Slowly getting back to normal...sort of.

We are slowly beginning to do things we used to do before Otto was born.

Yesterday we managed to watch a little TV. We've left the house a handful of times. We've even been walking Ralph.

It's obvious, though, that nothing is quite the same as it was before. For instance, even as a type now, it's mostly with one hand because the other is holding a drunk looking, milk stained miniature grandpa in his monkey pyjamas.

I've even started reading again. I have an exam I'm studying for. In fact, when it comes to Otto, this exam has given me more stress than anything else. More than crying, more than diapers, more than sleep deprivation (which I'm a little bit used to anyways.)

This is my licensing exam. It's only in May, but I've done the math, and if I want to get through most of the examinable material by then I should start studying...about two months ago. When we broke the news to some of the people I work with that we were going to have Otto in September the response was a muted, "oh?"

As in, "You mean right before your exam?"

As in, "So there's something wrong with you?"

As in, "Well, you can always write the exam next year...I guess."

It was a concern. And Trisha and I talked about it. We've let my chosen career dictate how our lives go for way too long. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job but I've given up a lot of stuff for it. I've lost friends, I've forgotten how to play guitar, I've gained weight and then lost weight and then lost hair and then gained ulcers. So we decided, enough. Having kids is important to us and we want them now so we're going to have them. And that's it.

And guess what, last night alone (between burping and rocking to sleep) Otto and I read about asthma and reviewed all the relative and absolute contraindications for fibrinolysis in stroke and ST elevation myocardial infarction.

We're going to be okay.

"C'mon, Dad! Keep reading! My pampers ain't gonna pay for themselves!"

I swear this wasn't set up. Trisha found Ralph like this just after lunch. I guess he may be more jealous than we thought.