Sonja's Friends

I know - more photos... it's a problem I have.

Sonja meets Jenn's co-workers Kristine and Huong

Sonja having a yawn-off with Jim, out for breakfast on a super hot (100°F) July day. Posted by Picasa

Fast Forward Dreaming

The blog is starting to get a little picture heavy, but hey, new dad here, cut me some slack. Besides my witty writing isn't all that great. If you want witty writing go to the "breed 'em and weep" blog under my links section - that woman can write!

Life is good so far. Sonja is staring to sleep a little longer now 4-5 hours at a time. This is wonderful because now we can dream again... literally, we can have REM sleep and have dreams and not feel like we are living in daddy and mommy zombie land. Never mind that both of our dreams mainly consist of bizarro anxieties we never had before. I dreamt Sonja was talking in full sentences at 2 months old and Jenn that Sonja went from crawling straight to walking in the same day - perhaps we are already realizing that everything goes by so fast.

Sonja's favorite swing - Thanks Chris P and Kara!

Sonja the cheek monster

Sonja loves Great Grandma!

Just a nice picture of me and my dork sister Janel (happy birthday dork!) Posted by Picasa

Thermophobia Haiku



What is it out there?
It's like a million degrees!
Thermophobia

For all those buffy the vampire fans out there

I have to admit that I am a huge fan of the late great TV series " Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and lo and behold look what turns up on youtube...Be warned it is 25 minutes long so watch when you have time.

My chair, grandma Wendy and Nat

A few more pictures to start the day out.

My favorite chair

Hello grandma Wendy (I know I was fussy but I still love you)

Hello Nat! I can't wait to meet Silas : ) Posted by Picasa

Chemophobia Haiku

Sulfuric acid
It's hard not to be afraid
Chemophobia

Sonja and Mommy

The two most important and beautiful women in my life.

Mommy makes me happy!
Sonja makes mommy happy! Posted by Picasa

Three New Sonja Photos

I apologize for the abundance of pictures and the corresponding long load time for this web page lately but I can't help myself. She is starting to be so much more alert and active. Our guess is that any day she will smile and then soon hold up her own head. Oh the milestones...

Jenn and I are also in the market for any good baby tips or advice that anyone wants to throw our way... for example: at what age can we start to establish a routine? How long should we target for tummy time activities? How long can a used bottle of breast milk sit out before it needs to be tossed 5 minutes, 10 minutes? Does anyone know anything about Prevacid® for babies...specifically, when the pill is dissolved in the water is the medicine absorbed in the water or is it still contained in the granular remains of the pill sitting in the bottom of the cup?

So much to learn. Her favorite chair (other than Mommy and Daddy's arms)

Her little birdie feed me face

The all too common wailing Posted by Picasa

What used to be tedious is now immensely complex

Washing clothes. Doing the dishes. Paying bills. Taking a shower. Vacuuming. Sweeping. Mopping. Changing a light bulb. Every single one of these mundane tasks used to be something I didn't necessarily look forward to, but rather something I did on a regular basis with a minimum amount of grumbling on my part.

Now, however, something as simple as taking out the trash or cleaning the litter box needs to be planned for - like a precise military operation. At dawn I will flank the trash can and hightail it out back to the alley. I will rendezvous back in the dining room at 06.30 whereupon updated baby reconnaissance information will be reviewed and assessed. Time for another mission? Affirmative. Dishes at 12 o'clock. Scrape, rinse, stack, sort, wash, return.

Having a baby really does change the way you see the world.

I wouldn't change it for the world.

Posted by Picasa

Nobody likes a poop hug...

It's hard to know when is, or is not a good time to hug Sonja. She is so cute and adorable I just want scoop her up and hug her all of the time. Usually, I can do this and Sonja doesn't seem to mind, but the other day my timing was a bit off and I gave her a squeeze and she gave me back a grunt and promptly filled up her pampers and then began to wail. Nobody likes a poop hug.

Papaphobia Haiku

Papaphobia
The ring and that pointy hat
Fear the Vatican

I have a problem

I have a problem. A video game system problem. This is not a new problem. I have had it for the past 25 years. I love video games. I love to play. I love to waste time doing nothing productive and lose myself in a digital world. I can recall playing my Atari 2600 system for hours on end, then Nintendo came along and super Nintendo and Playstation and playstation 2 and Xbox and now the newest member of the family Xbox 360.

I just can't help myself, every time the graphics are so much better, the games so much cooler. I have to have it. And now, with the blessing of my wife, I do. Although she may not have realized I would be so quick to pull the video game system trigger, she said yes and 40 minutes later I am at the store drooling over the latest in geek adventuring.

I really don't play as often as I used to, in fact I am down to one night a week (Thursdays) and just for a few hours at a time. It's my escape, my release and on an annual basis it's cheaper than golf.

Viva technology!

For Zufu

Since Sonja's grandpa (Zufu) is in China right now, I am trying to put up some pictures of Sonja every day so he will not get lonely...

I was considering putting up a little video clip of her screaming at the top of her lungs but figured that I would like grandpa to return from China...

The Richard Nixon profile

Sleepy face

The I am easily distracted by shiny things face

Come home soon and safely grandpa!

Posted by Picasa

Barophobia Haiku

Pulling me towards Earth
Its mass based grip won't relent
Barophobia

Friends of Sonja IV

Lisa
Jason and Dad
Claire
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Friends of Sonja III

Katie and Kathy
Todd and Katie
Janel and Tara
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Sonja's First Polka

A strange Minnesota wedding tradition is the Polka. Every wedding I have ever been at has included a Polka of some variety and everytime it starts the crowd goes wild. Old and young pour onto the dance floor to twirl and spin themselves into a Bavarian trance brought about by beer and accordian music. I used to think it was the stupidest thing, but I now find that I have grown fond of the Polka and I am not really sure why. Who needs a good reason to Polka? Not me, and definitely not Sonja. Here is a short 40 second clip of her first polka (beer barrel style)

Friends of Sonja Part II

Sven

Mom and Lauree
Leah and Cory (the best reason to visit Iowa)
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Friends of Sonja part I

Kip

Juli
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