Just Another Day…

Category: Text Post

  • Big Boys need Big Chairs

    We didn’t even realize it, but the boys had outgrown their original car seats, by both weight and body length. So this past weekend we upgraded their travel accommodations to 2 brand new plush seats. They honestly look more comfortable then the seats in the front that we sit in.

    Brenda did a lot of research and came up with a seat from Graco called the Nautilus 3-in-1. Although it was more expensive then some of the other options, it had the best reviews on Amazon.com by people who had purchased it.  

    The only down side to the new chairs is that we can’t just lift the chairs from the base and carry them in. For example, whenever we would go out to eat we would just carry the chairs in and request a large booth so that we would each sit with one of the boys. Now, not only do we have to carry them in but they have to sit in a high chair. In theory it sounds OK, but they are just too excited and too unrestrained for us to really relax at all. But, like everything else, we’ll adjust. 

    Here is a short video of their trip to Chili’s, and their first treat to sitting at the table while being out. 

    [flv:/blog/video/BlogPost_08-1125.flv 600 337]

  • It’s Never Too Soon for an Eye Exam


    This week we took the boys in for their first eye exam. We really wouldn’t have thought to do so, but we did for two reasons. On and off we’ve seen Max with one eye slightly out of line with the other. And second, when I went to get my eye exam in October, my doctor (Dr. Dennis Francisco) recommended that even if we suspected no problems at all, that we take both boys in before they are one year old to have their vision tested. 

    While children used to get their first vision test when they started grade school, the newer thinking is that the sooner problems are detected in a child’s vision, the better the chances of correcting them. In fact, there is a program called InfantSEE that was started just for this reason. Its purpose is to help make people aware of the risks of waiting too long to get an exam. 

    So, we found a doctor in our area that was certified by the InfantSEE program and took them both in on Friday. Andrew checked out to have roughly 20/20 vision and no known problems. As expected, Max did have some issues. For one, the doctor did verify that his right eye occasionally turns inward. With more examination he was able to determine that his left eye was about 20/20, but his right eye was about a +5, give or take a little. This was the cause of the right eye turning in, because of the extra strain it was under when he tried to focus on objects too close to his face. (more…)

  • Max is Ready for the Next Trip

    When I got home Max decided to make himself at home in my suitcase. It got me thinking that maybe next time I could just take him with me as long as I made sure he had a few bottles and extra diapers to change himself during the trip.

  • Was Not My Night After All

    Due to some scheduling problems, the meeting had to be moved at the last minute to a different (much smaller, hotter and uncomfortable) room at the Planetarium. Also, due to the scheduling problem, we were told we had an hour less then usual to get everything in. So I volunteered to postpone my presentation until the next regular meeting in January. The other two presenters were from out of town – so it also made sense from that point of view to let those guys take what time there was. 

    We still had a good time and I’ll get my shot early next year, probably January if there’s an opening.

  • Conquering Your Greatest Fear

    An excerpt from the monthly newsletter sent out to all of the editors.

    Tonight I’ll be doing a presentation at the monthly editors meeting in Chicago. It’s a group of Final Cut Pro editors from around the city ranging from first time editors to seasoned professionals. There’s usually 30-75 people in attendance. 

    I offered to do this in the spring after completing a project that I thought would be a good teaching tool but the day that was so far off has finally arrived.

    I’m having Jeff record it on video so that I can watch it back later and critique myself and improve where I need it. If I can get over the nerves of doing something like this, I wouldn’t mind doing it more often for this group as well as others. There are always groups like this and conferences around the country looking for guest speakers.