As one enters the family, one leaves it

Having been a little brother, I know all about hand-me-downs. Thirty-three years later, there is one I still have left. I bought my Nissan 240SX from my brother after he had it for 3.5 years. It has seen me through the last 9.5 years. Four cities, 92,000 miles, three cross-country drives, four attempted break-ins, and a tight turn with a post in a parking garage that left a nice "beauty mark" on my passenger door. I’ve even cracked 100 MPH on three occasions. It was there when I found out my mom had passed on. It was also the chariot for my date with the woman who would one day become my wife. I’ve thought about a new car on three different occasions, but never pull the trigger.  I have to admit I am sentimental and I love this car. So what could possibly make me part with it? One guess…

My vehicle is clearly not kid-friendly and it’s time I grew up. Not mini-van grow up–I am not ready to cop to that level of maturity just yet. But alas, it looks like I will go the route of the SUV. Yes, go ahead and judge. I never thought I’d be an SUV person. Don’t get me wrong–I am not a die-hard tree-hugging liberal per se. But yes, I do think SUVs are normally a yuppie play toy that aren’t very ecofriendly. Nevertheless, with the kid on the way, it’s time to face facts. Every parent we know has warned us of the multitude of baby paraphernalia that will accompany the kid on every trip. This is beyond simple car seat to set her–we’re talking strollers, diaper bags, toys, etc. I suppose we can work it into a sedan, but it seems like a bit of a tight squeeze. Plus, suddenly I actually start caring about crash test results, safety features, etc. I suppose I should have cared when it was me in the car, but with Iris, I feel a little greater obligation. Man, those SUVs are good. I considered a wagon (like the Suburu Outback, which is clearly the most popular car in Seattle), but you don’t get anything on gas mileage compared to the SUVs I’ve been looking at.

So, I think we’ve decided on the Hummer H2–just kidding. I am saving that for when I enter the actor-turned-California governor phase of my life. We are deciding between a Nissan Murano and a Toyota Highlander, both of which manage to provide acceptable gas mileage while still delivering the space and safety we need. Cherise has admitted that she may someday move to the mini-van (like mother, like daughter), but I think I can safely tread in this space and still maintain my cred as a hip dude (yes, those who know me are aware I was NEVER a hip dude and merely using the phrase obviates the fact).

Yet another life change brought on by Iris and she’s not even here.  Things are starting to get interesting around here…

Rite of Passage – Trek to Babies 'R' Us

Well, this weekend, we finally made our maiden voyage to an important bastion of parents everywhere.  Where homeownership forced our pilgrimage to Home Depot, our impending parenthood led us to Babies ‘R’ Us.  Cherise had experienced the aura of Babies R Us during her extensive baby shower shopping over the last couple of years.  I, on the other hand, had no experience and saw it as a dangerous place where bratty kids would scream and cry at a moment’s notice.  You may be saying to yourself "Don’t judge, Sandy.  That’ll be Iris someday!"  True, but at least that’ll be MY bratty kid…

Well, fortunately, Babies ‘R’ Us was a far better experience than I could’ve imagined.  They had EVERYTHING you could possibly imagine needing as a parent (and, as I am learning, that is a whole lot).  We went shopping for Rocking Chairs.  I must say it’s amazing what they’ve done with rocking chairs since the ones my parents used.  Special rocking mechanisms, locks, recliners, etc.  I was ready for one to come tricked out with the hydraulics for rocking in "da hood".  We also started our "Baby Registry" shopping.  Cherise figured that using the registry gun would keep me entertained.  She was right–I was having fun picking items.  It shows how far I’ve fallen from my single days of trying to maintain a somewhat macho image when I get all cutesy about a diaper bag that has a picture of Snoopy as a puppy on it.  I imagine it goes further down when daddy’s little girl actually arrives…

As for the kids, they were actually kinda cute and well-behaved.  I am constantly watching how other parents manage their kids of different ages to prepare myself for what’s ahead.  That said, I have told Cherise that no matter how much preparation we do, we will be so woefully unprepared that I’m ready to make a couple of mistakes and get it right on the second kid.  After all, that’s what my folks did…

So, yet another mini-milestone as an appetizer for the big milestones.  Of course, no one could tell me what was up with that backwards "R", but I will save that mystery-solving for my return visit.

It's a girl!

Welcome to the website of Iris Mary Khaund! 

We are so thrilled to bring a new Khaund into the world, and she is due October 10, 2005.

We were excited to find out recently that she is a girl, and decided to go ahead and announce her name.  Iris has been our favorite flower for a long time, and we just love the name.  In Greek mythology, Iris is also the Goddess of the Rainbow –  she was an emissary of the god Zeus and his wife, Hera, and left Olympus only to deliver the divine decrees to humankind who revered her as an advisor and guide. She could travel with the speed of the wind from one end of the earth to the other or to the depths of the ocean or to the chasms of the nether world. 

Mary is her middle name, in honor of Iris’s grandmother Mary Katherine and her great grandmother Mary Alice.

 Iris is already a great traveler.  She just took her first trip with us to Mexico, for Quyen and Adam’s wedding in Playa Del Carmen, where she also went snorkeling for the first time.  She loved it!