My First Father's Day

Feels so surreal... I can't believe I'm a dad celebrating a holiday dedicated just for people like me... WOO! I got Martha a present for Father's Day, well a card, thanking her because I wouldn't be able to celebrate Father's Day if it wasn't for her allowing and making me a Father. :) She got me something too... She says it's from Jake, but I'm still anxious to see what it is...

Work, Baby, Sleep, Repeat

Wow, so... that;s basically my life now. I get up, get ready for work, go to work, come back, help take care of Jake, go to sleep, and do it all again the next day. I can't complain because I need to work to make money, I love spending time with Jake, and well... I love to sleep, so it's all good I guess. Jake's getting so big, but gettig more fussy, lol. My mom got here a few days ago, and it's really awesome seeing how she's already connecting with him. I wish my Dad was here, but he will be in good time. This Sunday is Fathers Day and I got him a t-shirt, a card, birth announcement, and DVD of Martha's baby showers and Jake's birth. I forgot to send him a DVD of all the pictures I've taken since Jake was born, but I'll send it soon. I can't believe it's been a month, today. Not much has really happened either. Each day fades into the other and it's very repetitive. But whatever, I can't wait till Jake starts talking and walking :).

I don't like rap much, but Hip-hop is starting to rub off on me, and this month I've been listening to a lot of it:

MY TOP 10 SONGS FOR MAY 2010 (SO FAR)
1) California Girls feat. Snoop Dogg - KATY PERRY
2) Airplanes feat. Hayley Williams - B.o.B.
3) Break Your Heart feat. Ludacris - TAIO CRUZ
4) Hey Soul Sister - TRAIN
5) Billionaire feat. Bruno Mars - TRAVIE McCOY
6) Forever Young feat. Mr. Hudson - JAY-Z
7) Need You Now - LADY ANTEBELLUM
8) If I Had You - ADAM LAMBERT
9) Like We Used To - A ROCKET TO THE MOON
10) This is War - 30 SECONDS TO MARS

One Week Of Baby

So life with the baby isn't as difficult as I thought. That's a different story for Martha though. I feel bad because she has to do so much, and I can't do much to help her. I'm trying but it's hard because I need to sleep for work, while she's up all night feeding him and changing his diapers. I'm sleeping through his cries and I know it upsets Martha, so I'm making it my personal goal to make her feel like she's not alone in this. Her boobs hurt a lot from breast feeding, and we can only hope it gets better. I hope it does. Jake turned 1 week yesterday and it is just so amazing. He is so beautiful and I love him, and Martha so much!

MY TOP 10 SONGS FOR MAY 2010 (SO FAR)
1) Get Out - CIRCA SURVIVE
2) Both Sides Of The Story - WE ARE THE IN CROWD
3) Letters And Love Notes - GO RADIO
4) Goodnight Moon - GO RADIO
5) Inside Of You - THE MAINE
6) More Than A Feeling (Boston Cover) - HIT THE LIGHTS
7) Lights Out - WE ARE THE IN CROWD
8) Your Love (The Outfield Cover) - I SEE STARS
9) Fall Asleep First - GO RADIO
10) Why I'm Home - GO RADIO

A Brand New Dad, A Brand New Start

Finally... after 9 agonizing months, I, John Van Mulligen, am indeed a father! WOO!!! I can't explain the feeling to look at him and know I helped create him. I can't even think of what to type because the feeling is so amazing, I just had to make a post... WOOO!!!!!!!

My Sleep Patterns Changed

Great song by The Early November... but anyways... my sleep pattern has changed. It's scaring me because I will literally sleep for 12-13 hours and Martha will finally wake me up and I'll still be tired... Today was probably the first day I got to wake up on my own, and even waking up I'm still tired. It's like my body can't get enough sleep, and even when it does it still wants more. How am I supposed to handle waking up 5 times a night to deal with Jake, when I can't sleep 13 hours without still being tired, AH! Lol, guess I'll have to suck it up... I've been taking that 5 Hour Energy and it really works, but Martha doesn't want me taking it anymore, so I don't know, we'll see...

BABY NEWS: Martha and I went to the doctor's where he informed us that she hasn't dilated yet, and that Jake is still growing. We're going to have to wait another week for an update, as well as get another ultrasound :). I like ultrasounds, but I don't like how Martha is being effected by this long pregnancy because the longer it takes, the more time he has to grow inside her, and it raises the likeliness of him having to be delivered by C-Section. We're crossing our fingers, but we both agreed that Jake's health is our number priority so if she has to get cut from stern to bow for him to be delivered safety then it is what it is, but of course we'd rather have a healthy Jakey delivered vaginally... It also scares me to, because him being the size he is, whether it's through C-Section of vaginally, I, personally, worry about Martha's health. I hope and pray nothing happens to her. That was my number 1 worry from the get-go... so many women die during pregnancy, I couldn't bare to raise Jake alone without her. Not saying I wouldn't or couldn't, but just imagining how hard it would be. Not hard in taking care of him alone, but hard knowing she's not here to raise our child together. It hurts just thinking about it. I still miss the days we'd smile and rub her belly together and smile and talk about him and what we're going to do when he's born. Now it's been reduced to crooked gazes talking about when he's going to be out so the pregnancy can be over with. Hopefully we can get back to the way it used to be soon. I'm still hopeful but I don't blame her for feeling the way she does, because I can understand, and it hurts me to see the pain she's in, and how we both just want it to be over with so we can finally hold Jake. I get chills still thinking about it :) COME ON JAKE COME OUT ALREADY, haha... any day now... 11 more days...

Almost Time

Everything seems ti be moving so fast. It seems like the other day I was complaining to Martha how long 9 months is and then BOOM! She's already full term. I'm excited, scared, nervous, happy, so many emotions, but they all center around disbelief. I still can't believe I'm having a kid. After going through all the doctors appointments, ultrasounds, baby showers, shopping, even visually seeing Martha grow and grow each day, it still hasn't sunk in. I guess when I see him pop out and I'm holding him in my hands that's when it will feel real.

I still can't help but think I'm still a kid. There are so many things I don't know yet, but I have to teach my son so many things. I go to work, trying to make enough money to support us and pay the bills, but I don't think it'll ever be enough. I'll always feel like I have to do more, because essentially I wish I could do more. I feel like I'm letting Martha and Jake down... before I even have chance to I'm already psyching myself out. It's hard... I'm going to be raising my son away from home, away from my friends, away from my house even. Supporting and raising Jake is by me going to work everyday and that's a big burden. But I know it's something I have to and will do.

I can't help but think he's going to be here soon. She is full term, so he's ready and can come out any day now, but he's so big. Martha's 37 weeks, but he's measuring 41 (when he was measured at 36 weeks he was measuring 40, so I'm just adjusting). He's a big baby... BIG baby... I wonder what he's going to look like... me and Martha... What attributes will he have of mine and which he'll have of hers... That one ultrasound is the closest thing we can go by, and it for sure don't look like me, lol... But that can all change when he's born...

The doctor's appointment on Tuesday will tell us where we stand and hopefully how much further we have to go. Can't wait till then...

Thinking About Toby

I was on this website looking at funny pictures and one was of a Rabbit Letter Opener and it reminded me of Toby. I hated that rabbit sometimes, but I loved him so much. It sucks he's gone... it's been over a year, but it makes me think what he'd be like now... I might have even brought him up here to Oregon with me... But he's gone, and I shouldn't be dwelling on the past, but it is what it is...

Dos Days Off

Got my first check from work last night. A night which I worked for 12 hours straight... crazy, but anyways... I am making $8.40 an hour (OR minimum wage), so after 4 days my check was around 140 bucks... Cool, I guess, I mean it's money coming in so that's always good. I have 2 days off, and it's highly needed. I'm so tired... With how my schedule is, I work all day, then am forced to go to bed and sleep through the day till I work again, so it's nice to get back on track as far as sleep goes. I had to play Chuck E. for the first time, and that was nerve racking. It's so hard to see out and I had to walk through the entire establishment, but luckily I made it through. I am really glad to get to relax now...

This weekend is Martha's first baby shower, I'm not sure if I mentioned this in a previous post, but she is having 4 baby showers. One for her mom's side of the family, another for he dad's family, another for my family, and the last from her youth group. This weekend is my families, and I'm excited for it, it should be fun.

That's about it... I think I need to update my blogger information, so I'm going to do that right now, I'll post another blog soon.

April Showers Bring April Blogs

So... it's been a long time, a lot has gone on. For starters... I'm in Oregon now. Me and Martha moved up here in February, and things have been pretty good I guess. She's huge (from the pregnancy of course), and she's having all sorts of aches and pains that keep me busy when I try to relax, but it's okay. I got a job working at Chuck E. Cheese, and everyone asks me... Yes, I get to play Chuck E. Actually everyone that works there has to at some point, so yup... I haven't got to play him yet, and I'm kind of glad because it ain't easy. There's a whole rulebook full of the do's and don't's of Chuck E. But anyways... that's really all... Easter was a few days ago and it was fun, and so now the only holiday left is Jake's birthday which could happen anytime between now and the 17th of May. Hopefully he doesn't come out now because I wouldn't want him premature, we want him healthy, and as the tests show he is healthy... well, a little too healthy. He weighs 5 lbs. 14 oz. and for his age, he should barely be pushing 5, so he's a chubster. But uh, yeah that's it... Looking forward to work in a few days, so yeah, later doods!

Oh! and also... I wanted to update my "Top 10 Songs" so here they are :P

MY TOP 10 SONGS FOR APRIL 2010 (SO FAR)
1) Tickets & Passports - HOLIDAY PARADE
2) Getaway - HOLIDAY PARADE
3) Crazy, Crazy Nights - KISS
4) The Consequence - YOU ME AT SIX
5) When 3's A Crowd - A DAY TO REMEMBER
6) Empty Sighs & Wine - ISLES AND GLACIERS
7) Cemetery Weather - ISLES AND GLACIERS
8) Mess I Made - PARACHUTE
9) Come On and Get Higher - MATT NATHANSON
10) Creatures Of The Night - KISS

My New Phone

So, I'm too lazy to look, and I need something to type so if I did post this in a previous post... so what... SUCK IT! :P

Last summer... I wanted the Samsung Impression. It was $200 (with an upgrade) and I had been due for an upgrade since that March. So I stroll into Radio Shack one day and see they have it for $129 or something... no Mail-in-Rebate, no offer attached to it, just plain and simply $70 less than the AT&T store was selling it for. I was skeptical so I asked the dood, "Hey... what's the catch?" and he said "None" so I bought it! Had it for a week, then I returned it. Got my money back, got my contract canceled, but... when it came to the upgrade, he told me I had to handle that on my own. So then I went to AT&T and told them what Radio Shack said, but they told me Radio Shack should have done it. By this time I was back in California, because I was in Oregon when I bought it, so I couldn't go back to Radio Shack, so I called AT&T services instead. They got a hold of Radio Shack and told me everything was all set. Thinking everything was all cool, I started looking for a new cell phone. Found one I liked and went to buy it and they told me that I wasn't eligible for an upgrade. I flipped out and called back customer service and told them how they told me everything was taken care of, so we went through the whole process again, and she apologized and for the inconvenience she would make it so I wouldn't have to pay any of the extra fees attached to buying a new phone. So, I went to go buy the phone I wanted, and they stopped selling the one I wanted, so I had to wait even longer. Looking, and waiting, and looking, and waiting, and finally, WOO!!! I found it! But instead of buying it I put it on my Christmas list... :) But unfortunately I didn't get it :(. Anyways..... After Christmas I went to get it myself, but they raised it $50!!! I said fuck that, and thought I'd wait till it dropped again. Finally, a couple weeks ago, it dropped down $100. So it was $150, then went to $200, and now it's $100. I went as fast as I could to the store and just as I'm about to swipe my card they tell me, "You're going to be charged a $75 early upgrade fee, and an $18 activation fee." I told them to shove it, and the manager proceeded to give me the biggest attitude that carpet munching douche bag coochie banger could possibly give so, unable to deal with her I called back customer service. Explaining what happened she put me on hold, and then kept telling me they were looking for something they didn't know what they were looking for, that something was missing, but what I don't get is, Radio Shack faxed them the receipt, they got verbal confirmation the phone was returned, they have records that show that my contract was canceled, and that I do not have an active upgrade. What were they looking for? What did they need? I have no idea, but they wouldn't reverse the upgrade. After 2 hours of waiting, she finally tells me that her manager tried to manually reverse the upgrade, but even he couldn't, so she had to open a case for me. I have no idea what a case was, or why it was needed, but she did it and told me to wait anywhere within the next 2 weeks for a call. The 2 weeks ended yesterday and I hadn't heard anything, so I called customer service and asked them what was going on. The girl tells me that everything got resolved already a week ago and that I should have gotten a call. I didn't, but whatever, it was finally RESOLVED. So from the second I hung up I was in the car heading for AT&T where I saw it, I bought it, and when I got home I made sweet love to it. You wanna see it? Sure... here it is: Samsung Mythic

Beautiful isn't it? It's the Samsung Mythic. It's really cool and has so many features, many I can't use, but a lot that I can! So far I love it, but I have 30 days to return it, and if I do, I'll be crossing my fingers I don't have to go through this crap again...

B-B-B-Back

It's been a while, and although I know no one reads these, it's more for personal use more than anything... To remind myself of certain situations, thoughts, and happenings I felt were "noteworthy" (Earick gets it... I think...) But anyways... WASSAP!? to whoever is reading this. If your wondering I'm so excited to say... I FINALLY FELT THE BABY KICK! CHA! I love it! It was so awesome... Martha doesn't know this, but deep down inside I was going "WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!" but I acted like it was cool and nothing else, but WOOO!!! Just knowing he's in there now... moving... living... :)

In other stuff... work is good... I'm really used to it now, and it's really awesome. I'm becoming friends with my co-workers and it's really awesome. The supervisors are really getting awesome... they're treating us like people instead of... I don't know, but they treated us like crap before, but yup... In the next couple weeks we'll be starting to work 6 days a week, full-time and over-time, can't complain about that!

Right now I'm listening to "Never Be What You Want" by We Are The In Crowd. Awesome band... and I stared thinking of writing my favorite songs for the month of January, and then for February, and so on to see if it changes and to look back on songs I can't stand anymore and say "Oh god I used to like that?" So anyways...

MY TOP 10 SONGS FOR JANUARY 2010 (SO FAR)
1) Never Be What You Want - WE ARE THE IN CROWD
2) Kids In Love - MAYDAY PARADE
3) What Do You Want From Me? - FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS
4) 1982 - THE SEQUENCE
5) Out Here In California - THE SEQUENCE
6) Permanent Heartbreak - THE FRIDAY NIGHT BOYS
7) For The Win - WE ARE THE IN CROWD
8) Live Like We're Dying (The Script Cover) - KRIS ALLEN
9) Party In The U.S.A. (Miley Cyrus Cover) - LIFE ON REPEAT
10) The Memory - MAYDAY PARADE