When Rich Dies

When Rich dies I might become the President of the United States.



If you would like to succeed please click here to add yourself to the list. Thanks Dan and Ricardo for turning me onto the site.

Separated at Birth?

I get alot of people asking me who "$E$" is that leaves the funny (and much appreciated) comments all over the Kurt Family Blogs. It is Rich M, a friend from way back. His wife Amy and Beth went to medical school together. She is finishing up her residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and was instrumental in getting my mother other there for her Whipple Opperation.

I had always assumed that "$E$" stood for the cartoon character Richie Rich. But after reading an article in US News and World Report about Club Kid "Richie Rich" I know see more of a resemblance Rich and the club kid.

Fun Fact

Memphis, TN has the distinction of being the U.S. city were the least number of people are watching the 2006 Winter Olympics. GO MEMPHIS!!!!!

Eye Update

Libby went to see her pediatric opthalmologist today. Even though we had to wait over an hour to get in to see the doctor and another hour for the visit Libby did very well and didn't fuss at all. I have decided that being a pediatric opthalmologsit is kinda like being a children's photographer, because you have to amuse the baby and get her to look at you while you are shining a bright light in their eye. The doctor said that her left pupil is a little larger then the right and the eye has a tiny bit of a droop to it. It could be something called Horner's Syndrome, which in it of itself is not serious, but could mean she has a tumor behind her eye. The doctor thought this was unlikely because her eye looks so healthy over all. But she wants to completely rule it out so next Thursday Libby has to go in for another test. They are going to administer liquid Cocaine drops into her eye, I was reassured that it would not turn her into a "crack" baby. Then if the test is positive and she does has Horner's Syndrome then she will have to have additional tests such as a CAT scan. Please keep Libby in your prayers.

A Few Corrections

I would like to correct a few things from my brother Dan's blog. On Saturday Dan and I did decide to install a new vanity and sink in my bathroom. And yes it did only take one trip to Home Depot, but what Dan didn't tell you is that it took an addtional six trips to Lowe's. What Dan also didn't tell you is that the project still is not complete. The trap leaks still, that is the reason there is a plastic container holding a towel under the vanity. So it looks like I will be calling a plumber in the next few days. It also turned out to be the worlds most expensive vanity and sink by the time you add up all the parts that were bought, opened, cut, destroyed, then never used. I could hook up 2 or 3 additional sinks in either plastic or metal with all the parts that were left over.

Booklight

I got more comments (two) about the booklight I used this morning to check on Libby. Above is a picture of the light and how it is used when reading a book. The reason I used it was that it was the first thing I could find that would shed a small amount of light on Libby. I could have used a Mag-Lite or even turned on one of three lights in her room, but each one of those would have been overkill and probably woken her up. It was used as shown in the first picture, so NO Dave, I didn't have to clip it on my body, just hold it in my hand. And I also didn't have to crawl on the floor, I just walked in silently making sure I didn't step on any of the creaky floor boards. Rich, Zima is only drunk at the Damon and Jen's house and we drink it straight up, but maybe Red Bull would help kill the taste a bit. Anne, I wish the dogs would sleep through the night, but alas they still wake up around 4:30-5:30 a.m. wanting to be fed.

C.M.O.M

On Sunday we took my brother and his family to the Children's Museum of Memphis. The kids had been cooped up in the house all day Saturday because of the "ice storm". It is a great place and totally kicks G.R.C.M. in the butt.
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Libby and I had fun riding a police motorcycle,

driving a car through downtown Memphis,

and not entering the human habitrail the wrong way.

The human habitrail was so cool, I wish I had been allowed to climb around in it. It was about 25 feet high and consisted of platforms wrapped in chicken wire, so the kids couldn't fall off.

My nephew (and Godson) Andy, played chess against some other random kid, but sadly, he got schooled. There were tons of other games to play in the game room, like Toptafel, of which I got the high score of the group, 165. There was also a full size Fed-Ex plane that you could crawl around the cockpit and play with the levers, a Kroger store full of fake foods that the kids could shop for and play check out with, a HUGE human heart that the kids could crawl through (it wasn't real I don't think), and a scale model of the Mississippi River complete with barges you could captain. All in all it was a fun day, and Libby and I will be back one day soon. It was also the first time we got much use out of Libby's BabyBjorn carrier. She was great in it and loved being able to look around and see everything.

Yay Libby!

Libby slept through the night for the first time last night. She went to bed at about 7:45 p.m. and woke up this morning at 7:30 a.m. When Beth got up at 5:20 this morning, I woke up also realizing that Libby hadn't woken up yet. So I sneaked into her room with my book light to check on her to make sure she was ok and still breathing. She was. I hope this wasn't a one time thing and that she starts doing it on a regular basis.

My Name is Jon

Karma kicked me in the butt last night. Dan and Kris were nice enough to babysit Libby on Sunday night so Beth and I could get out for a "date". We went to Bahama Breeze, it was very good. I had the seared Ahi-tuna and Beth had the coconut shrimp. Sitting across from us was a very nice looking family of four, a mom, dad, son and daughter. The kids looked to be about 9 and 11 respectively. The funny thing was they were all wearing matching light blue snowflake sweaters . We spent at least half of our meal time talking about them and their funny looking sweaters. When we got home my brother Dan noticed that I was wearing my sweater inside out and that there were two big tags showing. Boy did I get my comeupance.

A Luge Love Affair

I saw this great clip from the Today Show on the Best Week Ever blog. It is even funnier if you close your eyes and just listen to it.

A Deal that is not a Deal

You can buy the movie Envy at overstock.com for only $1, including shipping. But it is such a horrid movie, it still isn't worth it. Use code "73617" to get free shipping.

Opticus Stinkus (Stink Eye)

Yesterday while giving Libby a once over before her 6 month doctor appointment, Beth noticed that one of Libby's pupils was larger than the other, or one was smaller than the other. After pointing it out to Dr. Geiger, she performed a few tests to test Libby's light reflexes. Those seemed okay, so Dr. Geiger called a pediatric ophthalmologist to get her opinion. Dr. Pandya-Lipman thought it would be a good idea for Libby to come in and be checked out. So next thursday, the 23rd, Libby has to go in and get her eyes examined. They will do a dilated eye exam to look at her optic nerve.

Big Girl

Little Libby is becoming such a big girl. She is now taking her meals sitting up in her high-chair. She eats carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, and her favorite mashed peas.

The mashed peas smell just like the creamed peas that my mom makes for me at every holiday.

Public Apology

Beth and I would like to publicly apologize to Isabelle's parents. Jen and Damon were kind enough to invite us over last saturday for an evening of food, drink and euchre. And with the kindness that was shown to us that night, Beth and I should have let Jen and Damon win a few hands of cards. Instead we put the smack down on them. I don't remember how many games of euchre were played, but I do know that Beth and I won them all. And not only did we win them, we won each game by scoring 11 points (10 wasn't loud enough). The only good thing is that their daughter Isabelle was asleep while we were playing cards so she didn't have to see her parents being beaten like circus chimps.

Six Month Check Up

Libby went in today for her six month check up. The doctor was amazed at how much she had grown. She is 15 lbs 13 1/2 ozs putting her in the 49th percentile for weight. She is 25 3/4 inches long putting her in the 50th percentile, she is getting so tall, she will soon be measuring herself against her cousin Nathan who is tall as a whip. Her head circumference went up also to 42.75 cm puttin her in the 50th percentile there also. All in all Libby did pretty well. She likes Dr. Geiger and the nurses except for the shots and the cold stethoscopes.

Mid-South Snowstorm 2006

We are getting our first taste of a mid-south snowstorm today. We are suppose to get anywhere between 1-3 inches. It start snowing around 1:30 p.m. and people are already packing the grocery stores to pick up supplies, it is insane. I went to pick up some baking powder and it wasn't even worth waiting in line for. Well no worries, it is suppose to be in the high 30's tomorrow.

***UPDATE***
All ACT tests have been canceled in the Memphis area tomorrow.

More bath time for Libby

It still never fails, when Libby is getting crabby we can put her in the tub and get lots of smiles. Her new thing is to suck on one of the wash clothes as she is trying to be cleaned.

Libby's belly is getting bigger each day we think. Her hair certainly does seem to have a strawberry blonde twinge to it in the right light. Maybe her cousin Maddie won't be the only redhead in the family.

Since the wash clothe wasn't avaible, she chewed on the next best thing she could find. I am hoping that in the next week or two she will be sitting up by herself.

Funny Conversation

I was talking to my brother in law Rudi yesterday and was telling him about a newspaper headline I was reading that said "12 Brazilian Citizens Killed in Rockslide". He said to me "Wow, that is really sad...how many is a brazilian again?"

I caught it

I went to bed Sunday night with a bit of a belly ache and woke up about an hour later vomiting and having diarrhea. At first Beth thought it might be the "bird flu" that you hear everyone talking about, since I had had chicken the past two nights for dinner. I told her I didn't think that is how it worked and that it was probably just a case of gastro like she had last week. Mine was a much more virile strain, in fact it made Beth's look like a stomache ache. Good news is it seems to only have been a 24 hour bug and I am at about 90% today. I don't think I will be running or exercising for the next few days. The bad news is I didn't really lose any weight during the experience and am hovering around 167. (For those who don't know I am on a diet and trying to get down to about 160.) Luckily Libby dosen't seem to have caught the bug from either of usl. I was very blessed to have such a happy baby on Monday, she made being sick just that much easier.

The Arcade

On Sunday we went out for lunch at The Arcade with Eduardo, who Beth works with at St. Judes. It is the oldest continuously run restaurant in Memphis. It has been featured in a few famous movies such as The Client, 21 Grams, and Great Balls of Fire. Beth got a cheeseburger that was bigger then her head and Eduardo got the sweet potato pancakes that looked really good. Mine wasn't as good, for some reason whenever I go to a restaurant and see Chicken Fried Steak on the menu, I have to order it. Even though it is never good and I really don't like the taste of it. But I never remember that until afterwards. So when we got home I gave Beth permission to kick me in the A-B-C if I ever try to order it again. Hopefully that will be enough of a deterrant for me to start ordering something I actually like.

Chatting Babies

The Reeds came over last night for an evening of food and euchre fun. It was the first time that best friends Libby and Izzerbelle took notice of each other. I am not sure what Isabelle said to Libby, but Libby was a pill all day today. We are not sure if Libby is starting to get teeth or maybe a bit of a cold. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

A Tribute

A few weeks ago on SNL some of the new cast members did a tribute song to a young Chuck Norris. You can watch it here, it is very funny. You can see more of Andy Samberg on his website here.

A big thing on the web now are sites dedicated to Facts about Chuck Norris. Some of the most interesting facts are:

• The opening scene of the movie "Saving Private Ryan" is loosely based on games
  of dodgeball Chuck Norris played in second grade.
• In an average living room there are 1,242 objects Chuck Norris could use to kill you, including the room itself.
• If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever.
• Chuck Norris invented Kentucky Fried Chicken's famous secret recipe, with eleven herbs and spices. But nobody ever mentions the twelfth ingredient: Fear.
• Chuck Norris has counted to infinity. Twice.

Happy Birthday Nathan

Every year for Nate's birthday my brother Dave takes him to his favorite fabric store to pick out fabric to make a new "birthday blanket". It is a tradition as old as ballons on the floor of your bedroom when you wake up in the morning. Maybe if you have any left over you can also make Libby a blanket.

I can't belive Nate is already 9 and tall as a whip. It seems like only yesterday he was 8.

A Picture Share!

This car was parked next to me at Krogers today. I figure with my luck with cars lately, mine will look like this one soon.

And yes, that is cardboard being used for the front door and front fender.

Quote of the Night

I woke up at about 2:15 a.m. to the sound of Beth puking in the bathroom. I went in to see what was wrong and she said "I went to bed not feeling great, but I figured it was because I started exercising. But starting to exercise dosen't make you almost poop your pants." Looks like Beth has caught a virus. Well no holding Libby for her for the next few days and alot of hand-washing for me.