Stella

Our daughter was born on May 29th, 2010 at 7:47PM. She weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and was measured at 20.5 inches long (the same as her big sister). The whole experience from Ladine first getting contractions at 3:15AM to Stella taking her first breath and subsequent cry in this world was pretty good. Ladine's labour was very painful and the epidural provided 2-3 hours of pain relief - for almost 16 hours of pain, 2-3 hours isn't enough. But I'm very proud of all three of my girls and love them with everything I possess.

The days since have been very good, Stella has slept and ate the days away, she is very content but when something isn't right she doesn't hesitate to let us know. Sofia has adapted seamlessly, she is very curious and not at all jealous at this point which is a relief. Ladine and I both worried about this beforehand. Ladine is feeling better as the days past and I'm off starting tomorrow until the following Thursday.

Being in hospital for almost 15 hours on May 29th (Ladine was in a semi-private room, so I left around midnight to go home and relieve my parents and be there with Sofia) you see all kinds of people. A lady in her late 30's (best I could tell) got wheeled into our room in the Assessment area around 12 noon. Her water had broken and she was only 31 weeks pregnant, after overhearing her medical history being taken it became evident this wasn't new territory for her. It also became evident that the problems were due to the fact she was a regular cigarette smoker. The nurses we worked with were better this time for the most part, but our regular nurse in the Labour and Delivery area was an over sharer and her conversations all bordered on T.M.I. In the Postparteum area the people we shared a room with hadn't named their baby girl yet, this also struck me as strange. I guess it's not fair to judge people, but a name is something 97% of the world get excited about doing pre-baby. Oh well, enough ramblings about hospital staff/patients.

listening to:

two thousand voices - strike anywhere (via shuffle)

i want to:

go home and spend time off with my girls

i'm currently
writing test cases

Rust, Tetanus and Eye Teeth

Still no baby yet, we are two days away from the due date and i think we are ready to have our new daughter breathing air and not amniotic fluid any longer. My prediction is that she'll be born on Monday May 31st, 2010. I have the same feelings I did of anticipation before Sofia was born, it's really weird to try and get your head around meeting your child for the first time. I have no shame in admitting that I got emotional see Sofia for the first time and I'm sure I will when the new baby is born as well.

Our pebble driveway has these unsightly rust trails all over the place, and my lack of knowledge just assumed it was something with the reebar coming through, although I don't know why because that isn't even really possible. Anyway the source of the rust trails is from a specific type of rock that breaks and the iron (or whatever elements) bleed down and cause the rust. The more I learn about geology I think it's something I should have maybe followed more in school, I find it interesting. Sad as it my seem. Back to the rust trails, I went out and bought some CLR (Calcium Lime Rust) to try and scrub these stains off. Well CLR is one of those old time TV gimmicks that doesn't really do what they promise. It recommends diluting it with water and then scrubbing the source to remove the C/L/R based stains/build-up. I put the straight solution on the driveway and scrubbed. Nothing happened, at all. After talking to some other people it will likely take a stronger acid to remove the rust from the driveway. Consider this my warning against CLR and for that matter the Slap Chop.

I bought a new acoustic guitar last Saturday and I really like it. It was $150 and it's very nice and will get the job done for me. My goal is to learn some songs people know, and write some songs of my own. All the goals I've set for myself musically have never come to fruition, maybe this time they will. I already was looking for Lucero/Drag The River tabs, so there will likely be some rip-offs of those bands on the horizon.

listening to:

hard night by open hand

thinking about:

not wanting to be at work today and how sick i am of not seeing the sun

the first guitar i ever owned.

my grandparents are in town until tomorrow and i'm glad i get to see them tonight, specifically my grandpa. he is an inspiration to me on so many levels, i'd like to learn how to play guitar half as good as he does. the time we both had guitars out together he showed me some different chord formations he uses and i tried to show him how to use a power chord. it was a day i'll never forget. the big thing about my grandpa's musical ability is something that i've tried to mimic when i play a guitar. he plays on the rhythm and not necessarily looking to wow with technicality or even difficulty, that is the true heart of things, no so much being able hammer solo likes iron maiden but to play by feeling the music. i guess maybe someday i'll get there, i have to pick up a guitar again.

listening to:

various lagwagon, the ataris songs when i feel like it.

of babies and heatstroke

no baby yet, i feel more and more sympathy for ladine as each day passes, the heat and the exhaustion is making things so hard for her. forgetting the fact that sofia wants to go, go, go all day long makes it quite hard on her. i think the baby will come this weeked on may long weekend, keeping my fingers crossed, the due date is still a week from this sunday, so it could be longer yet.

this hot weather is good, but my feet overheat so badly, i blame the sunburn i got back in july of 2006 when we were in pentiction, they have never been the same. i guess dress socks and dress shoes are not like sandals but still the heat gets pretty unbearable sometimes. i'm glad someone invited banana popsciles for $1.

the night i lost the will to fight.

i can't really remember all the different events in my life that helped shape me. the recent ones meeting Ladine, our marriage, and the birth of Sofia are obvious and have the greatest impact on me, but the ones from a mis-spent youth are escaping me and i wish they weren't. i try my damnest to sit and recall a full night's events from a significant time - fight, funny incident, etc. but they are starting to fade. it's not like i'm sad, i just wish i had better documentation of these nights, the craziest nights lived through warm nights, waking up covering in liquor stench and sticky sweats, oh well. i miss it, but i don't miss it all.

listening to:

fentoozler - blink 182

my lunch break was spent:

with my lovely wife and daughter in the park on a blanket eating a hot dog

i'm working on:

this asinine report for someone that like to look at asinine things.

i should:

go home early for the weekend, but won't.

pulled wax sandwiches

if i ever go to las vegas in my life (which hopefully will be in the next 2 years) i am not going to go visit any kind of wax museum. first of all i find it stupid and a waste of time, second it seems to me those are the most cliche pictures anyone can take. oh look at me with barack obama, or look at me sitting with some playboy bunnies, make your own memories with real people and not with wax ones. wax should be used for more useful things - maybe records? some people say wax but why are records also called vinyl?

baby lammers #2 should be out with the next couple of weeks and i'm feeling no trepidation at all, with Sofia I was little nervous because becoming a parent is a big deal and there was some uncertainty around how things would go with the labour and the after life, well it's been grand and i'm just excited to me my new baby girl. i hope she comes out soon, but not on anyone's birthday i know and probably dis-like.

i have an idea to write blog entries about past stupid drunken escapades me and my pals went through in younger times. my problem with this is, they will probably not translate into anything worth reading, my memory is fading and it might just be a stupid exercise no one will really read anyway. i knew i should have kept a journal from 1999-2009, ha.

i just:

walked out and bought the new baby some clothes

i just ate:

pulled pork sandwich and coleslaw leftovers

i'm about to:

do some real work and try to forget i ever look at a KPA

listening to (or about to):

some good music - i'm getting into the new riot before so maybe that. i listened to their previous album and it made me like their new stuff more if that makes sense? no, didn't think so.

primary colors, secondary opinions

this morning as i was getting ready in the bathroom i noticed all the various colors and every color i could think of was in the bathroom, whether is be a towel, a vile of toothpaste, shaving gel or some other container our master bathroom has all the colors of the rainbow. i was quite floored by this, and then i walked out of the steamy room and into reality - funny that i'm wearing white/grey/black today, how boring.

the weather seems to have broken back and the sun and heat might give us an extended look this week and into the weekend, it'll be nice to get out at night. last night we climbed the ridge (Ladine, Sofia, Mojo and myself) and looked at the trains, I've wanted to do this since we moved to Stonebridge and now we have. it was kind of cool to see the tracks and be able to trace them a long way down. and really we think the vibrations for us are annoying - there is house within 50 feet of them and right beside. i hope they don't collect fine china decorative plates.

i read a review of the hold steady's new record 'heaven is whenever' (on punknews.org, bleh) and i think i agree with some of the reviewers points. he said the album is really lacking franz nicolay's presence and i agree. i guess if the band made a conscious effort to have slower rock jams that is one thing, but some songs feel like they're missing the patented hold steady cheese that makes the sandwich so good. i don't feel so bad about not loving it right away. i'm still trying, i guess the other condiments will have to make this particular sandwich tastier for me. or not.

a few dull moments.

working on trying to standardize key procedure audit's across many different mine/mill/plant sites is not as fun as one would think. my day yesterday was quite hectic and boring at the same time, trying to get the work done is hectic but the actual compiling the list of all kpa audits is quite boring.

my goal today is to get into the new riot before and hold steady albums. i shall succeed on this personal goal, and hopefully the work thing too. yeah this post is also very dull.

mars country bug motors

i just found out that drag the river is playing a show in calgary on june 13th - this news came to me with mixed emotions. the baby will likely be 2 weeks old and there is no way i'll be in attendance, but it was also good to see them touring close to home. they are one band i would really like to experience live so hopefully things go smoothly and they decide to do a proper western canadian tour. i've been listening to 'live at the starlight' for the majority of the day before and after i found out about this...

people never cease to amaze me - there are some great people in the world that i've known, it's the shitty toned people that are amazing. i don't get it, don't want to, never will.

listening to:

bug country (live) - drag the river

just ate:

fuddrucker's chicken burger

i'm about to:

finally finish this scheduling enhancement

i need to:

stay awake until 4:30

rebellion

just getting into my second spin of The Riot Before's new album called 'Rebellion'. I made the mistake of listening to their second to newest album 'Fists Buried in Pockets' yesterday which floored me and amped up my excitement for aforementioned new album. Well nothing caught me through the first listen - i'm going to attribute this to two things. 1.) i was working on testing a change i made to work order scheduling and 2.) i left for an extended period of time at about track 6, which makes it hard to keep continuity. i think it'll be better the next spin and better so on the 3rd one.

i'm going to:

finish working on this scheduling enhancement

i just ate:

a bacon wrapped fig (and didn't like it)

i need to:

continue chewing on this cinnamon gum to wash away taste of bacon 'N figs

today i'm looking like michael

i'm wearing the newest shirt and tie i bought from sears last week. i have this weird problem - when i wear a shirt & tie to work i try to identify the color combination of what i'm wearing to someone else i work with. and it usually makes me feel negative about what i'm wearing based on the person i've related the look to. sound stupid? i think it must be.

in other news, mother's day is on sunday i'm quite happy to be around such a wonderful mother on a daily basis, this will be the last mother's day for Sofia alone, i think she'll enjoy it probably no more or less than any in the future. i've got to stop talking.

listening to:

the riot before - Fists Buried in Pockets (album)

about to:

go into a conference call to get data from people who have no desire to provide it.

just ate:

peanut butter and jam sandwich and some apple slices

i will:

stop this and shut up.

heaven is whenever

on my second spin through the new hold steady record, it's okay - not as straight up rock songs as 'stay positive' or even 'boys and girls in america' but i'm sure it'll grow on me in time. it's funny once i like a band i have a hard time not getting into their work (besides the new brand new which i'm still on the fence about).

i like the songs - the smidge and the weekenders on first listen (i'm sure this list will grow).

monday after a weekend with my sick girls - sofia has decided not to eat anything lately and it's not really the best situation, she had more vomiting on saturday - the only thing she'll eat is revels which is okay, but i hope she gets back to normal soon. she has lost some weight and for a 15 month old it's not a good situation. i hope this monday marks the start of her appetite's recovery.

watched 'away we go' on friday, i've wanted to see it since i saw a preview in the real theatre, it was sad, but good - frightening to realize some of the characters have real life counterparts. parenthood what a joy it is, the one really important job that any moron can freely take.

what else... not much the weather outside at 12:00 noon was nice, but apparently snow is coming back tomorrow for another one off show (i hope). the clubhouse is still a work in progress.

kris roe was in a car accident on the weekend - it's weird b/c i have been listening to the ataris a lot lately, looks like they are putting out a new 7" too which is exciting.

listen to:

the ataris - lately (original un-re-mastered version)

even from randy river...

I don't know what it is about plaid shirts that i love so much. i always walk by stores, see a plaid shirt and say to myself or even out loud "that's nice." I have 5 good plaid shirts (along with the shirt I got from eBay years ago, that I wore on my and Ladine's first date) usually in rotation in my closet. I still recall my re-take Grade 6 class photo wearing a navy blue plaid shirt and I think it was the best picture of all the ones I had taken in schooling (besides my SIAST student card with a blonde afro). Just something weird about me, plaid is a staple in my closet (and my heart apparently).

Listening to (shuffled to): Come On - Midtown

my mailbox is full of bombs...

long time, no blogging - try to spend some time and get into the routine or jotting down notes again... likely to see two new entries, then nothing for another year ++.

in less than one month Sofia, Ladine and I will have a new family member, another little girl to make my life even more complete. children are really the greatest thing that can happen to anyone, i don't really understand how people can not want them, i guess selfishness often trumps everything else in the world, so i've seen in my own extended family. our new girl will be born may 23 or prior, i hope it's earlier as Ladine is quite uncomfortable and ready to be done this pregnancy, two so close together is very tough that is a fact.

the new gaslight anthem is quite spectacular, it doesn't have the first listen hook that the '59 sound did, but i think it's more solid overall. some people hated the vocal reverb from '59 but i liked it for that album alone. i hope to get a real shot to see them tour behind this release.

we've been watching a lot of mickey mouse clubhouse at the lammers' household, usually both episodes in the morning and the PVR'd re-runs later at night, especially with Sofia sick again and not wanting to play much. the show is quite enjoyable, it's good to see our first trip to Disneyland/world will mean a lot to our girls, meeska mooska mickey mouse! i told Ladine last night that I liked Daisy more than Minnie and she responded with "Yeah Sofia likes Minnie better, she gets more excited for Minnie..."

my goals this weekend are to finish setting up Sofia's clubhouse, the house is basically built, just need to attach the slide and the swing set portion, shouldn't be too bad. hopefully when the weather breaks Sofia feels better so she can have a new outdoor toy to play with.

songs i've really been liking lately:

the gaslight anthem - we did it when we were young (from american slang)

the menzingers - tasker-morris station/rivalries (from chamberlain waits)