fatherhood – Page 2 – Tales of an Introvert

Few and Far Between

It has been a very long time since I last wrote something. Heck, it’s been a long time since I’ve even climbed the stairs to my mancave to sit down at the computer. I get home from work and just want to be with my ladies and then I’m too tired in the morning to catch up on reading all my blog-friends.

I am settling in to my new digs. I have been assigned to a new hotel and have been promoted. Now, I’m just adjusting to the new surroundings, getting to know the hotel sales staff, cleaning this extremely messy office and evaluating the old gear and hopefully getting new gear. I cleaned out a desk file drawer the other day that had paperwork that went back TEN years! As I went through it all I got a little history lesson of the company I work for which was pretty cool. But one of the early directors of audio visual here kept everything.

Life with the new one (who shall be named ‘the Bobblehead’ until she gains some neck control) is going well. I have moved to the Young Extroverted One’s room and the Elder Extroverted Holy One and my room/bed has turned into the Girl’s Room. Whenever a diaper change needs to occur the EEHO to calls my cell phone from her cell phone and I go get the Bobblehead to change her diaper. It seems to work out well for we all (except for the YEO) get to share in the interrupted sleep patterns and the EEHO doesn’t have to wake up to feed the Bobblehead and change her diaper.

So much for co-sleeping. The only thing we’ve succeeded in was getting me my own bed.

The Okay-est Story Ever Told

Thinking back on the birthing experience I just have to chuckle to myself because it was very different than the Young Extroverted One’s birth. For the YEO we basically did all of the labor at home so the Elder Extroverted Holy One could eat stuff and move around. She also took an Ambien given to her by her doctor so she could get some rest in between contractions. Needless to say, EEHO tripped balls through the major part of labor and wasn’t counting minutes between contractions. I was sleeping in a different room and awoke to the sounds of grunting coming from the bathroom. Quick call to the doctor, labor confirmed, and off we go to the hospital. We beat the doctor there and EEHO was fully dilated and ready to drop the kid and a couple of pushes later the Young Extroverted One arrives and all of the nurses are quite amazed at the EEHO and had to ask if this was her first child.

Now that’s the way I like it. I don’t have to wait around and watch my lovely wife endure the pain of contractions. I was so worried that I would pass out up until then but when the time came we didn’t even have time to get the cameras, the boom-box and CDs with handpicked labor tunes and even our luggage out of the car. I have come to realize that I’m a good reacter (is that even a word?) and not a good waiter. If something comes up out of the blue I got your back. If I have to wait for something to come up I may have to lie down some.

Which brings me the birth of our second wonderful child. For now she’ll be named The Other Extroverted Child (at least until she gets a little older and is either very intimidated or encouraged by the YEO). EEHO’s water broke around 4AM. She woke me up with the wonderful news to which I had to lay down because I got a little light headed already. Made the call to the YEO’s grandma who came out and off we were to the hospital. As EEHO was checking in I had to lay down again. Woof, anticipation is a little rough on me (or it could be that the EEHO wouldn’t let me drink beer for two weeks prior because, “You have to be sober to drive us to the hospital!” Egad, up until then she was the designated driver and I was the one drinking for three!).

From 6:30-ish until noon or so we basically sat around and watched some crappy t.v. They have nice labor and delivery rooms at baptist but a little light on the entertainment end. Through a couple of more checks pitocin was added and contractions got a little rough. During this time I was updating my Facebook status and bidding on a Rudolph the Reindeer from the Build-a-Bear Workshop on eBay. So, in between switching out cool washcloths and making sure the EEHO was as comfortable as possible I was checking the intertubes to see if we got the friggin’ doll whose nose lights up, has a compass in the stock and a thing that tells time. Twenty minutes or so before the OEC arrives I announce, “We got it!” Luckily, the EEHO didn’t rip the side rails off of the bed and throw them at me. The pushing came and then so did the OEC! Around 2:34PM the doctor held her up to me and asked me to make the boy or girl announcement. Which took me awhile because I wasn’t quite so sure why she was holding this slimy, pinkish, purplish thing at me. I cleared my head and said, “It’s a girl!”

And we lived happily ever after . . . at least until the teenager years.

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!

The Parasite Arrives!

Yesterday (12-19-2007) at 2:34PM (CST) the parasite arrived into the wild, wooly world that we live in. She is a girl (if you didn’t catch the hint) and rings at 7 pounds, 15 ounces and 21 inches long. Both she and the Elder Holy Extroverted One are doing very well. In fact, people are very impressed that the EEHO was epidural-less. She is certainly more of a tough one than I. While I did hold in there during the right moments I also spent some time with my head between my legs trying not to black out and/or puke. I will write more when I have a chance, I just thought the blog-world (all one or two of you) might want to know how the Introvert/Extrovert family are doing, right now I have to hold the former parasite (acronym to be forthcoming). . . . . satisfied sigh . . . .

Top 10 Christmas Songs (at least for now)

h/t: brc for the inspiration from his post Bruce’s Top 10 Essential Christmas Albums

I’ve been meaning to post this for awhile but now that I’m in my advent time (waiting for both my new baby and the,”Dear 8 pounds 6 ounces baby Jesus, new born, not even spoken a word yet.”) I have some slightly anxious time to post about Christmas Tunes. There is no particular order. This is how they popped into my head.

“Linus & Lucy” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, but I also have a sweet version from moe.
“The Twelve Days of Christmas” by Bob and Doug McKenzie from their Great White North album.
“The Spirit of Christmas” by Ray Charles off of the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Soundtrack
“Merry Christmas, Baby” by Otis Redding
“Christmastime is Here” by Richard Cheese which is on his Silent Nightclub album. The way that the Young Extroverted One times the ‘Yowza’ perfectly is what makes it the best for me.
“Must Be Santa” by Brave Combo on the Must Be Santa! The Rounder Christmas Album. I’m a little bit of a sucker for some polka.
“Mele Kalikimaka” by either Bing Crosby or Jimmy Buffett. I just love listening to the YEO try to sing this one. It makes me smile.
“This Time of Year” by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones from A Santa Cause – It’s a Punk Rock Christmas. I have no reason other than I dig the Bosstones and it’s a Christmas tune.
“Hey, Santa Claus” by The Moonglows. I found this one on the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Soundtrack. The YEO has this song down, also.
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as recorded by John Denver & the Muppets’ on their Christmas Together album. As a whole I don’t really like this album. Maybe, it’s John Denver, I’m not sure. However, this song has the great “Bring me some figgy pudding” line that Miss Piggy has an issue with. I love that part!

YEO’s Hockey Saga

The Young Extroverted One is doing very well at her G.O.A.L. hockey clinic. She is in her third week and starting to skate like a pro. Well, as professionally as a five year old can. If it were me and I had a week inbetween sessions I would be starting from scratch every week. Meaning I would be picking myself up off of the ice a lot. I would need to practice every day to get to the point where she is right now.

Week one: she was falling non-stop even with the walker-thingy. Week two: less falling and better with the walker (or should it be called a skater?). The instructors also showed the kids how to get up from the ice. Which seems very difficult and was for the YEO. Week three: “skating” without the skater, a puck handling skill session with Terry Crisp and a little better at getting up from a fallen position.

Being on the other side of the glass I have found it very difficult to watch my child fall or be knocked accidentally over by others. I have found that I need to peel my face off of the glass after such incidents. I just want to be there to hold her hand and push other kids away that might even look like they’re going to knock her over. It wouldn’t be that helpful considering I would probably knock her down because I can’t skate. Plus, she is handling this all much better than I am and keeps trying her hardest to get back up. We constantly reference the Superchick song, “Get Up.”

Talking with Terry Crisp after the session he told me that she corrected him because he was saying her name wrong. Um, YEO? Yeah . . . hey. Um, that’s Terry Crisp. He played center for the Bruins, Blues, Islanders and Flyers. He was an assistant coach for the Flyers and the head coach for the Flames and Lightning. He won TWO Stanley Cups with the Flyers and won a cup as the Flames’ coach. As far as I’m concerned he can call you, me, anyone whatever he wants. Mkay?

Movin’ On Up (or across town really)

My days here are numbered. The new director of event technology will start next week and for the next several weeks I will help him transition into this position. I’ll be training him until the Elder Extroverted Holy One brings forth the second child. During the delivery I will be in the corner of the room with an epidural and copious amounts of drugs to help us get through the delivery. With all of my saved up vacation time I will be able to stay home with the family and help with everything. It will end up being some great daddy-Young Extroverted One time as the new one learns what kind of crazy world it was forcibly brought into.

After the holidays and the new year I should be starting here. Where I will, hopefully, be the official director of event technology. So, I’m slowly finding my work getting me closer and closer to our home in the east Nashville area. Also, it puts me closer to the Sommet Center and the embattled Nashville Predators whose tickets I still can’t afford (not because they’re outrageously priced but we’re outrageously broke) but would go to every single game if given the chance.

Speaking of hockey, I got the YEO signed up for the G.O.A.L. program hosted by the Preds and Delta Dental of Tennessee. She’s excited about it or I’m excited about it for her. Maybe I’ll just go as her and get some ice time! Our equipment fitting session is this Monday and, unfortunately, we have to drive to the Southern Ice Arena in Franklin for this fitting and all 4 sessions of the program. Looking at past G.O.A.L. programs we missed the ones at the Centennial Sportsplex. Which would’ve been way closer. But then I think about the sacrifices that hockey greats’ parents made to drive their wunderkinds to their respective games and practices uphill both ways in the deep snow all across the Canadian wilderness and figure it’s not so bad driving down to Franklin except maybe for the exceptionally poor drivers the most Tennesseans are.

Parental Angst

The Elder Extroverted Holy One and I are having our second child in a MONTH! Um, wow. Numero two-Oh. The parasite’s room isn’t even ready yet. Who are we kidding? That thing is probably going to sleep with us. I suppose it’s time to turn our room into one big mattress. Ooo, a padded room sounds even better! Geez, the EEHO doesn’t even have a real job. I sure don’t get paid like I have a real job. Where did I leave my Xanax? Maybe I’ll have to start making plasma donations on my way to work. There always seems to be a line there it must be somewhat profitable. That might have to be my second job, trading my precious bodily fluids for money. I don’t know how multiple child families do it when we can barely handle one very precocious, extroverted child. I think my head’s going to explode. Where did I leave my beer?

Life is Just a Tire Swing That Done Blowed Up

Parts of my day yesterday were interesting so I thought I’d share my good times. On my way to my doctor’s appointment I was driving out of the parking garage at work. I tend to take corners fairly close because other drivers love to speed through the garage taking wide turns. However, this time I take a corner a little to close and scrape the pathfinder’s back passenger-side door. It also left a nice bulge in the sidewall of my back left tire. Not good but wasn’t flat yet so I kept my eye on it through the day.

Doctor’s visit went well. I think my beer baby is growing and is on track to take over The Elder Extroverted Holy One’s baby gut any day now. I guess my doctor doesn’t think I’m morbidly obese or he would’ve said something. Right?

I get back to my car and the bulge is still there but the tire is still not flat so I head back to work. After which I pick up the Young Extroverted One and head towards home.

The bulge finally gave up on Ellington Parkway. So, I pull over. I’ve changed a number of tires in my day but I have never had to change a tire in the pathfinder. Sweet. I, finally, remembered where the jack, wrench and other stuff were kept, but, I had no clue as to how to get the spare tire down from under the car. At least I used it as a good learning opportunity for the YEO for I believe changing tires is one of many important skills females should know (unless they don’t want to). So, here we are on the side of extremely busy Ellington, me looking through the car’s instruction book trying to figure out how to get the damn spare tire down from under the car and YEO asking me billions of questions. I tried not to play the men-don’t-read-instructions (truthfully, I usually don’t until I break something) card because, as parents, the EEHO and I are not into the specific gender roles game that society plays on kids. I find the information I need and we move to the back of the car and lower the tire. I then realize that I have the jack in the wrong place and can’t put on the spare tire because the car is not high enough. So, I have to lower the jack and move it. In the lowering process the open passenger door gets lowered into the guardrail and removes a decorative side thingy (and that is the technical term I saw it in the instruction book). WOOHOO! I am way jovial at this point. Hey, at least I’m consistent with damaging only one side of the car!

I think we’ll have to change more tires for the YEO to really get it and for me to show how to do right. She did get to raise the chain that holds the spare tire back up into the holding position. She loved that doing that skill.