I just clipped Shane's fingernails again.
I was right. Those little suckers grow fast.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Who is This Genevieve Person Anyway?
Who is this Genevieve person anyway? And Chris? Who's that?
Since I've mentioned Genevieve in a few posts, I figure I should do a quick intro. She's someone who's important in Shane's life so far!
Genevieve is Carrie's good friend from work. Carrie is an office manager and helps manage volunteers for the state parks and Genevieve is responsible for the children's educational programming at the park Carrie's office is in. They've died their hair pink and hiked for the cure together, traded recipes and stories at work for three years now.
Genevieve has also been helping out with child care.
When Carrie was training horses, she needed someone to watch Shane during the week. Genevieve's peek times are the weekends, so she has off a couple of weekdays here and there. Carrie and I offered to pay her to come up, hang out with my wife and son, and then watch Shane so Carrie could go to her riding lessons. The money Carrie earned from the riding lessons went to paying Genevieve for the day.
It was a win-win as far as I was concerned. Genevieve's presence allowed Carrie to do something she enjoyed to earn the money to pay Genevieve. Then there was the added bonus that Carrie got to spend time with her friend while homebound with the boy!
The riding lessons have stopped, but Genevieve still helps out. While Carrie and I were on vacation, Genevieve and her fiancé, Chris, watched the cats and house for us at no cost. When we returned, my parents and Jama went to Beaumont to sort out affairs there. Kathleen covered the first two weeks of Shane-care, and then the third week Genevieve and Chris came up again. We ate dinner, played a card game, and the next morning Chris, Carrie, and I went to work while Genevieve took care of Shane. Genevieve then refused to let Carrie pay her for the help! How's that for a good friend?
Tonight, Genevieve and Chris visited again. My wife was feeling well enough to make a big Mexican meal for everyone tonight (chorizo with potatoes, and some sort of soup with beans, rice, chicken and tomatoes...I just know it was really good!).
In the morning, Carrie has a follow-up doctor's appointment in the morning. I suspect that she'll also try to sneak off to work for a while, because my wife never knows when to call it quits (I'd hire her).
Hopefully, Shane will be kind to Gen in the morning. I've been listening to him cough and re-position off and on as I write this. The boy's nose wasn't running as bad as yesterday, but congestion doesn't make for great sleep.
Since I've mentioned Genevieve in a few posts, I figure I should do a quick intro. She's someone who's important in Shane's life so far!
Genevieve is Carrie's good friend from work. Carrie is an office manager and helps manage volunteers for the state parks and Genevieve is responsible for the children's educational programming at the park Carrie's office is in. They've died their hair pink and hiked for the cure together, traded recipes and stories at work for three years now.
Genevieve has also been helping out with child care.
When Carrie was training horses, she needed someone to watch Shane during the week. Genevieve's peek times are the weekends, so she has off a couple of weekdays here and there. Carrie and I offered to pay her to come up, hang out with my wife and son, and then watch Shane so Carrie could go to her riding lessons. The money Carrie earned from the riding lessons went to paying Genevieve for the day.
It was a win-win as far as I was concerned. Genevieve's presence allowed Carrie to do something she enjoyed to earn the money to pay Genevieve. Then there was the added bonus that Carrie got to spend time with her friend while homebound with the boy!
The riding lessons have stopped, but Genevieve still helps out. While Carrie and I were on vacation, Genevieve and her fiancé, Chris, watched the cats and house for us at no cost. When we returned, my parents and Jama went to Beaumont to sort out affairs there. Kathleen covered the first two weeks of Shane-care, and then the third week Genevieve and Chris came up again. We ate dinner, played a card game, and the next morning Chris, Carrie, and I went to work while Genevieve took care of Shane. Genevieve then refused to let Carrie pay her for the help! How's that for a good friend?
Tonight, Genevieve and Chris visited again. My wife was feeling well enough to make a big Mexican meal for everyone tonight (chorizo with potatoes, and some sort of soup with beans, rice, chicken and tomatoes...I just know it was really good!).
In the morning, Carrie has a follow-up doctor's appointment in the morning. I suspect that she'll also try to sneak off to work for a while, because my wife never knows when to call it quits (I'd hire her).
Hopefully, Shane will be kind to Gen in the morning. I've been listening to him cough and re-position off and on as I write this. The boy's nose wasn't running as bad as yesterday, but congestion doesn't make for great sleep.
Muay Thai 9 and Patrick Rising
Two weeks ago, Patrick and I went to Muay Thai together. Coach Leo no longer coaches then.
Enter Coach Junior.
Coach Junior is the same guy I saw spar Coach Leo. He's only sixteen, but a total monster. I wouldn't be surprised to see him fighting in the UFC one day.
He's also a nice guy (it's funny how that happens).
This past Saturday, Shane and I were out hunting school buses. My boy was sick, so I was in total placate mode. I was also bored of the usual routine, so Shane and I went to our neighborhood's elementary school. Many drivers park their buses at local schools they live near by or are their last run for the day.
Shane and I were in the middle of 'oohing' and 'aahing' when Patrick texted, "Are you headed to class?"
On one hand, I was thrilled Patrick was awake and interested. On the other, I had a sick boy on my hands and no way to make it to class at a reasonable time.
I would have loved to have gone with my brother (and gotten our butts kicked together), but it was not to be. Patrick needs a few extra practices to catch up to me anyway! My brother said it was a particularly brutal practice at the end. Coach Junior had them doing push-ups in stages and one guy reached his limit and his arm's gave out. It probably would've been me if I'd been there!
I don't know when I'll get to go next. Something always comes up. For example, last Saturday Shane was sick, this past Monday Carrie was sick and went to bed early, and the Monday before that Coach had car trouble and had to cancel (plus, I think Carrie or Shane was sick to boot). One of my professional development classes for work is going to take place over several Mondays and rule out Muay Thai those days, too.
I'll get back out there one of these days.
Enter Coach Junior.
Coach Junior is the same guy I saw spar Coach Leo. He's only sixteen, but a total monster. I wouldn't be surprised to see him fighting in the UFC one day.
He's also a nice guy (it's funny how that happens).
This past Saturday, Shane and I were out hunting school buses. My boy was sick, so I was in total placate mode. I was also bored of the usual routine, so Shane and I went to our neighborhood's elementary school. Many drivers park their buses at local schools they live near by or are their last run for the day.
Shane and I were in the middle of 'oohing' and 'aahing' when Patrick texted, "Are you headed to class?"
On one hand, I was thrilled Patrick was awake and interested. On the other, I had a sick boy on my hands and no way to make it to class at a reasonable time.
I would have loved to have gone with my brother (and gotten our butts kicked together), but it was not to be. Patrick needs a few extra practices to catch up to me anyway! My brother said it was a particularly brutal practice at the end. Coach Junior had them doing push-ups in stages and one guy reached his limit and his arm's gave out. It probably would've been me if I'd been there!
I don't know when I'll get to go next. Something always comes up. For example, last Saturday Shane was sick, this past Monday Carrie was sick and went to bed early, and the Monday before that Coach had car trouble and had to cancel (plus, I think Carrie or Shane was sick to boot). One of my professional development classes for work is going to take place over several Mondays and rule out Muay Thai those days, too.
I'll get back out there one of these days.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Ring Resolution
Once upon a time, a certain Mike posted that his wife's rings were lost/stolen in a big blog post of several things.
Carrie filed a police report, contacted insurance, and we received a small sum of funds. My wife then proceeded to design her replacement rings. Apparently, there are jewelers will give you feedback and craft your custom rings at a reasonable price.
Have I mentioned how talented my wife is? She can design rings, make roses out of Play-Doh, and even design tattoos.
If Shane has any art talent, it's going to be from her side of things.
Carrie filed a police report, contacted insurance, and we received a small sum of funds. My wife then proceeded to design her replacement rings. Apparently, there are jewelers will give you feedback and craft your custom rings at a reasonable price.
Have I mentioned how talented my wife is? She can design rings, make roses out of Play-Doh, and even design tattoos.
If Shane has any art talent, it's going to be from her side of things.
This Will be Fun to Explain
Fool me once, shame on you.
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Fool me twice, shame on me.
The first time this happened, Shane grabbed the curtains and tripped over his toddler toilet. I re-bent the rod and called it a day.
Today, the situation was a little different. I was sitting on the closed toilet seat to prevent Shane from grabbing the (used) toilet brush.
He grabbed the curtains instead.
He almost tripped over the toddler toilet (again!), but I caught him in the nick of time!
"I'm not going to let that happen twice, son!" I said far more cocky than I should have been.
Shane pulled the curtains over his face. "Shane hide!" he giggled.
"I can still see your belly!" I laughed and poked Shane in the belly-button. "Tickle-tickle!"
Reflexively, Shane pulled down on the curtains to protect his belly.
Whoops. Mea culpa.
This will be fun to explain when Carrie gets home from work and the doctor's office!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
It's a Cold
Shane's got a virus that's running it's course right now. He woke up crying at 3:30 AM this morning and I could hear the drainage over the monitor. I went ahead and grabbed my pillow and plopped down in Shane's room. Shane probably would have gone back to sleep on his own, but since he's sick I decided to intervene.
The boy fell asleep quickly, but it was not the most restful slumber. He kicked and fidgeted and snorted down snot for the next three hours. I managed a few zzz's myself and my caffeine habit helped prop me up through the day.
The snot should disappear in a day or so. Shane's fever started Friday, but it was gone when he woke up from his nap. He was crankier than usual, but it's hard to be cheerful when you're forced to become a mouth-breather.
A virus here and there is just par for the course with parenting. Shane's building up his little immune system, so that he won't get anything really nasty later.
A New Variation of an Old Game
Shane and I were in the living room when he decided to play a new variation of an old game.
I was laying on the couch; my son was playing with his trucks.
Shane looked up, "Daddy sleep?"
Why not? I thought. "Daddy sleep!" I closed my eyes, threw out a fake snore for good measure, and then cracked one eye open to see what Shane was about.
Shane's eyes locked on my face. His body went rigid.
Then he grunted.
Then he grunted again.
I tried not to laugh. A few moments later (when the grunting subsided), I opened my eyes. "Daddy awake!"
"Daddy sleep?" Shane asked again.
Round two? "Daddy sleep!" I did my act and cracked an eye again.
This time, Shane wandered over to me and then started grunting again! A waft from round 1 floated it's way up to my nose!
If that was not funny enough, Shane started to lean in to wake me up with a kiss (he used to hit, but we've "trained" him to kiss Carrie as her wake up in the mornings). He was almost to my face when he sneezed. A clear dribble of snot hung down from his nose and decorated Shane's upper lift.
"DADDY AWAKE!" No kiss was necessary.
I was laying on the couch; my son was playing with his trucks.
Shane looked up, "Daddy sleep?"
Why not? I thought. "Daddy sleep!" I closed my eyes, threw out a fake snore for good measure, and then cracked one eye open to see what Shane was about.
Shane's eyes locked on my face. His body went rigid.
Then he grunted.
Then he grunted again.
I tried not to laugh. A few moments later (when the grunting subsided), I opened my eyes. "Daddy awake!"
"Daddy sleep?" Shane asked again.
Round two? "Daddy sleep!" I did my act and cracked an eye again.
This time, Shane wandered over to me and then started grunting again! A waft from round 1 floated it's way up to my nose!
If that was not funny enough, Shane started to lean in to wake me up with a kiss (he used to hit, but we've "trained" him to kiss Carrie as her wake up in the mornings). He was almost to my face when he sneezed. A clear dribble of snot hung down from his nose and decorated Shane's upper lift.
"DADDY AWAKE!" No kiss was necessary.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
My wife is not the only one in this house who can build with Play-Doh!
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She's just the only one here who can do it well.
Carrie: "Is that some sort of deformed turtle?"
Me: "It's a garbage truck."
Carrie: "Deformed turtle?"
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She's just the only one here who can do it well.
Carrie: "Is that some sort of deformed turtle?"
Me: "It's a garbage truck."
Carrie: "Deformed turtle?"
Friday, January 25, 2013
Bah
There are a few big blog posts I've started and scrapped multiple times. One about video games, one about being the poster child for ADHD (as Nana once called me) and I want to do another nostalgia post if I can ever narrow it down to one again.
Maybe I should try to write these things when I'm not ready to snooze.
Sorry! No magnum opus tonight!
Tough Day
I don't normally post this: but today was tough.
There was a scheduled meeting, an unscheduled meeting, a miss-communication, snow, kids going nuts because of snow, Shane's sick, a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment, and I got puked on.
Now, this isn't going to be a whining post. It's going to be a "Damn, I guess marriage and parenthood does grow you" one. They both bring their own stresses and joys.
Stress is one of those things that can grind you down, but if you feel like you have a purpose or a goal you're working towards it keeps you moving.
Joy is the end of the day when everyone's asleep, you're full, you've blown up some orcs, and you have time to write a blog before turning in.
There was a scheduled meeting, an unscheduled meeting, a miss-communication, snow, kids going nuts because of snow, Shane's sick, a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment, and I got puked on.
Now, this isn't going to be a whining post. It's going to be a "Damn, I guess marriage and parenthood does grow you" one. They both bring their own stresses and joys.
Stress is one of those things that can grind you down, but if you feel like you have a purpose or a goal you're working towards it keeps you moving.
Joy is the end of the day when everyone's asleep, you're full, you've blown up some orcs, and you have time to write a blog before turning in.
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