6 Reasons 2012 is going to be awesome

2011 started with Snowmaggeddon and adventures with IVF round 2. Let's just be honest and recognize that as a rough start. Seriously, the second round of IVF was rough and dominated the first half of 2011. But then, it went pretty damn well.

But this post is more about 2012. I think it has good potential for a great year. I mean, it has all it needs to be great. Here are few things that are going to help.

1. I have a son. That alone is pretty damn cool and will likely dominate the entire year. There is so much happening this year. Lots of developmental milestones and fun firsts. Mo and I can legitimately celebrate mothers day and fathers day. First Easter (oh yes, the outfit will be adorable). Halloween will be epic (oh yes, the outfit will be adorable) and we can go to haunt the zoo and not seem entirely awkward. Granted, next holiday season will be just all the more busy with Josiah's birthday 12 days before Christmas (oh yes, the outfit...you get the idea).

2. Movie. Oh my lord, the movies! John Carter (YES!), Wrath of the Titans, The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit, Brave, and several others. Now, if I can just con my folks into watching the munchkin....

3. Lego Lord of the Rings. (cue angelic choir). I am going to spend so much money on this. Seriously. So much.

4. A Dave & Buster's in OKC. Again, might need someone to watch Jojo, but totally awesome.

5. This tax year we have a dependent. Apparently a kid for 18 days counts as 365 days. Sweet. Now I might be able to afford all previous entries to this list.

6. The Olympics. I love the Olympics. As it will be in London I hope to God David Tennant does something there. I mean, has the Doctor ever gone to the Olympics? I would think he would go to the first ones, or start them, or something.

Couldn't get through one whole day

So my parents "left" yesterday. They wanted us to have some "nuclear family time" before I had to go back to work. Yes, my dad says stuff like that. We love him for it.

"let me tell you about post-modern...something something something..."

Mo and I were happy to have the apartment back to ourselves and spend some time with Jojo and each other. We started looking for some daycare options. We were given the idea that getting into the Integris facility was not going to be a problem, but now it is. Oh well.

Then Mo went into the shower. When she came out she seemed a bit haggard. She told me she wasn't feels so well and threw up in the shower. I told her to call Dr. Thomas. Getting in to see Dr. Thomas is not easy. A few months back one of the other doctors she shares the clinic with quit or left or something. Dr. Thomas went from 5 patients a day to 25 patients a day. I don't blame her, she's good at her job and that makes her high demand.

So of course, there was no way to see her today. They could get us in to see one of the other clinic doctors but not till 4. So we just went to one of the Urgent Care centers. After they took some vitals, they asked me to come into the exam room. My heart rate went from "normal" to "sayoc-krav maga-kill" almost instantly because that has never happened before. They showed me the vitals (which mean nothing to me) and I am thinking "are you leading up to cancer or heart disease or something?" But then he (finally) told me she seemed anemic and he wanted us to go to the ER and get some fluids.

So we went home, loaded up supplies for Jojo (bottles, diapers, etc) and went to the ER. Or rather, we took Mo to the ER and I took Jojo to the main lobby. I really, really, really, did not want a 2 week old in an ER. nothing about that seemed smart. I didn't want Jojo in the hospital. His immune system is nothing like fully developed. Granted, we hope he gets his mothers immune system, but still.

So I was in the main lobby keeping in touch with Mo via iPhone and taking care of Jojo. That, as you can imagine was less than ideal. I hadn't eaten in hours by this point, mo is alone getting paler and more miserable by the minute, and I can't risk Jojo to be near her. If I want to go to the bathroom I have to load everything up. If I want to eat, load everything up.

Now, I know for a 100% fact that I have a good half dozen friends who would have been there to help in under 15 minutes. (you know who you are and you are awesome). But I also knew I would need to facebook these events at some point.

The first step is admitting you have a problem...but screw that.

More over, I did not want my folks to completely freak out. So I texted them to let them know what was going on, but everything was manageable and I would let them know if we needed them. So of course, they showed up within a half hour.

Mom took Jojo (home eventually) and I went to Mo. Dad hung out in the waiting area the entire time, even after we went to an exam room. We really wanted to minimize exposure. I didn't hold Jojo until after I got home, changed clothes, and washed my hands to the elbow.

Mo was very tired and pale. ER service is slooooooooow, but oddly busy. You are in a constant state of intense awareness that something important will happen any second and that is exhausting. They took blood, urine, all the normal stuff. She had a fever of 103.4. They got her some pain killer, anti-nausea, fluids, and so forth and got the fever down. She got some sleep. Eventually after running a few dozen tests, and Mo was doing much better with the fluids, meds, and rest, they couldn't give a solid explanation for it all. Everything pointed to a virus, but it wasn't any of the obvious culprits. Just a unknown little flu-like bug. We got more fluids, her fever was down to 100.7, a script for anti-nausea meds, and went home. Basically to treat it like a virus.

One of the sad parts was we had her pump in the ER (mainly to give her some relief and keep her supply up). Sadly, the milk was contaminated by the virus and the meds. Thankfully, my wife is brilliant and had built up a small extra supply. Not too much, but enough for a day or two. If her fever is gone before that runs out, awesome. If not, we will get to do a little formula. That's not a big deal, mainly I just wanted to brag how awesome my wife is.

So now we are home after one hell of an exciting day. My folks took care of Jojo last night so Mo and I could recover. Which really plays to what my Mom wanted all along, that is, more time with Jojo. She basically had him to herself the entire day and the following night. Which begs the question, was it all part of my mother's plan? Did she poison Mo? In the absence of any evidence, I'm forced to assume yes.

The face of a super-villain

 All kidding aside for a moment, thanks mom and dad. We seriously appreciate it.

Everybody is awesome.

So Josiah is 12 days old as I start writing. This is his first Christmas. That's kinda cool. The "12 days till Christmas" start on his birthday.

We've been busy. If you are on facebook with me, you've seen the insane number of photos we've posted. I'll be honest I am trying to exercise some restraint. It's not easy.

Having my folks stay with us has been fantastic. The first night we were home they watched him during the night so we could get some rest. They've done the same a couple times since. A couple times my folks watched him while we went to the store and we are planning a date night. We are going to miss that when they leave.

Beyond that my mom has taken over the kitchen. She's cooked most of the meals and done most of the dishes. Everyone has chipped in on laundry and since many hands make light work, we've done okay.

We went to Target and got some photos taken. They turned out well. A few days earlier we got some taken in Harrah. A free sitting was part of the deal we had with the place we did the ultrasounds. The photos will probably be really nice (we go see them on the 27th), but the prices I've seen are not. I have no problem walking away without buying anything, but I am hopeful there will be some reasonable options.

Josiah is doing well and was back up to 6 pounds and grew 2 inches at his last check up. We expect him to be at his birth weight by Friday. The doctor seems pleased and so are well.

His umbilical cord has not fallen off yet. It's just on the edge of falling off and I hope it does soon. It is starting to smell bad. 

yeah, well what's your excuse?

So then...

holy crap, I'm tired.

This happened.

6 pounds, 7 ounces, 20 inches.
We are all home and doing fine.

This guy right here

Is a jerk.

But dear god he had an awesome beard.

That is John Braxton Hicks.

Last night Mo had some Braxton Hicks contractions. Considering our last prenatal, you can imagine how my adrenaline glad reacted. One can assume I got very little sleep last night, even after Mo (who was at work) told me they were not getting regular or more intense. I got a little sleep, but I was pretty wired and just on guard for the phone to ring. So, no baby, but a good sign none the less.

Honestly I am just dying to meet this kid. I know at first they do little more than eat, poop, and sleep. But all the same, I am curious as hell about how his personality will develop. Last night just brought to the forefront how impatient I am getting. I mean seriously. 10 months of trying, 2 rounds of IVF (about a year and half there), and 39 weeks of pregnancy. I think I am entitled to a little impatience.

COME ON!

Two Centimeters

We went to see Dr. K today. This visit included the cervical check...which Mo says hurt quite a bit. It looks like Josiah is likely going to ruin my little "12 days till due date" thing.

"I am going to break so much of your stuff"

Apparently, Mo is dilated 2 centimeters and Josiah is super low. Kallenberger is pretty sure that baby is coming this week. Next at the absolute latest, but he doubts it. His words: "If you feel a contraction, come to the hospital."

You got it buddy

11 days till baby

On the 11th day till due date, my true love gave to me...

this is a real thing, I swear.

two matching daddles...

and baby bag from Gucci.

because nothing says "pretentious" like a matching carrier.

12 Days till Baby

On the 12th day till due date, my true love gave to me...

The first seal of the apocalypse

...a baby bag from Gucci.

About 2 weeks

Tomorrow Mo will be 38 weeks pregnant. This is a good thing because we really hoped Josiah would go at least 38 weeks. Hooray. His due date is in 16 days (or 15 if you don't count the day of). So in about 2 weeks there will be a new kid on the block.

No, damn it, that's not what I meant

As I tell people, getting Mo pregnant was amazingly hard. However, she 'does' pregnant really well. She looks fantastic, she's had very few of the negative side effects of pregnancy, and exactly zero complications. It's all very textbook. Even now, she's yet to have a Braxton Hicks. Although, he's been kicking up a storm every few days. She told me he had hiccups today.

I predict he will come within 12 hours of noon December 13th. I have my reasons for predicting this, but calling it science would just be a lie. I know the truth is that Josiah will come when he is damn well ready too. Until then, we will just hang tight.

I said "tight" damn it.

Racially Neutral Friday

I did not go black Friday shopping. I thought about going to watch the madness with a detached, scientific interest, but decided that CastleVille and sleep were vastly more interesting.

I used to play real video games damn it.

I thought about going shopping for gifts, but then it dawned on me that I had no idea what Mo wanted. So I asked her. She couldn't think of anything other than "baby". I then thought to myself.

"Well Jeremy, you can always spend money on Legos. That's like a drug. But is there anything you actually want?" and to my shock, the answer was "not really."

I mean, sure I'd love and iPad, but I'm not going down that path till I see what the 3 (or 2 HD or whatever) is like. That is at least a few weeks in the future, maybe months. Who knows? Certainly not this Christmas. The new Warcraft expansion is likely to roll out Dec. or Jan. I might do that...just cause a Panderan Death Knight sounds fun.

totally awesome.

But, really. I can so live without it.

Plus, let's get real for a second. The first week of new baby is basically a survival mode of no-sleep. The 2nd and 3rd weeks (sometimes) get better. So anything I get is not likely to be remembered or enjoyed for at least a month.

I should probably get something for my nieces and nephews. My parents won't likely give a crap about anything other than seeing the grand baby.

So, I am totally into the spirit of Christmas this year. I am dying to go see lights, drink coco, eat holiday food, and watch horrid-horrid-horrid television specials. I am super down with that. I just don't think I much care for the gifts part. It's not a bad thing, I just have no interest.

A Christmas Warning

Last year I, somehow, got "into" Christmas. I wasn't sure why. Mo and I had just gotten horrid news. We made the best of it.

But this year, not only did we get really good news, we are pretty much both getting what we want this year.

We want a total lack of this. duh.

So. I am trying to keep the 'holycrapI'mgettingababythisChristmas' restrained until at least after Thanksgiving. But seriously, I am probably going to lose my mind a little. I've actually considered doing some shopping on Black Friday.

"Yes, let the madness consume you! bwhahahaha!"

I'm not talking about "At the store on Black Friday". I'm talking "Dude, I was here at 2am, get your hands off my novelty socks!"

You can have the socks, when you pry them from my cold dead hands.

We already have a little tiny tree in Josiah's room. Someone at the baby shower got him a little ornament for it. This is the level of crazy we're talking here.

Like this, but with more slobber

So, to my friends and family. I'm sorry. I really am. But, this Christmas, you best just hunker down and get ready, cause this ride is gonna get real, real fast.

Secret (Ninja) Jew

A few months back, my martial arts instructor (Mr. Epps) asked me if I was jewish. I'm not and I replied as such. He then tells me that another instructor (who also happens to be an professor at UCO) told him I was a "secret jew" or something along those lines. I told him that no, I'm not a jew, he's confused or something. I thought it was absolutely hilarious because I would be a horrid, horrid jew (I love pork chops...and bacon...and bacon wrapped pork chops).

totally a thing

So I asked the professor why (in hell...or sheol, whatever) he thought I was jewish.

He said "you speak hebrew."
I said. "I do, that's awesome! wait, I totally don't. What are you talking about?".

It turns out that a few weeks prior he asked me what I planned on naming Josiah. I told him Josiah Daniel. He mentioned they were both Biblical names and I told him yeah, it was that or Maher Shalal Hash Baz and I pronounced it correctly (thank you Dr. Glenn Pemberton).

This is of course hilarious.

So I corrected him that I am not jewish and would (as I mentioned) be a terrible jew. Still, he has a point. It would be super cool if I got my black belt and was, actually, jewish.

I can totally pull off that beard.

The reason I bring this up is because recently a picture and connected discussion attributed to Ben Stein appeared on Facebook. As with so many things passed around Facebook, much of it is incorrectly attributed to Mr. Stein. However, much of it is accurate. (click here for more details).

Regardless if all of it is correctly attributed to Mr. Stein or not, much of the discussion is interesting. I know several atheists and a few agnostics (I call agnosticism the lazy man's atheism - because it's funny to say that). Most are decent folks and show the same kind of respect to me and jewish people as I show to jewish people and atheists. Some of them, are...well, less tolerant (you know, kinda like how some christians are intolerant and some jewish people are intolerant - it's a human thing).

I think that really is the part I most connect with (and it's actually something Mr. Stein said)
"I do not like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period."

I'm not suggesting we start beating up on our atheist friends, but on an emotional level I connect with Stein's words. But, on the other hand, I tend to push back. Like I said, I'd make a horrid Jew because I'd want to grab one of these.

I'd leave #4 for my Jewish brothers and sisters. 

Princesses

This:

Oy.

Is why This:

I have a sword, a horse, and a dragon...bring it.

Is awesome.

For the Benefit of All

A few months back, the NASA shuttle program ended. In response, Lego released 2 shuttle models (in addition to the one in 1990, 1991, two in 1995, 1996, 1999, two in 2003, and another in 2010). The first is an extension of the Lego city series.

231 pieces...Lego please.

The second is a re-release of the 2010 set

quiver and awe

Guess which one Mo got me for my birthday.

yes.

it takes 2 (!) booklets.

first you build a little car?

This was so cool I added a Facebook Album for it

It took about 2 days to build, maybe about 8 hours total. I was too involved to do much more than build, vaguely watch some Mythbusters, and take photos.

So, this maybe the last time my birthday matters...but it was very, very cool.

The tanks detach and the shuttle opens.

The expanding universe

Well, one very small person's effective universe anyway.

Throw some glitter...

...and make it rain, because this place about to blow - oh oh oh oh.

neither the surgeon general nor the ADA approve Jack Daniels for dental health

Yes...
She misspelled tomorrow...

Shut up.

She's still awesome.

On a related note, it makes me sad that this exits...

Scuba-pirate-cyborg

Those of you who actually read this for things other than stuff about my sons know that my wife has been putting Lego mini-figures on my desk with a note counting down to my birthday. On Sunday I got this guy...

scuba pirate cyborg? I have no idea.

No idea what this guy is. But then, there are lots of things from Lego I don't understand...

for example...

The next day was arguably the best Lego mini-fig I've ever seen.

How could this mini possibly be better?

you're welcome.

And finally, today's mini-fig was...

Yes, I know she misspelled Pharaoh. Shut up.

I know it may seem childish to get this into this sort of thing.
I don't care.
It's awesome.

I'm sorry...

I can't hear you over the sound of my wife's awesomeness.

Note to self...Lego Kraken.

well, yes, but I was thinking...more?

There it is.

Lego-mania

I headed home from work today and was (secretly) excited to find out what Lego figure would greet me. It was a vampire mini-fig. Awesome.

Real, non-sparkly, vampire.

Obviously I have Legos on the brain right now. At work I found some crazy awesomeness online. So, because I am so very generous I will share my findings with you.

14 foot model of the USS Harry S Truman - Malle Hawking

22 foot model of the Yamato - Jumpei Mitsui

23 foot model of the USS Intrepid - Ed Diment

Technology

Ultrasound technology is awesome.

There is no music on this video. I couldn't think of anything good. If you know of a good tune or two to put this to, let me know.

The Last Birthday

The other day I was in TX observing an ABA program. It was sweet, I'd love to go down their and train with the staff. But on the 3 and half hour drive home I got a text from my wife letting me known she had a surprise for me, but just a small one.

What I found when I got home was this.

That's a Lego cream pie. Awesome.

It was a little lego clown with a sign that read "8 days!".
At first I thought, sweet, 'Lego mini fig!'
Then I thought, 'Wait, that's kinda forboding, what happens in 8 days?'

I had completely forgotten my own birthday was coming up. I mean, I knew it was coming in Oct. But, it's not Oct. yet so it just didn't register that is just about a week away.

Mo had not forgotten, and as usual I suspect she is spending way too much money on it. That's kinda our thing. We don't really spend too much on ourselves, but come holidays...we hemorrhage money on each other.

B-ryan at work told me this will be the last birthday I have without a baby and thus, it is the last birthday that will matter. He's kind of a killjoy.

come on Bry, be positive.

He may be right, but I'm not too worried about it. Maybe my birthday will have less value and celebration. That's fine. There will be a whole new birthday to enjoy. Plus, I never know with Mo. She does stuff. Cool stuff.

Stuff like this.

A week of a day

The other day I got to deal with all the many and varied forms of incompetence I typically must face. How many types of incompetence do I normally deal with? Well, look at this chart...

More than types of beer. 

And no, I did not have a beer to wash the rage out of my system. And no, I'm not going to talk about any of the situations. They are best dealt with and forgotten. That, or hit repeatedly with a tomahawk.

Fire optional, but preferred. 

I think my only regret was that I was out of town for most of the day and going to martial arts afterward was simply a non-option.

In a mildly related note I saw my doctor the other day and got some x-rays. I've had knee pain since basically forever and the Doc wants me to see a specialist. I'm doing that on the 3rd. There is a chance I will have some surgery.

Mainly I just needed a reason to post a picture of the flaming tomahawk...because come on...it's a tomahawk on fire! It looks like a boy scout patch, and I swear if I missed out on the "Flaming Tomahawk merit badge" I will never forgive the universe.

the universe can be such a jerk.