Well, quite some time has elapsed since I last posted an entry here at The Gentlemen’s Standard. However, my absence does not arrive without good reason. My darling Ava is approaching the tender age of 10 months, and she is in the beginning stages of formulating her own little precocious personality. Emboldened with the newly acquired skill of crawling and standing, Ava has become what we like to describe as – busy. Her infant cries have gradually evolved from primitive distress signals to sophisticated screams of coercion. Fully cognizant of the presence of her upper limbs, she has adroitly mastered pushing away both objects and people who encroach upon her personal space. And along with my daughter’s attempts to exert her tiny will, my wife and I have also dealt with the dreaded, obligatory bout with baby sickness.

Now, if chasing down a 9 month old traveling 5 mph across the floor and up the stairs isn’t distressing enough; receiving an e-mail notification that hand, foot, and mouth disease, along with chicken pox, has invaded Ava’s daycare center certainly does not help to assuage the preexisting stress levels. Add in a high fever for approximately a week and then a trip to the emergency room due to an unexpected allergic reaction (scary) to scrambled eggs, yes, life has been very hectic. My blogging duties, usually performed during my lunch break, is still being replaced by afternoon naps. So desperate for sleep, despite plunging temperatures, I still traverse the parking lot to a warm, waiting car for some shut-eye. Thank goodness for remote starters. Well, hopefully, life will slow down a bit so I can hop back on the blogging horse more routinely. I just wanted to check in with everyone. I hope everyone has a blessed and safe Thanksgiving. Be careful out there during Black Friday – this guy will be sleeping.