student

writing a message to mommy.

i told kris yesterday that the baby appears to be a student.

i remarked that she watches things. many work mornings she'll go into the bathroom as i'm grooming myself to observe my routine. she's pretty much got it down pat.

she'll tell me after i wash my face that it's time to brush my teeth. afterward, she'll say, as she rub her cheeks and chin, "it's time to do this," which are my motions for applying shaving cream to my face. 

doc mcstuffins

lately, she's asked to watch me tie my shoes. i'll comply, showing her step by step, before she says as i prepare to tie the other shoe, "do it fast," or, in real time. 

kris took the kids to the library today and was impressed watching the girl manipulate the mouse on the public access computers. 

not sure if it's indicative of anything, but i like this aspect of her personality — watch and learn. watch and learn. it gives me hope for ... i dunno, the kind of student she could be? the kind of vocation she'll choose?

among the many things she pretends to be in her playtime, i like that she breaks out the medical bag and gives check-ups, like the "doc mcstuffins" cartoon on disney jr. (can now see that the days for that preschool network's fare are now numbered, btw. sigh.)

anyway, the idea that she'd have the aptitude to go into medicine makes me happy. of course, it's yet to be seen if she possesses other important characteristics, like desire and will. 

growth spurt

two years ago, i wrote that our son's apparent two steps forward, one step back development was in reaction to "links making connections in his brain." i was kind of right.

builder.

the boy has been going on a couple of weeks of crazy — not necessarily ill-tempered or overly emotional, just manic and rapid-fire chatty, seemingly unfocused and unable to control himself.

at first, kris and i thought it was a matter of his food issues somehow rearing their head: what had he eaten that was making him act so, well, contrary to what seems to have been months of steady improvement?

(aside: it's been a while since kris has lamented a week of exemplary behavior followed by days of horrid.)

at the same time, though, i noticed that his reaction to setbacks in his creative endeavors vis a vis his legos or other far-fetched, found object constructions/car ramps are met not with frustrated outbursts but rather a matter-of-fact picking up of the pieces and rebuilding. no muss, no fuss.

i told him how proud i was of this the other morning as we squeezed in an early morning play period before breakfast. he may have said, "thanks."

later that day, kris, who'd been checking in with his pre-school teacher regarding his erratic behavior and finding that it was endemic to the entire class, passed along this observation from her: 

it happens every year to the four-year-olds. growth spurts, personality changes, hormones, etc

it made me a little melancholy that the little boy who we hoped would grow out of his behavior that exasperated us was beginning his slow fade away from being a little boy.

no crib for a bed

toddler bed tonight.

spent today clearing rooms of toys and cleaning up. kris used it as an opportunity to convert the baby's crib to a toddler bed. she wept afterward. "we don't have a baby in a crib anymore."

no, we don't. 

so this morning, some time around 7:30, when i reached over the rails for our cranky, sleepy, wanting-to-be-held child, i picked up a baby from her crib for the last time. 

tonight, a big girl is sleeping in a bed. 

sabado gigante

@ItsreallyDT cramping up from yardwork, so, yeah. perfect day.
— some asian guy (@grumpnet) April 19, 2015

the only thing that would have made this day any more productive would be getting a load of laundry done.

other than that, though, i'm kind of pleased with the effort. pulled down about maybe five years worth of grapevines and cut more branches off the oak sapling that refuses to die. got in the first mow of the season and spread weed and feed on the lawn.

day started out with the boy's second soccer match, where he had absolutely no focus at all. as i have no overwhelming desire for him to be a sports star, i'm not going to be too critical of his performance.

that said, he should take enough interest that he listen to his coach and actually pay attention to the game in progress.  (he seemed ... wonky. like, gluten-bomb nonsensical and unfocused. maybe he's not carbing up enough the night before or with breakfast.)

that's about it. there are showers forecast tomorrow in advance of a steady rain later on. hopefully, the shower will dissolve the granular fertilizer/herbicide and allow for some absorption before the rain can wash it away.

more sports

ballgames pretty much just mean hot dogs and popcorn.

so in the span of about 24 hours, he's been in a pool, a soccer pitch and a minor league baseball park. pretty lucky boy, this one.

earlier in the day, either scored or assisted in 7-2 loss.

this was his first soccer game. (and his first baseball game, btw.) i hope he comes to enjoy both. i hope he keeps wanting to improve his soccer game, though. play some d; get the ball out of traffic and forward.

his mama was funny, though, yelling instruction from the sideline before stopping herself when she realized what she was doing.

the field was pretty damp from a couple of days of sporadically heavy rains. made for a bit of muddy play. this made an impression on his sister. when mama suggested she might want to play in the fall, baby was adamantly against it: "because i will fall in the mud and get dirty. yuck." mama had to leave the room.

ready to snack. strictly a spectator for now.

sports

u6 practica de futbol.

big weekend for the babies.

the boy began his first organized sport, playing u6 soccer and getting his first practice this week. hopefully, the weather holds up for his first game over the weekend.

his mama said he did ok following instructions and seems excited and engaged.

swimming lessons.

then he and his sister took their first swimming lesson today. it was a good introduction to kicking and blowing in the water and jumping in. they seemed pretty fearless. we hope the lessons progress nicely and, more importantly, that they take.

happy easter

they keep growing.

bok! bok!

spent about six hours getting ready for an overnight easter trip to see lolo, lola and the cousins. 

it was tiring and occasionally tense, but overall just nice to touch base for a few hours. 

aside from a few missteps from being too hyped, the babies were exemplary — good with the potty and good with the listening.

hope they have the hang of overnight trips before they become teenagers. 

good friday

kanawha boulevard. dusk, good friday 2015.

as far as atmosphere goes, it's a perfectly gloomy good friday, not that i've done much to observe the triduum at all this year.

called off sick for second day straight from the pinkeye yesterday, so i also refrained from attending holy thursday services.

took the boy for a haircut this afternoon, which also included a trip to the library, and did not make the effort to do a stations of the cross.

my lenten observances have been fairly weak. i've abstained from my beloved cheeseburgers and gone meatless for fridays, but, well, i've been spiritually off. (compare to my zealous 1997 self and it's downright lame.)

not sure this is the place i should be putting my thoughts, but it's just as good as any.

raising young children has pretty much kept me and the missus on our toes the past five years. our being able to attend mass as a family this year has been a major triumph.

but work and all its grim responsibility, not to mention long hours, pretty much gets me home ready to just read sports and whatever news catches my fancy before hitting the sack. mentally and spiritually, i'm drained.

hurricane felix. nasa. 09/03/07.

work being what it is, seeing unfairness both in the world and in our own business, kind of feeds into a despair that maybe righteousness doesn't prevail. then wondering how, beyond the lovely blue of our planet, in an unfathomable universe of blackness, there can be an all-encompassing spirit that creates, controls and cares for all beings, all creatures possessing of this thing we call a soul. it makes me feel very much alone and in doubt of my significance.

even as i write this, on a weekend when we commemorate the ultimate leap of faith, i know i am being called on to believe. my trust, my worn, neglected faith, is the only thing i've got. in my weakness make me strong.