When I was One,
I had just begun.
When I was Two,
I was nearly new.
When I was Three
I was hardly me.
When I was Four,
I was not much more.
When I was Five,
I was just alive.
But now I am Six,
I’m as clever as clever,
So I think I’ll be six now for ever and ever.

— Now We Are Six, A. A. Milne

In appreciation of my crazy curious bright amazing wonderful soft-hearted 6 year old little thinker & dreamer, who is counting down the sleeps to his 6th Christmas and preparing for the big leap to grade 1. I love you my biggest little guy.

All went well, Mom and baby are well and happy, and we have another wonderful little boy to thank God for! 3.4 kgs, 10/10 Apgar score – just like his older brother. Yet again I am incredibly proud of my wife, who endured a really painful final phase of labour when her epidural stopped working, and handled it all with a strength i (and i suspect she) didn’t realise she had.

I almost have feeling back in my right hand.

I can’t wait to see how Caleb reacts to his new little brother in person – visiting at the hospital tonight he kept crying “Daniel! Daniel!” and trying to get to the little person he has heard so much about.
Daniel you share your birthday with the anniversary of the first manned flight into space (Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man to fly in space – 1961) and the first Space Shuttle launch in 1981. You are obviously destined to become an astronaut, no matter what your mom says.

“As through the calendar I delve
I pause to rejoice in April twelve.
Yea, be I in sickness or be I in health
My favorite date is April twealth.
…”

- From “Lines in Praise of a Date Made Praiseworthy Solely by Something Very Nice That Happened to It“, by Ogden Nash.

I have my Caleb, who keeps growing and learning and laughing and adding a whole new dimension and meaning to my life. He reminds me how fun the simple stuff can be, and how your inner child is someone you want to keep close.

I have a great job with a great company. It keeps me mentally stimulated and challenged, growing my skill set daily, surrounded by interesting and intelligent people, and of course there’s the fast ‘net access :)

I have two wonderful parents, who on March 10th will have been married for 32 years. I am so grateful to them for being the parents they were, bringing up four boys with so much patient energy and dedication, and giving us a fantastic head start in life. I look around and see broken families everywhere, kids and adults who were changed and sometimes scarred by a divorce (or more than one!) and who don’t trust in marriage and loved ones as a result. Thank you MaPa.

It’s not hard to look around and see proof of how blessed I and my loved ones are. Lenn Pryor’s emotional post about his sister Lori earlier this week really made me reevaluate what I have.

I have a wonderful church filled with wonderful caring, loving and deeply spiritual people who support and help me grow every day.

I have my health – and I try not to take for granted the fact that I can go for a run in the morning if i want to. I live in a country with issues, but it’s a beautiful country full of beautiful people and places. I’m blessed with talent and skills, and people who love me. Battlestar Galactica is on to its second season.

Life is good. Thank you Lord.