Now that the computer upstairs is fixed, Im back up to warp speed! It also helps that the temps here have not frozen me out of this drafty old finished attic!
My thanks to Jeff for helping with the "Beth" question a post or two ago. I'm embarrased to admit that I was too lazy to Google it for myself. I spend most of the day thinking "I gotta check Google for that later"...or "I MUST blog about that tonight". Then, I get to the blog and can't remember shit of what I wanted to say. For my kids, shoudl they read this later in life, I want to ad this...I spend so much time with my kids (not just physically there...but sharing each moment with them), that I brain fart what to blog about. I sometimes feel silly with what amuses me. The other day, as I played the Imperial March, I noticed how Logan was walking across the room taking heavy steps...trying to match the beat and strut like Vader did. Or Lance today was caught babbling a few notes after the radio was turned off. There are so many moments when I feel so proud of my kids....for what Im sure some would consider minor things. I bug the shit our of my wife, by calling her in the room and make the kids repeat things (words/actions/whatever). She never has ignored me when I do so...and encourages the boys inwhatever they just did... but I just don't see other fathers doign this over their kids. (I'm sure I would if I actually SAW some of the SAHD's whose blogs I read (see referal list at right).
I feel that Im ranbling...but I havent done so in quite a while..forgive me while I let it all flow.
Today we went to Pizza Hut for lunch. We were no louder than anyone else there, and not acting like bafoons, but I couldn't help but notice how all the kids were watching us. And smiling or laughing. Ive noticed this before. And when I do, I start to take closer notice of the adults at their tables. Most of the parents, Im afraid to report, seem to have a major bug up their ass about something or other. Or are as stoic as a british butler. No wonder kids think we are some kind of cartoon. Parents don't need to make everything a game, but it seems most need to lighten up. Exspecially dads. Logan has this "thing" about having to go with anyon ewho leaves the table. Like at a buffet. When mommy or I go to get food, he wants to go to, and to help get the food. Sometimes, he is satisfied by simple putting a cookie on my plate...or helping scoop jello, or whatever. I'll go to get up...he'll start to say "Me want go with dada, prease". So I'll pretend to be all stuffy and mad and ask "Didnt you just go up with mommy?". After he says yes, I'll say "Well then, you better come show me which ones she sneezed on....".
Oh yeah..at the Pizza Hut today....we were close to be finished when a couple was seated behind us. WIth them was an adorable little girl, about 3 or 4 yrs old. Logan saw her...hoped down from his seat, and ran up to her as she floowed the couple, and said "HI. Me Logan". He then shook her hand. Thank GOd! I first thought he was going to try some judo on her! Then, as he let her hand go, she smiled...at which point my little Cassonova decided it was time to hug the pretty girl, and give her a kiss...before returnign to his chair. THe other family thought it was so cute (again, thank god....that could have gotten some parents panties in a bunch). I immediately thought of too thing..which came flying out of my mouth.
1. That's MY boy!!
2. Remembering a scene from American Pie2, when the dad and mom walk in on their son and a girl having sex in his dorm....and shortly after HER parents come in too, I said to the other parents "This is my son Logan....I didn't get your lovely daughters name...but I sure hope my son did." (HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA)
Just remembering that has me laughing! He is quite the charmer....and no doubt will have me in the principals office on a regular basis (with the climate of sexual harassment suits these days). I should school the boy in saying "Be refusing my advances, it made me feel uncomfortable".
Lance today suprised us by singing along to the music in the car. At Pizza Hut, he took a liking to their cinnimon bread sticks. And threw a fit when we tried ot offer him anything else beside those.
Me: You want more breadsticks?
Lance: Yeah
Me: You want the Cinnimon ones?
Lance: YEAH
Me: You want a kick in the butt?
Lance: (just gives me a dumb look- as if asking ME 'do YOU dady?)
Me: Coke to wash it down?
Lance: yeah
Ive really been trying to vary what Im asking, to see if his verbal responses vary by what Im saying. It's been shown that a childs INTAKE of verbal understanding far surpasses their abilty to verbalize OUTPUT. They understand quite a bit - just take longer to develope the skills to convey meaning back to you. (Hurray - an 8thousand dollar college education has not gone completely to waste...).
Lance desided that today was a great day to climb up and down the side of Logans TOddler Fireman bed. I think I held my breath more than he did. That little booger has better balance than a Kung Fu expert. As I am new to the art of Aikido, I was particualrly drawn to Lances awareness and control over weight distribution and his patience at waiting until he was confident that his shift was enough not to fall.
I have always said that Logan is growing up right before my eyes. Lance, I feel, it growing up right under my nose. Up until recently, with Lance being so young, and Logan being so high maintainence, I've felt bad about not giving Lance 100% of dada's attention like Logan had. A combination of Logan maturing a bit...the wife having time off for Christmas...and Lance becoming more receptive .....has finally put me in a place where I feel I am giving Lance the much needed attention that Logan had when it was just him and I. My little Pierogi and my littlest jelly bean. (I also refer to them as Turd and Turdling..this seems to get the MILS goat.)
Oh - a note to He whose Family runs thru it.....In case you didnt get my message from the comment section...I'd be happy to switch eateries to McDonalds/Booger King for you...I trust you have one of those near you.
Note to any burglar who enters the house...if you happen to come across 2 rapiers (that were used in my wedding) and a katana with a blue wrapping on the handle..PLEASE take the tv and leave a note where to find those damn swords. Good thing I don't own any elephants..probably lose them too. Really need to do some "throwing shit out" cleaning. We did a fair amount of that the last few days with regards to kids toys. We weeded out all of the ones that they kids don't play with, or that they've outgrown. We have about 6 garbage bags full. Ebay, here we come!! Or - another thought - ince Im a member of the blogging online SAHD community..maybe I'll pick a few nice ones, and offer them to dads with blogs. I can post a picture of the toy. Of course, I'd only ask shipping cost. Have to give that one some further thought.
WOW - I've been typing my ass off - so much nicer to be up here than on a laptop. I'll be serioulsy pissed if the power supply (which may need replaced soon) craps out before I can hit the PUBLISH POST button.
UBS 2.0 and Windows XP Service Pack 2 - I finally FINALLY have USB 2.0 . Mind you, I bought a pci card over a year ago...but the friggin drivers never worked, and XP started a fight whenever I tried to install them. So, I had 3 extra USB ports, but still at the same lame ass speed as before. I was graciously reminded of this every friggin time I turned on my external hard drive . POP! (That sound began to cause me to want to kill) - "We have detected that a HIGH SPEED device has been plugged into yoru computer by means of a slow ass usb port. Click here to get more info". Of course, if you click the bubble, it won't help. You just feel like a bigger asshole for asking for help..that you aint gonna get. I would have rather chewed off my own arm that install SP2, so I googled the hell out the problem. Just as I had done before. But this time...there was a different variable. I was no longer searchign for drivers for that damn Adaptec USB 2.0 card...oooooh no, I now had the new motherboard name to search for. A search dredged up that because of some licensing agreement, the usb 2.0 driver for my mother board could not be downloaded. BUT - they should be on the cd that came with the board. HELLO! I have that right here. 2 minutes later, I had USB 2.0 and was a happy camper.
LEFTOVER CHRISTMAS SHIT: Went to Walmart today, to rummage thru the Xmas discounted remains. I discovered sets of christmas lights (like for a tree) that are l.e.d. based rahter than standard bulb based. THey are supposed to use less energy, and more importantly...not heat up like normal bulbs. I bought a few packs, and they seem pretty cool. I used a few strings of white light on our tree (that stayed fairly warm), and one colored light string (that was waaaay too damned hot to the touch). We alays would turn of the lights before we left the house. Maybe next year, this won't be a problem.
Ok - I think whatever sugar high I got from 6 mini powered donuts and 3 chocolate chip cookies has finally worn off. I have a job tomorrow and I need ot find costume pieces. I found all of the dreaded Purple Dinosaur.....now to find that damned jester costume for when I make animal ballons and paint faces before the "great dino costume switch".
(If that sounded confusing - before my kids were born, I ran my own business from home, and made pretty decent money doing it. Of course, now that i have kids - and no employees - I do what I can WHEN I can. I am a magician for kids parties. For the littler ones, I come to the party dressed as a jester (not a friggin clown..hate those) and make ballon animals and paint faces, and do some magic. Once they are all OKAY with some guy doing all of this, I leave the party..slip away to another room - and dress up in whatever costume the parents requested. I return to the party as that character, dance to music, pose for pics, and sing with the cake. A fond farewell and thousands of hugs later, I go back into hiding while the kids have cake. Costume goes back into it's bag, and I slip away with some much needed money and a sense of accomplishment. Much like when I used to be a male stripper...but with less money and a guilty conscience for staring thru my costume head nostril hole- down the open blouse of a mom/babe who was kneeling next to her little one - talking to what she thought was a harmless cartoon character. I miss being a male dancer. I can't fit into my old bikini bottoms anymore, but at least I fill out that damned dinosaur a bit better.
LAST THOUGHT: I am glad to report, after that last "thong as a work uniform" comment, that although I don't get winded as much doing AIkido as I did in judo...Ive somehow managed to remain at 225 lbs. I haven't gone back to previous weight of around 240/245. I was really topping the scale for a while there. I'd still like to lose more, but that takes workign out in addition to my aikido classes...and that means mor etime away from the kids. We'll see how I can work this one out. Maybe use the daycare at the YMCA for an hour a day..just to get some running and cardio in.
Night all!
Shannon
