.
THE BREAKING BUBBLE and GREER's FIRST BIRTHDAY
With the dawning of 2005, I see a great deal of change coming. On a personal level, the spectre of uncertainity is tinged with the hope of something new. Granted, not knowing what type of stability January holds for us is unnerving, but we have friends and family that can help out if necessary. It's a weird place to be in considering the growth that has happened over the last three years. My hope for the new year is to regain that sense of stability - and actively seek to maintain it.
Am I giving up my sense of adventure? Well, perhaps. I took a big gamble on the job market this year - and feel like I gave up more than I gained. At the same time, I am being challenged like never before to adapt or return to the tightwire.
And the days keep on rolling...
Monday the 27th brought some unexpected time together with Greer. Since he is fighting off a cold, he stayed home with Dad (who had the day off). The morning ritual for me is to get housework done before noon - and then focus on any projects that need doing....in this case, investigating the extra contents of our Return of the King Extended edition. All morning, Greer rode on my back, slapping my head and giggling as I did laundry, picked up the post-Christmas living room and generally cleaned up. The interesting note of the afternoon happened after we stopped in to visit my aunt - who generously cuts my hair whenever it gets too tousled. After leaving her, Greer and I drove up to Willamette National Cemetary, to visit the resting place of Greer's great-grandfather Bob Hamilton (and uncle Roger). Papa died of cancer in 1991, so he never had a chance to know Greer....although I suspect they would have got along nicely. After getting the coordinates from the front office, I drove to his spot with the usual odd trepidation that comes with visiting a cemetery. The hills were covered with small Christmas wreaths, trees and holiday momentos. When I found Papa's gravemarker, I brought Greer out to see it. We cleared the mud and grass from around the stone, and Greer stepped down from my arms and gave the granite a couple of good palm slaps. As we knelt there, I found myself sobbing....holding my son while introducing him to his great-granddad. Upon leaving, we left one of Greer's small toys on the marker....a small noisemaker....to commemorate the moment.
Greer's first birthday on the 28th was pretty low-key and enjoyable. Tuesday found us gathering together in the family bed - dozing in the midmorning. He toddled around while pulling daddy's hair, and slapped both of us with unparralelled glee. When Greer was only a few months old, I always loved it when Alex would bring him to bed after/during his nurse. It was an incredible thing when he would fall asleep next to us. Occasionally, while watching him sleep, you could hear him snore ever so slightly. This morning, he was a wandering fool - talking up a storm and moving faster than his mom and dad. fter we managed to roust ourselves, and Greer had napped sufficiently, we jumped in the van and headed down to the nearby Rhodedendron Gardens for a quick walk in the park - stopping for the occasional curious duck. It was a little cold and muddy, so Greer didn't get out of his stroller much, but he enjoyed being outside. Upon his return home, Greer promptly conked out for another nap - and turned one year old at 3:07pm in the comfort of his own crib.
Later that day, his godmothers Anne and Nancy came by for a visit - and lavished the usual amount of attention on him. Although the real party isn't until New Year's Day, we celebrated anyway - with a small deluge of books, baby clothes and plenty of photos. Suffice it to say, the boy was tired after it all....and sacked out after his bath at 7pm.....leaving the adults to hunker down in the basement to watch the Beavers dominate Notre Dame.
All in all...a good birthday.
THE BREAKING BUBBLE and GREER's FIRST BIRTHDAY
With the dawning of 2005, I see a great deal of change coming. On a personal level, the spectre of uncertainity is tinged with the hope of something new. Granted, not knowing what type of stability January holds for us is unnerving, but we have friends and family that can help out if necessary. It's a weird place to be in considering the growth that has happened over the last three years. My hope for the new year is to regain that sense of stability - and actively seek to maintain it.
Am I giving up my sense of adventure? Well, perhaps. I took a big gamble on the job market this year - and feel like I gave up more than I gained. At the same time, I am being challenged like never before to adapt or return to the tightwire.
And the days keep on rolling...
Monday the 27th brought some unexpected time together with Greer. Since he is fighting off a cold, he stayed home with Dad (who had the day off). The morning ritual for me is to get housework done before noon - and then focus on any projects that need doing....in this case, investigating the extra contents of our Return of the King Extended edition. All morning, Greer rode on my back, slapping my head and giggling as I did laundry, picked up the post-Christmas living room and generally cleaned up. The interesting note of the afternoon happened after we stopped in to visit my aunt - who generously cuts my hair whenever it gets too tousled. After leaving her, Greer and I drove up to Willamette National Cemetary, to visit the resting place of Greer's great-grandfather Bob Hamilton (and uncle Roger). Papa died of cancer in 1991, so he never had a chance to know Greer....although I suspect they would have got along nicely. After getting the coordinates from the front office, I drove to his spot with the usual odd trepidation that comes with visiting a cemetery. The hills were covered with small Christmas wreaths, trees and holiday momentos. When I found Papa's gravemarker, I brought Greer out to see it. We cleared the mud and grass from around the stone, and Greer stepped down from my arms and gave the granite a couple of good palm slaps. As we knelt there, I found myself sobbing....holding my son while introducing him to his great-granddad. Upon leaving, we left one of Greer's small toys on the marker....a small noisemaker....to commemorate the moment.
Greer's first birthday on the 28th was pretty low-key and enjoyable. Tuesday found us gathering together in the family bed - dozing in the midmorning. He toddled around while pulling daddy's hair, and slapped both of us with unparralelled glee. When Greer was only a few months old, I always loved it when Alex would bring him to bed after/during his nurse. It was an incredible thing when he would fall asleep next to us. Occasionally, while watching him sleep, you could hear him snore ever so slightly. This morning, he was a wandering fool - talking up a storm and moving faster than his mom and dad. fter we managed to roust ourselves, and Greer had napped sufficiently, we jumped in the van and headed down to the nearby Rhodedendron Gardens for a quick walk in the park - stopping for the occasional curious duck. It was a little cold and muddy, so Greer didn't get out of his stroller much, but he enjoyed being outside. Upon his return home, Greer promptly conked out for another nap - and turned one year old at 3:07pm in the comfort of his own crib.
Later that day, his godmothers Anne and Nancy came by for a visit - and lavished the usual amount of attention on him. Although the real party isn't until New Year's Day, we celebrated anyway - with a small deluge of books, baby clothes and plenty of photos. Suffice it to say, the boy was tired after it all....and sacked out after his bath at 7pm.....leaving the adults to hunker down in the basement to watch the Beavers dominate Notre Dame.
All in all...a good birthday.
