Nolan is Eleven Months Old!

Sorry I missed the ten month update, but we were in the middle of our move. He has grown up so much since the last update, so here we go.

19 lbs
28.5 in.
He takes steps! To this point, he has evaded the camera during his walking time.
Says mama and dada occasionally.
Hair is finally starting to get long in the back and is still blond.
His personality is really starting to show. Nolan is very goofy and fun to play with during the day.
He is starting to get ticklish.
He loves to climb on stuff and is trying desperately to climb on the couch.
He claps. When he first started clapping he would do it when he was mad. Then he stopped for a few weeks. Now he claps when happy.
He loves to "read" books. Sometimes he will stop playing, crawl to his room and start flipping through books. It is very cute.
He eats lots of food including spaghetti, bell pepper, potatoes (sweet and white), lots of fruit, green beans, zucchini, squash, crackers, bread, and what ever drops on the floor.
We had to call Poison Control for the first time. He ate a little deodorant, but is fine.

April pictures are posted on http://www.chrisandkacey.com/Nolan. May should be up soon.

Just Trying to Keep Up

So the past week or so have also been pretty interesting, especially that last few days.

Kacey started school last week. We had a few get-togethers with her classmates and it was nice to meet them. There really is a great group of people in this program. Also, June 4, 2009, Nolan gave us his first intentional, successful step! At the end of May, we got a successful step, but I really don't think he meant to or understood what he did. He has been very close to walking for a while now and this was a "giant leap" for our little man. As of today, a few times I got him to put a couple steps together and both Kacey and I got to witness it. I will give an eleven month Nolan update later this week, hopefully with a video of his walking action.

On the job front, I received a good offer from a great company based out of Cambridge. Unfortunately, we don't have daycare, and daycare for young ones is very hard to come by around here. After much deliberation, praying, and reviewing the details, I have decided not to work at this time. This is huge as we will now have no income during school. I know I will not regret this decision, but it is still hard to make the decision especially since I have been offered a great job. Family needs are much more important and I am going to take care of those for now. We will have to wait to see what the future holds.

Lastly, on June 5th we received and accepted an offer on our house! This is great because we know and trust the family who desires to buy our home, and I have been told they are excited for the opportunity. Now we have to survive two home inspections and then we can sign it over. This helps our current (lack of) income situation because we will not have to be making two large payments every month.

Thanks to those that read this who have also been praying for us. God is working in interesting ways now and I am just trying to hang on for the ride without going crazy.

Reason for the Lack of Posts

So I have not posted much this year except for Nolan updates. Here is a brief update of what went on this spring.

March - Kacey got accepted to the MIT Sloan school as a fellow in the LGO program. She accepted! We started the process to sell our house, sell our belongings, sell my car, quit our jobs, and find a new place to live in Cambridge, MA.
April - Kacey stopped working mid-April. We visited Cambridge for an orientation for Kacey and an interview for me. We spent time visiting friends and family while continuing to sell our things.
May - I quit my job. On May 16th, we packed a moving truck with our remaining things (many thanks to all our family and friends!!!) and on May 17th, my brother and I drove from Indianapolis to Cambridge with two cats sitting in the cab. It was a long day!

So we are now living in Cambridge near MIT. Our house is still for sale, hopefully not for too much longer. Life has drastically changed in 60 days! God has provided the direction thus far and while we continue to figure a few things out, I am sure he will take care of us.

I look forward to posting Nolan updates and also updates on our new life in Cambridge. Don't worry, though, these posts will not contain the text "Go P_atriots" or "Tom B_rady rules". So far we have walked a lot of the Freedom Trail, visited Acadia National Park in Maine, and walked around Cambridge.

If you visit Boston, let us know!

Nolan is Nine Months Old!

Here is an update on my boy

17 lbs 9oz
28 in
eating avocado, banana, apple, potato, apricots
using a sippy cup for some water
walking along the couch, and considers not holding on sometimes
we think he tries to say "hi" sometimes
waves occasionally while saying "hi"
claps his hands (we think when mad)

It has been a busy month, but he keeps growing!

See new pictures on http://www.chrisandkacey.com/Nolan

Nolan is Eight Months Old!

Or, he was a couple weeks ago. It has been a very hectic March, but more on that to come. Here are his stats.

16.8 lbs
28 in
Crazy crawler!!! He is all over the place.
Pulling himself up on anything that looks semi-stable.
Tried potatoes and bananas.
Top two teeth are pushing through (he is now grinding his teeth).
Having fun at school.

A Quicky

I have not posted much this year because, as usual, I am spending lots of time with my boy. There are some other things going on in our lives that has preoccupied my mind, so posting has been deprioritized for now. I can't really go in to it at this time, but probably in the next few weeks the cat will be out of the bag.

I have, however, posted pictures of Nolan from December and January. So if you have a few spare minutes, enjoy!

http://www.chrisandkacey.com/Nolan/

Nolan is Seven Months Old!

It seems like these updates are coming faster and faster!

16lbs 6oz
Belly crawling/scooting - He gets up on his hands and knees but when moving forward, he drops to his chest to move his arms forward.
Finger painting! - He painted at school and had lots of fun.
Eating rice cereal
Traveled on an airplane, and he did very well

Nolan is doing well at school. He likes to watch the older kids who can get around better than he can. He has already mastered the art of removing socks as soon as they are put on. We got videos on Nolan eating cereal and crawling; they are posted on Youtube.

January 2009, Recap

January was a whirlwind. Life has felt like a whirlwind since Christmas. I was in Liverpool for work for a week, we traveled to the east coast for a long weekend, and between starting daycare and trying to catch back up at work, I feel like I have no time. I understand this is probably part of life now, but I feel like I need to find ways to get some more minutes out of my afternoons while home with my boy.

If you are in Indiana, drive safe out there. It's not worth yours or someone elses life to get home a couple minutes early; and especially should not be speeding. I really wonder what people are thinking on a day like today when people in an old car feel safe and in control driving 45 on a road that has not yet been cleared, with 2 feet of clearance on either side of them. I need to end this rant...

I should have some pictures from January up soon. Nolan is trying so hard to crawl and I have some pictures of him trying.

Night and Day

But where??? Comment your guess. (If you already know where we are, please don't reply).

Nolan is Six Months Old!

Our little guy turned six months old! He is such a great boy and such a joy to be around. Everyone that sees him gets a glimpse of him and his smile just gets huge. His little personality is starting to come through. He loves to smile and even gets a little shy when seeing someone giving him a smile.

Nolan's stats
16 lbs
26.5 in long
16.25 head
Trying really hard to crawl. We expect it to be soon! He gets up on his hands and knees, and while trying to push falls on his tummy and then wiggles like a turtle.
First sickness - Chest congestion started on his 6 month birthday, got a slight temp, and at the doc she noticed he had an ear infection! Boo! The doc was surprised because he sure wasn't acting like he had an ear infection.
He loves to bounce!
Mommy has found another tooth. She lost count, but maybe 5 or 6?
He is grabbing for the cats, but they don't like their fur to be pulled :)

Nolan's first airplane trip is coming at the end of the month, but more on that later. Luckily it is only a two hour flight and non-stop to our destination.

The First Week is Over

This was Nolan's first week at daycare. He did great; mom and dad, not so much. He is good at keeping himself entertained and doesn't mind all the different helpers that come in to play. He has ate and slept well there too. Mom and dad had a pretty sad week. Everyone says it gets better, but after a week I don't feel much better about it. We won't rush to any decisions, though. We will give it at least a month. The Phillips Family may have some changes coming in the future which is why we won't rush to any decisions here as they may work themselves out.

Nolan turns six months old tomorrow and we are hoping to make it to the Fort tomorrow to visit family. If not, we will have some fun here while we update his baby book with pictures and his milestones.

Now that I have been back to work for a week, things are extremely busy. I have been trying to accommodate everyone since I have been gone, but that means I didn't say no much this week. My to-do list got a little too big, but I should be able to get it under control by the end of the month.

Let's Bounce!

Happy New Year everyone. Nolan has been jumping a lot lately so for Christmas we got him an activity center that he can also jump in. Just yesterday, he really figured out how to make it go. Check out the video.

http://www.vimeo.com/2689868

Hangin' with Nolan

That has been my motto for months now. Friday, December 19, 2008 will be my last day home alone with my little man (unless something happens). I am saddened that this chapter will be coming to a close.

But I hope that my transition back to work and his transition to day care can be a blessing. Kacey and I both feel led to contribute through our jobs and feel this is the right decision for us. I pray that day care continues to develop his need for love and attention during the day and that Kacey and I can make up for it each and every night.

I am not sure what else to say right now about it except that Nolan, I love you, and these three months spent with you have been the best I can ever imagine. I will miss spending each hour of each day with you, son.

Nolan is Five Months Old!

I haven't really had the time lately to blog because I have been working on a DVD of Nolan's first four months that we will be giving to some people. I have also been working on getting my pictures from November online. Lastly I have been working on taking pictures of Nolan for a Christmas card. Oh, and I have been working on buying Christmas presents, filling out some insurance paperwork, finding a day care (boo, another story), buying and getting a treadmill, getting a Christmas tree, trying to decorate, was sick for a few days, visiting friends, working on some home software issues, and probably a few other things. OH, and enjoying my days playing with my boy!!!

Nolan's stats
15lbs 8oz
25 in long
Rolling both ways!
We believe at least 3 teeth coming in
Grabbing more toys

New (to me) Website - YES.com

If you are in to music like me, you may deal with the same situation I find myself in a few times a week. I am listening to a classic rock station on the radio and they play a long lost classic that I do not have or have not heard in a while. I think to myself, I must get this when I get home. (I do not have an iPhone, so I can't use Shazam)

Then, by time I get home and remember that I heard a song I wanted, I have forgotten the tune and even the band if the DJ mentioned it at the time!

Well, you can worry no more. YES.com keeps track (or brings together from other sources) of all songs played for the past 7 days of each radio station, or at least the ones I checked. It also gives the time of day the song was played, so if you know you were in the car around 7:30pm and were listening to both WKLU and WJJK on the way to the store, you just put it in and get your song list!

Example: http://www.yes.com/WFBQ

Nolan is on Vimeo

I have put up an HD video of Nolan playing at 4 months old.

http://www.vimeo.com/2322743

New Pictures are Up from October

I have posted some pictures from October of Nolan.

http://www.chrisandkacey.com/Nolan/

Nolan is Four Months Old!

It's hard to believe that Nolan is 4 months old today. I have not really blogged that much about fatherhood largely because I am busy living it, not typing it. Here are the 4 month stats.

14 lbs 1 oz
25 in long
turning from back to tummy (although he doesn't like being on his tummy)
standing on his own, with daddy balancing (since 2.5 months)
blowing spit bubbles
starting to grab things
one tooth popping through, and we believe a second one is coming
follows mom and dad around
lots of smiles!

It's Here!

I have much to learn...

Water Heater Woes

Thursday, Kacey came home to a garage full of water. I knew a couple months ago that something was wrong with the water heater, possibly a tank leak, and was starting to release water. I had placed a tub underneath the water heater to see how much water I was loosing. The leak had pretty much stopped, until Thursday. So that means, time to install a new water heater! A little frustrating as the current one is only 7 years old, but it came with the house and is an off-name brand. So I was not too surprised.

Actually, for me, the toughest part is not removing or installing a water heater, it is figuring out what to buy to replace the old one. I have removed and installed plenty of water heaters (not covered in the 100 Man Skills), but I am very hesitant on large purchases to ensure I am getting the best reliability and best deal. We had a gas water heater, but I had been considering a tankless unit. So, the research started.

I have read that gas tankless units require at least 4" venting, which is larger than the standard 3" venting for general residential. I have also heard of other gas line considerations that caused me to lean toward the electric tankless option. Also, the gas tankless options are about $1200 versus the electric tankless which start at $700. Also, reliability and payback are questionable to date. As I looked in to electric tankless options, I could not find many readily available. So while I would like to have saved some room in my garage, and would have no problem running 8 gauge wire for the 240V line, I stuck with another gas heater. Plus this gas heater is larger yet uses less energy than our old water heater.

After looking at brands at the major stores, I picked Kenmore from Sears. Getting spare parts from Sears is easy, and I have grown to generally trust their brands. Also, I would receive 10% off on their 3 day sale they were having. So on Friday after securing a truck, a baby sitter, a little help, and verifying that Sears had what I wanted in stock, I went to Sears on Saturday morning to purchase a 50 gal Kenmore Power Miser 9 gas water heater.

For removal, turn off the hot water supply and open a handful of the hot water faucets in the house, including the one nearest the heater. Then, hook a garden hose up to the drain to redirect it outside. Set the thermostat to Pilot Light and turn the gas system to Off. Next the gas line should be closed in as many points as there is a valve. My setup had two shutoff valves, and both should be shut off. Then, I released the T&P valve to begin the drain process. Enough water will come out to make the water heater movable. When you disconnect the gas line, you will smell some gas; this is the gas left in the line escaping, so ensure the area is ventilated.

After getting the new heater home, my brother and I began to unpack for installation. Unfortunately, there was a large dent in the side from a fork truck. I called Sears and they said just bring it back for another one, and we will give you a discount. I do like the fact that I didn't even really have to ask for one.

So after returning home for the second time, my brother and I got the heater up on some blocks and got the vent hooked back up first so my brother could leave. I began with hooking up the gas line. Our house uses insulated flexible hose for the gas lines. I purchased new black pipe to create a new dirt trap and line to install in to the heater. I did not turn the gas on at this point as it is not needed yet. I would turn it on and test the lines later once the water lines were connected.

Next I began work on the water lines. As the old heater was hard piped, I cut the copper back to around 18" away to install my 18" flexible lines. After sweating on the new dielectric unions I connected the flexible lines. Pretty easy.

Next I turned the water supply on and I noticed that the teflon tape I had used on the threads was not preventing the water from leaking out. I went ahead and let the heater fill with water because I had already started and I would be able to remove pressure from the water lines went resealing the lines. To remove pressure I opened up the faucet in the garage and hit the T&P valve for a minute; this removes enough pressure to allow the water lines to be removed without making a mess. I attempted to re-tape the joints, but this did not fix the problem. So, I removed all the teflon tape and just used pipe dope. Upon reinstallation, no leaks!

Verify the water heater is full by going inside to verify water coming from the faucets you opened previously. If they are, you can shut them off. Once the heater is full and the gas line is connected, it is time to open the gas line and verify the connections. I used a liquid spray that foams and bubbles in the presence of natural gas. After letting the gas lines sit open for 5-10 minutes, I verified no leaks and felt confident in my black pipe installation. If you are not confident in your abilities here, consider hiring someone with a sniffer to install your black pipe.

So my lessons learned are from now on, for 3/4" high-pressure water lines, just use pipe dope. It acts as anti-seizing compound and forms a great seal. Save the teflon tape for small faucet jobs. Also, always put together connections before sweating or tightening anything. Because I did this, I saved ruining the dielectric unions which require putting a couple of the fittings on the pipe before sweating. I guess that makes it a lesson confirmed, not a lesson learned. Lastly, you can over-tighten water lines with gaskets, so be careful. I did over-tighten one line and when removing to install with pipe dope, I had already ruined the gasket and had to go buy another one.

This blog entry is not an exact step-by-step process I followed. I have shortened a couple steps and details. The purpose of this entry is to show the amount of detail and planning that must take place on the order of operations and part planning to minimize trips to the store. Even with my planning, I still made 3. One was the initial visit, one was a forgotten part, and one was the ruined gasket.

If you have any questions on a particular step for your own installation, feel free to email me or comment on here and I can provide more details. Good luck on your own home repair projects!