LONESTAR LIAM

Lonestar Liam.....live'n up to his name

2008-11-03T15:48:00.003-06:00

Down on Da Farm with Papa Joe

2008-10-27T12:48:00.008-06:00

The Land of Pumpkins...

2008-10-15T13:50:00.001-06:00

A trip to Chicago

2008-09-30T22:41:00.003-06:00

Papa Smurf and Son.....

2008-09-30T21:12:00.010-06:00

US Open 2028....be very , very afraid.

2008-09-06T22:26:00.004-06:00

Can you believe it???? We're 18 months old.

2008-09-06T21:42:00.007-06:00

Me and my Aunt Katy

2008-09-06T21:23:00.003-06:00

Aunt Katy was in town last weekend and came over early Monday morning...Just to see me!!! She always makes me feel so special and I love her so. Not to mention the fact that she always knows how to have fun and make me laugh.

xoxo to Aunt Katy.

Liam with Papa Joe and Momma Hazel

2008-09-06T21:13:00.003-06:00

Papa Joe and Momma Hazel came and spent a week with us and it was so wonderful to have have them here. We miss them SO much!! I'm embarrassed to say that this one of the only pictures we took while they were here. (I've GOT to start doing a better job.) But needless to say it was a good one.....

We love you papa joe and momma hazel....please come back SOON!!!!!

Catching-Up with Lonestar

2008-06-01T19:35:00.022-06:00

We apoligize to all our fans out there.....

We know this post is

LONG over due!!

We hope you enjoy these

pictures that have been

taken over the past

couple of months.

Daddy's Big Birthday!

2008-04-02T15:47:00.004-06:00

Alicia is hilarious. I went to get Liam Tuesday morning and as I took him to bed I saw that Alicia had given me the best Happy Birthday message I could ever receive. Liam and Alicia took me to breakfast at IHOP and we celebrated the start of my birthday with a stack of pancakes. It doesn't get any better than that!

Liam 'b Breakin'

2008-03-24T21:15:00.000-06:00

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Liam's First Birthday

2008-03-13T08:34:00.011-06:00

Let It Snow!

2008-03-06T20:49:00.009-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIAM!

2008-03-04T11:36:00.006-06:00

The Lonestar Kid has his first birthday coming up on Saturday! It is incredible to see how fast the last 12 months have gone but they have definitely been made more precious by the little guy.
Here are some pics from his true birthday a year ago and today:

Liam is Finding His Space

2008-02-28T11:05:00.003-06:00

This kid is relentless at getting cuter and he does it without any effort. I suppose that is one of the charms of your own child.
He is having more and more fun everyday because of his growing mobility and increased motor development.
This picture was sent to me by Alicia at work to show me the shenanagans that the kiddo is into for the day. He played under his high chair forever and loved it.. He is developing his love for small spaces. Pretty soon we will have the cardboard box out for him to play in all day. At least we will get a break from chasing him around the house.

This Cowboy doesn't always wear a Cowboy Hat

2008-02-19T09:40:00.005-06:00

Liam is a cut-up of a kid. I took him to breakfast this morning and put his knit cap on to help keep him warm.
By the time we rolled out of the neighborhood he had pulled on the ear flap and was just holding onto it. He is great at sleeping in the car so it was no surprise to see him fall asleep with his hat laying cockeyed on his head!
Here are some pics of Liam in all his cuteness.

Lonestar at the Lake with the Wasemillers

2008-02-17T20:30:00.007-06:00

We had a great weekend at the lake with Tim, Kelly & Luke Wasemiller. What a great family and special friends they are. It rained alot over the two days but we battled at Scrabble and Monopoly. I am sure that there will be many grudge matches to follow after I got stomped in both.
Liam and Luke had fun - well, at least when Liam wasn't trying to poke Luke's eye out or pat him on the face. Thanks to the Wasemillers for a fun weekend.

Lonestar is One Funny Bubby

2008-02-12T17:58:00.001-06:00

Here are some fun pics of me - pops - and little man having some fun.

Mommy & Daddy Date Night

2008-02-12T17:29:00.000-06:00

It has been over 11 months since Alicia and I had an official date without Lonestar tagging along. It isn't that we minded but the little guy is easy going and easy to carry around.

Our big night - thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle - was spent at the American Airlines Center with floor seats watching the Mavericks play the Memphis Grizzlies. Besides leaving the little man behind the most challenging aspect of the night was deciding what to wear. We are definitely in parental mode and dressing cool and hip hasn't happened in a long time. After a few changes (me, not Alicia - she was good to go from the start) we were ready to roll.

Alicia and I left Liam with Angela (great babysitter) who we found last second and we headed to MiCocina for dinner.
Being away from Liam was weird - especially when we both were together! However, by the time we got to the game and were excited with how awesome the seats were we relaxed into date mode and enjoyed the game.
On the way home we were bummed that the Bing was asleep but we had a blast - I believe we could get used to spending time together sans Lonestar.

Surprise Early Birthday Party - Arkansas Style!

2008-02-05T21:38:00.000-06:00

WOW! What friends Lonestar has in Arkansas. The Hawks family made Liam feel special by surprising him early for his 1st birthday. Check out the cool Razorback cake with Liam on it along with other fun pictures above. Thank you for your love for the little man and us - we hope to see you again soon.

Catching Up with the Lonestar

2008-02-04T17:07:00.000-06:00

Lonestar's First Christmas

2008-01-06T21:04:00.000-06:00

Liam had a blast on his first Christmas. We had fun opening presents - he enjoys tearing the wrapping paper more than anything.
Here are a few photos from that grand day:

Christmas Eve at the Tuttles - Santa Tuttle Makes a Visit!

2008-01-06T20:36:00.000-06:00

It is a long-standing family tradition to eat at the Tuttles house for Christmas Eve dinner. For the last 20 years the Orenders have feasted like Royalty with the fine cuisine that the Tuttle family makes. Too bad we don't have the same talent with food when they come over the next day.
Santa Tuttle came by and gave presents to Liam, Archer and Connor. They all got great hunting knives for down the road. I must admit that it was unusual to see Santa wielding a knife to a kid as a present.

Fun with Photobooth

2008-01-06T20:28:00.000-06:00

The Snowball Fight!

2007-12-26T11:27:00.001-06:00

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Santa Meet and Greet at Stonebriar Mall

2007-11-29T17:01:00.000-06:00

Today was a banner day for little Lonestar. Alicia and her mom - Mama Hazel, Gran, Erin (with Connor and Archer) headed over to the modern day living area of Santa - the mall - to get a picture.
Liam did great, unlike his father at his age. He smiled a ton and didn't cry. Congratulations Liam on a successful meeting and I am sure you secured for yourself a fine Christmas under the tree!

Happy Thanksgiving - Lonestar visits Arkansas

2007-11-23T09:31:00.000-06:00

We had a great time with the Lake family in Arkansas. The weather was beautiful and it was fun having the extended family together to share in a great feast. Here are some pics of our time in Searcy.

Family Picture Show

2007-11-23T09:06:00.000-06:00

Several weeks ago we had family pictures taken in Cabot,Arkansas (just down the road from Little Rock) by a phenomenal photographer. We heard about Christy Hollingshead from a friend of ours and checked out her photoblog and I was blown away. I had seen work from many photographers but hers was far and away the best I have ever seen. I told Alicia that we needed to get us and Lonestar over to Cabot to have pictures made of the family. She was truly fun to work with and as you can see below she is creative. Her pictures are definitely works of art to be placed in the home. I highly reccomend her if you want to have beautiful and unique photos of your family made. Thank you Christy for your excellent work!

Check out her blog - Christy Hollingshead Photography

TRICKIN' OR TREATIN'

2007-11-01T17:20:00.000-06:00

Liam had his first Halloween experience yesterday and we had a blast. By a difficult process of elimination, Liam decided that he would be a monkey. The kid absolutely enjoys being in his costume. As I recognize this my man driven praciticality is stoked because not only did we get him a costume but we have him a winter outfit to boot!

We had many trick or treaters come by the house and we had them all grab a handful of our concoction of candy thrown into a bucket. What were the favorite costumes this year that came to the Ponderosa? Fairies outnumbered the rest 4-1 (Disney makes a killing on Halloween) followed by Power Rangers, Cheerleaders, Pirates, Storm Troopers, Transformers, Superwoman, football players, and dragons. On the a la carte list were - one Elvis, one Peter Pan, one Hannah Montana, one Britney Spears (circa Mickey Mouse Club but what was that parent thinking?), and one Rocky Balboa.

Here are some pics of our lil'Monkey:

A Beautiful Fall Day

2007-10-29T15:46:00.000-06:00

Liam, Mom and I had a great late afternoon in the yard. It has finally started to cool-off around the Ponderosa and the winter grass has finally come in.
This little tike is definitley going to be a backyard kid. The minute I sat him in the grass his smile lit up.

Monkey See, Monkey Do.

2007-10-18T09:11:00.000-06:00

How 'bout little guy as a monkey! Alicia and I could not stop laughing at Liam in his monkey suit. How much fun it is to see your child decked out in a cute costume. Liam had a blast - he actually threw a fit when we took it off of him. I guess he was looking forward to "going bananas". :)

Fun with My Pops

2007-10-11T20:33:00.000-06:00

Lonestar Gets a Washin'

2007-10-11T20:11:00.000-06:00

Don't Hate Me Because My Mommy is Beautiful

2007-10-01T19:00:00.000-06:00

Doesn't Mommy look fantastic! This post goes out to a Mommy who is the best. She is always taking care of me. You know, picking boogers out of my nose, making sure my ears are clean and that my nails are cut so I don't look like I got in a fight with a ginsu knife.
She is always finding ways to make me smile and laugh. I am actually worried that I will have laugh lines by the time I am in kindergarten. She is an expert tickler and fun to watch when she makes silly faces.
Most of all I love her sweet and tender voice and how she loves me.

Dad & Me

2007-10-01T18:56:00.000-06:00

Little Man and me like to have a great time. It is amazing to see how quickly he has changed in the last month. He is now able to sit-up, reach for me and Mommy, he talks like crazy (bah,bah,bah,bah - like that) and he is into fake coughing so he can laugh at himself!
Liam is a very special child and I am excited to see him grow into a little boy.

He's a Heartbreaker - Look at Your Own Risk!

2007-09-21T14:14:00.000-06:00

Liam is Lookin' Sharp!

2007-09-21T14:09:00.000-06:00

It's a Bird. It's a Plane.... It's a Lonestar!

2007-08-20T19:41:00.000-06:00

Yes folks - you are probably tired of the "hey lets put Liam's face on a picture" routine but I won't let you off that easily. You will look and laugh at my pictures and you will like it :).

Here is our brave lad flying through the sky to save the world from devastation.

Razorback Liam on ESPN the Magazine!

2007-08-18T16:28:00.001-06:00

The Razorback Express

2007-08-16T15:24:00.001-06:00

That's right folks...it is college football season and eventhough we are Texans we love the Razorbacks.
We are proud of Buckaroo and his athleticism - take a look at what Sports Illustrated deemed him for the 2007 Season. The "Best Runningback in the Land."

The Tumblin' Tumble Weed

2007-08-06T22:20:00.000-06:00

Great news - Liam rolled over for the first time today! Watch the video below to see him in action.

Saddle Practice

2007-08-05T14:45:00.000-06:00

To Infinity & Beyond!

2007-07-22T20:45:00.001-06:00

To the far reaches of the Galaxy

To stars & solar systems yet unkown

Sent to explore the depth of space

It is our son, Liam.

Lonestar Cassidy & the Oliver Kid

2007-07-22T20:05:00.000-06:00

The Winebrenner family came by from the "Flying W Ranch" yesterday to the Ponderosa. It has been a while since we had jumped fences to hang out with one another and it was a grand time.

The Winebrenners have a son Oliver who is one month and one week older than Liam - although by the looks of the pictures he could be 2 years old compared to Liam!

They had a great time staring at one another. We are proud of Liam - he one the drueling contest hands down.

Thanks to our great friends the Winebrenner for coming by to say hello.

Lookin' Cool in the Shades

2007-07-18T11:34:00.000-06:00

Lonestar in Montana

2007-07-13T09:18:00.000-06:00

Lonestar made his first big trip last week. We headed out to the wild west frontier in Montana (a little place that I like to call "Ponderosa West").

We spent time fly fishing in Missoula on the Clarkfork and Bitterroot Rivers, taking walks in downtown but most fascinating was our time in Glacier National Park.

Liam was a stud the whole time - didn't holler at all during the flights and went on several hikes with the family. Above are some of the best pics from our time in Montana with Liam and the family!

Little Faces, Little Toes

2007-06-21T08:59:00.000-06:00

Daddy's Day

2007-06-17T21:02:00.000-06:00

Very few things in life compare to being a father.

Thanks to Alicia and Liam for helping me know that I am special and loved.

What a tremendous gift it is to be called a Dad.

License and Registration, Please.

2007-06-16T14:09:00.000-06:00

"Go ahead, punk. Make my day."

Here is a fun shot of Liam in his Aviator Glasses that were given to him by Uncle Andrew.

Thanks Drew for helping the little man look cool ...... and official!

I Wasn't Trying to Eat My Boppie!

2007-06-16T14:03:00.000-06:00

Lonestar the Rockstar

2007-06-16T13:57:00.000-06:00

It is no surprise that Liam is a big fan of music. His favorite band is U2 just like his Dad.

The other night we were jamming together (I took the drums this time) at the Ponderosa. Liam was rockin' his guitar during his rendition of U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" when all of a sudden I saw a 5 o'clock shadow on his upper lip, moving toward his jaw and chin.

Before I could put my drumsticks down Liam had grown a full rocker gotee reminiscent of U2's guitar frontman - The Edge.

True story.

Like Grandad, Like Grandson

2007-06-15T20:44:00.000-06:00

We should have known that it would begin sooner or later.

My sweet son has already been afflicted with my Dads sunglasses

disorder - clinically known as "Iliketowheremyglassesonmyhead-itis".

Please pray for Liam so that such outbreaks would cease to persist.

Say... You Got A Jersey? 'Cause I Need Your Name and Number.

2007-06-13T20:53:00.000-06:00

What Happens with Mommy, Stays with Mommy.

2007-06-07T21:10:00.000-06:00

Well....... I am speechless.

My wife brings me my son home from a day of errands and I find "I love Mommy" tatooed to his bumper.

Liam told me that he has been begging Mommy for a tattoo but I had no idea that she would actually let him go under the ink and needle.

I imagined a respectful "Born to Be Wild" or a mysterious Tribal tattoo on his shoulder like a football player, not "I Love Mommy" branded to his backside. I just hope that the kids at Mothers Day Out don't see it and think that he is a softee.

At least he left room on his arm for the names of all his biker girlfriends.

Memorial Day Weekend at The Ranch

2007-05-29T19:45:00.001-06:00

Eat Your Heart Out Rollie Fingers

2007-05-25T13:15:00.000-06:00

Our son is quite the character. I told him to just grow out a "Gotee" but he insisted on curling up the ends like his Dodge City hero - Wyatt Earp.

Alicia and I are very proud of the dexterity and eye/hand coordination used to apply the 12oz. of mustache wax to curl-up his fine lip hair. It was a great father-son moment watching him roll his cute thumb and index finger on either side of his cheek; working to perfect his creation.

Check in next week to see what new looks this style trail blazer is sporting.

Whoa There boy...Easy Big Fella!

2007-05-24T11:50:00.000-06:00

Is this just an innocent picture of Liam or a picture of the Incredible Hulk? We aren't sure yet but we do know that you do not want to deny this kid his daily doses of "boobah."
In all actuality this picture caught Liam straining to reach his new favorite playtoy - his forearm for sucking!
Day by day Liam is becoming more and more talkative (he has some interesting talking points on diaper rashes and the debate on fossil fuels) and playful. No longer are we just having staring contests!

Playtime with Pops - 'Mommmm, he's doing the fish thing again!"

2007-05-21T22:12:00.000-06:00

Yep, anytime a Dad gets to play with his son there is going to be a funny facemaking contest. In the last picture on the right, Liam is doing his best impression of Dad and Dad is doing his best impression of Liam.

We will have to stick with this for our playtime until Liam gets a little stronger.

Bronco Busters Funny Faces

2007-05-21T11:18:00.000-06:00

Cute Pictures of Lonestar

2007-05-20T10:24:00.000-06:00

Nothin' Like a Good Cleaning

2007-05-20T10:20:00.000-06:00

After a tough day of wrastlin' steer on the Ranch Liam likes a little spa treatment from his Mom.
Liam is an all-star bather. As of this date there have been zero tears. It's no wonder when you have a Mom that takes such great care of you.

Lazy Day on the Ranch

2007-05-20T09:45:00.000-06:00

Alicia thought she would be funny and snap a shot of me and the little shooter napping it up on the couch.
I can confess that the only better place to have a snuggle and a nap is with my wife! I am sure that we were tuckered out from building a fence on the southwest 40 or shoeing some of our broncos.
Nothing much like a lazy Sunday with your baby in your arms.

Liam's Second Month on the Range - He's a'Growin'!

2007-05-15T20:58:00.000-06:00

Liam celebrated 2 months here at the Ponderosa with Ma and Pa last Thursday.

It is amazing to look back and see how much he has grown and developed.

Here are some of his firsts we've experienced lately:

1. He laughed for the first time 2 weeks ago at his Pops

2. He is tracking us with his eyes when we walk through the room.

3. He is an expert bubble blower with his slobber.

4. One week ago he began grabbing Alicia's hair when she changes his diaper.

5. Liam is now a big boy and sleeps in the crib in his room - however, Mom & Pops reserve the right to have him sleep-over at any time they wish.

6. Little Man has learned to "pass gas" when needed - effort filled face included!

7. As of a week ago he has started to "talk" to us. A little sigh and coo here and there as he smiles at us.

8. Yesterday he sucked his thumb for the second time in a week - usually he just give his forearm hickies.

We will keep you posted via this pony express blogger here. Holler at us if you need some more pictures! He is addictive we are figuring out.

Gettin' to see the Arkansas Kin! Papa Joe & Mama Hazel

2007-04-30T12:50:00.000-06:00

Alicia headed up to Searcy, AR to visit with Papa Joe & Mama Hazel last week and I met up with them on Friday. What a trip to the farm it was! PapaJoe and Mama Hazel hadn't seen Liam since the first week he was born and it was special spending time together with them as family.

Many families are blessed with just one set of fantastic grandparents but we have two. The love that the Lake's have for me and the encouragement they give me gives me strength and joy. They are so much fun and Liam definitely enjoys their lovin'!

Also, Uncle Johnny, Aunt Lisa and the twins (Cousin Joe & Cousin Shannon) stopped by Saturday night and we had a mini-reunion. I had a blast seeing how much Shannon and Joseph have grown - they are 4 months older than Liam, also, Papa Joe taught me how to drive the John Deere tractor! That is a dream come true for this city slicker. Next time on the farm I can put my hand to work.

We are looking forward to take the I-30 trail back up to Arkansas again soon.

Hittin' the Trail to See Aunt Stephanie & The Thorntons

2007-04-25T18:55:00.000-06:00

We spent this past Sunday hanging out at Scott and Dori Thornton's house. We popped by to see Aunt Stephanie who hadn't seen Liam yet. She was in town with her youngins Jonathan and Lauren. Liam had a blast seeing other kids and visiting with Aunt Stephanie, Dori and Riley (Dori and Scott's cute daughter - note butterfly face).
As you can tell, in the last several photos of Liam, he is holding his head-up incredibly well. When you hold him he is looking side to side to check out his surroundings.
My favorite moment yet is when he smiled 3-4 times at me on Tuesday morning. He smiled at me as if to say, "Hey, Dad. I know its you." Wow.
We are thankful to the Thorntons for their great hospitality and friendship.

Ponderosa Update - He Keeps Getting Cuter

2007-04-21T13:05:00.000-06:00

Baby Bootcamp - Taming a 'lil Bronco Buster

2007-04-10T15:35:00.000-06:00

I snuck this picture of Alicia as I was taking pictures of Liam in his Easter outfit.
This photo is completely un-posed but is an often sight on the Ponderosa.
I am amazed at Alicia's resilience (she is breastfeeding 99% of the time), tenderness, determination and strength. I am incredibly proud of her and her awesome work as Mommy.
I am sure this is not the only photo of a Mom who has the "thousand yard stare".

Aunt Katy Rides into Town

2007-04-09T21:36:00.000-06:00

Aunt Katy came down from Chicago this past Friday and spent the night at the Ponderosa.

It was special having her there. It was her first time to meet Liam and he thought she was one cool Cowgirl.

She is definitely an all-star - she changed several diapers, held him for hours and fell in-love with him just like us.

Katy is welcome by our fire anytime. Love ya sis.

They Call Me "The Streak"

2007-04-01T22:28:00.000-06:00

Here are some pics we took of Liam today in all of his birthday suit glory!
Using white sheets is definitley an adventure: Liam successfully launched a direct hit that required some cleaning.

First Weekend at the Lake

2007-04-01T22:19:00.000-06:00

We left the 'Rosa this weekend and headed over to Graford, TX to spend a day at the lake with the kin-folk and relax. This was Liam's first road trip and he did great sitting in the back of the wagon with Mama.
We had some adventures while there - we went for a ride on the Mule, hiked up to a spring-fed water pool, watched goats, slept and then slept some more.
The weather was excellent and we had a blast kicking-up our boots and relaxing.

Three Weeks on the Range

2007-03-29T21:54:00.000-06:00

We are celebrating 3 weeks with Liam! He has put on some weight ( he is now 7lbs. 1 oz.), he is making fun noises and our father/Son time is highlighted by staring contests.
The trail keeps getting more beautiful as we move on.

The Kin-folk visit the Ponderosa !

2007-03-22T18:12:00.002-06:00

Aunt Diana Rides into Town

2007-03-22T18:12:00.001-06:00

Aunt Diana and Nita Kay were in-town for Market and decided to pop-by and see the little guy. What special friends they are to pay homage to the 'lil bronco buster. We look forward to heading up to Conway to see them soon!

Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and more...

2007-03-22T18:12:00.000-06:00

Last week we had our first trip to the city to visit Dr. Shouse Medicine woman. He checked out a-okay. There were a few tears shed when they gave him a shot and took some blood by pricking his heel but he cowboy'd up perty good.
Here are some pics from his first check-up.

Bosom Buddies - Liam hangs with George

2007-03-17T17:11:00.000-06:00

Shareece Rowland (newest inductee into the famed "Boobah Brigade") popped-by today with her newest edition, George.
Liam and George had a great time. They played some basketball, arm wrestled and talked politics (they like Guiliani because he is bald like them).
Many thanks to Shareece and George for visiting the Ponderosa and bringing a chuck wagon full of food for the Orenders.

Doc Riegel - one good medicine man

2007-03-16T11:34:00.000-06:00

We had our first field trip yesterday as a family. Me, Liam, Mom and Mama Hazel went to town to run some errands - you know the usual - see the doctor, pay a parking ticket at the courthouse. Yes, the first place we took my son was the Irving Courts to pay a parking ticket. He was asleep so I don't think he saw where we were.

On a better note, we went to see Dr. Riegel who is our O.B. . Little plug here for doc - he is phenomenal and a great person to be around. His reputation is fantastic (he is a Deacon at Prestonwood Church) and is completely dedicated to his patients. Alicia was glad to have him as her doctor. At his office there was a magazine that featured him and a patient of his who had quadruplets - get this - they became pregnant with them 5 months after they had thier first - they had NO fertility help and they were ON the pill. This puts the odds of this birth happening at 1 in 55,000,000!
One thing that I wanted to make sure of was to get a picture of Liam and Dr. Riegel for posterity. He was the first hand to welcome our little man into the world and he took excellent care in making Alicia's c-section an easy and non-complicative procedure.

Storkvision & Daddyvision

2007-03-15T05:41:00.000-06:00

Looks as if the 4-D Sonogram we did back in January was spot-on. You can see the lips, nose and shape of his eyes. Liam still likes to lay his hands next to his head. The only difference is that he has more space so his foot isn't smashed up his nose!
Right here I am going to plug Storkvision in Frisco, TX. They do an excellent job and this service is reasonalby priced - $175 for 45 minute session + they give you a DVD and slideshow CD of the real-time picture. If you are expecting it is definitely worth it. We did ours because Dr.Reigle had originally said boy then he said girl. Well, we needed to know if we were having a Colt or a Mare so we could set the room up right. The first picture on the screen in 4-D was of Liam's manhood. Case closed.

Facing Fatherhood

2007-03-14T19:24:00.001-06:00

Parenting 101: Be thankful that you had great parents.

Experiencing fatherhood is more exciting knowing that I have a great imprint on my mind what a good father is. I think of the many things that my Dad has done and is for me:
- Writing 21 notes to me, one for every year of my life, and giving them to me as a gift when I turned 21. Have you ever seen a 21 year old cry?
- When riding in the car together he always had wisdom to share with me about life. He never told me not to do something I shouldn't but rather he showed me what was great about avoiding bad choices.
- Investing in my spiritual life - Kanakuk, Trinity Christian Academy, Always on the front row at church every Sunday, seeing him memorize bible versus at home, seeing him serve the poor, praying over me, sharing who Christ is with me when I was young (yep, I remember).
- Burned Cork face painting
- Allowing me fail so that I could succeed
- Playing Tennis (I have never beat him)
- Teaching me to have a positive attitude that encourages others
- Playing basketball with me at night and helping me get better.
- Indian Guides
- Fishing/Hunting Trips - great laughs, sites and memories
- Helping me understand sacrifice
- Showing me what it is to love your wife

There are 34 years of memories I could write but this is good for now.
I do not look at fatherhood with concern or timidity but with fervor and joy.
This is what a great father gives his son.

The Family in Black & White

2007-03-14T19:24:00.000-06:00

"Charge of the Boobah Brigade"

2007-03-14T12:27:00.000-06:00

warning: unless you are over the age of 60 or your father exposed you to
Errol Flynn movies you will not get the humor of this post's title.

Yesterday was a fun one for the Posse. We had a visit from
Gram, Aunt Mary and Aunt Dixie. Mary and Dixie are in
town for the Dallas Market and decided to come by the
homestead to take a look at the lil Ranger.
While they were here the "Boobah Brigade" helped, well
not helped, but rather organized all the dry goods we had
bought down at Kroger's General Store. It is nice to have
the Ponderosa Pantry organized and in working order.
Cheers to the "Boobah Brigade" and their selfless help!

Baby Yoga - Liam likes to stretch like his Grandad

2007-03-14T02:22:00.001-06:00

Babies are indeed flexible but these pictures make my knees,
hips and ankles hurt.
Alicia and I were laughing hard because he looks just like my
Dad (Grandpa Bill) stretching.
If any of you know my Dad, he is know to get up and stretch
either at home or the office in the middle of conversation!

Boobah Gun .... don't leave the hospital without one!

2007-03-14T02:22:00.000-06:00

Technology is impressive in many forms but I never would have thought that breast pumps could be so incredible. Also, I realized that I am naive when it comes to the reasons for using them - ie. keeping the mom pain free!
To your left you have the Medela 350 Compact Pump with newly patented Side Air Injection - also known as the Boobah 3000. This little machine is fantastic. Much thanks to the McCroskey's for donating this little guy. He is sure to make happy times for Alicia and I for months to come.

The Barn Buffet is Open for Business !

2007-03-12T18:35:00.001-06:00

Below is Alicia's barn where all the magic happens. Our first night was a fun one. The relaxation of being home is tremendous. I got to cook dinner (yes, you may gasp in amazment) - spaghetti, toasted bread and corn on the cobb. All prepared in restaurant fashion.

About 12:30 Alicia became exhausted. She fell asleep on the couch waiting for Liam to feed - she only had 1 hr of rest at the time. Actually, I don't know if she was exhausted or just despondent because we watched the Mavericks get blown out by 30 pts to Golden State. She loves her Mavs.

As for me, I was there with her through both early morning feeds. However, I crashed and slept for about 6 hours. What a gift to me. When I got up Alicia was running around, smiling - just full of joy an excitement.

Like my Dad says..."You ain't man enough to be a woman."

I couldn't agree more.

Headed to the Ponderosa

2007-03-12T18:35:00.000-06:00

Alicia and I were very much looking forward to heading home. Unfortunately we had to stay 7 more hours at the hospital because Liams temperature had dropped. Liam is one skinny kiddo and needs to be swaddled in expert fashion. For some reason he was on the cool side but late in the afternoon we were given the green light to hit the trail to head west toward the sunset....and home! Here are some pics of the last early morning and trip home.

Parents that are GRAND !

2007-03-11T19:52:00.000-06:00

One of the fun aspects about having a great family is knowing how blessed our son is going to be by his grandparents. We can envision Liam on a tractor with PapaJoe in Arkansas on the farm, playing golf with Grandad, sitting on the porch laughing with MayMa Hazel and chasing the dogs with Gram. What great examples and love will be given by our parents.

Tip Toe - Cowboy Snoozin'

2007-03-11T19:46:00.000-06:00

Liam, like all babies, is cute enough to give you an "errrrr" attack when you see him. This kid is blessed with the ability to sleep anywhere at anytime no matter what is going on around him. Hmmmm.....reminds me a lot of like Alicia. She can be a world class sleeper when need be! This cowboy can drift off with the best of 'em.

Here are a few of our favorite sleeping moments so far.

Special Friends that Made Special Trips!

2007-03-11T17:42:00.000-06:00

How special friends are. Thank you to friends and family who made the trip to see us.

- Ola & John Hawks (Conway, AR)

- Rick & Ginger Rogers

- Judy Tolleson

- Yvonne Brumfield

- Bailey Grissom (Conway, AR)

- Diana Grissom (Conway, AR)

- Shareece Rowland
- Aunt MaryAnne Maurer

- Brad & Shareece Rowland
- Mike & Renee Davidson
- Matt, Jennifer & Oliver Winebrenner

- Beth & Bob Ghermann

-Stephanie Tuttle

-Megan, Kennedy, & Sherri Williams

First Family Portrait

2007-03-11T10:56:00.000-06:00

As I was working on naming my photos to help organize them I noticed something incredible..... In the pictures I was naming myself "Dad".
Wow. To be called Daddy and to be a father makes me swell with pride and joy.

There are many titles we will recieve in life - friend, minister, hunter, believer - but so far, to me, "Dad" is going to be the most exciting next to Child of God.

The Real McCoy has Arrived - William Joseph Orender !

2007-03-08T14:32:00.000-06:00

The Pre-Game Countdown

2007-03-07T16:46:00.000-06:00

The excitement, emotion and craziness are gaining momentum!
Alicia and I are running around town today putting together the final touches for the baby room and getting ready for her c-section.
We went to Presby today, filled out a ton of paperwork signing away my birthright and giving blood - well, at least Alicia did.
We will be at the hospital at 5:30 in the morning for the pre-game speech and to get suited up. Finally, all my expertise from watching "ER" will pay-off. If the doctors have any challenges I will be there to back them up.

Mark your Calendars for March 8th!

2007-03-04T13:13:00.000-06:00

We bring great news that Liam will finally be making his grand entrance!
Alicia talked to Dr. Reigal last week and he said that we could do a c-section on the 8th. We tried to do it on the 7th which is Connor's birthday but unfortunately doc is going to be out of town.
Alicia is definitely ready for lil buddy to be on the outside of her rib cage rather than kick it from within. We are excited about this coming Thursday in the form of pre-game anticipation.
This is a special and memorable time in our lives. It is fun for me to reminice of the times I thought of when I would be a father and what day that would be.
The 8th is going to be a blessed day in my book of days.

Dallas Baby Shower

2007-02-19T17:55:00.000-06:00

We would like to thank those who attended the shower last weekend. The fellowship and the gifts were fantastic as was the fun baby decor - - thank you Julie!

How we told our Parents we were Pregnant...

2007-02-11T15:26:00.001-06:00

We are always giving the folks pictures because we enjoy them. In-order to tell them about our pregnancy we took a picture of us in our flip-flops, an empty flip flops along with our birthday dates. We framed the picture and while at our family reunion we took Patrick's mom and dad aside and showed them the picture.

At first, Carol didn't get it and then her face lit up, she said "Really? Really! You are having a baby!". How exciting it is to share the joy of a new life.

Baby Liam in 4-D

2007-02-11T15:26:00.000-06:00

We went a few weeks back to have a 4-D Sonogram at Storkvision in Frisco. It was unbelievable! We saw little Liam for the first time - his lips, cute feet, arms and eyes. What a blessing it is to see him before his official arrival.

Arkansas Baby Shower

2007-02-11T11:52:00.000-06:00

We rounded up Alicia's Arkansas gang in Frisco for a baby shower.
In attendance were great friends, from left to right, Della Burrow, Sherry Williams, Graciela Garcia, Hazel Lake, Carol Orender, Diana Grissom, Stephanie Hawks, Dory Thorton, Erin McCroskey, Trina Abraham, Alicia Orender and Amy Fechelkotter.

We had a blast sitting around a fire, telling stories and laughing 'til we cried. After a fun dinner at Campisi's we opened wonderful gifts that will be a delight to us and Liam. Thank you to all who sacrificed, traveled and shared in this great day!

It's a Boy!

2007-02-09T09:08:00.000-06:00

Alicia and I found out in October that we were going to have a boy. We wrapped Alicia in "It's a Boy!" ribbon to surprise them.