Man, I suck...

Ok, so I am still not updating this as often as I should, but I haven't forgotten about it...and something tells me I am not really disappointing anyone out there with my lack of posting....so anyway.

C is about 18 mo. old now, and is just as amazing to me now as...well, I guess since my last post. He's growing so fast, and is still as handsome as anything you've seen. He's getting a bit of an attitude now as he becomes more "self aware" and doesn't like certain things. He can tell ya "no" if you ask him to do something, and shakes his head. He gets pissed off and can throw a tantrum now, which is oh so sweet, which leads to the next point in that we do "Time Out" now as well. I don't know if he gets it though, as I am constantly reminded of this "Far Side" cartoon (by a true master of his art, Mr. Gary Larson, R.I.P.):

But other than that, let me see. We purchased a house in Sept, 2008. Love the new house, hate all the stuff that comes along with it. Never been big on chores, but K goes crazy about them, and the fact that I don't do them enough. I'll see if I can throw up some pics of casa mia soon as well.

K and I went on a diet at the beginning of the year, and so far I've lost about 24lbs, and K is about the same. It really hasn't been all that difficult, and all I am doing is keeping my caloric intake below 2K a day. Aiming for 1500, but not killing myself if I go a smidgen over. Anyway, its working and I am happy about it. My sister got me turned onto it, and she's lost...I think its somewhere in the 80lbs area since last April. She been kicking ass and I'm ultra proud of her. Our family are big ppl and for her to be able to do this is a huge thing....now just gotta work on her smoking. (Which is coming up on a year for me..woohoo)

Anything else........I guess that's about it for now. Working, sleeping. eating, pooping...seems to be the drill these days.

I won't promise to update more often, but secretly I am promising to update more often.

This one was a while ago, but man...how cute is that.

The rest of these are relatively recent from Jan/Feb of 2009

CAUTION :: WUSSISHNESS AHEAD :: CAUTION

Note: All of the things said here after are the words of someone who loves his child dearly, and understands that no one is going to love him like we do, nor should they have to. These are just my observations and emotions while trying to make it past this hurdle in parenthood.

Today was my man's first day at daycare.

Yeah, I cried...shutup.

It sucked, man...Having to go in there and completely place my trust (and son) in to the hands of complete strangers is scary and heart-breaking.

I know...I know...it will be good for his development, social growth, mental growth, etc. It gets him out of the house more, and out of our usual routine for him, which I think is probably the biggest boon for all of this; as well as he will be interacting with more than just his mom, his dad, and his grandma...so I know its good. Just hurts.

I think it really comes down to a few things. Obviously, they don't care for him as much as I do, so he won't receive as much attention, but secondly...I don't think they really appreciate him.

That is to say, when I look at him, all I can see is this amazing child, my child, that I think is so wonderful and beautiful and funny. He has the most awesome laugh, a smile that literally lights up a room and would melt the heart of a pissed off Hitler.

Really.

The way he squeals when we play Peek-A-Boo on the carpet. How he is always entranced by ceiling fans and will stare at them in complete amazement. These people know none of these things, and I get this image in my head of seeing him trying to initiate these games, or show off that beautiful smile to these people, and they just pass him right by, never even noticing, and the disappointment he feels at that.

Now, having said all that, I know the world isn't a beutiful place, and I know that he needs to have some reality that the world doesn't revolve around him. He needs to know that there are other people in this world who aren't just interested in wiping his ass and plugging bottles into his mouth. I know this...but I just wish he didn't have to learn it at 8 months old.

My main man...aww yeah

Wow...I really meant to update this thing a lot more. I guess my only real excuse, and the real reason probably being something closer to lazy, is that work has really been quite hectic, and I still haven't found the "perfect balance" between work and home, if such a thing really exists.

So C (my son) is now 7 months old and just look at him. He is the happiest baby I've ever known and his smile truly brightens a room, and my mood, all in one fell swoop. I don't know what the future holds, obviously, but for right now...I'm amazed at how happy and...I guess easy is the word, he has made parenting. I mean it isn't all fun and games, but on the whole, I guess I expected it to be much worse.

He's eating solids now, mostly oatmeal in the mornings bottles through out the day, and at dinner time, whatever K (my significant other) has made up (or whatever I make in a pinch, as in last night, he had half an avacado). K is making all of his food right now, which I think is a great thing. I don't know if it really makes that much of a difference than buying regular baby food, but at least you really do know what is going into your kid. Well, aside from the possible pesticides...and maybe other chemicals in the soil to increase the growth of the....damnit.

C's faces while eating, especially things he hasn't tried before, are just priceless. The poor kid...you'd think we were making him eat crap out of his diaper, given some of the faces, but he's coming around. Big hits with him appear to be avacado, broccoli, acorn squash and most any fruit.

I think he's been ready for solid's for a while given how he stares at us. Our apartment's dining room is being used as an office, so we really don't have a dining table. Well, we do, but its more commonly referred to as a coffee table....anyway, its pretty humorous as we'll be eating at the table, and C will be in his exersaucer a bit across the room, and just staring. You can tell he's just so curious about what we're putting into our faces, and is dying to try it himself.

Other things going on.....I had a visit from a friend of mine that I haven't seen in almost 9 years. We have been best friends since about 4th grade. I went and lived with him for a years in Italy. (Rent was free and I wasn't doing much here....what more could you ask for?) It was awesome to see Sean again, and he was pretty much the same as always. I have to admit it was a little awkward at moments, feeling that I should kinda be able to pick up the string right where we left off, and we really were, for the most part, but there were a few moments where the drift of time and our lives was noticeable.

He's married now...2 kids. 1 his own and the other from a previous relationship. he does seem genuinely content, in his family life, which makes me happy. His work situation is something else all together. He's actually going into the Army (at 31, but more on this later) as he wasn't able to find work while living in FL, despite his degree.

To the point about the Army, Sean was in the Navy previously for 5 years, our for a bit, then into the Air Force Reserves, out for a bit, and now into the Army. I guess its good work if you can get it, but at the back of my mind, there is a bit of a tickle....Iraq....I don't mean to be melodramatic, but this is really the first encounter with it that I've had, as remote as it may be. He's in broadcasting, so the chances aren't as good as other jobs, but evidently the Army has somewhat changed its ways and is similar to the Marines now, in that any soldier is a rifleman first, which means they could be deployed to the front lines, despite whatever their "job" is. So, anyway, he's on his way to Fort Meade, Maryland where he and his family will be for the next 5 years. Hopefully, we'll have more contact between us.

Other than that...I guess everything else is okay. I have self diagnosed myself as having Psoriasis, which completely sucks. I have been doing a bit of reading and research about it online, and....well, it sucks. Did I mention that before?

I'm going to go ahead and schedule a visit to the Doc and see what he says. Its been forever since I have been to the doctor anyway, so I really need to start getting my ass in gear anyway. Thats another thing that Sean's visit prompted. I've always been a bigger guy...not necessarily fat...but big framed, and a lil husky, and so was Sean. Now granted, he just got out of the equivalent of boot camp for people who have already been through boot camp, but the bastard was skinny as hell. Which just drove home the fact that I haven't been excercising for years, and my gut is living testimony to that fact....once again, I really need to get my ass in gear. Hopefully the Doc will get my mood in a better place with something to do about the Psoriasis, and hopefully I'll be looking into some exercise plans.

I guess thats enough for today...til next time.

A fresh piece of parchment and a new beginning...

My first entry for me fresh, new blog. How invigorating, no? Well, I suppose I should start off by thanking you for dropping by and reading what little verbiage is available here right now....so thank you.

Hopefully, I will be updating with somewhat regularity, as of late, I definitely feel a need for some type of outlet, or release of frustrations. Even if its just into the nether regions of the interwebs, it will hopefully at least be somewhat therapeutic.