Debra & Bryan's Blog

We're Moving

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:02:11 -0800

We're moving (online)!

We've outgrown our current blog system and domain name. debra-bryan.com is becoming bacafamilyblog.com The new system doesn't allow for notifications. Please check bacafamilyblog.com periodically for updates. Update your links. If you forget we will be redirecting from this domain soon.

Week 28

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 07:42:23 -0800

Wow. Last post was 12/31. It's been a busy 2010 thus far. Our renter bailed on their lease in December. We spent over a month trying to find a new one. During that time Phoenix had some serious rain. The roof of the rental sprung a leak and resulted in a lengthy and expensive repair. That whole mess was finally resolved and then we all got sick (RSV). That kept us all down for over two weeks. Things are finally back to normal and we're getting caught up on our pictures. Here are just a few of the many posted at Flickr.

On Wednesday we had our 28 week ultrasound. The baby (code named 'Chewy') is doing well. He's measuring a bit big for 28 weeks and of course he's breech (like his sister). He's due end of May.

He spent most of the ultrasound moving. A good 3-D image was not in the cards. This image was the best the technician could do considering he had both hands, both feet and the chord in his face.

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19 Week Ultrasound

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:38:27 -0800

We had our 19 week ultrasound today. It's a boy! Despite all the talk of advanced maternal age, all news was positive. Baby is growing and active.

Early indications are we may be able to have a vaginal birth. Maggie was carried on the right side of Debra's uterus didelphys. We were able to deliver successfully (although breech). But we were told at the time it may be difficult to deliver normally if a baby were conceived on the left side (which he was). Of course that may change as the pregnancy progresses.

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Christmas 2009

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:23:16 -0800

This holiday season has been a real treat for the Baca family. Thank you to Ellis and Baca families for making Christmas day so special for Maggie. Thanks also to Marissa and John for hosting the family on 12/26. We had a great time as always.

View the complete Flickr photoset. We wish you and yours a safe and happy New Year. See you in 2010!

Maggie's First Snow

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:29:14 -0800

A decent storm blew threw Arizona last weekend. Flagstaff got up to 2 feet of snow. That doesn't happen very often here, so we took advantage of the opportunity and took Maggie to see her first snow.

She was a bit apprehensive at first. The combination of 28 degree temperature and white-blanketed landscape must be disorienting at first. Debra and I kept stumbling and sinking into the snow. Every time this happened Maggie got upset. Eventually she warmed up to the situation and did seem to enjoy watching Daddy make a snow angel.

Check out the complete Flickr photoset.

November Update

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:23:37 -0800

First things first. For those of you who haven't heard via the grapevine, we're 12 weeks pregnant! The baby is due end of May. Debra had her 12 week exam yesterday and the baby was moving all over the place.

Maggie has been walking for about a week now. It is so entertaining to see her chase one of the animals or watch her walking room to room. Of course now she's into pretty much everything.

Debra is busy as ever with Maggie and her habilitation work. I have been taking advantage of the cooler weather and working on our landscaping. With any luck we will have a complete garden, dog run and patio by Summer.

Maggie Walks

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:22:27 -0800

Last night we were enjoying a few post-dinner The Office episodes. Maggie was entertaining herself chasing the cat and reading her books. She made her way to the play mat in front of the couch and decided to WALK to Mommy instead of the usual crawling! We were so proud.

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Park In November

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:58:11 -0800

Wow, it's been over a month since our last post. All is well. Maggie is standing, walking (almost) and chatting up a storm. When asked, "Where is Daddy's ear?", she will happily show me then attempt to rip it off my head. This weekend we took Maggie to the park by our house. We decided to let her walk part of the way using her little walker. She walked the entire stretch! She was so cute waddling along, watching the tress and houses as she strolled.

Of course she was tuckered out after the park visit and preferred to ride in the walker instead of pushing it.

The complete Flickr photoset is available here. Happy Fall everyone!

Bacas In The News

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:54:47 -0800

Maggie and Debra were on the news last night! They were recently at Wildflower Diapers during the recording of a 12 News segment on baby wearing.

[YouTube Video Link] They did great!

Maggie's 1st Birthday

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:13:22 -0800

We celebrated Maggie's first birthday last Sunday. The day started with an Ellis family tradition. Maggie's breakfast chair was decorated with balloons and a birthday candle placed in her cereal.

The party was originally planned as an afternoon picnic in the park. As fate would have it, the forecast promised a 107 degree high for the day. Not ideal picnic weather. So my parents were kind enough to host the party at their house. A fine time was had by all, including the birthday girl. She enjoyed all of the attention, pictures, presents and, of course, the birthday cupcake.

Debra caught the cupcake carnage on video.

Thanks to everyone for making Maggie's first birthday such a special day. Check out the complete Flickr photo set.

Sortin' Laundry

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:56:40 -0800

This one will be short and sweet.....and cute. Maggie loves helping us sort the laundry. She seems to have a little system and everything. When she notices the camera, her reaction is priceless.

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September Update

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:35:05 -0800

It's been almost a month since our last blog post. Debra's been busy with activities and work. I'm doing the usual and dreading this last hot month of summer. I celebrated my 37th birthday on 9/3.

The last few weeks have been transformative for Maggie. First she mastered the walker.

Just a few days later she learned some new words. She's been saying mamamama for mama and nanana for banana for several weeks now. But in the last several days she's picked up doggie, daddy and hi. And, for the most part, she's using them in context.

Otherwise not much to report. We're planning Maggie's first birthday. Weather permitting we'll have a nice afternoon picnic in the park. We've also posted a bunch of new photos and videos on Flickr.

Health Care Reform Rally

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:40:03 -0800

On Monday, Organizing for America held a rally in support of health care reform outside the Phoenix Convention Center. Obama was delivering a speech to veterans. Debra and Maggie attended the rally. Despite the typical hateful rhetoric and gun-toting of some of the opposing protesters (including an AR-15), the girls report the rally was a great experience. ...

Vacation 2009

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:03:33 -0800

The first ever Baca family vacation is in the books. We arrived back in Arizona from our California road trip last Saturday. We were on the road 16 days, lodged at 10 different locations and drove over 2,400 miles. The trip started as a four day stay in Graeagle at a cabin with the Baca cousins. We decided to extend the trip and visit our family and friends all over California. Our travels took us to Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Visalia, Merced, Los Banos, San Leandro, San Francisco, San Rafael, and Graeagle. I admit I was apprehensive about such a long road trip with a nine month old. Maggie had never been in the car for more than an hour before this trip. She was a wonderful traveler! Debra spent most of the 2,400 miles in the back seat with Maggie, reading books, singing songs, supplying puffs and an endless stream of toys. It was a special experience seeing so many family and friends, many of which hadn't yet met Maggie. The Pacific, San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay Area and Sierra Nevada mountains were just some of the many places we visited. We took over 800 pictures. Here are a few of our favorites.

View the entire collection of photos at Flickr. Thanks to the Goodmans, Arnolds, Carlsons, Brights, Natalie & Arbie, the Bacas, and Mustads for your generous hospitality. Special thanks to Millicent for organizing the Graeagle gathering.

CA Trip - Days 1-2

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 06:37:30 -0800

The great Baca family vacation of 2009 is underway. We're two days into our 16 day trek across California. The first seven days of the trip will be spent driving around CA introducing Maggie to all of our family and friends. We will then head to a cabin in the high Sierras for three nights for a Baca cousin reunion. The last leg of the trip will be spent meandering back through CA on our way to Phoenix. We'll probably take in Yosemite and a few other sites along the way. The first seven hours of the trip were spent traveling through a 120 degree desert on our way to Pacific Palisades. We are happy to report Maggie is an excellent traveler. We've spent the last few days staying with cousins Jonah, Millicent and Adam. We took Maggie to meet the Pacific and she loved it. She tasted the sand once and decided she wouldn't be eating anymore. The water was a bit too cold to take her in, but she seemed to enjoy the beach all the same. Last night we got to join my aunt Lynne and cousin Felicia for dinner in Santa Monica.

See all the pictures posted at Flickr. The next few days will be spent in the San Joaquin valley. Today we'll stop to see my good friend Aaron and his family in Visalia. Then it's off to Merced and Los Banos for few days, seeing friends and relatives and visiting some of my old haunts.