Kids Journal - 08/14/03

August 14, 2003

Hello my children,

I forgot one more thing from yesterday. DC, you have this cute way of expressing your up coming menstrual cycle. Instead of calling it your period, you call it your dot. So, yesterday you come into the room and say "Mommy said when I get my dot I can shave my legs and pluck my eyebrows... but if I get a unibrow before I get my dot, then Mommy will pluck my eyebrows for me."

I said "You can't go to school with a unibrow?"

You said "No!"

I said "I did."

You replied, "You're a boy, Dad. I'm a girl! Girl's can't have unibrows!"

"Yeah, you're right." I replied.

Ah, the conversations one has with your children.

I truly love our relationships. I love how much you and I talk, DC. I love that you share your concerns with me and rely on me. I know that it won't always be that way, but I'm loving every minute of it while it lasts.

And Gabe, I really enjoy playing baseball with you. You are such an incredible learner when it comes to baseball. You have always take direction very well, immediately turning what I say into the appropriate action. If only you would do that with the OTHER parts of your life! :)

I am so truly blessed to have you both in my life!

Dea and I went to dinner last night on a "date night" and I told her just how blessed I feel having you guys in my life. She stated she wished she was more touchy/feely... which she's not. She wishes she could return your open affection, but it does not come naturally to her. Don't get me wrong, she loves you, but she's not the huggy/kissy type. You guys get that from me, because I a "mush."

When we came home, Poppy had just put you to bed and I went to tuck you guys in. You both told me about your first day of school and how everything went well. Mommy told me you, DC, ate lunch primarily by yourself... I just don't know why you are so shy. You have so much to offer. I hope someday you realize that.

And Gabe, when I tucked you in you said "How was your date night?"

"Great." I replied.

"Short?" you asked.

"Yup."

"Where'd you go?"

"Shells" I replied (a seafood restaurant).

"Ick! I don't like crab and fish and stuff! All my friends at school like crabs, but I don't." you stated.

"Have you ever tried it?"

"No..." you replied.

"Then how do you know it tastes bad? Maybe it'll taste as good as chocolate ice cream tastes to you."

"Maybe I'll try a little bit..." you said holding your thumb and index finger a millimeter apart "... a speck. What's it taste like?"

"It's hard to tell someone who's never had it... it has it's own taste. How would you describe chocolate ice cream to someone who's never had chocolate?" I asked.

"I don't know" you pondered.

"Well, when they finally tasted the chocolate ice cream, I bet they'd love it."

"Yeah..." you thought "...okay, I'll try crab... a speck" you answered. Then I tucked you in and you both went to sleep.

Those little conversations I just love. I have always loved asking kids questions because I love to hear how they think, what goes through their mind. It makes some of my most special memories.

Dad

Dad's 80th Birthday Memories

You know, it's been a few years since my Dad's 80th birthday. For that celebration I came up with a couple of Top 10 lists to add some humor to the festivities. Here they are:

Top 10 Games to Play at Your Father's 80th Birthday Party

10. Name That Child.

9. Pin the Smell on the Elderly

8. Where's My Inheritance?

7. Toots and Bladders

6. Spin the 16 Bottles of Over-priced Prescriptions

5. Those Aren't My Teeth!

4. Who Wants to Be 81?

3. Speed Napping.

2. Kick the Bucket

1. Blind Man's Putt



Top 10 Things I Learned by Watching My Father Play Golf

10. I Hate Golf.



Top 10 Memorable Father-Son Moments

10. As a child, pulling me into the bedroom and giving me the okay to punch Charles whenever he made fun of me.

9. Refusing to buy a lawnmower wheel for a dollar and, instead, making me carry a rope attached to the axle to keep the mower level while Charles mowed the yard.

8. Hitting golf balls at my head so you wouldn't have to pick them up yourself.

7. Allowing my friends to walk into the house with you in your boxers and your pony trying to escape the barn.

6. Breaking my braces headgear and making me bleed in a "friendly" slap fight.

5. Changing my childhood bedroom into a computer room the weekend I left for college.

4. When my Crohns first acted up and I had lost about two pints of blood at Joe's second wedding rehearsal, so that the hospital wouldn't charge your medical insurance, dropping me off at the entrance to the Emergency Room, where I went in, gave them my name and immediately passed out.

3. Knowing Dea and I were staying at your cabin for a week for our honeymoon, you decided to return three days early.

2. When I was a teenager, interrupting my 1000th viewing of the same Star Trek episode to call me lazy.

1. Missing my one and only Little League Home Run (no, I'm not still bitter)