ChattaBaby

Be it ever so humble...

there is no place like the Little Tikes ImagineSounds Playhouse. Megan talked me into this one and I'm glad she did. Not only have we made our little princess the happiest baby alive, we have virtually doubled our square footage.

and I ran.

Perhaps you haven't noticed that my flabby body is a bit firmer today. It is so, because I will it to be. I have become a runner. A runner's physique is the best to have because you can wear the toughskins that you wore in second grade and your heart beats twice per minute. As kids, we ran all day long and we didn't have to think about staying healthy. This is the state of mind and body that I intend to reach.

Per a friend's instruction, I went and bought a pair of running shoes that fit my stride and foot type. Then I did it, I ran nearly three miles... and now i feel like I have buckshot in my calves. Everything hurts but my damned legs are oaken.

I have set my next day to run as Saturday. I will be keeping track of each run time and will be posting it somewhere on this site so you can monitor my progress.

What? You don't care. Hmmm. Well if you change your mind shout me a holla. Maybe we can run together...hand in hand.

what the

Of course we had to take identical pictures of each other on the Empire State Building — now we can finally decide whose camera phone RULES!! (Alas, I already know it is Barry's) Well, the whole New York experience was beyond cool. We actually accomplished everything we went there to do, including buying a fake Rolex (our quest in Chinatown) .

We to u red the new MOMA, which has these huge floor to ceiling windows with views of the city that rival the art on display, which was the most impressive collection I have ever seen. I had a blast, and I didn't really even expect to.

We went to a Broadway play, Sweet Charity, starring Christina Applegate (You know, the star of TV's "Jesse") We went to Soho and Chinatown and Times Square. We ate outside along a street in Little Italy to the refrain of the host yelling, "Hey, you hungry? Wanna eat?" in a perfect New York accent.

I can keep writing forever. But, most importantly, I got to do it all with Barry, which made it that much more spectacular. Thanks, b, for putting up with me.

way down yonder in the squall squall patch

Sarah's squallor has ceased. We think she was a little off from her trip up north. Thanks for comments.

Ye Olde AM Squall

Chattababy has turned things up a notch with her latest pattern. She has decided to awake at 5:30 am and shriek like a friggin banshee. It's a hysterical scream/cry that is peppered with hyperventilating and pleas of "momma" and "datti". Her only consolation is to get in bed with us. Haven't we been through this?

When this first started happening earlier this week we would change diapers, get milk, food, toys, diaper cream, a cigarette...we were afraid she was hurting. I suppose I am still concerned that she gets scared but my gut tells me it is just another stage of separation anxiety. This morning Megan held her in the nusery for a bit but as soon as her little body was lowered into the crib it started all over again. We just kinda had to tough it out just like before. Occasional visits but letting her cry in spells...or rather scream in spells.

It is an awful sound that just rips your heart out. Any input from you baby-mommas, baby-daddas, baby-babies, daddy-mommas or Dr. Spock would be much appreciated.

Yes, I'd like one bacon-butter biscuit with a pat of chattagravy.

Megan says the a/c is fixed. I believe her. I love her.

I am floating on air because it seems our house is worth 25K more than it was a couple of years ago. This will end up saving us some serious dough in the next year but I will not go into the specifics just yet. We can say that Sarah is a bit closer to moving out of a closet and into a real bedroom.

Nick Dupey...Has anyone seen him lately?

Game 7 of the NBA finals is tonight. No one has been able to say this for 11 years. Watch it.

Vacation pictures have been posted to Jen's site. Actually these are photos of Scott & Kitty's wedding which absorbed about half of our visit. They are a magnificent couple and they are going to make some fine ass babies. These photos are solid evidence that there ain't no party like a H-burg party.

A small rebel force has penetrated the shield and landed on...

the Empire State Building observation deck. Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

Expanding her vocabulary

While in Pennsylvania, I was explaining to some relatives how Sarah is using her vocabulary. She has expanded three words, "Juice," "hot" and "ew," to fit a variety of situations. "Juice" is Sarah's "cool," or "awesome" or, as a childhood Barry would say, "mint." "Hot" can be used for anything dangerous, and "ew" for anything gross.

Well, now she is expanding her vocabulary some more. The girl and I had just turned on "Punk'd" the other day when Sarah looked up at Ashton and said, "Ooh. Hot."

Yes, Sara h. But I think he likes his women older.h

Would someone just push me around a little...

...and cuss me in some western European language. I am beginning to miss NYC and I am not sure why. When I need my fix I go here. I am sure Meg and I will post more on our little vacation in the next day or so but I think we are still recovering form the bustle.

In the meantime, here is a grainy-phone-photo of my date in the Square of Times. Isn't she sweet? Sweet as maple candy!

no kraut on kielbasa's day

So I spent a good part of father's day thousands of feet in the air. I really don't enjoy flying. The sickening smell of plane exhaust coupled with the warmth of the cabin makes for a quivery tummy. The aged (A-Jid) sausage I inhaled at the Harrisburg airport didn't help the cause. I must say that I lucked out as I was sufficiently distracted from this hell by my smiling travel mates and periodic glimpses of the US Open.

I have always tried to take a little time on father's day to recollect stand-out moments between me and my dad. Now that I am a father, these recollections serve as guide posts. My father has always struck a unique balance of piss-your-pants silly and a stoic sense of ethics...the recipe for ideal fatherhood in my opinion. Thank you, Dad, for the tent in the backyard, the baseball games and a truly care-free childhood...a rarity these days. I love you.