Super Sunday

Yesterday was a good day. A super day you could say. It started early, Molly woke me up to go potty at 5:30. 5:30 on my day off. Thanks Molly. I guess that is payback for forgetting to feed her until 9:30PM the other night. Now we're even.

Next I went to my running group. Our running coach Sara, who based on her running times I think is a fembot, was away in Vegas so we were on our own. We decided take advantage and run at 7AM instead of 6. We were supposed to run for 75 minutes. I only did 73 minutes. But that's a good thing, it means I was 2 minutes faster on the way back. I did 6 miles. It was great. I was very proud of myself, Kim and Patti (my running buddies)

When I got home Benjamin was just waking up. Allison and I watched him in his crib for a while. We made him smile a lot. I turned on the mobile, he stared at it and smiled. He followed the monkey, the parrot and the monkey all around. I said "Screw football, I can watch this all day" I only said it because the Jets had a bye, but still, it was really fun to watch. I wonder if it was someone elses kid if it would be as awesome?
I also had some time to read Benjamin a book. I haven't read him anything in a while, so he got 2 books. Up first, my favorite book as a kid, The Monster at the end of this Book. It may not have been the best book to read him to get him to fall asleep, but I really enjoyed it.
The second book was Corduroy. I had never read it before. Actually I had never even heard of it before. It's a good book. I won't tell you what happens, but it's about a bear named Corduroy who lives in a toy store.


That's all I have for now. It was a fun day until I got tired. 6 miles makes me tired and really cranky.

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.

Happy Halloween

Today is Ben's first Halloween. He is all decked out in his Halloween gear. We didn't get him a costume. There isn't as big a selection for 6 week olds as you think there would be. He still looks cute. Don't take my word for it though, judge for yourself.
There haven't been any trick or treaters yet, but it's still early and it's about 90 degrees in Central Florida today. I can't blame kids for staying in until it cools down.

I had to go to Ft. Lauderdale for work this week. It was my first time away from Allison and Benjamin since he was born. I have to say I really missed them. Allison hooked me up and sent me 2 videos, but it wasn't quite the same as being there.

I thought about them a lot, but there were a few times that scents reminded me of Benjamin and made me smile. The first, GermX hand sanitizer. I can no longer smell GermX without being reminded of him. The second was the diaper aisle of CVS. Clean diapers are now one of my favorite smells. It hasn't quite passed bacon, but it's quickly climbing the charts.

The last thing I'll talk about is the Angel Care Baby monitor. It monitors sound like every other baby monitor, but it also has a sensor to detect if Benjamin is breathing. If 5 seconds go by, it chirps once. If 5 more seconds go by without sensing movement, it alarms. Over the past 2 weeks, it has alarmed 3 different nights.

Each time we rushed into the nursery and Benjamin was fine. He has started moving around his crib. We put him down to bed int he middle, by morning or feeding time, he has been moving to different corners or sides of the crib. We originally thought that he was just moving too far from the sensor, but the last time it alarmed, he was very close to center.

Last night we decided if it alarms again, to see if he is breathing before touching him or moving him back to center. We need to figure out if they are false alarms, if the sensitivity needs to be adjusted or if Ben is in fact not breathing during the night. It alarmed twice last night. Both times he moved from center and when Allison checked on him, he was breathing just fine. After the second alarm, I decided to stay up and sit in his room. I stayed in there from about 2:45 - 4:05. In that time, he moved from center, but the alarm never went off. He never stopped breathing. I listened and watched him for over an hour and he was fine.

I think tonight I may pull an all nighter and stay in his room. If the system alarms again, I need to know why. I'm sure he is fine, but I'm not willing to take the chance. If I can lose sleep to play video games, go to a club or study for a test, I can lose a night of sleep to make sure my child is breathing. I'll keep you posted.

Have a happy and safe Halloween.

5K, Benjamin Smiles and other assorted stuff

I have a lot to cover in this post, but i think it's worth the read.

This morning I ran the Community in Pink 5K in Winter Garden. I have been training since early September and I felt really good about this race. It started at 7:30AM. I got there around 7 and did some people watching. I ran into some friends from the running group I train with and also a former co-worker. It was good to see friendly faces that early on a Saturday.

I was pumped and ready to go. I had a plan for the race. Nice and easy for the first mile, pick it up at the second mile and pick it up even more on the 3rd mile. The only problem with my strategy, there were no mile markers. No clocks at the non-existing mile markers or at the finish line and since I didn't have a running watch, I was basically running blind.

I saw 2 people I knew ahead of me. They were going at a good pace, so I made sure I kept close to them. There was also a girl in black shorts & a tank top and another girl in a blue/green tennis outfit. I made sure to keep them in my sites with the goal of passing them towards the end. They had a good pace going and looked like runners so I figured they'd have a timing device on them.

I estimate my time to be 30:25 seconds. I started the race 15-20 seconds after it started. I wanted to go right away, but it was crowded and after being bumped twice, I decided to pull over and let some fools pass. I kept a good pace and turned it on once we hit the path next to the water. I was passing people easily once I hit that next gear. I caught up with the girls I mentioned earlier and DRAT no timing devices. Oh well, I gotta finish strong anyway.

At the finish line, there was no sign that said FINISH and still no clock. So people in front of me kept running strong to the start line. So I followed suite. Must be a Start/Finish line. I am guessing it took 10-15 seconds.

The MC said the time was about 31:04 when I hit the start line. Do you have a stopwatch? Is it 31:04 or is it about 31:04? Either way, it was a nice morning and it was for a good cause.

Next up Benjamin had a visit from his Uncle David. He was visiting from NY. He said the only other baby he remembers holding was his cousin Jonathan or Erica...and that was a long time ago, I think Erica just turned 22. Well he was a natural, Ben looks pretty happy if you ask me. He gave Benjamin his first Mets cap and a huge Mets blanket as well. Can't wait to put him in them and watch next season. Next year is our year! Uncle David also made a donation to the time capsule. Awesome, Thanks David.

Allison made Benjamin laugh yesterday. She asked Molly if she "wanted to go potty" Ben smiled the biggest gummiest (gummy cause he has no teeth yet) smile. So I said, hmmm let's test this. I repeated "Potty" again, huge smile. "Potty" again, another huge smile. Then Potty stopped working. I then tried "poop" Well poop worked 3 or 4 times too. Then he got cranky and needed to eat. I hope another word aside from potty and poop make him laugh, but he's a boy and his dad still laughs at potty humor.

Next up, I told you there was a lot to cover, out of the blue this afternoon a neighbor that I don't remember meeting before brought us a gift and a meal! The meal included salad, salad dressing, stuffed shells and cookies! I can't wait to chow down on this meal. She has a 5 month old, so that might be another new mom that Allison can bond with.

It's so crazy how NY and FL are different. In NY I don't think 1) a neighbor I didn't know would ever bring a gift or a meal and 2) I would NEVER accept food from that stranger. FL is awesome. I'm not sure if she'll read this, but thank you very much. I can't wait to chow down on the stuffed shells.

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.

Happy 1 Month, Benjamin

Last night was garbage night. I don’t mean it was a bad night, I mean it was the night I bring the garbage out. After work I ate, took Benjamin for a walk with Allison, went for a run, showered, gave Benjamin a bath, then held him on the couch until his last feed before bed at 10:30. I gathered up the garbage, emptied the Diaper Genie and took it down to the street, then I took Molly out for her last potty of the night. I was heading up to bed, when I saw one last bag of garbage that needed to go into the pail. Quickly I grab it and head to the front door.

I unlocked it then paused. “Did I arm the alarm on?” Upstairs there is a fed, changed and sleeping 1 month old and a tired, cranky and close to sleeping wife. Do I risk opening the door, setting off the alarm and waking them up? That would, no doubt, wake up the beast. Well, I’ve got one question for myself. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk? Short answer, NO. I punked out and check the alarm. It was not armed yet, but like I always say, safety first.

I’m sure that’s not what you were expecting to read on the day Benjamin turns one month old, but I’m not finished yet, chill. He made out very well at his doctor appointment today. He got his second Hepatitis shot, he cried hard for a few minutes, then he was good. He weighs 10 Lbs 5 oz and is 22 inches long. Good news: he was given approval to take a full bath. Up until now we have been giving him sponge baths. He loved his first real bath. We didn't bust out the bath toys, maybe next time. Gotta start out slow.

The bad news: the doctor didn't yell, but said we aren't giving him enough tummy time. We give him tummy time everyday, but the doctor recommends tummy time 3 times a day. Whoops, noted. He'll be doing push-ups by 2 months. She also said he should be going to bed earlier. We are trying that out tonight. He's in bed right now. Let's see if he stays there.

How do I like being a dad? I love it. I don't feel like I've done very many "dad" things. No playing catch, no slot car races, but we have watch a Jets game together and they actually won! At this point, I'm just helping him survive. The parenting and "dad" feelings will come later on once he's older. But I still love it. He's a good boy and he's so cute when he's asleep. He lays on my chest and he's just the cutest kid you've ever seen. I know I'm not exactly an impartial 3rd party here, but seriously, he's a beautiful boy.

Next month he should start smiling and take more notice of his surroundings. I can't wait for that. I'm also looking forward to getting back into a schedule and spending time with Allison again. There have been days where we see each other, but don't talk at all. It's weird.

Anyway, I'll wrap it up by saying it's been a great month and also mention that today, was so much less stressful than day 1.

A Visit From Grandma & Papa

On October 2nd, my parents and Uncle Carlo came down for a visit. It was the first time they'd be meeting Benjamin. I gave them instructions before they came.

1. Don't get sick! Drink some OJ, take some eukanuba, but don't be sick or you can't hold the baby.
   
2. No smoking then holding the baby. Either change your clothes or wear a Hugh Hefner smoking jacket. If you stink like smoke, then you can't hold the baby.
   
3. Please bring doughnuts.

I picked them up at the airport after work and we headed to the house, great news! They brought doughnuts and bagels! HAHA it would have been great to see them even if they hadn't brought doughnuts and bagels.

They met Benjamin and they all thought he looked like me when I was a baby. It was strange calling my parents Grandma and Papa. Instead of saying "Benjamin, this is your grandma and papa" I kept saying, "Ben, this is my mom and dad" I'm sure as time goes by that will get easier, but it was weird.

It's always too short when visitors come, but the silver lining is, when they leave, you are already closer to the next visit. To all family and friends, you are all welcome to visit anytime. We have plenty of room, just give me a call to set something up.

This wasn't Ben's first experiece with NY. If you remember, he has already been up to NY and had pix with doughnuts, bagels & NY Pizza. http://tinyurl.com/yhsgrey & http://tinyurl.com/yk9sd3u. Now NY was visiting him and we all had a great time.

Benjamin in his I Love NY gear. I bet he'll be the only one in kindergarten that can sing We Didn't Start the Fire, NY NY and Empire State of Mind, the clean version ofcourse.

The best doughnuts in the world come from Greenpoint Brooklyn. Peter Pan Bakery on Manhattan Ave. If you have a better doughnut, bring it here to me and I will judge it. If you are ever in the area, do yourself a favor and get a few. One way to do this, run the NYC marathon. The course goes right down Manhattan Ave and it might be a good pick me up for you, but don't hold me to that. It might also make you puke and breakdown in a bad part of Brooklyn.