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Happy Easter to all! As I type, I hear tiny ...
March 31, 2002 by Adam in Family
 Happy Easter to all! As I type, I hear tiny footprints running around upstairs. My guess is that Sam is searching the house for eggs as we speak. I'll have to join them soon in the festivities.
Another great day yesterday. We headed out to Hendrick's park, where many of the flowers were beginning to bloom. Combined with a sunny, warm day, it was hard to beat. After lunch, Jamie headed out to shop and pick up Josh, while Sam and I played the Star Wars game and weeded the garden. Josh hung out until Dave came for dinner.
I periodically amaze myself. I made up a pasta sauce using garlic, garlic, white wine, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cream, and cream cheese that turned out amazingly well. Must be my background in biology and chemistry.
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What an exciting time it's been over the last...
March 30, 2002 by Adam in Family
 What an exciting time it's been over the last few days. I took Friday off, so I'm well into my three-day weekend. Thursday night Sam and I went off to practice bike riding again. He's getting more and more confident in his skills. There's a flat reservoir just up the hill, so I pushed him up and he rode around for quite awhile.
Friday was another most excellent day. It started with gardening, pulling ivy and planting honeysuckle. I caught Jamie watching me, a smile on her face. Then it was a hearty breakfast with the two of us as the boy slept in. Sam was in a wonderful mood - funny, smart, and constantly entertaining. Sam and I played computer games together for awhile, ran around outside, then went off to the Harry Potter movie. He was mesmerized and made it an hour and a half into the film before we had to go home.
Once at home, we said "hello" to Jamie who was busy rearranging curtains. We played the new Star Wars game for a bit, then played with the neighbor kids. Sam started getting pretty frazzled, so we put him to bed early.
The wonder of three-day weekends is that it's not even close to over. I'm hoping for another day of sun and relaxation.
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The week's been chugging along
March 27, 2002 by Adam in Family
The week's been chugging along. I got so jealous of everyone at work taking time off, that I decided to skip work this Friday. If the weather holds, I'd love to do some gardening. Soothing to the soul.
My biggest worries these days are around Sam's medical issues. I talked to him a little last night. I think he was mostly worried that it would hurt. I explained that he'd be asleep during the circumcision, which appeased him some, but he wasn't happy about the possible post-operative "stinging". Of course, none of this is imminent, and may not be necessary anyway.
Sam and I had fun trying to color Jamie's hair last night. She wanted it a bit lighter, but it turned out to only even it out with a darker color. I guess we'll have to try the heavy-duty stuff next time.
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We just finished up with one of the better we...
March 25, 2002 by Adam in Family
We just finished up with one of the better weekends lately. Nothing special, just a lot of good moments. Sam and I managed considerable play time together. The gardening began, with blueberries, shade plants, and some sage out front. I've yet to put in the honeysuckle, which I'm fond of. Jamie and I had some time together, as Sam went off with Sue and Dick. All-in-all, a fine weekend.
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Well, I'm finally done with taxes
March 23, 2002 by Adam in Family
Well, I'm finally done with taxes. Looks like we'll be getting quite a big return, which makes us all happy. I'm leaning towards getting an exercise machine, but we might end up being practical and just putting it in the bank. Oh, and I'm done with the software, so anyone who wants to borrow it, just let me know.
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With Spring finally here, we headed out to Jo...
March 23, 2002 by Adam in Family
 With Spring finally here, we headed out to Johnson Brother's nursery and returned loaded with plants. There's a certain satisfying feeling putting new plants in the ground. Though it may take years, we'll eventually end up with a beautiful landscape. Sam's favorite part of the whole trip was putting his Lego boat in the ponds and covering them with algae.
The cable guy also came this morning, hooking up cable to the guest bedroom and the "nerd cave". With my new t.v. card, I can now watch television on my computer. It's not the best quality, but it'll do in a pinch. I'm also interested in seeing how easy it is to record shows. There's an old Bogart movie I'm going to give it a try with.
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I dug up this picture of Sam wearing goggles
March 23, 2002 by Adam in Family
 I dug up this picture of Sam wearing goggles. He had a great time at OMSI, and I think he especially liked the chemistry area. He happily put on his goggles, mixed chemicals, and tried to emulate Josh as much as possible. You can see a bigger version here.
Jamie and I were set for a romantic date last night. Yayoe came over to watch Sam and we were about to head out the door. Sam, unfortunately, started acting really strange, so we bagged the whole thing. We fed him, then put him to bed by six, so it's looking like he was either really exhausted or sick. Jamie was coughing a bit last night, so I'm hoping it's not the return of yet another virus. I'm quite sick of being sick.
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I'm getting to be a pro at putting Sam to bed
March 21, 2002 by Adam in Family
I'm getting to be a pro at putting Sam to bed. Jamie was off at a Tiny Tots meeting, so I took care of Sam last night. We had a great time, running around the park and stomping on the stump of a tree that had blown over in the storm. A little dinner, a little Lego playing, a bath, and we were ready for bed. It's all good.
Sam was also a very lucky boy yesterday. Jamie took Sam to Toys-R-Us and they ended up coming back with a kid's bike. Sam wanted to put it together and try it out immediately. We still need to get a helmet and pads, then it's probably up to me to start putting it together, either tonight or over the weekend. Great fun.
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Jamie and Sam came by after work
March 20, 2002 by Adam in Family
Jamie and Sam came by after work. Jamie went to workout in the gym while I took Sam to the library. When I arrived home, Jamie's dad was there. He and Sam played while I baked some bananna bread and made enchiladas. It was nice to have the opportunity to cook dinner, as I rarely do these days.
Sam was clearly over excited by the days events. During dinner, he demanded bananna bread and when I took him out of his chair, he lashed out with his tiny fist. I told him that it wasn't okay to hit, and swept him upstairs to bed. Within minutes, he was fast asleep.
Now I'm back at work, a computer upgrade finished and a meeting beginning in a few minutes. How funny life is.
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Coming back from Portland, there was an accid...
March 18, 2002 by Adam in Family
Coming back from Portland, there was an accident involving two tanker trucks full of fuel, so traffic was incredibly bad. The two hour trip was turned into a three hour one, which we amazingly survived. Sam announced he was bored a half hour into it. We managed to play with two toys for almost the entire trip - a snake-like plastic thingie and a hole punch. Never underestimate the creative power of a desperate father.
It's amazing how great life is with everyone well. Sam and Jamie seemed in good moods. I cleaned and did laundry like there was no tomorrow. It's all good.
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I was going to work on taxes yesterday, so I ...
March 16, 2002 by Adam in Family
 I was going to work on taxes yesterday, so I booted up Jim and Judy's computer, only to find that the keyboard didn't work. Somewhat puzzled, I fiddled around with the software, which did nothing, and finally turned it over to see if a wire was loose. Well, when I did, a viscous green liquid poured out. Surprised and puzzled, I surmised that someone had spilled a drink and it had shorted things out. Well, I took it apart and tried to clean out the goo, only to eventually give up.
When Jim finally came home, his first question was, "do you know how to open up a keyboard?" I explained how I'd already done so, and asked him what happened. It turns out their cat threw up on the keyboard. Completely grossed out, I promptly washed my hand over and over again. Sadly, the memory of the stench is burned into my brain forever.
This morning, everyone but Jamie went to OMSI, and had a great time. We spent about three hours there, and Sam had a great time. He was especially into the chemistry area, wearing the goggles and doing experiements. Later, we headed home, dropped off Sam and Judy, then took a trip to Frys for a new keyboard.
Well, Frys and Adam should never be brought together, as I ended up spending about $100 on a mouse pad, blank CDs, and a t.v. capture card. It's all good.
Tonight, Jamie and I are going to a romantic Italian restaurant while Sam is entertained by Josh, Jim, and Judy at the same time. Should be bliss for everyone.
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Well, we made it to Portland
March 15, 2002 by Adam in Family
Well, we made it to Portland. Somewhere around Salem, we had a minor medical emergency. Sam got an eyelash stuck in his eye, but he wouldn't blink. We spent several minutes with him crying and holding his eye closed. I finally pinned his arms and manually moved his eyelids back and forth. Amazingly, it worked just great.
Jim and Judy are doting over Sam while Jamie and I relax. It's hard to imagine that our life was like this all the time.
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I spoke with Jamie yesterday afternoon, who p...
March 12, 2002 by Adam in Family
I spoke with Jamie yesterday afternoon, who proceeded to detail how terrible Sam had been all day. She sounded very much like an overwhelmed mom, so I snuck out of work a little early to see if I could do some help. When I arrived at home, they weren't in the living room as normal. From the basement, I heard a series of loud thunks and Sam screaming.
Fearing the worst, I ran down the stairs to find Jamie throwing balls at Sam, a gleam in her eye. Sam was dodging left and right, trying to escape. After they both started laughing hysterically did I realize the true nature of the game. Being a sport, I decided to pick up the balls and try a few throws as the boy. It was actually quite satisfying, for all parties involved.
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A pleasant weekend has come to a close
March 11, 2002 by Adam in Family
A pleasant weekend has come to a close. Sunday was quite productive, with shopping, cleaning, and hanging out with Jamie's dad. Sam and I played with Legos, though not as much as the huge amount on Saturday. We also had Seraph and Robbie over last night, which was nice. They hadn't been in our house for months, so the recent additions were new to them.
Jamie handed over the dress she'd made for Isabell. Sam was fairly fascinating to his young cousin. He'd invented this game involving repeatedly smashing Duplos. Isa would break into this huge grin every time he hit them together and blocks began to fly.
It's back to work for me today. As soon as I sit down, I'll be cleaning up social security numbers from a data file. Woo hoo! Hopefully the work week will be short, as I'm going to try to get Friday off. I bough zoo tickets many months ago, and we're going to try for a Portland trip this weekend. Should be fun.
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Today was a good day
March 09, 2002 by Adam in Family
Today was a good day. I woke up early and started work on a new paper building, this time a windmill that's very complex. Sam and hung out until Jamie finished making breakfast, which was quite tasty. For some reason, Sam has been hysterical all day.
Sam and I played outside, then had a little snack with mom and Dick at New Day bakery. Sam scarfed down eggs, toast, and part of a cinnimon roll while listening to a guy playing guitar in the corner. After our fun little counter-culture experience, we came home and have been playing Legos ever since.
Jamie has taken advantage of this time to herself by spending time on a secret sewing project. Since it's a secret, I can't talk about it here, but it'll be cool when finally completed. She also did a little rearranging of the craft room, which seems to change on a weekly basis.
One final thing. About a month ago, there was that fire up the street. Jamie finally heard the story behind it, as told by the neighbor. It turns out that a woman with Alzheimer's lived there. When the power went out, she had set out candles. Her daughter came to pick her up, and evidently some were left burning. No one was hurt, but it's still a sad story. I'm endlessly glad that our family is doing relatively well.
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When I awoke this morning and headed off to w...
March 08, 2002 by Adam in Family
 When I awoke this morning and headed off to work, snow was coming down. Our lawn had a light dusting of the white stuff. If it was December, it would have filled my heart with happy feelings. Now, it's just one more reminder that spring isn't here yet. Well, at least it's melting away.
Sam seems to have his "pee problem" again. Last night, he started complaining that it hurts when he pees. I think the plan is to get him to a doctor today. I feel so bad for him, as there's not much I can do to alleviate his fear. He gets so scared that he holds it in until it hurts. Poor kid. The irony is that we were finally starting to recover from our colds. Had to be something else, I suppose.
It's Friday and I'm well caffinated. Jamie's family is in town this weekend, so we'll probably try to get Sam and Josh together to play. I also have a romantic evening out with Jamie planned, assuming I can arrange it. Life seems complicated these days.
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It was a good day yesterday, despite being sick
March 07, 2002 by Adam in Family
 It was a good day yesterday, despite being sick. Jamie and Sam went to the Air and Space museum by the airport. I think the original plan was just to get out of the house on a rainy day, but they ended up having a really good time. Sam got to sit behind the controls of a couple airplanes. "But I didn't fly it," Sam added. Jamie admired the collection of airline kitch collected by an airline executive over the years.
I tried hard to be in a good mood yesterday, if only to make up for my general grumpiness the day before. I bought Jamie flowers and played Legos for hours with Sam. Even though I'm still achy and sick, it seemed to help with everyone's mood. Sam was kind and polite, quite the contrast from the night before. Even Jamie smiled a few times over the evening.
I had gone to bed early, and woke up about 4:30 in the morning. Not having anything better to do, I watched Stargate episodes and made another paper house. This one was really elaborate, with a chimney, front porch, and more. It was very relaxing, bringing me back to the kindergarden days when life was simple.
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I was walking to work from my car today, spac...
March 06, 2002 by Adam in Family
I was walking to work from my car today, spacing out a bit as the rain pattered on my umbrella. Like an old horse, my feet knew the way, as I ended up at Starbucks instead.
I'm still sick, as is the rest of my family. Sam was completely wacky last night. It was frustrating getting him to bed, as he had lost the ability to have a rational conversation. I keep wishing there was something I could do to make everyone happier. Sadly, I think we just get to wait it out.
It was my dad's birthday party last night. I dragged myself to it, practically falling asleep once I got there. It was nice seeing everyone again, as it seems I haven't seen much of my family lately.
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When I arrived home last night, it was if my ...
March 05, 2002 by Adam in Family
When I arrived home last night, it was if my wife and son had been swept away and replaced by pod people. Jamie was silent, a sore throat keeping her from talking much. Sam was trying to be good, but his tiny body would flail about and knock things over. It all made sense this morning when I woke up with an achy body, sore throat, and headache. It appears we're all sick again. I imagine that our immune systems are becoming super-efficient from all the viruses thrown our way this winter.
It's dad's birthday tonight. I'll try to make it, come hell or high water, though I'm not so sure about Jamie and Sam. I'm hoping this is one of those mild illnesses. My Cafe Mocha and Advil trick seems to be working reasonably well, though the day is still early.
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Sam and I hung out together yesterday
March 03, 2002 by Adam in Family
Sam and I hung out together yesterday. It was a fairly fun-filled day, full of checkers, backyard playing, going to the play, buying some Knight Legos, a trip to a park, and hanging out at home. Very busy and full. The good news is that Sam appears fully recovered, in a good mood, and generally polite and cheerful again. It makes a huge difference.
We're having the neighbors and their kids over for tea today, so Jamie's gearing up for that. Sam and I will probably make a Borders run, since I have a 20% discount through work today. I've been getting into making paper models of buildings for some strange reason, so I may poke around and see what they've got.
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There's a special feeling I get every Friday ...
March 01, 2002 by Adam in Family
There's a special feeling I get every Friday morning, dressed in my jeans and drinking a mocha, that I don't get any other day of the week. The weekend is soon upon us and this final workday seems almost like a prelude of events to come. Almost.
Jamie's doing the play again tomorrow, so Sam and I get to be Men About Town. We'll probably take in the play ourselves, and perhaps run an errand or two. It's still a bit too early for much gardening, though I can definately feel it calling.
I slept for almost ten hours last night. I fell asleep when putting Sam to bed, and only briefly woke up to move back to ours. I'm still a little sick, and get that annoying cough from time to time. Hopefully our family is on the mend.
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