Monday, June 30, 2008

Wait for Daddy!


Don't grow up without me.

Evan's getting really big while his dad's away. Can't wait to
get home this weekend to hang out with him.




Sunday, June 29, 2008

I Love This Swirl


Photos by Mommy


Genevieve sent me these photos last night. Tonight I'm in Brooklyn, with only 3 precious hours to sleep before I have to rush right back into the city to work on another production.




Saturday, June 28, 2008

Notes From Mommy

Mommy sent some notes and pictures while daddy was away in New York working.


Fun Birthday Facts:
Your baby's birthstone is Pearl (Health and Longevity)
Your baby's Astrological Sign is Gemini

Your baby's Flower is Rose or Honeysuckle (Light Blue, White and Cream)

Your baby was born in the Chinese Year of The Rat
Your baby will start kindergarten in 2013,
be old enough to drive a
car in 2024,
finish high school in 2026,
and will graduate from
college with the class of 2030, give or take a year.
Can you imagine?
This time last year you weren't even pregnant yet!

The Many Faces of Evan...


Friday, June 27, 2008

Elvis Turns 5 Today




Today is Elvis' 5th Birthday, which makes him the same age as me in dog years. As head of our Homeland Security Department, Elvis has successfully thwarted over 150 attempted mailman attacks since October. Thanks to Elvis, the mailman had still not been able to enter the house through the mail slot to this day. Elvis conducts his daily surveillance from the back of the couch. He watches every move the mailman makes as he tries to enter the other houses on the block. Once the mailman comes up the walkway, Elvis flies into a near blood boiling rage, causing Lucy to do the same. Together, their barking deters the mailman from hatching his diabolical plan of slipping through the mail slot and into the house. Perhaps out of frustration, the mailman slips some papers through the slot and then leaves, only to return again the next day. Elvis and Lucy then shred the paper envelopes to pieces. Elvis has still yet to figure out what the mailman does on Sunday.

Elvis has really been the greatest dog. He's really social, loves people and parties. He's great around other dogs and has been especially great lately around Evan. The minute we brought Evan home Elvis gave him kisses on his head. Dogs must know. Elvis lives with his half sister/ love of his life, Lucy. Happy Birthday little buddy.

***UPDATED, Birthday Photos!***




Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Smiling in His Sleep



I'm going to be working right through the weekend into next week and won't get to see Evan for a while. I hear he's doing real well and getting bigger everyday. It's hard being two states away at work when you miss your family.

Monday, June 23, 2008

3 Weeks


New pics of Evan! June 22nd, 2008
Lady Killer!

Here's our little boy. Evan's now 3 weeks old. He's been doing great. Eating a lot, and of course, pooping a lot. He goes through probably 8-12 diapers a day, at least. He's growing in leaps and bounds and starting to sleep for longer stretches during the night. He's really alert and starting to look around a lot more. At his last doctor's visit last week, he was up to 9lbs. 12oz, but I suspect he's probably about 10lbs by now. He's already grown out of newborn size diapers and some of his onesies.

Sorry for the gap this week in the blog, I know I haven't posted anything new in almost a week. I was away all last week working on a commercial in New York and it really chews up all of my time. I'm out the door early every morning, and in really late, so by the time I get back the apartment I'm staying at in Brooklyn, I'm usually too wiped out. I came back to PA on Friday evening and got to spend the weekend with Evan and his mommy. Evan some visitiors this weekend, he got to meet his Uncle Paul and Aunt Shari for the first time today, as well as his cousin Michele. I'll post some more pictures tomorrow, just wanted to get these up before I get too busy tomorrow. I'll be back in New York this week on a Wendy's commercial.
This is a little out of focus, but too cute not to post!

Evan trying to pick himself up, way ahead of schedule. This kid is strong and determined!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

New Photos

Spent Father's Day hanging out with Evan and Genevieve.
Here's some photos from today 6/15/08... As always, TONS
more photos on our Flickr page.
B&W 1
B&W 2
B&W 3

What a great Father's Day.

This Father's Day


I'm proud to say that this is the first Father's Day I'll be celebrating as a father, and I couldn't be more happy. Suffice to say, none of this would have been possible without the hard work and sacrifice of my father, who, came to the United States from Liverpool, England aboard the Queen Mary in 1958 seeking a better life for our family, something for which I'll be forever grateful. Thanks Dad, Happy Father's Day.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Back to Work


I went back to work on Monday after a month long hiatus. It was hard to leave baby and mommy behind, but I thought I was only going for a quick in and out visit, and that I would see the baby again soon. I only packed for two days, but it looks like I'm going to be in New York all week. It's not a bad thing, we could use the money, it's just that I feel like I'm missing all the important parts of Evan's first month. Genevieve's been calling me with updates. Evan's been turning himself over already from lying on his back to his belly and vice versa, which normally doesn't happen until the baby is a few months old.   

I did a 40 hour-in-a-row stretch on a commercial Monday and Tuesday that started with me leaving PA at 4AM on Monday, and working until 8PM on Tuesday. We were filming in Coney Island and Brighton Beach, two adjoining neighborhoods in Brooklyn When the job wrapped, I was about to go home and see the baby, but I got a call for more work. Just as I was about to leave the location on that day of filming in 98 degree heat, I locked the keys in the car. After I got that resolved, I went back to the apartment on McKibbin St. and couldn't get hold of any of the roommates, and no one was answering the buzzer, and I couldn't find my apartment keys. I was so tired that I decided to take a nap in the back seat of the car. This was at 10:30pm. The next thing I know it's 8AM and I wake up to NYPD Traffic leaving me a ticket. I fell asleep in the car for the entire night. Tonight, I look at my car keys and realized that the keys were on the keychain the whole time. I just had to laugh. I'm really bad with keys, wallets, and cell phones, especially when I haven't slept in days. I spent all day today scouting for another commercial, didn't finish work until 10PM, and haven't eaten since breakfast. This is the usual for me. I'd better get going, I'm cutting into my sleep again....

Monday, June 9, 2008

One Week With Evan


Evan and Daddy, Sunday morning.

Burp Time



This week has been amazing. Everything I could have hoped for. Evan is doing great, and settling in at home nicely. He's been sleeping a lot and eating even more. He's amazingly strong and active for a 1 week old. He's able to move his head on his own and his neck is a lot stronger than I expected. He climbs up your chest with his arms and legs when you're holding him. He got a clean bill of health from the doctor this week and we don't have to go back for six weeks. I return to work tomorrow after a month long hiatus. It's going to be hard leaving Genevieve and the baby. I'm sure I'll leave with a lump in my throat in the morning. The last nine months have been a wonderful journey, not always easy, but in the end, the end result is this beautiful little boy that we are so happy to have in our lives. The whole experience has brought my wife and I closer together which is something I'm thankful for. So even though I'll be sad leaving for New York tomorrow, I know that when the job is done, I get to come home and spend time with my wife and son, which is something I've always dreamed of. Life is good.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

So Tired...


He fell asleep tonight while being burped. 1AM

Friday, June 6th


Today was Evan's first pediatric visit. He weighed in at 8lbs, so he's already gone past his birth weight in just over 5 days. Evan's last couple of days have consisted of two things: eating and sleeping. You can already see the change in his face. He's starting to fill out and his face is getting rounder. He went outside today for the first time to his Nana's garden and sat in the shade.
As expected, loves his dad's jokes.

Early personality traits: serious, yet sensitive. He's got a lot of hair.
Someday I'm going to tell him that daddy's hair went to heaven,
just so he could have some.
Evan with mommy in his 'peanut shell'

Snug as a bug.

Unabashed cuteness.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Little Evan Comes Home

TONS of photos can be found on Flickr (click here)



We left the hospital Wednesday morning after getting the all clear from the doctor. Evan got sick during the first few minutes of the car ride and cried almost the entire way home. When we got home, we were a bit nervous about how the dogs would react, but they turned out to be fine. Elvis accepted him right away and was really curious, he wanted to lick the baby's head. Lucy wasn't so sure what to make of the situation, she has a really frantic nature, but she's starting to get used to having the baby around now.

We had a really difficult night lasting into the morning. This kid can eat, let me tell you, and he kept Genevieve up all night. Both of us were taken to the brink of exhaustion having not slept through the night in several days. But he's doing much better tonight. He had his first spongebath at home, now he's passed out.

That's strange, I don't remember feeding him seaweed.
Daddy putting the diaper changing station into immediate
use. Tonight he went through 3 diapers in 5 minutes.

Spongebath time.

All cozy after his spongebath.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Photos June 3rd - Evan Austin

Click on the photos for larger versions.

Evan will be coming home from the hospital with us on Wednesday, June 4th.


I love this photo.

Evan opened his eyes a little more today. He's really been great. He's been sleeping a lot, and not crying very much at all. I tried the swaddling techniques from "The Happiest Baby," and I have to tell you, they work. It stopped him from crying right away. You'll be happy to know I've been changing diapers and holding him a lot. Usually when Genevieve's sleeping, I'll take him and sit with him in the rocking chair and just look at him in amazement.



We took Evan for a 'walk' around the hallways of the hospital today. Here's Evan and Mommy.



Evan meeting his cousin Ava for the first time.

Photos June 2nd