Bloggings of a Father

Jack-a-too Designs is OPEN!

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:16:00 +0000

TheWife has opened the doors of Jack-a-too Designs, an Etsy storefront specializing in Custom wall art. So far we have had great interest in her work, but we need your help! Please spread the word, buy a piece, or just become a friend of the facebook page and tell your facebook friends. These are awesome pieces of art that will look great in any room, they make great gifts and can be very affordable! Get a custom 8X10 piece for just $15 or save a few bucks and get 3 for $40!

A letter to our Leader

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:38:00 +0000

Dear Mr. President,

I was happy to read today about the $2500 tuition rebate that will be taking affect this year. I am sure it will be gone by the time my child is in school, but happy for all the parents and students who can use it now.

I do however have one question. When will I get help? I went to college with the promise of a better paying job. I was told "if you don’t go you won’t be able to get a good paying job." What I wasn’t told was, if you do go after you done you will have a bill well over 40K. now it’s been 4 years since I graduated and I have a monthly payment of over $400, with my wife’s its over $600 and close to 75K. With a monthly bill like that it’s very hard to support my family yet alone contribute to the economy.

So here is what I propose...
1) Some sort of tiered rebate for graduates with student loans more then 1 year old.(as usual there should be restrictions)
a) The rebate must be applied to the student loan.
b) Singles who earn over 50K and have less then 25K in loans, no rebate. 100K and 50K for Couple.

We have bailed out the banks…now it’s time to bail out the Students!

Sincerely yours,
Educatedbut Nowbroke

Is he Sleeping!?? or How to get your baby to sleep through the night

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:21:00 +0000

YEAH HE IS!

Well we started Sleep Training sometime last week,you'll have to ask The Wife when. (maybe she will update this post with it) For those who don't know the Method we are using is called (Ask The Wife), this is where when your child wakes in the middle of the night you wait 5 min, go in the room and say what you said when the went to be bed "I love you Jack, Good night." and walk out. Dont touch them or pick them up. You repeat this for but increase to 10 then 15, never going over 15. Anyway it was Thurs or something, and here is how it went.

Night 1 - BAD....no SUPER BAD. It was what we had expected, he woke up a about 1am and I don't think we got back to bed till at least 230. After I felt like a horrible parent letting him Scream for an hour and a half, The Wife assured me it was the right thing and I wasn't.

Night 2 - Better...This time he woke up and we went in a few times but I think he was back down in a half an hour.

Night 3 - EVEN BETTER....This time he woke up about 3am, fussed for a few min (no Screaming) and put himself back to sleep!

Night 4 - Mission Accomplished? Slept from 8pm to 5am...

Night 5 - ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! Till 6am!

So now The Wife and I get full nights of sleep and the boy is happy as can be....

SOME THINGS OF NOTE
Daytime naps are very important, and this method should be used for them as well....
Jack was a great sleeper...till he got sick.
If you live in Duplex....hope your neighbors are sound sleepers like ours...
Sleep is very important for a young childs Development.
You are not a horrible parent...when your doing whats best for your child.

Jack's pool party

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Jack had his first experience in a pool this past weekend! Here's a little clip. ENJOY!!

Spring is in the air

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Spring may finally be here, at least the weather has been here! We technically have 2 more days until Spring is officially here, but Jack and I are taking full advantage of this beautiful weather weare having! Yesterday we played outside, went for a walk, blew bubbles, and took Zoe to the dogpark! It was a very eventful day and so nice to spend it outdoors! Can't beat 65 degree weather!!

One day he will want to kill me....

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:17:00 +0000

After looking at all the hundreds, well maybe thousands of pictures I have taken of Jack, I have come to realize he will someday want to kill me! I know most parents take pictures of their kids and this arises at some point. believe me, I have looked back at pictures and thought to myself, what the hell did my parents do that to me. But poor Jack. At least I know my poor child will hate me for it someday. But for now, It's awfully funny!!

Jack's photo shoot!!

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:51:00 +0000

Jack recently had a 4 month old photo shoot! Here are some good shots! Enjoy!

Jack's Room

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:42:00 +0000

We have almost finished Jack's room and thought we'd share some pics... we still need a rug, window treatments, and pics in the frames, but it is definitely getting there!!

It's been a while....

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:21:00 +0000

Wow! Have we neglected this blog.... Things are busy around here. We are still trying to unpack the house, which may never get done. The good news is we are making progress. Most of the big things are done and now it is just putting the little things in their places. Jack's room is really coming along and I can't wait to post pictures of it!

The little booger is 4 1/2 months old now and is really growing! He is trying to sit on his own which is hillarious to watch. And boy does he have a personality! He recently found his "voice" and I think he really enjoys to hear it because these days he sure does talk alot! He enjoys yelling at toys that he can't reach and having conversations with the tv. What a character!

I am a stay at home mom now which is awesome!!! I love being home with Jack but I definitely don't get much done during the day...oh well.

We will be updating soon with lots of pics and videos of our little man.....

Super deals and Great updates!

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Lots been going on in and around our house, we are getting ready to move out of our third floor apartment in Westlake for a first floor duplex in Lakewood, TheWife is back a work and she is loving it(just don't ask her), and Jack is getting some super neck control.

I also found this super blog to help save us all some money...http://www.dealseekingmom.com/

Well works been crazy so I have to get back at it...new pictures soon I promise!

The world lost a hero.....

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:53:00 +0000

Saturday morning a good friend's husband passed away. He was a hero in my eyes and I am sure many others. He was a Detroit Firefighter, and he and his family always held a special place in my heart. I met him through his wife Syri at SFFC while I was a case manager. I remember the first day I met Syri. She didn't do much talking because she was swamped with work, but I knew we would become great friends.

Syri and I shared an office for a long time and really enjoyed it because we were able to talk, and gossip and joke with each other during our stressful work days. I always enjoyed her company! Walt came to visit her one day. I saw this huge man walking towards me in a leather biker vest and thought, this can't be Syri's husband...no way!

But it was...His name was Walt Harris and he was one of the kindest men I had ever met. Walt and Syri have 6 children, ranging from grown adults to toddlers and are also grandparents, even though they are only in their mid 30's. I loved this family... not only were they happy, but they loved each other!! They were a close family and accepting of everyone. I always thought they were the ideal family...and they were perfect! They went to church together, they ate together, they hung out together. They enjoyed each other's company.

I remember the first time my husband met him. It was at our wedding and they came after dinner because Walt had to marry a couple that afternoon. I introduced Scott to Walt, since he had already met Syri numerous times. I remember him giving Walt a big huge and thanking him so much for coming to our wedding. They talked for a while and Scott told me what a nice man he thought Walt was.

I have a few favorite memories of Walt. Seeing him walk into my work with his biker vest is one. I also love to remember a party we had at the water park where he helped out my work by cooking food for our foster kids! And then my favorite. He and Syri had taken dance lessons years ago and at my wedding they decided to try out their moves. Right in the middle of the dance floor there they are bickering about who was doing it wrong...laughing the whole time but just couldn't get the footwork down! I have pictures of them dancing and looking so incredibly happy and in love! Those pictures will be forever burned in my memory.

Walt was a minister, a firefighter, a husband, a grandfather, a mentor, an avid biker, the fire station cook, and an all around good man. I can not imagine the pain and heartbreak my friend and her family are going through. It breaks my heart that such a nice man was taken from his family. But God always has a reason and Walt was needed for bigger and better things.

So today, please take a minute and think about all of your family and friends who are no longer with us, and take a moment of silence for my friend, Walt Harris. He will be missed by many! I will miss you Walt, but I know I will see you again someday.

Holy Weight Batman!

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:15:00 +0000

I have had a lot of people ask me recently how much Jack weighs... and to tell you the truth I had no idea... I guessed and said, so probably 8.5 lbs. boy was I wrong. Thursday at mom new mom's support group I weighed Jack. To my surprise the boy was not 8.5 lbs; he was.......10 lbs 14.5 oz!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHH!! Holy Crap he is getting big and I had no idea! Well, I knew he was getting biger but I feel like he still looks small. He is right on track for his weight! So that's awesome! So now you all now, Jack is almost 11 pounds!!! Man they grow up fast.......

SLEEP (and some other stuff)

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:12:00 +0000

Jack has always been a pretty good sleeper... He sleeps normally for 3.5 - 4 hours straight before he needs to eat. Well, it has been three days now that he has slept through the night... I am praying this continues because as any new mom will tell you, sleep is definitely taken for granted in life and as a mom, you don't get any! I couldn't have been happier today when I woke up and it was 7am and he was still sleeping! It was definitely a blessing to have a full nights sleep without a 3am feeding!

Jack also turned 7 weeks today! Very happy to see him growing big and strong, but sad that he is outgrowing his newborn clothes! We tried to weigh him yesterday, but I am sure the scale was off!! lol We will see tomorrow when I go to support group and have him weighed there.

I just can't believe how fast he is growing and all the amazing things he is doing now! Jack is responding to our voices! He is always smiling, except for the occasional visit from Mr. Grumpy-Pants!

Things really do change....

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:33:00 +0000

Well its 7:30pm Thursday night...i am stuck at work, cleaning up someone Else's mess...and all I can think about is getting home to my son and wife...I have the picture of him in his pea pod costume on my desktop, babies don't get much better looking than this.

Since I am doing a database restore all I can do is sit and watch the bars....and since its 75GB (That's really big for you non-geeks out there) it is a very slow go...but on the plus side, it seems to be just mean and the cleaning crew...Oh and Neil Diamond.

Anyhow just some random thoughts as I sit here alone(well fairly alone). I cant wait to get home kiss my wife and Hold Jack in my arms.

VOTE!

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:52:00 +0000

Today is the day...the day to go make a difference! If you don't, Jack will hunt you down! So VOTE NOW and make a difference. It's the only way to get your voice heard!

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:43:00 +0000

Today is Jack's first Halloween! It is exciting to dress him up in his little costume, even though we aren't going trick-or-treating. We wish everyone a very safe and happy Halloween!

Thoughts from Jack's Mommy...

noreply@blogger.com (WifeSparty) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:15:00 +0000

Well, this is my first blog..EVER! I thought it would be fun to write, since Scott always does it and I have never done it before.

I must say Jack has definitely made this a better world. He is the cutest, sweetest, best little baby in the world...and I'm not just saying that! Don't get me wrong, we have had nights where I thought, "what the hell did we do?", but it is all worth it to see him smile and to hold him in your arms.

Scott and I like to talk to Jack a lot about the world and about life. We know he doesn't understand yet but we want to make sure he knows how much he is loved and that he can do anything he wants. Scott read to him last night about what he can be when he grows up. Scott talks to him about growing up and being president, or a musician, or an actor, or a doctor. Last night we talked to him about our jobs. "Daddy is an IT guy.. he works with computers and loves his job. Mommy is a teacher and loves to help children learn and grow." We want Jack to know from the beginning that he is special and can do anything he sets his mind too.

I thought you all might also enjoy some interesting facts about Jack. He is a happy baby. He is very interested in the world around him. He likes music and dancing and when he is sung to. Jack is also the loudest farter I know!! I often blame his farts on his dad! He poops sooo loud you can hear it while in other rooms...let's hope he grows out of this!

Scott and I are extremely lucky to have such a laid back baby. He is so happy and is a joy to be around! I would take all the sleepless nights and uncontrollable crying in the world if it meant having Jack in my life! The minute you have a child, something in your head changes. You now live and breathe for this baby. I couldn't be happier to have this little man here! My life has been totally changed and I wouldn't give it up in a billion years!!

One month Down...

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:56:00 +0000

Well...today Jack just over a month old...and some how The Wife and I have survived fairly well...He is Healthy and his color is looking great. Everything we have for him is still too big, but he is getting there, and he goes through diapers like crazy.

The most exciting news is the fact that he is starting to get some control over his neck...if we hold him on our chest he will sometimes pull his head back and try to look around or up at us.

We have both very much been enjoying parenthood.

Sleep...yeah I could be getting less...

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:59:00 +0000

Thats right...Jack lets us sleep alot more then I thought he would...and my wonderful wife lets me sleep more then I thought too(only on work nights, but I will take it.) I am working on setting up a WebCam to be used with my parents so that we can video chat and give them a way to know there grandson...it was my moms idea...and i think its a great one...but I dont know what cam to get...so i am asking you my loyal readers to recommend some...what do you use? do you have one you like? or one a friend really likes?

Also we have been taking crazy amounts of pictures...should see them up here soon...

Photos of Baby Jack

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:47:00 +0000

Its a....

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:51:00 +0000

jack henry was born sept 24th at 1136 7lbs 6oz 20in....everyone is doing great....more to come like pics...

Day -3...

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:59:00 +0000

We went to the Dr. and things are ok....The baby has shifted a bit, and not to worried since some strong contractions should correct it...the more pressing issue is that there is very little fluid left around the baby. This is ok at this late stage but still a concern....so that means we will be induced tonight! we head to the hospital at 5PM.

Watch here for updates....I maybe able to update via my phone but we will see....

Day -2....

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Thus far our ploy to get a ton of free shit and money has gone as planned...the only problem now...people are going to be expecting a baby in the next few days....this plan is going astray....we may be in too deep. Maybe tomorrow the Dr. can help us with the rest of the plan...Plan B.9.24

Day -1....

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:03:00 +0000

Well we are one day over the due date....not much else to report...we have a Dr. appointment set for Wed where we will be making a plan if the baby doesn't come by then...So I guess more news by Wed.

D-Day....

noreply@blogger.com (Sparty0526) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 13:32:00 +0000

Well today is D-Day...that's right today is the due date...maybe this baby is just tyring to be punctual like me....or maybe late like TheWife...we will see...I don't really think today is the day to be honest...her contractions have kinda stopped.

We have tried everything we could think of to naturally induce, and somethings that were just down right silly.

PS. its good to know I am not talking to myself, thanks for the comments.