I’ve launched a new blog to focus on tech stuff. Not sure of the fate of Lex N’ Eck yet. It’ll probably stick around and I need to do a better job of posting pics. We’ve just been relying on Facebook to distribute content lately.

Anyways, if you’re looking for any of my tech blog posts head over to http://ecktech.me

Added 3 new albums after a long period of collecting photos.  Over 250 new ones for family and friends to enjoy!

7 to 9 Months

Christmas 2010

Visit to the Children’s Museum

Just uploaded 155 new pics from this month and September.  Drew is up to 17 lbs 8 oz and Ethan is 15 lbs 8 oz.  They also were able to pick their first pumpkins today and slide down a slide for the first time (with help).

http://www.lexneck.com/twins/?album=6&gallery=19

I’d say they like bananas.  Squash might be next in a few days.

Just uploaded the 259 pics from the shoot at our house on 6/30/2010.  The boys already look a little different now but the pics are still really cool.  Have a look here

Spent the day out at IMS with my friend Sean and had a blast.  We decided on General Admission this year and spent the day out in the infield instead of in the Penthouses like the previous two years.  We sat at the end of the back straight and watched all the practice sessions.  It wasn’t a bad spot but it would have been much better had there been a TV screen in sight to see the action and timing around the rest of the track.

We caught the last few minutes of a candid talk with Kevin Schwantz, Roger Lee Hayden, and Kenny Noyes which was definitely entertaining.  After that we were about 3 rows deep for the charity auction and had I actually carried my Nicky Hayden helmet with me I would have been an arm length away from an autograph from all the riders (mental note for next year).  In any event we got some cool pics and all the riders had some good things to say about Indianapolis and the future of MotoGP (including rule changes and the role of electronics).

We also took part in the pit walk for the first time which was neat but the crowd mobbed all the stuff we wanted to see (Fiat Yamaha and Ducati garages) so we settled for Moto2 bikes and some Kevin Schwantz face time.

All in all a great day and can’t wait to see what the next two have in store.  Its been the best weather we’ve had yet for this GP and I have the sunburn to prove it!  Need to figure out how to deal with that tomorrow and Sunday.

Pics

Just uploaded a collection of pics from several people’s phones and cameras – 126 in all!  We also should be getting the link to the professional photography shoot in the next few days.  Will post it when we get it.  lexneck.com/twins

Enjoy!

Well, one of his first…nearly impossible to catch the first

Here’s a link to a sneak preview of the photo session we had at home a few weeks ago.  We’ll post an updated link when the full session is available.

http://www.jessicarstrickland.com/blog/portrait/ethandrew/

Also added a new gallery in the Twins section – http://www.lexneck.com/twins/?album=6&gallery=13

We’re almost 12 weeks into this adventure of parenthood and our memories of this time will be good ones.  But that’s not because it’s easy.  It has been a rough road not only because of the late nights, early mornings, long days at work, and just general life disruption but also because it strains your mind and puts stress on your relationship with your partner.  You tend to have a short temper and get into meaningless arguments during situations.  We’ve found that we’re fortunate enough to be able to work through and realize what’s going on so we can just get through whatever difficulty we’re dealing with.

We’re also thankful for the unquantifiable help we’ve received from friends, family, and neighbors.  There’s no way we could have gotten this far on our own.  And to be able to sleep through most nights so I can go to work mostly refreshed has been pretty good.  Lex is really taking our challenge on with vigor and heart.

It’s nice to get quiet time like this when I can reflect on what it means to be a father.  The boys are sleeping, Lex is sleeping, and the warm glow of my monitors accompany me through my mental hallows before I call it a night, too.  I seem to look at other people differently now.  An understood respect seems to push it’s way out when I know the person I’m engaged with is also a parent.  My friends who aren’t quite at this stage in their lives yet are still as important but somehow they are different for not having yet been through the rite of passage of parenthood.  Obviously, it’s a strange feeling that’s tough to nail down into words, but it’s there.

Each time I get a smile, or any calculated reaction, it drives home the fact that one day they’ll look up at me and call me Dad.  That’s what I look forward to and provides the motivation that gets me through the night.