Here’s my shot at open letter #2 to you.  At 19 months old I assume you can not only read this, but fully comprehend it.  In fact, I’ll print this out and leave it in your crib to read when you wake up.

So here goes…

When you grow up I look forward to telling you about Bob.  You’ll never know Bob.  You’ll never be able to appreciate his wild personality or jokes… And sadly, you’ll never know just how much he meant to me.

There are hundreds of stories I have for you as you grow up.  I’d venture to say that 90% of them would be wildly inappropriate now though, so I’ll stick to some basics for now.

Bob was not, biologically, my father.  Your grandpa is a wonderful man and I love my father to death.  Please don’t misunderstand that.

Bob was simply different.  When your grandmother and Bob first met, I hated him.  I hated everything he stood for.  I hated what I blamed him for doing and I hated more that he thought he would be part of my life.

Being rebellious and having self-pierced arms, enjoying loud music and having an affinity for anything I could smoke - I was simply an angry kid.  Not so angry that I’d snap and become violent… But way too easily agitated.

Particularly towards him.

Until one night.

I must have given him some grief over something trivial.  In a flash he turned to me and said “Listen, I don’t want to be your father and I’m not trying to replace him.”

And for some reason that stuck with me.  I began to warm up to him.  Being a mid-teenager at the time I simply rejected maturity. Porn still seemed cool but the thought of loving someone presented itself as bullshit to me.  I was entirely immature and while I knew it, I didn’t care much to change.

Until that moment.  It forced me to realize that change is a part of life and I could either embrace it - or yell, kick, scream, piss and moan until I was blue in the face.

I chose maturity that night, and I’d like to think I haven’t looked back.

To condense the story a bit, Bob was an amazing man and one of the few true influences I have had. And while I was never officially his son, he was buried with a photo I tearfully scribbled “I love you Dad” on.

So there are two things you need to know now about Bob for now.  The first is that he taught me how to embrace change and make it work for me.  The second was his mantra: “Whatever happens, don’t panic.”

I’ve got a great story to illustrate this.

Bob was changing the oil in his car one crisp afternoon when a gust of wind blew the hood down.  In a split second the hood slammed down on his left index finger, shearing the tip off around the base of his fingernail.

While admittedly freaked a bit, he had the whereabouts to find his own fingertip on the ground, pick it up, go inside, and get it on ice while he wrapped up his finger so he could head for the hospital.

Seriously.

Bob was a guitarist. He worked with his hands all day as a contractor and painter.  And he worked with computers all the time, always trying to make that his primary line of work.  Now - try to imagine any of those without your left index finger.

Yet he never once panicked.  Not even a little.  And I’ll never forget that about him.

His fingertip was nothing compared to the fight he endured with cancer, but again, those are other stories for other times.

When he lost his battle and passed away, your grandmother’s world shattered around her.  While devastated, I forced myself to remember those simple words and tried not to panic.

So why is this important?

I feel I need to introduce the concept of not panicking now because it feels like change is in the air.  It’s no secret that I’ve been struggling to find out who I am and what I’m all about… But I can’t have you seeing me any differently than you always do.

You’ve got a number of incredible people around you - I just hope to be one of them. You’re always going to be my little man… My everything.  No matter what happens, please don’t forget that I love you and would never do anything to hurt you.  You’re my world - I’m just trying to do what’s best for you.

And with that… Your old man has some clothes to iron for another meeting in the morning.

I love you bigs.

It was promptly tossed into the DVD player once home, and I just got this video of the little man dancing Labor Day away.

Happy Labor Day!

Sometimes though there are times that simply are.  This afternoon we went on down to South County and once again visited Scarborough Beach in Narragansett Rhode Island.  There was a ton of traffic and beach goers, but its also a holiday weekend - so I guess that should have been expected.

When you drive towards the beach and the ocean becomes visible, Camden perks up like a kid at Christmas, instantly clapping, yelling and smiling.  It’s really cool to see and makes the hour of driving disappear on days like today.

The weather is perfect right now in the Northeast too.   I’m not sure if it’s something in the air, or just that time of year - but it’s beautiful out there, and rumored to be that way from New York on through to Maine.

Anyway, here are some photos from today…

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Of course, he also had to go about having his own little victory dance.  Now, I’m not a fan of him being up ON the table (especially since he cannot get down) in fear he may get hurt… but, it WAS a good photo opp as well.

Sorry for the slow posting updates of late.  It’s been a bit different of late around home and there hasn’t been much free time to get the site updated.  I’ll work on that though

First off, who in the world wants their toddler running around with a toy chainsaw?

Second… If you were going to use goat milk for something, that’s cool. Same with evaporated milk. I get that some recipes call for it. But, evaporated goat milk? Awful.

Sorry for the light posting of late. Been pretty productive and my time has been used up. Working on a new video though, so hopefully that will find it’s way online tonight.

It has come with some good and bad things that were immediately evident once I got into the flow today. I’ll reserve all that work related crap for Eric Lander’s SEO Blog… Because, well, it has nothing to do with being Cam’s dad.

This morning produced a few answers to yesterday’s suck. That was a good thing but I’m still feeling uneasy about a lot of things I felt great about even a week ago. While I pushed all of that back in order to be productive today, I found that worries and thoughts still crept forward.

Of course, my little man became the best distraction ever. Here he is invading my home office setup… Too effin cute. He even grabbed an empty red bull and tried to drink that.

Things are better, today wad productive and I look forward to the week wrapping up. I won’t be back in the real office until Friday, so that’s a good thing.

Much love to my readers, here’s hoping today’s a better day for you too.

Camden woke up screaming and had to go back to bed with his mother. Since I had already passed out on the sofa prior to that, it was pretty easy to crawl right back up into a ball and keep warm. Waking up on the sofa means just one thing… A couple of Advil in the morning and the stiff neck pain is gone. No harm, no foul.

Of course I couldn’t fall back to sleep easily once I woke up. So I did what any other technology dependent geek would do… I opened up my BlackBerry and started catching up on email and messages. Then I opened up the laptop.

By the time 4:30AM rolled around, I knew I was in for a really, really bad day. I could just feel it in the pit of my stomach - and it’s proven to be the right feeling some 17 hours later.

If there’s ever a way to smile though some tough times it is because of Camden. From playing with his toys to getting that ever so important hug — this little man has the ability to pick me back up again.

Here are a couple of photos from this evening and then a video of him eating his yogurt. While these may seem like nothing special, they were certainly the highlight of my day.

Here’s hoping that today is the end to this vibe and tomorrow brings some better things.

Seriously!

It’s a beautiful day outside and with the morning in full gear we decided to talk Camden out for a sunny walk on the walking, jogging and nature trail that goes around the Monastery of Our Lady of the Valley in Cumberland Rhode Island.

The following video is my little montage which appropriately ends with my little man dozing off and hitting nap time just as we pulled up to the apartment.

He’s sound asleep now… Which to me, sounds like a great idea!
Nap time, FTW!

Remember the language of Ah-Rah? Well, today it’s all about “DaDah” which I obviously enjoy quite a bit.

I always hate how I sound on videos… but this is a Dad’s Blog. I sort of need to get over that if I’m ever going to be heard interacting with my little man. So you know, Camden likes to wear temporary tattoos on his left forearm of Thomas the Tank Engine. He doesn’t have one on now which leads to some of the confusion you’ll see. And of course as soon as I stopped recording, he immediately pointed out his eyes for me.

Go figure That’s what makes him so much fun. He’s one of a few people that can make every day a great one.

He also became a killer as he dismembered Captain Feathersword, a former Wiggles character and popup book surprise…

You’ll be missed, Captain.

I had a really tough time finding a song this video and I’m still not sure this fits well at all. I ended up settling on Rascal Flatts cover of Tom Cochran’s Life is a Highway because of the song’s use in Disney / Pixar’s Cars… Which of course is a Camden favorite.

Check out the ending. Camden’s not always sunshine and giggles.

Thanks for the peaches, Mom. Really. Are you coming over to wash my floors now, too?

Words are said to be powerful… I disagree.  Especially since you’re 18 months old and probably find them incredibly frustrating.  That’s cool with me though. They frustrate me too.

You’ve got a selection of words that make perfect sense to me when you say them. “mama”, “dada” and “baba” are all pretty easy for me to figure out.

You know what else is easy for me?

That adorable arm raise and nasally “rrreeaaaagh” you belt out when you see an elephant or we ask you what one does. It melts me.

Sometimes you confuse me though. I know, I know… You’re shocked to learn that the same person who knows the magical sequence of buttons required to play Bunnytown cannot understand what you’re saying sometimes.  But it’s completely true. Don’t worry though, I’ll keep trying.

It’s your use of “ah-rah!” that really trips me up these days.  I hear you use it dozens of times each day and I never know exactly what you mean by using it.  One moment it’s the DVD you want to watch. Then the grapes you see on the counter and want to inhale.  The next? It’s the cat’s tail you’re chasing after and hoping to get a firm grip on. Again.

My favorite use of ah-rah though is when your running down the beach with your arms flailing around, chasing seagulls that always move away at the very last second.  You’re so determined that we could run down the beach for miles…

I think ah-rah is your universal language of the moment.  It means any number of things and at any given moment, it can adapt for something new.

It makes me wonder if you know what I’m trying to say to you sometimes. I wonder if you know what it is I’m whispering in your ear when you’re sitting in my lap and we’re watching TV together.

You know what a bink, bottle, train and car is when I say those words.  I also know that when I ask you to, you can easily point to your ears, nose, belly, eyes and your… well never mind.

There are many times when I say things without words to you.  I say them with a hug, a rub of your back, pinch on the nose or a look into your eyes.

And I hope you understand them.

I worry that you will one day think I don’t care enough because I don’t use my words with you.  That’s not at all true.

When we’re cuddled up on the sofa early in the morning watching TV, my hug is my way to let you know I’m right there with you. Awake, but not really. Tired, but not sleeping. Groggy, but not ready to clear the cobwebs and start the day.

…And when you go to bed and I give you a hug and a kiss on the forehead… It’s my way of wishing that you’re going to sleep well, have sweet dreams and sleep soundly without your teeth waking you up again.

But when you run up to me and hug me back, it’s the best feeling ever.  That’s my seagull chase. That’s what I live for. It’s why I’ll always do anything for you…

You’re my little man. My ah-rah.

A nuisance. Completely unnecessary. A minion sent by the Devil himself to ruin any audible pleasures that may exist for you.  He’s there to ruin your ability to think. To make you cringe and want to get as far away as possible.

And do so quickly.

Do you know what your crying child is?

Heartbreaking. A painful experience. It’s a moment in time that takes your breath away immediately yet causes you to react with ears tuned in like a hawk.

You can’t imagine how tough it is to willingly bring your child into a situation where you know they will cry. I don’t mean the “No daddy, I AM staying up to watch Cars for the 11,782nd time tonight and you can’t change that” kind of cry.

This is the “How in the hell did you just sit there and let them do THAT to me? TWICE!” type of cry.

It sucks.  It sucks and it hurts and it makes you feel like an awful parent, even if you know you’re doing the right thing.

And in that instant it makes you realize just how much love you can have for your child.

Camden is a tough kid.  I’ve seen him run straight into walls at the baby equivalent to mach one and get back up with a smile on his face, chubby cheeks all rosy and round. He climbs back on his feet, grabs whatever toy is nearby and screams AH-RAH! as his wobbly sprint propels him to his next destination.

It would be (and admittedly has been) adorable and hilarious if not for the split millisecond you wonder if he’s really hurt.

Cam’s tough shell disappears with the doctor’s office and immunizations though.  His normally high threshold for pain melts away and he becomes what he is; an innocent baby who has no idea what is about to happen to him.

This morning Camden went in for a checkup.  Everything looks good, he’s on track to be an outside linebacker for the Patriots and that’s great since we have NFL scouts calling us nightly.

Everything was wonderful until the assistant pierced his thigh twice, leaving a couple drops of blood and an absolutely scared, hurt and confused child…

How can your heart not melt when the single most important person in your world has been hurt before your eyes?

Of course the trouble is that these shots are necessary.

Without them Camden could expose himself to health risks.  No matter how remote of possibility rubella may be for my little man, it is a chance I simply will not take.   It’s that same protective gene as a parent that makes you realize something.

At about 3AM Camden woke up with a fussy cry, typical of his teething.  Being awake and working, I went in to see his hand in his mouth trying to pull at the teeth that were causing all the pain.  As he laid there so innocently, I couldn’t help but smile as I rubbed his back and watched him drift back to sleep.  It was the most rewarding part of being a parent.  The ability to make things better with nothing more than caring.

So… While I like to keep this site happy and upbeat, I needed to include a photo from Camden’s reaction after getting his shots.

It’ll serve as a reminder for me.

That the best thing to do is not always the easiest.

The trip was great, including my 30 minute nap on the way there - and my getting to sit in the back on the ride home to help Camden eat his dinner.  Towards the end of the video you’ll see Camden graciously giving his Elephant friend a share of his lunchables.

As if there was any more proof needed, here’s a few photos of my little man this morning, sporting his new and shorter hair cut.

While I love the look, he’s looking so much older which I’m not sure I like… Because by extension, I’m older too.

But it’s a grape day nonetheless. That’s because Cam was all about his grapes this morning for breakfast.

I’ve also been working on a new web site about Boxers. Boxers as in the breed of dogs, not the badasses who beat one another up for the purpose of being compensated for self inflicting brain damage.

So in the midst of my getting my things packed up to head into work, Camden found a book that I’ve been using for research and content development… and well, he liked it. A lot.

Camden loving Boxers, FTW.

Sometimes I genuinely look forward to Mondays. I miss working. I miss socializing with folks at the office. And I actually enjoy that Monday also brings a few consecutive days of normalcy and routines with it.

But not this week.

This will undoubtedly be a long, tough, craptacular week.  People I often rely on are cruising it up on vacation (good for them!), so it’s going to be super quiet this week.  I’m a fan of things being quiet. It’s the introvert in me… But something tells me this week will be trying.

That’s why waking up this morning was not easy.

Since my little man didn’t have much of a nap yesterday, he too thought more about sleeping in. These lazy mornings though are what remind you of how awesome it is to be a parent. Just spending about 10 minutes with a groggy Cam before heading out to work is enough to jump start your day.

I snapped a few pics of ‘em this morning, clearly tired.  My favorite is then he just ran up to me and collapsed into my lap with his taggie blanket and closed his eyes… Like he was going to sleep standing up.

I’m quite sure that he was thinking… If I don’t put any shoes on, I don’t really have to start my day, right?

Here he is emerging from his bedroom with one of the taggie’s tags wrapped around his thumb. We’ve found that when he’s tired he’ll play with those tags until he drifts off to sleep.  Does it every night before bed in fact.

Best. Hug. Ever.  Love these. Tough photo to take and I’m sure he wasn’t thrilled with the flash… But I love these kinds of hugs from Cam.

So… With my first cup of coffee nearly complete, I’ll say good morning… Happy Monday… and a Happy Birthday to Grandma who’s probably working her tail off already this morning.

She actually gave him gifts for pimping his eustachian tube surgery with ease.

Here he is trying to get his new Thomas the Tank Engine tee shirt bag into the gift bag. She also gave him a new Thomas book which he was all about reading for a solid 20 minutes.  Kid LOVES his book collection.  It’s only fair that she’d hook him up with a Thomas book.

While we’re on the topic of Thomas, here’s Woogie out on Craig’s patio set with his new travel set. The blue roof opens up and all the track can be stored inside.  The little engines you can see also store themselves inside the house thingie… It’s a pretty cool set.  The fact that it’s portable is fantastic too… He’s never without his favorite toys now.

I love imaginations. Since tracks are limited, Cam decided to take one of his small trains and play over on Craig’s deck while Craig kept an eye on him. While this looks entirely innocent, I assure you Cam enjoyed watching the train roll off one edge and crash down into the patio stones. He did it like 17 times.

With Uncle Craig playing the pimping host, managing grills, the pool and everything else - Cam apparently decided that he’d get his Uncle a beer. He just opened up the cooler, grabbed one, and brought it over to Craig.  Way cute.

What would have made this cuter? If it was a bottle of Sam Adams.

Realizing that drinking might be fun, Camden and I headed inside to get some drinks made. A seriously awesome friend in California recommended vodka and cream soda a couple of months ago. I thoguht it sounded awful… But since I’m on this assanine diet of mine, this combination (with diet cream soda) offered up zero carbs… and one helluva buzz.

Not to be outdone, Camden ordered himself a Virgin White Russian made with Soy Milk. He downed that thing in no time, too.  Should Ibe concerned?

But really… Today was all about Grandma - and Camden did his best to keep Grandma entertained in the pool by giving him swimming lessons and makingup for the lost time on Friday.

All in all, it was a great afternoon…

It was all I could do to get myself together to  make the trip to Attleboro so we could load up on some of Camden’s supplies at Babies”R”Us. (Who, if I may add - has the worst name to spell correctly. Evar.)

A case of diapers and wipes later, the carriage of course had a couple new Thomas DVDs. I’m a sucker for that stuff. I mean, how can you not buy your son SIX episodes ofhis favorite show AND get a free wodden train engine to add to his collection — for just $11.00!?

Yeah, exactly.

On the way home both Camden and I started dozing off.  No worries, I knew an hour before I wasn’t good to drive, and handed the keys over.

It was cool… On the way up the three flights of stairs, he was basically asleep with his eyes open in my arms.  I wish I could’ve taken a photo of that.  It’s the kind of look that just sticks with you and makes you smile on days like this.

Once we got into the apartment, we both passed out… and when I woke up, I found Hermie in Cam’s crib… Which led to these home petting zoo photos.

Whenever we find a cat in the crib, we’re usually quick to get him out of there.  Today though, we knew that if camden saw ‘em… They’d be in for some more trouble.

And trouble is exactly what he found…

Really though, Cam is a saint with these cats.  Aside from trying to pull them by their tail once a week.  The cats have never once shown any aggression either which is fantastic.

Camden got to bed a bit later than normal.  Between the effects of the anesthesia and a later than normal nap, his bedtime was naturally pushed back a bit.  He didn’t wake up at all overnight - so I was really happy with that.  I’m hopeful that the Eustachian tubes aren not causing him to feel any soreness or discomfort from these last ear infections.

While all of that is great… 7AM approached, and while I’m usually beginning my commute into the office, this was all I saw…

Just his closed bedroom door.  No noises other than his humidifier humming away and the ceiling fan making it’s rhymthic buzz.  No lights showing up on his baby monitor…

Going against Bethany’s wishes… I had to crack the door and just make sure he looked okay.  Slipping on my ninja stealth suit, I was able to get this pic taken… Before getting caught.  Camera sounds, FTL.

He did roll a bit when the door creaked open, so I know he was okay.  But it was a drag not getting my morning high five or kiss from ‘em.

We’ll make up for that tonight though, no doubt.

It’s pretty cool to look at a simple photo and smile because you see yourself in it.

This one is my favorite.  I love my BlackBerry 8700g.  LOVE it.  But Camden often takes it, throws it, etc.  So I recently went out and bought him his own from one of those realy sketchy dollar stores.  And I’ll be damned… He loves it!  Just look at him…

This first one is obvious, only because I’m really in the photo.  I’m not sure if we were watching Bunnytown or some Thomas DVD here, but I love that we both share that same blank stare.

And again… the stare comes back as we’re watching something else…

Anyway, I love photos like these.  And, I love my mini me.

Whatever the case, don’t be afraid to smile.  Life could always get worse, and if you follow your heart, it’s only going to get better.

If things do get you down though, there’s nothing more rewarding than being a parent.  Now, I’m not saying if you’re depressed that you should go find a stranger and get pregnant together…  But really, the innocence that a child possesses is amazing and simple at the same time.  It’s something I wish was easy to hold onto as you grow older…

So, go have some fun.  Here are some recent photos of C-Will and me doing just that.

If only the day were really that uneventful.

I woke up at about 7AM and Bethany was already scrambling around. We never got a call yesterday about when Camden would head into the hospital.  Having placed calls into the hospital, the ENT (ear nose and throat) specialist, and an answering service… We found out that Camden didn’t actually have an appointment at all.

Oy.

We were able to get him lined up as the first patient of the day, and we were at the hospital by 8:15.  Bethanyt ook care of the admitting paperwork while Camden and I tried to find a way to break into the gift shop that had a few too many Cars products on display. (Cars + Camden = lots and lots of happy screaming)

Once upstairs we seriously waited about an hour.  Mind you, we were first to go in.  Thankfully the room we were in had this cool mind match game with cards that were all characters from Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.  Another love of Camden’s.

Shockingly, little man handled waiting really well considering he had been unable to eat or drink anything since 7:30PM Wednesday night.

Anyways… it was a complete hassle.  Lots of waiting.  Lots of screaming.  Lots of being uncomfortable in a shady ass hospital that none of us liked. Camden’s ENT is a saint.  I love her.  She’s great.  I just wish the people around her were half as awesomesauce.

Bethany went in when they administered anesthesia and we were escorted to a waiting area.  About 15 minutes later, the ENT came out and gave us the play by play as well as some post-op care notes.

All easy stuff.

We went upstairs, hung out for an hour to make sure there was no reaction to the anesthesia, and then were released from hell on Earth the hospital.

But what fun is a post here on A Dad’s Blog without the photos!?

Camden riding in the Britax on the way to the hospital…

Worst. Hospital. EVER.

Pre op room, here’s the Thomas & Friends game set I mentioned.  He LOVES anything with these guys on it.

Camden absolutely loved this wagon ride from the pre-op room to the anesthesia prep room.  I’m thinking a Radio Flyer is now in the cards.  Look at his face!

Always playful, Cam’s rocking the johnny and a hair net while we waste another hour waiting for the hospital to get their act together…

Obviously post op. And not happy.  This was as upset as he got all day long and I think my comment of “Hey little man, you’ve got one of those aquarium thermometer things on your head!” made him angry. In any case, this was short lived.

Learningz his ABCs, post op, watching the clock tick before we head on out.

And much later… Here’s Cam getting his nightly tubby on.  Notice the mug filled with spaghetti sauce.  This was also his first time wearing his new blue ear plugs to help keep water out.

With just over three hours of sleep my creative writing skills are failing me.  So here’s this morning’s post — a collection of images illustrating the morning that Camden and I shared together.

I love my mornings with Camden.  I usually get to spend 30 to 40 minutes with him just getting ready for the day ahead of us.  Without a doubt, it’s the most precious time of the day I have with him. It’s quiet. We’ve got the whole day ahead of us… and we just get to wake up together.

This morning went something like this…

Cam not happy he’s awake…

Cam still obviously sleepy…

Simple breakfast of Nutrigrain Bar and Silk Soy Milk

Checking to make sure his belly is full…

Reading up on one of his favorite books…

And finishing up with proper dental hygiene

I’m out! Have a great Tuesday everyone!

What a weird combination.  Today is water play day at The Stork’s Nest while also being reptile day.  So, Camden gets to go to school to play in the water and will be visited by lizards, snakes… and alligators.

Camden had to go to school today all decked out in his billy bad-ass pirate apparel. He always looks like a mini surfer dude when I see him in this bathing suit and matching shirt.  It just kills me.  I mean, how freakin’ cute can this kid get?

He loves the water though, so I’m hoping that he’s in for a good day today.  He deserves one with all the ear problems he’s been having.

So, here’s hoping that Regal Reptiles doesn’t bring some monster sized alligator into the center to eat a bunch of daycare and preschool students.  I’m pretty sure that’d create a lawsuit or five.

Think he likes water play?  Check this shot out from the beach…

The ear, nose and throat specialist saw him yesterday and she opted to keep his surgery appointment for Thursday morning.  I feel badly that he’s got another ear infection that we can’t do much about, but at least a solution is only a few days away.

I just want these tubes to stay in a while and really help him out.  I don’t like the little man being in pain, being uncomfortable, or having trouble hearing us and saying new words.

To say that last night was trying would be a tremendous understatement.

One of these things has happened:

1. Cam has gotten water in his ear (he did go to the beach on Saturday)
2. Cam developed another ear infection in his right ear (that would be #11)
3. Camden morphed overnight into a raging velociraptor, whining, hissing and screaming throughout the night while viciously wishing to attack and kill our cats.

In 17 months time we’ve counted ten ear infections.  TEN. That’s insane and makes me feel so badly for him when I see him tugging at his ear in obvious discomfort.

That’s why it’s no surprise the Ear Nose Throat Specialist recommended tubes last week.  That’s also why he’ll be going in on Thursday morning for those tubes to be put in (more on that later).

At 5AM amidst the fourth time he woke screaming and clawing, we decided to let him fuss it out in the crib.  No amount of consoling him was helping and he had gotten only 3 hours of actual sleep to that point.  He had already been given some Tylenol, ear drops, and lots and lots of hugs.

There was nothing left to try and all he wanted to do was play with his trains.

We laid him back down in the crib and literally covered our heads with pillows.  I keep telling myself this is not an indicator that I’m a bad parent. Please reassure me of that.  But he did fall back asleep.

He normally gets up around 6AM.  At some point the alarm clock was given a holiday because I woke up startled as all hell at 7:07AM.

Problem: I leave for work at 7:00AM.

So… it hasn’t been the best start to the week.  Camden may end up at the pediatrician’s office before day’s end.  My wife called to tell me that he was acting fine when he finally did get up.  Hopefully that’s the case throughout the day.

The only way for us to try to catch more sleep was to bring him in the bed with us, surrounding him so he couldn’t roll off the sides or miss stepping on us on his way down.  While I’m a heavy sleeper, the little man was kicking like an Olympic swimmer, and by 5:30AM, we were up and the day had begun.

From 4:00 until 5:30, I’m sure he didn’t sleep much.  It was constant tossing, turning and whining — all of which lead me to think that he’s not feeling stellar.  Either way, it was morning.  Time to play.

After a run to get a coffee (three hours of sleep doesn’t do much good for me), I came home and made some breakfast.  After that, it was play room time which again involved lots of playing with Thomas the Train as well as some random toys.

From about 7AM through 10AM, he just kept getting more and more tired… Here are some photos I grabbed of him progressing to fully awake, to damn near ready to pass out.  There was some dancing inbetween, and I’ve got a video of that.  Provided his nap lasts long enough, I’ll post that up soon as well.

What was new though is that Cam is now at the point now where he understands more of what he’s looking at through the thick glass.  I credit Finding Nemo for this.

One of the biggest hits with Cam was the the beluga whale tank.  I think that there were three whales in the tank that day, but there was one that kept swimming under where we stood.  I’ve never seen him so jazzed up and baffled by the fact that this ginormous thing could not only swim in the same path over and over again - but underneath the concrete we were standing on.

It really was great to see him laughing and screaming at them on a warm summer day though.

Another exhibit that he liked (for the most part anyways) was the Birds of the Outback exhibit.  As their site explains:

Visitors to Birds of the Outback venture into a 1,200 square foot enclosed aviary which features hundreds of free-flying cockatiels, parakeets, and rosellas. All these colorful birds are native to Australia. Admission is only $2 and includes a seed stick.

Aquarium guests even get the chance to personally feed these beautiful creatures, all the while interacting and learning about the Aussie birds’ native habitats and behaviors.

Cam loved the birds from about 5 feet away.  Anything closer than that, like the ones who fly right at you and narrowly miss impaling their peaks into your forehead, scared the bejesus out of him.

Was a great trip though.  We bought him a stuffed beluga for all the stress the birds put him through.

Following are some pics from that trip a  few weekends back…

More photos can be found on the Mystic Aquarium Flickr Photo Set.

And… We’re just not gonna put clothes on ‘em all the time at home if he’s comfortable. Still, to help ease Matt’s mind and others who had the same thought… here is some proof. Camden DOES have clothes.

Pretty simple video here. I roll the ball to Cam, and he tries to grab it. A couple times, he not only grabs it, but sends it on back to me too.

Knowing full well that we needed to upgrade, we started looking into the Britax convertible seats. Earlier today we decided to take advantage of Massachusetts’s tax free day along with some of his gift money from his baptism. At the end of the day, we owned a Britax Boulevard and paid less than $8 out of pocket.

The Britax is now installed in the Xterra, and so far Cam is loving the new seat. He’s sitting up a bit more, and words cannot describe the quality difference in the seats. If you’ve never taken a solid look at a Britax because of the price factor — do yourself the favor and just browse. Every detail has been covered, and the quality is amazing.

Being a convertible seat too, Cam can remain rear-facing until he’s a year or so old and then use the same seat in a forward facing position. The only cons that I’ve found so far was some limited rear view miirror obstruction. So, if you’re in the market for a new seat, give the Britax line a quick review, and I’m sure you’ll find them to be amazing…

Oh yeah, and I’m father to Camden.

When my wife was pregnant, all I heard was that my life would never be the same. I sort of brushed it off, because that’s what I’ve always done.

Then, on February 7th 2007… My life changed. In an instant.

You get the point, and if you’re here on the blog… you know what this site is all about.

So with that out of the way, let’s get blogging!