An Unexpected Snow

Snow fell from Saturday night until well into Sunday evening here in Milwaukee. It started out as the big fluffy type on Saturday, but by Sunday midday it was the wettest, heaviest stuff I've seen in years. A shovel-full must have weighted 25 pounds. Sydney and Kristin were persuaded to head outside with me for a little fun. They've been inside for long spans recently and we try to get them out as much as we can. The trouble is that with Natalie’s RSV risk, we have to temper our enthusiasm with letting the kids out against everyone getting sick and endangering Natalie.

Naturally, with snow like this, a snowman was in order. Since the snow pack so easily, the problem wasn't making the parts, it was keeping the parts small enough to lift into place. I was just able to roll the first part into place in the front yard, and the second ball was almost too heavy to lift. It froze completely solid Sunday night, so it will probably last long enough for me to have to mow around it this spring.

A Day Out

We spent Saturday day-tripping to see ‘Uncle’ Bryon and his wife Susan in Green Bay. It was a study in contrasts.

The girls (and Jen for that matter) were excited to get out of the house. I was just happy to get up there to see some old friends. The weather was perfect, and the roads were fine. Amazingly, there wasn’t a single outburst from anyone the entire trip up there.

Being a newly married couple without kids, their house is beautifully (IMHO) decorated with a fairly sophisticated taste. Everything is glass and rather elegant. Prints and artwork abound. As I stood there, taking it all in and being happy for my friend, I couldn’t help but contrast my home and my life to his. Where their house is artwork, glass and stemware, my life is finger paintings, foam, and plastic sippy cups. Don’t’ get me wrong; there’s absolutely nothing wrong with either. It was just funny to see how different the surroundings evolved around two guys who roomed together in college.

On the way back to Milwaukee we decided to drive through Manitowoc. Why? Well…. Why not? We stopped at the lakefront park and walked out onto the breakwater awhile before we got too cold. All in all, a fun day.

What I'm reading now....

What started out as simply an interest in learning more about the efficient portfolio theory and the efficient frontier theory has me reading college textbooks again. Now why didn't I just decide to learn this the first time?

The Last of a First

I experienced a bittersweet moment recently, one that I haven't been able to shake since. My youngest daughter Natalie, who just turned 6 months, was sitting and playing in her excersaucer when I knelt down to play with her. She was slightly turned away from me but when she heard the noise, she turned to see what it was. My face was about 2 feet away from hers. There was a clearly noticeable moment of image processing taking part in her head, and then a huge smile swept across her face. It was as if she was saying "Hey! I know you! You're Daddy!" Inside, I was the happiest I've been in years. It was exactly the kind of grounding moment I needed, exactly when I most needed it.

Later on that evening, when the rest of the house was dark and quiet, in my usual fashion I stayed up late. I happened to be reading when it suddenly hit me... That moment was the last of its kind that I will ever experience as a father. The realization brought tears to my eyes, and an all too familiar sadness back to my heart.

I know there's a whole book of 'Firsts', both pleasant and unpleasant, waiting to be encountered between my kids and I. I know that. But of all the moments I've shared so far with my three daughters, these 'first identification' moments are amongst the most special to me. With all the stress and assorted crap I wade through everyday, they're like touchstones, and I can clearly remember each one. It’s sad to realize that they won’t happen again.