So for the past couple weeks, I've been taking the older boys out to ride bikes. LittleBrother rides around on his just a little too small pee-wee bike, and I've been trailing around BigBrother as he learns to ride on two wheels.
At first, BigBrother was really scared, but eager. You could see he really wanted to do it, and he was ready. But he was still anxious. The first time we did it, we went on a baseball diamond. At the end of the first session, he was going on two wheels by himself for 15 seconds. He was immnsely proud, and I was immensely proud of him. The second time, we went to the parking lot, becuase it had more open space, and he could keep going longer. He would self-correct when he started leaning too much.
Then, a couple days ago, in just the third time we went, he really took off. He could slow down, stop, fall well, and turn. He was going in each and every direction, and I literally couldn't keep up with him. I cannot tell you how proud I was of him. So this morning we decided that we would all go to the parking lot and have Mommy see how great he was doing.
DearWife brought the camera and the video camera. BigBrother started going, and voila, he was doing just awesome. You could just see the concentration in his eyes. His self confidence was just growing by leaps and bounds.
Then he took a turn that was a little too sharp. He tried to break his fall with his hands, but missed, and broke his fall with his chin instead. Then he slid a little and scraped up his cheek too. I ran over to him to hold him and calm him down. He was upset. And there was blood all over his chin and face. I held him, but he saw blood on my shirt when I pulled back. And that set him off. He was completely inconsolable. He wouldn't let me see how bad it was, and just wanted to GO HOME RIGHT NOW. He kept looking over at the family that was on the playset.
He was sobbing nearly uncontrollably, until we got him cleaned off a little and in the car. The whole time, DearWife was telling him how brave he was. Which, you know, he's 5 - I don't blame the kid for being as upset as he was. But....
So anyway, we got home, he calmed down eventually, and we had a decent evening. At the end of the night, I had a talk with him about getting back on the bike. I told him everyone falls, and that everyone has to get back on the bike after they fall.
He insisted that it was his decision, and in his words "frankly, I don't think I want to right now."
I just have to get him back on the bike in the next day or two. Poor kid.
Showing posts with label BigBrother. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BigBrother. Show all posts
8.12.2008
A Quick Horror Story
I came home from a longish day at work, and asked DearWife how her day went. She told me all the different stuff she did with the kids (they are in love with the 4 week old kittens a couple doors down).
After a busy morning and a quick lunch, they went to the store (of course referring to Target). She was looking for a specific DVD, and the clerk walked her from the counter to the shelves. Tiny (the baby) and LittleBrother were in the cart, and BigBrother was hanging on to it.
The clerk tried to explain why they didn't have "Chicken Little" (my guess is that it sucked and didn't sell, although the clerk didn't use that explanation). DearWife looked down, and BigBrother was nowhere to be found. She walked to the counter...nothing. Down the aisles, nothing. Just.about.to.panic.
Then over the intercom "Would BigBrother's mommy please come to the customer service desk?" I think it goes without saying that this could happen to anyone - I know it's been close to happening to me in the past.
BigBrother had a long, scared face, but he was very brave. "I knew just what to do. I found a lady that worked there, and told her I had lost my Mommy."
Honestly, I couldn't be more proud of him, and of the job DearWife has done in making sure he knows what to do in that situation.
After a busy morning and a quick lunch, they went to the store (of course referring to Target). She was looking for a specific DVD, and the clerk walked her from the counter to the shelves. Tiny (the baby) and LittleBrother were in the cart, and BigBrother was hanging on to it.
The clerk tried to explain why they didn't have "Chicken Little" (my guess is that it sucked and didn't sell, although the clerk didn't use that explanation). DearWife looked down, and BigBrother was nowhere to be found. She walked to the counter...nothing. Down the aisles, nothing. Just.about.to.panic.
Then over the intercom "Would BigBrother's mommy please come to the customer service desk?" I think it goes without saying that this could happen to anyone - I know it's been close to happening to me in the past.
BigBrother had a long, scared face, but he was very brave. "I knew just what to do. I found a lady that worked there, and told her I had lost my Mommy."
Honestly, I couldn't be more proud of him, and of the job DearWife has done in making sure he knows what to do in that situation.
6.13.2008
A Quick Note about the baby
Or Tiny, as I call him. He's just over 3 months old now. And he's stretching out of his 6-9 month clothes. Seriously. He's just that fat. DearWife will argue with me on that "babies can't be fat" - but she's wrong. If you put him on his back, he looks eerily similar to a komodo dragon.
It's a good thing too. We moved him into the nursery, and he's been very cool with it. On Wednesday, DearWife went to BodyPump. I (somewhat miraculously) got the big boys to bed early. Tiny screamed through the book reading portion of our routine, and wasn't too happy when I tried to sing to his brothers.
But then I turned on baseball. And he calmed down. And went to sleep. And stayed asleep...for 10 more hours! Amazing little kid. I attribute it all to his eating.
It's a good thing too. We moved him into the nursery, and he's been very cool with it. On Wednesday, DearWife went to BodyPump. I (somewhat miraculously) got the big boys to bed early. Tiny screamed through the book reading portion of our routine, and wasn't too happy when I tried to sing to his brothers.
But then I turned on baseball. And he calmed down. And went to sleep. And stayed asleep...for 10 more hours! Amazing little kid. I attribute it all to his eating.
6.10.2008
A pool of Blue & The Sound and Fury
Just a note: So BigBrother is fine. After the bloodletting the other night, he's been 100% ok. So that's good.
We just got through with a long weekend. Not long as in a took a day off of work. Long as in full of stuff. We spent most of Saturday at the local pool. It was awesome. DearWife and I alternated between playing with the big boys and holding the baby. LittleBrother voluntarily put his head under water for the first time. You know, that doesn't sound like a big deal. But one of my favorite things as a Dad is watching the little achievements like that. He was so proud.
Then they both got these floaty-life-vesty things (DearWife help me out what are they called?). And they swam for hours all by themselves. It was just fantastic. And a welcome diversion from every day and work stresses.
We left 15 miutes before a deluge. So that was nice. Then we spent a long time in the basement as there was a tornado warning. The kids were fine, playing with their toys and whatnot. The biggest argument was that I told DearWife she couldn't go get the kids' babybooks because, you know there was a TORNADO in the area. So she went and got them anyway.
Sunday brought more storms, except this time they came after the kids were completely asleep.
LittleBrother slept his way through the whole thing. BigBrother was only partially awake. DearWife and I spent our time watching videos on Funny or Die.
Finally...lat night we went and got our passes to Great America. Spent a couple hours there riding the Whizzer and in Wiggles World. Kids were completely worn out and loved it.
Great times.
We just got through with a long weekend. Not long as in a took a day off of work. Long as in full of stuff. We spent most of Saturday at the local pool. It was awesome. DearWife and I alternated between playing with the big boys and holding the baby. LittleBrother voluntarily put his head under water for the first time. You know, that doesn't sound like a big deal. But one of my favorite things as a Dad is watching the little achievements like that. He was so proud.
Then they both got these floaty-life-vesty things (DearWife help me out what are they called?). And they swam for hours all by themselves. It was just fantastic. And a welcome diversion from every day and work stresses.
We left 15 miutes before a deluge. So that was nice. Then we spent a long time in the basement as there was a tornado warning. The kids were fine, playing with their toys and whatnot. The biggest argument was that I told DearWife she couldn't go get the kids' babybooks because, you know there was a TORNADO in the area. So she went and got them anyway.
Sunday brought more storms, except this time they came after the kids were completely asleep.
LittleBrother slept his way through the whole thing. BigBrother was only partially awake. DearWife and I spent our time watching videos on Funny or Die.
Finally...lat night we went and got our passes to Great America. Spent a couple hours there riding the Whizzer and in Wiggles World. Kids were completely worn out and loved it.
Great times.
6.06.2008
A Pool of Crimson
I was holding the baby, watching the White Sox the other night. Both older boys were asleep for the night. BigBrother had just broken his fever the day before. I heard someone messing around in the bathroom. It was too late to be a 'Daddy I need a drink' 'Daddy I have to go potty' or 'Daddy I heard a sound' excuses to come out of their room.
It was BigBrother. He was blowing his nose. "Daddy, I have a bloody nose." So I went up, closely followed by DearWife, who was working in the office.
At first I thought, ok, no big deal:
Once we (and be we I mean DearWife) got the bleeding stopped, we (and by we I mean DearWife) changed his sheets and his pillow cover, which were blood soaked.
BigBrother was calm. He's had bloody noses before, and we didn't make it a big deal. After cleaning up the bathroom (I recall a similar scene playing out in Pulp Fiction) DearWife googled Bloody noses.
And like all things with kids - it's usually not a problem. As DearWife said "it's just that the kids membranes are thinner. Unless it's a sign of LEUKEMIA."
So that's another call to the doctor for next week.
It was BigBrother. He was blowing his nose. "Daddy, I have a bloody nose." So I went up, closely followed by DearWife, who was working in the office.
At first I thought, ok, no big deal:
- Get toilet paper\kleenex
- Hold his nose together
- Wait till it stops
- go back to bed
Once we (and be we I mean DearWife) got the bleeding stopped, we (and by we I mean DearWife) changed his sheets and his pillow cover, which were blood soaked.
BigBrother was calm. He's had bloody noses before, and we didn't make it a big deal. After cleaning up the bathroom (I recall a similar scene playing out in Pulp Fiction) DearWife googled Bloody noses.
And like all things with kids - it's usually not a problem. As DearWife said "it's just that the kids membranes are thinner. Unless it's a sign of LEUKEMIA."
So that's another call to the doctor for next week.
6.03.2008
Sickness
BigBrother (5) has been sick for 6 days now. His only symptoms are a fever of 102-103 and a lack of appetite. Six. Days. We have taken him to the doc twice. Same answer both times. "It's a virus, it'll run its course, and then he'll be fine." And ok, I trust our docs. So I'm confident that it's true.
It goes without saying, I'm sure that it sucks watching your son be sick for 6 days and not being able to help out. Helpless is not something I am generally good at. I do my best to keep his spirits up. I took LittleBrother out and had him choose a little present for his BigBrother. He chose foam swords in a close decision over a sand toy.
And last night, after his brothers were asleep, BigBrother couldn't sleep. So I let him come down. He asked me if we could watch Dirty Jobs. It was a small thing. But it was one of those small things that I could tell took great joy in. Just him and his dad.
BigBrother talked about all the things Mike Rowe was doing (cleaning garbage out of a sinkhole, cleaning a printing press). I even let him watch a little of the next show (Verminators). That show made a big impression on him ("Daddy make sure to watch and tell me how they kill the rats!").
But the shows weren't what made us both happy. It was spending time just relaxing, watching a funny show, just father and son. The two of us don't really get alone time. And although there are far more chaotic families than ours, it was really cool just to be able to take advantage of the time we had.
It goes without saying, I'm sure that it sucks watching your son be sick for 6 days and not being able to help out. Helpless is not something I am generally good at. I do my best to keep his spirits up. I took LittleBrother out and had him choose a little present for his BigBrother. He chose foam swords in a close decision over a sand toy.
And last night, after his brothers were asleep, BigBrother couldn't sleep. So I let him come down. He asked me if we could watch Dirty Jobs. It was a small thing. But it was one of those small things that I could tell took great joy in. Just him and his dad.
BigBrother talked about all the things Mike Rowe was doing (cleaning garbage out of a sinkhole, cleaning a printing press). I even let him watch a little of the next show (Verminators). That show made a big impression on him ("Daddy make sure to watch and tell me how they kill the rats!").
But the shows weren't what made us both happy. It was spending time just relaxing, watching a funny show, just father and son. The two of us don't really get alone time. And although there are far more chaotic families than ours, it was really cool just to be able to take advantage of the time we had.
5.19.2008
Language just gets in the way
Some family friends from Macedonia were in town recently for a couple weeks. They stayed at my parents place, but we spent a good amount of time with them. Their son, G, is 5 days older than BigBrother. I was curious to see how they would get along, seeing as they couldn't really talk to each other.
Last Saturday, they came up for the day, and watched BigBrother's piano recital (wow, my 5 year old had a piano recital). And after he was done, BigBrother sat patiently for a while, and then got bored. He then started looking back and smiling at G.
Afterward, we hung out and BigBrother and LittleBrother introduced him to the land of 1,000,000 dinosaurs also known as the play area in our house. for the entire two weeks, they hung out together. G's mom did translate a little, but not much. G got the humor of 101 Dalmations. He knew how to play monster with my Dad.
It was just kinda cool to see the boys really hanging out together and enjoying each other's company.
Talking to G's mom is really good if you want a dose of perspective. Here, there is an impending(?) recession, $4 gas, and the abomination that is the Democratic Primary race (but i digress). Over there, the big concern is that the government might not be stable. As in, it might just collapse under the weight of immigrants from a neighboring country that wants more space. I can't imaging how it would feel to live in a country where I didn't think the leadership had control of it's own destiny.
And yet, in many places, that's exactly the case.
Last Saturday, they came up for the day, and watched BigBrother's piano recital (wow, my 5 year old had a piano recital). And after he was done, BigBrother sat patiently for a while, and then got bored. He then started looking back and smiling at G.
Afterward, we hung out and BigBrother and LittleBrother introduced him to the land of 1,000,000 dinosaurs also known as the play area in our house. for the entire two weeks, they hung out together. G's mom did translate a little, but not much. G got the humor of 101 Dalmations. He knew how to play monster with my Dad.
It was just kinda cool to see the boys really hanging out together and enjoying each other's company.
Talking to G's mom is really good if you want a dose of perspective. Here, there is an impending(?) recession, $4 gas, and the abomination that is the Democratic Primary race (but i digress). Over there, the big concern is that the government might not be stable. As in, it might just collapse under the weight of immigrants from a neighboring country that wants more space. I can't imaging how it would feel to live in a country where I didn't think the leadership had control of it's own destiny.
And yet, in many places, that's exactly the case.
4.21.2008
A typical night
We had a long day yesterday (more on that coming, including Animal House references, dead cats, Bear\German Shephard crossbreeding and cops). Anyway, the two older boys were wiped out. Hmm, I thought to myself, there is a chance they'll sleep through.
At 2, BigBrother walks into the room. "Daddy, I had a bad dream. Monsters were chasing me."
I could see how upset he was, and I knew how tired I was. So I left him crawl into bed for 5 minutes to calm down. I then told him to go back to bed and he did, without issue.
I tried to get back to sleep, but thoughts of a long Monday at work prevented me. So at 2;45, when he came back in, saying "Daddy, I really tried, but I just can't get to sleep" I was still up too. I walked him back to his room and laid down with him. I could just hear his breathing change, indicating he was almost asleep when LittleBrother's door opened.
I walked out to see what was up. "Daddy! It's ALL BECAUSE OF YOU." He was crying. So I walked him back in his room. I put him under his covers. I turned his night light on again.
I walked back to BigBrother's room to see he was still asleep. Mission accomplished.
At 2, BigBrother walks into the room. "Daddy, I had a bad dream. Monsters were chasing me."
I could see how upset he was, and I knew how tired I was. So I left him crawl into bed for 5 minutes to calm down. I then told him to go back to bed and he did, without issue.
I tried to get back to sleep, but thoughts of a long Monday at work prevented me. So at 2;45, when he came back in, saying "Daddy, I really tried, but I just can't get to sleep" I was still up too. I walked him back to his room and laid down with him. I could just hear his breathing change, indicating he was almost asleep when LittleBrother's door opened.
I walked out to see what was up. "Daddy! It's ALL BECAUSE OF YOU." He was crying. So I walked him back in his room. I put him under his covers. I turned his night light on again.
LittleBrother: I want hugs and kisses.
Me: Complies
LittleBrother: I want hugs and kisses.
Me: Complied
LittleBrother: I want hugs and kisses and SONGS.
Me: Sorry kid, you had songs when you went to bed. I love you, good night.
LittleBrother (as I'm walking out): Daddy. Daddy? I love you.
I walked back to BigBrother's room to see he was still asleep. Mission accomplished.
4.13.2008
Two steps forward, 1 step back
One thing that I learned quickly about being a Dad is that I have a lot to learn. I tend to think analytically, and view things as a progression. What I'm finding out is that it's not really the case with kids.
I remember reading some books to the boys about children being scared of the dark, and having difficult time going to sleep. "Wow, we have it easy, none of our kids is afraid of the dark." Flash forward several months later, and BigBrother is now afraid of the dark. He wakes up in the middle of the night and turns his closet light on and insists that his bedroom door stay open.
When he was little, BigBrother had trouble going into a movie theater. LittleBrother never had issues. BigBrother outgrew it. LittleBrother started to get afraid of big buildings with big 2 story entryways. We took him to a commitment - which is like a baptism I suppose, but not quite. You would have thought he was part vampire by the way he acted when we took him into the giant church.
Right after the baby was born, I thought it would be a good idea to take the boys to see "Horton Hears a Who." After paying $20 for the tickets + more for junk food, LittleBrother decided he had enough. Thankfully a good friend of ours happened to be there, so BigBrother watched the movie while LittleBrother and I sat in the lobby eating Raisenets and playing video games.
There might have been a time when I'd be concerned about the back sliding in development. But I think I know enough now not to be terribly concerned.
I remember reading some books to the boys about children being scared of the dark, and having difficult time going to sleep. "Wow, we have it easy, none of our kids is afraid of the dark." Flash forward several months later, and BigBrother is now afraid of the dark. He wakes up in the middle of the night and turns his closet light on and insists that his bedroom door stay open.
When he was little, BigBrother had trouble going into a movie theater. LittleBrother never had issues. BigBrother outgrew it. LittleBrother started to get afraid of big buildings with big 2 story entryways. We took him to a commitment - which is like a baptism I suppose, but not quite. You would have thought he was part vampire by the way he acted when we took him into the giant church.
Right after the baby was born, I thought it would be a good idea to take the boys to see "Horton Hears a Who." After paying $20 for the tickets + more for junk food, LittleBrother decided he had enough. Thankfully a good friend of ours happened to be there, so BigBrother watched the movie while LittleBrother and I sat in the lobby eating Raisenets and playing video games.
There might have been a time when I'd be concerned about the back sliding in development. But I think I know enough now not to be terribly concerned.
4.08.2008
It's the tiger's fault I tell you
I took off from work early today. It was BigBrother's Dad day at school. BigBrother could barely contain his excitement. "I can't wait to show you all the work I do. We can do art - but only if you want to." He wouldn't stop talking about all the stuff he wanted to show me. I couldn't be more proud of him, and it was cool seeing him so excited about sharing with me.
Except...it wasn't tonight. Turns out it is NEXT Tuesday. So I took the kid to the mall and we looked at lizards and snakes and fish. We ate a cookie and talked. It was pretty cool having one on one time.
While we were out, DearWife was playing with LittleBrother (who is 3 and a half). They went into the bathroom with a flashlight and turned out the lights.
oh, ok, that makes sense then.
In other news, now that we have boy #3, I need a nickname for him. I was going to rename LittleBrother. He is very physical, fearless. When he hugs you he tries to squeeze the air out of your lungs. When he jumps off the stairs, he jumps from the 5th step. So I was going to nickname him Crash, but for obvious reasons (read below) I think that nickname would apply to me more than anyone in the family.
And for the record, I went with an Accord. Black.
Except...it wasn't tonight. Turns out it is NEXT Tuesday. So I took the kid to the mall and we looked at lizards and snakes and fish. We ate a cookie and talked. It was pretty cool having one on one time.
While we were out, DearWife was playing with LittleBrother (who is 3 and a half). They went into the bathroom with a flashlight and turned out the lights.
LittleBrother: "There is the door knob. There is the toilet. There is the towel."
*He notices some nail pops on the screen.
LittleBrother: "What are those fucking bumps on the wall."
DearWife (pauses): "LittleBrother, what did you say"
LittleBrother (smartly): "Uh, what are those little bumps on the wall."
DearWife: "No you said a bad word. Where did you hear it?"
--Note I was cringing when she got to this part of the story.
LittleBrother: "A tiger told me."
oh, ok, that makes sense then.
In other news, now that we have boy #3, I need a nickname for him. I was going to rename LittleBrother. He is very physical, fearless. When he hugs you he tries to squeeze the air out of your lungs. When he jumps off the stairs, he jumps from the 5th step. So I was going to nickname him Crash, but for obvious reasons (read below) I think that nickname would apply to me more than anyone in the family.
And for the record, I went with an Accord. Black.
3.18.2008
Quick Catchup
Lots going on, just not enough time to blog these days. So I'll have to start with a couple quotes:
LB: "If there were snakes on the ground, I'd step on them all and kill them with a gun!"
BB: "No, that's called killing. Snakes eat mice, and mice annoy humans. So...what do you say?"
and...we had a run through with Pink Eye last year...
LB Playing with Mater from the movie Cars: Mater needs his eye drops.
DW: Oh, does he have pink eye?
LB: No, his gizard hurts. That's Spanish for engine.
LB: "If there were snakes on the ground, I'd step on them all and kill them with a gun!"
BB: "No, that's called killing. Snakes eat mice, and mice annoy humans. So...what do you say?"
and...we had a run through with Pink Eye last year...
LB Playing with Mater from the movie Cars: Mater needs his eye drops.
DW: Oh, does he have pink eye?
LB: No, his gizard hurts. That's Spanish for engine.
3.12.2008
The new kid on the block
Around 1:30, I asked DearWife why she was waiting for the epidural. Finally she was convinced that it was time. We caught the anesthesiologist just before he went into a C section. Had we not gotten him, it would have been at least an hour before she could have had one.
At 2:40, the Doctor walks in, says something about 3 or 4 and walks out. Next thing we know, the whole cavalcade of nurses walk in. DearWife said, "no no, I'm just 3 or 4." They said "no, you're 3rd or 4rth position." I don't know what that means in general, but for us specifically it meant T minus 10 minutes till baby.
DearWife was so not ready. She kept repeating that throughout the time she was pushing. She did a great job. The boys got to see their new brother that night, and they love him. BigBrother wanted to hold him immediately, and LittleBrother did too. LB didn't so much hold him as he let the baby lay on his lap.
So far, the baby has been great...during the day. He was pretty worn out all yesterday after being poked and prodded, so he slept most of the day. At about 10PM he woke up. I convinced DearWife to let the nurses take him to the nursery for a while - it was the only time we'd have that chance. So we ended up getting a couple hours sleep.
We brought him home today. DearWife and I took a nap. During the nap, my parents handed off to MIL. Let me tell you, I have no idea what we would have done without them.
I now have the rest of the week off to get to know the little guy. Now I just have to give him a nickname. Baby? I have to give it some thought.
At 2:40, the Doctor walks in, says something about 3 or 4 and walks out. Next thing we know, the whole cavalcade of nurses walk in. DearWife said, "no no, I'm just 3 or 4." They said "no, you're 3rd or 4rth position." I don't know what that means in general, but for us specifically it meant T minus 10 minutes till baby.
DearWife was so not ready. She kept repeating that throughout the time she was pushing. She did a great job. The boys got to see their new brother that night, and they love him. BigBrother wanted to hold him immediately, and LittleBrother did too. LB didn't so much hold him as he let the baby lay on his lap.
So far, the baby has been great...during the day. He was pretty worn out all yesterday after being poked and prodded, so he slept most of the day. At about 10PM he woke up. I convinced DearWife to let the nurses take him to the nursery for a while - it was the only time we'd have that chance. So we ended up getting a couple hours sleep.
We brought him home today. DearWife and I took a nap. During the nap, my parents handed off to MIL. Let me tell you, I have no idea what we would have done without them.
I now have the rest of the week off to get to know the little guy. Now I just have to give him a nickname. Baby? I have to give it some thought.
3.09.2008
Baby Update
We had a final ultra-sound on Friday, just to make sure there was enough fluid in there for the kid. Everything is fine - and we're scheduled for an induction Monday morning.
We do have some solid names. I think we are down to 2 or 3 boys names, and 1 girls name.
------------------------------------------
On Wednesday night, I was at work late. I got him about an hour after the kids had been put to bed. I said hullo to DearWife, and went upstairs to change. As I got to the top of the stairs, the door to the boys room burst open. First LittleBrother (Crash?) ran out, then BigBrother. Each of them were only wearing underwear. LOTS of underwear. They put on all the underwear they own. LittleBrother was wearing 13 pairs, BigBrother 14.
When asked the next day what they were doing, BigBrother explained:
We do have some solid names. I think we are down to 2 or 3 boys names, and 1 girls name.
------------------------------------------
On Wednesday night, I was at work late. I got him about an hour after the kids had been put to bed. I said hullo to DearWife, and went upstairs to change. As I got to the top of the stairs, the door to the boys room burst open. First LittleBrother (Crash?) ran out, then BigBrother. Each of them were only wearing underwear. LOTS of underwear. They put on all the underwear they own. LittleBrother was wearing 13 pairs, BigBrother 14.
When asked the next day what they were doing, BigBrother explained:
BB: "It's penis armor."
DW: "Why did you need penis armor"
BB: "To protect from the penis scratchy monster."
2.27.2008
Falling asleep in one place, and waking up in another
We took the kids to see the 6:30 showing of "The Lion King" in Milwaukee on Sunday night.
The night didn't really start out ideally. Unbeknownst to us, Milwaukee's powers that be thought that it would be a good idea to schedule it against the Auto Show and the Circus. And given that Milwaukee's roads downtown have been in a state of construction for literally 87 years, traffic was bad.
And the parking lot elevator was packed and busy. So we walked. And then our seats were literally in the top row. The kids, and MIL, and 8month pregnant DearWife were champs.
If you didn't know, it's a musical based on the Disney movie. Generally speaking, I believe that all musicals suck. It's a general rule I live my life by (that and that all Germans love David Hasselhoff).
But seeing as it's a kids movie adaptation, the lack of plot problem that most musicals suffer from doesn't really hurt "The Lion King." BigBrother sat on the edge of his seat througout. LittleBrother enjoyed it, but was so tired that he basically sat in my lap, leaned into me and tried to keep his eyes open.
On the way back, the kids each ate a banana. LittleBrother couldn't finish his. But he refused to let go of the two remaining bites. Finally he fell asleep right before we got home. DearWife threw away his banana and put him in bed.
At 4:30 AM that night, LittleBrother woke up crying frantically. Bad dream? Scared of Scar (the villain in Lion King)? No, he wanted his banana.
The night didn't really start out ideally. Unbeknownst to us, Milwaukee's powers that be thought that it would be a good idea to schedule it against the Auto Show and the Circus. And given that Milwaukee's roads downtown have been in a state of construction for literally 87 years, traffic was bad.
And the parking lot elevator was packed and busy. So we walked. And then our seats were literally in the top row. The kids, and MIL, and 8month pregnant DearWife were champs.
If you didn't know, it's a musical based on the Disney movie. Generally speaking, I believe that all musicals suck. It's a general rule I live my life by (that and that all Germans love David Hasselhoff).
But seeing as it's a kids movie adaptation, the lack of plot problem that most musicals suffer from doesn't really hurt "The Lion King." BigBrother sat on the edge of his seat througout. LittleBrother enjoyed it, but was so tired that he basically sat in my lap, leaned into me and tried to keep his eyes open.
On the way back, the kids each ate a banana. LittleBrother couldn't finish his. But he refused to let go of the two remaining bites. Finally he fell asleep right before we got home. DearWife threw away his banana and put him in bed.
At 4:30 AM that night, LittleBrother woke up crying frantically. Bad dream? Scared of Scar (the villain in Lion King)? No, he wanted his banana.
2.14.2008
Deprived of Sibling Envy
We were getting ready for bed last night. BigBrother had his kids birthday party, and he was telling me all about it. His Grandmother (MIL) was there.
pause...BigBrother looks at LittleBrother, raises his voice
And since LittleBrother spends time with her, I get to go spend some special time with her.
pause...BigBrother looks at LittleBrother, raises his voice
And she might even take me to Chuck E Cheesepause...no reaction from LittleBrother...
sigh....he didn't even hear me.
2.04.2008
Two boys enter, No boys leave
With DearWife's due date fast approaching (5 weeks and counting), several things are starting to change. The frequency with which we look at each other and ask "What were we thinking" is going up exponentially. We are getting a lot more phone calls from friends and family looking to generously give us infant clothes (or as I call it, get rid of stuff from their basement and let Khyle throw it in his basement).
DearWife and I also realized on Friday that we haven't really given much thought of where the baby was going to sleep. This might be a small detail, but we figured it was important enough to warrant our attention. Both boys slept in the same room when they were babies. It's the room closest to the master bedroom, and it's all colorful with John Lennon animals painted on the wall (I voted for mini-Bears helmets for the record). However, LittleBrother still occupied that room.
We have an open bedroom, but we use it for my parents when they stay over. And believe me, when that baby comes, I want to make sure they're as comfortable as possible. So we decided to suck it up and put both boys in the same room.
And you know what? It was pretty painless. They were pretty excited at first, but they fell asleep. It was almost magical. The next night? Same thing, no problems. Today, they took a nap together with only a single warning. It's almost as if they're growing up or have been replaced with dopplegangers.
Of course - no joke - as I write this post, LittleBrother ran out of the room 30 minutes after he was put to bed. Maybe they still are our kids after all.
DearWife and I also realized on Friday that we haven't really given much thought of where the baby was going to sleep. This might be a small detail, but we figured it was important enough to warrant our attention. Both boys slept in the same room when they were babies. It's the room closest to the master bedroom, and it's all colorful with John Lennon animals painted on the wall (I voted for mini-Bears helmets for the record). However, LittleBrother still occupied that room.
We have an open bedroom, but we use it for my parents when they stay over. And believe me, when that baby comes, I want to make sure they're as comfortable as possible. So we decided to suck it up and put both boys in the same room.
And you know what? It was pretty painless. They were pretty excited at first, but they fell asleep. It was almost magical. The next night? Same thing, no problems. Today, they took a nap together with only a single warning. It's almost as if they're growing up or have been replaced with dopplegangers.
Of course - no joke - as I write this post, LittleBrother ran out of the room 30 minutes after he was put to bed. Maybe they still are our kids after all.
1.15.2008
How they created the world
The boys and I were driving around doing errands the other day. The kids are a little quiet. Out of the calm, in his high pitched voice, he asked:
My first response was. "What?" When I realized he was asking "How did they create the world," my response was "what?"
Thankfully, BigBrother piped in.
"Daddy, I know. Can I answer you LittleBrother? First the world was covered with water. The volcanoes were allergic to water so they created land. Then there were sick sea animals in the water so they came onto land. Then there were dinosaurs. Then the volcanoes sent some of the land back into the water."
He went on and on for about 5 minutes. Pretty good for a 4 year old, no?
"Daddy how did vey cweate the wo-yold?"
My first response was. "What?" When I realized he was asking "How did they create the world," my response was "what?"
Thankfully, BigBrother piped in.
"Daddy, I know. Can I answer you LittleBrother? First the world was covered with water. The volcanoes were allergic to water so they created land. Then there were sick sea animals in the water so they came onto land. Then there were dinosaurs. Then the volcanoes sent some of the land back into the water."
He went on and on for about 5 minutes. Pretty good for a 4 year old, no?
BigBrother's First Joke
Today as we were heading up to the bath, BigBrother gave me the following:
Did the Tyrannosaurus Rex Sea Anemone?
Or did he poop Anemone?
Wait for it....
Did the Tyrannosaurus Rex Sea Anemone?
Or did he poop Anemone?
Wait for it....
1.14.2008
Exaggerated
One of the coolest thing about kids is their ultimate joy. They can feel joy in a way we can no longer experience. They can be as happy as they ever have in their lives just because they are in a jumpy place. The next book they read might be the best book they've ever read.
Everything is so...new. Of course it goes the other way too. BigBrother is a very very bright kid. But he's afraid too. Afraid of failing. We've been emphasizing hard work over results for a long time. When he loses a game on his Leapster (the money they make on that thing is a rip off by the way), we tell him he has to try hard and he'll lose sometimes anyway.
Over the last several weeks, he's been having fits about a reading book. The kid LOVES books. He loves school. But he started getting very upset when he was told. He would spontaneously start crying about it. We'd be having a great time horsing around, and then we'd take a break and he'd say something like "I hate school, I hate book, I hate reading."
For the last several weeks the breakdown has been a near daily event. I called home last Friday to check in. DearWife put BigBrother on. "Daddy, I got my reading book. I LOVE IT!"
I don't think I can explain how happy I was in that moment. If you've ever seen the movie "Parenthood" it was like living through that whole movie in an instant.
Everything is so...new. Of course it goes the other way too. BigBrother is a very very bright kid. But he's afraid too. Afraid of failing. We've been emphasizing hard work over results for a long time. When he loses a game on his Leapster (the money they make on that thing is a rip off by the way), we tell him he has to try hard and he'll lose sometimes anyway.
Over the last several weeks, he's been having fits about a reading book. The kid LOVES books. He loves school. But he started getting very upset when he was told. He would spontaneously start crying about it. We'd be having a great time horsing around, and then we'd take a break and he'd say something like "I hate school, I hate book, I hate reading."
For the last several weeks the breakdown has been a near daily event. I called home last Friday to check in. DearWife put BigBrother on. "Daddy, I got my reading book. I LOVE IT!"
I don't think I can explain how happy I was in that moment. If you've ever seen the movie "Parenthood" it was like living through that whole movie in an instant.
12.12.2007
10 Minutes
Being laid off during the holidays ain't all it's cracked up to be. I'm caught up on playing Madden on Wii, and have the whole family hooked on bowling on the Wii. And yes, I've read a couple books (Going Postal and The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett). But it is still amazing how much your schedule completely fills up with nothing when you have nothing in particular to do.
Don't get me wrong. DearWife has the kids doing a lot of good stuff. Educational, fun stuff. The sheer volume of stuff they do isn't so amazing, it's that there is always something going on at home. Being a stay at home mom is just relentless. There is no real break. Some days LittleBrother is going to insist he wants to eat a pomegranate "for god's sake!" (as he puts it). And if you don't have that pomegranate, you're going to hear it for thirty minutes.
But there are a few minutes here and there that really make up for it. The other day LittleBrother got up from nap - he waddled unsure of his footing in that just-awake way. He was only wearing his underpants. Normally, he's a bull. A bang you in the head stubborn playful kid. But on this day, he was just a little kid. I went upstairs and picked him up. We went down and sat on the loveseat and I put the blanket over him. He snuggled into my chest and went back to sleep. BigBrother woke up and wordlessly walked downstairs and got under the covers. And we just sat there for what seemed like an eternity.
Don't get me wrong. DearWife has the kids doing a lot of good stuff. Educational, fun stuff. The sheer volume of stuff they do isn't so amazing, it's that there is always something going on at home. Being a stay at home mom is just relentless. There is no real break. Some days LittleBrother is going to insist he wants to eat a pomegranate "for god's sake!" (as he puts it). And if you don't have that pomegranate, you're going to hear it for thirty minutes.
But there are a few minutes here and there that really make up for it. The other day LittleBrother got up from nap - he waddled unsure of his footing in that just-awake way. He was only wearing his underpants. Normally, he's a bull. A bang you in the head stubborn playful kid. But on this day, he was just a little kid. I went upstairs and picked him up. We went down and sat on the loveseat and I put the blanket over him. He snuggled into my chest and went back to sleep. BigBrother woke up and wordlessly walked downstairs and got under the covers. And we just sat there for what seemed like an eternity.
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