Thanksgiving 2009

It's been a while since I posted anything. I'm having a hard time getting my schedule in order. When I get home from work I have at most 2 hours with Benjamin before he goes to sleep, usually less. If I go running, I only have 20 minutes with him. He is usually in bed when I get back from my run. I would like to post more, but I'd much rather spend that time with Ben while he's awake. Once he goes to bed, I have to get done all the things I wasn't doing while I was hanging out with him. Which is leaving me with very little time to write.

This week Benjamin started paying attention to things. He's always looked around and seemed curious about things, but now he is now reaching out for the toys on his bouncer and holding his soft farm animal book in his hands. He smiles at me after 30-45 seconds when I get home from work and will follow our faces and his toys from side to side. He also has responded really well to the nickname Capt. Handsome.

Since it's Thanksgiving, it's a good time to post a list of things I'm most thankful for.

• I'm thankful for Allison and Benjamin for more than I can list here.
  
• I'm thankful to Erica the delivery nurse and Dr Thatcher for the excellent job they did during Ben's delivery.
  
• I'm thankful to Dr. Snow and his staff for their help while Allison was pregnant.
• I'm thankful for my family and friends.
• I'm thankful for the new friends I've made in FL who have quickly become family to me.
• I'm thankful that I have a job.
  
• I'm thankful for my house
  
• I'm thankful for the holiday season & Allison's baking

There's a lot more that I'm thankful for, but I don't want to bore you. There will be more posts soon.

Week 7 for Ben, What a week it was!

Ben turned 7 weeks old this week. He's getting so big and his cheeks have puffed out a little bit. He's looking cuter than ever.

This week had a crazy end to it. There was a shooting in an office building in Downtown Orlando. Allison and I used to work together downtown. I since have left and found another job, Allison was laid off and is currently unemployed. If anyone wants to hire her with a starting 6 figure salary, please leave a comment below. Anyway, being laid off is never a good thing, but I was glad she was safe at home and not locked down in her 16 story downtown office building. Next week Tropical Storm Ida is expected to hit Florida. Stay tuned for news on that one.

I noticed a difference in life before Ben this week, maybe even before marriage and life now. If you know me, you know about my hair. I used to use lots of gel. I styled my hair and it didn't move. I got it cut every 2 weeks and I made sure it looked good. Now if I got my hair cut every 2 weeks I'd ask if Allison heard bad news from the doctor and this was her way of breaking it to me. Ben is 7 weeks old and I've had 1 haircut since he's been born. I look ridiculous. I've been using Jim's dad from the movie"American Pie" as a comparison. "Don't forget your penis cream son"

In a simpler time before Ben and before Allison I would never NEVER be seen looking like this. I would call in sick to work or wear a hat if the job at the time would allow it. But now, oh well. I go to work, I go running, I take Ben places and I look like a schlemiel. It just doesn't matter what I look like anymore. I have nobody to impress and until Oprah calls for me big interview, I don't see it changing anytime soon.

Speaking of taking Ben places, this morning we took him to Downtown Disney. First we met up with a longtime friend and his family for breakfast, then we went to Downtown Disney to look for Ben's first Christmas ornament. There is a store there that sells and customizes Christmas stuff year round. We did a few laps around the store and selected his ornament and stocking. Want to see them? Sorry, you have to wait until Christmas, well at least until the weekend after Thanksgiving when we decorate the house. You can trust me when I say they are awesome.
I tried to take pix of Benjamin with some Mickey Mouse and other character merchandise, but he was not cooperating. Mommy wasn't a big help with the photography today either, but still it was a good day. I think it's a preview of his first couple of Santa Claus and Easter Bunny pix. We did get a few good shots with the soldiers outside to make up for it.
Just like every other kid that goes to Disney, Benjamin came home and passed out. Get used to this kid, lots more of this in your future.

Return of the Green Goop

Don't try to jump ahead here, you won't guess where this is going. Green goop is not referring to something I found in Benjamin's diaper. It's not something I found on my body. It's not the Jets weak defense or their 5 interception throwing QB and it's not the Rachel Ray mess Allison made back in the day. http://tinyurl.com/ygjgc6z.

This green goop is the potato, broccoli and cheese soup Allison made for an appetizer tonight...and it was GOOOD. She also made a chicken dish and rice pilaf. What a great dinner. I could get used to this. I came home to a clean house and a home cooked meal. I need to make some more money so she can be a stay at home wife/mom. I need to write a book or invent something or win the lotto.

Anyway, back to the green goop. I'm so glad this meal came out good. Last week Allison made eggplant parm and I didn't exactly enjoy it. I felt really bad because she was so excited about the meal, she worked hard on it all day while she was taking care of Ben. Well, I'll never request eggplant parm, but she can make the new and improved green goop anytime.

Mom's First Birthday

Yesterday was Allison's birthday, her first as a mother. Benjamin is a thoughtful little fellow, he got Allison a card and a gift. Allison had a nice day. I watched Ben for the morning so she could sleep in, then I made her pancakes for breakfast when she got up. At night we had a Publix cake with Strawberry & Banana filling and she got lots of nice gifts, but as the Facebook comments say, she got her best gift 12 days early when Benjamin was born. He was a gift for both of us, the best gift we'll ever get, but hey, if you want to try to top it I'm all for trying, so I still want gifts for Christmas, Columbus Day too. It's not usually a gift giving holiday, but since we don't get off from work for Columbus Day anymore, we should at least get gifts, right? Just putting it out there, if anyone can make that happen, let's talk.

In other news, Benjamin met his Great Grandmother yesterday too. I picked her up at the train station in downtown Orlando and they had a great time hanging out together. Ben mostly slept, but when he was awake, he didn't cry. That's as good as a hug & kiss right there.

I was talking to our friend Tanya over the weekend. Well, when I say talking I mean chatting. I hardly talk to anyone anymore. Talking on the phone has been replaced with TXTing and chatting, but I still say 'talking to' when referring to those conversations. Anyway, Tanya spent the better part of the pregnancy rubbing Allison's tummy and she said something really interesting to me. She said "Now you know how much your parents love you, you can't understand it until you have a child of your own."

That thought hadn't occurred to me, but it blew my mind when she said it. We all know that our parents love us, but could they really love us as much as we love our kids? Well, yes. They can. This is what everyone was talking about. The new level of love that we've never felt before. So when I wasn't allowed to go on a date with my dreamgirl to see Pretty Woman because it was rated R and I was only 14 years old, it wasn't because my parents hated me, it was because they loved me and didn't think I was old enough to see a movie about a hooker. It all makes sense now. ;)

The last thing I'll talk about is my renewed rage issues. If Ben is crying, I want to find the reason that he is crying and destroy it. My first reaction every time he cries is FEED HIM! I am getting better now, but the first week was BAD. If he cried for 15 seconds I would get mad at Allison. I mean REALLY MAD. I'd get in her face and say "What are you waiting for? He's crying cause he's hungry. Feed him!" If it didnt happen fast enough, you know at the 30 second mark, I'd say, "That's it, give me a GD bottle of formula for him. This isn't happening quick enough."

During the past week, I realized that he isn't always hungry when he cries. Sometimes he has a dirty diaper or he is crying because he was disturbed from his nap. Sometimes, but not often he just wants to cry. So a public apology to Allison for getting mad at her. I'd tell you it won't happen again, but that would be a lie. I already know it will happen again. I'm a new dad. I have to learn all this stuff.

Baby Making Music

So when you hear the term "baby making music" what do you think of? Maybe some Marvin Gaye or Boyz II Men, perhaps some Alicia Keys? Well those are all good answers, but I'm not talking about that kind of baby making. C'mon, we're 8 months pregnant here, been there, done that. I'm talking about the music that's played during delivery. THAT kind of baby making music.

During our tour of Winnie Palmer, they said the delivery rooms have ipod jacks and DVD players. Since I can't imagine watching a movie during delivery, I immediately thought about music. I wondered what kind of music gets played in the delivery room. I picture most people playing soothing music like Yanni, Enya or Enigma. I'm sure there are others who want Metallica, AC/DC or Lynyrd Skynyrd. I'm willing to bet that nurses give each other "the look" when certain songs come on. I'd love to ask what some of the more outrageous songs they've heard during delivery are, but I'm sure I'll be a little pre-occupied with my son being born to remember. So, what will we play?

I've been thinking about it for a while, but now that there are only 30 days left, it's time for action. Allison is almost 36 weeks along, so she can really go anytime. That means it's time to get that playlist created. I'll side with the first group of people I mentioned. I'll take some Enya, Enigma or a Cirque de Solei soundtrack. Allison really likes Coldplay, Billy Joel and Brian Mcknight, so maybe some of that music should be on the playlist too.

Then I think to myself, while soothing, will that music get her pumped enough to give her that extra boost of adrenaline to push Baby C out? I'm going to list a few songs that should be on this playlist and you tell me yay or nay.

First up, Salt-n-Pepa - Push It. If there is a better song out there for delivering a baby, I don't know what it is. Just look at some of the lyrics "ooohh, ahhh, ssss, Push it!" and "Ooh baby, baby...baby, baby!" Are you kidding me? The video for this song should have been Salt, Pepa or Spinderella giving birth, but those black spandex pants and yellow jackets were pretty hot too. I won't insult you by putting a clip of "Push It" below, I truly hope everyone reading this blog knows that song. However, this song was in one of my favorite commercials and THAT is the clip below. Enjoy.


Next up are three songs that made movie montage magic. The first of the 3 is not as popular as the others, but it's just as good if not better. This song was on my running playlist when I ran my last 5K and it's just awesome. You'll recognize it as the fight theme from The Karate Kid. It's Joe Esposito - You're The Best. Now before you make that face...hear me out. My job as Allison's birthing partner is to encourage and support her. Let her know that she's doing a good job. What is better than the best? Nothing! So if this song comes on, it's 3 minutes of Allison being told she's the best around...nothing's ever gonna bring her down!


The next two, both by Survivor, both from Rocky movies. You guessed it Burning Heart and Eye of the Tiger. I dare you to listen to these songs and not get hyped! "In the warriors code theres no surrender, Though his body says stop, his spirit cries - never!" C'mon people! This is the perfect song! How many times have you heard the stories of women giving birth saying "No, I cant do it any more. I don't want to do it any more, can't he just stay in there?" It's perfect. Plus, I can just say 2 words to Allison, look her deep in her eyes and say "Warrior's Code" LOL I'm pretty sure if I say that, she's start swinging on me, so it's a good thing I just watched that Rocky montage.


And Eye of the Tiger. I don't need to say anything more about this song than Rocky 3. I think all of you know this song too, but I had to put it on here anyway.


This is an odd one, but watch this clip and if you don't get goosebumps, call 911 because you may be dead. The Chicago Bulls intro. My cousin Ray had this at his wedding. It was really cool. It's more of an introduction song than a delivery song, so maybe we can play it for visitors. Can you picture it...AAAAANNNNDDD NNNOOOOOWWWWW, from Central Florida..Baaaaaaaby CCCCCCC!!!! I don't know if I should do the smoke & strobe light, but the rest would be cool.


Let me try to regain my composure and be serious for a minute. I think songs like Europe-The Final Countdown, Queen - We are the Champions, Kanye West - Stronger, most songs by the Black Eyed Peas and the songs listed above have a place in the delivery room. Allison will probably kill me if any of those songs are actually played during delivery, but she'll be in labor, delivering Baby C and most likely already pissed at me. So what's a guy to do? (this is a good peak inside my mind. This is what runs through my head all day and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Scared yet???) By the end of this weekend I plan to have the playlist completed. The goal is to have Allison relaxed and focused during delivery and hopefully the music helps.

Since we are talking about music, can I tell you guys a secret? I've already started a playlist for Baby C. I have a piano tribute to Metallica and My Chemical Romance. Lullabye versions of Greenday, Nirvana, No Doubt, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica and The Beatles. I still want to add some kid favorites and classical music, but I haven't had the time. That's another task for this weekend.

A Special Gift

This afternoon Allison's co-workers threw her a Tea-Party themed Baby Shower. They did a really nice job. Allison had a great time and I enjoyed seeing all my old co-workers. Once I get the pictures from Amanda, I will post about the actual shower, but for now, I'll only be talking about the gifts.

I want to start off by saying I like and appreciate every gift that was given today. We got a lot of stuff we needed, some fun stuff, gift cards and some clothes. Thank you very much for everyone who attended and to those who gave a gift.

Having said that, there was one gift in particular that I loved. It could quite possibly make it into the top 5 gifts of all time. I think it ranks just below my Wii, but above my Guitar Hero. But seriously, I love this gift. I want to take the rest of this post to thank Amanda, Ashley and Allison (not my Allison. My Allison's manager is also named Allison)

They took my blog, this blog you are reading right now and turned it into a book.
They included every post from the blog and put it into the book. I made it a little hard on them because, as I was told today, I can be "wordy." But they got every last word I wrote and have left a few blank pages for future posts.
They didn't just print it out and put the pages into the book. They did it scrapbook style. Who knew they were scrappers? What are scrappers you ask? That's easy, scrappers are women(or men) who scrapbook. It's not my term, I got it from a movie. Apparently that's what they like to be called.
They put stickers that say "Cutie" or "It's a boy" on some pages and the pages themselves are not just white paper. Most of the pages have fancy designs on them. Anyway, I don't know if it's tacky that my favorite gift is a printout of words I've written, but I think it's awesome and very thoughtful of them to take the time to print it out and put it together like that. I've kinda been obsessed with the blog. I'm glad people are reading it, enjoying it and now I have a hard copy of it to show Baby C one day. It's always good to have a hard copy. You never know, Al Gore may take the internet away from us one day. I can see it now, Bill Cosby Himself style "I created the internet, I can take it away from you!"

I wish I would have thought of it sooner, but it would have been a great idea for Allison and I to take a picture with Allison, Ashlee and Amanda. That picture would have gone right here. Thanks again to everyone and have a good weekend.

Birthing Class Week 4 & History of ACs

Last night we took a tour of South Lake Hospital – Women’s Center. It was nice for what it was, A community hospital. There’s a small maternity wing, but they have the same equipment and qualified nursing staff as any other hospital. If we had to deliver there, I would have no problems with it, but I’m glad we are delivering at Winnie Palmer. It’s a little nicer there and I think Allison and I will be more pampered there. Also, South Lake does not have a NICU. I hope not to need it, but Winnie Palmer does have a NICU. Had I never been to Winnie Palmer, I wouldn’t know any better. The difference is like going to a community college vs an Ivy league school. Math is math. You’ll learn at both schools, but the Ivy League has more bells and whistles.

After the tour of the hospital, we watched a video about Cesarean Sections. It wasn’t graphic. They explained the reasons why women have to have them and demonstrated the procedure with an animation. I was good with the whole thing, I feel like I’m ready to watch or help if Allison needs one to deliver Baby C, but there was one part that bothered me. After the incision is made, they put this clamp or hooks to open the incision wider and hold it open. There is something Hannibal Lecter about that, but hey, whatever’s best for momma and baby.

There isn’t much else to say about birthing class this week, so I’ll give you another installment of The History of the ACs. This week Allison and I will celebrate four years together. December would have been four years together including our time as just friends, but August is four years together as a couple. (A couple of what you ask?? HA HA very funny) I already told you about our first date (http://tinyurl.com/lkuwf7), so since this is a blog about Baby C, I'll tell you the story of when we found out Allison was pregnant.

Allison had a doctor appointment on January 16. They told her to take a pregnancy test before all of her appointments. So very early in the morning she took a test. I should have been up already, but it was after 6:00 and I was still in bed. Allison came running in from the bathroom and said…I think I’m pregnant. I think I see a line. We had been trying for a while and we wanted to see a line, so I first gave her a sideways look. Was this a clever rouse to get me out of bed? She said again “I see a line, come look” when I got there, I almost didn’t see it. It was very faint, like when you use white crayon on white paper. You have to look at it just right to see it. We were excited, but not overly excited because it was so faint. She took a 2nd test before she went to the doctor with the same result.

Allison went to her appointment, told them about our morning and took another test at the doctor’s office. The nurse was excited for her, but then looked at the test and said, sorry it’s negative. Allison agreed at first, but then when the doctor came in they looked at it again and Allison said "see there's a line!" Again, it was very faint but it was there. I don’t remember if they took blood or urine, but they told her to come back on Monday to take another sample to compare them and sent her on her way.

So here we are, both at work, both wondering if Allison is pregnant or not. On a Friday, can you guess how much work got done? Well, Allison probably did get a lot done, she’s good like that. Not me. It was a welcome distraction for me, I wanted to just go home. I had teased earlier in the week because she had been eating a lot of pickles. I said “are you pregnant, I’ve never seen you eat pickles before.” The pickle test…it never fails. Something’s gotta be wrong with you or you have to be pregnant to eat them.

On her way home she purchased some digital pregnancy tests. Over the course of the weekend she took them all. Three a day Saturday and Sunday. They all said PREGNANT. 9 positive tests, but still, I was reserved in my excitement. I had pictured in my mind what it would be like when she had a positive test and it was nothing like this. Every time in my head, I was jumping around and very excited. But now here I am with 9 positive tests in my hands and nothing. Nothing!

Allison went back to the doctor that Monday and they took more blood or urine to compare levels (or something) then we had to wait a few more days to hear the results. They called the house on Wednesday, but we weren't home to take the call, so we had to call back on Thursday. Allison called back and they told her, it's official, you're pregnant!

It didn’t seem real until the 12 week sonogram. There was no mistaking it at that point. It was then at 12 weeks when we really got excited and started to celebrate. Allison had shown all the early symptoms of pregnancy, minus the morning sickness, but sometimes seeing is believing. Sometimes even though you know, you just need to see it with your own eyes.

Since then 21 weeks have flown by and Allison sits here at 33 weeks and a few days pregnant. Baby C will be here in no time! You know how I know it's getting close? One of the girls in accounting asked me today, "when is the baby due?" I said "the end of September." They said "next month! you must be so excited" And I said "Holy sh-!t, it is next month"

St. Augustine Weekend Getaway

We went to St. Augustine last weekend. Allison and I own a timeshare and they called us to come for a free weekend to "review" our property. Basically they offered us a free weekend, then tried to get us to buy more points at the tune of 15K. We politely declined, but it was still a good weekend. The resort is in World Golf Village. Home of the World Golf Hall of Fame. If you've seen my play, you know this is the closest I'll get to the inside of that place.
We upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite and invited Mark & Kristin to come with us. We drove up Friday after work. You'd think the pregnant lady would be the hungriest, therefore the crankiest, but no, surprisingly that went to either me or Mark. A major meltdown was averted, we got Chinese food in our system just in the nick of time.

Saturday morning, Mark and I went to St. Johns Country Club. It was HOT. Tee time was 8:58. By that time it was already 86 degrees, with a heat index of 95. By the time we finished in the afternoon, my bag was 15 balls lighter and the temp was 97 with a 105 heat index. Did I mention it was hot? I lost 15 balls, but believe it or not, I'm getting better. I am reading a book my father-in-law recommended and it may be helping.

The girls were at the pool. We met them with Publix subs then pooled it up for a little bit. Dinner was nice. We went to the Conch House. I had some trouble pronouncing the name, but it's my blog and I choose not to get into that! We had a cool hut table and saw tons of fish. We even saw 2 dolphins in the bay. It was cool.
Baby C made a friend on this trip. We are teaching him not to talk to strangers, but this friendly little fellow was not any trouble. Check them out laughing it up together.
There is so much going on in the next few months, he'll be here before we know it. My parents and uncle are coming into town, our birthing class starts in 2 weeks, we have a tour of Winnie Palmer Hospital planned, a meeting with a pediatrician, Allison's shower, another weekend getaway planned (probably the last one before Baby C is upon us) I'm sure there is more I am forgetting. It's all on my Google Calendar. Thank God for that thing.

I hope this kid likes Monkeys

We had some Babies R Us coupons that we needed to use, so Allison and I went to the store Saturday and picked up some monkey decals & a hamper. 

We decorated the wall, but it was not without incident. No, it's not "the story of the changing table part 2," this incident was between Allison and I.

Here is a photo of the finished project.

Allison and I had creative differences. Allison wanted to decorate one way, I wanted another. Allison set her first monkey and I said "No, that's ugly" to which she replied "You're ugly." I set up one of my monkeys. Allison said "No, that looks horrible" to which I maturely replied "You look horrible" One of us said, "No, that's stupid" any guess on the reply? That's right..."you're stupid!" This continued for a good five minutes.

I tossed around the idea of each of us setting up the wall our own way, then posting pictures and taking a vote, but I'm glad we decided to work together and compromise 

It was fun setting them up, but seriously, I hope Baby C likes monkeys or animals. They are all over his room. This last monkey was my idea. It was non-negotiable. Yes, that's right, I used up a "non-negotiable" on a stick on monkey decal. This is why I don't have nice things. ;)

History of ACs - Our First Date

I'm having a hard time being creative lately. Actually, I have been too creative for my own good. I wrote 2 posts in the last few days, but can't use either of them. So here is a recap of our first date. If you were at my wedding, Steven covered some of this in his speech, but I'll fill in the gaps.

It was an impromptu date. I spoke to Allison earlier that day. She said she and some girlfriends were going to a bar in Port Jeff. She told me to call her when I got out of work and I could meet up with them if I wanted to.

So I got out of work, I was pretty tired and just wanted to go home and play video games, but this was the first time Allison asked me to hang out since I told her I was into her, so I had no choice but to go out. It was close to 10:PM when I called her. Her friends hadn't called yet to go out. She said she was getting tired and was probably just going to go to bed.

I said, "well I'm pretty hungry, want to meet me for a bite to eat." She agreed and we met at the most romantic restaurant in Smithtown...Applebees! We started with appetizers. She got a Veggie Patch pizza and I don't recall what I ordered. The reason I remember her veggie patch pizza, was because that was the beginning of her trying to get me to eat veggies. I took a bite, it was pretty rough, but I survived. The things you do to impress the ladies!

I don't remember what we ordered for dinner, but once dinner was done and we decided to go back to her place to watch a movie. She was a member of the Blockbuster unlimited rental club. She had Deuce Bigalo, Male Gigolo at her apartment, so we watched it. It's not a much watch movie, but it has it's funny parts.
We were sitting on either side of the couch, nothing happening, but it was a good time. Once the movie was over, we started to play Family Feud on the computer. I think she whooped my butt, but that was only because I was trying to figure out when and if I should make a move. It was also possibly the last time she beat me in a trivia style game.

At some point, I thought it would be a good idea to thumb wrestle. I really don't know what I was thinking, but the ice had been broken, we were now holding hands...I know, I know, I'm a huge dork.

Anyway, it was getting late and it was time for me to go. I knew I wanted to kiss her and should kiss her, but I couldn't make myself do it. I was pretty nervous. This kiss would change the rest of my life. So I just said goodnight and turned to leave. I stalled at the door, taking my keys out of my pocket. Allison will tell you that I waited for 5 minutes, but it really was only about 5-10 seconds.

I took a deep breath, said to myself "OK, this is it" and turned around to kiss her. I may have actually said it out loud because as I turned around, Allison said "What? I didn't hear you." I said "Oh, I didn't say anything." Then I kissed her. It was a great kiss, best one of my life. That was the beginning of our time together. Since then, I don't remember a day where we didn't talk and the only time we don't see each other is when one of us travels for work.

Our first "real" date happened a few days later. We went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Allison fell asleep in the theater, but it was still a good night. We worked together at Maharam and we decided we'd keep our dating a secret. That lasted about 2 hours before Allison spilled the beans.

sip Bacardi like it's your birthday

Everyone I know who has kids says the same thing when I wish them a happy birthday "Thanks, but it's no big deal. Just another day." I always thought they were crazy. It's a day a gifts and cake and it's all for you. What can be better?

Well, Baby C isn't even here yet and I can already see that happening. Tomorrow I turn 33 and I am just barely in birthday mode.

Since Allison met me, she started hating spring. Not because the flowers are blooming or because of the April showers, but because that's when I usually start my birthday countdown. I have my cake request and my birthday list published by at least April 3rd. Not only that, but I will send store fliers or coupon codes to people, just to make sure they know what I want and where they can get it.

Well this year I haven't done any of that. No birthday list, no meal request, no cake request, no party plans. I only mentioned the cake for the first time today. The only thing that's different this year is that we are expecting Baby C, so that must be it. Either way, tomorrow will be a good day. I already got a great gift from Allison & her parents, a nice card and gift from my parents and I'll be enjoying Tijuana Flats for dinner (we got a coupon in the mail) and a strawberry cake that Allison is whipping up at the moment.

History of ACs - Our Engagement - Behind the Scenes

This is the second installment of the History of the ACs. Three years ago today, Allison and I were engaged. Most of you have heard our engagement story, but this is a behind the scenes look of what I went through leading up to and immediately after the engagement.

I knew for a while that I wanted to marry Allison. I just didn't know when the right time to ask was. I knew no matter how I proposed, we would remember it forever, but I wanted it to be in a special place or around a special event. Something that would really knock her socks off.

So while I was trying to figure that out, I decided to focus on the ring. I went to Gems of the Jungle in Downtown Orlando. They custom made a hell of a ring for me. I sold some stock to pay for it and waited for them to finish the ring.

I finally got the call that the ring was ready. I gave Allison some excuse for why I needed to go to work early so I could get out of carpooling with her and then it was time to get the cash and pick up the ring. I had to leave work early, get to the bank before it closed and stash the cash before Allison got home. Sounds easy right?

Got to the bank. No problem. Cashed the check and was ready to go home. Then Allison called with a list of things for me to pick up from Publix. For those of you who don't know me well, I can be a little paranoid at times. I always think someone is going to steal my wallet or take Allison's purse. Maybe it's from growing up in NY, who knows. Anyway, now I am in Publix, with a few thousand dollars in cash in my pockets. It looked like Mission Impossible picking out the groceries. I'm looking at the cans, trying to find the right type of tomato sauce, puree and paste. An old lady comes down the aisle, is she eyeballing my pockets? Did she just see me at the bank? Keep it moving grandma. Nothing to see here.

I checked out of the store safe and now I'm heading towards the car. There are some girls asking for money for their softball team. I could but the whole team, put my picture on their shirts. Nah, better not. Driving home, checking the rear view, making sure I'm not being followed. Got home. No sign of funny business. I went inside, stashed the cash and waited for Allison to come home. The next morning, I waited for Allison to get in the shower, locked the doors behind me and transferred the cash to the laptop bag.

I took Steven with me and we went over to the jeweler. Checked the ring, loved it and brought it back. I gave it to Steven to carry just in case Allison saw us. We worked for the same company, but in different buildings, but there was an odd chance that we could bump into each other. It was safe, so I took the ring back. Didn't see Allison, but Juan from HR saw us and said "What's in the bag? Engagement ring?" I had to play that off really quick. It's a small, close knit company, I would have been pissed if someone spilled the beans. So I came up with a quick lie. Who knows if he bought it or not, but the surprise was still intact.

Got home stashed the ring and got back to the planning of the engagement. My original plan was to buy tickets to Disney for Steven & Stephanie and have them take pix of me proposing to Allison in front of Cinderella's Castle. I though that was a good idea. I called Disney and made a few dinner reservations to make sure I had a table. Then I called Disney to get a reserved spot during Wishes. They said "We don't do that" but they did have alternative options. I went with dinner and a glass slipper inside the Castle.

My birthday is June 3rd, we got engaged on May 20th. I had my mother send me a birthday card with an insert saying something like "enjoy dinner on us at Cinderella's castle" It didn't make much sense since I am a grown man and not a little girl, but I sold it well enough to Allison and she bought it.

Today's the day. May 20th. I secured the ring. Let me tell you how I secured it. I put the ring in a ziplock bag. I put bubble wrap around that. I wrapped a handkerchief around the whole thing and taped it to the inside of my pocket. I did say I secured the ring.

We're in the park. I make sure not to go on Space Mountain or any other dangerous rides, even though that ring was not going anywhere. We headed over to the restaurant. Now remember those multiple reservations I mentioned earlier, here is where they come into play.
Me: Anthony 2.
Disney: Sorry, don't see it.
Me: check again, I know its there.
Disney: Oh here you are, table for 3, on Wednesday.
Me to Allison: (slightly panicking) Go in that store over there, I'll figure this out.
Me to Disney: Dude, I'm getting engaged tonight. I have a reservation for 2 at the center table. Get someone and figure this out.
Disney: Oh sir. We'll work this out for you. Have a magical day.
Me to myself: Magical day my ass...get me a table
Me to Disney: Thanks.
Disney Manager: OK, we have a table for you, but your glass slipper isn't here. It's across the park and it has the wrong date. Don't worry. We sent someone for it. Come back in 30 minutes Everything will be ready.
Me to self: Holy Sh*t

We killed some time. Went on Philharmagic and came back. The manager told me to leave the table after I ordered and meet her to exchange the ring. Allison wouldn't suspect anything because I often leave the table, or used to when my stomach was really bad. When I took the ring out of my pocket, I swear the manager laughed at me. I tried to explain my hanky, bubble wrap contraption, but she was too far gone. She was laughing and wished me luck.

We ate dinner and I was kinda freaking out the whole time. In the weeks leading up to this night, I had told Allison a fib about a special birthday dessert. The normal Anthony would not have stopped talking about this dessert all day. So I forced myself to talk about this fictional delight. They cleared our dinner plates and about 30 seconds later they brought the ring out in a covered platter, put it in front of Allison and revealed the ring. I was on.

I got on my knee and started talking. I don't really remember what I said. I thought about it a few days before, I was going to jot down some notes, but I thought that would be cheesy. I knew when I was there in the moment, I'd come up with something good. She said yes, so I must have said something right. While I was proposing, I tried to get Allison's hand away from her face. She was covering her mouth in shock and her hand seemed like it was crazy glued to her mouth. In stead of getting mad and forcing it away, I decided to try the other hand.

It all went well, she said yes and the rest is history. I knew I did I great job, but got assurance from a redneck man in a Nascar t-shirt. "Classy man, really classy" Well thank you Mr. Nascar fan. If anyone knows class, it's a redneck in a Nascar t-shirt. I don't mean to bash him, I did appreciate the compliment, but I thought it was pretty funny.

We finished the night by watching Disney Wishes and buying some Disney wedding stuff from the shops. Our parents both knew I was proposing and were probably flipping out, because we didn't call them until the next morning to share the news. Baby C, little buddy, when you decide to propose...call us, send us a txt, or do whatever fancy new type of communication is out 20-30 years from now, but let us know how it went!

Hope you enjoyed the story & Happy Engagement Anniversary to you Allison.

It's a world of laughter, a world of tears

If you don't know those lyrics, what rock have you been living under?

Today was Mother's Day. I took Allison and Baby C to Downtown Disney and to Disney's Beach Club Resort. Check out some of Baby C's adventures from today.

First stop, Disney's Marketplace. Baby C doesn't know who Stitch is, but is going to love standing in the Spit Zone and getting a cool spritz when he is a little boy. In the background, you can see the new hot air balloon ride. It takes you 600 feet up and you can see all of Disney property for just $16. We went to try it, but it was temporarily closed due to weather. (It was a little windy)

Baby C had his first Disney run in with Mickey Mouse. Mickey said "I want you...to come to my park!" We predict we'll take him by the time he is 2 and have season passes again by the time he is 4.

Baby C tried on his first set of Mickey ears today. They didn't really fit. Allison had to hold them and she wasn't feeling it. I mentioned trying staples, but she didn't like that idea either. We'll have to wait until he is born and is able to wear hats before he gets his first set of ears.

We stopped into the toy store in Disney Marketplace. I think it's called Once Upon a Toy. It's awesome. I can't wait for Baby C to be born and old enough to play with some of the toys in there. They had a voice activated R2-D2. I don't know what it does, but it was 2 feet high and voice activated, so it really doesn't matter what it does, it's cool...I want it.

They also had a GI Joe section and a Transformers section. I hope they are both still popular when Baby C is old enough to play with them and I hope he is into those kinds of toys.

Our last stop was the Cape May Cafe @ Disney's Beach Club Resort. It's a buffet style dinner with a New England Clambake theme. The food was good, so were the desserts. They have these Oreo Bon-Bons and they are awesome. Well worth the trip to Disney.

On a serious note, we are going to see Baby C tomorrow and hear his heartbeat. Allison has a doctor appointment and a sonogram scheduled. I can't wait. I want to see how he has grown and make sure he is doing ok in there. I don't have any questions for the doctor, but I am going to do some research tonight to see if there is anything I should ask him. I feel like I should have something to ask the doctor every time we go. Any suggestions? Let me know by noon tomorrow!

20 weeks down, 20 weeks to go

Allison is halfway through her pregnancy. 20 weeks have gone by really quickly. The first week seemed like a week, the 2nd week seemed like 3 days. I could to that all morning, but I'll stop there.

Allison has felt good for the most part. She got sick twice, she hasn't been all that moody and she is loving being pregnant. She drinks ginger ale and eats saltine crackers when her stomach starts to bother her. Her belly has grown but really nothing else has gotten bigger. I think she looks great. 

Mother's day is this weekend. Don't forget to wish your mom and mother's to be a happy mother's day.

Is there a doctor in the house?

Because I ripped my pants!!! One of the best episodes of Sponge Bob Square Pants. C'mon!! I have to start watching the cartoons Baby C is going be watching! Have to make sure there is nothing inappropriate. Pretending to drown...NNNOOOO !!!!!!

Allison's doctor is Dr Snow. He delivered kids for two of her co-workers and we go to see him again on Monday for her 20 week sonogram. I can't wait.

Tonight Allison said she could feel Baby C kicking on her tummy. She said she actually felt it from the outside. I felt around for a good 5 minutes...and I didn't feel a G.D. thing. I know I willl be able to feel it soon, but I was really pissed that I couldn't feel it tonight.

Anyway, I was thinking. Sept 26 is Allison's due date. Right dead smack in the middle of hurricane season. What if there is a hurricane and we can't get to Winnie Palmer? Or what if we get there, but Dr. Snow can't?

Here is a list of substitute doctors I DO NOT want to deliver Baby C.

1) Dr. Dre - I don't need Baby C finding out about The Chronic any sooner than he already will.


2) Dr. Suess - "Sam will not eat it with fine China. Hey, Who's that coming out of Allison's..." WHOA WHOA WHOA!!!!! Slow down Dr. Suess. This is a kids blog. PG13 it right now buddy. Great for when he is older though. Team up with Andre Dice Clay and go on tour.

3) Dr Mephisto from South Park - There will be enough poop from Baby C, we dont need a 4 assed baby.

4) Dr. Carter AKA Lil Wayne - Great rapper, great song, but the only grills I want Baby C around are on cars and BBQs.


5) Dr. Evil - Hilarious yes, but I don't think they spent much time in Evil Medical School on childbirth.


6) Dr. Drake Ramore - Video speks for itself. Hilarious around 1:50.


7) Dr Doogie Howser - Was fine as a kid doctor, but have you seen what he turned into as an adult??


8) Dr. John "JD" Dorian - Actually JD you can deliver Baby C if Dr. Snow cannot do it. You are out of a job now, so you have some free time, but go easy on the wiener cousin stuff. So long JD. Scrubs will not be the same show without you.







Since I mentioned Scrubs, let me point out that this video is how most of the conversations I have with Allison go. We start by talking about something serious...then I go off on a tangent. Allison sometimes laughs, but mostly gets mad at me. She has to reel me in, calm me down, then we start all over again. Does anyone else have this problem? Anyone? Bueller?

Can you hear me?

Last night in bed while I was speaking to Baby C, I decided I would try to hear him. I put my ear on Allison's tummy, listened hard, I didn't hear a heartbeat, but I did hear a lot of gurgling & swishing sounds. I'm not sure if what I heard was Baby C or just Allison's stomach making noises. Not knowing what I was hearing was disappointing. I wanted to be excited that I could hear the baby, but I couldn't stop thinking that I was just getting excited because I heard some gas bubbles or meat loaf digesting.

So I decided to research Fetal Doppler baby heart monitor systems. A lady from work used one and said she loved it, so I have been very curious for a while. During my search, I found a website that offered a free or very low cost alternative. It was a great find because it only required 2 household items, so I could try it today.

The first item a cup. Plenty of cups here. The second item, an empty roll of toilet paper. Having a pregnant woman in the house, you are only ever 2 days away from having an empty roll of TP. Luckily for me, today was that 2nd day and we were good to go.

I followed the directions, put the cup on Allison's stomach, nothing. Tried the TP roll, nothing. So now I think I was punked! I applaud this lady. Very good gag, nicely done. Somewhere she is laughing at all the dummies that tried this.

The Fetal Doppler baby heart monitor, Belly Beats is now the front runner and I don't think I'll be trying any more hair brained ideas.

History of ACs - The Bathroom Incident

This is a blog about Baby C, but from time to time, I think it would be fun to share stories about Allison and I. I thought the blog would be a fun thing to do while waiting for Baby C to arrive, but after several suggestions to turn it into a book for Baby C or at least let him read this when he is old enough I thought he should hear some old stories stories about his parents too. Hope you enjoy them.

Let me start by saying I don't embarrass easily. However on this fateful Sunday, I was 10 times more embarrassed than I'd ever been in my life. This is the bathroom incident.

Almost a month into our relationship Allison took me to Maureen's Kitchen for the first time. Maureen's Kitchen is a breakfast & lunch place only located in Smithtown, NY. I had never gone before because it's normal to have a 45-90 minute wait on the weekend. Personally, give me McDonalds Hotcakes & Sausage with a hash brown and I'm good. 6 minutes, done. The things you do for love!

Anyway, we had about a 30 minute wait. We had a table on the porch in view of Allison's Aunt & Uncle who also happened to be there for breakfast. It was great. Pancakes were fluffy, bacon was crispy. Wonderful place.

For those of you who don't really know me, now is a good time to tell you about my stomach issue. My stomach produces too much acid and at times...I'll put it as delicate as possible...my stomach calls for emergeny evacuation through the basement, not the attic!??!  I think you guys know what I'm talking about.

So, we were off for a full day of shopping (again, the things you do for love & early in a relationship) when my stomach started to gurgle. I asked Allison to stop by her apartment so I could use the bathroom.

Back at her place, I did my business and flushed. I noticed there was a slight clog. The water was very close to the top about to overflow and it stopped. I mean it was right at the rim. So I started to panic. I really didn't think I just reacted.

I thought to myself "Hey, the water isn't going down. maybe I'll just flush again. Yeah, that will do the trick." Well not exactly. as soon as I flushed, the water started overflowing. Now I had already decided I loved Allison and had to be with her for the rest of my life. So here I am in the bathroom watching my future spill over the side of the bowl freaking out.

There was a lot of water and instead of killing the water supply, I decided to do damage control. I took her towels and bathmat and made a dam to keep all of the toilet water in one central area. Once I did that, I headed under the sink for some paper towels and other cleaning supplies.

I was so freaked out, that i didn't think to pull up my shorts. So now here I am, cleaning up a floor full of dirty water, that my shorts are now splashing around in, about to lose the girl of my dreams and I am out of dry towels. So I pull up my shorts, poke my head out the door and say "Don't come in here...but do you have some towels or perhaps a mop??"

At hearing this Allison just started cracking up. And comes in to help me. She shooshed me out after most of the mess was cleaned to finish cleaning up the mess. (for real...the things you do for love) I was just sitting on the couch in shock. This happens in Along Came Polly, this doesn't happen in real life. I assure you, it does.

So she comes out and is laughing and shaking her head. I am still sitting there in shock, not looking at her, not talking and not moving. I then say, "Well, let's get a new pair of shorts for me and some new towels and a bath mat for you"

It wasn't until we were in the car on our way to the store that I was able to talk about it. I called my friend Tim and started telling him the story. He hung up on me becsue I was laughing so hard that I was crying and no sound was coming out. Allison was doing the same, and we had to pull the car over to compose ourselves. Disaster averted.

Good news & bad news about my belly

The good news, I no longer have the biggest belly in the family. Allison passed me this weekend. The bad news, I still have the belly of a 4 month pregnant woman. I measured it this evening and at it's largest point, it's 39.5 inches around. I have 5 months until Baby C comes along. My goal is to lose 5 inches from my belly by the time he is born. I'm not a health guy, so who knows if losing 5 inches in 5 months is realistic, but I'll do what I can.

We go to Disney a lot and we see lots of dads. Apart from the obvious of them all having children, there is something else most of them have in common, they have graying hair, balding heads and/or pot bellies or larger. I already have a few gray hairs and I have the pot belly too. It's only gonna get worse when Baby C comes, so wish me luck in losing it.

Some folks like to get away, Baby C's first trip to NY part 2

Day 2, Baby C's first full day in NY was a busy day. We are all very tired.

Started off with a good meal. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So off to Bagel Boss. One everything bagel w/cream cheese please! Can't find good bagels in Central Florida. What a treat this morning.
Next stop, dance class in East Islip. Baby C's cousin Olivia had tap & ballet today. After she worked up an appetite dancing, off to Friendly's for lunch & ice cream. Olivia got a balloon and had fun playing with it. My job was to make sure it made it to the car. As you can see below, mission accomplished.
Next it was time for Baby C to meet his other cousin, James. James was asleep, so Baby C kept his distance for the picture. Wouldn't want to wake the baby.
Now off to soccer. What a busy day. We'll all sleep good tonight. Olivia did well at first, but the coach wasn't there for the first ever practice, so the parents just through together a makeshift practice. They lost Olivia's attention, so I ended up kicking the ball around with her. The substitute coach was overhead saying "Over there...the bar is over there."
Dinner!!! Finally, the magic hour is upon us. NY PIZZA. Baby C's first taste of NY pizza. We found Winter Garden Pizza to be very good and very close to NY Pizza, but there is nothing that compares. Regular, Sicilian and a calazone, great dinner. GREAT.

Last item of the day, dessert. Uncle Carlo brought out doughnuts from Brooklyn. These are the best doughnuts I have ever had. I cannot describe how good they are. You just need to have one. Peter Pan Bakery, 727 Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn. If you are ever in the area...get a chocolate sprinkle.Since it's Saturday night, I'll go ahead and steal a line. Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.

Start spreading the news, Baby C's first trip to NY

Hello from Long Island, NY. We are up here to meet Baby C's cousin for the first time. He was born in February and this is our first chance to come up. We also want to take this time to show Baby C. some of the sites and experiences NY has to offer. I know he may be a little young for this, but ask yourself, is it really that different from the parents that bring their 4 month old to Disney World? These pix and sights are all about me right now.

Anyway, first stop, Long Island Islip MacArthur Airport. They are doing construction on the east wing and the gift shops were all closed, but that didn't stop Baby C in his first NY photo op. Check it out, the camera loves him! Thanks in advance to Allison for being a good sport this weekend. Her tummy will be the center of many a photograph.
Baby C then met his NY Grandma & Grandpa and we were off to get dinner. Don't forget there is a pregnant woman here who was on a plane for 2.5 hours with only a mini bag of chips and an even smaller bag of peanuts to eat.

I told Baby C during one of our late night chats about the joy that is NY Chinese food. So we made the call to Yan Min Kitchen in East Islip. The scary part about it, I have been living in FL for 3.5 years and I still knew their number by heart. 631.277.5666. As always the food was awesome. Peninsula in Bayshore, is still the place to go for a fancy sit down Chinese meal, but take out, be sure to go with Yan Min.

We ordered a feast, a smorgasbord of Chinese delights. Chicken & broccoli, BBQ ribs, Beef LoMein, Wan-ton soup, egg rolls, pork fried rice. Man 0 MAN - Baby C ate well tonight. It took a lot of self control, but Allison, Baby C and I were able to limit ourselves to human size portions.
Finally, the last thing Baby C did tonight before hitting the sack was watch a Mets game with his parents, NY grandparents and 2 special friends. The friendship he made tonight (I know, still a fetus, but again my argument, 4 month old @ Disney World) will hopefully last forever. Or maybe just until he is old enough to pick his own sports teams and break his old man's heart by going with the Yankees and Rangers. Check out the three amigos. Mr. Met, Baby C and a Devils Bear.
It's always nice to come back home. It's funny that even though you are away living your own life with your own family and new habits how quickly you fall back into your old habits when you go back. It took a me about 20 minutes after dinner until I was rummaging through the fridge and closets looking for snacks. Mind you I just ate a large dinner and was not hungry at all, but when I'm in this house...my body wants to eat. Allison will say "that's nothing different than what you do at home." She's right, but not like this. This is eating on a mission. Almost like a zombie. How else can you explain the combination & quantity?? A handful of green grapes, 3 cookies, a handful of cotton candy, a glass of milk, some pretzels, more cotton candy, more milk and half a devil dog. Total elapsed time approx 10 minutes.

Anyway in all seriousness, it's great to see my parents and Baby C's grandparents. Tomorrow will be a great day. We are going to see my niece in dance class, taking her for ice cream, going to her first soccer game then back to my sister's house for dinner with the family. My other sister and brother-in-law have been sick, so they might skip it, but still a great day.

Enjoy your weekend. Will try to post again tomorrow.