Digging for Gold

Triton doesn't go to daycare, and he is a momma's boy so who knows where he is picking this up? Just kidding, he might get it from me? I caught him picking his nose and wanted to get a picture of it and this is the first time that I was able to capture it. He will now hear over and over, the phrase "stop picking your nose!" I didn't want to start reprimanding him for it until I was able to get a picture of it. Even though it is major gross I thought that it would be a cute picture to have.

The following picture is placed so that you don't have to keep the picture of him picking his nose in your head.

For those who didn't get the movie quote from below (So you can't take anything for granted), it is from Labyrinth. I love that movie and most movies that have to do with fantasy. Other must see movies that are along that genre include Legend an 80s movie that stars Tom Cruise, The Never Ending Story (also 80s) and a new one that is a fun is The Spiderwick Chronicles. If you want to have a movie night that has a specific fantasy genre then you can't go wrong with any of those 4 movies.
A recent movie that I have watched and wasn't at all bad was Ghost Town. The new one that came out this last week that stars Greg Kinnear and Téa Leoni. It can be somewhat considered a chic flick, but isn't going to tear up the manly man of the house.
Movies to avoid that have been recently released if you haven't already wasted your time watching are Burn After Reading, Hancock and Eagle Eye. Where Will Smith, Shia LaBeouf, Brad Pitt and sometimes George Clooney are studs and great actors, these movies aren't worth the money or the time. If a great action thriller is what you seek, then you cannot go wrong with The Dark Knight. We could have a better Batman, but a better Joker you will never find.

Xmas in Iraq

Stockings from the Red Cross for the troops who are serving in Iraq are pictured here. I hope that wasn't the only thing that my cousin Brandon received on Christmas? I didn't send him a thing, what a great cousin he has. He isn't able to be with his family like I am and I still don't send him a thing? I am sorry Brandon, tell me where to send something and I will ASAP.

Brandon is the only cousin that I have that is the same age as me. He is my father's brother (Paul's) son. Brandon and I were never able to be around each other for very long, he was always living in far away places. I know that they lived east for awhile, but for the most part he lived in Hawaii. Him and I were in a little argument/fight when we were probably 12 years old, and that is probably the same time that I hadn't talked to my father for like 6 years, so we dropped way out of touch. I mended things between my father and I, but still hadn't heard from Brandon. He was living in Hawaii and thus I wasn't able to see him. I asked about him here and there, and always hoped and wondered if he was doing well. He was a lost soul and after graduating, he decided to enlist in the Marines. I was able to hang out with him for a week or two before his departure date.

We were able to settle our petty adolenscent differences and have been close ever since. We admire each other greatly and know that we have been in each other's hearts for many years. Always hoping and wondering about the other even after a little fight and so many miles apart. I had hoped that he would drop out of the Marines and come to live in Idaho with his cousin, but I don't think this is the place for him. He dropped out for awhile after serving some 8 or so years, I think he did it for a girl. He is now married to this girl, and must have realized that he would be able to provide for her better during these tough economic times, by reinlisting and just serving out his years as a Marine and retire after some 20 years. He will of course work after his full term, but he will have retirement on top of that. I am proud of him for his decision, even though I worry about him and wish that he was safe and making a living for his wife while being with her.
They are pictured here, her name is Toni? Well, she goes by Toni, I have only been told her real name once and can't remember how to say it or spell it? This is just before they were married in 2006. No children as of yet, but hopefully that will change once she is graduated from school. I have never met her, but hopefully will be able to in a few months when he returns from Iraq and has some leave. She is living in Florida where they were living together before he reinlisted. Here are a few more pics of my busy cousin and his few extra moments of down time that he takes full advantage of.
I love you and miss you much Brandon, be safe my brother.

Spoiled

Well, the white Christmas is over. The morning began at 7:00, Triton slept until 7:30 so we were able to shower and prepare for the day before his early morning necessities. He needs changed and fed first thing most mornings or he can start to be crabby boy. Sheri fed him cereal while I was loading the car to go to her grandmother's and her father's house in the morning. Between the two of them they managed to spill the cereal on the floor, we were already running late and still had my own mother's gifts to open. She had left a couple of gifts down here when she visited in September and had sent Triton his own box of presents that arrived a couple of weeks earlier. He finished eating what he was going to after Sheri refilled his bowl, and the festivities began. He pretty much opened all of his presents on his own throughout the day. My mother sent this church outfit that is the cutest. Maybe we can post a pic when he wears it for the first time. She sent more clothes, which was good because we hadn't done laundry all week and he was running low, so he wore one of her outfits that she sent. Thanks grandma for everything. She also has more stuff on the way for him as well.

We were able to hit the road to Rigby just about 8:00, that is when we were supposed to be at Sheri's grandma's. The roads were pretty bad, and I don't think that we were able to go any faster than 40 mph. I hope that we didn't make everyone mad by being a few minutes late. We exchanged gifts, ate breakfast and all the while it kept snowing. The roads worsened and upon trying to depart, I say trying because Sheri's dad (Rick) had to push us out the drive, I turned the wrong way onto the road to make sure there wasn't any oncoming traffic. Had I turned the correct way we could have returned to the highway (20) some two minutes later and driven the rest of the way to Rigby and to Sheri's dad's. Instead we had to drive the back way into town and the back roads were horrible. I wasn't even able to find a spot to turn around to head back to the higway, not even the church parking lot, it too was probably too much for Sheri's car. Sheri's car is a 2008 Pontiac Vibe, it has a bit more room than my car (2000 Sunfire), so we drove her car that morning. Knowing that we would need the room with all of our gifts, most hopefully being Triton's. I don't know how her car made it to her dad's but it did.

Christmas was great at both Sheri's grandma's (Betty number 1 as we call her, because Rick's wife also has the same name) and her father's. Rick and Betty (Sheri's stepmother) always have a huge gathering and a million presents. It was the first year that I didn't have to work on Christmas in probably 5 years, so we didn't have to leave early which was nice. In years past it was like, well thanks for the gifts, see you later. I can't really remember what Triton received from anyone, because I feel more spoiled than him this year. Maybe Sheri can post what all was given to him, but with me being spoiled I can't remember. Thanks to all of you for once again, I am not worth it by any means, but I guess from giving you such a cute grandson/great grandson, I can see why I might be worth it! Okay just kidding, but seriously, you all gave so much I want you to know that I am so grateful and don't take any of it for granted. (So you can't take anything for granted) < Movie quote, can anyone besides Sheri guess this one?

One wicked cute thing that Triton was given from Brooke's family was the jacket that he is wearing in the picture above. I think that it is way cute. Thanks to their family for that and the jacket that was also given to me. Thank to Jamie for also installing our doors two years ago. I still owe him something for that. Maybe some bowling lessons? Just kidding, he is a better bowler than most.

We ate lunch and left shortly thereafter sometime around 3:00, Triton hadn't napped and was the crankiest of boys. He postponed the rest of the day, because we were forced to return home and let him nap. Highway 20 was mostly cleared off, which was a blessing, because earlier that morning it was nasty and with it snowing all day I figured it would be worse. All the drivers must have cleared it off. Our driveway was filled with the snow and Sheri's car finally decided to give up the fight, it buried itself some 25 feet from it's normal sleeping chamber. I put Triton in his crib for his nap and Sheri was already outside shoveling the snow to help us get the car out. We were finally able to pull the car up to the garage and I figured that we might be able to take it to my dad's and then her mom's, but decided to see how my car would do instead. I dug just a bit around it before starting it to see if it would move after being snowed on all day. It of course started right up, it has a new battery, but it was the moment of truth as I shifted to drive. It wasn't a problem at all. I pull right out and drive down the long part of our driveway that hadn't been shoveled and nothing, no problems at all. I pulled Sheri's car into the garage and said good riddance for the night. I don't know why Sheri's car was such a piece when it came to the snow, but my Sunfire had no problems what so ever. I thought that it might have just been her car, but my cousin Josh who spent that night with us, also managed to get his car stuck when he pulled in around 10:00 that night. He was driving a new Scion, nice car, but pretty gutless in the snow!

Triton was able to get in a bit over an hour nap, and we were off to Sheri's mother's. He was fussy just at first, but I figured he would liven up after a bit. Thank goodness he did. He usually starts getting tired around 8:00 (his bedtime), but even after being at my dad's until just after 9:00 he was still fine, I was surprised and grateful. My dad has long hair and a beard, and Triton is somewhat afraid of him, but he was pretty good that night. Thanks to Laura (Sheri's mom) and Darrell (stepfather) for gift. Yet another reason why I felt more spoiled than my own son! Thanks to the Deitz grandparents as well.

Thanks to my own dad and stepmom Dena. It was fun visiting with you, and hope that we can do it more often. Congrats to Zack (my half-brother) on his engagement. Thanks to my mom who I hope had a good Christmas even though she had to work and was away from us, in her home of Seattle. I love you all and hope that you have a Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas

Triton had his year and a half doctor visit this past Monday (22nd). 52-15-45, those are his standings out of the children born on the same day as him. He is in the 52nd percentile as far as weight, 15th percentile as far as height, and 45 percentile as far as the circumference of his head. Even though he is only in the 15% as far as height it is a jump. His highest standing before that was 11%, grow Triton. Sorry that was a bit cheesy, I meant, go Triton.
He isn't really fond of the doc, which is understandable, it seems every time he has to visit he is needing another shot for something. Triton doesn't say but maybe three words and as of now, his vocabulary should consist of 5-20 words. Thus the doctor suggested we get him ready to go to some speech therapy class in 6 months. Unless he starts spitting out three to five word sentences by then! I am not too concerned with him not saying much as of yet because he catches on to everything else super fast, it is just that talking thing that he is refusing. Whenever he wants anything he just grunts, probably my fault because I am not a vocal person myself. I have also been told by deaf people that when I do talk, I mumble? Of course deaf people are going to think I mumble instead them admitting they can't hear. My cousin Josh can understand anything and everything I say, which leads me to believe that he is the only person in the world that can hear. I am hoping that Triton's first three word sentence is going to be "I'm all in" or "I have the nuts." Just kidding, those who aren't familiar those are poker terms. I am hoping that his first sentence will be "I love you." His first word was mom, which he says all the time and it isn't a word that is just referring to the woman who gave birth to him. He says momma a lot when he is whining. He was saying "Whoa", for the longest time, then stopped. Tries to say "ball" here and there, and kind of mumbles "dada", so I don't think he is too far behind.
He understands a bunch of words of course, he just doesn't want to respond to them in a vocal manner. When he starts feeling tired and is in need of a nap, I simply ask him "nap time?" He then runs to the stairs, I remove the gate and he climbs the stairs, runs into his room and tries to climb up the side of his crib. We allow him to have his pacifier when he is sleeping, but that is the only time and has been that way for almost 6 months now. When he wakes from his nap, we take him out of the crib, hold him near his dresser and he removes the binky from his mouth and places it on top of the dresser. The reason I know that he understands a bunch of words is from that example. Sometimes he fusses during the day because he is hungry and I ask him if it is "snack time?", very similar to nap time, but when hearing this question he runs to the kitchen and looks in the cupboard where we keep his snacks. I always think that he is going to run for the stairs when I ask him that question, but he never does. He does try to say kitty kitty as well. I forgot that one. My mom thought that was the funniest one. When we visited her in Seattle just after Triton's first birthday, he would try to say kitty kitty, while peering out her window and seeing the neighborhood cats.
Merry Christmas to all our friends and family out there. A special Merry Christmas to my newly wedded cousin Brandon who is in the Marines pulling a tour in Iraq. Merry Christmas to all the soldiers that are serving this country, be safe this Holiday Season.

Saving For The X-Games

Triton has been able to walk by himself without wabbling since he was ten months old. This
4-wheeler was his one year birthday gift from Sheri and I. His first time riding it, he pushed the button to go and held on to the handle bars. He must have been content only moving an inch or so at a time, because he wouldn't hold the button down but for a second. He resembled a bobble head pushing the button and letting it go, it was way cute. He still doesn't understand the concept of steering, maybe he inherited that from his mom, but he rides until something or someone stops him. He has no forward progress in the picture here, but it is apparent that he will be doing that next. He has put his feet up on the handlebars while sitting there too, as if he is doing a heel click or the lazy-boy in the X-Games.

Okay the piggy bank picture isn't for the X-Games. I was forcing myself to put two quarters into his piggy bank for every F-Bomb I dropped while golfing this year. During the 2007 season of golf I wasn't happy with the choice words that golf was forcing me to say. Yeah right, as if golf's fault right? Exactly, it was not being able to contain my frustration. I was letting anger control my thoughts and actions (words). I started out the year early dropping $1.00 into the bank after my first two times out. Bravo, way to gain that control! We started the 2008 season just at the end of March and our last round this year was November 30th, and I was forced to pay a whopping total on the whole year of $2.00. Much better than the year before, had I the same rule in the 07 season I would have had to pay more than that $2.00 in a one hole stretch.
One might ask why there is more than $2.00 in plain site here? Whenver I had any quarters in my pocket I was throwing them in here and there. I have a coin bank for myself that contains nickels and dimes, while Triton has claim to the quarters. I attended a poker game last Wednesday night, just a low stakes game, so I took my own coin bank. I noticed upon arrival that my bank contained quarters? I didn't remember putting quarters in my own bank, so I broke out mine and Triton's coin banks the next day to seperate the quarters from everything else. It turned out that there was almost $28.00 in quarters, so I showed Triton where the hole in the piggy bank was, and off he went. Of that $28.00 or so Triton placed one by one all but $5.00 or so. He did way good, I became a little bored and finished the job for him, but it was something that he enoyed.
Off the subject of the above, yesterday was Triton's first exposure to Pop Rocks, you remember the candy? I had received three of the little cool-aid sized pouches of Pop Rocks in a gift bag from my work for Xmas. Triton found the bag yesterday on the table and I thought it would be fun to see how he would react to the Pop Rocks. I first placed some in my mouth to show him what to expect and then it was his turn. It didn't phase him a single bit, no weird look, no spitting, nothing! It was a disappointment, but figured I would share his first experience with them anyway.

The IPod Story

This post is most likely going to be a lengthy one, so prepare yourself.
My mother moved to Seattle some 6 or so years ago. We hadn't been to see her, and she hadn't seen Triton since just after he was born. Sheri's father helped us out with most of our trip and for that I am extremely grateful, thanks Rick.
This trip was taken a few months back at the beginning of July. My mother's birthday was coming up, so we had bought her an IPod, it was a used IPod, but an Ipod is an Ipod. We gave it to her our first night there even though it wasn't her birthday. We weren't going to be there on her birthday and of course we wanted to see her reaction. She loved it and even said that it was the best gift ever. I have an IPod as well and this is where the story begins. I love my IPod, I take it everywhere with me. I have trouble sleeping and it helps me fall asleep, because I listen to it as I fall asleep.
The very next day (Saturday) we had plans to go to the aquarium and the Market. The day was great, actually the whole time we were down there it didn't rain once? I was wearing cargo shorts on this day, and for some reason I placed my IPod in the lower front pocket. This pocket was loose and hung open, so why I decided to put my IPod in there was beyond me. As you can see from the pictures below, Triton wasn't always in my arms. I didn't want to bring a stroller because I knew that he would just be in and out the whole time anyway, thus it was much easier to simply carry him. I was up and down with him the whole time at the aquarium, bending from the knees and waist. Triton was very good, no fussing and even though he didn't understand a lot of what he saw, it was clear that he had a good time. After the aquarium, like I said we were going to The Market.
Yes the place where they throw fish. I wanted to see it and that is the same question that I asked. We had to stop by the car to change Triton and repay for parking. During the course of walking I had been patting my pocket here and there to make sure that my IPod was still on my person. We walked across the street from the aquarium to where the market is, and upon walking no more than 50 yards toward the fish throwing guys, I patted my pocket once again. I didn't feel anything, instant panic fell over me. I knew that I hadn't checked my pocket in some time, and I distinctly remember hearing what resembled an object hitting the floor just around the time that Triton was by himself in the picture below, but I didn't look. What an idiot I was to not look. Heat and rage filled my body and I didn't mention anything to my mother or Sheri, because I didn't want to ruin their day. We walked some more, saw the fish throwing guys, but nothing was taking my mind off my IPod. I was in a hurry to leave and not long after we made our way back to the car. I thought of running back to the aquarium, but figured that my mom would want to know why.


.....I decided to just call the aquarium when we arrived back at my moms. I called a few numbers and found out that there wouldn't be any calls taken by a live person until Monday. All I could hope for at the time was that some honest person turned my IPod into the lost and found. I was even so desperate that I looked around the passenger seat of my mom's car to see if it had fallen out when we changed Triton, it wasn't there!
That night was grim, I was understandably moody and quiet all night, I didn't sleep well at all, because I didn't have my IPod to fall asleep to. I still hadn't told Sheri or my mom, for those of you who know my mom understands why I didn't. If I told her that I lost my IPod, the first thing out of her mouth would have been to take the one that we had just given to her! I had no doubt that she would not give in until she gave hers to me. Now if any of you have an IPod, it isn't just the IPod that is lost, it is hours and hours of downloading songs, making playlists, downloading movies and basically personalizing it to who you are. I am not a materialistic person and I was just going to cash out my online poker winnings to buy me another one when we returned home from our vacation. I was mostly upset over the time that was going to be needed to yet again customize an IPod.
It was the following morning (Sunday) and we had plans to go to the Space Needle and the Zoo. My mom was up all morning downloading CDs to her IPod asking how to do this and that. Asking me how many songs I had compared to her, those questions hurt let me tell you. We packed everything into the car for the day's activities and we were just about ready to get in the car when my mom asks, "Is your IPod still in the glove compartment?" Having no clue why she would ask me such a question I didn't respond, I again didn't want her to know that I didn't know where it was! I would just wait to make up a reason to look in the glove compartment or wait until she wasn't in the car to take a peek. I was instantly given the opportunity to look, because my mom had to run back into the house for something. I open the glove box with very little hope, because there shouldn't be any reason for it to be in there. Slowly dropping the lid down I see the most beautiful thing! My IPod was sitting right there?
I tell Sheri that I thought that I had lost it, and not to tell my mom. I couldn't contain my happiness and finally told my mom what happened and how my night was just horrible because I had lost my IPod. She felt so bad, because she thought that Sheri witnessed her place it in the glove box right before going to The Market. I guess that it had fallen out of my pocket when we stopped to repay for parking and change Triton. We were about to leave when my mother noticed it lying in the passenger seat. She of course knows that something like that shouldn't be sitting in plain site, so she placed it in the glove box. We recalled the whole ordeal over and over all morning because I was so happy and relieved.
My mom validated my reasoning for not saying anything. She questioned why I didn't say anything, and I responded "you know why!" She said "because you know that I would have just told you to take mine." I told her that is exactly why. The trip was very fun and memorable. I love you and miss you mom.

Quit Delaying

Triton is the little angel pictured here. He will hopefully be the focus of this blog most times, but for those who know me can expect the off topic blog about golf, bowling and poker from time to time. My name is Jason, I am Triton's father and if his mother (Sheri) ever posts, I will have her identify herself, otherwise it will always be me posting.

The topic of this blog is about delaying. I have put off trying to start this blog until we had a family picture that was worth posting. I decided to just do it, because I am sure that I have wasted a memory or two by not posting and a picture can be added later on.

Triton is pictured above with food on his face and that is for a reason, he is a chunk. Adorable chunk, but a chunk nonetheless. He is almost a year and a half old and this picture is probably three months old. He is in the 70th percentile in weight and only about 10 percent in height. Thus he is short and fat! He isn't really that fat, when he was three months old he was in the 97th percentile, so now he is slim in comparison.

Triton, the name comes from "The Little Mermaid", not the fishing boat like his grandpa thinks. Growing up, I always watched The Little Mermaid at my grandma's house, she didn't have too many movies. After watching Matlock, yes that is how old I am, I watched Matlock, but I was probably only 10 at the time. Anyway, The Little Mermaid is a girly cartoon, true, but hadn't I watched it, I wouldn't have come up with my boy's name. He, like the movie, is my King Triton.