Friday, November 11, 2016

Remembrance Day 2016

"To you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high"

John McCrae wrote those words many years ago, and they're particularly relevant this Remembrance Day.  With everything that's happened this year, it's sometimes hard to feel hope for the future.

In these trying times, I implore you: Remember that there are things like honour and decency.  Remember that our ancestors gave themselves to save us from oppression and preserve our freedom. Remember that even if you're not in the military, you can still take up the torch and fight for the same things those brave men and women believed in. You can end violence, racism, and misogyny without resorting to the use of any of the three.

Thanks folks.


Tuesday, February 2, 2016

4:30

I've heard the jokes for years that parents of babies don't get any sleep. It's one thing to hear those stories and believe them. It's another to live through them.

Amelia woke up crying and I brought her to bed so Amanda could feed her, then I tried to go back to sleep. I must have succeeded, because the next thing I heard was Amelia crying from her bed again.

Amanda told me she had fed, changed, and burped her, but Amelia wouldn't go back to sleep. So I got up, picked up Amelia, and went to zap some water so I could try giving her water, formula, and/or pablum in that order.

By the time we were settled on the couch with her sippy cup, she had calmed down and was quite happy to have some water. Then she was fine. But in the process, she had woken right up. So I spent over a half-hour walking with her and singing quietly to her.

I thought she was asleep, but then the ice maker in the fridge rotated its arm that keeps the ice loose, and startled her. Later I put her in bed and she woke up and started fussing again. So we walked together again. Finally I got her to asleep about ten minutes ago. I've been awake for about an hour, and Amanda was up with her for a while before that.

Here's the kicker: from the sound of things, we don't have it bad compared to a lot of other parents. So I'll be yawning my head off at work tomorrow, but very aware that it could be much worse.