Shortly after Robby was born, my first girlfriend sent me a book: Good Morning, Merry Sunshine. Inside the book was this note:

To Robby, Brian & Mary,

This book reminds me of you (except that the baby in this book is a girl, but you get the picture.)

Brian & Mary,

Have fun experiencing parenthood!

Robby,

Enjoy childhood!

With Love,
Shona
3/31/02

When I got the book I read the note inside the front cover, then promptly placed the book on my bookshelf next to my bed. I did not pick the book up again until almost two years later. I finished reading it a few days ago. The book was a journal of the first year of the author's daughter's life. The book made me think about the first year of Robby's life.

Sometimes I wonder about signs and fate and why we are here. About a week after I started reading Good Morning, Merry Sunshine, I read an article on the Microsoft web site about blogs. Blogs are essentially this interesting phenomenon of people putting journals online and in some cases syndicating them. I spent part of one afternoon reading some people's blogs when I ran across Dooce.com which interestingly enough was an online blog of an uncommon woman from the Midwest who just had her first baby. Again, I thought about the first year of Robby's life.

On April 21st something happenend and I just decided to do this. I took my website (that has been pretty lifeless for several years) and decided I would convert it into my online journal of the first year of Benjamin's life. I hope to write a little bit each day, and include pictures, audio and video as well.

As I write this Benjamin is still in his mommy's tummy. I am pretty sure Robby knows that he is going to be a big brother and that Mary is going to be having a baby soon. Benjamin is due on May 10th. I can't wait!