A stranger's smile when he sees you walking next to your son, who's little legs are flying to keep up with his body as he leans into his walk. Makes you step out of your reality and realize he won't always be this little and curious, walking aimlessly checking out every irregularity in the sidewalk while you wait for your daughter to finish dance class.
A very sweet girl slipping into your room and up to your bed saying "Daddy........the clouds are awake" at the first sign of the morning light.
Lying in your daughters bed reading goodnight books and she says " Are you Kidding Me?"
Telling your little one "We'll see" at their request for treats right after breakfast only to have them say "What do we have to see daddy?"
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
A Childs View
Daddy got a new camera, so K just had to create with the old one. I gave her free rein for an afternoon with just a few pointers to get her started. At one point she said "I got you right in the knee, daddy". I love the finger over the lens too.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Snow Day
We got just under 13 inches of snow last night. That pretty much shut down our town for the day. Even the University closed today for the first time in 30 years. We couldn't get out of the neighborhood most of the day due to a pretty steep hill that was covered in snow. They didn't come to plow until the afternoon because they were focusing on the main roads. Needless to say I was forced to take the day off work. It was the nicest day. Yeah, I shoveled snow for about three hours but it was still great to hang out with my family all day with nothing to do. We built a nice fire in the fireplace and just enjoyed being at home with no agenda.
K and J and I got all our gear on to go out and play in the snow. Turns out J doesn't really like being bundled up to the point where he looks like the kid in Christmas Story who can't put his arms down due to the amount of clothing he has on. So he didn't last too long. just a quick ride on the sled. Then he went back in to hang with Mom. K and I played for a long time. We cruised on the sled, ate snow, made snow angels, had a snowball fight, made tracks in the snow and generally had a nice time. At one point I was lying in the snow looking up at the sky with K. She was eating some snow and shared with me. Then she got a mischievous look in her eye, picked up some snow and rubbed it on my nose. We both laughed for a moment. When I got it wiped off we made up by rubbing noses together. We played some more, knocking each other down and generally having fun. She is a remarkable person. We even helped a neighbor round up their dog who was loose. When we got in Mom had some hot chocolate and had lunch ready for us.
I learned today that the thing in the kitchen that keeps our food cold is called a fridgeelator. I also learned that K--- spells Me. :)
We started to learn how to count in French. She has a tremendous capacity for learning and picked it up pretty quick.
At dinner J made me laugh so hard I nearly fell out of the chair. He was trying to say milk and kind of got stuck on mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. All the while looking at N with the cutest look. He was trying so hard and it tickled me. Then as we were all laughing he was looking at N with the cutest little smile. All of sudden he shifted his eyes to me without turning his head and we all cracked up even more. It was just one of those moments you don't want to forget but that is very hard to describe. It was more theatrical than anything and that made it so funny. It was almost as if he was performing for us.
Just a good day overall.
K and J and I got all our gear on to go out and play in the snow. Turns out J doesn't really like being bundled up to the point where he looks like the kid in Christmas Story who can't put his arms down due to the amount of clothing he has on. So he didn't last too long. just a quick ride on the sled. Then he went back in to hang with Mom. K and I played for a long time. We cruised on the sled, ate snow, made snow angels, had a snowball fight, made tracks in the snow and generally had a nice time. At one point I was lying in the snow looking up at the sky with K. She was eating some snow and shared with me. Then she got a mischievous look in her eye, picked up some snow and rubbed it on my nose. We both laughed for a moment. When I got it wiped off we made up by rubbing noses together. We played some more, knocking each other down and generally having fun. She is a remarkable person. We even helped a neighbor round up their dog who was loose. When we got in Mom had some hot chocolate and had lunch ready for us.
I learned today that the thing in the kitchen that keeps our food cold is called a fridgeelator. I also learned that K--- spells Me. :)
We started to learn how to count in French. She has a tremendous capacity for learning and picked it up pretty quick.
At dinner J made me laugh so hard I nearly fell out of the chair. He was trying to say milk and kind of got stuck on mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. All the while looking at N with the cutest look. He was trying so hard and it tickled me. Then as we were all laughing he was looking at N with the cutest little smile. All of sudden he shifted his eyes to me without turning his head and we all cracked up even more. It was just one of those moments you don't want to forget but that is very hard to describe. It was more theatrical than anything and that made it so funny. It was almost as if he was performing for us.
Just a good day overall.
Monday, January 5, 2009
2 Things 2 Remember
The funniest thing happened this weekend. N has been trying to get all the requirements necessary to the state so that she can take her license exam. This has been a very difficult and frustrating thing that has taken over six months to accomplish and who knows how many hours. She got the letter in the mail on Saturday saying that she finally had gotten them all they need to approve her for taking the test.
We were standing in the kitchen while she read the letter and announced that she was finally approved to take her test with much relief and excitement in her voice. K and J were in the living room playing. I was telling her how great that was. Then I said " Good Job Babe!" as I patted/smacked her on the rear. I didn't realize that K was entering the kitchen to see just what all the excitement was about. She then proceeded to walk up to N and said "Good Job Babe!" as she smacked my wife on the rear.
I was laughing so hard that I had to leave the room. All N could do was laugh too, as did K. What a little sponge. She is too quick for her dad, that's for sure.
I love it when we read books before bed. It is such a wonderful time to cuddle and connect and read together. Sometimes if I turn the page to quickly K will say "no, no, no, I want to think about it for a minute" as she reaches up to turn back the page.
I think that is so incredibly cute. I am amazed at how articulate she is sometimes.
We were standing in the kitchen while she read the letter and announced that she was finally approved to take her test with much relief and excitement in her voice. K and J were in the living room playing. I was telling her how great that was. Then I said " Good Job Babe!" as I patted/smacked her on the rear. I didn't realize that K was entering the kitchen to see just what all the excitement was about. She then proceeded to walk up to N and said "Good Job Babe!" as she smacked my wife on the rear.
I was laughing so hard that I had to leave the room. All N could do was laugh too, as did K. What a little sponge. She is too quick for her dad, that's for sure.
I love it when we read books before bed. It is such a wonderful time to cuddle and connect and read together. Sometimes if I turn the page to quickly K will say "no, no, no, I want to think about it for a minute" as she reaches up to turn back the page.
I think that is so incredibly cute. I am amazed at how articulate she is sometimes.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
A Childs Christmas
Is there anything more precious than a child at Christmas?
This was the first Christmas that K really understood what was going on and she did not disappoint. She was so fun decorating the tree. She broke several ornaments and her reaction was so very cute. Then grandpa broke one and her reaction was priceless.
She was asking everyday for weeks if it was Christmas yet. Finally, on Christmas Eve we were writing a letter to Santa and leaving some cookies and milk for him and carrots and sugar for the reindeer. She left about 8 cookies for Santa to eat. I guess she wanted to make sure he didn't go away hungry. I read the letter to her and asked if there was anything else we should say in it. She looked at me and said "Merry Christmas" with the cutest little impish grin. Then she said "Love mommy daddy K and J......... and a dog named molly". so that is what we wrote.
I rounded the corner Christmas morning just as she was coming out of her room. She had this look of curiosity on her face as if she wasn't sure whether it was me or Santa that she would encounter. She asked me if Santa had come. She had the most amazing twinkle in her eye as she rounded the corner to see all the presents under the tree. It reminded me of the pure excitement I used to feel as a child on Christmas morning. I could feel it emanating from her.
I am very thankful for the opportunity to see Christmas once more through the eyes of a child. What a gift from a beautiful little girl. You don't even know what gifts you and J give me daily.
Thank you for a terrific Christmas.
I Love you and J and Mommy so much.
This was the first Christmas that K really understood what was going on and she did not disappoint. She was so fun decorating the tree. She broke several ornaments and her reaction was so very cute. Then grandpa broke one and her reaction was priceless.
She was asking everyday for weeks if it was Christmas yet. Finally, on Christmas Eve we were writing a letter to Santa and leaving some cookies and milk for him and carrots and sugar for the reindeer. She left about 8 cookies for Santa to eat. I guess she wanted to make sure he didn't go away hungry. I read the letter to her and asked if there was anything else we should say in it. She looked at me and said "Merry Christmas" with the cutest little impish grin. Then she said "Love mommy daddy K and J......... and a dog named molly". so that is what we wrote.
I rounded the corner Christmas morning just as she was coming out of her room. She had this look of curiosity on her face as if she wasn't sure whether it was me or Santa that she would encounter. She asked me if Santa had come. She had the most amazing twinkle in her eye as she rounded the corner to see all the presents under the tree. It reminded me of the pure excitement I used to feel as a child on Christmas morning. I could feel it emanating from her.
I am very thankful for the opportunity to see Christmas once more through the eyes of a child. What a gift from a beautiful little girl. You don't even know what gifts you and J give me daily.
Thank you for a terrific Christmas.
I Love you and J and Mommy so much.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Perspective
Life is so funny. We work all of our adult lives towards our careers. It starts in college. Becoming important, working towards being respected in our fields. We move on to work and start slowly, working small deals and forging ahead. We gradually move up to larger ones and project leaders, senior management and so on. Sometimes we get to feeling like we are oh so important and indispensable. Sometimes that our jobs are the most important in our families. It's hard not to feel that way when we are successful and making money for our companies etc.
Then we have babies.
No matter how important I feel at work or how many successes I find there or how much money is made by myself or the company, I come home to realize what is truly important.
I walk in the door and am reminded what is the really important work of my life. I must know the names of all my daughters stuffed animals. Lucy (pronounced Mucy), Emily, Charlie and Lola, Summer, Zachary, Dee Dee, Tigger, Elmo, Poo, Sally etc. Believe me when I say there are a lot of them. I must know why my son is crying or whining as he doesn't yet talk, all the while cooking supper and making sure K is not destroying anything. Then I look at N and realize that she has all that and a half a dozen other things going on at once and I realize I am truly outclassed. My wife stays home mostly with the kids except for a couple of days a week. She also holds down a job that ends up being about three quarters time even though we intended for it to be half. Somehow she manages to be a superb mother who is doing the lions share of the work of raising our kids. I do the best I can and feel as though I am definitely hands on with them but I don't kid myself about who has the instincts and training to make sure we are raising two independent thinking, polite,kind and respectful kids.
Humbling.
Then we have babies.
No matter how important I feel at work or how many successes I find there or how much money is made by myself or the company, I come home to realize what is truly important.
I walk in the door and am reminded what is the really important work of my life. I must know the names of all my daughters stuffed animals. Lucy (pronounced Mucy), Emily, Charlie and Lola, Summer, Zachary, Dee Dee, Tigger, Elmo, Poo, Sally etc. Believe me when I say there are a lot of them. I must know why my son is crying or whining as he doesn't yet talk, all the while cooking supper and making sure K is not destroying anything. Then I look at N and realize that she has all that and a half a dozen other things going on at once and I realize I am truly outclassed. My wife stays home mostly with the kids except for a couple of days a week. She also holds down a job that ends up being about three quarters time even though we intended for it to be half. Somehow she manages to be a superb mother who is doing the lions share of the work of raising our kids. I do the best I can and feel as though I am definitely hands on with them but I don't kid myself about who has the instincts and training to make sure we are raising two independent thinking, polite,kind and respectful kids.
Humbling.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Down, But not Out
I like to think of myself as at least somewhat tough, but I do have my limits. Apparently 7 hours on the couch in the middle of the night with what feels like a knife being slowly twisted in my back is it. The Limit. Turns out you have to wait another couple hours at the doctor before they realize you need emergency surgery.
I've had kidney stones before. Usually they pass after a few hours of agony and a gallon of water. I only had one that didn't. It was the first one 12 years ago. Then there was this one. It was big enough that it blocked the exit to the bladder and my kidney swelled to about twice it's normal size. The x-ray was cool but I was in no mood for cool. Although the Demerol was working pretty well by then. An hour later I was in surgery. One day of sleeping it off while my awesome wife took care of the kids and me and everything else and I started feeling like normal again.
When I was a young man staring at the anesthesiologist, I used to think that if I didn't wake up then there were worse ways to go. Now I found myself thinking, I hope I make it through. I hope the kids will be OK if I don't. Thank goodness I did. I don't want to miss a single minute of this fatherhood thing.
Now, If my doctor is worth the money he has made off us this year alone, then he will figure out how to make it so N and I never get another one.
This is one thing I pray I won't pass on to the kids.
I've had kidney stones before. Usually they pass after a few hours of agony and a gallon of water. I only had one that didn't. It was the first one 12 years ago. Then there was this one. It was big enough that it blocked the exit to the bladder and my kidney swelled to about twice it's normal size. The x-ray was cool but I was in no mood for cool. Although the Demerol was working pretty well by then. An hour later I was in surgery. One day of sleeping it off while my awesome wife took care of the kids and me and everything else and I started feeling like normal again.
When I was a young man staring at the anesthesiologist, I used to think that if I didn't wake up then there were worse ways to go. Now I found myself thinking, I hope I make it through. I hope the kids will be OK if I don't. Thank goodness I did. I don't want to miss a single minute of this fatherhood thing.
Now, If my doctor is worth the money he has made off us this year alone, then he will figure out how to make it so N and I never get another one.
This is one thing I pray I won't pass on to the kids.
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