Category: cuddles

Obligatory New Year’s Day Post

Not much going on here.  Just thought that I would drop a post to kick off 2008.

I don’t have much in the way of resolutions (other than to lose the gut that I’ve acquired) just a general sense of gratefulness. Grateful for surviving another year, grateful for the love of a wonderful woman, grateful for two beautiful daughters . . . basically, insert my Christmas post here. Or, just go back and read it.

Talking with the Elder Extroverted Holy One last night after the ball drop I was thinking out loud.  I figure Thanksgiving day would be more appropriate at the end of the year, during which a person looks back at the prior year (for better or worse) and looks ahead to the year to come.  I think that’s when one would be thankful and should celebrate with a big, fat meal to ring in the new year. At least, that’s the feeling I had last night as I looked over at my beautiful bride holding our second child as the Young Extroverted One slept in her bed (for the moment) . . . thankfulness.

“God Bless Us Everyone.”

I’m a gadget guy. I would love to have all the new stuff that’s out. I want an iPhone, the latest iMac, even a MacBook Pro just for kicks, a sweet slr digital camera, a flat-panel HDTV. Luckily, I can’t afford that stuff or I’d be consumed by my consumerism. Instead I have exactly what I need: snuggles from my five-year-old and six-day-old daughters and my beautiful bride on a cold night, a big ole dog in my lap on the couch, and family (blood, married-into and adopted friends who are now family) near and far who I love and love me. You can’t get that kind of warmth from the glow of a 60″ LCDTV (even though I would probably try).

Merry Christmas everyone!

Dad’s Day Reflections

  • Cuddling with the Young Extroverted One in bed while the Elder Extroverted Holy One showered.
  • YEO up in my face saying, “Happy Father’s Day, dada!”
  • YEO and EEHO making wonderful pancakes.
  • The neighbor taking YEO and her son to Maggie Moo’s for ice cream
  • Having a nice long talk with my dad and hearing some stories about his dad.

Dad: “Happy Father’s Day!”

me:   “Happy Father’s Day, back atcha!”

Dad: “That’s pretty cool, huh?”

me:   “Yeah . . . it is.”

Mornings Revisited

Morning routines in my house are an interesting thing (at least to me). I like a slow non-stressful start to my day. I want it low key from the time I get up until the time I walk out of the door to go to work. I wake up earlier than really necessary just so I can have some morning me time. Some coffee, some Mac, some blogs and news. Maybe a shower. Maybe some breakfast. Kiss the ladies and then I amble out of the door. The Elder Extroverted Holy One, however, loves her sleep. She’ll sleep as long as humanly possible and still leave the house at a predetermined time. If I am off during the week and get to experience this it just stresses me out and kind of ruins my calm morning off.

It starts out nicely enough. The Young Extroverted One will wake up first, usually, and is extremely cute and cuddly. Family hugs, family snuggles and then requests to get up and eat some breakfast. The problem with that is she is a sloooooowwwww eater. With the EEHO extending her sleep time this leaves very little time for the YEO to be a slow eater and have time to get dressed and out the door. By the time EEHO is ready for the day it’s all GO, GO, GO. Repeated names and requests to get dressed, to get shoes on, to brush hair and then out the door.

“Oh wait! I didn’t have my vitamin!” Vitamins are found and then taken. Walking towards the door . . .

“Oh wait! I need a sleep buddy!” “Alright, go find one. . . . Let’s go.” Hunting around the house to find just the right stuffed animal to nap with. Walking towards the door . . .

“Oh crap!” The realization that Kongs need to be filled with a treat and peanut butter and the dogs kennelled so the alarm can be set. Alarm is set and walking out the door and gone to their respective schools.

Whew! It stresses me out just writing it. Don’t get me wrong. I love to sleep. It’s just more important for me to have some time multislacking and relaxing before I arrive at that potentially stressful place that I affectionately call ‘work.’ That’s just how I roll.

In the end, though, after the whirlwind of my wonderful bride and the fruit of my loins leave the house I just have to smile. In all of their crazy morning routines they are both pretty awesome. I think I’ll keep ’em. And then take some Xanax and enjoy the rest of my morning.

Morning Me Time . . . SHATTERED

I am a morning person. I, however, am not a morning people person. I get my cup of coffee, sit down and perch my feet up on the desk and read the blogs that I enjoy reading.

This morning was a little different. It started out the way it should. Me + coffee + my mac + internets = introverted bliss. All of a sudden out of the darkness into the halo of my desk lamp steps the Young Extroverted One. Sleepy-eyed and bed-headed she silently climbed into my lap and just cuddled. That’s it. Sigh . . . now that is how I could spend my mornings for the rest of my life.