What’s up with Madeline?
It’s been a while since our last update. We had a great trip to Canada after Christmas, but then January and February were filled with lots of changes – Nicole went back to work, Madeline started day care, my travel schedule started picking up again…
In February I went to New Mexico to speak at SQL Saturday #183. Before I left, Madeline started coming down with a bit of a cough, which turned into suspected bronchiolitis at her 4 month check-up last Wednesday. Over that weekend she got progressively worse, and when I got home and saw her Sunday night, I grew much more concerned. We went in to see the pediatrician on that Monday, who sent us straight to Hasbro for chest x-rays and other tests. She was immediately admitted, because her oxygen levels were low and she was working way too hard to breathe:
She was officially diagnosed with bronchiolitis with some suspected conjunctivitis for good measure. Here she is in Pepe’s arms, calm enough to get a few winks. Even with tubes and wires sticking out all over, and her big toe lit up like Rudolph, this kid was still largely alert, engaged, and even smiling here and there. What a trooper:
We spent five days in the hospital. The folks there were awesome. As Madeline was finally getting out, I had to leave for Vancouver and Seattle (a trip I almost cancelled). I spoke at SQL Saturday #198, attended the 2013 MVP Summit, and got to visit with Luan, Sarah and Aspen:
I got back and then Mladen and Christina came down from Boston to visit and be generally bad influences:
Notice how she is eying the beer instead of the milk. And how she looks after such an event:
After some rehab and a few days of recovery, she was her joyful self again:
On February 28th, our little girl turned 5 months old. She turns 6 months in a few days, and I’m not sure she’ll fit in the 6-month version:
We threw Nicole’s glasses on her to see how she would react. She does not look pleased:
I spoke at SQL Saturday #184 in North Haven, CT. The first SQL Saturday in a while that I didn’t have to fly to, and it was nice to come back home afterward.
We went to several Merrimack basketball games. What Monique has done coaching that team for a mere two years is absolutely phenomenal. We enjoyed two huge road upsets and came very close to a third in a nail-biter, but it wasn’t meant to be.
Already taking after me, Madeline was disgusted with a traveling non-call, and let the ref know that she knew where he lived:
Last weekend we took a caravan of cars up to Callandar, Ontario, to visit with family and friends, but more importantly, to host our 6th annual Can/Am Cup (a friendly curling bonspiel at the Powassan Curling Club). We drove up on Thursday. On Friday we went ice fishing and also rented a rink for family skating:
On Saturday we curled. Biggest crowd yet! I somehow didn’t manage to take any pictures during the event, and I also somehow managed to not get my name on the trophy. Again. The winners this year were Jeff Beaudry, Jonathan Corbett, Derek Kalverda and Mark Webster. Trophy goodness:
Sunday was St. Patrick’s Day. We went to Matthews Maple Syrup, got some maple syrup (of course) and other goodies, and took a sleigh ride through the maple bush (we’re the back row – the front row was comprised solely of innocent bystanders):
Funny thing I noticed: only Americans are wearing hats.
On the way home, I had two unfortunate run-ins with the law.
One was, on coming in to the US, I used our Global Entry cards. This happened when I went back to Seattle from Vancouver, too. They made me go and sweat it out while they did who knows what. Then told me my card was not active. (Which I know it was, because I had used it before.) They then told me they activated it and sent me on my way.
Apparently the Global Entry cards are no good at land borders when you also have Nexus. But the CBP folks have no idea about this. Apparently, when they run the card, the red light comes on, and it just says “inactivated.” Even though it works when coming into the US by air. I guess the Nexus card trumps that (but when I took Peanut to Logan on Sunday, the CBP guy there was pretty oblivious too; he has no idea how land border crossings work).
The second run-in was with a state trooper just west of Springfield. 84 in a 65; $190. I’m quite certain I was only going 81 or 82 but, for the amount of speeding I do, I can’t really complain too much. And +1 to him for a very clever hiding spot (partially hidden by a guard rail and a turn, just over the crest of a hill – where truckers are always driving way too slow).
Of course I would say this, but I really think the police should focus a little less on speed and more on the other, more dangerous things that some of the worst drivers out there do – texting while driving, left-lane hogging, not signaling, etc. Speeding is an easy cash cow for them, but I’m not convinced that placing literally *all* emphasis on enforcement of speed only is making the roads any safer.
This past weekend we went up to Boston. Nicole and Madeline visited with Sue and Olivia (Madeline and Olivia are future BFFs, obviously), and I visited with Magnus in Inman Square.
Saturday night we went to the curling banquet for the Ocean State Curling Club. We had a great time and are excited to start our second season in the fall. I’ll be recruiting some of you soon…
Upcoming trips: SQL Intersection in Las Vegas in April, SQL Bits 11 in Nottingham, UK at the beginning of May, and SQL Cruise Alaska at the end of May. A pretty light Spring schedule compared to last year (I did 75,000 miles on US Airways alone).
Until next time…