gandalf23

Star Wars ABC illustrations

How cool!

I think Glenda & Dean should decorate the nursery with them! The only problem is that there is no Chewbacca, and no Princess Leia

Free Range Kids

“Do you ever…
..let your kid ride a bike to the library? Walk alone to school? Take a bus, solo? Or are you thinking about it? If so, you are raising a Free Range Kid! At Free Range, we believe in safe kids. We believe in helmets, car seats and safety belts. We do NOT believe that every time school age children go outside, they need a security detail. Most of us grew up Free Range and lived to tell the tale. Our kids deserve no less. This site dedicated to sane parenting. Share your stories, tell your tips and maybe one day I will try to collect them in a book. Meantime, let’s try to help our kids embrace life! (And maybe even clear the table.)“

Got some phat loots for Christmas:

An El Paso Saddlery “Texas” gunbelt for cowboy shootin’
a gift card for Amazon.com
a half price books gift card (y’all know that this weekend is their 20 additional % off sale, right, so the gift card goes even further then)
several ornaments for a Christmas tree, including three Star Wars ones
a Star Wars calendar
a ryobi cordless drill
a knife blank
some WWII history magazines (not a gift, just passed along from a friend of dad’s)
a very cool airplane made from Indiana Jones Dr Pepper cans, that attaches to the ceiling fan. Works awesome, but as I usually leave my fan on high, I made the command decision to put it on the fan above the pool table as that one hardly ever gets turned on. I was afraid that the plane might fly off at such high speeds.
and a sledgehammer handle

also got some tamales to bring home
oh, and awesome Marion cookies!

Stopped by Wessika’s on the way home last night to drop of little Michael’s present. Helped Wes Santa assemble his bike. Kinda crappy: the tires had no air, and a pump was not included. It’s shockingly hard to find a store open that sells bike tire pumps on Christmas eve! Who knew? And you would think that the store would say “hey, you’ll need a pump, which we sell for $19.99″ so as to get more sales, but they did not. Santa needs to complain to the store about that!

Mom got a new telephone so that they’ll have a phone with charger up in the living room and they don’t have to run to the kitchen all the time, or forget to take the cordless back and it die.
She also got Gone with the Wind, the four dvd version. I am pretty sure she got more stuff, but I can’t recall what it was. She did not have a stocking out, so Santa was unable to fill it up with goodies!

Dad got a thing that let’s him digitize his slides so that he can put them on a CD or DVD or on a thumb drive and then watch them on their new tv.
he also got a new electric toothbrush, and some Lathe Learnin’ DVDs, and a really cool slide rule

I have no idea what Glenda got, other than a Mr Rogers parenting book, Season one of True Blood and The Muppet Show, and all the episodes of School House Rock!

Dean got a Harley Davidson/ Miller Lite can version of the airplane, a DVD of how to reload, a book on WWII shipwrecks in the Pacific, and the DVD of Victory at Sea. And some other stuff that I can’t recall.

Cousin Jordan got the book Road to Damascus and a multitool. Michele got the DVD of the Neil Gaiman movie Mirrormask. Cousin Jake got some molds for making WWII style houses and rubble and stuff for Axis & Allies, Cousin Joey got some John Ringo books and a pocket knife kit, and Cousin Kaitlyn got some Charles De Lint books, the first two collected works of Strangers In Paradise, and a thing of pepper spray, an insanely bright light, and a pocketknife, since she’ll be headed for college next year and might need those things.

We should be doing the big gift exchange next week sometime, so I’ll not mention what Cousin Melissa will be getting. We drew names to pick who we’d get. Which I thought was kinda fun.

Plans for kids sized pedal cars: Speedster & Zephyr

My cousins had the coolest toy gun when I was a kid. It was a copy of an M14 rifle, with detachable magazine, and it shot some sort of plastic dart/bullet. It was the bomb. At some point it became the toy gun that was left at our grandparents house for playing with out there. When they moved back here it became mine. And then my mom sold it at a church garage sale. (I think Todd Nevitt or his brother bought it, wonder if they still have it?) I was “too old” for it or some such crap. Anyway, since then I have looked, off and on, for a replacement. Now that I’ve got nephews and possibly a niece, the looking has been intensified, somewhat.

Well, today (err..technically last night, but for purposes of drama we’ll go with today) the search may be over! Sorta.

There is a place outside Houston that sells realistic toy guns and airsoft guns. What an awesome idea for a store!

And they have a toy M14 that shoots what look like smallish nerf darts!

And it’s only $20!

Dart Shooting M14 Rifle (They also have tons of other cool stuff, too)

It’s not exactly the same gun, but for now it’s close enough.

hmmm..should I get one for each niece/nephew? And send to to their houses? Or get two and keep them here? hmmm…maybe I need to get another footlocker for toy gun storage.

Completely unrelated, but how cool is this? A Stormtrooper costume for a kid!

(note the R2D2 costume for the infant!)

This is my newest cousin, little Nash Forrest Conn

He was named that so that his initials would be NFC (yup, the National Football Conference).

You can’t tell from the pictures, but he has cataracts on his eyes, I assume like Glenda’s. So they took him to a pediatric eye doctor and he was not too concerned, he appears to be seeing just fine, but there was an unusual rash, and they walked him over to a pediatric rash guy and they were quite concerned, so now little Nash is in NICU, and they are doing all kinds of tests and such to figure out what the heck it is.

Apparently.

The last two small children I have held screamed like banshees whilst I held them, then went immediately back into non-banshee mode when I no longer held them. Also, baby Jackson cried every time I tried to play with him. So I am some sort of child scaring monster, apparently. Quite sad.

EDITED TO ADD:

Once the child is about three there appears to be no problems. Maddy and Michael seemed to have no problem with me, so I guess I’m only scary to very small children. I suppose I should look on the bright side. No dirty diaper changing for Uncle Mike!

So what should little unnamed yet Baby Dearman be named? It’s an important question. Realizing, of course, that I have just about zero influence, here are some of my thoughts:

Mike, Michael, and Michelle are right out: too many in the family.

Glen could be good if it’s a boy. Deana or Diana maybe for a girl.

No names from characters on Sex & The City, Desperate Housewives, or Charmed. There will be waaaay too many of them running around.

Also no stripper names, please. No Bambi, Candi, Staci, Traci, basically nothing that ends in an “i”, or make you think of a brass pole.

I do kinda like Barbara or Laura.

Vivian is good, but Adam & Tab named their little girl Vivian, and that would be awkward. So…

There are a lot of Williams on our moms side of the family. Also a lot of Hughs on dad’s side. So they are both out. Although it would be cool to name a boy Hugh Jasper. That way his Uncle Mike could call him “Hugh Jass” I would anticipate that never, ever, getting old. For me anyway.

Fisto is right out, I know because well, it’s not a real name, and also because they were both horrified that little Michael was going to be called that. Although both still call him Fisto, which I find hilarious. So maybe Fisto? Nah, Ortseq! (that was Wes’ first EQ character’s name: Destro, a GI Joe Villain, spelled backwards, but with the D replaced by a Q) I am guessing that Ingtar is right out, as well as Molon, Kham, Gham, Verrin, Aviendha, Avarhin, and…damn, can’t remember my other character’s names, which is probably for the best, really. Anyway, I’m guessing Glenda will veto any names from books that contain swords, dragons, or magic use on the cover.

I think that the name should start with an A or a J. Why? Well, Glenda and Dean are three letters apart, (D, E, F, G) so the little kinder should be three from one of them, which makes it A or J.

I like Amelia, but I think Jen is planning on using that for her little girl, if she should have one, and that would be awkward at best to have two friends girls running around with the same name. Amanda, Adam, Amos, Abigail, Alyssa, Anastasia are all good, but I really like Audrey if it’s a girl.

James, John, Jackson (although there is a cousin and a Flaa named Jackson), Jennifer, Jane, Janet (hmmm…Interplanet Janet? so maybe not so good), Jamie are all good, I think. I kinda like Jennifer, maybe Jennifer Grace? Which has tons of nickname possibilities: Jenny, Gracie, Jen, and of course: Little G, or maybe littlest G (since John calls Glenda “Little G”)

hmmm…maybe it should ban an A and a J? Like John Adam? Or Audrey Janet (ugh, don’t like that, but you get the idea)? Amanda Jane sounds better.

Edited to add:

It was pointed out that both Glenda and Dean have a “D” middle name, so perhaps littlest D should also. hmmm…David, Denise, Darrin, Danielle, Dorothy, Dominique might be cool. Also a plus to having a D middle name and a D last name is that another nickname could be DeeDee. You have to think about these things.

Of course there is always Seven or Soda.

Speaking of “S”s, Sydney is good.

Today is Maddy’s birthday, Tina & Todd’s little girl. She is three.

Happy Birthday Maddy!

Since the parents have been told now, I can officially announce that I should be an Uncle at the end of April. Glenda is 6weeks-ish pregnant.

They say that first time parents go a little crazy and extra protective and buy tons of crap and first time grandparents are that way, too. Well, this is my third Uncle-ing, so I don’t think I’ll be going too crazy. Although, I’ve already drawn out designs for three different treehouse/forts. One is a castle, which I think would work for a boy or a girl, one is a giant robot, and who does not like giant robots?, and the third is an elephant and a giraffe. They all look good on paper. And each would have a water cannon of some sort. The most elaborate would be the giant robot, as it would incorporate anti-personal water sprinklers which could be activated from inside the fort as well as the water cannon mounted on the head or shoulder. The elephant’s trunk would, of course, be the water cannon on that one, and the giraffe’s neck would stretch out and that what the swings would hang down from. The castle may not have a water cannon, but a water balloon launching catapult or trebuchet. Ideally it would also have a black powder cannon, but that might be hard to get past the zoning board. Or Glenda for that matter.

Since there is no idea yet on the sex of the baby, no idea on names. I have, however, suggested Awesome Incredible as the first and middle names. What couldn’t someone do who’s name was Awesome Incredible Dearman? Nothing, that’s what, someone named Awesome Incredible can do anything. Although I just noticed that the initials spell out AID, so that might not be good after all. Darn! Of course, nothing wrong with Michael or Michelle. Although Glenda has stated in the past that she knows “too many” Michael’s, whatever that means, so probably not going that route. Maybe Glenda Junior if it’s a girl? We could call her Glen Joo.

Also like the idea of David for a boy, and something with a “Da” in it if it’s a girl. That way the three of them could be called Gleanda. You know, like Wes and Jessika are Wessika, and then Wessicle (rhyms with popsicle or bicycle) when it’s Wes, Jess, and lil’ Michael, and Glenda and Dean are, of course, Glean, so… Grandpa Dearman will not, however, be Gron (Grandpa Ron), but just Pops. Probably my madre will not be Granny Nannie, but just Nannie, and Dean’s mom will be grandma, and my dad granddad. Or whatever the kid calls them, but that’s the game plan for now. I of course will be Uncle Mike.

This was a big surprise to me, I thought they were waiting till she got out of school. Turns out they’ve been trying for a while, but there are medical issues, which I’ll not go into, and while they were not specifically trying they were letting whatever happen happen, so do keep them in your prayers if there is a spot open as there may be medical complications, but we all are praying that there are not any.

Today little Fisto turns 4. Happy Birthday lil’ Michael! Thank God your dad decided to name you Michael instead of Fisto. Although it does make a cool nickname. But man! Can you imagine? Anyway…

He’s up in Canada celebrating with his madre’s familia. They’ll be up there about three weeks.

For his birthday I got him a Batman and an Iron Man coloriing books, some Spider-Man stickers, since his dad says he is big into Iron Man and Spider-Man. Also some plastic dinosaurs, the hard ones that are four inches-ish high. And a package of green plastic army men, only they are multi-colored wild west Cowboys and Indians. I figure there is bound to be at least something in there that he’ll like.

I was going to give him a toy gun, but the Wes portion of Wessika felt that the Jessika portion of Wessika would strenuously object. He’s already making peeew peew noises when he plays Transformers, so I’m not sure what the big deal is, but whatever, he’s her kid. He;s got quite the arsenal over at Uncle Mike’s casa anyway: he’s got a wooden box full of green plastic army men, some legos, some dinosaurs, and some guns.

“The quest to raise people worth knowing continues.” - Tycho

Picked up the Big Boy Bed for little Michael on Tuesday. Waaaaaaaaaay over in Grand Prairie. Actually it was not too far away, it was just north of 30 and 360. But it took the warehouse guys a looooong ass time to get to us. Oh well. It fit in the back of my truck perfectly. Everything was in boxes or in sealed plastic, but we were not sure so I’d preemptively put new cardboard int he back of my truck, so that the mattress would not get all back of the truck gunk on it.

He got a twin, it’s a nice bed, wood. He’s got Optimus Prime sheets and a comforter. He seemed more interested in playing with the pieces of styrofoam that came in the boxes, but hey, that’s cool he’s not quite four yet, and he was having lots of fun with them. Jessika cooked spaghetti for dinner, which was good. Little Michael talked the whole time. He does that everytime I’m there, they say he does not do that when I’m not there but I think he does that all the time. I could understand 25% of what he was saying, maybe. When Wes would repeat it I could understand more of it. He said some funny stuff but I can’t recall any of it now. Except he did say that daddies were not people.

Wes mentioned that he’d start kindergarten in two years, right around the time he turns six. That’s supposed to be a much better time, so he’ll be a little more mature and a little bigger. So he gets to be the bully instead of the bullied

Got this picture of lil’ Jackson.

Does he remind you of anyone?

Maybe the co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon when it attacked the second Death Star?

“Don’t tase me, bro” t-shirt

Also a “Don’t tase me, bro” in kids sizes, as Jess wants one for Michael.

So maybe a “Don’t tase me, daddy” for kids?

Also, a kids shirt that says “I go #3!”

Born at 8pm, eight pounds, eight ounces, in 2008. Lots of eights there.

Yay!

Little Jackson Weaver has arrived!

The text says:

“Jackson joined us at 10:57pm and is 6 pounds 6 ounces and 19 inches long”

10:57pm Kalifornia time is…12:57am Central. Since it’s…2:55am here right now and I just got this scant moments ago, this picture is less than two hours old and of a less than two hour old child! How cool is teh internets!

Bigger picture:

I feel a little bad because when my phone rang at 3am I didn’t recognize the number, and just saw that I’d received a multimedia file, and I was all “This had better be damned important, it’s 3am bitches!” I may have texted back a reply in grouchy no-sleep semi-anger. Oh well. One I saw the pic I immediately texted back apologizing and congratulating, so it evened out, I think.

Now I remember what I was going to write about Wessika. The Jessika part of Wessika got a job! Yay!

She’s working for the daycare place that little Michael goes to, so not only is she paid but his tuition is free, which is a pretty good deal.

Today was, I think, her first day, but I forgot to call and see how it went.

Looks like Rick & Steph’s son-to-be finally has a name: Jackson Weaver Flaa. Also looks like he may be arriving next week. Yay!

Steph’s mom’s maiden name is Weaver. There are several John’s in the family already, (two grandads an uncle, and a cousin) so they went with Jackson rather than John. Makes sense. Rick said we could call him Jack for short. And I bet he was named Jack after Jack Bauer

Jackson Weaver Flaa. Sounds like the name a kick-their-ass-and-take-their-wallet Marine would have. Or a President. Or both!

I wonder how long it will take for Wes to call lil’ Jack Weave, or Weavey (kinda like George Jefferson called his wife Wheazy). Of course, with Wes nicknames they never just end there, they go off into crazy pretty soon. Rick was Ninner and Adam was Steed (also Hatchling and Dog [which is why lil’ Michael calls him Uncle Dog]) . And his own son was going to be Fisto, so who knows what Jackson’s nickname will end up being.

If they send me pics of the new bambino I’ll post them here. Ahem! Nudging Wessika here. Almost four years old and four, four! pictures of your son! Three from when he was in the hospital! just being born and one from two months old.