Buckeye Tree for the Buckeye Bambino

It's official.  I'm crazy when it comes to my "Ohioness".

I ended up having a Buckeye Tree shipped to us so I could plant it for Owen.  I did it for a few reasons:

1) I thought it would be neat to have a tree planted that was the same age as Owen so they could grow together.  And if I was to plant a tree the only logical choice would be a Buckeye tree.

2) When we people asks me what a "buckeye" is, I can show them, the nut, the casing, and the tree that they come from.

3) To annoy my Wisconsin friends with the simple fact that I have permanently planted an "Ohio flag" of sorts in Wisconsin soil.

I just hope that I can develop some sort of green thumb.  I really don't want this thing to die.  I've got big plans for it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wearing Out Dad

This was the result of too many "tv stand games" in a row. 

Dad got tired of chasing after me.

3/4 Years Old

9 Months Old and Counting

 

 

 

 

Please Don't Bite My Toes

Owen's teeth are sharp!! 

Em found that out the hard way a few weeks ago when he bit her shoulder and left a perfect negative of his teeth in her skin.  I'm surprised it didn't break her skin, but she had a bruise for a few days. 

It is with that knowledge that when he suddenly put his face down to my toe (in the video below), I make that funny sound and pull my foot away. 

TV Stand Game

The game goes as follows:

- Owen is playing with his toys in the middle of the floor
- He gets bored with the toys and starts to crawl towards the tv
- He stops briefly to play with the subwoofer
- He moves on to the DVDs that are stored in the left lower shelf of the tv stand.
- His goal is to play with the knobs of the DVR, surround sound, and/or DVD player. 
- At some point in this process, he ALWAYS 1) stops crawling, 2) looks right up at me, and 3) smile huge.
- I grab him sometime around the DVD stop and before he gets to the electronics.

Here are a couple of videos I shot that will show you the pattern:

 

 

 

Recently, we started saying "No" to him, and to prove how smart he is.  I said it when he got to the DVDs recently.  He stopped, looked at me, and gave me a sheepish grin, and then turned away. 

 

 

He's a smart cookie.

I Couldn't Have Been More Wrong

Before Owen was born, I kiddingly told Emily (probably what most 1st time dad's say to some degree) that she is in charge of all diapers and all baby duty for the 1st 2 years.  I think I joked something like, "Just wake me up when he turns 2 and he is potty trained and can talk." 

I think what I meant by that is  that I am very excited about having a baby but I don't know how to relate to a baby until they can communicate with me (and they are "self-cleaning"). 

I couldn't have been more wrong.  This little dude is so fun to be around and I love to be around him.  (Em stop reading right now.  Do not read on.)  And I love changing his diapers.  I don't mind it at all.  (And he's had some doozys.) 

Tonight I had Owen in my lap and just enjoying him being close to me as he was playing with a toy.  He looked up at me.....and smiled that big smile that warms your heart.  Immediately I just got emotional.  I started to get that feeling that starts in your throat that works up to your nasal cavity and somehow ends up with tears in your eyes. 

Laying in my lap

I wish I could say that the tears were happy tears or tears of joy, but they weren't.  I was filled with sadness. 

For some reason, I just felt sad for all of those fathers (and mothers) who choose not to be in their child's life.   I don't understand it.  I don't understand how you can be holding your flesh & blood and not feel an overwhelming joy in that little person.  The love that they give is so true and innocent. 

I know a lot of people who were raised in situations like that (myself included).  The older I get (especially now with a child), the more I don't understand it. 

As a kid it was "normal" to me.  It didn't seem weird to me that dad was never around.  It was what it was.  It was what I knew. 

How sad is that?

I'm just glad that Owen never has to experience that "normal".  (He'll probably wish I wasn't around as much as I will be.)

Grocery Store

I posted these on Facebook a while ago, but I forgot to post them on here.  This was my 1st time having Owen in the big boy seat of the cart at the grocery store.  (I found out after that Em had him in a big boy seat in a different store, so technically this isn't his 1st time.)

 

Puffs

These pictures are probably about a month old, but he still loves his Puffs to this day. 

 

 

 

 

Looney Tunes Racism

I think many parents envision their children playing with the same toys they did, going to the same places they liked going to, or watching the same cartoons as they watched as kids.  It's only natural to want to share the same joys you had growing up with your little one.

It is in that spirit that I purchased several Looney Tunes DVDs for Owen to watch when he gets a little older.

Imagine my surprise when I put in a DVD featuring Foghorn Leghorn and saw this:

I didn't remember anything racist from Foghorn Leghorn or any of the other Looney Tunes gang.  But sure enough, the 3rd episode into my viewing, I saw this gem of racism from old Foghorn.  I was shocked.  Don't believe me?  See for yourself....

As parents I guess we really have to be on our toes in regards what we expose our kids to, or at least be ready to explain why that thought process isn't correct.  Just because a cartoon/show is supposedly "wholesome" doesn't mean that you agree with (or want to pass along to your child) everything in it. 

Toy Box

This boy will play with just about anything.  I think I'm putting a moratorium on buying any more toys for him until he enjoys them more than Tupperware.  He will play with them, don't get me wrong.  He just plays with Tupperware and/or a pail for longer than any other toy.  Here are a few pics of him being intrigued with his toys in his toy box.  (Please ignore the fact that his toy box is not a box.)

Which toy am I looking for?

It HAS to be the one all the way in the back of the toy box

After climbing into the toy box, he got tangled up by the toy box.

At the Park with the Whole Family

We ventured out to the park and tried even more than just the infant swing.  We tried the regular swing (because some other kid was hogging the infant swing), the merry-go-round, the slide, and then finally the infant swing (after that kid finally went home with his mom).

And a video...

More Random Pics

Not sure how his hat got down over his eyes, but it helped him fall asleep in his carseat

 

My hands are in my mouth 50%-75% of the time

 

Lovin' Life

 

Love my Dad

 

Practicing my "innocent look"

 

All clean and having fun with Mom

 

One happy Dude

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Life

I can probably count on my 2 hands then number of movies that get me to shed a tear each time I see them.  One of those movies is "My Life" with Michael Keaton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Udkv5nZ7gcw

It's a movie of a guy (Keaton) who finds out his wife is pregnant about the same time that he finds out he has terminal cancer.  Since he knows that he will not be around to raise his child, he is determined to teach his son all of the things he would have taught him through a videotape.  How to shave, how to start a car using jumper cables and other life lessons are just a few of the things he sees as necessary topics to teach his soon to be born son. 

Even though I don't have teminal cancer (and am in perfect health according to my doctor during my last physical a few years ago), I could be gone just as quickly and not have the opportunity to teach my son any of those things either. 

I don't mean to be dark or purposefully morose.  I just thought it would be interesting to think of things that I would want my son to know.  I wouldn't want time to pass without my passing of my knowledge of these topics.  Not all of them are serious...and this is not an all-encompassing list by any means.  But I hope this makes you think (like it did me) of what we can be teaching our children and the lessons we want to pass on to them.

·         Baseball is better with the DH.  Nobody wants to see a pitcher bat.  I’ve seen monkeys swatting at flies with more accuracy than pitchers batting.

·         The Godfather & Godfather 2 are the best movies ever made. 

·         When doing any job don’t just do the bare minimum….do it to the best of your ability.  You will feel better about yourself and your boss will never see you as expendable.

·         Never be afraid to try new food. 

·         Don’t ever pick a girl based on looks.  Find a girl who is kind hearted, who shares your beliefs, and who you enjoy being around.

·         The Top 3 running backs of all time are 1) Jim Brown 2) Barry Sanders and 3) Walter Payton.  And there is NO debate!

·         Never stop learning. 

·         You may regret some things you buy, but you’ll never regret saving your money.  Save as much and as early as you can.

·         Be creative.

·         The R.B.I. is the most overrated statistic in sports. 

·         Laugh every day.

·         Take the time to know your family.  Find out the history of where you came from.

·         When shaking hands look at their eyes and squeeze their hand firmly.  You don’t want to hurt their hand but you don’t want your hand to feel like a dead fish.

·         You are born with only 1 name.  Once you get the reputation of lying or being dishonest you tarnish your name forever.  Be someone that people can trust.  It’s very difficult to get back trust once you lost it.

·         Your dad loves you.

Dude Burrito

This is a fun game for The Dude recently.  He loves to wrap himself up in any blanket he can get his hands on until he can't get out himself. 

Baby Proofing the House

With the inevitable mobility of The Dude just around the corner (in some ways already is)....Em has taken the opportunity to start "baby proofing" the house. 

I had to take a picture of the 1st thing that I noticed that was "baby proofed". 

For some reason I found this to be pretty funny.  Maybe you'll find the humor in it as well. 

 Our stone fireplace is now officially baby proofed.