Books, books and more books!

It seems as though the baby guide book industry is similar to travel guides or wedding planning books. There are so many books out there. In our less than 950 square foot home we have 8 books and Melanie mentioned that she still wants to get one more. The titles are the following: Your Pregnancy and Birth, What to Expect When your expecting, The Vegetarian Pregnancy, The Girfriends Guide to Pregnancy, The Baby Name Wizard, Expecting Fathers, Your Pregnancy Week By Week, and The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook - whew!

These books talk about what you can and cannot eat, what to expect from your body, when to buy new clothes, etc. It is similar to the guide books I have used in Latin America. Where to eat for the best deal, what market to hit, what to expect when you board a chicken bus, don't drink the water, traveler's stomach flu. There should be a book called How to Raise your Kid in South Philly.

We are off to Boston this weekend. Since Melanie and I both lived there for two years, we are heading up to a friend's party. It is a quick trip fly out Saturday morning and back on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing how much the city has changed.

It is Christmas time in South Philly. It is always a good laugh to see how people decorate their windows. Some of our neighbors have moving deer, but they are locked up with bike locks so no one can steal them.

Heart Beating and Eagle Landing

Yesterday was the second visit to the Doctor. I am starting to make more observations in what takes place in the waiting area. There seem to be a lot of men with the expecting moms. Obviosly none of them are there for their annual pap smear. As I look around, I try to guess where they couple lives in the city and what sex their child is. Perhaps some of them think, "Is that South Philly Dad over there?" We heard the baby's heart beat and it was over 140. The doctor mentioned that there is an old wives tale that if the heart beat is over 140 it is a girl. We shall see....

The eagle has landed -- my father that is. Grandpa got in yesterday afternoon and we took him to his first Viantanamese restraunt last night with our friends Bill and Melissa. There were five of us, but the table we sat at was set for six. I seemed as though that sixth place should have been for my mom. At the same time, it is set for this baby arriving this spring. Thanskgiving will be spent in Philadelphia. I got my free 17 lbs turkey from Acme, hopefully it will defrost in time. Otherwise we will pay turkey bowling on Greenwich Street.

My fans are saying that I need to update this blog more often. I will mis amigos.

Election Day - Get out and VOTE!

Election day is one of my favorite days. I remember back in 1992, I voted for the very first time at East Elementary School (the same elementary school I attended growing up). The debates were heated at my house, as my father considers himself to be a Republican and, since turning 18 I have been a Democrat. I remember one day I came home from school and there was a Bush sign in the yard, it made me furious. My first time voting, gave me a chance to do my homework on the issues and debate them at home with my father. There have even been a few times when we have even agreed on issues as well (which is a shock). The second time Clinton was up for re-election, I was in Granada, Spain. I made sure that my absentee ballot was sent in long before leaving the States.

On a trip through the Madison airport this summer I ran into Russ Feingold, as my dad would say, one of those liberal Democrats from Wisconsin. My high school youth group took a trip to Washington, D.C. our senior year, and I remember meeting Feingold briefly. Of course I had to say something when I saw him in person. I mentioned that I voted for him in 1992 and asked him if he was running for President. He smiled over the president part, “we shall see,” he said. When I got back to Philadelphia, I sent him one of my handwritten notes. Melanie hates when I do this, because they usually never write back, and she considers it a waste of a stamp. I have sent Christmas cards for the past three years to Charo, Dolly Parton, Bill Clinton, and Governor Rendell, and never get anything in return. However, Feingold did write me back and encouraged me to keep in touch with his campaign headquarters.

My voting booth is only ten steps from my house in South Philly, yes friends I counted. I am looking forward to going to the election booth with this kid 18 years from now, and hopefully the “Republican gene” will not come through.

Cement Boy

Grandma Snyder was a spit fire and always had an answer for everything. She enjoyed her family and giving my sister and me what she would call her little lectures on her soap box.

Since I have lived in a city for most of my life after college, she would often refer to me as her “little cement boy.” She never could understand why someone would want to be in the city and walk on cement all the time. She often told me that I should take off my shoes and walk in some grass every once and awhile. At the same time, she always got a kick out of it when I would call her from a business trip in New York or just have a conversation while doing errands in Philadelphia. To keep her silent (which was never an easy thing to do), I once sent her an envelop of grass.

I am sure if Grandma was around today, she would shake her head at me and have some sort of comment regarding having a child in cement.

All Saints Day / Day of the Dead

A friend of mine reminded me that yesterday was Day of the Dead "el dia de los muertos." Although I have been to Mexico several times for work or vacation, I have never been there for this celebration. Melanie and I have talked about taking a trip to Oaxaca during this festival, and I am sure we will do it one day. Oaxaca is one of my favorite cities in Latin America. We spent our honeymoon there.

Dia de los muertos is a day to celebrate those who are no longer with us. Several alters are created and it usually includes four main elements of nature -- earth, wind, water, and fire. Earth is represented by crop, wind is represented by a moving object, water is placed in a container for the soul to quench its thirst after the long journey to the alter and fire is represented by a wax candle. It is believed that during el dia de los muertos, the dead come back to visit those still living.

As many of you know I lost my mom to cancer this past August. The whole thing is sad, and I think about her every day and how much she would have loved to be a grandma. I always think of my mom as a pioneer. She loved being involved in her community, was curious about the people she met, and enjoyed the simple things in life. During my mom's funeral, my sister Laura came up with a Top Ten list for my mom. I think it is a good guide to raising a family as well:

Get involved in your community
Work in your garden
Travel, but make sure you do your research before you leave
Communicate with your husband or wife
Give your children wings and let them fly
Have a sense of humor
Try new things
Accept and get to know all kinds of people
Never Give Up
Smile and drink water