Posted by nathan on Jul 31, 2006 in
Father This morning was really quite good - EJ let me play around with the backside of the website while she did tons of self-play all over the house. She even fell asleep very early, but that’s because she has been getting up before God every morning of late. Poor Steph, Eliza-Jane wakes up just about an hour after I get in the bed. But after she woke up at noon, she was just not going to take anything less than what she wanted.
Around two o’clock, I decided that I could no longer subject the two of us to this insanity, so I grabbed a towel, a sheet and our swimmers and out the door we headed. The train took us practically on the boardwalk at [[Coney Island]].
We claimed a piece of sand for EckenrodeHouse and then immediately headed to the water. EJ was not too sure of the ocean but I managed to coax her out into the surf. We got out passed the breakers and I kneeled down so that while she was on my hip, we could both be in the water. At this point she began to cotton to the idea and slapped at the water and giggled. However, a couple of ‘large’ waves (and I mean large for a toilet bowl, for that is what [[Coney Island]] is most like, a toilet bowl) caught her unawares and splashed her back - she was not happy at all about that either.
On the sheet, she got very interested in a group of kids nearby who had decided to bury the eldest girl. EJ thought she would like to join in and waddled out on to the sand and sat down and began to toss sand onto her legs. So we covered her up to her waist. She really enjoyed the sand. It didn’t matter to her whether it was dry sand, or at the water’s edge,l she was happy to play with the sand.
We got back in the water a couple more times to wash the sand off and then we had some fried foods on the boardwalk before we got on the train to head home to our shower.
Posted by nathan on Jul 30, 2006 in
Father The last few days have been particularly rough for all of us here, except for Wanda she doesn’t seem to be having too difficult of a time lately; she just lies around and eats. The rest of us have been dealing with a pair of molars. Well, EJ has been dealing with the molars, we have been dealing with EJ, who is just not very happy about the situation. She really is quite uncomfortable most of the time and this has had some rather strange effects on her behavior.
Yesterday, we went to go visit our friends Jen & Udi and their son Ben, who is ten months old. EJ played very nicely with him except for a couple occasions where she got frustrated by not being able to do something. This quick frustration and her uncomfortableness resulted in Ben getting hit over the head with a wooden puzzle board, and later getting slapped by EJ. On one hand, it was quite comical to see this happen, yet we all, the adults, had to really resist the urge not to laugh but to calmly defuse the situation. Ben, of course, was given love and kisses by his parents, however Eliza-Jane needed something more.
I became distinctly aware of just how strongly I disagree with corporal punishment a week ago, when a slap on her hand by Mommy made me curl up in a ball and cry. So, this means that I could not slap her hand or swat her bottom in order to show her that this action was wrong.
Removing her from the room with all the toys and attention, seemed like a good start. Then I firmly pointed my finger at her, and said “HMMMRPH, MMMMRMMP wohwehs sdkjasurahk, ahnsjsuhajb shsjau eiakjsk.:” which I am certain she understood as “No. We do not hit other people.” and then put her in a playpen by herself for about three minutes. Then I returned and picked her up and hugged her and kissed her.
We had to do that exactly twice.
Today, she needed to just be held, all day long, by anyone - it didn’t matter which girl in the nursery, or whether it was Mommy or Daddy, she just needed to be held. Those teeth are really hurting. I personally hope that this ends soon. It would be nice to get our happy and contented little girl back. The one that gabs on her cell phone, or wraps herself up in a sarong and fluffs the pillows on the bed before she throws herself into a giggling pile of glee.
Posted by nathan on Jul 29, 2006 in
Father What a long, long, long day. The pressure is coming on as I rush right up to the end of this block of classes. So naturally, I stayed up late last night, playing around with my Linux configuration. Now, I am even more of a geek! Hurray!!! But then again, I was very tired when I woke up.
As EJ is getting her upper grinders installed (ok, so they are growing in, at least she doesn’t have to compile them) she is in lots of pain lately. She has been waking up around four o’clock in the morning, crying for Mama. Then she has been awake and needing attention and food - not necessarily in that order, I think.
This morning after Steph went to work, she and I both fell back to sleep. I hardly got out of bed while she crashed on the floor. When we both woke up later, she was still quite cranky and needed lots of hugs and love all afternoon. I was happy to give that to her, but there were some moments where I was just wishing to be able to read my schoolwork and get today’s assignment completed.
I have an old cell phone that is no longer connected and it belongs to Squeaky now. She will pick up that phone and walk around with it to her ear, agreeing with what is being said to her and laughing, hysterically laughing at her friend’s jokes! This has to be the cutest thing I have ever seen.
Late in the afternoon, she had a little nap and then we went to the playground. Afterwards she took a bath and then we read together on the bed. Well, she didn’t read actually, Baudrillard is a bit advanced reading for a fifteen month old - but she did watch the pages and was quite patient with my slowness.
After Steph got home, I was able to work on my assignments for school and turn in the one that was due today. I still have more to do over the weekend for Geology but now, it’s time to sleep again. More tomorrow, and I know the our Lil Bug is not going to give us the morning off just because it’s Saturday.
Posted by nathan on Jul 26, 2006 in
Father As many of your have keenly noticed, I have been using a website called 43things as a classification system. Well, now that I have switched our site over to a new blog engine (wordpress if you must know) I am going to be abandoning this method. Why or why you may wail and gnash your teeth at me, but the truth is this, with a new tool that does more in one place, why not do it all there? OK so there may be some fallacious thought processes in there but still, it’s what is going to happening now.
Enough about how we are going to be delivering news of your favorite infant - you know she is - and more news of your favorite infant.
Last night, we all went into the city to a nice little cafe to hear our friend Hugh Wilson play with his band. It was great fun and EJ totally dug the whole trip. All the church people who were there totally had a blast with her as well as Hugh’s fantastic rocking out! But there was a price to all this great fun - and we paid that today.
Yesterday, EJ was very easy and free; doing lots of self play especially after we got back from the gym. Today was a completely different sort of day. After we had some cereal and our morning Bible study (Squeaky likes my terrible Dutch pronunciations!) it became very clear that she was going to be in my lap for most of the day. So, I moved my lap to the floor.
A couple years ago, at my cousin’s house, I was turned onto this game called Tropico2. It’s basically Simcity meets Pirates of the Caribbean. I totally love it, and of course cheat like an ol’ scaliwag! Its a game where I can make a decision and let that play out for the next five minutes before having the next interaction - which basically means that I can play with EJ and keep my mind energized at the same time. Or at least that’s how I explain it to Steph, and so far she is buying it (or at least until she reads this!!)
The rest of the day was spent in a similar manner - EJ in my lap or very close, while I did stuff like finish the application process for the next year’s worth of school.
Posted by nathan on Jul 25, 2006 in
Father
So, the main aspects of the new website organization are in effect. I can tell you guys are all excited about this, just like I am. So, let me walk you through somethings here. First, this is the place to go, there are no longer two separate blogs for Steph and myself, it all comes to this here page. Secondly, the photo gallery is working great – and there are a few tricks to it that you should be aware of.
The really important thing to know is that when you register as a user, there will be an increase in performance speed, so like the ad man says, “Membership has its priviliges.â€
The next thing to understand is that there is now a shopping cart for the photos, add any photos you like into it and then when you are done browsing there are many options to have prints made or download them to your computer.
Again, on the main page, there is still the option to comment about whatever we are saying in the post – it really will improve all of our experience as this website is for you, the user, so use it.
Finally, there is something I wish to draw your attention to, the header to this page. Look at that pretty panoramic image that I have so lovingly stitched together. Now refresh or reload this page. Look at that – another one! Yup, this is where I am going to be diplaying my new found joy – the creation of panoramic photographs!
Anyways, that’s it for me tonight – there is a happy little girl who is going to need me at six thirty in the morning. I must sleep sometime.
Posted by nathan on Jul 23, 2006 in
Father
Today, after church, we got home and I started to read up for today’s writing assignment, and EJ just went berserk. She wanted mommy mommy mommy mommy and Steph was trying not to have the little sucker attached all day long. It was a terrific battle and my heart went out to both of them, particularly as I go through it frequently.
I had to put new batteries in my maglight so that I could sit in my closet, very small apartments call for drastic measures, and read. Finally, I was able to get some information into my head and EJ and Steph reached an impasse in their battle for control and I was able to write my paper as the little squeakazoid fell asleep for the afternoon nap.
Posted by nathan on Jul 22, 2006 in
Father
While Steph and EJ are off to New Jersey for a friend’s baby shower, I thought I’d give a little description of what’s happening thus far.
In the sidebar, beneath Links, you will see some words that say Photo Gallery, or something to that effect. If you click on that you will be transported into the new Gallery application. Each photo you see on that page will be a random photo from the folder within. Click on the photo to see more.
Some folders have additional folders within them, this is particularly true with the most recent folders and is the direct result of our purchasing a dedicated digital camera and the new organizational application which I have been using on my laptop.
Now, if you excuse me, I have some more slothful behavior to get out of the way before the girls come home.
Posted by nathan on Jul 20, 2006 in
Father
We had the first night of try outs for a new football squad (soccer to the Americans), this time I am going out for the over 30 team. Yup, I’m getting okd but thankfully am notthe oldest guy out there by a long shot. So, I went int the goal as a keeper, just because I want to play and the team needs a fulltime.
We scrimmaged against our little brother squad and one of their players took it upon himself to show me all about the near post, he scored on me three times from the same spot, but I leanred and at the end of the night I found the spot to stop him!
Posted by nathan on Jul 20, 2006 in Uncategorized
I came in the door and both my loves were asleep. I woke them gently, nursed EJ, and cooked Nathan dinner. Then they fell asleep again. Then they woke up again and each started playing: EJ with her button book and Nathan with his computer.
So then I went to sleep happy to have taken care of my family.
Posted by nathan on Jul 19, 2006 in
Father
There is much work going on behind the scenes here at EckenrodeHouse.net. I am in the process of switching over to a new blog content management service – this is running in parallel with our getting to know each other as a married couple. Part of this process is to add a more inclusive photo management application, which means that you will be able to see some of the albums in the sidebar for the blog.
So, keep your eyes open for the upcoming revisions to happen in the next couple of weeks, and yes this will take into account allowing you to continue using that broken web browser called Internet Explorer if you really must (although truth to be told, you should really upgrade to Firefox or Opera.)
EDIT: As you may be aware, the visible portion of restructuring the domain has been satisfied. Additionally, the two blogs which we once maintained separately have been merged into this one webpage. In a short time, I hope, the photo gallery will be highly accessible and much more functional than it has been in the past.
