Is it going to be different?

As I sit here and face the prospect of becoming a father of a little boy, I wonder...will it be different?

I mean, I already do cool guy stuff with the kids I already have. Well, with Emma. She and I play catch in the backyard, we fish together, she has shot my guns, and has one of her very own...thanks to grandpa Pratt. We also watch superhero flicks together, play video games together, and she drives my car when mom isn't around and we are in the backwoods. I'm molding Emma to be the cool upnorth wife who wants to wear beautiful dresses to church, but put on camo in the afternoon. She is enthusiastic about life, extremely intelligent, and has a bit of the "drama" in her...which I have no idea who she gets that from...?

Mikayla on the hand, continues to defy my ideas of what I thought she would become. Amanda and I have both commented on the fact that we thought she would have been more like her Aunt Angie as a child...free spirited and, well, kinda tomboyish. And, in some ways she is like my sister - athletic, stubborn...er...strong willed, and beautiful. However, unlike her Aunt, Mikayla wants to go to school to become a "Princess". She cries when she can't wear her pink "sparkly" clips in her hair, sge puts on her Cinderella dress daily, and has selection of play heels that would make my friend, Stephanie, jealous. Aunt Angie would have rather taken a flaming hot poker to the eye instead of wearing a dress. Mikayla screams at bugs and since it rained yesterday, she won't go out to the car because the "snakes" (aka worms) will get her.

She watches a steady rotation of Barbie and Disney Princess movies that all have pink covers and sappy stories. She dances around like a ballerina, pretends she is an ice skater, and, oddly enough, has a knack for puzzles. She is as wonderful in her girliness, as Emma is in her desire to do "something special" with me.

So, what will Logan bring to the table? Will it be different?

Actually, what I have been thinking about recently is what am I going to bring to to the table? What would my girls and now, my boy, say about me, if they were writing in their blog about...as my girls so sweetly call me...their "old man"?

What would they say about me up to now?

What would I want them to say?

"Dad was always there for us. He would hold us when we were hurting, he would make us laugh until our sides hurt, and we always knew, no matter what, that he loved us. He wasn't perfect. He would be the first to admit that, but he would tell us that he was wrong when he make a mistake and helped dust us off when made our mistakes. He told us the truth, because he loved us, even when we didn't want to hear it. He loved our mother and was an example of how a husband should treat his wife. He played ponies with us, went on walks in the woods with us, and always had time for us. He was gentle, patient, and generous with us and others. He prayed with us and for us, every day. He was a good dad."

That is what I would want them to say.

I don't know what special dynamic Logan is going to bring into my world, but I know what I want to bring into his.

Now, if I could only get him to show up!

Gah!

Over the years, I have been fortunate to have not had any large injuries. I have had no broken bones or major trips to the hospital. When I was three, I got my face chewed on by a dog, but other than that, I have been harm free. However, recently, I have had a problem with holes showing up on me.

Twice, over the course of the last few years, I have had holes in my mouth. If you go back in my blog entries, you will see where I where I whined about my wisdom teeth giving me fits and then getting them pulled. Now, I have another one to add to the the list, but this time, it is in a new area - my finger.

I have had a wart on the end of my right index finger for a long time now. The reason I have avoided treating it is because it is embedded in there deep and since I am a big sissy about it, I have decided that I can live with it. But the other day, I was at the dermatologist for an appointment for Mikayla and we both ended up getting treatment. Mine was a freebie...it is amazing what you can you can get with a little flirting..."Wow, you are like the Sean Connery of dermatology..."

Anyhow, we continued to treat it with Duofilm for a few days and when I woke up this morning and jumped in the shower, I took the duct tape bandage off and realized that it was good to go. The medicine basically ate a huge hole around the wart, through the good skin and the wart was easily peeled off. The only side effect is that it looks like some one used a melon baller to scoop the end of my finger, however, the wart is gone.

As Emma would say about our friend who lost part of his finger..."Can Chad count to ten?" Nope, only 9 1/2!

But, that hasn't been the worse part of my week. I started feeling bad last Friday...headache, sore throat, sinus pressure, fever and my ears were plugged. Saturday, I was wiped out, but still able to function, however, that night, I got my first ear ache...that I can remember as an adult. So, on Monday, I went to Urgent Care and found out that I had both an ear infection and a sinus infection. I ended up on a Zy-Pax(?) and am feeling better. However, my ears are still plugged and my balance is a bit suspect. I know that it is related to the whole inner ear and I'm good with it...it has been kinda fun. My hearing is more of a problem...since the ability to hear is important in my line of work.


Anyhow, the drainage can stop any day now and I have the next few days off to get the hearing cleared up. According to Amanda, cleaning the garage is a good cure for such things...

*sigh*

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Who is planning on going?

I want you to watch this

The next time you are having a bad day...remember this interview.

Baby Wise

This has been a point of contention for me since before I was having children of my own, but I have a issue with people who tell me what is best for my children. Let me preface this with the fact that I am not against people giving us advise, though now that we have two of our own, hopefully, we have jumped to the other side of the fence. I am thankfully that we have parents that are supportive and we have always been open to their advice, but I have also run into people who demanded that their way of raising children was correct.

*sigh*

When I was working camp at Northland in '95, I ran into a fellow staff member from down South that was adamant that her way was the way. I would often stop by the nursery, where she would work, since it was one of the few buildings on campus that had a bit of air conditioning. While there, she made it clear that I was not to talk to any of the children in "baby talk", so I wouldn't retard their learning process, because you talked to a baby to help them develop language skills. The one time I did...I didn't think Ms. Hitler was watching...I was scolded, which lead to me responding to her in my usual meek way..."You know, you won't have to worry about having children of your own, since no man would ever be with you."

Ah, to be young again.

What prompted me to start thinking about all of this was this article. I have a group of news agencies that I poke through every so often and I found this in the backlog of stories. I have have two things that I always look for - entertainment and science. I know, what a combination, but I like a little fluff with my deep thinking. It keeps me from getting too serious.

Believe it or not, I have had this conversation - if babies should ever sleep with parents - with my wife. I have to confess that we have had the children in bed with us, but only after making a fort out of pillows, so we didn't roll over them and it was only on a few times. You know, when nothing you try works, and you need to sleep? Don't judge me. You know you have done it too! Also, I actually commented on a ladies blog, who believed that not only should her babies sleep with her, but so should all their children. She had several other kids, which ranged from 2-12 that slept with her and her husband in a community bed. I don't want to get into that because it was a bit creepy, but you know what...and here is my point I guess...that if that is how she wants to raise her children, as *gah* as it is, it is her right as a parent.

Now, if something illegal or immoral was happening, then concern can be raised, but barring that...mind your own business.

If we want to bottle feed, then that is what is best for our child.

If we want to talk nonsense to our kid, then that is best for our child.

If we want to let our child cry, instead of holding her constantly, then that is best for our child.

This is America and that means if we want to have a baby that is missing out on the natural nutrients and immunity of breastmilk, doesn't talk correctly until 5th grade, and is emotionally alienated, then that is our right!

Let me tell you a few of the things that I have learned over the last six years, but I'm not telling you what you should do, but since I am smarter than you, it probably wouldn't hurt for you to do so:

1. Diapers hold way more than you think they can. You really don't have to change them until the kid walks like a cowboy.

2. If you don't vacuum, it will keep your babies occupied, however, don't be surprised if when you change their diaper, it is fuzzy...that will be normal.

3. If you set the living room up correctly, it is possible to, with the use of the chairs from the kitchen, to make a huge playpen, which allows you to sleep on the couch, but still be there in the event that you might hear the child choking or playing with the power outlet.

4. In a raisin, out a raisin. This also applies with cantaloupes and grapes.

5. Even if the children are not leaving the house, shirts and pants must match, and match by a woman's standards. Apparently, men have no idea what they are talking about.

6. If the baby is crying, they are hungry, need a diaper change, or they have realized that you have been getting more than an hour of sleep.

7. Benadryl, given with love, will solve any problem.

Logan will be so lucky that his sisters have taught me so much. And, in about a month, I will be able to apply that knowledge. Bring it on!

Andy Hallett Of 'Angel' Dies At 33

I usually don't put this kind of stuff on my blog, but I know that several of those who stop in are fans of Angel, as I am, so I thought I would put this up. One of the actors, Andy Hallett, who played the green skinned comic relief - Lorne (the Host), passed away recently.

You can read a brief snippet about it here.