husband, father, brother, tech fanatic, fledgling entrepreneur and generally an okay guy...
Primarily develop web-based applications using Microsoft technologies (ASP.NET, SQL Server, WCF, jQuery)
Specialties:
SQL Server 2005, 2008
Visual Studio 2005, 2008, 2012
ASP.NET, VB.NET, C#, XML, JavaScript, AJAX, XML Web Services, WCF
jQuery
CSS
IBM Cognos BI
Payroll, Time and Attendance, HRMS
Emerald Team Beachbody Coach helping people get fit with P90X2, P90X, Insanity and Shakeology. FREE coaching and advice.
Lead developer of Workforce Management software project, which includes Payroll, Human Resources, Time and Attendance and Training Modules, IBM Cognos Business Intelligence, primarily focused on application design and architecture.
Programmer Analyst on OpenWeb team that represents the backbone of the company's online loan application software.
Prepare and execute Unit Test Plans, Flow Diagrams.
Established team development standards for SQL Server Stored Procedures.
Create and maintain VB.net code for both front-end and back-end services.
Create and maintain XSLT translations that act as primary user interface for end-user.
Create and maintain SQL 2000 stored procedure and functions.
Since the start of the school year, I have been shuttling the older kids to school in the AM on my way to work. It has been nice to stick around the house in the morning and see everyone before I leave. On most days, I used to get up and leave for work before the rest of the house was even out of bed.
Earlier this week, Grant decided that he was going to drag his feet and complain about the requirement of his winter coat and hat... We generally go through this same argument, it seems like each morning, with him finally succumbing to the inevitable. However, on this day, I decided I wasn't going to argue with him and just simply leave.
I gave him the benefit of the doubt and about as slowly as I could backed out of the garage and down the driveway and even paused a few moments before hitting the button to close the garage door, but there was no sign of him emerging, so away we went.
As we were pulling away Makayla said something to the effect: "I guess Mom will have to take him today", somewhat nonchalantly. I later found out, that as soon as he saw us driving down the street, he immediately went into a crying fit and was: "Ready to go to school now."
Sorry Grant, Move It or Lost It...
Hopefully, he now knows that I will in fact leave him behind on days that he is dragging his feet.
If I happen to have a car seat in each hand and someone passing by catches my eye, they love to stop and peer into the car seats and get a glimpse of the girls. Usually they comment on "how cute" they are or "how sweet" or "precious". Then they look at me and typically ask: "Are you guys getting any sleep?" or "Are they letting you sleep?"
I always feel a bit guilty when I reply with a "Yeah, they've been pretty good." since it is my wonderful wife that is the one getting up and down with them during the wee hours of the AM. I will occasionally get nudged into diaper duty prior to her feeding one or the other or BOTH...
I know I can only due so much while they are at this stage, so I usually crawl back into bed and have hardly any trouble getting back to sleep. I usually have no idea what happens between that time and the next feeding, unless, of course, I am nudged again.
I think I owe Debbie about a week or two worth of rest at this point and I am probably only going to dig myself into a deeper hole... So with that I'll just say: "You are an AMAZING woman and THANK YOU!"
And now....photos of me sleeping...hey at least I have one of the girls in my arms.
While much about the process of diapers and how they go on and off hasn't changed since our son Grant was in diapers, quite a bit about the actual design and functionality of diapers has.
We were fortunate enough to get several packages of diapers from family and friends even before the girls were born. The majority of them were the Pampers Swaddlers brand and style. I've already lost track of how many we have gone through in the first month, but it is well into the 100's and probably closer to 1000.
I didn't realize it until after several diaper changes, but a little blue line was present down the front of the diapers. Apparently this is some sort of wetness indicator, and allows me, the diaper changer, to know if the wearer has a wet diaper without going through the hassle of removing it. Brilliant!
However, after I began to think about this, I can see this was just a ploy by the diaper companies to get me to use more and more diapers. My wife, would see the blue line and say: "Oops, time to change your diaper".
In the past, you might not notice if they had a little tinkle hear and there and it might save you 1 or 2 diapers on any given day. Now...you see the blue line, on goes a new diaper...times two for us.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - Proctor & Gamble!
I am sure that little blue line is the most wetness sensitive piece of plastic/fabric on the planet.
While I know they technically received baths while we were still in the hospital, I tend to consider a baby's real first bath when it is done at home.
I think that we may have waited a day or possibly two before giving the girls their first bath, I mean really how dirty can they possibly get while sleeping? Both of my other children had a birth weight of over 8 lbs, so that is the last memory in terms of size that I can recall. Alice and Grace both came home under 6 lbs and while that may not sound like that much difference, in percentage numbers, it is 25% smaller!
At first they were pretty ticked off that they were undressed and being held like a watermelon. Since the cord was still attached, we opted for the sponge bath, this was not comforting for either of them to say the least, but we pushed through it and they both survived.
This year we proposed to our older kiddos an offer: We could buy them a new costume for less than $20 OR you can make you own costume and we will give you $5.
At first the $5 bribe appeared to entice them until they stepped into the costume aisle of course...
My oldest daughter's (7) Halloween costume of choice? "Sponge Babe"...Somehow it got mom's approval? Sadly, she does look cute in it.
My son's (5) Halloween costume of choice? "Red Power Ranger"...If I have to sit through another year of that show, I might cancel Netflix.
We haven't landed on anything yet for the twins, though I am guessing the $5 bribe won't work on them either...