Zachary is now 5 months old. He is a wonderfully, smiley, little baby. But, he still demands all of my attention from the minute I get home to the minute I leave for work again. But how can I get frustrated when he smiles at me like that?
Dylan is such a big boy. He loves his little brother and is a very good big brother to him. However, Dylan has learned from Zachary, that the only way to get any Mommy time, he has to cry for it. So, when Zach is monopolizing Mommy's time, Dylan will cry. At which point Mommy hands Zach to Daddy and Dylan gets Mommy for about 5 minutes until Zach realizes he's been had.
So this morning Dylan wakes up mere minutes before my alarm goes off (5.27am) crying for me. He has had a bad dream. So I tuck him into bed with Daddy & Zach and head off for the shower. After my morning bathroom ritual, I sneak downstairs (well aware that Dylan is still awake) for a quiet cup of coffee. It is now 5.50am. I barely get a coffee cup down when I hear two crying baby's. Upstairs I head because I know Joel doesn't do well being woken up like this.
So much for my quiet cup of coffee by myself. Both kids are up and now that I've been spotted, both are vying for Mommy Time.
I think Joel has become used to not getting any Mommy Time. He's adapted well. I however, have not. I know that as they get older, the kids will want nothing to do with us and I will have all the time in the world to be by myself. But will I live to see it? Right now I'm sitting at my desk with my head pounding because I can't remember the last time I had any down time.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
On taking a nap
Dylan, or should I say No Napping Nate, has developed a number of tactics to prevent naps. Quite frankly I've had about enough. He will do any one of the following and most of the time results in a winning combination. (Thus, I don't get anytime to myself.) Zachary is currently sleeping, and during this part of the day is my favorite by a large margin say....from here to the moon.
It starts with a request for toys in bed. A reminder that I didn't turn on the music. He wants his fan on. Needs to be tucked in again. I have to go potty(peepee). I return each time asking him to lay down, close your eyes and go to sleep. I'm taking the toy away. I check again and he's laying on his belly reading a book (in his bed), I can't get too angry or frustrated with this. So, I let him finish the book and then take it away...and every time, trying very hard to remain calm, I repeat lay down, close your eyes and go to sleep. Next, it's I have to go poopy. (Which entails going downstairs with a book in hand and sitting on the potty for a ridiculously long time. 50% of the time he doesn't go but uses it as another opportunity to look at a book.) We return to his bedroom and I repeat my mantra. Lay down, close your eyes and go to sleep. By this time, I'm starting to get sleepy from saying this damn phrase so often. Finally, and usually after I'm convinced that he's either never going to take a nap or I've just chosen to ignore his movements, he either falls asleep or I have to enact the stay-in-your-room until Zachary wakes up command. And if I'm lucky this will last for 15 minutes.... giving me enough time to go to the bathroom, alone.
Me-mornings are great. afternoons can be trying. night time is exhausting.
Tricia - work is an escape but challenging. home is demanding. sleep is intermittent.
Dylan - Breakfast before Sid the Science kid is a bad policy. Pre-school is fun and naps are unnecessary. I want my mommy.
Zachary - I'm Happy! Mommy, Mommy! Every thing's too far away and I want my MOMMY!
It starts with a request for toys in bed. A reminder that I didn't turn on the music. He wants his fan on. Needs to be tucked in again. I have to go potty(peepee). I return each time asking him to lay down, close your eyes and go to sleep. I'm taking the toy away. I check again and he's laying on his belly reading a book (in his bed), I can't get too angry or frustrated with this. So, I let him finish the book and then take it away...and every time, trying very hard to remain calm, I repeat lay down, close your eyes and go to sleep. Next, it's I have to go poopy. (Which entails going downstairs with a book in hand and sitting on the potty for a ridiculously long time. 50% of the time he doesn't go but uses it as another opportunity to look at a book.) We return to his bedroom and I repeat my mantra. Lay down, close your eyes and go to sleep. By this time, I'm starting to get sleepy from saying this damn phrase so often. Finally, and usually after I'm convinced that he's either never going to take a nap or I've just chosen to ignore his movements, he either falls asleep or I have to enact the stay-in-your-room until Zachary wakes up command. And if I'm lucky this will last for 15 minutes.... giving me enough time to go to the bathroom, alone.
Me-mornings are great. afternoons can be trying. night time is exhausting.
Tricia - work is an escape but challenging. home is demanding. sleep is intermittent.
Dylan - Breakfast before Sid the Science kid is a bad policy. Pre-school is fun and naps are unnecessary. I want my mommy.
Zachary - I'm Happy! Mommy, Mommy! Every thing's too far away and I want my MOMMY!
Monday, September 29, 2008
If you've got so much time.....write your own blog
Whenever it takes me a few days (this time it was 10days) to post new pictures to the blog, I get a few (two to three this time) messages from friends and family about the need for new pictures. I have a suggestion. Take your own pictures and write your own commentary. I have a hard enough time finding clean cloths and remembering if I spend anytime in a shower on any given day.
Updates-
Dylan is finding naptime increasingly inconvenient. I view his attitude towards naps as very inconvenient. So what gives? He usually falls asleep later in the afternoon and 1 out of the last three times he slept from 4ish until the next morning. Last night he woke up 7ish, drank some juice and went to bed. (he went peepee before going to bed) At 3am I woke up with him next to me (I don't remember when he got in bed) soaked in pee. So, we got up washed him up. He slept in his bed. I slept on the floor. I hardly think this is fair. But I'd be more delusional than I am if I expected raising children to be fair. It's amazing, exhausting, and not fair.
Zachary loves to smile. At everyone. Including but not limited to me, Tricia, jj, Dylan, strange homeless people named Kevin that won't stop talking to us while we eat our lunch, Megan, Sandy, and anyone he's never seen before but looks in his general direction.
Me - My shoulder hurts from sleeping on the floor next to Dylan's bed. I'm sure it could have been worse. But I have to complain about something. Zach's crying to be held. Hope to read your blogs soon.
Updates-
Dylan is finding naptime increasingly inconvenient. I view his attitude towards naps as very inconvenient. So what gives? He usually falls asleep later in the afternoon and 1 out of the last three times he slept from 4ish until the next morning. Last night he woke up 7ish, drank some juice and went to bed. (he went peepee before going to bed) At 3am I woke up with him next to me (I don't remember when he got in bed) soaked in pee. So, we got up washed him up. He slept in his bed. I slept on the floor. I hardly think this is fair. But I'd be more delusional than I am if I expected raising children to be fair. It's amazing, exhausting, and not fair.
Zachary loves to smile. At everyone. Including but not limited to me, Tricia, jj, Dylan, strange homeless people named Kevin that won't stop talking to us while we eat our lunch, Megan, Sandy, and anyone he's never seen before but looks in his general direction.
Me - My shoulder hurts from sleeping on the floor next to Dylan's bed. I'm sure it could have been worse. But I have to complain about something. Zach's crying to be held. Hope to read your blogs soon.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
What's Next?
I have a solution to our government buying out/loaning companies money. Sell our companies to China. They're interested in our debt why not our "real" companies. Hell, they can take our whole economy.
If that doesn't work. Let's just give ourselves a loan and let our children pay it off. Oh, wait a minute that's what we've done.
Can we get some freaking fiscal responsibility? If someone knows where we could buy it; it would be our wisest investment.
Since when does deficit spending make sense. How many companies are engaging in this practice. And how many more need to be managed/bought out/loaned money so that our stock market might rebound in the near future?
I'm dumbfounded and completely annoyed.
Some answers from either one of the potential presidents would be nice. But I'm old enough to know that novel concept won't happen. Instead we'll hear about who's or what's wearing lipstick, whether or not comments are sexiest or racist and see how far the facts can be stretched in political advertising.
Utterly ridiculous.
For Zachary? He's continuing to screech, eat, sleep, laugh. He's begun to giggle when I tickle him. He's rolled over from front to back and back to front but not when he wants to, which is quite frustrating. He's still pooping once a week and that is still Tricia's problem.
For Dylan? He's starting preschool tomorrow. Yes, he's very excited!
For me? My wife. I got to talk with my wife. Even for a two hour period at the Malt House (on Milwaukee street) and thanks Jennifer for watching the kids! I got pants that fit and gave away the ones that didn't. I found my butt...I'm not sure where it went but I have a theory about men over 35 or maybe it was men with children but anyway.....it's that your butt leaves and reappears on the front porch or beer guttial region.
I can't speak for Tricia but I would think the best thing is new clothes!!!!
If that doesn't work. Let's just give ourselves a loan and let our children pay it off. Oh, wait a minute that's what we've done.
Can we get some freaking fiscal responsibility? If someone knows where we could buy it; it would be our wisest investment.
Since when does deficit spending make sense. How many companies are engaging in this practice. And how many more need to be managed/bought out/loaned money so that our stock market might rebound in the near future?
I'm dumbfounded and completely annoyed.
Some answers from either one of the potential presidents would be nice. But I'm old enough to know that novel concept won't happen. Instead we'll hear about who's or what's wearing lipstick, whether or not comments are sexiest or racist and see how far the facts can be stretched in political advertising.
Utterly ridiculous.
For Zachary? He's continuing to screech, eat, sleep, laugh. He's begun to giggle when I tickle him. He's rolled over from front to back and back to front but not when he wants to, which is quite frustrating. He's still pooping once a week and that is still Tricia's problem.
For Dylan? He's starting preschool tomorrow. Yes, he's very excited!
For me? My wife. I got to talk with my wife. Even for a two hour period at the Malt House (on Milwaukee street) and thanks Jennifer for watching the kids! I got pants that fit and gave away the ones that didn't. I found my butt...I'm not sure where it went but I have a theory about men over 35 or maybe it was men with children but anyway.....it's that your butt leaves and reappears on the front porch or beer guttial region.
I can't speak for Tricia but I would think the best thing is new clothes!!!!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
It's September already.
Wow. I really can write and post to this blog. I was beginning to think that there would never again be time in my day for this sort of "me" time.
Edgewood Community Band started up again last night and, again, I'm having a hard time counting my rests through all the time signature changes. It was the first night in 5 months and the first time through the music but I can't help thinking that the music would be easier to play if the composer would stick with a tempo and time signature for at least 10 measures at a time. I think it would be easier for a volunteer band to play and a volunteer crowd to listen to.
Dylan - is a little big boy, because Logan is a big boy, and he routinely talks like a baby and makes up silly words. He just recently used the words actually and suddenly in sentences and can now say the word squirrel along with Puyallup, Washington (although this is not new) and we've been working on nocturnal and sustenance. He will be starting preschool on the 18th and is very excited about it.
Zachary - has displayed his voice. He screeches, screams, and ooo's whenever he thinks about it. He's also waved to me a few times. He likes to eat his hands, grab things and drool. Recently, he as decided that he no longer poops. (I think this is from mommy)
I'd write more but the 3 o'clock feeding is 20 minutes past due and the monster should be stirring soon.
Edgewood Community Band started up again last night and, again, I'm having a hard time counting my rests through all the time signature changes. It was the first night in 5 months and the first time through the music but I can't help thinking that the music would be easier to play if the composer would stick with a tempo and time signature for at least 10 measures at a time. I think it would be easier for a volunteer band to play and a volunteer crowd to listen to.
Dylan - is a little big boy, because Logan is a big boy, and he routinely talks like a baby and makes up silly words. He just recently used the words actually and suddenly in sentences and can now say the word squirrel along with Puyallup, Washington (although this is not new) and we've been working on nocturnal and sustenance. He will be starting preschool on the 18th and is very excited about it.
Zachary - has displayed his voice. He screeches, screams, and ooo's whenever he thinks about it. He's also waved to me a few times. He likes to eat his hands, grab things and drool. Recently, he as decided that he no longer poops. (I think this is from mommy)
I'd write more but the 3 o'clock feeding is 20 minutes past due and the monster should be stirring soon.
Friday, July 25, 2008
An Update.
This month is almost over and I have written nothing but two posts about my camera. (I could write about the gas prices, global climate change, or the upcoming presidental election but those issues don't impact my life on a day to day basis like the health of my camera) It continues to give me the error and I continue to twist and pull to fix it. The pictures are still acceptable so we won't be taking any action as of yet.
Tricia has been back to work for three weeks by the end of today and finally Zachary is falling into a somewhat predictable pattern. He wakes. He eats. I change his diaper. He coos, squirms, and has tummy time. He gets fussy. He goes to sleep, sometimes. And during these sometimes he stays awake and requires holding, rocking in a chair or walking around to assist him into a deeper sleep.
When the predictable behavior happens, I'm able to clean the house, clean myself, make dinner, put out the buffet spread (Lois and Dylan's all-day meal) and complete other household tasks like - playing with Dylan, going to the park, changing Lois's diaper, and writing and posting pictures to these blogs.
Zachary is/and has been sleeping through the night since day 4 of his life. (Please don't send mean spirited comments or you'll be cursed with a non-sleeper.) I know that we've been lucky with Dylan and Zachary
Dylan continues to be a bit more whinny and needy, especially when it comes to mommy-time but we expected that. Overall, he's a great big brother and loves to play with Zachary whether it's touching his body parts and naming them or pretending to eat his toes. The past two mornings, they've watched Sesame Street together laying and sitting side by side on the couch, covered with the same blanket.
Tricia has been back to work for three weeks by the end of today and finally Zachary is falling into a somewhat predictable pattern. He wakes. He eats. I change his diaper. He coos, squirms, and has tummy time. He gets fussy. He goes to sleep, sometimes. And during these sometimes he stays awake and requires holding, rocking in a chair or walking around to assist him into a deeper sleep.
When the predictable behavior happens, I'm able to clean the house, clean myself, make dinner, put out the buffet spread (Lois and Dylan's all-day meal) and complete other household tasks like - playing with Dylan, going to the park, changing Lois's diaper, and writing and posting pictures to these blogs.
Zachary is/and has been sleeping through the night since day 4 of his life. (Please don't send mean spirited comments or you'll be cursed with a non-sleeper.) I know that we've been lucky with Dylan and Zachary
Dylan continues to be a bit more whinny and needy, especially when it comes to mommy-time but we expected that. Overall, he's a great big brother and loves to play with Zachary whether it's touching his body parts and naming them or pretending to eat his toes. The past two mornings, they've watched Sesame Street together laying and sitting side by side on the couch, covered with the same blanket.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Camera - It's fixed...I think.
So the lens had been stuck open and the picture on the LCD screen was very blurry. After a few seconds the camera would beep and LCD would read, lens error, restart camera. When I restarted the camera it would produce the same blurry picture and repeat. This was and sometimes still is my problem. My advice. Don't buy a Canon Powershot CD1000 digital ELPH or any camera that has a lens that telescopes every time you turn it on or off. (That is if you ever plan on taking it out of the container) I will have to preface this by saying, it takes great pictures and I love it but there is a serious design flaw.
Here's what I found when I googled it.....paraphrased of course. After looking on various chat rooms regarding my error message, I've found that I have a few options to explore. Number 1, remove the battery, put it back in and then restart. No dice. Number 2, hit (with moderate force) on a the end where your battery is housed. This didn't work for me but fixed the problem for some people. Number 3 and the winning option, twist and pull(lightly) on the telescoping lens and it with click and all will be better. That is until it gets stuck again, and it has. Great design! A word of caution, don't toggle from camera, to video, to picture review while the camera is on....it makes the lens go in and out, gets stuck and gives this error alot! Number 4, send it to Canon. If a warranty would cover this problem, which it appears by reading these chats that it doesn't, you could send it into Canon. Since I don't have a warranty, I took it apart and looked at it just long enough to realize that I should put it back together. For the record, it's not a good idea. I was able to get it back together and it still works.
So far, no need for a new camera, but I've added it to the budget.
Here's what I found when I googled it.....paraphrased of course. After looking on various chat rooms regarding my error message, I've found that I have a few options to explore. Number 1, remove the battery, put it back in and then restart. No dice. Number 2, hit (with moderate force) on a the end where your battery is housed. This didn't work for me but fixed the problem for some people. Number 3 and the winning option, twist and pull(lightly) on the telescoping lens and it with click and all will be better. That is until it gets stuck again, and it has. Great design! A word of caution, don't toggle from camera, to video, to picture review while the camera is on....it makes the lens go in and out, gets stuck and gives this error alot! Number 4, send it to Canon. If a warranty would cover this problem, which it appears by reading these chats that it doesn't, you could send it into Canon. Since I don't have a warranty, I took it apart and looked at it just long enough to realize that I should put it back together. For the record, it's not a good idea. I was able to get it back together and it still works.
So far, no need for a new camera, but I've added it to the budget.
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