A juggling technophile shares personal stories, challenges, humor and perhaps some political commentary.
Happenings in a 5 child, 2 adult household.
This morning Noah explained told me he wondered if the school would have another chorus separate from the 5th grade chorus. I proceeded to ask if he liked singing and so forth and what came out was "I am not in fifth grade chorus because they practice during recess [the Friday recess] and we only get like two or three recesses a week." Sigh. He has to walk his own path and make his own choices.
Molly had to go to the pet ER and vet while Noah and I camped in the Smokies. We just heard yesterday that she is ok! The vet feared cancer but it turned out to be an inverted papilloma (that’s a great link!) I am very relieved!
Cathy sends text message: "Fighting nausea"
Doug sprints upstairs: "Are you pregnant?!"
This one comes second hand because I was in the store.
Dad: Pulls up to liquor store and goes in. Eggnog sometimes needs rum.
Tommy: "Why are we at a wine store!"
Mom: —I don’t know her reply—
Tommy: "You better keep that stuff downstairs!"
I love taking my daughter to pre-school. She bounces and sings and laughs on the way to school. She sometimes cheers as the building comes into sight. This morning she declared how beautiful her lunch box was. I am glad she likes it. I am glad she is happy. I find her beautiful. Today the teachers commented on her wonderful hair and that they thought it had grown over the Thanksgiving holiday. Indeed, it looks longer. I am prideful when others say how cute Amy is. I love her face.
I feel sad though as I look at her happiness and innocence knowing that our jaded society lurks in the not too distant future waiting to rob her of that joy and turn innocence into scorn. I cannot protect her from the vast negativity, hate and politics that seem to seep into our lives. Even this morning I found myself having to pander to someone’s political play where none was needed; unnecessary tension.
I hope she never loses her smile. I hope remains so happy.
Evan just slyly sneaked halfway up the stairs (wood, no carpet), smiled big and laughed at himself. Then as I said, "you are making me nervous" he rotated and in slow motion fell to his side and rolled down the stairs like a log. There is no more helpless feeling than watching your child have an accident that you can’t stop. I think he is ok. Where was Hiro!
As I get out of the bath.
Cathy: "Would you [take your naked body over to your computer] turn off your camera so that I [can take my dressed, albeit gowned body and] empty the dryer?"
I love my wife more than anything. She is special! She fantastic! She is beautiful! She is my soul mate. All that aside, she still occasionally makes me feel like Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus.
Me, trying to portion dinner: "Honey, are you a little hungry or a lot hungry?"
Wife, as I mouth the answer: "Medium."
Me: Twitch. Twitch.
I love my wife!
Amy: "Dad. I’ve really been wanting to go to the beach for days."
Mom: "Sarah wants to go to school on a 10°C day in short sleeves and no jacket."
Dad: "If you are going to be dumb, you have to be tough."
Evan and I share a ritual most mornings. I use an electric shaver and when I turn it on Evan comes running. It is his job to sit on my left hip and hold the container for the shaver. He plays with the paperwork that I’ve never thrown away and uses the cleaning brush to mimic the motions I am making on my face. He smiles being with Daddy and seems to like the feel of the cleaning brush over his cheeks. His dimple shows big while spending a few quality moments with Dad and I love it!
It is my goal to establish a psuedo-daily ritual with each of the children. With the older children, it might be reading a chapter aloud from a book or cooking a meal together.
Today, Amy will go to school dressed like Minnie Mouse. We did it last Wednesday and walked into the school to see most people not in costume. Fortunately, Amy had an extra shirt in the car. Two or three children remained in costume, one with hair dyed orange, as the teachers explained the date had changed and we must have missed the memo. Amy was having an overtired tantrum and part of me just wanted to take her home. I also didn’t want her to feel bad being one of the only children (at first I thought ‘the only’) in costume but I really do not think 4 year old minds think things like that until adults put such thoughts of self-doubt and insecurity into their minds. I think she would have proudly shown off her costume despite the other children. That’s the correct, confident response we should maintain all our lives. I hope I can instill such confidence. I don’t see it in Sarah.
Noah: "Dad, have you ever heard that song ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’?"
Amy: "Dad, when you went to school did you tell everyone your name was Dad?"
