What Max does

Max keeps grabbing at my glasses.

He covers them with the baby slime on his hands. I see him grabbing, blurry. Just grabbing, grabbing, grabbing. What is on those hands?

I take them away and he is not as interested in my eyes. He looks away. Distracted with the next thing. It is something on the night stand. Lamp, book, turtle, light, I'm not really sure.

I wipe my glasses off and put them back on my face. He goes at it again.

Christmas pics - The Woodlands

Christmas pics - Austin

Cearley Christmas Vacation - Day 7

7 days on the road with a family of 5 will teach you alot. Namely, it's 1 day too long. Secondly, it can be done. On many levels. The one that matters - 7 days, 5 kids, 2 Christmases, 1 van, 0 use of the luggage rack. See, you learn. You learn that you don't want to become that guy. The minivan guy who uses the luggage rack on Christmas vacation (any vacation). I had many Clark Griswold moments over the last 7 days. 7 days on the road teaches you alot.

It teaches you that traveling with small children is best when it happens early in the morning. By 6. Anything after 6 is all the same. We did good going. Not so good coming.

It teaches you the power of a DVD player in a vehicle and that you can fill a 15-gallon van up for less than $25.

It also teaches you that the fast food coupons you have should not dictate where to go. Jack in the Box - yuck. Dairy Queen - not so great.

It teaches you that truly, there's nothing better than being around family and friends. I've had some 1:1 time with all the kids and I'm just humbled beyond words. Gracie is filled with so much imagination and is coming up with something new every time she opens her mouth. Max, the tank, is so curious. He wants to feel everything. The Christmas tree, tinsel, wrapping paper, boxes, carpet, everything is about the touch. He's going to be such a good kid. Nick on the other hand is going to get into some TROUBLE. He thinks he's alot bigger than he is. Antagonizing Max. Climbing up and over things. Pseudo-walking with furniture. He's a little toot, but he's still such a cuddle bug. These kids are great and I love being a dad.

Cearley Christmas Vacation - Day 6

Got to go out last night sans kids.

We didn't get home till 1:30. Who-hoo. I surprised myself, but once we got home and settled, Steph even fell asleep before I did. Visions of 5 AM hadn't overcome me yet.

We got together, er, I tagged along, with a group of Steph's (and Nick's) high school classmates. It was the closest thing to a reunion I've ever been to. And it wasn't even mine.

I had a good time, though. Trace and Karey came. With stories very similar to ours, at least as they were 2 months ago, and stories of polo and concerts in Chicago that are very far from ours. It was good to see them. I'm glad they've all kept in touch and from what I've seen, grown closer over the past few years. I know it means alot to Stephanie.

Anyway, 5 AM came too soon.

Cearley Christmas Vacation - Day 5

I'm finally caught up on the days and these posts. I just finished watching Untraceable with Diane Lane. Jeez. What a movie. Creepola. I liked it, but I don't think I'm jumping to watch it again.

Today was a fairly relaxing day. It was very gloomy here in the morning and this afternoon, it warmed up and the sun came out. We could almost jump in the pool and have a good time.

Gracie didn't get to see her cousins until after nap time. It didn't cause the stir that we thought it would. Our kids and Andrea's kids are just on different schedules. As a result, there are only a few windows of time that everyone is up and has a few hours to get together.

Tonight, Steph and Gracie are over there making gingerbread houses. I stayed here and chilled with Mr. Woodyard.

Cearley Christmas Vacation - Day 4

Santa came to visit Gracie! Yesterday morning, she awoke to a Cinderalla vanity (halfway set-up b/c Santa new that we would have to disassemble it for the rest of the roadtrip). She LOVED it. Then, she proceeded to tear through all of her presents in warp speed. She was much more into unwrapping the presents than the actual presents themselves. I can't list everything she got, I just know that we have two large bags full of stuff. I managed to pack everything in in an orderly fashion. Nothing spewed out of the van when we opened the doors. Next stop was The Woodlands.

We left Austin around 1 and stepped into the Woodyard's house at 4:15. All Gracie wanted to do was see her cousins, which she did around 5:15. They all went crazy. Playing, playing, playing. We opened presents and got another two huge bags. I still think I'll be able to pack everything in fine.

The boys don't really know what hit them today. We're trying to make it as settling as possible, but they've been through a lot so far.

That being said, I'm so glad we decided to travel this Christmas. We won't be able to spend these moments with our families forever. There will be time enough for the kids to wake up in their own house for Christmas morning.

Cearley Christmas Vacation - Day 3

Yesterday, Christmas Eve, was a busy day. Cookies for Santa, finalizing presents (wrapping and buying), meal preparations, Christmas Eve service, Zilker Christmas tree, and getting ready for Santa.

Michelle and Damon came into town for the 3 PM Christmas Eve service. This particular service was geared for the kids and it was such a joy seeing Gracie soak it all in. She paid attention the entire time and in fact, when it was all over, she started crying because she didn't want to leave. The service was structured where, over the hour, kids would read a portion of the Christmas story, then the children's choir would lead the congregation in carols while kids dressed up as people in the story came up to the front and made a live nativity scene. She wanted to go up front and sit by the angels and by Mary - it was awesome to experience with her.

The church brought in live animals (camel, sheep and donkey) so the kids could see them after the service. Gracie was excited to see, but apprehensive to pet.

We had this plan to pick my mom and the boys up after the service and take advantage of the day-long warm weather by eating at Shady Grove, but they closed before we could get there. Instead, we went to the Mac Shack, had a lovely dinner, and then went to the Zilker Park Christmas tree. All the kids loved it!

After Gracie's bath, she got to open 1 present before Santa came to visit her. She opened a pair of plush princess slippers, which according to her, 'was her dream!' She wore them to bed.

She sleeps as we wait on Santa....

Cearley Christmas Vacation - Day 2

Yesterday was Girls Day Out and Boys Day In. All the girls went out about 10 and shopped and ate and continued with their tradition. Meanwhile, me and the boys ran a couple of errands, walked around and hopefully, started our tradition. It doesn't really entail anything specific, it's just about being together.

I got a haircut. Me and Steph were able to hang out together for a little bit afterward.

I tried to watch Burn After Reading, but couldn't get into it. Then, we all got into the 2nd Narnia, but fell asleep about 1 hour in.

It was generally a chill day.

Cearley Christmas Vacation - Day 1

The 2008 Cearley Christmas Vacation began at 2:00 AM yesterday when Max didn't feel like sleeping. Stephanie woke me from a deep sleep about 3:00 AM, irritated like people get at 2 AM. Max wasn't having any of Momma's remedies and then all three of us couldn't go back to sleep. So, about 4 AM, we got up, packed the van, and rolled out of Dallas at 5 AM. We were in Austin, at my mom's house, by 9:30.

We just have this thing for Austin and it grows every time we come back. If we could just ditch everything with no consequences, we wouldn't go back to Dallas. But such is not life. It's so comfortable here. It's great to be around my mom and Kyle. My brother and sister are close too and even though they're doing their own thing, we always connect. It is home. I think Steph and I both feel this way.

Soon enough.

We didn't do much of anything the rest of the day. Bought some liquor. Ate at Chuy's. Rented movies (the 2nd Narnia, Burn after Reading, Mama Mia). Didn't watch any. Wrapped tons of gifts, which by the way, I am a speed wrapper. And they look pretty good, too. Then, we met Michelle's boyfried, Damon! He's a good guy. We like him. He is very good for Michelle. He just better be good to her.

We went to bed around 10:30. LONG day.

Fish puppies

I sit here, exhausted by the day that has already happened, watching my fish bite at each other. Nasty little things. Anyone who tells you that getting fish as pets just because they're 'low maintenance' has never taken care of fish. I was singing that tune a couple of years ago, but now I know. It's not the fish, per se, it's really the aquarium. Unless you get a huge aquarium, of course, let's say about 55 gallons, and then it is more about the fish. For that size tank, you really need a lot of fish. But the more fish you have, the dirtier it can get. Even if you have a good filtration system. Hence, the rub with the aquarium. Cleaning that thing is misery. I look at it now. It needs to be cleaned. I really need to clean it before we leave, which gives me tomorrow to play with. I have to get psyched up to clean the tank and that's probably the clearest sign of all that their maintenance is too high for me.

But, the kids like it. So, we'll keep it.

Although Christmas-time sparks notions of puppy dogs, I write this to document that the fish tank is enough. I have to be strong, not this Christmas but I guarantee you next, and put my foot down. Until someone is able to help me clean the fish tank, they're not old enough to help keep up with a puppy. I'm rambling.

We have lots to do before we leave for a week. Clean, pack, wrap, wash, dry, fold. Watch the Cowboys win. The important things in life.

Max who now weighs 17.1 and is in the BIG 5th percentile (that's right, 5), and his brother Nick, who now weighs 14.14 and is NOT even on the charts, are crying now, so I must go and take care of that.

What a week

Nick can now crawl.

I have my voice back.

Gracie busted her face up at school. Scooter accident. You should see the wall she ran into.

Simple update

Still no voice.

Gracie and Nick have something, but it's not what I have.

Cowboys sucked it up.

Redskins did even more. At least we have that.

No voice, no family interaction

Greetings everybody. I have lost my voice. On Friday, I thought I had lost my hearing out of my right ear, but it seems to be connected to this condition that has now taken my voice. I have a faint ringing in my right ear, but can actually hear. I just can't speak. I would much rather be without a voice than without hearing. Needless to say, we're just hoping it isn't contagious and spreads to the rest of the family. Stephanie has quarantined me in our bedroom and I just sit here and prepare for Football Sunday. On the surface, it sounds pretty good for me - without kids in my bedroom, forced to do nothing but lay here and rest and oh, by the way, football just happens to be on all day today. But it actually kinda sucks. I want to be hanging with my family, not holed up here in this room.

Happy Thanksgiving

We are in Austin for Thanksgiving. It's the first time we've spent Thanksgiving with my mom in at least 8 years. We can't even remember the last time we celebrated this day with her. It's nice to be around her and Kyle, Mark, Colin, Joel and of course, the other Cearley 4. Michelle is with her new flame in East Texas, meeting his family. Sounds very serious.

We've spent the day just relaxing. The boys got up real early this morning. Actually it was Max. 4:00 AM. I think he was cold. We chilled out, we cooked, we watched the parades, then Steph's cousin Jaime came over. I know that was special for Steph. The meal rocked. We had so much food. Kyle fried a turkey. My mom made her rockin' stuffing. My belly is so big. Then, the Cowboys proceeded to beat up on the Seahawks. It's always an extra special Thanksgiving when the Cowboys win. Now, we're listening to the Longhorns game on the radio.

This Thanksgiving, more than any in recent memory, I am so incredibly thankful for my family. Specifically, I am thankful for three healthy children. I'm thankful for a healthy wife. I'm thankful that she had successful surgery, that we actually did it right now, and that we know there is nothing bad growing in her body. I'm thankful for the perspective that that right there gives me. I'm thankful for my mom and the relationship we have. I'm thankful for Kyle and that he is in my mom's life. My brother and sister - I don't do a good enough job of expressing to them how much I love them and am thankful for them. My family is my rock and I know a lot of people who can't say that. This thanksgiving,it's everything that is right beside me that I am thankful for.

NEGATIVO

Steph got the results back from her Friday procedure. NEGATIVO. I can't even express in words how thankful I am. I know Steph is real relieved. It is a happy evening around here. Lonely, though. We miss that rambunxious 3 year old.

Christmas time

Put the Christmas tree up yesterday. All the dust made us all sick. Sniffles. A little cough. Gracie went home with Nana today. We'll see her when we go to Austin on Wednesday. Trying to say as much with as few words as possible.

Video time

A couple videos for you. These are about 2-4 weeks old. One features Nick, just doing his thing. Max is in the background laying on the ground. One features Gracie terrorizing her older brother, Max.

Steph's day surgery

Sitting in the hospital here with Steph. She had a LEEP procedure done today. She's still drowsy. Dr. Jan said everything went well. She lost a little bit more blood than normal, but Dr. Jan is not concerned. She just had to give Steph some stitches. We should hear results from the biopsy by Tuesday.

Although Dr. Jan is optimistic about the results, I am still a little worried. Just praying for a negative test and even more, for Steph's continued health. We've got to have a healthy mommy at the Cearley house :)

Reality II - Cowboys 14, Redskins 10

OK, so it wasn't the offensive game I thought it would be, but we won....like we should have last time. God bless Marion Barber. And Tony Romo.

Tonight was good, but if they want to go to the playoffs and win there, they have to stop making so many penalties. Freaking Flozell Adams kills me. He's been doing this nonsense for the past however many years. Stop with the penalties already. And TO? Hang on to the ball.

We're back in the thick of things. Now, we have to keep going. And hope the Giants and Redskins get beat by whoever is playing them from here on out.

Mary Michelle - your Romo jersey is getting boxed up.

Prediction II - Cowboys 31, Redskins 20

That's right. I think it's going to be a beat down tonight. I have a feeling the Cowboys are going to put the stompin on them. Romo's back. Portis isn't playing. They have to win this game. And because of that, they will.

Princess with earrings

Saturday, totally on a whim, Gracie got her ears pierced. Stephanie suggested it, I said, 'sure,' and Gracie went along with it.

That morning, we went to Babies/Toys R Us, and she got a new crown and clip on earrings. She immediately put them both on and wore them for most of the day. For the last couple of weeks, we've been talking to her about the possibility of getting her ears pierced and both Stephanie and I have talked to her specifically about all that would happen. So, the idea of getting her ears pierced was never an issue. The idea of someone getting close to her ears with a little device wasn't an issue either. We knew the immediate pain would be the issue.

Back to Saturday night - we rolled up into Claire's at Firewheel mall, all 3 kids in tow, and watched a teenage girl get her ears pierced before Gracie. Gracie was very excited about it, she'd already picked out her earrings (pink daisies), and couldn't wait to sit up in the chair. We asked the girl who was doing the procedure if we could do them both at the same time because after the initial piercing, there was no way that Gracie would let anyone by her ears. I'm soooo glad we did that.

As soon as they went in, she cried, cried, cried. It only lasted for about 5 minutes. Then, with the promise of candy and the fading pain, she dried up and went on like nothing ever happened. Since then, she's been walking around like she's an even bigger princess than she was before.

A Historical Day

Kids,

This might be the most important day of your short life here so far. Today, we, the United States of America, elected a new president, one who seems to be an honorable man. A man devoted to change things as we know them. We have faced many troubling times and hardships over the last 8 years. We had the largest, most devastating terrorist attack in the United States in 2001. Gracie, there are many deep issues associated with this, but it is one of the reasons we did not stay in New York after you were born. Since then, we have engaged in 2 wars, seen our global reputation and credibility shrink to embarrasingly low proportions and now, our nation is struggling through a financial crisis that most equate to the Great Depression. There are many events happening in your young life that you will learn about in school.

This day was another one of those historical events. Today, we elected a new president, the first African American president in history. The effects of this will probably still be felt throughout your lifetime. You see, race shouldn't matter in this country, in this world, but the sad truth is that it does. Hopefully, all Americans can look past the color of a man's skin, even those who are still mired in ways of the past, ways of inequality. Only time will tell. I pray for all of our sake, that this day will be the beginning of a new America, a revitalized America, an America that we're all proud to be a part of.

Times have been hard. I hope that today's decision will have a positive impact on the world that you will grow up in and raise your own family in. I feel like today, we have elected a president who will make the decisions necessary to give you that world, to make things better, to lead us on the road to change that we so desperately need, not only right now, but when you are typing something to your own kids.

This is a historical day and you should know that both your mom and I are happy with this result. We are confident that this is the right decision and we are hopeful in the future that can be. We want a nation and a world that we can all live in and you guys can have a full life in. As you learn about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy and the impact that they had on this great nation, impact that was felt long after they left, so will you learn about the man who made history today - our new president Barak Obama.

We love you dearly,
Mom and Dad

PS - we were both laying in our bed in our house in Wylie, Texas when the news broke and Obama gave his speech. In fact, your mom was asleep :)

Halloween in The Woodlands

We came to The Woodlands for Halloween. We couldn't pass up the opportunity for Gracie and her cousins to share this event together. Observing her, I would say this is probably the best time she's had ever. She sure does love her cousin Amalia.

Gracie was Dorothy. Nick was turtle. Max was baseball player. Amalia was the sun. Aidan was the moon. Avery was the stars.

We all got bit by mosquitos. And then we all got sick. Just runny nose sick, and not because of the mosquitos.

The adults rocked Guitar Hero. Andrea is good, Steph didn't really find her groove.

PS - the Stormtrooper is some random kid off the street.

Homage to Gracie Jane

Girl loves to dress up. I think we've got an actress on our hands. She's skilled at getting in and out of character. She can easily go from Dorothy to a ballerina supastar to a dog in the blink of an eye.

Weekend update

Saturday morning is pancake morning around the Cearley house. We took a page from Jon & Kate + 8 and have been doing this for months now. It's something that we all look forward to throughout the week. Stephanie makes these super healthy pancakes with flax seed and organic this and that - my contribution is chocolate chips. Mmmm. Healthy, yet very tasty.

The boys are this close to crawling. The days of immobility and laying on the back are almost over. I forgot what it's like to have mobile babies. Soon, I will be forced to put up the gate, take things off bottom shelves and baby-proof everything in the house. Plus, the chasing. Oy.

Today, we will go look for frames for the special pictures we took about a month ago. I purposely didn't write about them because they are a surprise. Shhhh. Texas/Oklahoma State is on later this afternoon and I'm sure we'll watch that. Otherwise, today's plan is to relax as much as possible.

On a more sobering note, my company laid off 75 employees this past week. Hopefully, there won't be another round anytime soon. The state of this nation and economy is so depressing. I'm still standing and employed, but in these times, I suppose anything can happen at any given time. I just pray for leadership, here and around the world, that wants to solve this problem and will take the right steps to do so. I know it's asking a lot, but I have confidence someone can. Hurry up November 4.

5 things that have happened since last post

1. Steph's birthday was on the 12th. We had a nice date on the lake and were able to just chill together. It was very, very nice.

2. Max is getting 2 teeth on the bottom. It is keeping him up a little in the morning and making him a little bit fussier than normal.

3. Steph is weening the nursing. Soon, they will strictly be fed by the bottles.

4. I spoke at a digital pharma conference this past Wednesday. I traveled to NYC on Tuesday, back home on Thursday.

5. My mom came to visit last weekend (she helped babysit while we went out on the aforementioned date). She and Kyle are off to a vacation in Napa tomorrow, where they'll go to a wedding for one of her students and spend a week playing around in wine country. Have fun, momma!

Sunday with the Johnsons

After 2 1/2 long years of no contact with the Johnsons, we finally reconnected and even saw each other. We seemed to pick up right where we left off. Er, aside from the 3 babies who have collectively been born between now and then. They're doing really well and their daughter, Meadow, is beautiful. I think she looks just like D. She's a little under a year right now and Gracie couldn't understand why she wouldn't run or talk or do anything that Gracie does. It's silly how you don't keep in contact with those who are really important to you and before you know it, years have passed. It takes effort from both sides and we'll just try harder. Life is puzzling like that. Especially with kids.

BTW - that's Nick in the turtle towel.

Reality - Cowboys 24, Redskins 26

I'm going to keep this simple. No excuses, we just lost. Bone-headed plays, straying from the run, 12-men-on-the-field-after-a-Redskins-timeout, nope, no excuses. The Redskins won.

I will say the Cowboys needed that reality check and it's good that it's early in the season. Those guys need to know that it's a long season and they won't win every game just by showing up. They need to come back to reality.

Our neighbors came over yesterday so I wasn't able to engage in the game like I normally do. It was nice to watch football with other people, but the sacrifice is really getting into the game. To top it off, I think I lost in fantasy this week, too.

On a brighter note, we're one day closer to the premiere of Friday Night Lights.

Prediction - Cowboys 34, Redskins 20

Date night last night. It was really nice. Steph and I just went for dinner (Thai) and drinks. It was totally chill and gave us a great chance to just sit and talk to each other with no distractions. As hard as parenting is, keeping and growing a healthy marriage with kids is no cake walk. Thank the Lord for the Nichols (Caitlin and Amy) and our parents for all of the babysitting help they've given us.

Today, of course, is the showdown. Max is in the spirit and Nick's even allowing himself to be swallowed by it. :) Everyone around here not named Stephanie LOVES the Cowboys and always will.

Prediction - Cowboys 34, Redskins 20

Progress, confidence and restful nights....finally

Our sleeping-through-the-night experiment has turned into a full blown routine at this point. It took the boys about 4 days to realize that noone was going to save them from their crib with arms or milk or anything else. It originally took them 20-30 minutes to fall asleep by themselves. Now it's less than 10. If they wake up in the middle of the night, they might cry out for 5-10 minutes, but we don't hear a peep after that. In the morning, their tummies can't really make it past 5 - 5:30 AM, so we've adjusted our waking time. But more often than not, they go back to sleep after that feeding. Problem is, I've got to go to work and then Gracie is usually up, so we haven't been able to reap the benefits of the early morning 2nd bedtime.

We're actually starting to see progress in terms of their schedules. It's not only at night, but during the day. Steph has worked really hard at getting them on an all-day schedule, feedings and naps included. As a result, everyone around the house is happier. You know, I can't think of anything more challenging than parenting. But whenever you see progress made, the sense of accomplishment you feel, even overcoming the smallest of feats, is one of the most joyful and rewarding things. All of the doubt you feel turns into confidence. Whenever you're taking care of multiple kids under 3, confidence goes a long way to get you through the day.

One day until the Cowboys pummel the Redskins.

Go Cowboys!

In anticipation of Cowboys-Redskins this weekend, 2 out of 5 Cearleys are in the right mindset. At least 2 more will be by Sunday.

Picture fun again

From Gracie's first day of school to smiling twins, here are our latest pics.

Happy Birthday, boys!

You turn 6-months old today. I think it's flown by. Your mom thinks otherwise. Be good, keep growing and let's continue to work on your night sleeping habits. You've both done good over the last few days.

There is no real summary and I'm tired of titling things 'recap'

Well, I can say that nothing much has changed around our house since the last post. We are still tired and fighting whatever is in the air.

First, let me back up and send our thoughts and prayers to our family and friends (and everyone else for that matter) in the Houston area who were affected by Hurrican Ike. They are all living without electricity and water and are not expecting anything to be resolved for a couple of weeks. It is a devastating event and I'm just so thankful it didn't reak more havoc.

Gracie was up most of the night last night with a high fever and upset stomach. We think she has a 24-hour bug, but we haven't even approached the 12th hour so there is no way of knowing. She does not feel good though.

The boys....well, thanks to the Baby Whisperer (aka - Nanny Barbara), we have committed ourselves to letting the boys comfort themselves at night. That means letting them go to sleep on their own and when they wake up in the middle of the night, letting them go back to sleep without any food. We started this 2 nights ago and although the nights have been interrupted multiple times, we have held strong to our commitment. We are hoping by the weekend, they will understand that mommy or daddy is not going to pick them up and hold them in their arms to go to sleep and they're not going to feed in the middle of the night. Wish us luck.

Congrats to the Verweils on the birth of their new baby boy - Henry Micah. Born on Monday 9/15. Everyone is happy and healthy. They all come home today.

Nights are so difficult

Tired. Very tired this morning.

Nick has problems getting to sleep. Max has problems when he doesn't sleep. And Gracie has problems sleeping past 5:30 AM.

Allergies are out of control with the Cearley boys and Gracie. Mom is immune to this round.

Kickoff weekend

Man oh man. Christmas in September is now upon us. Yes, that's right - NFL kickoff weekend is a holiday around the Cearley household. It's hard to get anyone to celebrate it with me, but the troops do what they can to appease me. What a weekend full of football. First off, the Cowboys dominated. Their defense looked suspect for part of the game, but they controlled that game. Brady going down for the year? Now, that's changed the landscape of the AFC and in fact, all of football. The Rams are a disappointment. They looked horrible. Rookies stepping in and making an immediate impact - Ryan, Flacco, Forte, Felix Jones, D. Jackson, etc... Indianapolis, San Diego, Cincy, Seattle - ouch. And the best part about it, we have 2 more seemingly excellent games on tonight.

All this has made things around the house a little bit more bearable, at least for me. The twins didn't do so hot on Saturday night, but they did good last night. Gracie is going constantly and that is a challenge for us to be patient, engaging and at the same time, dutiful to each other and the daily workings of our lives.

More video - Gracie terrorizing the boys

You'll see a couple of things in this video:

1. Gracie singing 'Ding, dong, the Wicked Witch is dead!'

2. The boys' personalities

3. Gracie almost doing great damage to Nick's head

Big piles of challenge

We are struggling to keep our head above water. It is fitting given the grey, cloudy skies that open up and pour down on a regular basis thanks to Gustav.

Gracie started school yesterday which was welcomed with mixed feelings from yours truly. For me, it was much different from her 'first day of school' this summer. That was really 'Mother's Day Out.' This is school, structured by classroom and curriculum. She will never not go to school now. This is the first growing-up-rite-of-passage for me. She is a big girl now. This makes me very sad. On the other hand, I really feel like she will excel in school. She's got so much energy and is so bright - I would think that she is doing more away from school than her classmates. She is the smartest child there, to be sure. :) Most importantly, she loves it.

Steph is really struggling right now. She doesn't feel well and the boys aren't exactly sleeping longer the bigger they grow. It actually seems like the opposite. They are up more at night and as a result, we are both up at night. The nights get shorter and the days get longer, especially for mommy who watches all 3 kids all day. Aside from the time that Gracie is in school (Tuesday/Thursday from 9 - 1), Steph's got them all under her purview.

Work is very stressful for me at the moment, too. I won't go into all of it, but the things that I wrote about last week are piling up and it is taking everything out of me to manage it all. Sigh.

Breathe.

VIDEO IS HERE!

Wha ha ha ha ha!!! Video is here. Enjoy these 2 slices of our every day life. :)

Mike's NYC trip

I am simply going to recap my NYC business trip by cutting and pasting my work blog here. So, this will probably be the most work-related post you will ever read here. I'm sure there will be some things that just look like aogihaoigh to you below, but next time we talk, ask me about it :) (Start at the bottom of the post.)

Friday 8.22.08
In the words of the sometimes great Ozzy Osborne, ‘Mamma, I’m coming home!’

I had the opportunity to get together with my mentor and old boss last night. It was great to see him and hang out. I can’t put into words how much life has changed for the both of us in three short years, but as is the case with close friendships, we picked up right where we left off. It was all very easy.

A couple of observations/thoughts on this, my travel home day:

1. I do not miss NYC anymore. I had to step over a passed-out, homeless guy yesterday on my way into a building. (This building wasn’t in a neighborhood that you would necessarily deem ‘bad.’ It’s not great either, but that’s not really the point.) I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with this anymore. My suburban home in Wylie, TX will most certainly do.

2. I am obsessed with Carrie Underwood. When the f did this country music phase happen? Jeez. But I just can’t stop listening to her. Imagine me walking around the streets of NYC, dodging in and out, jamming to Carrie Underwood. Awesome.

3. I have had a couple of breakthroughs here as it relates to this business. All in all, I have been more passive than I think I should be. I don’t feel like I’m necessarily waiting for things to happen, but I’m certainly not doing everything I can to make things happen. Don’t get me wrong, I feel like I’ve accomplished quite a bit in the last 2-3 months, but if I want this to happen, I have to exhaust every single avenue. And that doesn’t just include exploring and winning business. This is a piece of business that I’m growing so there are many business things that have to be done. And there’s no one else other than myself who will do it right now. I lost the hat I used to wear when Miker and I were making independent films, doing everything ourselves, trying to become the next Coen brothers. I’ve found it again.

4. Plane hopping is for the birds. The only thing more annoying right now is being stuck in the last row in coach next to a guy taking up the better part of two seats.

5. Every time I travel, I pick up a little souvenir for myself because you know, I need more stuff. I have more collections of stupid things – my wife is not amused. So, about a year ago, I circumvented bringing home more useless things by picking up baseball caps from the particular place I visited. This was perfect because I always wear caps and by that alone, it became a useful thing to bring home. I’ve got quite a collection of caps now thank you very much. This trip, I picked up a nice, floppy JETS cap. It’s white and I didn’t have a white cap.

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Thursday 8.21.08
I didn't sleep too well last night. My usual turning-into-a-pumpkin-at-10 routine couldn't happen because I didn't get my bag from the airline until midnight. So, I was tired to begin with, but knew I had to stay up and the more I thought about falling asleep, the harder it was to actually fall asleep. Then like clock-work, now that my body is conditioned to get up with crying babies in the middle of the night, I woke up at 2. It didn't take me long to fall back asleep, but it certainly wasn't a restful night.

On one of my street strolls this morning, I ran into one of my old coworkers and we talked for a little bit. It was nice to see her. In 2 minutes, she caught me up on everyone and then the crowds took us away in opposite directions, like they usually do here.

I got into the office pretty early so I could set everything back up and test things until I was tired of testing. All worked well.

I had a contingent of about 30 from the New York office in here for a demo before the pitch. It seemed like everyone thought it was pretty cool. I got some questions about surface computing and in-office detailing (for the pharma crowd), both of which I had solid answers for. We've looked into playing with surface computing and I know enough about it to get myself in trouble. In-office detailing is something that we have quite a bit of experience with and if it made sense for the right client, the application could essentially become the in-office detailing tool.

Then, the pitch. The clients were about 30 minutes late, which condensed the presentation & demo down to an hour. Those who know me know that I can talk, if in the right environment and circumstance. Like really talk. And no more than 6 or 7 slides into the presentation, one of the clients (there were only 2 who came) said, 'can we just see the thing? All of this looks good, but I just want to see it.'

That was a good indication to me that she was really interested in the fun stuff (touch screens and tablets) and wasn't so hot on the mundane presentation. The learning here is something that we've talked about - in order to sell this thing and show off what it can do, we need a video or interactive demo. The deck only does so much. I've gotten away from using the deck lately, but I thought it was needed for today. It's better for the client to tell me they don't want to see the traditional presentation rather than 'where is the traditional presentation?'

I showed them 2 of our apps, both with very different objectives. They really liked the trivia application and were impressed with the look & functionality. I could see a little bit of a smile on their faces when I was walking through that piece. For an older drug like this that has been out on the market for so long with many different perceptions, something like that game - one that engages the audience and gets them to interact with the brand is a solution that seemed perfect. They admitted that they don't do any interactive anything in their booth and the 'big' technology is a looping animation. I didn't have to say anything other than what I'd already said. They got it.
They even got the idea of an 'incremental spend' on top of what they already spend for their conferences. And if they can get the return that we've shown on the applications we've already done, it would be a no-brainer. I think that was the client's subtext when she said, 'this is definitely something we should look at.'

Before I knew it, the hour was up and I didn't get any further into the traditional presentation. But see, they were engaged the whole time. Their attitudes, although mostly cold all the way through, did warm up by the end. And they were thinking about how exactly they could use this. I suppose other than wanting them to sign papers right then and there, this is what I'm going for. Every client and/or potential client who has seen this thinks it is great and wants to use it. For whatever reasons (and I don't think they are good reasons), it just hasn't happened. But the break will come. Maybe it will be with this team. We'll know next week when we're supposed to regroup with them on 'timeline and estimate'.

Now, everyone cross your fingers.

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Wednesday 8.20.08
Opportunity is one of those magic words to me. Everything we face, really, is an opportunity. I often have a hard time remembering that. It’s easy to get down into the weeds of what we’re doing and not have the wherewithal or vision to see beyond those things to the opportunities we’re faced with.

My boss told me yesterday that we missed an opportunity. This is an opportunity, I suppose like all of them, that had the potential to be huge. Maybe even game changing. In this case, I just happened to be responsible for missing that opportunity and it just sucks. It’s stuck with me ever since then. But see, if I don’t shake it off, I won’t be able to capitalize on the other opportunities that come my way.

I flew to New York today for a pitch. The pitch, in and of itself is a HUGE opportunity. The fact that I had a chance to come back to NYC, 3 years after leaving it, was certainly a welcome opportunity, too. This is the first time I’ve been back since we moved away that I’ve missed it. I miss being in the mix in a place like NYC. I miss the energy, the busy-ness, the people, the life. I could say that those are the exact things that I DON’T miss either. But today, I missed them. Then, I walked by a guy in a wheelchair, passed out, cigarette dangling out of his mouth, the ash almost as long as the cigarette itself. Tourists were taking pictures. Then I walked by old trash or something on the street or many things that culminated in a very bad smell. I laughed to myself and thought, ‘I’m glad I don’t have to deal with this every day. I do not miss this.’

Other things like learning to set up and configure equipment, strolling the streets of a familiar place in relative peace and quiet (those who know me know that I have 3 kids under 3 at home J), and actually in hopping planes faced moments to exercise simple patience – these are just the notable opportunities that made up my day. (I still don’t have my luggage with all of my clothes and toiletries, but I am not stressing and I have faith in the New York City team that represents the LaGuardia office of US Airways.)

And in checking my emails tonight, I see that a couple of other business-related opportunities have opened up. There is no time to look back and regret those lost opportunities. It takes enough to be of the right mindset each day to recognize and act on those opportunities. Then, take them in your hand and own them.

More travels

Back in Houston. I'm flying to NYC today for a business pitch to Pfizer and will be back in Texas on Friday. It was a great opportunity to come to Houston to be around the family. Steph and the kids won't be by themselves all week. It's way too early. My head hurts. I already miss them, which is typical for when I travel. Kids are crying in the waiting area. God bless the parents. Everyone looks tired here. They are glued to CNN This Morning. DMB saxaphonist Leroy Moore died yesterday. Sad news.

Christening pictures

Pictures from Nouna's camera of the Christening and festivities:
1. Proud parents
2. Proud parents + god parents
3. Steph, Sarah and the boys
4. Steph and her Nouna
5. Gracie and her grand-Nouna

The christening

How long do you think it takes to christen 3 children in a Greek Orthodox ceremony? Surprisingly, it only takes 1.5 hours.

Max, Nick and their cousin Avery, were all christened this weekend at the Greek church where we were married, where Andrea and Matt were married, and where all of the children have been previously christened.

It was a beautiful ceremony.

My mom, Alanna, and Teddy were the grandparents that held the 3 kids during the cermony. Steph's sister, Andrea, is Max & Nick's Nouna (god mother) and their cousin, Nikki, is Avery's Nouna. Nick has an honorary Nouna in Mary Michelle. She came down and spent some time with us in Dallas before we all went to Houston.

We were honored that they were all a part of the ceremony and now, a special part of the kids' lives. There were so many other family and friends at the ceremony,too. Then, the Woodyard's threw a great celebration afterwards.

It really was a great weekend.

We didn't take 1 picture. Everyone else did. Hopefully, we'll get them soon and I can share with everyone.

Happy Anniversary, Dove

Ah. Our anniversary. 7 years. Baby - You are beautiful. You are wonderful. You are such a neat person and I am so glad you are my wife and the mother of my children. I love going through each day by your side. I hope the coming year is better than the last (it's a tall order because last year was a pretty good year for us.) I love you.

A defining weekend

2 defining things came out of this weekend:

1. Gracie was turned on to The Wizard of Oz. For anyone who knows Steph, this is the moment she's been waiting for all her life - to share this story with her daughter. Kyle gave Gracie a sing-along book for her birthday and she found out this weekend that we have a movie. So, her and mommy watched it 3 times in 2 days.

2. Stephanie had a baby shower (Brandy - I hear you got lots of neat stuff. I can't wait to see the Noah's Arc art) on Saturday afternoon. That's not the defining thing here. I had all 3 kids to myself for about 4 hours. I hear that the neighborhood moms were making bets on whether or not I could effectively take care of 3 kids by myself. Um, I'm here to say that I did. And it was no problem. So, doubt no more.

The weekend update

Cleaning a 50-gallon fish tank is no easy task. Neither is stenciling, 2-images-at-a-time, an entire bedroom. Neither is coordinating a 3-year old's birthday party, even if it isn't at your house. Cue violin here, right?

The point is, there's no longer the idea of 'we're going to do X' without it being a production. On our way to the boy's 4-month doctor appointment this morning, en route to drop Gracie off at Grammie's, we stopped at a pre-school to get some information. That one little stop resulted in taking the boys out of the van, putting the stroller up, plopping them in the stroller, Gracie in tow, all going into the school, talking to the people and then reversing that whole process. Whew.

So, that being said, you can imagine what kind of pressure we felt with Gracie's birthday party, all sorts of family and friends coming into town. We loved having everyone here and the festivities, all weekend long, were awesome. Just takes a lot of work now. Such is life with 3 kids. Every experience that comes our way we are realizing more and more the effort that goes into everything.

Well, we do have a clean fish tank. And a bedroom with nice stencils. And a clean house. All of which pale in comparison to two healthy, growing boys (Max = 12.5 lbs, Nick = 10.5 lbs.)

We're done

Gracie's party was great. We're pooped.