I'm less full when I burp

At dinner tonight, one of my daughters (to remane nameless) was enjoying her food and said "I'm less full when I burp". Then, a little later, another one chimed in saying the same thing. Man, the things you learn when you pay attention to your body! What a crack up. :-)

11/25/2010 – Thanksgiving in Seattle

We spent thanksgiving with the grandparents in the Seattle area this year. I sure move me some turkey and trimmings. Let’s see, we did so many things, here is a short list: avoided a big ice storm by travelling on Thursday morning instead; enjoyed a great thanksgiving feast (thanks to g’ma and gm’pa); had a snowball fight with the kids; Melissa did some early-morning black Friday shopping (got some great deals); saw the new “Megamind” movie (I liked it); attended my nephews’ High School basketball games (both of them also participated in the 3-point contest…great shooting runs in the blood); drove the icy streets to the gym for an early morning workout (walking from the car to the gym’s front door was the trickiest part); got haircuts at aunt Iris’ salon (she does a great job); and had a great lunch at the Seattle waterfront. We got a great picture of a seagull with a starfish in it’s mouth. It was a great thanksgiving. Looking forward to a memorable Christmas season.

Oh yeah, did I mention the Boise State at Nevada game? Now that was worth staying up late to watch!

11/20/2010 – Blazers vs. Jazz

First off. The shot by Nic Batum shown here was sicktacular. Wow. That was worth the effort to go to the game in itself.

My bro-in-law and nephews made the annual pilgrimage down to see the Blazers and Jazz play. With all the news about key injuries (Oden, Roy), it’s been downright depressing to watch them lately. This game was actually a fun one as it stayed very competitive and the Blazers leading through most of the game (I also really like to watch Deron Williams play). But, then the Jazz were shooting red-hot in the 4th quarter, sealing the deal for a Jazz come-from-behind win. CJ Miles just could not miss from downtown at the end. It was actually pretty amazing to see. I think most Blazer fans are feeling similar to how I am right now. We are in a bit of shock, not wanting to believe that our two primary sources of hope (Oden and Roy) are damaged and are likely to never achieve what we’d hoped for them/us – primarily due to injuries. Bummer. But we have to get past it. Losing key games is no fun, either. Man, am I glad the Ducks are playing so well (ranked number 1 in the BCS standings for the first time ever). It distracts me from reality.

11/19/2010 – Clara’s birthday

It’s hard to believe, but wow…Clara has turned 3! She had a fun, small party at our house with a few friends. We also had a little family cake time with her as well. She is really becoming a very opinionated little girls. And man, is she good at articulating her opinion! You know right away if Clara approves or disapproves! This can be good or bad, depending on the situation and the personalities involved. Sor the most part, it often makes us laugh (well, not always). Happy birthday, Clara!

11/14/2010 - William’s blessing

It was really special to see all the family members gather to celebrate our son’s entrance into the family and give him a name and a blessing as he enters mortality. I take these blessing very seriously and think long and hard about what a new child in today’s world would need to hear in a blessing (I recorded it and plan to transcribe it so he will have it when he is old enough to understand). However, a peculiar thing happens when the blessing actually begins. My mind goes blank and I simply speak from the heart and by the spirit. I don’t think I said much, if anything, of what I had thought would be “good”. I just say it as I fell it. Honestly, I’m glad this happens, because I feel like it’s coming from a more pure place, rather than my rational brain.

Anyway, I was so pleased to see the family gather and hang out for a while at our place. My sister even made a special additional trip from Seattle so we could swap a couple kids and allow them to have additional cousin time. Family is everything.

11/9/2010 – Blazers vs. Pistons

Moriah and I went to the Portland vs. Detroit game. It amazes me that this Detroit team is almost the same team that won the championship a few short years ago, but with just a few tweaks in the roster and a different coach, it really is an entirely different team. Interesting how that works. Moriah had fun and we split a frozen lemonade, as is our tradition at games. But they switched from the Minute-Maid brand to Nestle, which is not as good…and man did Moriah notice. She was really disappointed that her frozen treat was not as good as she remembers. Kids at sporting events: It’s all about the food!

10/30/2010 – Halloween

Since Halloween fell on a Sunday this year, the trunk-or-treat at the church was a major event. Even though it was raining, people turned out by the droves, man! We went through $40 worth of candy in just a few minutes. We had to close up shop! The girls dressed as: a vampire rocker, a “good witch”, a cheerleader and a fairy. Even William got in on the action, wearing his little skeleton outfit. Me, I was not in costume, but friends called me “guy in denial”, since I was walking around in shorts/t-shirt in the cold/dark rain. But hey, I felt great! I must be from Oregon.

10/30/2010 - Soccer season party

I had a blast coaching 1st grade girls soccer this year. It was challenging for me simply because I’d never really experienced it from any perspective really. The girls had fun and I got some very nice compliments from parents after the season. Most importantly, some very helpful parents stepped up in a big way. It made the experience really fun for me. And the coaches gift at the end of the season was unbelievable. Myself and all 3 asst. coaches received some very nice (and expensive) Nike-Livestrong Air Max shoes. I couldn’t believe how generous that was. I love the shoes. Coaching also made me realize that getting some good coach training/certification would make me a much better coach. Lots of learning and lots of fun. But whew…I’m glad it’s over (for this fall anyway).

Dad, are we upside-down?

I’m driving with our kids after sundown one day last week when a thoughtful question comes from the back seat. “Dad, are we upside down?” said Moriah. I respond: “Not that I know of. The car is driving on the road like normal. What do you mean, sweetie?” She takes a moment to put her thoughts into words, then says, “Well, during the day time, we are closer to the sun and on the top of the world. But when it gets dark, that means we are on the other side of the world and we are upside-down, right?” My first reaction was to explain gravity, etc. But then I got to thinking about it, and maybe she’s right. Hhhmm. One of those imponderables.

And you thought this was a question about the LTV ratio on our mortgage.

October 14, 2010 - Low Carnitine in the blood

After the previous post, the next day we got a call regarding baby's carnitine level. Normal is "25". His level is a "4". So, there may be some issues we will have to deal with. Thankfully there is a supplement for boosting the carnitine in a child, so we'll be giving him that 4x/day for a while. Hopefully this does the trick and the 3MCC will not have much affect on him. It's tough to bring one of these little spirits to earth without "some" issues. He really is such a cute little fella.

October 12, 2010 - Baby Health Issues

Our baby boy has had some issues to work through in his first few weeks of life. First, he was a bit jaundice. We had a jaundice child 10 yrs ago and the primary treatment was placing her under a special UV light to allow her to absorb the rays and eliminate the elevated bilirubin count in her blood. This time, the docs had us wrap him in a special fiber-optic blanket that has a neon-looking green glow to it. He could not take it off except for diaper changes and the like. It is plugged into a special light production box that resembles a computer, so he was not very mobile. It was expected that he would only be on this blanket for 24 hours, but it turned out he was in it for nearly an entire week. It appears the jaundice is mostly behind us.

The more significant issue he’s dealing with was suspected to be a rare form of a metabolic deficiency commonly called “3-MCC” (3-methylcrotonyl CoA carboxylase). This basically means that he is missing an enzyme that does not break down leucine (found in foods with protein). This enzyme essentially filters out harmful substances from the bloodstream. The potential effects on the child is that he may not process proteins correctly, thus not get specific types of energy that his body needs to thrive. 3MCC children are known to get very sick from simple, regular sicknesses like a cold or fever. It is likely that we will have to learn a whole new world of dietary needs. These were some of the many concerns floating around our heads as we tried to figure out what is going on with this deficiency.

HOWEVER, after a bit of research and getting more and more worried about the situation, our time to meet with a metabolic specialist came on October 12th…and we were basically told not to worry about it. Apparently most 3MCC children never have any significant symptoms and that we will simply need to monitor the carnitine levels in his blood. That’s a key indicator, which even if it does get low (not likely), it is easily treatable. So, it’s a big ... wheeew, that’s a relief! We were very happy to discover it may not be a big deal at all. If it does happen, we’ll be prepared. But it is great to know we’ll probably have a happy, healthy little guy. Sometimes these newborn screenings can uncover issues which can make parents worry more than necessary. I am glad we were able to gain some perspective by meeting with a specialist. Because the online reading I did about it made it sound like a “big” deal. Rare, yes. “Big deal”, probably not. But I am glad we’re aware of it and know it’s there in case it becomes an issue.

October 3 2010 - Pride and the Nutcracker

General Conference weekend was last week and our family enjoyed most of the proceedings together. Some of the talks really struck a chord with me. Particularly President Uchtdorf’s talk about pride. He was reiterating the sentiment of Pres. Benson’s talk in 1989, but with his own signature on it. It really hit me hard that pride is a constant threat to my well being. He specified that “taking pride” in something, like your work, is different from the pride of comparison and “one-upping” pride that can be so destructive. It can be self-glorification or it can be jealousy. It can be seeing weakness in others and comparing it to yourself; then the leap of “therefore, I am better than you.” This topic really affected me and is causing me to reevaluate some of the things in my life. He said “We have no time to become absorbed in ourselves”. I’m grateful to have inspired men leading us today.

On that note, there was funny moment when I paused the conference for something while one of the speakers was delivering his address. Our 8-yr old daughter looked at him and said, “Dad, why does he look like the nutcracker?” I looked at the screen and the double-chin action and overall look. She was exactly right. Now I can never look at that person again without thinking about the “nutcracker”. Kids speak the truth, my friend.

William is born

Our baby boy, William Michael, was born yesterday, Tuesday, September 21, 2010. We've been through baby births a few times, and I tell you, it is special every time. William was born at 1:53 pm weighing 7 pounds, 8 oz and measuring 19 inches long. Mommy was cool, calm and collected through the process. She is amazing...probably in a lot more pain and discomfort than she lets on. We really struggled settling on this little guy's name(s). Lots of ideas, but in the end we knew he was William Michael. Both 'William' and 'Michael' are family names. His sisters have already started to refer to him as "Will".

William seems to be a very 'relaxed' baby, although it is only day one. I also got to witness the circumcision today, which was a new experience for me. It is a really simple procedure. It was kinda sad to see him in pain, but it really wasn't as bad as I imagined.

The girls are really excited to have a baby brother. They all want to hold him and see his little hands, feet, etc. Yup, this guy is going to be spoiled by his older sisters.

Any day now...

Melissa has been REALLY ready to have a baby lately. Due date is this week and man, she has been enduring all kinds of discomfort. I’m so grateful for women and the stuff they go through to bring a life into this world. Man, it can be downright miserable at times. She has been induced for every baby birth, but this time she’s really been feeling like labor was coming naturally in the last week or so. But, now that we’re the day before scheduled induction, it does not look like naturally induced labor is in the cards. Late last week she kept telling me “today is the day” and to be ready to rush to the hospital on a moment’s notice. Well, that emergency didn’t come and it looks like we’ll have to wake the little fella up to get him to come out and play.

We’re really excited for baby boy to join us. I’m just so grateful that it appears everything is “normal” and no reason to be concerned for health issues, etc. Life is good. Tough times, but truly, sincerely good.

9/18/2010 - Bridal Veil Falls hike

Saturday morning we had a few hours before the 1:00 soccer game, so I grabbed 3 little ones and headed up to the Columbia River gorge for an “easy” family hike to bridal veil falls. We stopped in downtown Portland at Voodoo doughnuts, just to see what all the fuss was about. As advertised, the line to buy a donut was wrapped around the front of the building. Then it was confirmed: a $1 donut, hyped into a $2 donut. Now I know. But the kids sure liked the monster-shaped donut they picked.

Bridal Veil falls is a nice, short little hike. The thing that surprised me was the elevation loss/gain. It’s a short hike, but you descend quickly, then climb back up on your way out. We took some great pictures at the bottom of the falls, then started back up the trail. But…then I noticed…darn, where are my glasses? I know I took them off briefly to take a picture, but they’re not in my pocket now. Where did they end up? I dropped them somewhere.

Long story short, I looked for 30 minutes or so, bummed about the situation. Then I said a prayer. After the prayer, I tried my step-by-step logic again, but added a twist: what if they fell off my head while adjusting the kids for a picture? Well, I had been searching around quite a bit in the area, then it struck me…it’s possible they could be in the big 18-inch pile of gooey-green sea-foam here. Maybe. I extended my arm into the goo and started feeling around. Something felt like a twig, and I felt around to find it again and pulled it out: My glasses! As simple as it sounds, I really felt this was an answer to my simple prayer. It was also cool that my 3 youngest girls were able to see it unfold. They saw daddy get an answer to his prayer. I don’t know if they’ll remember it for long, but even Clara understood. She re-told the story again the next day and it shocked me how detailed her version was. Even the 2-yr old knew what was going on. That was really cool. Oh, and the falls were really cool, too.

Speed workout (track training)

I am now starting to add speed training to my workout routine. I know I should be doing more of this, but I've basically been cheating and counting basketball as my interval training. I also will often run suicides and time myself after playing, etc. But I know dedicated speed training will be good for my overall fitness and race performance. So, I went to the track yesterday and here are the times I came up with:

40-yrd dash: 5.56 seconds*
200m: 0:32.4
400m: 1:08
800m: 2:41

*Note: I was wearing long distance running shoes for my 40-yd time. I will try again in cleats to see if it affects my time.

This was a good start for getting a feel for my speed. I found myself noticing whether or not I am up on my toes or rocking on my heels, things like that. It also teaches my muscles to give more output when they are feeling maxed out, full of lactic acid and screaming to quit. I think I'm going to enjoy this aspect of training, at least a couple times a week. I'll find ways to improve on the times above. My body had some similar "post-race" symptoms of back pain and the like, so I can tell it pushes me to the limit when I am racing against the stopwatch.

September 5 2010 – Labor day hike – Little Zig Zag Falls

We spent a great deal of labor day just prepping our house for the new baby coming. After two soccer games and a number of tasks, I decided I wanted to take my little ladies on a hike. So we hopped in the car and hustled up to Mt. Hood for a quick hike. It was worth the effort. Although a short hike (perfect for young kids and a pregnant wife who decided at the last minute she wanted to come), the falls are really a stunning site when you fist walk up to them. We went a little while there, Moriah and I hiked up above the falls for a few minutes, then I shared a short message from the scriptures with the girls. Basically, the thought was about Moroni and when he was wandering alone for so many years, he probably found some beautiful places like this near water and pondered the important things of life (pride cycle, becoming more Christlike, etc). I also mentioned Alma teaching and baptizing at the Waters of Mormon. It was a fun day hike and a great way to cap off an eventful summer.

September 4 2010 – Moriah’s baptism

Moriah’s baptism was special occasion. Both grandpa’s spoke and both grandma’s helped with the music. Aunt Heather Witnesses were bro. Fink and bro. Jensen. She was welcomed into the ward by bro. Risenmay. In her typical somewhat-shy way, Moriah really just took it all in without saying much. I was able to perform the baptism ordinance and was touched as we embraced after she came out of the water. She’s a good kid trying to do the right thing. It was a special day for our family.

Also, we took some outdoor family pictures just before going to the baptism. That’s becoming a tradition for us, as we took family pictures on Emery’s baptism day as well.

September 3 2010 – Moriah’s birthday

Wow. Moriah is 8. Time is flying. I am so proud of the little woman she is becoming. Her big hope for this birthday was to get a pet, preferably a frog or a lizard. Due to some particular issues that might make that a bad decision, we decided to surprise her with 2 hermit crabs. I am surprised at how cool I think they are. When I bought them, I was surprised at how they look and act. They are actually pretty interesting little creatures. They like to climb, change shells, etc. She’s having fun bringing them out of their cage daily and playing with them. Her party was a success, although not exactly what we had hoped. She wanted to use the pop-up pool in the backyard, so Melissa planned a big “luau” themed party. Unfortunately, my pool maintenance skills are not up to snuff. I keep trying to add chemicals, shock it, etc…but it keeps getting algae growth and I have to replace the water. Aarrgghh. That comes along with another set of issues, so we decided to skip the pol and have a slip-n-slide party in the back yard. Still did the luau action with games, Hawaiian music, etc. Tried to teach the group of friends how to hula dance with a DVD, and it was funny to watch, but I’m not sure they were totally in to the idea.

Later, my parents and I headed down to the aviation museum and were able to spend 10 minutes or so just looking at the Spruce Goose and quickly walked around the floor before they closed. They got a feel for what a quality museum it is and plan to spend a full day or two in the near future.

For Moriah’s birthday dinner, we went out to Red Robin. That was fun. When the staff sang to her, she stood up on the table and beamed out at the people in the restaurant. She was so happy and proud of her birthday. Another funny thing was what my dad ordered. He said he wasn’t very hungry, so he just ordered an oreo milkshake (ice cream) and french fries. He said he didn’t realize that the fries would be so big, but he downed the whole thing. Since they don’t have fry sauce there, I showed him the old bbq sauce/mayo/ketchup combo and he was hooked. I told him he ordered his food like a teenager! And he loved the meal. You just never know.

Happy Birthday, Moriah! It's hard to believe...where has the time gone!?!

August 13 2010 – Ball visit

My sister and family visited for a few days to attend her 20th high school reunion. It was a blast having them in town – they have children with similar ages to ours, so it was an instant party! We spent one day at the beach (Pacific City). It was a rare day that the temperature got above 80 at the beach, and there were a TON of people there, considering the usual size of the crowds. We climbed the sand dune at Cape Kiwanda. I’ve climbed at least 6 or 7 times now…but wow, now that was some HOT sand on a hot day. It felt like my feet were going to burn right off. On the top, Emery had a defining moment. She was whispering to me “I did it!” She was so proud that she got up that dune. It was a tough climb, and the hot sand made it miserable for all of us. But we persevered, and especially Emery. It was a very cool moment for me. I was so happy for her and was so glad she was feeling so strongly about it. On the way back down, I’ll never forget Dovie and Andy whooping and hollering as they raced down the dune. Good times. Then we went over to Tillamook and toured the cheese factory. Cool stuff.

After arriving home that night, Dovie went to her reunion activities while Andy and I took the kids to an outdoor movie. A friend of mine has rigged a big screen in his cul-de-sac and showing movies on summer nights. So we saw “Honey, I shrunk the kids” outside. Fun times.

On Saturday, we got to head down to the aviation museum in McMinnville where the Spruce Goose is on display. The kids had fun. I was most really impressed with the quality of the museum and all of the amazing things they had inside and outside the place. The IMAX movie they show as really cool, too. It was a fun weekend with family.