DadTalk

My Kids Are a Sorry Bunch

Presents evolve as your kids age. For us, 7 seemed to be the magic birthday where Seth was more than ready for board games.

Seth was already into Battleship, Backgammon and Monopoly, but we were decidedly lacking other traditional games at home. So one of Seth’s birthday presents was Sorry!

While we knew Seth would love the game, we were surprised at how much Lael got into it. She’d set up the board, calling out, “Daddy! Seth! I’m ready to play Sorry!” Oh, and she decided which colors we’d each get.

Keep in mind, Lael is not quite 4 and doesn’t fully understand the game. Lael can actually count to 20, but there is some funky wrist motion going on when she moves her piece: a 3 card might result in 15 spaces and a 12 card might result in 2 spaces.

Of course, the real reason Lael loves the game is to force us to spend more time with her. Smart girl.

Space Birthday Party

My son, who is now 7, is pretty big on birthday themes. This year was all about space, as you can see by the birthday cake.

We held the party at our community park, which comes complete with water sprinklers, pool, open field, gym toys and park benches.

For the first time since we started throwing birthday parties, little parenting was needed. The kids ran from the sprinklers to the playground equipment to the field, where they launched Stomp Rockets.

After grilled hot dogs and chips, the kids did some arts and crafts arranged by my wife. The entire birthday was a pleasure from start to finish.

A Day Out on Goldwater Lake

On Father’s Day, I took the family up to Goldwater Lake for some hiking, kayaking and grilled burgers. The lake, which is near Prescott, Arizona, is perfect for young children and only costs a couple bucks to park.

Like last year, Lael didn’t want to stay out on the lake for more than a few minutes. Unlike last year, my wife, Anne there to take our daughter off my hands. At least Anne was able to shoot a few cute photos.

Seth and I enjoyed time together in the kayak, exploring coves and watching dragonflies skirt the water’s surface. We even saw ponies on the trail.

After eating, we walked to the far side of the small lake where Seth and Lael played in the water. After a while, we started collecting rocks for grandma, who has a penchant for such things.

The trip made for a great Father’s Day that was more about family than just dad.

Growing Up Without Dad

My dad died when I was 9. For most of my life, I would have denied that his death had any real impact on my development.

After all, I was a fiercely self-sufficient young boy with a strong sense of awareness at a very young age. On the day my dad died, I mentally took on the role of “oldest male” in the house and never really saw his death as a negative. I suppose that’s strange, but I’ve always been the type who rises to meet adversity.

Of course, there was a touch of silliness to it. I didn’t get a job as my grandfather did when his dad died. I didn’t take over the role of raising my brother. And in actuality, I didn’t know squat.

But, I did grow up a lot on the day my dad died from an embolism caused by a metal plate used to mend a broken leg. My sense of responsibility was immediate and immutable. In many ways, I acted as adult-like as my immature mind could muster.

It wasn’t until my kids were born that I started to realize something had been lost. Consider:

The Amazing San Diego Zoo

One of the pleasures of visiting the San Diego Zoo is that an amateur can take amazing shots of wildlife (and of course of your own kids.)

We Love San Diego

Despite Seth’s burns, we decided to go ahead with our San Diego/La Jolla vacation, even though the doctor said Seth was not allowed to get ocean water or sun on his injuries. Plus, I had to change his dressings each night.

Because the air was pleasantly cool and the water relatively cold, Seth’s injuries did not pose much of a distraction. Even Lael didn’t get her upper body all that wet because the sea was too bracing.

While there, we did the usual touristy things: eating out at overly expensive restaurants, frolicking at the beach, spending a day at the fabulous San Diego Zoo (more on that in another post) and touring the Air & Flight Museum.

The day after the trip, the doctor told us Seth’s burns, which were a pleasant pink color, no longer needed to be dressed. (We still need to apply lotion several times a day.)

In the top photo, Seth and Lael play at different beaches. Below, Seth and Lael at the Air and Space Museum. Below this text, a crab guards its little crevice. In the bottom photo, a happily exhausted Lael fell asleep after her sturdy little body finally gave out.

Wedding Anniversary

Today is my 10th wedding anniversary. Here’s what I wrote to my wife:

Where did the last 10 years go?

We sipped wine in Paris.
We traversed Provence.
We hiked in Pacific Palisades.
We worked in Los Angeles and Ontario.
We stayed at a B&B in Santa Barbara.
We bought a house in Upland.
You wrote a book.
I paginated the Los Angeles Times.
We made numerous trips to Connecticut and Chicago.
You became pregnant; I helped (heh-heh).
We drove from San Francisco to Los Angeles for fun.
Seth was born.
I redesigned the Los Angeles Times.
We visited Big Bear.
You taught Seth how to walk.
We celebrated our 40th with tea in Victoria.
We read to Seth.
You reviewed kids books.
Lael was born.
We had fun in Pismo Beach.
You started Cybils.
I quit the Times.
We moved to Chicago.
I tried my hand as a businessman.
You found a great school for Seth.
We found an apartment with an amazing view.
Seth and Lael grew immeasurably under your care.
We moved to Scottsdale.
You found a job you enjoy.
Seth and Lael thrived.
I work from home and spend quality time with the kids.
You make beautiful jewelry.
We’re about to visit LaJolla.

The years have gone by quickly, which attests to a rich marriage. May the next 10 years be as adventure packed and exciting.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Our celebration will be somewhat subdued this year. My wife’s schedule makes it hard to make breakfast in bed – she gets up around noon. Or 1 p.m. Or 10 a.m. We never really know on the weekends. And of course our finances are tight this year.

Making the day kind of weird, two of Lael’s playmates inexplicably scheduled a birthday party for the afternoon. I had planned to skip it, but Anne told the parents we’d be there. (I suspect my wife wasn’t aware it was on Mother’s Day.)

In the evening, I’m taking the whole family, including my mom, out for dinner. Besides flowers, the only other present this year are movie tickets.

Hope you all have a wonderful Mothers Day!

Guilt-Free Earth Day

In each place I’ve lived, I’ve faced various problems being green minded:

• In Florida, sorting out recyclables into several open-aired boxes was mind-boggling. Rain often ruined the paper products.
• In Los Angeles, we had to commute because kid-friendly neighborhoods are far from where I worked downtown.
• In our Chicago apartment, we were pretty sure the landlord was tossing our dutifully separated recyclables in with the regular trash.
• And in Arizona, we are exclusively buying bottled water because I’m prone to kidney stones. The water is so bad, I’m not sure filtering is adequate.

So on this Earth Day, I’m not going to extol you to behave this way or that; it is just too hypocritical. I believe that most Americans want to do what is best for the environment, but when it comes down to it, we’ll commute for affordable housing and better schools and we’ll use the products that best protect our health and fit our needs.

Solutions only work for you or me if they are practical or effective. Consider I recently bought a $13 LED flood light bulb for our kitchen. LEDs use less energy and put off less heat, which is important in Arizona.

The problem? The bulb’s weak bluish light makes me feel like I’m on the set of the Blair Witch Project. I now use that light bulb in a standalone socket as a nightlight.

So on this Earth Day, go without guilt and just keep trying to do your best.

Flower Power Winners It Was a Tough Call; Find the 20% Off, Free Vase Coupon

While contests tend to give my blog a small boost, I find learning about other people more rewarding. Consider that most of the stories I received about why a loved one deserves flowers reveal a bit about what is going on in America in a way that the media fails to capture.

Below are a quote or two from one runners-up and the winners, who will be notified by email. And for those of you who read this far, I have another surprise. By clicking on this link, you will receive 20 percent off and a free vase if you order flowers from ProFlowers. (Yes, another ad, but what the heck.)

And now, for the winners: