Do we still have followers?

So this is Kristin and I'm embarrassed how long it's been since I updated the blog. My whit isn't as biting as Scott, and let's face it I'm not nearly as funny, but I wanted to give an update on our girl and post some cute pics. I intended to post video, but I really can't find one that wouldn't totally embarrass me. I need to learn to shut up when the camera comes on.

She has had all of her primary teeth for months now, which means we haven't had a miserable teething day in such a long time. Her vocabulary is building very slowly. In fact, the last video posted in August (uh-oh) was the only thing she said in six months until very recently. Now, she says binky (great!), Elmo, and patty cake. She loves singing and music. Everything turns into a drum, including every pan I own every day. She is busy, busy, busy. She doesn't like to sit still, unless of course Elmo or Jack's Big Music Show is on. She has also turned into a total cuddle bug. She loves giving running hugs and pats us on the back when she's hugging. She's still totally attached to her two bunnies, which go EVERYWHERE with us. It's actually pretty stressful for us because those damn things are always getting lost.

We have decided to stay in Framingham for a while. No more moving! It was just too much and we really do love our neighborhood. And Bailey's daycare has worked out so well that we didn't want to go through the whole process of starting her somewhere new.

Sorry it's been way too long, but keep with us. The Daily Bailey will go on!

Bailey Phelps (minus the bong hits and dorkiness)

You: Wow, Scott hasn't posted anything in so long. Is he giving up The Daily Bailey? Doesn't he know that every day without The Cutest Baby Ever is like a day without sunshine for me? Why is he such an insensitive prick?

Me: Wow, that was harsh. Get off my ass, ok? God, I've been busy. Plus I'm in one of those open offices now at work where everyone is all up in my business. It makes it nearly impossible to do personal business while at work. Imagine that? Friggin Commies. (I kid, Comrads. I kid)

Seriously, though, things have been crazy in the Regan Roost. My new job is great, but the commute is a ferocious, fire-breathing, bitch pain in the ass. I only get to see Miss B for just over an hour a day, which rips my heart out. The good news is, we hope to move (yet again) in a couple of months. I'm not sure my commute will get any better, but the plan is to move to the South Shore, which will put us closer to all four of Bailey's amazing Grandparents (and two incredible Great-Grandparents). Plus, I will finally be able to achieve my lifelong goal to piss away every cent I have ever had on moving expenses.

Okay, on with the baby multimedia! Here is your favorite little toddler showing off her favorite new phrase while cooling down in her kickass new pool.

This next one is funny because Bailey is talking to Maggie in a high-pitched voice, trying to make her howl. But, the joke is on her. What she doesn't realize is, Maggie isn't the one who howls at high-pitched noises. Joey is the one who does that. Wow, kids can be so stupid sometimes!

Here is Bailey with her new favorite toy, the cap to the ventilation hose on our portable air conditioner. I call this one "Ventilation Hose Cap: An Introspective on Life as a Toddler in The Late 2000's".

Here is Part Two. I call this one Ventilation Hose Cap 2: Attack on Magazine Rack. It's a social commentary piece (a metaphor if you will), highlighting the futile efforts of George W. Bush in his quest to rid the world of terror and his subsequent bumbling leadership throughout The War in Iraq.

OK, it's after midnight and I am clearly losing my mind. I have to go to bed. I hope you enjoyed your precious blog update. Seriously, though, please don't give up on me! Maybe I should change the name of the blog to recapture my credibilty? I'm not sure that The Monthly Bailey would work. How about The Occasional Bailey? I know. How about: The Baby Blog That Would Be Daily if Bailey's Daddy Weren't So Lazy.

I think that will work.

What do you do with a drunken baby?

Okay, so all the first b-day photos were a bit overwhelming so I never got around to Bailey's 1st Birthday post. Sue me - I have a one-year-old, two annoying dogs and a two hour commute. And the more Miss B moves, the less likely I am able to have any time whatsoever to do anything productive. I have, however, learned all the words to the Beanstalk episode of Jack's Big Music Show. So I've got that going for me, which is nice.

Just last week Bailey started taking steps. She started out wobbling from the ottoman to the TV. Then came the Mommy to Daddy steps. Now, 3 days later, she's practically running a marathon.

Let the shopping begin!

Bailey is almost a year old and already starting to shop like Mommy.

I am in LA this week for my first week of work! Can you believe it? Meanwhile, my sister and her daughter Abby are visiting from Ohio to get some quality time with Kristin and Bailey. I have a ton of other pictures to share, but wanted to get this movie out asap. Enjoy, there is much more to come!

Bailey The One Baby Band

Here are a few relatively recent Bailey videos. It's so hard to keep up with how much our little gal is changing. Believe it or not, she actually turns one in less than two weeks. She's starting to stand on her own and will be taking her first steps before we know it. We're not pushing her, though. As you can see, she's already a handful.

I can't imagine what she is going to do to our house when she's running all over the place. We're so dead. Let's just say we're taking extra special precautions with our treadmill cords.

I would write more, but well, I have a crazy one-year-old who refuses to let me type. So in lieu of more brilliant, hysterical prose, I'm going the lazy route and just adding another video. Plus, as my Dad put it, I needed to just get something out there to "Cheer up The Daily Bailey for Christ's sake".

We miss you, Aunty Karen

It's been so hard to get this most recent post out the door. Every single day I want to update you with happiness and joy and things like stories of Mother's Day. But things have been tough this month. Those of you who are close to our family know that we recently lost a special member of The Daily Bailey family. Aunty Karen, frequent reader and commenter passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 62. We miss her so much and know she is happy in Heaven. I didn't want to post anything until I addressed this. But it's just been too difficult to discuss. What I do know is that Aunty Karen would not want me to stop doing the blog on account of her. So here we go. The Daily Bailey is back and better than ever.



While the circumstances were unfortunate and terribly sad, it did give us the chance to spend some more time with Kristin's side of the family. Even Andrea took a break from her fast and furious West Coast lifestyle and had some time to hang out with her Goddaughter.



Since we were all in a state of mourning, I figured now would be as good a time as any to introduce Bailey to the art of drowning your sorrows in booze...responsibly, of course.

Mommy took Bailey to the beach while Daddy had yet another phone interview.

Here's a picture of Grampy Barrett and Bailey Wonder playing the piano on a sunny day.

Mommy and Miss B at Paul's Pizza in Falmouth. This is where we got our first dirty look by a grumpy old hag who didn't think Miss Bailey Regan was in fact, the cutest baby ever. I mean, come on. Sure, the kid is screaming at the top of her lungs while you're trying to eat. But this is a really cute kid we're talking about.

Case and point...

After such a great trip to the Cape, Bailey wasn't too thrilled to get back in the car for the ride home.

A rare shot including Daddy.

OK, that's it for today. I'll try to get back in the swing of things and post more frequently.

Easter is fun again

For about twenty years, I've been pretty anti-Easter. It's not that I have a problem with it (I'm all for celebrating the Resurrection of Christ and I love Cadbury Mini Eggs), but I'm really not a spiritual, church-going type of dude. So for me, the thought of a day filled with pastels, church, eggs and ham has always kind of made my stomach turn. Consequently, as an adult, I've come to be more of a Thanksgiving fan. I'd take a gluttonous, turkey-filled Thursday over pigging out on Sunday Ham any day. And don't get me started on deviled eggs. They should be outlawed along with fish chowder, black licorice and candy corn.


But like everything else in my life over the past ten months, these feelings have suddenly changed (about the holiday, not the crappy foods I'm trying to ban). I think my awakening might have something to do with the fact that my parents made ham and turkey yesterday, but I think it's more likely because I'm starting to remember how much fun Easter was when I was a kid and can't wait for Bailey to experience it for herself. My parents still have the Easter Basket I had my entire life and I can't wait for Bailey to have it. How many kids can say they have an Easter Basket in its early thirties? I can only hope to make Easter just as exciting for Bailey as my parents did for my sister and me. It's going to be great - just like the good old days. We just need to start growing this family a little more and we can start having loud, crowded parties just like when I was younger.

Despite the ridiculous traffic we had to endure (thanks to the incompetent morons at the Mass Turnpike Authority), we had a great day at Nana and Papa Regan's house. As usual, they outdid themselves again. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, corn, carrots, ham gravy, turkey gravy and of course, Tom Regan's soon-to-be-famous Stuffin' Muffins. All this for four people and an infant. It felt like Thanksgiving in April. But instead of football we watched a Red Sox game and there was a fight. It was my kind of day.

As you can see from the pictures, Bailey enjoyed herself just as much as Kristin and I did. She loves going to Nana and Papa's house because she knows she's going to be doted on and entertained 24/7. Nana (like any good Nana does) spoils Bailey to death with love, attention, and CLOTHES! After yesterday, I think Bailey officially surpassed Kristin in the wardrobe department. "I just got the basics, nothing special", said my Mom as she lugged a forty-pound Kohl's bag into the kitchen. "I wanted to get some more Carter's stuff, but I didn't have time to get over to Sears."

And Papa, well Papa turns into a mushy lunatic the minute Bailey sets foot in the house. He's like Carrot Top or Tyler Perry - the guy will do anything for a laugh. But boy does he get them from Bailey. Bailey and my Dad now have a game they play that makes her crack up laughing and bury her face into the shoulder of whoever is holding her while Papa makes funny noises and pretends to scare her. It's really the cutest damn thing in the whole world.