House Update: Back Porch

Here is what we have done with the back porch. We need to prime and paint it but other then that it is finished. My dad and brother did the lions share of the work and the finished product is more then Kate and I had hoped for. I think the bathroom is on deck now and upstairs is in the hole.

Bath Time

House Update: Garage

This past week I was off of work to spend some time with my new son, my family, and work on a couple of projects at home. The first one we did was run power to our garage so that we can hook up the garage door opener and install some motion lights to keep the bad guys at bay. First we had to dig a trench from the back of the house to the garage so Mark did that. Then we had to thread the PVC pipes with cabling to protect it from the elements so Mark did that as well. Next we wired up a couple of outlets and lights in the garage which I supervised but Mark did entirely. Last we hooked up some lights on the outside, and by we I of course mean Mark did it. After it was all said and done Mark called up his boss in AZ and asked what a job like that would cost if they were billing it. Suffice to say I’m glad that I don’t live in AZ and that Mark is my brother because I don’t have an extra Grand laying around to do a job like this.

It was really cool watching the whole process. It is quite a simple job when watching Mark do it and he told my neighbor Jerry and I stories the whole time he was working. I will get pictures of the job up later tonight.

They are hard to find

He loves bellies,
originally uploaded by gylcol.

I dropped Mark and Kendra off at the airport this morning for the second time in 12 hours. There was typical bad mid-west weather in Chicago that delayed their flight for 6 hours. They chose to take the early flight this morning instead of laying over in Chi town. They were here visiting Finn and helping with the house for the past week and it was so great having them here. I often miss my brother at specific times (basketball games, when I hear a certain song) but last night when I dropped him at the airport I had a deep sadness. Seeing Mark with my son and my friends, watching him work on the garage wiring it up, and seeing the way him and my dad worked on our back porch, moving in a poetic rhythm, made me miss him deeply even before he left. He is wonderful man and I wish he lived here.

I've changed, my life is just a reflection

“Your life is going to change!” You here that over and over again as people find out that your having a baby. They all mean different things by it but usually don’t elaborate much. There comes a point where you get tired of hearing that phrase, not because you don’t believe it, but because it just seems so vague and charged at the same time. Well I have noticed a hundred different ways in which my life has changed already, and I agree with John when he says:

Before Cosette was born, I had way too many people tell me that a kid would change my world. I’m still not sure that’s true. Maybe I’ll think differently later, but right now I could really care less about the ways Cosette might restrict my freedom or time or energy. I don’t think my world has changed, but rather that Cosette has changed me.

I can see the changes in me in the way I drive. Coming home from the hospital was a slow steady operation in deliberate movements. But I think the biggest change was played out this morning as I set my alarm for 6 AM so I could have time with my boy in the morning before going to work. On my best days I get up 20 minutes before I have to leave and at worst I am up seconds before I leave the house. This morning though I woke at the alarm and started to get ready so that I could grab Finn and hold him. Kate fed him while I got dressed and then she handed him off to me so she could shower and eat herself. Finn and I read the paper, we skipped the whole mass murder part, cover to cover. He seemed to think the new luxury boxes at the Field House were silly but he likes the chances of some young ball players in the draft today.

The point is I’m changing. I’m different because of Finn. As great as my friends are they don’t hold a candle to sitting on the porch with my boy in my arms and Kate sitting next to me, staring out at the neighborhood. I know that will change sometime but I’m excited to see that change as well. Finn has me ready for change, he has me anxious to see what today brings and tomorrow holds.

4 days gone

It is day 4 of life for my little Finn and right now he is crying hysterically as the nurse is getting some of his blood for tests. She is here on a home visit to check up and Kate and Finn and the last thing she has to do is get 5 drops of blood for some test. I am in the room next door fighting the urge to yell at her to stop and demand that she leave my house and never come back. I know she is being as gentle as she can and it can't be fun to go around and make babies cry like that. He has already stopped crying now that she is done and is finding solace in mommies breasts.

The latest crying not with standing we are doing very well at home. Kate is so great with Finn and can sit and watch him for hours with the same blissful smile on her face. The feedings are going well and Finn has been getting himself to sleep after eating so that Kate and I get really nice 2-3 hour sections of sleep through the night. When it is time to feed Kate wakes me up to get Finn and get him ready. She then feeds him and passes him back to me to soothe him a little, change his diaper, and get him burritoed up and back in his basket. I don't get the incredible experience that Kate gets when feeding him but I am getting my time to bond and to take care of my son as well. It is such an amazing experience to come into a room and say something to him and watch his head turn toward me because he recognizes my voice. I want to pick him up and squeeze him when he does that.

Right now he is wrapped up and in my arms as I type this out with one hand. He is staring up at me wondering what I could be doing that is better then watching him, you know what he's right, I gotta go.

A wink and a Smile

We are now home from the hospital and doing well. Kate is up and moving more and more and Finn is cuter then words on this page could do justice. Thank you all so much for your congratulations and kind words. We felt so much love reading all of your messages and Finn wanted to give you a little wink to say thanks him self.