crazy eight

There’s something undeniably cute and hilarious about baby farts. Especially when you’re holding the baby’s legs up in the air to wipe his butt and he rips one out that would make an adult proud. I laughed out loud over that one...

We’ve made it to the eight-week mark. Today was another fun-filled day of napping and eating and then Aunt Kelly and Uncle Eric came over for dinner and games. I grilled up some of the mackerel that Dave gave us and Erin made an awesome mushroom risotto. After dinner we played Taboo and had a blast. I even played a round guessing words with Kai crying in my arms, and got a bunch right. Kelly and Eric were amazed that I could even hear the clues with Kai screaming. I’m getting good at this.

Kai is getting so big. I think he’s going through a growth spurt right now, all he’s doing is sleeping and eating. He’s definitely becoming smarter every day. He can now follow me with his eyes from about 6 feet away and knows exactly when Erin is leaving the house, which is precisely the moment he begins to fuss. His timing is uncanny.

Playing Taboo tonight really gave me quite a bit of insight into relationships. As we rotated teammates, it became clear that our various histories and time together were a huge factor. Erin and I together were a great team, able to give each other great clues most of the time. Erin and Kelly were even better partners, with their time spent together in the past helping them communicate. And Eric and I, who have had the least amount of time together, were at a serious disadvantage to the sisters on the same team. When Erin and I can finish each other’s sentences, we’re going to be really good at Taboo, and probably life as well.

I’m supposed to get the results from the aforementioned wine competition today. It only took a week for the Atlanta stores to turn in their tests, which I think completely ruins the validity of the test. Who knows what they’ve been doing with their tests for the past week? For final exams, everyone takes the test together and gets graded together. If you’re late, you miss out. It sounds harsh, but that’s life — half of it is showing up.

in good company

I just heard from my friend Ashley, who is 28 weeks pregnant. Hearing about her pregnancy took me back to those good times with Erin. And I realize how quickly all of this is going by. It seemed like Kai would never be born, and now it’s hard to believe that 7 weeks have flown by. Erin and I have focused on staying present to the beauty of each moment, whether Kai is screaming in some kind of agony or he’s sleeping peacefully in our arms. Wishing he was doing or being something else would have us miss these moments. Like right now, where Erin and Kai are curled up together in Kai’s bedroom on the futon — my entire world is in there.

It’s said that you can’t spoil a baby in the first three or four months, but I think it’s already too late for Kai. He cannot stand to be put down. All alone in his bouncy seat, he’ll sleep for a bit. In our arms or next to us, he’ll sleep for hours. He definitely loves his baths, too. It’s so funny, he’s already outgrown the baby bath contraption that we got at his shower, and now we just put him right in the kitchen sink. He seems to like it better, since more of his body stays in the warm water. It makes me think that the fancy baby bath was probably overkill to begin with.

Thanks to Dave & Jackie for bringing us a cooler full of fresh amberjack and king mackeral — we grilled up some amberjack tonight and it was awesome. It really made me think about the beauty of friends, and here’s the thing: true, profound friendship is special because of choice. We are born into our families, so we don’t have to choose them, just accept them, and vice versa. I’ve always placed a lot of value on my friends, and I’m clear on the reason why now. Don’t get me wrong, my family is amazing and profound and wonderful, and so are friendships.

Well, it’s 3:32 am right now. I couldn’t sleep because my mind was running. I’ve got that stuff out now, and it’s time to get some rest, because in a few short hours a certain someone is going to want my full, undivided attention. I love this stuff.

Oh, I posted a new photo gallery today under the photo section. Check it out!

party on

So there we were, chilling at Thai Delight waiting for Todd & Lana and their kids Tabitha and Wesley, thinking we were having a small little lunch. As I saw the jaw-dropping amount of food my mom was making, it became apparent that this was not going be just the few of us. My mom had turned this into another party for Kai. Quite a few of her regular customers came and joined us and we all had a great time. Except for Kai, who apparently woke up on the wrong side of the crib today.

To be fair, he was really great 90 percent of the time, but he did get quite fussy at the end of the day. He has hardly slept at all today. But once we got him home he took a nice warm bath and calmed down. Erin is currently rocking him off to sleep.

One of our regular customers was telling us about her young adult daughter who apparently is also in need of some nap time. But it made me wonder how I would handle that situation if it ever came to pass with Isaac or Kai. With the personal development training we’ve gone through and the coaching I’ve received, I think we are better equipped than most parents, but who knows? Hopefully we don’t have to cross that bridge.

On another note, I have some exciting things happening. Besides getting into the appraisal business, I am also helping my friends at 789 Catering produce a very large multi-day event here in Orlando. Should be a lot of fun. I’ll post more details later.

Alright, it’s nap time for mommy and daddy now, too. Type to you all later.

se7en

Today’s seven-week semi-official weigh-in: 12 lbs, 10 oz. This day saw Kai go through nearly every phase of his being, from pure joy to amazing calm to mind-blowing fuss. The photo above was in between pure joy and amazing calm. The hair-pulling fussiness came later, as we sat down for dinner. Last night we commented that Kai was like Santa, he knows when mommy and daddy are laying down to go to sleep, when we’re trying to be bad or good, etc.

Erin went to sleep fairly early tonight, so I stayed up waiting for Kai’s reveille. I decided to try something different tonight. So far, we have only fed Kai baby formula twice in the previous seven weeks, and each time was just a couple ounces. For tonight’s feeding, Kai put away four ounces of Enfamil’s finest vintage, and promptly fell asleep. Given formula’s relatively slow digestion rate compared to breast milk, I’m hoping to give Erin a solid block of 4-6 hours of sleep. I’ll let you know how it goes.

To be clear, we are absolutely committed to Kai nursing at least for at least six months, but we feel the occasional bottle is acceptable. He doesn’t seem to mind, and there haven’t been any adverse effects.

The wine test went well. While I won’t get the actual results until Friday, I think I scored 100 percent. As far as Stephanie’s question about leaving my family for a trip to Napa Valley... I figure I would go. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it’s not like I couldn’t take Erin and Kai back there when Kai is a bit older. It won’t be easy being away from them, but sometimes a little “me” time is quite nice, too.

A thought crossed my mind earlier today. It’s inspired by the courses and books I’ve been reading lately. If it’s original, please quote me on it and pass it on. If you cannot be happy with nothing, nothing will ever make you happy. Discuss fully.

impossibly cute

Well Kai’s face has cleared up, thanks to his rapid growth and Erin’s vigilance, and he is back to being impossibly cute again. As you can see from the photo, he is starting to smile quite regularly.

Interestingly enough, on the other end of the spectrum, Erin and I got to deal with Isaac and his freshman grades. Don’t get me wrong, Isaac’s grades are fine, and are probably better than mine were. But he had a couple C’s and with his budding athletic career, we did not want him to jeopardize his possibility of success by slacking off on his academics. Erin and I formulated a plan of action with Isaac, and we are committed to making sure that he is successful academically and athletically.

I’ve never done that before. It was quite the eye-opening experience. All I have to say is, I’m sorry mom & dad for all that crap I pulled in school.

Tomorrow (Wednesday), I’m competing in the final phase of a three-month long wine contest at work. The winner of the contest goes on an all-expenses paid trip to Napa Valley wine country with George Miliotes, the modern-day Greek god of wine, and director of food & beverage for Seasons 52. It all comes down to my wine knowledge tomorrow — do I know more about wine than the top 5 bartenders in the company? Wish me luck!

Many many many thanks to the Lenzini’s, who gave us a beautiful solid-wood dresser for Kai today. We love it. It’s nicer than my dresser.

Anyways, more photos to come soon. Erin shot a video of Kai today holding his head up doing a Stevie Wonder impression, but it might be too cute for the general public. Most people are not ready for this level of cuteness... I’ll think about it. Until next time, keep smiling and I’ll keep writing.

yawning boy

Aunt Kelly and Uncle Eric cooked ribs and chicken today, and we met grandparents Bill & Janet over there for a little family time. Kai was so pleased to hang out with grandma Janet. Janet and Kai are always good together. We watched some football on Eric’s new plasma tv, and ate way too much. Everyone had a nice time, especially Kai.

Work was a bust tonight. Long story. Let’s just say paranoid-delusional people shouldn’t go out in public very often. And if you don’t like the dressing on your salad, don’t eat it and complain about it. If you don’t like something, just tell your server or bartender and let them help you find something you do like. Please pass this tidbit on.

Tomorrow I’m going on two appraisals. I’m looking forward to it. I’m really starting to get the hang of it. I kind of like that it’s solitary work.

Erin’s been taking care of Kai’s skin. He has a case of “cradle cap” right now. I think it’s starting to clear up, but it could last a few months. The poor guy looks like he’s got teenage acne. The midwife should be able to provide more information on Wednesday. I’ve also noticed that he gets really fussy when he’s tired. I’m also noticing that that behavior is not limited to babies, it just looks different in adults...

Married life is definitely been quite enlightening. Today my shoulder was all knotted up, and Erin gave me an incredible massage. This woman is amazing. And the best thing is, she really, totally, lets me be. I feel nothing but total and complete love from her.

Until next time, see beauty and be happy.

six weeks = 60,480 minutes

I’ve gone on three appraisals so far this week, and it’s going quite well so far. The first house was very normal, and the next two houses had some interesting features to account for. I think it will be quite eye-opening to see just how other people live in their own private residences. I guess it’s not all HGTV Design Star out there. I’m definitely spoiled by Erin’s interior design talent.

Kai is six weeks old now. His baby acne is starting to look better. It’s funny to think about how normal this all is becoming. His crying hardly bothers me any more, even when he’s right in my face with it. He’s so pleasant during his wake time as well. While I’m getting better at getting Kai to fall asleep, Erin is the master. Perhaps it’s because he sees her more than he sees me, so it’s easy for him to fall asleep with her. Who knows? And no, he’s not sleeping through the night. None of us are.

Next week we’ve got a checkup at the birthing center, mostly for Erin but the midwife will get a look at Kai and we’ll get to weigh him. He’s getting big. He’s got to be at least 12 pounds.

We’re off to see my parents this afternoon. It’s been a week and they need their Kai time. And Erin and I need our Thai food. It’s a win-win situation.

Also, I’m taking suggestions for Kai’s first Halloween costume. Please leave a comment with your ideas. Type to you soon.

being is believing

Sometimes I catch myself in disbelief that I have a child and a wife. Not that I’m upset or wish for anything different, but it’s funny how life turns out sometimes. I got exactly what I wanted, in a totally different manner than which I expected. And you see, that’s life. The end justifies the means. And I totally love it.

Kai is amazing. He was quite fussy today, completely overtired and resisting sleep. We went to watch a high-school basketball game with Isaac, and I think all the sound and commotion simply over-stimulated Kai, and got him into a restless state. But with some focused attention and love, Kai eventually fell asleep, which is allowing me to type this blog entry.

On another note, Erin and I and her sister and her fiancé are going to Harbor Nights at the Portofino Bay hotel on Friday night, courtesy of Rhonda at National. Harbor Nights is a quarterly wine tasting and jazz festival on the piazza of an seaside village on the Italian Riviera. In Orlando. I can’t wait. Erin’s mom jumped at the chance to baby-sit, and the breast-milk pumping has begun... let the good times roll!

I’ve come to realize that our true intentions always manifest, so it’s imperative to be absolutely clear on what our intentions actually are. I’ve found myself being very clear and intentional on what I want in a situation. I’m getting very clear on this. What it leads to is the old adage, which is actually very powerful in its simplicity: if you don’t ask for what you want, you’ll probably never get it. Or, put another way, ask and ye shall receive. In physics, we come to understand that reality comes in many forms, and one form of reality arises in communication. And the essence of communication is intention. Therefore, be very aware of your intentions, for they will become real. Or they won’t.

Until next time, keep your mind open and listen with your heart. Cheers!

baby showers

We took Kai swimming with us, and his comfort level in the pool is definitely increasing. He still gets cold quickly, since he can’t regulate his body temperature, but he is definitely enjoying it more now. The best part is taking him in the shower with me right afterwards. He is definitely comfortable in the shower with me. It is ridiculously cute when he sticks his little tongue out to catch some water when it runs down his face.

Type at you soon.

earning this life

Today Erin and I watched Saving Private Ryan, or rather, we finished watching it. I realized that having a baby that eats every 1 to 3 hours is not very conducive to watching 3 hour epic war dramas, but we got through it 30 minutes at a time. Mind you, I’ve seen the movie in its entirety twice before. But both other times I’ve seen it I was single, and with no possibility of family. Well, my situation has changed, and with it, my reaction to the movie changed. I cried like I never have before in a movie. I could hear Tom Hanks’ words calling to me: “Jade, earn this.” His character gasps out those words to inspire Private Ryan to make his life worthy of the herculean effort given to save it. Which made me wonder, am I earning this life and the gifts that have been given to me? Is anyone?

From what I’ve learned, true abundance and joy starts with acknowledging and appreciating what we already have. My life is amazing. I am a very proud father (could you tell?) and husband, and have a beautiful, wonderful wife and child. My stepson is awesome and astoundingly talented. I have a great job and am beginning another great job with my future brother-in-law. And that’s just the beginning. I suggest that everyone take a moment and really appreciate what we all have and what we’re creating.

Tomorrow (Monday) I’m going on my first appraisal with my future brother-in-law, Eric. I’m quite excited. I’ll let you all know how it goes.

baby smiles

I swear that Kai smiled at me when I came home from work today. I nearly cried. And then, when he was on his swing and I walked in a circle around it, he totally followed me with his eyes.

Speaking of his eyes, they are definitely less crusty now. We massage his tear ducts as often as possible. Kai is also getting very good at fooling me into thinking he’s sound asleep. I’ll rock him in my arms for a long time, then the second I go to put him down he opens his eyes. It’s like, hey what are you doing? I’m not ready to be put down yet, buddy. Keep on rocking, dad.

I’m going to start working with my future brother-in-law doing residential real estate appraisals. He has an existing appraisal business going, and this is a great opportunity for me. I plan to work far less hours than I currently do, make more money and spend more time with Kai. Sounds good, eh? So if any of you know any mortgage lenders or brokers that could use a reliable, efficient appraiser, send them my way.

on becoming super-parents

One thing Erin and I have noticed is that Kai seems to have a lot of discharge around his eyes, which has lead us to nickname him Krusty, or Krusty McKrusterson. Kidding. According to our book, “What to Expect the First Year,” this is quite common in newborns and is caused by blocked tear ducts. The condition will usually relieve itself or a homeopathic remedy for this is to massage the area of his nose that is directly between his eyes very lightly. This can help break the vestigial membrane that is preventing his tear ducts from draining into his sinuses.

Yesterday at work this young couple had their 9-week old baby with them, and she started to cry a little bit. Of course, my newfound instincts homed in on the sound and I immediately thought, give me that baby and I’ll calm him down in 10 seconds flat. My bar-back Brent, who also has a 9-week old, was thinking the same thing. It’s funny how the two of us have completely transformed into super-dads.

Too bad his daughter isn’t nearly as cute as Kai. Kidding.

We took Kai to Super Target today. The X factor though was that Kai was about due for a feeding and he would probably wake up during our excursion. The vision of a ticking time bomb came to mind, as we raced to finish our shopping before Kai unleashed his hunger cries. He beat us. Lucky for us, Erin had pumped earlier, so we trumped his cries with our backup bottle! Checkmate, son. Super-parents are always prepared.

Anyways, thanks for all the love and support from all of you. It’s nice to know you’re out there, and your emails and comments keep me typing. Until next time, keep your babies swaddled and diapers dry! ;)

cease and desist

I will no longer be reporting on any of Kai’s activities or progress. It seems that anything I write becomes fodder for the judgment cannons. It’s getting ridiculous. For example, I have mentioned Kai’s bowel movements exactly three times in the blog, and somehow I get told that Kai has very frequent bowel movements, and that we must not be nursing properly. Or I mention that Erin and I went to one wine dinner and those words get turned into Erin and I are alcoholics who drink every day.

So, here’s the latest update: Kai is still alive.

Just kidding about the cessation of updates, but I am amazed at how much unsolicited advice we get on child-rearing. Everyone, it seems, has opinions on the best way and if you’re not following their advice you are a bad parent. I, for one, am tired of it.

Anyways, Kai is doing great. He’s started to make a super-cute cooing sound, which I have not heard yet, and things are coming along nicely. Erin and I have begun to study sign language so that we can teach Kai to communicate with us. I’m really looking forward to the day that Kai actually signs back to us.

Until next time, let the good times roll.

one month down

Kai turned one month old yesterday, and got to hang out with his Aunt Lanna on Friday and Saturday. It was so cute to see my younger sister with Kai. At first she was so awkward trying to hold him, but she’s starting to get the hang of it.

Yesterday (Saturday) Lanna and Erin came up to Seasons 52 for lunch. Lanna has only eaten there once, so she was looking forward to returning. Of course Kai came along, and got to meet more of his fans and constituents. David and Jackie, two of Kai’s biggest fans and frequent blog readers, got to meet Kai yesterday, too.

It was really great to see Erin and my sister getting along and hanging out. The way our families are starting to all come together is a really beautiful thing, and I’m loving every second of it.

My mom is throwing a huge party today for Kai and Lanna, and has invited a bunch of her friends. She’s cooking up a feast — we’re all looking forward to that. A photo page will be up soon after, so check back later.

Oh, and today marks the very first time that Kai spit up on me. It was just a tiny little bit, but I’m quite sure there’s more to come.

meeting aunt lanna

My sister Lanna flew in from Seattle last night to meet Kai for the first time, and hang out for the long weekend. She is super-stoked about meeting him this afternoon. To date, she’s only seen his photos.

Kai took the largest dump I’ve ever seen today. He actually felt lighter afterwards. Being that he’s only a little over 10 pounds, he could literally have lost a significant portion of his body weight. We immediately hopped in the shower instead of using an entire pack of baby wipes to clean him off.

Anyways, stay tuned for new photos of Lanna and Kai.