We are getting ready for a long trek home and that takes a lot of planning with cats and kids. So, it has been a little busy. We all had a good Thanksgiving in Bethlehem with family.
I am hoping to work on creating a Christmas card soon as I would like to send them out before we leave. I will be creating my own and the most difficult part is creating a good scene; I am not creative enough for that (and lighting sources are bad).
Nolan is doing great! We experienced our first burn when Nolan was sneaky and grabbed the flat iron. Luckily he only touched it with a small part of his middle and ring fingers on his left hand. Although he cried for a couple hours, he is doing very good now and now knows the word band-aid. He also knows his name. I think he also tries to say it, but he only really says the first syllable of words now. He can also help us read books to him now! I am still working with him to learn colors and to count to two. His pictures from November are posted on our site (chrisandkacey.com/Nolan) and you can see that he loves to show off his big smile.
I probably won't be able to post much until later in January so have a Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
PC Remote Access
I am looking for recommendations for free remote access programs to use while I am back in Indiana over Christmas. I really only need file access, but can get by with desktop access only. For years I used Avvenu, but that was taken away last year, and I haven't needed anything since then.
I have used VNC in the past, but only inside my firewall. I have also heard good things about LogMeIn, but no real details. I currently use Windows Remote desktop within our home network.
Anything else you use I should consider? Any schemes through firewalls you have found secure and easy?
I have used VNC in the past, but only inside my firewall. I have also heard good things about LogMeIn, but no real details. I currently use Windows Remote desktop within our home network.
Anything else you use I should consider? Any schemes through firewalls you have found secure and easy?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Little Guy
Nolan is 16 months old. I wanted to capture/share what he has been up to. By the way, he is 21 lbs and 31 in.
We read many, many books. It is getting old because I now have them all memorized, but I will keep reading them as long as he keeps bringing them to me. (Secret decoded message, no toys for Christmas, just books). He can point out some new things. He knows most of his body parts (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, knees, hands, fingers, toes). He can now point out some shapes (circle, square, heart, diamond, triangle). We are working on colors now. Hopefully he will be able to do it by Christmas. We are also working on counting. He knows one, but I don't think he understands two yet.
He has also gotten good at balancing on my back for horsey time; he doesn't have to hold on anymore. It is hard for me as it feels like he is going to fall most of the time, but he doesn't fall. He can now climb up on the chairs and couch. The problem is he doesn't quite understand that falling will hurt. He can get down safely, but occasionally goes over the side.
Lastly, we finally bought him a toothbrush. Here is a picture of him learning and having fun with it.
Also, check out my YouTube channel for videos (http://www.youtube.com/phillipsrhit/). I uploaded him playing at the park last week.
We read many, many books. It is getting old because I now have them all memorized, but I will keep reading them as long as he keeps bringing them to me. (Secret decoded message, no toys for Christmas, just books). He can point out some new things. He knows most of his body parts (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, knees, hands, fingers, toes). He can now point out some shapes (circle, square, heart, diamond, triangle). We are working on colors now. Hopefully he will be able to do it by Christmas. We are also working on counting. He knows one, but I don't think he understands two yet.
He has also gotten good at balancing on my back for horsey time; he doesn't have to hold on anymore. It is hard for me as it feels like he is going to fall most of the time, but he doesn't fall. He can now climb up on the chairs and couch. The problem is he doesn't quite understand that falling will hurt. He can get down safely, but occasionally goes over the side.
Lastly, we finally bought him a toothbrush. Here is a picture of him learning and having fun with it.
Also, check out my YouTube channel for videos (http://www.youtube.com/phillipsrhit/). I uploaded him playing at the park last week.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Halloween Activities
This year turned out to be more than we imagined with Halloween. While missing Fall Festival at CGPC is a let down, there turned out to be 4 different free activities for us at MIT. I was going to write up what we did with pictures, but Kacey already did it. So, I am going to be lazy and just direct you to her post.
http://kaco1.tumblr.com/post/230359953/nolans-halloween-at-mit
All of our Halloween pictures are already posted at chrisandkacey.com in the Nolan section.
http://kaco1.tumblr.com/post/230359953/nolans-halloween-at-mit
All of our Halloween pictures are already posted at chrisandkacey.com in the Nolan section.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Are You Prepared? Keep Your Family Safe!
This past Saturday night at about midnight, the file alarm went off in our apartment building. Being a fairly new building, the alarm system here is top notch. We instantly knew it was a fire alarm, but living in houses our whole life, we both had the feeling that the whole thing was false. Why is this? In an apartment fire, chances are you can't see fire or smoke immediately. This is different from a house fire where you know instantly. So, we did some things wrong! (e.g. no coats or shoes)
On a side note, after the fire department cleared the building, Kacey worked to get Nolan back to sleep. Unfortunately, about 60 seconds after he fell asleep, the alarm went off again!
So the next morning, I realized we definitely failed the fire alarm. It was time for a plan and here is what I did. I started a small list of things we should and can easily grab. I realized that most of the things are in the diaper bag (basically provisions for the baby). Then the standard things for leaving- keys, wallet, phone. Additionally, while we have a fire extinguisher in our apartment, I didn't grab it during the alarm; in the future I will always carry it out with us. Lastly, Kacey and I discussed what we do with the cats. While we figured out a plan that varies based on who is home and where the fire is, I won't go in to details here. Email me for our decisions.
The next thing I did was talk to my bro-in-law Eric, a fireman, (thanks Eric!) about his experiences with apartment fires. After describing our building to him he confirmed that we are pretty good here. He mentioned that it is ok to lock your door behind you if you are unsure if there is really a fire. He also mentioned that our fire extinguisher should not be stored in the kitchen if it is our only one. So until we get a second one for the bedroom (so we can fight our way out if needed), it is moved out of the kitchen. He reiterated keys, wallet, phone, and provisions for a baby for 3-12 hours.
We now have a sign posted by our door with these items written down in marker:
- Keys, wallet, phone
- Diaper bag
- Shoes & coats
- Extinguisher
While readers may find this list very obvious, if you are in a new house or apartment, or have never thought about your fire escape plan, and have 30 seconds to react in the middle of the night, this quick exercise may prove to be extremely helpful in the future.
Some other things for you all to think about. Did you know that most smoke detectors only last 7-10 years? Consumer Reports just did an article about choosing good replacements if you think yours are too old (date should be stamped in to each one). Also, carbon monoxide detectors help you where you can't help yourself by detecting deadly odorless fumes. How many fire extinguishers do you have? If you say none, please go buy one today. If you say 1, think about where it is and where you may be during a fire. Lastly, get a fire safe! After years of putting it off, we finally bought one in March. It was less than $100 and holds passports, titles, SS cards, birth certificates, and backup DVDs I make every month or two from the computer. It is an easy thing to put off, so please consider getting one soon!
If you have specific questions, don't hesitate to ask a fire fighter. They love to help, that is why they do it!
On a side note, after the fire department cleared the building, Kacey worked to get Nolan back to sleep. Unfortunately, about 60 seconds after he fell asleep, the alarm went off again!
So the next morning, I realized we definitely failed the fire alarm. It was time for a plan and here is what I did. I started a small list of things we should and can easily grab. I realized that most of the things are in the diaper bag (basically provisions for the baby). Then the standard things for leaving- keys, wallet, phone. Additionally, while we have a fire extinguisher in our apartment, I didn't grab it during the alarm; in the future I will always carry it out with us. Lastly, Kacey and I discussed what we do with the cats. While we figured out a plan that varies based on who is home and where the fire is, I won't go in to details here. Email me for our decisions.
The next thing I did was talk to my bro-in-law Eric, a fireman, (thanks Eric!) about his experiences with apartment fires. After describing our building to him he confirmed that we are pretty good here. He mentioned that it is ok to lock your door behind you if you are unsure if there is really a fire. He also mentioned that our fire extinguisher should not be stored in the kitchen if it is our only one. So until we get a second one for the bedroom (so we can fight our way out if needed), it is moved out of the kitchen. He reiterated keys, wallet, phone, and provisions for a baby for 3-12 hours.
We now have a sign posted by our door with these items written down in marker:
- Keys, wallet, phone
- Diaper bag
- Shoes & coats
- Extinguisher
While readers may find this list very obvious, if you are in a new house or apartment, or have never thought about your fire escape plan, and have 30 seconds to react in the middle of the night, this quick exercise may prove to be extremely helpful in the future.
Some other things for you all to think about. Did you know that most smoke detectors only last 7-10 years? Consumer Reports just did an article about choosing good replacements if you think yours are too old (date should be stamped in to each one). Also, carbon monoxide detectors help you where you can't help yourself by detecting deadly odorless fumes. How many fire extinguishers do you have? If you say none, please go buy one today. If you say 1, think about where it is and where you may be during a fire. Lastly, get a fire safe! After years of putting it off, we finally bought one in March. It was less than $100 and holds passports, titles, SS cards, birth certificates, and backup DVDs I make every month or two from the computer. It is an easy thing to put off, so please consider getting one soon!
If you have specific questions, don't hesitate to ask a fire fighter. They love to help, that is why they do it!
Friday, October 09, 2009
Tumble Gym and other Goings On
Today I took Nolan to the tumble gym, Together in Motion. He of course loved it. He ran around for about 90 minutes non stop, kicked balls, and climbed on equipment. And, it was only $5. I will definitely be taking him every week now. Here are a couple pictures and a video.
Nolan has also been doing some other fun things. He can now give me 5! Kinda fun. He also has two molars in and probably another one or two on the way. His hand was the only thing that could reach his gums that far back, so his hands spent a few days in the back of his mouth. He understands many words and can point out many things. I am currently working on pointing out shapes with him. He can moo like a cow and roar like a lion. We are now on a new nap schedule; he goes down around 1:30-2pm and sleeps for 2 hours or so. I think he understands yes and no better, but he still doesn't always listen to no.
I try to get him to a park once or twice a week, at least while the weather still permits. A couple of times now we have stopped at the Royal Pastry Shop before the park to pick up a snack for after play time. Nolan loves the fig bars (easy to eat, not too messy, only $1)!
I climbed up!
In the tunnel!
Nolan has also been doing some other fun things. He can now give me 5! Kinda fun. He also has two molars in and probably another one or two on the way. His hand was the only thing that could reach his gums that far back, so his hands spent a few days in the back of his mouth. He understands many words and can point out many things. I am currently working on pointing out shapes with him. He can moo like a cow and roar like a lion. We are now on a new nap schedule; he goes down around 1:30-2pm and sleeps for 2 hours or so. I think he understands yes and no better, but he still doesn't always listen to no.
I try to get him to a park once or twice a week, at least while the weather still permits. A couple of times now we have stopped at the Royal Pastry Shop before the park to pick up a snack for after play time. Nolan loves the fig bars (easy to eat, not too messy, only $1)!
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Nolan The Goof
Nolan is being quite silly lately! Here are some pics and a short video of what he has been doing the past couple weeks. There is also another climbing video.
His "No No No" dance
Climbing in his high chair
Playing peek-a-boo
New method for eating cheerios
Just give me my pizza already!
Nolan brushing up on his o-chem
His "No No No" dance
Climbing in his high chair
Playing peek-a-boo
New method for eating cheerios
Just give me my pizza already!
Nolan brushing up on his o-chem
Million Dollar Ideas
For years, I have had what I call million dollar ideas. I have no idea if they are actually worth that, I am just putting the idea in context to others. These ideas usually come from frustration of no easier way to do things and I come up with an idea of how to do something better.
Sadly for years, I have also never written any of these down. I also have not tried to build anything in years. Not due to the fact that I can't as I am quite handy, I just loose interest after the idea. I even recall telling friends these ideas occasionally and saying to them "you can have that idea". I realized the other day that something needs to change.
I have now started a method of capturing these ideas. This will prevent me from forgetting as my memory is bad. This also lets me quickly view all ideas in the future to see if any more thoughts come to mind. I may also come up with a method to prototype something.
I have one idea I may try to make in the apartment as it should be easy and not require much building; I don't think this one is worth a million. I have another idea from last year that I still think every working, nursing mom would want to buy. I never prototyped but still want to do so!
Sadly for years, I have also never written any of these down. I also have not tried to build anything in years. Not due to the fact that I can't as I am quite handy, I just loose interest after the idea. I even recall telling friends these ideas occasionally and saying to them "you can have that idea". I realized the other day that something needs to change.
I have now started a method of capturing these ideas. This will prevent me from forgetting as my memory is bad. This also lets me quickly view all ideas in the future to see if any more thoughts come to mind. I may also come up with a method to prototype something.
I have one idea I may try to make in the apartment as it should be easy and not require much building; I don't think this one is worth a million. I have another idea from last year that I still think every working, nursing mom would want to buy. I never prototyped but still want to do so!
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