Can’t believe it’s already been 6 months since Émile arrived. Time goes fast! I was actually sorting through his newborn clothes and couldn’t believe there was a time he actually fit into it. He’s so big now, more than double his birth weight! I have to say, I’ve worn a lot of hats in my life and being a father is simultaneously the toughest and most demanding thing I’ve ever done and also the most rewarding. It’s so amazing watching his personality develop and watching him discover new things both about himself and about the world around him.

Without further ado, here are some new pictures of him. I’ll also be uploading plenty of video.

Posted on January 19th, 2010 by Dan
Filed under: Emile | No Comments »

After a long wait, he finally decided to grace us with his presence. On Friday, July 10, 2009 at 6:03pm, RaQia gave birth to our son, Émile Nathaniel Bouchard. He was a healthy 6 pounds 11 ounces. Mommy and baby are doing well and his appetite is increasing every day.

I’m still amazed at this little boy. I’m not a religious man but he truly is a miracle. I can barely look at him without tears of joy forming. He is perfect in every way imaginable. I am so completely humbled.

Mommy did the most amazing  job carrying him and birthing him. She sacrificed so much from day 1, from simple deli meat (due to the nitrates) to most all caffeine (no coffee, sodas, andvery minimal tea), RaQia did everything that a mom could possibly do to give her baby a good foundation, from eating the healthiest of foods to talking to him every spare moment to bond with him in utero.

As for delivery, the hospital staff on hand was in amazement. Mommy pushed baby out in two pushes. We were all in awe. Aside from the epidural, it was a completely natural delivery. Not even an epesiotomy was required. One word: Supermom.

Now comes all the hard work we’ve been hearing about.

Without further ado, here are pictures of Emile.

Posted on July 13th, 2009 by Dan
Filed under: Emile, General | 1 Comment »

As promised, an experience I had approximately two month ago…

In an effort to maximize savings by brewing our own coffee in the morning (when we actually do drink it; we’re mainly tea drinkers) instead of buying it, and after doing lots of research spurred on by countless under-performing travel mugs, my wife and I found that Starbucks has the best one around in the form of a solid wall stainless steel mug with vacuum seal top. It lists for $14.99.

So there we are on the Starbucks line waiting to purchase our travel mugs.

Behind me, I eavesdrop on the conversation two men, who are trying agonizingly hard to be hip, are having. They’re playing the part with their matching Macbooks, beatnik facial hair styles, and emo haircuts which while I understand is supposed to look messy and spontaneous, actually looks like it took over an hour to arrange each individual hair.

There they are talking about what they’re trying to pass off as intellectual discussion, louder than necessary which makes it obvious they WANT people to hear in hopes others will join their cult and adopt their beliefs as well.

The topic turns to gas prices and how outraged they are about the local prices. This is all being said while chugging their Extremissimo-sized (or whatever the nomenclature for LARGE is these days) mocha-frappalatte’s, which strikes me as incredibly stupid as I do some quick math in my head.

1 Extremissimo-sized Starbucks coffee = 16 ounces for $3.65

1 gallon Regular Unleaded gasoline at the Getgo in Clifton, NJ = $3.04 (and that was the lowest price in a 25 mile radius by at least 15 cents per).

These guys obviously drink at least one cup of Starbucks a day confirmed by their first name basis relationship with the Starbucks staff. And to be honest, I think that’s a conservative estimate. It’s probably more like 3.

1 gallon = 128 ounces = 8 16-ounce cups of Starbucks = $29.20 for 1 gallon of the Mocchiato they were drinking.

Pardon me Mr. self-indulgent sock-sniffer, but how can you possibly complain about the price of gas when you’re willing to pay what amounts to $29.20 for a gallon of coffee?

I realize the whole ratio thing, that being that gas is purchased at one time on a larger scale than coffee, but when you’re a regular Starbucks visitor the point becomes moot. Because not only are you spending an obscene amount of money on burnt coffee every day, you’re also spending money on your so called overpriced gas to get you to Starbucks to buy your overpriced coffee in the first place.

Some people…

Posted on November 24th, 2008 by Dan
Filed under: General | No Comments »