O.A.R. - Risen

Not quite sure how I got here
a minute passed
and I'm on my feet

I never knew life could taste so good
I need a little minute
Just a moment to breathe...

No matter where I go
No matter who I see
well I'm reminded... of my earlier days
No matter what I know
No matter where I roll
well I'm reminded... of my earlier ways

Oh, but now...
I keep asking myself
wouldn't it be the best damn day, if we all took time to breathe?
Just one stolen paragraph
in a book's written history

Don't you sometimes wonder... why people are afraid to smile?

Don't look down
we're gonna come around
and it always comes to back crack at time
eventually


Just the same as me


Not quite sure when I woke up
the night flew by... as I lay asleep
Who ever knew life could feel so good
I need another minute
just a moment to breathe...

No matter where I go
No matter who I see
well I'm reminded... of my earlier days
No matter what I know
No matter where I roll
well I'm reminded... of my earlier ways

Oh, but now...
I keep asking myself
wouldn't it be, the best damn day, if we all took time to breathe?
Just one stolen paragraph
in a book's written history

Don't you sometimes wonder
why people are afraid to smile?

Don't look down
we're gonna come around
and it always comes to back crack at time
eventually


Wouldn't it be?
The best damn...
Wouldn't it be?
The best damn day...


EXACTLY

Playing baseball with Ryman and JackAttack

Jack likes his pinstripes

As the calendar flips over to February, the happiest time of the year is now within reach. Baseball season will officially start with Pitchers and Catchers reporting to their respective Spring Training camps in just 12 short days :)

Ryan smiles in approval of his Yankee gear

With that in mind, the boys and I have already started warming up for the new season. Jack is already a little power hitter with a sweet swing. He has an idea of how to construct a hard line drive swing and we practice it whenever the weather is good enough to sneak outside for a few minutes. He also has an incredible arm which, with a little more fundamental practice, will be a force to reckon with when he enters Tee-Ball NEXT SUMMER :)

Grandpa, Jack and Mommy outside Yankee Stadium (Ryan is in mommy's belly, still)

Ryan, on the other hand, is also starting to show incredible baseball instincts. One of the few coherent words he says is "bayball" (pronounced with a growling tone, similar to his lions roar). He will hand me the ball, I roll it back to him and he will catch it. The whole time his face is lit up with pride and excitement, with drool leaking down his chin like a tropical waterfall and his cheerful if not menacing chants of "Bayballlll, bayballllll" filling my ears. Music to my ears, indeed.

Jack and Daddy celebrate the Yankees AL East crown with a trip to the fair

At the risk of wishing these precious times away too fast, I cannot wait until the boys and I can go out back and play a proper game of catch :)

Baseball in December? Of course!!

Needless to say, anyone reading this who knows me will know that baseball and the Yankees have been a part of these boys lives from day one. I really enjoyed last summer, when Ryan would sit on my lap and watch the game with me, and then Jack and I would snuggle in bed watching the Yanks before bedtime.

Daddy and Jack take in the game (with a few of Jack's buddies)

Newborn Ryan needed his magical hat to get a good nap

Ryan wants to know, do you have tickets to the GUN SHOW?

The best birthday party EVER ~ Yankee Stadium 2005

The Brothers Devin

Corry made this really cool photobook with a ton of our family pictures from 2005 on ofoto (next up - 2006) and it arrived yesterday. We flipped through it just before Jack went to bed last night and shared some memories from 2005 with him. The best part was when Jack would see some of the pictures of himself, he would say "aw, look at Ryan, he's so cute!" He had a tough time understanding that Ryan was still in mommy's tummy for most of these pictures.

This experience of seeing that Jack, despite his great memory, could not remember the pre-Ryan days made me realize that I too am already starting to blur the line between one kid times and two kid times.

crazy. anyway, just a quick note. I'll try to think of something more dynamic later...

The Grateful Dead - 9.21.72 -

September 1972

My parents were less than a year from being married and I was but a twinkle in the eye of their future. The Arab terror group Black September executes eleven Israeli athletes after storming their dorm at the Olympics in Munich, and M*A*S*H makes its debut on CBS television. Martial Law is declared in the Philippines and half a world away, Bobby Fischer becomes the first US Chess Champion after defeating Boris Spassky in "The Match of the Century." The most innocent of highs crashing with the most devastating lows. The duality of life.

It was on the 21st of this month that the traveling troupe of musicians known as The Grateful Dead made a stop at The Spectrum, in the birthplace of Freedom, Philadelphia. I came across this show very early in my Deaducation, and it remains one of my favorites to this day. It is available on disc or mp3 as part of the vaunted Dick's Picks collection, volume 36.

The show opens with an uplifting rendition of Chuck Berry's Promised Land which, with an inspired melody and chugging bass line, signals the beginning of an evening without care or worry. As only The Dead can do, the tempo soon blends into a soothing and carefree Bird Song.

Weir regains control of the vocals and belts out a delightful El Paso before the musical roller coaster takes you ears first into a head-spin of Dead Standards, beginning with a beautifully juxtaposed China / Rider and ending with the pensive Black Throated Wind.

The night continues in this fashion - interspersed toe-tappin' ditties, psychedelic riffs and thought provoking lyrics - the Dead manage to never let you get too low, but always get too high. Exactly what was needed during September 1972, if only for one night. The Dead, of course, played thousands of shows during their 30 year run (with Jerry) - and a case could be made for each of them having a significant impact in peoples lives, but the clarity, song choice and composition of this night makes it one of the Grates.

More show highlights:
Dark Star, Ramble on Rose, BIODTL, Mississippi Half-Step, Sugar Magnolia, Mexicali Blues and GDTRFB.

Enjoy!

Coming Attractions

Hey everybody!

This past weekend we went to Norwalk to visit Aunt Darcy, Uncle Marty, Cousin Anika and special guests Nana, Aunt Tina, Cousin Heather, little Cousin Joe, the bun in Heather's oven and Heather's buddy Miki. In the madness to pack the lads into the car, the camera was left behind. As soon as I get pictures, I will post them along with a brief narrative, of sorts, of the days events.

As a teaser - I would like to proudly declare that Ryan has started walking. T'was about a week ago he took his first steps, and this past weekend was a great test of his newest skill. It was a lot of fun to watch him hone his bipedal skills amidst the havoc and chaos that can only be wreaked by 4 people aged 3 and under.

Some pictures

Maybe its the eyes, maybe its the brush, but Ryan definately looks just like his mom in this picture!
Don't worry, since this picture was taken, Jack has learned the real use of underwear. I am VERY happy to report that I no longer have to wipe his...

Ahhh, Christmas Eve. Later this night as I snuggled with Jack as he tried to fall asleep (remember how hard it used to be to fall asleep on Christmas Eve?) he rolled over and whispered to me "Daddy, I see sugar plums dancing in my head!" Too cute.


There is little doubt that these are my boys.

Jack subscribes to dad's theory that we should eat, sleep and drink baseball...
... and so does Ryan!

Brothers

It is pretty amazing when you see your first born for the first time. Sure, we'd seen the grainy images whilst he was in his mommy's belly, but you can't really get a feel for what they will really look like until, after much convincing, pushing and heavy breathing, they finally come out into the world.

As I am sure is true with a lot of couples, my wife and I often wondered what our kids would look like when we got around to having them. We would tease about which of the physical features we hoped the child would NOT get from the other, and silently pray that they would look just like us (but cuter). Then, after you've had one, you have an ever harder time when #2 comes along, because you wonder how in the world it won't look just like the first one - especially if they are the same sex!

This was especially true in our case, as both of our kids are boys. Jack, the oldest, looks almost exactly like his daddy. When we found out Ryan was a boy, I was sure he would look similar to me as well, after all, the first boy did, so why not the second?!? Ryan, however, looks so much more like his mom than his dad. Both are exceptionally good looking lads (and I do say so myself) but yet they look so different - eye shape, mouth, hairline, size. Much of their personality is different as well, but some of the things they do, are exactly the same.

Laughing, for example - they have almost the same exact laugh. Its the cutest thing in the world to watch them play together.

Their favorite game, to date, is "I'm gonna getcha," or as Ryan would say,"ticka ticka ticka!"

How to play:

When Ryan is sitting his with back to you, get on your hands and knees, and slowly creep up behind him. With your mouth about 6 inches from his head, gently whisper "I'm gonna getcha!" With that, he will spin around with a huge smile on his face, drool for a second, and then take off crawling away from you at lightning speed. Let him think he is getting away, and as soon as he turns to see where you are, pounce on him and two-hand tickle his belly, arm pits and area behind the knees while taunting, "tickle tickle tickle!" After a few second let him escape and continue the chase.

If he has not already, Jack will join in the fun at about this time. He usually ends up pancake tackling Ryan, and then begins the tickling of an otherwise immobilized baby brother. Within seconds, both are laughing hysterically. Sit back, relax and enjoy. After you've taken a precious 5 seconds to relax, gently remove Jack from Ryan and tell Ryan to tickle Jack. This will send Jack SCREAMING out of the room - literally and figuratively. Tell Ryan to tickle Jack, and he will crawl away, all the while laughing and saying "ticka ticka ticka!" Lather, rinse and repeat.

Welcome

Come along and experience life with these two vivacous super toddlers as they learn about life, sharing, letters and more. From Jack-Attack's first visions of sugar plums to Ry-Man's undying "what's that" curiosity, every day is filled with new adventures and discoveries. Check back often!