My Little Pele'

I've put about half a dozen ancillary baby stories into editing over the past four days that will all have to wait a few more days for your general perusal. It seems as if the roller coaster is about to take another trip through the loop-de-loop for me right now and I'm gonna have to hold on tight for the ride; which means no free hand to write until probably late next week. By then you all may have to take some vivarin to keep up with all the new stuff I'm gonna be putting into this site to make up for lost time. If that was too vauge I'll be much clearer next week- promise.

But, between now and then there was one thing I couldn't keep in any longer:

Tuesday night I felt him kick/move for the first time and let me tell you... he kicked hard.

We spent the evening down at the Ronald McDonald House near University City with some of the kids who are there either pre or post-surgery playing games and coloring and doing "farts and craps" ("arts and crafts") while their parents got a few hours of rest and maybe a cup of coffee or eight. Most of the time they're not gone for long though since they want to be around to see their kids play and have fun, even if after everything they don't always have the energy for it themselves.

So we get back home rather late and after wolfing down a quick bite we picked up at Quizno's we head off to bed- rather exhausted. After reading Fox in Socks, by Dr. Seuss, to the LAB (one of the future posts I alluded to earlier), and as I rolled over to say good night I put my hand on Katie's belly for no other reason than it was a good place to put it as I rolled when suddenly, there it was.

A kick. A hard one too. Square in the middle of my palm.

Now, Katie's been able to feel the LAB moving around for quite some time and has gotten used to him being more active at night when her normal movements aren't there to basically rock him to sleep during the day. Consequently, her inactive periods (usually after dinner) have become his active ones. He espically loves coffee ice cream and, as I understand it, just about does somersaults after a bowl of the stuff for dessert.

I understand the LAB will sometimes react to a hand pressed against the tummy; basically feeling it when you apply a bit of pressure. I wasn't even pressing that hard, but my hand just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Katie said it was an espically hard kick too. I was amazed. It was so cool but happened so quick I almost didn't realize it for what it was as first (as opposed to a bit of a gas bubble or something more "common" like that) I did a little of the aforementioned "pressing" to no avail. He spotted me one good kick in the hand then went back to doing whatever it is babies his age do... probably growing the brain cells that remember baseball stats or something important like that.

I haven't felt him since, though Katie assures me he's definitely been an active bugger the last few days (again, especially after meals and during night-time story reading); but it was a nice reminder of what's actually happening. It was a chance for my son to say HI in his own way. It doesn't mean the next time won't be a surprise too, but it was the first, and I will always remember that.

No Blood No Foul?

Or maybe just not enough blood.

This is perhaps the most sickening piece of new I have read in the local papers in quite some time.

A summary of the article above, broken down into simplified terms:

1. Young man has arrests for previous crimes, and needs money to cover costs associated with restitution for a previous crime he committed.
2. Young man holds up police officer while shooting him several times at point blank range and is later arrested while found to be still carrying this same gun.
3. Judge reduces charges to aggravated assult; ultimately reducing the bail and possible punishment, while simultaneously freeing the suspect, and putting him on the hook for additional monies.

Why not just expedite a new gun registration for him while you're at it Judge?

He shot someone at point-blank range, but the man didn't die. Guess he was shot in the foot or leg then, huh? Nope, try the torso. The bullet-proof vest he was wearing may have been the only reason he survived at all. Apparently, the judge sees the fact that the officer survived the shooting as compelling enough evidence to believe the suspect wasn't attempting to kill him.

Can anyone hear PeeWee Herman in the background ("I meant to do that...")?

It's one thing to be careful when carrying out a court case to make sure no improprities occur that might get the case dropped on a technicality. However, anyone with a lick of common sense can see this to be something much different: an imbecile of a judge who would rather make headlines than do what is right for the city and this officer (and the whole of the PPD by extension).

Bail too much? Consider dropping it some... to go from $5 mil to $75,000 means you just don't care. At $75,000 you should have just dropped the bail requirement altogether.

I just hope Judge Deborah Griffin never has to face Zahir Boddy-Johnson in a dark alley someday when he needs a couple extra bucks.

He might not be nearly as leinient on her as she was on him.

P.S. This judge already has what you might call "questionable" credentials:

Explanation

For those who don't play backgammon, or were maybe just plain wondering about the title for this page, allow me to explain:

In backgammon, like in life, you're trying to do several things at once. In this case, it's getting all your pieces around the board while at the same time attempting to block your opponent from doing the same thing. The best way to prevent this is by building up a wall of your checkers also known as a prime.

Primes are difficult things to form since a large portion of the game is randomly controlled by the dice. You can prepare all you want, and put yourself into the best position possible; but it doesn't always work out the way you want it to- even when you stack the odds in your favor.

Instead, most of the time you are building towards something called a "broken" or incomplete prime; like the one below:

You've done everything under your power to be perfect; but it rarely turns out that way. Instead, what you're left with is something powerful, but not invincible. You have to learn to take what you've been able to create and continue to leverage it to your advantage. It might not always work, but you're always doing everything in your power to make it happen anyway.

Philosophy lesson over ;)

That Was The Best Ride Ever!

(The title to the post is an inside joke for some old friends.)

It's almost 1a and I'm up. I know I shouldn't be, but I am. I had a long day at work then went to Jersey to meet some friends I haven't seen in way too long for dinner. On the way, I got caught in traffic behind a car fire and was 20 minutes late. At dinner, one of my friends said she checks this website pretty frequently and mentioned I hadn't written anything in a while.

I was shocked. Mostly I was kinda proud of myself to be writing something someone would want to read, even if they were already a good friend. But mostly shocked. After dinner, I went to the VFW to shoot darts in my league Quarterfinals with a bunch of other buddies that since the move I only get to see that night. We won 3-1. The semi-finals are next week. Wish us luck.

In case you were wondering, yes, there is a point to this. Even though I can barely hold my head up right now it was a great day- and it reminded me of a great quote from I movie I only recently watched again after having gone ten years or so without watching it:

"You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster. Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride! I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it."

I like the roller coaster too.

(Bonus points if anyone can guess the movie- and since I watched it with Katie sorry darlin', you can't "guess"...)

Good Night.

Proof

Wednesday of last week we went to the hospital for the following two reasons:

1. To make sure everything is progressing as it should in the pregnancy; which it is. Both mommy and baby are doing just fine, and the little bugger is right in the fat part of the curve for size and weight at the mid-way point.

2. We wanted to find out the sex of the child. And even though the votes on here were evenly split boy/ girl a majority of our friends and family were convinced we were having a girl and my wife was Absolutley Convinced we were having a girl. So much so, that it started to affect me. You see, I'm analytical and level-headed by nature. I know that in the grand scheme of things the prospects were 50/50 either way (or 50.5/49.5 in favor of a boy if you go by world population studies). However, living around her the week beforehand began to wear on me to the point where I fully expected to hear the doctor say "Congratulations! You're having a girl!" And I would have been great with that. But he didn't say that. Instead he showed us this:

In case you were wondering; yes, that is what you think it is; and while not as impressive as the umbilical cord mistake seven weeks back it is proof that I "threw a 'Y'" as my dear sweet wife puts it, regardless.

It shocked her, and honestly, me too a bit; but we were both so excited. We wanted more pictures. How big was he? What way was he facing? Was he gonna do barrel rolls again, like he did in week 13? The next few photos were uninspiring: It wasn't that we weren't in love from that point forward; but he wasn't as active. We wondered if everything was ok. The doctor assured us it was. The heartbeat was fine. All other signs and markers? They were fine too. The problem? He was sleeping- and he just didn't want to get up. He was facing inward with his head towards her spine and his back basically arched across her abdomen with his head at one end and his butt at the other.

This is when it got really cool. The doctor switched the Ultrasound machine into a 3-D type of mode (that at least in my mind shall forevermore be called 'WonkaVision') and was able to focus in on our little boy's head. The pictures that came forth are truly amazing:

I don't think I took a single breath while seeing these images flash across the screen. Here was my son. With eyes, a nose, and little hands with little fingers at the ends of them. And yes, in those last two he is enjoying his nap while sucking his thumb. At this stage he's about the same size as a can of soda and weighs a little less than that. Now, if only we can convince him to keep up the heavy sleeper routine once we get him home from the hospital in July...

Oh, and by the way... we've decided on Gideon (Ian for short; which is the Scottish version of Jon... funny how things work out, huh?)

Cholesterol, and Broad Street

As you can tell the original idea for this blog (pre-LAB/BundleofJoy: thanks LB) has sat quietly for a while and will continue to do so for the next 4-6 weeks while I tend to more important matters; one of which is my decision to compete in the Broad Street Run again after having not run it for the last two years. It is a ten-mile race through the heart of the City and, three years ago, the first competitive race I ever ran in my life. I started training for it about 3 weeks ago and will run in it the first Sunday in May.

Warning: I just decided this was gonna be really long...

The first time I ran it was a year after having knee surgery for a soccer injury that kept me inactive for close to six months and saw my weight balloon up to close to 230 pounds. I had a physical and blood work completed that showed elevated cholesterol, triglycerides, and a moderate case of high blood pressure.

I was 27 years old.

So, unable to play soccer anymore because of the injury I did the only thing I could think of to get back in shape- I joined Weight Watchers and a-la Forrest Gump, I just started running. Over the course of the next six months I dropped 40 pounds, completed the race in the top third of all finishers (12,000+ that year) and saw my blood pressure and general level of health return to something more resembling my college days (though I will NEVER be that 165-lb. 20-year old again... and I can live with that).

So, when we moved and I realized I was going to be a father I thought it only appropriate to go back to the doctor and take a look at everything again.

I am pleased to report, that my cholesterol, try's, and B.P. are all excellent and according to the doctor "If it weren't for your caffiene intake, I'd have absolutely nothing to say." So I got that going for me; which is nice.

Preparing to be a father has taught me a lot of things and I think one of the most important ones was something I alluded to when talking about the baptismal class we attended: the most important thing in the world is to simply be there for your child.

My father died of a heart attack my senior year in High School. He didn't get to see me graduate, he didn't get to see me get married, and I won't get to share the joy of being a father with him. These things all sadden me; mostly because of the person he was. From him I learned integrity, hard work, and in some ways, how to be a good father. He wasn't around as long as I would have liked, but he made the most of the time he was given with me. In that way, his absence is still providing a lesson to me even to this day. I want to be there for my son the way my father was for me; and I want to be there for him as long as possible.

The legacy we leave is defined not by our accomplishments, but by what those we have influenced can accomplish. Our time here is finite. Our influence on others is not.

Last night a neighbor of ours collapsed in his living room chair and died of undetermined causes. When the wife came out into the hallway screaming for help a neighbor and I attempted CPR on him until the EMTs arrived in an attempt to prevent what ultimately no-one could stop from happening. His heart never did start beating again. I went with the man's wife to the hospital because that's the only thing left that I could do for her.

I'm sorry.

A Perfect Circle (aka: Spitzer or Swallow?)

I was on Long Island over the weekend (as mentioned previously) for a friend's birthday party. One of the others in the group I was meeting for the first time had what I found to be a rather interesting job. Essentially, he is responsible for trolling the various news wires (A.P., Reuters, etc.) overnight and compiling/ creating a list of noteworthy news summaries for Eliot Spitzer, the Governor of New York; to be made available to him in the AM to start his day off informed. Essentially, he produces a daily "Cliffs Notes" of important news that may pertain to the Governor or the State office in some way.

Wonder if this makes it in tomorrow's Cliffs?

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080310_ap_nygovernorlinkedtoprostitutionring.html

No, I Didn't Forget...

We were gone for the weekend and I haven't scanned in the new Ultrasound pictures yet.

We're having a boy.

We couldn't be more excited.

I will elaborate at an earlier hour in the day.

Good Night :)

Random Thoughts

The Philadelphia Archodiocise has declared that Catholic school students unable to pay their student tuition; for whatever reason, shall not be allowed access to, or permitted copies of, their academic transcripts. No exceptions.
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/16248017.html
Sadly, it has already, in at least one instance, kept an otherwise excellent student from graduating or applying to even another public school (or eventually college) because her father suffered a heart attack and has been out of work long-term as a result.

So, I had a few other ideas for the Philadelphia Archdiocise that fall along these same lines.

1. Offer Preffered Seating To "Regular Catholics":

Nothing bothers me more than when Christmas week or Easter Sunday rolls around and we're running five minutes late and when we get there we have to stand for the entire service because there's now magically three-hundered parishoners in the pews that we don't see at any other time during the year. Now, I know the Church doesn't want to turn them away; but what about offering reserved seating to the people who show up every week and put their little blue envelope in the collection plate? Kinda like how season ticket holders get first crack at tickets should their team make the playoffs? C'mon, Easter is the Super Bowl of the Catholic Church. (Which I guess makes Christmas the World Series and the Feast of the Assumption the Bassmaster Classic.)

2. Advertising During Service:

The Prairie Home Companion has become amazingly popular behind the idea of spoof commercial spots. What would be more entertaining or would keep people on their toes more than an occasional commercial? "Tide: makes whites whiter, and saves you soul from eternal damnation to boot! Now, in hypo-allergenic formula..."

3. Sacremental Bourbon:

Besides the cover charge at the door? No explanation required.

Before I get comments calling me every name in the book let it be said I have a tremendous respect for both the Catholic Church and what they try to accomplish on a day-to-day basis. But, any group needs to be willing to adapt and provide for individual considerations if it is to thrive and even grow.

Practice what you preach. Isn't that the applicable phrase here?

Genesis

The picture that started it all...

P.S.- LB (You know who you are) I'll change the whole "LittleAnkleBiter" nickname thing if you can give me a suitable substitute. But first, talk to your parents... maybe it was intentional (Oh yes I did!)

;)justkidding ;)

Pictures- Round 1

Understand that some of these are several weeks old, but I wanted to put them up beofre the next round of Ultrasound Pictures was made available (tomorrow)!

Baby Ultrasound Pictures: 13 Weeks (A.K.A.- The "Good Ones")

#1: The Anatomy of Our Child~ At this point, the LAB is about the size of a lime and weighs about the same amount. So, depending on the computer screen you're viewing this off of the LAB would be about the exact size you see on screen. And yes, that one in the top right corner says "not the penis". But hey, after 5p tomorrow maybe the doctor changes her tune?

#2: Our Genius Child Is Speaking To Us~ In case you were wondering, the LAB said HI to Mommy too but it's my blog so this is the one that gets posted, OK?

#3: My baby Mommy and her "Baby Bump" (18 Weeks)
Sometimes she thinks she's cute and others she worries about me taking her picture. This day fell into the former. Tell the truth... can you think of anything cuter?

Expect another post tomorrow; assuming I can keep my hands from shaking long enough to write it.

Powerpoint Parenting Advice

This is quite possibly the best presentation of parenting advice I've ever seen:

http://www.tiltboys.com/img/Parenting.pps

And before you all start looking at me funny- it's becuase I can't think of a better message to new parents than "Relax, have fun, and get over yourself."