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Snow covers the ground all about
December 30, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Snow covers the ground all about. I made it home through the slush last night, but now it's frozen and there aren't very many snow plows in Lane County to keep the streets all clear. So, I'm getting ready to gear up and walk to work. I've been trying from home, but the network connection keeps going down and Jamie keeps handing me Emma. Time to brave the snow.
We might be getting some sort of illness. I've had headaches since last night and Sam's a bit warm. We'll see.
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I swam to work this morning
December 29, 2003 by Adam in Family
I swam to work this morning. At least it felt that way, with the rain pouring down and the massive puddles on the road. At the moment, there's snowflakes out the window, though they're not sticking. I also have my shoes off and I'm drying off my socks. It may be time to switch to my car again. Sigh.
I was pretty frazzled last night. Too much holiday excitement, I think. The latest Lord of the Rings movie was great and somehow Sam survived the three and a half hours.
Today it's back to work and hopefully a little normalcy. Leaving Emma this morning was pretty tough as she was all happy smiles.
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Lots of fun in the snow yesterday
December 28, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Lots of fun in the snow yesterday. We drove out highway 58 until the white stuff came down in sheets. The drive was a bit long, but well worth it.
We ran through snowy forest paths, had several snowball fights, built a snowman, then drank hot chocolate in the car. Great fun.
Today Sam and I hope to get to the latest Lord of the Rings movie. We're all pretty excited, of course. I'm trying to prepare Sam for a three and a half hour movie, which seems a bit grueling.
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We're all back in Eugene now, the week-long C...
December 27, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We're all back in Eugene now, the week-long Christmas holiday finally over. Sam got lots of good loot and Emma got endless clothes. Quite the haul for the kids. Jamie and I are trying to return things to normalcy as both kids have been a bit hyped up for the last couple days. I'm not sure we'll be able to pull it off as the weekend plans are already looking fairly exciting.
It was great picking up Sadie in Portland and seeing her again. She and Sam spent a bunch of time playing, including arm wrestling at Judy's house. I got to wish her Merry Christmas when the clocked ticked past midnight after picking her up at the airport.
I think we're going to try to go to the snow today, though my mom is holding a "family planning" event this morning. Hopefully it's not like those in the mafia. Tomorrow, if all goes well, Sam and I will see the final Lord of the Rings movie too.
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We're up in Portland, getting ready for Chris...
December 24, 2003 by Adam in Family
We're up in Portland, getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner. Sam's on the floor with Carrie, playing with the tank that grandpa Ray got him as a present. At the moment, they're debating how the ammunition is shot out of the turret. We suspect it's only sound effects, not actual moving projectiles.
The drive up was fairly uneventful and mostly involved trying to help Sam putting his Lego presents together. We opened up a couple things before we came up. Jamie actually seemed to appreciate the intercom system I got her. All that pounding on the floor to call for dinner suggested that it might be desired.
It turns out Judy figured out how to fire the tank. I guess it took a woman's touch.
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It's been quite the whirlwind weekend, slowly...
December 23, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's been quite the whirlwind weekend, slowly trying to get ready for Christmas while taking care of two kids. I think most of our presents are under control at this point, though it took awhile.
This morning was also the time for Sam and Emma's doctor checkup. Both are big and healthy. Sam's three foot ten inches and Emma's in the 90th percentile in weight. They also both had shots and aren't feeling great. Sam was incredibly brave, getting three shots and not crying a drop. The last one was a bit tougher because he knew what was coming.
The Christmas whirlwind begins tomorrow. Hopefully we'll all survive and have a bit of fun as well.
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Mmm
December 19, 2003 by Adam in Family
Mmm . . . Mocha Friday, my second favorite time of the week (the first being weekend breakfasts). I think we have Sadie's flight all figured out. We're picking her up at the airport in Portland and Jamie's parents are going with me so that I don't have terrible flashbacks of getting lost on the bus in Portland when I was five.
Sam called this morning to inform me that they'd discovered the little chocolates I had put in people's stocking. I think Jamie was in on the scheme as she made him split it with her.
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Work this morning was overwhelming, sorting t...
December 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
Work this morning was overwhelming, sorting through all the e-mails from when I was gone. I'm feeling dazed now, though my list is somewhat manageable. Hopefully by tomorrow it won't be quite as insane.
Last night was fun, with Seraph, Robbie, and Isabell over for dinner. Isa is evidently a big Lord of the Rings fan, so she and Sam ran around in the basement with swords and helmets while the grown ups chatted.
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Wacky days
December 17, 2003 by Adam in Family
Wacky days. It seems as if the Christmas mayhem is beginning. I envy the days of my youth when I was blissfully unaware of all the chaos that seems to swirl about during the holidays. Like Seraph, I'm frantically gathering up Christmas presents. We'll see if I can actually get everything organized.
Work has been weird lately. We're having off-site all-day meetings about "standards". I admit to being a tad unenthusiastic about the issues, strongly suspecting that very little will actually be accomplished. A nice thing about it is that the meetings are in the old Vet's building. I've been getting up, having breakfast with my family, then walking the five blocks over. Yesterday I even came home for lunch. Pretty neat.
I've unfortunately started resorting to waking up very early to get things done. This morning I was up a little after 4 am, drinking Chai Tea down in the basement (which now has a frige). I checked e-mail, this website, and now should probably take a shower and start thinking about turning into a real person.
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The weekend came and went like a blur
December 15, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The weekend came and went like a blur. I'm finally getting some of my Christmas things organized. We went out shopping yesterday and I picked up a few goodies. I also managed to finish up some of the things I'm making and Jamie helped wrap them up.
I took the kids to the park yesterday, which Sam thought was great and Emma looked about intently. It was raining off and on and puddles were everywhere. I mentioned that he should be careful not to get water in his boots. Within a minute, he was slogging about in water-filled footware. That was only fun for about ten minutes, then he got cold and we headed home for a shower, discussing the merits of listening to your parents' advice.
My grandfather came over last night with my mom and we had a nice dinner together. It's pretty neat seeing Sam with his great-grandfather. I remember my great-grandmother Sadie when I was a kid, even across all the years.
The next few days are going to be a bit odd. Jamie's helping out at Sam's preschool today, so I suspect she'll be a bit frazzled tonight. I've got two days of off-site meetings, fortunately just five blocks from my house. I'm not really looking forward to it, as I'd rather be at my desk getting work done.
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It was a nutty, busy day for me yesterday
December 14, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It was a nutty, busy day for me yesterday. Sam woke up at the crack of dawn and it seemed as if I was watching one kid or another until I went to bed. I took both kids to the bank and then the library in the morning, then later that night Jamie went off to a friend's for dinner while I managed both kids. In between, it was a bit easier as I was typically just watching one kid.
That seems my primary job on weekends these days. Somehow I manage to do the normal day-to-day things such as laundry and shopping, though it's often hard to do. Jamie worked on finishing up some basement tasks and I worked on my Christmas presents a bit more. Slowly making progress.
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Sadie - your hotmail account (sadiemiller@hotmail
December 12, 2003 by Adam in Family
Sadie - your hotmail account (sadiemiller@hotmail.com) doesn't seem to be working.
I'm trying to get in touch with you about your travel plans. We're wondering if it's easier to put you up in a hotel for the night, then grab you in the morning on our way back home. Give us a call this weekend if you can.
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The week chugs along
December 10, 2003 by Adam in Family
The week chugs along. The kids were up early this morning, so I entertained them before I went to work while Jamie took a shower (which is a rare and precious thing to her). I've been fighting a touch of the "crud", though it seems much better today. Yesterday my advil and coffee trick worked just great.
Last night we had Jon and Kate over. They recently moved to Eugene from the east coast and Jon is the son of my aunt's close friend. It was nice to pretend to be grownups for at least a little while. It's so rare to have anyone over to our house these days.
I'm also trying hard to finalize Christmas plans this year. It sounds like we'll be heading up to Portland for Christmas Eve, then coming back to Eugene for Christmas Day. I'm not sure what the scoop with Sadie is exactly. I think people are under the impression that we'll be picking her up, though I don't know any of the details.
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It's the end of a three day weekend, slowly c...
December 08, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It's the end of a three day weekend, slowly coming to a close. Friday was pretty hectic, though I'm not quite sure what I did. Jamie went off to have a very nice massage while I watched Emma. Later, I tried to watch both kids, but once again realized how tough Jamie's job really is.
Mostly we've been hanging out at the house trying to get the last of the remodel issues taken care of. I moved my computers back downstairs, though there's still much to do. My dad now has all the parts he needs to make my cool computer panel and that'll hopefully be done. In the meantime, I've been enjoying my new office and having a good time playing with Sam in the rec room.
The remaining big item is getting the plumbing done, mostly the new sink that goes into the counter. After that, we'll move the refrigerator back and hook up the microwave. Then we'll be fully operational.
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Well, it's my Friday today, even though it's ...
December 04, 2003 by Adam in Family
Well, it's my Friday today, even though it's really Thursday. I'm taking tomorrow off so that I can watch Emma while she goes off to get a massage. I'm hoping that the rest of the day can be spent working on Christmas presents. I'm pretty sure I know what I want to do, it's just somewhat time consuming.
This morning it was Emma who was up early. Jamie called over the baby monitor to tell me to take her away for diaper changing and entertainment. I ate breakfast with her balanced on one knee. She kept wacking on the keyboard while I was trying to read my morning news.
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Another busy day at work over and done with
December 03, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Another busy day at work over and done with. I'm hoping the pace slows down over the holidays, or at least I take some time off to relax a bit. The carpet, trim, and doors did indeed go in today. The carpet was a major addition, as we've been carefully walking around in shoes for the last few weeks. Jamie has been regularly awakened by my "clomp, clomp, clomp" of sandals going up the stairs.
Sam seemed to enjoy the carpet as well. He started tearing around in a big circle around the basement, through the new door that connects the office with the rec room. I'm still getting used to the idea that I can go through the new door as I'm so used to going around the other way.
It's looking like it'll be finished up by the end of the week. The electrician comes Friday, with more carpentry and plumbing before then. With luck, I'll be moving all my computer gear down ten feet within the next few days.
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The cabinets and countertops did indeed go up...
December 02, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The cabinets and countertops did indeed go up yesterday, along with the vinyl floor and doors. The rumor is that we'll get carpet today too. It's pretty exciting to see it close to completion. I can't wait to move my computers and work stuff out of the craft room, along with Sam's Legos and other toys.
Yesterday was pretty busy at work, though not overwhelmingly so. I think everyone is getting back from Thanksgiving, realizing that they hadn't finished their projects yet, so they've been turning to me to get things done. Swell.
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Yet more painting yesterday
December 01, 2003 by Adam in Family
Yet more painting yesterday. I wasn't quite such a maniac as previous days. I probably spent a couple hours working on trim and doors while Angie, Matthew, and Victoria came over to help us out. I also tried to keep an eye on kids as best I could, hopefully giving Jamie some breaks before I head back to work.
I've gotten used to the lazy mornings and kids running about. It'll be strange to return to the nine to five (well, seven to four) of the work week.
Supposedly I'll be returning today to major progress on the remodel. We're scheduled to get the vinyl put down in the kitchen area, cabnets going up, all the doors hung, and trim put up on the walls. We'll see how it goes, but that seems like a huge amount of work to me. After that, it's electrical, plumbing, and carpets. I can't wait to get things back to normal.
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Painting continued this morning
November 30, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Painting continued this morning. The office is completely finished, complete with switch covers and all. The main rec room and kitchen is mostly done. I put a second coat down most places, but I still have more ceiling and a few walls to do, not to mention the stairwell. It's going to be tight, as we're running low on that particular color of paint.
Tomorrow is our informal painting party, though hopefully there's not much for people to do. We could do a bunch of trim and some doors, though we'll see how energetic everyone is after they arrive.
As for today, it was fairly low-key. Sam was pretty beat, watching all of Toy Story and half of the sequel. I did get him on a short hike in the morning, which was nice. Still, I think our kids might be a little sick as Emma's been grumpy lately.
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Yesterday, I was a painting fiend
November 29, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Yesterday, I was a painting fiend. I think I worked for around eight hours in between the Thanksgiving gatherings. I did a single coat of paint everywhere and went to bed that night completely exhausted. This morning, the plan was to start again at the crack of dawn. Unfortunately, it was evidently Sam's plan to get up at the crack of dawn as well. I did manage to paint the office with a second coat, but the rest of the basement remains.
I did have a good Thanksgiving otherwise. Jamie's family arrived bringing lots of food. Later I went over to my mom's for another big meal with the other side of the family.
Today was more subdued. Mostly we hung out, Jamie cleaning and me watching kids as much as I could. The kitchen ended up sparkling with an inner light. Now it's approaching nine and time to collapse in bed.
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Yesterday was yet another of those that try m...
November 27, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Yesterday was yet another of those that try men's souls. It began with an overflowing toilet, spending what I had hoped would be a couple leasurely hours cleaning up sewage. Immediately after that, it was off to Sam's preschool to wrangle twenty kids about. I didn't really have time to be exhausted, as the duty of parents tend to keep them endlessly busy.
Finally, Jamie and Emma picked us up around noon. Sam opened his present from me - the extended version of the Two Towers - and we watched an hour or so of it. After that, it was back to watching kids and getting ready for Sam's semi-birthday party at my mom's. It was a nice gathering and Sam got a suit of armor, which he's been wearing all morning.
Today I downed a couple cups of coffee and went to work on the basement, painting big sections of it. Jamie's currently taking her turn behind the roller, but I don't think she'll last very long. She thought she'd do anything other than watch kids, but it appears that painting is one of the exceptions.
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Ah, mocha Tuesday
November 25, 2003 by Adam in Family
Ah, mocha Tuesday. Today's my last day of work for the week, as I've been shanghaied into helping out at the preschool tomorrow. Jamie's plan is to paint during the brief window between retexturing and getting the cabinets hung. After that, it's four days of franting painting then they put down carpet and vinyl. Can't wait.
A dreary morning indeed. Sam woke up at six in the morning bouncing with energy. We stuck him in front of Teletubbies, which mesmerized the whole family for awhile. Emma seems much better after her digestive woes. She's getting very verbal and wiggling about on the floor.
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It's a crazy day here at work
November 24, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's a crazy day here at work. It seems as if everyone in the world decided to e-mail me their latest issues. Plus I got paged at 3 am this morning. Fortunately Jamie's a light sleeper, otherwise I would have snoozed through the loud beepings.
Poor Emma was throwing up last night. I think it was a little too much sweet potato too fast. The poor thing looked miserable, then fell fast asleep.
Jim did a super job painting over the weekend. Supposedly we get textured walls today, then a bit of painting tomorrow night and cabinets go up. By Thanksgiving, there should be tons of painting to do. Feel free to attend our painting party on Sunday.
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Saturday seemed filled with activity, though ...
November 23, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Saturday seemed filled with activity, though I basically stayed at home the entire day. Sam and I played a lot of our new Star Wars game. Jamie had the luxury of sleeping in and taking a shower while we entertained Emma. Judy came to take Sam and Josh to see Elf, while we stayed at home to do laundry. Jim and the boys went to see the civil war game, then they and Jamie headed out to North Bank. Lots of juggling, it seems.
The basement is coming along nicely. Jim's done a great job of painting doors and trim. Tuesday night we have to paint an area of the room in preparation for shelves, which I guess show up Wednesday. The drywall should all be finished by Thanksgiving weekend, which is the time when everything else gets painted.
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Well, the remodel is coming along quite nicely
November 21, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Well, the remodel is coming along quite nicely. The sheetrock folks put up all the drywall. It still needs to be plastered a bit more and the walls textured, but it's getting closer. Jim arrived safe and sound yesterday and has already started on the doors and the trim.
Thanksgiving plans seem to be floating around these days. It sounds like Jamie and the kids will be doing something with Brant and Ray, with a guest appearance at my mom's house. I'll be doing the opposite, spending time at my mom's and putting in a guest appearance with the Mellor side of the family. Ah, holidays and the coordination that comes with it.
I'm looking forward to my Friday mocha, though it's a few hours away. I'm actually meeting a couple people for coffee around 9:30, Jonathan and Kate from back east. If I remember right, Danica mentioned they were headed to Eugene after school and didn't really have a place to stay or work to be had. They've since found an apartment and are currently looking for jobs. I suppose I'm the impromptu welcome committee. I feel I should be passing out rubber ducks and umbrellas, though I'm not really sure what constitutes symbols of our town.
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It snowed yesterday, right after lunch
November 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It snowed yesterday, right after lunch. My coworkers kept looking at the window and making excited noises. Sam went out to play, but I think the cold and wet got to him after awhile. By the time I got home, it had mostly turned to slush and no one really wanted to go outside.
We got ceilings yesterday, and hopefully walls today. The main floor bathroom also got new tiles put in. Sam and I tested out the bath last night, as we hadn't used that one for quite some time. There are still a couple holes in the wall that need to be patched, but everything is finally usable.
Jim should be there by the time I get home, painting like a maniac. Sam and I are also looking forward to the arrival of a new computer game, Knights of the Old Republic. It's a Star Wars game and supposedly quite good, so we're pretty excited.
Can't wait for the weekend. I'm already feeling the urge to take some time off. Maybe around Christmas after the basement is finished.
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The morning ride to work was quite exciting, ...
November 19, 2003 by Adam in Family
The morning ride to work was quite exciting, the wind blowing leaves all about the road. Very picturesque.
The remodel is moving slowly along. The carpenters were back yesterday, putting down a thin layer of wood in preparation for the vinyl flooring for the kitchen/laundry area. Supposedly the sheetrock folks are here today, so we'll soon get walls. Rumor has it that they're going to try to be finished with the walls and cabinets by Thanksgiving, but I'm not holding my breath. Jim should be here tomorrow to begin his painting fest, of which we are very grateful for.
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Problems with the web site today
November 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Problems with the web site today. It kept reporting that too many users were connected. Unless I've suddenly become super-popular, I'm guessing it's something else. Still not sure what it might be yet, though obviously it's up again. Turning things off and back on again works wonders.
Otherwise, it was a quiet day at work. The contractors put up insulation and the sheetrockers arrive tomorrow to get the walls up and running. We might actually have some room-looking-things in a bit.
Emma's getting increasingly mobile. She's able to scoot herself along on her belly for a few inches now. The rec room should be done just in time to contain her wanderings.
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The weekend is coming to a close, the kids in...
November 17, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The weekend is coming to a close, the kids in bed, my lunch made, and pyjamas waiting for me. Weekends are a mix of relaxation and frantic activity these days. I had a luxurious bath while reading a new library book, something I hadn't done for months. We also had an assortment of house projects, park runs, preschool meetings, bread making, dinner guests, lots of laundry, and computer playing.
The remodel is coming along fairly well. We've got most of the electrical work done. People start hanging sheetrock next week and Jim's coming to paint towards the end of the week. Hopefully we'll have things ready for Thanksgiving weekend so we can paint endlessly.
As for the highlights of the weekend, Sam and I made really good bread together. We also went to the park and found that someone had dumped some snow in a big pile. Sadie called and we chatted while I carried Emma about. Emma's learning to slowly scoot herself short distances on her belly.
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I had a hot shower this morning, a significan...
November 14, 2003 by Adam in Family
I had a hot shower this morning, a significant luxury after the last few days. The ride to work was also stunningly beautiful, with the sunrise matching the leaves on the trees quite nicely.
It looks like I won't be painting this weekend, as Jim's coming down from Portland to do just that. That leaves us with few remodel projects in the short run. The electrician continues to work today and tomorrow. I think we'll do a library run and perhaps go shopping for Sam's birthday.
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The great plumbing issue has been resolved
November 13, 2003 by Adam in Family
The great plumbing issue has been resolved. It turns out the plumber hooked up the fixture upside down, causing the hot and cold water to mix. I think we'll be passing along the bill from our hot water heater maintenance guy to the plumbers.
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I had a warmer shower this morning, though st...
November 13, 2003 by Adam in Family
I had a warmer shower this morning, though still not quite as tosty as I would have liked. The plumber came back, poked at things a bit, then told us to call the people who service our natural gas-powered heater. That guy asked at once if we'd installed any new fixtures. Evidently there are issues where they can cause cold and hot to mix together at the fixture, causing our problem. I think we'll be calling the plumber again to tell them that.
In the meantime, I cranked up the hot water to 140 degrees so that we can at least get warm enough water to bath kids and take a shower. Ah, the joys of home ownership.
The electrician was over yesterday. He was looking skeptical about turning the sauna power into an outlet. I told him to bag the whole thing and I'll just run a power strip through the wall for my computers. Sigh.
The week chugs along. We signed a million papers last night for our new home loan. It's not a great new rate, but there were no closing costs, which is nice. Jamie and I are knee-deep in parenthood these days, a dazed look continually plastered across our faces.
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I took a cold shower this morning, though per...
November 11, 2003 by Adam in Family
I took a cold shower this morning, though perhaps not for the reasons you expect. We had the plumbers over yesterday, replacing the bathroom pipes and fixing a toilet. Unfortunately, my guess is that they did something to turn down the temperature of the hot water, though we can't figure out how they did it. The reading on the hot water heater (which is gas powered) reads 114 as it should. So, we'll call them over today to see if they can get it back to normal.
The kids were a bit much last night. Emma was quite grumpy, crying all through dinner and much of the night. Once again, AC/DC put her right to sleep when all other recourse was taken.
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What a weekend
November 10, 2003 by Adam in Family
What a weekend. I lost track of all the laundry I did, probably somewhere around twelve loads. We didn't have any use of our washer and dryer for awhile, so it had been awhile since we ran it. Both days I was going up and down the stairs with laundry baskets, folding endlessly.
Overall, though, it was pretty good. Jamie and the kids all seemed in good spirits. Sam and I tried to get out of the house for at least part of it, including a cold trip to the park and a long hike on Rigeline trail. We also watched Finding Nemo, which I had never seen and enjoyed quite a bit.
Sunday we had a birthday party for Seraph, which was fun. Having all the kids arrive was a bit crazy towards the end. We walked home and Jamie's uncle Darrel arrived for a quick visit.
We'll see what remodel wonders await me on my return home. Supposedly we'll have the electrical work started in on.
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Ah, the weekend
November 08, 2003 by Adam in Family
Ah, the weekend. No plan really, other than laundry and entertaining children. The tile guy is coming again today to regrout the upstairs bathroom. The downstairs shower was fixed as well yesterday. It turns out our plumbing problem was due to a leaky shower head which would have been quite easy to fix. Now we're going ahead and replacing all the pipes since we tore out the wall. Sigh.
Most of the carpentry is done in the basement. Monday the electrician starts. Hopefully I can get him to do the funky stuff to support my computer projects. It'll be nice when this is all finished.
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When life gets busy, it's the simple things l...
November 07, 2003 by Adam in Family
 When life gets busy, it's the simple things like a warm cafe mocha on a cold morning that make life good.
The construction project continues on. We have walls now, or at least the frame where walls will be. It helps give a sense of space, providing a better feel for how big things will really be. There's also those last minute descisions and details that need to be decided upon. I think we'll leave the bottom of the stairs alone, for example, instead of having them go straight down they'll keep their curve.
The main plan for the weekend is to do a bunch of laundry. The water is hooked up, so we should have some opportunities to get some cleaning done. They've been piling up for quite awhile now.
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Thursday already
November 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
Thursday already. It wasn't nearly as dreary this morning when riding my bike to work. The last couple days have been cold and wet indeed.
The construction in our basement continues. We now have floors you can walk on and the walls are mostly framed. The electrician is supposedly coming in tomorrow or Monday to do his part. We also started finally fixing the plumbing on the main floor bathroom. Tiles were removed by the tile guy, we're getting someone else to open up the wall this morning, and later today the plumber comes to fix the pipes. It's quite the hassle to organize all the different people and Jamie has done a great job.
I had the kids all by myself last night while Jamie went off to a preschool meeting. Though I dreaded the worst, it actually went fairly well. By the time Jamie returned, both kids were snoozing away.
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The remodel is well underway
November 05, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The remodel is well underway. Yesterday they measured and framed out the floor. Today we have an insulated floor as well as the plumbling for the sink and washer and dryer. Plus, the tile person came to take off the tiles in the upstairs bedroom (which has the leak). Jamie's been amazing, organizing all these people and companies.
I started getting sick yesterday and find myself quite sniffly. Work was pretty hectic too, as I had to make up for taking off Monday. Despite it all, the kids seem relatively happy and healthy, though Jamie and I are clearly pretty beat.
Oh, and if anyone is browsing magazines at the supermarket, take a look at Computer Gaming World and turn to page 108. I'm mentioned there for my Neverwinter Nights projects. Pretty neat.
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It's been a relatively quiet day, though the ...
November 02, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It's been a relatively quiet day, though the kids appear to have caught the cold. Emma's been hit the worst, having a hard time sleeping with all the sniffling and sneezing. Sam has a touch of it too, though it's not too bad.
Jamie went off to visit with Angie this morning, leaving me to fend for myself. Fortunately both kids were pretty good. After her return, we've puttered around. Sam wanted to be an orc, so he applied his own makeup for the situation. When we decided to make bread this afternoon, he agreed to help as long as I called the ingredients things like "powdered elf toes" and the like.
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Halloween went well
November 01, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Halloween went well. Sam donned his skeleton outfit and we went out into the neighborhood to seek our candy glory. It was freezing cold and so we only made it to a few houses before we turned back again. After dinner, we drove over to my mom's house to show off the outfit. Then it was back home to greet trick or treaters.
Sam was our official candy giver. For a long time, there wasn't really any people showing up, but then we started getting big groups around 7 pm. Sam and I watched various Halloween specials while we listened for the telltale chatter of kids seeking candy. Finally around 8 pm we closed up shop and all went to bed.
We're going to try and clean out the garage today, moving things under the porch area. I think my dad's coming over to help, which would be very handy.
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The week is nearly over, with Halloween comin...
October 31, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The week is nearly over, with Halloween coming up tomorrow. How that happened, I'm not quite sure. Work has been pretty busy, with an Internet upgrade that went relatively well Tuesday. Home has been equally packed. Yesterday Dave and Brant came over and we did some last minute things to the basement. Taking care of the kids has kept us endlessly busy.
Hopefully this weekend we'll have some time to relax a bit, though it may just be wishful thinking. I'm taking Monday off, though it's because the contractors arrive and Jamie's getting a massage. Hopefully I'll survive the experience.
In reality, though, we're all doing relatively well. Emma's been eating more and more solids, sucking down a big bowl of rice cereal tonight. Sam and I carved a pumpkin tonight in preparation for tomorrow. For some reason he's especially excited, though it may be the costume he has for the occasion.
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It was a wacky day yesterday
October 27, 2003 by Adam in Family
It was a wacky day yesterday. Sam and I decided to hike Spencer's Butte after breakfast. Once we got there, Sam checked out the map as always and decided we should try out the "difficult" path up to the top. I'd never done it, but we agreed that we'd turn back if it got to hard. It turned out to be quite the challenge, steep and very rocky at the end. Still, we made it to the top in good spirits and celebrated our success. Going down, however, was much more of a challenge as both Sam and I were pretty tired. I ended up carrying him most of the way down as his legs were all rubbery when he walked. We made it back home and ate a huge meal, then tried to take it easy for the rest of the day.
We watched some movies, including all but the last ten minutes of Bend it Like Beckam (thanks for the recommendation Sadie). We had one of the neighbor kids come over and babysit Sam, which was highly entertaining for him. Poor Emma wasn't feeling well, so we kept having to pause to try to settle her down.
I had a headache off and on and Emma was very fussy, spitting up a bunch. I decided later that we were both sick. When 7:00 pm rolled around and I put Sam to bed, I collapsed in Jamie's bed and didn't wake up until 10:30 pm. I got up, had a bowl of cereal, then slept until 4:30 am.
I'm feeling a bit better this morning. I snuck out for a mocha which always gets the blood pumping. It was nice riding my bike in the sunlight, though it was still a bit nippy.
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Well, we did the deed
October 25, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Well, we did the deed. Walls were knocked down. Carpets were torn out. Beer was drunk. Chips were eaten.
It was amazing how quickly everything went. Most everyone arrived a bit after 10 am and started right into things. My dad showed up too, working on a hole in the wall to support the future computer panel. By 3:00 pm, it was basically done. We piled out all the garbage in the driveway in hopes that our contractors would haul it away as promised. Nothing so far.
Actual construction doesn't start for a week, giving us time to do any last minute things that we end up having to do. At the moment, Jamie's family is watching the game and Sam and Josh are trying to find ways to entertain themselves.
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As much as I was looking forward to dispensin...
October 24, 2003 by Adam in Family
As much as I was looking forward to dispensing my own brand of harsh justice in our legal system, it appears they don't want me. I called in last night and there were no jury cases starting today. I'm off the hook for at least a couple years.
For some reason, that seemed to lift my spirits up last night. With my two-days of team meetings, work projects mostly under control, and no jury duty to worry about, all that's left is tomorrow's demolition festivities. Swinging slege hammers about seems like great fun in comparison to the rest of my week.
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Jamie called to fess up and explain that she'...
October 23, 2003 by Adam in Family
Jamie called to fess up and explain that she'd bumped the power cord to the computer. It's now stuck on a shelf with the craft supplies and Sam's friend Tuesday is over for a play date.
The week has gone relatively well. I survived two days of "team bonding" here at work, complete with all day meetings and bowling to boot. I'd rather have been working, but I suppose it's good for that elusive team spirit.
Tomorrow I may start jury duty, which I view with some trepidation. It may actually delay some things here at work, such as the go-live of our new Internet site. Very annoying.
Also, Saturday at 10 am appears to be the beginning of the great demolition project. Should you arrive to assist, you will be plyed with beer and pizza until it's finished. Everyone is welcome.
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What a weekend
October 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
 What a weekend. After breakfast, I moved all my computer equipment into the craft room, somehow managing to cram it all together and make it work. I was crawling under the wobbily card table and sorting through cables when I remarked, "It's spaghetti down here." "Want some sauce?" Jamie remarked dryly. Needless to say, I finally got it all working.
Afterwards, we got out of the house and went up to Hendrick's park. Sam had a great time finding new crazy paths and tromping through the wet grass. After a couple hours we returned home for snacks, playing games, and finally a park run. Sam played with another boy for awhile, trying to sort out the social rules of interacting with someone that you've never met. They had a good time and they both remarked on how fun it was. It's nice to see him growing up. We returned muddy but happy, then settled down for dinner.
Jamie and I juggled laundry, children, bedtime rituals, and collapsed ourselves around 8:00 pm. We've swapped beds too, so Jamie's upstairs with Emma and Sam while I'm down in the guest bed. Sleeping arrangements often seem like musical chairs with children.
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It's Sunday morning, still in the dark hours ...
October 19, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It's Sunday morning, still in the dark hours before the family wakes up. We had one of those rare good days where most everything went well. It wasn't perfect, of course. Jamie and I were a bit snappy with each other as we tried to coordinate children and getting the stuff moved up from the basement. Still, we quickly got in the groove and efficiently migrated my office to the craft room. It's going to be a bit cramped, but I think it'll work out okay.
The only thing down here at the moment are the computers, as Jamie wanted one last day with the old routine before she and Emma moved to the upstairs bedroom. Those head up this morning as well, in what's hopefully a quick move.
As for the rest of the day, I'd like to take Sam for a hike. We hiked down to the library yesterday, which was fun, though Sam was in the stroller for much of it. We'll see how it goes.
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Mocha Friday and the day is winding down
October 17, 2003 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday and the day is winding down. We're moving things upstairs this weekend, so it might be busy. With the nice Fall weather, I'd like to take Sam on a hiking trip. We'll see, though. Jamie reported that the kids were being tired today, so maybe it's movies instead.
I can't find my workout shoes, so I instead went to Smith Family bookstore to poke around. I picked up some books for Sam that he might like. A Star Wars picture book and a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book that I loved when I was a kid.
Heading home soon. I miss those little critters.
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We're back home now, settled in from our fun ...
October 14, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We're back home now, settled in from our fun Portland trip. The zoo was probably the highlight of the adventure, as Sam hasn't been for quite awhile.
Now we're gearing up for a far too exciting month ahead. This weekend we're moving things around in preparation for the remodel. Next week I've got lots of work stuff (team building activities which involve bowling), and potentially jury duty. Next weekend we start the demolition and all are welcome.
Emma's been grumpy and Jamie's been tired. Sam gets a bit bored and wacky when he's ignored. These are definitely the hard times, though when the dust settles we'll have a beautiful basement and rec room.
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Our Portland trip goes well
October 12, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Our Portland trip goes well. The grandparents have been entertaining the kids, giving Jamie and I some time to relax. We took Sam to the zoo yesterday, which was lots of fun. It threatened to rain all day, but never did, so few people were there. Jamie liked the bats the best, while Sam and I had fun watching the naked mole rats. Good stuff.
We'll head home relatively soon, though we're not in a giant rush. It's a rainy day, just waiting to be frittered away.
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Well, we're off to Portland in a few minutes
October 11, 2003 by Adam in Family
Well, we're off to Portland in a few minutes. We're taking Sam to the zoo, which should be a fun experience. It's been a long while since he went, so it should all be new. Jamie and I played 20 Questions this morning to guess my favorite zoo animal. Though it took awhile, she got it right - a naked mole rat.
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Thought it's technically Thursday, it feels l...
October 09, 2003 by Adam in Family
Thought it's technically Thursday, it feels like Friday. I'm taking tomorrow off to help move Sam along to Portland and spend some semi-quiet time with Jamie. Hopefully she can get some sleep, which has been lacking as of late. I got a less than happy call from her at 7:30 this morning to let me know that I woke everyone up with my banging about. The door under the porch was stuck and I couldn't close it after I got my bike out. Oopsie.
My boss has yet to arrive today. I think he must have taken the day off or went immediately to a long meeting. It's been awfully quiet here at work, which is actually nice for a change.
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Well, the final plumbing bill probably won't ...
October 08, 2003 by Adam in Family
Well, the final plumbing bill probably won't break our bank account. Nice to know. In comparison to the remodel, everything else seems like a pittance.
Another day full of children yesterday. Poor Jamie gets a bit haggard looking at the end of the day with no rest in sight. At least we had someone clean the house today and Sam went to school. This weekend will be nice too, as we plan on sending Sam up to Portland with Jim for a day before we join him a bit later.
The remodel project is getting even closer. We've got nearly all the stuff out of the washing room area, the ironing board mysteriously appearing in my bathroom. We're hoping that an army of helpers arrives to rip things up, lured by our promises of beer and pizza.
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No word yet on how expensive the plumbing fix...
October 07, 2003 by Adam in Family
No word yet on how expensive the plumbing fix will be. Hopefully I'll have all my arms and legs after we get it taken care of. In the meantime, we've got plenty of other baths and showers we can use.
Josh spent the night last night as his dad was out of town. Sam though it quite cool and I think Josh had a pretty good time despite it all. I put him to work testing my Neverwinter Nights game and he managed to break it in several interesting ways.
Emma has another fungal infection, this time buried in her armpit. Poor girl. Fortunately we have the stuff left over from her last infection and it usually clears up in a couple days.
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Monday
October 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
Monday. I can tell it's Monday too. Last night, Jamie was taking a shower and Emma and I were taking my lunch downstairs to put in the refrigerator there. I heard what sounded like rain, but it turns out it was inside, pouring down from the pipes. Jamie called the plumber and it looks like they'll have to tear out a wall in order to get to the problem. The plumbing is all original too, and quite rusty, so they recommended replacing it all. Ah, the joys of an old house.
Sunday went pretty well, though nothing too exciting happened. Angie came over to visit with Jamie for awhile and Sam and I played with Legos. I got a lock put on the door under the porch, which is where I'm storing my bike now. I also replaced my leaky bike tire.
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It's Sunday morning, my favorite time of the week
October 05, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It's Sunday morning, my favorite time of the week. Ray's coming over for breakfast, as he's stuck all alone watching the boys' house. Jamie's making waffles, which I'm eagerly awaiting, along with that big pot of coffee.
Yesterday morning my mom came by to watch the kids and lend us the truck. We loaded up for a trip to Goodwill, then later piled in junk that my mom generously volunteered to take the the dump. I think Jamie felt much better once things were feeling cleaned out.
The rest of the day was spent puttering about. Jamie made bananna bread, I picked up some movies for Sam, we did a park run where Sam showed off his Cheese climbing skills, and later Sam and Jamie played Yahtsee together. Great fun.
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Ah, Friday
October 03, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Ah, Friday. I've downed my mocha and eagerly await the end of the day so I can head home to play with my family. We don't have any particularly exciting plans, though I think we'll end up prepping for the remodel a bit. Jamie wants to haul things to Goodwill and I'd like to get things moved out of the basement to the upper floors. We'll see how far we get.
Emma's been a bit fussy as of late. We're thinking it's the aftermath of the shots, though it's always hard to tell. Poor Jamie hasn't been getting much sleep, but she still stayed up late to watch Will and Grace, which was hysterical as always.
Jamie's mom was down yesterday, which was nice. She entertained Sam for hours last night, taking a bit of the burden off of us for a few hours. Next weekend Sam's headed to Portland with just grandma, which he's very excited about. We'll meet him a bit later and go to the zoo together. Good times.
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October already! This year has seemed like s...
October 01, 2003 by Adam in Family
October already! This year has seemed like such a blur.
Jamie and I walked over to a pizza place last night while my mom watched Sam and Emma. Sam had a great time having her pick out different clothing and light saber colors for his Jedi Academy game. Jamie and I just enjoyed being out and about by ourselves for awhile.
We also got a new crib for Emma that we moved and assembled upstairs. The thought is that Jamie and I would actually share a room for awhile, something that we haven't really done since Emma was born. Jamie's worried that she'll keep waking me up, but I think she doesn't understand my supernatural ability to sleep through anything.
I took Emma around 9 pm last night and rocked her while watching Star Trek. She quietly watched it with me for a bit, then fell asleep when it was halfway done.
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Today Sam and I took off hiking this morning ...
September 29, 2003 by Adam in Family
Saturday started with a wonderful breakfast prepared by Jamie. I had stayed up late getting my computer semi-working, and continued again early that morning. It was nice to hear the birds outside our kitchen as we had eggs and sausages.
Sam and I headed out for Jake's birthday party, one of his good friends at preschool. It was wacky fun, taking place at an "adventure golf" course. It was essentially minature golf near streams and rocks, but Sam thought it was quite cool. Then it was way too much candy and running around with all his friends.
 Today Sam and I took off hiking this morning and had a great time. I'd been continuing to stress over my new computer, which is having weird problems (I'm running memory tests on it as I type on my "old" computer). It was a beautiful day and Sam and I ran about Hendrick's Park, exploring some new trails that were recently made.
The rest of the day was pretty quiet, with a trip to Circuit City to get more fans (my new computer ran too hot), then I did a solo library trip while Sam watched a movie. Now we're winding down for bed and trying to get the kids settled down. Soon it will be time for my nightly cereal then bed.
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They were handing out doughnut holes, coffee,...
September 25, 2003 by Adam in Family
They were handing out doughnut holes, coffee, tea, and water for the people who rode their bike to work this morning. I looked at the coffee and doughnuts and thought that it was the complete antithesis of the healthy bike-riding attitude. Irony.
Our family seems to keep chugging along. Sam seems to enjoy school more than ever, actually wanting to go and see his friends. It's a very good sign after years of feet-dragging and crying when left. Our boy is growing up.
Emma was a bit cranky last night. We did a Chinese fire drill with beds last night, with Sam ending up in Jamie's bed, me in Sam's, and Jamie in mine. Around 5 am this morning, I spent some time playing with Emma before she got hungry again and it was time for me to get ready for work.
My computer parts are nearly all here, minus the important CPU cooler. I'd like to assemble it this weekend, but I'm not sure what I'm up to yet. We haven't heard from Rainbow Valley as to when the remodel starts and I haven't heard from my dad about the great computer project. We'll see how it goes.
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That pirate eye patch has certainly made the ...
September 23, 2003 by Adam in Family
 That pirate eye patch has certainly made the rounds. Sam turned it into his "Lost Puppy" costume to good effect. He's also started making me wear it when playing cards together, in order to get my character just right.
Sunday was nice, with the kids both being pleasant for breakfast. I continued moving things out of my office and preparing for the remodel. Monday was fairly low-key as well, with Sam still enjoying his school. Emma's got a cold that keeps her up, though it doesn't seem to affect her cheerful demenor all that much. I think I have a touch of the cold as well, taking care of the headache with a mocha run this morning.
Oh, and happy first day of Fall!
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In honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, we dresse...
September 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
 In honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, we dressed up Emma for the occasion. Arr, matey!
It's been quite the whirlwind last couple days. Jamie signed the contract yesterday, so we're definately going to do this remodel thing. It felt good to have Victoria's boyfriend, who's a contractor, look at the plans and say that the cost was reasonable. Remodels are just spendy, I suppose.
Last night Jamie had both Victoria and Angie come over, giving gifts and goodwill. I had the kids for as much as I could, so I was a bit tired going to bed. Unfortunately, bedtime didn't go very smoothly. Jamie woke me up after I had slept for an hour, letting me know that Emma was still not sleeping. I rocked her in a daze for a long while, finally getting her to sleep, but having her wake up when I put her in her crib. Jamie dismissed me and I feel back asleep again. Later Sam woke up, but wanted Jamie and not me. I think Jamie ended up sleeping in the tiny twin bed with both kids. Fortunately she got a little nap this afternoon.
In the morning, we had my mom over for breakfast which was nice. Later, Sam and I raced down the hill in the stroller to see the parade and meet up with most of my family. My dad came back to the house afterwards and we discussed great plans for turning the sauna into a computer room, as well as cutting holes in the wall for a control panel. Should be cool.
Since then, we've mostly been taking it easy. Jamie's holding Emma and watching Sam roll down the hill repeatedly. Good times.
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It's Jamie's birthday today, though we've adm...
September 19, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It's Jamie's birthday today, though we've admittedly been slowly celebrating over the last week or two. Last night, Dave and Kirsten came by to get Josh and stayed for dinner, plying Jamie with gifts and lemon chiffon cake. It was all quite tasty.
It's Friday, and there's a mocha waiting for me when I get to work. Hopefully it'll be a little less crazy than yesterday, as things were a bit intense for awhile. I think I've got some reboots and installs waiting for me when I show up.
I think we're slowly getting to the Acceptance stage of the huge remodel estimate. It also turns out that it'll take longer than they originally thought. They person who first did a rough estimate a month ago came in with a price half the final estimate and a timeline that was a third as long. Poor estimating skills.
No exciting plans this weekend, though perhaps we'll get started on ripping things out. I'm not sure how long we'll have to live with things in a demolished state, so it may not be wise to start just yet. There's always the Eugene Celebration, parades, and a visit to my dad to plan my next computer project.
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As suspected, the final estimate for the base...
September 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
As suspected, the final estimate for the basement remodel required a stiff drink before reading. It was indeed a huge amount of money. So big, in fact, that we said we couldn't do it and we started to go down the list and make compromises. We ended up committing to doing some of the work ourselves (the demolition and painting), as well as changing some of the plans (e.g. less cabinets and more shelves). We managed to get it down to something reasonable, and should have a contract to sign today.
Other than that, life's been pretty typical. I had Emma from the time I came home until bedtime. Jamie left for Yoga and Emma woke up a few minutes after she left, basically crying until Jamie came home again. I think she was either hungry or gassy, as almost nothing I did make a difference. Being outside helped some, as well as giving her a bath. It's just strange to have her so grumpy.
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Fall is coming
September 17, 2003 by Adam in Family
Fall is coming.
The morning ride to work was beautiful, the sun peeking over the hills and the faint smell of smoke filling the valley. I had to stop a moment and let the crisp air work its magic on me as I looked down from College hill.
Yesterday evening was Xtreme parent time. I was either rocking a baby or entertaining Sam until nearly bedtime. Then Jamie and I sat on the couch for a half hour watching E! Online thing about MTV's Real World. Such wacky times.
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I have some cute pictures of Emma and the dee...
September 16, 2003 by Adam in Family
 I have some cute pictures of Emma and the deer that decided to camp out in our back yard, but I'm at work and won't be able to post anything.
The weekend came and went. We all went to have a picinic on Sunday at the park and watch the city league baseball game. Nothing too exciting, though Emma seemed to like being outside quite a bit. Sam yet again showed off his Cheese-climbing proficiencies.
Jamie's birthday is sneaking up this Friday. She couldn't wait to open up her present from me, so she ceremoniously opened it up with much ooohing and aaahing. Nothing too exciting - some pyjama bottoms and foot lotion.
Tomorrow Jamie meets with the contractors for a final bid on the great remodel project. I have a funny feeling I should have a stiff drink before we get the numbers.
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Yesterday Sam went to the park a boy and came...
September 14, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Yesterday Sam went to the park a boy and came back a man.
The nearby park is informally called "Cheese Park", due to a large yellow concrete structure that vaguely looks like a big cheese. Since we moved into our current house, Sam's been having me pick him up to sit on the top and slide down the side. Last night, he figured out how to get up to the top, using a series of complex maneuvers and sheer grit. He then proceeded to go up and down over and over, just to prove it wasn't a fluke. Great fun.
Yesterday was relatively low-key. I had hoped to get my mom over for breakfast, but she's really busy with the funerals for Skye and Lucas. The big event for us was a family walk to the library, where Sam picked up some I Spy books. They're his current favorite and have kept him and the whole family entertained for the last week at bedtime.
Jamie's dad and uncle came by yesterday afternoon to watch the Nebraska game. We had to spend $15 to activate all the ESPN channels for the day, but evidently ours was the few places that could actually get it. Jamie picked up fried chicken and cole slaw, giving the whole occasion a very American feel (I stuck to my usual vegitarian fare).
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Finally Friday
September 12, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Finally Friday. My schedule for the last couple weeks has been weird, with last Friday taken off due to illness and yesterday off so that Jamie could get her massage. I'm hoping work isn't too frantic today, but odds are it will be. At least it's a Mocha day.
Jamie and I went to Ring of Fire last night and had some tasty curry. We were so tire that we had a hard time getting the energy to have a conversation. I think the most animated we both got was discussing Apollo 13, for some odd reason.
We're hoping my mom can come to breakfast on Saturday and give us a few moments of quiet, though it looks like the weekend is already filling up for her. It is sad that Irene passed away - I fondly remember endless Thanksgivings with her and her son.
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I've been at home all day today, mostly to gi...
September 11, 2003 by Adam in Family
I've been at home all day today, mostly to give Jamie time to head off for a massage. She said it was wonderful, so I suppose it was all worth it. In the morning, Sam and I got new tires, then headed to the mall to get Jamie a birthday present. I also picked up some rain pants so I should be ready for weather most foul. Emma didn't sleep much, so after our return I was doing a lot of jiggling with the girl.
I suppose I should make some comment about September 11th, but my view on this is most muddled. Mostly I feel bad for all the dead and injured from the events that cascaded from those few hours two years ago.
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Today may be my last bike ride to work
September 09, 2003 by Adam in Family
Today may be my last bike ride to work. I was extremely soggy upon my arrival, looking like a half-drowned dog. I'd need quite a bit of rain gear to make it through the next few months, I think. Sam and I taped a square of plastic to the inside of my "rainpants". There was a dry square shaped spot on my pants, while all the rest was pretty damp.
Sam came in to my bed this morning, wanting me to escort him to Jamie. Jamie ended up sleeping next to Sam while I lay next to Emma. It was a rare switcharoo.
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The news is indeed tragic
September 08, 2003 by Adam in Family
The news is indeed tragic. I feel for Sadie and the family of her friends who died a few days ago. I think I met Skye once or twice, though it was a long time ago. I don't really have any words of wisdom for this one. Life seems so fragile.
Sam went to school today and a quick report from Jamie suggested that he had a good time. She called from Oakway mall not really knowing what to do with herself. It's been three months of having two kids to deal with. Now that it's just Emma, who sleeps a lot in the mornings, she suddenly has a bunch of free time. Jamie might bring Emma to work while she uses the gym for a half hour. I'll watch her in my cubicle or walk her around if she's up. We'll see how it goes.
Work has been busy. Lots of things to catch up with since I was out Friday.
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The weekend comes to a close
September 08, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The weekend comes to a close. I'm feeling mostly better, though I was a little slower than usual today. Still, we managed to do quite a bit. I watched Sam water the slugs in the front yard, despite the fact that it was raining. I managed to put up a new light fixture in the bathroom, much to Jamie's happiness. We ended up going to the grocery store as well. Finally, we had Victoria and her boyfriend over for a lovely dinner that Jamie prepared.
Tomorrow is the first day of school for Sam. He'll be going three mornings a week, which will be hopefully fun for him. School has always been a bit of a challenge, though he's gotten better interacting with other kids over time.
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I should be careful what I wish for
September 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
I should be careful what I wish for. Sure enough, the flu hit me today, though I didn't get it quite as bad as Jamie. Still, I wasn't good for much and generally moped about the house.
Jamie called in reinforcements, with Brant and Josh coming by in the morning, and Margo coming this afternoon (she's the neighbor who occasionally babysits). I held the baby once or twice, but generally lurked about moaning.
I'm feeling a touch better. If I'm still, I don't really notice the nausea. I think I'm really hungry, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what sounds good. Ginger ale and saltine crackers have been my friend today.
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These are the days that try men's souls
September 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
These are the days that try men's souls.
Well, actually it's not men, it's just me. And it's not "days" in general, it's just today. The day began at 6:00 with Jamie coming into my room to announce that she's been throwing up. I scampered downstairs to get Emma, who was fussy, and head to Safeway to get Pepto Bismol and diapers. Everyone is really nice at Safeway at 6:00 in the morning.
I returned to find Sam in Jamie's bed, so we medicated mom and plopped Sam in front of the television. I made scones, believe it or not, while Emma slept. After that, it's a blur of taking care of both kids and periodically checking in on Jamie as she alternately threw up and moaned throughout the day.
Somehow I managed to water the plants, trim the roses, do laundry, check on my sister's computer, and go to the movie rental place over the next eight hours.
It's now pushing 9 pm, both kids are in bed, Jamie's feeling a bit better, and I'm exhausted and a little nauseous. Perhaps tomorrow will be my day to rest. Constantly throwing up seems such a small price to pay.
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Jamie's off at a preschool meeting while I wa...
September 05, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Jamie's off at a preschool meeting while I watch Sam. It was a fairly good day, with my headache mostly gone. Emma seems a bit cranky these days. Perhaps she had a headache too. Jamie and the kids did a store run and that's about it.
Josh is back, much to Sam's happiness. They played and played today.
Tomorrow's Friday, mocha day, with a quiet weekend ahead.
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Having children is like belonging to a 24-hou...
September 04, 2003 by Adam in Family
Having children is like belonging to a 24-hour comedy club that's edgy and funny, though a bit loud.
Last night at dinner, Jamie was relating her "f-ing" day. There was a pause and them Sam asked what "f-ing" meant. I laughed out loud, wondering how she was going to weasel her way out of that one.
Jamie: "It was a slip of the tongue."
Sam: "What does that mean?"
Adam: "It means her tongue is slippery, like it was covered in soap."
Jamie: "Yeah. I suppose I should wash my mouth out with soap now."
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Wednesday already! I had a splitting headach...
September 03, 2003 by Adam in Family
Wednesday already! I had a splitting headache last night and was up for a couple hours. This morning I'm cruising on Advil and a mocha. Painless and bouncy.
There's not a lot of high adventure at our house. Jamie left to return carpet samples and get shrimp last night, leaving me with both children for an hour. Sam was bored out of his mind and Emma was happy in her front pack. I ended up telling an elaborate story where Sam was a prince and I was a lowly sheepherder. Emma was either a sheep or a baby lost in the woods, depending on what the story required.
Jamie fortunately returned home and we eventually got all the kids to sleep before collapsing to bed ourselves.
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Everyone made it back home, safe and sound
September 02, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Everyone made it back home, safe and sound. Emma seems even more wiggly and vocal than before.
Sam and I played with Legos a bit, then went off to Jenny's house to go through Grandma Dorothy's things she shipped over. I returned home with the glasses Jamie requested and a couple knick-knacks. Ironically, Jamie also was given things from her grandmother this weekend. We ended up picking almost identical glasses. Mine were slightly green tinted, but definately in the same style.
Another work week begins today. Fortunately it's only four days long.
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It's the first day of September
September 01, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's the first day of September. My, how time flies. Sam and I had another fun-filled day yesterday. We went to breakfast with my mom, then played with Legos until close to noon. I stopped by the gas station to get air for my tires (which hasn't been driven seriously in 6 months or so), then a quick shopping trip. Finally, we headed off to see Spy Kids 3D in the early afternoon.
It was okay, with cool special effects in some scenes, but not much of a story. Sam seemed to like it even though he reported that the glasses were uncomfortable. Later that night, he seemed to have a lasting mark across the bridge of his nose.
Towards the evening, we went over to Dave and Brant's house to have a Bar-B-Que with them and say hello to Josh, freshly returned from California. They all seem well.
I'm going to try to take it easier today. Jamie's coming back sometime and there's a shindig at Jenny's house. Hopefully I can calm the boy down a bit . . .
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What a day
August 31, 2003 by Adam in Family
 What a day. Sam's currently on the floor next to me, building Legos and whispering over and over the phrase "duck doger dot com". Advertising works.
We got Jamie and Emma off safe and sound. They evidently had a good trip up to Portland and the grandparents are fussing over them both. I think Jamie's really enjoying some quiet time, which is rare for her these days.
Sam and I started our bachelor weekend by climbing Spencer's butte in record time. My legs are still sore from the effort. We returned dusty and exhausted, but a quick shower and lunch helped a bit. After that, it was washing my car, inside and out, then heading off to Costco for huge quantities of cereal.
My mom stopped by to pick up some wedding vows I printed up for her. Evidently she's officiating a wedding tonight. Next Sam and I went to my dad and Yayoe's house for dinner and entertainment. Now it's time to get ready for bed. Whew.
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Sadie came over last night, which was wonderful
August 28, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Sadie came over last night, which was wonderful. The more people to entertain Sam or rock Emma, the better. Plus it was nice to see her one last time before she left. After I found out she was coming home for Christmas, it didn't seem like such a big goodbye.
Jamie's off with contractors today, picking out carpets, counter tops, and linoleum. Though she invited me along, I trust her judgement. One of the nice things about marrying Jamie is that we have pretty similar tastes in decorating.
Only a couple more days until Sam and I have a boys-only weekend. Hopefully I can fill the time in a way that's fun for Sam but doesn't drive me nuts.
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The week moves along
August 27, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The week moves along. It's sad to have Sadie leaving so soon and strange to think that she's no longer just moving away for school. No trips back for school vacations, but rather when she can get away like a normal person.
Emma's been very vocal lately. I was singing to her last night and she joined right in. It was lots of fun watching her smile and make "Aaah-Ooooh" noises. I see her every day and she still seems to be growing at a rapid pace. Sam and I were making fun of her massive head last night, pretending she could boss us all around with her mind control.
Sam's his normal self. The other day he told Jamie, "I think I'm getting the hang of Emma." After a couple months of adjusting to a new person in the house, we're starting to get more comfortable with the new routine.
Jamie's been doing really well, I think. She has more energy and has been taking yoga with a friend, as well as going for more walks. Though she's still up once or twice each night, it's not as bad as it was a few months ago.
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The weekend is over and I'm back at work
August 25, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The weekend is over and I'm back at work. Sigh.
Though we didn't do much, it seemed like a pretty fun weekend. Jamie took Sam to the ballgame last night, though I think Sam's favorite part is the cracker jacks. I did some landscaping Sunday morning and layed down some bark-o-mulch to make it all look pretty.
Sam was very good at the store and we allowed him to choose one toy. After staring at some Lego-like robot for awhile, he instead chose squirt guns. That of course led to endless fighting in the back yard. I have on video tape Jamie and Sam dueling it out. At one point, Sam had to go get the red washable pen to put "blood" all over himself. There was much showering required.
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We spotted a deer in our backyard last night,...
August 23, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We spotted a deer in our backyard last night, looking very cute. I'm not sure that counteracted the pile of deer poop and eaten tomatoes, however. Time to fix the hole in the fence.
It's finally the weekend and I'm puttering around while the rest of the family sleeps away. I'm hoping my headache is gone for good, as I feel pretty refreshed this morning. I'm still not sure what the weekend holds. I've got to return some overdue books to the library today. I also want to pick up some new ones for Sam's bedtime reading.
Cloudy skies today, for the first time in weeks. It looks like fall is slowly creeping up on us.
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The week has slogged along
August 21, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The week has slogged along. My head is much better today after a somewhat achey day yesterday.
Sam was in a very grumpy mood last night. We finally got outside and ended up having a water fight with hoses and impromptu splashing instruments. There was so much laughing and giggling that he completely forgot his bad mood. Of course, we both had to change into dry clothes afterwards, but it was a small price to pay.
We hiked over to see Sadie and my mom last night, as well as check out their library for kid books. I still think I want to get Sam to the real library at some point and try to find all the great kid books from my past.
Tonight I'm dropping off both kids at my mom's house for an hour or two. A little quiet time with Jamie sounds very nice.
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We've returned both weary and rested from our...
August 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We've returned both weary and rested from our beach trip. The drive over went pretty well, with Emma sleeping and Sam in a good mood. The in-car movie system was just okay, as Sam didn't seem too interested in watching movies for the full two hours.
The weather was just great, with blue skies nearly every day. Sam and I spent many hours on the beach, building sand castles and watching the tide wash them away. He also had a great time running about and leaping over little pools of water.
Judy and Jim were delayed, as Barbara (Jim's daughter in law) had some excitement with her baby. All seems well, though she may be stuck in the hospital for the next month or two.
Dave and Kirsten hung out with us as well, travelling to the Hecita Head lighthouse with Sam and I. There were also many games, dinners, and beach walls. All good.
The drive back was a bit much, with cranky kids all around. Still, we survived and are slowly widing down, preparing for a normal day tomorrow.
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We're packed and ready to go
August 15, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We're packed and ready to go. The coast awaits us and I'm very much looking forward to it. We picked up a power inverter and should be able to watch DVDs in the car to entertain Sam. Hopefully Emma will sleep and the two hours will go by quickly. I've brought my ancient Pentium 90 laptop so that I can type things.
We all have a cold, though we're pulling through. Hopefully the fresh sea air will do us good.
I got a call from my coworker Dave. He was travelling with his family and was stuck in the Detroit airport when the power went out. Anna was also travelling yesterday, though Sadie's not sure where she ended up.
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The last few days have been pretty crazy work...
August 13, 2003 by Adam in Family
The last few days have been pretty crazy work-wise. The virus that's going around has been causing problems with e-mail, our Internet connection, and more. Yippie.
The last couple days have been pretty quiet at home. Last night, Sam wanted to make sock puppets. I dutifully sewed on some button eyes and we played for a bit. Emma was pretty fussy last night for some reason. Tummy troubles, maybe. I continued to read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe to Sam. We're about a third of the way through and Sam seems to enjoy it. It's quite a change from the smaller books.
I'm very much looking forward to our beach trip. Calgon take me away . . .
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Sunday afternoon
August 10, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Sunday afternoon. It's been quite the weekend so far, a whirlwind of entertaining children and family. Darrel and Ray have been down to chat and help with the remodeling preparation. We tore down some of the cabinets from the laundry room and put one of them up in the garage.
Sam went on a couple expeditions, one of which took us to the duck pond. I have memories of going there tons when I was a kid, so it was fun to take Sam there. We puttered around through all the college buildings, visiting the Urban Farm and climbing on some sculptures. Great fun.
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Sam went to the dentist yesterday
August 07, 2003 by Adam in Family
Sam went to the dentist yesterday. Jamie reported that he was on his best behavior, polite and articulate. Plus his teeth are in good shape. He was excited when I got home and showed off his Stage 3 Snow White toothbrush. Pretty cool.
We went swimming last night, which was just great. The Easter Seal pool is so less crowded than the Amazon one, and only costs 50 cents more. For about twenty minutes, we were the only people in the pool.
Lots of excitement ahead for the next few days. Jamie's off with a friend tonight, we're having my mom for dinner Friday, then Jamie's dad is visiting Saturday afternoon. Next weekend we're planning on a beach trip. All great fun.
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Sad news about Baba
August 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
Sad news about Baba. I still remember when Jamie and I drove across the country and stayed at her house. In the middle of the night, there was a huge thunder storm. Baba, being fairly traditional, had put us in separate rooms. We met in the hallway to thunder and lightning. Very romantic.
I've still been feeling a bit under the weather. Headaches and a bit of an upset stomach. Nothing that coffee and advil can't fix.
Hopefully Sam and I can get some swimming in tonight. That boy has too much energy.
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There was a massive thunder storm that rolled...
August 05, 2003 by Adam in Family
There was a massive thunder storm that rolled through town this morning, killing my Internet connection for a couple hours and interrupting power for a little. Poor Jamie was trying to sleep through it all, but she just couldn't make it.
I've also been trying to beat this nasty headache and sniffle I picked up yesterday. I've been doing the Advil and coffee trick, which is working reasonably well. I yearn for the days when I could take the day off and lounge about the house in peace.
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It's been an exciting weekend so far, though ...
August 03, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It's been an exciting weekend so far, though we're taking it a little easy this Sunday. Yesterday, Sam and I headed to Spencer's Butte, climbing to the top in a burst of energy. Sam was quite the trooper, though he was as exhausted as I was at the end.
Later that day, we headed to see the latest Terminator movie. It was a bit exciting, though probably no worse than Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. Lots of car chases and action scenes. Sam, of course, had a great time.
Then it was trying to get our various children to bed. Sam's been doing this thing lately where he wants to have someone next to him as he goes to sleep. I think it's that he's feeling our lack of attention due to Emma. A little adjustment is required, I suppose.
Today we worked more on the basement, tearing out some built-in tables in preparation for the big day. I have a funny feeling it's going to be an expensive undertaking, though we've yet to get the final estimate.
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Mocha Friday, and the end of a very busy week...
August 01, 2003 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday, and the end of a very busy week at work. August is here already, with the hope of cooler weather ahead. I finally got the bed to myself last night, with Sam in his own bed. He was having problems getting to sleep, being afraid of some monster he saw on a typically benign t.v. show he watched that day. It's probably related to the new baby and the lack of attention we've been giving him, though we both did feel bad for him.
I'm hoping that this weekend is another quiet one. I'm looking forwards to a couple hours early in the morning to myself, followed by a hearty breakfast and playing with Sam. I still haven't seen Terminator 3 yet. Maybe I can drag him to that with me. Pirates of the Carribbean was a big success. Of course, I'll probably have to pretend I'm a robot for a few days after we go.
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Nothing too exciting yesterday, though we sti...
July 29, 2003 by Adam in Family
Nothing too exciting yesterday, though we still managed to tire ourselves out at the end of the day. Emma was a bit fussy, requiring some jiggling and funny noise making to get her to settle down. Sam was running around like a maniac before we set him in front of a movie we had rented for such an emergency.
Emma's fungal infection has basically cleared up, though we're continuing the medicine just in case. The tricky part is keeping all her various fatty folds dry in this heat.
I'm looking forward to August. It looks like we have a possible trip to the beach planned, as well as Emma and Jamie visiting her mom, leaving us boys alone in the house for the weekend. No dates yet.
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The weekend was quiet, as quiet as it gets th...
July 28, 2003 by Adam in Family
The weekend was quiet, as quiet as it gets these days anyway. We deliberately tried not to do anything exciting, as the last few weekends were a bit too frantic.
Emma's fungal infection is much improved. She's smiling and laughing more often these days. It's clear she's trying really hard to communicate with us. She'll stare when we talk to her and she'll put so much effort into making the same noises as us. A few times, she's managed a passable "Hi" as well as making a noise vaguely like "B" (accompanied by general bubbling and foaming).
On Saturday, Sam and I mostly hung out and watched movies and ran around outside. Yesterday we went to the mall looking for a frivilous toy to spend my money on. Sam and I settled on a "spy" motion detector, coming up with various sneaking games where we tried to avoid crossing the invisible beam. Great fun.
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Ah - mocha Friday
July 25, 2003 by Adam in Family
Ah - mocha Friday. Not sure what I'd do without them. I woke up this morning with a bad headache, which the Advil and coffee seem to be working on. Yesterday was fairly typical - chasing after children and collapsing to sleep late at night. When Emma cries for a long time, she gets all sweaty. I spent a lot of time walking around and jiggling her into unconsciousness.
We made a slight change to our exciting rec room plans. Jamie came up with the idea of a sliding door between the current bedroom and the rec room. That way we could open it all up to make it into a huge downstairs area. Also, I can easily watch Sam from the room. Plus, if things will be thrown about, we can close the door to protect everything in the bedroom.
I don't think we're trying for anything too exciting this weekend. I'd really like to take it easy and perhaps even have some quiet time to myself. The thought of having an hour or so to read a book sounds blissful.
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It was quite the whirlwind day
July 23, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It was quite the whirlwind day. I took the day "off", which means I worked keeping the kids in line rather than typing code. It was pretty fun, however, and quite full.
The day began with a hearty breakfast and a treasure map for Sam. I was trying to get him out hiking, which has been a challenge to do lately. He keeps complaining that his feet don't feel right in his shoes, so we ended up with sandals. Sadie came along with us, which was lots of fun too. She was even willing to have a few sword fights with him, which made Sam's day.
Later on, we ended up seeing Pirates of the Carribbean, which was lots of fun. It had all the elements that make a pirate movie great, with an intelligent story and fun action. The only down side was that Jamie waited an hour in the car to pick us up, as I had grossly underestimated the length of the show.
Hopefully we can get everyone settled down, as the day was a bit exciting for all.
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The work week meanders along
July 22, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The work week meanders along. Sunday was a bit hectic, with me running on reduced sleep from the night before. I tried hard to keep the kids mellow all day, though there were occasional breakdowns. We watched some movies and tried to beat the heat.
I had both kids for an hour in the evening, somehow managing to keep them both from exploding. Jamie went off to Yoga with her friend Victoria, returning refreshed to tuck the kids in bed.
It was nice just hanging out with her for an hour or so as the sun set. It's a rare thing for us these days, making those moments even sweeter.
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I had the best birthday ever yesterday
July 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
 I had the best birthday ever yesterday. I can't put my finger on what exactly made is so good. For breakfast, Jamie made me just want I wanted and Sam brought me a present he had wrapped himself. Both kids were being sweet and cute, for the most part.
Later on, we went over to my mom's house where Seraph and Sadie had prepared this elaborate tea party. Cool decorations were everywhere - multicolored hanging paper circles, some saying "Hapy Birthday". Seraph made my favorite cake, potato chocolate cake (trust me). Each person got their own and I managed to smuggle a couple home afterwards. Plus there was excellent tea, cold coffee, scones, and french bread from Metropol.
Sam got pretty tuckered out near the end, having some minor wackiness. For dinner, one of Jamie's friends made dolmas and spanikopita, which were fabulous. Sadie and my mom came over to help us eat it, as there was way too much. Plus brownies to die for.
The coffee I had at my party blew sleep completely away, so I was up until 11:30 working on my Neverwinter Nights game, having fun with my fun little card game within the game. Of course, I'm pretty groggy this morning, but it was all worth it.
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Ah, Friday
July 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Ah, Friday. After a shower and a quick bike ride to work, that mocha will be mine.
The week has been fairly uneventful. Jamie was looking into having people wash our windows and it turns out it would cost hundreds of dollars (mostly to unstick painted windows and remove storm windows). I think we're going to deal with slightly dirty windows for awhile.
Sam didn't want me holding Emma last night when I came home. He likes to play with just me. Fortunately, I incorporated her into our game, turning her into a baby troll who was after the "puny human", namely Sam.
We managed to cram everyone but me into the bath last night. No one lasted very long, but I think they had a good time splashing about.
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The week chugs along
July 16, 2003 by Adam in Family
The week chugs along. Margeaux came over yesterday and played with Sam, which he reported as being a fun experience. We had Sadie over for dinner last night, after having a lovely lunch with her earlier in the day. My birthday quickly approaches and fortunately Sadie has taken on responsibility for coordinating things. I think we're shooting for Saturday afternoon.
Other than that, I haven't been up to much. Working away and entertaining children upon my return home.
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We're back from a nice little romantic getawa...
July 14, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We're back from a nice little romantic getaway, at least as romantic as it gets these days. Jamie booked us a room at the Pheonix Inn, where we took Emma and hung out. Sam, Josh, and a bunch of other people came over to swim in the pool with us. Kirsten and Dave watched Emma while we went out and got great Phad Thai and curry. Then it was a relaxing evening of t.v. watching and going to bed early.
Today I woke up and spent the first hour or so at Starbucks, drinking coffee and writing for my Neverwinter Nights game. Then we headed home and Judy went back to Portland. For the rest of the day, we've just been hanging out. Jamie went to the dentist for a bit. Sam and I went to the park and launched air rockets to an audience of little kids. Good times.
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It seemed like a really busy day yesterday, t...
July 13, 2003 by Adam in Family
It seemed like a really busy day yesterday, though we didn't actually do much. Jim and Judy arrived yesterday and helped watch the kids, though mostly it was Judy on Sam duty and I watched Emma. Jamie caught up on a little sleep.
Later on, we went over to David and Brant's house for Josh's birthday. He's headed to California until right before school, so we bid him a fond farewell too.
I think I'm being swept away to an unknown location today. I don't have all the details yet, though Jim and Judy are watching Sam. I keep obliquely asking things like, "so, what kind of clothes should I pack?"
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Another work day comes to a close
July 11, 2003 by Adam in Family
Another work day comes to a close. This one has been pretty quiet, as I'm the only person on my team in today. I also got a little mocha this morning, which perked me right up.
I don't think we have any particularly exciting plans for the weekend - that I know about anyway. Supposedly there's a continuation of our anniversary, though Jamie's been quite secretive. I know her mom is showing up tomorrow morning, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Hmm . . .
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I'm taking today off from work, helping out a...
July 10, 2003 by Adam in Family
 I'm taking today off from work, helping out around the house and giving Jamie a bit of a break. Sam woke up this morning with a stomach ache, though it doesn't seem to be slowing down his play time at all.
Margeaux, one of the neighborhood teenagers, came by this morning to take the tour and plan some babysitting. Basically, Sam needs someone to play with while Jamie's taking care of Emma. By the end of the day, both she and Sam are pretty cranky.
Emma continues to grow, getting far more interactive with the world around her. She'll do a funny open-mouth smile when she first sees you. It's pretty cute.
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We had a nice anniversary dinner last night, ...
July 09, 2003 by Adam in Family
We had a nice anniversary dinner last night, going out to Adam's Place for fancy food and conversation. Sadie and my mom watched the kids and were probably far more entertaining that we normally are. Supposedly there are more activities planned for the weekend, though they're shrouded in mystery.
I'm taking tomorrow off to help out Jamie. I have no idea how she does it. Each time I spend a day watching the kids, my respect for her grows.
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Eight years ago to the day, Jamie and I were ...
July 08, 2003 by Adam in Family
Eight years ago to the day, Jamie and I were married. This morning she called me up over the baby monitor to wish me a happy anniversary, as well as burping the baby. How times change.
I'm hoping that a newfound sense of purpose, though induced by coffee, will help me tackle the ever growing list of things to do at work. It's getting far too busy.
We continue to prepare for our great rec room in the basement. Last weekend, I cleaned things out and organized things in our garage area. Jamie went out yesterday looking for inspiration in paint chips and countertop samples.
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It was a full fourth of July yesterday
July 05, 2003 by Adam in Family
It was a full fourth of July yesterday. Sam and I did a bunch of yardwork yesterday, then played about most of the afternoon.
Danica, Andy, and Ben, along with my dad and Yayoe, came by for dinner last night. I haven't seen my cousin Ben since he was a kid, so it was nice to see what a neat person he's turned into. Thankfully, they entertained Sam quite well, giving Jamie and I a little break.
As for the fireworks themselves, we were all exhausted and headed to bed early. I slept through the fireworks just fine, but the neighbors blaring "Born in the USA" extremely loud, twice, prevented me from drifting into peaceful slumber. I was tempted to hobble over and shake my cane at them, yelling "knock it off you kids!"
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Colin came by to visit yesterday
July 02, 2003 by Adam in Family
Colin came by to visit yesterday. He's headed back to Germany today, so it was nice to see him one last time before he flew away. He mostly played with Sam while he was over here, making the evening go by pretty quickly. Jamie was off to yoga, so I had both kids (whew).
I've been sick the last couple days, headache and nauseous. I'm not sure what it is, as no one else seems to have it, but I'm taking it a little easy.
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We started off a bit rough yesterday morning
June 29, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We started off a bit rough yesterday morning. I hadn't gotten much sleep after watching Emma until midnight. Sam had a breakdown at breakfast, crying and yelling. Fortunately, it was all short lived and the day shaped up quite nicely.
I went over to my mom's house to help go through Dick's stuff as well as get the truck for a St. Vincent de Paul run. We're cleaning out the garage and I managed to load up my stair stepper and a set of tables and chairs. Hopefully that's one more step on the way to getting things ready for the remodel.
Sam got a bunch of Legos (see his page for details), which kept him busy most of the night. I'm hoping things start cooling off soon, as the weather has been far too hot. We have to be very diligent about watering so that our poor tomatoes don't wilt away.
No big plans for the day. I'd like to do a Costco run to get the huge amount of cereal my body requires. I think half my daily calories come from some sort of cereal product.
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The days keep moving along
June 28, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The days keep moving along. I was up until midnight last night, keeping watch over cranky Emma while Jamie got some sleep. Of course, Sam woke up around 6:30 in the morning, so it appears our kids aren't quite on the same time table yet. Gotta work on that before we both go crazy.
Sam and I went to the Amazon Pool yesterday, the first time I've been there since I was a kid. The first thing I recognized were the lockers, which I think haven't changed since my swimming lessons back in grade school. Mostly Sam wanted to ride the water slide, so we spent an an hour and twenty minutes waiting in line and ten minutes riding the thing (if that).
Jamie's getting exciting for our remodel, starting to plan such details as the countertop, paint colors, and the like. It's still months away, but should hopefully keep the dreary winter days more interesting.
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We made it back from the coast, which was mos...
June 24, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We made it back from the coast, which was mostly relaxing and occasionally stressful. The car trip there was wonderful and quiet. The car trip back was less pleasant, with much yelling and crying from the back seat (where I was crammed to keep the peace).
We did have some really fun moments. I think my favorite is when Sam and I headed down to the beach with a couple shovels. It was decided to construct a massive fortress against the incoming tide, hoping to keep the thousands of jellyfish out of a central pool. Towards the end, Sam was barking out orders, referring to me as a "fellow sergeant", and shoveling sand as fast as his little body could manage. All was lost in the end, though, as we learned the futility of fighting the sea.
It was nice having grandparents around to watch kids and Jamie and I snuck in a quiet walk on the beach while Emma slept strapped to my chest. On the way back, we visited a light house that had a ghost story attached to it. Sam was full of questions about the ghost, though he assured me that they're not real.
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And so the work week comes to a close
June 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
And so the work week comes to a close. We're off to the coast tomorrow, which should be a welcome distraction away from the work at the house. Hopefully Jamie and I can sneak in a quiet walk on the beach.
The last week has been up and down for Jamie. At times, they're both angels. Other days, it's a bit of a mad house. My respect for her grows daily. This morning, she changed seven diapers between midnight and three am. Poor woman.
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Emma's perched on my chest like a little monk...
June 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Emma's perched on my chest like a little monkey as I type this. It's a bit before work and Jamie handed her off to me so she could get a little sleep. It's been better the last few nights and Emma's been snoozing fairly well.
Last night was a bit crazy. The kitchen sink is plugged up, so I tried all my tricks and ended up spending hours trying to run a snake down to where the clog was. I never quite got it and so I gave up and asked Jamie to call a trained professional. Sigh.
It's also been crazy hot lately. Sleeping is hard. The only good thing about it is that I can ride my bike to work in short sleeves quite comfortably.
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It was a quiet Father's Day in the Miller hou...
June 16, 2003 by Adam in Family
It was a quiet Father's Day in the Miller household. I fixed breakfast for everyone on our nice china, scurrying around to get it done while keeping track of the kids. After we all sat down, Jamie made an embarrassed look and said, "Happy Father's Day". I hadn't realized it either.
We tried hard to stay indoors and away from the pollen, though by the end of the day we were all getting a little stir crazy. Sam and I went to the mall to walk around and check out all the antinque cars. He was in a pretty good mood - maybe the allergy medicine is finally paying off.
Poor Jamie isn't getting much sleep. She handed Emma over to me early this morning and I slept with her on my chest for a couple hours. That seems the best way to get her to sleep, though I'm always nervous she'll roll off with a loud thunk.
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The weekend is almost over, it has seemingly ...
June 15, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The weekend is almost over, it has seemingly gone by quickly, even though I had Friday off. Yesterday was pretty interesting, with my longtime friend Devon and his friend Lisa coming down for the day. In many ways, he was just like he was when I last saw him a decade ago. All those mannerisms stick with us for life, I guess. He and Lisa did a great job of entertaining Sam while we took care of Emma or threw together dinner. Lisa entertained us with stories about her time in Africa and the peace corps. Fascincating stuff.
Poor Sam's allergies continue to be pretty bad, and mine as well. Yesterday we walked over to my mom's house, but the allergies made his eyes hurt so badly that they teared up. We stayed for a couple minutes then headed back to the relative safety of our house. I think June will be an inside month for our family.
Emma continues to grow and become more alert. She does get fussy sometimes, though the front pack and dancing around my room with music blaring usually puts her to sleep. I think Sam and I are eager to have her start smiling at us in a more obvious way. Reinforcement of our good behavior would be nice.
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I stayed home from work today, but it still e...
June 14, 2003 by Adam in Family
I stayed home from work today, but it still ended up being quite busy. Sam and I played together for most of the day, with the occasional Emma watching between feeding times. He still has allergies pretty badly, so our trip to the park was full of eye scratching. Hopefully the Claritin will kick in soon.
We had our first contractor visit today. The plan is to put in a rec room later this year. My office is currently getting pretty packed with Sam's toys.
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The last few days have been pretty busy
June 12, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The last few days have been pretty busy. Work has been pretty crazy, just trying to keep up, especially with all the time I'm taking off. I was at home yesterday, basically entertaining Sam the entire day. I think all the excitement was a bit much for him as he ended up somewhat cranky at the end of the day.
Emma has also gotten a bit fussy lately. She'll cry for a bit before she goes to sleep in the evening. Poor Jamie was looking exhausted when I left this morning.
Tonight Jamie and I are going out to dinner while my mom and Sadie watch the kids. Hopefully Jamie won't fall face-first into her meal from sheer exhaustion.
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Sunday was pretty low-key
June 09, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Sunday was pretty low-key. Sam and I went hiking for an hour in the morning. As usual, he wanted to take all the "crazy paths" and wander through the brambles. A few times I had to firmly say no, as I suspect he would have cheerfully walked into a crocodile infested bog.
Emma was pleasant as always, with maybe a half hour of fussiness before bedtime. A stroll through the house with her dad prattling on finally got her to sleep.
Judy, Jim, Dave, and Josh all came over for dinner and croquet. Sam was immensely pleased with all the new people to play with. I'm afraid we became quite boring after we no longer wanted to play characters with him.
I did discover that he really likes my 80's "surfer dude" voice. I started reading books to him, translating the story and interjecting with phrases like "totally awesome". He liked it so much that he wants me to talk that way all the time.
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The weekend arrives, with hot days and allerg...
June 07, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The weekend arrives, with hot days and allergies in full bloom. It's also the last weekend of my paternity leave, though I'll be taking the occasional day off in the weeks ahead. Emma is looking more and more like a little baby instead of strange misshapen creature.
Jamie's doing really well for having just been through labor. All the aches and pains are slowly subsiding and she's far more mobile than a couple weeks ago. This morning we all went for a walk around the neighborhood which was quite nice.
I think Jamie's mom is coming down Sunday for a visit, otherwise we're just puttering around. I think there's a library trip in our future, then the plan is to just entertain our assorted children.
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Emma and I just got up from a little nap
June 04, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Emma and I just got up from a little nap. She didn't sleep very well last night and was up quite a bit. Though Jamie bore the brunt of her sleeplessness, I didn't get enough sleep either.
Both Sam and I have been feeling the increased pollen in the air, so we've been a bit grumpy. Jamie too Sam off for a haircut while Emma and I lay down for a nap.
No big excitement today. The week slowly rolls along.
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Last night went really well
June 03, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Last night went really well. Emma ate like a little piggy all day, then only got up once last night. We're both quite well rested and hoping this trend continues. Sam's off to school this morning and Jamie's running errands while I watch Emma. We're shooing for another fairly quiet day.
Sam and I both had runny noses yesterday when playing outside. I'm afraid we both have allergies. Jamie picked up some medicine for Sam, which seems to help some. We'll see if it continues.
The folks from Sam's preschool keep bringing over loads of food. It's pretty cool to have dinner delivered every other night. Our refrigerator is becoming quite well stocked. We'll be happy and plump parents by the end of next week.
Anna left for Africa today, so she came by for a final visit with Emma.
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June is here and we're slowly getting into th...
June 01, 2003 by Adam in Family
June is here and we're slowly getting into the routine with Emma. Yesterday was pretty quiet, mostly hanging out at the house. Josh and Ray came by for a bit and we sent them to Costco for a purchasing mission. Emma's been a little fussier than the first few days, but not by much. We've all been getting a reasonable amount of sleep, though Jamie probably needs a nap today.
Emma's great, basically a tiny creature whose sole purpose is to grow as fast as possible. She's either eating or sleeping, and occasionally glancing out at the world for a bit. Sam seems so big compared to her.
Sam and I went for a hike this morning, making it to the top of Skinner's Butte. I'm very impressed by that boy's stamina. I think it also helped that a fellow hiker played along with Sam's game, pretending she was a troll trying to chase after us. Great fun.
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We're slowly figuring out the new routine in ...
May 31, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We're slowly figuring out the new routine in the Miller-Mellor household. I had minimal Emma duty this morning, who was again pretty good last night. That girl just wants to eat and sleep and that's about it.
We went to see the pediatrician this morning. Other than a touch of jaundice, she's doing great. Judy left this afternoon as well, so we're on our own again. I have another week off of work, so Jamie won't have to deal with both kids for awhile.
In general, though, we tried to keep today fairly quiet. Sadie and Anna came by to visit, which was nice. We kept trying to get Emma to open her eyes, but she was content to sleep away. Tonight is Jenny's belated birthday, which I'm heading over to shortly.
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Emma's crashed out in her front carrier, happ...
May 29, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Emma's crashed out in her front carrier, happy to be squished and held close. For most of the day she's been eating and sleeping, which is pretty typical of babies so young. This morning, though, Sam and I played with Emma for a good while, amused by her antics.
Of course, last night she was up quite a bit. Judy took most of the brunt of it, getting Emma to sleep again. Other than that, we couldn't have wished for a more content kid.
Sam went off to the farm as part of a preschool field trip. Jamie's been missing him in a funny way, mourning the loss of Sam's "baby in the family" status. He's still doing pretty well with Emma, reasonably gentle and trying to find out the new lay of the land.
Jamie's doing well, physically and emotionally. She's much more mobile this time around, one of the advantages of a quick birth. She also seems amazingly happy, probably because the birth went so well. She also likes having helpful people around, such as her mom and I. It almost makes this a pleasant vacation for her.
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We've brought Emma home, who is happily sleep...
May 28, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We've brought Emma home, who is happily sleeping away. Jamie and I are starting to think that she might be one of those mythical "good babies" that we've heard about but never seen. She does cry, but only when there's a reason for it. She's been eating really well, sleeps nicely, and seems to have a good demeanor.
Jamie's doing quite well, happy with her newfound mobility. Though she's a bit sore, it's not nearly as bad as with Sam. The plan is to take it easy and start figuring out the new routine for our household. I'll probably take Sam hiking this afternoon and give Judy a rest break.
Sam is surprisingly excited to have Emma around. He's been sitting and playing with her since she arrived. It's a good sign of things to come.
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Emma was born this morning at 11:55 am, 8 pou...
May 27, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Emma was born this morning at 11:55 am, 8 pounds, 1 ounce. It was over very fast and mom and daughter are doing great.
Last night was a little rough, as Sam has a cold and eye infection. We were both up early, getting our things together and heading in around 6:30 this morning. Pitosin was started and we settled down for a couple boring hours of occasional contractions. Towards the end they started being very painful, so we got the anesthesiologist in for some pain relief. That hit the spot and very quickly after that Jamie began to push.
It took only three major pushes and Emma emerged into the world. It was so short compared to Sam's birth that I think we were all amazed. Jamie is much less exhausted and Emma seems to be doing really well. She's been quite hungry, happily sucking away.
I'm probably going to take it easy for the rest of the day, keeping an eye on her. Sam is still with grandma Judy. I think that everyone will soon arrive to see the new addition to the family. We're all so happy.
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Today is our last day pre-baby
May 26, 2003 by Adam in Family
Today is our last day pre-baby. Jamie's mom is coming down this afternoon and I'm hoping to see the new Matrix movie with my dad. Poor Sam has a pretty bad cold and eye infection, so he was up quite a bit last night. Jamie was too, though in part because of Emma getting painfully active until early in the morning. I'm hoping we don't all end up with colds right as the baby is born, but we'll take it as it comes.
We tried hard to not be too exciting yesterday since Sam was feeling lousy. Jamie went to Victoria's birthday party while Sam and I went to the park. I think it was good to get out of the house, as Sam seemed much energized after climbing around on the "Cheese" structure for awhile. Jamie too had a good time talking to other adults, though admittedly they mostly wanted to talk about babies.
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It's been a pretty quiet Saturday, with no ba...
May 24, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It's been a pretty quiet Saturday, with no baby in sight. I woke up early as usual, puttered around in the basement, and waited for Jamie and Sam to wake up. After a hearty breakfast, I mowed the lawns, did some weeding, and played with Sam all morning.
Around lunch we headed off to Turtles, a local restaraunt, to visit with Brant and Wendy. I hadn't seen her since Christmas, so it was nice to visit again. It's cool to see her finally reach her dream of becoming a vet.
We're mostly just waiting for time to pass until that baby arrives. Sam's mom is coming down Monday afternoon, so Sam care is covered when Jamie is induced on Tuesday. All is good.
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Work is winding down, which has been reasonab...
May 22, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Work is winding down, which has been reasonably quiet. Jamie stole me away while Sam was at school, taking me to the library to sip coffee and speak like normal adults. Sam's been a bit blabbery lately, going on about all sorts of things. Evidently he had an elaborate dream last night that involved creatures, big castles, his friend Vanessa, and Dick. I'm not even going to attempt to analyze the whole thing as I heard it in bits and pieces over the day (some when he called this morning and some from Jamie).
The weekend is right around the corner and the plan is to play it again by ear. No signs that labor is imminent, so we'll just continue on until Tuesday morning. If Monday rolls around, we'll start seriously planning for Tuesday, but it's always hard to tell how it goes. Going in at 6:30 AM on Tuesday sounds like good timing sleep-wise. Plus I think everyone will be in town, finished with boat races, and ready to have a baby.
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Still no baby yet
May 21, 2003 by Adam in Family
Still no baby yet. We had a moment of excitement yesterday when Jamie announced that she was having somewhat painful contractions. I quickly leaped into "freakout husband mode", asking all sorts of questions and checking the Internet for frequencies and what it all means. By dinner time, however, things had quieted down. So, we're all in a holding pattern again.
Our lives have been kept deliberately low-key lately. Very little of excitement has been happening these last few days. I'll keep everyone posted, I'm sure.
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It's Tuesday already, a very special day mark...
May 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It's Tuesday already, a very special day marking the series finale of Buffy tonight. I hope Jamie can hold out until at least 9 pm.
In all seriousness, nothing is imminent. We had our OB visit today and things are moving along nicely but it's really up to Emma at this point. We'll establish early if she's a stubborn little girl. Worse case scenario, we have an induction appointment for early Tuesday.
It feels good to have family back in town again. I'm sure you all had a wonderful time dilly-dallying out on the East coast, but now we've got a baby to birth so no more messing around. (BTW - happy graduation Sadie!)
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Sunday afternoon has rolled around and still ...
May 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Sunday afternoon has rolled around and still no baby on the horizon. Doing the math, it looks like we have eight days left at the most. We're just all getting anxious for things to start moving along.
Saturday was pretty quiet. Josh came over and the three of us played, watched a long movie, and generally hung out through the rainstorms.
This morning, we piled in a car with Angie to go to Mt. Pisgah. There was a wildflower sale that the womenfolk went to, while Sam and I ran down the path by the river and watched the nutria play in the pond.
Once we got home, Sam and Jamie washed the car, while I mowed the lawn. We'll probably start up a movie soon. Unless that baby decides to arrive, it looks like another uneventful day.
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It's mocha Friday and still no baby yet
May 16, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's mocha Friday and still no baby yet. I think that most of my family has left town for Sadie's graduation. If Jamie goes into labor, it'll make life a little interesting. I suppose we can always give Sam a few Legos to play with and stick him in the corner.
It's strangely quiet here at work. People are trying to make last minute changes to things and I'm warning them that I could disppear at any minute. Always fun.
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It's been a quiet week so far
May 14, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's been a quiet week so far. Jim and Judy have been down off and on, playing with Sam and watching Josh while Dave's away on a trip. Other than that, there hasn't been much excitement. Sam had a good time at the coast and returned quite bouncy.
Still no baby yet. Jamie's looking cute in her maternity clothes and her belly sticking way out.
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Dick's service yesterday was very nice as the...
May 11, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Dick's service yesterday was very nice as these sort of things go. I liked the small table with items from Dick's life: his glasses and belt, a beat up set of camping cooking pots, and of course his Leatherman. I was amazed at the turnout, saying hello to people I haven't talk to in years. Seraph and I both read small pieces, including one I had said at my grandmother's service nearly a decade ago.
The rest of the evening was wonderfully quiet, just Jamie and I reconnecting before the long baby days ahead. We watched a baudy French farce, ate pizza, and later watched the sun set swinging on the patio. It was a great moment.
Sam returns today, which is for the best, as we miss him terribly. I think we can only handle a certain amount of time in a peaceful household. Too much and we might go mad.
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It was a strangely quiet morning, with Sam aw...
May 10, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It was a strangely quiet morning, with Sam away and only Jamie and I in the house. We had a wonderful evening last night, going out to dinner for Greek food and conversation. I snuck in a bath and some reading, as well as visiting with Jamie for a long while. This is probably our last weekend together before the baby, so we're trying to make the most of it.
This morning we had a burst of energy (mine was coffee induced, Jamie's was due to her "nesting urge"). Jamie power washed the patio while I weeded in the front yard. It's been many months since we did serious gardening, and I had a great time (though I'm now exhausted).
We're also getting ready for Dick's service at 3 pm today. This is Jamie's first funeral service, so I'm not sure she knows what to expect. I assured her that it would be a Miller family affair, so there'd be much chaos, conversation, and food, as seems typical of our gatherings.
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Mocha Friday for me today, trying to wrap up ...
May 09, 2003 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday for me today, trying to wrap up things at work before the baby comes. It could be this weekend, it could be in a couple weeks. If Emma follows the same two-week-early pattern as Sam, it should be this Sunday.
Jamie's mom is wisking away Sam and Josh to the coast for a few days, leaving Jamie and I alone in the house for the first time in ages. We'll either have a baby, or have a last quiet time together, not sure which. I'd like to rent a few movies and hang out at home, as Jamie's not particularly mobile these days.
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I just found out that Dear Raed is up and pub...
May 08, 2003 by Adam in Family
I just found out that Dear Raed is up and publishing again. He's the guy from Bagdad that went off the air once the invasion started up in full force. It turns out he wrote things down over the last couple months and managed to get it all published in one big block. Very interesting perspective.
Sam and I saw X2 over the weekend. He was so good, having to wait 40 minutes as the first show was sold out. He thought it was pretty cool. Last night during dinner, he decided to put on an "X-Men" play. I got to be Wolverine with forks for claws. Sam was Cyclops, wearing his sunglasses to prevent his laser-eyes from frying our house.
He'd keep peeking out from behind them and I'd pretend that my hair was set on fire. Sam would then get upset at me, but keep doing it anyway. Anything to get his dad to run around the house yelling must be fun.
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The week goes on
May 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
The week goes on. Seraph is organizing things at an amazing rate, getting such details such as the printed program taken care of. I've been quite proud of all of my siblings.
Jamie had an OB visit today. Evidently all the things that are supposed to progress are progressing nicely. I'm leaning towards somewhere between a week and two weeks at this point, though no bets will be accepted.
One of the warning signs is that Jamie was doing the "nesting" thing last night, quizzing me on the placement and use of items in the baby room. I swear that woman wants me to be able to field strip the baby blindfolded in 30 seconds or less. Still, it was embarrassing when Sam could answer more questions right than me.
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I just got back from my mom's house
May 05, 2003 by Adam in Family
I just got back from my mom's house. The sun is setting and the walk back over the hill smelled of fresh rain and cherry blossoms. I was the first to get there in the morning and the last to leave this night. I felt like a marine.
The day was filled with food and endless people. My mom was surprised by the calls and visits not just from their friends, but from the friends of my sisters and I. All the kids she fed and housed over the years came by to pay their respects.
 It looks like next weekend will be the memorial service, Saturday I think. Seraph and my mom are going over to the funeral home tomorrow to arrange things. Anita and John are coming Tuesday and staying for a week or so. In a couple weeks, people are heading out for Sadie's graduation. Later she and Anna are driving back to my mom's house. Somewhere in there Emma will be born as well.
It's been a rollercoaster day for me. Many ups and downs. Sam wanted to play a bunch with me, as he usually does on the weekend. Jamie, though tired, put in lots of time watching him. She was very good about giving me time to spend with my mom, or just sit quietly for a time.
I can't stop thinking about how the world keeps moving forward. In a handful of days, I'll be holding my daughter. Life seems to be an endless string of hellos and goodbyes.
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Dick passed away early Sunday morning
May 04, 2003 by Adam in Family
Dick passed away early Sunday morning. My mom called and I headed over the hill to sit by her side. It is a strange thing, knowing that something would happen and then finally being there as it comes to pass. Mostly we sat on the couch drinking coffee, answering phone calls and quietly talking.
I left late morning, after Seraph, Isabell, and Yayoe had arrived. After watching Sam and giving Jamie a break, I'll probably head over again this afternoon. I don't think there's anything more my mom needs or wants. Having family around seems the most reassuring thing at the moment.
Anita and John are arriving in a day or two and staying until Sadie's graduation. Details such as the memorial service and such have yet to be sorted out.
I'll try to write more later. Sam's getting increasingly insistent that I play with him.
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Ah, sweet weekend
May 03, 2003 by Adam in Family
Ah, sweet weekend. I'm groovin' to Nikka Costa in the remaining minutes before Sam arrives after waking up. It looks to be a drizzly day, but perhaps Sam and I shall check out the opening of X2.
Poor Sam fell out of bed last night. I must be mentally preparing for the baby, as I lept out of bed with my heart pumping. It took me forever to get back to sleep.
Jamie picked up some flowers and vegitable plants at Johnson Brother's yesterday with Sam. I had a good time digging up dirt, pulling weeds, and doing some little gardening projects. Great fun.
It's slowly dawning on me that we're going to have a baby pretty darn' soon. It's like those forest fire warnings. The arrow is slowly moving towards the red "Extreme Baby Warning" zone.
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Last day of April
April 30, 2003 by Adam in Family
Last day of April. That means that baby time is approaching quickly, changing our lives forever. I'm stuck in all day training sessions at work. Basically everyone gets together to talk about what they do and how great they are. There have been a few highlights and interesting pieces of information. Still, I feel bad knowing that work is piling up - I was checking e-mail at 5:30 this morning. Fortunately most of the people that give me work are at this meeting too.
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I'm beat
April 28, 2003 by Adam in Family
I'm beat. It's the end of a long weekend of hiking and family events. Jamie's in the process of tucking Sam to bed and I may just sneak down for a nap myself.
This Sunday seemed long, but nothing particularly exciting happened. We had our usual hearty breakfast, played a bit, then headed to my mom's to assemble an impromptu tent for the Easter celebration later that night. The afternoon was spent trying to entertain Sam in various ways. Around 4:30, we packed up, headed to a packed Easter celebration, then came home to collapse. Work tomorrow seems almost relaxing.
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We had a great Saturday, though somewhat exha...
April 27, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We had a great Saturday, though somewhat exhausting. It was sunny for the first time in days, so Sam and I decided to hike Mount Pisgah. It was quite the experience, with blustering winds and steep trails, but we managed to make it to the top. Sam made me use my "crazy old man" voice, where I had to make our trip sound like an exciting adventure out of the Lord of the Rings.
When we got home, I collapsed while Sam seemed to be going strong. Jamie took him to Red Robin to meet with Grandpa Ray and Uncle Darrel. Sam got a Nike running outfit from the experience, which he put on, wore to bed, and continues to wear this morning.
Today is the big Easter dinner at my mom and Dick's house. We're heading over early to set up a gazebo and say hello. Jamie wanted to walk over the hill with us, in a burst of energy atypical of her usual very pregnant self.
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The week is slowly ending
April 24, 2003 by Adam in Family
The week is slowly ending. It has been long and dreary, with lots of things at work keeping me busy. Jamie arrived at work today with a bagel and flower for me, as work has been fairly stressful as of late. Fortunately, the major issues with the weekend upgrade are over and I've taken care of my most pressing projects.
Life at home has been fairly uneventful. We're just counting the days until Emma arrives. It looks like there will be a big Russian Orthodox Easter gathering at my mom's house this weekend. Also, it seems as if Jamie's mom will be taking Sam and Josh over a weekend in mid-May. The theory is that Jamie would have the baby then, but I'm thinking that Emma may be on her own schedule.
I tweaked the web server a bit, in hopes of minimizing the issues with not being able to connect. We'll see how it goes.
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It's been quite the busy weekend so far, as s...
April 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It's been quite the busy weekend so far, as suspected. Yesterday morning began with our typical hearty breakfast, then I was up on the roof sprinkling moss killer. Jamie and Sam dutifully watched from safety, ready to call 911 or laugh at my antics, whichever seemed appropriate. Next was Easter eggs, which we got very creative with. I think I'll demand that Jamie prepare more next time around, as the measly three that we each get just seems too little. I suppose she's trying to minimize the number we'll have to eat later, but it's the spirit of the thing.
After a short snack and a trip to the park with Sam, we headed over to my dad and Yayoe's house for a big family gathering. The food was excellent and everyone seemed to have a good time chatting it up. By the time we made it home, exhaustion had struck and I retreated to a bath and read Discover magazine. The evening was fairly low-key, playing with Sam a little, finishing the laundry, and getting ready for the server upgrade.
Today should be a bit quieter, hopefully. The server upgrade seems to be working just fine so far. We're hosting a tea party this afternoon, in part to get rid of all the eggs. I expect mass quantities of egg salad sandwiches.
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It's a Mocha Friday here at work
April 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's a Mocha Friday here at work. I'm hoping it's not too nutty today, as the weekend promises to be quite busy. Saturday is the combined Easter/Christmas/Hanukah gathering at my dad and Yayoe's house. Later that night I start the server upgrade and finish up Sunday morning. With luck, it will go smoothly and only require a couple hours of hands-on work altogether.
Sadie came over last night, which was wonderful. I do miss that girl. It's amazing that she's about to graduate from college, as I still remember her as a kid, wandering down to my bedroom to wish me goodnight.
Jamie is exceedingly pregnant these days. I spent a long while last night just feeling all the kicks and bumps that Emma makes throughout the day. Poor Jamie has a hard time sleeping with all the rumblings and tumblings in her belly.
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The week has slowly meandered along
April 15, 2003 by Adam in Family
The week has slowly meandered along. Work has quieted down a bit. Hopefully it's not the calm before the storm, as I have a server upgrade and many family events this weekend.
Emma's room is looking fairly finished. Jamie and Sam packed a hospital bag. I've still got to gather up all my various cameras and such as my role of official documenter. Jamie also assured me that she would be spending as much time in the hospital as they'd let her, while Sam and I went home. I think last time I wanted to go home early, as the hospital noise kept me up all night. Still, I figure I should bring along a toothbrush just in case.
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A wonderful weekend began this morning
April 13, 2003 by Adam in Family
 A wonderful weekend began this morning. I wandered upstairs to crawl into bed with Sam and Jamie. Poor Sam's had a sniffly nose today, though it hasn't dampened his spirits much. Jamie made a hearty breakfast while Sam and I constructed lightsabres and had exciting battles in the living room until it was time to eat.
Later on, Sam and I went over to mom and Dick's while Jamie did some shopping. Seraph, Robbie, and Jenny arrived with kids in tow, so it was quite the meeting of cousins. Other than a little refereeing, they all got along fairly well. Mom and Dick seemed in good spirits and I got to be useful by fixing a printer. After loading us up with cookies and cranberry bread, we treked across the hill to return home.
Jamie had picked up the latest Harry Potter DVD as I requested, so we watched the whole thing, Sam glued to the television. Next was a lengthy game of tag outdoors during a break in the rain, dinner, and now we find ourselves towards the end of the day. Sam's being good and playing Legos by himself as I type.
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For the beginning of a work week, things have...
April 09, 2003 by Adam in Family
For the beginning of a work week, things have actually gone along quite well. Sam and Jamie both seem to be in a good mood, perhaps because the weather has been nice and they've been playing outside more. Jamie got a new pajama top that Sam adores, and has forced her to wear for the last three days. He's also become enamored with the way she looks with a ponytail, so he'll wake up and get a rubber band for her. Last night, he wanted to make sure I put on cool looking shorts. I think we have the makings of a fashion designer.
Last night Jamie made a lovely dinner and I actually had the energy to play Sam's pretend games. We threw up his play tent (the best $10 I've ever spent) and had various catastrophes strike while we went camping. Then there was a battle and I got a robot hand, which somehow had a life of its own. In Dr. Strangelove fashion, it would try to wrestle or tickle Sam while the rest of my body frantically tried to stop it. Ah, the joys of four-year-old games.
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The weather was wonderful Sunday and Jim and ...
April 07, 2003 by Adam in Family
The weather was wonderful Sunday and Jim and Judy came down from Portland to wisk Sam away for a fun-filled day. He rode his bike, played with Josh and Dave, then ended up going to see Spirited Away, returning quite late.
Jamie and I tried to have a day on the town together. We had lunch at 5th Street Market, lounged about the library, and went to the ballet. It was actually better than I thought - very elegant choreography. Unfortunately Jamie started to get very uncomfortable sitting still, so we left at the intermission.
It was strange being alone in the house without the boy. I read a bit and puttered around, not quite sure what to do with myself. When he returned, our home descended into the typical chaos as Sam chatted and whirled about.
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For a dreary Saturday, it wasn't too bad
April 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
 For a dreary Saturday, it wasn't too bad. After three cups of coffee, I got a tremendous amount of things done in the morning, packaging up the taxes and putting in new shelves for Jamie. Sam and I played Star Wars yet again, then I tried to get him outside for a hike. For some reason, he seemed tired and whiny, so we ended up renting movies instead. Jamie seemed to enjoy her day "off", resting up and reading a bit.
It's technically 8 am, though our sleepy brains are still saying it's the pre-daylight savings 7 am. We tried to get Sam to bed early last night, but only managed to shift it about a half hour.
I don't think we have a good plan for the day. I really want to get the boy outside and work out some of his pent up energy. We'll see how it goes.
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It's a mocha Friday and all seems good somehow
April 04, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's a mocha Friday and all seems good somehow. Dinner with Jamie was pleasant - an entire hour of adult conversation without interruptions. I'm hoping to get boring things done this weekend. The taxes need to be mailed out, moss removal should be spread on the roof, and so on. I'm looking forward to dinner with my mom tonight. Jamie's mom and Jim are coming down Sunday to play with Sam and let us go to the ballet. So classy.
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It's been fairly quiet the last few days
April 02, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's been fairly quiet the last few days. Jamie arranged for a babysitter for Sam tonight, so we'll actually get to go out on a date. It seems as if it's been a long time since Jamie and I had some quiet moments to ourself. Should be nice.
We had another OB visit yesterday. Emma's doing fine. Our doctor thought she was currently breach, but then she followed it up by saying that there was a study that showed that doctors were wrong about it a third of the time. It's not really a big deal unless she decides not to turn around for the actual birth part.
Josh is back in town, which makes Sam immensely happy. When I arrived from work, Jamie was taking a bath and he and Sam were pretending to be spies. It's a good thing Josh is so patient.
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A very pleasant weekend has come and gone
March 31, 2003 by Adam in Family
A very pleasant weekend has come and gone. Sunday was beautiful, with Sam and I going for a hike at Hendrick's Park. The flowers were in bloom and we ran along the paths like maniacs. Later on, Jamie, Sam, Josh, and I all went to see the Two Towers in the theater. Amazingly, Sam watched the entire thing without any breaks. That's tough even for me at times. Of course he thought it was a great movie and even Jamie seemed to like it.
I'm not sure what the week ahead holds. Hopefully I can package up the taxes and get them out the door. We have a doctor's appointment Wednesday. I'm starting to feel that we're going to be having a baby sooner than we think.
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We got a lot done yesterday
March 30, 2003 by Adam in Family
 We got a lot done yesterday. I woke up, had a short time to myself, then Sam came down at the crack of dawn. We played about until Jamie made us breakfast and I expressed my frustration and the long list of things I had to do. Somehow we managed to wash our cars, do all the laundry, finish our taxes, power wash the driveway, clean my bathroom, mow the lawns, go food shopping, and have Dave, Kirsten, and Josh over for dinner. Whew!
Sam really loved having Josh over again, especially as he'd been gone for a week. Josh is slowly moving into the "I'm too old to play with a four-year-old" phase, but Sam still thinks he's the best cousin ever. Today we're all headed for the Two Towers in the theaters if the weather is marginal as promised. Even Jamie is going, as long as I get her popcorn. Personally I think that she's there for Aragorn.
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It's Saturday morning in the Miller household...
March 29, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's Saturday morning in the Miller household, quiet and peaceful before Jamie and Sam awake. We went over to have dinner with mom and Dick yesterday, who were both looking quite tan from their trip to Belize. They brought back all sorts of goodies, including a t-shirt with a skeletal pirate for me. Sam insisted that I put it on immediately, as well as wear it the next day.
No exciting plans for the weekend. Jamie offered up "washing her car" as a fun-filled family activity, but that seems a bit of a stretch. Perhaps I can get to some of the projects that have been waiting around.
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Jamie passed out this morning while on the ph...
March 26, 2003 by Adam in Family
Jamie passed out this morning while on the phone with Seraph. She started to feel dizzy while sitting at the table and calmly announced that she was going to pass out. The next thing she knew the phone was somewhere under her chair, still connected to a freaked out Seraph. When she relayed the story, I made her promise to call her doctor. It's not that surprising - she has low blood pressure and similar issues when she was pregnant with Sam and earlier with this pregnancy. Still, this is the first time she's lost consciousness, which is not something encouraging.
Dick visited the doctor this morning, getting somewhat good news. He's more comfortable than he was, so hopefully those two days on his back at the hospital have helped. Also, the progression of the cancer isn't as rapid as feared, so it looks like he'll have time to go back to Chicago.
It's been mostly rainy the last couple days, so there's been lots of staying at home and watching movies. Yesterday Jamie called, bored and immobile on a rainy day with a four-year-old. I asked around work for advice and the best answer I got was "rub her feet." So, I went home early and washed her feet and rubbed them. It helped some.
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Mom and Dick return home today, if all is well
March 25, 2003 by Adam in Family
Mom and Dick return home today, if all is well. I've been hearing from Seraph and Sadie, who are also back in their respective abodes.
Jamie's extremely pregnant and still sick, but doing better as each day passes. She discovered Afrin, which is evidently safe for women over 12 weeks pregnant. I think it's the only way she's been able to sleep the last few nights. It was sadly funny trying to watch her eat dinner last night. Her lungs are squished up, so she's not able to breathe well, plus her nose is plugged up. So, she'll take a few deep breaths, eat a small bite, then catch her breath again. Poor woman. I think she's very much looking forward to giving birth and getting her body back.
Sam's the one who's been exceptionally friendly and pleasant the last few days, even with two sick parents. His sense of humor is also top-notch. He was watching Raiders of the Lost Ark and I was trying to explain that one of the characters was an evil archeologist and Sam replied, "I guess that makes him an arche-evil-ologist." Not bad for a four-year-old.
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Another weekend draws to a close
March 24, 2003 by Adam in Family
Another weekend draws to a close. I'm off to work in a few minutes, my stuffy nose not enough to keep me away.
I haven't been able to keep away from news of the war. On a positive note, Salam seems to be posting again, after a two day absence. He's in Bagdad, so that's about as eyewitness as it gets. I've also been reading the agonist daily, and sometimes even opening up a window on my computer with tv and have that going in the background. Crazy times.
Seraph and Robbie are back in the states, with mom and Dick returning Tuesday. I think Sadie's gone back to school, then coming back again. I'm not sure how that's all going to work.
On the homefront, things have been fairly quiet. We did a little gardening yesterday, pulling weeds and generally cleaning up. Jamie and I were still pretty sick, so poor Sam was stuck with boring parents. He's a great kid, though, and kept a stiff upper lip. Last night, I let him read Dr. Seuss's Fox in Socks book, which he was really excited about. We slowly made it through the first few pages, carefully sounding out words. He was so excited, but it was late and the book got increasingly more difficult. Time to get new reading books for Sam.
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Everyone's feeling a bit better today
March 22, 2003 by Adam in Family
Everyone's feeling a bit better today. I think all the headaches are under control and now we're merely stuffed up and tired. Sam and I played a bunch this morning, including some Neverwinter Nights. After lunch, we we hiking out in the woods.
It's been raining off and on the last few days, so everything is really muddy. Sam's latest favorite thing is going off the trails and hiking through the undergrowth. It's a bit crazy, sliding through the mud and climbing over logs and such. Still, he had a good time, though I did make him strip down and put on clean clothes one we got home.
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What a crazy day
March 22, 2003 by Adam in Family
What a crazy day. I'm sick. Really sick. I went to the doctor this morning and remembered the time wrong, so I showed up an hour early, getting increasingly frustrated as the minutes ticked by. After that got straightened out, it wasn't so bad. They gave me a chest x-ray, which I felt was a bit much, but they get a little worried about a recurring cough. Personally, I just think it's a new one. The joys of living with a disease vector named Sam.
I've been spending a lot of time looking at www.agonist.com, which is updated incredibly frequently. The guy takes very short breaks for eating and sleeping, but that's about it.
Jamie's really sick too, sporting a fever at the moment. She went to her baby checkup and all was good, but the doctor said she'd probably be sick for a week like everyone else.
Sam has somehow escaped it all. I picked up three movies at Flicks and Picks, hoping to entertain him for the weekend and Jamie and I blah about. Ah well, now he's calling me, wanting to reinact scenes from the movie. Best wishes to all.
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Here's another link for you:
an Israeli's mo...
March 21, 2003 by Adam in Family
Here's another link for you:
an Israeli's mother's blog
I'm fascinated by Salam from Dear Raed below. This site seems to be getting linked to from all sorts of places, some questioning whether or not he's real. He updated again this morning - worried about the reports of B52 bombers flying towards Iraq.
The general news seems to be a bit one-sided and just plain odd at times. The informal Blogs seem far more interesting to me, though some are way too militaristic for me. I prefer the personal approaches, people reporting what they experience without too much commentary as to right and wrong.
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For those of you who were interested in war n...
March 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
For those of you who were interested in war news, I thought I'd collect some sources that you might not run across otherwise:
dear_raed.blogspot.com, a Bagdad resident's blog
BBC reporters' blog. Interesting stuff.
www.agonist.org, a blog that summarizes news. Updates regularly.
Washington Post
On the home front, I had tea with Jamie this morning. She's got the pregnant woman glow, though getting around is a bit exciting. My cough has returned. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.
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I misses St
March 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
I misses St. Patrick's day somewhere along the way, completley forgetting to wear green. I had to explain to Sam that my lack of color wasn't an excuse for him to pinch tiny bruises across my body. Work was a bit easier. I explained to a coworker that while I could pinch him for not wearing green, I'd probably be sued for sexual harrassment.
No exciting news other than that. Sam was all smiles and giggles last night for some reason. He was being sweet and funny, which is always nice.
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The weekend is coming to a close
March 17, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The weekend is coming to a close. I'm not quite sure where it all went, though we did accomplish a few things along the way.
Saturday was project day, including replacing the wax rings in two of the upstairs toilets. Any day where I can claim to have siphoned out toilet water is a memorable day for me! Jamie got Sam's new car seat in place and put up a magnetic knife rack. We also climbed over the hill to take care of some things at mom and Dick's house. Later that night, I went to Jason's 30th birthday party.
I brought Sam along, his first surprise party. It was BYOB, which translates in this case to Bring Your Own Baby. Rachel and Gabe were there with their two girls and Caleb and his wife were there with their new baby. All but one of Jason's friends had their offspring in tow. Must be that time in one's life.
Sam and I also played lots of Neverwinter Nights on Saturday, as I was completely sick of Star Wars. He had a great time, fighting off evil goblins with his massive Fighter as I meekly followed around occasionally healing him. I haven't had that much fun playing a computer game in awhile and Sam did surprisingly well.
 Today was more low key, trying to get things done as well as keeping Sam entertained. Sam and I did a really long hike at Hendrick's park while Jamie visited with Angie. We took a few crazy paths through the forest, at one point rappelling down a short cliff using a small tree as an impromptu rope. Sam thought it was the coolest thing ever. At one point, it began to pour down rain and Sam began to sing, "It's raining, it's pouring!" Great fun.
So, at the close of this Sunday, Jamie and I are pretty wiped out. The tax software is twitchy and I'm not sure I did my federal taxes right. Sam's winding down for bedtime. Another work week begins tomorrow. Such are the joys and hardships of life.
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And so another week comes to a close
March 14, 2003 by Adam in Family
And so another week comes to a close. I just noticed that my mom posted from Belize. Gotta love this Internet thingie. Glad they're all doing well.
I'm not sure if we have any big plans for the weekend. I'm hoping to unwind a bit, as the last week has been extraordinarily stressful. I have a birthday party Saturday night which should be fun. Other than that, there are assorted house projects that I'd like to start in on. New wax rings for the toilets. Yippie.
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Just a quick update
March 12, 2003 by Adam in Family
Just a quick update. I visited with Dick this morning and they released him from the hospital around 9 o'clock. He was looking better and seemed fairly comfortable, so it looks like the procedure was a success from that standpoint. They had a doctor's appointment afterwards, so I let him change and shower and my mom picked him up.
A few minutes ago, I got a call from my mom. They're at the doctor's office and he thinks they'll be able to go on their Belize trip. Seraph is taking extraordinary measures to get passports figured out. Mom said they were in Seattle trying to get hers renewed and get a new one for Isabell. Hopefully it call all be straightened out and they can have a good trip.
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For all the things going on, it was actually ...
March 12, 2003 by Adam in Family
For all the things going on, it was actually a fairly quiet day for me yesterday. I ran back and forth to the hospital visiting with Dick and trying to stay on top of work. In many ways, he seemed his normal self. I stopped by a final time before I headed home and he had finished up with his last procedure. Supposedly he gets to go home this morning and I may try to stop by before he's released.
Not much news beyond that. I have a birthday party for a friend that I'm going to on Saturday. Jamie's going to let me be a big person and go without Sam. Jamie is feeling quite pregnant as usual. I was feeling Emma kick up a storm last night.
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Poor Dick spent most of the day flat on his b...
March 11, 2003 by Adam in Family
Poor Dick spent most of the day flat on his back in the hospital, waiting for them to begin their procedure. He and my mom came in at 7:30 to get ready, but they didn't actually start until around four in the afternoon. Seraph, Marsha, and I all wandered in and out of his room, telling old stories and generally making a nusance of ourselves. People at work have been quite understanding and so I spent quite a bit of time running back and forth across the alleyway to see everyone.
The good news is that the procedure seemed to go well and his jaundice should improve. There's a second one tomorrow, so he's staying in the hospital tonight. So far, things seem to be going well. My mom is thinking they can still go to Belize, and head through Chicago to see Dick's family on the way back. They're taking it day by day, though, so we'll see how it goes.
Sadie has arranged to be here for this next term and still graduate in May. Evidently she can use her IB credit and do some project classes to get it all worked out. I think the current thought is to visit Belize with everyone, spend another week or so at school, then return to Eugene.
So, thing seem to be going as best they can. I'll try to keep everyone updated.
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Another fairly full day
March 10, 2003 by Adam in Family
Another fairly full day. After a morning of playing with Sam and hooking up a new exterior light, I headed over to brunch at my mom and Dick's house. The whole crew was there and it was a bit of a madhouse. Sam and Jamie steered clear, going to her brother's so that Sam and Josh could play together. It was nice to get the whole family together. It seemed like we spent huge amounts of time cleaning, cooking, eating, and chasing kids around. All-in-all, a fairly typical Wielesek gathering.
By the time I left, friends were coming in. Steve came to visit and by the time Jamie, Sam and I returned for dinner, he was still there, a number of beer bottles lined up against the wall. We brought over Thai food that was far too good, as well as more of Jamie's crumb cake that I made her promise not to make again. It was another of Jamie's creations that was extremely delicious. By the time we left, Ilona was coming in.
I asked my mom if we were tiring them out, but she assured me that having everyone around helped. Sam especially likes to play with Dick, but I do worry that he exhausts everyone. Heck, Sam exhausts me and I'm supposedly used to him.
Dick's going in for a procedure tomorrow morning that should hopefully make the jaundice better. It's a two-parter, so he may go back later that day or perhaps Tuesday. I'll be going to work as normal, then my mom's supposed to call. I'll let everyone know how it goes.
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Jamie was off at the play today, and is going...
March 09, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Jamie was off at the play today, and is going to a concert with friends tonight. That means that I got to watch Sam for most of the day. This morning we ended up playing quite a bit, with Legos, toys, as well as dancing about for awhile. After lunch we headed over to my mom's house.
Sam spent a huge amount of time entertaining and being entertained by my mom and Dick. Dick was performing chemistry experiments for Sam, doing pH tests of various substances around the house. There was also a lengthy chess game as well as checkers. Sam was having such a good time that he preferred to play with them rather than go to the play.
I talked more with mom about everyone's plans. Dick goes in on Monday for a procedure that should take care of the jaundice. Hopefully that'll make him more comfortable. If it goes well, they're thinking about continuing on their trip to Belize, which leaves Wednesday. If not, they'll stay in Eugene.
We're all hoping for the best, wishing that things go as well as can be.
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Things are very serious with Dick
March 08, 2003 by Adam in Family
Things are very serious with Dick. It turns out that he has a form of cancer that is inoperable and he has only a few weeks to live. It seems so unreal typing those words. He may go back in to the hospital again to have a different procedure done to deal with his jaundice. The trip to Belize is up in the air, and depends in part on when the procedure can be scheduled.
Sam and I are heading over to their house. We've been trying to reach Sadie, but haven't been able to yet. I'll try to update everyone later.
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Okay, I lied about my cough
March 07, 2003 by Adam in Family
Okay, I lied about my cough. It's still annoying me. This morning I coughed up a little blood, so I think I get to go to the doctor today. My guess is that I have a bacterial infection, just like Sam had. I'll probably be popping antibiotics by the end of the day. Yippie.
Yesterday was fairly busy at work, but quiet at home. Sam and I did our usual puttering around. He decided that he wasn't taking a bath, but instead was going "swimming." He put on his swimming suit and made me be the lifeguard.
Sam's also getting quite helpful around the house. He actually got out the vaccuum cleaner from the closet, pushed it into the kitchen, and helped clean up the crumbs from his messy eating. There's hope for that boy yet.
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My cough is slowly getting better, though I'm...
March 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
My cough is slowly getting better, though I'm probably still driving my co-workers nuts with my hacking. Jamie's doing fairly well, though she's still tired most of the time. When I came home from work yesterday, she was crashed out on the couch while Sam and Josh played downstairs.
Sam and I hiked over the hill to visit mom and Dick last night. The adventure over was uneventful, except when Sam's pants fell down while running downhill. Tying drawstrings isn't a skill he has mastered quite yet. Mom and Dick seemed in fairly good spirits, though worried of course. On our way out the door, my mom handed us the book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which we read to Sam that night.
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I managed to make it through a night without ...
March 05, 2003 by Adam in Family
I managed to make it through a night without cough syrup. I still woke up coughing, but made it back to sleep okay. It's been nice having Sam and Jamie back home again. Jamie seemed really wiped out last night, probably due to being six months pregnant.
I got a call yesterday at work from Sam announcing that his bathroom had flooded. I tried to get more details out of him. When I asked him if it were a "big emergency" or a "little emergency", he picked the little one so I didn't worry too much. He called later to let me know it was okay. Jamie informed me later that he was being overzealous with toilet paper use.
We're all fretting about Dick, hoping he's doing okay.
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I'm back at work, still coughing but hanging ...
March 03, 2003 by Adam in Family
 I'm back at work, still coughing but hanging in there. Jamie called this morning to say hello. It looks like they'll head back home today and the house won't be quite so quiet.
I got a fair amount of work done on Sunday, doing laundry, taxes, and mowing the lawn. I'm not sure I really did my taxes right - it looks like I'll be getting a big return, but I'm not sure I believe it.
I also headed over to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday. It was quite the turnout and I ended up chatting with everyone until late this afternoon. I can't believe how long it's been since I checked in with everyone. Seraph is slowly looking for a new job. Destin is doing very well in school. Jordan's scars are healing up nicely. Isabell has become quite chatty. Ah, the joys of a big family.
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Jamie and Sam made it safe and sound to the c...
March 02, 2003 by Adam in Family
Jamie and Sam made it safe and sound to the coast today. I'm still coughing and trying to take it easy, though I'm not necessarily succeeding. While the two of them were driving west, I did my Costco and food shopping, managing to spend over two hundred dollars. At least we have enough apple sauce and refried beans to last through next winter.
Sam and I spent most of the morning together while Jamie was helping out at the play. It was pretty tough as my throat hurt. I had to periodically go through a self-imposed ten minutes of silence, communicating with Sam through hand gestures and silly expressions. Around eleven we walked down to the preschool and watched the play. I'd rate it as unpretentious though lacking a certain je ne sais quoi. Well, back to folding clothes for me.
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Another Friday winding down
February 28, 2003 by Adam in Family
Another Friday winding down. My cough is pretty bad today. My cubicle neighbors are commenting on it. They haven't threatened to take me out back and shoot me, but it's close. I got very little sleep last night and the cough syrup makes me loopy. Sigh.
Tomorrow Jamie's working at the preschool play while I take care of Sam. I was hoping I could coordinate with everyone on a time to go. I was thinking 11 am, but we'll see how tomorrow goes. Saturday after the last show they head out to the coast, leaving me with dirty laundry and taxes. Yippie.
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Sam seems to be doing better
February 27, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Sam seems to be doing better. He's been well medicated, which apparently has done the trick. He has been very tired, however, going to bed at seven last night.
It turns out Kate Sturdavant is working for PeaceHealth these days. She's living in Portland with her husband and dog, telecommuting and driving down to Eugene on occasion. It was very strange to have her instantly appear in my cubicle.
I also ran across this website that lists people who went to my high school. One of my old friends that I lost touch with is there. I think I'll drop him an e-mail.
Update: He e-mailed back and Devon is indeed alive and well. It turns out he's working as a programmer in Bellingham, which is also one of the places where PeaceHealth has a hospital. I may end up visiting him one of these days. He also a a tiny website that you can see here.
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Poor Sam woke up last night crying
February 25, 2003 by Adam in Family
Poor Sam woke up last night crying. It took awhile before we could settle him down and have him tell us that his ear hurt. We pumped him full of Tylenol and Jamie took him to the doctor's in the morning. Evidently he has an ear infection and an upper respiratory tract infection. So, we're loaded up with medicine for him to take over the next few days.
I'm feeling a bit under the weather as well, with a sort throat and cough. I may end up heading home early just to take it easy.
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The weekend seemed to go so quickly, yet it's...
February 24, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The weekend seemed to go so quickly, yet it's hard to think about exactly what all happened. We ran into Seraph, Robbie, and Isabell at the library Saturday morning. We all listened to music time and got some new library books. Later on, we ran around in the park, but in general it was a pretty quiet day. Sam and I have been sniffly, so we've been taking it really easy.
Today was Dave's birthday, so we went over to his semi-surprise party. Josh was there, so he and Sam had a good time. This afternoon I broke out the new power washer and cleaned up the patio. Gobs of fun.
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Jamie and Sam showed up at work yesterday, co...
February 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
Jamie and Sam showed up at work yesterday, completely surprising me. Evidently Jamie was at the end of her ropes, so I went home with them and watched Sam for the rest of the day. He's been pretty sick this last week, though being cooped up is no fun at all.
We also watched half of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which is wonderful. I'm glad my family isn't quite that crazy, though I'm sure there were elements in it that were familiar to all of us.
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The work week has started once again
February 18, 2003 by Adam in Family
 The work week has started once again. Sunday was fairly quiet, with the exception of a small birthday dinner for Dick. Sam has a cold, so we mostly hung out at the house. Monday night had Jamie and Angie going hot tubbing, with the water temperature turned down the day before to accomodate Jamie's "delicate state". Sam and I did our usual playing with Legos and bathtime fun.
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Sam went off with my mom and Dick yesterday m...
February 16, 2003 by Adam in Family
Sam went off with my mom and Dick yesterday morning, taking Sam to the fairgrounds where people were having historical reinactments of clothing, weapons, tools, and such. He seemed to really enjoy it and it gave Jamie and I a chance to visit.
We also exchanged Valentine's Day presents, finding ourselves with the reverse of traditional roles. I got the bubble bath and mints, while Jamie got the power washer. Strangely, we both really liked our presents, so it probably speaks volumes of us.
No plans for today. Perhaps a library trip or picking up baby things from Jenny. We'll see how it goes.
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Happy Valentine's day to all
February 14, 2003 by Adam in Family
Happy Valentine's day to all. I left a little note for Jamie and Sam, and have a special present for later. No hints here, as Jamie might read this site before tonight.
The week has been fairly quiet, with a couple days of all-day meetings for me. I had one late night with my coworkers, and barely got back in time to tuck in Sam. Jamie seems in good spirits, going swimming with Victoria yesterday morning. The weekend approaches soon. Mom and Dick are watching Sam for a couple hours tomorrow, so Jamie and I will probably have a belated Valentine's Day.
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Back to work
February 10, 2003 by Adam in Family
Back to work. Jamie made it home safe and sound yesterday, feeling revitalized from her little trip away. Sam is still sniffly but appears in good spirits. I even see a touch of blue outside my window today.
I heard through the grapevine that Jordan burned himself by pulling down a cup of coffee. Jenny rushed him to the ER, but it looks like he'll be okay. Life sometimes gets far more exciting than we want it to be.
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Sam and I had a full day yesterday
February 09, 2003 by Adam in Family
Sam and I had a full day yesterday. We started with a launch in the park of Sam's vinegar and baking soda powered rocket. Next it was off to the library for books, music time, and an unexpected run-in with Seraph, Robbie, and Isabell. We swung by the movie store then returned home for lunch, a movie, then a shopping trip for Valentine's Day. Whew!
Unfortunately, Sam seems to have a bit of a cold. He woke up this morning coughing and sniffling. So, we're hanging out today, watching Watership Down at the moment. Jamie's coming home at some point, though I'm not sure exactly when. We'll probably just take it easy today.
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It's another mocha Friday
February 07, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's another mocha Friday. Got a third job offer from my work with Neverwinter Nights that you can read about on my gaming page. I turned it down, but it is flattering.
Sam and I are bachelors this weekend. Jamie takes off tonight for the coast. We'll probably watch some movies, hike about, and play a little on the computer. I don't really have a gameplan, so we'll see how it goes.
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I was happy last night
February 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
I was happy last night. For no particular reason, everyone seemed in good spirits and our home was full of laughter. There were high points - Sam pretending his hands were motorcycles, racing around the bed buck naked and trying to pronounce "turbo". The whole evening was like that, endless little funny things one after the other.
Jamie's going to the beach with Victoria this weekend. That means Sam and I get a "guys weekend" to ourselves. Sam had a great suggestion of something nice to do for Jamie as a surprise. It was a pretty cool idea, whispered in my ear at dinner. I won't spoil it in case she reads this.
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A little excitement yesterday morning
February 04, 2003 by Adam in Family
A little excitement yesterday morning. Jamie called here at work feeling lightheaded and sick to her stomach. I rushed home to make sure she was okay and all was well. Fortunately, it all was. She had a similar thing happen during the last pregnancy and laying down for a few minutes helped out considerably. I took Sam to get movies for them to watch that day, and some Ben & Jerry's ice cream for Jamie.
Last night, I took Sam on a "park in the dark" run. He went straight for a big mud puddle, made by people driving around the grass and digging up big troughs. He splashed around, getting extremely wet, dirty, and cold. I think he had fun until the cold set in, then we walked home talking about frostbite and gangrine. Sam piped in that he hoped he didn't get "tangerine."
Bad headache here at work today. I'm letting my third Advil try to do its thing. If not, I may head home early.
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Another weekend over
February 03, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Another weekend over. I'm trying to remember exactly what happened over those 48 hours, but nothing's coming to mind. My mom watched Sam for a couple hours on Saturday. Sam and I hung out a lot, going to Destin's birthday party with the rest of the world. On Sunday, we walked to the library and picked up some new books.
No important projects were completed this weekend. We didn't take any trips. Just generally quiet and pleasant.
Jamie's going off next weekend to the coast with a friend of hers. I'll have to think of something interesting to do with Sam while she's away.
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The week continues, fairly uneventful
January 28, 2003 by Adam in Family
The week continues, fairly uneventful. The big excitement of yesterday was the arrival of our new dishwasher. Sam was evidently entranced with the experience, asking the installation guy lots of questions about what he was doing.
I'm still a little sick, mostly sniffles at this point. There's a beautiful sunrise out my work window and all is quiet before everyone fills their cubicles.
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Well, I only got four hours of sleep for some...
January 27, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Well, I only got four hours of sleep for some bizarre reason. Probably related to my mild week-long illness. The sniffles started this afternoon.
The only thing of any great importance was heading over to Seraph and Robbie's for Isabell's birthday party. It was nice to see everyone as it seems as if we've been more reclusive than normal these last few weeks. Sam had a good time playing with Isabell's train, and we also brought back our old changing table for Emma.
Emma is apparently getting pretty active. You can start to see the kicking. Jamie was taking a bath and you could see the tiny ripples in the water whenever she kicked.
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For some reason, I'm exhausted tonight
January 26, 2003 by Adam in Family
 For some reason, I'm exhausted tonight. Perhaps it was the two-hour hike with Sam up Spencer's Butte. Maybe it was an afternoon of playing with a four-year-old. Or the assorted housework and cooking. This must be what it's like to be a mom.
Jamie went off to visit friends this morning while I took Sam about. I got some time to work on my game a bit this morning, having fun making traps and such. Tonight I hope to finish up more laundry and exercise while watching Cowboy Bebop, my latest favorite show.
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I've been sick off and on the last few days, ...
January 23, 2003 by Adam in Family
I've been sick off and on the last few days, sleeping poorly and with a pained stomach. Fortunately both Jamie and Sam seem to be fine. Sam just called me at work and they're off to ride bikes on the river path while the weather is good.
I haven't thought as far as the weekend. I keep wanting to head up and play in the snow, but it may still be too warm.
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It was a fairly pleasant weekend at the Mille...
January 20, 2003 by Adam in Family
It was a fairly pleasant weekend at the Miller house. We sent Sam of to play with Dick in the morning, and he wanted to stay there all day and keep playing. Jamie and I had a great morning, watching The Importance of Being Earnest and lounging about. We went our separate ways, then came back for a taco dinner that I put together. And now it's back to work . . .
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Whew! Quite the exhausting day - up early, t...
January 19, 2003 by Adam in Family
 Whew! Quite the exhausting day - up early, then off hiking with Sam at Ridgeline trail. I hit the new library which is still cool, though a bit of a madhouse. I haven't really had much time to rest. In fact, I just realized that I need to make dinner pronto!
Sam's playing with his new Lego computer games, though he's having some problems with it.
Well, off for now . . .
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It's Friday, the end of the work day, and I'm...
January 17, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's Friday, the end of the work day, and I'm beat. Even my morning mocha seems unable to sustain me fully for the rest of the day. Work has recently gotten busy again, with back to back meetings for much of the day. But now it's the weekend.
I don't think we have any big plans, though it would be nice to go into the hills and play in the snow. Sam had a great time last year and I wouldn't want to disappoint. Jamie's looking seriously at a new dishwasher, which is the equivalent of a new computer for me. I gotta give her some payback for bearing my child.
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Jamie got me a Spiderman toothbrush with a ro...
January 15, 2003 by Adam in Family
Jamie got me a Spiderman toothbrush with a rotating head. She's so cool.
It was a low key day yesterday. Sam and I chatted and played his new Lego computer game. Then a quick bath and downstairs to watch the Crocodile Hunter. It was the episode where he got knee surgery at Sacred Heart hospital, so it was neat watching him go through halls that I know so well. That was probably the highlight of my day. Well, that and the toothbrush.
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It's the end of a somewhat long Monday and so...
January 13, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's the end of a somewhat long Monday and soon I will be returning home. Our weekend was fairly good, though the poor weather was getting on everyone's nerves. Sam was pretty grumpy and it turned out to be contagious.
Sadie came over for awhile on Saturday, and we ate really good spaghetti (with vegiarian meatballs) and watched Men In Black II. Sam liked it, and he announced next morning that he had no scary dreams, which seemed a good sign.
Jamie's dad also arrived, bringing Christmas presents. We sadly never made it to his house over the holidays, so it was a bit belated. I got some solar lights for the garden, which are pretty cool. Sam got a tricycle, though he strangely just wanted to repeatedly stab the box with a playdough knife. I hope that's not one of the seven deadly warning signs of problem behavior.
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I had Sam for a couple hours on Friday
January 11, 2003 by Adam in Family
 I had Sam for a couple hours on Friday. We had a pretty good time, going for a long walk through campus to the Natural History museum. Sadly, it was closed, but we turned our heads and found ourselves looking at a house being demolished. We quickly ran over, I put Sam up on my shoulders, and we watched this massive machine tear through the house. Sam's highlight was when the driver waved to Sam using the huge bucket at the end of the frontloader's arm.
I started getting a headache towards the end of the day, and ended up feeling somewhat blah throughout the night. I still feel it a bit this morning, though I suspect my morning coffee will take care of it. Only another hour or so until my favorite time of the week - family breakfast on the weekends.
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It's Friday, and I'm well Mochinated
January 10, 2003 by Adam in Family
It's Friday, and I'm well Mochinated. Sam's coming by my work late this morning, as Jamie couldn't find a babysitter for her haircut. If it's not too cold, I'd like to take him down to campus and maybe see the Art Museum. I don't think we have anything exciting planned this weekend. Maybe we can get out of the house and hike around, or perhaps hit the library again.
A big "hello" to Betsy for posting. It'll be great to hear how life is on the other side of the country. Last I heard, the cows were licking road salt off her truck.
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Sam's come down with something
January 09, 2003 by Adam in Family
Sam's come down with something. He was sad and pitiful all day yesterday, mostly moping around the house. Unfortunately, it seems that I have it too. I woke up around two in the morning and stumbled my way over to the Advil container. I'm feeling better enough to head into work, though I'll probably do my infamous Cafe Madvil trick (coffee and painkillers).
Jamie's been on a soup making kick lately. A couple days ago, she made a huge batch of cream of potato soup. When Dave and Kirsten came to pick up Josh, we gave them all a bowl. All six of us weren't enough to finish it off.
Also, Jamie may have a cavity. Her first one ever. She went in for her checkup and the probe got stuck a bit in one of her little fissures. I told her not to worry, but I think her image of perfect teeth has been forever shattered. Let's hope she never needs glasses either, as she likes to point out her 20/20 vision to us almost blind people.
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It was another low-key weekend
January 06, 2003 by Adam in Family
 It was another low-key weekend. Sam and I hung out a lot while Jamie puttered around. We had Seraph, Robbie, and Isabell over for dinner Saturday, which was nice. Jamie is converting the guest bedroom into a baby room of sorts, with the expectation that she'll spend most nights down there while Emma is young.
Not much happened other than that. Sam and I went to Barnes and Nobles where we picked up Ice Age for Sam to watch. We played quite a bit of Star Wars. Same ol', same ol'.
I managed to get everyone out for a short walk during a brief break in the weather. It was good for everyone, though I had to tell a long story to Sam about "Picklemeyer the Puppy" in order to entertain him.
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Another weekend approaches
January 04, 2003 by Adam in Family
Another weekend approaches. I think we're going to take it easy after the excitement of the holidays. We have a tentative dinner date with Seraph and Robbie tonight. Last night, we were trying to figure out what to make.
"Indian food?" I suggested.
"Thai food?" was my second try.
"Cat food?" piped in Sam.
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Happy New Year to all! It's actually the day...
January 02, 2003 by Adam in Family
Happy New Year to all! It's actually the day after New Year's, as I spent most of the day hanging out at home. Sadie came over for awhile, which was nice. Mostly Sam and I played while Jamie had much of the day to herself. On New Year's Eve we all went to bed early, and woke up when the neighborhood banged pots and pans together, as well as endless fireworks.
As for resolutions, I'm not sure I really have any. This is going to be a challenging year, as new babies always are. I'm hoping to maintain the balance between family, work, and play, though I'm sure it'll be exciting.
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