Like Father, Like Son

Can't believe how fast time flies - this is both my excuse for no recent blogs and my astonishment at how quickly Damian is growing! Now that Damian is getting even more personality, its fun to see how much he takes after Jess and I. If you haven't already seen it on Facebook or Flickr, the picture above has two pics of me and two of Damian, see if you can figure out which is which (hint: Damian's blue eyes are a dead giveaway)! Beyond just looks, he's starting to mimic our attitudes and actions. He loves to people watch - I'm not sure if he's trying to learn from us or if he's just laughing at how goofy we all must look to his little eyes. He continues to make this cute little face where he furrows his eyebrows and seriously stares at someone or something like he's really perplexed and trying to figure out what the heck is going on. I've been known to make the same face on more than one occasion! He's even already taken an interest in the computer, staring at the bright screen and pounding on the keyboard while daddy is trying to get work done. ;-)

Seeing the world through a child's eyes

A few weekends ago (yea, I'm a bit behind on the blog... again), we had a chance to go down by Fort Ontario and just enjoy a nice walk down by the lake. It was a beautiful day and it was so relaxing just to take Damian and Gemma for a stroll. Afterward we went down to the flat rocks and played fetch in the lake with Gemma while Damian took a nap.

Its been fun to enjoy some of the simpler things in life that we often take for granted. Being such busy people, its easy to forget how nice an area we live in. As we were walking about, Jess and I were talking about how its been years since either of us had been down by the fort. Its such a shame that often times we let our schedules get in the way of enjoying all the opportunities that are available. Fortunately, one of the advantages of having a little one is that it makes us slow down a little and focus on things that we otherwise would run right past. The area around Fort Ontario is beautiful, but having lived in Oswego for awhile now, it loses some of its enchantment, even for a history enthusiast like myself. But for Damian, everything is new and exciting, and I am able to recapture some of that excitement but seeing the world again through his eyes.

Smiles and Giggles

I continue to be amazed at how much Damian is already capable of, even though he is only 11 weeks old. He has become much more vocal, babbling away when I first get home from work or when he's playing in his bouncer. He even talks to me on the phone already! Whenever I call Jess, she puts the phone next to him and he'll start jabbering away as soon as I say hi to him. He is such a happy baby, always smiling and giggling, and it always puts us in a good mood to see how content he is.

They grow up so fast!

Hard to believe its been over two months since Damian was born. I certainly don't miss the sleepless nights of those first few days and weeks! Damian got his first set of immunizations yesterday, so we can finally start bringing him out and about more. Looking forward to that first temper tantrum in the grocery store. :-)

Its amazing how much he has changed in such a short time. He weighs 11 lbs 11 oz and is 23 3/4 inches long! The best part is he's starting to get a personality. He's laughing and smiling all the time (even during his 5am diaper change), and is learning how to play with some of his toys. He loves it when mommy and daddy read books to him, especially his Star Wars ABC book! Last week was especially fun, he was exhausted after getting his shots (such a brave boy!) and just cuddled most of the night with us. It was a fun reminder of how he was those first few days when just craved our touch and attention, and to see just how far he has come!

Father's Day

Its hard to believe I'm actually a dad today. As I think about this day in which we honor our dads, I think about how fortunate I've been to have some amazing role models in my own life. My dad, my grandfathers, and my father-in-law have all been invaluable in teaching me how to conduct myself as a man and as a father.

Love. Strength. Faithfulness. Hard work. Selflessness. Wisdom.

They have demonstrated that these are what characterizes a real man. I am so blessed to have known and learned from these men, and I am so grateful that Damian has grandfathers and great-grandfathers who will pass on their legacy to him in the lessons they teach and the way they conduct themselves. And I can only hope to live up to their example as I show my son what it really means to be a man.

Damian Phillip

As many of my friends have pointed out, I've been neglecting the blog a bit lately. Apparently having a child takes a lot of your time and energy, who knew? :-)



As most of you know by now, Damian Phillip Goodnough was born last Friday, June 10th at 4:01pm. He weighed 7lbs 5oz and was 21.5 inches long. He is such a cutie! More to come soon (no really, I mean it this time)!

5 is my new favorite number

What a difference 24 hours can make!  After a tough first day, there was still almost no progress by early yesterday afternoon.  Jess was finally given a break from the meds so she could eat and take a hot bath, which made a huge difference in how she was feeling.  Another round of medicine was administered around 8pm, followed by a very long, hard night for both of us.  Lots of strong contractions and very little sleep had us counting the seconds until the morning exam.  And then FINALLY some good news - she had dilated 5cm as of 9am this morning!  From there things just got better, another hot bath had her feeling refreshed and around 11:40am her water broke.  So ready or not, this baby is coming today!  Jess is sleeping peacefully for the first time in over 48 hours thanks to the epidural and we should have a new addition to the family before dinner time!  Yay!