Introducing Patrick "Dalton" Porter

Born on Wednesday, 07-29-09, at 11:41. Eight pounds and 1 little ounce weigh this fella in. He measures a nice 20-3/4", so by Missouri standards, he's a keeper. Plus, he has all his fingers, toes, and other essential parts! Yay!

Nursery has been furnished!

Thanks to Pat and Lorice for the awesome crib! Thanks to everyone for the toys, clothes, and everything else we have been given to help us with our new addition!

New Slideshow of Nursery!

Working on the Nursery still. All of the baby showers are helping a bunch. Tina will be induced on July 29th, so we have effectively taken any sort of surprise element out of the baby process. It's a boy, and he will be born on July 29th. I guess we can always get a pool started on actaul time of birth. Any takers....? :)-

 
 
 
 

Update 05-24-09

I've added some new slideshows to the right. One is the office after I took everything (almost) out of there, and the other is Tina's first baby shower at Glendale High School. Click on the pictures to be redirected to view a larger size, or watch the small screen.

Tina's first Prenatal Mother's Day

I made this poster/card for Tina, and put it on her windshield. She said I was supposed to wait until Sunday, but that sounds like some sort of formality. I never have been one for following rules that others have created. I know she isn't technically a mother yet, but I know just like everyone else, that she is going to be the best mother! She's already the best wife, friend, teacher, and workout partner. It was only a matter of time before she decided to get her Master's in Mothering!

Get in my Belly!

Tina is growing. Here's a picture to prove it. I can't say much more than that because she is sitting next to me. I don't want her to eat me! Ouch, she still can throw a punch!

Baby Dalton's First Outfit

We made yet another trip to stimulate the economy, on baby Dalton's behalf, to Kansas City. We had a Babies R Us in our sights, and a Target Greatland too! We spent three hours walking, scanning, and questioning ourselves about all of the stuff in the store. Should we buy this? Why do we need that? What the hoobydooby (baby talk for "hell") is a humidifier for anyways?

We scanned until we had bored ourselves, and then retired to Chili's for dinner. We won't discuss what we ate, but we were both eating for two I can tell you that much!

After tireless searching, we finally found the outfit we'd like to bring Dalton home in. It was at Baby Gap, in Kansas City/Overland Park, and was chance that we saw it. We actually were on our way out of the mall, and Tina said we should go check the store out. So, of course we had to go in an look around. In the back of the store was the newborn section. We found the perfect outfit with teddy bears on it.

California here we come!

Our plan is to come out for a visit in late June, around the 25th, and stay for about four or five days, and have a baby shower with all of our friends, family, and enemies.

Tina at 20 weeks!

This is Tina at the half-way mark. All is going well. We bought a really big pillow to try and help her sleep better, or sleep at all for that matter. Currently, I have no problems sleeping!

March 26 Update!

This was one of the many pictures we got on our visit on March 23rd. The others weren't too stellar, so this was the chosen one!

The Name

The name Dalton does not have any sort of meaning, other than we like it. Actually, I suggested it after detailing a Wal-mart store in Dalton,Georgia. Patrick, of course, is a name that Tina and wanted to use in honor of her Dad. Akers may not continue on, but we decided that Patrick would.

If he had been a she, the name would have been Emma Lee. Emma for Tina's grandmother, and Lee for multiple relatives, my mom and Tina's mom. If we have a second, we will use the female name for a daughter, and we'll have to come up with another boy name if the situation presents itself.

St. Louis or Bust

We just returned from our trip to St. Louis. We left yesterday about 1p.m and shopped, shopped, and shopped. We did manage to hit a Jack in the Box on the way back, for the baby of course.

Let's see, we must have stopped at three different malls, four different Motherhood stores, and 2-3 JcPenny's. They all had pretty good sales, and selections, at least better than those in Springfield.

Last night, we got back to the hotel room at about 9:45, so we had a full day of shopping. I was tired, and so was Tina. And then this morning came. We drove around St. Louis this morning, waiting for the stores to open up, and did some suburban sight-seeing. Pretty interesting town.

Then, we hit one last mall, and I think the total shopping spree was about $500, but I didn't hang out too close to the register. So, who knows.

The trip there and back was nice. The weather was/is about 75-80 degrees, and the roads were clear with no construction. We did almost end up in a ditch on the way back, when the guy next to us, decided he liked our lane more than we did. I was paying close attention and we arrived safe and sound! And now, I'm heading to the couch to relax for awhile before getting back into the grading stuff!

Stay tuned!

3-D imaging picture

I'm not sure if I liked this one or not. It was the use of the 3-D imaging technology, that looked more like butterscotch pudding to me. And this line right here, is the reason that Tina should not let me update the blog by myself. Oh well, she can always come back and edit my words!

Just another pretty face...

Here's the face shot. I think he has my nose and Tina's eyes. Well, I'm guessing of course!

Other parts - fingers

This was a great shot of the baby's hand. You can see the individual fingers on his right hand, I think.

May have been a thumbs up?!?

I'm not sure, but this may have been Dalton's first "thumb's up." It is one of many accomplishments to come!

I think the tech was impressed!

Based only on the fact that she returned to the "It's a boy" shot several times, I'm going to say the tech was impressed. And the fact she mistook said part for a leg a couple times. I think she said she had been doing this for years, and has never made that mistake before. I blushed! Tina was a proud momma!

Other parts - footprint!

Looks like this one is going to be playing some basketball from the size of that footprint! And, considering he will probably have dad's height, and mom's good looks!

Other parts - an elbow!

Here's a shot of the baby's elbow. also in the picture, you can make out the fingers of the opposite hand just off his face.