When Elmo Grows Up

Lillie recently had the opportunity to attend "When Elmo Grows Up" at the Patriot Center. We splurged for floor seats and that was a great decision because she really enjoyed the show. Nothing like an 8-ft tall Big Bird, an enthusiastic Elmo, and the entire Sesame Street cast to brighten your day!

As I mentioned, we had aisle seats on the floor so the characters would occasionally come down and walk through our aisle (Zoe even reached out and touched her at one point). Alas, she was pretty much done after the intermission, but it was a great experience.

Sunny day, sweepin' the clouds away, on my way to where the air is sweet...

First Steps

Lillie's walking has really advanced over the past two weeks. Here's a short video demonstrating her ability. Darn cute in our eyes!

Lillie's Christmas Photos

Portrait Innovations did a great job with Lillie's Christmas photos.

We were really impressed with the the studio, its photographers, the number of photo packages, printing speed, and just in general, the quality of the product. This was even bigger accomplishment since Lillie was tired and not into the whole scene.

With that said...Ho, Ho, Ho. Let's head to the North Pole!

Let The Frenzy Begin, aka Happy Holidays

Well, the holidays are upon us once again. We hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving. We stayed local this year so we got to spend alot of quality time with Lillie (nevermind my trip to Charlottesville to watch Virginia lose to Va Tech once again...ugh, boo, hiss).

Where to start with Lillie? She's taking her first independent tentative steps, barking like a dog (yes, when she actually sees a dog), pointing to body parts when you name them, identifying objects on flash cards (ball, cat, balloon, etc), and so on and so forth. In other words, she's darn smart in our humble opinion.

It's my goal to have Lillie's Christmas photos up shortly. In the meantime, enjoy this smorgasbord of photos. We'll have a short video of her walking in the coming days.

Happy Halloween

Washington has a winning record (!) so Lillie really wanted to celebrate as a Redskins cheerleader for Halloween. It was a great idea especially considering how cute she looked. We 'trick-or-treated' around the neighborhood while visiting some friends. All in all, it was a great first Halloween for Lillie.

Lillian also ran in a 5K race since the last post. We did well considering it was the first time running with the stroller at that distance. Please check out our photo album for a big update.

Yummy...Want Some?

Lillie has enjoyed "real food" for months and her menu continues to expand. She even prefers to feed herself. In fact, she also likes to spread the wealth.

Nine Months Update

Has it really been an entire month since the last post?? I guess we've been busy chasing around Lillie. And yes, it's becoming a challenge!

Lillie has alot of energy (despite still not sleeping through the night). The speed of her development is amazing...standing without support (briefly), babbling "words", wrestling cats, climbing stairs, recognizing body parts. We figure that we only have a few more weeks until we're REALLY trying to keep up with her.

There's nothing major to report over the past month. With that said, we hope you enjoy the most recent addition to our photo album. Just wait till you see her Halloween outfit...

Lillie Crawling

By popular demand, here's a short video of Lillie crawling.

Lillian On The Beach

Here's a brief video of Lillie standing and babbling during our recent trip to OBX. We'll get some additional footage of her crawling during the upcoming weekend. It's several weeks later so you can imagine that she's developed her skills even further. In the meantime...

Outer Banks Vacation

Here are the vacation photos we promised last week. We spent a week in the Outer Banks with Liz's family. Of course, the week went by quickly...isn't that always the case? We had good weather and a nice house, but we were surprised this year at the number of people in Avon.

Needless to say, Lillie is awfully smart and darn cute. She enjoyed the beach, but jeez, a 7 month old and plenty of sand makes a mess. In regards to her development, Lillie is now crawling even though she would prefer to walk. And believe us, she's trying! She's also eating a bunch of different foods. If she would only sleep...

Stinky Stinky

A big update is coming later this week...Lillie crawling, babbling, standing, and of course, our vacation in the Outer Banks. In the meantime, please enjoy "Stinky Stinky."

Trent's Birthday

Lillie went to her 6-month checkup a few weeks ago, and once again, she's doing great. She weighed 16 lb 12 oz and measured 26.5". Our nurse practitioner was very pleased with both her physical and intellectual development.

We also celebrated my birthday last week (7/24/75...yep, the big 3-2). Our niece and nephew (Abbey and Mac) were in town visiting their grandparents; we all went to dinner at California Pizza Kitchen.

Finally, my parents came up this past weekend to visit Lillian, and of course, bearing birthday gifts! Speaking of presents...guess who got a GMU men's basketball jersey for the upcoming season?? As always, check out the photos.

Six Month Professional Photos

We thought Lillian's six-month birthday was a good occasion for another round of professional photos at JCPenney. We can send you the information necessary to order prints if you wish. All you need to do is send us an email.

Of course, you can always enjoy taking a look at our beautiful baby girl by heading over to the web album.

Trip to Marion

Liz, Trent, and Lillie recently traveled to Marion to visit Trent's family. Lillian was introduced to her Southwest VA roots for the first time after an eventful 5 1/2 drive. Of course, Jeff and Lynn enjoyed spending time with their granddaughter in their own home. Furthermore, LMR's great-great aunts and uncle (Jane, Ann and Bud) had the opportunity to meet her for the first time.

We also had a great hike at Hungry Mother State Park. BTW, it's the second-most visited state park in the Commonwealth. And with good reason...you should take a gander at the photos.

Booster Seat

Lillie Mae began sitting in her booster seat during supper this week. Speaking of eating, Lillian is currently eating Earth's Best bananas, pears, sweet potatoes, and peas (yuck). In fact, she even tried Cheerios yesterday and loved them.

We're off to Marion this weekend to visit my family. We should have lots of beautiful photos from Hungry Mother State Park.

Sleep Apnea Surgery

I recently underwent surgery to treat my obstructive sleep apnea. The procedures which included a UPPP (removal of the uvula and soft pallette) and a tonsillectomy were performed by Dr. Eric Furst at Fairfax Hospital.

The goal of the surgery was to open up my airway thereby lowering the severity of my sleep apnea and reduce the level of snoring. I'm happy to report it's been over three weeks since the surgery and I feel great. Most importantly, I'm snore-free (almost unbelievable!) and I wake-up refreshed.

I will admit the first 10 days were painful, and at times, it was a difficult recovery. Not surprisingly, swallowing was initially very difficult so I subsisted on Boost, Jell-O, popsicles, and Gatorade for over a week. I eventually transitioned to soup, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. Needless to say, I've been making up for lost calories over the past week.

Many thanks goes to my family for their support during the whole affair. Only one final test remains...the post-operative sleep study. If my sleep apnea levels have diminished from the "severe" to the "minor" range, then I'm home-free for the rest of my life (hopefully)!

Father's Day

The Richardson family had a great Father's Day weekend which was highlighted by a number of events including Lillian's first keg party, a trip to the pool, and a cookout on Sunday. Our visitors on Sunday included Pam and C.W. (Liz's parents), our comrades (Christian, Amy, Conrad, Finn), and Trent's buddy and his girlfriend (Quentin and Tara). We hope to see more of our friends and family this summer.

We haven't heard from people in awhile so let's get those comments flowing. As always, you can check out the photos.

Rainforest Jumperoo

Needless to say, Lillian loves her Rainforest Jumperoo! However, I wake up in the middle of the night with that song in my head. Speaking of restless sleep...Lillian has just recovered from her first head cold. In reality, she was quite the trooper, but thank goodness for infant nose drops and Children's Tylenol.

We've posted a number of photos from Memorial Day weekend and a Kincheloe family visit. Lillian will be making her first trip to Marion to see Trent's family in the coming weeks.

Solid Foods

Lillian has started her transition to solid foods based on the recommendation of our pediatrician. We first fed her rice cereal last week and she took to it like a professional. This week we added sweet potatoes to the mix. She now protests when her bowl is empty.

Lillian has shown quite an interest in food during our meals over the past several weeks. Her primary source of nourishment is still Liz, but we're pleased to see her eat so well.

Four Month Checkup

Lillian went to her four month checkup this Monday. She weighs 14 1/4 lbs, measures 24 1/2", and has a 16" head (all 50 percentiles). She may be average in stature, but advanced in intelligence. The nurse practitioner said Lillian demonstrated the development of a 6 month old. As you can imagine, we're very proud and happy parents.

We've added many pictures to the photo album. You can see some photos of Lillian from this past weekend (swinging at the playground, visiting Burke Lake, and hanging out). You can also travel over to my pictures from Louisiana (technical tour and festivities).

We hope you have an enjoyable Memorial Day.

Goin' Swinging

Cute, but make sure to take your dramamine.

Wedding Anniversary

We celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on Thursday, 5/17. The festivities were forced to wait until I returned from New Orleans. Some day I'll have the wedding available to view online.

New Orleans

I'm in New Orleans this week attending the CS '07 conference. I presented my research on Tuesday afternoon. I received several compliments afterwards. More importantly, my paper generated feedback from many prominent coastal scientists and engineers. On Thursday I'll be on a technical tour of the Louisiana coastal zone--Fourchon and the Timbalier Islands.

A few random observations, the cuisine is fantastic, the people are wonderful (but watch your back), the city is still very much recovering from Katrina, the French Quarter is wild, and I could eat bread pudding all day. This has been a long trip away from Lillian and Liz...looking forward to returning home.

Jeff and Lynn Visit

Trent's parents (Jeff and Lynn) visited Lillian this weekend. They arrived on Saturday for a short, but eventful weekend. Saturday included grilling out and bath time, while Sunday consisted of brunch and yard work. I know what you're thinking...wild and crazy!! Seriously though, they enjoyed spending time with Lillian and were amazed about how much she has developed over the past weeks and months. Needless to say, she is not lacking in personality.

It's been awhile since we posted new photos, so check 'em out.

Lillian in the Tub (Part Deux)

We removed the bath sponge from Lillian's tub shortly after I published the previous video (Bath Time). Since that post, she has really been 'splishin and splashin'! Alas, she's not as animated when the camera comes out, but you get the idea.

P.S. Watch out for my first Google Map Mashup this weekend. One hint...get ready for an interactive tour of Parramore Island, Virginia.

Bath Time

Splish Splash, I was takin' a bath
Long about a [Tuesday] night
A rub-a-dub, just relaxin' in the tub...

They was a-splishin' and a-splashin',
Reelin with the feelin, movin' and a-groovin',
Rockin' and a-rollin', yeah!

Meet the Hartwigs

This weekend, Lillian met her great-grandparents (Lynn's parents--Leon and Marilyn), great-aunts (Terri and Lisa), and cousin (Nathan). They enjoyed meeting Lillie Mae after dining on the fare of our exuberant neighbor: Alberto, he catered our wedding reception. After Lillian took a brief nap, we then proceeded to watch some Planet Earth, fix a dresser drawer, play some video games, and take a bunch of photos.

You will also note the new video below titled, "Filling the Pants." This is the first foray back into video after our big hit, "Lillian Cooing." Wow, big pressure to meet expectations this go-around! For those interested--and who wouldn't be--you can check out the extended footage.

In summary, thanks for coming up guys and we're glad Lillian finally had the chance to "Meet the Hartwigs."

Liz to Work, Lillian to Day Care

Apologies for the tardy update, but we've had our hands full over the past week and a half.

Liz officially went back to work on Monday. She had 12 weeks of maternity leave and appreciated every moment with Lillian. The first morning of day care was a difficult change, but Liz and Lillian have adjusted well throughout the week. We're blessed with a terrific in-home day care provider (Raj). She even got Lillian to take a bottle today! This is a big development for us--of course, especially for Liz.

I had my PhD oral comprehensive exam this week. It was as bad as it sounds. One piece of advice...don't pursue a doctorate unless you're a glutton for extreme punishment.

Of course, please check out the new photos courtesy of Liz. Once again, we urge everyone to please subscribe to our blog...this service will not generate spam!

Professional Photos

We received the preview images of the photos we had shot last weekend. Needless to say, we had a great photographer and several of the pictures are darn cute.

If you would like to order any of the photos, then please let us know and we'll pass along that information.

Spring 2007

I'm in the middle of comprehensive exams this week so there's not alot of time for a lengthy post. However, we still posted new photos to celebrate the arrival of Spring 2007.

And let this be a fair warning when visiting our home...watch out for the drunk cats who invade the baby's space!

Of note, we had professional photos taken of Lillian this weekend. They did a really nice job and the photos are great. We'll have a web link available by next weekend so folks can order their own prints.

Psst...baseball season starts in 7 days.

Two Month Checkup

Lillian had her two month checkup on Monday, 3/12/07. We're happy to report she passed with flying colors and took her first round of vaccinations like a champ. Onto the vitals...she now weighs 11 lbs 9 oz and measures 23 1/4". These are both very healthy numbers and we're quite pleased with her development.

Some miscellaneous notes, we're currently trying to get Lillian to sleep in her crib during the night...she's rolling onto her back during tummytime...Liz goes back to work in three weeks.

Finally, please note you can now subscribe to the blog (see the widget to the right). You will automatically receive an email when we post a new thread. What does this mean? Immediate notifications of updates and the end of randomly checking for new posts. Thanks to everyone for participating in our blog and we hope to get more comments.

Lillian's Announcement

Lillian has an urgent message that she wishes to share with her admirers.

UPDATE: There were 112 unique views of this video over the past week!

Sleep Apnea

It's official, Trent has been diagnosed with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea. It all started when Liz noticed that his snoring was worse than usual. Trent met with a reputable Ear, Nose, and Throat physician and this doctor strongly suggested that he get a professional sleep study. The first study analyzed his sleep patterns and the second one involved Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) testing and calibration.

Recently, a study published in the journal SLEEP finds that people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are at an increased risk of having cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, sleep apnea produces general 'wear and tear' on the heart, brain, and lungs which leads to a shortened lifespan. Needless to say, Trent is thankful to have pinpointed a major issue, but nevertheless, apprehensive of the potential treatments and lifestyle changes.

What would be your treatment option: CPAP or surgery?

Dress Up Weekend

We have added to our web album a number of photos from this past weekend. Lillian had several elegant, 3 month outfits that screamed, "model me." She proceeded from the bikini competition to the formal outfit and finished with evening wear; a very impressive performance. Speaking of loud noises, Lillian is now taking naps in her crib during the day--a major breakthrough in our estimation. She simply gets cuter by the day.

P.S. Apologies for the lengthy delay in posting updated photos. Also, please note the pictures available on the web are not suitable for large, hard-copy prints. Let us know if you want a high resolution version of a particular photo(s).

Lillian Goes to the Gym

Lillian went to the gym this weekend--the Fisher Price Rainforest Gym. Watch the video below for all the crunches and squats. She's becoming more vocal and her arm movements have some purpose. She also has quite a smile that a photo does not capture adequately. It's certainly been amazing to watch the developmental changes over the past six weeks. Updated pictures are coming later this week.

GMU Basketball Game

Lillian went to her first public event this week: a GMU basketball game. Her presence paid off with a Mason victory on Senior Night.

Maybe she should have attended the games more frequently this season?!? It's been a disappointing February, but we still have faith.

One Month Birthday

Wow, Lillian is one month old this Monday. Did we mention that she's already reciting Shakespeare while running a 5K? Simply amazing! She had a number of visitors this weekend. Please watch the video below for the action-packed summary.

Super Bowl XLI Weekend

Lillian was very excited about the Colts big victory this weekend (check out the photos). She was adamant about sharing a video of her trip to the shopping mall. Alas, there's no footage of her first purchase of Dolce & Gabbana at Nordstrom, but you can witness her intensive preparations.

First Bath, First Stroller Ride, First YouTube

Lillian had her first real bath this weekend; her cord fell off a few days beforehand. To our mild surprise, she enjoyed the experience. The following day we decided to christen the Graco stroller due to the beautiful (June)uary weather in Virginia. Lillian alternated between fussing and sleeping--I think Liz was pleased to just get out of the house.

Of course, photos are located in our web album (links to the right). I've also posted a short 1 minute video of the stroller ride. Keep tuned for more updates.

Two Week Check-Up

Lillian went to the pediatrician today for her two week check-up (http://www.cmanva.com/). She is up to 8 lbs and 20.75" which represent a healthy gain in weight and length. Liz continues to have success breastfeeding and Lillian is obviously getting plenty of milk! At this point, her pattern is a tad backwards, sleeping during the day and cluster-feeding at night. We received a number of tips from the pediatrician to turn this schedule around, e.g. introduction of the pacifier and waking techniques. In summary, Lillian is doing very well and we appreciate every day.

Family Visits Lillian

Trent's parents (Jeff and Lynn) visited Fairfax this past weekend in order to meet their granddaughter. Liz's niece and nephew (Abbey and Mac) and her brother (Pat) and sister-in-law (Bern) also made the trip. Lillian continues to be a great baby and all enjoyed meeting her.

Lillian Mae's Birth

Lillian Mae Richardson was born on Friday, 12 Jan 2006 at 11:18 PM in the Prince William County Birthing Center. She weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and measured 20.5 inches. Parental bias aside, she's a cute baby with a good temperament and in great health. Liz is recovering quickly after a long labor, but rapid delivery. All the grandparents are very pleased and Liz's mom (Pam) was especially helpful during the labor. We brought Lillian home on Sunday around noon and we've thoroughly enjoyed having her at the house.

Coastal Sediments '07

Trent's first professional journal article--Historical Shoreline Changes and Morphodynamics of Parramore Island, Virginia (1852-2006)--was recently completed. The paper was developed in partnership with the chair of his dissertation committee, Dr. Randy McBride (George Mason University). He will present his research at the ASCE Coastal Sediments '07 conference in New Orleans this May.