Halloween Costume

Here is Libby doing her impression of a squealing pig. A few more pig pictures are posted here.

The End

Great News

My mom's whipple procedure went great. The surgeon was very optimistic that most all of the cancer was removed. They removed about 40% of the pancreas and a foot of the intestines, but the stomach was not touched. The also removed a lymph node that the cancer had probably moved into. The doctor said that hopefully my mom should be in the hospital for the next week to 10 days and after that will be able to go home. Then she will undergo chemo/radiation in Michigan.

My mom had to be over at the St. Marys Hospital by 5:45 a.m. for her surgery prep. It was suppose to start at around 11 a.m. , but because of some changes in the schedule, they started at 8:15 a.m. First of all they went in with a scope to make sure the cancer hadn't spread. The GREAT news is, it looks like it hasn't. So now they will continue on with the Whipple. It will probably take between 4-6 hours to complete. Please pray for my family and the surgeon and all the nurses and support staff.

Best baby ever

Libby is on such a good schedule. After her doctor appoint last week, we started letting her sleep longer at night and it has worked out great. She gets breast feed from about 8:15 to 8:45 p.m., a bath after that for about 15 mintues. Then she gets a bottle at 9:15 and is usually sleeping in her cradle by 9:45-10:00 p.m. She sleeps until about 3-3:30 a.m. and then gets up to eat and is back sleeping by 4 a.m. At 4 a.m. we put her in her own room, and that way if she cries she can cry herself to sleep. I stayed up a couple of times to listen for her and she usually only cries for about 2-3 minutes before exhausting herself. Beth then wakes her up around 7 a.m. to feed her before she heads out to work.

Since part of the reason I started this Blog was to help others "raise their kids the right way", I will now start taking questions from people and answering them in the Blog. So please send your questions to askathomedad@yahoo.com. I will do my best to answer all of them in a timely manner.

Smiling Baby

I know this post will anger my brother Dave, who apparently hates Libby, but here are some cute pictures of Libby that Beth took.

I'm Sorry

I just want to apoligize to everyone and let them know that this will be my last blog posting. According to my brother Dave, I am boring everyone, here is his comment:

"It's official. Dan's blog is more interesting and humerous than Jon's. It looks like Jon's trying some of Dan's old tricks - like posting old pictures of stuff. Next we'll see meaningless random quotes of stuff. Could you please get a hobby or something? No more recipes, no more doctors office visits and no more naked pictures of your daughter. That's weird. "

I apoligize if I love my daughter and thought everyone wanted to know more about and see pictures of her since we live across the country and my family won't be able to see her grow up.

I guess I could turn this into a hate blog and make fun of the mentally challenged like Dave does.

Even more Awkward

Not even sure what to say about this picture of my sister Susan. So feel free to post your own captions in the comment section.

Awkward...

Yesterday at the doctor's office, the pediatrician and I were talking about Libby's eating and sleeping habits. When I mentioned that Beth sometimes had to wake Libby up in the middle of the night to breastfeed because of her engorged breasts, she started talking about what Beth could do to relieve the pressure. She kept saying "your breasts" and then quickly correcting herself saying "your wife's breasts" or "mom's breasts". For example she said "You can massage your areola and catch the flow into a cup". Now I am sure she dosen't get alot of stay-at-home-dad's in the office, but it was still a little awkward for both of us.

On that note, I found a couple of very intersting website about men breastfeeding. This one asks the question: Can men breastfeed? ( I think the answer is no)

Bathing Beauties

The first picture is of Beth when she was a fat baby, below is Libby. I guess we now know who Libby looks like.

eBay Savvy

We bought a duvet cover from Pottery Barn Outlet about 2 months ago for $80. After living with it for a while Beth decided she didn't really like it and found a new one she liked more. Yesterday the old one sold on eBay for $40. Now I have to paint the bedroom to match the new duvet cover.

2 Month Appointment

This morning Libby went in for her 2 month appointment with Dr. Geiger. She was very pleased with Libby's growth and progress, but wanted her to start sleeping longer at night. Even if that means letting her cry herself back to sleep. Libby should be able to sleep at least 5 hours straight. This will be much easier for me to do then Beth as I can sleep through anything. Libby now weighs 9 lbs 4 oz and is in the 12th percentile for weight. She is 22 inches long and that puts her in the 25th percentile for height. Libby cried like a stuck monkey after each of her 3 shots, but then promptly fell asleep for the car ride home, and is still asleep.

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Since I got such great feedback from my smoothie recipe, I have decided that once a week or so I will post a new recipe. This one I got off of foodtv. It was on Paula Dean's show. My brother Dave called me yesterday and he and his "friend" Will went to see Paula Dean's new movie Elizabethtown. You won't meet two bigger Paula Dean fans anywhere. He said the parts that take place in the restaurant were really funny, although a little crude. I didn't realize that Dane Cook was also in the movie.



4 chicken breast halves, or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken
Seasoned salt and pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/3 cup butter 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken base
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 small yellow onion, minced
1 cup frozen green peas, cooked
1 cup chopped cooked carrots
Pinch fresh grated nutmeg, optional

Season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into chunks. Alternatively, you may use precooked chicken.
In a large saucepan, melt butter and then slowly add flour, stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but not brown like a roux. Slowly add cream and keep stirring. Add chicken base, garlic, and onion and stir until thickened. Add peas, carrots, nutmeg, if using, and cut up chicken. Remove from heat. Any remaining pie filling may be frozen.

*I used 1 pint of heavy cream and 1 pint of milk
** I also added a can of corn
*** I served this over homemade biscuits

Sleeping Beauty

Today was the first time that Libby slept in her cradle during a nap. Usually she would sleep in her car seat that we put in the craddle. Interesting fact: Everyone of my siblings and everyone one of my neices and nephews (except Elise) have used the cradle.

She Passed

My wife Beth is now a Board Certifed member of the American Board of Internal Medicine. Two days before Libby was born she took her Internal Medicine boards and we just found out yesterday that she passed with flying colors. Of the 8,715 people who took the exam, 81% passed. Beth of course passed with a great score, she was in the top 10th percentile (so she did better then 90% of the group).

Favorite time of day

Bath time has become Libbster's favorite time of day. No matter how much she is screaming or crying sitting in the tub always calms her down. Click here to see more of her bathing pictures, they are all G-rated.

Grandma Visting

After church today we got some pictures of 3 generations of Bonner woman. 

Tired baby

Libby was exhausted today after her travels all over Memphis. She was so good all day.

Memphis Botanical Garden

Today we went to the Memphis Botanical Garden with Beth's Grandma and her Great Aunt Ev and Great Uncle Glenn. They are in town for a few days for a visit, mostly to see Libby we believe. At the gardens there was a professional tree climbing contest going on. It was based on the skill and difficulty of the climb, not speed. If you look close enough at the picture you can see the tree climbers. Afterwards we went to Beale Street, saw the infamous Peabody ducks, and then ate BBQ at Corky's, which is the best in Memphis.

Smoothie Recipe

Here is a great Smoothie recipe I made up. And my "made up" I mean that I saw it on the Oprah Show.

4 oz milk
1 scoop protein powder
1 heaping scoop peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 bananas

I call it the Nutty Monkey. It tastes great and is very filling.

Another newbie

My brother-in-law Rudi (married to my wife's youngest sister Ernie) finally stepped into the wonderful world of Blogging. Well at least he went out and signed up for a Blogger acccount. I think he could get the award for the best Blog name.