Quest for Cognizance

By popular demand, we'll continue to keep everyone apprised of
Max's adventures on his old page. It would be better to keep news of the little guy separate from the blithering opinions of his father.

Speaking of news. Max had his 2-week appointment with his pediatrition yesterday. Everything is great, and the little oinker topped out at 7 lbs 4 oz. (As we all remember, he bottomed out at 4 lbs. 4 oz. way back when in the NICU.) He's eating like his dad.

Or is it his mom...?

I have to admit, this whole time period, from our first visit to the hospital seven days before d-day up through and continuing on through today, has been pretty surreal.

With the whole lack of sleep thing, combined with being home ALL the time, you forget to do certain everyday tasks like getting groceries, feeding the dogs (scratch that, the dogs NEVER let you forget), doing laundry, taking a shower, winding the clock, staying in touch with your friends, calling your respective mothers, etc.

I was asked a question yesterday about a subject we've thought about periodically but never acted upon. A subject that only deals with people who have kids. A subject that can worry a new parent to death. A subject so intense at the outset, but able to be handled with careful planning and smart choices.

"Have you started a college fund yet...?"

It's like I just got smacked in the face with a 2x4.

I don't know when it started, but ever since I can remember, cinnamon bunt cake with sugar-icing on top has always been my ultimate, supreme, get-out-of-my-way favorite choice when it comes to birthday cake. I didn't care if I ever received a card or present, as long as I got my cinnamon bunt cake.

I can blame my wife for upsetting my normally routine, simple, and orderly birthday meal.

This past Thanksgiving, she decided to try her hand at a pumpkin roll cake. Filled with whipped cream-cheese frosting. Topped with powdered sugar. Tasty.

They always said things change when you get married. Birthday's coming up. Damn...

We are kind-of, sort-of, maybe, for the most part getting into some sort of routine with Max home.

The last few mornings I've found myself taking our son downstairs somewhere between 7 and 9 A.M. so Annie can get some well deserved rest. She does most of the 3rd shift work while I snore the night away.

So I sit here on the couch, after feeding my son his morning bottle and changing his diaper (diaper changing is a another story entirely), watching him sleep off his "milk-drunk" next to me and am finding it hard to comprehend how we got here.

Wasn't it just yesterday my high school friends and I were carelessly cavorting on the lake, dragged behind our parents speedboats either on skis or some other contraption found in the back of somebody's old shed?

Wasn't it just yesterday my best buds and I were traveling all over lower, and now and then upper, Michigan playing rock-band gigs in one form or another, hoping Dave's van would get us there and back home without breaking down? (which eventually happened)

Wasn't it just yesterday I couldn't take my eyes off my best friend's cousin at a New Years party and then find the courage to ask her out?

I guess it all came out alright. I have a beautiful wife, a beautiful son, live in a fixer-up house on a decent piece of property, we both have jobs and a couple of dogs we can vent at or wrestle with when needed. We both have great families for all the support we need.

Damn. THIS is life.

I gotta say, just like every other parent I know has said, there's nothing like this new-parent thing.

Your world turns upside down and learn stuff about yourself and family you never knew before like:
-- Baby poop isn't the worst thing in the world, but has the potential.
-- 1-3 hours of sleep per night will get you through the following day.
-- Human or not, a baby is a baby. (aka. Vinnie as best friend, Abbey as Mom #2)
-- You have no choice but to become more patient, thoughtful, and loving even though you're on autopilot 90% of the time.
-- Your wife has all, and does all of these things 500% better than you because she is MOM.