Jack's Story Corner - Volume 1

With much prodding by the nagging mom, Jackson dictated the following story:

"Once upon a time there was a fire. The little boy, the building that he was in was on fire. He comed out. The firemen came and they put it out. They comed at 3:30. The boy went back in once it was safe. He played with his toys. His mom and dad were there. They said "good job FIREFIGHTERS!!!" Then the whole family drank and ate. That's all my 'tory."

Jack's fire safety tips:
1. "You don't go back in for something because you can always get another one."
2. "The good air is down and the bad air is up."
3. "If your clothes get on fire you should stop drop and roll."

I Remember When...

Chuck and I are being nostalgic. Please humor us. We remember when:
1. ...neon wasn't just worn by construction workers.
2. ...there was no internet.
3. ...we used electric typewriters or word processors - Chuck particularly remembers the soothing hum they made.
4. ...it was cool to show to people exactly where you were sweating via your Hypercolor shirts.
5. ...they turned on the No Smoking light on for the entire plane ride, and yet the cabin still smelled like smoke.
6. ...you had to physically flip the tape from side A to side B - nothing automatic.
7. ...manual windows in cars.
8. ...our first cell phones - and how crazy heavy they were.
9. ...rotary phones.
10. ...the television stations would go to the test pattern at the end of their broadcast day.

Now, I know our more senior readers (Hi Old People! Wave at the nice computer!) will say that they remember many more things than these and how silly we are for thinking that physically flipping your tape was bad because that was NOTHING compared to when they didn't even have tapes, when their wax cylinders would crack, or worse yet, when there was no music at all because it hadn't been invented yet. So I know my generation had it pretty good, what with talkies and indoor plumbing and all.

But it's fun to think about what the next generation will say in lists like this. And I can't see into the future, but here is a list of things they WON'T remember.
1. ...a time before wireless (cell phones, wi-fi).
2. ...having to watch TV live and in standard definition.
3. ...when alternative energy was "alternate" - and just for hippies.
4. ...when presidents could only be white men.
5. ...when the U.S. was THE super-power.
6. ...when it was unheard of for women to dunk (or play all the sports men do).
7. ...a time before instant replay in sports.
8. ...the big 3 automakers.
9. ...when you had to go to a different store to get organic food.
10. ...a time before technology helped you do everything - Roomba cleaning your floors, TomTom telling you how to get places, Tivo figuring out what shows you like and then recording others as suggestions, etc.

I hope that the innovations that come in our kids' lifetimes don't limit their creativity - doing everything for them. I hope they use the tools they are given to expand their horizons far more than we did, and to dream big.

The Monkeys Weren't Enough

A volunteer came to daycare yesterday and brought presents for the kids. Every child got to pick out a cute little beanie baby. Claudia picked a sweet little white swan. Cole took home an adorable baby tiger.

My child? He came home with a potato. And not just an ordinary potato. A potato that, when thrown forcefully against the ground, the ceiling, the carseat, the window, or your leg, emits a loud, horrible, freaky evil laugh.

Were the shrieking monkeys not enough?

Being Present

I have this problem. My problem is with being present - really present. I spend copious amounts of time in the past. I analyze everything that happens to me and everything that happens to those that I care about. I dwell on things. When I haven't gotten something right I spend energy trying to make it right the next time. That has made me good at some things and awful at others. I would have been a better athlete and a better student if I had just let go and been kinder to myself. (See, I know this because I've analyzed it over and over again.)

And I spend even more time in the future. I plan everything. I plan what kind of car we'll get next, what kind of dog we'll have next, what trips we'll have next, what our plan B and plan C and plan D will be if plan A doesn't pan out. I am a scheduler and a list maker.

Don't get me wrong, I do think about the happy things in the past, and happy things that might happen in the future. But here's where it becomes a problem. I will think about bad things that happened in the past - then apply them to a pretend version of the future. I completely bypass the present. I do this from a place of fear. I tell myself that I'm learning from mistakes and that might be true if I left it there. But I usually don't. Usually I then fear that that same bad thing will happen again. Many of you know this about me but many probably don't - it's called panic disorder. I've had it as long as I can remember.

So I'm making a concerted effort to live more in the present. The present is a lovely place to be, I'm learning. As a good friend recently told me, "we eat, we sleep, we have babies - all the rest is just details." She threw in some expletives too but this is a family show.

Anyway, you're probably wondering why I'm saying all of this on a blog about my family. Well, first, because it's about my family. It affects them when I'm not there mentally - when I'm too scared to do things. And second, because I figured that it's sort of therapeutic to write this all down for others to read. I feel like in some way it'll keep me honest. It will help me actually stay in the moment.

So in that spirit, here is my moment - right now:
Jackson and Ryker are sleeping soundly and are adorable. I'm warm and feeling good about writing this. Chuck's hungry and rummaging in the fridge. And I'm going to join him.

The Elusive Wookiee Noise

Although Ryker makes his Wookiee noise all day long, we seem to have trouble capturing it on video. Chuck managed to get this clip yesterday. It's quiet, but you'll get the idea.

Visiting Our House

You should really come visit our house. Fun things happen here. You might watch a little TV, be offered a lucky coin by Jackson, get a hug from Ryker. Then the kids might cough on you and you might get a cold. But it's okay because we have lots of Dayquil. But you might take some of that Dayquil and then feel all goofy. While you're feeling goofy you might think that you are hearing things, but then you might realize that yes, indeed, Jack is sobbing about how his teeth are going to fall out and he's going to have to eat applesauce. That wasn't the Dayquil talking. And you might try to go to bed early, but Ryker will probably wake you up every 3 hours. And you might also wake up, in between Ryker's screams, to find Jack standing and staring at you. And it might creep you out just like those kids from The Shining. Anyway, after Jack goes back to bed Chuck might start snoring. And if you're visiting you aren't sleeping in our room (at least I hope not), so you probably don't hear him. But just say that you DO hear him and you get really mad because your Dayquil isn't cutting it and you just want to go to sleep!!!! So you decide that you're going to go into the living room and sleep in the Slanket. So you settle down and it's pretty out there and VERY quiet. And as you're just about to fall asleep, all comfy in your reverse-robe, that's when one of Jack's toy trains - the circus car that carries chimpanzees - will malfunction and chimps will randomly start shrieking at you. Eventually you'll fall asleep, with visions of creepy children and shrieking monkeys dancing in your head. You'll be woken by the sound of Jackson placing his breakfast order. "I want some oatmeal and a beffest bar and a waffle and a bite-a-min." And then you'll watch Corduroy or Goodnight Gorilla or The Teacher from the Black Lagoon and Jack will snuggle up to you and say he loves you forever. And Ryker will try to give you an open-mouthed kiss. And you won't want to leave because we're all so dang cute.

More Music

Update to the last post:

Jack got into the car and immediately asked for "I've Been Workin' on the Railroad" and "Step By Step". We listened to both and I asked him why he liked the New Kids song and he said that it's because "they sing funny." Then he asked me to find more New Kids songs on the CD. He also sang Step By Step at the top of his lungs while riding his bike in the driveway.

I'm thinking that maybe he just likes them because they have "Kids" in the title. Maybe I can use that to expand his musical interests...KID Rock, KID n Play, etc. etc. Other suggestions?