In the final stretch marks

sam here - catching up in the world of blogs. let's just say ... 2012 hasn't been the greatest year for regular blog posts. thanks for sticking with us, loyal readers! my opinion: ken and my blogging energy will return at full force once this bun in the oven is cooling on the welcome-to-life-now stove top. Exactly 20 days to go until this supposed baby in mom's belly becomes a reality.

in the mean time: a few updates from the window of conrad the younger --

mom and dad pinched pennies for a few years, and i'm thrilled to report that a california-style fence now lines the perimeter of our back yard. three cheers for the ability to wander without incessant parental reminders to turn around, come this way, or not in the neighbor's flowers, sam.

i awoke one afternoon in april to mom, dad and ken sitting in minivan. yes, just sitting. imagine my surprise, as i climbed into the seat next to ken, when mom informed me the minivan belonged to us. really? the seats are so .... high. the windows are so wide ... and when we listen to "This Old Man," dad pushes a special button to help us rear-seat dwellers hear the tune even better. awesome. i think dad may have shed a tear as he watched the trusty family buick alight a flat-bed and free-ride its way to its chosen donation location. while dad admits to "trundling headlong into middle-aged suburbia" (a direct quote), i will say that the minivan moves with the speed and alacrity that a man of my stamina and charisma has come to expect in life.

big brother ken was the first to notice that mom no longer wears her rings. apparently this baby-on-the-way has claimed mom's clear skin, waistline and the space between her digits. as a result of his uncanny ability to notice the important things, ken and mom made a deal: once baby comes out, and mom wears her rings again, ken will wear undies. we'll see how that goes. my guess: he'll need my shining example to inspire him into potty training execution mode. i'll keep you posted.

in a more recent update, dad completed his undergrad semester with grace and style. the man has become the rodin's thinker of economics. truth: minnesota public radio (mpr) is set on a daily alarm so that the three of us are guaranteed a breakfast serenade of public radio opinion and economic food for our heads. does that make us a collection of geeks? i think not until dad starts calling into the show. who knows, though. ken may beat him to it.

it's officially summertime, and i've acquired the official minnesota farmer's tan, a handful of healthy mosquito bites, and the tune to "bah bah black sheep." while i do feel badly for the 'little boy who lives down the drain,' i'm happy with the general cadence our days have taken. mom's middle continues to expand, and dad's checking off the list of things to do before the official due date. (personally i don't think the reality of another baby really hit him until he rearranged the space in the minivan to accommodate a third car seat. his face is still a little white.)

cheers, my readers. ken and i will assume the responsibility for informing you of the date and specs of our pending sibling. until then, enjoy the sunshine, and know that good thoughts are sent to you daily.

sam