Pneumonochrome

So, Messy’s mom took Benjamin for us yesterday evening and all night last night, and Messy planned a nice night for us: Dinner, a movie, just the two of us. It was really nice, and the first time we’ve had a whole night to ourselves since Benjamin was born. I’m not saying I don’t love the kid, I do. I’m also not saying I don’t like having him around, I do. It was just nice to have some time alone with my wife for a bit. It was a little hard on Messy though. She really missed him. I didn’t miss him all that much, but then he wasn’t away from me much longer than he is most days. I work all day, where she’s home with him all day, so I generally seem him when he’s sleepy or ornery right now. She gets to see him when he’s awake and happy and fun. I’m glad that she gets that, but I really think it contributes to why he’d need to be with someone else for more than an evening and night before I start to miss him. I would miss him if he were gone very long, it’s just a little different.

His grandma said he was really good, and that he slept for about 7 hours straight that night, which is wonderful. We’ve been trying really hard to encourage him to stay awake a little more during the day so he’ll sleep better at night, and it’s nice to see some progress made. I’m really hoping that he’ll be sleeping through the night by the time I go back to classes in a couple of months.

It’s really hard to believe that he’s seven weeks old. Time has gone by very quickly, and I don’t imagine that it will slow down from here. We really love him, and it’s wonderful to have a growing family despite the little challenges that come. Very few things warm my heart as much as seeing him smile at me when I’m holding him, or watching him struggle to try to push himself up when he’s having some tummy time. He’s quite the little miracle, and every time I see him, I’m more glad that he’s my son.

I just finished reading the latest novel from Orson Scott Card, “Magic Street.” I thought I’d post my review here as well as on the “Now Reading” page for the book.

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Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite authors, so I started this book a little biased, to be fair. That being said, I loved the book. Card tackles big questions with every one of his books that I’ve read. He doesn’t write Sci-Fi/Fantasy that just tells a story about magic and heroes, but rather uses the genre to tackle issues such as the death of innocence, definition of morality, greater good, and the effects on an individual of existing (or being convinced he exists) for one sole purpose. Card’s tagline, if he has one, is accomplishing this using young heroes. This book is no different. It follows the growth and coming of age of Mack Street, a miraculous baby that grew up having an entire neighborhood for parents, and still having no family. He experiences odd happening, recognizes his difference, explores it, attempts to reject it, and finally accepts it and works toward what can be the only purpose for his existence, realizing that the purpose of his existence does not have to equal the intent behind his creation. Helped by a handful of people he allows to come close to him, he embraces and accomplishes his destiny.

I recommend this book, it moved me in a way I am not often moved by prose, and entertained me all along the way.