2010 September: North

Sorry I’m late this month, we too have had some big changes this month. Technically, the story I’ll tell you about occurred in October, not September, but it’s a big story for us. On Friday Oct. 1st at 5:30 in the morning Becky and I drove to the hospital. Becky had a c-section scheduled for that morning. We were scared and tense as we waited in the waiting room, and then again up in the OB wing. It was strange to think that we were about to add another member of our family. They allowed me into the operating room to witness the spinal tap and the c-section with the question “you’re not going to pass out are you?” I assured them that I was fine, so they allowed me in. It was difficult to watch Becky being prepared for surgery, shaking, and obviously nervous, and yet not be able to comfort her. They allowed me to hold her hand as they extracted Sophie. At 8:14 am Sophie Lucille North was born; she weighed 6lbs, 7 ounces and was 18 inches long. She had a full head of dark hair, which has since gone blond. After the surgery I followed the nurses and Sophie upstairs while Becky stayed down in the OR for her post-operative care. Up in the nursery everything was quiet and calm, like the stillness after a storm. I got my first chance to spend time with Sophie; I feel like we bonded for the first time there. She is so small, so delicate, and so perfect. I am a lucky father.



We spent the next couple of days in the hospital while mom and baby convalesced; the nursing staff was wonderful and supportive. They took the time to make sure that mom and baby had the skills they need for the first few months of life (breastfeeding). On Sunday afternoon we all came home. Our life has been different since then, as you all know. The first time that Sophie woke up crying during the night I thought “who’s crying in my house?” Since then I’ve become a pro at changing diapers. I’ve learned that you always need to keep a diaper under baby, because things can come at any time without warning.



This is the big news for our family. Other than this, life is proceeding normally. I’m still in school, still trying to cram as much knowledge into my little head as possible. Becky has quit her work to stay home. I know she misses the people she worked with, they treated her very well. We hope that all is going well for you too.


Stewart, Becky, and Sophie

2010 September: Bates

I've been so busy with Fashion Genome that I haven't had time to write a real newsletter all summer. So, I am taking a break to write more.
Unfortunately since all I have done was work, I will have to reach into the category of planning and musings to fill up a big-boy-sized newsletter.

The weather here has been amazing. I don't mind the heat, but it is nice to have it just be pleasant outside. It's the sort of weather where you feel like napping in the sun while cuddling your wife. I haven't been outside much, but the since I commute a decent amount and my car has no air conditioning, I get a pretty good feel for the weather.

Orianna is talkative as ever. She is very social, and loves to tell people stories, and tell them "good job" if they do anything that she deems worthy of praise (usually things that are too hard for her to do, or too tall for her to reach). She also is very happy about being "so tall." So, if I end up with a 6'3" teenager, I will have to show her footage of her dancing about praising her height so she can't complain when she has to slouch to dance with a guy.

She has also discovered the inglorious "why?" While I don't mind explaining things to kids (because I loved that my parents would, instead of just saying "because")... but she abuses it by not having a granularity where stopping asking why is ok. But, I just use it as a chance to say lots of weird words like "paramecium", or "optic nerves", or "psychological imperative". In the words of Tamara, "Our poor children."
Her other big accomplishment is her iPhone Prowess. At first I just assumed she was a genius 2 year old leaps and bounds ahead of the rest in mental development... but after seeing many kids her age with the iPhone, I am convinced that 1) adults constantly underestimate kids 2) touch computing is a vast barely-tapped resource for early child education. Orianna can already read many words, and knows her ABC and can identify both uppercase and lowercase letters & numbers, and can count to 20. While I would love to claim credit (either for nature or nurture), I am afraid that television and the iPhone have been her most powerful instructors. So, at some point I will likely start programming educational tools for touch computing, as I am convinced that it is a great way to educate kiddos.

Tamara has been great (as always) helping me work. She has pulled far more than her share of parenting, housework, and even yard work. I would feel far worse about it, if I weren't on the clock right around 100 hours a week plus commute time.
Tamara has spent a lot of time during the day with her sisters who each have similarly aged children. It has been fun to parent in a social group. Often on Sunday's we will eat dinner at Tamara's mothers house, and everyone just kind of collectively parents everyone under the age of 5. It's amazing how relaxing it is to parent other people's kids than your own. I think Mark Twain said it best, "Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do."

FashionGenome has progressed well. We are on the cusp of launching the site live and having the ability to actually make money, and have several Venture Capitalists who have all promised to invest if we can show any level of traction (sales) (basically to prove that we are done-enough with the site for it to be viable).
Though that makes it sound like my workload will decrease, it is quite the opposite. We are launching a sister site that is a subset of FashionGenome and is "Powered by FashionGenome". So all the FashionGenome work is still left for me to do, plus maintaining a sister site, plus providing an API for other sites to tap into in case they just want to subscribe to our service so that fashion genome can "power their site" too.

Lastly, I am in the process of converting the 900 square foot workshop behind my house into a viable office for FashionGenome. It is a little tricky because 1) I know jack about construction, and 2) the laws are a little fuzzy when it gets to home businesses that you don't actually "own". But, I think I have all the legal stuff figured out, especially since the government sites all say "As long as you aren't polluting and no neighbors complain, we are willing to turn a blind eye regardless of whether or not you are bending the rules." Lucky for me, I don't even have neighbors. But, I think I am complying to all the rules anyway, so it should be fine.

Well, I hope everything is going well for you blokes and your families. I apologize for any incoherency in my email, as I often type at random now due to sleep deprivation ;)
But, we are happy, well, and hoping to finally dig ourselves out of our money-pit home. Hopefully FashionGenome will provide that means.
-Rob

2010 September: Robertsons

Hello everyone,
Wow. September. Enough Said. We have been consumed by our very busy lives here in Idaho Falls and surrounding environs. I, Derik, officially started teaching at BYU-I at the beginning of the month. After one month, I have set several students on edge, and more than one has wondered what in the world they were thinking by taking my class. But all in all, I have a good bunch of kids, and we (and by that I mean myself and possibly my TA) are having a grand old time. I have unofficially been asked to teach another “class” this semester. So once a week I team teach a class on Existentialism, Sin, and Free Will with another professor on campus. I am trying to carve out a nice little home for myself in the department, so if there is any time in the future when the opportunity arises that I can actually apply for a permanent position, I will have a big advantage.
My schooling in Pocatello is going smoothly as well. I am taking two classes, and they are keeping me busy. I commute down to Pocatello twice a week for these classes. Neither one is too labor intensive. I am taking an Intro to Grad studies which is a cake walk since I have already taken a class very similar in Minnesota, but I couldn’t get the credits to transfer, so I just sit and debate. Great fun. I am also taking a TESOL Methods course which is completely new to me. Not the most exciting thing for me, but it will be good for me and for my resume later. The biggest kick I have had in the classes has been the fact that two of my old professors from BYU-I are in one of my classes. One of the professors was my advisor as an undergrad and I was a TA for the other one for about a year. It is a bit surreal to have a class with them – let alone to debate them on a point of theory.
Kyla and Daria have started in at a Co-op preschool done by several women in the ward. Each week they go to a different house to have school. They have really enjoyed “play-school” and can’t wait to go whenever they can (and even when they can’t). They are all too happy to tell anyone who will listen all about their tiger hunts, rainbows, telescopes, and songs. They are also enamored with their bedroom in their new house. Everyone who comes over has to see their bedroom – it isn’t an option. They will drag anyone down the stairs by force if necessary. Just a heads-up warning if anyone visits.
Morgan is enjoying some of the moments that she is getting alone and to herself every now and then when Jamis is napping and the girls are at pre-school. It is leaving her with a few moments every now and then to do the things that she wants to do around the house. She is also enjoying the neighborhood. She has a few good friends just a couple houses down and can go and visit during the days.
Jamis had his 1 year birthday this month. He is quite the happy kid; although, he is developing a large independent streak. He loves to play with his sisters, and they, for the time being, really enjoy playing with him.
We are settling into our ward. Both of us have now received callings. Morgan has been called into the primary board (we have yet to find out what that exactly means) and I have been called as 2nd counselor in the Elder’s quorum presidency. We’ll see how that goes.
Anyway, I think that does it for us here. We are looking forward to October with fear and trembling (if September was bad – October looks to be a whole lot worse). But we will report on our successes and shortcomings…or just our successes come the end of the month. Until then, we wish you all the best and God’s many blessings on you.
The Robertsons