little girl too.

A New Goal...

2011-11-30T23:21:00.000-06:00

Kids grow up fast...we love sharing our kids with people.

So, I have a new goal to blog at least once per week. Obviously, loads of stuff has happened since July...instead of pretending to catch up in some type of order, we will post randomly fun stuff in no particular order from the past few months.

Tonight's effort will be a link to our youtube channel...uploading iphone videos straight to youtube is fun and easy. Check back periodically for new videos. Here are couple of recent fun ones below:

(Thanksgiving '11 swimming in Arizona)

(Irene likes to dance, Nov. '11)

(Isaac likes to drive, Oct. '11)

Isaac = "Laughter"

2011-07-19T22:01:00.001-05:00

Here are 2 videos that we have been meaning to post. We have prayed that Isaac would come to embody his name...we think he is off to a good start!

(Dancing is from May 2011)

(The Cage is from June 2011)

Irene is 3

2011-07-13T12:21:00.000-05:00

Well, apparently blogging drops on the level of importance when moving across the country with 2 small kids. What better excuse to get pulled out of the blogging doldrums than a birthday!? We spent a week in St. Louis with the Iwasz family (minus Rachel = sad)...We had a great time swimming and hanging out. Will get an album up soon, but want to share some pix...for any sisters who might live in Seattle and weren't able to attend.

technology is fun

2011-04-20T20:55:00.002-05:00

soundcloud is a pretty amazing application that allows one to record things on one's phone, then upload and share via the internet...good times (and I'm glad these things were not around during my high school and college days).

anyway, here are some fun things that we have recorded:

Irene singing "wheels on the bus" (march 2011) by iwasjar

Irene singing "itsy bitsy spider" on Saturday afternoon by iwasjar

Irene reading in car by iwasjar

Irene reading by iwasjar

Isaac is funny

2011-03-18T21:41:00.000-05:00

Moving + Breaking + Snow

2011-03-07T20:48:00.015-06:00

Moving across country with 2 small kids in a relatively short time frame is highly stressful. We feel slightly out of whack. Our families have been very supportive and helpful through the process, and we are thankful...and now for an update:

We had our friend, Jennie Sewell (a regular contributor to the blog, via photos!), take some "1-year photos" of Isaac (and 2.5 years of Irene):

-He was sick this day.

-Jeremy and Shannon did NOT plan on being in these pictures.

-and Jennie's son makes an appearance at the end! hope you enjoy the pix!

We moved from Murray, KY to Minnesota:

-The kids have done well with the transition. Saying goodbye to Murray was a little sad. We had made some fun friends in our short time there, and Irene had to say goodbye to her "first real friends".

-Isaac LOVES to sled. Irene LOVES to build snow men (and make snow angels). Irene warmed up to sledding after a while...and a little peer pressure (friendly) from the neighbor girls helped! Irene also LOVES hot cocoa after snow time.

We have our first broken bone! Isaac has a small fracture in his wrist. He simply fell while running around. He has to wear the cast for 2 weeks. Things could be worse.

The new album is from January and February. Hope you enjoy the pix.

Isaac = 1

2011-01-21T07:23:00.005-06:00

Isaac turned 1 in December. We finally took him to the Dr for his wellness checkup in mid-January...

Isaac: 22 lbs, 31 inches (both in the 50%)

Compared to

Irene: 27 lbs, 33 inches (both in the 95%)

However, Isaac's head size is still in the +90% range...that's my boy! Here are a couple of pix. One he is rocking a curly mullet and the other he is representing the land of rice and beans.

Here is another album of some December pix. Hope you enjoy!

December

2011-01-04T21:04:00.002-06:00

Isaac turned 1. He decided it was time to start walking. He takes more steps every day...but still prefers to crawl mostly as it is much faster!

Irene is 2.5 going on 18...we will have our hands full with her...and God definitely has a sense of humor.

here is the first of 2 december albums...we will get a more christmas-themed one up soon.

Merry Christmas 2010!

2010-12-25T09:55:00.003-06:00

Irene just wants a "big Christmas tree" for Christmas...

Isaac just wants whatever Irene has...

Jeremy/Shannon just want to sleep...

Hope you all have a great Christmas!

November 2010

2010-12-14T15:24:00.003-06:00

Isaac turned 11 months old. We went to St. Louis for Thanksgiving. Everyone got sick. We didn't take many pictures.

We also made a very quick trip to Memphis at the beginning of the month. Traveling with kiddos is tough. I think we need a big conversion van with captain's chairs, a bed, and a cubby hole.

Enjoy the new album.

2 months late...

2010-12-01T10:02:00.004-06:00

so Isaac is now 11 months old. and these pix were taken at 9 months. that is a lot of elapsed time in baby world. oh well, hope you enjoy them anyway!

October 2010

2010-11-18T21:06:00.006-06:00

Irene is funny. Here are some examples:

Jeremy is reading books to Irene, sitting on the couch...she stops, points at my face, and says, "this is the long nose".

Irene: "humongous is my favorite color"

Me: "Irene, do you love mama?"

Irene: "Yeah...(pause)...she is the best"

(Irene playing with a little toy princess cell phone)

Me: "...oh, is Cinderella calling from the castle?"

Irene: " No, she bought a house."

We asked Irene if she was ready to eat lunch and she said, "oui, oui oui" as she ran into the kitchen. (She is a big fan of "Fancy Nancy")

Not only does she speak French, she occasionally has a southern accent when saying certain words: "sad", "around", "dad", "well", "mad", "mommy", "help"

Irene is 2 years, 3 months in this photo. Shannon is 4. That is the same dress.

Isaac is hilarious in much different ways. After he wakes up in the morning he will sit quietly and read books for about 5-10 minutes...then he NEVER stops moving, yelling, talking, climbing, jumping, banging, opening, closing, crawling, drooling, smiling, or crying until he goes to bed. He makes us smile a lot and is a joy to be around (except in the middle of the night, which he still has trouble sleeping through). We had a friend take some 9-month photos for us...here is a teaser and we will post some more from the session soon.

Be sure to check out the new album of October pix.

Halloween, Murray style...

2010-10-31T15:34:00.005-05:00

Halloween is not celebrated on Sundays in Murray, KY...we find this funny. but understandable.

Irene wanted to be a duck again, which was fine with us! and Isaac was a bumble bee while our friend Henri was a spider!

Some Pictures of Kids Growing Up

2010-10-18T21:48:00.003-05:00

It was September. Here are some pictures...

Isaac is mobile...

2010-09-29T21:43:00.003-05:00

He is "crawling"...or rather pulling himself along the ground. He is a boy. Very active. Very wiggly. Very wanting-to-stand-up and walk and run and jump. Irene is quickly learning (with reminders) to move her toys and books out of reach of her mobile brother.

We also think he has started making sounds for things:

-dadadada

-mamamamamamam

-bababababbababab (ball)

Here are a few more pix from the summer. We will post some Sept pix soon.

some new pix...finally...

2010-09-16T20:54:00.006-05:00

Isaac is nearly 9 months old...Irene turned 2 in July. Time is not slowing down. Here is a smattering:

-Isaac and Irene really really enjoy one another. It is brilliant to watch them together.

-Isaac is allergic to dairy...very very...the Dr. said that some kids grow out of it, but she was not getting our hopes up...

-Irene narrates her whole life...she never stops talking, unless new people pay attention to her...the latest fun thing is that she has started to sing some songs: Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children, the ABCs, the Itsy Bitsy Spider, and a few others...

Here is a new album from the summer...

Fun with names and songs

2010-09-01T10:24:00.000-05:00

We will get another album up soon for the last couple of months...but these videos are fun and easier...hope you enjoy!

Irene the Rock Star

2010-08-24T21:43:00.001-05:00

Isaac kicking a ball...

2010-08-14T11:27:00.001-05:00

Happy Belated Birthday Irene

2010-08-09T15:27:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the absence. July was a tough month: Shannon and the kids in MN for much of it, Jeremy working soccer camps all over the southeastern US, moving places (still in Murray), and the start of preseason in early August...it all added up. We'll be posting some things more frequently to catch up!

IRENE TURNED 2!!!!! and decided to become a little girl. more pix will follow in an album, but here are some for starters:

June 2010

2010-07-03T09:48:00.003-05:00

Not much to report...just wanted to post another album. Hope you enjoy the pix!

We love the World Cup...

2010-06-19T14:32:00.004-05:00

...so much that we don't mind waking up EVERY day with Isaac at 6:30am...he is like clockwork. every day. 630am. bright eyed and bushy tailed. and just in time for the first games.

Go USA!

"This song is beautiful"

2010-06-06T20:05:00.004-05:00

A little over a week ago we were sitting on the couch watching the US men's soccer team play a match against the Czech Republic. Listening to the Czech national anthem, Irene suddenly says, "this song is beautiful!"...we were shocked that she knew the word beautiful, much less how to recognize the beauty of a song (and the song was beautiful).

Tonight we learned that we may still have to teach her about "beauty" and "music"...

We have a new ritual where we dance in our kitchen to music. Irene loves to move her body in all kinds of funny ways. Tonight we were dancing away having a great time when she said again, "this song is beautiful!"...the song playing was Young M.C.'s "Busta Move".

Here is a new album of our May adventures. We traveled to Minnesota for Nana's retirement party and then St. Louis for Gigi's birthday.

Singing & Reading

2010-05-29T13:05:00.006-05:00

Irene has really started to sing recently. She has a few songs in her repertoire. This is one of our favorites...The video is poor quality as it was taken with a digital camera (not the video camera)...but still pretty cute and worth a post!

She also loves to read to her brother...This video is back from March and April. It is a bit long but very fun.

Isaac at 4 months...

2010-05-16T21:20:00.010-05:00

Isaac had his 4 month checkup a couple of weeks ago...his stats were:

-16.8 lbs.
-25 & 3/4ths inches

His measurements are smaller than Irene's (18 lbs, 27 inches) were at the same time, BUT his rate of growth is greater (he started smaller and is still smaller, but he has grown more than Irene did over the same time frame). He is really really cute now that he has stopped crying so much. He has settled into a good schedule of eating, playing, and sleeping. We like him.

Irene is just hilarious. Her vocabulary seems to explode exponentially every week. Over the past 2 months, she has gone from a handful of phrases to speaking in complex sentences. She is shy so not everyone gets to experience this, but behind closed doors, she never stops talking! She makes us laugh a lot.

Hope you enjoy the new album!

Easter 2010

2010-04-13T13:02:00.011-05:00

We went to St. Louis to spend Easter with Jeremy's family. It was a good trip...other than nearly all the STL I's passing around a sick bug...we (thankfully) did not catch but it seemed to be awful for the infected. and definitely diminished "kid time" for them. sad. But here are some highlights:

-Isaac having a "blowout" on the drive up...we pulled off the highway at an exit with no services. We changed him on the top of the trunk. good times!

-going to the zoo on Saturday! it was a beautiful day and Irene and Xavi did very well! I think they outlasted Didu who was ready for a nap before them! :-)

-hanging out on the new deck/patio poolside. it is a beautiful addition and we are excited to go swimming when the water temps climb a bit!

-swimming in the hotel pool. Irene wore "water-wings" for the first time and she LOVED IT! She was a riot as she jumped fearlessly into the pool and loved "sim simming"...

-Xavi and Irene's first Easter Egg Hunt together...pretty much just watching Irene and Xavi interact the whole weekend was a riot. They are funny. Can't wait for Isaac to join in the shenanigans.

-Here is an Easter Album.

Sometimes a lot of things can change in a year...Here is a picture from Easter 2009 followed by one from 2010:
Also, these are the Easter outfits that the kids wore. We actually didn't get these pix until the following weekend, once we were back in Murray. But they are great and we thought we would share!

March 2010

2010-04-10T20:39:00.006-05:00

This will be the first of several quick posts in a row (over the next week). We've got a 'march album', an 'Easter album', and then a couple of videos to get up. This first one will be the MARCH POST...March is mostly a blur. The first week Irene was super sick. The second week Isaac was super sick and we were in the hospital...after that we're not sure what happened. These are pieces of the blur:

-Nana came down and spent some time in Murray.
-The weather finally decided to stop raining.
-Isaac's little personality finally started to emerge when we were in the hospital. He loves to smile, loves for us to read books to him, he LOVES his big sister, and he loves to try and swat/grab/etc. hanging things...
-Much like his sister, he hates to go to sleep...
-He is long. Not nearly as chunky as Irene but very long...
-Supposedly he looks like Jeremy...

Check out the new album.

RSV is not awesome…but big sisters are!

2010-03-13T14:26:00.009-06:00

We checked in to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. We HOPEFULLY get to checkout on Sunday morning…this is a long time to sit in a small room. We are mentally and physically wiped, but are thankful that Isaac is doing very well. He received breathing treatments every 4 hours, lived under an oxygen tent, got some gunk deep-suctioned out, and received a few other drugs for basic cold/ear infection. The nurses and staff have been wonderful. Shannon is so thankful that her mom could come help out. We are ready to go home. Thank you for praying.

"Go Away Dad"

2010-03-07T18:16:00.006-06:00

Irene has a lot of fun sayings. Here are a few more of our favorites:

"Go away dog"
"Mama, sit down"
"All dough, moke a bro bro mama"
"I want dis"
"Dada help"
"yuck a yuck" (rock a rock)
"a yittle td" (a little tv)

She has also started calling the dog and her brother by their names:

"Bruh bo" = "Icuss" (Isaac)
"Dog" = "Fufu" (Swiffer)

Isaac had his 2 month checkup last week. He was 12 lbs 13 ounces and 23 inches long...since then he has gotten fatter and added rolls to his thighs and chin. He also picked up a nasty upper respiratory infection that is currently kicking all our butts (Irene had it first and is coming out of it. Isaac is in the thick of the badness)...

Check out the new album here.

Also, we loaded a few more videos on youtube.

Irene talks on the phone

2010-02-21T09:16:00.002-06:00

"Moke a Bro-bo"

2010-02-12T17:12:00.008-06:00

Isaac is almost 7 weeks old...he is getting longer/taller but he is still super skinny! It has been an interesting ride as he has been a bit fussy. We have tried a variety of "cures" and feel like we have made progress, but he is definitely different than Irene!

Irene LOVES being a big sister. One of her favorite phrases is, "Moke a bro-bo" (milk for brother), which she says when Shannon nurses and/or pumps...she also loves, "bath a bro-bo" in which she gets to dump water all over brother.

New things with Isaac:
-he has started to smile consistently at us
-he will sleep a little bit longer (occasionally going 4 hours)
-he loves bath time...just like his sister did/does!
-he seems to be more coordinated than Irene was at this age; but less attuned to what is going on around him (just like men and women?!)

New things with Irene:
-she adds words to her vocabulary daily
-she has a number of different phrases and sentences that make us laugh/smile every time
-she LOVES her brother very much
-she is 36 inches (3 feet!) and 32 lbs
-she had her first "naughty moment"
Enjoy the new album!

Photo Shoot...

2010-01-31T10:06:00.008-06:00

We took Irene and Isaac to get some photos taken a few weeks ago. Isaac was about 2 weeks old. We took them to our new friend, Makenzie (http://www.makenzielynnphotography.com) and she did a great job! They have both changed so much since then, but we still wanted to share these. Follow the link to "proofs". choose "Irene and Isaac". the password is "shannon". hope you enjoy!

Photo Shoot Album

2 babies under 2

2010-01-21T14:39:00.008-06:00

Isaac started off as an "angel baby". He didn't make a peep the first 2 weeks. BUT then he found his lungs. We think it is a combination of digestive/gas issues coupled with a personality that cries when going to sleep. We are making progress, but 2 crying babies is torturous.

Irene seems to LOVE being a big sister. She is constantly wanting/trying to "help" momma: taking things to the trash, bringing "BRUH BOW" his paci, and patting his back after he's done nursing. We are thankful that the transition has gone well for her.

Enjoy the new album!

and these are similar pix taken at similar times...what do you think?

Goodbye 2009

2009-12-31T16:46:00.006-06:00

Some cuteness:

-Irene calls Isaac, "brother" or rather "brabo"...sort of sounds like "bra bow"...
-She fake cries for him...sort of like empathy in that she is crying in his place.
-She "washes" his hands and feet. She got a mini kitchen from Gigi and Didu for Christmas and she turns on the faucet to wash her hands, everyone else's hands, and then everything in the room.
-Irene has a Christmas book with a poem in it about a tiny reindeer named "Bob"...SO, she calls every reindeer and/or moose she sees, "Bob"...and she always says it with passion and conviction.

We hope you all enjoy or last (and probably favorite!) albums of 2009.

1.) December 2009
2.) Isaac's birth

"team i" is expanding...

2009-12-28T18:43:00.004-06:00

Isaac Soren Iwaszkowiec made his appearance today at 7:57am. A scheduled c-section is a lot less stressful than the alternatives. We highly recommend one. He weighed 7 lbs 13 ounces and was 20 inches long (for those who forget, Irene was 9 lbs and 22 inches...although she was in the womb for one week longer). We will post a few albums soon, but for now, enjoy the few favorites below!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T22:34:00.004-06:00

Merry Christmas!

Eat a cookie.

It will make you happy.

2 week countdown!

2009-12-14T21:59:00.008-06:00

Shannon decided to make a book for Irene to help her understand what is about to happen at our house. I thought these pictures were so precious that we should definitely share them!

November 2009-17 months old

2009-12-08T20:42:00.003-06:00

The main news this past month was our trip to Minnesota for Thanksgiving. Other than getting her first real sickness (Which was no fun...Jeremy has a new respect for parents dealing with sick kiddos!), Irene had a great time visiting the family! She LOVES to spend time with her cousins Annika and Eric.

She weighs about 32.5 lbs and is 35+ inches tall...still a big 'un...

The countdown is on for the arrival of "baby Felix"...scheduled c-section Dec. 28th if he doesn't come sooner.

Check out the new album.

Learning is Fun

2009-11-02T20:56:00.005-06:00

Irene is so verbal and really tries to say new words all the time. Some of our favorites:

"ducka" = duck
"all dough" = all done
"buck" = book
"pup" = poop
"tuhoo" = two
"crack" = cracker, food, eat
"tote" = toast

here is a video and we also added a photo album with fun fall pictures!

15 months old...and I live in Kentucky

2009-10-08T07:38:00.007-05:00

Irene is 15 months old! She continues to do funny stuff every day. It also seems like she daily adds a new word to her quickly expanding vocabulary. The latest funny ones: "pack-a-boo", "poop", "dog", "toast", and "crack" (which started out for cracker, but now includes anything she points to and wants us to get for her). Here are some other highlights from the last month:

-she had her first ice cream cone from DQ...and loved it.

-she went to st. louis to visit family and saw a bazillion "duckas"!!!

-she saw her first Murray State football game, which includes a live race horse that races around the track every time Murray score a touchdown. we got to see the horse up close before the game started and Irene was even brave enough to pat it gently...with one finger.

-she started saying "goal" after kicking her soccer balls.

-she still loves to read books with us, but now will "read to herself" as well. She babbles and babbles while turning the pages...she also loves to play with her baby dolls. she will rock them in her little rocking chair, put them down to take naps, push them in her baby stroller, and dress them up with necklaces, bracelets, and head bands!

In other "Team news", we never officially posted that "Felix" is going to be a boy. There was NO DENYING the ultrasound. There are definitely "boy parts" down there. Also, the official day of baby appearing is December 28th. We scheduled the c-section for that first Monday after the Christmas weekend. Felix is doomed to share a bday with Didu and Jesus. He will never feel appropriately celebrated and hold a grudge long into his adult life.

Here is some video of the DQ trip and be sure to check out the new album!

Viva Brasil!

2009-09-12T22:58:00.002-05:00

1 year checkup...at 14 months; baby "felix"; and a crazy duck video.

2009-09-02T21:35:00.006-05:00

Irene finally had her "one year checkup" today. She is a big, healthy, little girl.

-Weighed 28 lbs 15 ounces
-Measured 32.5 inches

Which is the average height/weight of a 2 year old. (She is starting to act like a 2 year old sometimes too!)

One side note: we find out the sex of "baby felix" tomorrow. we are excited. stay tuned.

Back to Irene. She still loves ducks and this has become one of her favorite videos to watch (2 sesame street videos and this duck video are the extent of her "tv watching"). We are posting this video because we think it is very funny/odd, quite addicting, and we want you to have this song stuck in your head. It will make you smile.

Who knew that a "rat's nest" was hereditary?

2009-08-27T17:24:00.003-05:00

This has been a common theme with Irene's morning hair recently. There is a striking resemblance to another iwaszkowiec family member:

Summer in MN

2009-08-24T20:32:00.005-05:00

now that Irene is over a year old, we probably won't be doing monthly updates, but rather updating with event worthy posts and or pictures...plus, it will give us a slight break until "Felix" arrives and we're back at posting at least once a month and probably more so...

Irene and Shannon spent all of July and half of August in Minnesota. It was a nice relaxing place for them while Jeremy sorted out all the transitional stuff for the move to Kentucky. Here is the latest web album of fun!

Fun Photo Shoot

2009-07-27T20:15:00.003-05:00

Irene and Annika are friends...

Auntie B captured some great moments in this photo shoot!

Party Pix

2009-07-10T20:42:00.003-05:00

Here is a link to Irene's bday party pix!

Happy Birthday Irene!

2009-07-09T10:08:00.004-05:00

On July 9, 2008 Irene Hope Iwaszkowiec came in to the world at 11:26pm...a lot changes over a year in the life of a baby. We have loved every minute of it and enjoy waking up every day to spend more time with her.

the big news this month is that she started WALKING! (see video below) over the course of one week (June 25-July1) she got more comfortable, determined, and coordinated. then on July 2nd, everything clicked and she has not stopped motoring around! she loves to walk from toys to books to people back to toys and then the whole thing all over again...she has had a few bonks and bruises but nothing tragic so far.

She is also cutting one of her top teeth...fun fun.

She loves to "read", jabber, and tell us what she likes and doesn't like.

She has started to love holding, playing with, patting, and talking to babies (dolls of all sorts, shapes, sizes, etc).

She now loves ducks. She hated them at Serenbe (at Russ/Kara's) but we think redemption happened at the Peabody on her last night in Memphis. We went to see them swim and do the march. It was a fun night and she really loved those birds.

Thank you to all who have shared in her life this first year. You have made it so special for us to be her parents. We love our expanding family and love sharing pictures, videos, and stories!!!

Check out the new album. We'll post another one soon with pix from today's bday celebration.

a lot changes in a week

2009-07-03T09:56:00.005-05:00

Irene left Memphis last Thursday on June 25...these videos were taken one week later in Minnesota on July 2. She wasn't doing this when she left...A lot changed over that week:

11 Months AND 11 Weeks

2009-06-14T19:54:00.011-05:00

Irene is 11 months old! She is a little mobile whirling dervish. We call her "destructo".

-she holds up her hand to her ear when she hears loud sounds...

-she points and grunt-squeels when she wants us to say what something is...

-she got her SECOND tooth. both on the bottom/middle...and she loves to use them. chewing/biting is getting quite a bit easier with teeth.

-she takes a few steps...between furniture mostly. she still isn't super confident so it mostly happens when she is distracted. Whenever we TRY to get her to do it she drops to the floor and crawls.

-her hair is getting longer and thicker. it is starting to get little curls/twists over her ears. and she likes to rub her food-hands in them whenever she eats. it is gross.

-she loves to swim. she is getting brave and puts her face in the water.

-she says "duck" all the time. we are trying to teach her what a duck really is...

-she is ready to be a big sister...

This picture is a little bit old. We took it toward the end of April as soon as we found out...Shannon is just about 11 weeks along and the due date is January 4th. Baby "write-off" (thanks Auntie Jo for that name suggestion!) might still be a 2009 baby with an earlier c-section. Sorry to those who we didn't tell in person or over the phone. SURPRISE!

and be sure to see the new album...

New Addition to our Bedtime Ritual

2009-05-31T21:59:00.005-05:00

Irene's bedtime ritual has been this:

-diaper time around 7 or 7:15
-bath around 7:30 or 7:45
-lotion, jammers, bottle around 8pm...

we've recently added one step...

10 months goes by in a flash

2009-05-17T10:33:00.005-05:00

Cliche's are cliche because they are true. time flies. we can't believe that Irene is 10 months old! She continues to get better at crawling. She zooms around the room in search of the next toy, book, swiffer, or just to follow us! She also loves to walk. She prefers to hold onto someone's hands (as you stand/walk behind her) but she will also walk holding onto furniture and even has a walking toy that she uses (she pushes it in front of her)...it has been a big month:

-Shannon and Irene visited Minnesota. Shan wanted to attend a baby shower for her childhood friend ANGIE who should be having her first baby any day now! also, in a bit of sad-yet-hope-filled-news, it was a great last time for baby Irene to see her great-grandmother-Irene! She passed away this past week...she lived a long good life and was ready to go HOME. Our sister-in-law blogged about it here. You should read it...she captured everything well.

-We took our first Florida vacation with the Iwasz-family! Irene LOVED the swimming pool and was a little fish; however, the same cannot be said about the BEACH...she hated the sand with a passion and only slightly put up with the ocean. She would tolerate it only if I were clutching her as tightly as I could while saying soothing things to her the whole time. but she loved hanging out with the family, her baby cousin, 3 dogs (two of them black!), and watching all the birdies/seagulls!

-she finally cut her first tooth! we were on the beach and she was playing with an empty glass bottle. She was sucking on the end of the neck and Shannon heard a "clink clink" sound! it was a super fun discovery, although not as fun that night when she woke up at 2am and would not get back to sleep until 4am...apparently cutting teeth hurts.

Check out 2 new albums!

Two Fun Videos

2009-05-03T18:58:00.003-05:00

This first one was supposed to be of her crawling, but it turned into other cuteness...the second one hopefully foretells a love of swimming...

Dancing Daisy

2009-04-26T20:12:00.004-05:00

A little video of Irene having a blast at her cousins' house.

Irene is 9 months old

2009-04-16T21:02:00.004-05:00

We had a busy month. Irene got her first St. Patrick's Day beads/parade on Beale Street. We spent some vacation time with Nana & Papa (shannon's parents) in hot Springs, Arkansas. We had Didu & Gigi (jeremy's parents) down to visit. We visited friends in Palmetto, Georgia (south of Atlanta) for her first Easter! and we took a boatload of pictures. Highlights from the month:

-she had her "9 month well-checkup" with the doctor. She weighed 24 lbs. 7 ounces...and was 31 inches long. This puts her the average size of an 18 month old. She is proportional though, so no need to worry about giantism or anything just yet.

-she says more words: uh-oh, dada, "swiffer", "hello" (which sounds like Day-O), and a boatload of other sounds/jabbering...whenever we try to get her to say "mama", she just signs "milk". which is sort of right, we guess...

-She has started crawling! Mostly it was army crawling for awhile, but now she is legitimately crawling and following us around...it is hilarious and she is so cute. She would rather prefer to stand and walk but still needs our support to do that...she can go from a crawling to a sitting position very easily. Every once in a while she will pull herself up from sitting/kneeling to standing (holding onto something) but that is still rare.

-We got her a toy cell phone and she loves it. She pretends to talk on it and even holds it up for us to "talk on"...

-She hates chicks and duckies (see video below).

-still a great eater and sleeper. we are introducing more and more foods, including more finger foods so she can feed herself. she has started holding onto cups and giving herself water/juice with a straw, and she also LOVES to drink water out of mommy and daddy's cups...

There is probably more that I'm forgetting...mostly, we love to watch her learn, grow, and develop. She is becoming a little person before our eyes...thanks for sharing her journey with us!

(be sure to check out the video below AND the 9 month photo album. it is long but fun)

Irene hates duckies

2009-04-16T08:20:00.006-05:00

When we first put her down and introduced a chick to her, she was all excited and reached directly for it...but then it moved and it freaked her out...from then on, she hated the little colored animals. This is a bit long, but the pay off is worth it. Stick around until the 1:06 mark...

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T10:01:00.003-05:00

We are in Atlanta (Palmetto, GA) visiting our friends Russ and Kara...we will post 9-month pix this upcoming week!

We hope Auntie B likes these!

2009-04-04T10:13:00.006-05:00

These are some videos we've been meaning to post. She does a boatload of funny things but it is tough to catch them. She is a turkey like that...she sees the camera and stops doing whatever she was doing!

This first one is quick. It is of Irene signing for "milk":

The next one is sort of long and is of Irene feeding herself some little treats. She LOVES to do this now. before meals and after!

We LOVE to hear her laugh.

Irene is 8 months old...

2009-03-11T20:42:00.005-05:00

so we are a few days late posting this, as some anonymous person so kindly pointed out! it has been a great month and it seems like another one in which Irene made many "leaps" in her development.

-She is signing "milk" now
-She waves "bye bye"
-She says, "uh oh" (video evidence below) and "dada"
-She is getting more and more mobile. Not quite crawling...more like scooting...and her ability to walk seems just as close as the crawl
-She can feed herself small bits of things. She can also give herself water out of the sippy cup.
-She loves to play "patty cake" and "head, shoulders, knees, and toes"
-She is eating more and more new foods...and seems to do well with them
-We didn't weigh or measure her yet...we will do that and add to this post later

So many fun things happened as well (as you'll see in the pix): Nana came to visit from MN. St. Louis family came down with little Xavi. We had a great time going downtown...she is a true brasilian as she loved Texas De Brasil! Memphis got 5+ inches of snow which didn't melt entirely for 2+ days (which is crazy for Memphis!)...She still loves bath time and those are some of our favorite pictures.

I wouldn't believe it....

2009-03-01T13:07:00.005-06:00

...but she's been doing it all morning!!

and we played in the snow!

UPDATE Irene is 7 months old 2.0

2009-02-12T19:38:00.004-06:00

(our cousin Candice MADE this dress for Irene...it is brilliant!)

We were a bit rushed in posting the 7-month old update. We forgot several BIG things:

-Irene took a big trip to St. Louis in the middle of January to meet her NEW COUSIN!!!! Conrad Xavier Iwaszkowiec was born on January 3rd..we call him "Xavi". It is pronounced "Javi" except the J sounds like the S in "measure", "pleasure", "treasure"...We are thrilled that Irene and Xavi are the same age and can't wait to see the little ones at the beach together this summer! (we got some family photos while there as well which we will try to get into the album as well)

-Also, Gigi and Didu came down to memphis to help with some house projects...Didu got a new camera for Christmas and we added a bunch of new pix from both of these events! (taken by him and others with said camera, which takes really nice pictures). So go look at the "7 month album" again...

Irene is 7 months old!

2009-02-12T10:49:00.006-06:00

Irene is 7 months old!

We have a new appreciation for "infant time" as it is such a short time in the life of a child/baby. It feels like another corner is being turned both in terms of her mobility and perception of the world around her.

She continues to be "off the charts" in terms of weight & length. We have "unofficial measurements" this month (she doesn't have another doctor's appointment until 9 months)...by our methods, she is close to 30 inches long and 22-23 pounds: both of which place her the size of an average 15 month old (in the 50th percentile for 15 month old).

Some interesting things:

-She is a picky eater. She loves some foods (sweet potatoes) and won't eat others (prunes).

-loves to eat cell phones...

-loves to sit and just "BE" with us...

-lots and lots of "talking". seems like she is going to be loud and fun (if she is comfortable). with new people/situations, she takes time before opening up...

Be sure to check out the new album!

New Tricks

2009-01-24T15:57:00.004-06:00

Irene has learned two new tricks since we last posted! She can "dance" and "sign"!

She has added some new moves since this video! She shakes her head "no" when she's dancing now.

She doesn't really sign "all done" til the end of the video...sorry you have to listen to me be super annoying in the mean time!!

Irene is 6 months old!

2009-01-12T20:33:00.007-06:00

Irene's stats this month at her 6-month checkup:

28+ inches long
19 lbs. 9 ounces
44 3/4 cm (head circum)

all are +95%

She is a big, healthy girl.

Some things she has started doing this month:

-sitting up very well.
-babbling instead of squealing.
-clapping...which includes clapping toys together loudly.
-she really likes the johnny-jump up as evidenced by video a couple of posts ago.
-started "scooching" on her back by placing her feet on ground and arching her back while pushing with her head...it is cute but annoying. we find her sideways up against the top of her crib (with her head stuck in the corner) frequently.
-eating solid foods...she loves sweet potatoes...but squash not so much.
-she likes it when we dance and sing.
-she still loves to kick the soccer ball.

We traveled to Minnesota for Christmas. She was a GREAT car traveler. We split the 13 hour drive up over two days (stopping in St. Louis for the night). She barely fussed/cried. We were thankful. She really enjoyed playing with her cousins and seemed to have a special bond with Annika (age 3). We had some funny/unique experiences like having her dedicated (at our old church, the LIFT) which took place the night of a snow storm! Aunt Rebecca sang a special song while nana played the keyboard, and the usual amount of LIFT shenanigans were experienced (like an acapella version of the little drummer boy). We went to the Mall of America several times and Irene seems to love people watching! We also saw Great-Grandma Irene several times which seemed to make both Irenes quite happy.

Check out the videos below and be sure to view the new album!

Our Best Present Ever

2009-01-02T21:12:00.003-06:00

Shannon took these photos nearly a month ago...It seems like she has changed so much since then, but we still wanted to share these photos with everyone.

It is almost Christmas...let's jump for joy

2008-12-24T11:37:00.002-06:00

Irene likes to jump.

also, she is cute in this hat.

Big Week

2008-12-11T12:09:00.005-06:00

Wow. Since the last time we posted a little over a week ago, Irene has learned some BIG THINGS!

1. She is still a wibble-wobble but she is starting to SIT UP consistently by herself. She can't maneuver too well but she isn't too bad so long as she doesn't get distracted...She seems to really love sitting, especially because her dropped toys are easily accessible to her (instead of disappearing forever when she drops them while lying on her back).

2. She is quickly becoming a fan of the johnny-jump-up! It is SO funny to watch her bounce and spin. She sort of favors leaning on her left leg (is she a leftie?!) and hops and hops and hops.

3. She is trying to "razz" all the time...this is when you put your lips together and blow out (making them vibrate quickly against one another)...it is SO cute to watch her try...she drools/spits everywhere trying to mimic us...the video we have of this isn't great, but it gives you some idea.

Hope you enjoy the video evidence of all 3!

Irene is 5 months old!

2008-12-03T20:22:00.013-06:00

November was a great month. Irene continues to change from "infant to baby" in so many ways.

We also survived our first road trip as we ventured to St. Louis for Thanksgiving. Timing drive time with nap time is a good thing. Overall, Irene was a great traveler...we loved showing her off to our immediate family as well as some of our extended family from Chicago. mostly it was a great time for her to be spoiled!

Be sure to check out the new photo album...

Tis the Season

2008-11-25T16:40:00.003-06:00

Shannon and Irene went over to visit Candice (Duffy) and the kids...Candice married Jeremy's cousin Brian. They have 3 beautiful/funny kids and live about 20 minutes away...

Candice did a great job of blogging about the photo shoot they did today. Check it out:

Irene and Noah's Christmas hat photo shoot

Here is a teaser...

2 Things

2008-11-13T19:03:00.003-06:00

The first thing, which is actually somewhat sad, is that Irene has developed "stranger anxiety" already. At first we thought it was only a select few individuals, however, it is spreading and she definitely gets sad/pouty/screaming if mom or dad aren't holding her...hopefully it passes soon.

The second thing is that she has picked up a new "habit". The first picture below is Shannon. The second one is Irene...What do you think?

Irene is 4 months old

2008-11-05T15:05:00.005-06:00

Irene is 4 months old. Everyone says it, but time really flies. It is hard for us to believe how big and old she is getting. :-) Seriously, we think this 3 to 4 month time frame is when she changed from an "infant" into a "baby". She is much more interactive, intentional, purposeful, whiny, big, etc...Here are a smattering of interesting (or not so interesting) things, thoughts, stories:

-She is reaching, grabbing, and holding things with a purpose. She is using both of her hands in coordination, not always efficiently or effectively but in unison none-the-less.

-Everything goes to the mouth...if she can get it there.

-She is a big big girl. We are going to the doctor Thursday and will get the official stats but we think she is around 18 lbs and 27+ inches long (we'll amend in the 'comments' after the appointment). Some of her 6-12 month clothes are tight/short. crazy.

-at night, before her bath we have a combination of "diaper time" and "naked time"...she LOVES this time and will play for an extra 30 minutes instead of getting fussy...

-she shrieks/squeals a lot...when we say a lot, we mean all day long. we joke that she is going to be a "talker"...so much talk talk talking...hopefully we always think it is as cute as we do now.

-she likes to be on her stomach more and more...she will/can roll over but she doesn't really like to...she likes to roll onto her sides. back and forth. back and forth. She also really likes to stand up. She has really strong legs and will stand on her own for awhile. We have started teaching her to kick a soccer ball. She is "locked in" and really concentrates when we pass the ball back and forth. One time she almost laughed while playing this game.

-she sleeps through the night and has been for awhile.

-she loves to go on walks.

-Shannon and I disagree over the color of her eyes. This is what we agree on: they are not blue but they are not brown. we don't know what they are.

-Her first Halloween was a success. Thank you to Shannon's friend Erica for the costume!

Below is a picture of a very content baby who has just finished eating...and be sure to check out the new album.

New Favorite Sound I Can Make

2008-10-26T15:18:00.004-05:00

This is Irene's recent "sound of choice"...it is pretty cute but has the potential to get very annoying very quickly.

(sorry about the motion in this video. she is in her "SWEETPEACE" that sways/swings from side to side)

(more pix to come soon...promise)

a few fall pictures

2008-10-16T13:54:00.002-05:00

we will post an album with a lot more of these pictures, but we just wanted to post a few "teasers"...

3 months old!

2008-10-11T20:13:00.008-05:00

Irene is 3 months old. Some new things:

-we took her "swimming" in a friend's hot tub...she is SUPER buoyant and floats on her own. we just have to hold her head/neck straight and she "swims/floats". We have done this in the bathtub and it is hilarious. She kicks her feet and moves her arms like she is really swimming. Shannon even "dunked" her...blew in the face and put her under/up really quickly. She didn't like it but didn't cry too much...sort of more afraid/startled than mad.
-she really likes to "talk" to us. she makes hilarious sounds as if she is experimenting with her lungs/vocal cords/tongue/etc. She does everything from low grunts to high pitched squeels.
-she holds onto toys, clothes, blankets, etc. good grasp on pretty much anything.
-she still loves her black/white books...and even smiles at other pages (not just the buttons)
-starting to sleep in more places: carseat regularly, sweetpeace, church, etc.
-sleeping through the night!!!! we put her down at 9pm(ish) and she will go until 5 or 6am.
-she loves to go on walks, outside, etc...she has been to several soccer games and doesn't mind all the attention as she gets passed around...
-she is starting to get quite a head of fuzz on her...
-when she concentrates or is really chilled she drools and/or makes spit bubbles
-she smiles alot.

check out these videos AND the new album!

(this one is kinda long...and Jeremy apologizes for talking so loudly)

Glory Glory Man United....

2008-09-24T20:03:00.006-05:00

We can't believe this fits already (time flies). For those who don't know, this kit was given by one of my players. He is originally from Manchester, England (from a "red part" of the city)...it is SO cute! The shorts are brilliant and are Jeremy's favorite part. Shannon loves the fact that it came with matching socks! Irene pretty much just loved the ball because it was big, black, and white. she wanted to eat it.

Irene wears pretty dresses...and bows...

2008-09-21T15:38:00.004-05:00

We have gone to church the last 2 Sundays. Shannon LOVES to put Irene in very formal/pretty dresses with crazy big bows...and it is ok, because we're in the SOUTH...and that is what people do here. check out the new album with some misc. pix from the last couple of weeks!

Cute Videos

2008-09-16T10:36:00.005-05:00

This is Shannon. It is my first attempt at posting. Jeremy gave me a brief explanation on how to do it...so I am giving it a whirl.

Every morning there is a period of time when Irene sleeps very "fitfully". She is peaceful, and then writhes around, then is peaceful...and so on. We usually spend this time on the couch so I can put her pacifier back in, or adjust her sleeping position (she gets herself all kitty-wampus during her thrashing!) During her fitfulness she also snorts...if you listen closely you can hear it in the video.

Often times she will scratch herself during her morning spasms! As short as I keep her nails she still manages to do damage! This is a good example... (listen for more snorting)

A few days ago we went for a walk around the neighborhood. The sidewalks are not-so smooth and we went over lots of cracks and bumps. Even after we had returned from our walk Irene was dreaming about bumps! (You can move the arrow forward to about 30 seconds to see the important part).

Within the last few days Irene has become aware of her hands. She is batting at her toys purposefully! Although she doesn't have total control over her arms, and she is still sort of spastic she does a good job whacking the lion chime! :)

I am so blessed to get to be with Irene during the day and watch her grow and change! What a joy she is.

Irene loves Joshua Radin

2008-09-13T08:18:00.002-05:00

Irene never falls asleep in her carseat. Never. She is not like nearly every other baby in America that falls asleep on car rides, she instead likes to whine, fuss, and cry. She has been getting better but she has NEVER fallen asleep in the car…until Friday night. We had been running some errands and stopped by a friend’s house. We stayed for about 1.5 hours until Irene really started to get fussy. She needed her bath, food, and bed (in that order)…well, by the time we strapped her into the carseat she was in full-fledged screaming mode. This continued for a few minutes as we started the 5-minute drive home. I popped in a cd aunt-nurse-racher had made. Joshua Radin’s soft voice and mellow sounds touched a soft spot in Irene. She was asleep in 2 minutes. We were amazed.

So we tested this theory the following morning (Saturday)…Irene woke up at the usual time (6:30am) and ate and then wanted some awake time. We read some books and hung out on the couch…When she started getting fussy, we put her in the SWEET PEACE (the swinging device that plays sounds/music/vibrates/etc.)…anyway, again, she likes the SWEET PEACE but she NEVER falls asleep in it if you put her in there awake…NEVER. Until Saturday morning…the variable that changed again was JOSHUA RADIN! We plugged an ipod in with a list of about 7 of his songs (thanks to Rach! You get 8 million bonus points in the “favorite aunt contest”) and she was asleep by the middle of the first song!!!! It is amazing and funny and hilarious…his songs really are pretty melodic and peaceful and beautiful (even if they are a sad)…

Sleeping babies are precious...

Slideshow

2008-09-11T19:27:00.005-05:00

Go to this link to see a slideshow.

www.sewellphotography.com/irene

(wait a second and let it load. it will start automatically)

It is from the photo shoot that Shannon had in MN with our friend, Jennie Sewell. She is very good at what she does AND she is a really fun neat person! so that is a double bonus. If you live in the Twin Cities and want some pictures taken, you should call her (and we don't get any kickbacks)...

Irene is 2 months old! (almost)

2008-09-07T23:07:00.007-05:00

There is a LOT we could/should post about but it is late and I need to go to bed. These are some recent things of note:

-she LOVES to take baths now. She kicks so much and is really relaxed in the water. she is super calm and just loves for us to talk to her and dump warm water on her head/body.

-she really responds to talking. we have had several "conversations". she even gets fussy if you get distracted (by the television for example) and she'll let you know she doesn't appreciate it.

-she is really smiley (when all things are well)...she has the biggest smile that will melt your heart (like her momma!)...also has a sort of half smile that looks like her dad's little smirk.

-she weighs 14 lbs. and seems to be getting ginormous.

-she is sleeping for longer stretches. we've ventured into the 6 hour duration (occasionally)...more of these would be grand.

-Shannon and Irene had a great time in MN! Irene met lots of people who love her and we were really thankful for the shower thrown by our family/friends.

-this is the latest fun video...it is a tad long but you get a wide range of facial expressions AND it shows her trying to copy what we are doing with our tongues/mouths/etc, which she has been doing more and more of:

-and be sure to check out the new album!

some really REALLY good pix...

2008-08-25T20:53:00.008-05:00

before we get to the pix...check out this video (taken before Shan/Irene went to MN)...I'm not sure how it happened, but our daughter looks like she belongs in Flashdance:

ok...now go check out the pix on this link...A friend of ours in MN started her own photography company. She is awesome and we love the pictures she takes! She took these last Thursday or Friday (can't remember?) at Shan's parent's house.

Irene is beautiful (and so is her mom)

video tests

2008-08-19T19:47:00.007-05:00

not a whole lot new to report. Shannon and Irene are flying to MN tomorrow. Nana flew down last week to help with the airport shenanigans/etc. I will be sad to see them go, but there are a lot of people in MN who want to see the baby (well, they want to see shannon too)...they are hosting a shower on Saturday as well. So that should be fun...This is the busiest part of my year (both teams are in season) so I will work 80billionhoursaweek. :-)

anyway, I thought I would try and post some videos and see how it works:

-Irene is slowly starting to love baths...

-this one is longer...mostly just for grandparents. there is a shorter version below

-shorter version:

-sucking finger:

hopefully Shan takes a lot of pix in Minnesota...check back around Labor Day weekend!

Irene is 1 month old...

2008-08-09T08:20:00.006-05:00

wow. so much has happened in the first month of Irene's life....the latest:

-Grandma "Gigi" came to visit after Auntie Rachel left...don't know if "gigi" will stick but that is what we're going with for now. It was a good visit and Irene really seemed to love all the songs that grandma sang to her...

-"Aunt B" and Uncle CJ came down from MN after that...they spent lots of time relaxing, eating, and holding Irene! (lots of eating if/when you come to memphis)...we really appreciate how much our families love Irene...

(we've got a few days before NANA comes back down and then Shan/Irene will head up to MN to visit friends and family)

-She is still a great eater/sleeper. She is on a pretty regular schedule of eating about every 3-4 hours...sleeping at night has gone relatively well also (pretty much right back to sleep after the night feedings). Her big blocks of awake time are usually in the mornings from 9am-11am (ish) and then at night from 7-9pm (ish)...if you want to see her awake, SKYPE us then.

-um, she "cluster poops"...not sure if that is a technical term or not, but she'll poop like 2-3 times in a span of about 20 minutes. we still haven't figured out how to minimize diaper changes just yet. a couple of days ago we went through 4 diapers in the span of 15 minutes. it was funny.

-I got my first "pulled chest hair"...that was funny too. Just chilling on the couch and she grabbed a handful and yanked. definitely wasn't as bad as I anticipate it can, and will be someday.

ok. enjoy the new pix!

Walking, Rocking, Finger Sucking, Bouncing, Swaddling, and Brasilian fight-dancing

2008-07-30T15:01:00.003-05:00

things have been interesting. techniques for getting Irene to settle down have been varied and different ones work at randomly different times. she really isn't that fussy of a baby (and we are spoiled) but still, she has her moments when she needs help to settle down. I think the most successful method (consistently) is the pinky finger in her mouth; HOWEVER, the most entertaining has been Aunt Rachel's technique of bobbing, swaying, rocking and swinging all in one motion. I joked with her that it reminded me of capoeira, the Brasilian "art" of dancing/martial arts/game that sort of looks like two folks "bobbing and weaving" around with one another in a big circle.

In other news, it was great to have all the grandparents here for the birth AND the luxury of having NANA stay for another 2 weeks after! She was a GREAT help and we appreciated having her. Rachel also came down, which was super fun! (and not boring at all!) and now we're expecting the grandma-to-be-named-later (probably GiGi) this weekend...after she leaves CJ and B will be coming down from MN for a week of sun, pool, baby, and bbq...later in August, NANA will be back and then Shannon and Irene will be heading to MN for a week. stuff has been busy but very fun. we love having visitors and Irene loves meeting everyone.

check out the new pix

Irene loves her dad...and her mom

2008-07-22T18:43:00.004-05:00

First diaper dad changes = Irene has a poopy diaper. I change it. while changing she pees on me.

Irene's first spit up = while dad is holding her...on my shirt.

Irene's first vomit = while dad is holding her...on my shirt, shoulders, the couch, and herself.

Another diaper dad story = in the middle of the night changing a poopy diaper...her butt is dirty, I clean it up...and while I'm cleaning, she poops again...

some love for mom too = shannon changing her on the couch (she put a blanket down)...as soon as the diaper is around her body, but before it is strapped shut, she poops. blow out.

this kid is awesome.

and we posted some new pix.

Irene Hope Iwaszkowiec

2008-07-16T14:15:00.005-05:00

instead of hijacking MCBLOGGERSON, we've done what all parents do in honor of having a baby...start a "baby blog". mostly we wanted to have a way to show pictures, instead of emailing people all day long...so check back periodically and we'll be updating albums (top right column)that you can link to and view. We will also post good pix individually here and/or tell funny stories about our days and nights...

I think we are sort of turning into "the network" (kinda like ESPN)...we've got Bloggy, Apt 5b, Guammy, and now Team I...looking forward to more additions (i.e. XM...for Xavi Miletus)

(although it could be argued that Apt 5b isn't ACTUALLY part of the network...they are sort of like GOL TV or SETENTA which kind of has a relationship with ESPN, but not officially...)

welcome to the world, Irene...

9 lbs 0 oz
22 inches
born at 11:26pm on July 9th

We love you and we like you...

team i²

Phoenix Thanksgiving

Halloween

A New Goal...

Isaac = "Laughter"

Irene is 3

technology is fun

Isaac is funny

Moving + Breaking + Snow

Isaac = 1

December

Merry Christmas 2010!

November 2010

2 months late...

October 2010

Halloween, Murray style...

Some Pictures of Kids Growing Up

Isaac is mobile...

some new pix...finally...

Fun with names and songs

Irene the Rock Star

Isaac kicking a ball...

Happy Belated Birthday Irene

June 2010

We love the World Cup...

"This song is beautiful"

Singing & Reading

Isaac at 4 months...

Easter 2010

March 2010

RSV is not awesome…but big sisters are!

"Go Away Dad"

Irene talks on the phone

"Moke a Bro-bo"

Photo Shoot...

2 babies under 2

Goodbye 2009

"team i" is expanding...

Merry Christmas!

2 week countdown!

November 2009-17 months old

Learning is Fun

15 months old...and I live in Kentucky

Viva Brasil!

1 year checkup...at 14 months; baby "felix"; and a crazy duck video.

Who knew that a "rat's nest" was hereditary?

Summer in MN

Fun Photo Shoot

Party Pix

Happy Birthday Irene!

a lot changes in a week

11 Months AND 11 Weeks

New Addition to our Bedtime Ritual

10 months goes by in a flash

Two Fun Videos

Dancing Daisy

Irene is 9 months old

Irene hates duckies

Happy Easter!

We hope Auntie B likes these!

Irene is 8 months old...

I wouldn't believe it....

**UPDATE** Irene is 7 months old 2.0

Irene is 7 months old!

New Tricks

Irene is 6 months old!

Our Best Present Ever

It is almost Christmas...let's jump for joy

Big Week

Irene is 5 months old!

Tis the Season

2 Things

Irene is 4 months old

New Favorite Sound I Can Make

a few fall pictures

3 months old!

Glory Glory Man United....

Irene wears pretty dresses...and bows...

Cute Videos

Irene loves Joshua Radin

UPDATE Irene is 7 months old 2.0