What my dad's waited his whole life to hear

Grandma and Grandpa Rad came from Florida to visit this week and we all had a great, though exhausting, time playing with Mu and Q.  It's so fun to see how the kids react when my parents make their bi-annual (that's twice a year, not every other year - I hate you English) visit: it's non-stop playing, book reading, and overall zaniness for 5 straight days.  Needless to say, by the time they leave everyone (grandparents included) is sad but a also a little relieved.

Yesterday was Father's Day, and having both my father and my kids there was a great way to celebrate the day - especially when my dad and I went out for ice cream by ourselves while the kids napped; two days before, Mu and I took Grandpa Rad to Norm's for a straight-razor shave.  During the visit We talked life, we talked past, and he gave sage advice about family/work balances.  We were men being men who loved their families.

Now my dad is a huge golf nut; I can't stress enough that I am not, and despite playing a round with my dad on occasion, it's not my game.  Nevertheless, the US Open was this weekend.  After we got back from ice cream, the kids were up and my dad settled in to watch the 18th hole of the last round of the tournament.  Mu climbed up next to him, looked at the TV, popped his thumb in his mouth, and studied.  After a few moments of silence, he looked at my dad and uttered the words Grandpa Rad longed to hear:

"Papa, tell me of Golf, please."

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Guest Blogging: Sprig Toys

I was asked to be part of Sprig Toy's Summer Guest Blogger series.  They wanted a post talking about eco-friendly activities for families, and so I happily obliged, while still espousing the virtues of a single-income-stay-at-home-mom lifestyle.  Enjoy the read and let me know what you think!

Pop Culture Collision

You can't beat conversations with a toddler.  From this morning:

Me: Hey buddy, who's that on your plate?
Mu: That's Woody.
Me: And who's that?
Mu: That's Woody's horse.
Me: And what's Woody's horse's name?
Mu: (emphatically) Luke Skywalker!

At least he didn't ask me to sing a "Han Solo" song again.  I have no idea how that tune goes.

Here's the thing: Mu hasn't seen either "Toy Story" or "Star Wars," yet.  He only knows of the characters because I tell him stories about those characters.  I think it'll blow his mind when he actually sees them on the screen.

Game Closet: Go Away Monster!

There are a lot of "experience it again for the first time" moments that I've had lately as the Mu is turning the corner and headed towards 3 years old.  In addition to him springing a Disney consciousness, and able to talk with me about Peter Pan, Mowgli, Beauty & the Beast, and (personal favorite) Aladdin, he's also able to tell me that he loves Chewbacca and Yoda - though he has no idea who they are or why.

Now board games have become a part of our regular play, and it all started with Gamewright's "Go Away Monster," quite possibly the best early, early-childhood game out there.  

The game is simple (as it should be): up to 4 players, each with their own board pick tiles out of a bag in order to decorate their room; if they draw a tile with a monster on it, they ceremoniously yell "Go Away Monster!" and throw it back in the box (or, if you are playing with a rowdy 2-year old, across the room, into the fireplace, out the window, etc.).  If players draw a tile for an object they already have, they are supposed to share it with another player who doesn't have that object.  The first person to complete their board is the winner.

Toddler Meets Xbox

I came home from work yesterday like any other day.  As I was helping Lady Rad pull dinner together by entertaining the Mu and Q, it was a good 20 minutes in the family room before I turned around and looked at our media rack - only to find the DVD tray of my Xbox open and askew.  Actually, "askew" might be a generous term.  Another term would be "looks like it was used as a chin-up bar."

The component that does almost as much heavy lifting in our home as our TV is now out of commission - which also means that DVD watching, game playing, and professional reviewing is down until I can get it repaired - hopefully without having to resort to purchasing a new box.

Here's the thing: the Xbox Slim is great, and normally the capacitive buttons I would welcome, except with a Toddler in the house... As Lady Rad reminds me "the flood waters of disaster continue to rise" but there's only so much higher I can place things before I am resigned to just living in the garage!

Literal Tron Trailer

Funny every time...

When to have The Talk with your kids

I can't believe that the Mu is not even 3, and already beginning to ask questions. What a world we live in.

Man, yet ANOTHER reason why I want a Segway

I don't care how ridiculous they are.

Father Hulk

By the way, when I was searching for a photo to use for my last post, I found the most bizarre essay online about the religious affiliation of the Incredible Hulk:

http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/Hulk.html

Man... the Internet.

A Toddler's view of Daddy

Sometimes I wake up looking like this.

I was told today that the Mu picked up his Incredible Hulk action figure, held it high in the air, and exclaimed "Oh look! It's Daddy!"

I assume, for my own sake, that it's because Hulk is big and strong, and not because he's bi-polar with an anger management problem.  

Now I'm no Lou Ferrigno... heck, I'm certainly no Ed Norton and I'm hardly even a Bill Bixby, but when I hear that, it reminds me that we ARE the heroes we attempt to be for our kids when we try.  No matter what our size or stature is, we can always give them the security of having a big, strong man around by just... being around; reading to them, wrestling with them, talking with them.  Loving them.

The greatest joy of my day is when I come home and get to grab both of the kids from Lady Rad and play with them.  That should be the greatest joy of any father's, and for those who can't get home from work early enough to experience that joy, I feel sorry for you.  Bringing home a paycheck or getting a promotion doesn't make you a Hero in their eyes - being present and engaged does.

I know the day will come when my kids don't see me as the powerful protector anymore -  we all begin to realize our parent's shortcomings as we get older - but I hope that for as long as possible, I can be the Hero they think I am.