Thursday, March 25, 2010

I hate...

...a great many things. In this case, Delta Airlines. Since they charge for checked bags, everyone and all their known relatives drag all of their earthly possessions with them onto the plane as "carry-ons". And seriously, not a single of one them check the dimensional limits of said bags. I had a person hauling a bag that rivaled the size of the Titanic. I actually heard the aircraft strain as she tried to heft the behemoth up into the overhead bin, which, I might add, was about 18 cubic feet smaller than this lady's ginormous pink "carry-on". She then turned to me for help with a look that said, "why don't you help a struggling lady place her bag into the bin?". I casually responded to her look with a statement that, in short, informed her that she did not need my help but rather the help of either a truly talented magician or Santa Claus, her choice. While being a man of many talents myself, I am still unable to shrink oversize carry-on bags, still unable to enlarge over-head bins and still unable to rid the world of people whose IQ's challenge that of a common garden tomato.

PS - did I mention I woke up at 3:00 am?

I will call you from Hot-lanta. (Yes, I'll save that rant for another flight).

Luv ya :)


**I got this email from Kenny this morning. Made me laugh! Poor guy!**

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

What in the world?

I am on the road in Florida and came across this product description:

"A warm blend of sparkling bergamot and fresh ginger. Clean musk notes of white tea, amid spicy nuances of vetiver and nutmeg."

What do you think I should do with it?

a) eat/drink the product

b) give the product to someone I do not like and make them use it on their arm-pits

c) light the product on fire

d) smell the product after placing it in a decorative bowl

e) spray the product in a stinky airplane

f) lay the product out using it as bait to attract Martha Stewart into doing something useful with it

g) write a blog post about the product because I am not really sure of it purpose

h) use the product to wash my hair

i) festively package the product and sell it at a ridiculously high price to rich women that fly on my plane as a miracle cure for whatever problem I feel they are currently suffering from.


Thanks for your help with this :)

Monday, March 15, 2010

Problem Solving 101

Well, here we are at 8 months. Van is growing up way too fast - it seems he learns a new skill (and by skill, I mean some new way of creating havoc and destruction) every day.

This evening, I came around the corner to find Van as seen below - minus Jen. He had found this box in the living room and pushed it around the couch, skirted the chair, past the table to get to the gate protecting the trash can. He then climbed up onto the box thereby thwarting what Jen and I had previously deemed an impenetrable wall of protection around said trash can.

Clearly we were wrong.

Monday, March 08, 2010

8 months!

Our little guy is now 8 months old and weighs 18lbs. 2oz. He is getting so big and is more of a toddler than a baby. Sometimes we miss the little baby stage... he was so tiny and was content being held for hours... but we are loving Van in this new stage he is in. He is not content to be in one place for long, doesn't like being held or restrained in any way shape or form. He is constantly on the go and is our little explorer.

This month Van decided that he has a deep hatred for anything that had straps or a harness or impeded his movement in any way. He screams every time we put him in his car seat, stroller, exersaucer, walker, bouncer or even on his changing table. He still loves to play with his walker and exersaucer, but only if he is standing outside of it.

Gone are the days when his changing pad had magical powers that would stop his crying. Now it is just the opposite. Van screams and struggles and tries to climb off or stand up. It makes changing him a pretty dangerous and strenuous activity. If you think I am exaggerating, I challenge you to try to change his poopy diaper, but a clean one on and put clean clothes on him. My bet is that you would be hard pressed to do it in less than 15 minutes!

Van used to hate the Bumbo seat, but now it is an invaluable tool to help dress him when I am home alone. Now he will sit in it fairly calmly while I put on his socks and pants. It is a lifesaver.

Van started to recognize his name this month and turns to look at you when you call him. He will turn and flash you the cutest and most innocent smile if you say, "Van... no, that is not for you" when he is playing with something he shouldn't. It is too cute and most of the time I end up smiling back and laughing :)

After Van got into Pilot's food this month, we put up a baby gate and moved the food into the laundry room. Van is still determined to get to the dog bowls and tries to pull down the gate and reach through the gate. If we forget and leave it open, Van somehow knows and makes a beeline straight for it. He has also found that if he sneaks through the guest bathroom and around the corner, he can circumvent the baby gate and make it to the dog food.

Van loves to walk using his push car. He has also found out that he can flip the small ottomans over and use them as walkers. He pushes them all over the house!

I am not sure if Van loves Roomba (the vacuum) or Pilot more. He loves to chase both of them all over the house. Van will crawl straight over to Roomba and turn it on without a problem. He then laughs and screams at it as it starts to move. I am pretty sure that we will have to return it it soon. Having a baby sit on it while it is trying to move probably isn't the best... wonder if that is covered by warranty! LOL!

Pilot and Van try to share toys and play tug of war with them. Van loves Pilot and a few days ago started to say "Pwa Pwa" while looking at Pilot.

Van also says "Ma Ma" but no "Da Da" yet...

This month also marked the appearance of his first tooth. He has 2 or 3 breaking through right now and is a little fussy every once in a while but has been doing great. Actually, this week he slept in 3 days in a row due to teething... nice!

Van has finally dropped the dreamfeed (9:30pm feeding) and is sleeping 12 hours straight through at night. Yippee!

Love you Van!!!


8months old!



Can you see the teeth?