Ahhh, Spring

There are few things more pleasant than springtime in the Carolinas. The first few months Meggan and I moved here, we ran no heat and no air conditioner. It was a striking difference from the swampy heat of Florida we left behind. Now that Amelia is getting to an age where playing outside is fun for all of us, Spring has the chance to be even better. However, it's becoming obvious that chance hinges upon a very big IF...as in IF Amelia can be around pollen without ending up in the hospital. If not, maybe that swamp wasn't so bad after all.

Not so fast

For the last two years, I have thought I was a pretty good parent. However, this last bout of Amelia being sick has shown me that I simply had a very easy job raising a very easy baby. The severity of this coughing spell certainly hasn't been nearly in the league of others. That said, the facts that it has come from nowhere and the doctors have essentially given up on figuring out the cause have really done a number on me.

In the past, the period of time after Amelia went to bed was a chance for relaxation and rest. Now, I think I can safely say Meggan and I dread putting her to bed. It is only a matter of time before the coughing starts and the stress builds. We try honey. We try a humidifier. We try steroids. We try Vick's. We try onions. We try elevated pillows. We try inhalers. We try D-Allergy. We try Singulair. We try cough medicine. We try prayer. And on most nights, we try all of the above...and none of it matters.

I'm certainly not any better or worse of a parent than I was before Amelia started getting sick. I just have to work a hell of a lot harder for it these days. I used to think rocking her to sleep and making her feel safe was enough. Last night, she rolled off her elevated pillow and literally used my head as a replacement...for over an hour. As I contemplated moving her hot, pacifier slurping coconut off my cheek, I realized I was just happy she was sleeping and I couldn't disturb her. I'm not sure if that makes me a pretty good parent or just a really tired parent. Either way, I'd like to go back in time and tell my pre-sickness self to take it easy on the self congratulation because any monkey can parent a happy, smart, healthy child.

So little time

After much internal debate, I have now enrolled in the Writers' Program through UCLA Extension. While I am very excited about the program, I am a bit concerned about the "time in the day" problem. I now have a fairly demanding job, a chronically sick child, this blog, the Writers' Program, and an additional charitable project that is in its infancy. So, I'm not sure how I am going to squeeze all that into my waking hours. I do, however, have my priorities in line - Father, Husband, Son, everything else. I think I'll be fine as long as I keep that perspective in mind. Besides, with Amelia keeping us up all night coughing, I get an extra 6 hours to accomplish things...who needs sleep?

Top Chef

It doesn't feel like work if you are enjoying it...


Cooking is fun...making a mess is hilarious...


The product of a strong effort...


Now, we wait..

Not a bad day

It might not have been a record setting Sunday, but for Amelia, it was a day with much to be happy about...

A tasty jelly biscuit to start your day...


Playing with your ball in the yard...


A little watermelon to finish off the afternoon...

Rapunzel

When Amelia was born, everyone said "she has tons of hair, but don't worry, baby hair falls out"

Well, I'm still waiting...

A Big Night

We had a big night here tonight. I really don't know any way to describe it, so I'll just leave you with a quote from Amelia...

"I poo poo in potty"