new blog: thestateofpate.com

We have literally outgrown "pate, party of 3" with the addition of Lainy.
Come see the new and improved blog. It's like PPo3 on HGH but without congressional hearings.

thestateofpate.com

Big Brother Caden

We were initially a little worried about how Caden would react to having another Pater Tot in the house, but those went away quickly. So for he is turning out to be a great big brother.

Some early pics of Lainy (without the birth filth)

she's here!! (the 1st preview)

Alaina (Lainy) Harper Pate was born today. Everyone is fine. More pictures coming soon. I'm tired....and I did the least amount of work today.

This is a post birth picture. It ain't pretty...buts its real.

As you can glean from above, we have landed on Harper as the middle name. In keeping with a literary theme for middle names (Caden's is Crusoe), Harper comes from one of my favorite books To Kill a Mockingbird (highly recommend the movie too if you haven't seen it). Harper Lee is the author.

surf and turf

When Janelle and I started dating in college, we were both servers. Obviously, Valentine’s Day is a big day in the restaurant industry, so our first couple Valentine’s were spent apart…..working.
Once we moved on to 9 to 5’s, we had a newfound freedom on Valentine’s, but also knowing the chaos at restaurants, we weren’t in any rush to get in the back of the lines. So one of the first Pate traditions emerged. We buy some steaks and lobster tails and make an extravagant meal at home. It now is truly a day I look forward to every year. Happy Valentines everyone

more Lent stuff

Winn Collier (frequent contributor for Relevant Magazine) is tracking his Lent journey on a blog here with weekly installments.
Good reads. You can see his first entry here, and his second entry here.

Eviction Notice

double click on the picture to enlarge

any day now

Last Friday, Janelle’s OB told her that he would bet money in Vegas that she would have the baby by Monday (that’s right…yesterday). Naturally we were both really excited:

• Obviously to see our little girl for the first time (hopefully she looks like Janelle)
• Janelle is at the “just get out of my belly” point of pregnancy and wants to sleep on her stomach again
• and I get 2 weeks off of work once the baby arrives

Alas, this apparent false hope has had an anticlimactic effect. Now every day that she lingers inside her spacious womb is like torture to us (the parents). It’s like having the proverbial carrot dangling in front of our face….for days.

Lent stuff

NCC (a church in DC) has a great Lent prayer blog that is updated daily. It’s a great resource for any fellow “lent-ers”.

yeah, we're that poor

Caden has been watching a little too much Bob Ross

We think he may have a drug problem

Lent (2)

Lent begins today.
I participated in Lent last year for the first time which ended in one of the most embarrassing experiences of my life (so of course, I blogged about it).
Why do it again?
Candidly I’m not sure.
Maybe it’s because its hard for me to accept that I am “saved by grace” and I feel the need to work for it a little.
Maybe it’s because there is a part of me that enjoys the structure and tradition that Lent offers.
Maybe it’s because I’m not all that good at spiritual discipline normally, and this is a small enough spiritual exercise that I can do.
Maybe it’s all of the above.

If you want to jump on the Lent train, it’s not too late. Find something to fast (it doesn’t have to be food) until Easter.

Let me also admit that I practice a modified Lent by orthodox standards. I didn’t go to an Orthodox or Catholic Church today for Ash Wednesday (which includes having ash smeared on my forehead in the shape of a cross), although I would like to in the future. Frankly it’s a little intimidating because of my unfamiliarity with Catholic Mass. I don’t want to be the moron who doesn’t know when to stand and sit. I need a catholic buddy.

O.C.P.

Naive Art

Here are some canvases I painted for the nursery. We decided to go with an Eric Carle theme (famous children's books author). These are based on the book covers of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "The Grouchy Ladybug" (we gave ours a smile though).

what's in a name

Janelle and I have finally decided on a first name for the Pate princess.

Alaina (A-lane-a)

It meets all the qualifications:
>It can be shortened: Alaina is 3 syllables and as most people know I am lazy when it comes to names….and wasting time saying 3 whole syllables is exhausting and inefficient. So we (atleast I) will probably just call her “Lainy” more than “Alaina”
>It is flexible: at points in a child’s life (terrible twos, and pretty much the whole span of the teenage years) a parent has to say their child’s name more than they would like. So we try to pick one that gives us options to alleviate the repetitiveness. This one gives us: Alaina, Lainy, and Ally.

The middle name is still up for grabs though. Caden’s awesome middle name (which I heavily lobbied for) Crusoe sets a high bar. For us, it’s important for the middle name to have substance. Crusoe came from one of my favorite books Robinson Crusoe.

Any suggestions for Alaina _____ Pate are welcome.

thank God he is a firefigther

Jason (one of my old college roommates), Angie and Maddy came down for Janelle’s first baby shower. The first night we broke out the new fire-pit. Although now I am wondering if it is a good idea to have a fire-pit on a wooden deck….so close to the house. But then again, J is a part-time firefighter so I guess we were safer than usual that night.
I’m quite jealous of Jason being a fire-fighter. It just sounds cool. It’s my intention to volunteer at our local fire station once I finish my MBA.
Partly because it reclaims that sense of adventure that we tend to lose in the daily grind of life.
Partly because I assume it would be a catalyst for adrenaline rushes….I can’t remember the last time I had one of those…..can you? Sometime when I go to J’s house, we stop by the station and he lets me get in the truck and practice with “Rescue Randy” but that is as close as I have gotten so far.

Talk back: What do you do for “adventure” and adrenaline rushes?

Things Not to Say to Your Wife in the Last Weeks of Pregnancy

• Honey, come in here and see this horse giving birth on TV. Oh, man that looks like that’s gotta hurt.
• I challenge you in a touch your toes contest.
• Honey, I was just straightening up the bedroom…can you tell me if this is a fitted sheet or a pair of your underwear?
• No, I couldn’t eat another bite honey. I ate so much I feel…like you.
• Why don’t you go take a nice, relaxing, hot bath? But don’t put much water in the tub because it’ll overflow when you get in.

excerpted from familyman ministries

Carolina in my mind

A big welcome to Brian. Brian (one of my old college roommates and blogger buddy) moved into town last week from Florida.
Brian is originally from South Carolina (or as we call it....the dirty south), hence a new fire has been kindled on our long outstanding debate over which state can properly be labeled just "carolina" (apparently we you say it down there it means South Cackalacky). Since he is now a resident of the better half, I think it is only fair that he finally submit to the North's superiority. Afterall, SC looks up to us....just look on a map.

Although I have to admit they do have a much cooler flag.

Help: Does anyone know which Carolina James Taylor is referring to in his famous song?

book review: Velvet Elvis

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Rob Bell. Rob Bell has become one of the most influential voices of the church, called heretic by some, and revolutionary by others. Notably he is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church and creator of Nooma (take a look….its worth it). One of the things I found most valuable was Bell’s understanding of Jewish culture (especially in the time of Jesus). It made me realize how much is in the gospel that I have just glanced over without truly grasping the cultural and historical significance that’s critical to its meaning and intent. Another example that we only truly begin to understand something when we define and study its context. Its completely changed how I look at parts of the Biblical story. I highly recommend.