Funny clip

I am not skilled in posting clips and other...stuff. So sorry. My friend sent me this and I am still laughing!

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/b776c00c54

Franklins!

Waiting for our micro-brew! The "nitro" was excellent tonight!

Eating calamari....

All told it was a good... Family date.

Good as new!

Our little elf is back in business! Everyone in the family is healthy! (Knock, knock, knocking on every wood surface in the house.) Wait a minute? I just heard a sneeze. Joy.

Uncle Mike

Big sister had a great time with her uncle this weekend. She roped him into reading several stories in a row. My wife and I tried to end her trickery, as we carefully propped up our feet up on the sofa for the first time in five months. It was good to have him over for a few days.


On a another note....the baby is sick again. Daycare has banned her for no less than 24 hours and a doctor's note. Will they still charge us? Yes! Does daycare cost us more than our mortgage? Yes! Did the doctor give me anything to help her symptoms? No!

The poor thing is so miserable. I had to take a "snooze cruise" with her at 11:30 last night. She cried, and cried, but the car ride finally helped her get to sleep. Also, whether playing Iron Maiden either soothes her to sleep, or scares her into silence; I do not know for sure. Yet, it seems to have helped. My findings are anecdotal, but they do offer some promising alternatives to be studied in the future: "Use of prolonged Heavy Metal Music Exposure on Infants: A controlled Sleep Study."

Kelly O

For the record: Kelly O is the sweetest, kindest, warmest, and most youthful person I know. Her children are beautiful, and her husband is exceptionally handsome. She is also very forgiving, generous, and warm-hearted towards people of lesser status and stature...and she is really, really, talented, smart, gifted, sweet, strong, clever, and witty. I could go on and on ....

One of the girls

Big sister had her first swimming lesson! She had a blast, and made a new friend!!

After the swim lesson, Big sister and I hung out with two of my homies. Big Sister was SO HAPPY! These two are wicked cool. We instantaneously triangulate and tease each other within minutes of seeing each other. It is so much fun! They treat me like one of the girls, which is always surprisingly comfortable for me. Reproduction has limited our exposure to one another lately, but the good vibes may increase when things mellow out in the future.

Feeling Macho...and sad

It will probably sound very strange, but I love the B52. Given it's age and legendary status, it is the most romantic aircraft in the Air Force inventory. This one (called "balls 12") is older than anyone currently serving in the Air Force. Yet, it has absolutely devastating destructive power far beyond comprehension. These things are so cumbersome that the simple act of taking flight looks like an absolute struggle. The landing is just as surprising. Yet, they have served faithfully time and time again. (Yes, personification is justified in the description of heavenly bodies)

I was 18 when I first worked on this particular aircraft. 18! And this thing is still a part of the AF inventory! My service and associated deployments changed my life forever. I can smell the flight deck. It is an acrid, stale, pissy smell. However, it is also warm, and rather comfortable. It represents both loss and potential for me, given the changes that took place during my life when I worked in these jets; as well as pain and joy. I suppose the romantic feelings come from both loving and hating the object that changed my life. How and why are the stuff of braver, or drunker, blog entries.

Blue Eyes?

My niece just got her first pair of glasses. (bad eyes run in the family). She looks so frigging cute. Yet, I think her expression says it all. "Yeah. I'm wearing fu%$ing glasses now. Isn't this great?"

She may never now how lucky she actually is. I am exceedingly thankful that it is now illegal to manufacture and distribute those late 70's plastic frames (goggles) that were mandatory when I was a kid.

We don't want kids crying themselves to sleep listening to Judas Priest records nowadays. They made wire frames, ya know, but some of us were just too "clumsy." Well, if we had glasses earlier, maybe that would not be an issue. And, we would not look like fat midget sea explorers with "feathered" hair. Did I mention that some of us were also a little chubby? Thanks, mom. Oh, and thanks for the zips.

Nevertheless, my niece has certainly been spared some psychological damage.

I think the baby will have blue eyes (can't tell from the picture). She will be six months old soon. I can't remember when big sister's eyes stopped changing color. We thought she would have blue eyes, but they changed to hazel and then eventually to light brown. We will have to wait and see about the glasses...glasses.... not goggles....not goggles with sparkly initials in the lower left hand corner of the left lens. And no ZIPS!

Drill!

Drill......

Daddy’s little snowball -- In haiku

Her sleeping breath sounds
Like soft shoes in a dry snow
And I think of home

Her little wet hands
Heather’s skating rink kisses
She smiles at me

Back of the closet
Winter hats Mittens and scarves
And I weep for home

Fires in the fireplace
Winter when we feel closer
Thanking my father

Big Sister’s Androgynous Family

I was SO HAPPY to see this picture last night when I came home from work! I wish that the blog version was more clear, because it is just wonderful! I often flaunt myself as a male product of the feminist movement and I think this picture demonstrates how a child can view parents as equal partners dedicated to their care (as opposed to the outdated bread-winner, king of the castle, head of the household model--with affection being demonstrated only by the mom). Although, I must admit that I am still forced to pick up dead things in the yard. The only good reason that my wife has given me for that is because...Well?.. I'm "a guy."

Anyway. Yes, at first glance it is a funny bird with two heads carrying Baby and Big-Sister on a skinny stretched out piece of shared flesh. But, after a closer look! It is clear that she drew a male and female figure bonded together (and smiling about it) in a manner that offers support to the children. The male and female figures are equal in size and wear equally sized crowns. They can also stand on their own two feet, but most importantly; she drew little people tucked under each of the adults waistbands (the blog photo does not show that very well--they each look like Cindy-Lou Who!).

So, although Big Sister can clearly identify the gender differences in her caregivers, she also views her parents as a singular androgynous care-giving entity. The picture does not offer male support separated from female love, and the babies do not come just from mommies. Yet, these things are produced from this singe care-giving mass of love that is capable of support and reproduction.

Maybe this is a great illustration of gender equality when viewed from a five-year-old's perspective? If it is, it is exactly what my wife and I have been attempting to achieve. I'll be sure to ask Big Sister about her intent after she finishes her dissertation. Regardless, I think it is absolutely wonderful!