http://jarenkilian.com/index.htmlBreaking News!enJaren C. KilianCopyright 2007 Jaren C. Kilian2008-09-10T13:42:53-04:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:56:18 -0400Jaren C. KilianHome2008-09-10T13:42:53-04:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/7815ed5c78b917dc6938fb50a58d402c-18.html#unique-entry-id-18http://jarenkilian.com/files/7815ed5c78b917dc6938fb50a58d402c-18.html#unique-entry-id-18

And again, Happy Birthday to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Abby Monkey of the Family Kilian!

I can't believe we celebrate your 4th Birthday today! I say it all the time, but I just don't know where the time goes! You are growing up so quickly and becoming such a little person. We are told all the time about how much personality and "spunk" you have; And everyone who says it is spot on! When you arrived in our lives four years ago today, after beating your mother up for the better part of 27 hours, you single-handedly managed to change the way we do everything in our lives -- And I wouldn't give back a minute of it! My only regret of the past four years is that they have all gone too quickly, with no indication that time is going to slow so that we can enjoy more time with you. I am ever thankful to have you in my life, as I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to be your daddy.

So tonight, while wearing one of your new birthday monkey shirts, we will go out to dinner (you pick the place!) and we will share a couple hours of time together to honor and celebrate the day you arrived and made this world a better place to live. And because it's your birthday, we can even stay up a little later than usual to share a Slurpee, while we check out the moon and discuss why the moon can't sleep in your bed tonight.

Happy Birthday, Abby! We love you!]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2008-09-01T15:45:41-04:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/d2ba8ed8b05ab3083116990ea33cb976-17.html#unique-entry-id-17http://jarenkilian.com/files/d2ba8ed8b05ab3083116990ea33cb976-17.html#unique-entry-id-17But, you know what they say: "Better late than never!" At this point, I'm so far behind in updating my site that it's difficult for me to know where to start. I can't believe that it's been nearly three months since my last post. Furthermore, I can't believe that summer 2008 is nearing it's end! The Autumnal Equinox is a mere three weeks away from today. As I always ask, where does the time go?

I'm in a bit of a time crunch this afternoon, as we are preparing for an evening family outing, but I will try to hit the major highlights of the past couple of months. I'll start with the youngest and work my way up.

Aidan is now crawling -- EVERYWHERE!!! That boy is into simply everything these days, and loving every minute of it. At the time of my last post I was expecting him to start crawling any day, but it actually took about another month or so before he took off on his own. And he hasn't stopped since! I now have reason to believe that walking is just around the corner, although I'm sure we're still a couple of months away from that as well. The boy's favorite place to visit right now is the doggie's water dish. Last week while I was in the bathroom getting Abby ready for the day, I had set Aidan down on the bathroom floor to play and crawl around. As anyone with kids will tell you, it doesn't take more than a wink of the eye to loose track of a little one like Aidan. Well, I looked down at the floor where I had last seen Aidan and he was no where to be found. Next, I heard the pitter-patter of little hands and knees racing across the hall and into the dining room. By the time I got out of the bathroom and over to where he had crawled, it was too late! My nearly 11-month-old son had managed to dump and splash the majority of the water in the dog's bowl all over the walls, the floor, and moreover, himself. I now had to dry, re-diaper, and change the clothes of my younger monkey. Ay de mi! Despite his affinity for the small pools of water his mother and I leave lying about the house, the boy is still one of the happiest and easiest going babies on the planet (at least this this humble author's opinion!).

Abigail, having mastered the art of self-ambulation a few years ago, is still up and running, strong as ever. This past weekend marked the unofficial celebration of her 4th birthday, with Aunt Jenny, Uncle Dave, Sidney, and of course, Grandpa Steve all in attendance. In typical birthday fashion, Abby was spoiled nicely by all the family, bringing home, among other goodies, a new "kitchen" (complete with all the pots, pans, and dishes), the majority of a new fall / winter wardrobe, and of course, a new purse and some jewelry. We celebrated the occasion in the presence of monkey's, as the theme of our gathering this year was more-or-less Curious George. I only say "more-or-less" because, as it turns out, it is remarkably difficult to locate the usual host of party favors that are Curious George themed. So we made due with a wide variety of monkey-related party goods, including a WAY cool Martha Stewart party kit that Aunt Jenny found and brought up from Indianapolis. We capped off the long weekend with a gathering at Steph's Aunt's house, where we had yet another birthday celebration with Aunt Nancy & Uncle Greg (and kids!), Uncle Jim & Aunt Diane, and Great-Grandpa Jim. All I can say is that I hope we can get together and have some of that yummy Tequila-Lime Chicken Nancy and Greg grilled for all of us. Wow! I'm getting hungry just thinking of it! As always, Abby had terrific fun playing with her cousin and getting spoiled by everyone. Thanks to all the above named family, as well as Aunt Angie and Grandma Jeannie & Grandpa Bill (all in FL) for helping Abigail have another memorable birthday celebration!

As for Tarzan and Jane, we continue to gather and hunt (in Y2K fashion, of course!) and we stay plenty busy juggling the many responsibilities of working-class parents. I'm proud to share the exciting news of a promotion that Stephanie received at her job a little over a month ago. It was nice to see her receive a little recognition for all the hard work she does. Way to go, honey!

As I mentioned earlier in the post, we are planning for a family outing this evening. Some time by the lake, a small campfire, and all the fixin's for S'mores is in order! There's nothing like getting your two little one's covered in beach sand before bed to cap off an otherwise perfect weekend!
]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2008-06-04T11:32:05-04:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/87df119fb9fb5b15e805ed09c1e1091a-16.html#unique-entry-id-16http://jarenkilian.com/files/87df119fb9fb5b15e805ed09c1e1091a-16.html#unique-entry-id-16

For those of you who have been holding their breath, you can finally exhale! After what seems like an eternity, I am finally updating! And I have no idea as to where to start....

Since my last update, the Kilian Klan has been to Florida and back. Abby has started college and Aidan has had his first date (and she's a cutie!). And both kids are working two full-time jobs just so they can afford to put gas in their cars. Seriously, it seems like it's been that long!

It has been a busy and hectic hiatus! Everyone is doing well. As always, the kids are growing too quickly! I am always amazed at how fast time goes when you have kids -- Particularly babies. Aidan is now rolling over (sometimes consecutively!) and he is sitting up all by himself. Crawling is just around the corner. He loves being on the floor with his toys; So much so, that he doesn't want to be held all the time anymore. He would rather eat the lint up off the carpet and get licked by the dog. Walking around the Kilian household has become a hazardous duty, akin to a field of landmines, between the baby, the dog, the cat, Abby always running around under foot, and the bazillion kids toys littered about the place. I would wager that someone / something gets stepped on at least twice a day, everyday. Ah, yes, the joys of parenting! I wouldn't trade it for anything!

My princess is also thriving and doing well. She is such a "girly girl". She likes to have her finger / toe nails painted by mommy (this is a job that daddy avoids by all reasonable measures!). Recently, she has started asking, "When I get to be a big girl, I can have make-up and gum, right (daddy / mommy)?" Every night after school, she wants to come home and put on her necklace, bracelet, and rings all whilst running around the house, telling everyone their business. Yes sir! I have a little princess who is planning her hostile takeover of the crown -- She'll be Queen Abby soon! We like to say that she's three going on thirteen. I took her on a walk with me around the block last week. One of our neighbor's saw us while we were out walking and made the comment to Stephanie a couple days ago that she saw us and that Abby walks like she has important business to tend to. She is very sure of herself, there's no doubt about it! Little stinker!

As for the reigning Queen, she too is doing well. She is staying plenty busy juggling the duties of full time employee, mom, wife, and any other title as required. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it is not easy being the wife of a firefighter. Steph manages everything neatly and capably while I pursue my career aspirations. I couldn't do what I do without her. She's awesome! She and I completed a 5K Fitness Run / Walk last weekend on Saturday. We had never done anything like that together before, but we had so much fun, we can't wait to do it again! We completed the whole thing in about 50 minutes. Our goal is to run the entire thing next year. And who knows? Maybe a 10K after that?! It really was a delightful experience and I would encourage others to participate in family fitness activities whenever possible.

The weather has finally started to turn warmer. It has been an unusually cool and wet Spring this year, making it remarkably difficult for me to get much time on the bike. I have finally been able to get a couple of decent rides in. Even as I update, it is storming out. It was my goal to ride the bike every day this week, but that plan has been sidelined by the severe weather we've had. As much as I love riding, it just isn't worth it for me to get killed because I pushed my luck and rode when I should have stayed home. Drivers are rude and careless as it is. So, here I sit, dreaming of that perfectly calm, warm and sunny day when I can get out and stretch my legs on the Trek. Stupid crummy weather.....

I guess I shouldn't complain too much, though. Being forced to stay indoors has given me time to finally post an update. So, there! Are you happy now?]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2008-04-15T07:02:27-04:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/296d63228892a1f8123661ddc3a2213b-15.html#unique-entry-id-15http://jarenkilian.com/files/296d63228892a1f8123661ddc3a2213b-15.html#unique-entry-id-15think we may have here, we're still the best damn nation on the planet! Period. Taxes and all....

Enough of that, though....You didn't come here to pick up useless tax tips or read "Jaren Kilian Propaganda"! Updates, I'm told -- you want updates! Well, updates are what I plan to give you!

The "fam" is doing well. Everyone is healthy (for now) and happy. The kids are growing faster than the grass in my yard (which needs to be mowed, by the way) and I can't believe that it's already the middle of April. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, but I just don't know where the time goes. It's mind boggling for me to think of how fast our lives are moving!

Abigail is becoming such a little person. And she is all girl! From the drama queen to the dolls to the old costume jewelry and every other "girly" thing you can think of, she's into it all. She makes me laugh about something new every day. She's definitely daddy's little princess! As the weather gradually warms, I'm trying to get outside with her more often. We recently spent some time at the park during a family walk, but the fun was cut short because it was starting to get too cold for the baby. As well, it's become my personal goal to have her pedaling her bike by herself by summer's end -- As of now, she's having difficulty with the concept of one pedal up, one pedal down. She isn't totally sold on the idea of having to push those pedals to make the bike go forward. But she'll get there. I don't actually remember when or how I learned to stroke the pedals on my first bike. It just kinda happened. And I've loved the freedom of my bike ever since. Knowing her, once she gets the hang of it, we'll never see her again. I'm just happy that she's having fun. Now we just need some warmer weather.

Aidan is also growing faster than I can fathom. He is now rolling over from his back to his tummy and he is able to support himself once he gets in that position. He hasn't totally mastered the complete rollover, yet, but it's coming. He can sit up, but he still needs a little support to stay upright. As of now, he likes to spent time in his exersaucer, playing with toys and getting mauled by the dog and sissy. He has reached the milestone where everything he touches goes straight to his mouth. And he is finally sleeping though most nights, with a few bumps along the way. The way time is flying by, I'll be blogging about his first birthday in no time at all. I just wish they stayed babies a while longer....

Steph and I are both doing well. Nothing terribly new or exciting to report on for either of us. We are starting to make the packing preparations for our upcoming vacation to the Sunshine State. I think we're both more than ready for a trip out of town. It sure will be nice to unwind and get away for a while; to just spend time with each other and the kids with my family. I can't wait to post updates and pictures of the kids in the pool and at the beach!]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2008-03-24T07:12:33-04:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/4538f240ce12924b0a8db39948fe7300-14.html#unique-entry-id-14http://jarenkilian.com/files/4538f240ce12924b0a8db39948fe7300-14.html#unique-entry-id-14

For my baby sister:

Feliz cumpleanos a mi amigita mono! Espero que tengas el mejor cumpleanos en todo el mundo. Te amo, mi hermanita!

Try saying that 10 times, as fast as you can!

Happy Birthday, Angie!!!

Today you turn 27 years young. I'll bet that you still get "carded" when ordering adult beverages, don't you? That's okay -- At your age, you should take it as a compliment; It just means that you don't look as old as you really are! The same thing happened to me just this past week when I ordered a beer at one of the local watering holes. All my buddies gave me a hard time about it, but I don't mind. The way I figure, we'll still look good well into old age, while those who gave us a hard time about our youthful appearance are looking like they've been sitting in old bath water too long. Serves 'em right! We'll get that last laugh, won't we, kiddo?!

Just be sure to take it easy today and enjoy yourself. Take the day off from work. Sleep late. Eat a big breakfast. Go for a leisurely bike ride down the beach. Swim in the ocean and make a sand castle. Take a long, hot shower. Lay down and enjoy a nap. Have a nice dinner. Devour a huge piece of birthday cake and ice cream. Drink a glass (or two!) of wine and relax with whatever tunes sooth your sole these days. Go to bed sober. And do it early -- You've got to work tomorrow!

I wish we could be together. It's been too long since we shared a birthday in each other's company. Just a little more than a month to go before we can be "monkey buddies" again!

As always, you're in my thoughts today. I love you, kiddo!
]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2008-03-17T14:54:19-04:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/8123cdbcd9fdb8f21d00e2b12866fc32-13.html#unique-entry-id-13http://jarenkilian.com/files/8123cdbcd9fdb8f21d00e2b12866fc32-13.html#unique-entry-id-13

Happy St. Patty's Day! This has always been one of my favorite holidays. I even liked St. Patrick's Day before I turned 21 and could fully enjoy the pleasure of a green beer (or six)! I can remember being pinched for the first time by my dear Aunt Louella for not wearing green. She got me good on the back of my little arm -- left a welt! -- and then she sent me on a hunt to find something green to wear so it wouldn't happen again. And then there is always that goofy Derby Hat my Dad still insists upon wearing around for the entire day -- St. Patty's is still the only day I know my father to wear that hat. I've never seen it on his head any other time. Who amongst us doesn't like the fun and charm of a Leprechaun and his mythical pot of gold? Aye, 'tis a fine day, indeed! We're all a little Irish on St. Patty's Day!


So I could use this constructive time to inform the five or six people who actually read this blog, instead of skipping over it to go check out the Gallery for updated pictures, about the truly interesting history of St. Patrick's Day. But, alas, I have promised that I would not waste your precious internet surfing time with such silliness any longer. The last time I thought it might be fun to post something unrelated to the Kilian household, I nearly paid for it with my life (I know that letter I got in the mail was from you, Dawn!). So, I shall tell ye instead of the sad tale of my poor infant son, Aidan (Hey, that's a good Irish name!).

Poor little guy....It all started last week with a way fussy baby! I'll preface this story by letting all who read it know that Aidan is probably the happiest baby that our good Lord ever placed on the planet. Seriously. He has always been a happy little squirt. LOTS of smiles and laughs; very little crying, whining, fussing (for the most part -- he's still a baby, people!). But for some odd reason, he was just inconsolable last week starting around Tuesday night. By Thursday night, his fussiness had not improved and we were really starting to get worried about him. Mamma Bear fed him a bottle with some rice cereal at dinner and about 15 minutes later, he was projectile vomiting the entire content of his stomach all over the dining room floor. He continued to be way-beyond-fussy for the remainder of the night, but fortunately, it ended quickly, as he was asleep for the night by 7:30. He woke up Friday morning and appeared to be doing a lot better. He was able to take a bottle with no problems and he had for the most part, returned to his formerly happy self. So the decision was made to send him to day care with Sissy (that's Abby, she insists on being called Sissy now), as both Steph and I had to work. By noon, I had received a call from the day care stating that our little man was back to projectile vomiting and that one of us needed to come pick him up. So I took the rest of the day off and called the good doctor's office. I was able to get him in to see one of the physician's of the practice right away, but a lot of good it did him....He has a viral gastroenteritis (or so the doc thinks) and so there really isn't much we can do for the poor little booger. I was able to have the doc confirm that Aidan likely has GERD (see previous post: Failed Attempt -- Take 2), so he wrote him a prescription for pediatric Zantac. Unfortunately, the vomiting has persisted since then and we haven't been able to start giving him the new prescription yet. We have been feeding him Pedialyte a couple ounces at a time to keep him hydrated, but for the most part, he has just been miserable. He has not been sleeping very well and you know what that means -- either have we! The only good news here is that none of the rest of us have had any of his symptoms (quick, knock on wood for us!). Hopefully, we'll be turning the corner on this thing soon and he'll start feeling better. There is honestly nothing worse than sick kiddo's! And we had been doing so well....

Everything else is going well. The rest of us are healthy and happy, albeit a little tired! We're looking forward to this coming weekend when Dave, Jenny, and Sidney are coming into town to celebrate Easter. I wish that weather would cooperate so that Uncle Dave and I could get outside and shoot some nice shots of the kids together, but I don't think that it's going to happen. The local weather guru's are predicting a cold, and possibly snowy, Easter Sunday. Drats! So goes my luck....I suppose we'll be relegated to shooting indoors again. Not that there's anything wrong with the indoor photo shoot, but I am ultra ready for the warmer weather. That bike is screaming to get outside and I am all too ready to oblige! Speaking of the bike, I would encourage you to take a moment to check out this important Awareness Test. This is probably one of the best public service announcements I've ever seen.

Erin Go Bragh! ]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2008-03-03T20:21:08-05:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/49d6d8c95b311e969508732b64dfb500-12.html#unique-entry-id-12http://jarenkilian.com/files/49d6d8c95b311e969508732b64dfb500-12.html#unique-entry-id-12

Okay, okay! I got the message! Judging by the comments left on my previous post, I'd say I dropped a major bomb! Back to the ol' drawing board....

Hmmmm....where to start?

Well to begin with, everyone is finally healthy -- Thank goodness! Aidan still has a little cough, but we're starting to think that it's likely caused by a case of infant acid reflux. I'm going to be calling the doctor's office tomorrow to schedule an appointment to have him checked out. Poor little guy. Sometimes he's fussy and restless while we're feeding him and he nearly always regurgitates after he's done eating. Acid reflux disease, or GERD, is a fairly common diagnosis in pediatrics. Some studies have estimated that as many as 40% of healthy, thriving children under the age of 6 months have abnormal amounts of acid reflux. With all the spitting up, drooling, and regurgitation that he experiences, I'm pretty sure that we're going to be told that he has GERD. Despite all of this, he is still just as sweet as can be. He is such a happy baby; always giving mommy and daddy lots and lots of smiles! Those are my favorite! He sure knows how to start and end a day the right way -- with lots of smiles! We could all probably learn a lesson about living from this little fella!

Abby is also doing well. Her HSP (see previous post: Science Experiment) has cleared up completely with no apparent signs that she ever had a problem to begin with. She's just as ornery as ever! She has really taken a liking to her baby brother. She often calls him "Buddy" or "Buddy Aidan". She likes to ham-it-up for him, singing and dancing in front of him while he sits in his bouncy seat staring at her like she's crazy. Someone (sorry, not sure who) gave Abby this little Elmo sing-a-long toy. It has all the traditional kid songs being sung by Elmo and there is a little microphone that she can sing into. She'll press one of the buttons and one of the songs starts to play ("There was a farmer who had a dog and Bingo was his name-o. B-I-N-G-O" -- you just sang it, didn't you?!). She'll then start hopping around and singing the words she knows, usually nearly falling into Aidan's seat. We have to holler at her a dozen times to "slow down" before she hurts herself or the baby, but that's about as useful as offering a nun a drink. She is such a goof ball!

Steph is finally feeling better as well. I spent a day cleaning up the basement a couple weeks ago (I should spend a few more down there!), making room for her treadmill and my bike. We're trying to eat better and work out more often. She's been very disciplined and she's been going down there as often as my schedule and the kids will let her. It's tough being a firefighter's wife! God bless her for putting up with me and my crazy work schedule....I love that woman!

I've been riding my bike again, although not outdoors as I would like. I am using an indoor cycling trainer that lifts the rear tire off the ground. The drive wheel (rear tire) gains resistance that mimics a road surface by contacting a 2 1/8" aluminum roller. It's not as much fun to ride the bike with the trainer in my basement as it is to hit the road and go, but it is nice to be back on the bike. I've got myself set up with my heart rate and cadence monitor and I'm getting my butt kicked by Coach Troy a few times a week. I'm attempting to train for some bigger rides for the upcoming season. Now I just need the weather to break so I can get the bike out doors. I'm going to start working on the cycling page soon, so look out for updates.

Everything else is humming right along. I'm as busy as ever at the Firehouse, with some pretty major changes for the agency forthcoming. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait a few weeks to provide that update.

We're looking forward to getting out of town at the end of April to head south to visit my mom, sister, and grandparents. We need a vacation so darned badly! I'm looking forward to showing my good looking wife and kids off to everyone in the Sunshine State....We're all going to show up looking like Casper the Friendly Ghost and his wife and kids. I can't wait to get out of town!!!

Thanks to everyone for their input on my last post. Now I know better than to post anything other than pictures and news of the family! The only person who showed me any love was Sarah, and she even took the time to give some more good Leap Day facts. Thank you, Sarah!

I guess from now on, I'll keep my updates limited to family-related topics only!]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2008-02-29T22:20:42-05:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/d31ce8424b0f438e6b59b828abcf0d5e-11.html#unique-entry-id-11http://jarenkilian.com/files/d31ce8424b0f438e6b59b828abcf0d5e-11.html#unique-entry-id-11

I thought I would take advantage of this once-every-fourth year occurance to wish everyone a Happy Leap Day! Today is February 29, 2008 -- Leap Day -- And if you owe money on a debt, it's costing you extra money today. On the brighter side, you're also earning a little extra interest, albiet minuscule, on those bank deposits. I apologize to everyone for not sending out Leap Day cards, but I honestly could not locate any in the Hallmark store. I guess someone in the "big office" failed to look at the calendar and forgot the occasion, so the cards didn't get published.

I'm not sure why we as a society don't make a bigger deal out of Leap Day. The average life span of an American born today is 74.1 years. That means for the rest of his / her life, they will only observe Leap Day 18.5 times (I guess they will have to die at noon on the 29th of February that year in order to make the math work). I think there is something oddly significant about that fact. We make a bigger deal out of observing MLK Day, President's Day, Arbor Day, Flag Day, and Columbus Day, just to name a few, than we do about a day that carries a pretty hefty responsibility. Don't know what I'm talking about? Well, follow along.....

The creation of Leap Day was brought about by the ancient Egyptians, who realized that the calendars of the day were flawed. Ancient calendars were based on the phases of the moon, or 29.5 days on average. The problem is that 12 months of 29.5 calendar days only equates to 354 days in a year. The old calendar was therefore off by 11 days from the current system, which is measured by the amount of time it takes the earth to orbit the sun one full rotation. This is a seemingly unimportant fact until you evaluate the consequences of the loss of those 11 days. Suddenly, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and yes, even the seasons were off by 11 days. After just 9 years of the 354-day-calendar, everything was off by more than 3 months! That means that Winter became Spring, Spring became Summer, Summer became Fall, and so on until everything was totally out of control.

There was a fellow named Julius Caesar (perhaps you've heard of him?), who in 48 B.C. learned of all this crazy calendar business. He was told of the ancient Egyptian system of using a 365 1/4 day calendar, with the fraction added in by adding an extra day every four years. This made good sense to the Roman leader, so in 45 B.C., Caesar decreed that the year would be 445 days long to bring everything back up to speed and put time back on track. The following year, the calendar we still use today was placed in effect.

I, for one, am thankful to Mr. Julius Caesar for bringing about this change and for keeping time on time. Kinda makes me wonder if he was always punctual, or if he was known for making those late and oft dramatic appearances those celebrity-types are famous for. I guess we'll never know...

Maybe Leap Day will become my new favorite unofficially sanctioned holiday. ]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2008-02-12T20:52:45-05:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/5ea3c22d8bf986d133961bf053579ab2-10.html#unique-entry-id-10http://jarenkilian.com/files/5ea3c22d8bf986d133961bf053579ab2-10.html#unique-entry-id-10
So the high tempurature today was a whopping 18 degrees Fahrenheit, which was actually an improvement from the single-digit highs we've had the past couple of days. To make matters worse, we have had new snow fall of about 5-6 inches this afternoon / evening. I saw on the news tonight that the average snow fall for our area is 58" -- We've already had 57.5", with a LOT of winter left to go. It seems like I'm shoveling snow everyday these days. I'm SO ready for Spring!

A quick update on the family:

Everyone is starting to feel better -- Finally! After a pretty crazy couple of weeks where I had one or both of the kids at the doctor everyday for one thing or another, we have started to turn the corner on all that ails us. Everyone still has a little bit of the crud, but nothing like it was. We've all started to get back to work and daycare on our regular schedules and life goes on. Thanks to all for the many well wishes following my last update!

I still have new photos and some other stuff that I plan on posting (soon, I promise!). I have had an unbelievable number of requests / complaints for more regular updates (you know who you are!). I need to get a full day of uninterrupted work on the site to get everything up and running. I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be able to steal some time away from one of the many other duties I'm neglecting to post everything soon. Hang in there with me! The good stuff is coming.....Really, it is! ;)]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2008-01-20T21:09:05-05:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/203ec30506807fdc569c41a87309872a-9.html#unique-entry-id-9http://jarenkilian.com/files/203ec30506807fdc569c41a87309872a-9.html#unique-entry-id-9

It's often said, especially this time of year, that if you don't have your health, you don't have anything. This is one of those cliches that is easy enough to understand, but difficult to fully appreciate until you experience the theory yourself.

The past couple of weeks have been filled with much illness in the Kilian household. It all started a couple of days after Stephanie returned to work. Abby caught the "bug" first, coming home from school with a little cough and a runny nose. We chalked it up to one of those midwinter colds the kids bring home from school -- No big deal. About one week into the whole thing, Steph called me while I was at work to report that Abby had come home with some mild redness in her left eye and a yellow colored discharge. By the following morning, Abby had full blown redness and drainage in both eyes; Momma was pretty sure that our little miss had developed pink eye. A visit to the good doctor was in order, so I made the appointment first thing when I got home from the firehouse. As we expected, Abby was diagnosed with conjunctivitis, or pink eye, and an upper respiratory infection that was most likely viral in nature. So we were given some eye drops and sent on our way. I kept both kids home for the rest of the week in hopes that they would get healthy with a little rest. Over the course of that weekend, Abby continued to grow more ill, vomiting in her bed a few times and running a pretty high fever for a couple of days. By the time Sunday evening rolled around, Abby was starting to feel better, but now Aidan and Steph were starting to develop some of the same symptoms that Abby started out with.

Stephanie called me at the firehouse once again on Monday night when she got home from work with the kids to report that Abby had developed a rash on her legs and tummy. She described signs that were consistent with Chicken Pox, so we made another call to the doctors office. Expecting to be told that we needed to prepare ourselves for oatmeal baths and Calamine lotion, it was the surprise of my day when the doctor told us that Abby has Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP). Despite my medical background, especially in the area of emergency pediatrics, I have never heard of this disorder. The doctor said that it is a fairly rare condition, stating that he only sees a couple of cases per year. We were obviously concerned, but after talking to my old friend Google and doing a little research, I have concluded that Abby's case will most likely resolve with little, or no, complications and that she will be just fine in a few weeks. We have to take her back to the doctors office at least once a week for the next 4-6 weeks for blood pressure checks and urine samples, as the most dangerous side effect of this disorder is Renal (kidney) failure. I will post updates as they become available.

As for the boy, he was evaluated by the doctor in the same visit that Abby was diagnosed with HSP and it was determined that he was getting the same viral infection that Abigail had. The doctor said that there wasn't anything we could do for the little guy and the infection would just have to run its course. So we left with office with only a few answers and no treatment for all that was ailing us. Starting that night, Aidan was only able to sleep for about a hour at a time because of the congestion and discomfort he was experiencing. This pattern continued throughout the week and by the time I got home from the firehouse on Saturday morning, Steph and I were both so exhausted we wanted to collapse. Just like his big sister, Aidan was starting to get pink eye. Deciding that we had "let the virus run it's course" long enough, I called the doctors office for yet another visit. This time, a different doctor told us that Aidan had developed a double ear infection and he ordered up an antibiotic. The doc said that the little stinker's fussiness was most likely a result of the pain and discomfort he was experiencing from the ear infection. After just a day-and-a-half on the antibiotic, and the baby is already showing signs of improvement. He was only up once during the night last night and he has had a fair amount of sleep through the day today. Hopefully we are turning the corner on this stuff...

In addition to the kids being sick, Steph came down with the same crud last week. She was wise enough to not mess around with it and she wasted no time making an appointment with her doctor. The doc told her that she was most likely running around with the same viral infection that the kids were diagnosed with. Despite the viral infection, the physician thought that it might become bacterial and so he prescribed her a dose of antibiotics. She too said that after just a couple of days she was feeling better as well. Other than being a little run down and tired, I think she's on the road to wellness.

So the Kilian household has been something of a science experiment of late. Remember growing samples of bacteria in petri dishes in school? That's the way it's been around here....I get the heebee
jeebee's just thinking of it -- Yuck!

I have a spot available on the couch in the living room for anyone who would like to visit. Any takers?


]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2007-12-28T19:50:14-05:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/71ffca19f789d48f3955eccfe3896aa3-7.html#unique-entry-id-7http://jarenkilian.com/files/71ffca19f789d48f3955eccfe3896aa3-7.html#unique-entry-id-7worst web master in the history of the world wide web! Has it seriously been over a month since my last update? I swore to myself when I started this site that I would publish regular updates -- What a disappointment I have become.....The good news is that I have my New Year's Resolution all figured out for "oh-eight"! At least I was able to get one final update in for 2007. And not a moment too soon. I don't know what the big hurry is all about; There are still 60 minutes in the eleventh hour!

The Hoosier Kilian's have had a great month, albeit way too busy (even by our standards!). I think when I looked at the calendar, I estimated that I only had 7 days off from everything for the entire month. Suffice it to say, I didn't have a whole lot of time to complete all the usual holiday chores including decorating, shopping, shipping, and wrapping, and all the other usual holiday stuff. Thank goodness for the holiday help provided to us by Steph's terrific sister, Jen and her husband Dave. Somehow, despite the craziness that is December, we all made it through and had a great time with the family over Christmas. I guess the Scheduling God's were on my side this year and I somehow managed to have the entire holiday stretch off work (23, 24, 25, and 26). The kids got spoiled rotten by everyone! I can't believe how much stuff we have to make room for! Everything from clothes and toys, to books and movies, to even more clothes and Abby even got a portable DVD player for the car (thanks Aunt Jenny and Uncle Dave!). I'm going to have to spend a couple weeks getting everything organized -- Out with the old and in with the new! Gotta make room...

To top off an already hectic month, all four of us have been sick at one point or another with sinus / ear / respiratory "crud". Nothing serious, but enough to nag our daily comfort. After some antibiotics and a little TLC, we are all starting to get nursed back to wellness. It's about time!

The kids are both doing well. They are both growing so fast! Abby seems to become more of a real person every day. I wish I could articulate some of the stuff she comes up with well enough to illustrate the point, but you'll have to take my word for it -- She is a real character! Aidan has really started to get big. He recently weighed in at over 12 pounds. He has already outgrown all the newborn baby clothes we have and he is starting to push the upper limits of the 0-3 month stuff. When I was changing him earlier this evening, I was having a tough time finding a sleeper that fit him properly. I finally had to break out one of our 3-6 month sleepers, which was a good fit. I just can't believe how fast these kids grow! The growth spurt may work out to his benefit though, as I think I'm going to have to defend my position as the one man who stole Steph's heart. That girl sure does love her baby! It's so sweet to watch the two of them bond.

I still have a lot of updates to publish, including new photos of all the kids. I have recently been reunited with an old hobby and I plan to roll out a whole portion of the site that will be dedicated to the cause. Stay tuned for updates!]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2007-11-26T12:16:02-05:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/2baed35b2fc816b9aaf2d39c7d8e3985-6.html#unique-entry-id-6http://jarenkilian.com/files/2baed35b2fc816b9aaf2d39c7d8e3985-6.html#unique-entry-id-6
I can't believe that November is nearly over! Thanksgiving has come and gone, and before I know it, I'll be saying the same thing about Christmas. I can remember when I was younger, the time used to d-r-a-g on and on and it was like the holidays would never get here. Now I feel as though I'm still reeling over last holiday season as this one thunders towards me at warp speed. It's been like this for the past several years, but I think it only intensified when we started having kids. It's hard to believe that this is going to be Abby's 4th Christmas! She really seems to be getting excited this year. We have been casually talking about some of the Christmas traditions with her (Santa, Christmas trees and lights, Snowmen, etc), but we plan on ramping up our discussions as the big day draws closer. I think Christmas is really going to be fun for her this year. I look forward to sharing our fun pictures and stories as they occur.

It has been a remarkably busy couple of weeks since my last update. I have been preparing the house and the yard for the big chill that is inevitable. And yes, we have already had snow on a couple of occasions. In fact, we're experiencing a flurry of the white stuff even as I update. The weather experts are calling for an above average snow fall this year, citing a warmer-than-normal Lake Michigan as the primary culprit (but I'm sure if you asked, Al Gore would tell you that it's my SUV!). I finally have all the summer yard implements cleaned up and maintained; the snow thrower is fueled and oiled and ready to be put to work. So bring it on, Old Man Winter! Let's get this thing over with! I'm ready to get back on my bike and we haven't even hit the official start to winter -- This is going to be a long 3 or 4 months!

The family is doing well. Aidan has started smiling. Now I just need for him to pose so I can get some pictures posted! Sometimes he just starts randomly smiling while he's asleep. Apparently your dreams are actually funny when you are a little one. He's too cute! Abby is still loving on baby brother. She has to hug and kiss him every day before school and then again when she gets home. She has been a BIG helper with him. The other day I needed to vacuum the living room while Mom was out shop lifting, err, shopping, and I didn't want him to be in the room while I completed the chore. So I put him in his bedroom in his bouncy chair and asked Abby if she could go sit by him while Daddy worked. She obliged, and when I was finished, I walked in the room to find her patiently tending to baby brother's binkie while rocking the chair to keep him soothed. She has taken to the job of big sister quite nicely and we may have to consider a "raise" for a job well done. Now if only she could start eating her meals half as well......

We attended the wedding of Steph's dad, Steve, to a lovely woman named Florence (Dahlstrom) this past weekend on Saturday. Steve and Flo had a very nice ceremony that was widely attended by the families of both the bride and groom at the Blue Heron. We are happy for both Steve and Flo and we welcome the new addition of Florence and her family into our lives. Congratulations, Steve and Flo! Have fun on your honeymoon!

Coupled with the wedding this past weekend, we also celebrated Thanksgiving at Steve and Flo's house with all the family. We enjoyed a traditional meal with all the fixings, including one of my favorites, pumpkin pie! I honestly love the holidays, if only for all the great cuisine! I worked most of the weekend (one of the few disadvantages of my chosen profession), so I haven't really had much of a chance to update. The remainder of the holiday season promises to be just as crazy -- I know, what else is new?!

Hopefully I will be able to update again soon and with a little more regularity. I have added a few new pictures, including a handful under the Fire & EMS category. Most of you will wonder what in the world we are doing in those photos, so I will solve the mystery for you. Part of our equipment readiness inspections include testing ALL of the hose on ALL of our apparatus on an annual basis. This "test" requires us to extend each piece of hose to it's fullest length and fill it with water and several hundred pounds of pressure to ensure that the hose does not fail under such conditions. We look for leaks in the hose and around the couplings while the hose is pressure tested for a period of 5 minutes. As everyone knows, many hands make for light work, so we share the work load of this task between each of our three shifts, as we are hose testing several thousand feet of hose line. These photos were taken on one of our hose testing days with a few of the members of my shift. As it may not be apparent, I will tell you, this is a lot of work which usually involves the parties conducting the test getting wet -- Not a bad thing if it's warm outside, but as you will notice from the pictures, it was rather cool out, so we looked forward to finishing up on this day!

]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2007-11-06T21:47:09-05:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/35329a9a78f6b501832331588f96b36f-5.html#unique-entry-id-5http://jarenkilian.com/files/35329a9a78f6b501832331588f96b36f-5.html#unique-entry-id-5

Today was the big release of Disney's blockbuster hit, Ratatouille, on DVD. To say that Abby was excited would be an understatement! Every time she has seen a commericial advertisement for the film's release, she has started screaming, "RATATOUILLE! RATATOUILLE! RATATOUILLE!", all the while running around in the middle of the living room like she's driving in a Nascar race. When I picked her up from school today, she inquisitively asked, "Today is Ratatouille day?", refering to the occasion as though it were a national holiday. Since I needed to pick up dinner supplies and a copy of the film, a trip to Wal-Mart was in order. The marketing Guru's of the industry, realizing that parents like myself would be visiting the store, had a mondo display with about one-million-and-one copies of the film just inside the door's of both main entrances of the store. If only finding the supplies I needed to cook dinner were so easy! So with our newly aquisitioned copy of the movie in hand, we proceeded to get through the aggrevation that is Wal-Mart. As with any 3-year-old, the only thing we heard about for the remainder of the evening was the movie. It got to the point where we couldn't get the infernal wrapping off the DVD case fast enough to put an end to the constant nagging we were experiencing.

Once the movie was in the dvd player, we experienced a brief moment of joy; For Abby it was because of the start of the movie; And for Mom and Dad, it was because of the temporary cease-fire of that pesky harassment we experienced when I pressed the play button. Abby really seemed to enjoy the movie -- At least the first half. Her short attention span only lasted for the first hour (or so) of the movie and then her interest in the flick waned, as whatever the dog was doing became more entertaining. She spent some time dragging the poor mutt around the living room in his doggie bed until she either wore herself out or finally got sick of hearing her mother yelling at her to leave the dog alone. Either way, she finally sat down and watched the last 10 or 15 minutes of the movie. I'm sure that this will become another one of our favorites, and I expect that within the next couple of months, we will have all the scenes and their corresponding scripts committed to memory. The main character of the movie is a rat named Remy, but in Abby's little mind, his name is Ratatouille. She must have asked us no fewer than 20 times, "What is Ratatouille doing?". There doesn't appear to be any chance that we are going to be convincing her of the rat's real name any time soon. Oh well! As long as she's happy and the movie is wholesome, we're happy too! An all around Win-Win in the Kilian household!

Next Tuesday brings us the release of Dreamwork Studio's Shrek III on DVD (FINALLY!!!). The Shrek movies have quickly become Abby's ultimate favorites. Her poor mother has probably seen Shrek I and II a thousand times a piece. Suffice it to say that we are looking forward to having some new Shrek material around to entertain us. I can't wait to post updates about the new viewing experience next week. Hopefully we will get an earlier start next time!

Everyone else is well. Aidan is still the best baby in town, which is a confirmed, non-subjective, scientific fact. I keep getting requests from folks to post new pictures, but I have to be honest, the only thing that really changes with his pictures at this point is the outfit he's wearing. But I do have new photos and I will look forward to getting those posted within the next couple of days. He's a cute little stinker and I love showing him off! We are crossing our fingers and knocking on wood (and any other superstitious act we can think of!) that he will continue to have such a sweet and mellow personality.

Mama is also doing well. She's continuing to heal and get back to "normal" more everyday. The headaches have started to subside and she looks forward to a full recovery soon.

We have a very full and busy holiday season that we are already beginning to make preparations for. I saw a sign in the store today that said that Christmas is only 48 days away. What?! 48 days?! Are you sure?! Isn't that crazy? Another year of my life that I really can't believe has come and gone...Seriously, where does the time go? Keep your browser locked on our site for the next few weeks for new holiday updates, including a count-down to the big day......Remember, only 48 days! Whew, we've gotta get busy!]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2007-11-01T20:06:00-04:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/191794592bc95a5dd4e9f82896148b60-4.html#unique-entry-id-4http://jarenkilian.com/files/191794592bc95a5dd4e9f82896148b60-4.html#unique-entry-id-4

It's so hard to believe that October has come and gone, and along with it, the passing of yet another Halloween -- Abby's fourth and Aidan's first. The holiday was particularly fun this year because Abby really got into the whole event. She woke up yesterday morning on a pre-sugar induced candy high and she could not stop talking about trick or treating.


Before I put her to bed on Tuesday night, she and I rehearsed the whole routine; I got a bag of candy that we had purchased for the trick or treaters and went into her bedroom at the end of the hall. I told her to stand at the other end of the hallway with her pumpkin basket until I called for her. When I told her to come trick or treat, she tore down the hallway to the door of her bedroom where I was standing behind and she paused to knock on the door. She patiently waited with her little orange pumpkin basket until I opened the door, at which point she yelled, "Trick or Treat!!!". She had the biggest grin on her face when I placed the Reese's peanut butter cups into her basket. "Thanks, Daddy!", and she was off, back down the hall to the starting point. "Do it again!", she demanded. This exchanged continued for roughly 45 minutes, until it ended abruptly with an all out tickle fest topped off with a peanut butter cup. By the time we turned in, I was convinced that she had mastered the art of getting free candy from perfect strangers.


As I said, when she woke up yesterday morning, she was already going on and on about going trick or treating. She was super excited about going to grandpa's house and showing off her new Elmo threads. I took her to school and promised that I would be by early to pick her up and take her home to go trick or treating. The afternoon ride home was spent rehearsing the routine one last time. After we got home and saw mommy and Aidan, it was off to her bedroom to get dressed for the part. She helped me to get her dressed and ready, but once we were in the car, the stage fright set in upon her. The car ride to Papa's house was tear-filled, but after a little reminder about the candy prize she would soon be receiving, she was all better. When we arrived at grandpa's house, we got out of the car and ran up to the door. The stage fright persisted, but not with the tears as she experienced in the car. After ringing the doorbell at grandpa's house, she continued through the motions as we practiced, but with a noted decline in the level of enthusiasm she exhibited in dress rehearsal. Grandpa spoiled her with all kinds of goodies (of course!), including money, but I think she was more excited to see Grandpa Steve. I never got money for halloween when I was a kid! :)

After we left Grandpa Steve's house, we went and did some trick or treating in a nearby neighborhood. Just like at grandpa's house, she participated, although she was noticeably shy and slightly hesitant. I never did hear her say "Trick or Treat!", but I think she was able to charm her way into getting candy anyway. One old lady (and I do mean old!) refused to give her candy because Abby wouldn't say "Trick or Treat!". That old betty was scary enough that I didn't want to say it either!

We ended up filling her little orange pumpkin basket before the night was over. When we got home, she ate enough candy to stuff a pinata. Now I find myself having to be the mean daddy that has to say "No!" every 5 minutes when she is making special requests for her candy. Parental bribery with candy is still legal in our state, so I think I'm going to hang on to that orange candy-filled pumpkin head in exchange for a clean room....... ]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2007-10-28T16:47:07-04:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/5d7a4ef3d63822e8edb631dfb5fed28c-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://jarenkilian.com/files/5d7a4ef3d63822e8edb631dfb5fed28c-2.html#unique-entry-id-2

At least someone around here is sleeping!

I have returned to work (as of Thursday) and poor Steph has been doing the lion's share of the parenting around here for the past couple of days. She has been single-handedly pulling the "night shift" for the past 3 nights. She reports that Aidan is waking up every 3 hours now, which is obviously a major bummer. When we first brought him home a couple of weeks ago, he was sleeping through the night from about 1:00 am until 6 or 7 o'clock - We couldn't believe our good fortune! Aidan really is a fantastic baby and we have been very blessed with him. I know it won't be long before he is back to sleeping through the night, at least that's what we're hoping, but it sure does make for a tired mom and dad duo until that time.

Nothing major to report about here. Like I said, we're all just tired and worn down. I plan on carving a "punkin" with the Abby-Monster later this evening. She and I went pumpkin shopping last weekend at a local farmer's patch down the street from the firehouse. She was so excited about the whole experience. When we got to the farm, she saw all the pumpkins out in front of the farm house and she went nuts! I'm not sure if she was more excited about the pumpkins or the HUGE home-made Winnie the Pooh lawn ornament they had on display. So after giving Pooh a hug, we were off to find our punkin. Dad found a real nice one, albeit a little too big for the monkey to carry around. So we went and found a little "mini me" punkin. When we got home, Abby just had to run into the house to show off her new gourde. When I walked in the house, mom gave me a funny look and said "You got a bigger pumpkin than that one, right?!". So I lied and let her think I screwed it up for a little while.... :)

I will post pictures of our Jack-o-lantern in the next couple of days. I'm not sure of what Abby's going to think of me slicing and dicing my way through her big orange prize, but I hope that it's not too traumatic for her! Otherwise, I have a bad feeling I'll be making acquaintances with that enormous Pooh "thing" again -- And on such limited sleep, that could make for some awfully strange dreams!]]>Jaren C. KilianHome2007-10-24T22:28:00-04:00http://jarenkilian.com/files/9cdecede05b1a72c2b35e12ac112041c-1.html#unique-entry-id-1http://jarenkilian.com/files/9cdecede05b1a72c2b35e12ac112041c-1.html#unique-entry-id-1

Abby received a package from Aunt Jenny and Uncle Dave in the mail today -- It was her Halloween costume!

Jen found the costume at her Babies 'R Us in Indianapolis on Monday. She was kind enough to return to the store where she found it to pick it up for the little monkey and she had Dave mail it out on Tuesday. Uncle Dave doesn't mess around with mail delivery "issues", so we had the costume here BEFORE noon today! WOW! Talk about service! (Thanks Jen and Dave - The check is in the mail!)

Abigail will be going Trick-or-Treating dressed as Elmo this year. The design of the costume is such that it looks like Elmo ate Abby and she is poking her head out of Elmo's mouth for one last look - Pictures to follow. Suffice it to say that Abby LOVES this costume (no surprise!) and she really does look cute enough to eat when she's all dressed up! We had looked for this costume locally, but much to my dismay, I could not find one that was her size. I had given up on the search and Abby decided that she wanted to go as a Princess ("I'm a sister and a princess, Daddy!"). Despite my better efforts and a couple of scouting trips to find the perfect princess costume, I was coming up empty handed for a solution that would not only be cute, but also warm enough to go in search of candied booty.

The Elmo shell is perfect and I can't wait to post our official Halloween 2007 Trick-or-Treat pictures next week (while eating some of that candied booty, of course!).]]>