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Just a quick post with some less-than-stellar quality pictures from my Blackberry as Will and I went to his first Beach Bums game this past Friday night. It was a bit past his bed time, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. A few highlights of the evening included his dancing to YMCA with our waitress, lots of healthy food (pizza, soft pretzels, and ice cream sandwiches), and fireworks to finish the night out. Will truly had a blast as the games are very family-oriented and he is still talking about the mascots - Suntan and Sunburn.

We also spent some time tonight playing with a microphone and GarageBand on the iMac and are now officially releasing Will's first cut called Will's Jam.

Posted by bunger at 10:13 PM | Comments (0)

I actually took these pictures a few weeks ago, but am just getting around to posting them?!? Yes, it has already been one of those summers. Regardless, Will spent a little time acquainting himself with watering the plants and was also sure to wear protective eyewear... safety first with that little guy!

School is finally out for the summer today (woo hoo! summer-vacation-Jess has arrived), so I hope to have more pictures to post soon. Until then... keep your water hoses tilted upright and your protective eyewear on straight!

Posted by bunger at 9:19 PM | Comments (0)

We just returned from a very warm and highly enjoyable week at the Limetree Beach resort on Lido Key, near Sarasoata, Florida.

Last year we stayed further south on Siesta Key, but decided to move a bit north to Lido Key and we absolutely loved it. The Limetree is right on the beach and a very comfortable place to stay. The sunset pictures were taken from the balcony near our room, just to give you an idea. The weather was also absolutely fantastic - sunny and 85 every day, though it did rain a bit one evening. The end of the week actually felt like a typical northern Michigan August day, which a very good feeling after nearly 5 months of snow and cold.

Though the week flew by, we managed to get in plenty of sun time, Roger began teaching me to play tennis (wow, am I out of shape), we went out to dinner a few times, and did a little shopping at St. Armands Circle just up the street from our condo.

We returned late Saturday night (about midnight) and were greeted with a nearly completed kitchen (just waiting for countertops and appliances) and 60 degree weather! It was a perfect end to a wonderful week.

Spring Break 2008 --- wooo hooo!

Posted by bunger at 9:28 PM | Comments (0)

We have a lot going on in the Unger household this week, so this post will be a short one. Our kitchen is currently under extreme construction, we are leaving in less than two days for Florida, this week has been crazy, and we are all still recovering from Easter sugar highs! Those darn Nerd Jelly Beans are addictive!

I will post more info and pictures in a couple of weeks, but enjoy some Easter goodness in the meantime!

Posted by bunger at 8:38 PM | Comments (0)

Although we had a full day of rain about 2 weeks ago, old man Winter fought back hard to re-assert his position as the mighty cold ruler of the northern clime. After having been consistently dumped on for about a week, we finally peeked out of our hole and ventured forth. We built a dandy snow cave and also trekked out to Spiderlake for a look around.

Though the Winter is finally starting to settle in our bones, we are very much looking forward to Spring Break '08 at the end of March! Bring on the Sun!

Posted by bunger at 9:45 PM | Comments (1)

Whether Super Blankie Man is zooming through the universe saving tigers and dogs or Dancing Rex is reinventing the art of human movement, there truly is never a dull moment around our house.

Super Blankie Man first made an appearance a couple of days ago and seemed to have required a thorough testing of his new-found super-powers as he circled the living room/kitchen too many times to count - the room was a flurry of giggling blankie for nearly a half hour.

Meanwhile, Dancing Rex (he named himself) showed up while I was playing guitar and Jessica quickly grabbed the video camera in hopes of capturing his highly-advanced movements. Though a bit demanding at times (ie., "Dad. You sing!"), Dancing Rex was extraordinarily entertaining.

Lord help us if these two happen to meet up. Hopefully it won't happen until college - at least then his roommates can clean up the mess!

Posted by bunger at 9:31 PM | Comments (2)

Sing us a song, you're the piano man
sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright

Piano and drummer boy Will composing a birthday song for his mom's birthday...

Continue reading "Sing Us a Song..."

Posted by bunger at 8:36 AM | Comments (0)

Just a quick post to say "Happy New Year" and to show off two things: our new snowman AND Will's new swim goggles!

I also put together another "Year in Pictures" video clip! Happy New Year!

Posted by bunger at 2:15 PM | Comments (0)

I cannot believe that Christmas was already a week ago! It seems as though you wait all year for it, only to have the holidays slip past in a blink. And this year was no different.

Being almost 3, Will "got" the idea of Christmas quite a bit more than last year. We went to Jess' parents on Christmas Eve and then spent Christmas day at home. Santa came during the night and Will was amazed to see that Santa had taken a bite of cookie and that the reindeer had nibbled on "those special Santa carrots."

Merry Christmas and we'll see you next year!

Posted by bunger at 2:05 PM | Comments (0)

This is a very belated post and I have no excuse whatsoever for taking as long as I have. But I will mention that I have only recently returned from a prolonged alien abduction and while my physical form was still walking amongst everyone here on earth, my metaphysical self was being poked and prodded. I am not making excuses or anything though... just thought you might like to know.

Jess, Will, and I headed to Wabash, IN, for Thanksgiving and had a great time. We had originally set out early Wednesday afternoon but turned about 30 minutes into the trip because Will woke from a nap saying his head hurt. We spent the afternoon and evening monitoring WIll (who turned out be okay - just tired), then made the trip again very early (on the road by 6:45am) Thanksgiving morning! We drove through some snow (what would a northern Michigan Thanksgiving be without a snow storm?), but otherwise had a non-eventful, relaxing trip!

Posted by bunger at 1:41 PM | Comments (0)

We had a fantastic Halloween this year that seemed to last about a week and a half!

We started things off by visiting Gallagher's Farm a couple of weeks prior to pick out pumpkins. Will strolled around the farm and then finally settled in amongst the choices to contemplate life and sip some water.

The Friday before Halloween we ventured downtown for the Traverse City Downtown Halloween Walk, though it was mis-named as it should have been more appropriately titled "Downtown Halloween Kids and Kaos" (you liked that play on the letter "K," didn't you). Seriously, it was insane. Wall-to-wall spidermen, princesses, parents, and all manner of ghouls in between. But Will loved it and that is really all that matters. Though it won't matter much next year because I am never doing that again.

We headed out to Frankfort for our annual trek to see Pumpkin Ed's crazy creations the night before Halloween (aka Devil's Night). Though he didn't have quite as many carved this year, there were still some rather ridiculously large pumpkins.

And then the big night! Will was very excited to gear up and head out, collect his bounty, and then more or less categorize and play with his treasures upon returning. My mom sent us a little "care" package containing popcorn, which he eagerly munched while separating his twizzlers from his bubble gum. Oh the irony.

Posted by bunger at 9:31 PM | Comments (1)

The much anticpated dance tapes from the Fort Wayne wedding. He tears 'em up, rebuilds 'em, and tears 'em up again! Times like these really make a fella proud of being a Dad! Especially as it appears he got some of my groove genes! :-)

Posted by bunger at 6:24 PM | Comments (2)

We drove down to Fort Wayne, Indiana, this past weekend for my second cousin's wedding (at least I think she is my second cousin) and though we were tired, we all had a blast. Will ate cake, danced with his cousins, and then danced some more. I have some video clips of the little Deney Terio tearin' it up and hope to edit and post them in the next few days. And regarding the red eye in some of the pictures, I was feeling the upcoming Halloween spirit and wanted to infuse the images with a bit of evil-devil-in-the-eyes-craziness.

This is the first big event we have taken Will to and I have to say that he added a whole new level of entertainment. It was definitely one of those very tangible times that you sort of smile to yourself and just thoroughly and utterly enjoy the moment. Or at least until he has danced himself into near oblivion and you take him back to the hotel room kicking and screaming something about wanting more cake. I doubt Deney ever did that. On second thought....

The vanity-side of my rather quirky personality is also forcing me to explain the picture quality a bit - which, I might add, is pretty bad. And when I say "forcing," I mean in a figurative, OCD sort of way.... not a literal forcing, as that would put my mental state in an entirely new category... and none of us are ready for that to happen. Anyway... we purchased a new compact digital camera so we wouldn't have to lug my Nikon DSLR around. Not that I don't love my Nikon, because I do - it's a fantastic camera, I just wanted something smaller and more convenient. So... with all of that said, I am still getting used to it and in this case, forgot to turn on the flash mode that reduces red eye. AND... the red eye was so bad in some of the pictures that nothing would fix it. Lucky for me I can just say that I was feeling the upcoming Halloween spirit and wanted to infuse the images with a bit of evil-devil-in-the-eyes-craziness, so that's how we'll leave it.

Posted by bunger at 9:10 PM | Comments (1)

Will performed a quick, impromptu concert for Jess and I last night and I had to post it. He has never taken lessons and he already better than I am!

Continue reading "It's All Rock 'n Roll To Me!"

Posted by bunger at 7:21 AM | Comments (0)

Though Will still mostly refuses to go to the beach, he will quite nearly perform back-flips to go to the farm - and go to the farm we did over Labor Day weekend. The weather was spectacular, Grandma Steed's garden was in full glory, and the good 'ol Farmall 450 was in prime cruising form.

One of the amazing things about living in northern Michigan is the diverse land that is so close in any direction. We can drive 20 minutes out to the cabin and feel like we are in the northern woods, massaging our senses with the sweet smells of pine; we can stay right at home and enjoy the wonderful offerings of Traverse City; or drive 20 minutes out to the farm and get a little reminder of my Indiana homeland (corn fields abound down there). You gotta love it!

Posted by bunger at 7:47 PM | Comments (0)

It is Sunday night and the end of my week-long summer vacation. I always get so excited thinking about an entire week off that I can spend with Jess and Will and then it seems it's gone in the blink of an eye. I always look forward to going on road trips, playing at the beach and in the water, and enjoying my time with my two favorite people. Well... we had a fantastic time together, though we never made it to the beach... more on that later.

In a nutshell, we went to the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes at Empire, Fishtown in Leland, an Art Festival in Suttons Bay, Petoskey for an outdoor recorder concert and Harbor Springs for a batch of Tom's Mom's Cookies, the Northwest Michigan Fair (twice), lots of Moomer's ice cream, Friday Night Live here in Traverse City, and lots of playing together.

I will say that we tried going to the beach last weekend, but Will immediately announced in a stern tone that he had no intention of going to the beach. It actually went like this: "I not want go beach, Dad." While we gave up that day, we gave it another go on Monday when we tried to pull a fast one: we were going on a "picnic" that was conveniently located at the beach. Unfortunately, as soon as we turned into the parking lot Will's stern tone from the previous day gave way to a much more emphatic "I NOT WANT GO BEEEAAAACHHH!" So that was that. No beach for us this year.

Beach aside, it was an absolutely wonderful week in northern Michigan. Will loved running down the Sand Dunes (unfortunately for me, he didn't want to touch the sand on the way up so I carried him on my back) and he was thrilled with the fair - riding horses, tractors, and a few different rides.

So now that Summer Vacation 2007 is complete, I am already counting the days to Spring Break 2008, which happens to be 230 days from tonight. And what a beach that has!

Posted by bunger at 8:57 PM | Comments (0)

Best car wash I've ever had!!!

Posted by bunger at 8:59 PM | Comments (1)

While summer is finally getting into full swing up North, we have been out and about working on various projects. But through all of the work, Will has had some time to rock and roll, find Mommy's glasses, and visit the farm!!

Posted by bunger at 8:10 PM | Comments (1)

What a weekend we have had! The weather was gorgeous, we made lots of progress on the room (that post will follow tomorrow night), Will and I scouted the Boardman River (it was opening day for trout season), and we headed out to the farm for the first time since last fall!

Will rode both the Farmall and John Deere tractors with his grandad and even checked out the chicken coop. The winter seems to have sharpened Will's tractor-riding skills as he was much more involved with the steering aspects of the tractor. He definitely has his turns down and doesn't really care for driving straight - a bit on the boring side for him, I think. We are still hearing stories about the "the big green tractor" and I am sure they will continue until we can visit again...

Posted by bunger at 8:15 PM | Comments (0)

I haven't progressed much on the room remodeling as we took a week and headed south for Spring Break!!! We stayed at the Siesta Sands Beach Resort on Siesta Key (very near Sarasota) and the weather was beautiful - mid 80's during the day and mid 60's at night. We got in some quality beach time (99% pure-quartz sand), lots of pool time (Will's preference), and saw some very large sea turtles at the Mote Aquarium. The only downside to Spring Break was returning to over a foot of snow... and more is on the way! I guess that's Northern Michigan for you....

We also had a very enjoyable Easter as Will got to eat his first Jelly Beans and a yellow Peep. He and I even colored eggs and made a quick video, which you can see below!

Happy Belated Easter!

ps. I'm ready for Spring Break 2008... the "Bill Gone Wild" edition!! woo hoo!

Continue reading "Spring Break and Easter!"

Posted by bunger at 7:50 PM | Comments (0)

I know it has been almost a month since my last post, but a rather dandy round of flu, sinus infections, and colds knocked us all down for 2 weekends?! We are now mostly past it all, but it was no fun while it lasted.

And speaking of no fun, I am still toiling away at the remodel project. :-) After two weekends of lost work, I spent last weekend re-wiring the room and installing recessed ceiling lights. It took most of the weekend, but the ceiling lights will make a huge difference. And since the wiring was done, I ordered up some drywall and managed to hang most of it this weekend. The room is about 12 and a half feet deep and about 23 feet wide, so I bought some big 'ol pieces - 14 and 12 footers (to minimize the number of seams to mud and sand)!!! And let me tell you... nothing quite reminds you how out of shape you are like trying to move around a 14 foot sheet of drywall. I always managed to win the fight, but they almost flipped me inside out at least once! After spending yesterday and today putting up the big sheets, I only have the south wall left and it will use 8 foot sheets - very manageable compared to those other ones... :-)

Oh yeah... while I was working in the room, Will got his haircut today! So I thought I would throw in a picture of him too...

Posted by bunger at 7:55 PM | Comments (0)

It has been nearly 3 years to the weekend that I last tackled any sizable remodel project, so I suppose it is time to descend into the darkness once again. We have decided to give our "office room" a makeover and more efficiently use the space - Will needs a playroom!

The project officially kicked off Saturday, though we (and by "we," I mean Jessica) went through everything in the room and either donated to Goodwill or shipped it off across town to Jess' parents for short-term storage (or at least that is the idea we sold them).

So far the project has gone fairly well, though the carpet was glued to the concrete floor (who DOES that?!?). It took a rented tile stripper (yes, that's a tool and not an exotic mahjong dancer) to remove most of it, but at least that is behind us. And Will has already proven a tremendous help. It is going to be alot of fun doing this project with his help!

See you on the other side and I will post update pics each weekend!

Posted by bunger at 7:31 AM | Comments (2)

Will and I threw this video post together this morning to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!!

Click the link to see the video post...

Continue reading "Bill & Will - Happy Valentine's Day"

Posted by bunger at 7:28 AM | Comments (1)

Will turned 2 years old yesterday and while he is still in a state of sugar-induced euphoria, I am in a state of age-induced denial. It is so hard to image that 2 years can pass by so quickly. That's 730 days.... or 17,520 hours... or 1,051,200 minutes... or 63,072,000 seconds! But I gotta tell you... those 63 millions seconds have been the best seconds of my life ( and yes, I am purposefully leaving off the 72,000 seconds as they can be chalked up to dirty diapers, spitting up, and other parent-duty-unpleasantries).

We actually started the birthday extravaganza Sunday morning (the day before) and concluded last night and it was so much fun! At 2 years old, Will "gets" things now and it is such a pleasure to watch him enjoy the fun of a birthday. It is really quite amazing to imagine that such a tiny 7 pound baby can develop into an intelligent, caring little man in such a short period of time. I am very proud of the person he is becoming and am also quite proud of the parents that Jess and I have become. It's definately a learning game, but one that is both challening and rewarding nearly every one of those 17,520 hours. I can't wait to see what the future holds for all us, but until then.... I am gonna eat some more cake!

Posted by bunger at 7:53 PM | Comments (0)

Another video post! Will turns 2 on Monday, so he and I talked a little about birthdays and haircuts this morning....

Happy Wednesday!!

Continue reading "Bill & Will: Birthday Talk"

Posted by bunger at 7:17 AM | Comments (0)

It seems as though we are always busy; busy with Will, busy with work, busy trying to keep things cleaned up... busy, busy, busy. Though we try to soak up every minute with Will and each other, little morsels of funny can slip through and we miss them. Luckily, I caught one of those moments on camera when Will and I were making pancakes. While I did appreciate the humor at the time, I can now relish those few 30 seconds for what they really are: pure, uncensored silliness in a little boy named Will. Also notice his stool... it goes everywhere with him!

Click the link to see the vid...

Continue reading "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy..."

Posted by bunger at 1:36 PM | Comments (1)

After nearly 3 weeks, Will is finally feeling a bit more like himself. It all started the Friday before Christmas with a low fever and the sniffles. By the time the smoke had finally cleared, Will had been in the E.R. once, the doctor's office 4 times, and got 2 shots?!?! How about that for a Happy Holiday! Seriously though, the poor guy had the croup, the flu twice, and middle-ear infections in both ears that took a while to respond to antibiotics - he wasn't eating well, wasn't sleeping well, and it was quite an interesting test for new parents. But... sunnier days are shining (we hope) as he helped his mom do some vacuuming and played a little with his toy piano over the weekend.

In other news, Jessica turned 30 on the 7th so she is finally a member of the 3 decade club. I took a couple of pictures of her that morning shortly after she awoke, but I have been threatened with bodily harm if they are published. But maybe I can sneak them out sometime in the next few weeks - being 30 now, her mind is going and she is likely to forget that I took them. he he

One other thing: we still don't have much snow and I haven't decided if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Ask me again in 4 weeks when we are up to our eyeballs in snow....

Posted by bunger at 8:00 PM | Comments (0)

Though there still isn't any snow outside, I went through our Christmas pictures and found a couple more from the holiday season that I wanted to throw online. It seems as though the few short weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas take an eternity to arrive but only a blink to pass. Luckily, pictures and videos help to keep the spirit alive.

Be sure the click the link below and scroll down to see the 2 videos as well...

Continue reading "Christmas Revisited"

Posted by bunger at 8:06 PM | Comments (1)

We just took the Christmas tree down today and I can't believe how quickly the season has flown by this year! It seems like just yesterday Will was waking from his nap to find a gorgeously decorated tree sitting in the middle of his living room! It became a daily ritual for him to run to the tree and wait for us to turn it on, to look for the "birds nest" in the tree, and constantly reposition "his" Sesame Street ornaments. I think it was the best holiday we've had!

The actual Christmas festivities had us at Grandma and Grandpa's for Christmas Eve where Will found a John Deere tractor just for him! He thought it might be Grandpa's tractor, but has since realized it is his. Christmas Day was spent at home where Santa came and was good to all of us... and once again, HoosierSanta made his 2nd annual drop to our house. :-)

I still have a couple more posts to do: I have some video clips to put up from our "Train Tree" and also of Will and his new tractor. Look for those in the next day or two.

Happy Holidays!

Posted by bunger at 2:19 PM | Comments (0)

We ventured to Wabash, IN, for Thanksgiving this year. We hadn't been there in two years and it was also the longest period that Will has been strapped in... and it was all good. The weather was fantastic - we played "touch" (I use that word loosely) football and the kids played on the swings - and the drive down and back could not have gone better... Will was a trooper!!

I snapped a few pictures of my nieces using their new makeup kit (early Christmas presents), the kids trying pose for a group picture, and a few other miscellaneous shots.

Posted by bunger at 2:26 PM | Comments (1)

I can't believe that Halloween has come and gone already and that the big holidays are just around the corner?! I should have posted some of these earlier, but decided to hold off and put them in one large post. We've got some from picking out our pumpkins at Grolieu's Market, a single picture of our 3 carved pumpkins, our trip to see the giant pumpkins in Frankfort, and some of Will as a train conductor!

If you ever get a chance, you really must head to Frankfort and see the pumpkins. His name is Ed and there is more information on his website, which can be viewed by clicking here. We had seen them 2 years ago ( see my previous post here ) and thought Will might like them. Well... he loved them!!

Happy Halloween!

Posted by bunger at 3:52 PM | Comments (0)

Grandma Kay surprised Will with a sweet new ride a few weeks ago after he had been on the sick side of things. The weather hasn't been the greatest up here lately, but he has a had a few chances to take her out for a spin! And the looks on his face are priceless!

ps. yes, he's had a haircut since these pictures were taken... :-)

Posted by bunger at 7:40 PM | Comments (0)

Hello and happy no-more summer!? Jess has started teaching again as TCAPS began classes last week, so our new routine has begun. Hectic mornings, long days, and fewer hours of sunlight - yet another sign that summer has slipped away. The trees have even already begun changing colors and we have had a few 40+ degree nights - I had to break out my oh-so-comfy Ugg slippers! Ahhh.... Fall is in the air.

Throughout the summer I had taken a few utterly adorable (in my completely biased, ever-so-humble opinion) pictures and hadn't yet had a chance to post them. So in an effort to provide some warm-fuzzies as the nights get a little colder, I am posting some of the now. I knew going into this parenting gig that it would be fulfilling, but my heart nearly explodes each time I look at these pictures - how is that for setting expectations! :-)

Posted by bunger at 7:45 PM | Comments (0)

We spent a few days out on Spider Lake a couple of weeks ago. It started out innocently enough with a pleasant little drive out to the cabin, but soon turned dark as Will dropped a sand sculpture trinket on Jess' nose. Though a trip into the doctor confirmed nothing was broken, we never really trusted that sculpture again. So... with one eye on the sculpture, one on Will, one on the lake, that left only one eye to snap some pics, which is what I tried to do. Spider Lake 2006..... wooo hoooo!

Posted by bunger at 9:32 PM | Comments (0)

As we roll into August and feel the heat of summer bearing down on us, Will opted for the classic way to cool down! Which brings us to Part 2 in the Summer Fun series - the Water Hose!!!!! Who needs a pool or a lake when you've got one of those?

Posted by bunger at 8:38 PM | Comments (0)

Though summer is cruising by and we are making progress on some major outdoor projects (I will post those soon), we have also carved out time to enjoy the good things in life! I am going to post these in a multiple part series and these are Part 1: TRACTORS!!!

Posted by bunger at 8:05 PM | Comments (0)

A sort of hodge-podge of pictures for this post - everything from Will's new "landfill" car, sportin' some sweet caps with 'ol dad, and hanging at the lake (for the first time) with his cousins and family! But check out how the little man poses! He is only just over 15 months old, but he clearly understands how to look cool.. Be sure to check out the following:
1. Chattin away on the phone while driving his new police cruiser
2. Knowing the importance of a very cute prop to "sweeten up" the shot - ala blankie
3. The slightly-off-center tractor cap
4. The importance of surrounding oneself with hot women (ie., cousins and his mom)

I think he learned it from the master of cool, his uncle TJ (who is posing with his dog Murray)

Posted by bunger at 7:25 PM | Comments (0)

Easter weekend was gorgeous in every way: the sun was shining, Will loved being outside, and we were able to spend time with both friends and family.

We spent Saturday morning at a neighborhood Easter egg hunt and though Will didn't quite get it, he had lots of fun playing in the sand on the nearby beach. The afternoon was spent with the Quinn's at their beach house, where Will spent lots of time with his buddy CJ. Then Easter Sunday was spent with Grandma and Grandpa Steed. It was a busy, but very fun weekend. Enjoy the pictures and have a great Spring!

Posted by bunger at 9:44 AM | Comments (0)

Will really likes music. I mean he really likes music. Simply turning on a standard 8-beat drum on the keyboards sends the little guy into moves the likes of which MC Hammer couldn't even pull off. And that guy was 2 Legit to Quit?!

Anyway... we have music playing a lot - everything from children's songs to Jack Johnson (you have to listen to his songs for the Curious George Soundtrack - awesome!) to Madonna (that Material Girls get my groove goin' too, but that's a different post). We are always on the lookout for new CDs and bought Sesame Street Platinum: All Time Favorites this past weekend. And I gotta tell ya: I'm hooked! So much so that I spent this week's guitar lesson transcribing "Monster in the Mirror" with Greg and it was a blast! How can a person (a furry lovable old Grover) possibly go wrong with lyrics like this?

If your mirror has a monster in it, do not shout
This kind of situation does not call for freaking out
And do nothing that you would not like to see him do
'Cause that monster in the mirror he just might be you

I even found the video over on YouTube:

So... as the April showers usher in some gray days, always remember the dancin' fool in yourself and take a few moments to rock out. And always remember Grover's words: Do not wubba me or I will wubba you

ps. the pics have nothing to do with dancing, although seeing how cute he is does make me want to do a little dance... :-)

Posted by bunger at 3:42 PM | Comments (0)

I actually don't have any images to post this week, but I have something even better - a video clip!!

We all decided to go for a walk a couple of weeks ago - the sun was out but the temperature was still pretty cold, hovering around 34. So we bundled Will up, hopefully for the last time this season, and were preparing to head out. The clip tells the rest of the story...

Will has some problems! (3mb)

Posted by bunger at 7:52 PM | Comments (0)

When one has a child around the house and that child is the first child in the house, one tends to obsess about nearly everything. Here is an example: Will has recently begun experimenting with different head movements; specifically, moving it from side to side as if emphatically shaking his head "no." Sounds harmless. Probably normal, too. But as first time parents of a year old, it doesn't seem harmless or normal. As a result, we tend to blurt out things like "DID YOU SEE HIM DO THAT? IS THAT NORMAL?" (usually in a slightly emphatic tone, followed by a slightly uncomfortable smile... and oftentimes when no one else is even around). So you see, everyday logic tends to take a backseat to crazy-first-parent-intuition: the feeling that whatever is going on, it can't possibly be normal.

Which leads me to our latest experience: the technicolor poo. To save you the suspense, turns out that if a 1 year old (could happen at other ages, but we're not there yet) eats enough blueberries, his poo will turn blue. Same theory holds true for oranges and green beans. Haven't been able to verify strawberries, but will let you know how that one turns out. So you can imagine our initial reaction to blue poo. Granted, funny thoughts of smurfs and such ran through our heads, but they were quickly replaced with "DID YOU SEE THAT? IS THAT NORMAL?" ...in a slightly emphatic tone, followed by a slightly uncomfortable smile - okay, so the smile was still lingering from the smurf thoughts, but it sounds good. My first reaction was to scour the Internet for reference material, but I have been barred from self-diagnosis so I steered clear of that option. Then the most amazing thing happened: I stopped worrying about it and sort of enjoyed it. And it has since become almost a game to me, kinda like the "license plate game" (you know, when you see who can spot different states' license plates on a trip) - "Guest what honey, I saw an orange one today!" Just how fun is that? Of course the look on Will's face as I gleefully congratulate him on a nice "green one" translates into something like "DID YOU SEE THAT? IS THAT NORMAL?" ...as if I am the strange thing he is observing that defies logical or normalcy.

Posted by bunger at 7:42 PM | Comments (2)

It seems like we spend a handful of blurred and bruised years being a kid and then the rest of our lives thinking back to days gone by and furtively searching for ways to recapture our youth. In other words, wouldn't it be great to be a kid again?

Will is little more than a year old now and becoming more little-boy-like each day. He giggles when snuck-up-upon, he plays peek-a-boo behind anything, and oftentimes (much to the dismay of mom and dad) enjoys just making noise. Let me clarify that last part a bit: he enjoys making noise simply and purely for the benefit of noise itself. Now that is being a kid!

To assist Will in his daily adventures, I have no choice but to step up to the plate, put on my responsible-dad cap, and play right along with him (come on, why should he get to have all of the fun). And do you know what? It is soooo much fun that I sometimes can't see straight (that or my aging brain lacks the oxygen from my aging heart and can't process images very quickly). So each day that Will and I play and dance and read and lay around and just basically be, I can't help but feel as though I am being a kid again and that is one of the best parts of this whole parenting deal. Sure you have to be responsible, work, pay bills, say "no," clean the house (though I am not-so-good on this one), and all of the other myriad duties that define being a married, adult, home-owning parent. BUT... you also finally get to taste the sweetness of youth a second time around. And when you cut through all of the layers of being a grown-up, blurred and bruised fun is still there, waiting to get out and roll around a bit.

Posted by bunger at 9:48 AM | Comments (0)

Just a quick update tonight. I wanted to post these Monday night, but ran out of time. Then wanted to post them last night, but ran out of time. So tonight I am simply standing up to Time and saying, "Just let me slip in here real quick with this update. Please? Pretty Please?" Apparently, Time is in an obliging mood tonight...

Anyway.... my mom, sister, and two nieces came up to visit for a long weekend. We all hadn't seen each other in nearly 7 months and it was wonderful to see everyone again! Isabel, Maggie, and Will were adorable and we can't wait until the Summer!

Posted by bunger at 8:23 PM | Comments (0)

Yesterday was Will's one year birthday and we are still in awe over a few things:
1. That a year can pass by so quickly.
2. That at the end of the day, we are actually pretty good parents.
3. Will still seems to like us.
4. We still seem to like each other.

All in all, it has been an unbelievable year and it is even more unbelievable to look back over the past 12 months and see how much Will has grown from a tiny 7+ pound, completely dependent baby into an awefully cute, 24 pound, 2-tooth, sort-of-walking, thinks-he's-independent little man!

I will say that I have gained much more confidence in my role as a "dad" over these past 12 months. I was so full of worry in the early months that I might not be a good dad and would somehow ruin Will. Well, I can now confidently proclaim that while I might still somehow ruin Will, he and I are going to have a lot of fun getting there together! And that's what it is about, right? Make the best of every situation; don't sweat the small stuff; a hug can't fix everything but it can sometimes make you feel a little better. Basically, just always be there. And after experiencing nights that I thought may never end, diapers that couldn't possibly get dirtier, laughs that couldn't sound any more pure, I have absolutely no doubt that I will always be there. No matter what. Happy Birthday Will.

A couple of quick notes on his birthday bash... we had a small celebration with Jess' parents and Roger's mom (Will's great grandma), Jess made his cake completely from scratch and adorned it with Will's favorite items: blueberries, green beans, and a gorilla! After Will dutifully picked off and ate all of the blueberries and green beans, we proceeded to pound the cake with the gorilla! That's our boy! Also... the last 2 pictures are of him eating Goulash all by himself. I figured he was 1 now, he could do that. What a mess!

Posted by bunger at 7:23 PM | Comments (2)

We finally saw some sunlight here in northern Michigan and as Will awoke from his afternoon nap, I decided to test out the new camera in natural light... and Will was quite the model! I hope you enjoy them as must as I did taking them!

Posted by bunger at 7:30 PM | Comments (0)

I realized something this morning as I was lost in thought feeding Will: my wife and I tell each other when we need to use the restroom (I never said I was lost in deep thought). Not exactly the kind of thing one announces to the world, but it is a perfect example of how our lives have been subtly changed. And a very subtle change it was, as I just don't remember that point when I felt the need to tell Jess of my bodily demands. I don't think I awoke one day and decided "this is the day I become more excrementally vocal"; I am pretty certain it wasn't a New Year's resolution, though if it was, major kudos to me for actually keeping a New Year's resolution; and I am positive Jess didn't ask me to keep her informed on these matters. It just sort of happened.

In defense of this practice, I would like to point out that it was borne from a need to keep an eye on Will and neither of us want to watch him while taking care of business. I could go into much more detail here, but I will spare you the trauma. Point is, as a parent you do things that you didn't used to do... but you also don't consciously make the choice to do them. They just subtly happen and you roll right along with them without thinking twice. Unless, of course, you have to use the restroom. Then you pause long enough to tell your wife where you are going.

A few notes on the pictures: Will recently got his very first real haircut and he looks adorable! Also check out the series of him in his green shirt: he is trying to put shapes into a container and gets VERY frustrated!

Posted by bunger at 10:16 AM | Comments (0)

Jess surprised me this Christmas and bought me a super sweet new digital camera and a couple of accessories. I have been playing around with it a lot to get the right exposure and flash settings down, but I have been blown away by how incredible this camera is! So... hopefully the quality of the pictures that I post from here on out will be better than before. I have included in this gallery some of the better shots, so let me know what you think! side note: I have not enhanced any of the pictures beyond cropping 2 of them. They are all in their original color settings, etc.

Posted by bunger at 7:41 PM | Comments (1)

We decorated. We played. We enjoyed. Happy Holidays!

click links below for movie clips
Will and the Train 1 (1.1mb)
Will and the Train 2 (.5mb)
Will and the Train 3 (1.2mb)
Just the Train (1.2mb)

Posted by bunger at 8:12 PM | Comments (0)

I have not a Christmas wish
to ask unto thee,
For I have already been granted
my family of three.

A houseful of warmth,
laughter, comfort, and cheer,
My life has been blessed
beyond meaning this year.

My beautiful wife Jessica,
not a complaint can I say
She grows ever so gorgeous
and lovely each day.

She always has a smile,
or a quick wit and laugh,
And on many days she has been
my rock and my staff.

And then there is Will,
he’s a product of love,
Something so dear and so precious,
a gift from above.

Always ready with a giggle,
a smile, or a snuggle,
Sometimes I am so amazed
that holding back tears is struggle.

Not a day passes by
without realizing how thankful I am,
for giving me such a wonderful family;
my muse and my lamb.

So a Christmas wish this year
I have none to ask of thee,
You see I have everything I need,
My wonderful family of three.

Posted by bunger at 9:34 AM | Comments (2)

Jess and I did the "what are you thankful for" thing on Thanksgiving and it was nearly impossible to narrow down everything for which I am thankful. I have a incredible wife, an incredible son, we are all healthy (relative to the season, of course), I live in a great city, and not only did NBC bring The Office back this season, it gave us Earl!

On a not-so-thankful note, I have been quite disappointed with Desperate Housewives. I think the writers from the now-defunct Ed somehow slipped in the doors of Wisteria Lane and are causing more problems than Edie Britt after she has kicked back a few! (side note: given my proclivity to witty phrases and the ability to so effortlessly use the word proclivity, maybe Marc Cherry should give me a call)

Anyway.... it was a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with our little family and I am looking forward to so many more! And on a related note, we were able to hang out with some friends of ours Saturday night - Jim, Lindsay, and Hayden Nagy. Not only is Hayden adorable, he has 2 teeth and can do card tricks. And if that weren't enough, Jim brought along his Super Bowl ring for all to admire (he's a scout for the Patriots)... there are a couple of pics of Kay showing it off.

I also have to add that Jess is hovering over my shoulder as I write this and commenting on my proclivity (he he) to use too many exclamations. Something to add to the not-so-thankful list!!!

Posted by bunger at 9:15 PM | Comments (1)

It seems like everything in my life recently has been on it's own schedule. And it is a schedule that I like to call "a little late." This Halloween post? A little late. Will and I getting ready in the morning and leaving on time? Chronically a little late. Client meetings... lunch breaks... going to bed on time... yup. All of 'em. A little late.

So why is it happening and what am I going to do about it? I don't know. But I do know this: most of my being late is to hang out with Will just a little bit longer and if that means that I'll be a little bit late, well... chances are good that I will be posting my Merry Christmas wishes sometimes next March.

Happy Halloween!

Posted by bunger at 7:53 PM | Comments (0)

Instead of writing some ingeniously insightful or extremely witty entry , I am going to be a proud papa and let the pictures speak for themselves. Because when you get right down to it, the kid is pretty darned cute.

author's note: statements made above are the expressed opinions of the author and do not represent those of others

another author's note: okay, so the ingeniously insightful or extremely witty statements are opinions, but the kid is still pretty darned cute

Posted by bunger at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)

note: all characters are totally fictional. Any resemblence between the characters posted here and real persons, whether living or dead, is entirely coincidental


overheard at a recent meeting...

[Bill]Hi, my name is Bill. I eat things.
[everyone]Hi, Bill!
[Bill]No, I mean I eat things that shouldn't be eaten. Which is why I eat them.
[person1]Is it because you were denied food as a child?
[Bill]Huh?
[person2]Maybe you don't know what you are doing. It could be a disease, you know...
[person3]Yeah. It's the disease, man. You gotta let go and give yourself over to another power.
[Bill]I think I already have, which is why I eat things.
[person1]That's good, Bill. Open up. Get it out. Free yourself. Open the lid and let if fly away. Open the windows and feel the...
[Bill -interrupting person1]No, no, no. I do it for my son. I am protecting him.
[person1]What types of things do you eat, Bill?
[Bill]Every kind of baby food that my son eats, I taste first. Except broccoli and chicken. He's on his own there.
[person1]But you said you ate things that shouldn't be eaten.
[Bill]Have you ever tasted some of that stuff?
[person1]Actually, I have been known to enjoy the occasional Hawaiian Delight every now and then.
[Bill]I have also tasted a photograph, a coffee table, the sofa, and shoes.
[person5]I feel your pain, Bill. I feeeeeeeeeeeeeeel it!
[Bill]Huh?
[person5]Do you renounce your past misdeads? Do you want to cleanse yourself in the waters of healing?
[Bill]No. But I would like some water to wash down this meeting pamphlet. Will has been eyeing it for a few minutes and I wanted to make sure it was okay first. Little dry though...

Posted by bunger at 8:10 PM | Comments (0)

So yeah, I have been less than stellar when it comes to updating BillUnger.com. As a matter of fact, I was going to write a legendary update tonight and add some pictures we recently took when I realized I have pictures from about a month ago that I haven't yet posted.

Huh?! Yeah.

So now, I am of course wondering where that month went. I've looked everywhere and my only logical assumption is that Will must have eaten it. And though that sounds ridiculous, it is entirely possible. Trust me. I've nearly lost my nose at least twice.

Also, check back in the next day or so for the update that I was going to do tonight.... hopefully I can post it before Will can gum it into oblivion.

Posted by bunger at 9:10 PM | Comments (0)

Oh how quickly things change. One second you're enjoying a relaxing stretch on the floor, and the next you are being hunted and mauled by a newly-mobile baby. My baby, in fact. The hunter. The mauler. But he looks so cute, you might say. Or he wasn't even crawling 4 days ago, you might protest. Well I am here to tell you, brothers and sisters, that appearances can be deceiving. Take the Big Bad Wolf, for example. Just how far did that "everyone is sweet and nice" attitude get Little Red Riding Hood? Right onto Mr. Wolf's dinner plate, that's how far! And I fear I may be next.

I was lucky enough to capture the most recent attack on film and have posted it here. Should I never be heard from again, you'll know what happened: he got me (that or he drooled me to death).

Will Attacks! (3mb)

Posted by bunger at 7:53 PM | Comments (7)

Well, I think enough time has passed since Will's 6 month birthday (about 10 days ago) that may allow me to write about him without lamenting "my boy! My LITTLE BABY BOY!! AWWWWWWW [insert arms stretched heaven-ward, unless you're an atheist, in which case insert arms stretched toward chocolate cake] FATHER TIME... WHY HATH THOU FORSAKEN ME? [insert me collapsing in anguish]."

So yeah, Will is 6 months and ten days old now and...(don't worry, I'm holding it together, I just forgot what I was going to say as I was thinking about chocolate cake)... and growing into quite the adorable little man. We had his 6 month doctor appointment last week and here are his vitals:

height: 26 1/2 inches
weight: 18 pounds, 9 ounces
head circumference: didn't pay attention (having admitted that, some medical journal will probably report that dad's who neglect to pay attention to son's head circumference are more likely to die of horrific gastrointestinal disorder)

All in all, though dad's bowels may be in trouble, Will is a happy and healthy fella!

In addition to birthday celebrations (which was really just me dancing about saying "it's your birthday")and appointments, Will has been dangerously flirting with crawling for about the past week now. He can get up on all fours, sort of rock a bit, but then collapses in a frustrated heap. I was watching him get worked into a frenzy as he tried to move forward tonight and realized that it's probably a lot like learning how to drive a stick shift: you KNOW the thing can move (you've seen others do it); you know you have to do SOMETHING with your feet and hands, but not entirely certain WHAT or HOW; and there is going to be some lurching involved until you get the hang of it. If you have ever learned to drive a stick, you know exactly what I am talking about - I think there were times when I was learning that I actually rocked back and forth hoping to make the thing go. And god forbid you ever had to parallel park, which probably explains why lots of babies who are learning to crawl get stuck under chairs.

Mr. big man is also heartily enjoying his newfound foods: beans, peas, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, peaches, apples, bananas, and pears (and NO, not all at once). While they make lunch much more entertaining (you haven't fully appreciated farty noises until your baby makes them with a mouth full of carrots), the foods have redefined the pooie diaper. And that's all I am going to say about that.

I will leave you with a parting thought: next time you drive a stick shift, pause for a moment and think about the babies... because at least with a stick shift, you can say "screw it" and hop in the car with the automatic!

Posted by bunger at 7:27 PM | Comments (2)

Holy smokes has it been a long time since I posted?! I would love to say that I have been too busy soaking up the sun, but that isn't really true. And I would love to say that I have been too busy relaxing and enjoying the summer, but that isn't really true either. Luckily, we have been taking pictures throughout the summer and reviewing them helped me realize where all of our time has gone: apparently we have been spending lots of time watching Will eat and sleep!

I certainly would never have thought that watching someone sleep or eat could be so deeply entertaining and heartfelt. It's not like Will is really doing anything spectacular, he's just eatin' and sleepin' (and sometimes he doesn't do either particularly well). But the goodness is that he's ours. And it's amazing to watch him and know that he is a part of our lives, and to feel all of the goodness that goes with it.

So... we are going to continue watching Will eat and sleep, maybe do a little of that ourselves, and continue to soak up the goodness. And though the summer sun is fleeting, this goodness will be around for awhile!

Posted by bunger at 7:26 PM | Comments (1)

My first Father's Day has come and gone. And I awoke this morning feeling a bit sluggish - Jess said maybe I had a "Father's Day Hangover" - it's pretty potent stuff, you know...

The three of us had a wonderful day together... we read some new Dr. Seuss books that I got, did some shopping, and had dinner at Jess' parents. It was a great day and I was sad to see it go. But there will be many, many more! woo hoo!

I have posted a ton of pictures ranging from Will's new preferred sleeping position (sort of twisted around on his side), his new preferred sleeping method (with his blankie over his head - scared the bejesus out of me the first few times tho), his new gator pjs, his crazy-too-much-going-on (my opinion, not his) play thingy, and us just hanging out. And here are a few brief Will updates:

- now weighs in at 16 pounds 4 ounces
- is 25.5 inches long
- is completely rolling over from his back to his tummy (with a little "body builder yell" thrown in at the end)
- beat me in arm wrestling last night
- just learned to really splash around in the bathtub

Have a great week!

Posted by bunger at 9:01 PM | Comments (0)

I'm hot, I'm tired, and it's a Sunday night. It took me nearly 5 hours today to complete a ceiling fan project that should have taken about 30 minutes. Our boat is sitting in the driveway waiting to be de-winterized. NBC's American Dreams was cancelled. The garage needs cleaned. I have only been fly fishing once (though I did catch 2 brook trout). I still have to iron a shirt before I go to bed. And no more Desperate Housewives until the Fall??! Happy Summer!

On the up-side of things, Will turned 4 months old yesterday and is growing ever more adorable (in addition to just plain growing ever more) AND... ... Will is more or less sleeping through the night! Woo hoo! Yippee! Hurray!!

Enjoy the pics... there are some good ones! And enjoy the summer... it'll be a fun one!

Posted by bunger at 9:07 PM | Comments (1)

I'm feeling a bit breezy tonight, so I thought I would just toss around a few random things and see where they land. So... here it goes...

Baby toys are not just for babies. Try one out the next time you happen across some baby-oriented entertainment piece (preferrably when the baby is not using it).

Things I Thought I Knew, Until:
1. I thought I knew how to shave, until... I purchased a double-edge razor. See this post for more details.
2. I thought I knew how to swiftly change diapers, until... I got peed on.
3. I thought I knew how to control my worrying over the small stuff, until... Will was born.
4. I thought I knew how to pronounce envelope (as in "he enveloped her"), until... I pronounced it like a letter holder and was ridiculed... by Jess.
5. I thought I knew everything, until... I met Jess. (she now insists that I know very little)

Once upon a time there was a light yellow little letter envelope who longed to be enveloped by a light yellow large manilla envelope. Each day the light yellow little letter envelope would wish and wish for a a light yellow large manilla envelope to come along and envelope him. On Tuesday it happened.

Did you ever start to think about one thing, which led to thinking about another thing, which led to thinking about yet another thing... and so on and so on... only to arrive back at the beginning of the first thing you were thinking about? Do you suppose that's why dogs chase their tails?

If she sells sea shells by the sea shore, who would buy them? Couldn't they just pick up their own?

April showers have brought May flowers. And summer smells quite nice.

Posted by bunger at 8:04 PM | Comments (0)

Something has been on my mind lately and it's something that I can't seem to shake. No matter where I may go, what I may do, or how hard I may try to ignore it, Time seems to haunt me. Now there's an interesting thought. It is as though Time is a painting with eery, yet indifferent eyes, that seem to follow you whereever you go. Not so much to menace you, but just to let you know that it's there. Always there.

Buds on trees are beginning to open one eye, as if the other eye is still half asleep and they want to make sure the coast is clear before committing to a full awakening. Tulips, on the other hand, are throwing caution to the wind as if to say "Get up. It's time get going!" Every Spring I watch nature wake up with a sense of anticipated nostalgia, remembering the Springs of my childhood and the other years in between. And yet it's always there.

This weekend Will turned 11 weeks old. My younger sister turned 30 and my father turned 60 (years, not weeks). I remember when my sister was still a baby and my father would have been about my age now. Wow. 30 years ago. What happened to all of that time?

If you think about it, Time is actually a pretty powerful concept. It ushers in new days, seasons, generations. It only recognizes the past by the marks that have been left: memories and emotions being the principle tablet upon which Time writes its tales.

As I grow older, I am beginning to understand Time a little better. I think the key to avoiding the haunting gaze of Time is to recognize that the past is just as good and powerful as the present and the future. That memories and the emotions that accompany them are just as real and true as the budding trees and blooming tulips.

This is the first of Will's many Springs. I hope that someday he'll remember the excitement of seeing the first robin, of smelling the tulips, and talking of the opening trout season with his dad. I hope that he will also share those same hopes with his children. But we will all just take things one day at a time. Because that's all you an really do... listen to the birds, smell the tulips, love those around you, and appreciate the moment you are in.

Posted by bunger at 12:39 PM | Comments (5)

Mr. Reader, Vice President blogger, members of the community, distinguished citizens and fellow citizens, every year, by law of my time and by custom (or at least starting now), we meet here to consider the state of our little union. This year, our inaugural year, we gather here at BillUnger.Com with great expectations. Expectations for updates on Will; expectations for insightful commentary on everyday life; and finally, expectations for a bit of humor to even things out.

Let us first visit Will and his status heretofore therein. Little William had his 2 month doctor appointment last Thursday (technically he was 8 weeks and 5 days old then, but he looks young for his age) and he is doing great. His weight is up to 12lbs 4 ounces, which is nearly a 4 pound increase since his 1 month appointment! And... he has grown 2 full inches to skyscraping height of 23.5 inches! He is not yet ducking to get through the doorway, but we did have to raise his mobile a link. On the not-so-fun side of things, Will took 2 shots to each leg for immunizations, cried for a couple of minutes, then immediately changed over to giggles and cooing as a Disney poster on the wall caught his eye. Such a trooper! He is also cooing and carrying on a bit, as the following video clip demonstrates:

Cooing and Carrying on a Bit!

The clip reminds me of how much I enjoyed Mister Roger's growing up. Luckily, Fred is available on DVD so Will can enjoy him as well. Because if you stop and think about it, it IS such a good feeling to know your alive and such a happy feeling you're growing inside and you should make everyday a snappy day! [insert 5 point bonus here for insightful commentary on everyday life]

In addition to Will doing quite well, Jess and I are also rolling right along. We are both adjusting to our new lack of routines, lack of time to catch up on all of the other things that need to be done, and lack of sleep. Actually, it's not so much a matter of adjustment; it is more a state of acceptance and just getting used to it. And neither of us would trade a second of it for anything (though the time Will blasted some poo on Jess' finger did have her contemplating grass-is-always-greener scenarios) [subjective point insertion: 2 for humor]

So all in all my friends and family, the Unger family is doing all-righty. Summer is just around the corner, fly fishing season on the storied waters of northern Michigan begins in less than 2 weeks, and Desperate Housewives has had new episodes for the past couple of weeks! Life is good. So....

...let's make the most of this beautiful day.
Since we're together we might as well say:
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?

Posted by bunger at 7:19 PM | Comments (4)

Will turned 2 months old this weekend and I cannot believe how quickly it has gone by. One second I am in the hospital with Jess wondering how everything is going to play out and the next I am listening to Will coo and carry on! Speaking of which, here is another video clip compilation of him!

The Cooing 2 Month Old

In honor of Will's 2 month birthday, I cranked out this little ode to Will. Keep in mind that I just finished reading Dr. Seuss before I wrote it!

Eight weeks ago on 2/12 Saturday noon
Our son William was born and not a moment too soon
We had waited and waited and couldn’t wait to be
A new loving family compiled of us three

Then time sped up and started to wiz by,
And now 8 weeks have passed my how the time does fly
But one this is for certain that will not change with the rest
With a beautiful son and hottie wife this is definitely the best!

Posted by bunger at 8:02 PM | Comments (2)

Will began to smile about a week and a half ago. Well, he was actually smiling before then, but they were "gas" smiles... which is really kinda entertaining when you think about it. Anyway... his smiles started out few and far in between but he has become a bit more interactive these last few days. Which makes things so much fun! Yesterday I even broke out my guitar and he enjoyed that quite a bit - that's one more thing you have to love about babies - they don't care how hacked up a song is... to their little years, music is music whether you think it is or not. And to round out the day, Will I sang Puff the Magic Dragon together... turns out he is a big fan of Peter, Paul, and Mary! Whooda thunk it, eh? I managed to capture a couple of our sessions on video, so I spliced them together and am presenting to you for the first time... drum roll please... the Bill & Will Variety 90 Seconds (we'll have to build our stamina to make a full Variety Hour). Just click the link below to watch and hear us!

Bill & Will Variety 90 Seconds

Will and I both hope you enjoy our little act. And always remember... music is music no matter how it sounds!

Posted by bunger at 3:02 PM | Comments (1)

Will will turn 7 weeks this Saturday, which amazes me that nearly 2 months has blown by already! As a matter of fact, I would go so far as to say that these past 7 weeks have been a sort of blur. A bleary-eyed, stumbling blur focused at varying intervals by a smile, a gurgle, or a stinky poo (let me tell you - nothing clears the cobwebs from the melon like a stinky poo). And then there's the sleep. Ahhhh, the sleep.

This whole "having a baby thing" wasn't so bad the first two weeks, which coincidentally were two weeks that I didn't work and wasn't bound by time. My time was defined by a cry or a grunt (and that was just from me!), not by a mandate that I had to actually be someplace. Then that all ended and I suddenly felt like a squishy ball in a pinball machine, getting bounced from bumper to bumper as I rolled my way through the day.... only to finally drop out of the bottom at the end, get a little rest, and then sent back out again.

Don't misunderstand - I love being a dad and a husband and it really isn't that bad, it is just a change in routine from that which I was used to. And each weekday has its bright spots that often send the pinball machine into TILT - seeing Jess and Will at lunch; bathing Will each night and snuggling a bit afterward; lying next to Jess, reading, and talking about our days. Those are the everydays that make just a handful of hours of sleep tolerable, a tense moment not so tense, and bleary vision crystal clear.

Posted by bunger at 8:07 PM | Comments (2)

After Jess surprised me with an Easter basket in bed (new boxers, dried mango, and other great stuff) and I sat in Will's room, giving him his bottle and watching his beautiful little face, I realized: this was the best Easter I've ever had. And I have so many more to look forward to!

Happy Easter!

Posted by bunger at 8:19 PM | Comments (3)

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mr. Ima P. Freak, though I am affectionately known in my household as Paranoid Freak. I wasn't born with this name. No, there was a time when I was Normal Joe Guy... even the Bunger to some. But those days are gone, replaced instead by the new me. The me that prefers to go out of the way to a store so my wife doesn't have to take our 5-week old child into the nasty world of germs and infectious diseases. The me that washes my hands so many times they are dry and brittle. The me that worries whether Will just spewed forth a Mt. Vesuvius-sized spit-up when he gurgles a bit from his crib, often rushing in to make sure his cute little face hasn't been Pompeii`ed. The me that worries Will's hands are too cold, Will's face is too warm, Will's bottom is too red, and Will's outfit is too ugly.

So this is what I have become. Nevermind that Will's immune system is probably stronger than mine; that his gurgles are usually just the let-off valve for gas that is building and preparing to depart the south exit; that his hands, face, and bottom are fine... but sometimes the outfit I pick out is a bit on the wrong side of cute. Luckily for me (and my state of mind, which is oftentimes highly suspect) I have Jess, who can often quell my tremblings with a look or a word... or collection of words that often include ridiculous, stupid, paranoid, and freak. If it weren't for Jess, I might be tempted to construct a bubble around our house to prevent any undesirables from entering - though realistically, I would spend 6 months thinking about it, 2 months planning it, 1 day starting it, and then give up because it is too hard - not all of the old me is gone. As a matter of fact, most of the old me is still around... he just sometimes gets stepped on by Mr. Ima P. Freak. But that's okay because I also have another nickname: Dad. I could go on for awhile about that other nickname, but I have to go... my hands need washing and I think Will just either spontaneously combusted or fired off a tremendous fart. Sure hope it's not the spontaneous combustion... I hear that is going around this time of year...

Will Update: my Mom and brother came up from Indiana for the weekend and finally got to meet their grandson/nephew. Will was quite smitten by both of them and I think the feelings were mutual! Oh yeah... and Jess tried out the