One Year Later

This time last year I was learning how to change diapers on a couple of newborns. The past year has seen a hell of a lot of challenge and more feelings of confidence than I would have imagined. Can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Yesterday we celebrated Owen and Paige's first birthday. Had a great turnout and passed a good time. Lots of changes with the one year mark. They start in the toddler room at daycare on Tuesday, which cuts a nap and bottles out of their daycare days. I expect we'll have some cranky babies for most of this week. On the plus side, all the other kids in the toddler room are already walking, so that means Paige and Owen will have lots of pressure to get in gear. Not that the haven't been making progress already. Paige tottered halfway across the living room yesterday.

Julie and the kids came out for the birthday. Spent some small part of the weekend shooting up some Gears of War with Ross. We also took them down to the zombie walk at the downtown mall. Tried to build it up before hand, making it sound like there was some kind of weird sickness going on in Cruces, to get the kids freaked out. Ross was unfazed, but Jalie didn't want to get out of the car when we got there. In the end she had a good time taking pictures with the 'pajama zombies'. We were supposed to do up a Halloween party but by the time we got back to the house only Carrie and Jalie really had the energy for it. Ross fell asleep on the couch pretty early, and we tried to gather around him, Carrie and Jalie, costumed, Julie and I with masks or hats to get a sleeping picture to make him think he missed a party. Instead he woke up and was bewildered by all the weirdness around him. They are coming back next week for the Renaissance Faire.

Traci came out too. She took some awesome pictures at the birthday party. Then this morning we got dressed up and she took some family photos. A lot to sift through but on a first pass through there are some pretty good shots. Thanks, Traci!

Gaming continues to not happen. Friday, what with Amy and Kyle being busy, Ben and I played some shoot-em-up xbox (New: Call of Duty Black Ops, and Old: Rainbow Six Vegas 2).

Pushers

In addition to making small strides (ahem) in walking, the kids have started pushing things all over the house and walking behind as they do. They've made their way around the house with their walking toys for a while now, but recently other objects have started enabling their controlled falls across the tiled vastness of our open architecture. Of late these objects include a laundry basket, strollers, and a metal chair.

Bought the first set of our new car seats today. We're getting a 'cheaper' set for everyday use (read: Carrie's car) and a set with more features (cup holders, really) for the longer trip car, or mine. These come in the waning days of their first year of life, and will replace the detachable seat & base version we've used up till now. Having to buy four is not inexpensive, even going with relatively 'inexpensive' seats. But, safety!

Whatever settled upon my sinuses in the early hours of Saturday has continued its colonization attempts since then. Called in sick to work today, although I have high hopes that whatever it is will be successfully repelled in the next little while. Another day of the same may force me to seek outside biological assistance in this battle. For now, chemical warfare (sudafed and ibuprofen) My wife, wonderful lady that she is, has been masterfully handling most of the baby duties through it all.

I read a bunch of Savage Dragon comics whilst recumbent with illness. Weird, the nostalgic relations there; Dark Sun and Rifts, reading the former waiting in a car outside Cody's house, picking him up to got to Ren's to play the latter, springs most readily to mind. I wonder if that timeframe's right. Anyway, it's not a very good comic. Made it through 30-some issues, then decided to get some more recent Marvel stuff, that is from the beginning Heroic Age, or last year this time. Read the 4-issue Heroic Age vignette series, now am looking at the Thanos Imperative. Not sure if I shouldn't rethink that and get at some Avengers or Fantastic Four instead. My recent foray into the DC reboot, and now this, just reaffirm that I fall solidly on the Marvel side of the comic divide. Although, weirdly, I historically tend to like the animated versions of DC characters somewhat better. Young Justice has been pretty cool lately, and I even admire the campiness of Batman: Brave and the Bold, though I have yet to really watch an episode all the way through.

50/50 Weekend

Had a fine Friday off. I slimed the tires of Carrie's new stroller. One had gotten a puncture and that machine is too awesome to be sitting around not strollering. I also got some Corner Deli. That's be becoming a Friday off thing. Also played some Gears of War 3 horde mode with Cameron, and some of the campaign solo. Oh, and they delivered the replacement freezer. Time to fill it up with frozen dinners and pizzas.

In lieu of rpg'ing Friday night (Kyle was out) we played some King of the Elves. I think we were all more in the mood for just hanging out anyway. Made for a laid back evening that we wrapped earlier than usual, so I came home and played some more Gears.

Woke up in the early hours this morning feeling feverish. That started a day of general crappiness; vaguely cold and/or allergy symptoms all day long. I was supposed to take the kids over to mom's this afternoon to get them out of the house for a Rendi thing Carrie was hosting. Instead I holed up in the bedroom and HBO Go'd and Savage Dragon'd on the iPad. Luckily mom was coming over for the party so she helped wrangle the kids, and they mostly napped through it anyway. Even now I still feel wrung out. Hopefully it will fade overnight.

Singleton

Paige took another step last night. I almost caught this one, but I was unfortunately one foot away with my head turned the other direction.

Put in a half day at work today. We kept Owen home with some kind of eye infection and Carrie and I split the day, with me pulling the afternoon shift at home with him. We don't get to spend a whole lot of time with just one of the babies, so that was kind of a treat.

Been on a country/americana kick with music lately. Picked up albums by Will Hoge (Number Seven), James McMurtry (Too Long in the Wasteland), and Old Crow Medicine Show (O.C.M.S.). Great stuff in all of em.

Kickstarted Void Vultures. Looks potentially cool.

Walker

Back from Seattle. Had a fine last day there, including

• Breakfast with the Gilberts
• a lovely Pilsner-soaked trip to Feierabend with Sage in which I did not get so hammered that I couldn't function (that's 1-for-1 for me and German pubs in Seattle)
• and finally getting to see Paul, even if just for five minutes

Trip back went fine, and I was more than ready to get back to the family. Turns out, of course, that Paige took her first step while I was gone. It was bound to be either then or more likely while at daycare, so I'm more excited that she took that step than disappointed that I missed it.

Don't think I ever posted about Carrie's birthday. We got a bbq put together last minute on the 9th, and I was worried we wouldn't have many people show up. Turns out there were a dozen adults and about as many kids. Alex, Joe, Joe and Melissa, two of Carrie's coworkers families, and even Todd and Traci, who I had waited late enough to text about iti; all with kids in tow if they had 'em. Turned out to be a great evening, which of course, Carrie deserves. Oh, and there was pralines and cream ice cream cake. A happy, happy birthday to her, even as late as this sentiment is hitting my journal.

Just scheduled delivery of our new chest freezer. The old one went out a while back and I, figuring it was out of warranty, waited till the warranty was really almost gone before calling Sears to come look at it. Turns out it's getting replaced for free.

Seattle, Now!

PNW adventure continues!

Andy came up to Tacoma for a few beers. Been something like five and a half years since we've seen each other. Was great to catch up.

Work rounded out nice and light. Not sure this trip was really necessary but grateful for the free airfare nonetheless. Sage picked me up round 3-ish and we headed out to his place, which is a pretty cute little house over in Kirkland. After Sarah got home we headed out to a seafood place in Seattle called Etta's. Good salmon, but Sarah's crab cakes were better. Spent the remainder of the evening chatting over beers back at their place the hitting the sack relatively early. This morning I woke up around 7 and stayed in bed reading for two hours.

Today we'll likely head down to Olympia for a visit with Andy and Deanna, finally meeting their kids. Been toying with the idea of staying the night down there but not sure. Either way I'll need to be back up here Saturday night since I fly out so early Sunday.

Missing the kids more than I thought I would. Carrie sent me a picture of Paige yesterday and I swear she has grown since I left.

Great NorthWet

Up in Seattle (actually Tacoma right now) till Sunday. Feel bad leaving Carrie at home with the kids but this kind of came up at the last minute and staying through the weekend was an opportunity that may not come again for a while in terms of work. Travel at the new job seems much less frequent even though it had fallen off quite a bit at the old job. Plan right now is a day and a half of work followed by two and a half days hanging out with Sage and/or the Gilberts.