Favorite Picture

This is my favorite new picture of me and my Daddy!! Don't ya like the Gamecock outfit!! I am watching Carolina football with my Daddy today!!!!

My Daddy Is Home!!!

Soon and Very Soon!!

Soon - VERY SOON - my Daddy is going to be home!! When he left I was just a tiny, tiny baby boy. NOW, I am a BIG BOY!! Daddy is going to be so surprised when he sees everything that I can do now!! See you soon, Daddy!!!

Guess What I am Doing Now!?!?!

READING!!!!!

Whew!! We are so busy!!

Alright - I know, I know - it has been awhile, but you just don't understand how busy Mom and I are!?!?! Everyday I get up around 5:30 - now, I need something to eat as soon as I wake up. I am really trying to grow big before Daddy gets home so we can play guy stuff!! Then after I eat, I have to get ready for school - and of course, Mom has to make sure that I am the cutest and best dressed kid in the class. I am not sure why - she knows that I am probably going to barf all over myself or get carrots, squash and green beans on everything - even in my hair, ears and nose!! She says "yuck" all of the time and I think that is so funny!! I play with my friends and teachers at my school while Mom is teaching 8th graders at her school Sometimes I take a nap, but mostly now that I can sit up - I am having so much fun with my friends. They don't seem to like it when I try and grab them and pull them around, tho. I don't understand - Zack let's me do that at home. After Mom is done at her school, she races over to my school and takes me home. We have so much fun playing in our house in the afternoon. I laugh all of the time and talk even more. I just wish that everyone could tell what I am saying. I guess it's ok - because they talk right back to me anyway!! Mom keeps feeding me, and I keep eating. I am a growing boy!! I love to watch TV. I keep hearing - "You are so much like your Daddy!" I think he likes TV, too. I even have special tv channels that Mom says are just for me. I like to play with the remote and Mom''s cellphone. I almost got in trouble for that, so last week, Mom got me my own cellphone from Babies R Us. I know that it doesn't really work and that it's just a toy. Doesn't Mom know how smart I am?? I think one of my favorite times is bath time. I love to play in the water!! After that, I can hardly keep my eyes open. I am in my bed and sleeping before it gets dark outside. Life is great in my world!!

Oh - I am going to have a baby girl cousin!! YEA!!! Aunt Erika and Uncle Brian are having a baby girl and she is going to try and be here for my 1st birthday. This is going to be the best birthday present!!

Mom keeps telling me everyday that Daddy is going to be home very, very soon. This is going to be so great - I am going to have someone else to play with at home. I bet that I get to start riding in that truck that's in the driveway. Hmmm - does Daddy have a DVD player in the truck? Do I still have to sit facing the wrong way??? What kind of music does Daddy play in the truck? I can't wait - not sure how long I have to wait, but I just don't think it's very much longer.

Here is an awesome GameDay picture of my dad and one of his friends right by his Osprey Airplane!!! Gooooo Gamecocks!!
Ohhhh - and I know it says on the sidebar that I am 5 months old -well, I am already over 8 months old!! Collin R. Wicker!!!

FINALLY!!

I know - I know...it has been so long since I have left a post on my blog. We have just been so busy since the end of July. Mom and Aunt Kelly loaded the car with all of my stuff, then they loaded Zack into the car, then they loaded me back into the car and we all started driving on the boring interstate again!! This time we were heading north instead of south, tho. After just a few hours we stopped in an awesome little place called Amelia Island. I loved it there!! We got to stay with two great people - Pat and Robert. They knew my Mom and Aunt Kelly when they were babies. They just kept laughing and telling the craziest stories about when they were little girls. Miss Pat is the best cook - BUT, of course Mom still wouldn't let anyone feed me real food. BUT - Miss Pat was a great holder, hugger and rocker, too. We had to leave all of the fun there and get on the road again heading north. After a long, long time we were back in SC at Aunt Erika's house. That was another fun, fun night. Then after playing with everyone they put me back in that car again - this time we were off to MeMe's for one night. After getting the best barbecue in the world - of course I didn't get any of that either - we were back in that car AGAIN!! Zack and I were very, very tired of the whole car ride by then. What I just don't understand is why Mom and Kelly get to sit in the front seat or beside me facing the right way - and I have to be strapped so tight I can hardly move - and I don't even face the front so that I can talk to everybody. And then, Daddy made sure that our new car had a DVD player in it - well, how can I watch the movie if I am facing the wrong way. I just can't figure this out yet!! So soon we were right back where we started - Jacksonville, NC. I guess that I am really getting to be a big boy now because I am sleeping in my own bedroom ! All of this time I had been sleeping in a little bed in Mom and Daddy's room - now I am upstairs in what Mom calls the "big boy bed". Now before when Mom went to teach school there was always someone in the family staying home and playing with me. Well, life has changed. Not only am I in the "big boy bed", now I going to a great school everyday while Mom is teaching. I have friends to play with and so many toys. There are two nice ladies that play with me, take care of me, feed me and even rock me to sleep. One weekend right after school started Mom and I went on another road trip. This time NaNa was teaching teachers in Summerville. We got to stay in a hotel and play with her after work. Then PaPa, KaKa and Kelly came to Summerville. PaPa was driving a big, big orange and white truck full of everything that Aunt Kelly had for school. Everyone helped move Aunt Kelly into her new apartment. I met so many people that weekend that my Mom knew when she was a little girl. I am so excited that Aunt Kelly moved closer to us and is going to learn how to be a nurse at Charleston Southern University. Being at home with just Mom is so much fun!! I loved all of the company we had last year after Daddy left - but it's really fun with Mom. After we get home from school we play and play. I can sit up now and play with all of my toys on the floor. One of my favorite toys does all kinds of magic to the TV. Mom calls that toy a remote. I get so mad because every time I finally find the remote and start playing with it - then Mom wants it to play with. That just doesn't seem fair to me. Oh, I did get a great new toy last week. Mom and NaNa found me this crazy chair to sit in. It moves around. It has more toys than I have ever seen that are stuck on it. I can sit or stand up on it. This is supposed to keep me busy!! So now we are just counting they days until Daddy gets home. I am not sure when that is, but I sure hope that it's before Halloween. I already have my costume and a HUGE Boo-Bag to put all of my treats in!! I can't wait!!! I will try hard to stay awake late enough to post again sometime soon - but that's hard after a long day of playing!! Keep praying for Daddy so that he can com home soon. Oh, and I am over 7 months old now!!

My mom is running for president!

Card for Daddy

Make a Smilebox photobook

My Daddy is famous!

Ok, so he's not famous but he got to meet someone famous. I was so excited. Now, I know who Gary Sinise is because my mom is addicted to CSI. He plays the main investigator on CSI: New York. What he is most famous for is playing Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump. Now, I've never seen that movie before, but mom says it's really good. Daddy was really excited. He got to fly Mr. Sinise around for about an hour. Daddy says he's a really nice guy. I guess they had fun talking and flying around. I hope I get to meet someone famous one day. Daddy sent us some pictures from the flight.

My Daddy, My Hero

My mommy tells me everyday that my daddy is in a far away place and will be home soon. She tells me it's like a business trip, as if I'm supposed to know what that is. All I get is that business trip has something to do with his job and it's not at home. Even though he is not home all the time he is still my hero.

Daddy flies these super big planes. They're so cool, like a huge computer game. My daddy is so, smart to be able to fly this plane. When he isn't flying his favorite thing to do is hang out with me and mommy. We had so much fun before he left. He hung out with me all the time. We watched the Super Bowl, basketball, the news and these other shows I have no idea what they are. What was best is that he loved to nap with me on the couch and walk me around if I was having a bad day. He's so tall and strong. I can't wait for him to show me all the cool things he likes to do. I want to be just like him!!

He hasn't been home in a little while, but I still get to see him every night on mommy's computer. It's great. Then, when he calls he always wants to talk to me. Can you believe that, I can't even talk back yet and he wants to talk to me. I get so excited. I try really hard to say hi to him. Mommy is practicing with me. It won't be long and then daddy can help me learn to talk too.

Trial by Food

Collin's hands are way too sticky for the computer today, and you'll see why. So, I am writing his post. Considering my son is a "Wicker" I thought the move from formula to real food (the word real used very loosely) would be a breeze. Surely he would love food as much as the rest of the family, oh I don't think so. According to my mother-in-law Robert had an aversion to spoons as a child and didn't transition well either. However, this had nothing to do with the spoon, it was the food. You've got to be kidding me!!! So, for two days we tried and he cried. Not just cried, screamed and through a tantrum like I haven't seen yet.

Under the advice of my mom and a nurse at the doctor's office I added mushed up bananas to the rice cereal. HALLELUJAH!!! It was like the magic key. Oh, my goodness the child that just the day before wanted nothing to do with food was banging his fists on his high chair tray (that was NOT an exaggeration, he really did) for more. Who knew a banana could evoke that kind of response.

So, now I think the problem is solved until I realize just how messy this process is. OH MY GOODNESS!! This is so gross! See, my house isn't the tidiest but I don't really like dirty and this was dirty. There was food everywhere: on his hands, up his nose, all over the high chair, all over me. I need a bib. Then there was the proverbial flipping of the bowl. ALl of this and it's only day one...whew! It's a good thing this only has to happen once a day for right now. Whoa, the things I didn't realize I was in for. At least the dirty diapers are contained, for now :)

...and on the 7th day he rested

...and so did we. Well, almost. We went to church Sunday morning and I had so much fun in the nursery. It was way better than mom dragging me to big church again. They are just so loud in there and they say lots of words I don't know. They certainly don't talk to me like my mommy, grandparents, aunts and uncles do. They are so much easier to understand. I did get to go to the end of Papa's Sunday School class though. That was fun because everyone smiled at me and wanted to play with me. Then we came home from church and got to nap - finally.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

So, we celebrated a day late, but it was so much fun. I got to meet more of my extended family. We drove (yes, in the car again) to Orlando for some 4th of July fun. Mom put me in my patriotic outfit and even had a back up one in case I got sick. But don't you know I didn't even need that. I went all day and didn't mess up my outfit. Now, mom had to change HER shirt (I think that was my fault :)

I played in the pool, sort of. There were lots of big kids (my cousins) and besides mom didn't bring me a swimsuit. She didn't have one either and she says I can't go by myself. So, I just dipped my feet in.

We had so much fun!!! Mom and everyone else got GREAT smelling BBQ. I was only allowed to have my bottle. But, Kaka slipped me a taste of banana pudding - SHHH, don't tell my mom.

FINAL DESTINATION

...well, at least until we start our trip home. I think we are finally done traveling for awhile. We got to Kaka and Papa's house Friday night. It was such a long drive, but I was a good boy. Mom and Aunt Kelly only had to stop twice and the second stop wasn't my fault. Aunt Kelly just had to have a blizzard from Dairy Queen (whatever that is). We got to Kaka and Papa's and I was so, so tired. They got me out of the car and let me stretch. Then it was time for dinner and off to bed. I hear we've got somewhere else to go Saturday.

Time with Meme

After my adventure with the mom and the other Katies I got to go to my Meme's house. I love to go to her house because she just wants to hold me and rock me. She is so sweet to me. We didn't get to stay very long (does this sound like a trend in my travels?) but mom says we're coming back in August on our way home and we'll get to stay a little longer. I got to see Aunt Melanie, but we left before Uncle Woody got there. I was very upset that I missed him. Mom says we'll be sure to see him and Aunt Joyce when we go back to visit. So, now it's off to our southern most stop - Kaka and Papa's house!!! I hear they have a pool too :)

A Kaiti (Katie) Adventure

So, my mom told me about these friends she has that both have the same name as my mom. Isn't that so weird. I don't know anybody that has my name. Anyhow, she wanted me to meet them really badly because they are some of her favorite people. So, we left Nana and Grandpa's house and went to Columbia. I think mom likes Columbia almost as much as she likes Charleston. When we got in to town I kept hearing her talk to herself in the front seat about how she could totally live there again. Who knows...I can't really see out of the window so I can't judge. If these two cool girls live there though it can't be too bad. Mom keeps telling me I've been here before, she says it's where I got my gamecock t-shirt, which means it must be a great place.

Well, before we met the Katies I got to meet Greg. We went to his work, which I think is at USC - YES!! I wanted to see my future alma mater again. He was very funny and I was glad I got to meet him, even if it wasn't for very long. Mom promised we could come back and see him again and some other friends she talks about.

So, after that little visit she put me back in the car - good grief will the riding ever be over? We went a little ways and got to meet the first Ms. Katie. Mom says she has a new house. Well, this is the first one I've ever seen and it's pretty cool. Mom kept going on and on about the bathrooms..who cares, I like the pool. I hope mom takes me back some time to go swimming. Then, the other Ms. Katie showed up so we could go to dinner. I was really tired at this point. Mom had been dragging me around all day so I don't think I was very nice to everyone, but I had fun because both Ms. Katies wanted to play with me.

We had a great time. They are all 3 crazy though and I think everyone in the restaurant would agree :) I hope mom takes me back though because they were fun. I even got great presents. By the way how long does this last? Every time I go somewhere new I get presents. Hmmm...I wonder if this is just part of being a kid. Mom doesn't get presents everywhere we go.

Daddy's old stomping ground

I have spent the last week with my Nana Rose and Grandpa Wayne in SC. We have had so much fun. Grandpa had surgery just before I got here so he's been home the whole time. It has been great. The only thing is since he had surgery he couldn't walk around, but mommy promised me we could come back when Grandpa was able to play a little more. Even though he couldn't walk I got to sit with him and watch tv and he would bounce me on his knee. It was great. Besides, I love to watch tv.

Then since Grandpa had been hurt Nana got to take lots of time off of work to play with me. Well, she was supposed to be taking care of Grandpa, which she did too, but she played me with me lots! I even got to try on my daddy's old baseball hat. It's a littl bit big but Nana says I'll grow into it. Then I can be a baseball player just like my daddy. Nana took me on walks to see the horse and the goats and the garden. Mommy said no riding on the tractor yet.

But mommy took me for a tour of the farm too. She made me wear a stupid hat, but at least this one fits. She keeps telling me it's good for me...who knows. All I know is that I can't wait to come out here and play when Grandpa is feeling better and my daddy is home. There's got to be more fun stuff out there to do in those woods that mommy just won't show me. I just can't wait to run around and chase goats.

Grandma Mary Lou (Granny) and Uncle Paul were around all week too. They are so much fun. Grandma Mary Lou loves to hold me and rock with me. I got to nap in her arms the other night while mommy ate dinner. She is so sweet to me.

Uncle Paul is lots of fun. He gets on the floor with me while I'm playing on my playmat. For some reason I can't seem to find those pictures. I'll have to check with mom and make sure she put them on the computer.

I have had so much fun with my Nana and Grandpa. Mom says we're leaving tomorrow afternoon to go see my other great-grandmother, Meme, and my aunt Kelly. She also tells me we're going to see some of her friends from college. They all have the same name - how strange and confusing. Well, I am sad to leave because I'll miss Grandpa, Nana, Granny and Uncle Paul, but one more week gone by is one more week closer to my daddy coming home.

UPDATE from COLLIN

I know that some of you can check up on what Mommy and I are doing by looking at my KaKa's blog, but since soooo much has happened since I was only 1 month old - I am going to do some filling in for you this time.
Let's see - the last post was 1 day after I turned a month old. Daddy was very, very busy getting ready to go to Iraq to fly this big, big new plane. It is named after a bird - the Osprey - this is a dangerous bird of prey. So my Daddy is really smart because he knows how to fly this special plane. It takes off like a helicopter, and then he turns the rotors with just his thumb,and it flies like a plane!! WOW!! So we spent lots of time getting everything together and packed for Daddy. He spent lots and lots of time lletting me sleep on his chest. It is my favorite way to sleep. Mommy was home with me every day and we spent most of our time together with me eating. I am a growing boy!! During February, I took a trip to meet some more of my family. I met MeMe, my great grandmother in Sumter, then on to Laurens to meet Grandma MaryLou, Uncle Paul, Aunt Erika, Uncle Brian, Winston and Wilson. This was a great weekend with lots of my family!!! I got a new toy that I love,love, love. I can lay on the floor and play for a long time!! Mommy likes this toy, too.
I turned 2 months old on March. Then there was Easter - Mommy dressed me up!! Everything was OK until she put that hat on me. I bet I don't have to wear one next year. AND - a bunny came by our house and left treats. What's up with that?? I guess it's all part of being a kid. I traveled to Charleston for a long weekend. I met PaPa, KaKa and Kelly there. That was a blast, except that it turned very cold. I visited the Citadel - not so sure that I would want to go to school there. I think that I was born to be a Gamecock - but that's my secret. That same night we rode to Beaufort so all of the grownups could eat seafood. I met my cousin, Charlie. Charlie looks like Daddy, and I look like both of them. I look like a mini-Charlie. A really nice guy, who took Mommy and Daddy's wedding pictures, met us at the Waterfront Park. They kept putting me on this cold, cold rock to take my picture!! Did I say that it was cold and windy outside, and we were near the water?? My NaNa came to stay with me for a week when Mommy had to go back to teach school. We had so much fun!! She read books to me, and I really do like that. I bet that I am going to be very smart with all of the teachers around!! The next week we had even more company. My Grandpa Wayne and Brian came to visit Daddy, then Aunt Kelly came up, and then PaPa. Daddy left on March 26th for a big airfield in Iraq. He is going to be flying the Osprey to protect all of us. Then Kelly left to go back to school.

KaKa drove up to help PaPa take care of me for a week while Mommy worked at the school. She teaches 8th graders and I think that must be a very hard job. I think those kids must be very hormonal!! The first day that they stayed with me they took me to see the doctor. He took all of my clothes off, and then stuck me in both legs with something sharp!! I still can't believe that they did that to me!! This better not happen again!! We had a birthday party at my house for KaKa - from the way everybody was talking - I think she is getting old. PaPa spent 2 whole days working in my yard. Beaudreau dug these huge craters in ouir backyard - they are big enough for me to go swimming in. PaPa was trying to fill up all of the holes and especially the ones under the fence so that Zack wouldn't run away. Beaudreau has gone for a very long visit to Grandpa Wayne's house while Daddy is gone.
Now we are in April - Miss Debbie flew all the way here from Tampa to spend a week with me!! This was a fun week. Miss Debbie loves to exercise - someone told me that she used to be a PE teacher!! So we worked out all of my new muscles while she was here. She likes to cook, too. We had a real good time, and shye and Mommy talked alot!! The next week was awesome!! Mommy had something called a spring break. We rested, nested and then took a little trip south. We went to Sumter to see MeMe - sometimes they call her a Steel Magnolia. We also got to see NaNa, Grandpa Wayne, Aunt Erika and Uncle Brian. I think we were in Gamecock country finally and out of that crazy Tarheel place!! The next week was a real surprise. My second cousin - not removed or anything because she is Mommy's first cousin - Anita came to stay with me. She did a great job of taking care of me because she already has two little girls. They are cousins, too. This is Kelly's last week of school. As soon as she finishes up her exams she is going to come and stay with me and Mommy for a long, long time. That means that I don't have to go to daycare, and Aunt Kelly is lots of fun. She really does like sports and ESPN. For a girl, that's a good thing. I am going to know all about everything that Mike and Mike talk about when Daddy gets home. He is going to be so proud of me.
I love it when Mommy and I get to talk to Daddy. I am starting to make lots of noise - it's funny. I can make noise into the phone and Daddy can hear me all the way around the world.
PaPa and KaKa came to visit for Mother's Day. It was a fun weekend. Daddy and I sent Mommy beautiful flowers. Wonder how we did that??? There were some crazy, scary storms this weekend. I never heard thunder like that before. PaPa and KaKa flew home on Monday - so it was back to ESPN and Mike and Mike with Kelly.
At the end of May, Mommy, Kelly and I took another road trip. This time we went to the beach near Charleston for a long Memorial Day weekend. We had such a great time. I can't wait to do that again!! It's June and that means that Mommy is almost finished up with school. She is working way too hard because she is teaching school, and she goes to school, too. She is in graduate school at East Carolina. Mommy has to plan a big dance for the 8th graders. It sounds like it is going to be fun, but I don't get to go.
It's June already!! One more week of school - PaPa left for a trip to help some people in Africa and KaKa is here for a litlle visit. Guess what - she took me back to the same doctor and he stuck me again!! What is going on here? Maybe she just shouldn't come back and visit!! I am getting so excited about going on vacation. Mommy is all done with her school and we are going to visit NaNa and Grandaddy Wayne for a long time. I am so glad - I will make them laugh at all of my new tricks and how much I like to talk. I hope that I get to see everyone in the family. When we leave their house I am going to see MeMe and then to Florida to see PaPa and KaKa. This will be my first trip to Mommy's old house. Kelly and Zack are going with us. Today, when we were getting ready to leave on our big trip - Mommy took me to the doctor. Yep, I got stuck again!! Why do they keep doing this to me??
This has gotten really long - but I have just been a busy boy since I arrived. I am going to sleep because we are leaving early, early in the morning for the big vacation. I talked to Daddy tonight - he is safe and working so hard. We miss him and he misses us. I bet he wouldn't take me to the place where people stick me with needles!!!

Nesting

So everyone talked about this nesting instinct that was supposed to kick in just before Collin was born and it didn't. As a matter of fact I think Robert was more into getting the house organized than I was. Now, all of a sudden when I'm getting no sleep and trying to figure out this mom thing I'm nesting like crazy. Everyday when Collin goes down for a nap I am deep cleaning something. The ridiculous part is that I must have let things go way too far while I was pregnant because it is taking forever. Hopefully, I'll be done by the end of the week.

Little Gamecock

We took Collin on his first trip to the University of South Carolina. Yes, we are already grooming him to be a gamecock fan. It was a wonderful trip. He had his first visits with 2 great grandmothers, a great uncle and his Aunt Erika and Uncle Brian. We all got a huge surprise when Kaka, Papa and Aunt Kelly showed up. We knew they were going to be close, but didn't think they were going to have time to stop by and then in they walked. It was a quick visit, but a great one as 3 generations spent a wonderful evening together. Then it was off for a quick lunch at the hospital with Aunt Erika, it's a good thing we got to see her later that night as well because she doesn't get much time for lunch. After that we headed to visit USC and get a new gamecock outfit. Collin is sure to be as well dressed, if not better dressed, as his dad :) A phone call from Grandpa Wayne, anxious to see his grandson, prompted our departure and we were headed to Laurens for a wonderful visit with the Wicker family. Another gathering of 3 generations of a family, it's just amazing.
So, we're home and spent the week recuperating..next week, we have some lunch dates :) Mom is going to enjoy this stay at home thing while she can.

Lazy Days

As my return to work looms ever close I am very concerned about how I will adjust. I'm quite certain that Collin will be fine seeing as he will have his ever doting grandparents and aunts to play with all day and I will be back to the hormonal, dramatic world of middle school. It's so hard to imagine that those big, attitude full 8th graders were once precious babies that their mothers could hardly bear to part with. I wonder if this will make me a "softer" teacher...mmmm...maybe not :) We are still on an "adjusted" sleep schedule which is fine when I can take a nap until about 9 or 10 in the morning, but may be a much more difficult when I'm headed to school at 7 am.
Collin and I are enjoying are last couple of weeks together as I am quite certain I am creating really bad habits that will have to be broken later, but as my mom says when else in his life will I be able to just sit and hold him. So, we're enjoying it. It's only been a month and he's already gotten so big.

SuperBowl Sunday with a Son

Today is Collin's very first superbowl with his Dad!! Have a great day together!!

love, KaKa

and....months later

Collin Robert Wicker

January 25th, 2008

5:04PM

6 lbs., 13 0z.