Welcoming Joel Matthew Hynds

We are now a family of 5, with three boys!  Joel Matthew Hynds was born on Wednesday, June 12 at 5:17 p.m., 21.5 inches long and 8 lbs. 10 oz.  He is doing well, and we are all adjusting well to our new life as a family of 5.  Here are a few of my favorite pictures of Joel's first two weeks, with more to come on Facebook.

Nathan's First Three Months

Believe it or not, Nathan turned three months old last week.  It was an exciting summer for the newest member of our family.  We took Noah's picture next to a Pooh doll every month during his first year, and we've done the same for Nathan.  Nathan's change from month to month is amazing.

Here's a look at Nathan over the past few months:

Here is the first month.  "Look at all that hair!"  That is the most common reaction when people see him, and we love it.

Then, the second month:

He grew up a little bit here and could keep his eyes open long enough to let me take a picture.  Finally, the third month:

He's actually starting to sit up a little bit now, and has really filled out.  He was a pound smaller than Noah at birth, but has caught up significantly, and we think he'll be a big kid.

Some of Nathan's highlights this summer were a trip to Myrtle Beach with family, as well as the State Fair.  We also spent a lot of time visiting friends and family, and took many trips to the park (at least when the heat index was not above 100).

Nathan is doing a lot of smiling, and even has started laughing.  He has a funny laugh.  Overall, he's a very smiley kid.  One thing that I think is pretty funny is that he usually has a big smile when you change him..  I find it funny that he enjoys such a thing.  I don't see him maintaining that enthusiasm for diaper changes when he gets older.

We're also starting to hear more noises from Nathan.  They are mostly excited and happy noises, although he occasionally lets out a big cry of frustration.  He is certainly getting more animated.

Noah has enjoyed being a big brother.  One of Noah's favorite things to do is hold Nathan on the couch.  Noah also likes to give hugs and kisses, and is a pretty good big brother overall.  I joke that Noah is a passive hugger; he hugs Nathan by just lowering his head on Nathan's chest.

This was a fun summer with our two boys, and we can't wait to see what is next!

Adventures in Diaper Changing

Chances are that I am not the only man who spent a small part of his 30th birthday changing his one-month-old's diaper.

However, I assume fewer men did this on the floor of their church's nursery.

I imagine even fewer men then had to use their right hand to stop the fountain from spraying from the one-month-old.

I guess even fewer men then heard the sound of something coming out of the other direction.

Well, that was exactly what happened on Sunday.  Thanks to all who helped out with the cleanup!

By the way, most of you know that I attend a church that meets in a movie theater.  I promise you that all of this took place on a blanket, and you do not need to worry about this the next time you go there to see a movie.

Noah's Silly Hat

A while back, I posted about the hats that we tried on at Stan's Idle Hour in Goodland, FL.  You can relive the memories here.  I was absent-minded and forgot to include a picture of the hat that Noah tried on, so here it is.  Enjoy!

Noah's New Diet?

The following is an actual conversation at dinnertime the other night:

Noah: Whatchu eating, Daddy?
Me: I'm eating chicken tetrazzini.  What are you eating?
Noah: Pine cones.

He went on to mention eating pine cones two more times that evening.  For the record, Noah also had chicken tetrazzini.  You can rest assured that we will never make our children eat pine cones for dinner, no matter how much they beg.

Welcome Nathan Thomas Hynds

We are pleased to announce that our second son, Nathan Thomas Hynds, was born at 11:09 a.m. on May 21, 2011, weighing 8 lbs., 4 oz. and 21 inches long.  It was a very fast delivery (he was born less than two hours after we arrived at the hospital), and both he and Angie are doing well.

Here are a few pictures of his first week.  There are many more on my Facebook page as well.  Our larger family is doing very well!

Yard Waste Quiz Time!

Here's today's multiple-choice question.

Over the past three weeks, how many bags of yard waste have I taken to the curb?

A) 2
B) 7
C) 17
D) 34

The first person with the correct answer wins fame and fortune!

I'll Take "Words That Noah Mispronounces" for $400, Alex

Okay, here's your clue:

When Noah says misagotti, he is really saying this word.

The first person to chime in with the correct answer wins a gold star!

Stan's Idle Hour

During our recent trip to Florida with Bill and Linda, we took a visit to Stan’s Idle Hour in Goodland on New Year’s Eve. It is a quirky waterside restaurant, complete with a gift shop, and has become quite the tourist attraction. Every year, Stan’s hosts the annual Goodland Mullet Festival.


I can’t remember what I ate, but I thnk it was fried catfish.  Anyway, I thought it was good, but the best part of the trip had to be the gift shop. They sell a lot of wigs there. I took the opportunity to do my best Guy Fieri impersonation in this shot.  Notice the sunglasses on the back of my head.

Bill and Linda also tried on several wigs, but I decided to leave those pictures out of the blog for several reasons. Let’s just say that the 2012 Austin Family calendar will have some great pictures.

If you are in Southwest Florida, a meal at Stan’s is worth the trip. You will remember the experience even more than the food.

Adventures in Self-Defense

Today was Professional Development Day at Richland.  The theme for the day was about student and employee safety.  For one of the breakout sessions, we had one of six choices.  I chose the one about self-defense, mainly because there was going to be a martial arts instructor there, and I wanted to learn what to do if a student were to go after me in a classroom.  However, he wasn't able to make it, so the entire presentation was from the Police Department, and I discovered that it was mainly about what to do if you are attacked in public.

Well, I was expecting the presentation to be about what to do if you are randomly attacked in a classroom, but instead it was about things such as how to use pepper spray to fend off an attacker, and taking preventive steps such as storing your purse in a car.  I then turned around and found that I was the only man in the room, with about 12 other women present.

On the plus side, I learned that it's best to leave my purse at home and take only my ID and a debit card when shopping, and to leave it in a money clip in my pocket so that thieves don't try to steal my purse.

In the end, it was not one of my prouder moments in my time at Richland.

Thank you!

I'd like to offer a BIG thank-you to Angie's aunt Jenny for coming down and helping paint all day, to Hannah Osborne for watching Noah today, and to my parents for picking Noah up and staying with him for a few hours while we finished. I'd also like to thank Angie and Jenny for painting all day while I just put up painter's tape. They don't care for taping, and I don't mind getting out of painting, so it's all good. We would be up to our necks in housework if it weren't for all of our friends and family!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody.  One of the happiest days of my life was the day that I met Angie.  She is the most wonderful wife, and such a great mother.  I am so happy and blessed to have her in my life.  We will be celebrating five years of marriage later this year, which is so exciting.  I love you, Angie.

Fun Times at the Manatee Park

Here is the first of what I hope will be many blog entries about our recent trip to visit Angie's parents Bill and Linda at their winter home in sunny Florida.  On our first day there, we went over to the Manatee Park, located near Fort Myers.  This park is located near a power plant, and the warm water near the plant provides the manatees a place to go when temperatures cool down.  There had been a cool spell right before we arrived in late December, so the place was full of manatees.

Here are a few fun pictures we took at the park:

Here, Noah is gently reminding us not to feed the alligators.  Contrast this to a picture taken at the same spot the previous March:

I also like this self-portrait we took back in the nature trail.  Angie is quite adept at self-portraits.

Finally, here are a couple of pictures that we took near the big manatee statue.

As you can see, we enjoy taking pictures near large, inanimate objects (see here, here, here, and here).

This is a great place to spend a short while if you are in the area, especially if there is cool weather.  Along with watching manatees, they have a butterfly garden, picnic areas, and a playground for the little ones.  It is also very affordable - all you have to pay for is parking at $1/hour.

This was just the beginning of a great trip, and I thank Bill and Linda for bringing us down.

Some Interesting Observations From Noah

There are a ton of things that I want to write on this blog when I have the time, but here are a few quick ones about Noah from the past week:

1) When we got home from vacation earlier this month, Noah looked at our two cats and said, "Hi Daphne, Hi Big Striker."  Suddenly, he was calling Striker "Big Striker."  We don't know when Noah learned the concept of "big."  In fairness, Striker is about twice as big as Daphne.  Noah also calls me "Big Dada" from time to time.

2) We were at Wal-Mart last week when we bought some Christmas candy canes from the clearance rack.  Noah really wanted to open the package.  I said, "we have to buy it first."  Noah must have thought I said "we have to bite it," because he began biting the package, and he wouldn't stop.  He was determined to eat those candy canes in the store.

3) Finally, Noah likes anise seed cookies.  I think everyone on my mom's side of the family needs to be made aware of that.

Every day is a fun adventure with Noah, that's for sure.

Operation Christmas Child

I thought I would finally end my eight-month blog hiatus to promote a good cause. This month, Operation Christmas Child will be collecting shoeboxes of gifts to send to needy children in every corner of the world. This is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, a great organization that seeks to help those in need throughout the world, bringing people out of hopeless situations and into a relationship with Christ. You can see the work they do by clicking here. One of the biggest undertakings lately has been the relief efforts in Haiti, where they will stay for as long as it takes to get everyone back on their feet again.


Operation Christmas Child is of the biggest events held each year. It requires little effort on our part. All you have to do is take a shoebox and fill it with small gifts. It does not have to be wrapped. Angie and I have done this for the past few years, and it has not been a financial burden at all. I recommend finding a dollar store or toy store and you should find more than enough.

The national collection week is November 15-22, 2010. You can look here for a place in your area that is picking up shoeboxes.  You also can give online if you're having a busy week.

Let’s face it – even during times of high unemployment, this is still the most prosperous nation in the world. We can help share this wealth with others by doing such a simple act. It is also a great way to get in the holiday spirit, and to start the holiday season with goodwill.

Today's Parenting Tip

Here's today's parenting tip:

If you are holding your one-year old son in your arms, and he's not wearing any clothes because he's about to take his bath, then the worst possible thing you can do is make him laugh hysterically.

Today's parenting tip was brought to you by Pampers.  Contain those leaks with Pampers!

Julie & Julia

A little while back, Angie and I watched Julie & Julia on DVD.  I really enjoyed it, mainly because the main character is blogging about how she is trying all of Julia Child's recipes, and she is using it as an escape from her job.  I love writing, and I like the idea of somebody looking at a bad situation, and then doing something about it.  I wish more of us could do that.  It also had a lot of funny parts, and the historical backdrop of Julia Child's story is fascinating to watch.  Overall, it is a movie that I would recommend, both for the ladies and the fellas.

This movie also reminds me of an interesting conversation that I had back in December.  We bought this movie for each of my grandparents for Christmas.  Before buying it online, I wanted to check if Wal-Mart had the same price, so I made a phone call.  Here is a transcript of the conversation:

Wal-Mart associate: Welcome to Wal-Mart.  How can I direct your call?
Me: I'm calling about the price of a DVD.
Wal-Mart associate: WHAT?!?
Me: Electronics, please.
Wal-Mart: Okay, please hold.
Electronics associate: Electronics.
Me: I would like to know the price of Julie & Julia on DVD.
Electronics associate: Julian & Juliet?
Me: No, it's Julie & Julia.
Electronics associate: Julian & Julia?
Me: Yes, that's the one.
Electronics associate: Yeah, we have that.  It's $10.99.

Anyway, I do recommend the movie, and now when you watch it, you get to be inspired and you get to remember my funny and random conversation.

Noah's First Haircut

Here are some pictures of Noah's first haircut.  Noah had his hair cut at Angie's House of Haircuts, located in the upstairs bathroom of our house.  In fact, I just had my hair cut there, and it's a place that I highly recommend.  Noah mostly sat still, and was a good boy during the haircut.  He certainly looks less like a baby and more like a young boy.

Noah's First Year

Noah is now one year old. We celebrated his birthday last week with a big party with friends and family. The party had a jungle theme, since his room is decorated that way, and he always holds his stuffed lion when he goes to bed. You should see the excitement on his face when he is in his crib and you give him his lion. Angie made a cupcake cake of a lion. The cake looked amazing and was delicious. We had more food than we knew what to do with, and it was a great time.

It is amazing to think that my son is now a year old. Every day is a new discovery. He certainly has a lot of personality. He really is becoming less of a baby and more of a boy.

Noah had his one-year checkup this week, and he remains off the charts in height and pretty close to the top in weight. As we expected, he’s going to be a big guy.

In child development news, Noah has been crawling for about three months now. It began as an “army crawl,” but has progressed to a full crawl. He enjoys crawling, and he can’t stay in one place for a long period of time. He is always on the move. At first, he liked to go into his bedroom and pull every book off of the bookshelf. He later got over that, and now he is all about taking every toy out of the closet. He will stand on his own from time to time, and likes to climb up people when they are seated.

Noah loves cabinets, as well as anything with a knob or button. We have had to latch the cabinets shut, except for a couple of cabinets with pots and pans. When he gets tired, he really wants to get in the cabinets, and gets upset if you take him away from there. We have to keep the bathroom closed, because Noah will immediately crawl there and take everything out of the drawers.

Noah learned a couple of signs recently. A while back, he learned the sign for “more,” and he took off with it. Around the same time, we taught him to clap, so now he claps for “more” when he’s eating. Well, he didn’t stop there. Now, he claps when he wants a drink, and he claps when he wants you to read a book to him. The sign for “more” turned into a general request for anything.

Another new sign recently learned is “eat.” Normally, you put your fingers to a point and point to your mouth. His version is to tilt his head and then put the palm of his hand on his mouth. When it’s time to eat, we say “Do you want to eat?” and he does that sign. Then, I can pick him up without him getting upset, because we all know that he is always excited to eat.

We read to Noah as often as we can, and it must catch on. Now, he has a few favorite books. When he finds a favorite book, he will show it to one of us and yell some one-syllable sound. This means we need to read to him. Often, when we are in the middle of a book, he will find another book and immediately want the next one to be read. (Once again, he can’t sit still.)

Babbling is still constant. He often yells out “da-da-da-da” or “dee-dee-dee-dee,” as well as “nah-nah-nah.” He learned something this week that is pretty funny; whenever either of us is on the phone, he will wait until we hang up and then yell three or four syllables very loudly. One of my favorite things that he does now is yell “Ayyyyyy” whenever I come home from work. It reminds me of the Fonz.

It gets harder to list every single thing that Noah does, because he is always changing. The first year was a blast, and I look forward to more great times ahead.

A Few Months of Noah Pictures

So, I forgot to post Noah's monthly picture with Noah back in January.  And in December.  And in November.  Whoops!  Here are Noah's last three monthly pictures.

Here is Noah's nine-month picture.  He's wearing his Disney outfit that his grandparents got him when they visited Disney World.

Next, we have Noah's ten-month picture.  Notice the Christmas pillows in the background.

Finally, we have his 11-month picture.  I didn't expect him to be as big as Pooh by this point, but that's where we are.

Noah's big 1st birthday is coming up this coming Monday, February 22, and we can't wait.  Stay tuned for the one-year picture, along with a whole lot of updates.  He seems to be doing something new every day.