Results tagged “holiday” from Proud Dad / Happy Husband

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve written something. So here’s a quick note to kick off the week.

First, we should note that Will started second grade this year. It was tough to get a picture of Will getting on his school bus because it was raining and pouring outside. It meant I stayed in my car with the twins, so that they could see the bus, while Kellie stood under an umbrella with Will. And holding an umbrella makes it difficult to take a photo while protecting said camera.

Ah well, we have pictures from last year. Not too different, other than the rain.

At least on Labor Day, we were able to be outside and play at the park. I think you can see that it was already getting overcast then, but it still made for some fun times playing there. It’s pretty much a free-for-all, as the kids can climb on almost everything provided — and they really have some neat stuff available. Ah, to have been a kid when the current generation of playground equipment is available. It might have also prevented me from crushing my fingernail that one time, too.

And yes, Daniel insists on playing football with a baseball glove on. All the better to catch with, I guess, though he will catch without it, too. He certainly loves his sports toys, including the batting tee. And you should see him run with a football — and fall down at the end of his run, like he had been tackled. (That reminds me — I have to get video of that some time.)

So, what does this have to do with the title of this post? Well, let’s just say that a certain set of training wheels came off today. Nothing to report yet — not even a little boo-boo. We didn’t get far enough for that, but we did experiment with understanding the need to put feet down when stopping. But there was supported forward, pedaled motion. Stay tuned.

Other stuff that will get greater detail later — Sean is almost potty-trained (at least at day care); Kellie, Will and I went to Busch Gardens yesterday for a birthday celebration; and Will will be joining Cub Scouts this year.

Here’s to wishing everyone a happy 4th of July). Stay safe, but have some fun. And here’s a quick musical interlude on how they decided who should write the Declaration of Independence. I’m pretty sure this is historically accurate, although I would have expected Jefferson to be more of a baritone.

NOTE: There are a couple of PG-13 curse words in the song, if you have a young one in the room with you.

Oh, wait, that’s not what we celebrated today? Well, I guess that explains why only I got the presents and cake today.

So, yes, Happy Father’s Day out there to all of you fathers (I don’t know any fathers-to-be at moment, but if you’re reading and are one, the wish goes to you, too).

The weekend was nice and somewhat relaxing. Yesterday was a bit draining — going to Busch Gardens on a day with the heat index over 100 isn’t always the best idea. But Will wanted to “take me” to Busch Gardens on Father’s Day, but I convinced him in advance that it would be best if we did it the day before. And we paid for it with the heat and humidity.

Will had a great time (I’ll post pictures and video shortly), and we did many of the same rides as before, this time without trepidation. I almost got him to ride the log flume, but he was scared of getting blasted in the face with water during the final plunge. Instead, he found a few more kid-oriented rides in the Italy section, including one where you “fly” a glider on your stomach (like a hang-glider). Six hours in that heat was enough — and either the heat kept the crowds away, or the economy still isn’t opening up for these types of discretionary expenditures. This weekend (when school is done) was less crowded (by a decent amount) compared with the visit we made last month (before school let out). You can draw your own conclusions.

And while I grant that Will really wasn’t being clever in “taking” me to Busch Gardens yesterday — we had already agreed we’d probably go in June, and his original offer back in May was to go on Father’s Day, as he really thought it would be a treat (which in many ways it was) — he did have his moment of being clever. He gave me some Hershey’s chocolate bars for my Father’s Day gift, and of course, he was angling for me to share some with him. So he definitely had an ulterior motive when he chose that gift. But it still was a nice, thoughtful gift.

Thanks again to everyone for the wonderful weekend.

This should have been posted last Monday or Tuesday. But I just let this partially written post languish, and I’m left finishing it on Friday. So, try to flash back to the long, Memorial Day holiday weekend…

What an interesting weekend. What do you get when you mix blood, dirty diapers, dresser-climbing, and wrestling moves? (Not all at once, thank goodness.) Just a “normal” weekend for the twins. I guess the terrible twos may be underway.

Sean and Daniel certainly play off of each other now, and that sometimes means they are antagonizing each other. That certainly was the case when we found both of them on top of the dresser/changing table during one of their supposed naptimes. The way it was positioned, they could get on top of their bed rails and climb up on the dresser. They were sitting facing each other, and Daniel was pushing Sean’s face into his own lap, kind of like a facewash. I guess that’s why Sean was complaining a little bit (from what we could hear over the baby monitor).

At least they took their nap after this incident. Two other times this weekend, they didn’t even take their naps. The first time, they had knocked the lamp off the dresser. (The lamp’s not there any more.) Unfortunately, the bulb broke all over the floor and Daniel’s bed. And the boys probably tried picking up the pieces, as by the time we found them, Sean had cuts on his hand and foot, and Daniel had one on his leg. And there was blood on the carpet, bed sheets, wall(!), and diaper pail. What fun to clean up (both the blood and the shattered glass).

And Congress wants to do away with incandescent light bulbs within 5 years? For fluorescent bulbs (and their mercury contents)? Whose brilliant idea is this? That’s a rant for another day, but this shows perfectly why this may not be an appropriate tradeoff.

The other day, we’re not sure what happened, but it sounded like Daniel fell hard on the floor - twice. We’re guessing he might have fallen off the dresser, but neither he nor Sean really told us what happened. We just had one very upset boy who wanted to be held for a while.

After the second incident, I rearranged the bedroom so that they cannot get on the dresser any more. (Well, unless they get creative and move something like the hamper closer. That day hasn’t come - yet.) But both of them were sufficiently wound up that they never quite fell asleep, so we allowed them out of the room. But they were a bit cranky the rest of the day, so it was quick to bed after an early dinner.

Then there was Sunday morning, when I went in to get the boys dressed and they had reached in the diaper pail and pulled out several “used” diapers and wipes (including the dirty ones) and had them laid around the room. Ugh.

We were lucky with Will, in that we never experienced anything like this. I guess it’s our turn to really experience boys growing up. We hope your Memorial Day weekend was not as exciting/crazy as ours.

Just had to get a couple of these pictures out there for you. The little leprechauns had a fun time at dinner time, getting a traditional Irish meal of corned beef and cabbage, soda bread, and green shamrock sugar cookies. Yum!

(And if you pay attention, you might be able to see the gap where Will’s sixth tooth used to be.)

Also wanted to share with you a classic tune from the original “Irish” tenors. Hope you had a Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

I thought we’d start your day off right with a toast (hopefully, that’s just orange juice in your glass and green milk on your cereal) and a reminder of what it means to be Irish. (I may resemble some of them.)

What It Means to be Irish

1. You will never play professional basketball.
2. You swear very well.
3. At least one of your cousins is a fireman, cop, bar owner, funeral home owner or holds political office. And you have at least one aunt who is a nun, or uncle who’s a priest.
4. You think you sing very well.
5. You have no idea how to make a long story short!
6. There isn’t a big difference between you losing your temper or killing someone…
7. Much of your childhood meals were boiled. Instant potatoes were a mortal sin.
8. You have never hit your head on a ceiling.
9. You spent a good portion of your childhood kneeling in prayer (Catholic guilt forever!).
10. You’re strangely poetic after a few beers.
11. You are, therefore, poetic a lot.
12. You will be punched for no good reason…a lot.
13. Some punches directed at you are from legacies of past generations.
14. Many of your sisters and/or cousins are named Mary, Catherine or Eileen …. and there is at least one member of your family with the full name of Mary Catherine Eileen.
15. Someone in your family is very generous. It is more than likely you.
16. You may not know the words, but that doesn’t stop you from singing.
17. You can’t wait for the other guy to stop talking before you start talking.
18. You’re not nearly as funny as you think you are … but what you lack in talent, you make up for in frequency.
19. There wasn’t a huge difference between your last Wake and your last keg party.
20. You are, or know someone, named Murph.
21. If you don’t know Murph then you know Mac. If you don’t know Murph or Mac then you know Sully. Then you probably know Sully McMurphy.
22. You are genetically incapable of keeping a secret.
23. You have Irish Alzheimer’s… you forget everything but the grudges!
24. ‘Irish Stew’ is a euphemism for ‘boiled leftovers.’
25. All of your losses are alcohol-related ( loss of driver’s license, loss of money, loss of job, loss of significant other, loss of teeth from punch…) but it never stops you from drinking.
26. Your skin’s ability to tan…. not so much.
27. At this very moment, you have at least two relatives who are not speaking to each other (not fighting, mind you, just not speaking to each other).
28. Childhood remedies for the common cold often included whiskey.
29. There’s no leaving a family party without saying goodbye for at least 45 minutes.

Yes, today is Pi Day. No, that is not a mispelling. You know — 3.14159 etc. You can even celebrate Pi Second: 1:59:26pm on 3/14. (That’s pi to the 7th decimal place.) Our US Congress even got into the act with a non-binding resolution honoring Pi Day 2009. Yes, our leaders truly are watching out for the most important issues of the day.

On a more serious note, I have a few things to post, but not the time yet to pull together the multimedia aspects. Cool stuff this week include:

1. Will lost his sixth tooth on Tuesday, almost 1 year to the day after he lost his first tooth (3/8/08). This was in the lower left quadrant, second from the midline. (Whatever it is called.) He had lost the one on the right previously.
2. Will had an after-school event at school yesterday called Gator Rock, which is basically an activity to get kids moving, mostly with semi-organized dancing. I was able to join him for part of it, and I think he had a good time.
3. Today was bed day. Sean and Daniel no longer have cribs. The twins now have twin beds. (No, not bunk beds.) Needless to say, getting freed from the “fences” made for interesting sleep times. We have the video to prove it.

Hope everyone is counting down the days until spring. It’s less than a week away, right?

I think everyone knows that today is St. Valentine’s Day. The kids got to dress up in red, exchange cards, and have a good time. The chocolate and cookies actually were not finished off tonight, which is probably a good thing. They’re getting into it.

The kids do send out their Valentine’s wishes to everyone today. We hope you have a good one. Of course, I’m not sure what to make of the fact that all of the boys (even the young ones), are actually wishing you a happy Valentine’s day. After all, Daniel and Sean both said goodbye to a fake tree in the foyer of the doctor’s office on Wednesday. (Yes, they really did, without prompting. I still crack up remembering it.) I guess they know it’s good manners to do it, just like wishing you a happy day.

Not much else to report at this point. They’re predicting a light dusting of snow for Sunday night, but Monday is a school holiday, so there’s not much that we have to worry about there. The kids were already on schedule to go to daycare that day.

We had a couple of events, surrounding a relatively relaxing afternoon. With all of the events and running around of the last week, it was earned. This evening, Will finally lost his upper left front tooth. It had been loose for so long, and today is was barely holding on. But he didn’t want to help it along, so we had to wait it out until dinner time. But it came out then, so Will has now lost 5 of his baby teeth so far. But he’s got that nice, big gap in the upper front to deal with. I guess apples and carrots are going to be more difficult now.

In the morning, everyone woke up close to our normal times and participated in our annual Mummers pancake tradition. It’s something my family started over 20 years ago, when we lived outside of Philadelphia, PA and would watch the annual Mummers Parade on TV. The parade goers dressed up in all sorts of fanciful ways, and so we made a tradition of decorating faces on pancakes with all sorts of fruits, sprinkles, whipped cream and other toppings. Even after leaving the Philadelphia area, we have continued to do the tradition, and Kellie has also bought into the tradition. Some years, we do Belgian waffles, but this year it was pancakes.

Here are a few snapshots from this morning’s festivities. Somehow, we did not get pictures of my parents’ creations, but we have samples from my family.

Just a quick note to wish everyone a happy start to the new year. Will was up to watch the ball drop in New York City with Kellie, my parents, and me. We have had a very busy holiday week, so hopefully I’ll have some more updates coming out sooner. In the meantime, have a fun and blessed new year. Keep in touch.

Well, now, today is going to be a very busy Christmas day. So I’ll dash off a note wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. If you have to travel to see family, be safe and arrive secure. Enjoy the company of family and friends. And if you need a reminder about what this holiday means, perhaps I should let Linus remind you.

Sean also would like to pass on greetings to you. Daniel is actually the one that started doing it spontaneously one day, but he refuses to do it on camera. So Sean will substitute for the wishes.

Yes, it is Christmas Eve, and the kids are truly nestled all snug in their beds. The day has been a bit hectic, but it is now done. I’ve got a new splint on my hand (and got to see the scar as things were changed) and the pinkie is healing nicely. This afternoon, we had Faye and the Bolts over for gift exchanges and a quick bite to eat for lunch. Last minute wrapping was completed (okay, it was me that had to finish the wrapping), and finally the stockings were hung over the fireplace.

Now, we’re just waiting for Santa to arrive. Will has scattered a trail of reindeer food outside so that Santa’s reindeer can find our house. The milk and M&M cookies are out on a plate for Santa. Now, Mommy and Daddy need to get to sleep so that Santa can come to our house. Maybe he’ll have something good this year. He usually does.

Merry Christmas Eve to all.

Today won’t be the detailed rundown of how everything went. I’m still playing catch-up from being out of the house since Tuesday. The family took a trip to New York City (well, part of us did), and everyone had a good time. The pictures and video are bountiful, so I’m going to need some time to pull it all together. However, a bullet-point summary of what we did the past 5 days would go like this:

Tuesday

• Travel to my parent’s in Northern Virginia after school with all 3 kids

Wednesday

• Leave the twins with my parents (thank you for watching them) to drive to Manhattan to visit my sister Emily for a few days
• Walk around the tour of the Macy’s Parade balloons, as they are moored next to the Museum of Natural History (only 1 block from Emily’s apartment) — it was crazy/busy there

Thursday

• Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade from the middle of 73rd Avenue — we couldn’t get any closer, but was close enough to see almost everything
• Take Will to a playground in Central Park for a while, then walk over to Strawberry Fields and back to the apartment
• Eat a Thanksgiving dinner with Emily

Friday

• Ride the subway twice — first to go to the Empire State Building, then to go to Rockefeller Plaza to watch ice skating, see the tree (unlit), and eat lunch
• Meet up with Emily and visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral
• Walk to FAO Schwartz, only to find the wait in line to be rather long
• Take a taxi back to Emily’s apartment (Will’s first ride in a taxi), then back to the playground one last time
• Go to the movies to see Madagascar 2 (all 4 of us enjoyed it), then go out to eat at a diner-style restaurant

Saturday

• Try to leave early, only to discover the battery was dead — finally got a jump from AAA
• Drive back to Northern Virginia to spend the night at my parent’s house
• Got to see Dena, Dennis and Nicholas at dinner — Will really enjoyed seeing his new cousin again

Sunday

• Drive back home in the rain — only took about 30 minutes longer than normal, and that included a stop for gas

That’s a lot going on in one long trip. We all survived, and we really enjoyed the company of everyone we met over those days. We hope everyone else had a fun and safe holiday weekend. We hope to see you soon.

As I said, I hope to post pictures and video at a later date, but I hope this suffices for a quick summary at moment.

And no alcohol was involved. Just the family jamming out to Huey Lewis and the News on the 4th of July. You say, what?

Well, after dinner, but before heading outside for our neighborhood fireworks shoot-off (legal stuff only), we had on the Capitol Fourth celebration. Huey Lewis and the News came on for their three-song set, and the twins (Sean first) just started getting into the music. Luckily, cameras were nearby, and you get to see the subsequent display of dancing “talent.”

We’ll start you off with a few pictures from the day, and of the twins marching to music with their flags, but then the real fun starts. And try to hang on for the full 4+ minutes. The finale is a riot.

Or maybe it’s just me that thought this was a classic.

Well, we’re finally recovered from our extended power outage after a storm briefly blew through the area. Nothing quite like having the sun shining brightly outside (after the storm), but still no power. At least we got the power back before it got dark.

I got some nice gifts from the family yesterday (including a couple of manual crank handheld flashlights with LED lights - they’re really cool). But maybe the best gift was something Will did at school - it caused me to smile a couple of times (and cringe once). You can see the worksheet below.

I’m glad I’m as handsome as a super hero and can build a whole city, but I think you can figure out which made me cringe. So, I guess there are still some things I need to work on. Don’t we all? I think I’m doing better, but thank you for reminding me that I still need to work on reminding you of things in a calmer manner sometimes.

Hope you father’s out there got nice gifts, too.

A quick note on Father’s Day. Yeah, this day is supposedly partially for me (thanks, Kellie, for giving me some time to do some things, including watch Rice in the College World Series this afternoon). But I would be remiss without saying thank you to my own dad.

Whether it’s chasing me around a marathon course (in your car, of course) or spending some time with your grandsons, you’re there for us. I cannot begin to tell you everything you have taught me over the years (other than calculus - I was on my own there), and I’m sure there is still much to learn. But my 39 years so far have been a blessing, and I’m glad that you’ve been my dad for that.

Now, if I had only listened to you during your attempts to get me interested in different sports, I might have a modicum of talent somewhere. But don’t be too down about that. I still enjoy it, even with my athletic limitations. (I’m thinking I’m really geeked about the baseball today.) Thank you for caring and doing all that you do, and know that a part of you always goes with me.

And your turn with this day is coming soon, Uncle Dennis…

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend, and that you remembered why we celebrate it.

Given the hubbub about normal holiday travel periods, it certainly appeared (at least down here) that traffic was definitely down this weekend. I was on the interstates yesterday afternoon, and I just didn’t see the volume I’m used to seeing. I was actually fearful of getting caught in a surprise backup on I-95 when returning home, but saw nothing of the sort.

As for the home front, everyone is doing fine. Daniel may have had a bug over the weekend, but by Monday, he was all better. Sean also enjoyed things. Neither of them got to visit the pool (particularly because of Daniel’s bug), but they will get there soon enough. If it’s anything like their bathtime, they will have a blast (and probably wear out Mommy and Daddy).

And being that it is a holiday, some people (one of whom shall remain nameless) took naps. Not that I begrudge that or anything. Just pointing out the obvious. (The picture to the left hides the identity of the guilty one, who was also feeling a bit under the weather yesterday.)

Will did go to the pool on Saturday and Sunday, but the pool water was quite cool. The poolwater thermometer read 72 degrees, but it sure felt a lot colder. The idea was to get in, get used to it, and then don’t poke the body back above the water. I think you know the drill.

Lastly, we held a yard sale on Saturday. We did quite well and unloaded several large items. There is a little extra room in the garage now. But still plenty of fodder for future yard sales (especially as the boys get older).

Will’s class play/musical is tonight, and Kellie is going. Hopefully, we’ll have some decent pictures. We’re counting down the days to school’s end — 12 more to go, then summer is “officially” here.

[A] mother is one to whom you hurry when you are troubled. — Emily Dickinson

That’s right, it’s Mother’s Day. We’ve had a grand day today, hopefully letting our mothers know how special and important they are to us. Without them, there isn’t us. I just want to call out a couple of the mothers that are obviously so near and dear to my heart.

Kellie — you know how much you mean to me and the boys, and how things would just fall apart without out you. You are so kind and understanding to realize I just need to sleep in a few extra minutes some mornings. You support my attempts to play basketball, to run, and to exercise. You are there to help fix the boo-boos and mend the sad hearts.

Mom — you were my first mom. (OK, my only mom - thank you.) I grew up under your guidance and care, and if I’m somewhat successful in life, it surely would not have been possible without your love and patience. (I’m sure I tested the latter over the years.) I treasure your thoughts, your prayers, and your wisdom. Please know that as you were there for me, so I shall be there for you. If I don’t say it often enough, do know that I love you.

Faye — without you, I wouldn’t have a loving and caring wife and mother to my three sons. Thank you for being available as an emergency babysitter when our work schedules don’t allow us to stay with a sick child. We would not be the same family without your presence and support.

And to all of you, thank you for being such shining examples of kind, decent and caring women. God bless each and every one of you, and all you other mothers out there. You keep us men from going too crazy.

And next year, there will be a new addition to this honor roll. Stay tuned.

I guess you learn something new every day. I was mistaken in thinking that today was Mexican Independence Day. Looks like we've been fooled by the advertisers again - just given a cheap excuse to spend money on more stuff (in this case, beverages, tacos and fajitas).

Cinco de Mayo is actually a regional Mexican holiday. Their true Independence Day is not until September 16. But don't let that hold you back. The beer and tequila producers and importers are dependent on you not figuring out the truth.

But I do feel a bit wiser knowing this now.