Deringer World

He's Trying to Say "FROG"

2009-06-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

Joshua Riding His Tricycle

2009-06-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

Eating to Sleeping to Crying

2009-03-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

Tickling to Laughing

2009-03-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

Our Silly Little Boy

2009-02-24T07:18:00.000-08:00

Could we have it any easier?

2008-12-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

Joshua's Got Hockey in His Veins

2008-10-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

September in Our House

2008-09-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

September is a crazy month for us Van Dams. Me back to teaching, Joshy to daycare and everyone's birthday but me (May 21st, if you forgot to send me a cheque). Mom on the 5th, Jeff on the 7th, Dad on the 21st, Tammy on the 22nd and Jason on the 23rd. Tammy and Greg also have their anniversary on the 28th. Here are a few pics from the last 20 some odd days.

Just a fun pic with my baby in his pjs.

Being silly at dinner.

No thanks, Josh.

Uh oh...he has the blinking-during-pictures gene!

Congrats to Jason and Ashley! Nice ring!

Is Daddy taking great photos again?

And again! I love this one!!

"If I don't look at her, she won't see me touch it, right?"

Wrong!

All Josh wants to do is climb up on this chair and play with the computer.

"Pose for a picture? Sure, Mom!"

"Feed me already!!!"

Dad's whipped cream shooter at his 60th birthday dinner...so funny!

He loves his boots!

Mattick's Farm for mini-golf and ice cream. Thanks for having a birthday, Uncle Jeff!

Couldn't wait till dinner.

Celery

2008-09-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

Celery as a baseball bat, celery as drumsticks...anything but celery as food.

Joshua's Baseball Beginnings

2008-09-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

Joshua's 1st Birthday

2008-06-21T11:40:00.001-07:00

On Saturday June 14th at 4 pm (exactly one year after I went into labor), we had Joshua Michael Deringer's 1st birthday party at my in-laws' home. He had a Tonka truck theme complete with tablecloth, dishes, balloon, centerpiece, goody bags and banner and he even had a truck on his outfit. It was a warm, sunny day which suited the BBQ we had planned with Smoshy's friends, their parents, both sets of grandparents, a great grandma, and three uncles (one of which was fresh off the plane from Toronto). Despite expert nap planning on my part, my baby boy had a few monster moments. Here are some pictures.

Hitchin' a ride on Grandpa.

Spoiled or what?

He loved the tissue paper...the gifts?...not so much.

Mr. Antisocial stole away from the party to play pool on his own. Not Shane, his son.

"Magnetic pool balls! Cool!"

Lounging in his new lawn chair from Shane's parents.

He wouldn't get out of his chair but he still wanted to play. What a goofball.

Nana and Papa bought him a table, so he climbed on it. Logical.

He looked to Mommy for direction...then he tried to grab the flame.

Not enjoying being strapped into his chair.

Our friends trying to stay warm in the last rays of sunshine.

He liked the cake when Daddy fed him.

On Father's Day he actually turned one so we had leftover cake and I put on his crown again.
This expression sums up Joshua's birthday attitude.

Chubby cheeks full of cake.

"Is there a reason you are so close to my face, Da-da?"

"I have to do this again next year?"

Trip to Cali and Other Stuff

2008-06-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

Lame title, I know. Here are some pics of our California trip in May. We stayed with Kristin and Owen in San Francisco then Brian and Beth in Gilroy with a little of San Jose, Santa Cruz, Oregon and Washington thrown in there. Enjoy!

Up early for the Coho...we all felt like Smoshy looks...

Dumb Coho Ferry...giving me motion sickness...BOOOOO!!!

I love his booster for so many reasons...this is one of them! This is Josh in the back of the car somewhere in Washington.

Ok, so Joshua had a disgusting diaper in northern California right around dinner time so I changed him on that Mt. Shasta rest area bench and fed him in nothing but a diaper. Don't worry, Mom. He wasn't cold. It was over 30 degrees.

Wesport, Washington for a surf competition. It didn't look very good so we took off.

Practicing walking on something soft. (He's a full blown walker now.)

He doesn't like dirty hands.

By the marina in San Francisco (notice the clouds and wind)...

...about 10 minutes later downtown San Francisco (notice the blue sky).

Auntie Kristin and Uncle Owen

Pacifica, CA (west of San Francisco where Owen and Kristin live)
Overexposed photo of our big boy now loving the sand.

No, the picture isn't overexposed...my skin is actually that white! Joshy is bundled up in his bunny towel sleeping in his playpen. Too cute.

I was determined to swim in the Booths' pool and Joshy was comin' in with me whether he wanted to...

or not.

Nap time, Joshua?

Ju-ju and Si-si playing with cars on the Barbie table. Good balance.

Joshy loved playing in the water at the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose.

Such a cool place to bring kids and let them explore...

like I said...bring the the kids and let them explore.

A short sandbox with sparkly sand...

Birds that sing when you push the buttons...

Playing peek-a-boo with the puppet show curtain...

Dressing up as a slice of pizza...

Smooshing your face against the plexiglass...uh...moving on.

Santa Cruz on my b-day and Josh wouldn't go near the water. Heartbreaking for surfer daddy!

Oh, my boys are so handsome.

Our physically fit friends and their Strawberry Shortcake who has mastered the word "no."

Isn't he adorable? That was a great day. My first birthday as a mommy.

Josh made me look like an unfit mother when he screamed as I tried to force him into the arms of a massive stuffed animal. Um...where's Stomper's other hand?

It just worked out that Kristin's brother Rich was pitching (above) the day before we left so we got to sit in the family/friends section that was just a few rows from the field. The A's won 8-3!

Us at the ballgame with our sleeping bambino. Smoshy slept through lots of home run cheering. It was great.

On the road again. Some random rest stop in Oregon, I think. It was so nice to be back in misty rain and lush foliage. I love the Northwest.

So nice to be home. He doesn't really look like me, but at least he sleeps like me.

This is the day Josh discovered his tongue. The same day we had scheduled family photos at the church. We got ONE shot without that chubby tongue sticking out.
He's all boy and all goofball.

5/6 of a year old...10 MONTHS ALREADY?!!!

2008-04-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

Joshua is 10 months old as of April 15th and is more active and silly than ever! He likes to walk holding onto hands and furniture, but I think he is still a month away from walking. That is one thing I am grateful that he is not excelling at! At his 9 month checkup he was average for weight gain (50-75th percentile) and well above average for length (97th percentile) which makes him tall and skinny. No surprise there! Joshy eats everything, loves being outside and is very good at baby talk. I don't understand him so I'm glad he uses some sign language like "finished," "more," "milk" and "eat." He is the most content baby I have ever known, but he doesn't like being told "no" so we'll see how the toddler months go. The video below is of Smoshy being goofy while he plays on his own. Enjoy the video and pictures of our little monkey!

Rocking on his horse watching Treehouse. So big so fast...I don't like it.

Trying to sneak to Daddy's hockey game after Mommy said no.

Helping Mommy empty out her nicely folded laundry. Thanks, Josh.

One of Daddy's fancy-camera shots of Josh eating a chocolate-covered marshmallow.

One of Smoshy's signs - Finished!

About to go down the slide with no inhibitions...scary!

Afternoon nap following a long day of work and play. Josh, that is.

That was a really big chunk of his Easter bunny he just finished. Hence the glazed over look.

Helping with the laundry again.

If Joshy is missing, chances are he is under a table somewhere. Weird, I know.

Someone said "show me your teeth."

So freakin' cute! I can't stand it!

Ditto the last comment.

This sleeping position runs in the family. Guess who.

The best way to wake up!

What Joshua's parents have been doing...

2008-02-18T12:29:00.000-08:00

I totally understand that Shane and I are no longer important, so I'll just take a minute to update you guys on us. It'll only take a sec then you can get back to Smoshy's pics and vids. Alright...

Shane has been working on photography and I can honestly say that he is gifted. Here are just a couple of pictures he has taken on the west coast of the island where he surfs religiously. His website is linked on the right of the blog if you haven't checked it out yet.
Shane took a day trip to Whistler with his brothers...A view from the ferry...We have worked on corrupting my mother...We had a "Quick! Let's give her stuff before she pops!" shower for Shannon (congrats on the birth of Danica Leigh)...Hot mamas and cute babies at the shower...
We went to the Chinese New Year festivities in China Town with Mom and Dad and their Torontonian friends Gloria and David...
We said see ya later, not goodbye, to Brian , Beth and Sienna...TWICE...
We watched Nathan for a week while Shane's parents were in Mexico...I guilted Shane into spending time with us in the form of a powerwalk up and down Dallas road...And we said goodbye to Shane's mom, Theresa Lynn Leckie, on January 20th. It was under unfortunate circumstances, but Shane, Keenan, Kylie and Nathan got to hang out together for a few days, which was a very special time for all of us.So, that's what's been going on with us. Not exciting, just living. I understand if you want to return to marveling over our beautiful son, Joshua Michael Deringer, the real reason anyone wants to look at this blog. Tata for now!

2/3 of a year old...that's 8 months.

2008-02-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of our little man, Joshua Michael, from the past few weeks. He is crawling and saying "dada" and getting into everything but his toys. Yesterday he took a few steps with his walker and he is pulling himself up on furniture. Smoshy loves his sucky, his bath and is constantly crawling under anything he can.
Practicing his grip for future use.Pulling himself up in his crib for the first time. Daddy lowered the mattress that afternoon.
Under the kitchen table, probably looking for fallen cheerios.
Joshy attacking me while we wrestled in the living room. Not too intimidating!
Playing in mommy's unfolded laundry...not a word, Gary.
Chillin' in China Town during the Chinese New Year festivities.
Goofball.
A very common face which translates into "Mom, you're weird."
Tuckered out. Played too hard.
Freakin' cute or what? Man, I love him!
That side, too!
Hoping for a cute shot, got perfection!
And I'll leave you with Smoshy's poop face. Enjoy!

Crawling for the Sucky

2008-02-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

Sleepy Smoshy

2008-02-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

Close to Crawling

2008-02-04T15:08:00.001-08:00

Addicted to Facebook

2007-11-04T17:02:00.001-08:00

The first step to overcoming an addiction is to acknowledge it...My name is Tracey and I am a Facebookaholic. PHEW! That feels better. So, for those of you in the outside world who have yet to cave to Facebook, here are a few pictures from September and October. Joshua was dedicated on September 23rd here in Victoria with Nana, Papa, Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Tammy and Cousin Stephanie present. Joshua is 4 1/2 months old now and has started to roll and teethe. At 4 months he was the average weight of a 5 1/2 month old (16lbs 3oz) and the average length of a 7 month old (28 inches). We've got a keeper! He has no hair and his eyes look like they will be blue. If you want to know anything else about him PICK UP THE PHONE!!! I think these pictures are roughly chronologically backwards. OH! And Shane wanted me to mention his new photography website so I have linked it on the right. Enjoy!

He's already a ham! He repeats sounds and actions for us when he sees us laughing at him.
Isn't he gorgeous? Oh, I love him so much!
Taking a nap on mommy.
Happy Hallowe'en from Chinaboy Joshua and his pet Mommy. That beanie has a black yarn braid attached to the back! He won a costume contest with it.

First food...rice cereal.
Cousin Stephanie wanted a bath in Smoshy's tub. Mommy said know so Auntie Tracey and Papa said yes!A family day at Sombrio on the west coast of the island.

Joshua Getting Dunked

2007-08-30T15:35:00.001-07:00

Hot and Wet Mommies

2007-08-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

Made you look, sicko! Here are a few pictures of visits with friends and also from our Wednesday Mommy group wrap up yesterday at Bev and Jan Egil's place. This is the first hot mommy, Devon, with her daughter Jenna. They came for a visit on Sunday afternoon. I don't think Joshua was ready for his arranged marriage. He looks pretty sad, then mad, then sleepy.
Wednesday was fun for me, but Josh wasn't a fan of being dunked right away. He got used to it, though.

Colby trying to escape the estrogen...
Tracey and Smoshy, Tricia and Hunter, Beth and Sienna, Shannon, Colby and baby-to-be-announced. Below is Renee with Anders.

Then we went to meet Sandy and Annika at Starbucks. Smosh loves his Auntie Sandy......and I wasn't about to let that chocolate on Josh's face to go to waste! Yup, I licked it off.

And finally, Joshua figured out how to deal with his mom's excessive noise...

Month 2 is Over Already?

2007-08-20T13:34:00.001-07:00

Two whole months have gone by and our little monkey is turning into a big chubber. He always looks unimpressed with our attempts to make him laugh and he only talks when he feels like it. Alas, he isn't a performing monkey...but we are. He is sleeping for 4-5 hours at a time at night, which isn't that bad, and he is up to a full 5 oz at each feeding. He'll be bigger than us in no time! When he does decide to entertain us he has our full attention because he is so dang cute! Here are a few pics of the last few weeks. Shane went to Mexico for a few days while Joshua and I were in Toronto visiting my family in August then we went to Tofino the day after we got home. Busy busy travelers...Handsome little man!

Our happy little family!
Handsome big man!

One of Shane's beautiful pics of Mexico

Shane stayed in a hut called a palapa right on the water in La Ticla

Amazing creation by the Master ArtistI think Jason's doing Blue Steel, but we were supposed to be doing Magnum!So cute in his big boy clothes at the wonderful high tea baby shower my mom threw for himI borrowed Josh's bib while I enjoyed the scone...you can dress me up, but...Smoshy is tired after a long day of shopping in Buffalo with...Nana and Auntie Kim.Monkey boy wouldn't relax for his bath in the hotel sink...he looks like a plucked chicken about to be stuffed!Is he a good looking guy or what? So relaxed on vacation.

Cuddling in the early morning hours in our tent in Tofino.

The new parents actually playing again...yay!

Little Joshua bundled up for his good night sleep. I think he's waving goodbye to you...

Sneezes and smiles

2007-07-26T08:58:00.001-07:00

Joshua's Hiccups

2007-07-26T08:57:00.001-07:00

Joshua had the hiccups every day inside of me and now he gets them outside, too.

Joshua's First Month

2007-07-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

Well, our baby boy is already a month old...5 weeks today! He is getting cuter every day as he learns to smile and coo. I can't say he has either under control yet, but he's getting close! Here are a few recent pictures of Joshua enjoying life outside of mommy. Actually, maybe he liked it better inside. I don't know if he's enjoying it, but I sure am!

We had a BBQ at the Gulbrandsens' home by the pool. We are blessed with great friends to spend time with. Shane is already introducing Joshua to the pool...next step - the ocean!"Mom! Don't take a picture of my package!""You want a show? I'll give you something to write home about. I know you like it!"

It was so hot one day that Shane and baby Joshua stripped down and relaxed by the lake.

Someone found his thumb!

Does he look more like an old Hungarian lady or yoda?
I can't decide, but he's clean!

Beth, Tricia, Shannon and I walked on Dallas Road then had lunch at the Ogden Point Cafe.
I love Victoria!

My big handsome men. Shane, are those my pyjama pants?

I know I'm in the picture, but I can't look at anything other than his little bum.
I want to pinch it! Maybe little pinch? (you have to see the commercial)This one almost looks like a photo shoot. How precious!And finally, Joshua met his Papa for the first time last week. What a busy first month my little man has had. I can't wait to see what month 2 holds.

Monkey Madness

2007-06-29T19:23:00.001-07:00

Well, I think we are finally coming out of the fog and realizing that this baby is real and not going anywhere. We are learning all of Joshua's signs and cries and trying to sleep when he sleeps...we are somewhat successful. Regardless, he is such an amazing gift and I can't imagine life without him. What did I do with my time before June 15th?

My mom has gone back to Toronto and I have had one full week of mommyhood on my own. I love it! We cuddle and eat and burp and poop and sleep and repeat. He is 2 weeks old today and has not only returned to his birth weight, but he gained a pound this week which makes him 8 lbs 8 oz! He has also grown an inch and a half since he was born. Can I slow him down somehow?

While Mom aka Nana Soprano aka Five-fingered Millie was here, she and my great friend Candi planned a last minute shower at the church so she could be there and see all of her friends. The ladies in the church blessed Joshua (and us) incredibly. We really appreciate their generosity. Here are a few pictures of the shower that I sobbed my way through. Can you say emotional on day 5 postpartum?

No he didn't spill anything. Shane had a daddy moment while Joshua was lying on him...
June 25th was Shane's 27th birthday, so Joshua got him a little something...
The next day we had an ice cream cake with a few friends to celebrate...
Joshua is wearing the same outfit my little brother came home from the hospital in almost 22 years ago! He can sleep anywhere, even leaning on mommy...
You think this is cruel? Wait until you see his Halloween costume!
Here are a few random pictures of the little monkey. Some are cute and some are funny. Don't feel bad about laughing...I laugh at his weird faces every day!
Joshua didn't seem to mind his first bath (after his cord fell off)...he loves his head being rubbed.
Where's the baby?
Joshua wore this shirt just for Papa (my dad) who will be coming to stay with us in a couple of weeks...he'll be sleeping in the nursery. See you soon, Dad!

We Made It Home

2007-06-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

So here are some more pics of the last 2 days in and out of the hospital. We ended up spending an extra night up there making sure that Tracey and baby were ok. It's really nice to be home and hopefully we'll be able to get into our family routine quickly. Family!
Tracey is being a fantastic Mommy, learning so much each day and I can't get enough cuddle time with Joshua. I hope you all enjoy the pics!

Joshua Michael Deringer Born June 15, 2007

2007-06-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

Our arrival as two!
Everything is going great, really.
He was screaming pretty much as soon as he came out but immediately after landing on mommy he was content.The most beautiful baby ever!

Our brand new family.

Hey everyone! I can't even explain how I feel right now. The emotions of seeing my son born are absolutely overwhelming. He is more perfect than I could have ever imagined.
Joshua was born at 3:06 am at 8 lbs 3.5 oz with a little bit of hair and a head shaped like his daddy's and ear lobes like his mommy. Perfect! He is very very healthy and actually really content. We just finished his first bath and I wanted to get some pictures up here.
Tracey, the most amazing woman ever, did an excellent job. I really think she was a natural at it. I'm not saying she had an easy time but I am so proud of how well she did. We truly feel blessed to have our little boy finally with us and can't wait to show him off! He is a cutie! So here are the pics and we'll see you all soon.
Shane

They all have food in common...

2007-06-01T07:13:00.001-07:00

As I started to upload pictures, I realized that they all had one thing in common...FOOD! It's not really worth mentioning, but I like to have a common theme when I am blogging. This entry is no different! So first, here are a couple of random shots at home. Shane loving his BBQ and me loving my built in ice cream ledge...

Yesterday a few girlfriends and I met up for a picnic at Thetis Lake. It was a beautiful afternoon and it was so nice to be out in the sun with that cool Victoria breeze. I love summer and it's just beginning! Here is Erin with her sons Noah and newborn Jacob. The ever-stylish Rayael is posing with her magazine while Chloe is off playing...Hunter is just chillin', which is a genetic trait he inherited from his mellow mom, Tricia. What a good baby! I apologize ahead of time for my hyperactive spazoid kid... And, of course, Elizabeth is teaching Sienna how to grow teeth. I think Beth smiles even when she is crying!Chloe, Noah, Beth and Sienna are mucking around in the lake while...Tricia, Hunter and Rayael reveal their vulnerable flesh to the first sun of summer. One day I, too, hope to be in the HMC (Hot Mommies Club)...

Seriously, this is what maternity leave should be like for everyone! I love the lake, the sun, the picnic food...and I would love to share it with my own baby. Hint hint, kid! Come out!
Shortly after the surprise shower from my girlfriends that I wrote about in the last entry, the ladies at work surprised me! They picked me up, spoiled my baby, fed me, and dropped me off again. Not only did the ladies shower me with gifts, but men and other women who couldn't come blessed us with a gift certificate to Mayfair Mall! Shane suggested that he get new shoes with it (I'm not sure I understand the rationale) but I'm pretty sure they meant for it to be used on the baby. Sorry, Honey! Here are a few pics from the shower. Just when you think you're ready, experienced moms give you more necessities that you didn't even know were necessary! Thank you ladies!!!
And what would a blog update be without a cute belly picture... and a not-so-flattering picture of me with a watermelon... Enjoy!

Mom...I made sure this was posted for you and your co-workers, so if you don't leave a comment "you've got some 'splainin to do!"

Spa Day, Shower Day, Birthday...I am Spoiled!

2007-05-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Well, this month should be renamed Tracey month with all that has happened. I have to say that I have the best husband in the world and the most amazing friends who are constantly making me feel blessed...and spoiled. The Tuesday following my maternity leave, Shane sent me to Le Spa Sereine for an expectant mother's package. They massaged me, used reflexology on me, fed me, gave me a facial, pedicure, shampoo and blow-dry. What a day!

Then on Friday, I thought I was going to a girls' night at Nicole's, but a few ladies had gotten together for a surprise pre-baby shower! They stocked me full of first week amenities that I didn't even know I needed! Thank goodness for other mommies! Shannon gave me a potty training book with the main character's name being the same as the one we have chosen for our little monkey. So thoughtful. And the pictures are...how can I say this...breathtaking? I'll show you when you visit!

Monday the 21st was my 26th birthday, so Shane took me for breakfast then we went shopping for my birthday BBQ. Here are a few pics of my wonderful friends who stuck out the cool weather in our backyard for my sake. I love them all...

Ben and Sarah, Nicole and Jeff...

Brian and the Fijian mask...

Ryan and Lori...

Candi and Colin with Calin and Emmi in the background...

Beth with my ice-cream-cake-eating-BBQ-master-redneck Shane...

and a combo of my lovely lady friends (Beth, Rachel, Rayael and Candi).

Here is Shane practicing for his life in 6 years...mmwaaah ahh aaahh...

Also on my birthday, my good friend Paola agreed to take some pregnancy pictures for Shane and I. I figured that I wouldn't feel like taking pictures any closer to the due date, so I am so so so so glad that we had them done. Here are three of the pictures she took and I can't wait to see the rest when she has added her artistic touch.

Well, our original due date is in 2 days, but the official date is June 4th, so keep us in your prayers as we approach D-Day. "D" for delivery, of course. I can't wait to introduce you all to our son! Any day now! And thanks again to my wonderful husband and all of my friends who have taken the time to celebrate my birthday and be excited for baby with me! God has blessed my life through all of you.

Now We Wait...

2007-05-11T16:27:00.001-07:00

So, I probably could have updated this sooner, but I have found myself sleeping at every opportunity I get. My pregnancy has been boring for my doctor and I, which is a good thing. I had the quickest appointment on Thursday and here's a rundown: baby is head down, curved on my left side; heart rate is 144 beats/min; fundal height is 37 cm which is bang on for 37 weeks; my weight gain has tapered off; baby is incredibly active. Textbook.

I have been busying myself with other pregnancies, though. I had three friends who were due last week, but only one baby has arrived; Hunter finally came on Sunday for proud parents Tricia and Justin. Their blog is linked to ours if you would like to see their munchkin.

May has been crazy at work as I have been trying to phase myself out and ease in my replacement. It is so strange how possessive I became of my students, like they were my own! I didn't want to leave them! The kids were good, though, and I even received presents from a few of them after our party today. I got beautiful letters from students, flowers, a homemade fleece baby blanket, a onesie, another blanket, a bib, a pile of Twix bars (they know it's my favourite) and a pewter box that reads "My First Curl." One even went to Build-a-bear and custom made a teddy bear for "baby Deringer" (as it reads on the birth certificate)! She put a heart inside of him and dressed him like a surfer! So thoughtful!I am really excited to finally be on maternity leave, but I will miss teaching and the staff room. So now I guess it's time to relax and bank some Zzz's before my own little man arrives. I feel healthy and ready, so relaxing will be easy. I already have a drink on a deck, lunch and a pedicure scheduled with different friends this coming week. Life is good... Here are a couple of pictures of my growing belly, including one that Shane snuck. I guess I fell asleep feeling my baby wiggling inside of me. The countdown is on! I can't wait to meet him! Yes, I know I need a tan! Ta ta for now...P.S. It's my birthday on the 21st! Long weekend BBQ anyone?

Is This What You Call Nesting?

2007-04-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

So, Shane had a bit of a scare last week (notice how I only said Shane) when I went to the hospital for some testing. I called his work and asked them to get him to phone me. The message that he received when he returned to the ship was "Tracey's in labour! Meet her at the hospital!" He called, like I requested, only it was from the hospital and he was a freaked out husband asking where his in-labour wife was. I responded, "I am sitting in front of the tv eating ravioli waiting for you to pick me up." He raced home and flung, seriously, flung open the door in a panic. "What are you doing!? Are you okay!?" He had to wait for my mouth not to be full before I explained that I needed another ultrasound and I thought he would want to be there for it.

So, between the ultrasound and another test, Shane insisted that we go and look at cell phones and that we purchase the car seat that day. I am fine (always was) and baby is fine, a bit large, but fine. Below is a picture of the stroller that the car seat matches.

After that day, Shane has been working on the baby's room and constantly reminding me that we are one day closer to baby coming. Do I look anxious?

Here are a few pics of Shane painting the nursery, the crib, the bedding and the final product. Hopefully we don't have a girl now!
Shane insisted that the bedding be put out as soon as the crib was assembled. He even put an outfit in the crib as if the baby were in it. Aren't I the one that should be nesting?
As Nana (my mom) requested, here is a close up of the bedding. Doesn't it scream BABY BOY!? Notice how there is no Disney or Pooh Bear anywhere...
And, finally, the growing reason why Shane is nesting and I am eating...isn't he cute?

Our Last Pre-baby Trip

2007-03-28T12:48:00.001-07:00

Our last getaway before the baby comes was so much fun! Not so much the driving for 15 hours when you're 7 months pregnant, but breaking in our new car was such a treat! We headed out pretty much as soon as the bell rang last Friday and made it to San Francisco on Saturday night to stay with our friends Kristin and Owen who have a beautiful view from their apartment in Pacifica.

They took us sightseeing and shopping for the first few days and we got to check a few things off of our to do list:

Monterey Bay...

Pebble Beach (golfers' Mecca)...

Shopping in downtown San Fran...

and seeing the park and houses (the "Painted Ladies") from the Full House intro.

Owen and Kristin went back to work, so we headed back down to Santa Cruz for surfing and sightseeing on our own. What a beautiful day we scored with!

Surfing at Steamers in Santa Cruz (Shane is on the right)...

Walking the boardwalk at Santa Cruz...

Alcatraz...

The ferry building and the piers, especially Pier 39...so cool!

Finally, on our way out of town, we stopped at the Golden Gate Bridge. By Shane's elbow you can see swell wrapping around under the bridge. We saw dolphins under there and a bunch of guys surfing. I tried to convince him to get out there, but he decided not to.

Onward to Seaside, Oregon!!! Notice how there are no pics...it was stormy all the way through Oregon, so we decided to come home a day early. My dad was at our house because he had another interview out here, so it was nice to see him for a couple of hours before he headed home. And that wraps up our last trip before baby, but this summer is looking good for our first trips with baby. I'm glad we agreed to not stop traveling, otherwise I would go stir crazy on maternity leave.

We found our crib bedding in California, so I'm getting really excited to set up his nursery. I just need to convince my baby daddy to get painting! We're counting the weeks into the thirties now, so time is gonna fly between now and when little Deringer makes his debut. I can't wait to start my mat leave count down. Sweet!

Month of Green

2007-03-14T19:06:00.000-07:00

This month we will see all green with Saint Paddy's Day, the grass, and tax return season, so it is fitting that Shane and I should pretend to be made of green stuff...money, that is.

We made a couple of big purchases this month that will last us for years. A new computer, a new sectional, our baby's crib and, of course, our Toyota Matrix! We know we are blessed to be able to make these purchases, but the items they are replacing are, honestly, many years old. It just so happened that we needed upgrades all at the same time. Spring is such a great time to invoke change in your life, though, isn't it? I think I'll have a baby!

Happy Birthday to our slew of friends who are celebrating birthdays this season, too. I'll be joining the birthday train on May 21st. Guess what I want! We are headed to San Francisco on Friday for Spring Break, so I will definitely post again when we get back. Hopefully the sun will be shining down there. Shane is giddy about the prospect of surfing for two consecutive days without his really thick wetsuit. Is it shark season? Hmmm... At least he won't get confused for a seal!

Have a wonderful Spring Break (but only if you, too, spent years in school after school to spend more time in school with hormonal teenagers who don't want to be in school). I know I will!

Phantom Grey Toyota Matrix XR...fancy shmancy!

Beige microfibre sectional...comfy shmumfy!

25-year-old prego who is now too poor for clothes that fit...chubby shmubby!

Growing more and buying more

2007-02-16T17:33:00.000-08:00

So, it's not Disney, but Shane's choices on the baby's Valentine's Day gifts are not very manly! Especially that big cuddly teddy bear suit he insisted on buying for next winter. What is hilarious, though, is what you can't see. That little onesie says "When in Rome" which is yet another quote from "Anchorman." There was no talking him out of buying that one and I'm sure his father- and brothers-in-law will laugh.

Shane also caved and took me to buy the crib which should arrive in a few weeks. We decided on a convertible one that will change into a toddler bed then into a double bed, so it's this baby's furniture until he leaves home. The picture is of both the crib and the double bed and we ordered the antique black finish. It is very beautiful and I can't wait to buy the bedding for it! I guess the nesting has begun!

Valentine's Day was quite low key for us. We had a nice dinner at Macaroni Grill, bought the baby those clothes, and just watched tv until Shane had to pick up his mom from the ferry. She came to see her kids for a few days before she headed over to Aurora House on the mainland for a few weeks. She has been in and out of her kids' lives for the past number of years, but has finally decided to enter a program to get clean, so please pray for her and her kids, as it will not be an easy road. We are very proud of her decision and we will keep you posted on her success, because we know our God is faithful to answer our prayers.

SO...I have hit the six month mark and I have less than 3 months left at work. The baby's kicks are packing quite the punch now and he has definitely got the hang of doing that weird Lochness monster move. He has decided that my bladder is a comfortable place to rest on and my ribs are a very good target for his kicks. I guess he's preparing to be a cagefighter.

Well, until next time, enjoy the weekend and keep us in your prayers. Any decorating tips for our nursery are also welcome.Ta ta for now!

2007-02-04T16:59:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. It's Shane this time so I hope you all don't mind the update from me...
So the news is that Tracey is really pregnant now. Not like she wasn't before but WOW. Today she was sitting on the couch and put a pen on her tummy and he moved the pen. I actually saw a bump form on her stomach!! This whole having a baby thing is starting to get pretty real.

The last couple of weeks we've been thinking about getting a crib, stroller, and car seat and I think Tracey is starting to go a little mental because I keep putting off buying all the big stuff for a few more weeks. I have learned that women need to get these items so that can set it all up. Kind of like a birdie making up a nice comfy cozy nest. But last night we were at WalMart and I couldn't help but to pick out a few things for our little boy to come. I figured that if I'm going to buy something it may as well be a real man kind of onesie. So it has a digger on it. And I also decided our boy can't wear Disney stuff either. It isn't man enough, so if you ladies wouldn't mind I'd really appreciate it if my boy got stuff that really shows he's a man. Like a tool belt, hammer, or sawzall.

So the work update for me is that I had a couple of interviews at Dockyard for a position working on the submarines and I'm waiting to hear how they went. The interview was actually pretty difficult so I'm hoping I made it through. Tracey is busy marking all of her final exams right now and that's why she asked me to get on here and do an update.
So basically, I'm feeling a little pressure now with co-ordinating and painting the nursery that should probably be done soon. It's pretty crazy how fast the time goes. It feels like just yesterday we found out. I certainly don't feel ready to be Dad yet but I've been told you never feel quite ready in one way or another. But although I'm a little scared I am extremely excited to have a little boy to take surfing with me. Don't worry Nana and Papa, he will play hockey too.... I think he'll just like surfing more. Hope you all are doing well and make sure you put a comment on here for Tracey. She checks it every single day.
"When yer not first yer last" used without the written expressed permission of Ricky Bobby

Don't tell the baby, but...

2007-01-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

So, the doctor calls and says "we received your ultrasound report, so please call us." Not knowing what to think, I called and nervously asked what the report said. "Everything's fine," she says, "except..." At this point I have just calmed down so I get anxious again. Calmly she tells me "your due date has been changed...to June 4th." Why is she so calm? I have to carry this baby for an extra week and a half? And we'll both weigh quadruple what we weigh now? Unbelievable. So don't tell the baby, because if he's healthy on May 25th, I still want him thinking that he's coming out then! We don't need another Deringer born in June!

Other than that, life is great. Semester 1 is wrapping up, Shane is back in his routine of work, video games, surf and sleep, and the snow is finally melting. The baby is getting stronger every day and actually kicked his daddy in the face the other night. At any point in the day I can stop and feel him running laps or doing Tae-bo in his getting-tighter-by-the-day-bubble. We are 22 weeks along and baby and mommy are both happy and healthy. What more could you ask for?

Until more news comes along, point and laugh at my tantalizing, succulent, voluptuous...belly.

Two Christmases!!!

2007-01-10T16:27:00.000-08:00

It's too late for Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, so I'll just say hey! We had a very busy December as Shane was, and still is, working 2 jobs and Christmas concerts and end-of-year parties kept me busy. The first "stirrings" of that wiggle worm in my tummy happened just before we left for Toronto, so it was very cool that my family could feel the baby moving when we were there. Also right before we left was a mini-reunion with a bunch of girls from high school who were home for Christmas. From the left are Kristin (San Francisco), Aphra (New Zealand), Marie, myself, Jenni (Van), Evita (Van) , Erin and Katie. It was really nice to see each other but, of course, time went too quickly. Hopefully it won't be years again before we can all get together again.On Christmas Eve morning we flew to Toronto where a wonderful surprise was waiting for us. My sister, Tammy, drove from Winnipeg with her husband, Greg, and four kids (Rachel, Curits, Brianne and Stephanie) and made me jump, scream and cry. I think someone took a picture, but I really don't remember. What a Christmas present! If only there was snow... but no. We didn't get any snow in Toronto our whole trip apart from a tease on Christmas night and 2 cm at my grandparents' house in Pontypool. The kids did their best to make Frosty by starting at the other side of the house and they barely had enough to do it!

As always, we played tonnes of card games, mainly Euchre, with immediate and extended family for hours on end sometimes. The best partner is my cousin Steve in Orangeville, so it was nice to play with him and beat everybody! (Don't mention it to Shane. He's still bitter.)
We also had a Van Dam family get together that was like a reunion for us out-of-towners. I got my dad's cousins figured out by the end of the night, but don't ask me who's who now. Man, can my family cook, though! Mmmm...cabbage rolls.

Here are some family pics that we took in the kitchen after we cancelled the photographer. Are we cheap, or what?

"SHAKE 'N' BAKE!!!" (it's the year of movie references...don't ask)

Doesn't Dad look like happy with his sons? "Too bad my brothers have a combined IQ of 48."

Yes, we're cute, and we're waiting for Jason to make our group a group of 5, too!

My loving, silly, generous, quirky family. "We are really, really ridiculously good-looking." If you haven't seen Zoolander, don't ask.

And finally, the reason I called this one Two Christmases...our ultrasound. We had our appointment on Monday January 8th and I saw my baby for the first time. He has his mommy's big head, but he's still beautiful. He did a somersault, kicked me a few times and had the hiccups while we were watching him which means that he is happy and healthy. Good news! He's stretching his arms above his head in the first picture and getting ready to punch me in the second one. Sorry they are so blurry, but we didn't get them on disk and you aren't supposed to scan them. Anyways, this is his blog debut and we couldn't be happier! While, ta ta for now!

SnOw DaYs RoCk

2006-11-29T16:52:00.000-08:00

Can you see me?

I love snow! Especially when there's enough to get my husband and I out of work for a day together! We decided to walk to Thetis Lake on Monday, so we got all bundled up and headed out. It began as a leisurely sunny stroll, but when the sun went away and the winds picked up, we looked forward to our couch again.

Regardless, it was beautiful outside and we got some exercise! Thetis Lake covered in snow is magnificent! The water level was so high, so Shane decided to wade a little bit to show off his knee-high waterproof boots. There was a man and his son fishing when we got there and two women snowshoeing when we left. It felt more like Victoria, Newfoundland than Victoria, B.C.

Other than walking and rolling in snow, I spent my snow days (yep, two of them) baking, marking and relaxing. I think I can make it till Christmas now! We are really looking forward to Toronto. Only 25 sleeps till we leave on Christmas Eve! Hopefully we'll have a lot of family here next Christmas for Bella Coola's first Christmas. Speaking of which...

Congratulations to Brian and Beth who will be meeting their baby tomorrow morning. Unbelievable! We are very excited to meet Baby Booth and we're praying for a seamless operation ...while ...nevermind. Good luck!

Without further ado, I now declare tomorrow a SNOW DAY!!!! *sigh* If only...

100 Days

2006-11-26T12:46:00.000-08:00

SNOOOOWWWW!!!!

Our retired landlady was out this morning with her mittens making this nature-inspired snowperson.

Even in the snow, the birds come to the feeders.

Today we are 100 days pregnant. According to the calendar I've been following, little Deringer is over 4 inches long and has started breathing amniotic fluid to prepare for the big day. He/she is exercising every day and has possibly started sucking his/her thumb. The baby already looks like it will on May 25th, so you can stop praying that they don't have my pumpkin head or big ears. It's too late.

It was nice to have my dad out last week and hopefully those interviews will lead to something permanent out here in the near future. I've always wanted both sets of grandparents close by, and now it seems likely. Yay!

Other than watching my belly grow and the snow fall, we are just enjoying a lazy Sunday with cinnamon buns and a movie. You don't believe me that my belly is growing already? Check out the pic.

Enjoy the snow and you can count on me getting up early to check my school's website for a snow day! Call me if you have one, too! I've got hot chocolate and baking ready for you!

Waiting for many things

2006-11-20T19:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! Okay, 34 sleeps, but I can't wait! With a Christmased home I can handle anything! If you need a cup of egg nog and an overplayed Christmas carol, come visit me! We are travelling to Toronto for Christmas, so our mini tree will have to do, but next year I'll get a massive one to make up for it!

After a busy fall, I finally feel like I am back to normal. School is under control and my house is back in shape. That first trimester was not easy. The couple of months of nausea and three hour naps every day balanced each other out nicely, though. Now I start the second trimester where I'll gain a belly and lose my mind. I'll tell you later which one I prefer! Apparently I can't give birth yet (which would be nice considering the size of the baby) so I'll wait and wait for 6 more months! OH, I heard the baby's heartbeat and it was 160! According to those old wives, it's a girl. According to my three baby dreams, it is an adorable chubby boy with big blue eyes. We'll have to wait and see. Either way Shane is convinced that the nursery will be a surfer's paradise!

Speaking of waiting, our friends Brian and Beth are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first baby. We had a mini-shower for Beth last week, so hopefully she feels ready to welcome that long, white bundle of joy into the world. She has plenty of cloths and diapers for the first little while! As you can see, my baby bump is nothing compared to hers! I just look chubby!

We are looking forward to my dad coming to Vic tomorrow for a couple of job interviews. It will be great to see him after being away for so long! Hopefully this trip will lead to Bella Coola's Nana and Papa coming to live near him/her. Tiny fingers crossed!

We had some visitors that we hadn't seen since their wedding the summer before we left for NZ. My big bro Jeff brought his beautiful wife Kim to Victoria for the first time. Hopefully we can get them to move out here, too! She took in all the classic sights in just a few days, but she is stuck in this family for a lifetime!THEN my sister Tammy came with her baby girl Stephanie and hubby Greg. Aren't they adorable? Too bad the other three kids couldn't come. There's always room at the Deringers'! I love having visitors. Especially family because I can just point them to the kitchen and they're happy.
So, drop in whenever Christmas seems far away and hopefully by the time I write my next entry, I'll have given birth. Kidding. I'll definitely write...before then...sometime. Peace out.

Tofino , moving, work and Bella Coola

2006-08-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I updated this blog, but if you have seen me lately, you understand why. Trying to find a place to live while Shane was back at work, going back to work myself to teach 7 new courses and preparing for a ministry evaluation in October, and discovering something clinging to me have all kept me busy. So, I'll try and do a run down and add some pictures along the way.

A few months ago, Shane decided to plan a weekend in Tofino for friends and couchsurfing.com people. We thought we might be the only ones going at one point, but we ended up being represented by 3 countries after all. We decided to call our site Camp Random and we were made up of: Shane, Tracey, Carlo and Jon from Victoria; Nicole, Char, Josiah and Daniel from Vancouver; Lindsay (Zor) from Penticton; Angelique from the prairies; Miles from New Zealand; and Marina from Switzerland.

We had a great time surfing, eating and drinking around the campfire with little to no injuries to speak of, but you may not want to ask Shane to do a 360 anytime soon!

Zor on the floor

Carlo, Shane, Jon and I keepin' warm!

Jon is hindering Char's firewalking attempt...

Camp Random!!!

Good work, grasshoppers!

Reflecting on my reflection!

I think this is for August in the speedo calendar!

I went back to work at the end of August and got right to work planning for 4 of my 7 new courses. It was great to be back at work and seeing all of my friends, but I was getting frustrated with my inability to concentrate. Planning for the next week was way harder than it normally would have been, but...

After taking an expired test and convincing myself that there wasn't a second pink line, everything started making sense. Yes, Tammy, you told me so, but it took a trip to the doctor to assure me that I wasn't crazy...just 5 weeks pregnant! SO, now we start a new chapter.

All those glorious changes you thought only happened when moms were ready to pop, actually start right away. I'm not going to go into detail, but all those moms know what I'm talking about. Suddenly you feel like you need to eat but can't, need to pee but can't, and need to sleep but can't. I heard it gets better, but all I have to say is this child better be cute!

Until next time, keep Shane, myself and Baby Bella Coola (ask my mom) in your prayers!

Baseball and Babies

2006-08-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

We're back from our tournament where we earned a medal but never received it! Technically we came 4th, but if it wasn't for a masters team playing down 3 levels we would have earned at least bronze! Ah well. C'est la vie! Regardless, we had an awesomw weekend! Unfortunately, my season only lasted one week. I'm already looking forward to next year!

As if I wasn't tired enough after 4 days of ball, when I got home on Monday I went directly to our friends' house to watch their kids for 3 days. Do I still want kids, you ask? I think I can wait 9 more months! I don't know about Shane, though!

Here are my lovely team mates: Emma, Karyn, Laura and Janica. Aren't they hot?

We grabbed Anna from the hotel and headed for East Side Mario's for all you can eat bread and salad...

I LOVE SALAD!!!

Here we are getting ready for our first game on Friday...

and here's my coach, Don, calm and collected as usual.

We may have come fourth for our skills, but we're first for our looks! What a good-looking team!

And here are the Gordon Head pitchers after a long weekend of throwing the heat.

I couldn't've been happier to come home to this face. Bonjour, Elliot!

Samira loves to make faces for the camera. This one is her "angry face."

And this is how she usually looks...happy and beautiful!

Mr. and Mrs. Electrician

2006-08-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are, back in the real world! We're not even programmed for Victoria time yet and Shane is already back to work and I'm back on the mound.

While we were away, Shane's papers were processed, officially making him a journeyman. He worked very hard through his apprenticeship and it finally paid off! Congrats, Shaner!

My arm would beg to differ, but it feels so good to be back at the ballpark getting ready for provincials. Wish us luck! We'll be in stiflingly hot Kamloops for the long weekend.

It has been so great seeing all of our friends over the last few days and we really feel blessed to have such great people around us. I love being home!