My wife and I just had our second child a week ago. My boss and colleague were saints and rallied around me to allow me a week at home with my family. (This is in stark contrast to my previous boss who forced me back to work while my wife was still in hospital with our first child.) As such, since baby #2 is attached to mommy's breasts 24/7, I've been keeping the toddler busy and entertained. It's been nice alone time for us and a good time for mommy to bond with the new baby.
This morning my little guy broke my heart. Ever since the new baby arrived, my toddler has seemed much older and grown up to me. He seems to be developing at light speed, acquiring 3 new words in 1 week, effectively doubling his vocabulary This may have something to do with vying for attention with his new baby brother, or it may just be a coincidence. So anyways, we were at the local playgroup this morning. My toddler is going through a pinching phase. Any kid that gets too in his face suffers a pinch. We are trying our darnedest to get him out of it, and it is working, but it's slow. However, he is a good sharer if another child approaches him slowly and with supple warning, and especially if she happens to be one of his self-proclaimed girlfriends.
He had just finished having a breakthrough. A little girl came up to him when he was playing with a toy that he had wanted particularly badly and had finally gotten his hands on. Normally he would respond by pinching the intruder and claiming dominion over his newfound possession. This time though, he leaned in to the little girl and gave her a big kiss and proceeded to hand over the toy! She then returned his kiss and gave the toy right back. What a brilliant display of love and sharing!
Right after that he was playing with another toy. I looked over at him and he just looked so big, mature, and indescribably adorable. I suddenly had this flash of him with a little lunch pail waiting outside for the school bus. I totally lost it, right in the middle of the building, amidst all the playing children and chatting parents. I just started crying all by myself, watching my little boy grow up before my eyes.
Shortly after this, he came over to me, showed me the new toy he had found, and uttered one of his new favorite words: "Daddy". The tears just kept on coming.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
It all came together
If you haven't noticed, I've been conspicuously absent from the blogosphere over the past couple of months. The reasons for this are numerous, but allow me to summarize.
1. Our house was on the market for longer than we anticipated and we needed to sell it because we are moving 3500km across the country in July and our current house is the downpayment for our new house.
2. My wife was pregnant with our second child and due May 11.
3. Our first son, Sacha, who is 20 months old, had a major sleep regression about six weeks ago, and so I have been totally sleep deprived.
At some point during this sick cosmic joke, my panic attacks threatened to reemerge. I also battled with debilitating chronic anxiety that was so bad at one point I was not eating much and lost five pounds.
So as I often do when I am faced with such challenges in my life, I sat down and had a nice long chat with the Man upstairs. I do not think I have ever prayed so hard in my life. And sure, skeptics will say it is just a coincidence, but I am convinced that God answered my prayers and looked after me and my family.
Today, May 15, 2008, will forever be known as the day everything came together. Well, almost everything.
Last week, after having a flurry of interest in our house, we received two offers in two days. This generated a bidding war which resulted in us accepting an offer for slightly above asking price and the exact possession date we wanted/needed. Things were looking great, but then it looked as if the buyers might be having second thoughts. So I spent the whole week worrying about whether the deal would go through or not. They had until tomorrow to lift all the conditions on the offer and finalize the sale.
At the same time, Sarah passed her due date. Three days later, she couldn't take it anymore. She requested my assistance in bringing on labor, and I was more than willing to oblige (in a fashion similar to that which got us into this mess in the first place). Eight hours later we had a beautiful baby boy. (You can see all the details at our website).
As I walked up and down the hospital hallways, keeping Sacha entertained, my cellphone rang. It was my real estate agent. The deal went through. The house is sold!
Just as I had earlier when my new angel emerged into the world, I fell to the floor and started bawling my eyes out. Sacha was confused and everyone around me looked at me funny, but I have never experienced physically feeling a weight come off of your shoulders.
Now, for all of that to build up to the last minute and all be wrapped up in one fell swoop like that, to me, reveals that God does listen when I pray. Whatever it was, and whatever the explanation, it sure does feel good!
Maybe now I'll post more often. Oh, who am I kidding. I have two boys under the age of 2. I'm screwed. And for the record, I may need to pray a little harder still. Sacha's sleep is still a work in progres.
1. Our house was on the market for longer than we anticipated and we needed to sell it because we are moving 3500km across the country in July and our current house is the downpayment for our new house.
2. My wife was pregnant with our second child and due May 11.
3. Our first son, Sacha, who is 20 months old, had a major sleep regression about six weeks ago, and so I have been totally sleep deprived.
At some point during this sick cosmic joke, my panic attacks threatened to reemerge. I also battled with debilitating chronic anxiety that was so bad at one point I was not eating much and lost five pounds.
So as I often do when I am faced with such challenges in my life, I sat down and had a nice long chat with the Man upstairs. I do not think I have ever prayed so hard in my life. And sure, skeptics will say it is just a coincidence, but I am convinced that God answered my prayers and looked after me and my family.
Today, May 15, 2008, will forever be known as the day everything came together. Well, almost everything.
Last week, after having a flurry of interest in our house, we received two offers in two days. This generated a bidding war which resulted in us accepting an offer for slightly above asking price and the exact possession date we wanted/needed. Things were looking great, but then it looked as if the buyers might be having second thoughts. So I spent the whole week worrying about whether the deal would go through or not. They had until tomorrow to lift all the conditions on the offer and finalize the sale.
At the same time, Sarah passed her due date. Three days later, she couldn't take it anymore. She requested my assistance in bringing on labor, and I was more than willing to oblige (in a fashion similar to that which got us into this mess in the first place). Eight hours later we had a beautiful baby boy. (You can see all the details at our website).
As I walked up and down the hospital hallways, keeping Sacha entertained, my cellphone rang. It was my real estate agent. The deal went through. The house is sold!
Just as I had earlier when my new angel emerged into the world, I fell to the floor and started bawling my eyes out. Sacha was confused and everyone around me looked at me funny, but I have never experienced physically feeling a weight come off of your shoulders.
Now, for all of that to build up to the last minute and all be wrapped up in one fell swoop like that, to me, reveals that God does listen when I pray. Whatever it was, and whatever the explanation, it sure does feel good!
Maybe now I'll post more often. Oh, who am I kidding. I have two boys under the age of 2. I'm screwed. And for the record, I may need to pray a little harder still. Sacha's sleep is still a work in progres.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Round 3 Predictions
If you haven't noticed already, it seems last year's success may have been a complete fluke (as one would suspect with something so unpredictable as sporting events). At least my original pick for winners of the Cup, the Detroit Red Wings, are still holding strong. Of course, you could have looked at the Las Vegas odds and determined the same thing! Anyways, I got my arse kicked in the 3rd round. I only predicted the DET v COL series correctly and so am now 7 for 12. That's bloody awful. For what it's worth, I'm picking DET and PHI to win the conference finals. We'll see.
By the way, my sparse posting is not due to any sudden lack of interesting things to write, but merely due to a very stressful life. We are trying to sell our house to no avail, our 20 month old is suddenly no longer sleeping, we have a baby on the way in 1 week or sooner, and we are moving in 3 months. So when I actually do have free time, I basically go to sleep.
By the way, my sparse posting is not due to any sudden lack of interesting things to write, but merely due to a very stressful life. We are trying to sell our house to no avail, our 20 month old is suddenly no longer sleeping, we have a baby on the way in 1 week or sooner, and we are moving in 3 months. So when I actually do have free time, I basically go to sleep.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)