Thank You, Bill Raab!

Tuesday, May 28, 2008

As many of you know, my computer was on the fritz and was unusable for a couple of months. Thanks to Mr. Raab and his skills, my computer has been saved. I really, really appreciate it, Bill! I cannot thank you enough. It's so great to be connected to the world again.

To Linden:

Dear Linny Loo,
Your eyes are amazing. When I look into them sometimes I tear up. Do you have to grow up?? I love you so much I can hardly stand it. You are doing a great job being Olive's big brother. She loves you so much that I am pretty sure she won't hold a grudge for all those times you were just giving her a "kiss" aka "a poke in the face." You do give her oodles of real kisses though. I think what makes me smile the most these days is seeing you read to Olive or help her with her toys. It is the sweetest thing. I watch how her eyes light up when you read to her. She studies everything about you.

The most exciting news lately is that you are no longer in diapers. Mama and Daddy are so proud of you for being a big boy and using the potty now. I can tell that you are pretty proud of yourself too. I love you, Linden.
 

To Olive:

Dear Olive Ooh,
Well, you've got 2 teeth, an incredible smile, the most kissable cheeks and a happy soul. My heart melts when I look at you. Every month a little more of your personality emerges and I'm loving it. You just had your 6 month well visit and you are in good health and have started eating rice cereal now. Getting so big so fast. I love you, Pumpkin!


Kisses and Hugs to you both,
Mama


To Fans of Linden and Olive:
There is a mountain of new photos...feel free to climb it. Yes, they really are there. New albums starting Feb - present. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Month, Daddy!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

NOTE TO OUR READERS:
I apologize for the lack of posts but my computer is on its deathbed therefore it is currently being resuscitated and has yet to take a breath...Reid has been kind enough to borrow me his computer (or well actually, it's 11pm and he's asleep). Thanks, Reid!

To Linden:
Dear Linny Loo,
I love the way you talk to Olive. You have been and are a wonderful brother. Thanks for reading to Olive when she is sad (she loves you oodles, really, she laughs when she sees you) and for helping mama clean, cook and take care of Olive. You are always asking me for a "job." I want you to know that you are very skilled at setting the table and unloading the dishwasher. Oh yes, and at smashing ants in the house because as you know "we LIKE ants outside but we DO NOT LIKE ants inside our house." After you smash one you say "Mom, this one's butt got dead." Hilarious. As of two days ago you have decided that going on the toilet isn't such a bad idea...let's hope it sticks this time. I'm crossing my fingers. It seems as though Spring has finally arrived and we are enjoing much of it at the park. It's fun to watch you converse with the other kids. And lately your imaginary friend Ga Ga has been making appearances. I'm going to have to get some more details on this friend of yours. Tantrums are at an all time high...you sure know how to work it. I say "if you take one more step" and then you lift your foot up and smirk at me. So sassy, Linden. Counting 123 has gone out the window too. You like to wait until after 3 before you respond. But I think my favorite has to be when you request a time out. Always testing but hey it keeps us on our toes. I love you, Linden.

Linden's List...
Your favorite book: G is for Gzonk...Mama enjoys this one as much as you do.
Your favorite game: Candy Land or Memory... still asking for candy at the end of Candy Land even though it only happened once.
Your favorite class: Little Gym ...Although, teacher Jen quit and broke your heart.
Your favorite puzzle: Giant Fish... You are a puzzle piece man.
Your favorite song: Buffalo Soldier... Yeah, daddy got you hooked on this one...you like to say "breadlike pasta" instead of "dreadlike rasta" funny
Your favorite shows: DIEGO...go diego go!

To Olive:
Dear Olive Ooh,
You are adorable and I can't get enough of your yummy, yummy cheeks. Kisses all the time. Congratulations on tooth 1 and tooth 2. They add to the cuteness. Babbling is your new thing...Mama and Dada are so close to being clearly countable. We'll keep practicing. I love to watch you interact with Linden. He is the greatest thing since sliced bread to you and you can't get enough of his peek-a-boo games. The surprise pop up from him gets you laughing uncontrollably. You enjoy your toys and tummy time is ok now too. It has already been 6 months...where did the time go? Too fast little girl...reminding me to enjoy every second of every day. I love you, Pumpkin!

Kisses Linny Loo, Olive Ooh and lots of love too,
Mama

To Fans of Linden and Olive:
There is a mountain of new photos...feel free to climb it.

My Funny Valentine

Tuesday, February 5

To Linden:
Dear Linny Loo,
You are growing into your own little person. I love to hear you talk. Last night at the dinner table you told daddy and I that you are allergic to dogs but maybe someday you can eat them. So...I say " Someday you can eat a dog? Like Ace?" and you say " Yuck, mom that's gross." As you are laughing.

You are so affectionate and you always say... "You're my best, daddy/mommy!" Followed by lots of hugs and kisses. Which is then followed by "too many kisses, daddy" or "too much attention." We love it, Linden! You are my (and daddy's too) favorite boy in the whole world!

From the looks of this post you are all sugary sweet but don't be fooled. Ok, well, maybe 98%. You do have your moments though. I'll save those for next month's post. That's when I'll start telling some juicy stories of your defiance and sister poking.

Linden's List...
Your favorite book: The Adventures of Frog and Toad...we read it at naptime and bedtime every day.
Your favorite game: Candy Land... because you think that when you reach King Candy at the end Daddy will give you an M&M.
Your favorite class: Little Gym with Teacher Jen...you love her. I'm chopped liver when we're there.
Your favorite puzzle: ABC Large Floor Puzzle... Daddy begs you to play with something else but he is not successful.
Your favorite song: Too many to pick one... You are quite the singer!
Your favorite shows: Word World and Curious George

To Olive:
Dear Olive Ooh,
You are still an incredible sleeper. Thanks for treating us so well. Daddy and I can function really well with some sleep. We couldn't be happier!
You are quick with the smiles lately but still such a serious baby. You study everything with a furrowed brow. Just in the last couple weeks you have been laughing too which is delightful. You have been wearing this adorable white furry bear hat that your Uncle Phil gave you and it makes me smile so big. You look like a little eskimo (hence the eskimo kisses I've been giving you). You are a little chub and we are so thankful for your rolls too! Oh yeah, and you coo like crazy...we thoroughly enjoy talking to you.

Kisses Linny Loo, Olive Ooh and lots of love too,
Mama

To Fans of Linden and Olive:
Happy Love Month! Check out the photos for January!

Happy New Year!

Thursday, January 17

To Linden:
Instead of my normal letter to you I decided to compile a list of things you are currently saying that crack us up.
"Let's rock and roll, mom"
"That's how I roll"
"Tone it down, dad"
"You got it, baby"
"Applecore...who's your friend? Me!"
"Shake your booty"
"I just want one more candy and that's enough"
"Oh...ya...sure, dad"
"That's what I like" or "That's what I'm talking about"
"You stop it!"
"Please I can have more chocolate"
"You're cute, mom."
"You're my best friend, dad"
"Don't tease me daddy"
"That tastes yucky, mom...throw it in the trash"
"I think Olive wants her pappy"
"I think Olive wants to wake up"
"Get out your boobs mom, Olive's hungry."
You are too funny and too cute, Linden...keep it coming!

To Olive:
You are the sweetest baby. So smiley, so talkative, so calm. AND...a fantastic sleeper!!!!! Thanks for being my little angel. You are such a beautiful baby girl. We are so fortunate.

Kisses Linny Loo, Olive Ooh and lots of love too,
Mama

To Fans of Linden and Olive:
Happy 2008! The new photos are here. Check them out!

Olive, Snow, and Santa

Tuesday, December 11

To Linden:
Wow, bud! You are a fantastic big brother. You are adjusting well! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you. It's easy to see how much you love your sister already. You've been a big help to Mommy especially when Daddy is at work. Thanks kiddo! I love you.

Santa, snow and Olive is your big excitement, lately. We set up and decorated the Christmas tree last night and I've never seen you so wound up. You did a fabulous job hanging the ornaments on the tree. Today you stood by the tree for about half the day trying to touch the ornaments and telling me "I'm just going to turn them so you can see them better, ok Mom?" You also want to know when Santa will be putting presents under our tree. You understand the meaning of presents perfectly now and it gets you pretty excited. You also hung a "Santa Stop Here" sign on your bedroom door. This is a big improvement over last year considering you were absolutely terrified of Santa. We couldn't even have Santa wrapping paper around. I can't wait to see you opening presents this year.

Kisses Linny Loo and lots of love too,
Mama

To Linden's Fans:
We are all doing great and we hope you are too! Olive is here and I have added lots of photos of Linden and his sister to the site. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Fall Fun

Thursday, November 1

To Linden:
I love you, I love you, I love you! I can't say it enough. You tell us you love us all the time and we're soaking it up like a sponge. You are so much fun to be around...even when you throw your head down on the ground sobbing in a tantrum. You are so full of funnies. The things you say these days make us smile and laugh. How did you get to be such a comedian? Your big joke right now is "Why did the chicken cross the road?" It's so funny to you that you can barely get the punch line out. Oh, and of course you are testing us all the time which makes Daddy and I question our sanity at least once a day but don't think for a minute that we can't handle it...bring it on, Mr. Smarty Pants.

Halloween was lots of fun. Cat in the Hat was your costume and we took you trick or treating. You thought it was the greatest thing in the whole world that you just had to knock on doors and they handed you candy. YES, CANDY...which is on your mind every 5 minutes now. You have been examing your haul and deciding which ones you want to eat, begging of course to eat them all at once. What you don't know is that mommy has been lightening your load all day by hiding the majority of it in a cupboard for fear of sugar overdose. We love you bud, but you can't eat all that candy. You have a love/hate relationship with scarecrows right now. You really like them, want to see them all the time, and talk about them non-stop yet you have had some nightmares about them including ones that sort of look like skeletons. But I know it's just a matter of time before we are on to non-stop chatter about snowmen and santas.

Your baby sister is coming soon and I can tell you are really excited. Kissing my belly every day and telling her you love her. Telling her stories and singing her songs. Listing everything you are going to teach her and how you are going to help take care of her. She loves you too, Linden. I know you will be a such sweet big brother. Thanks for loving us so much everyday. Life is incredible with you in it!
Kisses Linny Loo and lots of love too,
Mama

To Linden's Fans:
I hope everyone is well and enjoying fall. My apologies for the lapse in postings we have been busy preparing for baby number 2. There are TONS of new photos for you to check out!!!!! The next posting will be after baby arrives in a few weeks. Stay tuned...

2 Years Old

Friday, July 27

To Linden:
Happy Birthday, Linny! (Ok, your birthday was actually last Sunday the 22nd, but we've been saying it for a month now with various birthday parties you have had and they are not over yet.) I hope you are having a great summer, I'm pretty sure you are. We've been really busy with classes and visiting the relatives. You love the grandparents mucho and the day after we get back from seeing them you ask when we will see them again. So cute.

I can't help but grin from ear to ear with your constant affection lately. I hoped that my child would be this affectionate. You tell me you love me everyday and give me lots of kisses. As of today, you have added "so much" to the end of your "I love you's." It's absolutely wonderful. And not only do you tell me that you love me but you also tell the rest of your family (and Stella too). I just melt. You have also turned into a fantastic singer and dancer! You seem to be excited about your baby sister being that you like to feel her kick and you give my belly kisses. We've been prepping you with "Being the Big Brother" talk and you look proud. I'm sure you will be a sweet, caring, fun and protective big brother.

I love you "so much" too, Mama

To Linden's Fans:
Happy Summer! I hope everyone is well and enjoying the nice (hot) weather. There are LOTS of new photos for you to check out!!!!!
In other news...Baby Durbin #2 is a GIRL and is due in November...

Toddler Times...part 2

Friday, June 1

To Linden:
Mama has been really lazy with her posts. My apologies but that of course doesn't mean we weren't having any fun. The weather since the last time I posted has improved greatly and thus we have spent many a day at the parks. You are such a big boy now, you are swinging on the big kid swings, you go up and down the slides all by yourself. In fact, you say the words "Linden do it" or "I do it" a lot. You've had lots of fun playing with your buds Hawkon and Stella. In the last couple months though you've had a tough time sharing but you are slowing grasping the concept that taking turns isn't all that bad. You've also discovered that hitting and kicking doesn't usually get your toy back but it does get you a 2 minute timeout. Your daddy and I find this to be a most useful tool. Actually, you have found it useful too. Whenever someone else hits you or kicks, you tell them "timeout" or "2 minutes." A good chuckle for me.

You continue to amaze me, and I can see this will be neverending. You have grown to be a sweet, kind, adorable, and funny toddler. I treasure you every minute of every day...ok I do ocassionally roll my eyes when a tantrum comes on but only for a couple minutes. Example: When you decide to scream "I want potatoes" everytime a waitress walks by in the asian restaurant where there is not a single potato to be found or when you yell "Mama, I'm poopy" over and over again in public so that I have to stop what I am doing and bring you to the bathroom and guess what? You smirk and say "not poopy."

You used to say "Linden excited" about a baby brother or sister until today. You informed me that you like babies but you don't want me to have a baby. Hmm...this should be interesting.

Love you oodles of noodles, Mama

To Linden's Fans:
Happy Summer! I hope everyone is well and enjoying the nice weather. There are new photos for your viewing pleasure. And in other BIG NEWS...we've done it again! Linden is going to be a big brother. Durbin Baby #2 is arriving in November. Stay tuned...

Toddler Times

Tuesday, March 13

To Linden:
Oh, my little Frog Man. My how you have grown. I love to kiss you and hug you and squeeze you to no end. Daddy does too. I don't want you to grow up too fast. I love you more than I could have ever imagined possible. You ooze fun, kid! When you throw your little tantrums I try not to crack a smile or laugh but it's hard sometimes because you are too cute even when you are mad. I just want to scoop you up and give you lots of sugar (as Uncle Tex would say). Thanks for making me laugh everyday. I am sure I have told you this before but your little smirk just kills me. It's fantastic and you have your daddy to thank for that. He's a smirker too! And that smile that you flash at me is amazing. I can see how much you love us and it's the best feeling in the world.
Love you oodles of noodles, Mama

To Linden's Fans:
Happy Spring! I hope everyone is well and enjoying the nice weather. You gotta love those sunny days! You will be happy to know that I have added many, many, many new photos for your viewing pleasure. Carry on!

Quick Update:
Well, Linden is quite the talker these days and he's even begun to dabble in Espanol. One of my favorite things that he does of late is telling me the events of his day. He's a great storyteller. His stories go a little something like this: "Class... Teacher Emma Jo.... mama shut door...cry... mama coming?...teacher.... shapes....teacher.... dance....hat...elmo... share...don't like it....I can't...I have it...no Ruby...I have it...mama coming?...teacher.... linden...draw....heart... play kids...play music...fun... linden cracker....apple juice....teacher bag...teacher diaper....mama coming?....funny....mama came back!" This is Linden's account of what goes down at his 3 hour class he attends on Fridays where I drop him off.

Happy New Year!

Tuesday, January 9th

To Linden:
Thanks for an awesome Christmas. You were a blast to be around. Christmas just got a whole lot more exciting with you in my life. I loved to watch you open gifts, play your instruments, build with your blocks, draw, and sing and dance to your favorite music. (Especially when daddy plays the harmonica). Looking forward to another year full of Linden surprises!
Kisses, hugs and all my love, Mama

To Linden's Fans:
Happy New Year to you. If you want to see what our holidays were like then please have a peek at the photos.

Quick Update:
Santa was still scary through the holidays, he loves snowmen as long as they don't talk and he received a TMX Elmo that is hiding in its box because Linden is of course terrified of it. He is enjoying all of his gifts, and some like Elmo he'll have to warm up to :) Other than that it was a busy end to the year and a joyous one. Thank you for all the great gifts and good cheer!

Terrified of Santa

Wednesday, November 29

To Linden:
This Thanksgiving I am so thankful for YOU (and your daddy of course). Thanks for being so cute and cuddly and for loving me so much. You are such a sweet and happy kid. You have an adorable giggle, wonderful kisses, grand hugs and beautiful blue eyes. And the way you say your vegetables make me want to melt. Beansh, Riiiish, Tato, Occli, etc.
Kisses, hugs and all my love, Mama

To Linden's Fans:
Hello, Hello. Good to see you here again. Hope you have enjoyed the posts and photos thus far. We are! As you have guessed, there are new photos for you to peek at. Go ahead, you know you want to check it out. Enjoy!

Quick Update:
Hmm...where do I start? Linden is GREAT! We have discovered that Linden is scared of Santa. He screams, cries and runs to me when you mention the word. It all started when we thought it would be cute to have his picture taken with Santa. BIG MISTAKE. Then Grandma gave him a Santa that talks. When he first saw it he hugged it. Then I decided it would be fun to press the button to make Santa talk. BIG MISTAKE NUMBER 2. He ran away screaming and crying. OOPS! Better luck next year.

In other news, we are having blast! I know that I say something like that everytime but it's the truth. I mean how could you not? We love dancing, playing instruments really loud (and may I add that my maraca skills are fantastic), singing crazy songs, reading books again and again, going for walks to look for quirrels (no that's not a typing error, that is how he says squirrels), playing hide and seek, throwing food on the floor, making banana muffins (his favorite), taking photos, watching baby einstein or sesame street, attending classes, playing games with the parachute, and napping. Need I say more?

15 Months

October 22

To Linden:
Life with you just keeps getting better and better all the time. You are so cool, my little man! Thanks for hanging out with me for every minute of every day and teaching me the ways of your world. Kisses, hugs and all my love, Mama

To Linden's Fans:
Good news...we posted LOTS of new photos! We are continuing to have great adventures and managing to document most of them. Please check out the photos, you won't be disappointed.

Quick Update:
Linden has a great vocab already. He's also repeating everything he hears. Which is great and bad. Bad if you are in a store and someone swears. (At least he forgot what he heard and repeated for now). We are having lots of fun with him. Everyday there is something new and amazing happening. So cool! He loves all animals especially farm animals as you will see in the photos. Linden is also a "Little Bruiser." He is not afraid of anything (except for the power sander) and so he just goes full speed ahead and well, he seems to have a few cuts and bruises along the way. Scary for mama and daddy, and ouch for linden. But so far nothing that a few kisses can't fix. He's a tough kid. Whew! Hopefully, he slows down a bit and adds a touch of caution.

Linden the Toddler

Tuesday, September 12

To Linden:
I love you, bud. Thanks for the fantastic summer! Thanks for letting me explore the world through your eyes. You are cooler than cool. Please continue to amaze me. You are smart, sweet, funny and adorable.
Kisses, hugs and all my love, Mama

To Linden's Fans:
Good news...the photos page has been updated! We had a fun filled summer. Linden had his first birthday and took his first vacation. You can also peek at the milestones page to see what he has accomplished thus far.

Quick Update:
Linden turned ONE on July 22nd. He had a rubber ducky cake and lots of family around to cheer him on. He's talking like crazy and walking like a pro. He has decided to move on to bigger and better things like CLIMBING...oh no. FUN for Linden but Heart Attack City for the parents. He's had his share of bumps, brusies and rug burns this summer. His first cousin (Jaxon) was born in August and Linden loves to give him kisses. He also took a couple of trips to see the grandparents. He loves his books more than his toys. We read many of them everyday. And last but not least it appears as though we may have a Geologist on our hands. Linden can't get enough of the rocks. He piles them, he holds them, he hides them, he throws them and speaks fondly of them. He calls them "Ocks"

LOOK AT ME!!

Monday, June 26

Happy 11 months to my "Little Man"

To Linden:
I love you and your quacking. You are the definition of fun, kid. Stay cute and sweet. xoxo

To Linden's Fans:
Good news...the photo page has been updated! Thanks, Reid. There have been some postings you might have missed so check out the archives link at the bottom of this post. You can also peek at the milestones page to see what he has accomplished thus far.

Quacking Update:
Still quacks at ALL animals and babies. We are trying to teach him otherwise. People think he's really smart though when I point to a duck and he quacks. On the other hand, I get strange looks from people when they hear him quacking and pointing at their baby or dog. What can I say? He loves to quack!

PHOTOS... POR FAVOR??!!

Thursday, June 22

Happy 11 months to my "Little Man"

To Linden: Thank you for filling my life with such incredible love and joy. You are an amazing kid!

To Linden's Fans:

Linden is fabulous! He's so much fun. My little ducky can say about 10 words now which is pretty cool. If you go to the milestones page you can see what they are and what else he has mastered. I wish I could say please check out the photos pages but I can't. I am sorry that we have been so behind on the photos. If it was totally up to me they would have been up already but my hardworking, busy husband has to help me with the photos one last time and it has been really hard to get him to do it as you have noticed. I am hoping this one last cry for help will seal the deal...

Dearest Reid,

Thank you for working so hard to keep Linden and I happy and healthy. You are a wonderful father and husband. We appreciate your continual effort to improve our lives.

In regards to this site, is there any way you could take some time out of your busy schedule to please help me post the photos of our wonderful son??? We are behind by about 4 months now and I am hearing from many family members who want to see how Linden has grown.

Love you,
Autumn

"QUACK, QUACK, QUACK"

Thursday, June 22

Happy 10 Months to Mama's Little Ducky!

Hey there! Glad you stopped by. Once again I have been slacking with the postings and photos. I have been busy chasing the little guy around. He's a mover and a shaker. The hubby needs to help me with the photos and he's been busy. We hope to have some up ASAP.

The Durbin family is doing great! Linden is incredible. He is quacking like a duck which is hilarious and super cute. Yinny (yes, not a mispell, daddy likes to call him Yinny) knows what a duck is and is quick to imitate it. He also does it when he's crying which is adorable. The Little Man is getting steady on his feet and will be walking in no time. Linny has a little airplane that he pushes/walks around the house and can also ride on. He walks so fast with it he's practically running. He loves it!

Linden has also completely mastered the word "NO." The boy knows the meaning and he tells me "no" all the time now by shaking his head vigorously. He's a rebel. You can tell he thinks it's pretty cool that he can say no. Linden Bear is beginning to wave hello/goodbye and point. His waving needs some practice though, he tends to hit himself in the face because his arm is flying all over the place but it's still pretty awesome!

Linden continues to be a real joy! The kid is more entertaining and lovable every day. I feel so fortunate that I am able to be home with him and not miss out on anything. It's wonderful! Thanks, Reid.

"BRUISER" DURBIN

Monday, May 1

Hello! Sorry it has been so long since my last posting. Our house has been pretty chaotic. As most of you are aware, Linden's Aunt, Uncle and soon to be first cousin from Texas were staying with us for the last month or so. Linden really enjoyed having them and other family here.

"Linden Bear", as Uncle Tex calls him, is doing fabulous! He's getting so big. He looks more like a little boy now than a baby. We just had his 9 month checkup and he's great. Linden is charting tall and lean. He is crawling, pulling himself up and starting to cruise along the furniture. This is where he gets the Bruiser part from since he has and will continue to take many spills. He drew his first blood and I tried not to have a heart attack. It turned out to be just a tiny scrape above his eye but man did it bleed. He didn't seem too bothered by it. He also smacked Reid in the face with his head and gave him a fat, bloody lip but "Bruiser" didn't even notice. The other reason he has the nickname is that at his baby class he grabs his classmates, steals their toys, tries to pull their hair and ears, if he's teething he tries to bite them, and last but not least he pushed a one year old girl to the ground and "rode her like a surfboard." He is just a very curious baby with a lot (A LOT) of energy and a love of babies.

In other news, Linden Bear is learning how to get into everything and keeping his mama very busy. Linden has 5 teeth and one more in the making. He's turned into a great sleeper which is simply fantastic. The weather has been very nice here so we have enjoyed daily walks to the park to play in the grass and swing with the big kids.

Linden LIKES:

-eating black beans, watermelon, soy beans, chinese food, cheerios, veggie/fruit puffs, bananas, hot sauce, avacado, spaghetti, broccoli
-swinging at the park
-stroller rides
-all kids (makes strange noises to get their attention)
-dancing and jumping with mama and dada
-pulling things off the shelves in stores and at home
-music (he bounces and giggles)
-a good game of peek-a-boo
-standing up
-banging on everything
-taking a bath
-baby class
-sesame street
-saying mama


Linden DOES NOT LIKE:

-slimy peaches, green beans, mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, canteloupe, refried beans, lettuce, lime, meat
-his exersaucer (he wants to move instead)
-diaper changes
-getting dressed
-other people feeding him
-lotion
-wearing a hat (we bought him a hat and he lost it 15 minutes later at the zoo)

That's all for now, check out the new photos!

7 Months + Photos

Wednesday, Feb 22

Hello again! Linden just turned 7 months today and is constantly impressing us with his new talents. The list is growing long. Here is what he has mastered so far:

-Eating finger foods
-Drinking from a sippy cup
-Jumping in his exersaucer
-Saying Mama and Dada
-Sitting up
-Crawling
-Throwing everything on the floor so mommy can pick it up
-Kicking a balloon
-Pulling himself up to stand (this one is amazing to me)

LINDEN IS A LOT OF FUN TO BE WITH!

A few other fun tidbits for you:

He hates peas and corn, loves sweet potatoes and bananas, giggles lots when daddy dances for him, is very amused by pigs and snorting, still fond of the color red, loves to grab both my cheeks and bite my face while growling, likes to sleep touching my face or holding my hair, thoroughly enjoys playing airplane, likes to kick balloons, hates having his nose wiped, likes his photo taken, enjoys having his teeth brushed,
cries when you put on or take off his clothes, likes to have his diaper put on standing up, screams when you put him in the car seat and tries to escape, loves his stuffed ELMO, hates stuffed animals with lots of hair, constantly active, babbles continuously, likes to sleep in the sling, enjoys other babies except when they touch his face, and is thrilled by peekaboo.

Well, I think that about sums it up for now. Please take a peek at the photos page. We finally updated it. Enjoy!

Love,
Autumn

Boy Genius

Wednesday, February 1

We love him mucho! He has turned a corner. He sleeps better = I sleep better. Simply fantastic, thanks Linden! He giggles lots when daddy plays airplane with him. He's so much fun! He says Mama all the time. If he's hungry, wet, tired, excited, sad and mad he cries "mamamamammama." He's also going through the stage where he can't be away from me for a minute. It's pretty cute and super sweet 99% of the time. The other 1% I'm looking for an opening to breathe. As Reid reminded me though, I need to enjoy it while it lasts because in so many years he will be Mr. Independent and it won't be cool to have mom and dad hanging around. So, I will cherish every second of his attachment to me.

In other big news, Linden said "Dada" on Monday. We were absolutely thrilled! It's funny how when they learn something new they do it over and over and over again with a huge smile. Which is why he wakes up during the night, gets into the crawl position, bounces back and forth with total excitement and wakes me to hear my usual response of "WOW" (with tons of enthusiasm of course). What's cuter than that?

Linden had his 6 month checkup last week where we found out the following:

-He's a healthy, happy, rashy boy
-He's got an above average size head
-He's above average in height
-He's on the skinny side and needs to eat more to keep up with his active self (I've been trying to convince him to cut back a little at the gym but no luck)
-He's advanced with eating, strength, drinking from a sippy cup, almost crawling, having two teeth, and talking (way to go, Linden...just don't grow up too fast!)

And to top it off he didn't cry when he got his shots, just a little whimper. Well done my "Little Man."

Check in next week for Linden's hilarious "Play Group" story and photos of boy genius.

Love,
Autumn

The Best Birthday Gift Ever!

Sunday, January 15

Linden looked at me at 4:10pm today on the day of my birthday and said that magical word "Mama." My heart melted. Need I say more? It's a beautiful day and a birthday I will treasure forever.

Love,
Autumn, Reid and Linden

Happy New Year!

Sunday, January 7

Hello Everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, Hannukah (Hi Bo and Rick!), and New Year's Eve. As you have noticed we have been lacking once again in the posting department. What can I say? Other than we are busy taking care of our "Little Man." He's on the go constantly. He's almost got the crawling down but I am starting to think he's going to skip that part and go straight to walking maybe even running and then I'll really be exhausted. We are all healthy and happy. Linden still doesn't like to sleep through the night but that's ok. I've learned how to get by with such little sleep it's amazing. Linden's new favorite toy is his exersaucer, he loves it and has been learning how to jump in it. He also loves to chew on everything he can get his hands on. He got his first tooth on Christmas and the second one (bottom front) started coming in yesterday.

Over the holidays we learned that Linden likes a gerbil that looks like one of "The Beatles" and sings "They say it's your birthday" and he enjoys watching Uncle Levi imitate it just as much. We also observed that if you try to give him a furry stuffed animal he is horrified by it and if you throw it on the ground and it talks he will SCREAM. We noticed he seems to really like other babies (especially girls) and is always trying to hold their hand. We've learned that his favortie color is red. He has a color book and when we get to the red page he grabs the book and starts to hit it so I am pretty sure he likes it. Oddly enough when he hits things he's usually happy or excited. We have also been teaching him to say "Hi" and "Mama". I feel as though we are getting close. He said Hi a few times when we celebrated Christmas with the Durbins but not since then. He kind of does a " mamamamama" and trails off. So, we'll keep working on it and hopefully he'll catch on soon. When he is unhappy he yells really loud "bla bla bla bla bla" while mixing in a few high pitched screeches. He's eating some solid foods now. So far his favorites are tofudogs, cheetos and chocolate chip cookies. What? You seem surprised? Alright, he really likes applesauce, sweet potatoes, carrots, pears, peaches, green beans, cream of wheat, graham crackers and day old bagels. He doesn't seem too fond of the peas. ( I can understand that they stink pretty bad).

That's all for now folks. Please check out the photos page. Yeah, we actually updated it with LOTS of photos. ENJOY!

Cheers,
Autumn, Reid and Linden

Thanksgiving and a Wedding

Friday, December 2

Over Thanksgiving weekend we went up to the U.P. for Autumn's sister's wedding (congratulations Erin and Ron!). We had a great time visiting our families and we fortunately avoided a blizzard.

The good news was that Linden behaved perfectly at the reception and Autumn was able to dance. I kept up with her for a few songs but the rest of the time I just stared in amazement. There were moments that she was moving so fast that I thought her pistons were going to seize up.

Linden is doing great. We are having fun because he is...
Eating his feet
First solid foods
Rolling over like a madman
Best of all he is smiling and interacting like someone gave him laughing gas. Its very fun.


And looking tired because he has/is...
Indigestion
Not sleeping through the night


The camera is full of photos so we will update the gallery sometime soon.

good times,
Reid

Oh Where, Oh Where Have We Been?

Saturday, October 8

Wow, I am really behind in the postings. Please forgive me. I've heard from many people asking for updates. So, here is a quick rundown of the past few weeks:

Linden is almost 3 months old now and we are still getting many visitors, virtually every weekend is busy. Since I last posted to the site Reid and I had our one year anniversary on September 18th. (YAY!) Grandpa and Grandpa Durbin babysat while we enjoyed a train ride and dinner in Stillwater. The following weekend Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Charles came to visit. Linden had his 2 month check up a couple of weeks ago and also his first set of shots. He is doing well and is now a solid 13 pounds. However, the shots were horrible. He received four shots (two in each thigh). Reid decided that I needed to be the one to pin his arms down while he screamed. He was great for the first two and by the time the third one came he was purple and screaming bloody murder. He was looking at me with an expression that said "I'm in terrible pain, why are you doing this to me? " I almost cried. After it was over Linden was still yelling at me with a lot of angry babble. Next time Reid is holding him down! In other news, Linden has a "new ride" a.k.a. jogging stroller. A little bit of fresh air does a body good. The newest thing at "casa de Linden" is that we are trying to get him into some sort of routine for his well being and our sanity. So far it's hard but is seems to be working a little bit. It has only been a week though and I am certain things will improve. Also, we have added a milestones page to the site please check it out and as always there are more photos for you to look at. Enjoy! Whew...all of that was a mouthful. I won't wait so long between postings next time.

Love,
Autumn

Linden Meets The Moores

Tuesday, September 13

Over Labor Day weekend Linden met his Grandpa and Grandma Moore for the first time (also known as Big Daddy, and Grandma LaLa) as well as Uncle Levi, Auntie Erin and soon to be Uncle Ron. We had a blast! Linden was all smiles and cooing. Linden loved playing with them and in fact the day after they left he was extremely fussy and hard to handle. Of course it might have had something to do with the grandparents telling him how boring WE were and how much fun THEY are and how he should come and stay with them for awhile. Reid and I had our first date thanks to the grandparents and their babysitting offer. We really enjoyed it but we missed Linden as he was the topic of discussion the whole date. Check out the photos page to see pics from Labor Day weekend.

Love,
Autumn

Linden's First Trip

Friday, September 2

Last weekend we took Linden on his first trip to Grandma and Grandpa Durbin's home. He was a good sport and we had a great time. Grandma didn't want him to go. Don't worry Grandma Barb, we'll see you again soon. He also spent some time with his Auntie Jess, Uncle Darren and his other relatives Mark, Marie and Sam. We learned that it takes us twice as long to get ready and twice as long to get somewhere. Linden really enjoyed a walk on the dock where he was lulled to sleep by the waves of Lake Vermillion. It was great to take a trip to the lake with him.

Linden will be meeting Big Daddy Moore, Grandma LaLa, Uncle Levi, Auntie Erin and Uncle Ron this weekend for the first time. We are so excited to see them. We will be sure to have photos of that soon.

In other news, Linden is a whopping 10 pounds now and is as fussy as ever. He's learned how to throw a mini tantrum by pounding his fists into my chest. I hope this isn't a glimpse of things to come. EEK! However, we think he has changed his sleep habits which have made us all very happy. The last couple of nights he has slept for 4-5 hours at one time during the night. Hopefully he keeps this up. It's great!

Please check out the photos page to see Linden's first trip.

Love,
Autumn

Lindey, Lindey Rig, Lindey Roo, Frogman, Monkeyman, Buddy, Peanut, Little Man, etc.

Sunday, August 21

First of all Happy 1 month Birthday to Linden. YAY! As you can see these are just a few of the nicknames we have for our favorite boy. We are all doing much better these days. Linden has started to adapt some sort of schedule that allows us to sleep at hour to 2 hour increments throughout the day and night. It may not seem like much but to us it's a world of difference being that before I was getting about 2 hours of sleep a day. Thanks Linden! The "Little Man" had his 2 week checkup and he's healthy and doing great! He weighed in at about 8 pounds 7 ounces so he doing just fine in that department. We have been enjoying our time with Linden. He's so much fun even when he's screaming and turning purple. He's got the cutest pouty face and he's smiling more and more these days. What's not to love about that?

Please check out the photos page as we have added MANY more pics!

Love,
Autumn

Our Little Frogman

Sunday, August 7

We're doing great! We are really enjoying our time with Linden. He is such a great baby! He's now 2 weeks old and we are already diaper changing pros. During a diaper change Reid likes to shout out "Rule #1" (which he defines as the most important rule) cover the winky at all times when the diaper is off. This has saved us from many sprays to the face. And of course like all new parents we have had many sleepless nights and have been trying to "sleep when the baby sleeps" but it's hard to take naps during the day. I am amazed at how well I am functioning on little to no sleep since his birth.

This week was a busy one. Linden met his Grandma Cindy and Great-Grandparents. They helped us out while dad was at work. Thank you we really appreciated it! We had a great time and of course we took lots of photos. Please check out the photos page for more cute pics of the little man.

P.S. Reid, thank you for taking such good care of Linden and I.

Love,
Autumn

Linden Reid Durbin

Sunday, July 31

Thanks for all the congratulations! Linden is healthy and happy. We are having a great time getting to know him. The first week has been a bit trying at times but we absolutely adore him so we managed. He definitely calls the shots when it comes to sleep. On a good night we can catch about 4 or 5 hours. Unfortunately, we've only had 1 or 2 good nights at most. I'm hoping we can get into some sort of schedule soon. We love to give him kisses all the time which he sometimes hates but we love to do it anyway. He is such a good baby other than being a bit of a night owl. We are so fortunate. We love him tons! I've been taking lots of photos (how could we not?) so we've added some to the photos page. Check it out. (My favorites are pumpkin head and father son bonding).

Thanks again for all your love and support,
Reid, Autumn and Linden

Linden Reid Durbin

Saturday, July 23

Good News! Both Autumn, our baby boy Linden and my hand are doing great!

Here are the stats:

• Linden Reid Durbin
• 7 pounds 4 ounces
• 21 inches
• 8:10 PM after 12+ hours of labor
  

Thanks for all your love and support,
Reid, Autumn and Linden

TEASER

Thursday, July 21

Well, no baby yet. We thought Tuesday was going to be the day. I woke up at 3am with contractions until about 9am. At one point they were 10 minutes apart for an hour or more. We were so excited and THEN they stopped. I have been having them off and on since Tuesday. I thought for sure I would have had it by now. No such luck. So, it appears as though tomorrow will be the day. I will be induced at 7:30am. I wasn't too sure about this inducing thing but after this week of false alarms I am really looking forward to tomorrow. Hopefully the next posting will be to announce the baby's arrival.

Love,
Autumn

Rent Past Due

Monday, July 18

As almost all of you are aware (because I know you are all such dedicated fans and read this blog weekly) the baby does not want to come out yet. It appears as though baby is quite cozy and not feeling any vibes to move out. So, unless it decides between now and Friday to vacate (which would be so fantastic of you Baby Durbin, hint, hint) we will be evicting the little one on Friday and moving it to its new home.

Please cross your fingers for a "before Friday birth" and as always stay tuned...

Love,
Autumn

BIG SIGH

Sunday, July 17

BABY DOES NOT WANT TO COME OUT YET...

I am trying to be a good sport about this but each day is becoming increasingly harder. I even walked around the entire Mall of America twice today (in slight pain) hoping to get things started. No luck as of yet...

Big and Uncomfortable,
Autumn

The Answer To Your Question

Friday, July 8

Yes, I am still pregnant. The baby does not want to come out yet. However, my last appointment was somewhat promising. The doctor seems to think I will not make it to my next appointment which is on Wednesday. In fact when we left the office he said " maybe I'll even see you tonight." So we are crossing our fingers for a baby this weekend but not holding our breath. I know several other people who have been told these sort of things and then gone past their due date. I think they like to torture you a bit just before. Only time will tell. For now I'll just be eating spicy food, walking 10 miles, driving down railroad tracks, and running up and down stairs.

P.S. You are all on our baby announcement e-mail list so we will be sure to let you know as soon as Baby Durbin arrives. We hope to have some photos up on the site as well.

Stay Tuned...

Love,
Autumn

We Are Ready

Sunday, July 2

Hello Everyone!

We've managed to finish our to do lists around the house and for the baby. Now we are just trying to patiently wait. At my last doctor appointment, which was Friday, the doc stated that I am still at the same point I was 2 weeks ago. However, the doc also reiterated the fact that it could be today or it could be in a couple weeks. So, we'll just have to wait and see. I guess baby will come out when it's good and ready to.

The next appointment I have is on Wednesday and I will have another update for you then. Stay Tuned...

Love,
Autumn

The Waiting Game

Thursday, June 23

Alright...I'm going to keep this posting short and sweet. There was no progress reported at my doctor appointment yesterday.

Baby = healthy
Autumn = healthy
Baby = head down
Heart Rate = 137
Dilation = 2 centimeters

So, we'll just wait and then wait some more for the little one to make its appearance.

I will have another update for you next Friday. Stay Tuned...

Love,
Autumn

THANK YOU, BABY!

Thursday, June 16

YAY!

I am here to tell you that yesterday's doctor appointment went extremely well. After some words of encouragement and a few exercises Baby Durbin agreed that head down was a good way to go. We also found out that I am dilated to 2 centimeters! Woo Hoo! We asked the Doc what the 2 centimeters meant and he said "it could be tomorrow or it could be 4 weeks." That's ok with me at least we are making progress. In the meantime, Reid is feverishly working around the house to get everything ready. Thank you Reid and to all of our family for your help! We really appreciate it. I hope to post some photos of the baby's room and basement renovations when they are completed.

I will have another update for you next Thursday. Stay Tuned...

Love,
Autumn

TURN, TURN, TURN

Monday, June 13

Greetings Durbin Baby Fans!!

Well, if you remember from the previous posting the baby was head down and ready to go. I was so excited! I had another doctor appointment on Friday and it all went out the window. It was a good and healthy report, which I am very thankful for, but I was really hoping he was going to say the baby has dropped, the head is down and you might go early. That would have been music to my ears. Unfortunately, what I heard was..."The baby has turned and the head is up. I think that this could be about a 9 pound baby by the time you are done." 9 pounds? You've got to be kidding? How is that going to work? I thought vegetarian babies were supposed to be on the average to small side. Reid was quick to point out that it could be all the ice cream I've been eating. I couldn't really argue with that. During this pregnancy I've eaten a lot of fruit and a lot of ice cream. So, now I am bracing myself to deliver the Michelin baby. I am also currently in negotations with Baby Durbin. I do understand where he/she is coming from on this issue. Who would want to be upside down for weeks? But I'm hopeful that after a few more meetings baby will come to the understanding that it would be easier for all parties involved if it could just move into a head down position.

I have now graduated to weekly doctor appointments. The countdown has begun and I know the baby will be here soon. I will have another update for you on Thursday.

Love,
Autumn

Cankles

Wednesday, May 25

Hello Everyone! Its been awhile since I last posted. Please forgive me. We've been busy! We have officially graduated from birthing class and are supposedly ready to be parents. I just had my 32 week doctor appointment today. Everything is great! As some of you know I was measuring large for awhile so they were thinking maybe I would deliver early or else it was a big baby. Turns out it was probably just a growth spurt. July 15th is still the due date. I am happy to say that since my last appointment two weeks ago I did not gain any weight. This is definitely a first for me. My total weight gain is 33 pounds so far. The baby's heart rate is 146 (for all of you who like to follow the old wives tale). The baby is already in a perfect position for delivery (head down, etc.) so we are all hoping it stays there. For being 8 months pregnant I feel pretty good. Not too uncomfortable yet. However, this week marks the beginning of "cankles" for me. There's nothing prettier than swollen feet and no ankles. Also, my fingers seem to have taken on a sausage like quality.

Ok, so for everyone that read the last post...I realize that there should have been a current photo of me and my belly to look at but there wasn't. I had problems scheduling a shoot with my photographer (husband) who refused to work in certain lighting. But I am hopeful he can find some time and some natural light in the next couple of days. So, once again I encourage you to check out the photos page if you wish to see me in rare form.

P.S. We've enjoyed reading all of your names suggestions. If you are curious to see the list we have received, look at the "Names" section and click on "view all submitted names" at the bottom of the page.

Love,
Autumn

I've Got The Waddle

Friday, April 29

Well, here we are at 29 weeks and counting! As my doctor so kindly put it, "you're on the home stretch now, kiddo." Eleven weeks to go and this baby stuff is really starting to hit home. With each passing day I am more excited about meeting the little one and also nervous. Can I really do this labor thing? We only have 2 birthing classes left. I am happy to say that we have moved on from the subject of labor and delivery (whew) to caring for our newborn. I am looking forward to the remaining classes.

I had another doctor's appointment on Wednesday. Rather than bore you with the details I will just tell you that everything is peachy. Instead I have updated the photos section for all those curious to see me large and in charge. Oh, yeah...and I am starting to walk a little bit like a penguin. Except I think penguins are much cuter.

P.S. We've enjoyed reading all of your names suggestions. If you are curious to see the list we have received, look at the "Names" section and click on "view all submitted names" at the bottom of the page.

Love,
Autumn

Glucose City

Friday, April 15

Hello all,

I am 27 weeks today which means I have roughly 13 weeks to go. It's going by so fast! I had my last monthly doctor's appointment on Wednesday and now I have officially graduated to seeing the doctor every two weeks. This appointment was a doozy though, they drew lots of blood, made me drink some orange syrupy stuff, and gave me a shot in the butt. But I am happy to report that aside from the torture all is well. We got tested for diabetes (this is where I consumed the orange drink) and we passed with flying colors. Mom and baby are doing great! The baby is very active these days. The kicks, jabs and rolls are so strong and frequent. The baby really enjoys putting its feet up in my ribs. Even though it kind of hurts I can't help but think it's cute. We discovered that Baby also likes playing games. It does a few kicks and we do a few pokes back and so on and so forth. It keeps me very entertained.

On Wednesday nights we also attend birthing class for 3 hours. We are definitely learning some things. We've been to two classes and have watched several birthing videos, practiced breathing and relaxation techniques, and discussed the stages of labor. Every time we are watching one of the videos I catch myself making faces. I think they are a combination of scared, nervous and amazed. I also wonder if I will remember any of these breathing techniques when I am in labor. It seems like everything goes out the window once the contractions get bad. I'll try my best though. The dads/partners are very entertaining. They ask many more questions than the moms and funny ones too. For example: "How will you know when to go to the hospital?" and "Am I going to be able to get to the hospital fast enough?" They are all also concerned about keeping the moms happy. Next week we are touring the maternity rooms so that should be interesting. Now that we know how this labor thing happens we get to see where it happens. I have been told that this is the highlight of the class.

We'll be sure to fill you in next week.

P.S. We've enjoyed reading all of your names suggestions. If you are curious to see the list we have received, look at the "Names" section and click on "view all submitted names" at the bottom of the page.

Love,
Autumn

Pillows Galore

Friday, March 18

I had an appointment on Wednesday which was great! The doctor stated to me that so far it's like I'm cheating because it's going so well. Although, he did say we'll have to wait and see how the labor goes before I can tell people how good I had it. I do have to agree with him though because I rarely have any complaints. In fact everytime I go to an appointment he asks me if I have any questions or concerns and I never have any. So, before my appointment on Wednesday I decided to write a list of possible questions to ask him. I had Reid help with the list as well. This time when he asked me if I had any questions or concerns I whipped out my list and he started laughing at me. He asked me if I did it just for the sake of having questions and I replied yes. It was pretty funny. Of course he happily answered all of my questions even the ones I already knew the answers to. As usual, my report from the doctor is good. He informed me that I was average across the board with all measurements and tests they take. I have gained a whopping 17 pounds total but he assured me that I was right on track. After the good report he gave me an orange glucose drink for next time and sent me on my way.

I am sure you may be wondering about the title of this posting. The reason I chose such a title is because lately I am taking over the bed with pillows. I can only sleep on my sides now and I find it to be uncomfortable and achy. The regular pillows just weren't cutting it. Last night I made Reid take me to the store to buy one of those maternity pillows. He was freaked out by how big some of them were. I think he's worried he's going to have to sleep on the couch. We compromised and I got one that should do the trick but not kick Reid out.

As for the baby, it's doing great! Baby Durbin is much more active these days. The kicks, jabs, rolls, etc are getting stronger and more frequent. I'm starting to think my belly is hosting a wrestling match, perhaps Smackdown. Reid finds it extremely entertaining when I jump or have a surprised face because the little one gives me a good kick. Reid has been able to see and feel the baby move many times now. It's so much fun!

Love,
Autumn

Our baby in 2D

Wednesday, March 2

We had our ultrasound on Monday. Once again, the Durbin baby is doing well. It appears to be happy and healthy. Baby is right on track as far as size, weight, etc. The ultrasound showed that all organs were in place and functioning fine. We managed to stay strong and not find out the gender so keep those guesses coming. They took a lot of photos at the appointment. I guess they need to get all the angles. I think the baby was taking a nap during this time so we didn't get to see too much action. We did get to see its cute little feet and hands though. Check out the photos page for the new pics.

Also, last weekend we had a major baby development. The baby's movements can be seen. It looks like I've got popcorn popping in my belly. It's quite cool. Just yesterday Reid felt his first kick. It was pretty exciting.

Love,
Autumn

Hello Everyone!

Sunday, February 20

We are excited to see that you are all making your guesses and name suggestions! The Durbin baby is doing well. On Wednesday I had my 20 week doctor appointment. This was Reid's first time joining me and it was fun to have him there. It was a quick visit as usual. We are happy and healthy so not much to go over which is great. Reid got to hear the heartbeat for the first time which was cool. My belly is definitely expanding as I am now wearing only maternity clothing. Also, I must tell you that Reid is taking such good care of me. He does a wonderful job of cooking dinner number 2 at 9pm. He deserves an award.

So far, I have to say I am really enjoying the pregnancy. Its been an incredible experience. The whole thing is wonderful and amazing! As for the baby, its new favorite thing is kickboxing in the middle of the night. Oh and the places it can kick always amaze me too. I didn't know that was possible.

My next appointment is on Monday, February 28th for an ultrasound. I will be posting photos from that with another update so check back later.

P.S. We have observed that there are no guesses yet from Auntie Erin, Uncle Levi or Uncle Phil. Didn't we mention that there is a prize?

Love,
Autumn

Welcome - First Posting

Sunday, January 30

Welcome to our baby site. We will try to post information and photos so you can keep up-to-date with Autumn's E X P A N D I N G belly. We will post updates on the pregnancy and eventually on our new baby.

good times,
Reid