when I started this blog five years ago, I was a pet sitter and the name animal-crackers made sense. now I'm a stay-at-home-dad and freelance writer, but rather than confuse everyone by getting a different blog, it's just easier to keep posting things here.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Mr. Smiles
Monday, February 20, 2006
Dilly had a little lamb
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Updates
It really started two weeks ago. Andrea returned to work full-time at the office and I started two part-time jobs.
The first was the freelance copy editing I've done since October. The second, a new gig with Dell copy editing in-house training guides. Since the former takes a three-month break in the spring, I needed the latter to get us through until June.
While the first five months of Dylan's life were fraught with peril, that and Josh were 90 percent of what we had to deal with. Now we have responsibilities to others again. And honestly, it sucks.
After six noncontinuous hours of sleep, I had to fit six to eight hours of work around 10 to 12 hours of child care, house work, cooking and playing. That sounds far better than it actually is.
Not complaining, just saying.
Now that the copy editing job is all-but-done, it should ease up a bit.
Everyone is doing well -- healthy and happy. Andrea's glad to be able to focus on work. Josh has matured a lot recently, making great strides in his potty training and social skills. Sure he's still spitting and pushing kids down. But after he pushes them down, he says "Nice shoes!"
Now that's manners.
And Dylan, he's doing great. He's smiling and likes to kick. He loves his bouncy chair -- which comes complete with a mirror, flashing lights, classical music and a vibrating seat -- given to him by his Aunt Liz. And he's fascinated by Josh.
Last week, some Easter Seals social workers came to assess his development. Physically, he functions as a 2 month old (which is his adjusted age). But socially, he's a 3 month old. So already he's closing the gap.
They said it usually takes two years for a baby as premature as him to catch up with his peers. By "usual" I assume they mean "average" and since Dylan's hardly average, we expect him to have caught up by next Friday.
The first was the freelance copy editing I've done since October. The second, a new gig with Dell copy editing in-house training guides. Since the former takes a three-month break in the spring, I needed the latter to get us through until June.
While the first five months of Dylan's life were fraught with peril, that and Josh were 90 percent of what we had to deal with. Now we have responsibilities to others again. And honestly, it sucks.
After six noncontinuous hours of sleep, I had to fit six to eight hours of work around 10 to 12 hours of child care, house work, cooking and playing. That sounds far better than it actually is.
Not complaining, just saying.
Now that the copy editing job is all-but-done, it should ease up a bit.
Everyone is doing well -- healthy and happy. Andrea's glad to be able to focus on work. Josh has matured a lot recently, making great strides in his potty training and social skills. Sure he's still spitting and pushing kids down. But after he pushes them down, he says "Nice shoes!"
Now that's manners.
And Dylan, he's doing great. He's smiling and likes to kick. He loves his bouncy chair -- which comes complete with a mirror, flashing lights, classical music and a vibrating seat -- given to him by his Aunt Liz. And he's fascinated by Josh.
Last week, some Easter Seals social workers came to assess his development. Physically, he functions as a 2 month old (which is his adjusted age). But socially, he's a 3 month old. So already he's closing the gap.
They said it usually takes two years for a baby as premature as him to catch up with his peers. By "usual" I assume they mean "average" and since Dylan's hardly average, we expect him to have caught up by next Friday.
Friday, February 17, 2006
3 weeks
Hi. My name is Todd and I'm a blogaholic.
Hi Todd
It's been three weeks since my last entry. It hasn't been easy. I want to blog all the time. It's all I think about, even as I let my gambling addiction and heroin habit spin out of control.
That's ok, man. Let it out.
I guess it started almost a year ago. At first it was nothing, just a couple of blogs about my job, the music I listen to. It was just experimenting -- no big deal.
But then it got out of hand. Soon, I was blogging every day. Sometimes twice a day. About my family, my wife and kids, my childhood. I couldn't stop. I started posting pictures and linking to other blogs. It was ... it was ...
Take your time.
It was like I was staring into this dark abyss, this blackhole that just sucked away one blog entry after another. So many words!
Oh the humanity.
We're here for you, man.
My name is Todd and I'm a blogaholic.
Hi Todd
It's been three weeks since my last entry. It hasn't been easy. I want to blog all the time. It's all I think about, even as I let my gambling addiction and heroin habit spin out of control.
That's ok, man. Let it out.
I guess it started almost a year ago. At first it was nothing, just a couple of blogs about my job, the music I listen to. It was just experimenting -- no big deal.
But then it got out of hand. Soon, I was blogging every day. Sometimes twice a day. About my family, my wife and kids, my childhood. I couldn't stop. I started posting pictures and linking to other blogs. It was ... it was ...
Take your time.
It was like I was staring into this dark abyss, this blackhole that just sucked away one blog entry after another. So many words!
Oh the humanity.
We're here for you, man.
My name is Todd and I'm a blogaholic.