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Don's Ducks clinch the 2nd half

Our Bonnycastle Club dart baseball team, Don's Ducks clinched the 2nd half season title last night by winning two out of two games. The second game went into extra innings where the Ducks rallied at the top of the 10th with two home runs. The losers (I can't remember their team name) couldn't answer. Personally, I had one home run in each game - I also missed the board three times. The home runs came after I finished my Guiness - you never know what my shaky arm is capable of. My in laws were as steady as always - GMK had one homer in the first game and GPP had two home runs - it seems that all the Ducks showed up ready to play. We have two more games coming up in the week after next and we don't even have to show up, though that's not our style. I think we'll be in top shape for the tournament - we should have our full bench back by then as the snowbirds (ducks) come back home.

Recent popular words

Hello everyone. I think I figured out why I haven't written in a while - It's all about sleep patterns. I try to get up early (meaning 6am) to take my shower, have my coffee and collect my thoughts before starting my day. The problem is that Maureen has adjusted her body clock to my schedule and is getting up earlier, making Kristin get up earlier as well. Therefore our routines start earlier and I have no time to sit and collect my thoughts (which means I get over it quick.) This good morning I got up at 5:30 and did not immediately get into the shower which, incidentally, is next to Maureen's bedroom. I'm sure I will have plenty of early morning time come late June with the arrival of Baby X (Rowan? Mick? Jasper?)
Anyway, the title of this entry is Recent popular words because Maureen has recently added some funny things to her vocab. She has learned the proper pronunciation of the word yeah and is using it incessantly. I guess it's better than the no referenced in blog date January 22, but we need to start working on the ess sound of yes. Right now she sounds like a teenager.
The other word needs pronunciation help as well - the word sit. She is in the habit of patting her hand on the floor, or on a chair, or anywhere she wants you to sit, but says shit. It is also funny, though she can be a real hardhead in her insisting that you SIT, and SIT NOW, and SIT EXACTLY WHERE I WANT YOU TO SIT. Poor Baby X doesn't have a chance.
And speaking of Babhy X - I was able to feel him moving around for the first time last night. He's real. It's hard for me to focus on him still. It seems less real than I remember at this point with Maureen. We are trying to get his room somewhat ready - our friends DiAne and Troy leant us a crib, changing table and some baby boy decor. The room also has our old full sized bed (did I mention the new King Sized bed? It's worth its own blog entry!!) and a TV in it. The theory behind the bed and TV is for the late night and early morning feedings and cryings.
OK - it's 6:18 - I guess I need to get into the shower and face the day.

This bites

Maureen was victomized yesterday at school. Some little, in-bred brat bit her on the leg. That's really all the information Kristin was given yesterday afternoon (I'm just speculating on the in-breeding part.) Apparently the school only lets you know that a bite occured - they don't let you know who did the biting.
The event was the main topic of discussion this morning as I dropped Mo off in the baby room - I guess word spreads fast when there's a confirmed bite. I believe Mo was a bit shocked and cried a tad, but I think she's unfazed by the event. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall to see how she handled it.
I already have my people looking into it. We're going to find out who it was and make the culprit's parent's life a living hell. They picked the wrong little girl to mess with - I tell you!

A week in review

No Doodoo

We're really not sure why she's saying it. She just woke up one morning and it became part of her vocabulary, and ours.

Pantyhead

Two nights ago, Maureen came to us with a pair of bloomers on her head like a hat. I ran to get my camera but it was too late - she took them off. We recreated the moment for the photos.

Writer's block

I have lost some of my enthusiasm for blogging here lately. I'm not sure why. I am still very enthusiastic about being a father and Maureen does something noteworthy every day. Kristin is progressing with the pregnancy like a pro, and we are still excited about Baby-boy X. We haven't had the camera nor the video camera out for weeks - our photo album will have a noticeable time-shift. Is it the February Malaise? Is it the end-of-NFL-season blues? Has blogging Jumped the Shark? I'm not quite sure.

We are looking forward to an overnighter in Indianapolis later this month - we're going to stay at a hotel with a swimming pool, and visit the Childen's Museum - that will be something to look forward to. I will have to miss defending my title as winner of the annual Bonnycastle Club Chili Cookoff, but these are the sacrifices one needs to make for Family Fun! Kristin and I just made reservations for Valentines Dinner this Saturday night at a French restaurant we've wanted to visit for years. We had Valentines reservations two years ago, but K was too sick with Mojo to enjoy it, so we canceled. We have a lot to look forward to, so maybe that will inspire me to keep blogging away.

Superbowl 2008 part II

Straight from the mind of guest blogger Justin, per the annual custom:

Ah traditions die hard, I am only too glad to bother people with this insufferable recital!

1. packers over chiefs (max mcgee hung over, scores anyway)
2. packers over raiders
3. jets ov. colts
4. cheifs ov. vikings
5. colts. ov. cowboys
6. cowboys ov. dolphins
7. dolphins ov. redskins (boy those were the days)
8. dolphins ov. vikings
9. steelers ov. vikings (poor vikings)
10. steelers ov. cowboys
11. raiders ov. vikings (dont worry this is the last one they lose, buffalo will take over as perennial almost)
12. cowboys ov. broncos
13. steelers ov. cowboys (first sb rematch)
14. steelers ov. rams (rams quarterback anyone? yes ferragamo, nice shoes bad qb)
15. raiders ov. eagles (coach vermiel cried)
16. 49ers ov. bengals
17. redskins ov. dolphins (second rematch in sb history)
18. raiders ov. redskins (last afc victory until denver, like 80 years later)
19. 49ers ov. dolphins (1st and only sb appearence for dan marino)
20. bears ov. patriots (big blowout, back then the patriots sucked)
21. giants ov. denver (ky college standout phil simms completes a bunch of passes in a row)
22. redskins ov. denver (denver takes over from vikings as perenial almost)
23. 49ers ov. bengals (3rd rematch, riots in miami, stanley wilson on floor)
24. 49ers ov. denver (I flew that day, was relieved game was blowout)
25. giants ov. bills (believe it or not, bills were favored, marks beginning as perenial almost)
26. redskins ov. bills (strike 2!)
27. cowboys ov. bills (strike 3!)
28. cowboys ov. bills (4th rematch, strike 4, proceed to playoff oblivion)
29. 49ers ov. chargers
30. cowboys ov. steelers (5th rematch, looks like dolphins only team to lose a sb rematch)
31. packers ov. patriots
32. broncos ov. packers (afc wins!)
33. broncos ov. falcons (kiss performs, falcons dont)
34. ravens ov. giants
35. rams ov. titans
35. patriots ov.rams
37. buccaneers ov. raiders
38. patriots ov. eagles
39. patriots ov. panthers
40. steelers ov. seahawks
41. colts ov. bears

(actually not sure about sb 34, oh god, the king is dead...)

From Shhhh to Zzzzz

We've noticed a shift in the way Maureen acknowledges sleeping people. Where she used to say "Shhhhh" when someone was asleep, or when she saw a photo of someone asleep, she now makes a snoring noise. It really is something you need to see and hear - I realize it's not as exciting reading about it. I will try to set up the webcam to capture this.
Now I built it up too much. There's no way you will be impressed.

Superbowl 2008

I traditionally get a bit depressed this week of the year - it marks the end of pro football season. For the last 10 years or so I've been in a football pool with some friends of mine - it's not fantasy football because that takes too much energy and research. This is called Any Given Sunday and all you have to do is pick one team to win that week, each week. Once you pick that team, you can no longer use them for the rest of the season. Sounds easy? The trick is to use up the teams that you think are bad, but good enough to win in the short term. And save the teams you think will make it to the play-offs. The points are on a curve as well, so one week may be worth 15 points and the next worth 2 points. I am not an overly enthusiastic sports fan; I'm a casual watcher at best. I do like to watch the scores, strategies; the only fantasies are my thoughts of how to spend the money when I win. I did win it all last year (for the first time) and am still enjoying the flat screen TV that was purchased with the winnings, but my hopes for a repeat were dashed the last two weeks. I burned up all the good teams and am left without a pick going into the Superbowl. I can no longer work on my elaborate spreadsheet, tracking all the team wins and losses, and those of the pool participants as well. My visits to NFL.com and USAtoday.com/sports will stop until next August. This is the dry spell and you may notice a mood shift. I don't want to wish my life away, but I am already looking forward to next year's season. Well, enjoy the Superbowl. I am quietly pulling for the Giants because I hate to see clean sweeps, plus I think it would be cool for a back-to-back-Manning-led Superbowl win. I may call upon my friend Justin who can rattle-off all the Superbowl winners in chronological order like he is saying the ABCs, and post them on the blog - it's kind of a tradition to hear this recitation. Have a great Monday. I have to go to work now.

Lately, Maureen is saying "No" a lot. Maybe saying is not the right word; perhaps singing? It's not quite a whine, but has characteristics of one. It's longer than most nos, drawn out to a comical length. But she says it with conviction - she really means NO. It is mostly uttered when we are trying to suggest a healthier food option. She can also say "Cheeto", which, thanks to Aunt Kathy, and abetted by yours truly, she discovered a couple of weeks ago. We have found an "All Natural" Cheeto in the grocery store that is not bad at all, but the very essence of Cheetos is unnatural, in my opinion. Anyway, it is very hard to keep a straight face when faced with a Mojo "NO".

Our battle against the winter funk goes on - I took a much needed sick day yesterday - I have a combo sinus thing coupled with digestive issues (I will spare you the details). Though it was much needed health-wise, I find myself behind at work and really need to step up the production today. Maureen is still suffering filling her diaper in a very offensive way. We also suspect new tooth issues as well. She's been a bit cranky, and is waking up often through the night.

While we've been sick, we've been a bit too liberal in our Elmo DVD allowances. The photos below are pretty good representations of our little zombie while Elmo's World is playing. No other show captivates her quite like the little red puppet. It will never cease to amaze me.

We have a new blanket of snow on the ground this morning. It's very pretty, but it makes me concerned about our old cars with bald tires. We've been ignoring the grim reality that we need at least one new(er) car. I've been concerned about many things lately - I've always been a worrier, but fatherhood has added another layer to my neuroses. We watched the movie Pursuit of Happiness yesterday (staring Will Smith) where a father fights poverty and bad luck in order to make a better life for him and his son. It just stresses me out. We're not anywhere near that situation, but it really makes one think. I was mostly thinking, "Why am I wasting my time watching movies when I should be out there making money to support my family so we don't wind up in line at the local shelter, waiting for an open bed." Oh well, my coffee cup is half empty and I need to start my day. Maureen is stirring and we need to get our morning routine under way. I hope this is a healthier day for all of us!

More sickies

We've been experiencing a resurgence of illness in our house recently - Kristin is just now feeling better after her bout with the vomit bug, and now Maureen is in the midst of her battle. She went to the doctor yesterday and found she has a double ear infection, a sinus infection and a virus. She woke up this morning at 1:30 a.m. throwing up some pink yogurt, yuk! Chances are I'll be sick Saturday through Sunday and back to work Monday morning. That's how it goes sometimes. Well, we hope that everyone is making it through the winter healthier than we've been. Spring is nearing (slowly).

OK, OK, I know I need more photos and less talk. I'll try to snap some shots this weekend! Ciao!

New name ideas

My sisters have suggested using names from my family; more particularly after one of two great uncles. There names were Shirley (on my father's side) and June (on my mother's side.) I somehow think we should pass on both.

Customizing the house

Now that we know we will have a baby boy in summer, we need to better adapt our house to accommodate. We've decided to make my den the new baby's room. This will work out fine - it's the closest room to ours, and there's a chance we will be able to get to him late at night before he wakes Maureen up - maybe. We never quite got my den up and running due to conflicts in interest, furnishings, priorities, etc. Our new plan is to make our downstairs office into an office/den/guest room. We've never used the office properly and we really do need a working guest room. We are almost done getting our family room done, with the hanging of our flat screen, the addition of surround sound, and setting up the closet as command central, storing all the audio/video equipment. All we need done is to have the front speakers mounted, add a repeater (the "eye" for our remote controls) and have the components in the closet positioned appropriately. We are also getting speakers in our dining room. I guess our long range projects include:
New bedroom furniture for our room (asap)
Putting a lawn in the backyard and organizing the grounds (this spring)
Renovating the upstairs bathroom (we are having window, moisture and paint issues)
Redoing the downstairs bathroom
Renovating the basement to make more living and storage space

And the answer is...

IT'S A BOY!!

Names part 2

Thanks for all of the ideas - even the silly ones.
Of course I like the direction of Maureen Josephine (MoJo):
Colleen Marie (CoMa),
Doreen Matilda (DorMat),
Marleen Teresa (MarTer),
Francine Leigh (FrancLeigh),
Eileen Scarlett (EiScar),
Kathleen Martha (K-Mart),
Kathleen Isabelle Teresa (Kath-I-Ter),
Irene Emma Katherine (IEmmaKat),
Gaeleen Ida Josephine (GIJo).

Of course there's always Oprah!

The name game

We have started considering names for Baby X, and Kristin and I often find ourselves on opposite sides of the spectrum. So far, top contenders are Francis Xavier (or FX) named after my great grandfather if it's a boy, and Annie in some form for a girl. I really like Jasper for a boy, but I think Kristin would rather divorce me than to have a boy named Jasper (divorce may be too harsh, but she would really really not want that name.) I also like Alan, or Allen. Kristin likes Oliver. Our challenge is to come up with something as hip as Mojo so the little being is not overshadowed by big sis. The monumental task will be lessened by 50% come next Friday when we have the ultrasound. For the time being, if you would like to submit boy and girl names for consideration, we will post all the options and open the forum for comments. It may not do anything but create great fun.

Our new family member

Introducing Dorothy the Goldfish. Let's hope she makes it to April!

Our Christmas Portrait

We commissioned a portrait of Mojo from our friend Anessa as a family Chritmas present this year and it turned out great. Take a look. She is available for very reasonable commissions. I can send you her contact info if you are interested.