Some Big News

Griffin Clark Blackburn
born Jan 9, 2006
8 lbs 3oz, 20 inches long
Jenn is doing much better after her second c-section, grandparents on both sides have been wonderful with help and assistance.
when GPs come to stay, I sleep on the floor in Baeden's room, and when they left and I returned to our bed, I missed hearing the little guy sleep.
Baeden is loving being a big brother so far, seriously. Every morning, he asks to "see Griffin" and when he sits on the couch next to him (when Jenn or I are holding him) he says "tiny."

Griffin is a healthy little fellow, 10 fingers, 10 toes. Spits up some after eating, but apparently that is not too uncommon. He isn't a loud crier (yet) so that is nice for us parents.

some pics:


Grampa demonstrates how to best wear a flower behind your ear


Baeden likes 2 flowers


we stopped by to see mommy and Griffin every day in the hospital


beautiful mommy and new baby


proud grandparents


very proud big brother


the newest man of the hour


Griffin aka Griffey aka Grifter aka Professor aka the littlest Professor

zombie blackburns

back from the dead (for now)

took el snakester out to eat, made face to entertain him, he tried to copy it. he finally got it.

picture captutured w/ cell phone, sorry for the small size.

(BTW the face was when you hold a pen/ pencil/ crayon... under your nose with your lip, like a moustache...)



rock on!

The Big News!!!! (x2)

I blame Real Life.

4th of July in Peconic was awesome this year: great weather, great company, planned menus meant delicious food, easy clean-up, not as much stress for Obi and Gramma Weezy. O+GW spent one day with El Snakester at the local aquarium, where they had a great time with him and he had tons of fun!

Onto the news:

Right before we left (literally, Jenn was blow-drying her hair) I got a call from my alma mater and the Head of School offered me a job as the Associate Director of Development.

Wow!

Obviously, I did not have an immediate answer, but when we got back we scrambled and looked for a place to live and thought about the changes....

I took the job.

Jenn's commute will be longer, upwards of an hour, but fortunately, she will only have to do it for four months or so.

Why?

Clone number 2 is due in January.

We are living in a luxury apartment complex with a beautiful pool and central air (a necessity on these humid days) and have already found an incredible Day Care facility where Baeden will be joining his pal Zenta (who starts 2 days before he does).

More details on new address and phone, etc... when it is all set up.

RIGHT NOW movers are packing our stuff which will go in storage for a year, and I am in the way.

Looking forward to seeing all my old pals in the Happy Valley, and looking forward to soem exciting new challenges.

One of the coolest things is the plethora of way cool stuff for little folks to do in the area, one of the coolest is here, a place I used to love to go to as a child.

Hope you are all well!

Follow Me!

You Are The Wayfarer Guide
"I'll show you the way."
Your deep insight and quick wisdom never ceases to amaze those around you. You are the guiding light for many of those you know and are not afraid to help anyone else who asks. Not very many acknowledge your tremendous help and effort, but you do not mind that so much. You've seen what is in store for them, and will be there should they need your help. You enjoy people in general, but are very selective of who you let see the real you. Others see you as an enigma of sorts, a mystery that is seemingly ever changing.

Which Classic Story Role Do You Play?
brought to you by Quizilla

No Excuse
I could tell tales of woe made more clear with descriptions of upset stomachs, sore throats, baseball practices, etc.... but I will not.
I have not updated as much as I have liked recently.
With the weather being so nice and coaching duties, Jenn and snakester have been outside most every afternoon, and I have been coaching the varsity baseball team (first winning record in 3 years!).
Summer is coming up, we plan on going to VT for the cabin opening next weekend and meeting Daina, Eric and Zenta there. After that, school will be over for me soon, and unfortuantely, Jenn has until late June, with all the snow-day makeups... yuck. Of course, once I'm done with school, planning for the fourth will begin.
We will also be going up to North Adams/ VT in August for the meteor showers staying at the oh-so-fancy Porches.
We are also hoping to see some baseball up Sunderland way, make a trip to Rochester and all sorts of other fun summer stuff.
Baeden is walking, talking (a bit, his first word was "cat" which irked mom, as the "cats have done nothing for him, I fed him...." but he does love the kitties.), loving Day Care (we had our first parent conference, which went well)- he'll continue to go this summer, just one day a week, but to keep him some sort of routine, and he is going to bed later and enjoying being outside almost every day!
Gramma Weezy comes up this weekend to babysit so Jenn and I can celebrate her birthday. Thanks Gramma Weezy!
I hope to get some up to date pics up here and up date more often, but once those young-uns start walking, time gets eaten up real fast.
Know that we think of all of you often and hope to see you all as soon as possible!

no shame

WooHoo You scored 23 American Logic Points!

Out of 27. You actually have some American logic, but hopefully you didn't cheat...

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 95% on American Logic

Link: The American logic Test written by You4got2Evolve on Ok Cupid

a year ago

a year ago, i was tired.
baeden had just been born, and our nights of peaceful slumber were over, but our days of incredible happiness and joy were just beginning.
vacation started for me on thursday at 10am.
friday was his birthday.


we couldn't not send him to Day Care without a cake...

why Day Care on his birthday?

vacation just means a list of chores to get done, starting with getting ready for a 1st birthday party!


we went with a Harry Potter theme.


we even had a sorting hat. it almost looked like Hufflepuff and Gryffindor might rumble, but that was averted.
we had the party at the school gym, and it was great. plenty of room for eating and sitting and a huge gym for kids and adults alike to run around in.

in addition to setting up for the party, i had to do some more baking...


jenn decorated the cake.
she doesn't trust my chicken-scratch.



when everyone started singing, he broke into a huge smile.
he knew it was all for him.


he got the candle out in one breath.
note: it was never stated that it was his breath


mmmm.... grey frosting


honest, not 15 seconds earlier mom looked just like baeden. mom's house (Slytherin) is still up in arms she married a Gryffindor and that Baeden, even with his parsel-tongue and snake-like nature, was sorted into his father's house.


his new red wagon


and his prom date.

finally, some recent pictures:


likes: grunge music, starbucks coffee and indie films


also likes chewing on blocks


balloon!!!


"i remember when i wasn't one. they say a person can stay young getting up early.
"i hope mommy and daddy don't mind my 5am rising time."

FREEDOM!

On February 13th, Jenn and I got a babysitter for the first time. Fortunately, it was one of Baeden's day care providers, so we had no worries about him not reacting well to a stranger or someone not knowing him or any of that stuff.... We wanted to see a movie (see earlier posts for our previous dream of seeing The Life Aquatic) but there was nothing interesting playing, so we did some window shopping and had a wonderful meal at our local fancy-schmancy restaurant. It was sort of our Valentine's Day, and was quite pleasant.

This week, Jenn is off from school and is visiting Nana and Grampa as I was on dorm-duty all weekend and am also on Mon and Weds and having geeky plans on Tues, so she'll be returning on Thurs. I missed having them home last night as I was in bed, one might think I would have slept better with no chance of waking up to a crying baby, but it was almost the opposite.

Snakester had a high fever last Thurs night and Friday, so I stayed home with him, and he slept most of the day. He never made much of a fuss, so it was an easy day, and he seems to be over it (i quickly spoke with Jenn yesterday).

More pointlessness:

YOUR PORN STAR NAME: (Name of first pet + Street you live on) -
Clarence Pomfret

YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (Name of your favourite snack food + Grandfather's first name)
Clark Funyon

YOUR FASHION DESIGNER NAME: (First word you see on your left + Favourite restaurant)
Bub Strong

EXOTIC FOREIGNER ALIAS: (Favorite Spice + Last Foreign Vacation Spot)
Cumin Bermuda

SOCIALITE ALIAS: (Silliest Childhood Nickname + Town Where You First Partied)
Bumpy Southold

"FLY dude" ALIAS (a la J. Lo): (First Initial + First Two or Three Letters of your Last Name)
(i'll cheat a little) B-Black

DETECTIVE ALIAS: (Favorite Baaaaaaby Animal + Where You Went to High School)
Kitten Southold

BARFLY ALIAS: (Last Snack Food You Ate + Your Favorite Alcoholic Drink)
Gummi Coke

SOAP OPERA ALIAS: (Middle Name + Street Where You First Lived)
S---qu--- Susquehanna

ROCK STAR ALIAS: (Favorite Candy + Last Name Of Favorite Musician)
Sour Ween

Walker, Texas Ranger

so, there we were... Snakester been on a yelling binge lately.
hasn't been sleeping through the night, last night was up from 1:45-2:45, mainly with the yelling and the screaming.

jenn is frazzled. i was making dinner and sitting down for a drink, when he did it.

he took a couple steps all on his own.

i was unable to document the moment on film, but i did manage to capture a picture what he looked like on this day:


i am bursting with pride, and the fact that i'll always remember this moment with him wearing no pants makes it even more special.

post by barak at 5:29 PM EST

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Apes!

What does the title have to do with anything?
If you don't know, there is no sense explaining it.

Since Jan. 8th I have worked every weekend.
Okay, that is not entirely true, I did not work the weeknd of Jan 15th, Jenn went to a baby shower while with GW while Obi and I puttered around Northampton with the snakester.

On the way home, I felt like garbage. I was very tired, and when I got home at 5:30, fed the little guy, he went to bed and so did I. Turns out I caught the stomach bug.
I relate this tale of woe, not to burden you with you my song of sickness, but to explain that although I did have that weekend off, it didn't really feel like it.

I am working next weekend and the weekend after also.
Why?
Jenn and I are going to see Duran Duran with friends down at Mohegan Sun in April, so I made some switches to my duties so we could go.

Snakester news:
He claps (especially when he is happy and knows it)
He waves
He makes noises (Ga, Ba, Ca)- we are thinking his first word might be Cat as he sure loves Fred and Wendy.
He pulls himself up to standing

This coming sunday, Jenn and I will be getting a babysitter for the first time and we'll go out to a movie and dinner at the Harvest.
Kind of Valentine's-ey.

Some Pics (and below is one of them Meme's, this one about my time in High School):





and onto the meme (note some questions ommitted, due to the family nature of this blog and my boring existence):

What year was it?

I graduated in 88.
Let us say 85-88.

What were your three favorite bands or musical artists?

Yes, Peter Gabriel, U2.
(although the albums I heard the most were Metallica: Master of Puppets and MegaDeath: Peace Sells)

What was your favorite outfit?

Ripped jeans, jean jacket, black overcoat, mismatched Converse all-stars.

What was up with your hair?

In a land of feathered hair, mine was spiked.

Who were your best friends?

Michelle, Brian, Frank.

Where did you work?

Southold Pools, cleaning swimming pools.

Did you take the bus?

No. Either A) Rode my moped, B) Rode my bike, C) Borrowed my Dad's truck, C) Walked.

Did you fight with your parents?

I was a teenager.
Looking back, and as a parent now (though not with a teenager... yet), I can see that they were very cool.
It wasn't so much arguing, as much as just being a rebellious, sometimes angry teen.

Did you smoke?
Yes.

What did you do after school?
See preceding question.
Interesting to note also was the fact that three friends and I played Mille Bourne almost every day and watched Highlander almost weekly.

Did you lug all of your books around in your backpack because you were too nervous to find your locker?

No.

Did you have a 'clique'?

There was essentially one clique where I went to school.
It was a small school, most folks were in it.
I was not.
I would have probably been associated more with the burnouts.

Did you have "The Max" like Zach, Kelly and Slater?

Ummm... I understand the Zach, Kelly and Slater reference, but have no clue what "The Max" is.

Admit it, were you popular?

No.

Who did you want to be just like?

I wanted to exude the rebel cool of John Bender
(but in my own way, it was my belief that to be rebel like the other rebels was not that rebellious);
perhaps best exemplified when I was caught on the roof of the school.
When asked why I was on the roof of the school:
"Because it was there."
"Well, what if Mt. Kiliminjaro was right outside this window, would you climb it?"
(leans forward, looks out window)"I don't know, I've never seen Mt. Kiliminjaro."
(true story)

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I didn't really want to be anything, I was kind of happy to see where I ended up.

Where did you think you'd be at the age you are now?

With bad hair.