So I finally got a chance to take a day off to watch Sophia. She is just an amazingly EASY baby to take care of. I'll probably EAT my words when she's a teen.
As a newborn it was only really tough the first two months, after that, it's been so easy. Even Jeri says so. Sophia sleeps through the night with no problems. We BOTH take care of her needs so it's never a single parent doing everything. Yes, daddy feeds, changes, bathes and plays with her too, contrary to what people always think... that dads just sit back and watch TV. Sophia's finally used to both of us and we know how to handle all her moods. We think we have it down! It changes a lot, but it's been easy to adjust to her. She's just a totally laid back, super happy baby. Not sure the grandmas feel the same, but thanks to their help, we're able to continue our jobs. Maybe she's just good around Jeri and I only. Heh.
I'd really love to be a stay home dad. Sad to say this, but my career, I could care less about now. I'd rather be enjoying my time with Sophia and Jeri as a family. But of course we all have to work to survive... there's no getting around that... *sigh*
If we ever win the lotto, I definitely want TWO or THREE of these fun little trick pony's! :P
Ohhhh... Two or Three
A New Year....
So here we are, about 8 months after Sophia was born, both Jeri and I were blessed with a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Jeri just went back to work after being on leave for 8 months. I also had the wonderful opportunity to spend about 7 months free of work and spending time with the family. I already miss full days hanging out and interacting with my family. Fortunately, we have wonderful parents that are helping us take care of Sophia while we're at work. We're very thankful of that.
So I'm finally there... it was a rough and tough journey... but I'm finally there... the American dream of owning some sort of property, getting married to a beautiful, loving, caring wife, and having beautiful children with her. I couldn't have done it without my mom's support throught the years as I grew up without a father. Thank you mom!
I have had so many jobs that I lost count. From the creative side of being a 3D artist to the technical side of being a Help Desk Technician I have never had so many encounters with rude, obnoxious, very demanding, spoiled people until I got into I.T. Every morning I start off the day fresh and alive, but by closing time, I feel like I was a human Piñata for the last 9 hours. It's the most indescribable draining feeling I have ever had to deal with. No experience or bad relationship in my entire life has ever made me feel so entirely mentally and physically drained. Yes, that's how much I HATE work. But you know what? It doesn't matter because I have my wonderful family to go to after a long hard day. I look forward to seeing my wife and daughter every day after work which keeps me going throughout the day. My mom's instant messages to me at work throughout the day also helps keep me sane. Family is all that matters to me now. The "STFU" shirt is my favorite. Thanks sweetie, you're the best! I do appreciate the fact that I have a good paying job once again. It pays the bills and helps us save and that's all we need it for.
It's funny how a few years back I wrote a blog on how much I loved work and being a 3D artist. It WAS fun being an artist, but it just took way too much time and effort to create animations and learn all the crazy software that's required in the industry. I.T. is the most stable route to support my family, and I will do anything to make that happen. My goal is to work hard now and for BOTH of us to retire early and enjoy our lives. My digital photo editing website is doing well and WILL take us to the next level.
It's a new year and I'm ready for some positive changes. I am writing here to remind myself... "This Day... Every Day" and "Flower Bridge" I need to keep the negatives out of my life so that I can be the best husband and dad to my family. I want to be healthier so I can be around to see our children grow up and possible get married. I want to grow old with my babbbbaaaat Jeri and have many more years of laughter and fun with her. We have such a great connection it's amazing! I thought I would never find the perfect girl after all the crazy online dating I did. Boy that was a nightmare!
And... so the flurry begins... back to work. It's 9:12am on Thursday and people are starting to roll in and the phone is ringing off the hook again. One more day til the weekend. It was nice to get in early and write this. I think I'll do this more often because it feels so soothing. Maybe I won't need to take an anger management class after all.
nerdin out and changes
Yes as you can see I have changed the layout to the blog. I was tapping into my inner computer nerd and felt that it was time for a change. However I didn't want to use the ones offered by blogger so I went a searchin' and after many many MANY trials and errors I found this one. There were other really cool ones but they wouldn't allow for other aspect of the page that I wanted to keep (alth0ugh I'm sure I could have figured out a way looking at HTML coding and such, but I'm not that desparate....yet!) LOL.
Changes there are many going on with Sophia. She recently had her 100 day celebration that my mom held for her (her actual 1oo day mark was on the 1st of September). Mom and dad threw a nice party with tons of food and Sophia got to meet some of her relatives and my parents' good friends, so lots of hugs and smiles were going around. My bestie Michelle made her an awesome cake (even though she herself was not too happy but that's what happens when you're a perfectionist). Everyone loved it and loved eating it too. So yeah about the changes.....
Well she is becoming more and more vocal. Me and Ray can often make her laugh (when she's in the mood), she now also makes high pitch squeals and blow raspberries for fun. She hasn't discovered her hands yet but manages to always put them in her mouth. She comforts herself with the right hand and will often fall asleep with it in her mouth in the "rock star" position. So does that mean she's a righty cause if so me and Ray are in trouble as we are both lefties. She's been sleeping through the night since she was about 1-2 weeks shy of turning 2 months old. She'll have a bout of waking around 4:30am to eat but that's happened only a couple times since then. Her digestive system is maturing as she hasn't had a BM in about 8 days now but having good wet dipes and super stinky farts (most of the time, P-U!). Ray is little concerned but I've read that the can go a loooong time before having a BM and that as long as she's eating well and her behavior is the same then not to worry it will come and with avengence I'm sure. But if we get nothing by Monday then I just might have to put a call in to Kaiser to find out how long is too long. Overall she continues to be a very good baby and makes me and Ray so happy to be her parents.
First giggles!
Yay! Sophia's having her little bursts of laughter now! We've seen her do it in her sleep, but never awake. Two days later we finally caught it on tape!
Baby Sophia LOVES her music!!!
Sophia shows definite signs when she's getting sleepy... the grabbing of the ears, the huge yawn, and her I'm tired cries... which are VERY distinct. She sounds like a cat in heat sometimes.
Though very tired she'll try to fight it and throw a smal hissy fit. Now, all we have to do is CRANK up the music and she's out like a light.
Note to selves: So far it has worked with Black Eye Peas "I got a feeling" and Requiem for a Dream (dramatic music from movies). It's probably from all the Guitar Hero and Rockband we played all the time she was in Jeri. It could also be from watching TWO movies in the movie theater the same week she was born! :)
