Hi Leedoh,
Today is Valentine's Day, which of course got me thinking about love. There are all kinds of love and at varying degrees. You can love a spouse, a child, a parent, a sibling, a pet, a friend. And you can love someone passionately or just a little. You can love someone deeply. You can love someone on a platonic level. And sometimes you can think you're in love when you're not.
To me, love is like sweetener, which is a good opportunity to discuss some opinions, some similes and some science:
New love is like Sugar in the Raw. It's strong and it packs a punch. A little bit goes a long way. And if you keep working at it, eventually it becomes really similar to plain old sugar, which is still sweet and works great. (More on that later.)
False Love, love that is just infatuation or lust is like Sweet-N-Low (aspartame). It sweetens whatever you want, but it's often too strong, a little goes a long way and eventually it will make you sick. It's also never quite the real thing.
False Love that goes on for a long time is like Splenda (sucralose). It may seem exactly like sugar (real love) at first, but the whole time you know something is not quite right. You're getting the sweetness and there are definite benefits, but the whole time something feels a little fake. You and everyone else can eventually tell the difference.
And True Love, true love is like sugar. It's sweet, it's strong, it's dependable and it gives you exactly what you're looking for. It's never fake and it never lets you down. Sometimes you get variety and it's cane sugar or brown sugar or sugar in the raw that's been slowly ground down, but it's always good and it always seems right.
You can never go wrong with sugar.
I love you my little sugar monkey! :-*
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Let The Good Times Roll
Hello Baby Boy!
Yesterday I worked from home so I could take your to your 15 month appointment. In the waiting room you sat in one of the chairs and read a parenting magazine and mostly went "OOOOOooOOOoH!" over the pictures you found interesting. We looked at the pictures on the wall and the cars outside and waited for Daddy to meet us and for them to call us into the room.
There was another little boy sitting with his mom. I'd guess he was maybe in 2nd or 3rd grade. He was waiting for his checkup and they were very early. His mom was reading a magazine and he was just sitting, arms around his legs with his knees up. His mom said very little to him, and what she did say was cold and reprimanding. She smiled warmly enough at you, but when he smiled at you she told him it was rude to stare.
I don't know this kid and I don't know his situation and there are lots of things that can make a parent grumpy or annoyed but I hope I am never like this to you. I hope I don't ever get to a place in life where I feel like talking that way to anyone, much less my own son. There are times you're being crazy and you drive me a little nuts, but I'm always excited to see you. I'm ready at rarin' to go right at 4:25, hoping to beat the traffic and get home to you and your Daddy. Right now I'm staring at the clock because on Fridays I get off work at 2 and I'm meeting your MeeMaw for a late lunch and then I think I'm gonna pick you up early.
Yesterday we also went to Target. We got rained on a little going in, but we had a good time shopping and we talked the whole time. I tell you these things because you probably won't remember them. With any luck, by the time you read this it will be a performance we've repeated many times and you'll be rolling your eyes at this. I was talking and singing and you were ba ba baing and mmm aaaaaaaing and everything else you love to say. Some people were laughing at us, others looked grumpy and still others just seemed to think we were nuts, but you and I had a good time and that's all that matters. You, Daddy and I always have a good time. And when you have a brother or sister, he or she will have a good time with us too.
Life has some ups and some downs, but regardless, there's no reason not to have a really good time!
Yesterday I worked from home so I could take your to your 15 month appointment. In the waiting room you sat in one of the chairs and read a parenting magazine and mostly went "OOOOOooOOOoH!" over the pictures you found interesting. We looked at the pictures on the wall and the cars outside and waited for Daddy to meet us and for them to call us into the room.
There was another little boy sitting with his mom. I'd guess he was maybe in 2nd or 3rd grade. He was waiting for his checkup and they were very early. His mom was reading a magazine and he was just sitting, arms around his legs with his knees up. His mom said very little to him, and what she did say was cold and reprimanding. She smiled warmly enough at you, but when he smiled at you she told him it was rude to stare.
I don't know this kid and I don't know his situation and there are lots of things that can make a parent grumpy or annoyed but I hope I am never like this to you. I hope I don't ever get to a place in life where I feel like talking that way to anyone, much less my own son. There are times you're being crazy and you drive me a little nuts, but I'm always excited to see you. I'm ready at rarin' to go right at 4:25, hoping to beat the traffic and get home to you and your Daddy. Right now I'm staring at the clock because on Fridays I get off work at 2 and I'm meeting your MeeMaw for a late lunch and then I think I'm gonna pick you up early.
Yesterday we also went to Target. We got rained on a little going in, but we had a good time shopping and we talked the whole time. I tell you these things because you probably won't remember them. With any luck, by the time you read this it will be a performance we've repeated many times and you'll be rolling your eyes at this. I was talking and singing and you were ba ba baing and mmm aaaaaaaing and everything else you love to say. Some people were laughing at us, others looked grumpy and still others just seemed to think we were nuts, but you and I had a good time and that's all that matters. You, Daddy and I always have a good time. And when you have a brother or sister, he or she will have a good time with us too.
Life has some ups and some downs, but regardless, there's no reason not to have a really good time!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
A Republican and a Catholic Walk Into A Pizza Joint...
Morning BoBo,
So I find that my mind is already flowing with topics, things to tell you, things to wait on. What's appropriate when, etc. I chose my topic this morning over others because I thought of a catchy title. Never stand in the way of creativity, lest ye drown in ideas.
Proceeding on,
There are three things in life people will never completely agree upon. The first two are commonly known: Politics and Religion. The third, lesser known yet equally important is Pizza Toppings. Take this seriously now, for I am not wrong.
An okay relationship will have the couple agreeing upon one, a great relationship will find that they agree upon two. Only very epic relationships will reach an accord upon all three topics. Seriously. I don't think Adam and Eve would have agreed on all three. Eve would have wanted apples on her pizza and there you have it, our current predicament.
The disturbing thing that I have noticed is that while we are ever expanding our pizza choices, we seem to be narrowing down our choices in the other two fields.
Every day I see more pizza places. And though you'd think the recipe for pizza is pretty basic, they all taste different, and, if you can have an open mind, they all taste different in beautiful ways. Also, gone are the days of do you want pepperoni or do you want cheese? Now, you can have salami, or two different kinds of sausage, barbecue chicken, ground beef, you name it. Cheese? How about a Tuscan 6 Cheese Blend? Maybe feta or blue cheese. And crusts? Thin crust, hand tossed, pan, stuffed crust with cheese in it, stuffed crust with pepperoni in it, or even a double layer stuff pizza! Don't want tomato sauce? How about alfredo? Or olive oil? And the veggies (and fruits) list is unending. Even the average person, when asked, might need a frame of reference for their favorite pizza toppings. I myself have always enjoyed mushrooms, but I like them cooked, not raw. If I could choose anything at a standard delivery pizza chain, I'd probably select something simple like pork sausage and maybe mushrooms. But expand the parameters to a place like Goomba's or Sorrento (these places had better still be around when you read this or a little Italian part of me will be so sad) and suddenly my favorite toppings are artichoke, garlic, feta and meatball. Point? There are a lot of kinds of pizza, and even if you don't agree with someone on your favorites, you might be able to reach a compromise. Or have a half and half. Or maybe get two pizzas. Either way everyone's happy.
Conversely, Religion and Politics both seem to be taking a very black and white approach these days, especially in the United States. You are either a Christian or you are not. You are a Republican or you are a Democrat. And you HAVE to be one. And you HAVE to be the one that I say you should be. I noticed this less in Vermont than I do in Texas, but people are big on converting you in both cases. This is why these topics have become something to be avoided in polite conversation and something that must be agreed upon to get along. And I think that's sad.
You watch Sid the Science Kid all the time and there's a holiday episode where Sid talks about how his family celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Based on what your Dad and I have pieced together (we take an odd joy in figuring out the off-show details of Sid's life), Sid's mom is African American and celebrated both Kwanzaa and Christmas growing up. Sid's dad appears to be Caucasian and he grew up Jewish. Because of this, they celebrate all the holidays and Sid benefits from the knowledge of these different religions and cultures. (Not to mention lots of presents!) I think that's very cool (the knowledge, not the presents, but those are cool too). And I wish that more people could handle it in "real" life. As a side note, Sid's parents have not revealed any clue as to their political affiliation to date, but our research continues.
All these rambling lead me to my point: try to be open minded. I've always found myself to be more spiritual than religious. I find many things about many religions beautiful and I find some things about several of them to be very screwed up. I believe in God and I think he or she can be different for different people and that's about as far as I've gotten. I fancied myself a Republican until we moved to Vermont and I got a really fresh dose of perspective and then I fancied myself a Democrat. Now I fancy myself disappointed in the whole system and landing on both sides of the fence where the issues are concerned.
Relating to all topics even more broadly: Don't limit yourself; listen to what others have to say. And feel free to ignore it if it's not your cup of tea. But don't dismiss an idea instantly because it isn't yours. You never know when you'll be surprised by how you feel when you give yourself time to think. Unless that idea is anchovies. I'm not sure that's ever a good idea. But if you do decide you like anchovies, your dad and I will let you order them, on your pizza.
Your Dad and I are lucky because we agree on these topics and on almost everything else in this world, but if you find someone who doesn't like your pizza, don't lose heart. Your Dad usually gets thin crust and I love pan but we both like stuffed crust or hand tossed (regular, with a fancy name). He doesn't like mushrooms and I'm not a huge fan of banana peppers, but we'll both be really happy with a chicken bacon ranch or a sausage and pepperoni. And if we have Papa John's, I always give him my peperoncini. You do these things when you love someone.
Lots of love,
Your Mommy
So I find that my mind is already flowing with topics, things to tell you, things to wait on. What's appropriate when, etc. I chose my topic this morning over others because I thought of a catchy title. Never stand in the way of creativity, lest ye drown in ideas.
Proceeding on,
There are three things in life people will never completely agree upon. The first two are commonly known: Politics and Religion. The third, lesser known yet equally important is Pizza Toppings. Take this seriously now, for I am not wrong.
An okay relationship will have the couple agreeing upon one, a great relationship will find that they agree upon two. Only very epic relationships will reach an accord upon all three topics. Seriously. I don't think Adam and Eve would have agreed on all three. Eve would have wanted apples on her pizza and there you have it, our current predicament.
The disturbing thing that I have noticed is that while we are ever expanding our pizza choices, we seem to be narrowing down our choices in the other two fields.
Every day I see more pizza places. And though you'd think the recipe for pizza is pretty basic, they all taste different, and, if you can have an open mind, they all taste different in beautiful ways. Also, gone are the days of do you want pepperoni or do you want cheese? Now, you can have salami, or two different kinds of sausage, barbecue chicken, ground beef, you name it. Cheese? How about a Tuscan 6 Cheese Blend? Maybe feta or blue cheese. And crusts? Thin crust, hand tossed, pan, stuffed crust with cheese in it, stuffed crust with pepperoni in it, or even a double layer stuff pizza! Don't want tomato sauce? How about alfredo? Or olive oil? And the veggies (and fruits) list is unending. Even the average person, when asked, might need a frame of reference for their favorite pizza toppings. I myself have always enjoyed mushrooms, but I like them cooked, not raw. If I could choose anything at a standard delivery pizza chain, I'd probably select something simple like pork sausage and maybe mushrooms. But expand the parameters to a place like Goomba's or Sorrento (these places had better still be around when you read this or a little Italian part of me will be so sad) and suddenly my favorite toppings are artichoke, garlic, feta and meatball. Point? There are a lot of kinds of pizza, and even if you don't agree with someone on your favorites, you might be able to reach a compromise. Or have a half and half. Or maybe get two pizzas. Either way everyone's happy.
Conversely, Religion and Politics both seem to be taking a very black and white approach these days, especially in the United States. You are either a Christian or you are not. You are a Republican or you are a Democrat. And you HAVE to be one. And you HAVE to be the one that I say you should be. I noticed this less in Vermont than I do in Texas, but people are big on converting you in both cases. This is why these topics have become something to be avoided in polite conversation and something that must be agreed upon to get along. And I think that's sad.
You watch Sid the Science Kid all the time and there's a holiday episode where Sid talks about how his family celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Based on what your Dad and I have pieced together (we take an odd joy in figuring out the off-show details of Sid's life), Sid's mom is African American and celebrated both Kwanzaa and Christmas growing up. Sid's dad appears to be Caucasian and he grew up Jewish. Because of this, they celebrate all the holidays and Sid benefits from the knowledge of these different religions and cultures. (Not to mention lots of presents!) I think that's very cool (the knowledge, not the presents, but those are cool too). And I wish that more people could handle it in "real" life. As a side note, Sid's parents have not revealed any clue as to their political affiliation to date, but our research continues.
All these rambling lead me to my point: try to be open minded. I've always found myself to be more spiritual than religious. I find many things about many religions beautiful and I find some things about several of them to be very screwed up. I believe in God and I think he or she can be different for different people and that's about as far as I've gotten. I fancied myself a Republican until we moved to Vermont and I got a really fresh dose of perspective and then I fancied myself a Democrat. Now I fancy myself disappointed in the whole system and landing on both sides of the fence where the issues are concerned.
Relating to all topics even more broadly: Don't limit yourself; listen to what others have to say. And feel free to ignore it if it's not your cup of tea. But don't dismiss an idea instantly because it isn't yours. You never know when you'll be surprised by how you feel when you give yourself time to think. Unless that idea is anchovies. I'm not sure that's ever a good idea. But if you do decide you like anchovies, your dad and I will let you order them, on your pizza.
Your Dad and I are lucky because we agree on these topics and on almost everything else in this world, but if you find someone who doesn't like your pizza, don't lose heart. Your Dad usually gets thin crust and I love pan but we both like stuffed crust or hand tossed (regular, with a fancy name). He doesn't like mushrooms and I'm not a huge fan of banana peppers, but we'll both be really happy with a chicken bacon ranch or a sausage and pepperoni. And if we have Papa John's, I always give him my peperoncini. You do these things when you love someone.
Lots of love,
Your Mommy
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Dare to Do...Something
Hi Phinn,
So this is my first blog. I've been told before that I should have one but have never bothered. As usual, you give me a reason to bother. I always think of things that I'll tell you when you're older. Sometimes I'm happy about something you're learning and want to tell you all about it. Sometimes it's just that I'm cursing someone in traffic and want to tell you never to cut someone off like that. But all these things, they float around in your head and they mix with the day-to-day. Paying bills, thinking about staining the fence (I hope it's stained by the time you are old enough to read this), buying milk on the way home. You forget. So now, it will be here, or at least some of it will. But I digress...
People have asked me to write a blog before because they think that writing is my gift. I won't go so far as to say that, I'll only say I enjoy it. I like to express myself. I'll think of ideas in my head and want to put them to paper, or keyboard and screen these days. Some people have amazing talents that stand out. They can sing, or act, or play a sport or an instrument. Then there are the less public talents, saving lives as a doctor, putting out fires, teaching kids to read. Some people are amazing at one thing. Other people are pretty good at dozens of things. So I figured, I'll give a blog a shot, and I won't worry about being good at it, I'll Nike it up and "Just Do It". (By the way, Nike? Pretty comfy, but overrated. I love my New Balance. Just saying, make a note of that if I tell you no to some ridiculous shoes in the future. Not being a hypocrite.)
My roundabout point here is not to be afraid to do something because you think you might suck at it. Maybe you do. That's okay. Maybe you don't; bonus! I watch you now, at 14 months old, and I see you throw a ball pretty far or play with your music table and bop your head rocking out and I wonder what you'll be good at. I'm your mom, so I think you'll be good at everything. That's another important point: No matter how bad you are at something, your mom always thinks you're good at it. So there, you have one fan already.
I may touch on this later, since I ramble about this all the time, but it's okay to be scared and do something anyway. Nelson Mandela said, "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." Now if someone wants you to jump off a bridge and you're afraid you're gonna go splat at the bottom, that's a very real fear, listen to that fear. Seriously. Some people are just plain stupid. But, if you're afraid to act in a play because you'll be standing in front of people, do it anyway. The rush of doing it and accomplishing something despite being afraid is a great feeling.
So here I am, blog one. Prepared for it to suck, and relatively okay with it. You'll like it anyway because I'm your mom. See? I already have one fan. :)
Love you Duder,
Mom
So this is my first blog. I've been told before that I should have one but have never bothered. As usual, you give me a reason to bother. I always think of things that I'll tell you when you're older. Sometimes I'm happy about something you're learning and want to tell you all about it. Sometimes it's just that I'm cursing someone in traffic and want to tell you never to cut someone off like that. But all these things, they float around in your head and they mix with the day-to-day. Paying bills, thinking about staining the fence (I hope it's stained by the time you are old enough to read this), buying milk on the way home. You forget. So now, it will be here, or at least some of it will. But I digress...
People have asked me to write a blog before because they think that writing is my gift. I won't go so far as to say that, I'll only say I enjoy it. I like to express myself. I'll think of ideas in my head and want to put them to paper, or keyboard and screen these days. Some people have amazing talents that stand out. They can sing, or act, or play a sport or an instrument. Then there are the less public talents, saving lives as a doctor, putting out fires, teaching kids to read. Some people are amazing at one thing. Other people are pretty good at dozens of things. So I figured, I'll give a blog a shot, and I won't worry about being good at it, I'll Nike it up and "Just Do It". (By the way, Nike? Pretty comfy, but overrated. I love my New Balance. Just saying, make a note of that if I tell you no to some ridiculous shoes in the future. Not being a hypocrite.)
My roundabout point here is not to be afraid to do something because you think you might suck at it. Maybe you do. That's okay. Maybe you don't; bonus! I watch you now, at 14 months old, and I see you throw a ball pretty far or play with your music table and bop your head rocking out and I wonder what you'll be good at. I'm your mom, so I think you'll be good at everything. That's another important point: No matter how bad you are at something, your mom always thinks you're good at it. So there, you have one fan already.
I may touch on this later, since I ramble about this all the time, but it's okay to be scared and do something anyway. Nelson Mandela said, "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." Now if someone wants you to jump off a bridge and you're afraid you're gonna go splat at the bottom, that's a very real fear, listen to that fear. Seriously. Some people are just plain stupid. But, if you're afraid to act in a play because you'll be standing in front of people, do it anyway. The rush of doing it and accomplishing something despite being afraid is a great feeling.
So here I am, blog one. Prepared for it to suck, and relatively okay with it. You'll like it anyway because I'm your mom. See? I already have one fan. :)
Love you Duder,
Mom
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