A Few Thoughts on Travel

Recently we were made privy to yet another heretofore undiscovered way that Beeber has impacted our lives.

The day before Thanksgiving we drove to Connecticut to see my parents. I have been making this trip a couple of times a year for the last several years, but this was the first time with a baby in tow. Under the best of circumstances, this drive would take between 9 and 10 hours and we figured that it would likely take longer with an increased number of stops for diapering and such. As it turns out, this was correct. What I didn't realize was that we would need to pack a trunkful of accessories and supplies to accommodate Beeber while we were away. The abbreviated list included: a stroller, a bouncy chair, a pack-n-play, diapers, formula, bottled water, baby monitor, clothing, toys, books, bottles, bottle brushes, etc. It was a mountain of stuff.

I cannot stress how much of an adjustment this was for me. Previously I was able to travel with little more than a backpack. I could get on a plane, get on a bus and find my way around for days with all my necessities on my person. Having to bring a carful of stuff to appease a being that accounts for 5% of my body weight blew my mind. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that this will get worse before it gets better.

Having made the return drive from Connecticut, I was at home for less than 12 hours before I had to leave again for a week for a conference. This is the first time I've been away from home since Beeber was born, and I cannot stress how much it sucks. I usually have to take 2 week long trips a year, and previously they we somewhat welcomed experiences that would allow me to see new places and/or old friends and family on the company dime. It also helped that I had a (now ex-)wife at home that was happy to see me go, and that I was happy to leave behind. Having people at home that miss you makes traveling a real kick in the groin.

Oh yeah, I have this blog thing...

Despite abandoning this blog for the last for months, I do have every intention of making regular updates. In fact, I just renewed the domain for another year.

Since Beeber's birth four months ago (when I last posted) we have adjusted to life a newborn, moved (twice, technically), plus dealt with work, school, and various other distractions, so I guess if nothing else, I have a litany of valid excuses for not updating you with the daily minutiae that you're dying to read about.

I applaud Pete Nez for finally updating his blog which spurred me to return to this, and hopefully I will begin updating regularly soon. Now that we have had a baby around for a while, I have started to crystallize some observations/points of view, that I will be happy to expound upon. Just keep watching this space please.

At Long Last

She's finally here. The most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on. It's a long story how she got here, and I don't have the clarity of mind to tell it right now. But soon. very soon.

Enough Already

Here it is, nearly another month since I've updated this. I think so much of our time has been split between running around preparing for joybundle's arrival and trying to have a "normal" life, that I don;t get much of a chance to slow down and reflect.

At this point, B and I are both getting very impatient with waiting for our little girl to come out (B possibly more so than me). We had a false alarm a couple of weeks ago, where we ended up going to the hospital and staying overnight. I think that may have pushed us over the edge on the patience front. Everything ended up being ok, but still no baby.

We know she's going to get here eventually, but we'd like for this journey to end and the new one to begin. Aside from the actual delivery, there doesn't seem to be much more to experience other than being tired and uncomfortable.

c'mon already sweetheart, we're ready for ya.

How we intend to spend our holiday weekend...

Cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning sleeping cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning eating cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning resting cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning sleeping cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning eating cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning resting cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning aching cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning sleeping cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning ...

Right Man's Burden

I often say that it is a terrible burden to be right MOST of the time. People usually bristle at this phrase and miss the subtext. I'm not so arrogant as to think that I am right ALL the time, but I am smart enough and self-aware enough to realize that my batting average is exceptionally high.

Here is the point to me bringing this up-

One of the few unfortunate things to happen as a result of Joybundle's imminent arrival is that I had to surrender my dog, Dudley, back to the rescue I adopted him from in the fall. To describe him as completely nuts is probably being generous, in that he is a 26lb. black and white bag of neuroses and anxiety. That being said, he was wonderful with me and adorable to boot. In the few months that I had him, I became very attached but very simply he could be a little erratic in his behavior, and occasionally bitey. This was never a problem with me, but we did not feel right taking a chance on him with the baby.

Last weekend he bit a little girl at his new foster home. The little girl is ok, and so far as I know, there won't be any consequences for him other than lots of training, but it reinforced the fact that I have made the right choice in giving him up.

There's not really any solace in that knowledge. I hope they can straighten him out...

On a related note

In completing Phase 1 of Operation:Nursery, it occurred to me that I owe an amount of thanks to my old college friend Andrew Huff. It was he (and his wonderful wife Cinnamon Cooper) who introduced me to the wonders of IKEA several years ago on a trip to Chicago. Seeing as we have outfitted the baby to be's room with at least 2/3 Sweden via Asia furnishings, I feel like I should give Andrew a shout out for providing me with my first taste of lingonberry preserves.

Andrew is one of the creators of a successful Chicago-oriented website Gapers Block please take a look if you are so inclined. He also took me to Kuma's Corner on a trip to Chicago last fall. I probably ought to send him a thank you card for that too.