Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Anna's generousity
Monday morning, as Nora was getting dressed, Anna wandered into the bathroom with a hair band. "Here Mom," she says, "this is for you" and hands the hair band to Nora (whose hair is already in a pony tail). Nora thanks Anna and sets it on the sink.
A few minutes later Anna walks into the bedroom where I'm getting ready for work. "Here Dad, this is for you," she says, handing me the exact same hair band.
-Eric (Dad)
A few minutes later Anna walks into the bedroom where I'm getting ready for work. "Here Dad, this is for you," she says, handing me the exact same hair band.
-Eric (Dad)
Say what?
Pierce and I were sitting on the couch on Sunday when Pierce drops this bombshell:
"Dad, I wish that I had been a girl baby."
Ok, deep breath, am I really dealing with a 4-year old with gender identity issues? Me: "What makes you say that Pierce?"
Pierce: "Because someday I might want to have a baby."
Ahh, this I can deal with.
Me: "Pierce, Mommies and Daddies make a baby together, then the woman get's to carry it. Do you understand?"
Pierce: "Sure Dad. Can we watch TV?"
Thank god he didn't ask for the bio-mechanical details of how Mommies and Daddies make a baby together...
-Eric (Dad)
"Dad, I wish that I had been a girl baby."
Ok, deep breath, am I really dealing with a 4-year old with gender identity issues? Me: "What makes you say that Pierce?"
Pierce: "Because someday I might want to have a baby."
Ahh, this I can deal with.
Me: "Pierce, Mommies and Daddies make a baby together, then the woman get's to carry it. Do you understand?"
Pierce: "Sure Dad. Can we watch TV?"
Thank god he didn't ask for the bio-mechanical details of how Mommies and Daddies make a baby together...
-Eric (Dad)
The Perfect Suburban Weekend
Saturday was a busy day for us. Now that Nora's changed jobs to part-time work we no longer employ a cleaning service. Saturday was our combination lawncare/cleaning day and it sucked up most of the morning.
Saturday afternoon I had a tennis match (we lost and sunk our team's chances of going to sectionals) in the ungodly heat of the day. On the way home Nora called and asked me to pick something up for dinner. As I was pulling into our driveway, with bags of take-out Chinese food in the passenger seat, Isabell ran up to the garage and asked if Pierce could come out to play. For those who don't remember, Isabell is a few months older than Pierce and lives just down the street (she's also the one to whom Pierce announced "I've got medicine on my penis").
I explained to Isabell that we were about to have dinner and she plaintively asked "Can I come in and watch?". How do you refuse this? Of course we invited her in and, with the permission of her parents, had her stay for dinner. Immediately after dinner the doorbell rang and another of Pierce's friends, Ray, came into play (still in a wet bathing suit from playing in the sprinklers).
After a few minutes of inside play, all the kids -Anna included, grabbed some toys and moved out to the patio where they were joined by two more of the neighborhood kids (the twins that live across the street). Nora and I grabbed a couple of beers and sat out on the patio to watch them. Ray's folks were sitting out in their driveway so I invited them over for a couple of patio beers. As they walked over they were joined by another of our neighbors, Jean, and her son (Alex) and his best friend (Sam). A few minutes later the twin's mother came over to join us. For those keeping count we now had 6 adults sitting at the patio table having drinks and 8 kids of varying ages running around the backyard. It was awesome.
As the sun went down the kids started catching fireflies with butterfly nets. Is this the TV version of suburbia or what? Nora and I let Pierce and Anna stay up about an hour past their bed times just because we didn't want the evening to end. Of course all good things must eventually come to an end. Pierce and Anna got a quick bath and they practically fell asleep before their heads hit the pillows. Nora and I dropped off on the couch a few minutes after that.
-Eric (Dad)
Saturday afternoon I had a tennis match (we lost and sunk our team's chances of going to sectionals) in the ungodly heat of the day. On the way home Nora called and asked me to pick something up for dinner. As I was pulling into our driveway, with bags of take-out Chinese food in the passenger seat, Isabell ran up to the garage and asked if Pierce could come out to play. For those who don't remember, Isabell is a few months older than Pierce and lives just down the street (she's also the one to whom Pierce announced "I've got medicine on my penis").
I explained to Isabell that we were about to have dinner and she plaintively asked "Can I come in and watch?". How do you refuse this? Of course we invited her in and, with the permission of her parents, had her stay for dinner. Immediately after dinner the doorbell rang and another of Pierce's friends, Ray, came into play (still in a wet bathing suit from playing in the sprinklers).
After a few minutes of inside play, all the kids -Anna included, grabbed some toys and moved out to the patio where they were joined by two more of the neighborhood kids (the twins that live across the street). Nora and I grabbed a couple of beers and sat out on the patio to watch them. Ray's folks were sitting out in their driveway so I invited them over for a couple of patio beers. As they walked over they were joined by another of our neighbors, Jean, and her son (Alex) and his best friend (Sam). A few minutes later the twin's mother came over to join us. For those keeping count we now had 6 adults sitting at the patio table having drinks and 8 kids of varying ages running around the backyard. It was awesome.
As the sun went down the kids started catching fireflies with butterfly nets. Is this the TV version of suburbia or what? Nora and I let Pierce and Anna stay up about an hour past their bed times just because we didn't want the evening to end. Of course all good things must eventually come to an end. Pierce and Anna got a quick bath and they practically fell asleep before their heads hit the pillows. Nora and I dropped off on the couch a few minutes after that.
-Eric (Dad)
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Sneaky, sneaky
This past week Anna, Pierce and I each had an "opportunity" to pull a fast one. In this case the guy with the most "experience" was more successful than the two novices. But at this rate I think Pierce and Anna will be a threat pretty soon.
Going from youngest to oldest:
Anna's Fast One
The other night Nora and I put the kids to bed and Nora went out for a little while. Having a quiet evening to myself I grabbed a cold drink and flipped on the TV but found there wasn't anything I really wanted to watch. I flipped off the set and headed towards the stairs thinking I'd get some work done in my office. It was at this point I heard the patter of little feet. When I got to the foot of the stairs there was no little person present, but Anna's bedroom door was conspicuously open. I called up the stairs, "Anna, are you up?" and was met by silence. I could almost have believed I'd imagined the sound and that Anna's door was coincidentally open. At least I could have until Anna's door started to slowly close of its own accord...
Pierce's Sly One
As regular readers know, Pierce is nuts for trains -particularly engines and cars from the show Thomas and Friends. Lately he's been subtly hinting he'd like a new, metal, "Stacey" engine. My subtle son has made such announcements as, "Dad, you know what would be nice, if I could have a new, metal Stacey train". When we were out over the 4th of July weekend waiting for the fireworks to start Pierce spotted the first star of the evening. I told him he should make a wish on it. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut for a few seconds and made a silent wish (as did Anna). When I asked them both what they'd wished for I got a pretty non-sensical answer from Anna, but Pierce, he was ready for me. "I wished for a new, metal Stacey engine. When do you think I'll get it Dad?". Clever boy...
Eric's Sneak Attack
Over the weekend Pierce wandered into our room early one morning for a visit and a little TV watching. When it was time for him to get dressed we headed back to his room, and there sat his disheveled bed in all its glory. "Pierce," I said, "let me show you how to make a bed." We then walked through the steps for pulling the sheets and covers up and tight across the mattress and replacing the pillows. "Pierce," I said as we finished up, "do you think you could make your bed every day?". "Sure Dad!", replied my eager son. "Tell you what, if you can make your bed everyday without being reminded I'll get you... a new, metal Stacey engine". Ha ha.
-Eric (Dad)
Going from youngest to oldest:
Anna's Fast One
The other night Nora and I put the kids to bed and Nora went out for a little while. Having a quiet evening to myself I grabbed a cold drink and flipped on the TV but found there wasn't anything I really wanted to watch. I flipped off the set and headed towards the stairs thinking I'd get some work done in my office. It was at this point I heard the patter of little feet. When I got to the foot of the stairs there was no little person present, but Anna's bedroom door was conspicuously open. I called up the stairs, "Anna, are you up?" and was met by silence. I could almost have believed I'd imagined the sound and that Anna's door was coincidentally open. At least I could have until Anna's door started to slowly close of its own accord...
Pierce's Sly One
As regular readers know, Pierce is nuts for trains -particularly engines and cars from the show Thomas and Friends. Lately he's been subtly hinting he'd like a new, metal, "Stacey" engine. My subtle son has made such announcements as, "Dad, you know what would be nice, if I could have a new, metal Stacey train". When we were out over the 4th of July weekend waiting for the fireworks to start Pierce spotted the first star of the evening. I told him he should make a wish on it. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut for a few seconds and made a silent wish (as did Anna). When I asked them both what they'd wished for I got a pretty non-sensical answer from Anna, but Pierce, he was ready for me. "I wished for a new, metal Stacey engine. When do you think I'll get it Dad?". Clever boy...
Eric's Sneak Attack
Over the weekend Pierce wandered into our room early one morning for a visit and a little TV watching. When it was time for him to get dressed we headed back to his room, and there sat his disheveled bed in all its glory. "Pierce," I said, "let me show you how to make a bed." We then walked through the steps for pulling the sheets and covers up and tight across the mattress and replacing the pillows. "Pierce," I said as we finished up, "do you think you could make your bed every day?". "Sure Dad!", replied my eager son. "Tell you what, if you can make your bed everyday without being reminded I'll get you... a new, metal Stacey engine". Ha ha.
-Eric (Dad)
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
4th of July Weekend
A very nice weekend. Here's all the events fit to print:
Friday: Nora went out with some friends for the evening, so it was just Pierce, Anna and me. We went to the pool after dinner and, of course, both kids ate it up. At this point both are fearless around the pool (though they're still not swimmers) and spent the evening jumping in, ducking their faces in the water, and climbing up me. We finished the evening with a little TV (Between the Lions), then off to bed.
Saturday was a family day. We got up at a reasonable hour and did lawn work (we missed mowing last weekend, so we were looking a little "white trash"). We took a break for the neighborhood 4th of July parade, walking behind the fire engine with the rest of the neighborhood, than doubled back to the park for popsicles and drinks (and lots of playing on the playground equipment). That evening we had the Deavers over for "make your own pizza night". Its always a hit with Pierce and Anna and the Deaver's seemed to like it a great deal. Afterwards we watched a copy of Corolla 2004, the video I made of last year's Outer Banks vacation (the Deavers were able to join us that year). Of course we sent them home with a copy.
Sunday: This was actually a "me" day. After sleeping in a little and giving Pierce and Anna breakfast, I packed up Nora's SUV and went windsurfing for the day. I went with a friend of mine to Lake Melvern (about an hour's drive) and spent the next 4 hours windsurfing. The conditions were not great, the wind died down through the course of the afternoon, but I enjoyed myself. I spent the first part of the day relearning how to do it (its been a couple years since I did it last) but was reasonably proficient by the end of the day. The day finished with a nice family dinner; Nora made pot roast (mmmmm....). A thunderstorm rolled in after dinner and we all pulled up chairs to one of the windows and watched it. Great lightening, Anna kept asking for more. She and I went into the garage (I needed to unload the SUV) and I opened the door so we could see the rain and better hear the storm. Anna enjoyed until we had a large bolt of lightening directly above the house. Her response? "That was too loud", then she went inside and left me by myself.
Monday (4th of July): The morning started of rainy but cleared up by lunch time. Nora and I had her folks and her brother's family over for a 4th of July dinner. In the afternoon Nora went out and bought all the "fixin's"; hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, buns, corn-on-the-cob, etc. She also bought about 1000 water balloons and the kids spent most of the evening either in our little wading pool or pelting each other with balloons. It was a scream (and we got a lot of it on video). After they left we gave the kids baths then went to the local mall to watch fireworks. Pierce and Anna both loved them (they weren't bothered by the noise) and even came and sat on my lap for most of the show. Usually they're more interested in being with Mom, so that was a nice surprise. When it was over Anna kept demanding more (we told her she'd have to wait until next year). We didn't get home until close to 11:00 pm, so it was a very late night. Pierce fell asleep on the ride home, but Anna stubbornly stayed awake (talk about strong willed). Nora and I were so wiped out from the day we went to bed as soon as we got the kids tucked in.
-Eric (Dad)
Friday: Nora went out with some friends for the evening, so it was just Pierce, Anna and me. We went to the pool after dinner and, of course, both kids ate it up. At this point both are fearless around the pool (though they're still not swimmers) and spent the evening jumping in, ducking their faces in the water, and climbing up me. We finished the evening with a little TV (Between the Lions), then off to bed.
Saturday was a family day. We got up at a reasonable hour and did lawn work (we missed mowing last weekend, so we were looking a little "white trash"). We took a break for the neighborhood 4th of July parade, walking behind the fire engine with the rest of the neighborhood, than doubled back to the park for popsicles and drinks (and lots of playing on the playground equipment). That evening we had the Deavers over for "make your own pizza night". Its always a hit with Pierce and Anna and the Deaver's seemed to like it a great deal. Afterwards we watched a copy of Corolla 2004, the video I made of last year's Outer Banks vacation (the Deavers were able to join us that year). Of course we sent them home with a copy.
Sunday: This was actually a "me" day. After sleeping in a little and giving Pierce and Anna breakfast, I packed up Nora's SUV and went windsurfing for the day. I went with a friend of mine to Lake Melvern (about an hour's drive) and spent the next 4 hours windsurfing. The conditions were not great, the wind died down through the course of the afternoon, but I enjoyed myself. I spent the first part of the day relearning how to do it (its been a couple years since I did it last) but was reasonably proficient by the end of the day. The day finished with a nice family dinner; Nora made pot roast (mmmmm....). A thunderstorm rolled in after dinner and we all pulled up chairs to one of the windows and watched it. Great lightening, Anna kept asking for more. She and I went into the garage (I needed to unload the SUV) and I opened the door so we could see the rain and better hear the storm. Anna enjoyed until we had a large bolt of lightening directly above the house. Her response? "That was too loud", then she went inside and left me by myself.
Monday (4th of July): The morning started of rainy but cleared up by lunch time. Nora and I had her folks and her brother's family over for a 4th of July dinner. In the afternoon Nora went out and bought all the "fixin's"; hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, buns, corn-on-the-cob, etc. She also bought about 1000 water balloons and the kids spent most of the evening either in our little wading pool or pelting each other with balloons. It was a scream (and we got a lot of it on video). After they left we gave the kids baths then went to the local mall to watch fireworks. Pierce and Anna both loved them (they weren't bothered by the noise) and even came and sat on my lap for most of the show. Usually they're more interested in being with Mom, so that was a nice surprise. When it was over Anna kept demanding more (we told her she'd have to wait until next year). We didn't get home until close to 11:00 pm, so it was a very late night. Pierce fell asleep on the ride home, but Anna stubbornly stayed awake (talk about strong willed). Nora and I were so wiped out from the day we went to bed as soon as we got the kids tucked in.
-Eric (Dad)
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