2008...these are the days of our lives.

The Year of Logan, 2008, is coming to an end tonight and we're going to celebrate.

We're headed over to Jen & Ben Bartel's place for a "baby new year." Nita & Matt, Jim & Shonda and Carly and I will all be in attendance as well as all of our new little boys. It's sort of a super playdate. I hope Logan doesn't drink too much champagne...you know how those lightweight babies are. Ha.

Actually, I think I can speak for all the new parents that we hope the babies all go to sleep around 7-ish. That way, we get to have some adult play time. Here's my prediction though: Logan won't sleep. Yeah...I know...where would I ever get that idea...Logan not sleep in a strange place....but seriously, I envision all the other baby boys sleeping soundly around midnight while Carly and I kiss each one of Logan's cheeks as he smiles cherub-like when 2009 swoops in. Now that I think about it, I might be a little disappointed if he isn't awake...nah...just kidding.

Happy New Year everyone!

Mice Stink

After doing some internet research it turns out that mice have some sort of internal GPS system. So my catch and release scheme turned out to be flawed. I let the mouse out in the backyard but I guess he will indeed (thanks Miss Humm) come back inside. I'm supposed to drive the mouse miles away...opinions differ, but the farther the better.

Not coincidentally, I think we caught the same mouse this morning. Around 5:00 a.m. we heard the trap wriggling and sure enough a mouse was in it. Was it the same mouse? A new mouse? I don't know. But I let that one out in the backyard too. So chances are, we'll be catching them again until I do this right or decide to snap their little necks with a trap. What would Logan do?

Mouse in Da House

We had a little critter living under our sink. Thanks to the live trap I expertly set, wee little mouse is now outside in the backyard. I really wanted to keep him but Carly was a bit freaked out. Anyway, I set the trap again in case he had any friends. Hopefully he was a loner...although we already know he wasn't. We had a bottle of oil under the sink and, well, the cap was gone and a mouse somehow got in the bottle but couldn't get out...drowned...poor Mickey. Very gross discovery along with the little mice turds.

I think Logan would have enjoyed watching a mouse run around a little wheel, but I imagine it's better that we let him outside...kind of cold though. I hope Mr. Mouse can find a warm little nook tonight.

Daddy's Robe

I've managed to stay in my underwear and new robe all day...a pretty incredible feat if I do say so myself. I think Carly is about ready to kill me since she's been fairly busy today, and I feel bad about that, but for some reason I haven't the initiative to do much of anything. Perhaps I'm depressed over the Bears' loss.

I did actually do some things today. I finished Eat Pray Love (one of Carly's Christmas present), played on the computer, booked a flight to see my sister and the grand canyon, folded some diapers, read a magazine, and played with Logan. Sure, I didn't feed Logan or change Logan much or wrangle him all that often when he needed wrangling, but I did pay attention to him. Carly paid more attention to him, but who's counting.

Logan hasn't done too much today either. He pooped twice today which was unusual. Yesterday he pooped twice too. We think his tummy is upset. Logan also gently pet the cat...a breakthrough for Grabby McGraberson.

Ughh...this is not a coherent blog entry. What is with me? I've been eating really poorly the past few days...really bad stuff like Ramen noodles, cookies, cheese curds, etc. I think it is doing something to my brain and energy levels. Plan on doing something about my habits next year...ha...which is two days away.

Pete and Repeat

Ever heard that joke about Pete and Repeat? It's not a good one.

Anyway, Logan is starting to become a good mimic. Today I sort of taught him how to flick his tongue in and out...I've turned him into the Gene Simmons of babies. He seemed to really enjoy doing it and giggled hilariously watching me do it. Mom even got it on video...perhaps I'll post it.

Who's That Strange Man in My Bedroom?

Last night I got tired of my itchy December beard and decided to use my new Christmas present, a German made Dovo straight razor. Since I've never shaved with a straight razor I made sure to carefully do it so as not to end up like a victim of Sweeney Todd. It went well and now I'm naked on my face.

The reason I'm sharing my shaving exploits is to relate a humorous event that happened when I went to get Logan this morning. He slept in until 8:20 which was nice, and as I opened his door I noticed a reaction on his face that I've never seen before. Logan was hesitant, quizzical, a bit perplexed for a split second. Whenever a man has a beard, then doesn't, it always seems to cause a raised eyebrow or two just because the change does look curious. Logan recognized me, but knew something was different. He smiled big as I picked him up and his tiny hands went straight for my smooth face. I could read the look on his face: "your face feels like my butt, Dad." Anyway, it was a neat little reaction as I start what is hopefully a nice day. The Bears have to win and the Vikings have to lose in order for it to be truly nice.

Untitled

I've been a bit of a blog procrastinator as of late. My entries have been a bit basic and I've actually missed a few days. Oops. Chalk it up to the holiday season I suppose. I plan on re-commiting myself with all my New Year's energy so expect big things in 2009. I imagine Logan will be full of energy too so I think I'll have lots of material.

We made it back from East Alton yesterday through pea soup fog. It was the worst driving conditions I think I have ever experienced and yet we drove in it for over four hours. I simply had to focus on the white line to my right and the dashed white lines to my left, occasionally seeing the red of brake lights in front of me. It was pretty intense, but we went slow and we eventually got home. Reminded me of that scene in On The Road...Kerouac and Dan Cody I think driving through the jungle with no lights...as I was driving I thought that what we were doing was a good metaphor for life, but I don't have the energy to explain it right now...

Logan had on a camoflouge outfit on today which was a hand-me-down from my cousins...he was crawling around on all fours with his usual exuberance and he looked like a baby soldier desperately avoiding enemy fire. I'd say it was cute...and it was...but now that I think about the image, it's kind of scary too. I don't feel like discussing that either. I'm done writing for now.

Christmas Morn'

It's quiet on Christmas morning and Logan and I are hanging out waiting for everybody to wake up.

Last night when everybody else was at midnight service, Logan and I cuddled under the blankets and slept. It was really nice and peaceful...a perfect Christmas gift from my little boy. He hasn't been good at sleeping with us anymore so last night was a special treat.

Merry Christmas!

Walk Hard

For a while now we've been holding Logan's hands and walking him around. Today he did something a bit out of the ordinary. He fell to his knees and began knee walking...totally cute and funny to watch.

Logan had an atrocious night last night...unfamiliar surroundings, lack of proper naps, and exciting get togethers with relatives. All Mommy and Daddy want for Christmas Eve is a silent night!

It's hard to believe Christmas is here...but it is and we're enjoying it. Wow...this is a bad blog. Oh well. Hope Santa is good to everybody.

Christmas in East Alton

Carly, Logan, and I braved the winter weather and drove down to Carly's folks. We had wanted to get an early start and Logan accomodated us, waking up at 4:30 a.m., so we got all packed up and were on the road by 6:00 a.m. He slept for the first two hours, looked out the window for 45 minutes or so, and then fell asleep for the rest of the trip. It was good traveling. He hasn't napped here, but we just got him down so hopefully he sleeps well.

I spend the day here making Logan a Christmas present. I'll blog about my cool present later.

Baby Bruise

Poor Logan has a bruise in a sensitive area. We think that he fell on his butt, landing on a toy or something. Anyway, the bruise looks like a contusion sort of...it was raised a bit like a mosquito bite. The location: well...the scientific term is the perineum. Carly and I were a bit worried initially, but he seems fine so I don't think we should be worried. Can't believe I'm blogging about this.

We hung out with some friends today and it was a good time. I'll try to add some pictures later.

Peek-a-Boo, Clicking, and Waving While Doing the Naked Dance

Ok. So Logan hasn't done all of these things simultaneously, but he has done each of the titled activities on their own. The most recent new thing is Logan playing peek-a-boo. It wasn't witnessed by me, but this morning Logan supposedly grabbed a blanket and began to hide from Mommy, only to pull the blanket away from his face moments later to surprise her. I don't know where he gets these things.

Yesterday at my sister's Logan developed the ability to wave. For many weeks now he has thrust his fist out when happy, but Momma finally taught him to relax his fingers and open and close them. His first waves were pretty special. It's like he has baby superpowers or something.

In the past week or so, Logan has also learned to click or rather cluck with his tongue. Carly and I had been showing him the tongue gymnastic move and Logan seemed to pick it up quickly. Now he's clucking away contentedly every so often.

Logan's final parlor trick is the naked dance. We've noticed this hilarious trait for many weeks now, perhaps even months, but I've failed to mention it in the blog. Anyway, when Logan is naked he proceeds to flail out his little legs as if he is on a stationary bicycle. His legs turn over in cute little kicks and he gets a wonderfully free look on his face. His eyes light up and he seems to very much enjoy his nakedness.

When will the day come when Logan does all of the above things at the same time? Maybe never, but it would be cool if he did.

Baker's Square Angel

I forgot to blog yesterday. Sorry. Carly had a snow day and I just lost track of the time. Anyway, we had a nice dinner at Baker's Square last night and Logan was an angel. He was entertained in his high chair the whole time...eating little pieces of fruit and playing with his toy, albeit dropping it on the floor numerous times. We even got pie, so Logan was sitting for a long time. The first place we took Logan when he was only 10 days old was Baker's Square. He was great then too. I remember Carly and I freakin' out that he was going to scream or something.

Well, we're off to Wisconsin for the day to visit my sister and her new hubbie, John. Hope the roads are clear and that Logan is as good on the car ride as he was for our dinner last night.

Logan Speaks!

Minutes ago, Logan clearly and distinctly was saying Mmm, Ma, Mama, and Mom. I was searching for Josh and Leah's present, and I think I said out loud, "where did Mom put it?" Logan must have heard me because he began to make the M sound. It was exciting and I'm proud of my little guy. I kept encouraging him to say it, and after a few times I realized my cell phone was in my pocket. Of course, when I attempted to record his voice for Carly, he got shy and wouldn't say Mom. However, I did manage to capture a bit of it so Mommy will be happy when she gets home.

More Food

Carly gave Logan a McDonald fry! How dare she! It was pretty funny because he didn't seem to like it all that much.

Logan's Interest in What I'm Eating

Logan is really interested in my food, to the point of being annoying actually. During breakfast it was cute. I actually got him his own bowl of multi-grain cheerios and he had a wonderful time practicing his pincer grip. Most of the cheerios ended up on the floor, so he's got to work on his aim. It's ok, Logan. Food doesn't always make it into my mouth either. Since he was pestering me, I gave him tiny tastes of everything during lunch. I ate a variety of foods, and Logan tried nearly all of them. I ate some veggie hot dogs with cheese on whole grain italian bread and Logan got a taste of all three things. He seemed to like them. I washed that lunch down with some pomegranate juice. Sure enough, Logan was bugging me for a taste, so I gave him a drop or two. He liked that too. I managed to fight him off when I was eating some cool ranch doritoes so at least I haven't exposed him to junk food. Am I somehow befouling my baby with these little tastes?

Naughty and Nice

Logan's been a bit naughty today and got himself into a little bit of trouble. Nothing serious or anything, but just a tad humourous (why the British spelling of humourous? I dunno.) I was eating delicious chips and salsa from Eduardo's and Logan decides to grab the chip bag and flail it around his head, thereby emptying the plastic bag of its contents. Chips were all over the ground and couch. It's not a big deal or anything, but a bit Dennis the Menace-y. Moments later, I was parched from the spicy salsa so I got a big glass of water. Sure enough Logan managed to nab the glass and it went tumbling over spilling water all over the counter, the floor, and onto my socks. Again, no big deal except a bit naughty.

On the nice side of the day, Logan and I went Christmas shopping and he was an excellent boy at Target. He is napping well and has been in a good mood. I put a teething biscuit into that contraption that prevents choking (it's a small mesh bag thingie with a handle) and Logan gnawed on the biscuit for quite a while. Soon it was nothing but a mush of particles. It kept him occupied though while I wrapped presents. Well, I think I'll attempt to shovel the driveway before Carly gets home. Logan's asleep so he won't be braving the elements this time. I don't know about you, but it's annoying when car marks get compacted into the driveway. I guess it's an OCD tendency of mine. Gotta shovel before she pulls in.

Mom Vs. Mother Nature

Like most working folk, Carly had to brave the elements this morning. Poor Carly. I felt bad for her and was worried considering the treacherous, icy conditions. The least I could do was to help her get on her way, so I scraped off the car windows, started the car up (barely) and loaded the presents she was bringing to school for donations and Secret Santa stuff. Anyway, the weather was pretty brutal last night and into the morning (howling winds that kept knocking our antenna tower into the house) and it got me thinking about how thankful I am to have a warm place to inhabit.

With people losing homes and the tough economic times, I feel even luckier that I've had such a good, solid start in my life. I owe so much to my parents who gave me that safe and comfortable beginning. Because I've been so blessed, I want to give the same thing to my family. I don't feel pressure or anything...I just want what is best for them...and so far, I feel like we are doing well.

I'm pretty sure that's what everybody in the world wants...to be able to provide a decent life for his or her family. That is why the world is such a frustrating place. Because everybody deserves to live a lifestyle where one is warm at night, but not everybody has that. And a lot of times, it isn't the person's fault...it's not because they are lazy or anything to do with their actions. People's lives are greatly determined by the (economic, social, biological) circumstances they are born into. And one doesn't really choose these circumstances. I suppose if you believe in reincarnation and the like that you actually do choose your circumstances before birth so as to work on your karmic issues...well yeah, then you do "deserve" what you get. However, thinking this and being able to accept it are two different things.

I'm getting a bit off topic, I guess. It just seems unfair that everyone doesn't have the basic necessities for survival. Especially so on nights and days when Mother Nature is cruel and cold.

Speaking of Poop...

Logan and I got Mom good again today. She had just returned from a Christmas shopping extravaganza, and sure enough, Logan had a present waiting for her when she came in the door.

Honestly, I smelled Logan's bottom and didn't sense a poopie in there. Anyway, Carly was excited about changing him to say the least.

That's all for today folks.

Conspiracy?

Hello, everybody.

So this is my first guest blog, and it's a bit intimidating. After all, how does Eric think of something amusing to say about parenthood everyday? I always thought if I ever blogged, I would have something really interesting and reflective to say about my past 8 months of being a mom. I never thought the thing I'd want to write about would have anything to do with...well, poop. Who wants to read about poop, anyway? I know I've always wrinkled my nose in distaste when Eric has blogged about our son's deuces. But that's all I've got, kids. So, I apologize in advance to those of you who are as poop-intolerant as I am.

As some of you may know, I'm a fan of conspiracy theories, and I just wanted to let all of you in on one that I suspect has been going on right under my nose.

Dirty diapers. Why does it always happen on my watch? I come home from school, Eric leaves for class...Within five minutes, there is a poopy diaper for me to change. It's uncanny! So here's my theory: Eric has put Logan on a feeding schedule that is so intricately planned that it has allowed him to avoid changing dirty diapers for several months now. And let's face it--he has plenty of motivation. I mean, who wants to pin a twisting, thrashing 8-month-old to his changing table only to...well, let's not speak of it further. Yes, under daddy's tutelage, Logan's become a little WMD, Weapon of Mommy Destruction. I think I finally understand why Eric always chuckles sinisterly when he walks out the door.

Did I Say Best Sleep Ever?

I lied in my previous post. Last night was the best sleep ever!!! Logan went to sleep at 7:00 in the p.m. and woke up at 7:00 in the a.m. He slept through the night!!! 12 whole hours!!! HOLY MOLY! Whose child is this?

Maybe Logan learned something about sleep from his playdate yesterday. Evan and Nathan are good sleepers, so maybe they told Logan the secret to a successful night of sleep. Speaking of the playdate, it went well. Only Logan was a bit grabby with his hands. He's not a bully, but he was making Evan cry a lot. Logan just was so excited and slappy and grabby. Anyway, here's a few pictures of the visit.

Best Sleep Ever

Logan slept over eight whole hours last night...the longest he has ever slept in the past eight months. We got him down at 7:15 and he slept until 3:30. On top of that, he went back to sleep until 7:30 this morning...so therefore, I declare Logan had the best sleep ever!

We have a play date today at 11:00 with Evan and Nathan. Should be fun. I'll try to post some pictures later today.

Today is Wednesday, Right?

I've been losing track of the days this week. Maybe I have a brain tumor or something. This is not entirely a joke considering that I fainted last night. Really. Carly and I were sleeping and around midnight, Logan started crying. I guess I got up from the bed too quickly or something because by the time I got to the doorway, I was on the ground. It was a very surreal experience in the dark of our bedroom. Luckily I didn't really hurt myself, although I did scrap my left pectoralis majoris, i.e. (chest) pretty good. That pain was in fact the first thing that I was conscious of as I "woke up". I was literally down for a half a second I guess. Carly was a bit worried and I quote: "why don't I get the baby." So I warmed up his bottle, made sure I was sitting in the chair when I did take him, and fed the little guy while Carly went back to bed. She's been sick and took some NyQuil so it was amazing she was even conscious of his crying. And boy, he kind of had a crying night last night. We let him for the most part. Anyway, swooning is certainly an interesting thing. I think it's happened to me in my life about three times before this...each time is weird.

Well, I wanted to blog about how we shoveled the driveway together this morning, and how Logan likes to shop, but I guess I'll just post pictures of those things.

Logan Eats Dirt

Let me set up the scene: unattentive Dad is on the computer looking at his sister's wedding pictures. Logan is crawling around, playing with toys, and having a jolly good ol' time. Logan decides to crawl up into the big umbrella house plant (which is two feet away from the computer). Daddy is aware, yet unaware of what is happening. Logan proceeds to grab two big handfuls of potting soil and stick them in his mouth. MMMMmmmm. Dirt tastes good. Logan turns around, expecting parental interference and smiles at his Dad. His Dad looks at a smiling child with a black dirty mouth and picks Logan up and washes his hands off and his mouth out.

What's that ol' saying? A person will eat a peck of dirt in a lifetime? Logan is well on his way.

McGurk Effect

I learned about this last week in my Linguistics class. Since Logan is going dadadadadadadadada all the time, I thought it appropriate.

Here's a youtube video on the McGurk Effect. Funny name.

Logan Loves Wendy

I stopped by Wendy's after working out today because I felt like a frosty. I got a frosty along with a baked potato. Logan was very curious about my food so I let him have some and he loved it! Nothing like frosties and potatoes to make a baby strong and healthy!

In other news, Logan slept well last night. Thank you, thank you.

Logan and I were playing/wrestling on the floor just moments ago and I was making him giggle and laugh. How precious it was...such a wonderful moment that I really appreciated...a simple moment that made me feel content.

Baptism

Logan was baptized today at our church, The First Congregational United Church of Christ. The ceremony felt all warm and fuzzy and he was a good boy throughout, although during the sermon he was showing off his screechy singing voice. Truly, it was a nice family affair and we felt loved as we stood in front of the church. I feel blessed to have found such an open and affirming church here in DeKalb, and I feel comfortable with our decision to get Logan baptized in the first place.

My relationship to Spirit is an interesting one (and something I'm not going to blog about right now). All I know is that it feels nice to introduce Logan into the mysteries and wonders of religion. I hope he comes to some sort of faith in his life, whatever that may be.

I really appreciated having so much family at the service (especially those who had to travel so far) and it was fun entertaining everyone at our house afterwards even though it stressed Carly out quite a bit. I know Logan relished all the attention this weekend. My only hope is that he sleeps better than last night...the night from Hell. Hopefully the baptism exorcised whatever demon possessed him last night. Ok...enough writing...here's a pic of Logan in his fancy outfit.

Logan is 8 Months Old!

Logan's getting to be an ol' fart. Here's a cute picture from today. Think it's going in the monthly picture album.

Mid-day Meltdown

Logan just got over a 40 minute crying fit. It was a bit trying on Daddy's nerves. He doesn't normally get like this, but when he does, watch out! For some reason, on the way back from the YMCA he fell asleep in the car. According to Daddy's schedule, he wasn't due for a nap for at least another hour or two, so I thought it a bit strange. Anyway, I put him down in his crib, and he was quiet for five minutes and then started to cry. I picked him up figuring he wasn't tired. We played for a few minutes, I gave him a bottle, and he was still fussing and acting like he was tired. So I put him down. He cried for another 5-10 minutes and I cracked and went in to soothe him. He wasn't having it. Neither was I. I put him in his crib and decided to take a shower. 30 minutes later he was still crying vehemently. I went in and this time he fell asleep in my arms in minutes, every so often doing a huge gasp from crying so hard. I felt like I was abandoning him while I took my shower, but then again, I'm not one who enjoys the abuse Logan doles out when he's in one of these moods. I feel conflicted. On the one hand, I think Logan just needs to get over it and be able to deal with his emotions on his own. Let him "cry it out" no matter how long it takes. (And for him, it takes a long time). On the other hand, what am I teaching him by ditching him in his crib when he's fussy? Maybe in his lil' baby brain he had a justifiable reason for crying? Or maybe he just felt like crying for no reason? The fact is, he's a baby. He can cry. In fact, the world would probably be a better place if we all cried more often. But when we cry, do we want to be left alone? A comforting embrace or pat on the back makes crying and the act of crying better because we know we're not alone. No one wants to be abandoned in an emotional state. So let the balancing act begin. Do we coddle our children leaving them vulnerable to this harsh world? Do we toughen them up and stymie their emotional expression? Or do we try to find the middle path between the two?

Gated Community

It was time to put a damper on my baby's youthful exuberance. I s'pose one of a parent's jobs is to be a wet blanket. I have a new appreciation for my parents and what they had to put up with in regards to me.

As I've blogged about, Logan is really movin' around the house. His favorite place to go is the kitchen, something about the cat food bowls and water dish intrigues him. It's been a tiring two days because I can't put him down for more than two seconds before he attempts to make it into the kitchen...then I have to wrangle him...and the look he gives me is priceless.

Another worry in the kitchen was the basement steps. I always nabbed him before he even got close to those, but it was a worry. Now I can relax a bit.

I put up the baby gate at the stairs, and moved the cat food and water bowl into the little mud room on the other side of the gate. The cats are divided about these new arrangements. Earth has hopped over the gate in both directions no problem. She seems fine with this, even excited considering she now has a space to escape from Logan's grabby hands. It's been about 15 minutes since I put the gate up, and Moon is still sitting on the basement side of it, either too scared to attempt the jump, or just not feeling in a jumpy mood. It's silly because Moon is the cat that scales the garage walls in order to get up in the rafters and play in the attic.

Anyway, Logan now has free crawl in the kitchen. I just washed the floors yesterday, so no foreign food matter will go into his mouth. I put the outlet covers in the outlets, and feel like the kitchen is somewhat babyproof.

On Guard!

Don't much feel like writing today, so I'm posting some pictures! Enjoy!

2 a.m. Surprise

We had a new development occur last night. Logan went down at 7:30 and woke up crying for the first time at 2:00...a nice lil' stretch. I went into his room with a full, warm bottle and what do I see? Logan is standing up in his crib, just hanging out and wailing. It was a bit of a shock, even though we sort of expected it. About a week or two ago we dropped his crib to its lowest setting, fully aware that he would soon be able to stand in his crib. Anyway, we didn't expect it to happen so soon. It was awfully cute, but a little concerning. How soon will it be before he'll build the strength to pull himself completely out of the crib? That happens, right? I wonder if I could completely pad the floor?

And just to emphasize that this wasn't a fluke, when Logan woke up this morning at 6:45, yeah, he was standing. He smiled big at me when I came in to get him, looking proud of himself. "Daddy, see what I can do?" It's been cool around here lately.

Last night we put up the Christmas tree...Logan likes to eat the LED lights...go figure.

The Wandering Nomad that is Logan

Logan is crawling up a storm. His favorite place to go today seems to be the bathrooms. It makes me feel real guilty because we haven't washed the floors in a while. Got to get on that. Not that I let him crawl on the bathroom floor...I pick him up and put him back to his starting position in the living room. Sure enough, he heads to the, well, head again.

Logan has been extra sleepy today...most likely recovering from the long family weekend. It's been nice because I got a chance to catch up on grad school homework. Well...gotta go wrangle the boy again. Carly's cleaning out a dirty diaper.

Let it Snow

We are back from East Alton and I say, "Let it Snow!" Tomorrow is the first of December and it's nice to see the white stuff on the ground. I took Logan outside along with the kitties, and all three of them seemed to want to come back inside right away. It feels nice and cozy in our house, so I was glad to accomodate. Anyway, still feeling grateful for all the good things in life, even though I've been a bit sick the past few days. Well, I think that's all.

Getting Dressed

Logan no longer seems to enjoy getting dressed and getting a new diaper. I hadn't wanted to blog about it before in fear of giving power to the naughty new habit, but alas, I have to face the music. He is a fussy baby on the changing table. It makes that all too frequent time much more of a chore for us and I imagine him. I suppose it's because Logan doesn't want to take time out from his exploring, or that Logan just doesn't like being on his back anymore. Whatever it is, we hear Logan crying and fussing a lot more than we did. Especially so when he is overly tired. Then my kisses on his chest and the goofy faces we make at him have no effect, and he cries his little heart out. The moment we're finished, he's ok again. Ahhh, the mysterious wonderful world of a child.

Daddy is "Officially" a Novelist

I won Nanowrimo 2008!!! I wrote a 50,222 word novel in the month of November. Yeah, Me! I couldn't have done it without the help from my beautiful and inspiring wife, Carly, and my wonderful, non-napper at Thanksgiving little boy, Logan. It feels really good to have used my time at home in a productive way...you know, in addition to rearing my child and all. Writing this novel has not been easy. However, it hasn't been that hard either. I've learned that in life, simple persistance and stubborness can get you pretty damn far. It allowed my to finish an Ironman, and now, it has allowed me to write a book, it worked out to 1,666 words a day, which isn't that hard and doesn't take too long. Sure, the book is most likely a load of junk, but it's my junk and guess what...now I get the chance to revise and edit and make the junk into something that resembles a publishable manuscript. And who knows what's next? Anyway, I'm on a writer's high right now and could keep blabbing on indefinitely in this blog post, but to spare all of you readers out there, I think I'll end now. We're driving to East Alton this weekend. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Thanks for reading!

Forrest Gump in the House

First off, Happy Thanksgiving everybody! We are thankful and grateful for our little boy, Logan, our family and friends, and all the blessings in our life. We have so much and feel so thankful.

I thought a light-hearted blog would be appropriate today. Logan is doing a good Forrest Gump imitation. For the past two days, he has been, well, sort of rhythmically grunting so to speak. You know that scene in Forrest Gump where Forrest's Mom will do anything to help out her boy...Forrest imitates the noise he heard from the...um...bedroom. Well, those are the exact noises that Logan has been making. It's interesting to say the least. We've been trying to discourage the noise, but to no avail. Anyway, I'm thankful for this blog too because I get to share and record all these silly little things that Logan does.

Enjoy today everybody.

Trace Amounts of Melamine

Carly and I were watching the news last night and what do we see: Logan's brand of formula, Enfamil Lipil, is in the news for containing a scary chemical. Trace amounts of melamine were found in the formula by the FDA. Melamine is the same chemical that was criminally used in China to boost the protein of infant formula; it was making infants sick, causing kidney damage and failure, even killing some children.

We were pretty upset and immediately went to the Internet to find out more information...we were not happy with the teaser that the scary news media gave us in the middle of the Dancing with the Stars finale. Anyway, after much googling, it turns out that this is something not to worry about too much, but still, it's not really acceptable and very frustrating.

I don't have the figures in front of me, but the melamine found was something like 10,000 times less than the melamine in Chinese formula...likewise, they gave some sort of analogy saying it was a drop of chemical in something like a whole truckload of liquid or something. I don't mean to be reactionary or anything, and I understand that we live in a world where risks are everywhere, but is it too much to ask that we do everything we can to attempt to protect the most innocent? After the Chinese problem was encountered, the FDA stance was that no melamine was acceptable...after quietly investigating American formula, they may be backtracking saying some parts per million are ok. They blame this contamination on the cleaning of the machinery or packaging or something because this level of melamine would do nothing to make the formula more protein rich. Anyway, the whole situation is scary and raises a lot of concerns for me and my family.

In case you didn't know, Carly and I have been vegetarians for the past 6 years or so now. Sure, I enjoy the occasional package of beef jerky now and then, and Carly did crave KFC during her pregnancy, but for the most part, we live on a plant based diet. Part of why we don't eat meat is because we don't like how industry mechanizes the whole process. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the fact that we are more efficient and enjoy the many products of industrialization. But something has gone too far when we are so removed from the processing of our food. I'm not always confident that the organic, natural foods movement is the way to go, but I do think there needs to be more awareness and transparency in how our food gets to our tables.

Here's my dirty little secret...I had actually been buying the Target brand formula more than the Enfamil Lipil. It was over half the price less than the Enfamil, and as far as nutrition, it is identical. I'm telling you this, because we tried to figure out if the Target brand was affected by the melamine chemical. After some pretty intense sleuthing on the web, I managed to find out that the Target brand was made in a factory in Georgia. They had a nice website...and had been making formula for over 40 years. Encouraging, but I have a hard time trusting. It was challenging to find out where my baby's formula was made. Should it have been? Should I have done this before I gave it to him? Probably. But the whole food processing mechanism is also to blame I think. We don't have to think about where our stuff is coming from if we don't choose to.

I want to have some land, grow my garden, have a few goats that munch my lawn, and make goat cheese. It would be nice if my neighbors had chickens, and I could swap my goat milk for eggs. Maybe to some, this sounds backwards. To me, it sounds so forward thinking that it may even be revolutionary.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic. The fact is, we thought that formula was ok for Logan now. It is, but not as ok as we thought it was. We're sticking with the Target brand, but every time we make up a bottle, a little gnat of worry is buzzing around in our brains. No wonder people freak out all the time. This human world can be a scary place.

The Movin' on Blues

That was the title of a song that was in the Electric Sunshine Man, a play in which I played Thomas Edison. Sure, it was nearly 20 years ago, but I remember the lyrics...crazy. Anyway, those words were going through my head because Logan is really on the move.

For example, I was making my picks for the Pro-football, fantasy pick-em league I am in. It doesn't take long because I pretty much randomnly just choose winners, but anyway, I noticed that Logan was crawling his way down the hall to the bedroom. I planned on grabbing him as soon as I was finished...and when I did, I walked into the bedroom only to find Logan missing. Strange...I looked down the other hallway, and Logan is in the guest bedroom...attempting to stand up to grab a vase. And so it begins...my ability to do things on the computer while Logan wobbles on his back is no longer an option. If I want to write or blog or simply surf the web, I'm going to have to either put him in some sort of baby contraption, or not do it. I'm not the greatest multitasker so I have a hard time paying attention to Logan and playing on the computer at the same time. Like right now for instance, he's been emptying a box filled with cords and miscellany and I haven't been paying attention. Gotta go.

Up, Up, and Away!

Logan has been standing all day long...here's an example.
He has also been falling a lot today...I wonder why?


It has been a day of bumps and bruises, but in the immortal words of Mickey the trainer from the Rocky movies, "Get up you sonovuabitch, cause Daddy loves ya!" That's what Logan has been doing...getting up after a fall.

All Play and No Naps Makes Logan a Tired Boy

Carly, Logan, and I went to visit my parents today. They were kind enough to watch Logan while Carly and I saw a matinee of Twilight, which was good by the way. We had really low expectations for it and were pleasantly surprised. Anyway, Logan didn't really nap well today. Two shorties of about 30 minutes. By 5:00 his little eyes were so red and tired. He snoozed on the car ride home and went down to bed after a quick bath. It was just so cute to see him that tired.

He has been standing up like a pro...he did it at least 3 or 4 times at my parents' house, so it's no longer a fluke. This kid is going to be walking in a month...mark my words.

Logan Stands

Logan did the most marvelous thing a few minutes ago. He stood up!!! He was kneeling against a huggies box, and then he just stood up. Carly and I both witnessed it. Fantastic. We're so proud of our little guy.

Extra Extra Extra...

Last night Logan slept for an initial five hour stretch, then a six hour stretch. This is major awesome sleepy stuff going on and Carly and I are very happy about it.

Also, we just bought Logan a new carseat on Target.com. We got a Britax, pretty expensive, $199, but according to reviews, most likely worth it. I s'pose it's an early Christmas present. I'm not sure if we have to buy a base for the other car, or if we simply have to move this one from car to car. Anyway, don't have too much going on this weekend. Carly's headed to Girl Interrupted, a play at her school tonight, so Logan and I get to have a guy's night out. We might hit the clubs, ya know. Dance till the sun rises...something like that. Or maybe we'll go to bed at 7:30 and do Nanowrimo. I'm up to 35,000 words. Only 15,000 to go. I want it to end. My novel is a bunch of crap. Ok. Maybe not all crap, but at least 85% crap. I guess it's cool that I'm getting so close to finishing, but right now I sort of want it to be over.

Extra, Extra...

Logan sleeps for a record, seven hours straight!!! Logan slept from 7:00 to 2:00 last night...a whopping seven hour stretch. Now granted, Carly and I didn't go to sleep until close to midnight, so that seven hours felt like two sleeping hours, but beggars can't be choosers. Not only did he sleep for that long initially, but he also went back down relatively easy. Ok. Not exactly, but almost. I gave him a five ounce bottle and put him down to sleep at 2:15. But after being quiet for fifteen minutes, he decided to wake up and cry. We did our best to ignore him for awhile, but Carly eventually went in and got him to sleep around 3:00. He slept from 3:00 to 7:45 this morning when the garbage truck went by the other side of the street. This was a fortuitous waking schedule, because I realized that I hadn't yet emptied the cat litter boxes. I was living life on the edge, but I thought that I'd be able to get them emptied before the garbage truck came to our side of the street. So, with baby in tow I frantically scooped out cat pee, and dug for those special cat nuggets amongst the cat's three litter boxes. I managed to get it done, and stop to turn the fish tank light on as well as feed them. I emerged upstairs to see the garbage still at the end of the driveway. Logan and I braved the cold for a few moments and dropped the cat refuse off literally as the garbage truck was pulling in front of my next door neighbor's garbage. To say the least, it was a perfectly thrilling and mundane morning. These are the moments when I realize I live a blessed life. I'm overflowing with gratitude at the universe and hope the rest of my day falls in place as well as this morning.

Logan's Many Faces

Call him "The Mouth"

Logan is putting everything in his mouth. So far today he's had the following in his mouth: styrofoam from the packaging of a picture frame, a lint ball of string, leaves from an umbrella plant (which we don't know whether it's poisonous), the stem of a pumpkin, a plastic phone charger, a picnic basket, my leather moccasins, a spinach leaf, assorted strands of carpet, and all sorts of approved baby toys. Needless to say, I have to be vigilant in watching him.

I was dusting the bookshelf in the bedroom and cleaning when I discovered the styrofoam in his mouth. Everything ends up there because Logan is a curious boy. His mouth is the primary way he learns about things right now. Anyway, I know how to do CPR, but I'm seriously considering taking a refresher course.

Tired

Logan ate 8 ounces tonight before bed. That is the most he has ever eaten at a single sitting. I'm tired. So is Carly. We're going to bed. G'night.

Baby Post

Thought I'd give Logan another chance to do a blog entry. Here he goes...
8y77u8bpm7h j y xsdejmbn gvvvvvyc cdgfvbhnb gfcgtfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
bf hbg nui9hgy[=tgvhhhhhjujhn nec e 2rf4erdfzvhb`1ew2,m yrfgbftu yk,.tgfhhhhhnbgvj cf byt egfawr 68 yQ3Sgjyfvg 8v5bcbn dsvy7v

It's amazing how much can happen when a seven month old bashes the computer keys. He managed to open a new program, open up the "find" feature, and navigate to another page. Crazy. Anyway, Logan is crawling towards the electrical cords, so I should end this post. How was the video yesterday?

First Video Post

Logan has had an exciting day. First, he's crawling more "traditionally." I embedded the video. Also, he experienced snow for the first time. And last but not least, he has a new trick of pulling himself up on furniture. Totally exciting stuff.

Logan Shows Off

Logan has been a good boy for Grammy & Grampy. He didn't fuss too much and was his happy and smiley self.

He slept well last night too. From 10:00 to 12:30, then from 12:30 to 5:00, then from 5:00 to 8:15. Not too shabby. This past week he has been sleeping in longer stretches, so I thinked we've finally turned a corner.

Today we're headed off to Jackie's wedding. I feel bad not bringing him considering there will be tons of lil' kiddies at the wedding, but since both Carly and I are standing up, it's just a lot easier having the grandparents watch him. Plus, they get to have fun and spoil him, so it works out for everybody. Well, I have to start getting ready...until tomorrow.

McScreamy

Carly and I watch Grey's Anatomy every once in a while, (if you don't watch it, there are characters with nicknames, McDreamy, McSteamy, etc) and if Logan was on the show, I think his nickname would be McScreamy. Logan has discovered he has the ability to make this cute, yet terribly annoying little scream. He's done it quite a bit today. In the car I hear...ehhhhhhhahhhhhahhhh. Holding him I hear... ehhhhhhahhhhahahhhhehehhh. Before naptime, well you get the picture. It's more cute that annoying but I s'pose it depends on the context. Today at Jewell, Logan thought it would be fun to scream, and it got old fairly quickly. Anyway, Carly and I have the rehearsal dinner for my sister's wedding tonight. Carly's parents should be here soon, and they are going to watch our lil' guy. I hope he's good for them.

Logan's Grand Adventure

Logan has been the bestest boy ever today. I had a lot of things to do and Logan came along for the ride. I had to drive to the Men's Wearhouse in Geneva to pick up my tuxedo for Jackie's wedding. Logan slept on the way down there, and entertained himself quietly on the way back. Then I ran some errands and had lunch with Josh at China Buffet. Logan did try to grab a hot potato off my plate, but other than that, he was good there too. It's challenging filling up your buffet plate with baby in tow. Logan and I went home for a quick bottle and change, then we went to Brooks Elementary school. I had to take some photographs for my internship of DeKalb high school students working with the lil' preschoolers. Those kids were pretty cute, and Logan loved it. He can't wait to go to preschool. Logan was an angel during all of this, and he easily drifted off to sleep when we got back home. It's been a grand adventure for my boy today. He deserves the nap.

Recurring Phantom Baby Dream

Last night I had the dream again. I calmly, yet frantically search for my child amongst blankets and pillows. I know he is there, but for some reason he eludes my grasp. I see him in my mind's eye: Logan is buried under blankets and pillows and needs my help.

I've had this dream over ten times in the past seven months. It's become comic in a way. Because not only do I have the dream, but I also enact the dream. Last night, I was bent over the side of the bed grasping out at the pillows on the ground, pushing them aside, and just knowing Logan was down there. Carly, well aware of the dream, told me "Logan's not there, you're dreamin' Eric," and I proceeded to argue with her a bit. Usually, I snap myself out of it and a dull awareness of "ohhhh, that's why I couldn't find him...because he's not here..." sort of thing happens. And normally I keep it within the bed, pulling up at the comforter a few times pawing for my child.

Maybe it was such an intense dream last night because Logan was a shrieking banshee and my rest was interrupted frequently. He slept for a good three hours initially, but then decided he wasn't tired for the rest of the night. We cracked a few times, but then again, Logan's little voice is hoarse from crying, so nobody was a winner. Anyway, I ignored him until 9:00 this morning, so he caught up on some sleep, but really he was awful last night. We've gotten into a pattern though the past four days. If the pattern holds, he'll sleep from 1:30 to 7:30 tonight. Let's hope. And let's hope not to have the recurring phantom baby dream anytime soon again.

Mum & Dad Swim

Logan was a lucky boy today and got to go to swim class with both mom and dad. This is the third class we've taken and he's really been enjoying it. Here's a sweet photograph of us chillin' in the pool. And good news, Logan slept from 1:30 to 7:00 last night. Sweet.

Monday with Mommy

Logan and I haven't done much together today. Mommy has the day off, as well as tomorrow, and she's been hangin' with him most of the day. She took Logan shopping and has been doing laundry with him. She fed him and changed his diaper, and right now she's brushing his two teeth. Logan didn't sleep well last night, nor has he napped well today, so our little wondrous night of 6 hours of sleep was a fluke. He's been quiet and a bit sullen for the past hour, so maybe he'll go down for a good long stretch tonight. Well, I don't have too much to write about tonight. It sure is nice having Mommy around.

Logan's Miraculous Night

Logan slept from 1:30 in the morning to 7:15...a miracle. We got nearly a six hour stretch of sleep. It was an amazing dream filled morning. I got up with him when he did wake up, and we hung out till about 9:00, letting Mommy enjoy her weekend beauty rest.

I'm not sure why he slept so well, but hopefully we've turned an invisible corner. Anyway, we're headed to my parents to watch the Bears game. Logan's all decked out in his blue and orange, ready to go.

Logan's Scream

So moments ago, Carly put Logan down for the night. Minutes later, he let out a blood curdling scream that sounded nothing like we've ever heard from him. Carly freaked out and demanded, "go get him." Think worried Terminator. The tone of her voice and the strange scream jolted me from my normal calm level-headedness, and a jolt of fear coursed through me. I quickly opened the door to Logan's room and immediately knew what the problem was. Logan had taken a big stinky dump. His scream of terror was a poopoo scream. Relieved, I gladly changed his diaper and put him back to sleep. He seemed happy and content to have the poopoo monster out of his bowels. Just an event out of the ordinary here, so I felt the need to share.

A Perfect Gentleman

Mommy, Logan and I took an evening adventure to Walgreens, Farm & Fleet, Borders, and Sullivans. We left around Logan's usual witching hour, and hoped that he wasn't going to get fussy. He didn't. Logan was the perfect gentleman during our shopping trip. He chilled out in his car seat, took in all the toys at Farm & Fleet, giggled when we made funny faces at him, and made babbling noises in the car much to our entertainment. It was a nice time, especially so because I've felt a bit cooped up in the house today. This whole getting dark at 5:00 thing is pretty brutal. And now that the weather has changed to cold, yeah, I'm missing summer. I think if I wasn't aware of it, I could easily be affected by SADD. It's such a bummer when the sun goes down so soon and the cold wind blows. It's relative though, I guess. We get up early, so we see quite a bit of sun, and if you're brave, you can tough out the cold. Well, enough for today. I need to write my words for Nanowrimo.

Yokel in a Bumpo

I'm posting this picture of Logan in his new Bumpo. It's a great little invention to help babies sit up by themselves. Thanks to Jackie and Grandma for finding this little treasure at a garage sale. Logan's two bottom teeth are obviously present in this picture and it looks as if he come from the Appalachian mountains (no offense to those actually from Appalachia.) Anyway, I've felt like a bad dad today because I've ignored lots of Logan cries. He did not want to nap today and it was truly annoying.

Drawn to Danger

Logan seems attracted to everything that can be potentially dangerous to him. He likes to get into everything that he shouldn't. Right now in fact, he's crawling on the ground and instead of playing with all the gagillions of toys around him, he's decided to chew on my running shoes and eat the dirty shoelaces. Why? Seriously, it seems like he is drawn to danger. He enjoys pulling on and chewing electrical cords, any small object like a paper clip, leaf, or plastic wrapper goes immediately into his mouth, and he especially likes to crawl near hard objects and then proceed to teeter dangerously, flirting with hitting his head. He's got free range of the whole room to attempt to sit up in, but he decides to do so right near the edge of the carpet so if he falls he knocks his head on the new hardwood bamboo floor. It's an uncanny ability to find danger in the most innoucous of circumstances, but it seems instinctual for him. Logan enjoys not only putting himself into danger, but also endangering our most expensive of possessions. Right now he's attempting to pull the digital camcorder off the basket. Unbelievable. He also likes slobbering on the remote control, and whenever the camera is out, be prepared to wipe your lenses if you get too close.

I'm not complaining about these traits because I possessed them too, and still do. However, I sort of was hopong that they would skip a generation and I would have a docile, easy-going little boy. Not so. Well, gotta run. He's got the web cam and is banging it on the ground. By the way, he is seven months old today.

Logan Sleeps Through Defining Moment in History

As Logan slumbered away, America elected Barack Obama for President. Logan woke up crying because he missed it. (Yeah, that was the reason why). As his Dad and Mom comforted him back to sleep, they sighed in relief, knowing that the future looks a little brighter for their bouncing baby boy. The country has already changed drastically, and we can't wait to see when the real work begins. Our future belongs to our children, and the time is now to make that future a better one. I think we have a leader in Obama that can help guide us towards that brightness and appeal to our better angels. I know that I'm inspired to do my part. Are you?

Logan Bruised Daddy's Ego

Last night was another doozy in the Hill household. For the first time in a long time, Carly decided to turn in early and ended up going to sleep around 8:30. Logan was down and out by 7:30 and we expected him to initially sleep(hopefully)for around four hours like he did the night before. No sir. Not our boy. He awoke after two hours and woke his poor mom up at 9:30. I was just turning in myself, and so I got a bottle ready pronto and went in to the lil' demon's room.

Logan made it clear immediately that Daddy was not who he wanted. Did that stop me from trying? No. Hysterical, mind-curdling screeches and thrashing, clawing little hands thwarted all my attempts to soothe him. He was my own private nightmare. It was like trying to soothe a wild bobcat or something. Add to the fact that he's still a bit sick and snotty and I had no shirt on. My hairy chest in all its glory was soaked in snot and drool. Well, Carly obviously came into the room, but I still was determined to win this battle and at least get him to calm down. I did, but he wanted none of what I had to offer in terms of the bottle, so eventually I gave him to Carly. Within two seconds flat he was as quiet and docile as a mouse. Ouch.

Don't worry, Logan woke up in two hours again so I had more chances. And two hours after that too. It wasn't as bad as the first time, but it wasn't pretty either. At 3:30 he seemed awake and wired. I got him to take about 3 ounces, but he still seemed wide awake. I put him down and he cried on and off until 4:15. He woke up this morning three hours later at 7:15.

When will the madness stop?

Salmon, Applesauce, and Peach Cobbler

Just moments ago, I attempted to feed Logan salmon, again. Nearly every food he's tried, he didn't like at first. Salmon was no exception. This friday I grilled up some wild sockeye salmon, and Carly food processed some of it to feed to Logan. He gagged even more violently than he did with sweet peas. No biggie, we thought. We'll just mix it with bananas, and he'll eat it eventually. Today, I thought I'd try the fish again. Even mixed with sweet stuff, he wasn't having it. I imagine its the texture, or maybe it's the fact that it's fish. Whatever the case, he immediately began crying and wouldn't swallow. He holds the food in his mouth and gave me the most pathetic look. He doesn't seem to understand that he can spit food out yet. That's probably a good thing. So I took the spoon and did a reverse feeding, and cleaned him up and vowed not to try salmon again...at least for a long while.

Rookie Gains Over 100 Yards

Logan is doing a darn good impression of Matt Forte, Bears running back phenom who gained over a 100 yards today. When attempting to tackle Logan, he shrugged me off and I crumpled to the ground like a rag doll. Logan then stood up, pulled himself onto the couch, leaped up to the ceiling fan, grabbed a hold of it and swung himself through the window, breaking it with his little football socks. Logan said his first sentence then, "I'm going to 7-11 for a slurpy, be back soon Mom and Dad." It's been a day of firsts for our little rookie running back baby. Crazy what these kids can do nowadays.

Our Lil' Monster

Here I am showing off the "crotch hold." Ain't Logan adorable?

Halloweenie

I'm starting nanowrimo now so this post, even though it's a day late, will only involve a picture. Our costumes were, Mummy, Deady, and Monster. Enjoy.

Baby Drama

Logan and I have developed a somewhat dysfunctional feeding pattern that is totally functional. Let me explain. From an outsider's perspective, it would seem as if my child is fighting with all his might against his bottle and the cradling (restraining) arms of his father. That person would say to themselves, "Geez, that kid is obviously not tired nor hungry. What is that dumb, mean guy doing to that poor kid?"

From an insider's perspective, even though Logan is fighting and screeching and doesn't seem tired, he really is. It only takes a few minutes of horrific straight-jacket Daddy to calm Logan down. Logan's insane feeding pattern happens a lot. I'd say he puts up a violent scary fight 30 percent of the time (mostly in the morning)...too often. It's just so strange. Why does he act like I'm attempting to do something horrible to him? Why can't he just go gentle into that good night? It really tests my parenting mettle. It's hard to be consistent when he is just so vehemently opposed to what you want him to do, even though what you want is the best thing for him. He's also getting much stronger and pushing and kicking me away. I guess this is the crappy part of parenting. Sometimes you have to do things that you would rather not do for the good of your child. Anyway, I find I'm wearing down in regards to this aspect of my parenting. It's challenging to be firm and detached in a way when I'm also trying to be this warm, paternal/maternal sensitive stay-at-home dad guy. Ahh...life and its wonderful contradictions.

Attack of the Tooth

Logan has been uncontrollably cranky after waking up from his short nap. Right now he's gone quiet, so hopefully he sleeps for a bit longer. I think the shrieking and thrashing is due to tooth number two coming in. It's right next to his first tooth and it looks like it's ready to erupt. Well, Logan is slightly wailing again, so maybe he's not going down. He's had some (rougher) nights recently, so I assume it's the tooth. Wow. He just let out a bellow. Maybe I should give him some baby tylenol.

Ok...I'm back from drugging the baby. He's crying still of course, but maybe he'll calm down. I feel like a bad dad when I let him cry like this. I don't know if it is productive or not. He sure doesn't seem like he's learning how to self soothe. However, he usually ends up quieting down after a bit so maybe it is worthwhile. It's just hard to be consistent when going to get him gets him to calm down immediately. At least usually. Like I said, today he wasn't being soothed even though I was holding him. Well, I can't stand the crying anymore, so I'm going in.

Water Works

Water has been the theme for today. First off, I'm not afraid to admit that I've watched the occasional Oprah show since I've been staying home. Today, she was doing an interesting segment on inspirational children. She shared the story of this one family who had a baby boy Eliot. Check it out here if you want to cry. It was so sad. I'm watching this program and bawling my eyes out and feeling totally like a weenie. But really, it was sad.

Anyway, water related happening number two: I signed up Logan for his first swimming class today and he had a blast. Of course, I was the only Dad in the class singing silly songs like motorboat, motorboat, go so slow...but really, it was enjoyable. The water was warm and he seemed to have fun. He didn't blow bubbles in the water, but he did splash and kick his feet. Most of the other babies seemed to enjoy the class too. It was all good except the locker rooms were freezing, and I didn't realize there was a changing table in there until after I changed him. So, for the next seven Tuesdays, Logan will get a chance to swim. Sweet.

Blogworthy

Logan just spit up and it came out of his nose. Thought I'd share. It was thoroughly disgusting and adorable all at the same time.

Wake Up Logan!

I want Logan to wake up. He's been asleep more or less since 10:30 this morning. He woke up around 11:15 crying, and I managed to soothe him back to sleep because I didn't think his nap was long enough. Now that it's nearly 2 hours later, I think he has slept enough. I'm getting sort of lonely. They say that you should never wake up a sleeping baby. But gently encouraging a sleeping baby to wake up by opening up the door and making noise is ok, right?

I don't know why I am being so clingy, and I'm not sure why Logan is taking such a long nap. Maybe his body is fighting off those carpet germs? I've barely hung out with Logan at all today because I took him to the Y this morning. He seemed to enjoy being social with the other babes. I enjoyed watching him interact in the KidZone. Anyway, I hear some rustling from the nursery! Yeah...Logan is awake.

Baby & Germs

By no means am I a germ-a-phobe. However, after steam-cleaning our carpet (which is only 2 months old) I was left with a bucketful of dirty scuzzy water. This is the same carpet that Logan spends much of his time on, mashing his head into, and scoot-crawling on. Gross. He seems to be getting a bit sick too...perhaps there is a correlation? It causes me to ponder whether or not the Japanese have it right. No shoes in the house. Carly and I are thinking of getting some cool slippers and wearing them inside. Because it's not just our carpet that suffers from the dirt we track in, it's also the kitchen floor, the new bamboo floors, and possibly our baby! I always thought it was a bit prudish to require shoes off in the house, but maybe it makes sense. I know I can't protect Logan from all germs, nor do I want to. Yet, it makes me a tad anxious to consider all the gross nasties that came out of our new carpet. I wonder what the old carpet has in it?

The Need for Control

Today's been a cleaning day at the Hill household. Needless to say, it's been a blast. Anyway, a funny little happening ocurred that is worth sharing methinks. I was laying on the couch relaxing (did I say it was a cleaning day?) and Logan was in his Baby Einstein all purpose toy thing. He must have been in a bit of a sleepy mood or something because I entertained him for at least ten minutes by simply waving the remote control around. He was transfixed by the remote control, giggling when I bounced it off the couch. It sounds like the lamest thing, but really it was cool. Take my word for it. He eventually got bored with glaring at the remote control, and instead looked at my moccasins and the laces for a few minutes. He would smile and laugh every so often like what he was looking at was the most interesting thing in the world. It was goofy.

Daddy Supports Obama too.

Back when Obama was running for the senate seat in Illinois, he came to Hopkins Park in DeKalb. It was right after his convention speech and there was quite a buzz about him. He and Dick Durbin made some speeches, and I felt really good about what they were saying. I wanted to shake his hand (and I did) but right before I could do so, a mother gave Barack her baby. The baby had assorted Obama slogans written on her forehead. It was an amazing moment because instantly there were a gagillion flashbulbs from cameras. He held that baby with the confidence of a father, and I remember being impressed with the man. Now, that man is on the verge of being president, and I think that's wonderful. Anyway, I really just wanted to post the picture. I'm in the corner of the shot. It was my graduate school days, so don't let the glasses and long hair fool you. As you can see, everybody was smiling because it was a total heartgushing moment. I even have my hand over my heart. I was reaching up and then the baby came, so I instinctively placed my hand on my chest. Anyway, the photograph made front page of the Metro section in the August 2nd, 2004 Chicago Tribune. Pretty cool.

Logan endorses Barack Obama

Logan has been following this election cycle closely and is most definitely endorsing Barack Obama. He decided to release this photograph to show his fervid support. Enjoy!

It's Fun to Join the YMCA

I decided to end my physical atrophization (is that a word?) since the marathon by joining the local YMCA. (A.K.A. I want to stay in shape). It's sort of expenive, 56 dollars a month plus a 125 dollar start up fee, but I think it will prove an invaluable membership. Since the winter months are coming, I imagine that I might have gotten a little stir crazy considering that going outside wouldn't be a regular thing. Plus, Logan will get a chance to do all sorts of cool things. He'll get a chance to socialize with other babes, and he'll learn how to swim. Exciting.
Also, Daddy gets two hours a day of daycare at no extra cost, so if I want to pump iron like I did today or run or swim or whatever, I can do so without having a baby attached to my hip.

I was nervous dropping Logan off into the KidZone. They put a sticker on your baby, you sign in, you get the matching sticker, and you kiss your child goodbye and hope that some randomn stranger doesn't abduct them while you're working out. I'm sure it will get a bit easier leaving him once I've gotten to know some of the people and the place more, but today it wasn't. The place seemed crowded, lots of rugrats running around. I hope Logan wasn't bullied by some mean 9 month old or something. Anyway, I worked out for 45 minutes and came back and Logan was fine and did well. He was in one piece and happy. He was hungry though and the annoying thing about the place is that they don't feed or change babies. I can totally understand why, but then again, I wish it was a full service type facility. The kids are supposed to be awake when you drop them off too, and they aren't supposed to sleep there. Again, I get it. But it makes going to the YMCA a bit trickier considering I have to time his nap, diaper, and feeding schedule. You want your child to have a good time and not be crying the whole time for them...at least considerate parents would do so...and I fashion myself considerate so that's what I will try to do.

Well, the goal for me is to gain 10 pounds of muscle mass by the New Year. I wonder how much weight Logan will gain by then? Anyway, I s'pose that's it for today.

Tongue-Twisted

Logan has an adorable new habit now that he has a tooth. He chews on his tongue. While doing so, he makes this angelic face along with slurpy tongue noises. It's really adorable and soothing, I imagine. Have you ever sucked/chewed on your own tongue? It's strangely fun. (Maybe I need to get out more). Anyway, I'm appreciative of the blog because I get the chance to write this stuff down and remember it. I feel like I have a very poor memory, so writing things down allows me to have a record of Logan's wonderful everyday happenings.

Speaking of writing things down, I jumped on the bandwagon and without much thought, decided to do nanwrimo. (Thanks, Liz). It's this intriguing website that challenges aspiring novel writers to actually become novel writers. In the month of November, I, along with possibly hundreds of thousands of others will attempt to write 50,000 words (125 pages). I have no clue as to what I am going to write about or even if I can do it, but like most things in life, stubborn persistance will probably see me through. It's an exciting thing really and I'm looking forward to seeing what the heck I come up with. Wish me luck.

You Asked For It

By popular request, here's the photo of Logan gagging on peas. I feel like getting back at the little snot for being so crabby today. He's crying right now, so I should end this post. Enjoy!

Magnificent Monday

Logan and I are having a great day. We've been worried about him the past few days, but all those worries are now resolved. Let me elaborate. Logan was a bit, how should we say it, backed-up for the past three days. No dirty diapers. I knew it wasn't a big deal, completely normal in fact; however, that wasn't the only baby issue we were experiencing. Logan wasn't eating very well either. Again, completely normal considering that he had a tooth erupting from his gums. But still, it's easy to doubt yourself when it comes to raising your first-born, especially when he's crabby and not sleeping well in addition. Anyway, as I said to open this entry, Logan cleaned out the pipes and has gotten his appetite back. He also took an awesome nap from 10:15 to 10:45...but went back down until 12:15. Right now, he's been asleep since 2:30...so hopefully another 45 minutes or so.

We've had about ten ounces of half-n-half and a large portion of sweet peas, bananas, and home-made sweet potatoes. It was a lot of fun feeding him today. I'd say about 90% of the food actually made it in his mouth. Yup...all these everyday little things I am very grateful for.

So thanks for reading about Logan's eating, sleeping, and pooping habits. I wish that I could be a bit more profound and reflective, but it's not happening today. And you know what? It doesn't matter either. I'm happy being at home doing the small things.

Fall Cleaning

Wonderful weather out today so Logan and I decided to clean out the garage. I strapped him into his baby bjorn wannabe carrier and set to work. Logan was very content watching me put things away and clean up tools. He was especially happy because the Bears won. Mommy was kind enough to watch Logan during most of the game. She also made home-made baby food with our new food processor and sweet potatoes. It's been a good day thus far at the Hill household.

Pampered Chef & Poker

Carly, Logan and I went to my Aunt's house for a pampered chef and poker party. It was a good time, but Logan was a bit cranky for all the relatives. It was kind of designed for him to be cranky, however, because we got over there right around his bedtime. He seemed to have a nice time though and only shrieked and screamed a little bit. It was really sweet taking him inside on the way home. He was out of it and I took him out of his car seat put him in his crib. Very nice. Well, SNL is on so I s'pose I'll sign off.

Million Dollar Baby Idea: Peak-a-Sleeper

Logan and I napped today and before I drifted off to sleep (on my mattress that I cut a hole in for my stomach sleeping...a long, funny story) I came up with an idea that might be the next fantabulous baby product. I did some initial research on my idea at the U.S. patent website and Google and I haven't yet been able to find a match, so maybe it is somewhat original to my brain.

Here goes: I think it would be helpful to have a small opening in the rear of a sleeper outfit so a parent can easily check to see if baby has a dirty diaper. Sleepers are great little outfits and perfect for night-time sleeping. The annoying thing about them is that you have to unzip or unbutton them in order to check to see if the baby has a soiled diaper. Now, of course you can use your nose to smell if the diaper is dirty, but sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between poo and pee...at least it was before Logan started eating solids.

Anyway, sometimes you just want to peak inside the diaper to see if any poopies are in there. At night, we don't change a wet diaper unless it's really, really wet. Diaper changes wake up the baby. But, we would change a poopy diaper as Carly did last night. So, the beauty of having a little opening in the rear of the sleeper would allow a parent to conveniently check if the baby is dirty without having to undo the sleeper or smell the baby's bottom.

My design would be simple...I'm thinking of making a prototype with an old sleeper of Logan's. I might sew three sides of a card sized patch of cool fabric onto the sleeper's backside. Then, I'll take scissors and cut the sleeper underneath the patch, close to the patches open end. That way, you could stick your finger in the opening and peak in the outfit to see if the diaper is dirty without having a big ol' hole in the sleeper.

So what do you think of this idea? There's all sorts of possibilities I s'pose. You could use buttons like in old timey pajamas where the whole bottom falls down, or you could do a velcro type slit pants thing like they have in China. Whatever the case, I can't buy my idea at the local Target just yet, so maybe there is a possibilty for a small home, Internet/ebay/amazon/website business. I could buy sleepers wholesale, pay some NIU college students to cut holes in them and sew on patches (or do it myself) and then sell them online for a reasonable price that makes the Hill family money.

Wow...I've written quite a lot today. Sorry if it's been dull or anything. I get carried away with my inventing ideas...maybe some day one will work out. Maybe it will be the peak-a-sleeper, or peepsleeper, or peakasleeper, or a name like that.

Logan Don't No Like Peas

Logan tried mashed, organic sweet peas today. He was less than enthused...I have a picture of him gagging but it's too gross.
Also, for those interested, I included a close-up of Logan's first tooth. Enjoy!

Messing with the time stamps.

Yesterday was Carly's 30th birthday and amidst all the hustle and bustle I completely forgot to blog. Actually that's not entirely true. I remembered to blog about 9:00 last night, but the final presidential debate distracted me. So it's actually 6:30 on Thursday, but I made the time stamp and date reflect last night. So cool. It's like time travel.

For Carly's present, Logan had a brilliant idea: paint the kitchen, Dad, in extreme home makeover style. Get it done in a single day and surprise Mom. Well, with the help of my parents, that's exactly what we did. The kitchen turned out and Carly seemed to really enjoy the surprise.

I missed Logan yesterday. My mom was watching him and my mind and body were so occupied that I didn't observe all the things that I normally do. I know he didn't eat very well; he hasn't eaten well the past few days because of his tooth we think. I also know that he was a tad crabby...also most likely due to the tooth. We have the whole day to spend together today, so I'm sure I'll have enough to do another entry. Later.

Baby Smells

Someone needs to figure out a way to bottle up baby smells. And I'm not talking about the disgusting variety, but rather, the sweet baby smells. As strange as it sounds, Logan's breath is wonderful. Little baby breath, especially when they are happy and laughing inches from your face, is definitely one of my favorite things. You wouldn't necessarily think of your child's breath as smelling good, but it really does. I'm sure when he grows up and gets his father's taste for stinky food like garlic, I won't be humming the same tune. But now, as a six month old, Logan can breath on me all he wants.

Logan's tooth is doing a number on his appetite. He doesn't seem at all interested in bottles or boobs. He seems to handle the spoon alright, but I'm getting worried that he isn't eating enough. He has had some more variety in his diet. We've got him eating sweet potatoes now. He seems to like bananas the best...so much so that he doesn't seem to enjoy rice cereal anymore. Soon we'll be on to the sweet peas. I bet he likes those too.

Cutting a Toof

Logan now has a tooth. His bottom incisor? has broken the surface. The smallest bit of white can be seen in this picture. His Auntie Christine was in town from Arizona and Logan was on his best behavior. We knew that Logan's tooth was coming in, but it was confirmed when he bit Carly's neck and she went "Owh!" It seems we may have a vampire child. Anyway, we had a nice weekend with both sets of grandparents, and Logan will be sad tomorrow when all he gets is Dad's attention. Thank you Columbus Day for the extra day!

Lost Boy Amongst Pumpkins

Have you seen my son? We went to the pumpkin patch yesterday and he got lost.

Snapping & Jumping

Grammy and Grampy Kop are visiting. Logan's been having a nice time. He loves it when Grammy snaps for him and helps him jump on his imaginary trampoline.

Those are the shrieking eels...

...says Vincini in The Princess Bride.

If Logan was a mythical sea creature he would be a shrieking eel, I think. For the past few days he has been getting overtired and letting out high pitch shrieks. Maybe he is testing the upper reaches of his vocal chords, maybe he is doing an impression of Mariah Carey, maybe he is just a freaky baby who shrieks. Whatever the case, he has been doing it a lot and it is so pleasant. I'm being dramatic. It's really not that bad. Yet, he is my kid so what do I know. Maybe he is shrieking in response to what's happening to his poor BrightStart college account. It ain't looking too bright considering he's probably lost a third of his money already and he's only had the account for about two months. I've got impeccable investment timing, huh?

So yeah...Logan's doing it again so I got to run. "Fesik...are there rocks ahead? If there are we all be dead...no more rhymes now I mean it...anybody wanna a peanut? Ah!"

Wild Horses

Yesterday Carly and I came to a funny realization. Carly has a baby mix of songs on the ipod that she often plays for Logan at night-time. About two hours into the playlist The Sundays come on with their song "Wild Horses." You know the one..."wild horses, couldn't drag me away...wild, white horses." Anyway, the lead singer has a really interesting, high-pitched eerie sort of voice--enchanting even. So it seems like Logan wakes up when he hears this song. Carly has gone in on numerous occasions and that song was playing. She mentioned it to me and I thought it was funny because I had the ipod on shuffle yesterday and that song came up and Logan's eyes got all wild and he looked as if he was startled. Why he does this I don't know, but it seems he does. If only fixing this solved all his sleeping issues.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed today because he was a crank this morning. It's hard to teach a kid sign language when he's screaming bloody murder because he only had a 30 minute nap. Why do I want to teach him sign language? Good question. I'll answer later.

Skin the Cat

Logan's six month appointment was at 9:00 this morning. I wanted him to be well-rested so when he woke up at 6:30 I gave him a bottle and tried to get him back to sleep. After much fussing and squirming, he began to fall asleep. It was pretty terrible though getting him down. I was literally restraining his flailing arms and kicking feet. I had him curled next to me in the bed, and it felt like I was putting him in a straight-jacket. I nearly gave up because he was fighting it so much, but I knew he was tired. That's the strange thing with this kid. He can really seem like he doesn't want to sleep when really that's exactly what he needs. It was scary.

Anyway, like I said, I finally got him to relax and sleep. We were sleeping for ten minutes and guess what our cat Moon decides to do? She jumps on the bed and begins to meow right in Logan's face. AHHHHHH!!!! Of course Logan wakes up. I wanted to skin the cat alive, and if I had a filet knife in my hand at the moment who knows. So we were up for the morning. I gave Logan some baby painkillers about a half an hour before the appt.

The appointment went well, but it was around nap time and he was a tad cranky. He took the shots like a baby (crying and wailing), and calmed down pretty quickly like he has when he got his previous shots. He is in the 60th percentile for height and around the 40th percentile for weight...A.K.A, tall and skinny. I wonder where he gets that from? He was so tired after the appointment and went down easily after a quick feeding. He woke up 35 minutes later crying pretty good. I tried to soothe him, but it wasn't working...inconsolable. I figured that he just needed to sleep it off so I put him in his crib and after a few minutes he was back down. I took a nap too. So the vaccinations went well today. He seems happy now and I think we'll go outside and take a walk. Maybe I'll accidently let Moon outside...

Correction

Thursday is Thor's day...not Tuesday. My bad.

We Like Tuesday

Tuesday is a nice day. Thor's day. Logan and I like Thor. Lightning is cool. Speaking of cool, Logan is now six months old. My how time flies! Speaking of Thor, it's gently raining here in DeKalb. Logan is taking a nap and I'm sitting here blogging away. The legs are getting easier to walk on and I'm starting to settle back into the normal routine of daddyhood. Ahhhh!

Not being Logan's primary caregiver this weekend was a change. The time away made me really appreciate just how lucky I am. Honestly, it seemed like Logan grew up in the few days that I was gone. He actually became cuter if that's possible.

However, that initial euphoria of our reconnection has worn off a bit today since he is especially crabby. Just recently he woke up from a short nap crying and I didn't understand why. Turns out he was hungry even though he ate just 40 minutes earlier. No problem. I fed him a bottle and he went down for a longer nap and is still sleeping. That's a bit unusual for Logan (falling back asleep after a short nap), but I'll take it.

Tomorrow Logan is getting his six month vaccinations! Yikes. He has been really good with shots, so I don't think it will be that big of a deal. It is actually harder on Carly and I than on Logan, I think. Then again, maybe not. Getting shots is never fun.

More Marathon Pictures

Adolfo & Logan Sitting in a Tree

Adolfo and Logan took a likin' to each other. Here's an adorable picture!

Back Home and Sore

Adolfo and I survived the marathon weekend. We finished the 26.2 mile race a little under 4:05...so our pace was 9:21 miles. It was a great race and a great time. My dad finished the race too along with all of his friends. As strange as it sounds, running a marathon is a very fun and enjoyable thing to do. Sure it hurts like hell around 20 miles or so, but you just gotta have faith and continue to put one foot in front of the other.

It was great to have Carly, Logan, and my mom at the finish line. Even though it was only a day since I saw him, I missed my little buddy. It was cold and he was all bundled up in sweaters and his cute little hat...adorable.

For all you die-hard daddy is home fans, sorry that I've been MIA the past two days. To make it up to you, I plan on doing two more posts today...the next post will involve pictures from this weekend...I just have to load them. That's it for now. Logan is being watched by my Aunt Karen for today and it feels really weird being at home and not having him around.

Marathon Weekend

I'm picking up my friend Adolfo this morning in Milwaukee and he and I, along with my Dad and some of his friends, will be running in the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon. Sunday should be solid weather and a good time had by all. Even though I haven't really trained to go this fast, I'm hoping that Adolfo and I and my dad can finish under 4:00 hours. But really, finishing for Adolfo is the victory in itself since this is his first 26.2 miler.

How does Logan fit into all these plans. Well, I've sorta been playing pass the buck, I mean, boy. My mom is watching him today while Carly is at work. Hopefully he's a good boy instead of cranky like he was at his morning feeding today. Tomorrow, Carly is coming up to the cottage and we're all hanging out with some friends. I might not have internet access...uh, oh...maybe I won't be able to post Saturday or Sunday. But that night, Adolfo and I have a hotel room at the Hyatt in Milwaukee so as to wake up on Sunday near the marathon action. On Monday I'm dropping Adolfo off at the airport, and Carly is dropping the baby off at my aunt's house for the morning.

It will be a little strange for me because for three nights, I will be sleeping without a crying baby interrupting my slumber. Good for me, not so great for Carly who has to shoulder all the night wakings. But she'll most likely end up sharing the bed with him, so maybe he won't wake up that often. I imagine I will miss Logan. And the irony of it all is that I probably won't sleep well for at least two of those nights because I'll be anxious about running the marathon. We'll see.

Reaching for the Golden Ring

Logan did an adorable thing just moments ago. I had him plopped on his stomach on the couch, and he was reaching for the t.v. remote control...a true guy. The remote is pretty cool and colorful and it has all those buttons that you never need to press. Anyway, the remote was very close to the end of his reach--almost out of reach. He looked intently at the remote and began to swat at it and attempt to grasp it. Then, with a look of determination, he made a lunge and grasped the corner of it. But, ohhhh, he lost his grip and the remote stayed where it was on the couch. Logan, undeterred, tried a new approach. This time, he attempted to crawl for the remote, only, Logan crawls backwards right now. Alas, the remote control was farther away so what did Logan do? He immediately cried a "wahh, wahh" cry and Daddy got him the remote. It was funny in the moment. Had to be there, I guess.

Logan's Entry

Here is Logan's first blog entry, his first writing, actually.


bh6ygun k bg vdcaz54TM DECG5REWSSX rft dfcfvbv[p6 7 m m5ybhn ffc fzunhj 7ub 5yv cfe34erfgv (daddy rocks) bnvch bh vvvvvv vhcv . -pxccb s5bgtfvg nn kkkkk kkkkkkkk kkkkkkkkhb v bnvfrcvrv bn k d9lp- /fvfgfffzx`sw cx.

Pretty cool, huh? They say that if you gave a monkey an infinite amount of time on a typewriter that eventually that monkey would write the text of Shakespeare's Hamlet. I bet Logan could come up with Hamlet in half of infinite, cuz he's my lil' monkey!

Here's some more typing from Logan:

szacvnn mnbhgnn b bnhdxjcfvhjhccbrv sbcb b n bnbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

Now with his feet: m,kijm,mngfert6y7uifvgtfc nhskmljkpldcefgvbsxm,,ji87yju