IT To the Rescue!

Well the past several nights I was stuck...  My blog lost its comments section! Now in my job I do a little IT work but when it comes to my blog I trust my IT guy... "Rob"  We have been friends for since we were kids and he's done everything from advise, to tutoring math (I'm sorry I just don't like math).  He's also given me many wise words and has always just been around and we never lost touch.

Well when I started this blog I got a lot of good advise from lot's of people and Rob did a lot of work on it with me.  I spent a lot of time with him and showing him idea's and having him help re-write  some of the coding.  He is also helping me with the upgrade I am currently working on for the site.  Im in the mix of upgrading the site!  Which I'm working very hard on but still have more to go.  See Rob's blog his work is  really awesome.  But don't steel him, he's my IT!!!

So when my blog goes down or when I look to edit and change it, it's Rob to the Rescue!  Well after checking the site over and over I called upon him for help.  Long story short it was the coding...  You know all that back end stuff we know exist but can't read.  All those symbol's and letters, numbers and characters put together looking like somebody just hit their hands on the keyboard!

So long story short I thank you Rob in the IT Dept. of If the Juice is Worth The Squeeze.  You have saved my yet again!  So to everyone out there remember how thankful we need to be for the people that know computers and IT dept!!

Thank you so much my friend!!!

A big Thank You to all IT men and woman Around the Globe!!!

I hope everyone is well...

Love

Christopher

Winter Blues

    This weekend we got hit with the winter blues...  I picked up Quinn on Friday and she wasn't feeling well.   She had a hard time going.  It was a learning and difficult time being a single parent and seeing your child not want to go.   I know I don't see her as much as I want to so sometimes as a single Dad I just feel my daughter doesn't want to go.  After we get moving and home she opens right up.  As a single parent we have lots of obstacles to overcome but one of the hardest is just not seeing our children as much as we did.  We go from spending time with them daily to just a few times a month.  Even after over a year after since I've moved out it still to this day it is still so hard to sometimes think about.    

    We had our HFM night setup. Hughey came over and we had dinner.  The typical Friday night spending with Quinn and friends has been so helpful.  Saturday we got up and spent the day inside.  The weather is still cold and there isn't any snow on the ground so its just one of those difficult times of the year.  We did some Daddy Daughter bonding and hung out.  Aunt Ro and Hughey stopped over. We had some dinner and watched Toy Story 3.  It was a long time since we saw my aunt.  We played some games like memory and did some coloring.

    The game was so fun!  See pics below.  You color the pictures then point to the top area up top where there are icons.  Each icon is set to the paper.  Then after the picture is all colored and each spot on the picture has been linked to the sounds you hit the play button on the game and it plays back all the sounds in order telling a story.  Its really amazing and fun.  She was a little young for it but we had fun.

    Later that night her cough started up again. :(  Poor munch had a cough all night.  She was so good.  When she's in bed she looks up at me and goes "I will stay in bed daddy, I won't get up".  I just say baby its okay don't worry...  When i put her to bed i try to get her to stay in bed because she comes into mine which is okay but I'm also trying to get her used to her bed as well.  It's a tough to think about because again not seeing her as much makes, well I guess I don't mind if she jumps in.  She's just so damn cute.

    Sunday we just hung out again.  She was up all night with her cough and I wanted to keep her resting.  Kids feel better the next time but they don't realize their bodies are still not fully over it.  We had a good breakfast and lunch and went outside for a walk around the block.  I wanted to get her out because she kept asking so we took a walk and got some fresh air.

    We then watched a movie and played with her toys!  We made a small party with her stuffed animals.  Its very interesting to see how well she plays as I'm watching or I may have the TV or music going.  We played together and then cleaned up.

    The weekend was amazing.  I can't wait to see her Wed.  I just can't believe how fast it goes.  My hear sinks on Sunday's sometimes when I write post because I know it will be a couple days before i see her again.  My Aunt told me when my brother and I were younger we would visit and go crazy and run around and they would go ohh my god when are they going... haha  But she said when we left my grandma would say how quiet it is and how much she missed us.  I feel that so many times.  Even though she runs around and gets so excited and when I bring her home I sit down and rest lol.

    But in the end I sit here lonely missing her run around and just sit with me and hug me.  I look towards things like family and blogging...  For my single friends and fellow bloggers I encourage you all to keep the faith and push forward.  Spend as much time with your kid(s)  as you can.  When you do have them spend every second of your time just having fun and showing them you love them because when you have to bring them home the quiet space is all you have...

Always remember...
You are never alone...
I love you,
Chris

PS.. I have no idea but my comments link is gone so... Not sure why or how but i will work on getting it back up so you all can post again.  Sorry!
I will inform IT!!!

HFM!

Saturday we did some movie watching

Rested up and just chilled.

Hughey and Aunt Ro stopped over

Hughey was my Tech Guy

This was the coloring game!

We played memory

Where are those two?

Sunday we did some coloring

Played with our toyes

Here's my girl...

The Winter Presses on...

It's Sunday and I finally got home.  I spent the weekend at my buddies house because I worked the weekend and it was easier on my gas tank.  Plus I love spending time with him.  There were a lot of people over and it was a lot of fun.

Tonight Hughey came over and we had dinner and just had watched a movie.  I work a few doubles this week and then i have Quinn, wed and next weekend...  As i continue to work on updating my Blog  and work for the new release i am getting excited.  I have lots more but i may release it early.  I have to get with my IT department.  (aka my buddy Rob)  But it is getting close.

I can't believe its still winter.  I don't really mind it I would like to turn my furnace off some day! Ohh well.  The long nights and days without Quinn have gotten easier but they are still hard.  For those of you with kids in break or divorce i hope you are all doing your best to keep pushing through.  It just doesn't seen fair when you pick them up and then done, the time is over...  UGH....

It just takes time my friends. Time and a lot of just deep thoughts.  I think a lot at work, how my little one is doing and what she is up to.  Lent is coming up.  Ash Wed is one of my favorite services.  I have Quinn so I get to bring her which is nice.  This weekend I'm not sure what we are up to.  I will let you know though.

Well until next time, I hope you are well if i know you or not remember I love you... and you are never alone...

Love
Christopher

Popi's B-Day!

This weekend was my dad's 62 Birthday!  I started off with Quinn By just hanging out at the house and relaxing.  Hughey came over and we had some dinner and hung out.  Saturday it was really cold out!  It didn't really snow till Sunday but we got dressed up to got out.  She wanted to just stay in.  

It was pretty nice just to take a weekend and stay in and just catch up with some hanging out.  I had some things planned but I wanted to bond with my daughter.  It was also like 16 deg out so we took it easy and stayed warm under a blanket!  

Sunday I woke up and cleaned out the driveway and we went to church.  After we just hung out some more on the couch with puzzles.  We then went over to my parent’s house for dinner and celebrate my dad’s b-day.  We played and hung out and then ate and did dessert.  It was so nice to have the family over, my brother and Aunt were there and enjoying our company as well. 

It was funny this weekend I noticed Quinn is trying to get away with more and more things.  I would tell her to put her snack on the table not the couch and noticed if I looked away she slowly tried to get it on the couch lol.  I also noticed at my parents house she had a cookie before dinner and noticed I saw her and she moved out of my sight! Haha it was sneaky but cute. 

The weekend again is just to short.  It’s hard on Sunday to drop her off it feels like I just got her.  Well Feb break is next week so I’m going to email her mom and see if I can have her my Sunday into Monday and have some extra time.  I we get to split her that week but with work it’s just to hard.  It would be really cool to finally have her on a Sunday night. 

When I dropped her off I was unbuckling her and started to cry.  She went “its okay Daddy I’ll see you tomorrow.” I just looked at her told her I won’t till Wednesday.  She rubbed my head and said it would be okay.  Sundays… Fuckin hate em’ some days…  How awful to drop your child off after a weekend and know is going to be days till you see them again for a few short hours, then knowing it will be a full week till you see them again.  I guess I’m just having a bad night…

All dressed up!  But we decided to stay in...

We made some dinner!

Chicken and cheese raps!

Uncle Kenny!

Hanging out with the birthday boy.

One of the shirts we got for Popi!

Here is everyone!

Happy Birthday!!!

Enjoy the Pics.

Love

Christopher

How to tackle bedtime...

Hello everyone,

As I continue to work on my blog and get it ready for it’s big opening I took some time to post about how single parenthood his going.  A chapter I will blog about is bedtime.

         Every since Quinn has been staying with me bedtime was always an issue.  She never wants to go to bed or when she does she gets up and tries to come downstairs or go in my bed.  I usually let he stay up with me a little just because I know she doesn’t see me that much and we deserve some bonding time but bedtime is bedtime!  After I get her ready and read a book I usually rock a little and then put her down. 

         Typically a few times a night she gets up and asks me if she can go in my bed.  I tell her she needs to be in her bed.  I continue to do this even if it takes a couple times.  Eventually she does listen and fall asleep.  It can’t be easy having two beds, one at moms, and one at dads.  I can’t imagine what she is going through even though she is young and doesn’t fully understand what is going on. 

         Usually I wake up to her by my bed or I hear her whimpering in her room.  This for a single dad that never really see’s here child is just heartbreaking…  I don’t know how else to say it.   I lie in bed and wonder does she need to be in her bed to get her used to it?  Is sleeping next to me going to spoil her?  I wonder, but I usually call out, “Quinn” and I hear this sweet little “Yea” I go “you wanna lay with dad?”  Then she goes “Yea”…  Your child is your life and when they come trotting in your heart just melts… 

         This little person just wants to be next to you because they love you so much.  When they come in holding their little bunny and blanket your can’t help but melt.  She jumps up and lies down and is such a little happy person.  She is so happy to be hanging out with her dad…  She then gives some orders like “ok daddy you sleep” haha so she jumps in bed next to me and now gives orders?  Haha sure ok…

         I try to at least have her start off in her bed and stay as long as I can because I am trying to get her used to her room but I also know one day she will want to go straight to her room and not pay attention to me so I like to take advantage of just spending time with my daughter while I can. 

So some tips and tricks I offer are.  Get your child ready for bed and make sure they know they have to go up.  Get them ready and make it fun.  Be excited about brushing your teeth and reading books.  Rock with them and hold them if you have a rocker.  The closer they child gets to be with you like holding and rocking the closer and more comforting they are. 

         When or if you go back downstairs or in another room keep the music or TV low and just keep an ear out.  If they get up bring them back and just advise they have to sleep in their bed.  Or if you want tell them its to early to go to your bed.  Or that they start in their bed.  Keep doing this till they fall asleep.  Now if you have your child more you may want to have them in their bed more often but for the parents that don’t get to see their kids as much, well I usually advise more leeway is okay. J  I mean if its going to be days till you see your child again this is nothing wrong with you spending time with them… 

         Find your nitch and let me know any tips or pointers you have!  I would love to share them.

Ok so I snuck a quick pic in!

Always remember,

You are never alone.

Love

Christopher