You know you are bored when...

I'm 34 years old today. When I was 20, my 30's seemed like a million years away. Now my 20's seem like a million years away.

I start my 'year' in September - partly because of the school year (hard not to when your dad is a principal!) and partly because of my birthday. This year will be one of discovery through the eyes of my beautiful little girl. Having a baby grounds you in the most wonderful way. I get to spend hours of quiet time just looking at her sweet face as she nurses and as she sleeps. It's amazing to see the changes: in 5 weeks she has gone from a quiet little bundle of an infant, to a baby that is discovering her world.

I knew that having a child would change my life, but I didn't understand how much it would change. My mom asked me if I can remember what life was like without a child. Honestly, I can't imagine not having her. Your outlook shifts completely - the most important thing in your world is now this little person that relies on you to ensure that she is fed and loved and feels safe. Some say that this means you don't feel like you are important anymore, as you have to take care of the baby and don't have time for anything else. But in providing that love and security, I am the most important thing in the world to her. I don't think that is a bad thing at all. I'm her mom and she's my little girl and nothing in the world has felt better.

I didn't know just how much my own mom loved me until I had my own little girl.

Now I do.

Why do old people feel the need to cut down trees?

My elderly next door neighbor took out 2 beautiful spruce trees last year - tall, 40 year old beauties that gave a home to birds and squirrels, and provided shade and privacy. He asked me if I would cut down my spruce at the same time. I love my tree, and will not cut it down. I like to sit in the back yard and listen to the wind whistle through the branches, watch the birds fly in and out, and see where our 'pet' squirrel Finnigan V pops up. Yes, the tree makes cones that land in the yard, and on his side of the fence. I'm sure a number of them end up in his rain gutters as well as mine. For me, that's a minor inconvenience when compared to the joy I get from it. I told my neighbor to toss the pinecones over the fence, and to trim any large branches on his side, but that I would not be taking out the tree.

This morning as I was sitting with Lily, I heard a chainsaw fire up. Sure enough it was my neighbor. This time he was having someone cut down the tree in his front yard. While I miss the spruce trees, this one is a heartbreaking loss. It was a tall, stately weeping birch, one of the few in the neighborhood that wasn't affected by the drought. I have a soft spot for birch trees, as we have always had one in our yard - Mom and Dad's old house had 3 in the front yard, the lake has one in at the kitchen window, and the new house has one in the front yard. When I bought my house, it didn't have a birch, but the neighbor had one. Because of where it was in the yard, I shared the view of it, and could pretend it was mine...

And now it's just firewood.

We will be putting aside some money so that we can plant a proper tree in the spring. I was talking to Mom about this a week ago. When my Grandpa died, my mom and I picked out a tree to plant in my yard in his honor, and in honor of Lily's birth, I wanted to plant a tree in the front. Now I know what kind of tree I will plant.

A weeping birch that will restore balance to my yard.

Our Lily is 1 month old today! The month has just flown by. Between her birth, sending my brother back to China, and my parents buying and selling houses we have been a very busy family. Mom and Dad get posession of the new house on Friday; the big move is the following Wednesday, the day after my birthday.

I still have some mixed feelings about the move, mostly that I will miss the house. Mom assured me that the new owners are really nice people who told her they will take really good care of the house. I went to the new house this week, and it's great! Walking through the rooms with Dad gave me some insight into how excited they are to be moving in, and how eager they are to put their touches on the home. Mom said that she will be sad to leave the old house, but that this move isn't about houses - it's about Lily. They wanted to move back to the neighborhood, and her arrival was the catalyst. She's a lucky little girl...

Today was my Grandma Carbol's birthday. She would have been 87 years old.

She passed away almost 4 years ago. Before she died, we had a long talk, and I asked for her blessing to name a little girl after her. She thought about it, and told me that it would be lovely, but that it had to be her middle name. I had hoped that she would be here with all of us when I finally had my little one, but it wasn't to be. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to ask her, because it meant she knew she would have a namesake.

Her namesake is 4 weeks old tomorrow:
Lily Ruth Carbol Ritcey.

I can only hope that I raise a daughter that is as gracious and kind as my grandmother was.

Why are there pockets on baby clothes?
What does the designer think the baby will put in them?
My kid can't even find her thumbs, let alone stash an illicit soother in her pocket.

Lily was having a bad hair day today...

Hi yas,
I just turned on the TV while having my little wriggler in my lap; and turned on the Crocodile Hunter. I can honestly say I will miss Steve Irwin, I can remember talking about him with so many different people, and in every case it was a very pleasant conversation. I even had conversation with Craig the one night, and that amused me as well. Which was what made me decide to post about it, because I will not be able to have a conversation with Craig about his passing, (Steve Irwin, not Craig), whom I trust is doing very well in China at the moment. With so much going on lately I can relate to how much my extended family miss their son, their brother, their uncle; ok not sure if Lily misses Craig, not sure if Lily misses anything at this point, but soon enough I am sure she will. Anyway, her wriggling is getting out of control, so that's all for now.

September already...

Lily had her first checkup with the pediatrician today. She's still a healthy little girl, and is growing like mad. She is now 9 lbs, 6 oz! We were at the Health Clinic at Bonnie Doon on Thursday last week, and she weighed 8lbs, 14 1/2 oz. I hope that she is only going through a growth spurt right now - I won't be able to keep up with her!

After her doctor's appointment, we went to show her off at the hospital to Mom's coworkers. The girls bought her a great little outfit (pink of course!) that she will be able to wear in a couple of weeks - it's a bit big, but that's ok. As I am discovering, they grow fast.

After that, we went up to the 3rd floor to visit a friend who just had a baby boy. There's a long story here, but it's not mine to tell. What I can say is that he is a perfectly content, very sweet baby, and that his mom is doing an incredible job despite the short notice he gave her. We love you both!

Mom and Dad sold the house last night, so the goodbyes are for real now. I am getting more excited to have them close to us, and have come to terms (I think) with the old house going to a new family. Mom and Dad take over the new house on September 22nd, and the new owners take over theirs on the 2nd of October.

Today was also the first day of school for most, but not for my Dad. As he noted this weekend, this was the first time in 51 years that he didn't have to go back to school. I suggested he go golfing, and call one of his principal friends from the 9th tee, just to tease...

I had a train of thought, track after track meticulously placed one after another...However, it has been derailed. I do recall the old Chinese curse, may you live in interesting times, well things at current are definitely that. I will not expand on that, I will just leave it hanging there, like the condemned man looking at his noose dangling from the gallows above...Not that my situation is anything like that, I just felt at this moment that I would use a literary example.
But anyway, things are interesting, perhaps its always been like this since I married Carrie and I have just failed to notice until now; or perhaps I have just grown to care for her family and friends as my own, I am uncertain.
We had a fabulous time at the lake this September long weekend, the weather was great, aside from the horrid clear blue skies that were the norm it seems for the time we were up there. I tried a new ice cream flavor, after walking to the campground with my wife and our darling Lily in a baby sling. This flavor, wet paint, which upon inquiring about exactly what flavor it was, "its like bubble gum without the chunks of bubble gum in it" the frantic girl behind the counter told me. I thought, well its 3 colors, a sky blue, a deep cherry red, and white; all of it cannot be a uniform taste...WRONG! So that took a little away from it, I had my hopes that each little bit would have some sort of taste, was disappointing in that aspect. I did find out that Craig rather enjoys tiger tail ice cream, which is orange with black licorice swirled into it; see Craig, even when you are not present you're still in our thoughts; especially when discussing ice cream it seems.
I hear my wife calling, well mentally at least, for me to put on some coffee, it is early after all, and she has a busy day ahead of her.

Lily is currently contemplating her navel. Because she finally has one! Now she can have a real bath, instead of sponge bathing. Today we have a big day - she's going to the hair salon, so Mommy get her hair cut. Lily prefers the 'let my hair fall out' and 'I only use milk as a styling product' methods for her coif.

Then we are going to pack up all (or most) of her paraphanalia and try to get to the lake without having to stop.

Wish us luck!