So, every so often the automatic email-in feature goes belly up with no warning. :( How terribly annoying. Today is just one of those days :(

Anyhow, I went to get Edwin at 11 today and there were more kids screaming than usual. I didn't think much of it until I remembered it's the first day of standard time. I asked Debbie
if they were hungry 'early' b/c of the time change. Yep. Happens every year. Poor poor kids. It's amazing they care so much! But of course, Edwin had no problems today. He's not *on* a schedule ;) heheh.

Fixed Point.... I'm losing weight this year and was gaining weight this time last year, so yesterday I wondered when I'd equal last year's weight... and yesterday was in fact the same!!! I have some more pounds to lose to get back to pre-Edwin weight, but I'm less than 10 pounds away now! I'm keeping my fingers crossed and being careful what I eat.

Milk at Debbie's... last week while Debbie was on vacation, Edwin started taking pumped milk from Carol. Carol asked me to start bringing more in, so I brought her what I had and began pumping again. I pumped extra Friday and Saturday, but was unable to get more than an ounce on Sunday due to Edwin's incessant eating. Anyhow, today I brought some more milk to Debbie and told her about last week. She said the reason Carol was feeding Edwin at 8:15 was that he normally goes to sleep at that point. So, maybe with Debbie in charge again, he will get his nap (GOOD) and not take pumped (NICE) again! Let's hope. I don't mind pumping a bit, but getting naps into him is challenging for me. He likes to be alert when I am! Silly boy! He's also still fighting his cold. :(

So, as of yesterday, Edwin now has his first boots! I can't just leave his feet bare when it gets cold, but he seems to feel it's ok to attempt to swallow socks while I drive. This should fix the problem!


see the ROBEEZ website link here

I had a weird dream last night in which Michael and I stole a huge sailboat for a joyride, intending to return it. Michael handled the craft flawlessly, but we got into a strange accident and survived, but the vessel didn't. (The accident was not Michael's fault!!!) Anyhow, we found out the vessel had contained important evidence for a major investigation, so then we *couldn't* come clean and tell what had happened b/c noboby would believe we didn't steal it and crash it on purpose!!! Very weird. No, I don't feel guilty for stealing the boat b/c it was MY dream and therefore it was really MY boat anyhow! :) Oh well... it was a fun ride while it lasted....

So, this is to answer a question Robyn asked me last night.  She asked if the issues w/the Diebold machines are just due to the fact that the technology is still in its infancy.  The answer is a resounding "NO".  First, let me say that this is not (or should not be) a partisan issue.  There are scoundrels in both major parties who would steal an election in a heartbeat.  However, only current winners can logically be accused of it...  and it doesn't mean that it was or wasn't done.  What it means is that it's possible, and it should NOT be possible.  The citizens/voters should not stand for this.

Let's go back to basics.  I feel I'm radical in this issue- meaning "at the root", and not "crazy"! I honestly feel ALL voting machines should just be abolished outright and EVERY vote should be done on paper except possibly space-cast ballots for those citizens in orbit who are unable to use paper ones.  Why? 

In 1993, I was able to witness the counting of 'my' ballot and similar ones in South Lancaster, MA.  How did they do this?  There was a wooden box which had been constantly monitered by multiple people of varying parties which held the ballots.  Each ballot's deposit was signalled by a ringing little bell and a counter being incremented on the ballot box.  At the end of the voting day, the box was emptied with multiple parties present from a variety of parties.  Votes were counted in public in the following manner.  A stack was handed to one person with a checksheet.  That person tallied the votes.  The same stack was rechecked by someone else.  I think this was done more than two times.  So, each stack had been independently cross-checked by multiple people who did not have access to each others' results.  Once the stacks were counted and cross-checked, they were added.  Of course, this addition being done multiple times by multiple parties.  This was a totally public process.  Those of us not cleared to count could watch from the balcony. 

The argument some use against paper is that it is too time consuming in large districts to do this.  This is an insane argument.  The number of election day volunteers should always be a scalar multiple of the number of ballots!!!  Yes, it's time consuming, but if you can't get at least this much participation in a democracy, we don't DESERVE one!  Seriously!

Paper is accurate and does not take as much time as some people would believe.  Yes, counting punchcards *would* be harrowing, but paper ballots which are DESIGNED to be counted by hand are not harrowing!

So, Robyn, the technology has always existed to have a secure election.  No machine should ever be created or used to replace hand counting unless it is at LEAST this foolproof.  It's ludicrous!  The principles of voting security should never be compromised for convenience.  We truly have lost our democracy.  I don't know if we can get it back again.  It's doubtful. 

http://itpolicy.princeton.edu/voting/

Well kid, sorry there is no democracy for you to inherit. :(

He also drank for a sippy cup for the first time today, really.  He held his Thomas the Train cup and drank some water from it all by himself while Daddy held him!

Edwin is 6 months old today.  No teeth. I was 7 months when I got teeth.  I think I was starting to swim and walk at 11 months.  Mom can make a post to correct any of this. :)

Michael was 9 months when he got teeth, 15 lbs 4 oz at 6 months, and 14 months he was walking and 11 months crawling.

17 lbs 4 oz- and now Edwin is leaking all his diapers!  We just ordered 2 dozen new diapers from greenmountaindiapers.com  Hopefully, this will reduce him wetting all over everything and all his clothes!!! I just don't know why he's wetting all over everything with his size 3 disposables.  But, size 4 starts 22 lbs.

I'm finally wearing my REAL wedding ring again!  It's been two days, and I wear it in bed at night too!  I even wore my old sneakers again for the first time in awhile today.

614 pictures of Edwin are online at his website...  so at one photo per second, that's over 10 minutes of looking.

oh yes, and he already 'destroyed' the pea pod outfit Grammy got for him.  Well, I did help also.  The 'peas' are soft half-spheres made of green foam and they have/had velcro glued to them.  However, the velcro attached to the other velcro more strongly than the glue on the back of the velcro attached to the 'peas'.  So, Edwin made short work of removing the top pea, which I carefully replaced with the middle pea, but he made short work of removing the second one as well.  I inadvertently did the same stunt to the lower one while attempting to remove it :(  So, we all know you can't glue things to foam, so what do you do?  I have no clue now.....  but it's soooo cute.  Any ideas???

So, as reported by Michael... Edwin rolled over specifically to get into mischief today.  This is a first!  He was in my office with Michael while I was teaching, and although he's rolled over to pick up dropped toys which had previously been *given* to him, he actually rolled over (back to front is his specialty) to grab the fringe on the throw blanket I use to cover the chair in my office.  Michael rewarded him with praise, of course!   Our little boy is begining to become mobile!!!

And while I'm thinking of it....  Shelly asked me ...  he still doesn't do the opposing thumb thing yet.  So, we'll be watching for it and let you all know the first time he picks up an object that way.  He still grabs with his whole hand/fist.

Well, he can take off his socks in the car now, and then attempts to 'swallow' them. Ahem... so there are not going to be any more socks on Edwin while he rides in  the car!  I don't need him gagging on socks while he's in the back seat.... On the other hand, this means I should make sure there are safe toys back there for him.  Only problem is that he drops them! 

He is rolling over more and more, and it's apparent that it's very intentional, although he's into this "cry if someone's watching" game but he knows very well how to roll over to get his dropped object if nobody is paying any attention to it. :)  hahahah  cute kid!

Rats.. it seems the rats are gone..  but we're waiting (we as in Michael) awhile longer to be sure before sealing up the basement next weekend . Apparently their routes are very obvious in the daytime...

So, now that the costume is done, I can let you all know he's going to be a leprechaun for Halloween! Now, I know what you're saying (if you have seen the photos yet) - that this costume doesn't look like a leprechaun.  But, have YOU seen a real leprechaun???  I didn't think so!  This costume has the Daddy and Robyn seals of approval, so I can say it's done.  You can't tell from the photos, but there are 2 gold buttons on each side and the two you can see on the bib.  There are 4 shamrocks on the costume.  One medium one on the hat, one large one on the bib, and 2 smaller ones on the bib.  So, the gold and shamrocks give away his identity... he really *is* a leprechaun.

We finally turned on our heat last night!  No snow here, but 2 feet fell on Buffalo, I think... It's finally chilly enough that turning on the electric blanket is not enough.  Edwin is starting to roll, better each week.  Yesterday he rolled back to front and almost to back again.  He's playing with toys better each week also!

So, now *I* have seen him roll over intentionally!  He rolled over to get his toy keys! :)  What fun!  He went back to front.  Now, I ought to go to bed, but being awake is so much fun... yeah..  what am I thinking!?  Oh well. 

17 lbs

Debbie told me yesterday that Edwin rolled over *intentionally* to reach for a toy he'd dropped while playing with it on his back.

Daddy notes that Edwin is able to grab things (such as the beads from Aunt Crissy!) when they're placed on his chest.  This is recent.  He's much more talented at grabbing than before. 

He's also learning to tip his head back and up so he can view the person holding/carrying him!

I wanted to note that today while Edwin and Daddy were in my office, a funny event occurred.  A random guy dressed in a suit knocked on my closed office door and Michael answered.  He said he was from Elmira Savings Bank (there is a branch very close to our building) and had tables and a printed out question in hand.  He said to Michael, "I have a quick question.  You're a math guy right?", and he proceeded to ask Michael what his monthly annuity would have to be at 8% annual interest rate for 41 years in order to have a $100,000 payout yearly for the next 20 years thereafter.  Michael quickly showed him how to use the tables in his hand to accomplish this, and the guy went away satisfied.  I told Michael the dude is lucky he got Michael.  I might have printed off a worksheet for him ;)  hehehe.  I would've wanted to at least double check w/my financial calculator in the palm pilot. 

From Daddy to (lots of people)
I have finally found a date and time that everyone can agree upon.
It is Monday, 13 November, at 2pm.

Daddy's going to have his exam soon, Edwin!!!  I think we'll be very very
busy for the next 35 days. :)  Forgive us if we don't write much or post
too often :)

Yesterday, he weighed 16 lbs 14 oz. :)

16 lbs 11.5 oz

Hmmm.... So we only *wish* we had mice. Apparently there is a very good reason our well-set mouse traps failed to catch mice... And luckily enough, mice and rats are both eradicated with the same poison... All I can say is they had *better* not get into this house. This rodent problem is now pretty much at the top of our priority list. Michael has been feeding them lots of poison, which they are gobbling down. He found a dead one in the yard today while mowing. They're apparently Norway Rats, which are the less horrible type. (In other words they don't bring the Bubonic plague...) But the fail-safe reusable mousetraps he had set, are actually now *missing* altogether. One of the 4 glue pads is also missing. Some rat probably has it attached to his side and is annoyed by it. We suspect they've been coming in through crevices in the basement 'door'. That will be worked on soon. But maybe after we think we've gotten them all? We don't actually want to seal them inside the basement. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww....... Goodnight!