Pledge
We have started a new chore system here at the homestead. The kids' chores are written on index cards and placed in little pouches.
One of Buddha's chores is to dust his room. The description on the card reads, "Use a rag and Pledge to dust all surfaces." When Buddha first looked at the card he started laughing. When asked why he was laughing, Buddha raised his right hand and said, "I pledge to dust all surfaces."
He thought it was very funny we were asking him to promise to dust all surfaces.
Buddha is 9
Buddha spent his birthday performing in A Christmas Carol, twice. Matinee and evening. One of my greatest joys this year has been performing with him. Theatre can mean a lot of time away from family, but having him with me has been incredible.
I am so proud of the person he is and the man I see him becoming. Even at 9 you can see it in there. He brings a light to all who know him.
I love you, Buddha.
Careful what you ask for.
Last week was Princess's (child #3) birthday. We asked her what she wanted to have for her birthday dinner and she said McDonald's. That really wasn't what we wanted, so we made a few attempts to talk her out of it, but she held firm. That's what you get when you leave dinner plans in the hands of a 4-year-old.
In the end she had a blast which, of course, was the point. You can see some pictures of the day on my wife's blog here. Just ignore the freak with the fries.
Part of me longs for the days when going to McDonald's and playing in the play area constituted the best way to spend a Saturday. No mortgages, no jobs, and no worries about how many germs were in that big freaking pit of plastic balls.
I miss the wonder. I didn't know what it was when I had it. Does any kid? But now that it's gone, well, you get the point.
Trust
A little about the picture in the last post. My daughter, M, on the ATV with me is 3-years-old. We had taken her older brother and sister out on the ATV's earlier and they loved it, so M decided she really wanted to go. I came back with her sister and waited while they got M ready and transfered the gloves and 70's style, golden flecked, helmet.
M started crying, saying she didn't want to go and the helmet was too heavy, which it was for a 3-year-old. We took the helmet off and put her on the ATV, where she was still crying and not wanting to go.
"Okay, we won't go," I said. "Just let Mom take your picture." Now, I have to confess, I was always planning on going. The Wife was of the same mind, nodding at me to just go. So the picture was taken and faster than my mind is usually capable of, I pictured the future of taking her for a ride when I told her I wouldn't.
What would happen to the trust she has in me? No doubt it would have been hurt. Maybe not irreparably, since she is only 3. Or maybe more since she is only 3. There was no way I wanted my little girl to think Daddy lied. In the split second these thoughts ran through my mind, my heart almost broke at the mere thought of just hitting the throttle and saying, "See, I knew you would like it."
I leaned down and asked her again if she would like a ride. She said no. "I will go real slow."
"You won't go fast?"
"No, just slow. Do you want to go?"
She nodded nervously. I crawled up the hill and down the path a bit. "See, it's not scary."
"Just go slow."
"I promise."
About 100 feet down the path she said she wanted to go back. I didn't argue. The fact that she was brave enough to do what she already had done was good enough for me. We returned to cheers from the fam for M's bravery.
I felt great knowing that I helped her conquer a fear. I felt even better knowing I had done it while keeping her trust intact.
Memorial Day 2008
Can you believe the snow on Memorial Day? Okay, to be fair we were up a mountain at over 8200 feet. It was awesome.
For more pics, click here.