No one can say we didn’t give it the ole college try. Sullivan and I tried
a lot of wild and crazy tools and equipment over the past two months but
in the end nature’s way of feeding just wasn’t meant to be. So for now we
have placed Sullivan’s nourishments needs in the hands of Enfamil. We call
it giving him a “cold one” cause our little hot tempered boy prefers his
formula ice cold out of the fridge.  Lucky us huh? We just mix up a days
worth of food, store it in the fridge and pop one open when he shows us
the Sully sign for food, a closed fist frantically shaken from side to
side in his mouth, a MUST SEE for anyone looking for a good laugh. Mom
does a good impression…ask the next time you see her.

Week 7
Let the tricks begin.  Sullivan is interacting and making faces this week. When Mommy sticks her tongue out Sullivan repeats. And when Mommy plays the "This is your Nose Game" he smiles...Yes indeed, Sullivan flashed his first non gas related smile
this week during a game of this is your nose, this is your chin game. My heart literally melted when the edges of his pouty little mouth turned upward because of something I DID.  What was so surprising about the smile was how filled with joy it
was.  His entire face and eyes beamed with excitement…at ME! Before the
smile my mind knew I was this child’s mother…after the smile my heart knew
it and leaps with joy everyday now because of it.

Week 6
Sullivan Carter Brown has graduated. Mamma and Pappa are so proud. Our
little bundle has graduated from his buzzie chair to the vast and wild
world of the “pack n’ play”.

Sullivan’s weight end of week six – 9lbs. 2 ounces. Puttin on some chub.

Oh, that’s right we have a baby!  Sometimes he makes it hard to remember
when he plays in his room for hours at a time… all by himself!
Damon and I noticed that Sullivan was awake and playful after his
changings so we set up a little play station for him to enjoy in his room.
Well to our surprise it became Sullivan’s favorite place to be...lay on
his bed and gaze out the window or at the ceiling fan above or at this
many toys and stuffed animals.  So alone he sits quietly playing.  Every
now and then we hear a little cooh or ah and we are reminded..Oh, yeah, we
have a baby.

Father’s Day has come and gone again with one key difference – me being a father this time through. Sullivan’s mommy got us a bag of toys and we made some cool space-robot-looking hats and I got to hang out with my dad and grandfather at lunch. All in all it’s a fine little made up holiday (that happens to fall on a weekend you notice; let’s not give the dads an extra day off, mind you.)

It occurs to me I have no recollection of anything I ever gave my father for Father’s Day when I was growing up. I do remember the fact that he always turned the holiday around for my brother and me. He gave US gifts. Nothing big, just puzzles or a little book or something, but it was his reasoning that without us then he wouldn’t even have had the chance to be a Father so he celebrated us as much as we might celebrate him.

And now that I’m a father, I get it. My dad was using Father’s Day to celebrate all he had learned by being a dad. Everything that life throws at you, everything you think you know, everything that comes and goes and is a part of you forever even though it was just the tiniest moment at the time … that’s all father’s day. That’s what you get for being a dad. There’s the happy times and the fussy times and there’s great joy and sadness and everything in-between.

I can’t remember anything I did for my dad on Father’s Day. Don’t remember any ties or socks or wallets or even handmade macaroni pictures though I feel certain there must have been some. Perhaps we made him a card or bought something from Target or even took him to lunch (that he probably paid for.) It’s pretty much the story of life. What my brother and I gave my dad every father’s day was the chance to remember what a long, strange, wonderful trip it had been and how much more there was yet to experience.

I get that now. At least, I get the beginnings of it. I figure the rest comes as you go.

Incidentally, there are many new pictures in the gallery. Visit from the Leberknight Grandparents, Father’s Day photos, and much more!