Little m Long a

Circumstance and obligation often time conspire to rob precious moments.  Traditions become “remember when” and “used to”.  Or worse, “why don’t we?”  The confusion is only compounded when the “whys” are from a child.  Several years ago Maura and I worked out a pretty cool birthday tradition for the kids.  We called it the Day of Fun and in lieu of showering the kids with gifts on their birthdays we would set aside a day just for the birthday kid to spend with Mom and Dad.  You don’t realize how important some things are until they’re gone.

We skipped a year of the Day of Fun simply because life seemed to have gotten in the way.  The kids had wonderful birthday parties and received plenty of gifts but they never stopped asking, “What about our Day of Fun?”  It was that important and and Maura and I kind of lost sight of that.  The kids didn’t care about the stuff.

They wanted us.

Ask and ye shall receive, kid.  (Unless you’re asking for like a motorcycle, or a gun, or a tattoo.)  Ask for anything within reason, kid and ye shall receive.  We get to determine what is within reason — it’s a parental prerogative.  It’s a word, kid look it up.

Zander and Zella kicked things off this year with what I can only say is a day that set the bar pretty high in terms of funness.  (Funness is probably not a word but it works here.  See the other comment about prerogative.  It’s my story so I get to choose the words.)

We started the day with breakfast and a toast to good times ahead.

Then a quick stop for some supplies.  And of course a photo op.

The Dynamic Duo prepares to reek havoc on the children’s section of the book store.  It never ceases to amaze me at just how excited my kids get about books and reading.  (Clearly a trait passed to them by Maura.)

It’s a bit hard for me to take sometimes when I realize that all of my kids are now readers.  Zander still struggles  with some words and tends to guess more than read but the progress he’s made from August at the start of Kindergarden until now is truly amazing.  I still get a bit choked up when Zella, in the living case study of how girls advance slightly faster than boys educationally, will take the time to help her brother sound out the more difficult words.  Or get frustrated when he messes up and just hit him.  Because she’s caring like that.

Next stop of the Freight Train o’ Fun was to the ice skating rink.  Zella had been begging to go for a year.  She may have been rethinking that request.

It took them both about thirty minutes to get halfway comfortable on the ice but they had an absolute blast.  I’m not saying they’re heading to the Olympics or anything, but it was fun.

Next stop — “Builder Bear”.  For some reason, Zander won’t say Build A Bear.  Or except.  He prefers to say becept.

Of course, we had to stop and play on the stairs for a while because when you’re 6 even a stairwell is an adventure.

Also logical limitations on imagination are pointless.  It’s perfectly natural for a stuffed wolf to be wearing a football uniform and riding a motorcycle.  And why wouldn’t a green bear with patchwork paws be wearing an Obi Wan outfit?

A bite for lunch and then we were off to one of our favorite metro parks.  The day was perfect for a stroll.

These two could have fun anywhere!

In a nutshell, the Day of Fun was exactly as billed — FUN!!!  And this this I know.  Maura and I have resolved to do everything in our power to keep this tradition alive because it really does mean so much to the kids.  And truth be told it’s an awful lot of fun for us as well.

In the interest of being more environmentally friendly, this post contains no less than 98% recycled content.

The Adventurers

Father’s day.

Dad’s all across the country will be heading out to golf courses and ball parks, lakes and rivers, or just to the living room to veg out in the Lazy Boy (well, the lucky ones have Lazy Boys.  My wife has deemed the chair a God-awful eyesore and refuses to allow one in the house.) with a frosty adult beverage sporting that new paisley necktie because–well it’s dad’s day and that’s what dads get to do on their day, right?

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Remember when you were a kid?  And on the last days of school instead of doing anything that resembled schoolwork, you took inventory?  And turned in your books?  Played mind numbing games to pass those empty last days and hours?

That’s where I am.

Except I’m not in school.

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Alternatively titled:   (A Rambling and Essentially Incoherent Synopsis of the Last Several Weeks)

Be it ever so humble…

Nine days can seem a lifetime.  Quite often, a lifetime is not enough. Time got the better of me.   Spring break has come and gone and I miss it already.  Oh it was tiring, don’t get me wrong.  But in a good way.

The days and weeks leading up to the kids’ week from school were hectic at best.  Frantic more aptly describes it.

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A smaterring from the kids over the past week….

“We’ve got to go to the store to get some more Motrin for Zander”  Me to the kids on our way home from school. 

“Welcome to my world, Zander!”  Zia, the culprit responsible for using all of the Motrin the previous week.

“Guys, don’t sit so close to the fire.”  Me to Zander and Zella who were seated with their backs against the fireplace grate.

“Is that why it’s burning?”  Zander on realizing maybe dad is on to something.

“Zoë, you’re wrong.”  Me to Zoë during a recent argument over the proper order for lighting the candles on our Advent wreath.

“How can I be wrong if I’m right?!”  Her response to me.