Day 14 with Daddy

Day 14 - Go on a mini-vacation
This only ended up being a half day alone with Rebecca because we headed out of town in the afternoon to go to Fredericksburg for a couple of days. This was our anniversary trip to one of our favorite small towns and is one of our go-to spots for a short trip. We both like the food and we usually get some time in walking the main street looking at some of the shops. The place we stayed was a small house behind a single family residence owned by an older German gentleman. He was very nice and made a couple of restaurant recommendations that we included in a busy couple days:
- Got into town in the late afternoon after driving through rain the entire way
- Went to eat at Hilda's for dinner Friday per our host's recommendation
- Got in a little shopping Saturday morning
- Went out to Luckenbach for a little while early Saturday afternoon
- After church, we went for Saturday dinner at the Auslander, where we stuck around for a while to listen to Drew Kennedy play a few songs

- Sunday morning we did a little more shopping before going to the Old German Bakery for lunch (our favorite restaurant in town)
- Stopped by Wildseed Farms on the way out of town to look at the nursery and take some pictures of Baby Girl with the flowers

Overall, it was a great little get-away in which we got quite a bit in.

It's nice to get away every once in a while and recharge the batteries. The most important thing is to make the most of any situation and enjoy the company of each other. I hope you take the time to relax and take a break every now and then realizing that the stress and work of everyday life will still be there when you return.

Day 13 with Daddy

Day 13 - Watch City Council meeting
This one is going to sound really boring and it probably is, but Thursdays are Austin City Council meetings so we spent a lot of the day watching the meeting on tv. I wanted to monitor how the meeting went, be prepared if there are any items that I need to follow up on and ensure I am not out of the loop even if I'm out of the office. There were a few items pulled associated with my boss' departments, but for the most part it seemed to go smoothly.

Government isn't very glamorous, but it is important to be aware so that we elect responsible political leaders to positions of authority and to hold them accountable once they are in office. Your Mommy and I have worked in different levels of government throughout our careers, even though it doesn't mean a lot in the way of money. Even though it can be very frustrating at times to work as a public servant, we consider it important work and get to help others on a daily basis.

Day 12 with Daddy

Day 12 - Meet Mommy for lunch

Wednesday was our 3rd anniversary and in order to celebrate I brought Rebecca downtown so that we could meet Morgan for lunch.

Look at that stylish wedding party

We picked her up at her office and headed to Casa Chapala for their lunch buffet (where I proceeded to eat too much). During lunch we commented on how many nice anniversary notes and congratulations we had already received from friends and family that day. After lunch we headed back to Morgan's office and showed Rebecca to her co-workers who hadn't seen her in about a month. They remarked on how big she is getting and how cute she is. After being passed around for a little while, Rebecca and I headed to City Hall where my coworkers got to see her again and said the same. By late afternoon, Rebecca was worn out and she napped most of the rest of the time until Mommy got home.

We hope you realize just how much love we have in our family. Your Mommy and I reminisce fondly on how we met, our first dates and all of the other events that have brought us to where we are today. We are so excited that now we get to share that love with you. The friendships we have are also very important, and the support and well wishes we receive from them, in addition to the good times we share, are what make our lives so rich.

Day 11 with Daddy

Day 11 - Shop for anniversary gift
This was another day that Rebecca didn't nap more than 5-10 minutes at a time making it difficult to get ready or do things around the house. In the late afternoon she was calm enough that we headed out to pick up a gift for Morgan for our 3 year anniversary. We had agreed to not spend a lot of money on gifts since we've just purchased a vehicle and we have a trip to Fredericksburg scheduled for the upcoming weekend. Since it hasn't been given yet, I won't reveal what it is, but let's say that it does include glass (3rd anniversary modern gift suggestion). Rebecca was pretty tired by that time and she napped most of the trip, stirring only occasionally, although she did wake up as I was checking out prompting compliments from the lady helping us.

Your mommy and I hope that you recognize how much love there is in our family. We are so blessed to have found each other, and we always look back fondly on how great our wedding day was as we got to celebrate our union before God with family and friends.You have been a big part of this last year (and every year coming up) and we are so excited to have you in our growing family.

Day 10 with Daddy

Day 10 - Trip to grocery store

Yes, we had already taken prior trips to the grocery store, but this one was different because of how the rest of the day had gone and that Rebecca stayed awake the entire time. Beginning Sunday evening it seemed that she might have begun teething. We're not seeing any teeth yet, but there are some bumps which could be teeth. She was inconsolable Sunday night and we finally gave her a little bit of Tylenol which soothed her so that she could sleep. This continued early Monday afternoon when she could not be comforted. After a little more Tylenol she did not seem to be in as much pain, but she stayed awake. We really needed some things around the house so I ventured out, and she was actually pretty good even though she was awake the whole time. 

We're going to keep doing our best to help you avoid pain, but no matter how much we do, you will still have to experience discomfort in your life. We pray that those low periods will be short and few, but know that we are always there to help you through those difficult times.

Day 9 with Daddy

Day 9 - Endurance
This one won't be too long of a post because we weren't able to be too active. Baby Girl had a pretty rough night meaning we didn't get to bed until about 1:00 am and she was back up at 3:30 am. That basically ended up being the start of my day. I also had some work to take care of so I was not able to nap when Rebecca did for a half hour or so later in the day. It made for a very long day, and I was thankful when Morgan got home from the office so I could take a little break.

I know I don't appreciate it at the moment I'm rolling out of bed, but I know I will look back fondly on those late nights/early mornings that I've gotten to spend with you. Don't get me wrong, I will still be very thankful the first time you sleep 8 straight hours (so far the most we have gotten is 6.5), but there is something about the late nights that make me realize even more that I am a parent.

Day 8 with Daddy

Day 8 - Watch a Star Trek movie

Yes, this one is dorky. To coincide with the release of the new Star Trek movie, there were a lot of the older movies on tv yesterday. We laid low Thursday after running a couple errands the day before, and I have to watch at least some of those movies when they are on. We ended up watching most of Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan and all of 3: Search for Spock.

Prepare to be shocked, Rebecca. Your dad is a dork. He doesn't have an argument for Star Wars vs. Star Trek because he likes both. There is something about science-fiction which has appealed to me for a while, and it is one of the genres that I first got into when I began reading for fun. I can even pinpoint it to a copy of Arthur C. Clarke's 2010: Odyssey Two that I found at your Great-Grandpa and Grandma Migls' house when I stayed there during the summer. I think it is the concept of going into space and reaching for something which seems so unattainable that is appealing. Even though I don't expect you to be a nerd like me, I hope you find a passion that broadens your perspective and makes you think.