Poor Neglected Blog

I apologize to you, my blog.  I have been negligent.  I have not had the time, made the time, or even looked for the time to update your cyber-pages.  It's not like I haven't had things to share either.

Family members visited from afar.  Sara and I had another anniversary.  I started a post about our family trip to Minnesota entitled 'Land of 10,000 Frozen Lakes' but never posted it.  Button turned 2 years old earlier this month and I didn't post about it. Christmas has come & gone and I've remained silent.  What's the deal?

Well, the easy answer is lack of a reliable internet connection.  Ever since we became smart phone users we have not paid to have home internet.  It's so incredibly easy to be able check your email whenever you want, google recipes on the john, or IMDB actors while watching television.  Unfortunately, my phone doesn't work well with this blog and I have been unable to post from the palm of my hand.  Also, my old laptop did not turn on the last time I took it to the library with the intention of updating you, my blog.  But these are just excuses.

I don't know, blog, maybe I've outgrown you. Maybe we've drifted apart.  The thrill may indeed be gone.  I used to think I was soooo clever with my sarcastic, yet thought-provoking witticisms.   I used to be so sure of my writing and I would never have questioned the use of a word like witticism, but now I'm not sure I've properly used that word.  Also, let's face it, some posts aren't worth reading.  The brash young blogger with thoughts and ideas overflowing from within has apparently been replaced by the tired, working dad who falls asleep after reading only a few pages, and can't seem to find the time or focus to work on his writing at all.  The only reason I am able to update you now, blog, is because I am at the mechanic having the Taurus inspected, and am taking advantage of their free WiFi while I wait for them to fail my inspection.

Not the most inspired post,I know, but I felt as if I should try to explain.  The New Year is fast approaching and maybe 2014 will be a better year for us.  Hopefully I will find time to, not only, update you but also to get back to my writings.  (I feel as if my punctuation & grammar might be suffering from texting daily.)   So in closing, it's not you, blog, it's me.   

He Saved Everyone of Us

I got this from the library a week or so ago.  I am enjoying the comicstrips.

Since Last We Talked

There have been many many changes, indeed! 

For instance, we are no longer living in the same apartment.  (You probably already knew that since you know me, or I assume you know me since you're reading my blog and only acquaintances seem to read it.)  At the beginning of October we were suddenly given 30 days notice by our landlords of over 6 years.  They decided to try and sell the building and needed us out so they could renovate.  That sucked!  We lived in that apartment for several years, and out of nowhere we were forced to find a new place to live and move in under a month!  We did it, however, and are now residing in a 2 bedroom apartment in a complex in Glen Burnie.  We traded the isolated duplex and the scenic beauty of Epping Forest for a multiple building apartment complex off of RT 97.  This will be temporary.  Of course that's what we said about the last place.

I have a new to me car, a 2006 Ford Taurus, that I bought from an acquaintance and it promptly broke down and left me stranded on the side of 695 2 weeks after getting it.  The Blue Demon is dead and the Raffleloff is continuing our streak of problematic automobiles - in all fairness the Blue Demon was a pretty reliable car until I ran it into another car.  

 It's to the point where people are actually laughing at my luck or saying things like, "Wow, I feel  like you've taken a few fastballs to the gut lately", or "It's almost like a cosmic joke."  To illustrate their point of view I'll list a few other bad luck occurrences: I had an infected cyst on my shoulder, had to have that drained twice -  the 2nd time because there were actually 2 cysts side by side -  and this past week, while moving my derelict motorcycle from the old apartment to Adam's garage, I severely bruised my calf muscle and had to limp around for several days in pretty significant discomfort.  Yes, I got into a motorcycle accident with a bike that doesn't even run.  A coworker just started laughing when he saw my limp, and said, "What now?"

So new car... new apartment.  Guess those are the 2 biggest changes in our life right now.  Pretty significant things though, and they happened right on top of each other.  Plus the cysts, and the leg.. some sunshine has to shine through eventually. 
 

'Twas I Who Slay The Demon!

Or would it be slain?  Have I slayed the demon?  Regardless, the Blue Demon is dead!  Our KIA Rio has been declared a total loss after my car accident several weeks ago.  I didn't think it was that bad but apparently once they got the hood off the damage was more extensive than they originally thought.  It would have ended up costing too much money to fix the damage, and the car wasn't worth a whole lot of money to begin with.  So now we are suddenly in the market for a car... again.

Seven and a Half Days Later

I am now over 1 week removed from one of the must exhilarating, frustrating, and overwhelming experiences I've had in a very long time. I am speaking of the 24 Hour Project at Colonial Players of Annapolis. The object is to cast, rehearse and mount a fully staged theatrical production within 24 hours.

Sound impossible?

Well, I guess that depends on many, many factors. What's the show? Who's in it? How big is the cast, the seeet, the theatricality... everything? Who's directing? Can the cast handle the pressure?

Well, the show was called "While The Lights Were Out" and it was a murder mystery farce in 3 acts. Sound difficult? Let's factor in the large cast size, 15 members, the British dialects, and the fact that almost all of the cast members are onstage for the vast majority of the show.

Very nearly impossible.

By the time lights came up on our ambitious project we had yet to make it through a run of the show without major incident. Lines were not memorized. Some cast members seemed to have no idea what came next or what actually were major plot points. The stumble through rehearsals were taking over 3 1/2 hours, and a few cast members, including myself, were about to lose their shit!

Keep in mind, this is the 1st time I have been onstage in over a year. My current work schedule, family commitment, and lack of time make rehearsing and, then, performing impossible. The catch though was this would only require a 24 hour commitment. How bad could it be?

It was bad! 

Well, maybe not from the audience's stand point.  They really seemed to enjoy themselves.  They all were in on the gimmick, and seemed marvel at the fact that we were able to do so much in so little time.  In actuality, we were 15 cast members all onstage hoping someone else knew what the hell they were doing!  Lines were dropped.  Pages of dialogue were skipped over, and major plot points revisited so that the audience would understand what was going on.  It was stressful! 

Every actor, performer has a dream in which they are thrust onstage only to realize, in a panic, that they aren't prepared.  Maybe they never went to a rehearsal.  Maybe they're going on for the lead.  Maybe they just can't remember a single line of dialogue.  What ever the situation is in their dream it is stressful, and terrifying.  That dreamer may wake up in a pool of sweat screaming, "Line!  Line?  What's my friggin' line?"  Before they realize it was only a dream.  This past weekend, however, it was NOT a dream!  It was my reality, and I am so grateful to have made it through without alienating anayone involved, screaming at those same people or crapping my pants onstage.  I am not sure I will be auditioning next time around.

5 More Things

The Summer rolls on and here are a few more things that are making me happy right now.  (This does not exclude all of the smiles, hugs, and kisses from family and/or any laughs or giggles I have had recently due to conversations in my life.)

1.   New Kicks -  The other night I went to kick off my shoes and the sole ripped off of the bottom.  Hmmm, maybe I've been wearing these shoes too much.  I'm on my feet all day at work and I need some comfortable footwear.  Enter my new clearance rack New Balance.  New shoes can be so nice.  Of course, they've already been put through the ringer.

2.  Beach Fun with Button - Sara and I have been trying to take Evie Sue down to the neighborhood beach more often.  Our neighborhood has great access to the Severn River and neither one of us uses the beach as much as we used to.  So we've been suiting up with the daughter and taking her down to play in the sand, and with a little coaxing we get her into the water, which she universally calls "Lulu".  (If it's wet, and cold she calls it "Lulu".  For drinking or splashing - it's "Lulu".  It's "Lulu" when she thirsty.  It's "Lulu" when she is nervous about the tiny little waves.  It's "Lulu" when we are dragging her from the beach and she mournfully calls after the river; wanting more time to splash and frolic.) 

3.  Jawbreakers & Podcasts - In an effort to keep my commute interesting - Good Luck - I have been listening to a wide range of podcasts.  Thanks to my BeyondPod App on my smartphone I have listened to financial podcasts, scientific podcasts, pop culture podcasts, and even free literary podcasts.  It's helped lessen the monotony.  I also bought a clearance jar of Jawbreakers to help with the drive.  (This post was partially sponsored by clearance racks everywhere.)

4.  Fantasy Football - The NFL season is almost upon us and that means I have to get my Fantasy Football game on.  It's been several years now since I've been playing the fantasy leagues with varying success, and I have had fun with the little distraction.  I am able to separate fantasy from reality, for the most part, and enjoy the strategy, statistics, and smack talk.  I live for the smack talk!  Wish me and my 3 teams good luck this season.  That's right, I have 3 teams. 

 5.  Young Justice -   A coworker of mine loaned me a few dvds of animation series based on  DC Universe superheroes and their sidekicks.  It's a fun, guilty pleasure for a old comic book geek such as myself.  Also, this cartoon did something I never thought possible; it made Aqua-lad cool!

Cupping his hands and shouting to the heavens he cries,

"Hey Ma, Happy Birthday!  We all miss you!  This crazy little child of mine would make you laugh everyday!  Wish you were here!"  He lowers his hands, listens to the responding silence for a few moments, and then shakes his head.  Finally he adds, "Love you!" 
Under his breath he whispers, "Just in case."

Dragonflies & Lighthouses.

4 years ago, yesterday, my Ma passed away after her long battle with Ovarian Cancer.  It's a hard day to see approaching on the calendar.  Next week, on the 17th, will be her birthday.   These 2 days in such quick succession always make it a difficult week.  She was an amazing woman and I miss her everyday.Yesterday, was also the day my brother and his family became homeowners.

Today I went and helped the family move a few bigger items from their old apartment, a few blocks away, into their new digs.  Bennett and Savannah made sure I noticed a glass lamp shade in the new house.  It hangs over the dining room area, and has dragonflies on it.  "You know we have a joke in our family", Bennett explained, "about dragonflies reminding us of grandma."  Then later Savannah noticed pictures of lighthouses on the light-switch plates.  Lighthouses always remind me of my Mom.

Now, if I were the type of person who talked about angels, or used terms like 'looking down on' or 'watching over' I might make a huge deal over these 'signs'.  I'm not that type of person.  I will, however, choose to be comforted by the thought that Ma would be extremely proud and happy of the new homeowners, and would love their new house.  She would thrill at Savannah's tour, and praise Bennett's industriousness in trying to get things set up.  Congrats to the Riva Cobbs.       

Who's A Big Girl?

Evie Sue.  That's who.

Monday, today, Evie Sue moves classrooms at her daycare center!  Now, I realize that this isn't graduation from Harvard Law School but, to us, it's a pretty big deal.  She's outgrown her current classroom.  She's the oldest, if not the biggest child, in the class and needs to be moved up to a new room where she can grow socially.  That's crazy, it seems like her 1st day in daycare was just the other day.  I guess this is just how things work. 

Oh, and this morning both Sara and Evie Sue were part of a segment on the morning news program.  The story was on the local MyGym where Sara works and both of the girls could be seen running around on screen.  It was cute.

R & R in the NC

A family vacation?  What's that?

New Bern, N.C, riverfront.

It's been so long since I took some real time off from work I'd forgotten how nice it is to just get away.  This past weekend we drove down to North Carolina, along with Dad, and Reb &; his Cobbs, to spend time at a Cobb family reunion at Emerald Isle.  We all converged on a distant cousin's beach house, visited for awhile, and then headed down to the beach to play in the waves.  Evie Sue was intimidated by the Atlantic but had no problem throwing sand everywhere, and getting herself so sandy that we're still cleaning her off days later.  We also got to show the Button off to her Great Aunt's and Uncle's who had not had the pleasure of meeting her yet.  All in all it was a fun day.

Then, on Sunday, Father's Day, everyone else left the time share unit to return home and it was only us three; Sara, Evie, and me.  We were going to spend a few extra days on our own.  So nice!  (Well, the 1st day was a bit rough.  Evie Sue woke up in the middle of the night vomiting and spent half the day being sick to her stomach before finally just settling into a needy, whiny stupor.  Unfortunately, Evie's ill timed illness interfered with our Father's Day bbq lunch at Wilber's plans.)  The three of us were alone in the townhouse.
 

Early Morning Snuggles

Left to our devices we woke with the baby, spent the mornings at the pool, and then after a late morning/early afternoon nap we would head out to explore nearby towns.  We walked around downtown New Bern, the riverside Union Park, and grabbed a quick bite to eat at a local raw bar one day.  We drove to a roadside bar/attraction the next and sat in the beer garden sampling local beers.  We relaxed, we reveled, and then we returned home on Wednesday afternoon.

Not The Most Productive of Days

So today turned out a little differently than I originally planned.  I took Evie to daycare so that I could get some errands run and spend some downtime maybe reading a book, cleaning the house or any other number of things.  Sara is in NJ for job training.  Anyway, I made an appointment to drop the car off for an oil change at our mechanic.  Stupidly, I answered, "I don't need it right away," to the clerk's question. 

5 and a 1/2 hours later I was walking back along West street in the rain.  Again, in the rain.  It has rained all day long thanks to Tropical Storm Andrea.  Half my day I wasted waiting for the oil to get changed.  All of my plans went down the crapper.

Instead, I headed to Target and bought a $1 poncho.  The thing about $1 ponchos is that they suck!  The hood kept blowing off, water ran off and soaked my jeans and the poncho kept sticking to my wet clothes.  I killed some time in Whole Foods, drinking coffee, charging my phone, and trying to read my book.  I didn't get very far into the book.  I went to Union Jack's British Pub for lunch.  (Actually, that part of the day was pretty good.)  Then I decided to walk, in the rain down West Street, to Davidus Cigars and maybe relax for awhile and smoke a cigar.  As soon as I sat down and lit my stogie the mechanic called to tell me my car would be ready soon.  I played on my smartphone instead of reading, finished my cigar, and watched some Sportscenter.  Then I walked all the way back down West Street - not far in actuality but an immeasurable distance in the rain with a $1 poncho.

After I finally picked up my car I wrestled with traffic to get to daycare and pick up Evie Sue, and then fight the stream of brake lights, and bad drivers to get home.  Now here we are.  I have showered, cooked dinner, and am hoping to get the baby down for bed soon.  I wish my day had gone a little smoother but I guess it could always have been worse.

The rain just kept coming as I spent my day walking up and down West Street.

It's A Bird! It's A Plane!

No, it's a recent rash of Superman sightings in my life!  What?  That's right, suddenly Superman is everywhere!

• I started listening to the audiobook of Book of Lies by Brian Meltzer.  The book connects the story of Caine and Abel to, among other things, the creation of Superman by Jerry Seigel.  The point I am at in the book keeps discussing the 1st appearance of Superman in Action Comics #1 back in 1938.
• I'm getting to know my new Smart Phone.  I've been exploring the I Heart Radio app, and one of my stations randomly cycled through to a song by the rap artists Purple Ribbon All-Stars.  The song was entitled "Kryptonite".
• Another app on my phone plays old time radio broadcasts.  Last night on my after midnight commute I listened to the 1st two episodes of the Superman show!  I was shocked to find Superman stepped out of his spaceship as a fully grown man in the radio show, when every other version I know tells of the Kents finding and raising the little orphan from space.

All signs seem to be pointing me in the direction of the June 14th release of 'Man of Steel'; the latest Superman movie!  Now, admittedly I've been a comic book lover all of my life and although our current finances don't allow me to indulge much at the comic book store I do get excited about the superhero movies and try to see them on the big screen.  (The last movie I believe I saw in the theaters was 'The Avengers' close to a year ago.  I don't get out much either.)

I think that's what the universe is trying to tell me with all of these Superman things popping up in my life.  Maybe  I should go to the movies and support the last son of Krypton!

Or maybe I'll just pop in Kill Bill: PT 2 and watch David Carradine's monologue about Clark Kent Vs Superman.

A Picture Of Me In Metropolis, Illinois 2011.

This Dummy Just Got A Smart Phone!

What did I ever do before now?  Is this really necessary?  Can the government track my movements now with my GPS?  Does this thing get porn?  Do I have to get a Twitter account now?

So many questions. 

We are still a pretty low-tech family, and the new phones happened because Sara's job bought her an IPhone!  She got a company phone and I was on my own to handle my cell phone needs and apparently I needed a device with Facebook access, Fruit Ninja, and the Android operating system!

Time Marches On... Blindly

"I'll cross if you cross," the man said, appearing out of nowhere. 

I looked to my right surprised to find him there and said, "Excuse me."  He was an older African American male, not elderly but older than I, and he was smartly dressed in matching slacks and a button down short-sleeved shirt.  He held a folder in his right hand.

"This street always terrifies me.  There's no crosswalk."

The man was right, of course, the intersection at the Mall's entrance had no crosswalk and was not very pedestrian friendly.  The two of us waited for a gap in traffic and for the lights to go our way and then we crossed.  He was hesitant.

When we reached the far side of the intersection he admittd that he is walking to the bus stop from his Doctor's office.  He has to walk, you see, because he cannot drive.  Thirteen eye surgeries.  I acted concerned and he tells me that he lost his right eye, I then noticed the false one.  "It's just time catching up with me," he said.  He was very accepting and chalked it all up to glaucoma, which his daddy also had.  The thing that really got to him was the fact that he couldn't drive, but he realized he was a 'danger' to everyone else on the road.  He'd even had to get rid of his top of the line, tricked out F150.  Now that hurt.  A man gets a vehicle just the way he wants it and is unable to enjoy it.

We only walked together for about 50 yards or so, and all of this came out during our brief meeting.  I wasn't even aware of the man a few minutes before and suddenly he's unburdening himself on me, a total stranger.  It's the 1st time that this has happened.  I often have people decide that I must be a good listener of someone with a kind face, and a easy ear.  It used to weird me out how open some people are willing to be but nowadays whenever it happens I just nod my head, listen, and try not to stare at the fake eye.

The Color of My Thumb

 

Sunflowers growing from seeds.

It's that time of year again.  I'm attempting to garden some... just a little.  We don't have a lot of room outside, a yard, or a garden area.  All of my plants are potted and easily moved around to catch the best sunlight. Last year I did not fair so well.  My pepper plant wasn't very productive.  Nor my tomato vine.  My basil died early and everything else never really thrived.  In my defense, last Summer was very hot, I started a new job and wasn't very attentive to my plants. 

This year, so far, I have a tomato plant, & some spinach I bought from the farmers market.  I'm attempting to grow sunflowers, swiss chard, and jalapeno peppers from seeds.  Pretty soon I'll invest in a few herbs.  I always like to have basil around, maybe some cilantro.   We'll see.

My 1st casualty of the season has already occurred.  I put my Sunflowers (pictured) outside to catch some sun.  I left them out for too long, the night came and when I went to fetch the sprouts a slug had already viciously attacked them.  The beast was hanging on the bigger of the 2 plants, the stem had broken and the plant was a goner.  I was able to transplant the surviving flower, and I hope it recovers from such a traumatic experience.

So what will this growing season hold for me?  Will I be successful... fruitful even?  Or will my green thumb blacken and die like my many mini-crops?

Happy Birthday To Me!

Today is my birthday.  I am another year older and, perhaps, a little bit wiser.  In less than an hour I will have to leave for work and spend the rest of this day catering to others' needs and concerns.  I very rarely ask for the day off for my birthday, and, honestly, this one kinda snuck up on me.  Would I rather sit at home with my wife and daughter for rest of my special day?  You bet.  Would I prefer eating a sit down dinner ith my family to bagging groceries for the ungrateful masses?  Damn right!  Still, I'm off to work.

Friday, the day both Sara and I have off every week, we took Evie down to neighborhood beach/playground and played on the swing set.    Then, after nap time, we went downtown Annapolis and strolled around in the sun, and enjoyed the weather.  It was a fun day.  Sara gave me a gift basket with some cheesy 80's movies, good beer, a book light, and some flip-flops.  It was exactly what I asked for.  Thanks wife.  All in all it as a good birthday weekend... but no I have to go to work.  Here's hoping that it continues to be a good weekend.

1 Month Later

The last post still makes me smile.  Those things still make me happy.  Here we are 1 month after the post and I realize I haven't really been paying attention to blog.  Life goes on.  Work continues.  The days keep rolling by.

A Few things That Make Me Happy Right Now

In response to a question posed to me by a friend - well, I say posed to me but it was really the end of a blog post she wrote - I will now list a few things that make me happy these days.

1)  The Public Library -  Lately I have been able to find back episodes of television shows, and movies on DVD at the library.  I finally saw Dark Knight Rising.  Sara and I got the 1st season of Modern Family to watch.  Season 2 of Archer is hilarious!  Yes, I know the library has books but my bookshelf here at home is already loaded with books that I need to find time to read.  (Also, I sometimes get audiobooks of CD from the library for my commute.  Sometimes these make me happy and sometimes they do not!  I'm 6 discs in on a book right now and the disc becomes unreadable, and skips through pages and pages.  Frustrating.) 

2)  My couches - Recently, Sara and I had the good fortune of receiving 2 couches from a friend of ours.  The couches were free and are much nicer and more comfortable than our old futon.  Recently, I was laid low with a cold of sorts and spent many hours curled up in the fetal position on our couch!  It's nice having a couch the whole family can fit on.

  3)  Evie Sue's Expanding Vocabulary - I've written before about my daughter's attempts to communicate with signs, but now she's trying to talk.  She babbles non-stop!  Sometimes her voice is the 1st thing I hear in the morning.  Sara gets up early with the baby to let me get a few extra moments sleep and I awaken to Evie Sue's sweet little babbles from the next room, or her high-pitched squeals.  She has tried many times to say Mama, Dada, More, Ball, Please, and even to name the dog, although Tootsie comes out sounding more like a slow leak.

4) Jason Mraz's album We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things (2008) -  This is one of Sara's CD's but it has ended up in the car and I often pop it in when I need to stay awake on my commute or brighten up for a long day ahead.  Particularly Track 10 The Dynamo of Volition get's me moving.  The album itself is a nice blend of poppy songs, thoughtful lyrics, and sometimes surprisingly funky tunes.  This album, Sara's not mine, has helped on many commutes.

5) Half- Empty Diaper Boxes - 

Makes me smile every time!

Obviously, my wife and child top the list but these have just been a few things that brighten my day.  Now I'll pose the question to you.  What are somethings that make you happy right now?

The Crooked Cucumber says,

"As long as you depend on something special, something it is assumed you should depend on, you are not strong enough to go on by yourself.  You cannot find your way.  So first of all, know yourself and be strong enough to live without any sign, without any information - that is the most important point.  There is truth, you say, but there can be various truths.  The question is not which way you should go.  If you only try to go in one direction, or if you always depend on signs, you will not find your own way.  The best thing is to have eyes to read various signs."
                                                                       -Shunryu Suzuki

Recently, I have been reading a book entitled: Crooked Cucumber:  The Life and Zen Teachings of Shunryu Suzuki.  The passage above really resonated with me.

Snow Day Dud!

What a disappointment!  Here we are, having a late season Winter Storm and it sucks!  Here in Annapolis it's not even snowing yet.  There's rain, and some wind but no Winter Storm.  Then why are schools closed in the area?  Why is my daughter home and not in daycare?  Daycare is closed for the winter weather but it's only raining!

I hope everyone up in Pennsylvania and western Maryland are enjoying the snow.   Our store has inventory tomorrow night and I am supposed to spend today in the store preparing for it.  Instead I am at home, missing work, looking out at the drizzle and wondering what the hell is wrong with this state?  We get surprised by storms all the time, roads ice over, drivers panic, and the state shuts down.  We over-prepare for storms, it rains and the state shuts down. 

Oh well, I guess I could have had a worse snow day companion! 

It's A Sign

Yesterday I left work and met Evie Sue at Sara's work for a free play session.  Evie Sue wore me out; of course, I had been up since 2:15 that morning.  Anyway, Evie Sue and all the other kids were running around the gym, bouncing on trampolines, rolling on mats, and having a blast.  Suddenly, Evie Sue spotted a young baby asleep in his seat.  She pointed to the child, folded her arms in front of her and rocked her arms as if cradling a baby.  That's the sign language for BABY!  Pretty awesome, right. 

We watch these sign language videos, and try to use some signs at home but I often wonder if it's sinking in.  Then she spontaneously signs BABY.  She also independently signs MORE, MILK, BALL, DOG, and has been know to hold her thumb to her forehead in an effort to say DADDY!  As you may be able to tell I am proud of her. 

Yesterday Morning

When Evie Sue goes off to college I am sure I will be proud, and I hope on that day I look back and remember yesterday fondly.  Yesterday was Evie Sue's 1st full day of daycare.  Sara started a full time job with semi-regular hours, and we have signed up our little Button for childcare.  This is a big step for us.  No longer will she be home all day every day with one of her parents.  No longer will her main social outlet be playing peekaboo with Mommy, and watching Signing Times with Daddy.  She will meet, and play with other children.  She will interact and rely on other adults when she has a need, or is upset.  She will spend most of her weekday hours away from the two people who love her most. 

Now I know to some this may not seem like that big a deal.  There are families who are able to put their kids in daycare a few months after the birth.  There are families with multiple siblings in daycare.  We were not that family.  Sara was able to stay home with the baby for over a year while I worked and tried to support the family as best I could.  Now, with Button getting older, finances getting tighter, and time marching on it was time for a change.  An opportunity came Sara's way and she could not pass it up. 

So now we are both working full-time jobs, with semi-irregular hours and trusting our amazing little one into the care of others during the day.  This is not easy.  Sara would tell you that she was the one having the hardest time adjusting to the idea, and she'd be right but I, too, have anxiety about this latest turn of events.  It was easier for me to drive up to the north side of Baltimore everyday and work that far away knowing that my daughter was home with one of the two people in the world that loves her the most.  Now she spends her days with people who we call Ms. This and Miss That.  People who don't know Evie Sue as well as we do, or know her cries like we do, or how to make her giggle like we do.  Will they take care of her they way they should?

Of course they will, silly.  That's their job!.  I'm sure that they have helped watch hundred, thousand and/or millions of children over the years and know what they are doing.  Evie Sue, to her credit has hit the ground running.  She doesn't seem to have a problem staying at the center, has made the rounds in her curiosity and seems to be very popular with the staff.  She will be fine.  Everyone seems to love her... just not like her mother and I.
 

It Walks Among Us!

Evie Sue with her VD balloon.

My daughter, that is!  Evie Sue is a walker!  A few weeks ago Grandma Linda came into town and suddenly Evie Sue's few scatter steps turned into full on walking.  She walks down the hall, through the kitchen, up the hall, around the living room, to the front door and back again.  She's so proud of herself and get's super excited when you chase her.  I see this turning into an issue out in public but for right now it's just fun.

Evie Sue is over 14 months now, and next week will start daycare 4 or 5 days a week so Sara can go back to work.  This is a big transition for us.  Both parents will be working full-time jobs, and the baby will be spending time in a new environment, hopefully, having fun and socializing with other young ones.  It's exciting and scary all at the same time.  I'm not sure how it wall play out but I am sure of one thing; childcare is EXPENSIVE!  We'll be spending more a month on the daycare than on our rent.  In what kind of world does that makes sense?

Pancake Dinner

In other news, Evie Sue and I attended the Annual Sue Cobb Memorial Scholarship Pancake Dinner this past Fat Tuesday with Grandpa, Reb, and Savannah.  The dinner is one way in which my Mom's church helps raise money to give to female students in need.  We ate some pancakes, socialized with acquaintances and chased the baby all around the room.  (Did I mention she's walking.)  It is always strange yet wonderful to be in a room with so many people who want to tell me about how wonderful my Mother was.  Sue Cobb's granddaughter was the bell of the ball!

Cold and Slow!

Brrrr.  Winter is finally here.  It is cold outside!  Of course, this is the day the landlords arranged to have our sliding glass doors replaced.  2 days ago I was driving home with my windows open!  Couldn't have done it then, huh?  Guess not.  Has to be done however.  The doors when they were installed were put in reverse.  The screen doors are on the inside and there's a horrible draft.  In the past we bought some insulated curtains and it's helped some but not enough.  Our apartment's always cold.

In other news, I am not making much headway on the book Sara gave me to read on New Years.  I don't seem to have a lot of book time lately.  Between work, the commute, the baby, and sleep there doesn't  seem to be enough time.  Oh well, it'll either happen or it won't. 

Let's Do This!

Happy New Year!  It's 2013 and this guy is trying to turn over a new leaf.  Not a big change mind you, but maybe I could stand to be a little positive.

Cobb-Descending, the title, came about, I may have mentioned, from Sara not liking my tone of voice one time when I wasn't being very understanding.  She told me to stop being so, "Cobb-Descending."  I can be sarcastic.  I can be negative.  I definitely can condescend when I am in the mood.  Thus the blog's title.

Nowadays, I feel the need to, maybe, make an effort to be more positive.  I have good things going on in my life, love in my family, and hope for the future so maybe I should choose to focus on those things.  I think I'll give this blog a New Year's makeover.   A new look?  A new name and, hopefully, a new outlook.  Admittedly, I have not been the most active blogger in the last year or more and I can't guarantee that this will change.  I will try to make monthly, at the very least, entries to update the growth and continuing adventures of the Cobbs Cubed!  Cobb3, you might say.  From here on out is blog will be dubbed Cobbs To The Third Power!  (I think my math works.)

The pile of memories from 2012

In a completely different but not unrelated note, Sara and I have started off the New Year by starting new traditions for our  family.  This past year we have filled a jar with handwritten down notes about favorite memories, and monumental moments in our lives and placed it up on the mantle.  We started today out by reading these memories and remembering the year past.  We plan to continue this into 2013. 

We also exchanged books for the New Year.  Often we will suggest a book to each other and then, more often than not, the recommendation is ignored.  I came up with the idea of finding a book for the other to read, and promising to follow through with the task.  It was interesting to see which books we chose. 

Our New Year Books

 I offered J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit; not because the 1st part is in theaters now but because it is one of my favorite books.  I read in back in school, drew a mural as part of a school assignment, watch the animated movie religiously, and reread the book several times.  It is just, in my opinion a wonderful book that I think should be experienced.  Sara chose for me a book entitled: Practical Genius:  The Real Smarts You Need to Get Your Talents and Passions Working for You by Gina Amaro Rudan.  How's that for a title?  The name actually speaks for itself.  Sara hopes that I will be able to draw some creative, and positive influences from the book and incorporate my artistic side into my everyday life.  I'm game.   2013 is going to be a great year!