Daddy Talk: Family

I don't like my mother. There I said it. I love her, but I don't like her.

I moved my family in with my mother this past summer. I sold my house faster than expected with the plans to move into a job in Longmont or Oregon. Suffice it to say that I didn't get the job but pressed on with the house sale figuring it was time to get out of the neighborhood anyway and establish roots in a house for my family. I thought that it would be a good opportunity for Milo to bond with his grandmother because she really didn't come around, maybe five times in the two years of his life.  She did get a chance to spend more time with him but none of it turned out how I wanted. It was six months of staying with her and maybe a total of one month of good.

Some things I learned from this whole escapade was that sometimes crazy is just crazy. My mom has been unstable since as far back as I can remember. As long as I can remember she had bouts of manic behavior. Really happy in one instance and boatloads of angry and crazy in another. I always wished for some different behavior and continuously was surprised that the same old thing happened over and over. I was unlucky enough to have that growing up and I don't know why I wanted Milo to go through that.

I think my bonds with Pam and my family have improved because of this.

There were definitely hard times and angry words between us all but I hope we are all better now. What I really wanted was a family, a normal family. I love my aunts and uncles because they are a bond to my dad. I love the family that it all entails. I also love the family that Pam brings.

Daddy Talk: Science Fair Edition

On Saturday I volunteered as a judge at the regional science fair at the University. It's my fourth year of volunteering and it is something that I get a lot of satisfaction doing, usually.  This year it was a bit more relevant to me because of Milo. I looked around and remembered my experiences at science fairs when I was a kid and at the same time looked forward to helping Milo with his first science fair. 

From my personal experience as a participant in science fairs when I was younger I also remembering phoning it in. I was a nerd but not near the quality of nerd some of these kids are. And when I say nerd I mean it as the highest compliment I can deliver. I mean thorough, thoughtful and full of promise. Some of the projects there were very impressive. These 7th graders showed real promise, not just in knowledge but also in work ethic. Some of these kids show so much effort.

I bring this up because when I looked around, there were enough examples of kids doing it because it was a requirement for a grade or because their parents pushed them to do something. Being one of those kids myself I looked back and wondered what the difference was between the kids who were driven to work really hard on a project and those that have to be cajoled into doing something. I want Milo to be the kid who becomes interested in something and follows through on his own. I want to be available to him and a resource rather than being a task master.

A lot of the kids who did the best had involved parents who didn't help in a big way but were great supporters -- parents who could give good hints, recommend some places to look but not take over. I really feel like I am going to be the dad who will take over when I really shouldn't. I am a crappy teacher who sometimes never has enough patience. I really need to find a way to learn the patience. Luckily I am getting better at it and I figure I have at least four years until Milo's first science fair.

Wordless Wednesday

Resemblance

Since Milo was born, everyone has said how much he looks like his dad. He does. Since Milo was born, I've searched for some resemblance to me. I don't see it. Someone once told me there's a theory that babies look like their daddies during the first year so those daddies will accept the babies as their own. Maybe that's true, but I can't imagine either the S.O. or me not accepting this little man as our own -- resemblance or no.

That doesn't stop me from looking for some of my features in him though.

Me, as a baby

Nope, don't see any resemblance.

Milo's daddy with his grandpa

But I do there.

First Father's Day

The S.O. celebrated his first Father's Day yesterday by hanging out with his son.

Aren't they adorable?

But if you want to know what Milo really thinks, check out his pacifier.

Obviously.

Wake up, Daddy

Milo woke up his daddy this morning with snuggles.

Boy bonding

Mommy takes a break and let's Daddy and Milo bond.

Wordless Weekend

Family Album

I've been trying to collect photos of the S.O. and his family so I can create a family tree photo album for our future son. Unfortunately, we don't seem to have many (any) of the S.O.'s grandparents and very few of his parents. I also have been unable to get any baby pictures of him.

But I did find these photos in one of his albums.

Behold! The S.O. as a boy (such the athlete):

 

 Pretty darn cute, right?

But check out your humble blogger as a toddler:

So sweet, so innocent, so blond!

And as an infant:

How do you like my little Kewpie curl?

Let me just say, with all lack of humbleness, if our kid is half as cute as we were, he's going to be a knockout.

Although, I imagine I will think that about him no matter what.

The little soccer player

Yesterday, the S.O. finally got to feel his future son kick. I wish I'd had the camera handy, because the look on his face when he felt that little push against his hand was priceless.

Between that and seeing those 4D images, I'm pretty sure the S.O. is having to face the fact that he really will be a daddy before he knows it. I'm pretty sure intense fear and over-the-top excitement are competing for the top of his emotions right now. I know they are mine.