The Difference A Year Makes

One year ago we were at Holden Beach and I took a picture of Ashley, and the little guy in utero, except at the time we didn't know the sex of this child, or the child's name, or that the child would have a smile that lights up the room and the sweetest disposition in the world.

This year, I snapped a picture of the same people in the same spot and it looks quite different.

Kessler's First Lie

Our usual weekday rhythm is Ashley gets up around 6:15 to shower while I relish my last prone moments. I listen to the monitor and wait for Kessler to let us know he's tired of laying in his topless cage.

One particular morning while I'm on monitor duty, Kessler starts to fuss a little with some soft grunts and quiet squeals. Longing for a few more minutes of shut-eye, I hope and wish for him to calm on his own. Maybe one minute passes and he gets quiet. Shwew! I could finally go back to sleep. Thirty seconds of silence pass and I think I'm safe. Then, it happens.

He begins to cough as if he's a Newsie trying to sell his last pape. I give him a few measures before deciding I need to go check on him in case something is actually wrong, even though he didn't show any signs of sickness the night before. I peel myself off the mattress, shuffle into his room, slowly open the door and peek my head around the corner. As soon as our eyes meet, this is the face I see. He starts wiggling his legs and laughing. He didn't cough again for a week.

 

This is an actual picture from that morning. I ran and grabbed my camera. He was so cute and it was such a unique moment, I knew I needed to memorialize it. Remembering your baby's first steps is way overdone. The cool thing now is remembering your baby's first lie.

Music Monday | The Weepies

One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite bands.

YouTube - Life In A Day

YouTube is organizing the creation of a film made by you on Saturday, July 24. This is a really cool concept. I plan to participate and you should too. Some may think it's just a way for YouTube to exploit its users for financial gain, but I'm going to give them credit for trying to add something to the world in an interesting way.

Check this out from Mashable:

YouTube has announced a project called Life in a Day, which attempts to document one day, July 24, seen through the camera lens of people around the world.

The project will be executive produced by Ridley Scott of Blade Runner and Gladiator and edited by Kevin Macdonald, best known for directing films such as The Last King of Scotland and One Day in September.

The film will premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival; if your footage makes the final cut, you’ll be credited as a co-director, and 20 contributors will be selected to attend the premiere. If you’re hoping for financial gain, however, you’ll be disappointed; for this one, glory is your only reward.

To contribute to the project, you need to capture July 24, 2010, on camera, and upload the footage to the Life in the Day channel sometime before July 31. As for what your footage should consist of, YouTube wants you to have no limits, to be personal, to film anyone you like and to preferably film the footage in high resolution. You can find a full set of guidelines over at the official channel.

 An introductory video for the project:

From The Bowels Of My Brain VIII

It's time for the eighth compilation of what I think about when I'm not thinking about anything.

Choo-choo:

>> Words matter.

>> Punching a police officer after getting pulled over for speeding is not a good idea.

>> A well-run business is, to me, truly beautiful.

>> Being responsible for a kid while you're there drastically changes the experience of eating at a restaurant.

>> "Understood", for some reason, looks funny to me when written.

>> You ever thought about how many cows had to die for them to perfect the recipe for Hamburger Helper?

>> Pain is about perspective

>> Those executive games people have in their office feel archaic.

>> Been doing it for 5 years and if there's one thing I've learned about investing in stocks it's that I don't know anything about investing in stocks.

>> Bad breath is the most under-discussed, awkward-interaction-maker there is. I feel like I'm changing that one Bowels Of My Brain at a time.

>> You know how when you get near the end of the shampoo bottle, you start using smaller amounts to make it last and still get the same clean hair. We should just use smaller amounts the whole time.

>> Toilet paper is more efficient for blowing snot into than facial tissue. (You really think I'm going to give Kleenex a free mention in From The Bowels Of My Brain?!)

>> Do we still really need those random 4-letter combinations that start with a W to identify radio stations? No. The answer is no.

>> If it's your birthday, happy birthday.

Hasta luego señoritas

Music Monday | Foy Vance - Hallelujah

This is the millionth version of the song, but the song's a classic and Foy does it justice. The payoff comes around the 4 minute mark.

Kessler With Tia

Kessler with Tia after a day on the beach.
Tia = Aunt in Spanish

Beach - Large Group Photo

It's a fun group. 

 

Sitting from left to right: sis, cousin, other cousin's girlfriend, aunt, Meemaw, Mom, sis-in-law, niece, wife, son, Meghan with an h, Mama Kess, Meghan with an h's son Grady

Standing from left to right: random guy my sis met at the beach, cousin's boo, cousin, cousin, Hartman, Uncle T, Pops, Drizzle, B. Hill, Uncle Jak, Jimbo, B-Kibbs

Kessler Kisses

Kessler's started this new thing in the past few weeks where he grabs your face with both hands and pulls it toward his. We call it a Kessler kiss. It feels sweet, even though he probably just thinks a human head is a more lively version of an O-Ball. Still, the guy is one of the coolest dudes ever. I'm not even kidding.

Cliche Family Photo

From Ocean Isle Beach 2010. 

The only non-Hill in the photo is this random guy my sister met while we were there. His name is Allan.

Music Monday | The Avett Brothers

Beautifully written, musically and lyrically. And, they're fellow North Carolinians.

Music Monday | Broken Bells

I've absolutely been digging these dudes recently. The whole album is fantastic.