Down, But not Out

I like to think of myself as at least somewhat tough, but I do have my limits. Apparently 7 hours on the couch in the middle of the night with what feels like a knife being slowly twisted in my back is it. The Limit. Turns out you have to wait another couple hours at the doctor before they realize you need emergency surgery.
I've had kidney stones before. Usually they pass after a few hours of agony and a gallon of water. I only had one that didn't. It was the first one 12 years ago. Then there was this one. It was big enough that it blocked the exit to the bladder and my kidney swelled to about twice it's normal size. The x-ray was cool but I was in no mood for cool. Although the Demerol was working pretty well by then. An hour later I was in surgery. One day of sleeping it off while my awesome wife took care of the kids and me and everything else and I started feeling like normal again.
When I was a young man staring at the anesthesiologist, I used to think that if I didn't wake up then there were worse ways to go. Now I found myself thinking, I hope I make it through. I hope the kids will be OK if I don't. Thank goodness I did. I don't want to miss a single minute of this fatherhood thing.
Now, If my doctor is worth the money he has made off us this year alone, then he will figure out how to make it so N and I never get another one.
This is one thing I pray I won't pass on to the kids.

Favorite Bathtime Moments

I was giving J a bath tonight and he reminded me of one of my all time favorite moments.
I was slowly pouring water from a cup and he was watching inquisitively. Then he reached up to try and grab the stream. I love the look on his face as he tries to figure out why he can't hold it in his hand. I remember K doing the same thing. I love being able to see the wheels turning. And the sheer joy splashing can bring too.
Thanks for reminding me how insanely interesting the world is J and K.

The Big Take Off

J took off this weekend. He started walking in earnest. We went out to Mom's for an early Thanksgiving. It was a nice weekend, but never long enough. J and K have twenty or so cousins and it didn't take him long to figure out that if he was going to keep up he was going to have to walk. He has been taking steps for a couple weeks now but not really using it as his primary locomotion. I think mainly because he is so fast at crawling. But that all changed this weekend. little boy is growing up so fast. He got his first haircut this weekend too. Thanks Aunt Gi Gi.

Thanks everyone for a fun weekend. I haven't laughed that much for a long time.

Big Spooky Steps

Sorry K and J. I haven't blogged in awhile. It's not that you haven't been and done amazing things. It's just that daddy has been very busy lately and frankly, a bit stressed. Some very cool things have been happening around here. J, you took your first steps. You just up and went about 5 steps. It is pretty amazing to watch you cruise like that. You still like crawling more, but that is just because you are so fast at it. I'll post some video of you.

Halloween was a big success. K was a beautiful Princess and J was her Prince in need of one little kiss. We had fun with all the gang trick or treating. Then we were off to the mall to see Wyatt from Super Why. K was mesmerized by him. She just stood there and stared and stared. We got a picture with him and then tried very hard to get out of there. It was a mad house with all the trick or treating.

Mommy and Daddy are relieved this year. We elected a new President and we are happy with America's choice. We feel like we need to move in a different direction and I think we picked the person who has the best chance of taking us in that direction. Hopefully by the time you read this things will be better and we will not be having such a national crisis in our country. I know this post is dated before the actual election because I started it before but finished it after. Yep we have our elections on the fourth, even in the old days. :) We love you and only want to leave you with a world that is better than the way we found it.

I will try to blog more frequently.