Stay-at-Holmes: Tip of the Moment #3

This is actually a pretty good one I picked up and put in my survival toolbox. Audiobooks. If your like me and find that long, regular walks can get fairly boring or that trips around town set your mind a wanderin',grab some audiobooks. Keep one in the car stereo and another in your portable and you'll find yourself absorbing all sorts of random stuff that if only one thing will impress that little human you've been toting around when he/she grows up.

The Diaper Dilemna: Waste vs. Wash

So we've invested in a grip of reusable cloth nappies (diapers) in an attempt to reduce waste. Indeed, disposables generate a significant portion of landfill fodder. The reusables are also cheaper in the long run, being paid off in 2.5 months and only add a minimal amount to the already constantly running laundry machine. The biggest downside is of course the inevitable intimacy one aquires with the childs own waste. Oh well. There is another interesting option for those out there with a soft spot in your heart for the environment; a burgeoning industry such as this one in Christchurch.

Every Man Has an Island

I had a dream last night in which I rose from bed at some queer hour. I marched outside like a zombie to pee off the edge of lawn and stared out over the city lights below. To the east the moon cast a soft glow on the water of the distant bay. To the west at even further scope, snow capped peaks radiated from dark blue phosphor. North held no perceived wonder and behind the mountain somewhere to my south I knew the Southern Cross lay pinned to the night sky. The utter stillness caused my crown to buzz like a transistor and in all this dream I soon declared myself, King of Aotearoa.

Mr. Mum says "Happy Mummer's Day"

Happy Mothers Day to all you "real" moms out there. As a Mr. Mum I can say with all sincerity that you certainly earn this day of honor, and although I can relate to certain day to day things like swaddling your sons or diapering your daughters, there are indeed things I will never experience. Like leaky breasts for instance.
So I tip my hat to you moms, and swill this beer (while my son's mom is working), for without you this Mr. Mum would just be Mr.
And to my mom, you are the best mom I ever had. Keep on momming and grandmomming, day by day, by day.

Little Man Laughing...

Couldn't resist to post this little gem.

Breakers beat the Taipans! (Burger King beats McDonalds)

OK so it's not the Lakers versus the Celtics, but when you live this far from the birthplace of basketball, you get what you got. The New Zealand Breakers made history on Friday night by winning the NBL Championship in Auckland to a sold out crowd of 4200.

And just WTF is a Taipan? Just one more reason to visit New Zealand instead of Australia.

One difference between the NBL and the NBA, aside from the blatant display of sponsorship, is that the losers  get a second place trophy and have to sit on the court while the winners celebrate. Sure its good sportsmanship, but it kinda reminds me of playing in little league, where of course there are no losers. Good lesson for Little Man I suppose.

On a final note, the game was broadcast on cable and not the free TV where apparently you could watch an uninterrupted 6 hour broadcast of some wedding in England. Get your priorities straight NZ. Royal pain in the arse.

Easter in Glacier Country

Here in New Zealand, Easter has a much different meaning than in most places I can think of. Instead of preparing a home cooked meal, watching the kids scurry for hidden eggs or wake up early for mass, they do a little hunting. Most of the locals actually pack up and get out of town on the last vacation before winter really takes hold. We chose the latter of the two activities and  headed west across the Alps and then south once hitting the coast. The road is often windy (curvy) and the rain was relentless at times. But we finally made it to the Franz Josef Glacier. It is quite impressive even under the less-than-perfect weather we experienced and Little Man did quite well on the road and really learned a lot! I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

Breaker...Breaker: Basketball Diaries

Big ups to the New Zealand Breakers basketball team for winning their first final game ever. The Kiwis are now only 1 game away from winning a best-of-3 series against the, you guessed it, Australians (of course all the other teams in the league are Aussies). It would truly be sweet as to see the Breakers win the first ever NBL Championship for Aotearoa.

On the baby front, little Logan will likely be headed back to the library tomorrow for the Lakers game and some solid picturebook study.

Stay-at-Holmes: Tip of the Moment #2

This tip is related to cooking. Whenever handling hot peppers such as jalapeno, habanero, etc., don't attempt to change a diaper without thoroughly washing your hands. Caught myself a couple of days ago and averted a fiery surprise for little man.

The Best First

All you parents out there can relate to my reaction to a child's first real laugh. Little man had a chuckle fit yesterday that gave a glimpse into his wee personality and put a smile on my face. They change and grow so fast.

Here are few quotes about laughter...

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.
Woody Allen

Everybody laughs the same in every language because laughter is a universal connection.
Yakov Smirnoff

The more you find out about the world, the more opportunities there are to laugh at it.
Bill Nye

I would not exchange the laughter of my heart for the fortunes of the multitudes.
Kahlil Gibran

Does anyone remember laughter?
Robert Plant

When you see something funny, one thing you might do is laugh.
Mr. Mum