Thursday, June 10, 2007
Michael is very verbal. He holds forth with a fluency and clarity uncommon among three-year-olds. He has yet to learn, however, that confidently saying something doesn’t make it true. He said, “I can play the saxophone without lessons.” I said, “Well, actually, every musician learns from other people.” He said, “Not me. I can play the saxophone. I can play the tuba and sousaphone too." Sousaphone? Can I assume knowledge of the sousaphone is also uncommon among three-year-olds? Because I’m like 30 and I didn’t know that’s an instrument.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Michael’s 4th birthday party at the public pool was rained out, so we packed the party into our little house. How was it? Mayhem. But fun! My favorite conversation was with Charlie, a gregarious, three-foot-tall, four-year-old with a smile that, somehow, is both genuine and permanent. He said, “Hi! My name is Charlie. I’m four. My dad’s name is John, but I call him Dad.” Awesome. Charlie has it all figured out and he's only four.
The family, including Gramma, came to my softball game last night. My Father’s Day gift, a new Rawlings – that I picked out; baseball gloves are like great friends, they can’t be picked out for you – worked surprisingly well despite its newness. It’s pretty soft already and I tightened some laces to form a better pocket and my new friend and I played well together. I love baseball gloves. Did you notice that one word is embedded in the other? Coincidence? No. I made sure to tell the kids repeatedly their gift was the secret to my success. They were uninterested. Michael had a stomachache from eating his pretzel and hot dog too fast. Little Megan wanted badly to run onto the field. I like that instinct! There are some big, scary dudes on my team but she wasn’t intimidated. And if any F-words floated out of the dugout, the kids seemed oblivious. I remember going to my dad’s softball games. I learned new words, witnessed yelling and scuffling, but mostly ate candy, got stomachaches, played in the dirt, and ran around. Just like M ‘n’ m.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
On Saturday night, I marched out the front door to escort my cousin, Sasha, to her car, to help her with her bag and say goodbye. Megan blew a gasket. It was awesome! She kind of yelped, burst into tears, reached out to me, said, “Da-ee, Da-ee!” – what passes for ‘Daddy’ right now – then turned to Mommy and frantically tapped her chest, the hand signal for help. She did NOT want me to leave. It was the happiest moment of my life. Later, I realized she just wanted to go outside.
Thursday, August 14, 2007
So with Megan, I press on, clumsy, but doing my best. Holding her, reading to her, playing with her, combing her hair and trying to braid it, teaching her words, teaching her to be nice, to share, helping her explore things, and making sure she doesn’t break herself or anything else when she gets mad and freaks out. Michael didn’t do the tantrum thing but Megan gives it a try once in a while. Although, by way of critique, I must say her tantrums have lacked enthusiasm lately.
Michael is getting comfortable in the water. That’s good. It’s fun and easy to hit the pool with him now. With his length – long arms and legs – he could be a great swimmer. Maybe an Olympic champ or Navy SEAL. That’s all. We don’t set the bar very high.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Michael told me at bedtime, “Daddy, I might get scared tonight.” He explained that the ‘Veggie Tales’ movie with the ‘Island of Perpetual Tickling’ wasn’t a good movie and that I should take it out to the garage right away, and then we should sell it in a garage sale. I said, sure, we can do that, or I can donate it or just give it away. Michael said that would be fine if I took it out to my car immediately so I wouldn’t forget. Sara explained – although the movie is animated and playful – there’s a faceless, grim reaper character on the island. Though I explained to Michael it’s nothing to be afraid of, I banished the movie. Michael also said he was scared of ‘the three letters.’ When I asked him to identify the perpetrators, possibly with a recitation of his ABCs, he said, “No Daddy, not like that, the loud letters.” And then I understood. Michael doesn’t like unfamiliar loud noises, sudden or shrill. Industrial strength toilets in public restrooms, for example, make him very uncomfortable. Some are so loud even I fear they'll suck the whole room into the sewer system. Michael has entered many a public restroom with hands over ears. As for the loud letters, I knew Michael meant the big ‘THX’ banner before movies with THX surround sound. The three letters fill the theater screen and the volume is slowly increased until it’s positively blaring.
Megan has a lot of words now. She totes around a cleaned-out mayonnaise container full of little whale figurines and says, “Whales, whales, whales.” She also has a book about whales she loves. She is her brother’s sister. She likes to read “Cake,” her Strawberry Shortcake book, and if she needs assistance: “Hep pease. Hep, pease.” It’s very sweet. I can hardly resist, even when she wants ‘help’ reaching for an open bottle of nail polish, or Mommy’s glass of red wine, or a knife. Megan advises anyone leaving to “Dive fafe.” And Mommy has Megan tell Daddy, if needed, “You a bum!” It’s from her book ‘The Paper Bag Princess.’ Her long, light hair is gorgeous. And when she runs, or laughs, or does anything at all, it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
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