Ry and Coop Dot Com

As most of you are aware, we’re moving to Connecticut later this month.  The short of it is that my long commutes to ESPN headquarters, a changing job role and kids who’re growing up way too fast have made this a necessary move.

I’ll admit, not too much gets to me, but this move has been just a bit scary.  They say that movers and dentists have one thing in common, they have to yank things out by their roots.  I now know what they mean.

The purpose of this blog has always been to share the highs and lows of our family and serve as a reminder of how we (okay mostly I) was feeling during different stages.  It really has been a wild journey and the blog has been a way to look back and relive the moment, even if those moments were bad (Reading this post on Ryan’s topomax for example.)

So, I’ve set this all up to say that it seems scary to move to a new city and leave behind generations of family and some lifelong friends.  We’re only two hours away and plan to visit often so perhaps I’m adding a level of unnecessary drama.  Mostly though, change can be really good and one thing I’ve learned from starting a family with Jenn is that, as long as you’re doing something together, it’s less scary.

Which leads me to my last point.  What I’ve seen over the last year from my life’s partner is nothing short of amazing.  She’s supported me through four reorgs and five new bosses at work and helped me to realize the good situation I have at work.  More importantly though, she’s thrown her own career path into a cloud of unknown and helped me realize that our number one job is to be a parent.  Her sacrifices have shown a kind of unconditional love for me and a family that makes it obvious just how lucky I am to have her in my life. So on to Connecticut later this month and we’ll see where it takes us.  As long as we’re together, we’ll be fine.

Today Ry and I went up to the North Country Triathlon to watch my friends and co-workers, Blair Cullen, Cory Smith and Matt Restivo compete in a brutal Olympic triathlon.  For those who’re inclined to care, this was one of the most brutal courses I’ve seen in awhile.  The bike seemed to carry athletes over a literal mountain and then circle back to have them run over it again.

Ry got a kick out of the race and I, well I felt a slight movement toward getting myself back into shape.  I’m not sure if that movement was because of all the talented athletes, the look on Ry’s face as he was so impressed by the athletes or the fact that my gut was actually scraping on the ground.

Perhaps these old legs have one more go-around…. we’ll see.

Dear World:

 I’d like to reintroduce you to Scotty the Lizard/Dinosaur/Crocodile/Alien (Never really sure which.)  We’re going through some old boxes in our basement and out flushes this monster from the past.

Now, before I continue, I’d ask you extend an ounce of palliation for the large wet stain in the mid-section of this otherwise very cute picture.  We’re trying….

So Scotty.  Scotty was born to this earth over 30 years ago by the hands of my great grandmother.  Yeah, so if you’re a fan of this blog you’ve met GG (The Earl Weaver Look-a-like) and this would be his mother!  So, yeah there are some years and generational power behind this seemingly simple doll.  Scotty has traveled across this country and even secretly (I’m so ashamed to admit) made a stop for a few years in my closet in Geneseo.  Once, Scotty even helped me do a keg stand!  So now, with some trepidation, I am passing Scotty on to his new owner… may my eldest son treat Scotty with the same reverence that I have.  May he also experience the thrill of passing him on to his child.  May Scotty also stay pieced together long enough to enjoy his next keg stand!

When fighting forest fires, many firefighters will actually set smaller brush fires in an effort to destroy potential fuel that could feed the larger fire.  This is called a backfire.  It seems painful and counterproductive but, in the end, is a time-tested method.

I educate you on the use of backfires so that I can deliver this story from this past weekend.  Jenn and I had a garage sale and we decided to sell a few unwanted items.  One of those that became very difficult to part with was Cooper’s baby set.  I swear it was literally yesterday afternoon when Cooper was born and maybe two or three days ago when Ryan was born.  As I look at pictures of the baby furniture and some of the toys that Cooper is “too old”to enjoy, I finally get what older parents have told me.  I remember being in the grocery store trying to wrestle Ry into the cart and this old man, in sort of a Hollywood moment, came up to me and said “Don’t worry, it’ll all be over before you realize it and you’ll look back and say ‘wow, that was way too fast.”

Four years ago last Sunday I walked into the NICU unit to meet my eldest son for the first time.  At the time the doctors told me to focus on his health and feedings and that his 4 pound 1 ounce frame (he had lost three ounces from birth!) would eventually catch up.

So now, a half million “shake-a-booties” (instant carnation shakes with whole milk) and all the broccoli a human can eat later, our little man has found himself squarely and safely on the growth chart!  In fact, he has now joined the 2% club!  Only 98% of the population of 4 year old children are heavier than him!  Weighing in now at 29 pounds, this is an achievement we celebrate in the Austin household.

Cooper, weighing in at 23 pounds, is fast approaching his older brother.  It is said that, among the hippopotamus population, weight carries a certain dominant trait where the leaders of the pod are typically the heaviest.  With that said, at my current growth rate, I should remain the dominant male in this family for some time.

I’m not usually one to pontificate on things of which I have limited or no knowledge but this advertisement really stuck out at me.  “Our Prices are Insane!”  Insane? You can pick from one of three definitions.  “Our prices are not of sound mind” or “Our prices are having the characteristics of someone who is mentally deranged” or, my personal favorite, “Our prices are utterly senseless.”  The point is, I can admittedly see where they were trying to go with this ad but they really should follow the golden rule of advertising.  A cute baby with a thumbs up is all you need to endorse your business!  Don’t get clever with the English language, it’s a hard language to use correctly!  Just stick the baby on  your advertisement and watch the money roll in!  Oh, and Coop is available for cover shoots.

Ryan has taken to not taking afternoon naps anymore, though it’s clear that he still needs them.  In an effort to help him fall into slumber, we’ve taken to having him watch “baseball” which is Ken Burns’ documentary on the sport.  Typically, he’s fallen asleep.

Last night, as I was walking into my hotel, I saw two kids who were about 15 race past an elderly man who was walking into the hotel.  They moved so quickly that the door nearly slammed in the old man’s face.  It was there that I realized that with the fall of baseball comes the fall of America.  Then, I realized that I could do my part by making sure my kids know the game for what it was.

It’s a bold statement but here it is.  In this steroid-ridden, big money, expensive ticket and sushi in Yankee Stadium era, baseball has lost track of its history and tradition.  Baseball was a sport where blue collar workers to take their family and, before the era of big TV contracts, the regional teams were as popular as the national teams.  It took hard work, dedication, a bit of luck and teamwork to win a baseball game and everyone who played the game always respected those who played before.  The distance to home plate from the pitcher’s mound was always the same, there were always 9 players on the field and a batting average in 1881 was the same as a batting average in 1991.

The American dream was very similar.  You could work hard and carve a niche out for yourself in 1881 and, in theory, the same could be done in 1991.  Now, for many, they’re out looking for the quick way to success.  It’s a different time.

Baseball has been a game of tradition and a game of history.  It’s been a common bond between people, cities and generations.  As we lose baseball, we lose America.  So, this weekend, pick up a ball and bat and give it a whirl… see if you’ve still got the connection to baseball.

As I understand congelatio (Frostbite), the body actually pulls available blood sources from your various non-essential body parts (though I might take exception to some of the body’s definition of non-essential) and moves that to the heart and brain, in an effort to maintain core temperatures and keep the life sustaining organs as safe as possible in extreme conditions.

Today, Jenn is at an all day school function, as she was yesterday.  It happens once a year where her students gather to compete in the New York State School Music Association’s solo festival.  A side note, these brave kids actually play their instrument of choice in front of adult judges who critique their style, sound and musicality…. impressive!

So, like congelatio, I’ve made the executive decision to pull back resources on this 90 degree day and focus on life-sustaining measurements.  I’ve pulled back the resources necessary to dress the boys, clean the house, walk the dog, feed myself and the list goes on.  Today, I’m focused on making coffee and making sure the boys don’t seriously injure themselves.  Is this a sign of a bad dad?  At this point, I’ve pulled the resources necessary to make that determination.  If, God willing, the boys take a nap at the same time, I’ll contemplate that.  Until then, I’ve got to go stop Cooper from riding the dog.  #Keepittogether

I’ll admit, the title is designed mostly to get your attention but, to some degree, it’s true.  It sucks that so many died during the Civil War that we had to have a special day, Decoration Day, dedicated to their memory.  It doubly sucks that so many more have given their lives since 1860.

It sucks that we have to have a holiday dedicated to the memory of our veterans when, really, Americans should take a moment every day to thank their veterans.

It sucks that we have all, seemingly, lost someone close to us.  It sucks that we lost Tim Moshier.

It sucks that we need a military at all.  It also sucks that we don’t give our troops everything they need to be safe and successful.  Enough of the politics.

I didn’t intend for this to be a lecture on how we should live our lives. There are definitely days when things get so crazy that I don’t remember the sacrifice that our men and women in the Armed Forces have made for us.  Dare I say that there are entire weeks that go by where I don’t think of it and I’ve had the benefit of a constant reminder in the loss of a near-brother.  

So perhaps, this Memorial Day, I’ll tip my cap to those who continue to defend this country and reaffirm my commitment to honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.  Perhaps I’ll go fishing with the boys today with my newly acquired fishing license and be thankful that the biggest stress in my life will be if the fish swallows the hook.  I wonder how many fathers on the banks of the Euphrates or Tigris Rivers can say that?