No way to Daycare.

So from the time Roman was born it was always in the back of our minds that one day we would have to do some kind of daycare. Apart from dreading it greatly, we just couldn't fathom letting someone else take care of our son at such a young age. Especially his first year we really wanted to be the ones that were there for him and take care of him. Thankfully our schedules worked out so that one of us is always able to be home with him, and that has made all the difference with his learning and happiness.  I should say that daycare is not all bad, it's just something that we chose not to do since we had the desire and the opportunity to spend as much baby-parent time with him as we can. I am also definitely not downing all of you out there who do have to do daycare, I really wish you didn't have to, but sometimes that's how life dishes it out. Thankfully we've been able to work our lives around our little one and not only has that benefited him, I think it's really helped us as we strive to be parents for the first time.

Feeding time.

We often take for granted the time we have to eat, and at our advancing ages we hardly even think about the effort that it takes to get food. Watching my Son try to drink his bottle has been so fascinating and painful. He has been able to drink from his bottle by himself for quite a few months now, but now that he prefers to sit up, it has been a little bit more of a challenge. He really has to raise that bottle up and throw his head back just to get the milk to come to the nipple. Of course I want to just have him lie down so he can drink it easier, but if I do that he'll just get up again and try to drink it the same way. Frustrating for both of us yes, but I think he's trying to tell me that he wants to do it his way. I can respect that. It will just take a little longer and take a little more muscle effort every time he wants to get a meal.

Sleepy Time a heart beat away

Nothing more relaxing and enjoyable than sleeping with your child right on your chest. Roman used to sleep like that a lot when he was first born, but after a while he preferred the crib or a bed. But today I got another wonderful glimpse at that as he fell asleep on me while I was sitting and watching a movie. His little eyes got so tired and he just listened to my heartbeat as he drifted off to dreamland.

I think there is something magical about the human heart and have always wondered why it makes a sound. I think perhaps the sound is so that others can feel comforted and safe around us when we hold them close. Of all the human sounds we can make and produce I think the heartbeat is the most safe, the most soothing, the most filled with love. I think that maybe that is the reason that we say our feelings of love come from the heart, although it's just an organ in the human body it represents so much more of ourselves than just a muscle that pumps blood.

I am grateful for the simple moments and cherish the times with my son when our two hearts can hold a discussion even if it's only for a short time.

Ah Ti Ta

Oh the joy of just listening to my son babble on. Recently he's been starting to talk a lot more and it's really been so much fun to hear him talk about things and play with his toys and make up what I assume are little stories as he plays. A child's voice is so innocent and sweet. To hear his voice and see his personality coming to life and he explores his world is truly amazing.

 I can't believe how amazed I am every day that we get this little boy to be in our lives to share some joy and laughter with us. I just hope he doesn't think everything is funny, cause some things really aren't, but it is soo much fun to laugh. Sonia has been so good with him and when he sees her for the first time after a short absence he gets so excited and really I can tell that he really loves his mommy. Maybe we coddle him a little too much, but hey aren't we supposed to at this age, at least until he gets a little bit older. "Ah ti ti ta" is such a wonderful thing to hear from my son and I can't wait to hear what else he has to say!

Giving up Selfishness

In an ever changing and dynamic world of technology and multi-media, I found myself caught up in selfishness and didn't realize just how far down that selfish road I'd gone until recently. It's really quite an easy road to walk... my happiness, my education, my career, what am I going to do with my life. To focus so much on ones self gives tunnel vision from the things around you. I found out that I was starting to ignore and set aside the things that were most important, my wife, my family, my son. I didn't want to do that at all. So how does one give up selfishness and should we?

I believe that our natural human forms are designed to think of self and preservation and survival, and those are very important things. They help us navigate the world, put food on the table and shelter over our heads, but I've found that focusing too much on those things starts to take away happiness, and why would only focusing on me detract from my happiness?.. I like me, I like doing whatever I want when I want. The selfish world that I built for myself seemed really great, but it was missing one thing....caring for others. I was only caring about myself, didn't think that my actions  really affected anyone else, when in fact my actions affected a lot of other people, including my own little family.

I come back to that question of how and should we, so the answer to both I think is.... service. Service to others is how we give up selfishness, and yes we should serve as often as we can, and what does that mostly imply?... Time. Do I spend my time only for me, or do I spend it focused on the ones I love and do care for.

Giving up selfishness seems like the right thing to do, but perhaps I should look at it a little bit differently, I will be selfish with my time and choose to not waste it, but spend it with those I love.

Roman's Achievements

No So many times in life we look to the large achievements as markers for success and if we don't attain them we tell ourselves we're not good enough. It has been amazing for me to watch my young son as everyday he celebrates the small achievements and victories. The first time he stood up by pulling himself with his own arms and balanced against the couch, he just looked and me and gave me the biggest smile. He had conquered the floor, he had found a way to raise himself up and experience the world from a different vantage point. Similarly when he first started to crawl he looked a little bit frustrated that he couldn't move as fast and he thought he would and that he kept tripping and bonking his head on the floor, but now to watch him as his muscles have become stronger and he really starts to move well, sometimes I just look away for a second and he's already across the room on some grand adventure for a toy or a curiosity. As I watch my son I realize that we don't celebrate life achievements as much as we should, we forget all the trials that made us stronger and brought us to the place that we are now. Just today my son crawled from the bottom of the stairs to the top all by himself, (with Mommy right behind to catch him if he slipped of course) and that is truly amazing to me, that he has the muscle tone and determination and bravery to conquer the stairs.

The thing that most impresses me about my son is that he has no fear and I think that most little kids would have no fear, some would call that foolish, but I call it bold and courageous. Our children take on the fears that we project towards them, they look to us to see how we react to certain situations and whether the terrible fall they just had is something to cry about or be grateful for that they didn't break anything. In our lives we should look at the things that bring us fear and change our attitudes as to why we fear and how we can over come them. Sometimes the most courageous act is committed by one that so many others thought foolish at the time. Be courageous, be fearless, be like my son Roman!

Keep achieving my son, I'm here to watch and cheer you on, and comfort when you fall!

Tons of news and never enough motivation to blog about it! :)

Since our last post there have been many exciting events. Besides having Sonia's awesome sisters come and visit us we've been busy bees. Sonia and I have been hard at work in the yard at our house front and back. We totally redid the dripper system in the backyard, bought all new sprinkler heads for the backyard as well. Cut back the hedges in the front yard and also made a major repair to a dripper leak in the front yard underneath the sidewalk to the front door. All that and we still have a lot more to do. We've been searching for the perfect furniture and I believe we're narrowing down the choices. The biggest question now is do we buy for the Memorial Day sales or just order online and save some money? Sonia's Birthday is tomorrow and she'll join the ranks of wonderful thirty somethings all over the world. I think she's indifferent about it, I already got her gift that she hasn't touched since I gave it to her, yes I gave it early. Maybe when she finally accepts that she's thirty she'll decide to break it out of the packaging. ;)

We have a great dinner with friends and family planned for tomorrow, and more yard work and furniture shopping planned for the weekend. Should be fun.

The semester is over for me now. The weekend before I was to give my final exam to my students the ART building flooded. So after a little panic and a last minute change they found us a good room in another building to hold the final. The online classes I'm taking went really well. Now I'm staring my Thesis project right in the face and a little nervous about how it's all gonna work out. Next May 2011 and I'll have my masters! :)

Sonia has been dealing with a lot at work, but handling it flawlessly as always, there have been some frustrating things but she handles the pressure well. I think she really does enjoy working with her clients and helping them obtain a great quality of life.

This summer has been great, Melissa's wedding was beautiful and it was awesome to see all my niece's and nephews and to hang out with my brother and sister in laws. We decided to stay at a hotel this time it was near the wedding reception venue and that really worked out well. We became a central hub for the family to meet and have fun. I loved it. The future of the summer looks very busy, but I'm sure we'll take it in stride.

Anyway I've probably talked too much already so, hope your all well. We love you and miss you!