A Real Good One

Big and Lil' -
It's high time I introduced you to two of my oldest and dearest friends. I know you've met others, Bob, Jerry and JB but here are two that you really should know about and know what I learned from them.

Carly -

I know every word to most all of the songs on the Reflections record thanks to one summer spent in my bedroom hating my ex-boyfriend. Seriously, the actual record, here's a definition for you:
A vinyl data storage device used for recording (storing) information (data).

Annnn - tiiii - ciii - paaaa - tioonnnn and Nobody Does It Better. Please roll down your windows and blare it and think of a young Mama at the tricky age of 16 someday. Thinking of Carly and James and a love between them that just always seemed to taxi instead of take-off - sniff, sniff, tear, tear - it got me through....

Stevie -

Now she is a fisty one. But loyal as the day is long. At the end of a session with Stevie, you will have cried your eyes out but then picked yourself up, put some make-up on, and fixed your hair. She'll pull you out of the trenches, that one. She'll teach you how to not be embarrassed and how to keep on keepin' on. "Get your ass up and get dressed. He sucked anyway." That's what she taught me.

Good taste in music is essential for survival. I think you'll both be alright. Your Daddy was once in the radio industry for pete's sake; and that's a different story for a different day but a real good one.

What Life Is All About

Life most certainly has its ups and downs. And those ups and downs are completely invisible to a 6 year old or a 3 year old. Children appear to be the most consistent creatures on earth. As adults, we ingest so many things throughout the day that are good and bad that sway our moods and alter our mental and physical state. A child only wants 2 things at any point: to play and to eat. So simple, isn't it? Play and Eat.

On the days when I found myself a little down in the dumpsters, its my children that remind me of life's simple blessings. They bring a smile to my face when its almost impossible. They bring a giggle to my throat when there is a lump. They can smooth over most any wrinkle and sew together people so tightly that unraveling is completely impossible.

Daddy and I are so thankful for the Big and the Lil'. We are grateful for the lessons they teach us and for the people they encourage us to be. They push us to be better. To work harder. To be happier. To play more. To eat more.

Children come to you in a complicated explosion and then spend their early years teaching you that life really is simple. You play. You eat. But then you find yourself loving them so purely and dearly.  And this is the bond between young and old. This is the union between generations. This is what life is all about.

F . B . P .

He's not very flexible anymore but he'll still do this...

He's seriously one of the smartest men I know. He can build this...



He loves these...

and these...

and me...



My cup runneth over is a phrase that took me a long time to understand. For some reason, I couldn't get "it". I thought it was literal. I said to myself, "So hold it straight. Then it won't spill." I get "it" now and that's how I feel about my Dad. It's his birthday today so I'll give him a break when he eats the cake he shouldn't and chews the chew he shouldn't. He's my Friend, my Buddy, my Pal. My FBP. Always, always.

Giggle, Giggle

Bang . Boom . Bing .

giggle, giggle

Ahhh . Oooof . Fake Cry .

MOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Whack . Smack . Slap .

giggle, giggle

I'm tellin . Don't tell . Watch this.

Woosh . Bam . Boof.

giggle, giggle

Let's play . My turn .

MOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Crash. Splat . Phwap .

giggle, giggle

We'd Better Hurry

Hello lover. It's been a while.

Here comes a kid!! We'd better hurry...

22 Ba Jillion Reasons

Your Daddy was born 35 years ago today on February 22. It was a Saturday and he came into the world at 2:22am. Because of the time and date of his birth, his lucky number has always been 22. So. Here's a list of 22 things we love about Daddy.

1 - His heart-shaped birthmark in his right blue-green eye.
2 - His hands.
3 - His sillyness.
4 - His love of a fire in the stove.
5 - He takes me to basketball games.
6 - He plays with me in my dollhouse.
7 - Sometimes he smells like sour milk. Sounds gross but smells like home.
8 - He was and is still a superior athlete.
9 - He loves to hunt even though he is a Yankee.
10 - He loves that he is a Yankee.
11 - His chisseled chin.
12 - He surfs.
13 - He loves Warren.
14 - He always wakes up happy.
15 - He loves me.
16 - He loves them.
17 - He takes care of us.
18 - He is a good friend.
19 - He loves his parents.
20 - He loves my parents.
21 - His laugh.
22 - His poots sound funny.

There are moments in time that you can look back on and know that day was extra touched by God. That day in January when I met you is one of them for me. That one day changed the course of my life and I'm so thankful for it. I love you for 22 ba jillion reasons.

Stock in Right-Guard

I've got a secret about Big and it's too funny to forget. Perhaps he's channeling his inner-Italian. I don't know. But this much is true... That boy smells good when he goes to bed.

Since Christmas, he's started his own little ritual after he takes a shower at night. He towels himself off. Then he wraps up in the navy blue robe that he begged for and Santa brought. Then he goes to Daddy's drawer, pulls out the deodorant and goes to work. Seriously. He goes to work. By the end of it, you could catch a whiff of him outside on the street while he's tucked into bed.

It's so hard not to laugh when he's laying in bed with arms behind his head reading Star Wars books. I'm dreading the day I walk in there and he smells like that but he's reading Playboy. I know it's coming though. Guess I'll have to prepare for that but in the meantime I think I'll go buy some stock in Right Guard.