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Posts Tagged ‘siblings’
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My Sons Ride the iCoaster, Love It
By Daddy Clay Monday, March 15th, 2010
When Daddy Troy first told me about this toy, it took about twenty seconds for me to turn around, fire up Amazon, and buy one. That was in October of last year. The fact that we used it for the first time this week, says way more about my shortcomings as a parent than it does this amazing kit. I have an excuse for the first two months (waiting for Santa), but the rest is all on me. Kit like this one tend to languish until the weather gets bad or I get to feeling really guilty. It was 70 on Sunday, so I must have felt bad about running off to all those SXSW dinners this week. Read the rest of this entry »
Cheap or Thoughtful?
By Daddy Brad Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
It’s common knowledge that everyone is cool with re-gifting, which is the practice of giving someone a present that someone else gave you. Don’t look so smug you know you’ve done it.
My question is how cool are you with slightly used gifting? Read the rest of this entry »
East Bound and Down: The Nutcracker Run
By Daddy Clay Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
What could possible induce me to leave my son’s state finals soccer game early, jump in a car and dodge speed traps across half the state of Texas? The ballet, that’s what.
It’s true. With seven or so minutes left to play (will someone please explain to me how they keep time in soccer?), I packed up my camera bag and folding chair and attempted to back slowly away from the game without attracting the attention of the “good parents.”
No luck. As I was literally slinking away, the coach tore his attention away from the game to shout at me, asking if my son had a ride home. Oh, the shame. (Bubba’s grandparents made the road trip to Beaumont and gave him a lift home.)
I had consulted the Garmin, Google maps, and every parent at breakfast before setting my departure time at exactly 9am. By my calculations that would have me screaming into the driveway in time to scoop up my daughter, and head to the Long Center for the annual Father Daughter Trip to See the Austin Ballet Production of the Nutcracker.
I stopped only once during the 250 mile stretch between Beaumont and Austin. If Nascar Pit Crews were required to pump regular, pee and get a bag of pretzels, that was how they would pump regular, pee and get a bag of pretzels.
I arrived in Austin with twenty minutes to spare. Which immediately made me regret leaving the game early. This was not helped when my son texted my that he “really, really, really, really” wished that I had been there for the awards ceremony (his team finished 4th in the State).
This guilt was assuaged when I saw my girl in her pretty dress, so excited and ready to ride in my muddy sled to the Nutcracker.
I could give a damn about the performance, for the most part. And, as I’ve confessed before, I have some worries that our tradition is a bit too gender stereotyped. But there is no resisting the pure fun we have together; finding our secret balcony for a pre-show snack, ringing up the souvenir nutcracker (the Rat King this year), and peeking at the orchestra before settling into our seats.
Well worth the speeding ticket risks and compromised spectating. It’s just what we do, right dads?
100 Faces of Fall
By Daddy Brad Friday, October 9th, 2009
Transition is always difficult, but none more so than the transition from summer vacation to the start of school. Indeed, this autumnal change over was no cakewalk for our family given the exciting summer we experienced. A brand new baby joined our family! With the new little dude around Walker and Ella’s end of summer adjustment wasn’t solely an earlier wake up and go to bed time, but more importantly learning to share Mom and Dad’s time with their new little brother.
Thanks to the lazy summer schedule, Mom and I were able to spend quite a bit of one on one time with each of the older siblings in between diaper changes and colic soothing. In fact, an entire evening each week was dedicated to pursuing an activity of their choosing. Walker and I played lots of putt-putt, pitched washers and visited costume stores, while Ella’s sole request was to grab a Churro at Costco and then feed the ducks at the park.
But now that school has begun, our time is tight. The lazy exploits of summer seem like a distant memory. The long days at the pool, vacations to interesting places and stay up late movie watching/ice cream parties, have given way to homework, soccer practice and early bedtimes. Even though we try to take several interesting family outings during the school year, like a quick muddy trip to the Austin City Limits Music fest, most of our time together as a family is spent at practices, carpool and around the dinner table. My question is, given this frantic pace will we remember any of the details of these hectic, yet precious years? We won.
