Working 8 to 5...

So I landed a new job. I'm working with the same company I did before, but now I am in an office at a desk with a phone and a computer. That may make it sound boring, but I actually enjoy the work. Without boring anyone with the details of my work, in short, this job offers me a great opportunity to learn and grow and is much more suited to my education.

I was chatting with Jaycee the other day and we were talking about my work. She knew what I used to do and I was trying to tell her I do a different kind of work. In summary, Jaycee thought that my job was to kick naughty kids out of the park and to clean toilets. When we finished our conversation I thought she had a pretty good grasp on what I do and I figured it would help that I no longer wear jeans and t shirts covered in paint and holes.

The other day I picked Jaycee up from preschool after work and we had to stop at the store on our way home. While we were waiting in line she asked me "Did you kick any kids out of the park today?" I tried to explain I don't do that anymore, but she insisted that if I wasn't doing it then there were naughty kids "all over the place". Then, as I come up to the register she asks "Did anyone poop on the floor at your work?" As if she were a part of the conversation, the checker slowed down and looked at me like she wanted to hear the answer to this question.

I let it hang in the air for a second trying to figure out the best way to answer this and decided on the truth: "No Jaycee, nobody pooped on the floor at my work today." I have to say, the checker seemed a little disappointed with my answer.

I just kind of laughed it off on the way to the car and didn't think too much about it. Later that night I was getting ready for bed and I thought about the conversation. It was only 2 1/2 years ago that I got a job scrubbing toilets to help ease the financial stresses of raising a family while going to school. Now, I have a degree and a pretty good job. My goals are not yet fulfilled and I have several more trying times ahead I'm sure, but more than anything I think about the many people out there looking for work and worrying about how to make ends meet. I am so fortunate for the opportunities that have been presented to me and plan on capitalizing on every single one that comes my way. It also helps when your 3 year old is always so eager to remind you where you come from. Thanks Jaycee, I needed that...

Watch what you say...

I refuse to address the fact that it has been a long time since my last blog. However, I do acknowledge that a lot has happened around here since my last post. I'll handle those things at a later date. In the mean time, I had a reminder the other day about how much little ears hear.

Luckily, this isn't a story about a four letter word that was repeated or about something detrimental to anyone, but it is still a reminder of what happens when a little one listens and connects the dots without help.

A couple of days ago, we went on our first family adventure to the Wild Animal Park. I never have cash on me these days. It seems like everywhere I go, I can use my debit card. Sometimes I encounter some relic that has not made the leap to accommodate cashless hipsters like myself. The Wild Animal Park has a merry-go-round near the entrance/exit and Jaycee always wants to go on it. It is 2 dollars that must be put in a machine that dispenses tokens. In other words, no cash no ride. When Jaycee asked I told her I didn't have any money and that next time I'd remember to bring cash. Unbeknownst to me, Jaycee filed this away.

Yesterday we were talking to Jaycee about next weekend. My new job is a Monday to Friday gig. With it being close to the holidays, there are parties and other events that I can attend on the weekends for clients. Next weekend I have the opportunity to go to one of these events, but it is the same day that Santa arrives for the annual pancake breakfast at the fire station. Casually, I asked Jaycee if she wanted me to to go with her to meet Santa or if I should go to work. She mulled the question over for a minute and to my surprise she said she wanted me to go to work. I asked Jaycee why she wanted me to go to work and she said: "So you can make money, then I can go on the merry-go-round at the Wild Animal Park".

The next time I go to the Wild Animal Park I'll be sure I have $6: 2 for Jayden's token, 2 for Jaycee's token and 2 for Jaycee's personality. Look out world, she's got it all figured out...

The Joker...

As Jayden gets older (and bigger), a very interesting trait is emerging; she is a comedian! She is very aware of when you are laughing at what she is doing and she plays it up big time. She has coined her own comedic phrase: "BOW!" When she is feeling extra cheeky, she'll give a "BOW BOW!" Sometimes she does the "gorilla walk", which consists of her hunching her back and walking very slowly. She usually makes some sort of face while she does this and she thinks it is hilarious. The fact that she is so funny is not lost on her sister. Jaycee has decided that if you are funny and like to play around, you are a "Joker". When you ask her who is a Joker, she'll say dada is a joker, pa is a joker, and she is joker. Recently she has given Jayden joker status as well. She often tells us this and reminds us of who is not a joker.

Jayden is getting pretty good at entertaining, she is a one woman show. She dances, sings and does funny stuff. Occasionally she engages in dangerous humor. Her latest act consists of climbing the table behind the couch yelling "BYE" as she jumps over the back of the couch onto the cushions. She also has a new smile she has been working on (see above). When you ask her to smile, she gets squinty eyed and shows as many teeth as she can.

I wonder who she gets her comedic talents from... BOW BOW!!

A thought...

I usually post something about the day to day goings on or some of the bone headed stuff I have done, but this time I have a thought. I'm not saying its a good thought or even a correct one, but it has been something I have thought since we found out that baby number 3 is a boy.

I am so happy to know that we are having a little boy. Jess and I are both excited to add another little bundle to our growing clan. What I have encountered recently is that a lot of people assume we keep having kids until I get a son. I definitely see how a logical conclusion to the choice to have three children is that there is a purpose. In my case, a boy seems like the purpose.

At first, when people would make this assumption openly, I found myself getting a little offended. I mean, are they insinuating that my daughters are less than what I wanted? Are they somehow inferior to a son? Are there things that a father can only do with a son and not a daughter? Now, these people who say these things would never say that boys are better than girls or that I am not a suitable parent to a daughter, so what are they getting at?

I began to question myself. Do I prefer a boy? I don't think so. I am not concerned about passing on my surname (I have some cousins that have that covered). I am looking forward to coaching girls soccer or learning whatever sport/hobby Jayden or Jaycee want. Basically I am looking forward to my kids growing up regardless of any other factors than that they are my kids.

After thinking this over I came to an understanding that we are all preconditioned to affiliate with what we know best. Me being male would best fit with another male. The same for females. The assumption that I would like a boy is more or less a natural conclusion.

Needless to say, I no longer take offense to the comments. I embrace them and make sure I mention (if given the chance) that I am just happy to have a happy and healthy baby. I may not have the ability or desire to determine the gender of my babies, but I definitely get to make them happy for as long as I live...

Spring has Sprung...

I do not have a green thumb. I have more of a yellowish thumb. With that said, our house is like a self sustaining forest! We have about seven rose bushes around the house that we inherited. They are all mature plants and are well established. Not knowing much about roses, I water them but that's about all I have done. I decided I would be content if the bush stayed green and wouldn't be greedy enough to expect blooms; luckily nature handled that part. I am not sure if the rose bushes just really like their location or if a magical garden gnome sneaks into our yard and sprinkles magic dust on them every night, but what ever the case is we have some awesome roses! I did some yard maintenance not to long ago and trimmed back some of our plants to clean them up a little and they all just erupted. We even have rose bushes popping up out of the ground where there never was a rose bush before. I don't quite understand, but we are definitely enjoying our low maintenance garden.

Jaycee loves the roses too. She takes every opportunity to pull off every rose she can and we finally stopped trying to protect them. Believe it or not, the roses are growing faster then Jaycee can pick them.

In other news, Jayden is really enjoying her time at home on days that Jaycee has preschool. She has been doing a lot of exploring, especially in Jaycee's room which is hard to do when Jaycee is home. She is such a character and we are literally watching her become a big kid right in front of our eyes...

Let the hunt begin...

Time to find a job! I am officially a member of the job hunting portion of the population. This is a little intimidating now that I am looking at a completely new and unfamiliar job market. On account of the competitive conditions in the country, I have been trying to find ways to stand out to potential employers. To come up with ideas, I have been reading about the different tactics people are using. One of the tactics is to attach a picture of yourself to your resumé. After reading this, I really got to thinking about my appearance. I got really used to shaving when I felt like it. This afforded me the opportunity to grow a beard or goatee whenever I wanted. Well, I began to wonder what an interviewer might interpret my appearance to mean. After asking around for opinions I was faced with a choice. To shave the beard or to leave it. It become the general consensus that it should go. I took these 2 pictures to see which made more sense. I'm torn.

On a more interesting note, neither Jaycee nor Jayden care for my beard. Jayden feels my face a little then proceeds to smack it: point taken. Jaycee was really studying my face the other day and after a long pause she asked me "what is all this weird hair coming out of your face?" I wonder the same thing. Maybe I should add this to my resumé. "Able to quickly grow facial hair and the ability to shave it even faster"...

When you need a helping hand...

Jaycee is at a really fun age right now. She can do most everything on her own (within reason) and she understands the importance of this. I suppose that is why she has been on a recent mission to "help" with everything we Jess and I do.

For example, I often make nachos as a quick snack for Jaycee and I. All I have to do is get the chips and grate some cheese. When Jaycee sees the grater she insists on "helping" me. Her version of help consists of eating one handful of shredded cheese for every handful she puts on the chips. By the time she is done helping, I spend twice the time cleaning up grated cheese from everywhere.

Lately we have found ourselves outside working on the yard. Jaycee loves to "help" with the yard work. As you can see in the picture, the required outfit for gardening for Jaycee isn't for everyone. When Jaycee decides her work is done, I get to pick up all the tools she needed then I get to sweep up all the dirt that somehow got out of the planter and onto the sidewalk.

I try hard to cherish these times. I know the day is coming when she won't want to hang around me let alone "help" me. Its just hard to understand how I end up with more work than I started with. C'est la vie...

Mobility phase 2: Climbing...

We knew it was coming, but it certainly doesn't make it any easier to deal with. Jayden is getting around pretty well. She can basically run now and her balance is pretty good. It takes a lot to knock her down, which is good considering Jaycee is always pushing her around. She stomps around with confidence now and isn't afraid of getting into tight spaces since she knows how to get herself out as well. However, the need to climb has also shown up.

Anytime any elevated object is around, it takes Jayden about 12 seconds before she attempts to climb it. She has begun testing out what is climbable and what is not. I have caught her trying to climb the wall and the entertainment center in addition to her high chair. She understands that scaling objects gives her some advantages. Maybe it is reaching a forbidden item or gaining a vantage point to drop down and attack her sister. No matter what the reason, she has no desire to keep her feet on the ground anymore. Of course, the result is falling and so far we have been able to keep the distance pretty small between her and the ground, but Jayden has her sights set on some pretty high spots. She complicates things by her need to multi-task. She never just climbs. She has to climb and dance when she reaches the top. Or, she needs to carry a rolling pin as she ascends. The other day she was climbing the footstool and talking on her cell phone. I'm not sure who she was talking to, but she was very irritated with something they were doing (or not doing).

Jayden is really coming into her own. I wrongfully assumed that I could have only one daughter that demanded the spotlight all the time, but it looks like Jayden is headed down the same path. May the loudest child win...

For answers to life's complicated problems, ask a 3 year old...

A quick story from today. Our power was out for about an hour today and for most of that hour Jaycee was walking around trying to figure out what exactly was affected by the power outage. She immediately noticed that the lights didn't work. Then she realized that the television could not be turned on. Then she was asking me about the clocks, the refrigerator, the pantry, and everything else she is familiar with.

After about a half hour of identifying what worked and what didn't, she decided she wanted to watch T.V. She asked me to turn it on even though we had discussed that it was not possible. She sat for a moment, presumably thinking about her investigation from earlier. After about 5 seconds I saw the light bulb above her head: "Dada, can we go to the store and get some batteries for the T.V.?"

That makes perfect sense. She discovered that all her toys that have batteries were unaffected by the shortage of electricity. So, why couldn't we get batteries to fit the T.V.? Have any problems that need solving? Just ask Jaycee...

Just another day...

I have mentioned before that Jayden has really started to emerge from her observational state and she has become a force to be reckoned with, especially for her sister. She no longer takes things lying down. If Jaycee commits a household crime against her, Jayden no longer contacts the authorities (mama/dada), she prefers the vigilante approach. This usually involves hitting back, scratching or, in the worst cases, biting.

I don't mind the self defense approach she has taken, but I have begun to notice innocent little Jayden has become the instigator. This morning, Jayden was stomping around with on of Jaycee's toys in her hand. Jaycee usually doesn't allow this and I have to step in and let Jaycee know that she has to share with her sister and that Jayden will share with her too. This time I didn't have the opportunity. Jaycee was still in her early morning mode which consists of minimal movement and limited communication. Because of her semi-conscience state, it took Jaycee a minute to discover Jayden carrying her toy around. When she did notice it, Jayden jumped into action. She went on a dead sprint into the bathroom.

One of the tough parts of potty training is leaving the toilet seat up at all times in case the need arrises. We learned the hard way that an unprepared toilet can be the difference between flushing the toilet and mopping the floor; but I digress.

Jayden had managed to beat Jaycee and into the bathroom and by the time I got there she was standing over the toilet attempting to flush it as she watched the toy floating in the bowl.

For a moment we all sort of looked at each other. Jaycee looked at me wondering what course of action I was going to take against her sister, while Jayden had a look on her face that said "Did you see that dada? That was... AWESOME". I shifted my gaze between both of them still trying to figure out how Jayden knew exactly how to pull off this stunt. If I didn't know better I would have guessed she had been planning this assault for days.

And to think I thought things would be easier when Jayden was walking...

Another candle...

Certain things really remind me of how old I am. The most obvious things are the girls' birthdays and of course my own. Jaycee is 3 now. Yes, I said 3. It seems like yesterday I was out of my mind trying to figure out how I was going to change a diaper by myself let alone spend any length of time unsupervised with a child. I wish I could say its maturity I have gained, but that just doesn't seem to be the case.

Even though it seems this post would be more appropriate after my birthday, I think I realize that my birthday really doesn't matter anymore. I don't mean that in the "poor me" way, but more in the "I'm not sure what would make it important anymore" kind of way. Besides, I don't need any additional indicators to tell me I am getting older. Allow me some examples:

-Not only do I officially own more sweat pants than any other type of clothing, but I am only a hair away from wearing them everywhere (no offense to sweat pant wearers). They aren't even the nice ones with a team logo or some other redeeming quality. In fact, the most exciting part about them is that I got them on sale for $4 each.

-I find myself saying "when I was younger" or "when I was in school" a lot more often. These statements are usually followed by some sort of story that involves the way the world is rapidly changing without me knowing.

-I am quickly losing my ability to become embarrassed. This is a pivotal part of the aging father's personality. I cannot identify where this happened, but it is definitely occurring. The fact that I am blogging about my sweat pants is a perfect example. If you need another one: for christmas my wife bought me a "Man Groomer". In case you are wondering, a man groomer is exactly that. Its function is the removal of unappealing or, in my case, excessive body hair. Apparently my body has begun to play tricks on itself and is slowly discontinuing growth in the areas of my head that are most visible to the world and is transferring its focus to my back. The beauty of the hairy back is the fact that I cannot see it. My wife, however, can; hence the man groomer. Well after successfully completing my first independent man grooming session, I proudly lifted my shirt to reveal a partially shaven back to anyone willing to look. If I were my kid, I would have buried my head in my arm and wished myself to the corn field. Thankfully Jaycee and Jayden have little knowledge of what I am becoming and they haven't begun to hold it against me.

-The last and worst of all the traits is my lack of ability to acknowledge my location when I release gas. Okay, so maybe this is unique to me and I am using my age as an excuse, but its true. I find myself letting a stinker escape in places where it would be easy to identify me as the culprit. The fact that I am not afraid of being singled out as the smelly guy is scary. The other day, I was shopping at Target. I was sent with a short list that included orange juice. I was intensely studying the OJ options with the refrigerator door open. I was partially standing in the door so I couldn't really hear much around me with the exception of the whirring of the refrigerator fan. I guess I was in the zone and failed to take the necessary precautions to prevent a loud gas bubble from escaping. I didn't think much of it since I couldn't hear it that loud with my head in the cooler and I continued shopping. Apparently I was incorrect in assuming I had escaped without notice. As I walked away I looked up to see a young girl staring at me with a blank look like someone just farted in her face. I was about to ask her "did someone fart in your face?" but before I opened my mouth, I realized that I had farted in her face. I just sort of stared back and said "sorry 'bout that" and carried on. On my ride home I thought "did I really just do that?". The answer was yes.

That's right, I'm THAT guy. The guy wearing sweat pants with the hairy back that farts without regard for public safety. I know I have many more years to go and I'm starting to wonder how much worse I can get...

Look out, here she comes...

Jayden Rylee is one now (has been for a month) and she is changing by the minute. As she grows, so does her personality. Her sister has a HUGE personality. Jaycee is very in your face and needs 100% of your attention whether you are able to give it to her or not. Jayden, on the other hand, has always been a bit more subdued. She is a watcher. She watches Jaycee stomp around screaming like a human air horn most of the day and she isn't bothered by it one bit. If you hang out with Jayden, you figure out pretty quick that she is pretty relaxed and easy going; she has been that way since she was born. However, recently we have seen an interesting side of our little baby. The observation skills she has been developing are now taking on an entirely different purpose. Like I said, Jaycee is very in your face. It would be next to impossible to not realize she is around. Well, this is not lost on Jayden. Jayden's favorite things to do is play with are "big girl toys" rather than her own. One of those big girl things is her sister's kitchen set. Well, Jaycee's prized possession is her kitchen set. If Jayden even looks at it while Jaycee is in the room, Jaycee throws a fit. So, what to do if your car alarm of a sister won't let you get within arm's length of her stuff, but you really want to play with it? Be patient. Eventually, big sister has to run an errand or two. Maybe she has to go outside and make sure all of the roses are pulled off the rose bushes or perhaps she has to change her outfit for the 7th time in a day. Whatever she is up to, when the coast is clear, make your move. That is exactly what Jayden does. When sister is preoccupied, it is a free for all. Jaycee gets two steps out of the room and Jayden heads on a bee line for the forbidden items. She can usually get a minute or two in before her sister returns and brings the fun to an end. She enjoys the time she gets then goes back to patiently waiting for the next opportunity.

I find it so interesting to have two beings, so close in age with such different life strategies. It makes me wonder as a parent which is going to be easier to deal with? You have Jaycee, who upon hearing no will make every attempt to explain to you why you are wrong and why she is entitled to eat whatever candy she wants at whatever time of day. Or Jayden, the one who waits until the right moment and gets the candy without anyone knowing.

Then it gets real scary. What if they team up? I had a glimpse into my future earlier this evening. Jaycee and I were playing rough and she was trying to get me knocked over so she could beat me up the rest of the way. Then without warning, I feel little fists beating the side of my head followed by the war cry of an Apache indian. I looked up and it was my innocent little baby with the biggest smile on her face, so happy to be ganging up on me. They say dogs can sense weakness, I think my kids can too...