He loves the bath. He hates getting his hair washed.

He loves bananas, sweet potatoes and especially avacado. Not so fond of applesauce yet.

He loves music, dancing and singing. He’s got a weird thing for Beach Boys type surf rock. He’s good with Tom Petty and Barenaked Ladies. He also appreciates Daddy’s singing.

Many mornings when I wake up and afternoons when I get home from work, he greets me with a “hiiii dah-daaaah!” This morning he greeted me with a smile, giggle and a projectile pee. It’s been a while since I’ve had to contend with that.

Leaving for work is the hardest, because he’s old enough to know that Daddy’s going away and he’ll stand there crying as I leave the house.

This little thing transformed himself in the span of a year. He’s almost 4 times the weight he was when he was born. He’s at least twice as tall. I hear it only gets worse.

He’s got 8 teeth. There’s more coming in. Molars. They’re the worst.

He’s in the living room with Mommy right now playing with his toy guitar we bought him for his birthday. He’s currently playing Crazy Little Thing Called Love over and over and over. It figures, Mommy likes Queen a lot too.

The house is clean. 40 people will descend upon it today. Friends and family all coming to pour love on my son.

Life can be pretty awesome sometimes.

Hope your day’s as awesome as his.

JANUARY
• We went on our honeymoon to Walt Disney World
• We went public with the baby
• I was featured in a magazine article

FEBRUARY
• I attempted to install Windows Vista on my old laptop and it crapped out
• We celebrated our 3rd dating anniversary
• I froze my ass off twice a night in an unheated rehearsal space for the Odd Couple

MARCH
• We found out that the baby is a boy
• Our office toilet had a bad poop incident
• I finished the run of the Odd Couple at the Pitman Broadway Theater

APRIL
• I gave up the ghost and decided I really just didn’t love MMOGs anymore…but we’d still be friends
• I’m sure there was other stuff. The baby was eating our brains.

MAY
• Another academic year ends: myage++, freshman.age==freshman.age.
• We graduated from prenatal class.
• Mikey kicked me for the first time while I was laying next to Aimee in bed

JUNE
• I started applying for jobs in North Carolina. Que sera sera.
• We had the Baby Shower North, where it was mostly my family
• The Zombocalypse came
• HOLY CRAP WE WON THE UNIVERSITY SOFTBALL TOURNEY!!

JULY
• Aimee finished her thesis. I helped her format it. @#$!!!
• We waited for the baby to come
• and then we waited some more

AUGUST
• We saw the Simpsons Movie.
• THE BABY CAME!!!
• He brought baggage
• It was my 29th birthday

SEPTEMBER
• Students came back. It was pretty tough but we had Kelly so we got through it.
• I was hired-not hired-hired-not hired at Duke.
• Pavarotti died :(
• Things Were Set In Motion

OCTOBER
• Our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!
• Other stuff, I’m sure. Baby.

NOVEMBER
• I applied for the new position that opened here at Rowan
• Mikey got more like me every day
• My 360 Red Ringed
• We got a house!

DECEMBER
• I GOT MY NEW JOB
• WE GOT A GREAT MORTGAGE
• LIFE IS FANTASTIC!!

ALL LOVE!!!!

I’m willing to admit that I’m frustrated and upset over how things have been regarding North Carolina. At last count I’ve put about 30 or 40 resumes out there and come away with 1 phone interview and a screening that led to a face to face that went nowhere only after pushing me up and down like a sine wave for two weeks. If you’re still reading, Stephen (or anyone else from the department), I know it wasn’t personal. I haven’t checked the logs for any hits from duke.edu lately but I’m not really worrying about that anymore.

While my resume is still being shopped around down south, I’ve also applied for a new position here at the university. It’s a step up in grade, which means a good chunk of change. It’d lead to a CCNA, which is useful, and in no way related to PHP, SQL, or anything else that I apparently can’t prove to anyone’s satisfaction that I can do. There’s a web position that opened over in the library, but it was a lateral move that wouldn’t have helped me much, if at all.

It’s not to say that my life’s been derailed by it, but I’m back in a holding pattern. It also leads to the concept that if I get the new, better paying position here in Jersey that we’ll likely stick around for a while longer. Buying a house is something I completely want and need to do right now. The place we’re in is small and has so little room we have nowhere to put baby toys. It’s unbelievable, this kid has more stuff than either of us.

On that note, I’m tired and don’t really feel like writing about anything else right now.

Look, a pirate! YAR!

Fri Sep 07 192 Depart RALEIGH DURHAM (RDU) at 8:35 PM
Arrive in PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIO (PHL) at 9:50 PM

Meaning yeah, I got a face to face interview for a job at Duke. I’m worried about being away from the Little Bug for the night, but it’s a tremendous opportunity to get a great job, even if it’s contract-to-perm.

I’m really nervous, but I did a good enough job on the phone this morning that they want to see me. There was joking and back-and-forth with them, and the one guy is a musician, too. Worked at Disney for ten years. So that’s a good sign, right?

Quiet Time

First of all, I’m typing this one handed, baby on my chest and cat on my feet.

I feel hot. Little heaters, both of them.

I have discovered the following:
1. wipey warmers are a GOOD thing.
2. Huggies are great, Pampers are fine, Luvs suck.
3. 4AM is a great time to get peed on.
4. 2 changing table covers are not enough.
5. Koala care surpasses Kangaroo care.
6. Some babies are just belly sleepers.
7. Yes they really breathe like that.
8. I must learn to read his mind.
9. You never have enough baby clothes.
10. For breastfed babies, poop is also a projectile.

He’s beautiful, he’s a great baby, and I can’t wait to see where this goes.

My thoughts on the actual birth when I’m more mobile.

Other than waiting, that is. Because the OB has decided that Tuesday afternoon is drop-dead time and we’re not comfortable with that.

He continues to ignore me.

I find it aggravating.

Aimee finds it even more so.

Come hell or high water, this kid’s getting born by August 1st, though.