Asher Keeps Running Away

We have a new problem with Asher. Sometimes he tells us bye, but most of the time he's just off to the races. Papa has proven time and time again that he can't work on a project unless Asher is helping. Inside we have to lock the screen door or out he goes. The temperature outside has no bearing in his decision to go out shoeless, diaper less, or maybe in the nude.

So what should we do? The one thing I told myself I would never use is the ugly airport leash. You've all seen it. The funny thing is now that I have a child that is constantly running away I no longer see it as a terrible device some government child rights agency should ban. I even saw one today in the hospital. How ironic since I haven't seen one of those in years.

I hate to even admit this but actually thought about the invisible fence for dogs. Yes, I thought about it once, laughed at the thought, and then thought about what if they had a child version. Now I'm going to get the your a terrible parent comments. So I thought about it once and then a little more. I'm not thinking about it now so give me a break!

Frosty the Snow Beast

I’m a little late with this post. How can it be in the upper 70’s and a month ago when this photo was taken we had that much snow?

Sometime in early March with all the snow on the ground I set out to make the biggest snowman of my life. I had to make a snow ramp to get the upper body in place. When Asher got up from his nap and looked out the window he pointed saying AAAAHHHHHH! I knew then that I had achieved success. I hope I haven’t set the bar too high for future snowmen. If so I'll need some help next year. This was quite the feat for one person.

A couple days later a 5-year old stopped by to tell me that snowmen are taken inside homes for the summer. I did not respond to him. Poor kid, I hope he takes it well when he understands one day the delusion he has been under his whole life.

Perturbed

I'm a little perturbed. Lately Asher has been taking an object and banging it on anything he decides to bang it on. Let's say for example a plastic flute Kim just bought him. We show him how to use it and instead he runs around the house banging it on items. We then chase him down and what does he do right before we take it out of his hands. He starts to play it, just like we showed him how in the firstplace. And then after we back off and think he now understands how to use the item, off he goes running around hitting things with it. This has also happened with chalk and spoons. Just when I'm about to take it away, off he goes back to the chalkboard, or puts the spoon in his mouth just like we showed him.

The Final Season

Tomorrow is the beginning of the final season of Lost. After Kim and I viewed the first two minutes of tomorrow nights premiere I realized this is my favorite show of all time. As I watched the suspense level passed any episode I had watched of the X-files.

I'm not ready for the season to begin. I keep thinking its just going to be a big letdown. Or they'll leave us hanging with a bunch of questions like the X-files did and then try and make more money by doing a movie or two.

I'm a huge J.J. Abrams fan and I just hope he can talk the money hungry television executives into not leaving us hanging and doing a movie. But even then the writers have given us a whole lot of questions that need answers. The big question is do they even have answers.

Jorai Mae & Selah Mae Newman

It's hard to really want to do anything right now but just what needs to be done to keep up our household. I really believe Asher is Kim and I's saving grace through all this misery.

I keep thinking about having a website for Selah and Jorai. A site full of information for those that are going through the same loss. Also a place maternity wards can come to and learn about what needs to be said and done for those suffering in those rooms that were meant for overwhelming joy from the birth of a child.

I can't believe how many people have come to us with their stories of a stillborn, whether their own, or someone close to them. This world has so much darkness in it and we do such a great job of hiding it. I don't want Selah and Jorai to be forgotten. And somehow, someway I want them to help bring comfort and information to others through their website.

A Bit of Solace

My little girl Selah Mae Newman was born sleeping December 21st, 2009. She didn’t have a chance to breathe life in this world. On June 3rd, 2007 my first daughter Jorai Mae was also born sleeping. I never imagined this tragedy would occur again.

I am angry. I am sad. I am hurt. And I am numb. My two beautiful little girls never had a chance to live their life. The only thing that gives me comfort is believing that GOD needs to create through us and he needed Selah and Jorai to be untainted from this world and He is loving them a hundred times more than Kim, I and Asher could ever be capable.

The one thing that keeps weighing on my heart is that I just want Selah and Jorai to be remembered by everyone. It’s just not fair that they weren’t given a chance and I need them to live through our memories.

Even though Asher is so young, he knows that something terrible has transpired. The support you give us helps us support Asher. Ever since we came home from the hospital he won’t let us out of his sight. When we put him to bed he screams in fear when we shut the door. He can only fall asleep peacefully in our arms.

Thank you everyone that has responded to us, it means everything. Even when I don’t feel like speaking to anyone, when you reach out to me I feel an amazing amount of love. It’s sometimes hard for me to speak one on one, but afterwards I am truly grateful that you made the call.

However you have responded to us, thank you, thank you, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

We love you,
Steve, Kim & Asher

Sports Talk Radio

Just wanted to rant on how deplorable local sports radio is in Lansing. If I want to hear sports talk in the morning going to work I'm forced to listen to AM730, or FM107.3. On AM730 is Mad Dog who half the time babbles on about nothing with his sidekick. The callers remind me of 30 somethings who have part-time jobs (by choice) and are living off and with their parents. The callers don't bother to actually educate themselves on sports content. Instead they call up blabbing on about how great, or bad their team is not having a clue what is the cause of their success, or demise. There is actually one exception, a caller who calls himself "the sheriff" who could easily do a better job than Mad Dog.

Tim Stout comes on next at 9am who does more advertising than actual talk. He spends most of his time talking about local high school sports which is the more painful than getting a root canal without any penicillin.

And then there is Huge on AM730 at 3pm. He must be getting paid by UofM because he's always sticking up for Rich Rodriguez and pumping up UofM's basketball team. And what's the deal with him always riding MSU basketball? He's always saying how Izzo can do no wrong with a hint of questioning in his voice. Izzo has done nothing wrong! He has the most Final Fours of any coach in the last ten years. Every player that Izzo has recruited has gone to a Final Four. Let's see what are the Spartan's ranked at this moment.........#2!!!

If you want to listen to a professional, check out Jim Rome at noon on FM107.3, or AM730. You can also catch Dan Patrick on FM107.3 from 9am-noon. They might be able to hire more people to assist them with making a better show, but we're talking ESPN Sports Center to the latest trash on the WB. You can't tell me there isn't someone better out there for local sports talk radio.

Under the Stove

This isn't the photo of what we found under our stove. That looks cute in comparison. It all began when Kim accidentally spilled oatmeal that went down the crack. You know the one that is between your stove and counter. The one you know countless crumbs and food items have made their way down, but you never bother to clean up.

There was just way too much oatmeal that spilled down the crack, it had to be cleaned up. The only way to do it would be to pull the stove out from between the counters. What I am about to confess is probably more common than anyone would like to admit, but in the almost 10 years I've been living in my house not once have I pulled out the stove. For all I know the stove has never been pulled out since the house was built.

As we pulled out the stove what lie underneath I didn't think was possible under any appliance. I didn't take a picture because it was beyond embarrassing. In fact, I have no idea how it didn't smell. But then I thought all those times where you would smell something nasty thinking it was coming out of the garbage, or disposal, maybe it was just off-gases coming from under the stove.

I won't mention everything I saw, just know I asked myself the same question a dozen times of how did that get down the crack. After mixing a strong solution of clorox, the removal of waste came up surprisingly fast with the help of a wire brush.

Take my advice and pull out your stove this weekend and clean underneath it. I was lucky, nothing living decided to take up residence. Or worse yet something unknown to earth growing under the stove.

Diaper Change

I asked Asher if he wanted to get his diaper changed today and he said no. I believe this is his first verbal answer to me. I never thought about this moment. You think about first steps, first words, but never first verbal answer to a question.

Kim just told me Asher has been saying no to everything she asks him lately with a big devious smile on his face, so were not sure if he actually knows what he is saying, or we have one really huge problem on our hands.

I got hit by a car today

I was walking along the crosswalk between the Ronald Mcdonald house and the Sparrow Professional Building on Holmes St. With my laptop in hand I looked up at the street light and it was red. I proceeded to step out onto the crosswalk and noticed a white Buick Regal slowly creeping its way up to me. I didn't think anything of it since I cross this intersection multiple times a week and cars are always waiting in line for the light to turn green.

After speaking to the police officer, #1 I will look at the street signal to see if the light is about to turn green. #2 I will try and make eye contact with the driver first in line at the light. If I would have done #2 I would have noticed the 70+ year old gal looking to her left paying absolutely no attention to me on her right. Jill decided to take a right on red. Later, the police officer told me this type of accident happens all the time. Since there will be no cars coming from the right, there is no reason to pay any attention to what is on the right side.

As I made my way across I noticed the white Buick Regal creeping its way a little too close for comfort. And just as this thought popped into my head, the white Buick Regal accelerated knocking me dead center onto the hood and my laptop flew into the road. I immediately got off the hood and yelled "what the hell were you thinking?". I'm actually surprised I didn't drop the f-bomb. Later on she asked me to call her so she knows I'm ok. I told her my lawyer would let her know.....just kidding.

I visited ER for 3 hours as they did some X-rays on my femur. My hamstring was tingling for 30 minutes, but no bruises. My laptop is working, but a little banged up. I am fine and have learned yet another reason why eye contact is the most important form of non-verbal communication.

Pet Peeves

For the last two months I've been meaning to write about my pet peeves. This website has quite the list: http://www.getannoyed.com/. I found a few of mine on this site like people who don't turn on their turn signals, or take up 2 parking spaces, and those when angry say "Goddamnit" or "Jesus Christ". The scary thing is that I found a couple of things that I do.

Dirt Dessert

Asher ate dirt 3 times today. Each time I attempted to remove it he clenched up trying not to let me empty his mouth. One of those times he bit down on my finger. We are talking pitbull clamp. I yelled in pain as he bit down even harder. How can dirt be so good that you would bite off your papa's finger if you had the strength?

Asher Week 49

The Chitter

How many times have you gone to a movie, or went to listen to someone speak and have behind you that annoying chatter. Seriously, can't it wait? Is it that you won't be able to remember it when the movie or speech is over? Bring a pen and paper. Does it ever occur to these people that others can hear them? I remember once being in a movie theater having to hear this guy in front of me ask his wife a dozen times either what was said, or what just happened because he didn't understand. And she told him and explained it to him each time. Seriously people!

1st Not Annual Maybe Never 2nd Newman Cheap Bourbon Award

The 1st Not Annual Maybe Never 2nd Newman Cheap Bourbon Award has only one classification. A fifth of it must be sold for under $15. The Award this year goes out to Evan Williams. This isn't for those who like to sip their whisky, but for $11 who can complain. Buffalo Trace was disqualified from the competition due to it's $23 tag, but received honorable mention.

Remembering Jorai

When Jorai was born a friend of ours brought over an Orchid. When the last flower died we cut it back. We had thought there would be only a short rest period and then new blooms would appear. After 15 months we finally received a new bloom. 4 of them to be exact, one for all of us. We love you Jorai.

Asher Week 39

Bumper Stickers

I'm not a fan of bumper stickers even though I have them on my car. This one really caught my attention today:

"Africans didn't choose to become slaves.
Jews didn't choose genocide.
Babies didn't choose abortion."

Even though I don't agree with abortion, I do believe that one must make that choice for themselves. This bumper sticker did a good job of expressing how I feel regarding this delicate issue.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Asher is a really good kid. He only cries when he's hungry, bumps his head, or just doesn't want to take a nap/go to bed at night. Normal stuff. But in the last week major changes are starting to take place.

Asher is realizing he has a choice. Sometimes it's a particular toy, or fruit over the veggies. He seems excited and fascinated from pulling every DVD and book off the shelf, or grabbing everything out of a box. Nothing ever goes back to it's original location. His instinct is destruction. When I try and misdirect him he sometimes gives me his frustrated tauntaun impersonation. It's quite good.

I sense something wicked this way comes. Asher's eyes have been opened and so begins the blessing and the curse from the knowledge of good and evil. The freedom of choice.

#2 on the adjective list for the word terrible is what I am preparing for:

2. exceptionally bad or displeasing; "atrocious taste"; "abominable workmanship"; "an awful voice"; "dreadful manners"; "a painful performance"; "terrible handwriting"; "an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room" [syn: atrocious]

The terrible 2's are 15 months away, but it's never too early to prepare.

“Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.” -Zig Zigler

Everything is Amazing and Nobody is Happy