too much time on our hands

I have to admit that I underestimated, a little, the concept of taking care of a baby. (Okay, maybe more than a little.) I have absolutely no time for anything these days. This was my daily life before Jalen...30% of my time devoted to sleep, 30% to work, 10% to eating, 10% to daily responsibilities and 20% to anything that I wanted to do. Taking care of Jalen requires approximately 40-45% of my time. Everyday now is about trying to figure out how to distribute Jalen's 40-45% into my life. So, scratch off the "anything that I want" routine and then it's about clawing away at everything else. This usually requires a bit of offhanded planning for Eumi and me and no two days are the same. It's also a little harder now because Jalen sleeps less during the day and requires more stimulation. His naps only last about 20-30 minutes at a time. He bunks down for deep sleep somewhere around 10-11 pm and even then he wakes up 2-3 times a night to feed and change diapers. So, Jalen is high maintenance. But it's not a bad high maintenance though, because, luckily, he's not colicky. He just likes to eat a lot and play. Jalen really loves doing different and creative things. He gets a kick out of doing silly things.

old cuz

Aidan is one year old now and I can't believe it. One day I find out that I'm an uncle and not too long after that, a father (and then an uncle again a couple of weeks later). I really feel a great responsibility to these kids. Growing up, my greatest influences were my two uncles, Manny and Eddie. They were my foundation. Being a great father is what I strive for but I also understand the importance of being an inspiring uncle. My first incentive is to keep these angel faces out of trouble. They may look sweet and innocent, but their eyes twinkle with mischief.

musing on Jalen

Many thanks for some of the flattering support I've received on and off the record for this blog. My original intent was just to show some photos to family and friends. As time went on, I realized that I became more wordy. But I was actually enjoying the process of keeping a journal. This is the first time in my life that I've done so, thanks to Jalen. So, thanks again and we'll continue to keep you posted.

taking it easy

Jalen is our new best friend. We spend all our time with him and he makes us happy. Keeping him happy keeps us happy and it's been a learning process. It's a relationship that, I hope, will remain in synchrony for a long time. There is nothing like watching him grow and develop before our eyes. Seeing his personality develop has been especially rewarding. It is a tremendous privilege to be a part of Jalen's maturation process. It's great if you can furnish your child's life with all the material things the world has to offer, but it's really about spending time with your child and being there for him/her. Anyhow, he makes us laugh a lot. He just kicks back, watches us and we do the same.

please step back

Jalen is going through a phase where he keeps putting up his guard. I realized that he's probably trying to send Eumi and me a message to stay back and stop smothering him so much. I know that it's been over 2 months now, but we can't help it. Eumi returned from an errand the other day and the first thing she said when she came through the door was, "Gosh, I love Jalen so much!" In the morning, I often find myself running out the door late because I'm usually staring at him sleeping. The kid's got us cornered.

4 shots in a row

We are always thinking about Jalen's well-being. We closely monitor his daily routine and developing needs. From the moment he was conceived, we've done nothing but worry about his health. We've had moments where we worried so hard that it almost became a physical pain. It's hard not to because we are so responsible for him and will be for many, many years. Often it can feel a little overwhelming to have someone depend on you so much. But our love for our child is much more overpowering, so we move on. The idea is not to think too far ahead if you don't have to. Day by day is the key because everyday brings new surprises. We don't know what the future holds for Jalen--what type of person he will become or what he will accomplish. But I'm not so sure that I care. I'm just so happy that he has his health and all that I wish for is that he continues to keep it.

hold off on the rogaine

We got some nice soft fuzz growing in on the top and, don't be jealous ladies, but look at those long lovely lashes!