eddiecanuck.com

Well that didn’t take much longer.  So 2 days, well technically 3 days, after my last post the new Canucks arrived.  My wife went in for an ultra sound on Valentine’s Day and they decided it would be best if she didn’t leave.  She ended up with Preclampsia, so bad that they felt she needed to get the babies out on the 14th.  So I got the call at work at around 2pm.  Off I run to get everything set at home, and then off to the hospital.  She was induced at around 6pm on the 14th and at 3:44am and 3:46am on the 15th, Eleanor and Cairo were brought into the world.  Ellie weighed in at 4 lbs, 13 oz, and Ciaro at 4 lbs, 6.5 oz.  Both ended up spending some time in the NICU as they were preemies (made it to 35 weeks).  Ellie got up to speed much quicker and was able to come home on the 20th.  Cai is still there as he’s having a little bit of an issue with some arrythmia problems.  Sounds like it’s managable but still something we will need to get trained on and watch for. 

Luckily with Ellie being a preemie, she’s actually not quite ready to be up and awake much.  So she’s on a 4 hour feeding schedule that allows us to get some decent sleep.  We’re told not to expect that to continue much after her actual due date comes as she will then be a newborn and want to destroy our sleep schedule as much as possible.  So we’re enjoying it while it lasts.  And now, on to the good stuff.  The pics!!

Cai eyes open     Ellie and Cai     Ellie in the Hospital     Ellie Sleepy

Update: More pictures:

Mom and Cai 1   Mom and Cai 2   Mom and Cai 3   Mom, Cai, Ellie 1

Mom,Cai,Ellie 2   Mom and Ellie 1   Mom and Ellie 2   Mom and Ellie 3

Cai’s Faux Hawk

Hmm, October eh?  That’s a while back.  Well the update… the little ones are almost here.  Yes you read that right ONES not one.  Twins.  We found out in our 5th month.  For those of you, like I was at the time, who are pregnancy ignorant, that is quite a ways to be along before finding out.  Yes we had ultrasounds and exams before that, but they didn’t catch it until then.  So after the initial shock wore off, who am I kidding I still don’t thing it’s totally worn off, and both our parents telling us twins run in our families, we are getting things ready.  We are actually about a week away.  Original due date was March 20th, with twins you are normally about 4 weeks early, which brings us to now.  The nursery is all but done, the basement alas is not.  Progress has been made but way too slowly.  Mostly my fault, but life does seem to eat up the time.  Anyway, hope to have a bedroom and family room done shortly. 

My wife has done an amazing job at getting educated about not just being pregnant and giving birth, but the whole twins thing.  She’s bought about every book on the planet I think.  I do need to get reading a few of them myself.  Maybe on some of those sleepless nights that are right around the corner.  And the stuff!!!  Man the stuff you need is unreal.  It’s not just some bottles, some blankets, clothes and a stroller.  You need sleepers, and onesies, and receiving blankets, and swaddling blankets, pacifiers, indoor stroller, outdoor stroller, car seats, basinets, changing pads, the list just keeps going.  And don’t forget, twins, so TWO of most of that stuff.  We did find a good dual stroller that we can use with the travel car seat carriers.  So that helps quite a bit.  But still.  Yikes.  And I did just purchase this:   DadGear Diaper Vest.  It looks pretty cool.  I’m hoping it is.  I’ll write up a review when I get it.  Simply because I’ve only found ONE other review on it.  Would be nice to hear from some people on whether or not they liked it. 

What else?  Oh yeah, we finally traded in the old POS Passat, it was WAY on it’s last legs, for a 2004 Dodge Durango.  It’s a nice ride, and in keeping with the debt free way, it’s paid for.  Which in this instance is a good thing.  With twins on the way we don’t need payments.  But we also couldn’t have twins ride in the Passat.  There just isn’t enough room.  I’ll post pics of the twins next week or so when they are actually out of the womb, for those that care.  For the rest, I’ll see if I can’t rustle up some humor, although with all the sites out there it’ll be tough to find something that isn’t already out somewhere. 

In the meantime, for those who have an annoying co-workers you can’t get rid of try this.  WARNING: not safe for work.

Okay, so the whole bi-yearly update isn’t working so well.  Been a little busy, oh heck I’ve been busy and haven’t felt like updating.  Anyway, no new jokes or anything.  Although there are a couple I might pilfer and post.  I did go back through recently and update a TON of broken links.  Apparently during one of my upgrades I lost a bunch of links.  All the humor type stuff and pictures should work again.

As for me?  Still doing the debt free thing, can’t believe I did it any other way before.  I highly recommend trying it out.  It’s worth it.  What else?  Oh yeah, gonna be a dad!!  The wife and I finally did it.  Actually been trying for a LONG time (and not just practicing either).  So we’re due March 20th, or there about.  Going to wait to find out what it is.  But that means re-doing the budget, finally getting that dang basement finished out so we have room for people and stuff, making a nursery, and just generally getting things in order.  So for those that know me, there are the big doings so far.  Lots of little stuff, but nothing worth posting here.  Who knows, I may get the bug to start updating this thing more often.  Still haven’t figured out what I’d update about though.  Guess I could post things bitching and complaining like everyone else.    Who knows, maybe I will

Oh, and GO FLAMES!!

I figured since it has been QUITE some time since the last post I’d try and pour something out.  I was actually going to write some witty banter on my big news of ‘06, but of course I’m not that witty.  Oh, the big news (for me at least, you all probably don’t give a rat’s ass) is that I’m debt free!!!  No more credit cards, no more vehicle loans, none of it.  The only thing left is the house, and that’s gonna get tackeled next. 

Some of you may be wondering (then again some of you may not), “how did you do it Eddie?  Was it debt consolidation?  Did you win the lottery?  Make an appearance on Deal or No Deal?”.  Nope.  None of it.  Just plain good old fashion determination, work and patience.  With a LOT of help from Dave Ramsey.  See he has this program where it makes it very attainable to get out of debt, stay out of debt, and build wealth.  It’s not a quick fix mind you.  If you really want it, you’ll have to change your lifestyle.  But I gotta tell you, it’s so worth it.  My wife and I have committed to no longer borrowing money.  So all you damn credit card companies can quit bugging me dammit.  If we don’t have the cash we don’t need whatever it is.  Anyway, there is a lot more to it, hit the site for the details.  It really could change your life.

Lets see, not much else worth writing about.  Muddling along as usual.  The start of a new year though, so hopefully some good stuff is coming along.  I may actually start posting a little more.  Who knows right?

Got this alert in an email.  Better gear up, it’s becoming an epidemic:

Manitoba (Canada) Herald

The flood of American liberals sneaking across the border into Canada has intensified in the past week, sparking calls for increased patrols to stop the illegal immigration. The actions of President Bush are prompting the exodus among left-leaning citizens who fear they’ll soon be required to hunt, pray, and agree with Bill O’Reilly.

Canadian border farmers say it’s not uncommon to see dozens of sociology professors and Unitarians crossing their fields at night. “I went out to milk the cows the other day, and there was a Hollywood producer huddled in the barn,” said Manitoba farmer Red Greenfield, whose acreage borders North Dakota. The producer was cold, exhausted and hungry. “He asked me if I could spare a latte and some free-range chicken. When I said I didn’t have any, he left. Didn’t even get a chance to show him my screenplay, eh?” In an effort to stop the illegal aliens, Greenfield erected higher fences, but the liberals scaled them. So he tried installing speakers that blare Rush Limbaugh across the fields. “Not real effective,” he said. “The liberals still got through, and Rush annoyed the cows so much they wouldn’t give milk.”

Officials are particularly concerned about smugglers who meet liberals near the Canadian border, pack them into Volvo station wagons, drive them across the border and leave them to fend for themselves. “A lot of these people are not prepared for rugged conditions,” an Ontario border patrolman said. “I found one carload without a drop of drinking water. They did have a nice little Napa Valley Chablis, though.”

When liberals are caught, they’re sent back across the border, often wailing loudly that they fear retribution from conservatives. Rumors have been circulating about the Bush administration establishing re-education camps in which liberals will be forced to drink domestic beer and watch NASCAR races.

In recent days, liberals have turned to sometimes-ingenious ways of crossing the border. Some have taken to posing as senior citizens on bus trips to buy cheap Canadian prescription drugs. After catching a half-dozen young vegans disguised in white wigs, Canadian immigration authorities began stopping buses and quizzing the supposed senior-citizen passengers on Perry Como and Rosemary Clooney hits to prove they were alive in the ’50s. “If they can’t identify the accordion player on The Lawrence Welk Show, we get suspicious about their age,” an official said.

Canadian citizens have complained that the illegal immigrants are creating an organic-broccoli shortage and renting all the good Susan Sarandon movies. “I feel sorry for American liberals, but the Canadian economy just can’t support them,” an Ottawa resident said. “How many art-history majors does one country need?”

In an effort to ease tensions between the United States and Canada, Vice President Dick Cheney met with the Canadian ambassador and pledged that the administration would take steps to reassure liberals, a source close to Cheney said. “We’re going to have some Peter, Paul & Mary concerts. And we might put some endangered species on postage stamps. The President is determined to reach out,” he said.