Nov. 5th Papa is coming home!

First thing tomorrow morning Dad is flying home to see the family. I can't wait to give them both a big hug, give Wendy a big break and take her on a date or two! Can't wait to stare endlessly at Lily and listen to every word she has to say. Also can't wait to wrestle with Bindi and get a few good scratches and bites.

First night is in Richmond and the next morning we hit the photo studio with Brad and the boys, should be lots of fun.

It has been tough being away this long but hopefully we will be able to make some changes that will lead to much more time together. This job has been great and really came at a great time, especially when I hear about what others are going through. It has helped us to gain bakc some of the ground we lost during the slow summer of 08 and the terrible freelance yacht season the winter following.

Maybe when times get better we can make some significant changes to make it easier for us all.

The future..... what does it hold?

Ocotber 25th 2009

Getting towards the end of October here and can't wait to get home again on Nov. 6th. Heading straight to Richmond for some family time and photos of all the grandkids together.
Palm Beach has been nice with great weather and a very nice crew facility here. Even got a great surf in last weekend. This weekend just got chased out of the water by a fairly decent size shark while having a swim. Oh well. Heading to Ft. Lauderdale for the boat show this week so that will help speed up the time till I'm heading home!

Wendy is getting into a nice litle routine with the Lilzers although routine can also mean monotony for mom. Hopefully I can help break this up some when home.

Right after I leave the girls will be heading off to New Zealand!!!! Hopefully Lily will gain an accent if possible and saying things like, fush and chups.

Hopefully her sleeping will have gotten better by then with all of her teeth seemingly coming in at once, poor thing. She is quite the little trooper though.

Looks like she is ready for Holloween with a gift from Kay and Skip.

September 24th 2009 Daddy's home!

115 days after leaving for Florida I finally made it home!! So nice to hang with the gilrs on our home turf. We did have a nice visit in Norfolk when the boat stopped there and the gilrs came up for a couple days. We spent some time cruising around Portsmouth and taking walks with Lily. Wendy was even able to relax with some adults and have a cocktail. Lily and I took a chance and had bathtime together (in a very loud shower) and she showed me that she trusts me by tucking her little head into my chest when she was scared, what a moment.

Got to Beaufort and made a b-line for home. Woke up the next day to a gloriously rainy day that gave us all the excuse to lay around and catch up and play with the Lilzers and Bindi. Wendy and I spent quiet evenings talking and looking online for flight to NZ with great success, so they are on their way November 17th. Got lucky and caught some flawless pumping surf and got to hit the water with Wendy the next day to a sunny beach day. Caught up with Chip, Tammy, Farmer and Rachel over dinner one night. Mowed the lawn and weeded the garden a little also.

Returned to the boat feeling rejuvinated and ready for another stint away from my loves. Wendy is probably breathing a sigh of relief now that their is only one child to look after!! Just kidding baby you are unbelievable and let it be said here that a mothers job is without a doubt the hardest one in the world, especially when you are doing it on your own.

9/12 Six Years of Pure Bliss!!!! Lily's got her Passport

It's our six year Anniversary!! Wendy and I were able to get in a couple of good Skype's today and a long phone call to discuss Christmas, New Zealand and Employeement opportunities. Over the Skype we read a book to Lily that she loved, loved and also ran over some safety checks for some of Lily's new toys.

Speaking of the little one, she has gotten her first passport and ready for travel anytime.

She is also getting to be a handful for Wendy now that she is on the go, crawling faster than ever and getting into everything that is within her reach. Wendy says that it is lots of fun to play with her and let her crawl all over her and have a good laugh. Lily is eating really well and seems to like everything that comes her way. Yogurt is still a favorite along with Wendy's famous steamed pees and carrots.

Wendy and Lily are looking at joining a swim class and a Mommy and Me group which should be great for meeting other mom's.

A couple of nights ago Chip played the guitar for Lily and she loved it so much that when she hears it within a song it gets her attention.

I am still on the boat in Newport with a plan to head south this upcoming week hopefully. There is a plan to stop in NC for an extended period of time and I am really looking forward to it.

Mom is in the hospital for a problem related to some medication related to an infection. Let's hope she is out soon.

August 25th Crawling!!!!

Lily has gone mobile and she is on her way to becoming more independent with every day. She can really get across the floor at a fast clip and Wendy cannot let her out of sight or she is gone, usually chasing down Bindi who has become quite the big sister. Early days saw Bindi not wanting to have anything to do with Lily unless she was in her crib bawling and Bindi had to peak over. Now Lily comes in each morning to give Bindi a pet on the back very gently and say hi.

Rolling over is is second nature for her now and her motor skills are impressive too. One of her favorite toys is an ice cream scoop and the chip clip.... I see a culinary trend.

Eating lots of solids and loves Wendy's cooking. Having carrots from our garden and fresh pureed fruit with yogurt seems to be a favorite.

She is really becoming a little lady and I can't wait to see her some time soon. Right now we are in Newport RI for at least a few more weeks and after that I need to get home for some family time badly.

Wendy is holding down the fort as always and doing well with the help of friends and of course Skype. We had our first Skype date night tonight, can you believe it. I even put on a nice shirt for the date. Lots of fun and as probably always the case with parents on a date the conversation was about Lily.

These are tough days but we are making them work and looking forward to all being together more.

Couple of recent photos some by Wendy and some by Tammy.

First Tooth

Well it has finally happened, that first tooth that we have been waiting for. She didn't really have too much trouble with her first bit of teething so hopefully that will continue.

Wendy took Nanna, Alexa and Doris to the beach today with Lily and had a picture perfect beach day even enjoying some John's Drive In for lunch. Man I am jealous!

Barbara (Nanna) is there for the next few days and really enjoying her time with Wendy and Lily and hopefully relaxing some.

Seems like it was just yesterday when Lily was born and we were trying to get her to sleep for an hour solid. Now she is just over six months old, rolling over, eating solids, mimicking sounds, petting Bindi and just becoming such a special little lady for us all to adore. It is truly hard to image our lives without her in it.

Being away is tough at times and really a test in many ways just as it has to be hard for Wendy too, but we are doing it one day at a time. There trip to Newport RI was truly an unbelievable time for us all, staying on the boat, giving Wendy some alone time, going for long walks and teaching Lily how to cook was so much fun. She is going to be a quite the little traveler I think.

Hopefully we can keep up these posts.

Rob sigining off from Booth Bay Harbor Maine. Going on charter tomorrow morning and heading towards

Viva La Mexico

Safely arrived in Mexico this morning to find a really cool place in Isla Mujeris. Unfortunatley there were no tuna busting the surface this morning to try and catch. The trip was Ok but it would have been hell going the other direction.We arrived to a real mexican treat of Rum, Tacate, and Sol with shrimp, conch and octopus ceviche with some fried crisps......just what the doctor orderded! Spoke with the girls tonight for the first time in a few days and they seem to be doing quite well with some sleeping improvements, I am really missing them

Will add some pics soon.

Roberto

March 10th 2009

Patchouli Baby

Last night I woke to find a wee patchouli baby in the crib! Yvonne was here last night giving Lily her last late bottle feeding for me and her perfume rubbed off onto baby. It was a nice little surprise at 2am. I'm very lucky, Yvonne, Tammy and Chip are taking shifts for the late feedings so I can get some sleep. I also enjoy the company...Lily doesn't say much yet. I did get a smile out of her yesterday, so sweet.
Rob is under way today to Mexico from Fort Lauderdale and we wish him a fun and safe trip.

Monday March 2nd 2009

Just getting started with our "blog" almost a month after Lily was born. She has gained almost 1.5#s since birth and is now a hefty 6# 12ounces when we weighed her last night at Nick and Dawn's house after a great meal prepared by his mother. Everything is going well, even with the lack of sleep. We are constantly trying to figure out what we are doing and thank goodness so many babies have been born prior to ours so we can call up friends, mothers, and grandmothers to tell us it's OK.
Bindi has adjusted well and is more affectionate than ever although still a little weary of Lily.
I am leaving to go work on Jason's boat tomorrow and won't see the girls again until Miami on April 5th.
Wendy is doing an unbelievable job and will have some great support thanks to Tammy sacrificing her own trip to help look after Wendy right after I have left and Yvonne will be on the scene to as long as she can breathe (allergic o Bindi) and many other friends as well. We cannot express how much we appreciate everything that has been done for our little family since Lily has been born and even prior to.
We hope to be able to give back one day... once we have gotten some sleep!