The Talker

Tonight I had the pleasure of "interviewing" Waylon. I was dictating some letters tonight when he wanted to climb up in my lap and talk into my "microphone." I think he may have a future in radio. Some of the audio got cut off when Waylon was manning the controls, but I still love to hear him answer my very tough questions. Notice that he completely dodges the last one.

I have traveled an unprecedented amount this week, already having logged 1,020 miles with another 900 to go before the week ends. I couldn't wait to see the boys! I have a picture on my phone of Waylon holding Cal that I look at at least ten times a day. I'm so keenly aware lately of how precious these years are. I know that these are days for which we will long much too soon.

I can see Waylon maturing before my very eyes. He has developed a conversational tone to his speech that can be outright shocking. The thoughts that occupy his little mind is hilarious. Suni reported the following bedtime conversation tonight.

Suni lay with him in a bit in his bed and recounted his day, as is their routine. A bit out of the blue, Waylon asked "You have a vacumm cleaner?" Before Suni could even fathom the impetus for this question, Waylon answered it himself. "Oh yeah, it's in your bedroom."

They talked a while longer. Sensing Suni's imminent departure, he squeezed her neck to try to restrain her. (He is already experienced enough to know that he can do so under the guise of showing affection). Suni explained that it was time for her to go to bed, as well. Just as she was walking out Waylon's bedroom door, Waylon bolted upright in bed and cried out "Mama!?"

Suni's heart sank, as she expected at that moment to have to deal with a mini-tantrum. "Yes, buddy," Suni said, hoping for a reasonable request like a cup of water.

"Mama, I don't like wolves."

"Me either," Suni said, "That's why I'm glad there aren't any around here, buddy." Satisfied, Waylon lay back down and went to sleep.

Ah, that's our boy!

Happy Birthday, Cole!!

Today is my darling husband's birthday and I thought I'd steal a great idea from my friend Jenni and make a list of 31 things I love about Cole. I also wanted to post some priceless pictures as well. I particularly love the one with him in his knit Gingerbread man outfit and brown turtleneck. Ha!!! Here goes....

1. He's a true friend (my very best) and very loyal to those he holds close to his heart.

2. He's passionate.

3. He loves the Hawkeye state. Anyone who's ever met Cole knows he's mildly obsessed with Iowa. Seriously, the man should work for the Iowa Board of Tourism.

4. He loves my family and friends. He feels just at home with them as he does with his own.

5. His family!

6. He loves his career choice and is amazing at what he does.

7. He doesn't act like a typical lawyer-type. If I had a dollar for every time someone in Iowa asked me if Cole was really an attorney I wouldn't have to work.

8. He doesn't take himself too seriously.

9. He's obsessive, and not just about Iowa. This can be annoying, but it really is endearing.

10. He's an incredible cook.

11. His sense of humor.

12. He's a dreamer.

13. Whether he's talking about a beer he's just been handed or the dinner someone has prepared, Cole will often say "I think this is the best I've ever had." The great thing is, he means it whole-heartedly every time he says it.

14. His desire to learn.

15. He whistles. This was actually the first thing that attracted me to him. Who whistles these days?

16. His favorite show is the Golden Girls. Probably the second thing that attracted me to him. When we met I thought I was the only person under the age of 60 that watched it.

17. He thinks I'm neat.

18. He's forgiving.

19. He's not afraid to admit when he's been a dumbass. Good thing, because this happens a lot.

20. He cries watching television. If something on tv is sure to make a teenage girl cry you can bet your bottom dollar that Cole's at home sobbing too. Ha! It's great!

21. He has traveled all over the US and Europe and his favorite place in the world is still Iowa.

22. He was a band geek. Okay, so some others of us were too for a short while, but Cole was what you might call a Master of the Brass. Just ask him, he's proud!!

23. He's a wonderful daddy!

24. He was country when country wasn't cool.

25. He loves to travel and is always up for a new adventure.

26. His intelligence.

27. The fact that after reading this post Cole will inevitably call me and politely tell me any spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes I've made. He just can't help himself.

28. His self confidence.

29. He fits in with most any crowd.

30. He's a bit of a Renaissance man.

31. And finally, to quote The Minosaur, one of Waylon's favorite books, "He's mine. Mine, Mine, Mine!!"

I love you, Cole. Happy Birthday!!

Jonnie and "Johnny"

To say Waylon enjoyed having his Grandma in Tennessee for the week is an understatement.  Suni is going to post more later about Jonnie's visit, but I just had to put up a few pictures.  Suni is meeting with a mommy's group tonight, so I have a minute to post while Cal is sleepingon my shoulder.  (Waylon is at Nonna's house). 

Grandma took Waylon to the Aquarium of the Smokies, and W did not like the sharks.  I don't think it is an inaccurate to say they actually scared the piss out of him.  I missed a momentous event while I was stuck in Purgatory (Memphis).  The same day they went to the Aquarium, Waylon peed in his potty!  I was absent for this urination event, but I am extremely proud.  It will just be a matter of time before Waylon is peeing in Gatorade bottles on road trips with Dad. 

Below is a picture of Waylon beside his golden treasure.  Counter-clockwise is Waylon and Grandma this morning before she left; Waylon, Grandma, and Briggs at bath time; and Waylon walking Briggs, or, as Grandma correctly characterized it, Briggs walking Waylon. 

  

Grandma may be gone back to Iowa, but her presence lives on.  She left a bottled water that Waylon insists on drinking from.  He just dumped it all over himself. 

Snowy Day at Home

Only in Tennessee do law offices close for weather - in this case, about half an inch of snow.  I'm not complaining, as I was privileged enough to work from home today, which allowed me to spend some time with the family.  Here is a picture of Calvin getting ready to go to the doctor.  Notice he is donning the headwear of his future team.  Here is one of Waylon sporting his own weird hat. 

Here are a couple of shots of our boys in the baby basket. 

It's supposed to snow more tonight.  Guess we'll see...

A Good Big Brother

Suni and I were more than a little concerned about how Waylon would receive Calvin.  Our fear was that his emotional response would either be callous indifference or outright hostility.  Waylon is generally well-behaved, but, like all children, he can be quite jealous.  Thus, our concern.  Well, for the first time in his twenty-two months of life, Waylon’s parents sold him short. 

Waylon has been so sweet to Calvin.  He actually shows Cal genuine love, to the point where it has been moving a time or two.  Granted, there is plenty of time for jealousy to develop.  But, for now, we couldn’t be prouder of our little man.  In  the future, I hope Suni and I make a conscious effort to trust Waylon’s good nature.  I think there is some truth in the adage that “children behave like you expect them to.” 

The only interesting post-Calvin development is demonstrated in this picture.  Waylon has never put things in his mouth that don’t belong.  I know you don’t believe it, but even when he was an infant, he just didn’t explore with his mouth the way most babies do.  Well, today, he has put everything he can find in his mouth, including his colored Sesame Street Fizzy Bath Colors.  This picture shows the result of that experiment.  From  the look on Waylon’s face, the red one must not have tasted very good!  We both laughed, and he rinsed his mouth out.  I hope those things aren’t toxic.

Come to think of it, I think I will tell people this is Waylon’s Ozzy Osbourne impression.  It looks like he just bit the head off a bat.  The “blood splatter” on the bathtub wall adds some authenticity.  (Did anyone know Ozzy actually pulled that stunt in Des Moines?)   

A few more photos

Here are a few more of the kids today. 

We’re home!

We got home from the hospital today around 11:00.  Cal and Suni are both doing great.  Cal has a big appetite.  He’s doing well with feeding and we are supplementing with a syringe.

Several people have asked about Suni’s hernia.  It was a non-factor during the birth, and Dr. Metalka, Suni’s obstetrician said that surgical repair may not even be necessary. 

Here are some pictures taken while we were still at the hospital.

Here are some pictures I took after we got home today while my sister was holding Cal. 

I can’t stop taking pictures, so there will be more. 

New Arrival

Calvin is here, and I was off by a mile on the ETA. I had barely posted my last blog entry when Dr. Metelka came in and talked to us for about thirty minutes, all the while monitoring Suni’s contractions. The nurse came in at 12:12, and Dr. Metelka announced, “She’s full and at plus two station. Let’s deliver this baby. If I had quit talking to them, he would have been born on his due date.” The nurse thought he was joking. So did we. He wasn’t.

The room came alive with activity and people materialized out of nowhere. Dr. Metelka left the room to scrub in, I presume, and the nurses told Suni to push. After two pushes, Dr. Metelka came back in and told Suni to stop pushing. It was 12:16. Two minutes later, Dr. Metelka told Suni to start pushing again. At 12:20, Calvin was delivered. I cut the cord at 12:21. All in all, the speed with which this baby was delivered was stunning!

It has really been a great experience. The nurse with us all night, Renee, a Cleveland transplant, has been wonderful. Suni is doing wonderfully. Despite having to have a total of six stitches, Suni is reporting pain that is “not bad enough to take a Tylenol or anything.”

At birth, Calvin weighed 7 lbs. 9.5 oz. He is 19 inches long. He has a pretty full head of dark hair. Here is a picture I just took with my phone. 

Calvin is almost here!

Well, this is too rich.  Blount Memorial Hospital has a strong wireless signal here in the Family Birthing Center (FBC), so I am blogging from Suni’s birth suite. 

At about 6:00, as Suni, Waylon, and I were sitting down for dinner, Suni said, “I think I’m starting to have labor pains.” 

“Okay,” I said, “I’m going to call my mom.”  That is a man’s reaction to anything even slightly traumatic… or at least this man’s.  So I did just that, at which point the wife said, “Let’s go to Target and get Waylon some toys.”

Now, I found that to be an odd response to labor pains, but who I am to argue with a woman in labor?  So, my mom picked up Waylon, and off we went to Target.  There we saw my Aunt Judy and Uncle Ronnie, bought Waylon some toys, and went home to watch House.  The House intro has not yet begun when Suni emerged from the bathroom and said “We need to go to the hospital.”

Ten minutes later we walked into the FBC.  We were in triage less than forty-five minutes, then they moved Suni in a room.  I ran home to get the camera, and returned to discover that there were some developments.  It is now 11:20, and the epidural is starting to kick in.  Much to Suni’s chagrin, she got no Stadol this go ‘round. 

My ETA for Calvin Ford Stinson is 06:15.  I’ll keep you posted.  I wanted to photoblog this, but Suni said I could either do that or stay married.  I guess there will be no pictures. 

Is today the day?

We go in to Women’s Care Group here in Maryville this morning at 9:00 for Suni’s regular 40-week checkup.  Today is the due date.  We’ll see what they say, but I am thinking they will want to induce tomorrow or Wednesday.

My pal Nick has been kind enough to take my Memphis trip for me on Wednesday, clearing the way for me to stay home this week.

We just sent Waylon off to daycare, but we have to pick him up and take him to the ENT for his tubes follow-up.  We’ll keep you posted on the developments (or lack thereof) of the day.  

Waylon at 22 Months

Here are a few recent pictures of our little man.  Here he is coloring with his markers, helping me take ashes out of the fireplace, posing having completed that task, and running under the parachute at “’nastics.”    

 

Waylon’s at a fun age.  He seems to be a pretty bright little guy.  He can count to ten and knows many of his letters and all his colors.  He has long known all the Backyardigan and Sesame Street characters by name and color.  He knows almost all shapes, and I did satisfy myself last night that he can differentiate between a pentagon and an octagon.  (He is still having some trouble with the hexagon).  My mom is amazed at his ability to work puzzles.  Of course, this probably has no correlation to anything much, but it sure is entertaining!

W is doing pretty well with his manners, as well.  “Please” is pretty reliable, and “thanks” is coming along.  He has started routinely saying “excuse me” and surprised me a little when he genuinely apologized to me last night when he accidentally hit me in the head with a block.  Suni and Grover must be doing a heck of a job with that subject.  It’s sure nice to have a polite young’un around the house.       

Waylon assigned Calvin a chair at the dinner table last night, indicating to us that he does “get it” on some level.  Counter-evidence of that, however, is the fact that he continues to insist that, while Mama has Calvin in her belly, Waylon has “Carl” in his belly. 

Come on out!  Despite all the helpful advice from Tim Whitehead (Thanks, buddy!), still no baby.

Where’s the dough?  As my cousin Adam pointed out yesterday, there is still no cash dropping from the sky here in East Tennessee following yesterday’s inauguration of Mr. Obama, or “BHO,” as I believe Adam dubbed our 44th president.  

In like a lion, and other things...

Well, our baby could come at any time, but I sure hope it isn’t tonight. I have to stay in Nashville tonight. I’ll have to keep my fingers crossed. In between appointments I thought I’d write a quick post of some things that were on my mind.

• We've decided on a name. The poll results notwithstanding, our baby will be called Calvin Ford Stinson. We will probably call him "Cal." He will be named after my dad's dad. Ford is Suni's mom's maiden name and the Ford family boasts some of the best people I've ever met. We're delighted with the name.

• I am really impressed with Florida State football player Myron Rolle’s decision to put the NFL on hold for the Rhodes Scholarship. Smart move. This guy graduated with a pre-med degree in 2 ½ years?! Are you kidding me?

• Everyone’s bitching about the cold here. Please. Iowa is like Antarctica right now. Wind chills of -51 degrees. This morning, Cedar Rapids was literally colder than the North and South Poles. I understand global warming isn’t as simple as its name suggests and as some people try to make it… but, seriously, this doesn’t exactly jibe with the Al Gore scenarios. Of course, Al Gore probably invented weather, so he knows.

• I’ve been listening to the audiobook The Shack, the Christian allegory that has seemingly been everywhere. I’m intrigued by the clamor in certain Christian circles about this book. I have definitely taken something away from it. It is pretty well written, and there is significant spiritual value in reading (or listening to) it. Maybe it’s my own aversion to spiritual philosophy, but it seems to overly simplify some pretty heady topics. That is my only real criticism. Through hefty dialogue with the anthropomorphic trinity, the main character will arrive at some conclusion – the “Oh, I’ve got it moment,” followed by his restatement of whatever mind-blowing lesson the trinity was trying to teach him. And I’m like “Wait a minute! How the hell did you get that out of the conversation you just had?” (I don’t mean to be irreverent, but this is just how I think and talk). So I replay the CD track, but I’m just as mystified as the first time I hear d it. I’m earnest when I say that my own denseness is probably to blame here. Anyway, if anyone has read that book, I’d love to chat about it when I’m finished. As for the hullabaloo over it, those nutjobs are what turn so many of us away from organized religion. Look up the definition of ‘allegory,’ people. This author was not trying to supplant the Bible with this work of fiction. Chuck Colson, I’ve admired you, but lighten up.

• After ignorantly thinking Facebook was a ridiculous waste of time and something only teenagers do, I have been proven half wrong. There are old people on there, too. I have reconnected with some good friends I haven’t seen in a while. And it’s free.

Yet another reason to like the Indianapolis Colts.  Like Peyton Manning, Bob Sanders, and Dallas Clark aren’t enough. 

This is what I was afraid of

If Charles Krauthammer is right, last  November’s election result is exactly what I feared.

He simply wants quiet on his eastern and western fronts so that he can proceed with what he really cares about -- his domestic agenda.

Don't be fooled by Bob Gates staying on. Obama didn't get elected to manage Afghanistan. He intends to transform America. And he has the money, the mandate and the moxie to go for it.

If this is how he’s thinking, he better wake up.  Like I said, I voted on foreign affairs.  It won’t matter that the economy sucks if we’re all having to learn to speak Russian, or Chinese, or… you get the idea.

Ready for takeoff

Waylon and Charley on the airplane.
Taken tonight, January 11, 2009

Suni took this picture of Waylon and me back in the fall. The three of us took a drive on back roads up to the Foothills Parkway. We had gotten out to stretch our legs and look over Maryville from an overlook on the Parkway.

Good Take on Alexander

I like this take from Southern Beale, a Nashville blogger on our state’s senior senator. 

I’ve long believed that Lamar Alexander is one of those people who is riding a “moderate” image that is completely undeserved. He talks the talk but when push comes to shove he doesn’t walk the walk.

She is taking him to task on energy in the context of the Kingston spill, which, quite frankly, I am too far behind on to make any useful commentary.  You may remember my post about why I wasn’t voting for him.  Regardless of whether an informed version of me would agree with her on the ash spill, I think her summation is right on point.

Lamar Alexander hit his popularity peak with me when I was about nine years old.  I won some division of the Young Tennessee Writers’ Contest and was invited to a luncheon with the governor.  I was fit to be tied, as I knew all about how he had walked clear across our great state when he was running for governor.  I couldn’t wait to ask him a bunch of inane questions about his walk.  On the morning of the big day, I woke up not feeling so good.  For good reason… I had chicken pox.  I didn’t get to meet Governor Alexander that day.  It seemed tragic at the time.  Now, I’m not sure I missed anything. 

Technorati Tags: Lamar Alexander,Kingston,Childhood

Please…

Please pray for Taylor Whitehead, the baby niece of our friends Tim and Jaime Whitehead. Taylor and her family need your prayers and well wishes. you can track Taylor’s progress on the blog Tim has created for that purpose. I will continue to keep this post on top until Taylor is home. Please see below for newer actual entries.

Update: According to Tim and Jaime’s last post, there are some positive signs. Please continue with your thoughts and prayers.

Successful Surgery

Waylon’s surgery went well, and he has been sleeping since early afternoon. I was not able to make it to the hospital, so Suni continued the heavy lifting she has been doing for some time now. As is usually the case where a toddler and anesthesia are combined, there is an amusing story. Let’s hope Suni tells it here.

In the meantime, Waylon and I want to thank Big Mama for all she does, but especially for what she has done the last couple of weeks. I worked like a dog the last part of December and have been completely out of commission for the last week. I have been a pretty absentee father. Suni has been her usual amazing self in taking care of Team Stinson, and that should not go unheralded. Thanks, Big Mama!!

Update: To the extent my post and Suni's comment constitute the ever dill-received public display of affection (PDA), we wish to apologize!!

We love the ENT doctor...

We went to see Dr. Garman, our favorite ENT doc today.  It was determined that Waylon would need tubes re-inserted in his ears.  When scheduling his surgery around the birth of the new baby and my work schedule became difficult, Dr. Garman stepped in and said, "Well, we could do it tomorrow!"  This must have been news to the staffperson trying to schedule the surgery because she gave him a "what in the hell are you talking about" look.  But, Dr. Garman was not deterred, and Waylon has his surgery tomorrow.

I have finally experienced the pain and agony everyone told me would come with my tonsillectomy.  After nearly five full days of doing well, I decided to ask Dr. Garman today if he could give me a less potent painkiller and see if I could make it.  I could not.  Dr. Garman gave me Percocet, but it hardly does anything.  As soon as my next does comes up at 9:00 tonight, I am switching back.  The breakthrough pain let me know what these narcotics are masking, and it ain't pretty.  I pity the more people that are left to fend for themselves on Percocet from the get-go.   

Dr. Garman did reiterate today how badly I needed my tonsils out.  His exact words: "When I just grasped them to prepare for the surgery, puss squirted everywhere.  It was really gross."  Uh, yeah, truly. 

Iowa's brain drain, via Sullivan & Ward's Iowa Law Blog.

Things lost in the flood: a poignant reminder that, despite its utility, money is just not that important.

Role for Richardson?

President-Elect Obama indicated he would make New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson his Secretary of Commerce.  Richardson, however, has withdrawn his name from consideration.  Richardson is one of my favorites of all the Clintonites.  I had hoped he would get the nod as the Democratic presidential nominee.  As one-time New Mexicans, Suni and I appreciate the work that needs to be done there, and I think Richardson will continue to serve that state well.  There is plenty of work to be done.  There is an underlying hint of scandal here, though. 

"I felt that duty particularly because America is facing such extraordinary economic challenges. The Department of Commerce must play an important role in solving them by helping to grow the new jobs and businesses America so badly needs. It is also because of that sense of urgency about the work of the Commerce Department that I have asked the President-elect not to move forward with my nomination at this time. I do so with great sorrow. But a pending investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico state government promises to extend for several weeks or, perhaps, even months," the governor said.

I'm not sure how that will all play out, but I hope nothing comes of it.  Regardless, Commerce will be an important post in the Obama administration.  In the November 19, 2008, edition, the New Republic staff put together an "O-List," comprised of the thirty names of folks people most likely to "matter most" in Obama's Washington.  The list is available online here.  No one on that list jumps out at me at this point. 

Update: Reynolds says there is more to the Richardson scandal than he thought.  Hmm...

I like this take on Richardson:

I’ve been a fan of Richardson because he has shown himself to be a good representative and honest broker on the world stage for the United States.  He’s become an expert on foreign policy and as governor has had a decent record.  I hate to see that he’s just another singular example of a well-meaning, seemingly honest, intelligent Democrat distracted by the shine of that Wall Street gold.

Seems to be the case. 

Update: Of course, the Obama team says Richardson wasn't forthright, but the NY Times pointed out that the investigation has been going on since August. It will be interesting to see who else wasn't forthright with the transition team and just how many end up having to withdraw their names from appointments. 

Michelle Malkin says "Looks like Barack Obama’s vetters haven’t gotten any better since the campaign."

AP Writer Ben Feller writes that Richardson's public life "one of rumpled imperfection but plenty of opportunity.  Reminds me of someone else. 

Timeline by AP via Denver Post.

Um, yeah... because Norm Coleman is the creepy guy in the Minnesota senate race. The fact that Al Franken could be elected to... well, anything... is a sad commentary on the state of politics in the Land of a Thousand Lakes.

Shockingly, the Huffington Post is advising Coleman to concede the race.

Talk about a dumb stunt. This poor kid will have some embarrassing class reunions.

Tim, Brandon: You guys have an alibi?

No Zzzs

Well, another sleepless night for Suni and me. It isn’t so much the pain as the intense itching from the hydromorphone. It makes me scratch constantly, and poor Suni cannot get any sleep. We take Waylon in to see Dr. Garman on Monday. I will see if he will switch up my meds. Hopefully I won’t need painkillers a whole lot longer. Suni needs some sleep!

For you college football fans, you may have noticed that Tennessee is putting together one hell of an impressive football staff. But this may be the biggest story yet in terms of actual impact. Rodney Garner is one of the best in the business, and it was a big blow to Tennessee when he left for Georgia years ago. If this happens, it could be the biggest coup of all.

Update: You think football's serious in the South. One blogger has been tracking the UT plane and predicting Garner's fate based on who was and wasn't on the plane at a given time. Crazy!

He's under-appreciated in the Hawkeye State, but I agree completely. Give Kirk Ferentz every reason in the world to stay in Iowa City. The guy does amazing things with a fraction of the talent that many of his colleagues have at their disposal.

Some government intervention I condone.

Thinking of an old friend in a new year

One of mine and Suni’s favorite people on this earth is Mary Berdo. Suni and I have each been Mary’s roommate, albeit at different times. She is responsible for Suni and me getting together back in 2000. I really got to know Mary in the summer of 2000, when I was living with Travis Carlson and her in Iowa City, broke and waiting to get into law school. The next fall, when Mary was playing basketball at Iowa, Suni and I went to watch her play twice on the east coast – at Mt. St. Mary’s and at George Washington in D.C. The girl had better long distance range than AT&T. I got to know my future wife during travels in and around Washington, Gettysburg, and Eastern Shore of Maryland. Those are fond memories.

Berdo is one of those rare individuals that attract people effortlessly through the sheer magnitude of her personality. I don’t even remember when I first met her because I feel as though I have known her forever. And I’m sure everyone else who knows her feels the same way.

Mary never talks about herself, which is why it wasn’t surprising that I learned more about her background from this New York Times piece about her family than I ever learned from talking to her. The article was written and published around the time I met Mary, I believe, but she never mentioned that one of the most famous newspapers in the world was doing a piece on her Iowa farming family. I stumbled upon this story this morning while doing some research.  I’ve never met her family, but I sure would like to.

Mary, if you read this, we miss you. 

Happy New Year and Good News!

Happy New Year, everyone! We all had so much to be thankful for in 2008! On the last day of the year, Suni and I learned that the baby flipped on its own, meaning a cephalic version and/or C-section is probably going to be unnecessary! What a great way to end the year! We hope everyone had a great night. Here’s to a wonderful ’09!

We look forward to watching the Hawks play today. 

OK, so it's not Julia Roberts that is coming here? Dammit!

No Bates in K-Town

So close. My best friend from high school was offered the offensive coordinator position at the University of Tennessee by head coach Lane Kiffin. He turned it down to remain with the Denver Broncos, but Broncos head coach was fired last night. I was desperately hoping Jeremy would return to Knoxville, but nervous about the situation in Denver. Now it appears he will be retained in Denver. I haven't talked to him in a long time, but I am very happy for him and eager to follow his career.

Stupid Michael Newdow is at it again.  Honestly, can we put this clown on a ship with Oprah and Al Sharpton and sail it to Antarctica? 

The tonsillectomy

Suni and I arrived at the hospital at 10:45 a.m. yesterady, where we were seated in a waiting room and assigned a pager. (Yes, a pager… like you get at busy restaurants). We waited forever.  When I was finally called back, a nurse named Connie prepped me by having me disrobe, put on the hilarious hospital gown. Then she started an IV and gave me Keflex, an antibiotic, as well as a liquid dose of a steroid for inflammation, both via IV. I do not think I was given anything to clam me down, although I did talk her ear off out of sheer nervousness. She gave me phenergan (promethazine) for nausea. The anesthesiologist and the nurse anesthetist then came and took my history, explained everything to me.  I talked their ears off, as well.  (Maybe they did give me something for anxiety?)

Next, the surgeon, Dr. Garman, appeared.  His first words were, "Do you really want to go through with this?  I can't believe you showed up."  Again, what the hell?  Just when I was ready to make a "run" for it, he ensured me that he was kidding and told me I needed to have it done.  (The condition of my tonsils as observed in surgery would indeed confirm that opinion).  

He then informed me about my drug regimen. Dilaudid!! I am so relieved that I don’t have one of those masochistic doctors who would have prescribed me Tylenol 3. He also have me some tetracaine lollipops that should help me get food and drink down.

They wheeled me down to the surgery area. The anesthesiologist explained that it was time, and she wheeled me down to the surgical suite.  The next thing I knew I woke up in the triage area. A new nurse was taking care of me. Surprisingly, I talked that poor lady’s ear off. I don’t remember this, but they reported that my first words as I was coming out from under anesthesia were “Can I please have a pen and paper?” The nurse brought me a pen, and I proceeded to write on the back of my medical chart. Only I would insist that I be provided these things immediately upon returning to consciousness. I also don’t remember writing what I wrote, but the nurse made a copy of my scribbling for me, and this is what it undeniably says.

“I know Garman Garman,” it begins. What the hell? Dr. Garman is my doctor, and I think I meant to write "I love Dr. Garman... but… what the hell? Beats me. It continues: “This is not neurosurgery.” Um... no, nor was it a labotomy, but, why did I feel the need to state the obvious? Seriously, what is wrong with me?  Finally, something that makes sense: “Nurse told me to shut up, and she was well justified in doing so,” I next mused.  OK, so I was getting somewhat coherent and self-aware by that point. But I still wasn’t finished. “Persistently asked for pen and paper – embarrassing.” Definitely. Finally, “Don’t understand my compulsion to talk to this poor nurse.” Wow, I am weird.  The nurse came to the recovery room when I got down there just to meet Suni.  She said "I had to meet the woman that actually married this guy."  I wonder how many people have made that bewildered inquiry over the last nearly four years.   

I am 20 hours post-surgery and my pain is actually non-existent, except when I swallow!  Although I was warned that things will get progressively worse, I assumed my baseline would be more pain than 0/10 on the pain scale.  I did not think I would be able to blog or get any work done, but, alas, here I am.  I am so glad I had the surgery done.  I can breathe through my nose for the first time in years!  As crazy as it sounds, I feel much healthier already!

Happy New Year's Eve, people!!

We neglected to post that we loved Cibo's in Cedar Rapids, a eclectic place recommended to us by Monica Hahn.  Other than the overcooked calamari, the place was amazingly good.  Even the calamari was a positive, as the very knowledgeable waitress addressed it head-on with us, apologized, and made it right.  We sampled several things and were impressed with everything else, including the Rum drinks and Italian ices.  Thanks, Monica. 

An Iowan is Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff.  Not a bad gig for someone who has known the soon-to-be First Lady less than two years.

If this Russian professor is right, TeamStinson will no longer share a nationality with all you Iowans. The breakup of the United States seems unlikely, but this guy actually has points on a few things… which is very scary.

For a decade, Russian academic Igor Panarin has been predicting the U.S. will fall apart in 2010. For most of that time, he admits, few took his argument -- that an economic and moral collapse will trigger a civil war and the eventual breakup of the U.S. -- very seriously. Now he's found an eager audience: Russian state media.

The article is worth a read.

Update: While in the surgery waiting room today, I read this article in Foreign Affairs. Although this article is not dircetly related to Prof. Panarin's breakup prediction, it addresses the concerns I have about America's perilous position in the global geopolitical system. To me, the internal and external threats of destruction of our democracy are inseparable. I think Kagan makes some really good points that I hadn't considered. In short, it gives me some realistic hope.

A Word: I realize I blog about some things that don't interest all (or many) of you. I apologize for this, and if it is too much of an annoyance, I will just start another blog. In a sense, foreign affairs and politics doesn't mesh with our family blog. I recognize that, but I don't have the energy to start another blog right now, and Suni simply does not have the time to blog, not to mention it has to be uncomfortable for her to sit at a computer. So, if you visit our little blog simply to see what we are up to and see pictures of Waylon, please don't be put off by my ramblings. And, if you are, please let me know.

Here is an interesting little story about an amateur Iowa photographer in today’s New York Times. 

Fingers Crossed

I don’t know whether to be encouraged or discouraged, to laugh or cry.  But Charles Krauthammer, one of the most astute political commentators out there, in my opinion, makes some interesting observations (and predictions)about Obama’s apparently centrist administration.

Environmental Disaster Nextdoor

In Harriman, Tennessee, in neighboring Roane County, there has been an environmental disaster that will likely be the worst in southeastern U.S. History.  One writer says it is fifty times worse than the Exxon Valdez oil spill.  If you haven’t even heard about this you are not alone.  I didn’t know until a friend of mine who is a TVA employee told me yesterday.  The national media has done a terrible job of covering this.  (Suni points out that the local media has been all over it, and that I have been under a rock.  Although I haven’t done exhaustive research, both of her observations appear pretty accurate). 

The NY Times finally did a piece, and a second one confirms that the amount of waste spilled was nearly three times what TVA originally said the pond could hold.  Scary.

Meanwhile, the bastards at TVA are collecting their fat bonuses and financing them with rate hikes.  I bet we’ll see another rate hike to pay for the cleanup of this mess. 

Photo shoot at Nonna’s

Waylon stayed at my mom’s yesterday so I could get some work done and some things done around the house. Suni had to work. Mom got a new SLR camera – a Canon Rebel – for Christmas, and she took some pictures of Waylon yesterday. I thought they were really good (he needs a haircut), so I decided to post them here.

We hope everyone has a merry Christmas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Team Stinson visited the Kings in Nashville this weekend.  Brad and I went to the Titans game, which was great.  The whole way to Nashville, Waylon was clearly under the impression that we were going to visit his cousin Brayden in Iowa.  The names are just so similar to a 21-month old.  No matter how many times we explained it, he didn't get it until he laid eyes on Aidan.  Here, clockwise from top left, are Waylon and Aidan cruising in Aidan's car; Waylon looking through the View Finder his Aunt Pam sent him (he sees "Grandma, Briggs, and Mama" in every slide); another pic of the boys (Waylon taking the wheel); and our boy last Christmas.  

 

 

I am finishing Carol Felsenthal's book, Clinton in Exile: A President Out of the White House.  I have enjoyed the book, which relies heavily on the author's interviews with certain of the Clinton presidential and post-presidency "team," some of whose identities are revealed, others who remain unnamed.  It fills in some of the gaps left by Clinton's revisionism evident in his memoirs, My Life, which starts out interesting and devolves into hundreds of pages of defensive chronology.   

  

Suni's reading Brothers and Keepers by John Wideman.  I read this book in Colorado back in my freshman year but had forgotten about it.  We found it when we cleaned out our attic to blow insulation last weekend.  It bore an interesting stamp: "Coe College, Stewart Memorial Library."  Oops!  Wonder how much I paid for that damn book? 

Update (12/24/08): We went for Suni's 35-week checkup and learned that the baby is breech.  Next week, we'll discuss the options, but I think Suni is really hoping a C-section is not the reality.  I'm not yet educated enough to know what we're hoping for, other than hoping that the baby turns on his own.  I guess there is still time for that.  We still have no name for this kid.   

I have to have my tonsils removed on Tuesday, and I am not looking forward to that.  It's hard to believe it will be my first surgery ever.  Nobody has spared me the horror stories about adult tonsillectomies.  My Granny warned, "The first three days you'll wish you were dead."  Considering my Granny is the toughest person I know, I'm nervous about being a pansy-ass.  I think I am most nervous about the anesthesia. 

Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

Hello Again

We have been absent for a while. We would like to post pictures from Iowa, from where we spent the last six days… but we forgot our camera, which will not be a surprise to anyone. We had a great time, though, and it was good to see everyone. I have trials coming up, which mainly explains my lack of writing. Suni is busy with the usual things, which explains her chronic lack of writing. Plus, I think we are both bummed out by the election results and the impending socialism. Anyway, I digress. We do need to post some pictures soon. The kid is growing up fast. He’s starting to speak in sentences, which is both exciting and scary. We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Waylon saw his first snow when we were back in Iowa. We were all excited to see his reaction. He couldn’t have cared less. The kid just wanted to know where the grass was. He loved playing with all his little cousins in Iowa. He did miss his Tennessee cousins, though. Waylon goes to “school” with my niece, Charley, who’s just a few months younger than him. He bosses her around at every step (which actually gives him a little more executive experience than Barack Obama). I don’t know whether it was Charley or his executive power that he actually missed, but he mentioned her name several times. The plane rides were interesting, but his ears gave him no trouble, which was a big relief.

Update:  After I posted the above paragraph, I decided to cruise the blogs. (Wow, I really uttered the phrase “cruise the blogs”). That was a big mistake. I actually hadn’t read Tim Whitehead’s last three posts. Little did I know my failure to read them has saved me some angst in the last month or so. How I can know Tim and have had so many conversations with him and not know he supported Comrade Obama is mysterious. Has the topic of politics never come up? Or have we had conversations I don’t recall so well due to time, poor memory, or… um, Sailor Jerry or some similar indulgence? I’m not really sure, but I’m grateful for my now-shattered ignorance. Timmy, here’s to continued avoidance of the subject. We’ll agree to disagree, no matter how stupid your political views, be it your irrational hatred of Sarah Palin or your apparent love for socialism. :)

The truth is I am tired of politics. Politics has become a game of personal gain for these clowns, regardless of party. I never thought I would say it, but I miss Bill. Speaking of Bill, I did have the chance to stop by the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum when I was in Arkansas a couple of weeks ago. I could have spent all year there. It is very well done, even compared to the other two presidential libraries I have seen – Truman’s in Independence, Missouri, and Hoover’s in West Branch, Iowa, which are both great. I strolled in to the place wearing an Iowa sweat shirt, which prompted a sweet little old lady working there to ask me “Are you really from Iowa or are you false advertising?” Needless to say, that prompted a discourse from me regarding the somewhat convoluted answer to that question. Forty-five minutes later, I began my tour.

I won’t bore you with those details, but I will relate the truly great experience of my brief time in Little Rock – dinner at Doe’s Eat Place. Now, I admit I went there simply because I knew the Clinton campaign team hung out there back in 1992 when they were in the heat of the presidential race. But I got much more than I bargained for. What I got was – with my apologies to the old Lark in Tiffin –the best steak of my life. I get a lot of razzing about the fact that many things I eat are “the best I’ve ever had.” But, people, this 2-pound T-bone was the best I’ve ever had, bar none. Shocking that the best steak of my life would be in Arkansas, but, hey, it is what it is. Even my later discovery that Doe’s is a small chain (I hate chains) could not diminish the divinity of that two-pound beauty.

OK, enough.  I'm going back to bed.  Have a good weekend, everyone!

One Last Word:

OK, I can’t resist a couple more things. I’m late responding to comments from my October 16 post, but let me say:

Jenni: I was referring to your making fun of my notorious garrulity, not your inability to understand politics. I’m sure you do better than I do with that subject and many others.

Tim: I voted for George Bush, and I’m still fairly certain the war in Iraq was necessary. So did the 98 senators who voted for the war before it became a political liability. Still, I see your point, but it isn’t like I was going to vote for Sen. Waffle. In 2000, I voted for Al Gore, even though I am a little ashamed of that. I was in the heyday of my “college liberal swing” when I cast that vote. In my first presidential election, I voted for Bill Clinton. I voted for all these men based on that principle you referred to, but I may have been wrong every time.

Cate (at least I think the anonymous commenter is you, unless… Margaret Sanger?): You are even left of Obama. I love you, but I think that puts you in pretty exclusive company. Women’s rights? What is this, 1919? As much as I love our discussions, I’m really glad we weren’t with you when these election results came in! :)

Jody: I’m afraid we are about to find out the meaning of “change”!

Great Fall Saturday

Today, we took Waylon up to Rogersville, Tennessee, about an hour and a half northeast of Knoxville, to the Davidson Farm.  It was an absolute blast.  Waylon got to slide, pet goats, go on a hayride (or "hayrack," to you Iowans), and pick out a pumpkin. 

We even found a great place to eat lunch at a little country cafe.  After a fun-filled day on the farm (and a good two hours past nap time) W  caught some Z's on the way back home.  It was a great day!  Despite the fact that he has had a very crazy week (I hope Suni will write about his new daycare experience), and in spite us blowing his nap time and lunch time, our boy was well-behaved all day and really made us proud! 

A Rare Political Post

Warning: This is a post about politics, so please ignore it if you don't care about, or are annoyed by, this subject or just my writing, in general (Jaime and Jenni).

Suni and I watched the debates last night and came away thinking that John McCain had performed better but still did not take Obama to task on several of his most glaring weaknesses. Obama's eloquence is obvious, and he is quite charismatic. McCain had the right idea by pointing out that eloquence, but he needed to follow that up with concrete reasons Obama's rhetoric was empty. He did not do that.

I'm voting for John McCain. So is Suni. I won's say a whole lot about this, lest I alienate the few of you who actually read our blog. When all is said and done, what concerns me most (and is, thus, the issue on which I vote, all else being equal) is foreign policy. I tend to vote for the candidate who will fight wars that need fought, avoid wars that don't, and who has enough sense to know the difference. In an ever-complicated atmosphere of global politics, the latter is quite a challenge.

It may seem oversimplistic (and is in a way) but the economy, abortion, etc. is hardly important if we lose our way of life due to terrorism or outright war with Russia or Iran. I simply don't trust Barack Obama to handle these matters. He just doesn't have enough experience in foreign policy. That certainly isn't his only weakness, but it is his decisive weakness, at least in my mind. I like what "Joe the Plumber" had to say in this short video after the debate and this one before it. I love this guy.

It may be a futile vote, but I am voting for Democrat Bob Tuke for the U.S. Senate seat from Tennessee. Well, really, I am voting against Lamar Alexander, who apparently didn't care that an overwhelming majority of his constituents did not want the latest mind-boggling federal government joke masquerading as a "rescue plan." I have always admired Alexander, who grew up right here in Maryville and who was an excellent governor of this state. But when a politician willfully ignores the will of his constituents, it is time to bid him farewell. It won't happen this election, but I will do my part. And If I were Bob Tuke, I would run a campaign ad with this very message.

I look forward to imparting in our kids the importance of exercising their civil privilege and responsibility of voting. I also hope we can foster an environment where our kids think for themselves and can express their views rather than parrot what Suni and I think and say. I think this will be one of the great challenges of parenting.

Fall Festivals, 18-month Checkups, and Anatomy Lessons

We are walking down to the Foothills Fall Festival today, and we're all quite excited about it. Ordinarily, I would spend today listening to sports radio and "preparing" myself mentally for the Tennessee-Georgia game. This year, it hardly seems worth it. So UT's loss(es) is the family's gain. It's going to be a good day!

Waylon is all fired up. Here is our boy giving an anatomy lesson this morning.

Waylon had his 18-month checkup yesterday. Dr. Weiss was "quite impressed" with Waylon's verbal skills. When he put the stethoscope up to Waylon's chest and asked if it was hot, Waylon said "Not hot. It's cold." The kid is still small, but all is well with him health-wise.

Fall Wagon Rides

The weather here is perfect!  Here are some shots from our wagon ride tonight.  As you can see, Waylon is beginning to understand the importance of Teddy and him wearing their hats.  W pulls the wagon now.  Our little boy is growing up so fast. 

 

Homecoming 2008

My trip back to the alma mater was great, as expected.  Coe lost the football game, but I didn't know that until some folks walked into the Homeport and told me.  The Homeport is a bar within 100 yards of the Coe football field.  Alas, the weekend was less about football and more about brotherhood.  And, I got to spend all weekend with three of the best guys around - Andy Hayes, Joel Vroegh, and Devin Powers.  We kicked it old-style at various locations around Cedar Rapids and crashed at my mother-in-law's house.  Thanks, Jonnie!

Below is the four of us at Jonnie's and Devin starting Saturday morning out with a bang - vodka in a measuring cup. 

 

The TKE celebration was truly first class.  A social at the President's house, a very nice dinner at the Cedar Rapids Country Club, and good times with old friends. 

Recycling Tips

I can be a bit of a recycling Nazi and came across an article the other day with some creative recycling tips for things that many of us have around the house. For those of you with school-aged children, some of these would be great to get the school involved in to help donate to charity and raise awareness about recycling.

• Backpacks: Donate them to www.americanbirding.com. The American Birding Association uses them while tracking neo-tropical birds.
• Cell Phones: www.calltoprotect.org or www.recyclewirelessphones.com. The Wireless Foundation refurbishes phones for domestic violence survivors
• CFL's: check Home Depot
• Computers: www.mygreenelectronics.com, www.cristina.org, www.sharetechnology.org, www.nextsteprecycling.org
• Crayons: www.crazycrayons.com. Crayons are melted down and used to make new ones.
  
• Crocs: The company that makes crocs recycles and donates to underprivileged families. Send to: Crocs Recycling West

3375 Enterprise Ave.
Bloomington, CA 92316

• DVD's, CD's, Jewel cases: Swap them at www.zunafish.com or recycle at www.greendisk.com
• Eyeglasses: www.neweyesfortheneedy.com or drop them off at Target Optical or LensCrafters and they send them to www.givethegiftofsight.org.
  
• Formalwear: www.operationfairydust.org, catherinescloset.org
• Gadgets: mp3, PDA's, etc.--www.recycleforbreastcancer.org. They send you a pre-paid label, then recycle what you send them and donate proceeds to breast cancer charities.
• Glue: www.elmersgluecrew.com
• Hangers: call your local dry cleaner or laundromat about wire hangers, donate plastic hangers to local thrift stores.
• Hearing Aids: www.sotheoworldmayhear.org. Go to www.donateglasses.net/hearingaids for a collection center near you.
• Holiday Cards: www.stjudesranch.org. Abused and neglected youth cut off the front, re-attach them to new backing and sell. Much better than just recycling!!
  
• Juice Bags: www.terracyle.net/brigades. TerraCycle turns them into purses, totes and pencil cases (sold at Target and Walgreens) and donates 2 cents for each Honest Kids, Capri Sun, or Kool-Aid drink pouch, 1 cent for any other brand. Shipping is free and they send the money to a charity of your choice.
  
• iPods: take old iPod into Apple store and you get 10% off that day.
• Footwear: www.soles4souls.org
  

It Ain't Easy Being Green

One book I've read deserved a post in itself. I finished Gorgeously Green months ago, which I would recommend to anyone looking to go "green". However, after months of trying to do this we've discovered that it's not particularly easy and more importantly isn't cheap! So, we've experimented here and there and do what we can to help the environment and ourselves.
Here are a couple of things I've discovered over the last few months:
Things that suck:

• Diswasher detergent by Seventh Generation. Really sucks. I will give one more brand a try, but if it's not any better I'm giving up on it.
• "Green" toothpaste. We've tried two brands...Tom's of Maine, and one that was even worse and whose name escapes me right now. If you're going to do it, paste works better than gel. Our dentist said people who use them require more scraping at each visit too!!
• "Green" deodorant. I've only tried Tom's of Maine, and it was during the hot and humid TN summer, but come on. I may as well have just put lotion on my armpits.
  
• All of the organic shampoos and conditioners we've tried sucked. Of course, we didn't buy any of the super expensive stuff. I'm afraid of spending the money and hating it.
  

Things we love:

• G diapers are wonderful. They are a cloth diapers with inserts that are flushable (but really expensive)!! Or, you can toss them and the are 100% biodegradable. We haven't been vigilant about using these, however. Poopy diapers can get messy with these and now that Waylon isn't as predictable in his pooping we've stopped using them. Lazy, yes, but it makes mommy happier this way and that's always a good thing.
• Nature babycare diapers are wonderful and biodegradable!! I love, love, love them. They are difficult to find, however (at least in our neck of the woods). I found them at Target in Florida, but they aren't available here yet. Diapers.com has them too. The greatest thing about them is that they are reasonably priced....about as much as Huggies. I'm not willing to shell out the money for Huggies, but it's worth it for biodegradable diapers!
• Seventh Generation Chlorine-free baby wipes More pricey, yes, but not too much more.
• Dr. Hauschka skincare products are amazing. Very pricey, but for someone with extremely sensitive skin like mine it's worth every penny.
• Making your own kitchen cleaner is easy, really cheap, and works great. It's nice to know we're using a product that safe for Waylon to be around.

There are a lot more things both good and bad that we've tried, but it's late and I don't feel like racking my brain to think of any more. I'll update in the future when I think of any. I would love to hear about any "green" products or tips from you guys too!!

Book Update

When we were back in Iowa Jaime asked me to write about any books I've been reading. In my last update I was tackling some very thought provoking books (The Road Less Traveled and A New Earth). They are both incredible books, but require just that...deep thought. After a long day of work and taking care of Waylon I don't always have it in me. So, I have tossed them aside for the time being and enjoyed some fun page-turners.
Chelsea Handler's (Chelsea Lately and Girls Behaving Badly) humor is not for everyone, but I for one find her hilarious. I highly recommend Are You There Vodka, It's Me, Chelsea and My Horizontal Life. You can infer from the title what the second book is about. She definitely holds nothing back! They made me chuckle out loud.


Another favorite author of mine is David Sedaris and I would recommend anything he's written. Again, his humor is not for everyone. I just finished When You Are Engulfed In Flames, which did not disappoint. Just like Chelsea Handler's books, it is full of short personal stories that made me laugh out loud.

I'm now reading The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson. Here's the synopsis written on the back of the book "Bringing Chicago circa 1893 to vivid life, Erik Larson's spell-binding bestseller intertwines the true tale of two men--the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, striving to secure America's place in the world; and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death." The book can be a little slow at times, but it is fascinating. I knew nothing about the 1893 World's Fair, and most certainly had never heard about this serial killer.


Somewhere along the way I read the autobiography of George Jones that Cole picked up on one of his many trips to Nashville for work. Definitely some surprising things in the book, but it's probably not anything anyone reading this blog would care to check out. Just weirdos like Cole and me.
Happy Reading!

Another Ass-kicking Bedamned... It Was a Football Saturday

Tennessee football might be in the crapper, but it didn't keep Waylon from listening to his first Vol Network broadcast.  Well, actually, most of his "listening" involved donning of headphones that were not plugged into the radio... or anything else.  But hey, he's getting the basic idea.

We're gonna give it another try with the Titans today, since they are the only team of ours that looks halfway respectable.  By the way, Waylon slept through the Iowa game.  If the Ohio State game is any indication, Iowa might be able to compete for the Big Ten title this year.  At least that is Waylon's take on things.  

Summer Time Fun!

It's been a hot and humid summer, but full of exciting new experiences. Here are some snapshots of the season:
Waylon's "Naked Phase"....still think he's in this, though..

Fun on the boat (Waylon and Daddy, Waylon and Nonna, Waylon and Uncle Tim)


The Zoo! (Waylon, Waylon and his cousin Charlie checking out the Gorilla)

Waylon gets an attitude, and it looks like it's here to stay. If you'll notice, Cole's fly is open in this pic, which isn't surprising since that's the case about 75% of the time! You'd think that by the time a man hits 30 he'd remember to zip up his pants, but not my man!! He's all mine, ladies!

An artist is born!

Waylon learns to "goff"

And, finally, now that the weather is cooling off at night it's time for walks with Daddy.

Hope you all had a great summer too!!

This Ain't the Iowa Conference

Not that I have a real interest or anything, but I do think this is cool.  Today in the Buffalo Bills' 20-16 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, running back Fred Jackson rushed for 17 yards and had 7 catches for 83 yards.  This wouldn't be noteworthy, except that he went to Coe College, my alma mater, a D-III school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  I haven't checked, but that has to be one if the more successful days on a record for a D-III player in the NFL.

W-I-O-WA

I can't believe I am writing about this, but... at the Stinsons', we are big fans of the Backyardigans.  The latest episode we have on demand through our crappy cable provider, Charter, is called "Newsflash!."  To our surprise, it has a decidedly Iowa flavor.  One "reviewer" describes it pretty well:

Tasha, Uniqua and Austin work for W-I-O-WA News (The "Corniest Station in the Nation"), which is a news station that usually ends up reporting on corn. Tyrone and Pablo are corn farmers who are so happy with their crop, that they keep sending in reports just to get on the air, but unfortunately it isn't considered newsworthy. They decide to make up some stories about aliens visiting their cornfields so that the news team will come out to investigate further and put their corn crops on their air.

Is it just me, or can you just not help singing these songs over and over again?!?!

Speaking of Iowa, glad the Hawks beat Iowa State!

Update: OK, this is scary.  I am not the only one who thinks this episode of the Backyardigans is blogworthy.  Iowa Geek has a whole post on it with links to Amazon.com, where you can purchase the music.  Actually, while you're over there, take a look around their blog.  It's pretty interesting, and they are fellow Dave Ramseyans.  (Is it possible I just coined that word?)

Last thing: Speaking of blogs and Iowa and what not, Suni and I love Flying Kites, the blog of Jenni Benesh's sister, Kim.  I have added it to our blog roll.  Suni and I are not the most creative people in the world, and we have really gotten some good parenting/family ideas from blogs like Flying Kites and similar blogs.

I have never even met Kim or her family, but I haven't missed a post in a long time.  The fact that I can be entertained by reading about the lives of people I don't know is a testament to those folks' creativity and writing ability.  I regularly read a blog to which Kim links and which has garnered a lot of attention,  The Pioneer Woman.  It is very nice to be able to keep up with those we do know and learn from those we don't.  Speaking of which, another blogger I don't know, Iowa Geek's wife, has a great blog about traveling with kids.  As we come across blogs we like, we will add them to the roll. 

Iowa Trip 2008

This is pretty much snapshot of Nirvana! After vacationing in the tourism hotspot that is the state of Iowa, Team Stinson is settled back in to work-a-day life in East Tennessee.

Our trip to Iowa this year was one of the better ones we have had! We got to do a bunch of stuff without ever really feeling like we were trying to squeeze in too much. After a long day of trial in Lewisburg, Tennessee, on Friday, August 1, we got on the road very late, only to be met with Nashville rush hour traffic.

Because I was playing in a golf tournament in Center Point on Saturday at noon, I was trying to push through and get to Iowa without having to stay somewhere overnight along the way. That hope was dashed as I watch the clock in the courtroom turn around and around. This realization was made worse knowing that Suni was having to entertain Waylon all day. We ended up having to stay in a disgusting hotel north of St. Louis due to the fact that Waylon began screaming at some point after we turned off the interstate and headed through Missouri. (We decided that we would never drive to Iowa again, but we’ll forget by next year just how hellish the car travel can be).

We made it to Center Point with half an hour to spare the next morning, arriving at Rolling Acres with the 53^rd rendition of the Backyardigans’ Fly Girl episode blaring on the DVD player. Suni and Waylon were off to see Grandma, and I hit the course with Tim, Seth Rosendahl, and Tim’s neighbor. Seth also appeared now and again, his fleeting presence always foreshadowing some strange occurrence [see next sentence]. After a lousy, but always fun, round of golf, replete with the thuds of entire golf bags hitting the ground and beer cans with mysterious holes in them, it was party time at the Whiteheads. Great stuff, as everyone had their kids there, and it was good to see everyone.

We stayed with Suni’s mom while we were back. Waylon loved the puppies and his first taste of Iowa corn [below, right]. We went to the Iowa State Fair, which is pretty much heaven on earth. Check out the picture below on the right – “Pork Chop on a Stick.” Need I say more? Waylon was a big fan of the turkey leg; I liked the deep fried candy bar. I hope that we make going to the fair a family tradition. It’s just a great atmosphere.

After the fair, we went to visit Nichole, one of Suni’s college friends just north of Des Moines. Her husband, Jay, cooked a great dinner. As you can see, Waylon loved playing with their two little girls. Grace took Waylon down the slide over and over and was just really good with him. I think Waylon got quite an education! All in all, it was a great day! Jonnie’s boyfriend, Dan, and I played golf the following morning at The Legacy, a very nice course in Des Moines.

We got back to Cedar Rapids in time the next day for me to hang out with the Whiteheads and, later, Brandon and Monica Hahn. (Mama crashed early). Our evening started off at the Hacienda, that great bastion of Mexican cuisine and a Cedar Rapids landmark. (Thanks for dinner and drinks, Tim and Jaime!) Then it was back to Center Point (or just “the Point,” in certain circles). We had fun hanging out, and I thought called a taxi to take me back to CR, but oddly enough, the driver that showed up to get me looked a lot like Jaime Whitehead. It was a very kind thing to do.

Another great day was spent up at Tim and Sandy Ford’s place up in Delhi, Iowa, on the Maquoketa River. It is always so much fun up there, and this year was no different. Waylon is doing much better with his life jacket now that it fits him a bit better. Here is Waylon with his Grandma on the boat.

The only sad part of the trip was seeing the utter devastation in the wake of the flooding from back in June. Words are simply inadequate to describe how bad the damage truly is. I could not bring myself to snap any photos at all, but there is ample supply on the web.

I will probably post some more pictures in the next few days, or hopefully Suni will. Thank you so much, everyone who made our trip back to Iowa the highlight of our year again!

Our Baby Has a Penis!!!

Otherwise known as "It's a boy!"

The ultrasound was music to my ears, or whatever. There is no mistaking the sex of this baby. We will try to put a still of the ultrasound DVD on here when I get back home from Memphis. I am very happy that Waylon will have a little brother. I am sure that is what my mom thought back in 1979, when she found out she was having another boy. Waylon and Horace will be almost exactly the same age difference as Aaron and I are. If the two of us are any indication, it will be an interesting journey.

In other news, Waylon recently took to repeating "Shup!" in a very loud voice. We had no idea what on earth he was saying. We do now. Suni was quite distraught when she dropped Waylon off at daycare on Monday and heard Samantha*, the problem child in the class saying "Shut up!" in a demon-like voice as she lashed out at someone with her hand. Needless to say, Suni made the connection. I am very proud of Suni, as she told the daycare manager that if we saw Waylon around this girl again, we would change daycares. Now, lest you think that is an overreaction, there is much more history that makes that a very sensible threat. This girl has been physically abusive repeatedly to Waylon and other kids and the daycare has kicked her brother and her out of daycare at least twice only to re-admit them somehow. This girl's 3-year old brother is known to call his teacher a "f#$%er," and use it in context. Who are these freakin' people?

* Names have been changed to protect the innocent child of the idiots who are raising her.

What the hell?

This has been a weird year. I came home from Nashville to see this scene in my front yard. This same scenario unfolded in our back yard only two months ago. Suni was home alone with Waylon (well, I guess that makes her not alone) when this happened. She tried to call me three times. I was in Nashville eating and didn’t hear my phone. She was pissed… yes, Suni pissed about someone not answering his phone… hmmm, very ironic. Thank God everyone is safe. That is really all that matters.  When I saw the four missed calls from the Missus in a row, I was more than a little scared.  Now that I know everyone is fine, I really would have loved to seen the look on Suni's face when she heard the crack of the tree splitting off. 

Names and what not...

Horace Update: So, here we are on “our” fourteenth week of pregnancy, and still no freakin’ name. Granted, we do not know the sex of the baby, but that is hardly relevant. I have been urging Suni to pick a girl name and a boy name. The obvious alternative is to select a name that's unisex. Someone suggested “Pat.” That ain't gonna work.

The most frequently asked question regarding the naming of ours second child is “Are you going to name him/her Hank, Willie, Merle, Kitty, or [some other old country music star]?” The answer is no, although I am doing some backroom politicking for Conway Twitty Stinson. Suni actually likes “Hank,” but she thinks that would be over the top. It would be.

Please take our poll (bottom right). I'll leave the boy name up for a month then put a "girl name" poll up for a month or so.

Night on the Town: I have to say a word about this. In Nashville on business, I had planned to go to a Verlon Thompson show over at the venerable Station Inn, a complete dive but maybe the best bluegrass venue in the country. My buddies and I were the first ones there and we took a table right up front. To my amazement, Guy Clark showed up and played the first hour-an-half long set with Verlon. Waylon Jennings is the only artist I like more than Guy Clark, and Guy is a close second. I was ecstatic. The Station Inn didn’t advertise the fact that Guy was playing, so there were no more than thirty people there. (The bartender told us Dierks Bentley dropped in like that a couple of weeks before). I got the chance to talk to him for a bit while he was out back smoking. I couldn't have been happier.

One Year Later...

With our Iowa trip on the horizon, I thought it would be interesting to post a couple of photos from our trip to Iowa last August. Here are a couple of Waylon and Grandma. It is amazing how much the little guy has grown in the past year.

I know that he will be thrilled to see his “brother” and “sister” again. Briggs and Mary are seen in the picture on the very top. Since these pictures were taken, Waylon has learned to talk, knows 15-20 different words, understands virtually everything, feed himself all kinds of food, and today he even told us he had to “poop” before pooping!! Despite having the same amount of time in which to learn, Briggs and Mary still do nothing but yelp at the top of their lungs, pee and crap all over the place, and probably eat the poop.

Here are two more: Waylon getting a bath and Grandma Jonnie’s and trying to tell his cousin Owen about classic country music. I don’t think Owen was interested. He’s really more into hip hop, apparently.

Ahh... Milk, Cookies, and Wonder Pets

Today has been a pretty uneventful, unproductive start to the weekend. Waylon and I did get to enjoy some Nila wafers and milk while watching the Wonder Pets on demand. (Today they saved the baby sea lions and the joey… again… for about the thirtieth time).

It is really hot here today, and is supposed to be in the 90s for the next few days. I wish we could summer in Nova Scotia.

Tim Whitehead has rejoined the land of the living bloggers, where he is lamenting the five happy years of his nine-year marriage. Happy anniversary, Whiteheads!

Despite the heat, Waylon apparently thinks it's winter. He's packing for Iowa, and I guess he thinks he will need his stocking cap.

He Gets It!

It has been a rare week in that I have been home every night. This has afforded me the opportunity to take Waylon to daycare in the morning and be home at a reasonable hour (today at the unbelievably early time of 5:45). Although I do not enjoy the screaming and clinging that characterizes the daycare drop-off, I have really enjoyed getting to be a part of Waylon’s morning routine the last few mornings. Unfortunately for you, this means I have something to blog about, so my long-windedness will continue to plague TeamStinson.com in lieu of my wife’s pithy posts. Sorry.

Waylon continues to amaze me with how much he comprehends. Yesterday, I had to buy some time to take a shower, so I basically just took him in the bathroom with me and talked incessantly at him about God knows what all. To my amusement, he listened and attempted to repeat many words. As I was about to step out of the shower, I decided to enlist his help.

“Waylon,” I asked, “will you please go into the kitchen and get your medicine?” (He is again on amoxicillin and we have been giving him Tylenol, as he has been running a slight fever).

Now, I must admit that I thought it was a long shot. You never know how much a 15-month old really understands because they are so limited in what they can communicate. But, I figured what the hell. To my utter surprise, Waylon got his now-trademark look of determination on his face and bounded off for the kitchen. I could hear his little footsteps trailing off as he ran into the kitchen.

Seconds after Waylon had disappeared from the bathroom, I heard a tremendous crash in the kitchen. Then silence. Just when I was going to run into the kitchen in my towel, I heard the pitter patter of little feet again. After about three footsteps, I heard something hit the floor and skid across the hardwood. Nearly immediately, the footsteps resumed. But, again, something fell to the floor. This process repeated itself until Waylon rounded the corner and I everything was clear.

He had understood my request for help, alright. He was juggling an armful of crap – both of his medicines, an enormous bottle of ibuprofen, and two medicine droppers. It was all just too much for his little hands and arms to handle, which explained the noises I’d been hearing. The crash, I discovered when I did make my way into the kitchen, was the entire contents of the medicine cabinet. If you are asking (a) why our medicine cabinet is in the kitchen and (b) why it is low enough for our toddler to reach… well… those are good questions… ones I am sure Suni will address in her next post, whenever the hell that may be.

As far as Waylon’s help, I was impressed. Maybe I shouldn’t have been. When it’s your first child, you really have nothing for comparison. I give Suni a lot of credit for teaching him things that are really beyond his age. She has always treated him, especially talked to him, as though he were a little man, and almost always, he lives up to those expectations. (And, no, honey, I am not saying you don’t let him be a kid. He’s 15 months old, for God’s sake :))

Wow, I never thought I would be gleefully writing about the day my son recognized a simple term like “medicine.” The fact is, however, that it was the highlight of my day… and, inexplicably, that fact doesn’t make be feel even the slightest bit lame.

A Word About Horace: In one of my recent posts, I referred to our next child as "Horace," which has drawn some concern from certain quarters. This is just as I planned. Waylon was named months before his mom brought him into this world. Everybody started calling the baby Waylon before Suni was even showing, and it stuck. That is the way I like it. I like to "know" my child before I know my child. (I am weird; I acknowledge that). We can't agree on a name for this one, and Suni does not share my sense of nomenclature urgency. Thus my plan: call the baby Horace until Suni agrees to name the kid. Horace has raised more than a few eyebrows... yet, Suni seems in no more of a hurry than she ever was. Now, it's either give up the ghost or ratchet up the seriousness with which I intend to call our child Horace. I always was a fan of the Odes.

Team Stinson Hits the Zoo!

Waylon has this animal book with pictures of probably a hundred animals. He can probably identify 25 of them. We’re not talking just doggie and kitty cat here either. This kid differentiates between the parrot and macaw, the chimp and the gorilla, and the Owl Moth Butterfly and the Giant Owl Moth Butterfly. (Okay, I made the last one up, but he really can distinguish among the others).

So yesterday, after identifying the duck for the umpteenth time, he got bored and gave us a look like, “Seriously, people, I want to see the real thing.” So…

Today we took Waylon to the Knoxville Zoo. We saw gorillas, elephants, red pandas, and all manner of fauna. Nonetheless, the runaway favorite was (drum roll)… this “lella” in the elephant pen. Actually, a close second was the ceiling fans in the same exhibit.

Waylon had Suni had a lot of fun in the Kids Cove, where they have a concrete “creek” where the kids can play. Unfortunately, Suni was asked to leave due to her violation of the second prohibition listed here on the sign [bottom left photo on the grid to the right]. (Just kidding).

Waylon had fun sitting on the “water-spitting” frogs. [Top left photo]. Much to his chagrin, however, he could not sit on both frogs at the same time. He came to this painful realization when this unsuspecting Asian girl hopped on one of them. She ignored Waylon’s persistent whines of protest. Right now the boy shares about as well as Jonnie drives, which is to say all people in proximity are in danger.

W really liked this cage and would have run back and forth through it ‘til hell wouldn’t have had it anymore. We were finally able to divert his attention with promises of food. We ate lunch at the Safari Grill, where Waylon ate one French fry and about sixteen ounces of ketchup.

Happy Fourth, Everyone!

Two things to say about today (and there is no cause and effect, whatsoever, here people): (1) Suni slept much of the day, and (2) It was a really good day.

Mama wanted some sleep this morning, so Waylon and I decided to go to the park. Horace is making Mama much sleepier than Waylon did when he was in utero. Halfway to the park I remembered that I freakin’ hate the park. All the little kids trampling mine makes me a nervous wreck. A backup plan was needed, so we went to my dad’s house, where we had a good visit, which was cut short by the fact that Dad and his family went to the Fourth of July Parade in Greenback, the little town where I was born and raised. I really didn’t have much of a desire to attend those “festivities,” a term I use here loosely. For you Iowans, think Walker, but maybe a little smaller. For New Mexicans, think Mesquite with a three-building downtown.

Waylon is barely 15 months old, but he already loves golf. I sawed a golf club off just his size, and he carried it around pretty much all day, swinging it as best he could at the grass. Golf balls are about his favorite thing other than light. I hope to foster a love of golf in my boy in the great hopes of preventing the scourge that is soccer. For any of you who want to regale me with all the great things about soccer, save your breath. It is the most boring regularly played sport, period. I understand it has its place, but it ain’t in the Stinson household.

I hope everyone is having a great Fourth. Our thoughts are still with those spending our nation’s birthday digging out from the flood mess. With all its faults, our nation is still the greatest on earth, and we are thankful for that. Please say a prayer tonight for those protecting the freedoms we all take for granted entirely too often.

Have a great holiday weekend, everyone!

Back to Iowa: Oh yeah, by the way, we are coming back to Iowa the August 1-10, and we hope to see everyone possible. We had hoped to head up that way this month, but schedules would not permit it. Hopefully we didn’t pick a time when anyone is out of town.

Where the F*#@ is Tim Whitehead?!

I'm sending out an APB...Tim Whitehead is missing. As many of you know, Timmy burst onto the blogging scene a couple of months ago, quickly making fans with his wit, dry humor, and dazzling slide show. My fascination with his blog started slowly, mostly because reading it made me truly realize how crappy mine is. I mean, seriously, who puts a poll question up as part of their first ever blog?! Then, he had the audacity to put up a slideshow....show off! Once I accepted the fact that Tim is a gifted blogger and I am not, I became addicted. It was like crack. As any dedicated fan, I stopped by Sober Moments every Friday (the once promised post day) and to my delight there was a deliciously funny post for a couple of weeks.....then nothing. I remained calm for the first week, telling myself the Whiteheads must be on vacation or Tim is sick and cannot muster up the strength to write. Then, as the weeks went on anger started to set in. How could he lure me in like that then pull the rug out from underneath me?! Who does he think he is?
Now, I know Tim is a busy man. He just received an incredible promotion at work, he has a very demanding wife (Cole made me put that, Jaime), and two adoring children, but for the love of God, Tim, give us a little taste of what we long for. Come on back to the blogging world. No questions asked.

Heartache

Our hearts have been broken over the last couple of weeks hearing about the destructive flooding in Iowa. We feel selfish and helpless carrying on with our happy life while so many are dealing with utter devastation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our family, friends, and their loved ones. Seeing pictures has been hard enough, so I cannot imagine what it's like up close and personal. It has made my and Cole's heart swell with pride reading articles and watching Iowans on the news. While many of those affected have lost almost everything, they still keep their heads up and say "I feel blessed because it could have been worse" or "I feel lucky to have such an amazing support system around me." Wow. It's a testament to the character of the people living in our beloved Hawkeye state. You honestly won't find any better. It's a place we are both more than proud to call "home".
One final thought...the recent levee breaks in Iowa and Missouri make me ponder the question "Does Kanye West think George Bush hates white people now too?" Ah, ignorance is bliss.

A thought from Daddy Stinson:

I think Suni’s post here adequately communicates our angst over the Iowa flooding, but I do feel compelled to add my two cents. I fell in love with Iowa when I first set foot on Hawkeye soil in March of 1996, and I can honestly say this flooding would be scarecely more heartbreaking to me if it were my own house underwater.

My love for the state and its people has always engendered curiosity among my fellow Southerners, and, try as I might, I have never been able to competently explain my affinity for the state most Americans confuse with Idaho. The reactions of Iowans to this flood have explained it for me. The matter-of-factness with which Iowans on the news react to questions about the flood are at once agonizing and humorous. One photo I saw posted somewhere is especially poignant: Two college-aged guys and an old man in a john boat are floating down what used to be a residential street, the oarsman having to duck to keep from hitting his head on an overhead traffic light. In the background are houses submerged up to their eaves and cars semi-floating in their watery graves. Yet, all three men have smiles on their faces that seem to say, “Wow, can you believe this shit?”

Even though the relatively famous blogger Tigerhawk has backpedaled a bit, I pretty much agree with his original post.

Jenni Benesh has a good post with several photos.

Update: Of course, all of this flooding comes on the heels of tornadoes. This L.A. Times piece captures the devastation felt by this little town when an EF5 tornado hit there last month, as does this heartbreaking video. Alas, here is a good story about Parkersburg, Iowa, from ESPN.com. that hints of hope in a town that, like so many of the flood-struck towns, have been changed forever.

Waylon's new "do"

Over the last couple of months Waylon's hair has begun to take on a life of it's own. He had sort of a Donald Trump comb-over in the front and a mullet in the back. Now, living in Tennessee we could get away with the mullet (just kidding, Aaron!), but I just couldn't do that to my child any longer. Waylon is fiercely protective of his mane, so cutting it posed a true problem for us. Well, last week Cole ran into the kitchen yelling for scissors...the opportunity had presented itself...it was time. Long story short...things didn't go as planned. Only one snip was made and out of it came Waylon with a rat tail! I know the 80's are doing their best to make a comeback, but again, I couldn't do it to my child. So, we broke out the clippers, used the art of distraction as best we could and now Waylon looks like a child that just finished chemotherapy! It has taken us a little while to adjust, but we actually do like it. It makes him look so much more grown up. I think I've been in denial that he won't be a baby forever. Good thing we have another one on the way (due in January). Just thought I'd slip that in to see if anyone actually reads the blog. :)

Scenes from the Beach

Well, to say our trip to Destin was less than we'd hoped is an understatement. The picture to the left pretty much sums up the vacation as a whole. Mother Nature did us no favors bringing high winds and tornando warnings, so we were stuck inside for much of the trip.
On the bright side we did get to stop in Tallahassee and visit my uncle Mike and cousin Dustin on the way, which was great. Here's a picture of Waylon and Mike.

We also got to spend a lot of quality time with Cole's cousin Brad, his wife Kelly, and their son Aidan. Aidan turned two the day before we left and had an adorable pirate-themed party. Here are my pirates. Arrrrr!

Waylon was hot and cold about the ocean. He loved it when we first got there, but was reluctant at other times. Overall, though, he enjoyed it, especially chasing the sea gulls. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

February Party: Never Too Late to Post Pics

My bride hit the town with my sister this evening, leaving me in sole control of the blog. How sad is it that it is Friday night, and that’s all I have going? (I did play golf today, so I am not complaining). I am going to capitalize on this opportunity by posting some photos from a party we had here at the house at the end of February. Somehow, it seems Suni never posted any. Better late than never, eh?

I hope everyone is having a good week. The mother-in-law ("MIL") has been in Vegas, Lord help Sin City. She was having a good time last time I talked to her. I think I'll go to bed and read some of my new book, Devil in the White City, which I picked up after having a serial killer conversation with the crew in Destin last week. By the way, serial killer convos are almost as comforting bedtime fodder as Suni's uplifting "cancer stories" she sometimes brings home from work and springs on me as I close my eyes.

Update: Crap! My picture collage hid the funny pictures of Suni. I am still learning how to use Picasa. I'll fix this when I have more energy. Good night!

Team Stinson Goes to Florida!

We have returned from Destin, where we had a very interesting vacation. Yes, I said “interesting.” Most interesting was the weather, which was very windy and cool – not the Floridian staples, exactly.

Until we post a bit more about the vacation, this picture collage will have to do. One thing we definitely got out of the trip was a bunch of great pictures of our Little Man. Hope everyone (Jonnie, basically) had a great week.

Miss You, Daddy!

I love you, Daddy! Can't wait to see you Thursday...be safe. XXOO

W

Putting Sports in Perspective

This is a truly unbelievable story! I was surprised when I checked ESPN.com tonight and saw University of Tennessee basketball star Chris Lofton on the home page. The story that follows is amazing. The call-in shows did indeed light up with callers talking about Lofton's "slump" this past year. The reason behind it puts everything in perspective. Whether you are a Tennessee fan or not - or even a basketball fan - this is worth a read.

More from the Chattanooga Free-Press.

Rainy, "Green" Sunday!

Today was an interesting day. I was able to play Toqua Golf Club, a Tellico Village course I have always wanted to play but haven’t because it is private. Well, today I got to play it – in the rain. The weatherjerks got it wrong again and it was a steady rain when I arrived at the clubhouse to meet the good folks nice enough to sponsor my round – my buddy, Scott Saidak and his dad. After a hearty Southern breakfast with a bunch of old, retired Yankees, we decided to brave the weather. I was personally rewarded with a terrible front nine and soaked clothes. The sun came out on the back nine, as did my game . I still scored poorly, but there were some shining moments. On a 322-yard Par 4, I drove the green, yet managed to three-putt for par. However, and I am not just saying this, all three putts were tough on the challenging greens they have out there.

Suni spent this evening going to Knoxville to gather up all the goodies about which she has been reading in her Gorgeously Green book. Should be interesting. Waylon and I went down and visited my parents. All in all, a pretty good day. I am on the road a lot this week, so hopefully Suni keeps me posted with the blog entries.

Great Reads

I've read a couple of great books lately and thought I'd share. Most recently I finished Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I enjoyed it and found it very interesting, although I can see how some might not like it. I noticed on Kelly's blog she said she was the only one of her group of friends who did like it. Kelly, you were the first person I thought of when I heard about the book....I knew you'd like it!

A couple of months ago I read The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck. It's an old book, but definitely a life changing one for me. I knew I was messed up, but this pointed out more than I really wanted to admit. :) I cannot imagine a single person who would not benefit from reading this book. It was a lot to take in and I'll be reading it again in the near future.

The Glass Castle is another great book I finished last month. It's a remarkable memoir by Jeannette Walls that's so unbelievable and witty that I had trouble putting it down.

Finally, I have just started reading Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano. I'm not so concerned with the "Gorgeously" aspect of the book, but it is a great guide to living a "green" life.

I'm not big on hanging on to my books, so if anyone is interested in reading these (other than The Road Less Traveled, which is on loan to me by Cole's Papaw) let me know and I'll mail it to you.

Good lord! Can you tell I have just recently learned how to get pictures off of the internet. Who knew it was so easy?! Haa! I think I went a little overboard in this post.

Ailin' Waylon

Waylon's sick once again. Probably his worst illness to date. Daycare called on Wednesday (my first day of work for the week) and said he had a temp of 102.5. Nothing too alarming, but since he'd been coughing at night for a week I decided to take him to the pediatrician, who informed me he has one nasty virus and a sinus infection to boot. Also, one of his tubes we had put in last month is already out and an ear infection may be setting in. Great!! Just when I was starting to get used to "Well Waylon" this happens. So, my hopes of having a "normal" work week are out the door and W and I have been doing a lot of cuddling at home. He's absolutely miserable. There's nothing worse than a sick child, especially when nothing you do seems to help. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!

Scenes from the Stinson Household

So much has been happening, as Cole just filled you all in on. A trip to the Dominican, a visit from Grandma JSM, Waylon's first b-day, Jonnie's 50-something b-day, Cole turned 30 (hip-hip-hooray!), and we celebrated our 3rd anniversary.
In true Stinson style, we have taken very few pictures to remember these momentous occasions. We recently purchased a new camera hoping this would change things, but no, we still suck at taking pictures. I have accepted this, but am working on channeling my inner "Japanese tourist" and hope to be a picture-taking fool someday soon.

Waylon received a Radio Flyer wagon from Grandma JSM for his birthday, which he absolutely adores. Whether is riding in it or pushing it around himself, he loves his wagon. Thanks, Grandma!!

Waylon has always been ridiculously flexible...I swear he's part monkey. At dinner, if he doesn't have his tray in front of him, he likes to rest his feet on the table while he eats. What a nut!! Here are some pics of his first spaghetti dinner.

We hope you are all doing well and love catching up by reading some of your blogs. Oh, I forgot to mention...Waylon has only had one ear infection since having his tubes put in!! It has been such a drastic and welcomed change for us all!

Hello Again!

Suni hasn’t updated the blog in a while… so, inspired by Tim Whitehead’s hilarious first post at his family’s new blog, I figured I would post an update.

We had a wonderful birthday dinner last night at Foothills Milling Company. My brother, Aaron, and his wife, Julie, as well as my sister, B.J., were in attendance, as was my work buddy, Phil Gombar. Suni planned the whole thing and truly did surprise me. She had bought wine, pre-ordered appetizers, the whole nine yards. When we walked in the door, I was expecting it to just be Suni and me and was truly surprised to see my family. I have a very thoughtful wife. My actual birthday was last Wednesday, but I was in a conference in Nashville, so there was little celebration… at least on account of my birthday. The delay was worth it. It is hard to believe that I am no longer “in my twenties.”

The conference in Nashville was actually of note in that we (my boss and a couple of colleagues) met Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. I had an actual conversation with Faith Hill, who couldn’t have been any nicer and more genuine. All of this took place at Valentino’s, the best Italian restaurant outside of Italy. When I called my brother to tell him who I’d just met, he said he’d just seen them on TV. Apparently, the CMA Award Show was that night.

There is too much to catch up on, but I’ll try.

Dominican Republic

In mid-March, Suni and I left Waylon with my parents and went to the Dominican Republic on an all-expense paid trip. That was part of an incentive program that my firm provides. If I bill a certain number of hours and/or have a certain amount of fees received in a given year, I qualify for the trip. The Dominican, particularly the resort where we stayed – the Excellence Punta Cana – was awesome! The place was truly as great as the pictures make it out to be. We had a lot of fun, but missed Waylon, of course!

The last day on the island was stressful. I hate flying, so I was already popping Xanax by the time we left the resort for the harrowing one-hour bus ride to the airport. Three hours later we had finally made it through every manner of line you could imagine – the drug check line, the “security line,” the ticket line. We rushed to the gate because our flight was due to take off at any moment. We had scarcely arrived at the gate when we heard the PA system crackle. In broken English: “The flight to Atlanta is delayed because of mechanical problems.” Great! Just as reached for the Xanax again and began bitching about the mechanical issue, I realized that Suni’s seat was about thirty rows away from mine. Splendid! The only thing I looked more forward to than dying in a fiery plane crash, was doing so alone or next to the most slovenly, repulsive human being imaginable, by whom I was certain to be seated.

I hadn’t even finished bitching about either of these things when the PA system came to life again. I didn’t understand what was said, but the gist of the message was apparent when everyone in our group started making their way to the gate. Great, the mechanical problem had been magically “fixed” and we were boarding the aircraft. Naturally, I pictured some shade tree mechanic named Jose rifling through his gallon jug of old bolts until he found one that “would work.” We walked through the gate and out into the Caribbean sunshine. (There are no jetways at the Punta Cana airport; you board by walking up a ladder). Just as I was within spitting distance of said ladder, I heard a splat and felt the boarding pass in my hand jolt slightly. When I looked down at the boarding pass, I saw bird crap splattered all over it and the book it was sticking out of. One final insult before I boarded the vessel of death known as Delta Flight whatever-it-was. The last sight I saw before I boarded was Suni hyperventilating from laughter at what she had just witnessed. Obviously, the plane didn’t crash… a fact that actually surprised me.

Waylon Turns One!
Our little boy turned one on March 28. His Grandma Jonnie was in from Iowa to celebrate. Shortly before his first birthday, he had started walking three or four steps. By the big day, he was walking 10-12. Now, he walks from one end of our house to the other, although he constantly trips on his pants, because they are all too long. Even though his doctor said he is “perfectly proportioned,” he is little. The doctor assures me that this is not indicative of what size he will be at adolescence or beyond. This is a relief to me.

For months Waylon has been obsessed with light. He points out every single light he sees to anyone, everyone, regardless of where he is, and says very plainly “Light!” This was his first word, and it remains his favorite. When we voiced some concern about Waylon’s preoccupation with light at his one-year check-up last week, Dr. Booer asked “What do you mean?” When we just stared blankly, the doctor continued... “Are you concerned about autiusm?" he asked with a puzzled look.

I threw Suni directly under the bus. “She is,” I said, pointing to my wife. (This was true, but not appreciated by my better half).

Dr. Buher looked at us like we were the two dumbest people in the world and said, “This kid is not autistic.” Then he asked us to wait while he typed a medical note himself that said, among other things, “Waylon is not autistic.” I found this pretty amusing. Suni really didn’t.

There are a million other things to say, and maybe Suni will say some of them. The bottom line is that we couldn’t be happier. We just celebrated our third anniversary, we have a healthy, happy kid that we both adore, our jobs are stable, flexible, and pay the bills, and we have an extended family around that we love (and even like, most times). This is a blessing, as we went throgh a quite dark period in late winter, coming to the painful decision not to move back to New Mexico to be part of the Holt Babington Mynatt family. We struggled with this decision more than we have anything else in our young marriage. It felt at times that making the decision would take years off our lives, but, in the end, we felt compelled to stay in Tennessee. The decision brought optimistic happiness as well as profound sorrow. If only there was a way to be in Iowa, New Mexico, and Tennessee at the same time, we would literally have the perfect life!

We are also going to Destin, Florida, with my cousin Brad and his family May 11-18. We are looking forward to that! Waylon's first trip to the beach!

Three Cheers for Tubes!!

Waylon finally got tubes last Tuesday and is doing wonderfully well!! No more tugging of the ears, no more fussiness, and no more antibiotics and the nasty poos that come with them. Hip, Hip, Horray!!
Now if they could just come up with something to stop an ever increasing attitude!

My Hero!

Just needed to give a shout out to my husband, the greatest hubby I could ask for. Today when I came home from work the entire house was spotless. I mean, the man dusted and everything! He was apparently frantically cleaning for hours and was sitting in the chair sweating when I walked in...ha! While I'm more than grateful, it makes me wonder what he's up to! :) Thanks, Cole!

I'm Back!!

So it's been awhile since I last blogged. My apologies to those of you anxiously waiting on the edge of your seats dieing to hear what's happening with the Stinsons. And, by "those of you" I mean my mom. Since she was down here a couple of weekends ago I think I'm in the clear.

A lot has happened....the holidays were nice and quiet. We were sad that we couldn't make it to Iowa. There is no place like Iowa for X-mas. We were all sick, Waylon had RSV and a double ear infection. After 6 antibiotics the ear infection lingers still and we are hoping to see an ENT about tubes next week. My poor little man has been in pain for entirely too long! He has handled it well and kept a smile on his face.
After 2 months of pushing himself around backwards Waylon finally got some forward momentum at 9 months and is all over the place now. He has a unique crawl with one leg off to the side, just using his foot to push. Now, at 10 1/2 months he is creeping along all of the furniture and should be walking soon. How exciting! He has also started using some words. Dada and Mama, of course. His first "real" word was light. And boy does he love to say it...all day long. He likes to show off to anyone who will watch him point and say light. I think we may have a future electrician. He is also fond of hot, which sounds more like "dot". "Dot", which started out for the fireplace, stove, and heater, has now come to mean anything he is not supposed to touch. Works for me, as long as he actually follows through with not touching it! He can also say Papa (Cole's stepdad) and fish...okay, ish, but close enough. We are working on duck next.

With all of Waylon's new developments he still lags behind in one area....he REFUSES to hold his own bottle! He did it when he was really young, but now wants no part of it. Apparently it is mommy's job. He actually grabs my wrist and pulls the bottle to him. Little stinker. I think mommy has spoiled him. He is also not a big fan of the sippy cup either. Anyone have some advice???!

Well, it's official...I'm thirty-something. When you're 30 you're kind of teetering between being a twenty-something and a thirty-something. Now, it's finally here. I have taken the plunge into my 30's. May as well embrace it. Don't they say older and wiser? I think I'm just getting older.

I hope everyone is doing well. I hear it's a brutal winter in Iowa! We haven't seen a bit of snow this year and are missing it. Well, missing it in the visiting sense, not the living-in-it sense. Suckers! Hee!

Here are some pictures of Waylon from the last couple of months.

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Waylon and his uncle Aaron at Thanksgiving.



Waylon getting ready for his bath...no tushy, just like his daddy.



O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree



Waylon's ready for the weather to heat up so he can ride his hog.




The shirt says it all. A gift from his uncle Aaron.


Here's my Dapper Dan with his grandma getting ready to head to his cousin Klaudia's birthday party. It was a "dress to impress" tea party. I think he fit the part.

Hap"Bee" Halloween

I know this is overdue, but I'm terrible about keeping up with this damn blog. I wish I was more like Jenni and her sister Kim who you can always count on to have interesting and frequent updates.

Halloween was rather uneventful this year. We didn't have a single trick-or-treater show up at our house and Waylon is too young to really know what's happening. Our friend Angie Dial bought Waylon a bumblebee costume before Waylon was born since Cole and I were bees last year. It was a little small, but he looked adorable nonetheless. I had high hopes that the three of us could dress up together, but his daddy wasn't feeling it this year.

Here are some pics of Waylon in his costume, with his cousin Klaudia (you can't tell, but she was a unicorn), and W with his BFF Oscar. I threw in a picture of Cole and me dressed up last year so you could see him in all his glory!

Land of Enchanment? Not This Time!

In early October we headed to the Land of Enchantment (that's New Mexico if anyone cares). It was a short trip and didn't go as well as planned. Cole got the flu the day before we flew out and had to go have 2 IV bags put in. We were worried we'd have to cancel the trip, but he woke up the next morning feeling human again, so we headed out with great expectations. The first day we were there was wonderful....we got to do lunch with my pal Leslie in El Paso, then headed to Las Cruces and stopped by Cole's old firm to catch up with our friends. That night we attended the "Cowboy Benefit Dinner for Breast Cancer Research" with our BFF's Blaine and Joy Mynatt and had a great time! That's where the fun stopped. The next morning I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. There is nothing worse than being sick on vacation. We had to cancel our visit with our friends Cate and Jon, which was made all the more disappointing because Waylon and their daughter Ella were scheduled to have their first of many dates. Cole and Waylon went to watch football with Blaine and I stayed in our hotel and slept until almost 7 PM...poor me. Cole and I were disappointed that things didn't go as well as we'd hoped, but were still happy we got to see the friends that we did. Here are some pics of Blaine and Joy's kids Asa and Gracie, and Asa and Waylon.

Waylon, Waylon, 2x4

When we were in Iowa Waylon got sick and we put him on a Pedialyte-only diet for a day. Since that day he has been eating like a pig. If you don't get this boy his food fast enough he lets you know his displeasure...and loudly. We're not sure if he's going through a growth spurt, had a change in attitude about solid foods, or is simply afraid his parents tried to starve him and he must eat as much as he can whenever he can. Whatever the case may be, my child is uncontrollably hungry! His favorite food right now is whatever you're feeding him at the time. He has yet to reject anything. Up next...lamb! Can you believe they have lamb as a baby food option?!

He's really filling out. He has finally rolled over from back to front. He rolled over front to back at 3 weeks! But, not again until 3 months, so we have been anxiously awaiting him to roll over from back to front. I am still working with him on sitting up. The little stinker has the strength to do it, but likes to keep is legs straight and stiff as a board, which makes it difficult. He just wants to stand all of the time. Put him in his Jumperoo and the kid is in heaven! Here's a picture of him showing his team spirit last Saturday...Go Vols!

Do These Slippers Make My Ass Look Big?

Waylon turned 6 months old today! To celebrate he chilled in his birthday suit after his bath tonight. I know it's not his birthday, but 6 months is a major milestone in a little man's life. And, as many of you know, I feel every birthday celebration is made that much brighter by a good frolick in the nude.

He's just like his daddy....no tush to speak of! Why, oh why, can I not have that problem!

I-O-W-A

We returned from Waylon's first trip to the Hawkeye state last Tuesday and have spent the week trying to settle back into things. As nice as it was to be on vacation, it's equally as nice to be back in our own bed.

Despite Waylon getting sick, the trip was a success. We made it up to Lake Delhi to visit with my mom's family. What a great time! The weather was beautiful, the drinks flowed freely, and Cole made his first jump off Injun Joe.

Meow.... (that's for you Aaron)

Meow.....

Meeeeeooooow!!!

After 20 minutes of "deciding whether to just jump or dive" (yeah right, Cole, like you can dive!), Cole finally took the plunge.

I also had the chance to see my high school girlfriends (aka the Ya-Ya's). It was so nice getting to catch up and see everyone, including Erica's baby boy Cayle. I miss out on most of the get- togethers and am grateful I made it this time. It is funny to watch us all slowly evolve into soccer moms! Everyday I'm one step closer to a minivan. Kate, you were missed....I'm glad to hear you're all doing well and feeling better. Here's the crazy group...

Cole, Waylon and I had the pleasure of celebrating my Grandpa Dietrich's 75th birthday while we were back...Happy B-day, Grandpa!!! I know he'll probably never read this blog since they don't own a computer, but I thought I'd give him a shout out anyway. Here are some pics from the two day celebration.

Dietrich clan, my Grandparents, and Grandma and Waylon sharing a moment.

Waylon yucking-it-up at the party, and my dad, his wife Virginia, and Waylon.

Waylon finally got to meet one of my best friends and her two kids Nicholas and Hadley. Nicholas has definitely never met a stranger and took to Waylon rather quickly. Hadley on the other hand is a little spit-fire and didn't really care too much about hanging with Waylon. Kelly, it was so nice to get to see you! I have been brain storming ideas on how we can see each other more often and have decided you need to pack up your family and move closer to me! :) I miss you!! Here is Nicholas introducing himself to Waylon.

Waylon also got to meet his "uncle" Andy (aka Dupree) and "uncle" Travis. Both of whom are sure to be a bad influence on an impressionable young man and he's not allowed to hang out them between the ages of 5-18. Better enjoy him now fellas!

Waylon spent most of his time bonding with his Grandma JSM who spoiled him rotten and told him tall tales of eating fudgecicles. He misses her and asked me to send his love. Here are some pics of the duo.

We are all looking forward to our next visit to Iowa. We had a blast getting to see so many friends and family. There is never enough time to do everything we want to, but we did squeeze a lot in this time. Thank you to everyone who hosted us to dinner, drinks, or both. We love you all and miss you!!

I had to include a couple more pics of Waylon from the trip. Here he is doing his best Gene Simmons impression and taking a bath at Grandma's.

GO HAWKS!!

Summertime Fun!

As we all know, it has been ridiculously hot this summer. Too hot to even really enjoy being outside at all. We have, however, made it out on occasion to try to beat the heat. Here's Waylon skinny-dipping in his duck pool,



and at the lake.



Yes, that is my gigantic breast in the background...please, try not to be envious!

Congrats, Cole!!

Just wanted to congratulate my hubby on a job well done. Cole received an incredible (and much deserved) raise recently. He has put in a lot of hours this last year and I'm proud of his hard work. His first big purchase....a new grill! He hasn't stopped smiling since we brought it home.

Mr. Not-So-Happy

Wouldn't you know, the day after I bragged about my son being Mr. Happy his first tooth popped up, followed shortly thereafter by his second tooth. I didn't expect them so soon!

Needless to say, Mr. Happy turned into Mr. Not-So-Happy for awhile, but has now returned to his old self. I will enjoy it for now because I'm sure the top teeth will be on their way soon. Ughh!

Mr. Happy

Greeting and salutations! Cole is out of town on business, so I thought I'd take some time to post new pictures of Waylon. He will be four months old tomorrow! I can't believe how quickly time has passed. I'm pretty sure he's the happiest baby ever born, although I may be a bit biased. I'm sure all of that will change once teeth start showing up and he develops a little more of an attitude. He's bound to have one considering who his mommy and daddy are. :)

Waylon's really starting to get friendly with his feet. He's quite resourceful...big toe...pacifier...it's all the same to him.

And here he is chillin' in the tub. What better way to end your day than to kick your feet up and chew on some plastic. Ahhh.....life is rough for the wee ones.

My first post

Here it is...my first blog entry. I have been thinking for days about how to write a witty account of the exciting events in my life and have come to the sad conclusion that not only am I not witty, but my life is relatively boring. So, instead of entertaining you I will just share some of the mundane shit that goes on in my life. I will also be posting a ridiculous number of pictures of Waylon since he is the pride and joy of my (and Cole's) life, and because my mom asks for them on a daily basis.

This weekend I finally attacked the beast that is our flower garden. I could take it no longer. It has been taunting me for 3 months. As I pull out of the driveway everyday I swear I can hear it screaming "Help me!". Our once beautiful "garden" has pretty much turned into an extension of the lawn (it's funny how weeds thrive in these drought conditions, but the flowers are just crispy remnants of their former selves.) This task has been put off due to the fact that I know nothing about gardening coupled with the lack of desire to sweat my ass off in 90% humidity while squatting for hours. Truth be told it's more likely due to me wanting to play with Waylon every chance I get. Regardless, it wasn't getting done and was far beyond embarrassing. (When did I turn into someone who's embarrassed by the state of her flower garden....Crap...I think I'm getting old). But this weekend I did it....I attacked with full force. Ten garbage bags (literally) full of weeds later and the garden is...... 60% done! AHHH! This garden will be the death of me. Once I finally finish I will have to start over again. Who needs flowers anyway?!

I did get a couple of good snapshots of Waylon (looking awfully cute I might add) yesterday though, which saved the day. Maybe once I finish weeding I can get a picture of him sitting in front of my weed-free, dried-out flower bed.