March 18, 2009

I realize that it has been over a month since I last wrote on this blog, I think I qualify for the slacker of the year award. It's not that I have not had anything to write about, and it's not that I haven't had the time, I don't really know why I haven't written here for so long. May be 2 months of writing every day, which I may do again for April, made me want to take a little break. Today just happens to be a splendid day for the triumphant return of an updated blog. Pearl, our wonderful little monster, is exactly 1
and a half years old today. It's been 18 glorious months since Pearl came into our lives. She is growing up so fast, it feels like only yesterday she was being born. Sometimes it feels like I am going to wake up one day and Pearl will be graduating from High School and leaving for College. I know I exaggerate, but it really does seem to be going fast so far. I really love being a Daddy, and trying to be the best Daddy that I can be seems to slow things down a little bit sometimes. I hope Pearl knows how much I love her, I try and show it every day to make sure she knows.

Many wonderful and amazing, and a couple not so wonderful, things have started to happen since the last time I had written here. Pearl's vocabulary continues to grow at a steady pace, and her knowledge of what things are when asked (and proceeds to point at) seems to be advancing on a daily basis. For the most part Pearl is a really good kid, rarely has meltdowns in public, knows how to share when she's at the park, and listens to Mommy and I when we say no (well, most of the time anyway). She met another little girl the last time we went to the park, who was close in age to Pearl, only a month younger. They were playing with Pearl's ball together, and having a grand time passing it back and forth. That is until the other little girl didn't want to share anymore and pitched a hissy fit when Pearl wanted to take her ball back, the other little girl's Daddy had to intervene and get Pearl's ball back to her. The temper tantrum that the other little girl displayed was nothing less than super impressive.
Pearl just kinda looked at the other little girl like "Why are you being so bad over a silly ball, see how good I am". However, pushing the limits to see how far she can take things is her new game. Kim and I both knew it was coming, but knowing it's coming doesn't do a very good job to prepare you for the reality of this not so amusing game. Also, I fear that this is just an "appetizer", if you will, of what is yet to come. She is approaching 2 years old at frightening speed, at which time we get to live in the realm of the "Terrible Twos". One of her favorite games is taking something off of Kim's or my bed side table and not giving it back when we ask for it. Even going as far to start handing it to us, then pull it in close and hug it and turn her body so we can't get it. She just thinks this is the funniest thing in the world, at least that's what the smiling and laughing seems to indicate.

My Wife Kim is a stay-at-home Mommy, and as far as I can tell she really enjoys being able to do that. This is a full time job though, with no scheduled days off, no calling in sick, and no vacation time. I work a full time job (more about that later), with all of the perks I just listed. I have started trying to give Kim some time off one day a week, at least, by taking Pearl out of the house. This serves another purpose as well, Pearl and I get some Father/Daughter time together so that we can do some bonding too. We either go to the park, or go on a drive, last week we went to go visit "Aunt" Jodi because she hasn't seen her in quite some time. Today, I think I might take her over to Wekiva Springs for a swim and she can wear her new one piece suit that I got for her at Wally World the other night.I was thinking I might just bring our tent and camp

out for the night, and give Kim a night off. Wekiwa is pretty close by too, so it would be easy to hop in the car and come home if Pearl starts freaking out. The last time she was in a tent was when Kim and I got married at Bliss, and Pearl was still in her Mommy's tummy. I am not really sure how she will do in a tent, but I will never know if I don't try. 18 months seems like a fine age to start camping, and I need to get Pearl to like it because Kim is really not the camping type. Too many bugs and such for her taste, Kim's "idea of roughing it is a hotel room without a TV", that's a Kimmie quote by the way, LOL.

When I last wrote about a job it was when I got canned from Lago on the same day as the Chef and other Sous Chef, and I was on the hunt for a replacement job. I was able to get a job at this little pizza place near UCF, but that was a little ridiculous. I was working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week over there for $500 a week cash. Worked there a little over a week and what originally was supposed to be $600 a week, turned into $500, and then when it came time to pay me it was $450 total. Then they got someone new, and replaced me with someone they could pay even less. It was so much fun to be jerked around by those assholes.

A mere week later I was offered a job at the Embassy Suites at the Omaha Steakhouse in the hotel operated by Culinaire, as a line cook. I needed to find something with little or no responsibility so that it would not interfere with going to EMT training. The job is super easy and it almost feels like I am on vacation, and since starting there I have gotten nothing but compliments from the managers and co-workers. I have only had 1 steak come back to me to be cooked more that was my fault, and only 2 total steaks sent back since I started almost 3 weeks ago. People

It looks like I am going to have to take the night classes at CFFA for my EMT Training which will start on May 5th and end August 13th. I will be in class Mon, Tue, and Thur from 6pm to 10pm and on Saturday from 9am to 6pm. This is a very doable schedule for working whilst going to the training. I have not found out if I have been accepted yet but my test scores are higher than needed to gain entry into the program. To pass the ERGO test, I had to score a minimum of 75% on both the reading and math portions. My scores were: Human Relations: 77.84%, Mechanical: 88.89%, Math: 93.55%, and Reading: 80%. I really don't foresee and problems getting into the training, I tried to call today to change to the night classes and to find out if I had been accepted, but I had to leave a message, so hopefully I will hear back soon. I think the night classes will be better in the long run, I will have more time to hang out with my family and build forts with my little girl. Building forts is so much better when you have the time and energy to do it...

EDIT: There are no campsites available at Wekiwa springs, dammit!!!

February 9, 2009

Dear readers I know I have not talked about Pearl for a while, I am so sorry. She has done some firsts since the last time I updated this blog. Pearl is now able to open doors, and likes to come into the bathroom while Mommy and Daddy are using the toilet. This can be a dangerous thing when I am on the can, she'll learn that though. She likes to wave "Bye Bye" when the toilet flushes too, it's quite cute. I will attempt to get a video of her opening the door, she normally only does it when one of us goes in there, if the other one is outside the door she won't do it. The door "knobs" in our house are not round, they are the ones mandated by the ADA influenced building codes. So they are easier to open, however, she also knows how to open the gates that keep her coralled in certain areas, she's just not strong enough to release herself yet. I figure once she can open the gates she will no longer need to be behind the gates. Well, may be the one going to the kitchen, depending on when she stops trying to eat the dogfood.

I swear this little girl is growing up too fast, but I have to admit I am looking forward to her talking with actual words, this still has not happened yet. She knows what all sorts of things are when we ask her, and she says some words, but have yet to get a full sentence. I think she is just waiting until she has it right, and then out of nowhere "Hello Father, what is the meaning of life?". One thing she is doing that makes Mommy a little misty, is geting down with her bad self and dancing, she does it often now. Mostly she likes to dance to her favorite show: Yo Gabba Gabba. She loves DJ Lance, Muno, Plex, Foofa, Toodee, and Brobee so much, and I have to admit they are pretty catchy. Bumpa is sure one of them is homosexual, it would explain a few things (especially about DJ Lance), heh!

Pearl Dancing!!!

In Daddy news:

I have applied to go to EMT training, and will be taking the basic skills test tomorrow. With luck I should be starting the training in late April. The training will last 20 weeks and I will be a nationally registered EMT, if I pass the course. After that I hope to go to Paramedic training, may be I will score a job with an outfit that pays for further training. Once step at a time though, pass the test tomorrow, which means I need to take my happy ass to bed right about now...

January 26, 2009

Here is the video I shot yesterday of Pearl feeding the ducks.

January 25, 2009 Part 2

Woke the family up today before the day was completely gone, and we got going pretty fast. We all piled in the car and headed to some parks, to get outside and play. It was a beautiful day today, warm again after a week of quite chilly weather indeed. I dressed Pearl in her outfit that I bought her the other day, and she was just as beautiful as the day we had today. I must say my Wife was looking mighty amazing as well, the radiant woman that I fell in love with and the mother of my little girl. We had a really nice day today, I am truly the luckiest man on Earth to have such a wonderful little family. I wonder sometimes if they truly know how much I love and care for them. I try to do at least one thing every day that shows them how much love I have on my heart for them. I really could not imagine life without seeing my Wife and Daughter everyday and giving them hugs and kisses.

Our first stop was our normal park, to push Pearl on the swings and kick the ball around. Pearl has learned what happens when you kick the ball and certainly seems to like doing just that. Also, knows full well what the swing does and is and knows how to beg for swinging without using those elusive words. She communicates quite effectively without them though, it's just going to be a lot easier when she can use her words. Kim and I took the easiest frisbee in the workd with us, so she and I could toss that nack and forth. However, one of us was stuck with the sun poking us in the eyes, and that's no fun really. We gave up on the frisbee pretty quick, but there was still all sorts of Pearl to keep us entertained. She was all over the place, picking up leaves and handing them to us, taking the leaves back and giving them to the other one of us, going over to the fence to flirt with older boys, there was a 17month old there today...

After we had our fill of Minnehaha we decided to take the bread that he had brought with us and go to Lake Lilly and feed the ducks. Pearl really loves hanging out with the ducks and feeding them, even though she gets just a little scared and hides behind her mommy's legs. She started getting a little more brave hear the end of the bag of bread, brave enough to hold the bread up and out on her own for a duck to grab it and eat it out of her hand. Giggles and laughing is all we hear when Pearl is playing by the ducks, she is so adorable. I can't say that enough, please enjoy the pictures... There will be a video at some point, so check back tomorrow!

January 25, 2009

A week ago Pearl entered her 16th month, 16 glorious months since I met my daughter. She is still not quite talking yet, but she does know a couple of words, she has said: "Apple", "Quack, quack" (when we ask where the duck is), "Mama", "Dada", "No", and "Nana". I am starting to get a little impatient waiting to have conversations with her though. I realize that she will start talking more when she's damn good and ready, and nothing I can do will make it go any faster (except make sure to speak to her in an adult voice, not a problem because "Baby talk" drives me batshit), I do have a feeling that it won't be too much longer though. Pearl constantly shows Kim and I how incredibly smart she is in other ways too. She knows where her nose, mouth, ears, lips, belly button, toes, and many other things are when we ask to where they are. She knows who she is in the mirror and admires herself in it often. I know I say it a lot, but, Pearl is a WONDERFUL little person and amazes me at least once every day.

It was 2 years ago today that I found out that I was going to be a Daddy, the journey Kim and I were set on that night has been amazing to say the least. So much has happened since then, and it's been the best adventure I have ever been on, though I knew it was going to be pretty spectacular. Pearl is pretty cool little girl, I am so glad I am able to be her Daddy. I am constantly wondering how everything she does is so cute, and every minute she does something even cuter than the one before. Is it because I am her Daddy and I am supposed to think everything she does is cute? No, I think she is just a super cute little lady, and she knows it too. Even when she is being "bad", it's so hard to be mad at her because of how adorable she is. Of course she knows what face to make at me too get out of trouble the quickest. She is definetly a Bowman, I am hoping I become impervious to "those" looks before she gets too much older. Though. having daddy wrapped around her pinky won't save her from my wrath for everything I don't think. I find myself giggling a lot when I am trying to be stern with her, and she knows just how to push those buttons. She certainly is a crafty little lady...

The "Dora" overalls that Nana and Bumpa

got Pearl for Christmas,

(finally fit and we got a picture)

 

 Watching TV sitting in her blocks wagon,

she loves sitting in it.

(and being pulled around in it)

About a week ago we moved the TV that was in the living room back into our bed room making the living room into mainly a place for Pearl to play and a place to entertain guests without the interruption of the boob tube. Not that we entertain that often... Now Kim and I can snuggle in bed and watch movies, which is nice too. It seemed a little silly to have such a wonderfully comfortable bed, and not use it for anything other than sleeping. We had moved the TV out of the room so we would watch less, but we just watched more in the living room, now at least we will be in bed snuggling...


Also, I have finally updated my Diabetes blog, It's been quite a while since there has been anything new over there...