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everything is gonna be fine

Tuesday.

Monday was a particularly productive day for me at work. The timing of the project I’m currently working on is way in the future, so most of the tasks I have now are planning-centric… and I’ve been using the benefit of time to do some experimenting along those lines, firming up the way I forecast and ready the team for what’s coming down the road. I know, without me telling you what I do it’s hard to know what that means – but, them’s the breaks folks. Anyway, I feel like I almost made up for a week gone in a single day… Because, when I want to, I can be super productive like that.

Now I’m sitting here listening to some Sabbath (courtesy of the iPod shuffling it up) and writing. I had Keaton tonight. Got to feed her dinner, give her a bath, sing her a bedtime song, say her prayer with her, and put her to bed. She didn’t nap today so she was super tired, but before I put her down she managed to say, in her little half-asleep croak of a voice, “Sing a sun song, daddy?” “The ‘sun song?,’ I asked.” “Yeah, sing a sun song, daddy?” “I don’t know the sun song, baby, can you sing some for daddy so he can hear it?” “This one, daddy: ♫ Please don’t take my sunshine away ♫.” I immediately knew the verse, but couldn’t place the song. It took me a minute, but I eventually broke into ♫ You are my sunshine, my only sunshine… ♫, and stopped to say, “Is that the song, baby?” “Yeah,” she said, and nuzzled into my shoulder. ♫ You make me haaaapy, when skies are grey… ♫ Awesome, I’m telling you… straight-up awesome.

And, since I’m already on about babygirl…

Sharaun took Keaton to her two-year pediatrician appointment today, and asked about several things which’ve been on our minds lately. #1, the stuttering thing (which, by the way, is back again, with a vengeance): Bottom line, the pediatrician said she sees “no cause for concern.” She said she’s already noted Keaton as “advanced language ability” (finally, some corroboration for Sharaun’s my-baby’s-a-genius stance), and suggested that her vocal “hesitations” are more than likely her response to a stall in development that her mind doesn’t understand, and is compensating for. In other words, she seems to think pretty much what I guessed at a couple weeks ago: that baby girl’s vocal chords are just stalling in an effort to catch up with her brain, which has developed beyond them. Not the most scientific explanation, but it works for me. The doc said she’ll continue to monitor it and see how it goes, but that she expects it’ll go away of its own accord eventually. Whew. That really is a relief to me, no matter how much I said I wasn’t overly concerned.

#2, We also informed her of the we’re-the-parents call we made to suspend indefinitely her recently regimented breathing treatments whilst in Mexico. While we made the decision together, I was the one pushing to abandon the treatments. I just got too itchy about having our two-year-old inhale atomized steroids twice a day for what I, for whatever reason, viewed as dubious benefits. I convinced Sharaun to stop giving her the treatments, and her wheezing (which the pediatrician readily admitted was most likely caused by a bug she had, and not some underlying malady) didn’t return. Sharaun said the doc actually applauded our use of parental judgment, and said she agrees with our decision and Keaton seems fine. For some reason, that flexibility and non-attachment to a “prescribed” remedy impressed me. Anyway, we felt like we’d done the right thing – which was not so much a relief as it was a nice vindication of our motivations.

And, #3, some odd breathing patterns we’d seen in Keaton while she slept. Seemingly abnormal things like her getting into a two-deep-breaths / no-breaths-for-ten-seconds rhythm instead of a normal regulated breathing pattern. I had feared this might be related to the whole “breathing” issue thing (which has actually now gone away), but the doc assured us abnormal breathing is normal in kids at this age. Which, again, helps to support my theory that being a pediatrician is about like being an HR representative in that there are no concrete answers to anything, and nearly everything is pretty much “normal” and/or “OK” depending on how you look at it.

Anyway, overall it was a reassuring doctor visit, which I take to mean all is well, or that we have a complete charlatan of a pediatrician. Fingers crossed for the former, eh?

Oh, and before I go – I wanted to include a quick image of what some sounds familiar reader at work considers funny. Below is the name plate thingy in front of my cube (last name blurred for safety… or something), done in tribute to this entry I posted a week back. Funny stuff:

See all those little pharaohs up there? Yeah, that’s gotta be my desk.

Well folks, that’s it for tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow with

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to know, and maybe even love

Hi folks. I had planned this Monday’s entry to be some kind of triumphant return to blogging, what with us being on vacation all last week and my expectations that I’d not blog much at all.

Turns out I was able to throw something together for four of the five “regular” bloggin’ days – which either is or isn’t bad, depending on your view of getting online whilst on vacation. For me, it’s as natural as reading a book or watching TV, just another vice of the modern-world… so it didn’t detract from me properly vacating. Here, then, is a normal ho-hum Monday post on sounds familiar, the kind you’ve come to know, and maybe even love. For my part, this intro is finished.

On our first day back from Mexico and I had all sorts of things planned: I was gonna finish fixing the fence that blew down eons ago; was gonna go get a haircut; was gonna maybe mow the lawn; unpack; sort through the mail… all kinds of things. Instead, I sat around playing with Keaton and watching TiVo’d episodes of Saturday Night Live. What a waste of a fine day to be outside. (I’ll tell you a secret… if I really wanted to get that stuff done today, I’d’ve done it. The fact that I didn’t get it done just means I never really planned to.)

With the new week, I’m going to do another You Decide Friday poll, where you, my dearest readers, get to cast your vote and let me know what I should write about come week’s end. The rules are simple, vote for your top choice, with the understanding that just because something wins doesn’t mean the other topics are cast away for good – they’re all just binned ideas from my running list anyway. What are you waiting for? Flex your democracy people:

[poll=3]

Wow, a few paragraphs… a poll… not bad for getting a late Sunday night start, eh?

Oh, and guess what? Whipped topping!

I managed to get a respectable collection of images from our Mexico trip up online today, and only one day back from the vacation. I deserve some kudos for that, right? Yeah, I do. Give it up. You can surf over to the aforementioned gallery by clicking right here. Enjoy.

Gonna tack on something that doesn’t really fit, deal.

While we were flying there-and-back for vacation this past week, and in light of all the recent airlines folding and facing delays in financial problems, I’ve come up with what I think is a pretty solid airline bailout or recover plan. Most MBA students know the story about Delta and the three olives, and I think my cost-saving idea may be even more revolutionary than that. Here goes: You know those plastic bags attached to the oxygen masks? The ones that the airline tells you every time you fly “will not inflate, but oxygen will be flowing?” Brace yourself: Get rid of those bags.

Dudes, really. You’re equipping each of your passengers’ oxygen lines with little plastic bags that only cause confusion, as evidenced by the fact that your flight attendants have to explain that, while it’s obvious they aren’t doing anything, they are “working” anyway.

You’re welcome. I just saved you millions on bag-costs.

Oh, nevermind.

Goodnight then.

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before the pesos run out

Hey again amigos. Last full day in Mexico here. I can barely type for my fingers slipping around the keyboard on a sheen of my own tears. Next week it’s back to mowing lawns, conference calls, and e-mails. But, the next couple days… those are still ours.

Yesterday, as I waffled drowsily between some waking and drifting off beside the pool, I was thinking: I could probably conduct the sale of our house back in California without ever even leaving this resort. I could use the fax machine, telephone, and internet to liquidate our worldly possessions, taking care to have our most cherished items, as few as they are, shipped or stored (I mean, I’d need my hard drive of music… after all). With the money from the sale safely in the bank, I could set about finding some beachside accommodations here. Our little family could probably make it without a breadwinner for at least a few years before the pesos run out. Maybe we could even squat in one of the many aborted developments that line the beach just a few miles walk from here… that could save us some rent. Yeah, I think we…

I’m sorry, what?

Oh. Si, si. Uno mas, por favor.

Gracias.

Now, where was I… ? Eh, whatever. I think I’ll join Sharaun and Keaton in the pool; maybe splash Keaton with one of my famous camelballs or something. It was a good thought though…

And, closing out the week, a couple more teasers before I have to do a “right-proper” upload upon returning home. Wish a safe flight, OK (and that our airline doesn’t go out of business tomorrow or anything)?

See you next week (where I’ll also resume my post-accompanying images… the blog feels naked without them).

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quick hits from SOTB

Back from “date night” and Sharaun decided to read a bit, so I, as usual, turned to the soft glow of my laptop screen. Just thought I’d do some quick hits from south of the border.

Keaton’s pool floaty popped. She is still mourning.

People told me not to drink the water. I totally drink the water. Like, everyday I drink the water. No one can stop me now.

Tomorrow dawns day our sixth day in Mexico. Before I left, the ten day forecast for Playa Del Carmen showed rain and clouds every single day of our trip. So far, it hasn’t rained a drop.

The trip to the “off resort” beach today was by and large a bust. Lots of walking under the burning Mexican sun for something we had in our backyard at the resort. From now on we’re sticking to the beaches and pools right here where we’re staying (they’re better anyway…).

Sharaun and I went to some Mayan joint tonight for our date night, then strolled the shoplined streets down by the water. It was a great night out.

Spending all day in the water has done wonders for Keaton’s “socialization” to the stuff. She’s now much more outgoing when we’re swimming, even to the point of wanting to jump in from the deck (only when dad has his arms out to catch her, thankfully though). Back in Hawaii in October, she was still pretty skittish.

Well, that’s about all I’ve got.

Lastly, I’ve been trying not to spoil my post-vacation Keaton-gallery update, so ‘ll only post a couple quick pictures here. These, though, are a couple gems from the past couple days (see, she has more than that yellow bathing suit!).

Goodnight folks. Hasta whenever.

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getting pruny

Hi guys. Had some time. Wrote some blog.

Tomorrow we break the poolside routine and catch a shuttle bus to a local beach for a few hours. Then it’s “date night” for Sharaun and I while the friends we’re vacationing with watch the kids (was our night tonight tending to their brood). The rest of the week looks to be much like the week thus far: getting pruny in the pool or sunning alongside it. Oh, and eating and sleeping… can’t forget eating and sleeping.

Really though, most of my day is spent in the water. Keaton has a floaty thing she loves kicking around in, and I’ve been trying to invent a new game or two to play with her in it each day. So far, we have “spinning,” which is (hopefully) self explanatory; “flying,” which is when I lift her out of the water (still in her floaty), spin her over my head, and then splash her back down again. Today I invented “bouncing,” which is, again, a pretty simple bobbing up and down, and “camelballs,” which is what she calls it when I jump off the steps and splash her with a big wave (I called it “canonball,” the name-change was something she came up with). Like I said, we’ve been getting pruny.

Well, from the balcony, the last bits of sunlight from another day in Mexico are slipping into the ocean, and Keaton wanted to drop into the blog to say “Hi” before she has to go to bed for the night.

Until later. Adios amigos.

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hola amigos

Greetings from the therapeutic heat and humidity of far-from-work sunny Mexico.

A proper pictorial update when we’re back.

Now, though, Keaton says she’s ready to “float” again.

You’ll find us poolside, sans watches and cellphones.

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good to be home

A happy Friday to you, friends and enemies alike. I wrote some stuff again today, and you’re about to read it, I think. Enjoy.

My time in Chicago was short. Not that I wanted it to be at all, let along long… but I had hoped we’d have landed earlier, as we were planning on making the most of the overnight delay and taking the train downtown for some pizza or something. We got in too late, though, and ended up eating a horrible and overpriced dinner at the hotel bar. After which neither of us had the will or determination to stay up and chat, so we retired to our respective rooms (cramped little odd-shaped holes off the main floor that must be reserved for airline comps).

In the end, I made it home and am glad to be back here in the 75° Californian weather with my two favorite girls. Keaton gave me a hero’s welcome, and even colored me a picture as a homecoming gift. Sharaun appreciated the authentic South Carolina grits I brought her, and I was more than happy to change into a fresh pair of boxers. Good to be home.

Now then, let’s close the week “In Pictures” with snaps from my Thursday. You’ll have to live without Friday shots, as my night-before blogging schedule makes that impossible. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and I’ll be sure to do it again sometime sooner than four years from now. For now though, here are some highlights from today (yesterday, as you’re reading):

Well, almost time for me to sign off. I’ll take this chance to remind you that it’ll likely be a bit slow around here next week while we’re all on a family vacation in Mexico. But, however strange it may seem, I am taking the laptop with me – so I could end up posting once or twice if I feel up to it (it’s hard for me not to, being perfectly honest).

Oh, and, just quickly before I go – I wanted to note that I broke 200,000 pieces of blocked comment spam sometime in the past couple days. Incredible.

Goodnight.