One of them thinkin' kind a magazines

Check out my favorite magazine http://www.orionsociety.org/

Rollin, rollin, rollin...

Crazy baby everyone! Watch out!

Ahh child development! She has recently discovered the art of rolling over. Usually this is a moment of extreme happiness and satisfaction for parents; knowing that your baby is developmentally normal and hopefully will be moving out of the house some day and living on their own. For us it's all that and more. You see, Wiley coyote baby practices her roll all of the time: on the floor, in her crib (night and day) in our laps, in her stroller, in the tub (yikes), while eating. If she could walk I think she would prefer to do somersaults! She wants to roll so bad that she grunts and cries in her often vain attempts to get over from her back to her stomach. She fusses, groans, growls and whimpers until she eventually gets over or I take pity on her and give her a little push. Now you would think she would take a moment and bask in her recent glory. BUT NO! She almost immediately starts fussing, sometimes screaming, arms out like a little Cessna ready for take off. You see, thanks to some great marketing on the part of the folks at SIDS the little howler doesn't dig being on her belly when she is sleepy. Sure we put her on her belly each day multiple times and she does just fine, but unsupervised during sleep time, watch out! I mean I understand the motivation behind the theory and all but it still sucks that she won't chill out when she get's there on her own. (Note: I’m not saying babies should sleep on their faces. That’s just plain crazy talk!)

Don't worry folks I’ve come up with a solution! I'm building a half pipe in her crib! It makes perfect sense. If I put her on her back in the middle of the ramp she can roll onto her belly in both direction and (thank you Newton) gravity will alleviate the problem.

I know the genius genes have all been transfer from me to her so someday she will be devising inventions to change my diapers and keep me in the yard lest I wander off in my old age. Until then little one, sweet dreams and happy rolling!

Frankenbaby!

The day before yesterday I questioned who the father of my baby was. I mean I can count the months, I remember the act of conception well enough. But recently my (if it really is mine) baby has stopped cooing and started grunting. Now on occasion it is sort of endearing. A cute little rrrrgggg! Followed by a smile and some fancy footwork but more often it’s a cranky, grouchy, grumpy RRRGGGG! Followed by back arching wriggling and all sorts of other firm grip avoidance techniques. So I am starting to think this guy might be the father. I wonder if any one else has ever experienced this problem. Perhaps this guy is a traveling salesman, wondering the countryside searching for innocent maidens to lure into his clutches. Yup I think this despicable creature fathered my Frankenbaby!

Old man winter has come a knocking!

Now that early winter is upon us here in Minnesota I thought it was time to share an image of the appropriate baby bundling garb necessary for our frosty afternoon adventures. Notice the two tassels on the hat. They are to cover up her little horns! (I think the hat suppresses all ability to smile). Keep an eye out for future photos with the bunting outfit arrives from Patagonia! Then the real fun begins.

Save the Arctic...

How many of us really know how precious and diverse a landscape the northern reaches of this continent hold. Check out Subhankar Banerjee's website for exquisite photographs of this stunning landscape http://www.wwbphoto.com/. Now read this article about the scandal surrounding his lovely pictures http://www.orionsociety.org/pages/oo/gallery/index_gallery.html. It amazes me how one of the foundations of our historic and artistic community, the very people who are supposed to be supporting the creative and intellectual diversity of our planet, can be rotten as a groundfall apple in the core. Take a look at the pictures folks. Someday soon they may be all that is left.

Early Morning Musings

Sometimes the mornings be a drag. I sit here listening to The Weasel wheeze and whistle (she has a cold) like one of those breathing machine thingys on hospital TV shows that sits next to the bed playing it's sad song like a broken accordion while the seemingly comatose patient dozes to the sound of blips and beeps in the background. I'm just prying to some undecided god that she stays asleep.

At least she goes down well at night.

The wife and I started watching TV again for the first time in a month or so. After the baby goes down we sit on the couch and settle in for a wholesome dose what ever the reality TV driven airways has to offer. Last night we watched The West Wing. This used to be one of our favorites, witty dialogue tossed back and forth with the expertise of an Olympic badmitton, gold medal match. Last night we turned it off after 45 minutes and hit the sack. Had no clue what was going on anyways. Shows writing seems to have gone down the crapper anyhow.

So I'm just hoping the little one makes it till 7:15 before the day form hell begins. Here is the breakdown. Leave for work around 7:30 and slave till 3:00, after work meeting 3:15-4:30, drive to other work and get home around 9:15. Toughest day of the week by far. I already miss the family just thinking about it.

Too bummed to write more.

Ahh...Me time

Ahh. Morning! Alright so it's insanely early and I've been up since even earlier but this is me time. Get some work done, pet the dogs, listen to the baby monitor, all of the luxuries a fella can ask for. I listen as the planes fly overhead, about one every 5 minutes or so (we're not even anywhere near the airport)! The winter months are so strange. Go for a walk at night (in the dark) get up in the morning (in the dark). Since I'm indoors during the day I am feeling some what nocturnal as of late. Really nothing much to say this morning. Simply waiting for this Age of Ragnarok (Erik the Viking) to come to an end and for my day to begin.

Well...A really big mouse

Our house is old. With a new baby I'm constantly sneaking around the house when she is sleeping. I recall the words from The Night Before Christmas, "and no one was stirring, not even a mouse." Well that's not really the case here. I blockade the dog door, confine my activity to one room, and when necessary move around the house with such stealth that I would make a ninja green with envy. This of course is until my wife tells me to knock it off. She's right you know. If le babe never learns that small noises are trivial then how will we ever be able to adventure throughout the countryside let alone our abode like normal bumbling bipedal creatures again? So I squeak a little (just a little, I like walking like a ninja!)

tidbits

Most recently I’m a father. Prior experiences include many years of unsuccessful dating, followed by the discovery of true love. This led to multiple years of happy marriage. The adventure continues. I have experiences in both marine costal climates as well as the hot/cold mid- western schizophrenic biome. I teach and learn; simultaneously. I have a passion for the out of doors but tend to stay in an awful lot. Bicycles are fun; the fewer gears the better. Thai food goes down well and tastes even better with a fine beer, (anything tastes better with a fine beer really). I love the smell when it rains after a hot dry day. This is me.