My baby can't sit still.

I decided to video for one minute and see how long Charles could be still.  The answer, zero seconds.  These days he'll just lay on a blanket, like this, and be entertained by absolutely nothing for up to 30 minutes.  Randomly smiling and laughing.  Its pretty funny.

Arthur loves babies.

My Place

This is where I live.

Mobile Madness

Charles has really been enjoying his care bear mobile recently.  He'll watch it for like 30 minutes straight.  Unfortunately its a wind up so we have to keep winding it up - we can tell its time cause he starts to cry.  I think he might think the bears are alive cause he talks a lot to them sometimes.

Christmas Picture

Can you guys tell me if you think any of the following pictures would be ok for a Christmas card picture?  Otherwise I'll just send a picture of Charles by himself.  

This is choice #1.  It shows too much of our apartment though probably.

This is choice #2 - more of a close up but Charles isn't looking at the camera.

Choice #3 - like number one but color.

We also took some pictures at Sears but they aren't good.  Its a lot of pressure choosing how to represent yourself to people.  And putting in no picture at all basically says you have low self esteem and/or care way too much what people think of your looks and can't find a picture you like of yourself.  I'm having trouble because I am exactly like what I just said, in that I don't want to look fat in pictures even though I am slightly fat these days.  Getting skinnier all the time, but still.  So I think the 'no eye contact' picture is a good compromise for me.

Funny blogs

Hilary asked me why I said people were too happy in the blogs because the blogs I've put links too aren't that bad.  That is true.  The blogs that are like that are generally of people I don't know. Here is an extreme example. www.micahandsarahkeith.blogspot.com   Its a friend of one of Kurt's sisters.  I thought it was a joke site at first.  Like this joke site.  

I don't spend THAT much time looking at blogs.  Really.  But its really tempting to look - especially since almost all the blogs are of people who haven't been married long and have just had their first child.  Thats how I got started - I wanted to hear their labor stories.  And they deliver.  I have a friend who knows someone who put pictures of her home birth on her blog - including a picture of the afterbirth (the stuff that comes out after the baby).  Sorry to gross you out.

Arthur, I would like to see a picture of where you live.  Just one.  You can request a picture from me and it can even be crazy.  For now here is an old picture of me from high school choir.

I know, you can hardly believe I wasn't always as cool as I am now.

Stop n Shop

Hi Hilary and Arthur.  I just won a $25 gift card to the grocery store "Stop and Shop".  I entered a contest somebody was having on their blog and won it.  The only problem is we don't have those here.  So if either of you have that chain in your area let me know and I'll send you the card.  Otherwise I guess I'll give it to Kurt's brother who lives in Boston, since I know they have lots of them in MA.  I'd rather give it to you though.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Wow, this guy hates the Supreme Court

So today my torts professor got the lead prosecutor in the Exxon Valdez oil spill case to come speak to us about how it feels to get destroyed by the US Supreme Court. Apparently it doesn't feel too good. To say this guy is just bitter would be an understatement. I can't say I really blame him though. He spent over 20 years of his life prosecuting this thing and only got 232 million dollars in punitive damages in a class-action lawsuit where the original punitive damages were 5 billion dollars. His firm lost money on the case and he's basically done nothing else for hte past 20 years. Oh yea, he hates Exxon corp. too. To hear him tell it you'd think Exxon was its own country or something.

The first interview

I conducted my first interview with Charles last week. 

Blog List

I added a list of blogs to our blog.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not obsessed with blogs.  But its interesting to see what people are up to, and how they present themselves.  (extremely happy most of the time)  Please add to it if you find good blogs.  You can also add websites I believe - they don't have to be blogs.  Its a feature they put so people who read your blog can know what you read on the web, and who your friends are.  I would especially like to know what Arthur reads in the way of blogs, if any.  I bet some of his friends have some.  hint hint.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall that works

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Don't have a baby without insurance

He's discovered his cute face.

Oh my word!  I just got the bill for the delivery....$13, 207.46.  I'm not kidding.  Of course we have insurance so we'll pay only a fraction of that.  Unbelievable though isn't it!  I thought it would be 7 or 8 grand - thats what the internet said was the average price.  But prices must be going up.And this is for a perfectly normal delivery - not C section - and for a healthy baby with absolutely no special needs.  Anyways just a warning to Hilary and Arthur - don't have a baby without insurance.  

No cavities!!!!

I just wanted to let everyone know I have no cavities as of 10:30 am this morning.  I am very very happy. 

Property Tax

Hey I just wondered if anyone knows what's a normal rate for property tax?  I get taxed for my car every year - they assess a value and then tax it, and its almost 10%.  And the value of the car pretty much stays the same from year to year - last year it was $1450, this year its $1380.  And I'm paying $131 for tax this year.  That seems pretty high to me (tax rate wise).  If you own a home is it taxed at the same rate? It all goes to the school system, a little for the blind and for the public library system.  I guess thats normal.  

Anyone else paying property tax on their cars?

Loser

hahahaha, by 700 votes. my vote counted more than yours did.

Poll: Which Costume is Cuter?

I think it's pretty obvious that this duck costume is cuter.

It fits better, as in Corbin's head is in the right place. It is fuzzier, and his legs really look like duck legs. Rachel has also made a magnet and thought of a theme for the costume, "chick magnet". She also bought the costume before Corbin was even born, showing foresight previously unheard of.

Charles' outfit is more like a "duck-blanket". Is he really a duck? I don't know, it just isn't very convincing.

Now, I personally think this raised the larger issue of whether Alice is a good parent. Yes, Alice, you are a better mother than Rachel. She might buy better duck outfits, sew personalized outfits for her children, use earth-friendly diapers, and teach her kids sign language, but that does not mean that she is a better mother.

You are much better.

Charles is cuter, smarter, and better at the piano. And most importantly, he has a much cooler Aunt. There is no comparison in that department.

Hilary versus Eden, Laura, and Emma? Please, make it a competition!

No mean comments.

Well.  I just read a comment Hilary made on Rachel's blog about not liking the costume Charles wore for Halloween.  This is a private blog so you can say things like that here without problems, but Rachel's blog is NOT private.  Every single person who visits her blog will be able to read that comment - all her family members, and many people I'm sure who don't know us.  There is no way to get that comment removed unless Rachel removes it herself.  So I just thought I'd ask all of you not to make derogatory comments about me or Charles on other people's blogs.  I know Hilary's sense of humor, but other people (even Rachel's family) don't.  Maybe I'm being too sensitive but thats how I feel about it.  I in turn will refrain from posting comments to other people about decisions you all make about your clothing etc.

As a side note I'm sorry if you didn't like the costume I had Charles wear.  He looked extremely cute in my opinion and was warm and happy the whole night.  We got a million comments on how cute he looked.  Plus the costume was free.  I'm planning on buying a costume now for next year so it can be more elaborate.  If you see something let me know.

The Swing

Perhaps not the most interesting video footage you'll see in your life, but it gives you a good idea of what Charles does during the day for fun.  

Where Charles Lives

Effect of the Sun on Newborns

This is what Charles will look like if you keep forcing him to be in the sun!

Official Demske Blog

This is the official Demske blog now - www.demske.blogspot.com. I completely deleted the other blog. And I've made all of us approved to add to this blog. Lets not add anyone to the list of approved viewers though without getting everyone's permission. Not that I think we're going to write or post strange things here, its just that I don't want to be blog stalked. And I don't want to put pictures of myself up that other people can save to their computers. 

Let the posting begin!

He's already stressed out. Not good.  haha.