Happy He Is Risen Day!

Yesterday, I said "Let's go to the 8 AM service. We're awake anyway and we can avoid the rush."

Shane is normally up between 5:30 and 6:30 AM. Carrie took our showers after Shane nodded off, so that things would go smoothly if we were lucky and got to sleep until 7:00 AM.

Parenting has emphasized the worth of being prepared.

Shane woke up around 4 AM crying. It wasn't his normal fakey stuff.  I listened for a little bit to see if he could self-soothe, before I acted.  A quick-check later, Shane was snoozing and I was laying down in his room.

I almost got up and wandered back to Carrie and I's room, but I sleepily decided against it. It would be a nice Easter surprise for Carrie if I could let her sleep in. If I was in Shane's room, he would wake her up crying and we could scoot off downstairs to play.

The house did not wake up until 7:50 AM.

Oops.

I must have told Shane "Good Morning!" five different times, but he kept passing back out. Whenever he zonked, I shrugged and said "Me too!" Then I'd zonk out myself for the next 15-20 minutes. He didn't fully rouse until Carrie came in to check on us (Mommy is worth waking up for!).

7:50 AM!!

It's the latest I've known Shane to sleep (and by extension the latest I've slept when he's home!).

We didn't make the 8 AM service, but we did make it to the 9:30 AM. Afterwards, we went to Harris Teeter and Carrie got to satisfy her craving for an Asian Pear roll at the restaurant next door. Shane got his "WAHLGREENS!!!" fix and we played in their toy aisle before practicing our balance on the curbs outside.

It's been a great way to start the day and end spring break.

After nap time, our plan is to go visit my parents, Jama, Kathleen, Stu, and Baby Cole.

Happy Easter 2013 everyone!

Potty Training

We have sorta-kinda begun potty-training with Shane. It started with me trying to get him to empty his bladder before he emptied it in his bathwater. It's progressed to all of the grandparents and us sticking Shane on the pot for diaper changes.Shane can pee on command in a toilet, but I think he more does it for his own amusement than any sense of wanting to be clean.

He also thinks it's quite funny to fart on the pot. That always gets big laughs.

He won't poop in it, though.

Yesterday, I caught Shane as he started to grunt in a corner (By this point in my life, I could recognize his poop face anywhere). I stuck him on the pot and cheered him like a first-time cheerleader. I was into it. Shane passed some gas, but nothing of substance. I strapped his diaper back on and he ran off and pooped in a corner post-haste.

Clearly, this is a work in progress (with a long way to go!).

Once You Pop...

Pop-Pop laughed, "We may have created a monster, but it was fun!"

Pop-Pop came up with a new way for Shane to play today.

Don't worry. It's the recycle bin.

Plus, Shane's sitting in a box (that makes it extra fun for him).

Pop-Pop wheeled Shane up and down the driveway. Shane would shout "THAT WAY!" and they'd be off. At one point, we closed the lid to see if we could run "off road" and surprise Shane with where we ended up.

That's when things got a little crazy.

Pop-Pop and I were standing in the grass in the front yard with a big recycling bin loaded with my son. I said, "Let's wheel him down the sidewalk near the front door."

Pop-Pop said, "Why not take him in?"

My wife's likely reaction flashed to mind.

Pop-Pop grinned.

I grinned.

We wheeled Shane through the front door, down the hallway, and into the kitchen.

I called for Carrie.

The rest is history!

The boys were all smiling as we wheeled the recycling bin back outside. That was when Pop-Pop unleashed his (hopefully not prophetic) 'monster' comment. Shane was livid when we pulled him out to wash his hands.

He got over it when Pop-Pop gave him Cheetos!

New Door

Carrie must be feeling better. She installed a new front door for our house.

It was a busy 'nap time.' I did all the heavy lifting, but Carrie wanted to do some of the chisel work herself.

Here's what it used to look like.

Carrie has wanted to replace our front door since we saw the house. She's never stopped looking. Earlier this week she found the door she wanted for close to half off and pounced on it. Most door installation quotes are for more than I'd like to pay, so my wife came up with a cheap solution.

Carrie inspected the old door frame for rot or any signs of wear and decided it would be fine to pop the old door off its hinges. We had to do a little chiseling to line things up, but we have a functioning front door without spending hundreds on contractors. We replaced the lock and busted knob to make sure we don't get locked out again, as well.

There's still weather stripping, painting, and other odds and ends to do, but it looks great! It lets a ton of light into the entry hallway, too. There were a couple of times I walked by and did a double-take; I thought the front door was open. Nope! The big window means lots of natural light.

My wife must be feeling better to be this productive. She was beaming the rest of the day and saying "We've got a new door!"

Shanese

There are times when I can't understand a word Shane is saying.

He will look me in the eye, say his piece, and I will be absolutely clueless.

It offends him.

Sometimes, I ask "Can you point?" and that solves the issue. Other times, I call for Carrie. She is the leading interpreter in the field of Shanese (like Chinese - only with Shane!). If neither one of us can figure it out, we scratch our heads and try to distract him with something new.

Nana told me that she sometimes tries to repeat back to Shane exactly what she heard.

She also said it pisses him off.

Shane hears it the correct way in his head. When you repeat him it doesn't sound like what he thought he said. It sounds like gibberish (or Shanese!).

It annoys him.

Nana and Pop-pop said this gives them flashbacks of raising me. I would do the EXACT same thing. Jama has a story she likes to tell where I wanted to "JENNA JAME!" (aka "rent a game"). She couldn't understand a word I was saying and I was livid!

Like father, like son!

Hopefully, Shane's speech will get better sooner than mine, or he will find a friend who can translate for him. I had Bill (Dan's brother) growing up and we've been friend ever since.

Actually, I would prefer Shane find a lifelong friend over his speech improving sooner. I'm not worried about him as an adult. Either his speech will get better, or it was not meant to and he will adapt. Life marches on.

In the meantime, I wonder if they teach Shanese at the local college. I need a few lessons!

Speechisms Never End

Shane calls our cars "Black car" and "Prius."

"Prius" sounds very odd when Shane doesn't pronounce the 'r.'  The first time I heard it, I swore I heard an 'n' between the 'i' and 'u.'

"Mommy Prius?"

Snotty Boy

Pollen is in the air.

Shane's been a snot faucet. 

His nose is constantly dripping. 

Shane's okay with the taste, but he's not okay with Daddy using a tissue to wipe down from his upper lip to his chin! You can hear the snot burgling within whenever he coughs. Shane's allergy doctor gave us some meds that we're giving him daily to help.

Shane woke up a little after 5 AM today. He started a fakey-whine so I ignored it for 10-15 minutes until he said my name. I went in and tried to lay down with him, so he'd go back to sleep. Shane's congestion was audible. After twenty minutes of coughing, snot, and Shane trying to sleep I called it quits and brought him downstairs.

It would be easier if Shane would blow his nose. I'm trying to teach him how. He seems to think that I'm trying to torture him, though. He always lets out a whine or protest whenever I say "Blow!" Otherwise, the allergies really don't stop Shane from doing anything. I'll stick him in a steamy shower later to dislodge whatever I can.

On the plus side, I've been able to cut loose. I spent the whole morning farting up a nose-hair-curling storm and it didn't bother my boy in the least! Maybe the allergies are a Daddy-survival strategy for Shane...

Climbing Around

Today, Shane and I went on the hunt for school buses. Shane’s future elementary school only had one parked in the lot, so we drove five minutes down the road to another elementary school that had four buses!

Next, we went to Chic-Fil-A. I had a coupon for a free breakfast entrée, and Nana has told me time and time again about how much Shane enjoys eating breakfast out! Shane got a Bacon, Eggs, and Cheese Biscuits while I had a Spicy Chicken Biscuit*. I had almost forgotten how good the biscuits are there. I used to stop by Chic-Fil-A more often when it was on my commute to work.

But, I digress.

The real fun started after Shane and I ate.

The Chic-Fil-A we were at had a two-story climbing structure with tunnels and a slide. Shane bolted up like he was five! I ditched my shoes and crawled up after him (half expecting a manager to ask me to leave at some point!)

I learned two things: 1) Shane is more than capable of scrambling around and I don’t need to worry about him and 2) play structures are way rougher on knees than in my memories.

Shane loved climbing around. We were up there for half an hour and he refused to leave. I eventually had to shove him to the slide. My friend and roommate at work, Matt, was at school rearranging our classroom. Once I removed Shane from the play area, the two of us dropped by to count school buses, say hi, and run up and down the main hallway.

We were out for three hours, but Shane played hard. I had to roll down the windows to keep him from snoozing on the way home!

*Who am I kidding? I ate half of Shane’s biscuit, too. 

Know Thy Weakness

Despite my previous postings, it would be a lie to say that I am always highly motivated and energized when playing with my son.  No one can be motivated all of the time unless they are unhinged, on some killer meds, or a robot. 

One of my tricks for when I’m running on empty is to take Shane out and about.

It can get really boring sitting at home all day (for Shane and me). New scenery excites the bejeebers out of Shane and helps shake me awake. 

My son is quite the adventurer. Shane is always pointing and saying “THAT WAY!” when we’re in the car. I’m always amazed that he A) knows where we’re going and B) will recognize landmarks and call for “course corrections” to places he wants to visit!

Shane and the Kitties

Shane can produce a "K" sound now! 

More Speechisms

Shane came back from Grandma and Grandpa's asking to see "BOOBIES!!!!"

I took me a few seconds to figure out he meant "Movies."

Nerd Love

I have always had a special nerd love for BattleTech.

I played my first game in 6th grade with Bill and Dan. In 7th grade, I stumbled upon the first BattleTech novel ever written in the school library. I have owned and read well over 60 books of fiction in the universe. I have owned multiple boxed sets and rule books. I have played or owned almost every video game released. My first attempts at fiction were done in the BattleTech universe, because I know so much about it (and they had an easy online submission process). They're here if you're interested. 

There are other series I love, but I don't think there's any other series that has claimed as much of my time and money. The franchise was big enough to have a lot of stuff I wanted, but niche enough that I couldn't find it easily at a library or at a garage sale. At some point, you acquire enough nerd knowledge that you're so invested in a series it becomes a nerd quest to continue learning about it. 

I can't say BattleTech is the best written or designed franchise (far from it*), but it will always hold a special place in my heart because I grew up with it.  

Currently, I am knee-deep in MechWarrior Online. The game round times last anywhere between 2-15 minutes averaging 5-7 which is usually the top end of uninterrupted free time I can hope for. 

Now it's claiming my free time when I should be blogging. 

The danger of anything that can be finished in under 5 minutes is it's easy to fall in the "Okay, just one more" trap.

It's also free to play, but it's the first new BattleTech software I've touched in years and years. I felt compelled to throw a couple of bucks in to support it (Lo and behlod, BattleTech is claiming a little more of my money yet again).

The game is far from perfect, but it's funny how nostalgia and nerd-love can make something so entertaining. 

Lack of Posting

With Shane at his grandparents' last week, you may have expected I would be posting more.

If so, you were wrong.

I was not expecting Shane to go back to his grandparents so quickly. Instead of reveling in my newly acquired free time, I lost some of my motivation. I ended up killing more time than seizing any diems. 

It's better to have meaningful work than oodles of free time. 

I have said it before and will need to be reminded again in the future. I get more accomplished and feel better when I have work I consider valuable than when I have more free time than I know what to with.

For me, taking care of my babe and baby counts as meaningful. 

Plus, Shane's where I get all my neat stories from! He accidentally dropped a small turd trying to tinkle in the toilet today. The boy couldn't believe it! 

...and yes, 'neat' is relative.

I stand by my previous statement.

Spring Break!

It's the first day of Spring Break!

It's also supposed to snow until 4 AM tomorrow morning.

A little crazy for this time of year. I'm sure Shane will have some fun in it later!

EDIT: I went out to shovel at 9:00 AM and it was basically half-water/half-snow.  Shane enjoyed stomping through a few puddles. All the snow melted by 6:00 PM. Go figure.

On Our Way to Retrieve the Boy

Spring Break is here and it's time to collect our son.

Shane came home on Sunday, but he ended up with his Grandparents again on Tuesday. He's been playing away with Sophia.

We're on our way now to get him!

Benign

Carrie's surgeon said it was benign.

'Nuff said.

Job Search

We don't know exactly how much longer Carrie is going to be in her current position with her boss resigning.  She's been off this week to recover, but Carrie could go back to work as early as Saturday. There are things she wants to do before the end arrives. It's unsettling knowing you're on short time, but not knowing when the last day may be.

Maybe something else will come up within state parks, but it's doubtful. Carrie has been active in her job search. She's applied for teaching positions, environmental positions, county positions, and a smattering of other jobs. Lots of applications are lots of work. Carrie does have a phone interview with one organization, and her father has helped her to get an interview with his old company, so those are welcome news.

It's discouraging hunting for a job in today's market. There are lots of applications showing up for every job. I was looking for a promotion/transfer, but I know a little about how it feels.


My wife is talented and very motivated to work, so I hope she finds something sooner rather than later. Whoever does pick her up will be glad they did! Carrie does not call it quits when she sets her mind to something. I had hoped she would rest all day, but she ended up re-organizing our kitchen cabinets (she moved very little at a time to avoid straining herself).

Like I said, whoever hires my wife eventually will be thrilled. I think she's worth my weight in gold.

Our Church

Have I mentioned how much Carrie and I like our new church? Darryl Green's son (a Redskin Hall of Famer) came on stage last Sunday's service to help our pastor speak about hypocrisy.

Shane's Home!

Shane came home today! I was a little worried he'd throw a fit when he saw me, but he was happy to be back! I couldn't shake the feeling that he'd grown since I saw him last and I somehow missed it.

Grandma, Grandpa, and Sophia hung around for a little bit before jumping back on the road. It was neat to see Sophia and Shane interact. He still has a lot to learn about sharing, but she was very patient and forgiving. It was clear that everyone had a great time.

A little part of me was jealous my son had so much fun without me*, but then I squished it with gratitude and appreciation for all the family support.

I'm glad he's home.

It's hard to explain in words. Shane is exhausting to take care of after a long day of work, but there's an emptiness when he's gone. I should have been thrilled at all the free time on Saturday, but it rang a little hollow without him there. If Carrie had been gone as well, I would never have stayed at the house alone. It would have felt too empty.

Now Shane's back and the family is reunited. It's still tiring to try and keep up with his energy level, but the rest that comes after he goes to bed is much more fulfilling than the plethora of rest when he's out. I know Carrie feels the same way. She kept holding on to Shane and wouldn't let him go when it was bed time. If I had not pulled him away, she probably would've let him hang around until 9!

Tomorrow I'll drop Shane off at Nana-Day-Care and on Tuesday Carrie's going to be on her own (Pickle?).  Wednesday, Shane will be with Pop-Pop, Nana, Indy, Jama again. Carrie will visit the surgeon for her follow-up.

*Rule #? of parenting: You can't always be your child's all in all. It's not possible and it's poisonous to pursue.  

Slow Day

After my classes were done, I left work early on Friday to take Carrie to our family practitioner  She had a low grade fever, nausea, some dizziness, and a headache. Carrie was prescribed an anti-nausea med which helps, but she's been generally feeling poopy.

That means we watched a lot of TV today.

Carrie can watch marathons of shows. 

I can not.

In addition to the watching the plot, Carrie listens to the music scores, enjoys looking at the costumes and set pieces, and even camera angles directors choose. She has an eidetic memory for lines, voices, and actors.

My viewing is much more basic. 

I like a good show, but there's only so many episodes of Hercules or Voyager or anything I can sit through. I start to get stir-crazy and want to move around and do something. Somehow it ends up leaving me feeling tired and drained  after a while. I can sit longer at a computer or a game, because I feel like I'm interacting rather than just "sitting and getting." 

I ended up sweeping and vacuuming most of the house, doing work for my online classes, and playing MWOnline some in my non-TV times. It was productive day and it was restful for Carrie, which was the point.

Shane will be back tomorrow. Carrie's still on bed-and-couch rest, so Shane and I will have some bonding time. My parents will take Shane for the normal Nana-Day-Care on Monday, too. I hope I cleaned up the house enough and did enough laundry/chores that my wife won't feel like she has to do anything more than survive on Tuesday when she's back on Shane duty.

Anyway, I better get to bed. I was working on some deadlines and didn't post this until late.

The TL;DR version: Carrie's feeling queasy, so I picked up then we had a quiet Saturday watching TV, and now I'm TV'd out.

Kilt Day 2013

The last school day before Saint Patrick's Day is Kilt Day.

I've been partaking in this ritual since Carrie introduced me to kilts while we were dating. I did not know if a kilt was proper work attire, so I brought my utili-kilt that year to ask for permission. My AP gave me the go ahead, and I changed in the bathroom.

The tradition has stuck. I have thrown on my manly-skirt five years and a running.

Maybe one day Kilt Day will be an actual "thing."

The reactions from the kids were more toned down this year. There were the double-takes, the walk by's followed by laughing, and the "Why are you wearing thats?" One of my students said she was 'embarrassed for me!'

Actually, this was the first year no kid asked me "Aren't you embarrassed? Kids are laughing." Usually, I follow up with a "So? Why should that bother me?" and try to turn the ensuing discussion into a "be yourself" lesson.

Maybe word got out in the community that there's a crazy guy in a skirt every year. There was a greened-out kid with his back turned to me saying "Why aren't more people dressed up!" who turned around, saw me, and yelled "THANK YOU!"

The teacher reactions are fun, too.

The choir teacher told me that "[Kilt Day] is one of my favorite days of the year. We should have bet on whether you'd wear it today or on Monday since [Saint Patrick's Day] is on Sunday!" I normally hear at least a few "wedding kilt" or "my so-and-so is Scottish" stories, as well.

It's good to see Scottish/Irish pride!

One day, I'd like to actually hop across the pond and visit those countries myself. For now, I'm just a Texas-born, red-beard who wears a kilt for fun, education, and air-conditioning!

Shane and Sophia

It looks like Shane is having fun with his cousin Sophia!

Bed Rest Buddies

Since Carrie is on bed rest, we have kept the bedroom door open to allow the cats to visit.

Max is "Carrie's cat."

I tried to take a picture of Max sleeping in our pajama drawer once, but she popped out when I turned around.

It's a good thing I have those new allergy pills!

An Old Embarrassing Moment

I swore I told Carrie this story, but she said I didn't. 

Good thing I blogged it!

Shane Down South

Carrie and I both feel it: something's missing without Shane around here.

When we were on vacation in Florida, it was one thing. When we are at home and Shane's not here it's another.

He's a big part of the family!

Shane is sleeping at Grandpa and Grandma's house right now. His cousin, Sophia, is also there. Her parents took their two youngest to Singapore to help with Carrie's sister-in-law's mother.

When we facetimed to say "Hello" Shane and Sophia were sitting on Grandpa and Grandma's couch with the iPad! They were totally enthralled, but sharing nicely! It sounds like they're having a great time together.

Honestly, I'm thrilled. Shane's a little young to really bond with Sophia, I think. She's old enough (4) that she can remember this time and bond with Shane. Carrie and her brother weren't the closet growing up, but I want Shane to be really tied in to his network of cousins.

A strong relationship with your family and extended family is a blessing that I want my son to be a part of.

Thank you once again to all of Shane's grandparents for the monumental effort of giving Carrie some healing time! We really appreciate it!

Looking Good!

Everything is looking good! Prayers answered!

I'm impressed with how well Carrie is compared with her last surgery. Last time, I got called in to help with a shuddering/shivering Carrie who was maxed out on pain pills. The nurses had to keep getting permission for more until the doctor called it quits. When we got home, Carrie puked on the bedroom floor after wobbling up the stairs.

This time, Carrie turned down extra pain pills and told the nurse it was 'manageable.' She's been eating, talking and resting!

We showed up at the hospital at 6:05. They wheeled Carrie off at 7:35, called me to the recovery room at 9:10, and then we shipped out and got home a little after 11:00 (I think). The doctor said that everything went well, and Carrie will find out what pathology discovered at her appointment next week.

We were surprised when the care instructions said "No lifting of greater than 20 lbs for 6 weeks." I told the nurse "Our two-year old weights almost twice that!"

Shane's going to have to be a big boy and run around on his own for a while. My spring break is around the corner, so I can help a lot then.

In the meantime, it's rest rest rest for Carrie and I'll go back to work tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Surgery Day

Prayers are appreciated.

Dan said he'd bang on our door at 5 AM when he's heading out, and the alarm clock is set for 5:30 AM as a backup. Check-in is at 6:00 and the surgery is slated for 7:30.

I'm proud of Carrie. We had sushi for dinner and lots of time together tonight. She's nowhere near as anxious I would have guessed. I didn't talk about the surgery much prior for fear it would cause her to dwell on it. Part of me is more scared than I like to admit, but the majority of the time I'm either putting my trust in the Lord or I'm too oblivious/dumb to worry as much as I should. The former would be better, but I can't help but suspect the latter sometimes.

Shane is staying over at Nana and Pop's. He's not even aware anything is going on. He's getting fried chicken, balloons and trips to the library. The only thing he suspects is that heaven is a place on Earth! Grandpa and Grandma are slated to pick up Shane for a couple of days with them later on.

Carrie and I really appreciate all of the help. We are very blessed to have such wonderful parents to support us.

I'm sure that we will need it, as the surgery will be a little more intensive than I first though. The laproscopic surgery Carrie underwent last time had her bed ridden for a few days. Tomorrow's surgery is more intrusive from what Carrie told me.

I'll know more tomorrow.

There's one incredibly cute/sweet moment I wanted to share before I sneak back upstairs: Carrie is sleeping with Shane's pillow. She pulled it out of his room before getting in bed. She told me she missed him not being home and his scent was comforting.

Being a parent brings its hardships, but it brings its joys as well.

My wife loves her boys and we love her.

Spring is in the Air!

Today it was warm enough to leave the jackets inside.

I think Shane and I will be spending a lot of time outside from here on out. We spent over an hour running around at the nearby church playground. He was pissed when I wanted to go inside after an hour and a half!

He's an outdoors boy.

Yet Another Exciting Week

It's been an exciting week.

Carrie and Shar shared a "This week sucked!" comment yesterday.

Today alone, Carrie's boss had to go the hospital, Carrie's got enough of a cough and drainage problem they may have to cancel her surgery, and the dashboard on the Prius refused to light up and tell me how fast it was going.

On the other hand, I drove the damn car anyway, we all went out for Patrick's birthday lunch, I posted about some of my accomplishments for the week, Shane and I spent an hour outside while Carrie made me bagels and bread, and, to cap the night, off Carrie and I watched one of the funniest episodes of Star Trek Voyager ever (Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy).

Lots of stuff going on, but I believe there's a plan for everything.

Deal with the negative, but dwell on the positive.

I'm praying that we survive long enough to look back and see it!

An Exciting Tuesday Night

Tuesday night did not go as planned.

Carrie returned home late from he CPR certification and we settled in to watch an episode of Star Trek: Voyager.

We were about ten minutes in when Shane started making noise on the intercom. I held it up to my hear just in time to hear an all too familiar noise.

I vaulted off the couch. Carrie rushed after me in a panic.

Shane must have swallowed snot wrong. He was draining while we ran outside earlier.

When we got to his room, Shane was gagging. Then the vomiting started.

An Aside:

In the past week, I've taught Shane how to stick his tongue out to make the "Nana face," convinced him that Carrie's cousin, Kim, drives a garbage truck, and I wrote down "English/Klingon" for my preferred language(s) at the allergists office.

Does that count as productive?

Allergy Testing

I'm thinking about going through immunotherapy for my allergies.

My nose is always runny/itchy and I sneeze great gobs of snot (I have healthy lungs). I only take an allergy pill once a week or so when it really annoys me, but what's the point if I can be cured? Genevieve's dad went through it years and years ago and highly recommends it. The cats aren't going anywhere (except the one who did), and I suspect my wife will end up adopting something else fuzzy in the future (after her current fish craze).

Thursday after work, I went to the allergist around the corner. I got to get pricked by 54 needles on my back in the first test panel and then I had 12 or 13 shots in my arms in the second panel. After each panel, they tell you "Don't itch!" and wait twenty minutes to measure the reaction.

I am no longer allergic to horses, but I am allergic to cats and house dust (which the doctor said could have cat allergens in it). My body also reacted to dog hair. My family got our first puppy when I was in 3rd or 4th grade, so that really surprised me.

The doctor said I'm "sensitized." My body knows the allergens are there even though there is no allergic reaction.

Strange. Even if I was allergic I never would've given up Jazzy (I still have a picture of her).

The next step is to try some new prescription pills and contemplate if I want to sign up for 100 shots over the next several years. One of my co-workers was in the waiting room in life for her shot when I first arrived! She recommended the procedure and the doctor I saw.

Shane smacked the very same doctor in the head last week! He was pleasant to me this week, so there must not be any hard feelings (though I guess he could have ordered an extra shot or two in my panel...)

Shar And Dan

Hopefully, you've heard of Dan by now.

He's the guy living in our basement. I've known him and his family since I was three, and he recently helped install a new air system.

Shane's even puked on him.

Sharlene is Dan's girlfriend. She lives in New York City and got her Masters in Psychology last December. When Dan and his friends were installing the heater, they had me verify that Shar was a real person and not some figment of Dan's imagination (or a creeper/serial-killer online Dan met in a chat room).

One of the reasons we don't see much of Dan is he likes to go up on weekends to visit Shar (the other reason is Dan works a lot and hides in the basement when he plays games online with Shar!).

There are some weekends when Shar comes down and visits Dan here. Carrie and Shar nerd out about some shows/things they're both fans of. Then, Dan and Sharlene go out at night to do the "no-kids and lots of energy" thing.

This weekend was a planned visit, but it started off sooner than expected. Sharlene is interviewing at different schools to try to get into a Doctorate program. The school that she hoped to get into (and had gotten the farthest with) rejected her on Wednesday night. She was upset, so Dan hopped on a train like a good boyfriend, and brought her back the next day. That's how Shar was around for Carrie to help transport her to an interview in our area.

I know my wife always enjoys when Shar visits, so hopefully Dan and Shar will be around some and not out and about all weekend!

A Shane Email

Carrie sent this to me at work today:

"Shane decided to give me another heart attack…. he choked on crackers and I had to do mouth scoops and inverted back blows to get enough of it out for him to be able to cough…. ugh… and i wonder why i'm going grey…  "

Shane has a tendency to shove way more in his mouth than he can chew. 

We call it "Chipmunk Cheeks." 

It sounds cute.

It isn't cute when he chokes or when he decides to spit the food back out after 'nursing' it for half an hour. 

I have not counted how many times Shane has scared Carrie and I by gagging or choking on something, but I can vividly recall at least two times. It's probably no more than a handful, but let me tell you: the adrenaline really flows when your kid gives you a scare like that.

I rushed home after work to help out in case Shane had Carrie at her wit's end. Carrie was sick this morning/last night, and if Shane spent part of the day choking I figured she might have had enough! 

Ironically, I can write this post, because my wife and son are not home yet. Sharlene asked Carrie to drop her off at the Metro for an interview while Dan and I were at work. Sharlene was supposed to be back at the station at 2:15 PM. When I called Carrie after work, Shane was unhappy in his carseat and she'd been driving around for about an hour waiting for Sharlene.

If you're wondering "Who's Sharlene?" I'll address that a little later. I have a lot of posts to catch up on and I may try to bang out several today to keep up with a "one a day" average.

Because of Parenting

Parenting has taught Carrie and I how to deal with an emergency and then keep on moving afterwards.

Things that a teenage you might have expected to cause time to stand still....well, adults (and especially parents) know better.

You do your best and keep moving, because time keeps on moving.

That's enough said for now. I'll post more later. I still need to do my Lent readings for the night.

Congrats to Carrie for getting her CPR certification!

ER Trip #4 (Or was it 5?)

Carrie and I's holiday ended with some to do. 

Saturday morning, the Nana Day-Care Crew minus Indy (Pop-Pop, Nana, and Jama) took Shane to 'eat fresh.' 

When it was time to go, Shane did not want to go. Nana was holding his hand and when they got near the door, Shane threw himself down in a tantrum.

That's when the tears started.

A Nice Pair of Sundays

The past two Sundays have been great.

Last week, Carrie's parents came up for the day. It was a combination of business and pleasure.

Grandma has been a travel agent for years. Grandpa was marketing and sales, but recently retired. They've decided to combine their skill sets and make their own travel agency (Go Bucket List Travel).

Carrie has been recruited to be technical expertise and to become a Disney cruise expert. My wife is supposed to take some courses through CLIA to get fully registered as a travel agent herself.

For me, it was a day to have good food and a happy Shane. My son loves having company over and it puts him in a good mood. That puts me in a good mood and then I have company to talk to and share my son with.

That makes things even better! It was good day, but I doubt I'll watch that much golf again any time soon (and it wasn't a lot).

This week, Carrie's cousin, Kim, and her fiance, Ryan, came over after church. We played a group game of Dominion while Shane napped.

Shane (in his "Daddy thinks he doesn't transition well" way) threw a very brief fit when he saw new people in the house and then switched into shy-total-ham-for-attention mode. It made for a relaxed and fun afternoon.

At one point, Carrie told Ryan about how Shane would chase after a laser pointer light like a cat. She demonstrated and then Ryan took over. He had Shane running up, down, and all around in a frenzy of "RED LIGHT! RED LIGHT!" and "WHERE RED LIGHT GO?!" It was really cute.

On a more productive note: I got a ton of laundry and some homework for my online classes done today. I managed to not update since Wednesday, so I'm trying to rectify that before bed as well! You're reading my productivity!

1st Night Off!

Carrie and I were off duty on Friday! It's the first alone time we've had since the beginning of 2013. Thank you Indy, Pop-Pop, Nana, Jama!

Friday night, Carrie and I went out to dinner. My hair was shaggy and my beard was bushy, so my wife made me stop at a barber shop on the way. I tried to tell her "I only trust a barber I sleep beside! That's lying beside your quality!"

Carrie was not dissuaded.

Once I was cleaned up, I forgot my jacket on the coat rack, and we rushed to make our reservation at Hooked. There were sushi and tempura fried ice cream delights! Carrie was in love. She's even requested we stop by again the night before her surgery.

Saturday was more of a relaxed, get-stuff-done day. We slept in to the amazingly late hour of 8 AM. We went back to the barber shop to reclaim my jacket, to get gas, and to pick up Carrie's ring from the jeweler (the setting was changed to be more sturdy).

Afterwards we got coffee at Wegman's and worked on filling out job applications to my school system for Carrie. My wife is determined to work. She would prefer to find something in environmental stewardship and working with youth or volunteers, but she's more than willing to jump into education if no opportunities present themselves.

Only time will tell.

We ended our holiday at a Starbucks near Nana and Pop's playing a Scrabble card game.

Carrie won the last round.

Fully caffeinated, we packed up and headed over to greet Shane when his nap ended.