I decided to post some of my older unfinished posts. Some are incomplete and very short, but I thought "Why keep them in my drafts folder?"
I've kind of gotten over the social networking thing, between Myspace and Facebook I've reconnected with everyone from my past that I've wanted to. Learned what directions they went in their lives, how many kids they had, what they do on a daily basis and ALL THIS WITHOUT EVEN PICKING UP THE PHONE! I suppose I can blame Mark Zuckerberg for kidnapping my conscious for the last few years. Just as I can find Steve Jobs guilty of taking my wife and some of my friends hostage now. I suppose we are just searching for something more than the four walls around us can offer, something beyond our lives and voyeuring is a great way to do it. It can make us more than we are.
We are catching up with chores today, as yesterday we put a 4' fence across the front of Kasey's house for her. It's a small way of saying thanks for watching our kids so we can go out and see live music or go to the movies. She is great woman, the kids absolutely love her, she is very pacifying and they enjoy being her presence. It's a true blessing to have someone like that in your life, especially as you go day-to-day-to-day in the same routine with the ups and downs of parenthood.
I can't explain to you the elation I have when I hear "Dad, I want to watch basketball with you." It took some time, but it finally happened this year. Usually it coincides with Pierce's having fear of "the light" in his window. To us, it's easy to deduce that it's the rear neighbor's annoying security light that goes on and off as we walk through our house, but to him, it's monsters (palmetto fronds) dancing in the window.
I love the game of basketball. I would hope he does too. I can't wait until his shots can hit the rim, and he can actually dribble. I remember waiting for my brothers to get that age too. To have the "legendary" games we once had with the neighbors and random friends. So, for me to look over and see him watching with me the game I've spent hours playing and days watching, makes me smile. Heck, it could make me cry at times. It's a fatherhood moment to me.
How sweet it is when the...oh, I wrote too soon once again, that Harper is sleeping and the house is quiet. She just let out a cry mid sentence and then came pattering down the hall to us. Crying once, "Mami". Concentration broken. Perhaps "Tom Sawyer" will kindle a fire underneath my fingertips...
Harper is near 15 months, it went by much too fast as she is looking less and less like my baby girl, and more like like my little toddler. She has such a smile. Seeing it is truly one of my favorite things. It makes it all go away for a while, the long day, the regrets. She loves being outside, she loves basketball too, which is a very good thing. I'm willing to venture that she'll be better than Pierce at it soon enough. Probably in the genes. Typing now with one hand and Harper draped over my left shoulder. How long will I be able to do this? Not long enough I assure you. She is so still now. So sweet.
Meanwhile, Danielle and Pierce are bickering over a certain Transformer noise he is making which is pulling her out of Coupon Land. Harper is holding to me tightly, she turns her head back and forth, hearing and feeling her breaths. Not long enough. Earlier I felt the same way as we clasped hands out front as I was unloading the van. I sat there in the morning cool with my coffee and her. She just lifted her head up, looked at the screen and pressed her face against mine for a moment. The best feeling in the world...
Neil Young is blazing away, she is now sleeping, getting heavier on me, my right hand and left arm are tired. Time to watch some basketball..."Pierce!"
