Happy...

...New Year.
2008 was not an easy year, but had some very cool moments.
We're hoping 2009 is a very cool year, with only a few un-easy moments.

If we can keep drunk drivers from smashing into our house; emergency room and hospital visits to a minimum; and the wolves from our door in general, we'll consider it a success.
a vacation that includes sufficient amounts of sleep would be extra credit.

Actually being able to use my kayak, would be the cherry on top.



...Birthday to me.

Turned 41 the other day. celebrated it by getting up and coming to work, without waking up my wife or baby; getting to the office to find out that my b-day was completely ignored by my co-workers; going home and opening a few presents, eating leftovers for dinner, and then going to bed, only to get up two hours later when my daughter woke up screaming.
She's done this every night since mid November, not sleeping all the way through in aprox 6-7 weeks.
To say that I'm feeling every one of my 41 years today, would be an understatement.

DID have a few people over for ice cream and opera cake the night before my birthday, which was nice.

...Christmas to all.
my daughter's juuuuuust old enough to kind of "get" christmas.
Certainly understood the new toys were for her.
Was enamored with the nativity we put under the tree, it tended to end up looking like Tokyo, Post-Godzilla.
She thought the baby jesus figurine was the coolest, probably because it was, you know: a baby.
carried it everywhere when we'd let her, which resulted in the following quotes, followed by much laughter.


"don't put our lord and saviour down the ball chute!"
"no, no. You can't put the baby jesus in your poop."

christmas this year also meant lots of hosting of family.
three days / two nights of hosting my folks, and had the family's christmas gathering at our house.
Chaos, anarchy, yelling, messes, lots of cooking, etc.
A good time had by all, but was cool with my folks leaving on the third day.
Just in time for my MIL to arrive for the entire week, 22-26th.
Also harmless, and also glad when she left, just because it meant no more having to entertain anyone.
And I could once again walk naked from my bedroom to the bathroom in the morning.

Some day I'll expound on my theory that ones' day goes downhill the moment one has to put on pants in the morning...
Naked = good.
Pants = bad.

It's a bit more detailed than that, but you get the general idea.