I've been tagged to do a survey type blog...

Kiara, a very loyal and interactive blog reader of ours – one of my favorites, over at The Buechler Heartbeat, tagged me in her post, so here you go, a nice non-photo-bomb post:

Rules:
1. You must post these rules.
2. Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post.
5. Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.
6. No tag backs.
7. No stuff in the tagging section about ‘you are tagged if you are reading this.’ You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

First 11...

1. What was the best thing that happened to you this year?
This is the easiest question I will ever answer, ever. The best thing to happen to me this year, 2011, Ethan Alistair Rossman on August 26, 2011. The birth of my fantastic son is easily the best thing to happen to me in 2011, and ever.

2. What is your #1 pet peeve?
I absolutely cannot stand people who do not know how to drive well or drive as if they are the only person on the road. These people need to cut their license in two, throw their keys in the ocean, and forever sit in the passenger seat next to someone who knows how to drive.

3. What's your favorite place to vacation?
I haven’t traveled much but my favorite among the places I have traveled is hands down Cancun, Mexico where Sonia and I honeymooned and then returned the next year for our 1 year anniversary. All-inclusive, 2 story suite with a hot tub on the roof overlooking the ocean, free, full stocked bar in the room, decent food, great service, outstanding room, relaxing yet fun. And now I want to go back. Le sigh…

4. Favorite place to eat?
Oh man, this is gonna be tough. I’m a foodie. I like a loooooot of different foods. I could eat Mexican food at anytime. All you can eat Mongolian Grills are always great. WingDome, money! I love a good steak and lobster mashed potatoes dinner at Daniel’s Broiler. Jimmy Johns or Jersey Mikes for a sub sandwich, delicious. Italian food, pizzas and pastas, yum! So give me a place where I could eat any and all of that like an ultimate sampler and that place will be my favorite place to eat!

5. Who truly inspires you both in your own life and someone you've never met?
This is something I’ve always struggled with in life – looking up to someone else for inspiration. There are people I see doing big things that would be things I’d love to do and get jealous. Is that inspiring me then by making me jealous? Or is the inspiration when I look at these people and what they are doing, or have done, and I change my life to follow what they have done?

6. Best and worst movie you have ever seen?
Like food, I love movies. I have a lot of favorite movies. Since it is Christmas time, and I watch this movie at least a dozen times between Thanksgiving and New Years, I’ll go with “A Christmas Story.” I’ve loved watching that movie for as long as I can remember. The worst movie I’ve ever seen in theaters is “House of the Dead.” It’s a movie made from a video game and it was god-awful with terrible acting and a terrible story. It became laughable and then worthy of a walk-out.

7. What is your guilty pleasure?
Hmmm…something I enjoy that I would be embarrassed for others to know I enjoy, but willing to admit here. Ha! I’ll go with watching garbage TV shows like Jersey Shore, TNA Wrestling, Kardashians, 16 & Pregnant, Teen Mom, etc. It’s crap TV, but hey, I watch it.

8. Describe your dream home?
A paid off one!! HaHa! My dream home is one I would design where money would not be an object and includes a landscaper, a pool cleaner, housecleaner, and personal chef. 2 or 3 stories, a sweet man cave with an amazing home theater, a pool, hot tub, lots of windows for natural light, lots of floor space, high ceilings, interesting wall angles and layouts, bad ass kitchen, huge bathrooms, 4 car garage…I could go on and on.

9. If you could switch places with any blogger friend for a day, who would it be?
I’m not really sure since I don’t have a lot of “blogger friends.” Since he is awesome and blogs sometimes, I’ll go with Alex Akana.

10. Do you believe in love at first sight?
Heh, nope. Lust at first sight is totally real. Love at first sight, fairytale stuffs.

11. If you could go back in time to witness any historical event, what would it be?
Helluva question and this one requires some time to think about it but I guess off the top of my head I have always wished I went to TOOL concerts in the 90s and early 2000s.

Second 11...

1. What is your favorite fruit? Favorite veggie?
Strawberries and Cucumbers (with ranch dressing)

2. Regular soda, or diet, and why?
Regular, it tastes soooo much better. Worse for me but hey diet sodas have no calories but have questionable “sugars” in them.

3. Would you change what you majored in college, and if so, what to? If you didn’t go to college, what would you want to study if you went now?
Ehh, no I wouldn’t change. My degree is in Business. Pretty general, I can take it anywhere. I hate school.

4. What kind of cell phone do you have? Do you have a home phone?
HTC Inspire (suck it Apple iPhone) and nope, no home phone. I have no use for one.

5. What is your favorite office supply?
A very nice pen is always key for me.

6. Do you take a daily vitamin?
Heh, nope, but I should. I really should.

7. If you could go back and do your senior prom all over again, what would you change?
HaHa! Wow…not really. I don’t need to re-live any of that stuff. A girl I was seeing I caught seeing someone else, I dumped her before the prom and ending up going with another girl, a friend, last minute. We had fun, it was cool. I’ve never even thought about it being something I would go back in time to change until this question. HaHa.

8. What was the first thing that popped into your head when you heard Michael Jackson had died? Osama Bin Laden had been killed?
MJ, man, no awesome world tour finale, no more awesome music?! OBL, cool…but, yeah, sure, prove it. Still waiting. ;)

9. What is your favorite hair product, and why?
Water? HaHa!

10. What would be the hardest thing for you to give up for a year?
My son, Ethan Alistair!

11. Would you ever run a marathon?
Sure, why not? Am I in marathon running shape? Hells no!

Firsts! Many of them...

First, you’ll have to forgive me, forgive us for being MIA on this blog. Apologies for not making time in the last 3 months to not provide an update outside of our small, quick posts on Facebook. It’s like riding a bike…I’m jumping back on, so let’s go!

Many events have happened since my last post in mid September. Ethan’s first Halloween – first pumpkins, first costumes, first experience but better ones are to come once he gets older.

Ethan’s first Thanksgiving – first turkey, first feast, well witnessing it anyways as he only got a small finger dab of sweet potato as a treat/experiment, first Thanksgiving Day football games, first family get together at the holidays.

Now, his first Christmas – first Christmas tree, first stocking, first Santa photos, first time seeing Christmas movies (we haven’t watched any yet but we will), and of course first time opening gifts and getting together with the family for Christmas.

Besides the holidays, we have had a few other nice firsts. First photo shoot, first Apple Cup, Mommy’s birthday, first time meeting some Seahawks, first time meeting some great Seahawks fans, our friends, family, first time meeting Nessa coming up from California, first time teething, first time discovering he can use his hands to reach out and grab things like his toys, first time actually playing with his toys, first time discovering his feet and that he can grab them, first story times, and several other firsts, I’ve listed enough. ;-)

Seeing my son develop has been a life-changing experience. It is so interesting to see him learn new things we adults take for granted, like touching our feet, using our hands, smiling, laughing, etc. It’s hard to explain to people who do not have kids but there is just something awesome about sharing those little things; little to us, but so monumental to him. Fatherhood has been amazing and I wouldn’t trade anything for it. Ethan is such an awesomazing child so far. I love that little guy with all my heart. His smile is contagious and his love is infectious. I just love being around him and look forward to many more firsts…and seconds…thirds…thousands.

P.S. Feel free to shoot me any questions on my feelings/opinions on things that have happened thus far. I’d be happy to expand upon a topic and write about it. Thanks for reading!