nausea

I'm not sure whether I'm jealous of this guy's ability to eat or completely disgusted by it. Probably a bit of both... But seriously, 103 Krystal burgers? The most I've eaten in one sitting was around eight. At the 24-hour Krystal's in Lake Mary, at one of the less-desirable hours. We all have our skeletons, I suppose.

peanuts

Peanut did not make the cut. He was simply a little "too much" for us and Kai. He's a great dog, but he just wasn't a great fit for us. However, it appears that he will be a great fit for grandma Marsha's household, so Peanut will be in good hands.

Coincidentally, we took Kai to Park Avenue in Winter Park on Sunday, where they were having their annual dog costume contest, so the entire area was overrun with dogs of all shapes and sizes in every cute and clever costume imaginable. I thought it was quite interesting since we had just decided against a dog that we would be literally surrounded by them just a couple hours later. Ironic, yes?

At any rate, our home remains dog-free. I think it will probably remain that way for quite a while. At least we won't have to buy a crazy costume for a dog. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

changes afoot

As I sit, a strange visitor is on his way to our home, to stay for an evening, and possibly more. He's never been around a baby before, so I'm a bit nervous about how he will act around Kai, for I do want them to get along. Peanut is a year-old yorkie, whose owner, a good friend of mine, cannot keep him anymore. Her career schedule does not allow her to give this little guy as much attention as he wants. Erin has always said she wants a little dog for Kai to play with, and I think a cute little pup would nicely round out our happy family.

Some of you who know me and my history of allergies may be wondering what I'm thinking in getting a dog. As it turns out, I might not be completely insane: some breeds of dogs are known to be hypo-allergenic, or less allergic than others. It has to do with the amount of dander they produce, not the type or amount of fur or hair. Yorkies are one of those special breeds that is a "low allergen" dog. They are also exceedingly cute and cuddly.

So, Peanut is coming over to stay with us for an evening to see how he and Kai get along, and if he would be a good fit for our family. Photos and details to follow.

Also as I speak, Erin is out purchasing a toddler bicycle seat for Kai. As the weather here in Florida drops to bearable, if not plain enjoyable levels, we intend to start riding our bikes to the Y to work out. It's about a ten-mile round trip, so it would be a good cardio workout and I know Kai would just love it. I have faint, yet fond, memories of my bicycle seat perched on my dad's 10-speed. I don't remember much about those rides, but I'm sure they were great.

Lots of changes are afoot here. Stay tuned for the news...

impact

How often do we think about the short- and long-term impacts of our actions? It's tough and sometimes a bit obsessive, but I always try to consider how my words and actions are going to be received. Thoughtfulness is a trait that my mother ingrained in me when I was little, and now it's just part of who I am. Sometimes it's quite effective, and other times it can be paralyzing. As with all things, balance is essential with thoughtfulness.

Consider, for example, what was going through this person's head this morning, when he ran a red light, slammed into another vehicle crossing the intersection, and the force of the impact drove both cars off the road and into a middle school student riding his bicycle on the sidewalk to school. Perhaps the driver was texting on their phone, or late for a meeting. Whatever the situation, it's clear that our red-light-running-driver was not thinking about anyone other than themselves. For some selfish reason, this idiot decided that the rules did not apply to them and ran a red light and has hospitalized three people, including a child on his way to school.

A little forethought could have prevented this from happening. We all tend to get wrapped up in our own worlds and lose sight of the larger picture from time to time. Usually the impact of our selfishness isn't quite as traumatic. And yet I still think it's a powerful practice to think about our actions and where they'll lead every once in a while. Who knows, perhaps a butterfly really can flap its wings in China and start a hurricane in the Atlantic.

return to love

I've just returned, road weary and dehydrated from Napa Valley. For the second year in a row, I won an all-expenses paid trip to wine country. Together with the five other winners and George Miliotes, our Master Sommelier and Beverage Director, we assaulted California's most exalted wine region and ate and drank like royalty.

While it was again the trip of a lifetime, I must say I couldn't wait to get back home. I missed my family and Kai more than ever, and I feel like I missed so much of his development in the week that I was gone. Somehow, his entire daily schedule changed while I was gone, he's learned new words, and he seems to have forgotten me. When I came home we was in the bath with Grandma Marty watching him, and he cried and lunged for her when he saw me. It nearly broke my heart. I still haven't had any quality time with him, as he acts like I'm a stranger when I'm around.

I don't think I'll be taking any more trips without him.

While I was gone Erin did get him the cutest little sandals that light up when he walks, and his walking abilities continue to improve. And he has definitely gotten cuter and smarter while I was gone. Now I've got to re-integrate myself into his life. Wish me luck. Photos to come.

making it work

The lack of recent posts does not signify a lack of post-worthy thoughts or events in my family's life, but a lack of ability to put them into words worth reading.

I have stressing myself out financially lately. The Seattle vacation was expensive, and we came together as a family to tackle the financial strain together. Erin really came through and handled all the details and guided us through it, so that all I had to do was work and make as much money as possible. I love that woman.

And then, I find out that I have won the Napa Valley Wine Contest at work, for the second year in a row, and that I will be going on an all-expenses-paid (my second-favorite three words) trip to Napa Valley wine country. Sounds great, and it is, the catch is that I'm leaving in a week, and I just got back from a vacation. And keep in mind, as a bartender, my vacations are not paid ones, so in a four-week period, I will have only worked two of them. Our already tight budget is getting stretched even further. It may be tough, but somehow, we'll make it work.

And it seems that I picked a fine time to join the mortgage business. The largest mortgage lender in the country is in Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and more are going under every day. Absolutely nothing good is going on the real estate market.

On a positive note, Kai is getting very good at walking. He still falls from time to time, but it's getting less frequent every day. On the other hand, his manipulative meltdowns are becoming more frequent. It's funny because it's so transparent to me. And I have to constantly remind myself not to give in to him all of the time. It's tough now, and it's only going to get tougher. Luckily, he's easily distracted at this age.