My Big Sis

This entry is recounted to dad from TJ.

On Friday my big sister Samantha finished 5th grade and is going in to Middle School in the fall! She looked so good in her yellow dress. She was easy to spot in it. Well, that and she is taller than all of the other kids in her class!

She grabbed me and showed me off to all of the people in her school; the principal, her teachers, her friends - she had a LOT of friends.

I did my best to cheer her on during the ceremony which only led to me being hauled out by mommy. That didn't stop me from yelling louder!

I am so proud of her. She did so well in school that she is going to be in advanced math in the 6th grade! I bet she's smart enough to get into Cornell. Just think when she's old enough to be in Cornell I will be where she is at now. Wow!

The next night everyone went out to dinner and I did my best to entertain them by posing, smiling, talking, and being overall c-u-t-e. Sam wanted to sit close to me the whole time. I can tell that she loves me.

I am so lucky to be her little brother.

Fear?!

TJ is a rock. Nothing phases him.

Shots and vaccines? Ha, a little whimper and he's as good as new.

Bonk on the head? Bhah, he just gets up and keeps going.

Strangers? That's just a new person to wave to.

Thunder at 2:22am? That's nothing...oh, wait a minute. Hold on everyone.

On Sunday morning at 2:22am a storm rolled through Cortland and the rest of Central NY. This wasn't the far away, distant rumble of thunder. No, this was BAM! CRASH!! KA-BooM! TJ was wide awake and screaming! Not the, "hey, where are you big people who love me?" call that we get from time to time. No, this was the, "GET IN HERE NOW!" panicked shout of a one year old in distress. Lisa went running and I turned on the light.

Lisa brought TJ into the bed and he was trembling, shaking, and w-i-d-e awake. His eyes were the size of saucers as he looked for the source of the thunder. By now the storm had moved away and the noise was less obscene. Still, TJ looked from window to window trying to find the sound.

(As I write this another storm is passing through and TJ has just gone to bed. Maybe this is a passing thing, or maybe he is too tired to care right now.)

We tried to get him to fall asleep with us. Something we have never accomplished because he wiggles to much and because I can't stand baby feet walking all over me all night long. So TJ went back to his bed and amazingly drifted quickly back off to bed.

My son is an amazingly happy, easy mannered child. I have never seen him slink back in fear from anything, really. Sunday morning was a first without a doubt. And I guess I wonder what that means. For the most part we teach our children what to be afraid of in this world. Fear of people different from us. Fear of ideas not like ours. Fear of the things we cannot explain with our own limited understanding of the world. I want my children to know what to be afraid of and to know the difference between the lightning and the thunder.

Father's Day 2008

Father's Day 2008 was a pleasant first full day back from "Army" school.

Lisa brought me TJ and then coffee. Of course TJ is always a treat in the morning, full of smiles and chatter. By the time Sam got up I sported my "Best Dad Hands Down" shirt from Samantha and we were all ready to walk over to the greasy spoon that we love on Sunday mornings, Hyde's Diner.

Growing up as a kid my parents always went to the Monroe Diner, a Greek owned diner that started out as a tiny short order joint and grew over the years into a respectable place for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Going to Hyde's reminds me of those Sunday mornings.

I mowed the lawn - which is not so much of a task than a few minutes of "me time". Lisa like to fold laundry. I like to cut the grass. To each his own, at least my lawn looks good.

The kids gave me my presents; a book on steam locomotives from Samantha, and a painting of what looks like a angel fish from TJ. The day was beautiful and we drove over to the lake to try to sail.

This is my second or third time trying to sail with Lisa. Each time has met with poor results. In fact, it was only our pre-wedding day sail and our honeymoon where I had any luck. With the sailing that is... Nope, Lisa is never going to get the chance to teach me to sail.

We came back home and I go to barbecue some hamburgers - a perfect "dad job" - for dinner.

I am blessed with a wonderful family and it felt great to be a dad of two wonderful kids.

Life is good.

Happy Birthday!

Wow! Has one year passed us by already? Time as flown and we are now celebrating the day that TJ came into this world as well as all that time that has passed since then.

The day started at 6:00 am with a "aaaah-ahhhh-ahhh" coming from the birthday boy's room. He was up and he clearly saw what the birthday fairy left for him overnight: three colorful balloons. Mommy greeted him with video camera in hand and sung her best rendition of "happy birthday"-- morning voice and all.

TJ also got to open the birthday present that grandma sent him: a singing birthday Elmo. He is a little unsure about this bright red creature, but he did seem very pleased that he knew how to make Elmo sing again and again and again.

All other birthday festivities: cake, silly hats, cards, more presents have been placed on hold until next week. Unfortunately on TJs first birthday both mom and dad had to be in different places. Dad is in New Jersey and Mom is at Cornell reunioning.

We are sorry that we could not do your first birthday "right", TJ. Sometimes life gets in the way of these things. But don't think for a minute that we have not thought about how special you are and how our lives have changed for the better since you entered our world at 6:50 pm on June 7th, 2007. You will always know this day as your birthday. Over time, it will come to mean different things for you: parties, presents, cake, friends, sleep overs, driver's licenses, an opportunity to vote, an opportunity to drink (legally), and even then to the years that you really do not want your birthday to count. Trust me.

But my wonderful, most precious son, I will always remember and celebrate this day as the day that I was initiated into "mommyhood" (however painful that initiation was) and how your daddy and I received such an amazing and precious gift from God.

Today I celebrate you and how much you have grown in your first year of life. And each year, on this day we will remember and laugh together as family does and let you know how much we love you and are blessed to have you in our lives.

Happy Birthday, TJ.