We hope everyone had a good Christmas. Ours was uneventful but very enjoyable.
Dressing Jonathon up in his santa outfit was our highlight. From the pictures, I think he enjoyed it as much as we did. We sure did miss being with family and friends but we will be trying to see you throughout the year.

Jonathon is getting bigger by the day. Last time we weighed him he was at 18lbs 6 oz. I looked to see the last pictures I had posted on the album site and can't believe that the last set was when he was 6 weeks! I'll be getting that up to speed so keep an eye out for new pics.

With Christmas coming up, the blog has suffered. So much is happening and it is happening so fast! Jonathon is getting so big---so fast.

Lately he has been really warming up to me! That's been my highlight. He giggles and laughs anytime I am around him. I guess I am kinda funny looking:)







We hope everyone has a safe and fun Christmas. Hope Santa is good to all:) I think I'll be receiving plenty of coal...so I'll have plenty to hand out ( ok...mail).

A lot of friends are having babies! My best friend (and best man at my wedding!) had their little baby boy I believe on October 17th. Here is a picture of Jackson. Congratulations (long time coming) Darren and Amy. Then we found out a couple days ago that another one of our closest friends, Justin and Natasha, had a baby girl named Riley Jo! It is Darren and Amy's first and Justin and Natasha's third.



Jonathon has been a little under the weather this weekend and I've (well we both have been) really busy lately. It's crazy how fast Christmas is upon us. Jonathon is already going on three months, in 6-9 month clothes and size three diapers! As you can tell in this picture, he is such a happy baby. We are so lucky. With him being under the weather this weekend I realize how I have that missing gene for crying babies. When it's your baby and you're not use to him crying and then you don't know what to do when you can't comfort him...you go nutz!!! That and when he becomes a liquid volcano. The liquid volcano part is actually quite funny.

His favorite thing right now is eating...eating ...and more eating. From time to time, when I burp him he gushes everywhere so I lean him back and he plops right back into his spit-up. So I start yelling...Towel! Towel! Where is the Towel? Heather calmly comes over and proceeds to show me that when he spits up, all I have to do is fold the burp rag in half and wola! Problem solved. Why are guys so stupid when it comes to raising babies? I hope I learn and grow the more he grows:) At least I can say that I'll be growing really, really fast!

In the next couple of days, I'll try to put another album of pictures up.

Jonathon doesn't look 9 weeks does he? He is growing up so fast, right under our eyes. The older he gets, the more Heather and I are convinced he looks like Ma-maw and the Frasure side. Heather says that he reminds her of Poppy Frasure which was Heather's great-grandfather.





We got him all dressed up in his mittens and hat for the cold, snowy day we had this past week. Or wait, was that when we ran out of heating oil? Old age is creeping in and I'm forgetting everything! Yea...some days, I feel so young playing and goofing around with Jonathon. On the other hand there are other days I feel twice my age. I guess too many late nights and early morning feedings. Ahh...but I enjoy every second!

It looks like Jonathon is going to be a natural entertainer. Our church had a baby dedication for him yesterday. Once we got done with the ceremony, the pastor asked the congregation to welcome us to the community with a round of applause. When they started to clap, Jonathon's head poked right up and he started looking around everywhere. He had a look of "Is this clapping for me?" He had everyone smiling and laughing.

He is now eight weeks old and growing faster than ever. As the poll suggests, he is looking every bit like Heather. I think Heather has been trying to butter up to me lately (maybe for Christmas:). For the last couple of days she has been telling me how much Jonathon is looking like me. Of course I soak it up every time. If she keeps it up, she is going to be pleasantly surprised at Christmas time. There is nothing better (up till now) then seeing your little boy look up at you and giving you the biggest smile or the biggest laugh. Hey, I don't mind if he's smiling or laughing AT me...I'll still take it, any way - any day!

We hope everyone is having a good Thanksgiving. Last night, we got our first real snow of the season. In all, it was about 6 inches. We have had a few dustings but this one was enough to break out the snow shovel.

This being Jonathon's first Thanksgiving, he has been all smiles. It has been so nice having an extra day playing with him and making faces with him. He has been pretty easy to entertain. All I need to do is make faces that look like Heather and he just laughs up a storm! Just kidding...I'm just kidding:)

We do wish we could be with all our families for the holidays. We are so happy though that we can still keep in touch through this blog and the webcam.

Hope all have a Happy Thanksgiving and be careful...the shopping is going to be horrendous tomorrow.

It's starting to look like a landslide in the poll. After doing this video today, I'm ready to say that Jonathon really does look a lot like Heather. That is a good thing though. I just hope he doesn't act like her:)

I've been wanting to get this video up for the past couple weeks. A couple computer crashes later (and no saves) I finally got it done! Heather mentioned that there didn't seem to be very many pictures or videos of us. I asked her, "Why would there be when Ma-maw (Jonathon's great grandmother) was the one always holding him?" So this video is for you and Pa-paw!

As you can tell, Jonathon is growing and growing FAST! He's fitting nicely into his University of Kentucky outfit. He looks sharp in Kentucky Blue!

This smile could warm anyone's heart! Whenever he gives me a look like this, I think of how lucky we are. The more he grows and changes, the more we bond. When we see him in an outfit that he has already grown out of, we think that he is getting too big, too soon.

For me, I am really coming into the fatherhood thing now. I have to admit that I started off slowly. I tried to take care of Heather as much as possible but she had the brunt of the feedings. Now that we both are back to work, I have started to share in the feedings more and I have learned that this is a vital bonding time. When it's three in the morning and your little boy has the most content look on his face...it is so worth it!

I have new pictures of Jonathon up. Seeing his personality starting to show up is amazing.

Finding time to blog when you have a newborn really has become quite the challenge. We think we are getting into a routine then things change and we try again.

Jonathon has been to visit Jennifer (our day care provider) twice now. I think it was hard for Heather but I believe the hard part is really going to come when she returns to work full time. Big news of today is he slept through the night last night! He went to bed at 9pm or so and slept till 4am. That is a first we hope that keeps on continuing.

Overall, we are adjusting nicely to parenthood. We have been so blessed with a boy that is very healthy and he is such a joy. We are enjoying every moment and getting as many pictures and video footage as possible. Later in the week I'll share some of the footage. I have a few surprises in the next week or two so stay posted. It'll take a little work to get it together, but it will be worth it.

Jonathon attended his first church service today. Doesn't he look cute - in his 3-6 month outfit? Yes, that's right, he's one month old and wearing his 3-6 month clothes already. He's almost outgrown his size 1-2 diapers too - AND, believe it or not- He rolled over onto his stomach for the first time yesterday. Its hard to believe how quickly he is growing and changing!

We introduced him to a mirror tonight, and he was mesmerized by his reflexion for about 10 minutes. (Wonder who he gets that from??) He is sucking his thumb just a bit, but not too terribly bad. Hopefully that's one habit that won't stick around for long.

We hope everyone is doing well - we loved seeing everyone during their visits and can't wait until we can see you all again.

Can you guess by this picture how old Jonathon is today? He's one month old today. My...how time flies. What a cute couple, huh?

This is my fist full week back to work since Jonathon was born. I'm finally getting a little routine back. Less sleep, more routine. Augh...who needs sleep?







Look how tight his coming home outfit is on him! He sure is a growing boy.






Here he is at 3 days old.

It hasn't quite been a month and Jonathon is changing so fast. He is starting to smile and show more expressions. It is unbelievable how much he is eating.

I'm back...

It has been way too long since I put up some cute pictures of our adorable little boy. We are adjusting well to our new role of parenthood and I am slowly getting back to keeping in touch with everyone.

Heather and I have the conversation almost daily of, "Does he look more like you or does he look like me?" All we have been able to come up with is, "It depends". If he is looking like this and sleeping good and being nice, then he seems to look like Heather.



If he is being fussy, eating ALL the time and peeing all over the place...then naturally, he seems to look more like me. Either way, he is still as adorable as can be. I think he is looking more like me but Heather is thinking he is looking more like her. Jonathon's hair is getting lighter. Now if he was getting balder...then he would definitely be looking like his daddy.

Today is Jonathon's two week milestone! To celebrate, we have pictures. I know I'm a little biased but he is becoming more photogenic every day.

My mom left to go back to Illinois today. We really enjoyed her visit and it was great to have her help in this transitional period. It is so hard seeing family leave, especially when you don't see them as often as you would like.

There is one sure way to get any grandparent to beam. Put their grandbaby in their arms, and they melt like butter. Or like Cherry Garcia ice cream? I introduced Mom to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and I think I gave her my addiction...that gene must run in our family:)

Jonathon is changing so fast already. We've been looking at his newborn pictures and see such a vast difference after only eight days. It seems that he is eating more and more. Move over Ma-maw...I have a new eating partner!!! Jonathon is going to give me a run for my money.




Speaking of Ma-maw and Pa-paw, they left to go back home today. It was so nice to see them. It was very hard to say goodbye for all of us. They mean so much to Heather and me. We think that they have now found their inspiration to fly now! Jonathon!!!

Time for Mommy to post! I just had to take a minute to brag on Jonathon's wonderful daddy. I think I would have lost it by now if it weren't for him... Feeding Jonathon occupies about 90% of my time right now, but Russ has been such an amazing help-- I haven't missed one shower!

I read a quote once, although I don't recall who it said/wrote it. I think it said:

"Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys."


I think Jonathon will become a big, big man through the loving care of his father. I am so blessed and so thankful to have these these two wonderful men in my life!!

We have more pictures posted! Jonathon had a check up today and his jaundice is doing good. He's growing and getting more handsome every day. Ma-maw swears he's trying to talk to her already. We gave him his first bath last night and last night was the first night that I received a spray from Jonathon. It brought a good laugh. No pictures though:)

Thanks to everyone for your comments, phone calls and vistis. It is so nice to talk to friends and family at such an exciting time in our lives.

Jonathon is doing great. He's been eating ALL THE TIME...The pediatrician checked Jonathon today and they are keeping up with his jaundice. Looks good but they just want to stay on top of it. He's been a good sleeper so far and we are trying to heed the advice of "sleep when the baby sleeps".

I'll be posting some more pictures tonight. Be on the lookout for them. What does everyone think of the coming home outfit? At this point, no matter what Jonathon is wearing, he looks like a real champ!

In response to yesterday's comment, GO RED SOX!!!

It is 10:00 in the morning and what a beautiful day. It's bright and sunny outside and warm and cozy inside. Jonathon is all cuddled up with Mom right now and we all are just enjoying life at the moment. The pediatrician has been in and has said that Jonathon and mom are looking great! We should be going home before noon today. Thank you everyone for your comments yesterday. To answer one of them, no, I didn't pass out. I went to the waiting room when Heather had her epidural but after that I was right there helping out! It was great! I wouldn't have it any other way. It was so amazing seeing Jonathon's head - then BOOM! there he was.
He came so fast. I wouldn't of had time to pass out. Jonathon has been great! He has been hungry 24/7 but the nurses say that is to be expected with a 10lb baby. He's feeding really well and sleeping even better. Of course we're expecting that to change but enjoying it for the moment. Enjoy the pictures. I might have some more this afternoon.

Ok...the picture link is fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience. Enjoy!

Heather and Jonathon are doing great today! Jonathon is in a feeding frenzy. We're in so much awe over Jonathon. WHAT A BLESSING. We've been waiting our whole lives for this moment and it is so amazing.

We have 30 new pictures of Jonathon loaded. There will be many more to come. Jonathon's New Pictures

We are ecstatic to announce that Jonathon Wesley Skow was born at 10:27 p.m. on September 28, 2005. He weighed in at 10 lbs and 1 oz. He is 21 and 1/2 inches long. Mom did totally awesome! Heck yea she did! (Napoleon Dynamite)






It was spectacular! We will blog in more detail tomorrow. This is so amazing. I'm so impressed how Heather did. We will put more pictures up tomorrow.

Heather is doing very nicely now. She had an epidural at about 7:00 p.m. She is resting comfortabley and getting some much needed rest.

We have looked foward so much to this moment and I was thinking, "Wait a minute! What do we do after he's born?" I've focus so much on this one event, then it hits me! Once he's here, that's when we really get to work. We're just taking each moment God gives us and enjoying the most of it.

Heather is being a real trooper. The doctors are saying that she is progressing very well. No ground breaking news yet - as can be expected. We'll keep you posted. The biggest news so far is there is a shift change for the doctors at 5 and then the nurses will change shifts at 7. Jonathon is moving around plenty too!

We are all checked in and settled into the hospital now. We have gotten the induction started, but it will likely be late into the night before the labor actually begins. So far, everything is going well and we're doing fine. Just finished up lunch, and will see the doctor again later this afternoon.

Hope you are having a great day!

The time is almost here! Just so everyone knows what will be going on tomorrow, we call the hospital at 7:00 am to find out what time to come in (it all depends on how many are there in labor tonight).

Once we get to the hospital, it will take several hours (up to 16) to even get labor started, and many more after that. Odds are, Jonathon will not be born until Thursday, if not Friday, so be patient! Russ will post throughout the day so that everyone will know what is going on. We will have the phone unplugged in the room until after the baby is born, so please check the blog for updates instead of calling the hospital. That should be much easier for everyone!

We are very excited, and can't wait to meet our little boy. We'll get pictures up as soon as possible so everyone else can share in our miracle. We're off to get some rest now for the big event. Have a great night!!!

Nothing...still nothing. I promise, if there were anything to write about, Heather or I would be writing about it. Wednesday is just about here! In the early stages of labor, I might try to update several times. The thing is, this is our first time and WE DON'T HAVE A CLUE! Of course ya'll knew that.

Our favorite cousin had a big write up in the local paper today. He's so funny. Bronson has been really busy lately with commercials, plays and concerts (had a big one Saturday) and we can't wait to see him and his family soon.


Here is the write up from the Daily Independent.

RACELAND - With the exception of the three University of Kentucky bracelets he wears on his right arm to support his team, Bronson Bush gives no hint he is an average grade schooler.

Taking a break from a Thursday afternoon singing rehearsal, he greets visitors to his Raceland home with a professional handshake, grabs a seat on the sofa, and intently talks of his ambitions in music and drama.

Using his hands for emphasis, he weighed a decision between the two.

"Well both," he said, lifting one hand then the other to mimic a scale. "I love musicals. I've done four or five musicals and one or two plays without any songs."

At the age of 10, Bronson's resume- printed a month ago - already lists a multitude of professional accomplishments that span theater, television and, most recently, cinema.

Three more endeavors are not reflected on the document (he has since starred in a commercial, performed in a local production of "The Wizard of Oz," and sang with the Southern Ohio Opry since the resume was published).

His list of dreams runs far longer.

Bronson said he has hopes of appearing on Broadway, starring on Nickelodeon, and making more movies.

"I'm trying for anything," he said. "I'm trying for the biggest of the best and the smallest of the small."

Bronson has appeared in several local productions in Ashland and Huntington, but his profession frequently takes him out of his beloved home state. He said he and his parents frequently travel to Atlanta, where his talent agency is located, on weekends for auditions or to film commercials.

Soon commercials starring Bronson will appear on several Knoxville stations, the test city for the new Zelosports football game. The Raceland-Worthington Elementary fifth-grader was picked out of a crop of aspiring young stars to appear in the commercial, receiving the call he'd been chosen on a recent Friday afternoon.

Lori Bush said the family took off to Atlanta that day, making it in time for Bronson to film on Saturday. Then it was back home to Greenup County, and back to their regular routine of school and work.

His parents don't seem to mind the travel.

"There's no down time," said Lori Bush, who said she and Roger Bush were married 18 years before Bronson was born.

"But that's O.K. We had lots of down time before we had him."

"This is what he wants to do," said Roger Bush. "So we do whatever it takes to help him to do what he wants to do."

So far, their sacrifices have been rewarding.

Last year, Bronson got to spend a day on the set of the upcoming Dreamer for a small role in the film and he hopes to appear in an upcoming movie produced by Billy Ray Cyrus.

"We're hoping he'll get to audition for that," Lori said.

Bronson's love of performing began at an early age.

"I knew since I was 3 or 4 - 3 and a half - I wanted to be an actor. I always loved movies," he said.

Lori and Roger Bush said their son was an early singer as well.

"He was singing before he was talking," said Lori Bush. "Music is big part of our lives."

Lori Bush also likes to sing, and sang to Bronson while pregnant. Roger Bush plays trumpet.

"I just think you have to have music in your life all the time," Lori Bush continued.

Other actors have influenced Bronson as well.

"My favorite actor happens to be Jim Carey," said the Raceland-Worthington Elementary School fifth-grader who is still glowing from his experience filming Dreamer.

The movie, which stars Dakota Fanning and Kurt Russell, was filmed in central Kentucky last year. Bronson, who appears in one scene, can be spotted in the background in one of the movie's promotional campaigns.

He is particularly proud of this fact as displayed by his enthusiasm for a photograph sent to him by a relative. The image captures Bronson sitting behind Fanning in a classroom in one of the movie's scenes.

He still marvels at the experience.

Bronson said he got let in on movie making secrets like grinding up chalk and running a fan to give the appearance of early morning. But, if his enthusiasm was any indication, he was possibly more impressed with a craft service that featured everything from regular food to chocolate and gummy worms.

"It was really interesting," he said.

His parents say they will go wherever they need to for Bronson's career and hold high hopes their son will one day be a celebrity.

Bronson shares the dream, but isn't sold on the idea of moving away. He said if he goes, he's bringing his parents and extended family with him.

What else would a good wildcat fan do?

"I'm sorta, kinda obsessed with U.K.," he said.

We love you Bronson and we wonder all the time how much Jonathon will be like you.

Today's appointment went fine. We got a cute picture of Jonathon giving us a "thumbs up" from the ultrasound. Once I get that scanned in, I'll upload it to share. The doctor had pity on me, and was going to try to fit me in tomorrow for the induction, but the schedule was too full - he actually went to check twice to see if they could do it, but without canceling someone else there was just no way.

But, everything looked good, and there was no real medical reason to move up the induction, so we are still all set for Wednesday. Of course, that doesn't mean much about the actual birthdate since inductions can take a LOOOOONNNNNNGGGG time. A friend of mine was induced on a Monday and didn't have her baby until Wednesday morning, so don't hold your breath! Ah, patience is a virtue.

In a little over a week, we will be able to take a picture just like this one. The only changes will be the baby, the hairstyles and the fashions (well...not really)!

The countdown is set! Unless Jonathon surprises us again, he should be here in about a week. Now that I'm writing this, maybe he'll come right now. Ok, now!... Now? Maybe not.

Being fully rested right now, I can say that it is so exciting as the big day approaches. Of course we are looking forward to the arrival of Jonathon but we are also looking forward to family and friends visiting and seeing Jonathon Wesley Skow. Wait till all visitors are gone, Jonathon won't sleep and Heather and I are completely wiped out from sleep deprivation and I'll tell you how exciting it REALLY is:) I'm wondering right now if this will become more of a place of confession and soul searching for some saneness or a place totally void of anything because we will be searching for sleep. Well, time will tell.

Well, I'm back from my Doctor's appointment - I go back on Friday for yet another ultrasound, NST, and follow-up. If Jonathon doesn't choose to show up on his own, I will be induced next Wednesday, on the 28th. The doctor was actually going to let me go a week longer than that, but I was very convincing - even without tears! He agreed to next Monday, but then there were no available slots until Wednesday. Still, knowing that at least there is an end in site makes it SO much easier to cope with. I'm making no predictions about whether or not he will show up before that or not - we have all learned throughout the last two months that NO ONE'S predictions are correct!

So, I'm resetting the counter at the bottom of the page to reflect the induction date - just over a week to go! WOO-HOO!

We are coming close to the end of our first adventure with Jonathon. We are meeting with the doctor tomorrow for hopefully the last time before Jonathon is here. I know we all have heard this before but we are hopeful. It is so funny looking at this picture of Heather when she was 3 weeks old.I think Jonathon looks like her when I see this picture but when I see a picture of me at that age I think he looks like me. Well hopefully we will soon find out. What do you think?

We're planning on saving a ton of money when Jonathon gets here. I came across this Iced Coffee Latte recipe today and decided to make it. (We're frequent Starbuck's customers) We went to the store today and got decaf and regular instant coffee granules. I ended up making a batch and Heather thinks it's the greatest. (She is a big "Caramel Frappuccino" fan) I forgot...well, I didn't think it was that big a deal, but she was going on how that was the best drink she's ever had, so I gave her two! About thirty minutes later, she asked, "Was that decaf?" I replied, "No, do you want a decaf batch?" Needless to say, Heather won't be getting to bed too soon tonight. Jonathon has been extremely active lately too. Well, mark one down for me. Things NOT to give to your pregnant wife. TWO iced lattes at 7:00 in the evening.

It has been 4 days since our last entry and I don't know how much more we can take. Our stomachs are in knots thinking, "When in the heck is Jonathon getting here?" I was a little disheartened after I had almost guaranteed his delivery last weekend. Well, that is the first rookie mistake. I have learned my lesson. We've concluded that Jonathon is just being fashionably late and he wants to arrive for peak leaf peeping season in Vermont.

One thing I will guarantee. Jonathon will be here...eventually. He will be the cutest baby in the world (to Heather and me) and I will post a ton of pictures of Jonathon once he finally comes. Ok, that was more than one but you get the idea.

I'm all better now...I think, so I should be posting as usual.

We Want Jonathon! We Want Jonathon! We Want Jonathon! Too bad we couldn't chant him out. I think he is being true to his mom and dad. If he has half the personality of mom and dad, then he is going to be a strong spirited boy. We just hope he doesn't get both of our personalities combined! Whew! Just thinking about that and I start to hyperventilate.

Just look at him...can't you just see him...I think he might be sticking his tongue out:)

In all seriousness, we are very happy that he has come to term and looks to be a very healthy boy. He is just so cute and we both want him to be here so we can hold him, love him and take care of him. Our anticipation has been heightened with all the extra doctors appointments, ultrasounds, etc. We look forward to the day (any day) that he arrives.

Sorry for the false alarm from the weekend. It is a lesson learned. Jonathon will come out when HE is good and ready...but it could be any day.

***EVICTION NOTICE***

Jonathon Wesley Skow, tenant of physical property owned by Heather Jane Skow (landlord), is hereby notified that he has 48 hours in which he can either gather his belongings and promptly vacate the premises willingly, or wait until the final day. After this time, he will be physically removed from the property.

He is being evicted due to breech of contract and destruction of property. Expansions only to the FRONT of the house, within reasonable limits, were discussed. Not only have these limits been exceeded, but additions to the back of the house were also made. Remodeling and gutting of the home was never approved, nor was changing the initial layout and base structure. Due to property damage, there are now leaks in both the upper and lower levels of the home. The tenant has also exceeded the timeframe of his stated lease, and renewal has NOT been approved. Any further problems will result in immediate and forceful removal prior to the deadline stated above.

(If only this really worked!!)

Update from today's appointment: There is no update! No change, no scheduled induction...they'll see me next week. As always, we'll keep you posted if anything changes!

Just a quick update - Sunday afternoon, almost 4:00 pm, and nothing to report yet! Heather experienced strong contractions last night for about 4 hours - got down to 6 minutes apart, and then *POOF* - they disappeared again! I guess this little guy is determined to be as stubborn as his mommy & daddy put together! We'll keep you posted!

Well, Saturday morning, 9:45, and all is well! We had a surprisingly good night's sleep last night, and now Russ is in the process of making my FAVORITE breakfast - Spicy Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Pecan Syrup and Maple Bacon- perfect for the fall weather we are starting to have!

For those of you that asked for more info, the doctor decided against a C-Section or induction at my appointment yesterday as I was progressing on my own. At the time of my appointment yesterday (sorry if TMI!), I was 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I was having some contractions, although I couldn't feel them, but I have sure felt them since! They were pretty regular yesterday evening, although they seemed to easedoff a bit through the night. The doctor I saw told me that she was on call for delivery this weekend and expected to see me sometime Sunday. If not, I have a follow-up appointment Monday morning to check progression.

MMMM... breakfast is ready! We'll be heading out in a bit, and be out and about most of the day to help pass the time, so don't worry if you call and don't get us. We will have the computer at the hospital and will post updates here when (if) we get admitted, but I really don't look for that today. We'll see !!!

The time is quickly approching. Jonathon's entry into this world is soon upon us. Heather had, what we are hoping, her last ultrasound and check up today. Long story short, he should be coming sometime this weekend. Stay posted here. I will post as often as possible on the blog. I have the laptop all charged and ready to go, bags are all packed and I'm all read up on how to help Heather through the labor stages! It's amazing how everything is coming together. All the classes we've been to, all the books we've read, all the ultrasounds and all the doctor visits we've been to, they are all coming together for this monumentous moment.

Alright, most of us were off when we thought Jonathon was going to get here. 55% of us said last week. Only two people (10%) said this week. Well, whoever you are, great job! All I have to say is I sure hope it's this week. They keep telling us it will be anytime and anytime has come and gone.

Everyone enjoy your weekend! Hope it's filled with plenty adventure. If it's not, come back here and we will have (hopefully) plenty adventures to share.

Well, the U/S today showed that Jonathon has only gained 1 ounce in the past 3 weeks. YEAH RIGHT! The doctor said that was completely absurd, and that she felt the measurements were not accurate. SO, now we have another ultrasound scheduled on Friday, followed by an NST. Depending on growth and AFI, they said we will be discussing induction/c-section on Friday. We'll keep everyone posted as we get more news! This could be the weekend!!!

We are so excited! My grandparents now have their computer all set up and ready to go. We got them set up enough today that they can view our webcam and chat with us. Now we can just put baby in a swing in front of the monitor and they can watch him for us! Okay, well maybe we won't take it that far, but they will be able to see him, and he will be able to see them. Isn't technology wonderful???

A reminder for all, if you'd like to chat with us, we use yahoo messenger, and you can download it using the link below!

WHEW! Well, I think we are all finished (I hope!). The car seat is installed, as you can see, the nursery had a re-cleaning, the bottles are sterilized (just in case), the bags are packed, and now, well, now we wait. That is NOT the fun part - we are SO excited for Jonathon's arrival!!


Of course, poor Russ is exhausted. I was wondering where he disappeared to after installing the car seat, and look where I found him....


Ah well, he deserved the nap. He has worked VERY hard this weekend! And, like everyone keeps telling us - sleep while you can!

Earlier in our await for Jonathon, I was quite obsessive compulsive. Before I was unexpectedly put on bedrest, the nursery was finished and the clothes were not only washed, but also hung in the closet on color-coded hangers that represented the size of the clothing. But, since then, we've been relatively lax about getting anything else ready - what else could there be?

Well, it finally hit me today that Jonathon may choose to arrive at ANY moment. Yes, his nursery his all ready and waiting, and HIS hospital bag was all packed, but mine (& Russ's) has not been started, the carseat has not been installed, and a moment of shear panick has set in. Needless to say, this weekend, if Jonathon allows, will be jam-packed with preparatory activities. Poor Russ!

Last night I was checking out Jonathon's and my picture and I realized that right now, Jonathon is over 3 pounds heavier than I was when I was born. I think I weighed in at 5 pounds and some odd ounces. He's a BIG one.

Our thoughts and prayers go to the families affected by Hurricane Katrina. The news seems to only get worse. Here is a lighthearted story I came across today while reading some of the hurricane news.

Couple flees trouble

We have some good news. Heather had her weekly checkup today and the doctor asked her how long till her next ultrasound. Heather told her that it would be on September 7th. The doctor then told her that she doubts very seriously that Heather will make it till next Wednesday. So here we are, keeping our fingers crossed that we might be having a baby in the next week or so! Heather is definitely ready to have him and after seeing this picture I'm ready too.

My sister Rebecca sent me this picture today. When I looked at it, I immediately saw Jonathon. It put the biggest smile on my face. Actually, I believe I'm still wearing the smile. Every ultrasound we've seen (12 or so), he has his hands around his face and looking so content. Hopefully Jonathon will get mummy's brains and some of her features but it is so funny how he looks a lot like me.


Here is a photo of Jonathon at 24 weeks. Can you see any comparisons? I think I can pick out some of Heather's features too. I think he is going to have Heather's eyes...and from the angle of this picture maybe her jaw profile. That one might be a little hard to tell still. It sure is exciting thinking about it though.

Well, which outfit are you wanting to see Jonathon coming home in? If you'd say the duckie outfit, you'd be correct. The duck outfit won by a landslide! Selection two (my selection) was close for awhile, but couldn't keep up with the popularity of selection #3. So, as long as he can still fit into it, he will be looking like a duck on the way home. Thank you all for voting. I know I had a lot of fun checking and voting.

We have just over two weeks left until Heather's due date! Checking out the vote for the coming home outfit, we have 85 votes! WOW! We either had a lot of people voting or some people voting many times. With Heather being so close to having him, I'm going announce the winner tomorrow. It was fun but I think the outfit I was voting for is going to lose.

There will be no sappy videos tonight, no cool 4D pictures of Jonathon and there isn't going to be any pictures of penises tonight from me! Just a good, old fashioned picture of the most beautiful woman in the world, 37 weeks pregnant, with the most beautiful baby boy in the world. And yes...I am the proudest dad in the world. Funny thing is that he isn't even here yet. We're just a couple weeks away!!! Hold on tight...

I guess there's one good thing about being on bedrest... I can actually use the computer while Russ is at work! He is having too much fun with the pictures and videos, which means he's hogging the computer. Oh well, I'd rather have him in front of the computer all night instead of lost in the woods... Just wanted to share some of our pictures from yesterday's ultrasound.

Isn't he cute??? The quality isn't as good as the 4D pictures, but it is amazing how much you can see on this traditional scan. His little face has really filled out since our 4D ultrasound. Those cheeks are chubby, but what do you expect from a boy that's already almost 8 pounds?!




Now, for all of you doubters that keep saying, "What if it comes out a girl?!?!?!" - we provide this proof. The tech told us that there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY this baby is a girl - and as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words! So, rest assured, it is safe to buy blue! The tech was REALLY impressed - even asked Russ if it looked familiar!


Well, time for me to go. Russ is home and I'm ready to find out what yummy thing he's making me for dinner!

After the response from yesterday's video, I scrambled to get some pictures from my sister, Rachel. I found a new program on our new computer and it really aids in throwing these videos together. As fast as I go through pictures, there won't be any more videos till I can get my photo stock pile up again. However, I did start the Video corner today so you can go back and watch all videos that have been created in the past.

Heather had her ultrasound today. The visit went well. Jonathon is weighing in at a whopping 7lbs 12oz! The doctors are still keeping a close eye on him so he is scheduled to have another ultrasound the 7th of September. The ultrasound tech gave us some good pictures this time so I will try to get those up in the next couple of days. Boy...is he looking handsome! We can't wait till he is here.

One thing that is so hard for some people to do is to relate to others how much someone really means to them. One thing I am so proud of is to be part of an extended family (both the Bushes and Skows) that truly loves and cares for Heather, me and of course Jonathon! I know it is hard for some of us (especially the guys) to articulate exactly how we feel about our loved ones and how much they truly mean to us. This is just a little token of the love for all the family in our lives.

One thing I love about this song is how it expresses the love everyone of us have for our children. With life, work and teenagers some of it might sway a little, but too often, it goes left unsaid. It goes unsaid to the spouse or partner even though you are constantly thinking of them while you are at work. It goes left unsaid to the young son or daughter who would give anything RIGHT NOW just to hear how much you really do care about them. It is left unsaid to the grandparent or grandchild of how much you thank God that they are a part (or have been) of your lives. We all get so busy that we really do forget what really is important. Relationships with the people you really love. The ones that are the closest, we push the farthest. May today be the day that we tell the people closest to us how much they truly mean to us and how much we value them. No one EVER gets tired of hearing how much they are loved and how important they are in their loved ones lives.

I do apologize for not getting everyone in the picture. Everyone was thought of when putting this together. The only drawback is I don't have pictures of everyone. I will be working on that. We love everyone and thank you so much for your love and prayers.

Finally! The computer is up and running again. It has been down since Wednsday and as you can tell I am finally able to post once again. We had to do some major upgrades to the computer and router (I think the milk did more damage than was first anticipated).

We are nearing 1,000 hits on Jonathon's site. It is great to see his site gaining popularity and we anticipate even more with his birth soon approching.

Let's see...what has happened since last Tuesday? Well, for starters, we found out that the daycare provider we chose is moving to North Carolina. Of course it is very short notice and we feel that everything happens for a reason. We already interviewed a couple last Wednsday and what a God-send! We talked with them for about two hours and it was great just talking to another couple. We had several interviews before we settled on our last provider and BAM! we come across this couple and they seem 1,000 times better! Just goes to show, no need to worry. That is still a HUGH lesson I need to learn.

It's great to be back on and sharing with everyone and I will be back tomorrow.

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a big Miami Dolphins fan. I came across Dan Marino's Hall of Fame acceptance speech today from an email I had received (daddyconection.com). While the transcript is quite long, both his son and he eloquently speak of how important family really is.

Heather's appointment went well yesterday. Jonathon's heartbeat was strong and Heather's blood pressure was unchanged. Being the glass is half full type person, I would say that is a good thing since her blood pressure hasn't gone any higher! Unfortunatly, still bedrest.

We took our CPR/First Aid course tonight. We learned CPR for infants and children up to eight years old. It was interesting but we were glad it ended early. As hard as I tried, no humorous stories to tell.

I'm still figuring what you can and can't do with this webcam. I made some brownies last night and got some milk for Heather and me. I hooked up to the webcame to talk with Lori, Roger and Bronson and Lori was very impressed with my box brownie skills. She asked, "Hey Russ, can I have a brownie and some milk?" So I walked over to the webcam, acted like I was giving her the brownie then went to pour her some milk. Stupid, stupid me...I poured a half of glass of milk all over my laptop. Needless to say, EVERYONE thought it was so hilarious! I thought it was pretty funny too until I went to get on the computer this morning and half my buttons didn't work! Well, time for a trip to Best Buy. This was the one time since we've been married that we got the extended warranty. Thank God! Heather has told me of some of her "preggo brain" stories. I swear... I'm having a few myself:)

Heather's weekly check-up is tomorrow. Everything should go okay and as always, we will keep you posted.

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Aren't we all looking foward to another work week?

I wanted to get some footage of the Quechee Gorge this week so I could use it in some video footage. I hiked about 2 1/2 miles and all I came up with is about three pictures. They call the Quechee Gorge the "little Grand Canyon". It is absolutely gorgeous in the fall. The link on the right has some professional pictures of the gorge and truly does it justice.

Heather and I went out to eat today and realized that this was the weekend, one year ago, that we came up here to interview for this job. WOW!!! What a difference a year makes. This year has gone by so fast. We know it is going to go by even faster when our little Jonathon arrives. We never would have thought that we would be up here and having our first child before our one year anniversary of moving to New England. We have been so blessed.

Well, now we've done it! I've just got the house all set up to watch us via web-cam and to be able to talk to us over the internet. The ultimate way for everyone to be able to see Jonathon when he arrives and see us in total exhaustion, with no sleep. All you need is Yahoo Messenger and a microphone. Messenger is free and improved and most computers have a built in microphone. We will have a wireless network in the hospital so all can see (if they wish) Jonathon right after he is born!!! If not, no need to worry, we will get regular pictures up as soon as possible. Just check on the right column under the archives and see if I'm online or not. Feel free to IM and check out the webcam or leave a comment.

31 days left till Jonathon's due date. We can't wait. The time is closing in and Heather is READY. If you need Yahoo Messenger, you can get it here.

Thank Heaven it's the weekend. I might be able to post several times. Maybe show you some cool places around New England.

Until tomorrow...

I will try to post an inspirational video blog once a week for the next few weeks. Just another one of my ideas. I'll see how it goes and whether it will work out or not. I got a kick out of this today and wanted to share it with others.

Also, I came across this website for all baby names and how popular they are and were 100 years ago. The site is great to jar your brain if you are still looking for a baby name.

Alrighty then! This outfit is in first place. We have a total of 36 voters, up double from about two weeks ago. Selection #3 has a rating of 4.13 and selection #2 has a rating of 4.00. It is a very close race so lets see who wins at the wire! I did find out yesterday that we will be able to have a wireless network in the birthing room so hopefully you will be able to see pictures of Jonathon right after he is born. You will also be able to verify that he is wearing the winning outfit home too.

Things have been hectic the last few days so I haven't been able to post any video. I know that it doesn't really matter now about the video. All that matters is that there are plenty videos when he smiles, crawls, walks and talks. I just hope I have enough energy to push the play button on the camcorder or camera.

Jonathon has been flipping end for end the last couple weeks. Heather thinks he is ready to settle in then all of a sudden, whoop, there he goes!

Thanks for the comments and keep on the lookout for the video.

We had our birthing class today. It was a marathon session of eight hours. The time ended up going faster than expected for both of us. No gross pictures (I think I might be getting use to all of it finally) and a lot of valuable information for both Heather and I. We took a tour of the hospital to familiarize ourselves for when the big day comes. I have to say that we are very lucky to be able to have our baby at such a great facility with so many great doctors and nurses. We found out today that there is one nurse for each woman in active labor. Another great thing is that the room you "check" into is also the room you deliver in. If for any reason there needs to be any surgery, the OR is literally right around the corner. There is a pull-out couch for the partner, shower and even a hot tub for the mother to be more comfortable. This philosophy statement sums up the class today.

Next class is CPR/First Aid. Play around on the "Where Jonathon will be born" link and see all about the hospital.

Wanting to make this the best blog possible in order to keep everyone up to date, I have now added a video feature. As you can see, this is Jonathon's little bedroom. I also have a new countdown on the bottom of the page for everyone to anticipate his soon arrival.

Time for a new poll. I wish the site had a way to take bets, but since it doesn't, we'll do this one just for fun. Check over to the right and VOTE for the date range you think Jonathon will arrive. All bets are off if it is a scheduled delivery. Sorry!

Saturday, Heather and I will be doing our birthing class. We tried to have it spread out over several weeks, but unfortunately, the class was too small. That means we will have about eight hours of breathing, pushing, sweating and passing out. Of course we will keep you posted and I hope to get an amusing story or two.

Give your feedback in the comment section on other videos you would like to see. I'm still working out the bugs. The videos will get better with time. Don't bother asking for the delivery - Heather still says, "Absolutely no way!"

Well, I'm back from today's appointment, and beating Russ to the punch to get the Blog posted for the day. Everything looks good. Jonathon currently weighs 5 lbs, 8 ozs. Typical weight at this time is about 4 1/2 pounds, so he's on the big side, but not too bad. Still, he is well on his way to the 10+ pound estimate at my last appointment. His head measurements were off today as he was settled WAY down there and they couldn't get a good shot, so - that's right - ANOTHER ultrasound! This one will be in 3 weeks. My next regular appointment will be on Monday afternoon. The MD I saw today said that once they have that measurement they will be better able to determine if there is indication for a C-Section or not. My blood pressure was a bit high for me, but within normal limits for the average person. I've been given the green light to do a LITTLE bit more activity - but still not much, and no work. I'm just lucky that I can do quite a bit of my job from home - otherwise, I'd be going CRAZY by now!

We didn't really get a good ultrasound picture to add, but we did get a "Wow - this kid has a lot of hair!" comment from the tech. You can see the halo around his head of hair. They say that the "a lot of heartburn means a lot of hair" thing is an old wive's tale, but I'm not so sure about that now! I am just so excited to see if the hair is RED!!!

I have the COOLEST cousin in the world! Heather told me today of a trailer I HAD to see. Click on Bronson's picture or go here. dreamworks.com Click on "movies", then on the "Dreamer" trailer and watch really close. Right when the movie opens, there is a red headed boy right behind the starlet, writing. That's our Bronson!!! It cuts to him four times. What is so cool is this is the trailer. We can't wait till the movie comes out October 21, 2005. Rumor has it, Kurt Russell has a speaking part with him. We'll see.

Heather has another ultrasound tomorrow. We are keeping our fingers crossed that everything will check out ok with Jonathon. We'll try to get the ultrasound on tomorrow for all to see. I don't know who is going to be more photogenic, Bronson or Jonathon.

Congratulations Bronson! This is GINORMOUS!!!)

I'm not posting this just because it is Wade Boggs being inducted to the Hall of Fame. He had a great piece about what his family meant to him. Take a look. We are coming down to the wire of Jonathon's arrival and it is hitting home the resposiblities of parenthood. There is always fear, doubt, hope and anticipation with anything new and the arrival of Jonathon heightens it even more.

Fathers are mentioned less often in parent magazines and websites, but I found a website that is a good resource for fathers of all stages. Also, I've added a resource link for parenting. Check it out. It's under the "Sites of Interest" on the right. Hopefully there is something for everyone.

A new baby is like the beginning of all things - wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities. - Eda J Leshan

I finally found the bike! First and foremost I want to thank Gwen going out with me Thursday. We hiked for about three hours and came up empty handed. If it wasn't for her expertise in map reading (ok, I'm just that bad), either the bike would of stayed, or it would of have taken another couple of weeks to sort through all the trails we hiked together.

With her help explaining the trails, I went out this morning, hiked for about 40 minutes, found the site where I stayed for the incredibly bad evening, and walked about 350 feet off the trail, right onto my bike! I could barely believe it. I did a little "skeeter beater" dance and picked up the bike. With adrenaline pumping, I hurried out, then boom! Before I knew it the bike was on top of me and I was laying on the ground. I guess I had stepped on a rotten log and went right down. I had a couple marks on my face but I didn't care. I HAD THE BIKE! I started to think that Lance was full of it when he said, "It's not about the bike". It IS about the bike Lance! Hopefully this is the last chapter of this book. We'll see:) I have some pictures of the trails from today. Check em out.

Yesterday, our department had a baby shower for Heather and I. My team conspired together and gave me a fanny pack with some survival gear in case I were to ever get lost in the woods again. Oh, how sweet they are! Then they got me a card with a baby on the front cover with a blank look and on the inside was, "Where's my dad?" We did have a great laugh over it.

Heather was very happy to be able to be out and really did enjoy the baby shower too. We got some gorgeous outfits for Jonathon and some really nice play things. He is definitely going to be the best dressed boy in New England. Check out the few pictures that turned out from the shower. I apologize for the blurriness. I'm trying to get the bugs worked out with the camera before Jonathon gets here.

First off, Heather had her appointment today and for the most part, it went good. She has continued to lose weight while being on limited activity (meaning that swelling is going down-yea!!) and doctors estimate that if Jonathon goes to term, he will be around 10 lbs. A plus is the blood pressure is remaining stable. As you can read by the last post, it has been hard for her being on bedrest, but it looks like it is starting to pay off.

Our department threw a baby shower for us today and we had a fun time with it. I will post some pictures from the shower and share some of the funny stories this weekend.

If Jonathon comes to term, we have only 47 days till the DAY! The time is really flying by and he isn't even here yet. BTY...everyone's doing a great job voting on the coming home outfits. Last count, we had 20 votes in. As they said in the last Presidential Election, "Every vote counts". Continue on!!!

Okay - time for mommy to post! Being on bedrest is NO FUN, but at least it gives me time to play on here. With the delivery getting closer by the minute, I'm frantically trying to get everything in order. Or rather, I'm providing loving direction for Russell to get everything ready!

So, we need your help. Since you all can't be here to shop and plan with us, we wanted to post photos of our top three "Coming Home" outfit selections for you to vote on. Mommy has her favorite, and Daddy has his - so now we need to know yours! (but we aren't telling ours yet!) So, CLICK HERE to head on over to the photos and VOTE for your favorite outfit. If you don't vote, you can't complain if he looks sissy on his first trip out into the real world! And don't worry, I decided against the outfit that says, " Are these REALLY my relatives?!?!? "

If you have comments, post those here!

Wow! What a difference a couple days make. Who would of thought that after posting Sunday, Heather would be put on bedrest (high blood pressure), I would be stranded in the woods overnight and I would make local headlines in the newspaper. Here is the clip from the Valley News:

Lebanon - A Quechee man spent several hours lost in woods around Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center early yesterday before he was found by a search party, Lebanon Police said.

Russell Skow, 27, was uninjured after he got lost in the dark and decided to stay put instead of trying to find his way out of the woods.
Skow went mountain biking near DHMC around 6 p.m. Monday, police said. His wife, Heather Skow, became concerned when he did not return.

Lebanon police were contacted around 12:15 a.m. and found Russell Skow's vehicle in a hospital parking lot near numerous trails, but found no traces of him during an initial search.

Around 3 a.m., they organized a larger search, involving a police K-9 unit, two officers on ATVs and an officer from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Police Lieutenant Scott Rathburn said.

Skow was located at 5:22 a.m., about 1.5 miles from the DHMC parking lot.

I want to take this time and let everyone know how much we appreciate both your thoughts and prayers through this very trying time. One moment, we find ourselves laughing at how wild and crazy the whole experience was, the next minute, we're both crying and thanking God that we're back together and that nothing really serious happened.

When you're stranded all night long and can't sleep a wink, you have every bit of that time to think. All I could think about is how much I love Heather and how worried and sick I made her and how much I want to be there for Jonathon, be there to help with him, be there to take care of him. Well, I can't be doing that and being lost in the woods at the same time, huh? That is an easy call to make. No mountain biking for awhile. Definitely, lesson learned!

I found out today that my best friend in the whole world, Darren and his beautiful wife, Amy, are having a baby boy! His name is going to be Jackson. They are expecting him right at a month after we're expecting Jonathon to get here. We haven't seen Darren and Amy in about two years, but it so amazing that even though we are so far away from each other and even though we haven't been in touch for those two years, we are going through the same joys, the same adjustments, at this very same moment.

It's so exciting to find out that they're going to be parents. Our love and thoughts go out to them in this wonderful time.

Babies and television

An intriguing article about the effects of TV on young children.

We had our baby class tonight. We reviewed different things such as changing diapers to putting a car seat in properly. It was going good until the instructor brought this picture up.



How can that come out of a little baby? YUCK! At least this class is giving me a little time to be prepared to change that yucky thing.

Mom and baby home 12 minutes after birth

I couldn't believe this after I read it. They must do things differently in New Zealand or wherever it was. Maybe their drinking water is better there.

Going through all of this, being new parents, everything freaks us (well me) out. Things like Heather getting an epidural, c-section vs. vaginal, breast feeding vs. formula, circumcised vs. Uncircumcised, co-sleeper vs. seperate room, delivery taking 48hours vs. 45 minutes, etc. Then I come across this site making you stressed about stress.

Relax! Your Baby Will Thank You!

Well, no matter how stressed out I am about all these different decisions and events, I come away with one thing. No matter how stressed out I am, as long as I am calm, reassuring and supportive of Heather, her stress level goes down. And that is good for everyone!

Here is the picture of Jonathon's dresser.

Dave and ML (Heather's dad and wife) visited this weekend. We had a great time with them just hanging out and talking. Dave and I played college basketball on the Xbox, and let me tell you, he's a fierce competitor. Alright, I just stink at that game.

There will be another album posted of the pictures we took this weekend. Have some cute ones of Heather of course and also some of Jonathon's room.

Check this story out!

Hospital sued over Man's deadly faint

Man, when you thought all the bases covered, they bring you this. I'm horrible with needles already. I've told Heather that I'm not going to be very much help with her when I'm passed out on the floor. That actually happened about five years ago. We were newly married and Heather had to go to the emergency room for dehydration, I believe. The nurse was trying to put an IV in her and she looked up at me and sobbed, "Please honey, make them STOP!". I started stroking her face and telling her that everything would be okay soon, then BOOM!

The nurse started yelling, "We have one down! We have the husband down!". As I saw the nurse coming toward me, I tried to help myself up. Big mistake. Huge. What I didn't see right above me was a metal tray with my foreheads' name on it. Needless to say, right back down I went. At least this time I was knocked out instead of passed out.

I lost my consoling privileges that day. The nurse sent me to the chair so fast, it would make your head spin...Well, mine at least.

Everyone lived happily ever after (so far...story pending:)

We want to give everyone a chance to be able to share in this incredible experience with us. We will put up new pictures at least twice a week. Check out the different links to the right. We will be changing those from time to time .

Heather had another ultrasound today. Jonathon is already measuring BIG. Ahead about 3-4 weeks. She gets another ultrasound in about a month.

Please feel free to add comments and give suggestions on what you would like to see on this page.

Who know's what you're going to be like? It's so exciting already that you have my lips and mommy's eyes. I wonder what activities you will enjoy. Will you like the

Red Sox?

What about

biking?

Will you like

music?

We'll worry about that later. For now, all we want to do is hold you, love you and care for your every need.

One of my favorites of Jonathon