And…..we’re having another boy!

Well, I announced it on Facebook last month but didn't write about it here.   I want to make sure I have a record of it incase my son … I mean my new son asks.   Tori and I have always wanted a second child.  I actually wanted 3 kids but Tori said no to that.   We found out Tori was pregnant, in July shortly after attending her grandmother’s birthday party in Jackson, MS.   Since then, we’ve gone back and forth about gender.  Tori really wanted a little girl and I, being terrified of life with a daughter wanted to take the easy route with another son. 

Everyone was convinced Tori was having a girl except for two people; her cousin Ondrea and I.  We knew deep down inside that there was another little boy cooking in the oven.   I will say that Tori was so passionate about a girl that I started to believe it at one point and scribbled down a few names I liked for a girl.

Last month, we went for the big 5 month ultrasound.  I was nervous.  This was the ultrasound that would clearly allow us to identify the gender of our baby.  That morning, Tori was letting me have it.  She asked me, “Will you cry when you find out it’s a girl?” and “Do you think you’ll pass out in the doctor’s office?”.    While waiting in the doctor’s office, I started to get nervous and looked at some online tests that claim to predict gender.  Every test was telling me it was a girl. 

We walk into the doctor’s office and they start the ultrasound and about 3 seconds into it, my son rolls over and

spreads his legs, “BAM”.  No doubt about it, the baby was all boy and wanted to make sure we knew.   Tori’s first reaction was to laugh.  My first reaction was a “Yes” with an air fist signifying victory.   Two boys!  How cool is that?    I instantly staring thinking of all the adventures we would have starting with next Halloween.  Three guys dressing up (FYI, Tori doesn't do Halloween costumes) creates a world of possibility for costumes.   

We called out parents and siblings and shared the news.  While the majority of the family was looking forward to another little girl, we’re all excited to welcome another little Moore into the world.  Our son is due March 27^th and Turner is looking forward to being a big brother!  Tori isn't getting a little girl this time around but since she really wants won, maybe I can convince her to try her luck on number 3!

Why we relocated to Atlanta

My wife and I never clearly explained all the reasons we decided to relocate to Atlanta.   We've mentioned it in small talk to coworkers, close friends and family but I want to make sure I document it for future generations and remove any ambiguity. 

Tori and I settled in Philadelphia after school and we've lived there for about 10 years.  Truth be told, I only moved to Philadelphia because Tori was already living and working there but that’s another story.  Tori is from Mobile, AL.  Her sisters live in Nashville, TN and the rest or majority of her family is from Jackson, MS.  In short, she’s from the south.  Me, I’m from New York and have family scattered in Orlando, D.C., Canada and the list goes on.   

In 2004, my mother retired from her career working with the homeless and mentally ill and moved from New York to Atlanta with my sister, Tracie.  Why Atlanta?  Honestly, I think most NYer’s are fascinated by the notion of ‘land’ and having a home bigger than a 2 bedroom apartment.  For whatever the reason, Atlanta was my mother’s new home and as a result, I started traveling down there (or here) more often.

While we were able to travel down to Atlanta, Jackson, MS and Mobile, AL once or twice a year, it wasn't enough for Tori as she is very close to her sisters and parents.  I want to say that it was roughly 2008 or 2009 that it really hit Tori that she wanted to move to the south to get more time with her family.   I had no strong ties to Philadelphia so I was on board.  The next step was to decide on a city and get there.  After checking with our respective employers and weighing the pros and cons of several cities, we decided on Atlanta. For one, my mother is getting older and could use an accessible support system.  Moving to Atlanta also put us in driving distance to family in Jackson, MS, Orlando, FL, Mobile, AL, and Nashville, TN.  On top of that, my half-sister lives nearby in Fayetteville, GA with my niece and nephews.  Tori also has an aunt in Decatur and a cousin in Mableton.    

With one son and second on the way, Atlanta provides us access to our family and more importantly, will allow my son’s to develop relationships with extended family.   I miss my friends in Philadelphia.  I miss them a lot.  I miss winters with snow and pizza.  FYI – Atlanta does not have good pizza.    All of that aside, nothing compares to creating opportunities for my children to develop strong family ties.

As of writing this post, we've lived in Atlanta for about 5 months.  We are still getting used to it all; particularly the traffic.  We've been living with our cousin, Ondrea while we look for a home. Turner is loving his new school and we generally can get around town without getting lost.  We’re happy to be here and look forward to establishing our own roots in Atlanta while being accessible to family and enjoying the close proximity to everyone.

In case you didn't know...

Turner loves his aunts....and stunting in his sun glasses.

Easter Sunday with Turner

This was a great Easter for Turner.   It started with getting Turner into the special Easter outfit.  Tori did all the work to pick this out.  The sport coat was a last minute addition to the outfit.  Turner received lots of compliments from nice old ladies before and after church. In case you were wondering, yes, this is the same church where Turner was baptized.  I’d like to say Turner was quiet and sat still throughout the service but no.  Turner’s still not quite used to a hour long service.  

After church, we came home and gave Turner his Easter basket.  Rather than purchase a pre-made Easter basket with items that we really don’t want Turner to have, I decided to just create one.  I went for a superhero themed Easter basket.   It started with a batman Easter basket.  I stuffed it with a spider-man kite, superman action figure, a DC super friends book, and a DC super friends beach towel because we are going to be at the pool often this summer.  At the last minute, I added a bonus item; a book called, “Every Little Thing” which is based on lyrics by Bob Marley. 

 

 As you can see, Turner was really happy to receive his basket after church.  After church we went to brunch at White Dog Café.  We’ve been there previously and we were glad to be back.   Overall, I think Turner had a great Easter!   



 

Latest additions to Turner’s wardrobe

Tori purchased Turner’s Easter outfit.  You’ll see that in the next post.  I don’t want to spoil the surprise but she did a great job finding a fashionable and cute outfit for him.   I was left with finding some shoes.  I was originally hoping for some Kenneth Cole but didn’t have any luck finding a decent pair for Turner.  Luckily I stumbled upon some Cole Haans and I am very impressed.  He’ll be able to wear these to a few of the formal events we are attending this summer (e.g. weddings).  While out shopping I saw a pair of Polo Ralph Lauren boat shoes that I couldn’t pass up.    I think he’s good for the Summer / Fall with these.   I’ll probably pick-up a pair or Nike or New Balance sneakers for him as well.   The sad part about all this is that toddler's feet grow at a CRAZY rate.  Thank goodness for off season sales.

Happy Easter from Turner

I really like Turner's daycare.  It's not just the meals they provide and the amount of time he spends outdoors but also the photos they send home.  This is just one of the pictures they took at school.   I have many more to scan in and post but it really is a nice treat to receive these from time to time.

So with that said, "Happy Easter" from Turner!  Be on the look out for more pictures from our Easter egg hunt on Saturday and Turner in his Easter outfit on Sunday.

 

What's for lunch?

I'm trying to get back into the swing of things with this blog after being harassed by someone in Atlanta who shall remain nameless. Actually no, it's 2013, let's just drop names; Ondrea.  In her defence, Ondrea does visit the blog regularly (so she says) and seems to find my ramblings about Turner interesting and perhaps entertaining.  She also thinks it will be good for him to eventually read all of these himself.

Anyway, this post is about lunch. Not the most entertaining of topics but still kind of interesting. So Monday through Friday, lunch is provided by Turner's daycare.  It's awesome.  This kid is getting exposed to some really good meals such as Ravioletti, beef stew, pastas w/butter and broccoli and turkey hotdogs. 

Oh, and don't get me started on breakfast.  Sometimes when I drop him off I linger around hoping for a plate or leftovers. 

Back to the topic of lunch.  So I'm responsible for lunch on Saturday and Sunday.  Sometimes we're out and Turner gets to have fast food (a rare treat).  Not ideal but luckily we can get over to Chik-fil-a for fruit and grilled chicken.  As he gets older, we'll have more options.  For the days when we're just relaxing in the house, it's up to me to come up with something.  The bad news is that I'm not that fancy in the kitchen. The good news is that Turner is easy to please.  This is going to sound bad, but peanut butter and jelly is like crack to this kid. I add some combination of two fruits and everyone is happy.  

So for those loyal readers who also double as my go-to babysitters, keep the following items in your home and you'll be set:

1. Whole wheat bread (lightly toasted)
2. Peter Pan Peanut Butter - Creamy style
3. Polaner Fruit Spread (it's not jelly)
4. Two of the following fruits:
1. Kiwi
2. Strawberries
3. Rasberries
4. Mangos

I'm hoping to step my game up soon.  For other parents that are reading this blog or hell, anyone who prepares lunch for a kid, please feel free to add some suggestions in the comments.


 

He's an artist

We are encouraging creative expression. He's been at this for over an hour and almost fell over as the creatuvity flowed. Somewhere in there is a sketch of a stuffed dog named Jingle. 

Speed Racer

Turner needs a bike helmet

Happy 1st Birthday Turner!

One year ago today, my son Turner Alexander Moore was born at 3:17pm.  I feel like I should write something profound but I can’t seem to find words to express my sentiment towards him.  I think I’ll keep it simple and say that I love him and I will do anything for him. 

Turner, when you're older and read this I guess the main thing I want you to know was that during your first year, you were the most important thing in my life. I can't imagine loving you more than I do now but I know that as we both get older, my love for you will only continue to grow.

Happy Birthday, son!

Our first Christmas with Turner

It’s Sunday morning.   To most, just another average Sunday but at the Moore household, it’s Christmas Sunday.  I am excited about seeing my family for the Christmas holiday but wanted Turner’s first Christmas to be in his home.  The only solution I could think of was to celebrate Christmas a week early before we leave town.   We put Turner to bed Saturday night and then started to stack gifts under the tree.  Funny, as we were placing gifts under the tree Santa appeared with a few extra gifts.   

Sunday morning, I set-up the video camera and turned on some Christmas Soca.  Turner walked out from his room and saw all the gifts under the tree.   Tori and I got some nice things ourselves but it was really about seeing what Turner would play with.  Thank goodness he was interested in both his toy cars and his Elmo doll.  The winning toy of the morning was a set of car keys though.  As I write this, he’s still playing with him.  

Not too much more to say here, I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story. 

Decorating the house for Turner’s first Christmas

I love Christmas.  I always have and I always will.  It’s hard to describe why but I just have so many great memories of this holiday - lots of love and laugh over the years. One of my earliest memories is crawling under my grandmother’s bed and finding un-wrapped gifts for my sister and I.  I would crawl under the bed daily leading up to Christmas and play with two G.I. Joe action figures and the tank they came with. 

This is the first year that I get to share my favorite holiday with my son. I'm going all out.  If I could rent a Santa to have him come drop off gifts, I would.  I haven' rulled that idea out for future years.  Anyway, back to the story.  As you know, we traveled to Nashville, TN for Thanksgiving.   Normally, I would start putting up Christmas decorations immediately after Thanksgiving but after a long drive and traveling I didn’t have the energy.  I also had to travel for work after Thanksgiving.   

As soon as I found some free time, I put our tree up. Turner helped. He resisted the urge to play with the decorations.  It took a while to get the tree up but it was fun.  I then hung our wreath on the door and put two 3ft pine trees on each side of our front door.   We have candles in most of our windows and I’ve hung lights around the front porch.  It’s subtle compared to some houses in the area but it works for us.

Wait, how could I forget the stockings!  Tori and I started hanging stockings two or three years ago and this year, we purchased one for Turner.  He already has two small toys in it.  I noticed that mine is flat.  I’m not upset though. Cash and checks don’t take up much space. 

What should you get Turner for either Christmas or his birthday?

It just hit me. This is great month to be Turner.  He has three Christmas’ and two birthday parties.  We’re going to open gifts from Tori and I at home before we depart for Orlando and once we arrive there, he’ll open some more.  Once we arrive in Atlanta, he’ll open gifts there as well.  That same week (December 30th), he’ll open birthday presents.  Once we fly back to Philadelphia, he will open presents at his second birthday party (January 7th). 

With all these opportunities to celebrate with Turner, Tori and I thought we'd say a few words here and hopefully make shopping easier for our friends and family.  Tori and I have done some shopping for a few gifts for both Turner’s birthday and Christmas.  We got him the Rock-n-Roll Elmo, a Radio Flyer 4-in-1 bike, and some small toy cars.  Turner has been a good boy this year so I’m sure Santa will be dropping off some extra gifts. Almost anything from LeapFrog is good.  He also loves "Baby Signing Time" - we only have the first DVD.   We like the idea of educational toys and books for him.

For anyone looking to buy him clothing, even though he’s a 12 month old – it’s probably best to get him pants that are for an 18 month old.  He can still fit 12 month old shirts but some short-sleeve 18month old shirt would be good for next summer.  He’s currently a size 5 in shoes.  He has a pair or sneakers already.  We like soft soled shoes too (pediped).  Gift cards are always a safe bet and easy for us to carry back home from traveling as well as books.  We also have a 529 college and savings account for him.

Christmas in Orlando, FL and Atlanta, GA

In a previous post, I mentioned that we celebrate Thanksgiving with Tori’s family and Christmas with mine. A few people have been asking us what we will be doing for Christmas this year.  Good news – we’ve finally figured it out.  We’re going to Orlando and Atlanta. Wait, two cities? Doesn’t sound like we’ve figured it out but please continue reading.

Normally, my family does a rotation between D.C., Orlando and Atlanta.   Last year it was in Orlando and this year it is supposed to be in Atlanta.  My older sister (Kerry)  in Atlanta who normally hosts is expecting her first grandchild (Congratulations Victoria!) and won’t be hosting this year.  After emails, texts and phones calls with family, we have decided that we’ll be joining the Orlando crew for a holiday celebration this year.  It was in Orlando last year at my Brother Sammy’s home but since Turner was due right around that time, we obviously couldn’t travel.  My brother, sister and father are in Orlando and it’s the largest concentration of my family.  Turner has never been to Orlando.  I’m sure he’ll enjoy it though. He has three cousins there, his grandfather, two aunts and two uncles.  One of his cousins (Alakai) is only 1 month older than he is.  It’ll be fun to see the two of them playing together.

It doesn’t stop there.  We’re going to drive over to Atlanta and see my mother, sister, aunt and cousin.  Our cousin Ondrea, is co-hosting a birthday party with us for Turner; more on that later. You might recall, that our cousin Ondrea was the first family member to come up and see Turner.  She flew up from Atlanta and came straight to the hospital.  We decided to host a birthday party in Atlanta so that our friends and family could help us celebrate his first year (also not everyone can travel up to Philadelphia for a party here).  That’s where our holiday travel ends.  It will be great to be around family in both Orlando and Atlanta.  To our family in both cities – get ready because we’ve just booked out tickets!

Turner’s growing vocabulary

Over the last 6 months, Turner’s vocabulary has really been growing.  We started with ‘Ba’ and we got a “Mama” followed by “Dada”. Nothing special but now, we’ve heard him utter “Buh-bye” while waving, “Hi”, and “Go”, “Dog”, “Uh Oh” – with a really funny face.  I'll try to get a photo.  He also says “Up” when he wants to be picked up.  I’m trying to get him to say “Ooh yeah” but no success yet.  His grandmother really wants him to learn, “One” for his birthday. I’m not so sure if that will happen but we’ll see.

Turner’s First Thanksgiving!

Tori and I have large families and our families are distributed across the country.  When you have large families that are scattered throughout the U.S. (and Canada if I count my younger brother and sister), it makes it difficult to get together for the holidays.  To make things simple we decided to divide up the two major holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We will celebrate Thanksgiving with Tori’s family and Christmas with my family.  While visiting family in Nashville, TN, it was decided that Thanksgiving would be held back in Nashville, TN.

To save on costs, we decided to drive down from Philadelphia to Nashville.  It’s a 12 hour drive.  Our strategy was to get Turner ready for bed and wait until he fell asleep to drive down while he was sleeping.  The plan worked perfectly.  He woke up a once or twice and looked around but overall slept until the following morning.

We arrive Wednesday morning and Tori’s parents arrived Thursday morning.  We had a great dinner and shared lots of laughs.  No one went out shopping on Friday – we took a different approach and went to the Nashville Zoo.  This was Turner’s first trip to the zoo.  He seemed to enjoy it.  Not that I didn’t enjoy the trip but the Philadelphia Zoon is much better.  I’m looking forward to taking a few trips there next summer. 

Saturday, we took a family portrait.  There was some confusion about what everyone would (or should) be wearing but I think it all came together nicely in the end.  We managed to get a few individual pictures if Turner that we are going to use for his birthday party invitations.

We left Nashville at 5am on Sunday morning and made it back to Philadelphia Sunday night.  Turner was a real trooper dealing with all that time in the car.  Overall, Thanksgiving was great.  I am already looking forward to celebrating next year with family.

Visiting Family in Jackson, MS & Nashville, TN

As most of you know, Tori is from Mobile, AL.  What you may not know is that she has family in both Nashville, TN and Jackson, MS.  Actually wait, if you read this blog regularly you know that one of our baby showers was held in Jackson, MS so obviously we have family there.   We usually take a trip down to the south once or twice a year.   Now that Turner is here, our family in the south really wants us to visit more often.  Two major family events were happening in July of this year.  The first was Tori’s grandmother’s birthday on July 4^th in Jackson, MS.  The second was the birthday of Tori’s niece, Sinclaire Elizabeth Rowland July 11^th in Nashville, TN.  

We decided to fly into Nashville, TN and meet Sinclaire then drive to Jackson, MS – 6 or 7 hours away – so that Turner could meet his great-grandmother.   It might sound like a lot but we’re used to it.    Visiting family in Nashville and Jackson as a success. 



Everyone was glad to finally meet Turner and he enjoyed all the love and attention. It may have been Turner’s first trip to Jackson, MS but it won’t be his last.   He’ll be spending at least a week there every summer and as you’ll see here – Thanksgiving dinner was also held in Nashville, TN this year.

My first Father’s Day

I know what you're thinking - this blog post is long overdue.   In June I celebrated my first Father’s Day with Tori and Turner.  I was very excited about it.  I made sure Tori didn't group our anniversary gift (June 16th) with my Father's day gift (due June 18th).  Two major events require two seperate gifts - those are the rules. 

OK back to the story.  The gifts were great; both humorous and serious.  You can see most of these in the photo to the left.  Starting from left to right, I got a nice card from Turner and a recordable Hallmark book.  I have to look closer at the instructions but I plan on reading and recording the story for Turner soon.  Next up, we have a card from Tori and a picture frame that Turner made at daycare.  The picture frame says, “Dad’s Pride and Joy”.  I plan on keeping that in my office, near my computer for those days where I wonder why I'm working hard or putting in late hours.  Lastly we have another card from Turner (clearly my son is an overachiever) and a coffee mug from Tori.

What’s not pictured here is a dog tag that Tori got for me.  You might be able to see it in the photo to the right.  I know what you're thinking and yes, Turner and I were wearing matching shirts.  The plan is to take it to get it engraved with a quote that I like; “Father, giver of strength, love and wisdom.  Son, giver of life’s greatest joys”.   After being showered with cards and gifts, Tori and Turner took me to brunch.  Tori and I enjoyed a great meal while Turner flirted with the waitresses. 

Thank you Tori and Turner for an awesome first Father’s Day!

Turner’s Quilt

A longtime family friend of Tori’s had a custom handmade quilt made for Turner. There isn’t much of a back story to this blog post. Tori and I wanted to thank Ms. Presnell for her kindness and generosity. We also want to thank Ms. Arletha Patrick for actually making the quit by hand! It’s really a beautiful quilt and great keepsake for Turner. You can see from the photos below that Turner loves it. However, it’s one of those gifts that are just too nice, so after these photos were taken we quickly put it put away so that Turner wouldn’t get it dirty. We plan on letting him look at it from a distance every year on his birthday.