I Made These

If you don't believe that pulling out your camera can bring people together I want to offer proof that it does. Here is a 14 year old girl and her 10 year old brother. People, do you see that?!?! She's actually touching him!Proof! 

Yeah, this is the fruits of my loins (_whatever that means_) in a photo together where one isn't glaring at the other, putting up the bunny ears (and no I didn't Photoshop them out) or frowning at the shear displeasure of being on the same planet.

Girly Girl

It feels like yesterday that I was changing diapers and getting up in the middle of the night to feed her. Now I hear her talking about what kind of car she wants when she can drive (it's a purple or blue VW Bug depending on which day it is for those curious) and what kind of career she wants to pursue (as of yesterday she wants to be a bass player in a band - she's taking lessons). Time flies, it really does. As much as I look forward to seeing the woman she becomes, I'll seriously miss the days of her being a little girl.


I was playing with my flash last night and thought the mirror would be a challenge.  Instead it was the photos she's got on her mirror that ended up being the biggest challenge.

The Boy

I took this last night while playing with my camera's remote flash function.  Until yesterday I didn't know it could do that.  I processed it in B/W because I could.

Shooting

Today Alex and I took off in the Jeep to explore the back roads of the Tillamook National Forest. Our ultimate goal was to find a place to shoot. Despite the fact that all his play time and toys revolve around fire power and weapons, Alex has never fired a real gun. We gave him the opportunity to buy a .22 rifle last year but he chose instead to get a bow and arrow. So this weekend I borrowed a .22 rifle from my co-worker and out we went.

We drove along for quite a while before we found a place that looked safe. The problem with that forest is the amount of dirt bike and four wheel riders there are in the area. I stopped and asked a few about good places to shoot but none were too helpful.

Once we were settled and the target was in place we went through a number of safety points. That done I fired a few rounds so Alex could see and hear what it was like. His turn. After a few moments of reluctance he finally fired a round. His face lit up. He was hooked.

Since the gun was a bit heavy for him I let him rest it on a stump. The target which was about 30 yards away didn't stand a chance. Most shots were low and to the right but they were all hitting the target.

At the end of the day his hands were cold and tired, the Jeep was muddy and it was time to head home. His last words before leaving the forest were "Dad, I think I like shooting more than the bow and arrow." Not surprised.

Spring Girly

The end of Winter has given us record amounts of rain and a depressing lack of sun. So far Spring hasn't treated us much better. Thankfully the plants understood we needed a change and began to bloom.

Brianna loved the blossoms so she collected a bouquet of cherry blossoms to display in the kitchen.


Dear Lord, please bring us some sun. We could use a ray of sunshine and a little vitamin D after this long wet and dark winter.

Growing a Boy

On Tuesday my boy will be nine. Time flies when you're raising kids. Here is a photo of his new summer haircut.

I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday, unfortunately for some not-so-fun reasons. During delivery Alex had the cord around his neck so there was a bit of panic in the delivery room. There was a whole team of people waiting to receive him for whatever problems may have arisen during his delivery. Obviously he is fine and the team at St. V's was marvelous. The second event was when Kathi tried taking her first shower at the hospital after his birth. I was with both of the kids in the room when I hear this big thump from the bathroom. I rush over to find my wife laying naked between the wall and the toilet with a huge red lump growing on her head. She had fainted and fell out of the shower stall. I ran into the hall and yelled for help. This is the second time the staff at St. V's impressed me. Their response was so fast and efficient. They got Kathi into bed and had a neurologist in the room within minutes to check on her. Quite the memorable events. We were blessed with some of the best medical help one could ask for. Which makes a double blessing that day because we received our precious son in good health.

To make up for the tramatic entrance into the world God gave us a gift. Alex is a great young boy, a joke teller, and an all around joy. He's the type that lightens the room when he enters. I look forward to seeing him grow and develop into manhood. It'll be interesting to see what career path he chooses. I can see him doing so many things. For now I just want to enjoy the boy he is now.

I could post picture after picture of Alex being Alex and you would enjoy them. For now I am going to post one of my all time favorite pictures I have of Alex. He was in my room one day listening to my music and I got this precious shot.

He is definitely my son. He loves music, Legos, superhero movies, and all things comedy. Lately he's taken to the band Demon Hunter which is hardcore heavy metal. When we are driving to and from TaeKwonDo he wants me to roll the windows down and crank the tunes. I oblige. The other night he had some kids in the car next to us just howling at his antics. I looked at the mom smiled and shrugged my shoulders - she smiled back with a knowing smile. That's my boy, making people smile.

Let the Gun Polishing Begin

I've always known my daughter looks a lot like my wife. But this weekend I took a picture that confirms it. See what I mean, beautiful!

This coming week she turns 13. My first teenager. As she grows, even though I've asked her to stop, I get glimpses of the woman she is becoming. I couldn't be more proud to be her dad. Her heart is big and her sense of humor is intact. She is beginning to express an independence that comes with age and one that will continue to grow as she becomes the woman that Kathi and I are raising her to be. She cares deeply for others and holds her friends close. Although she'd never admit it she loves her brother and is a good big sister to him. God has given her a tender heart and she uses it well.

I love that she has always been a girly girl. Although she isn't much of a dress wearer she is still all girl. She is beginning to have tastes and styles of her own. She loves to express herself through her own unique fashion sense and hair styles. I was recently asked by a friend if I would let her dye her hair black and paint her nails black. I would. Because I know her heart and it is good.

I know in the coming years boys will begin to call. A forewarning to the boys out there - I am a member of the NRA, I pack heat, and my groupings are very good. In other words, I won't let her go without a fight.

Fatherhood poses many challenges but the one I knew was coming is the one I feel the least prepared for. Thirteen is a ways from eighteen but I didn't think thirteen years could go by so fast. It feels like yesterday that we were bringing her home for the first time.

Future Soldier

Today Alex and I had most of the day to ourselves. We hung out, he played video games, I read, we watched Iron Man, and he made a pronouncement:

"Dad, when I'm 18 I'm going to join the Army."

He's 8 going on 9 and I have no doubt that he is serious. Many kids have ideas of what they want to be when they grow up that never come to fruition. I for one was going to be the next Frank Lloyd Wright, but instead I'm working for the man selling parts. Alex wants to be a police officer. I think one day he will be one and a damn good one.

We've told him that a good step in becoming a good police officer is to have military experience. Also, we've told him that a college education is a good step too. It didn't come as a surprise to me that he left out the college part of his future plans. You don't find too many eight-year-olds who look forward to more school. For the most part they look forward to summer and the latest and greatest video game.

As his dad I want to be an encouragement to him and his hopes and dreams. I'd be proud to be the father of a soldier.

Alex Sparring

Tonight I borrowed the Flip I just purchased for the office to get a little video of the boy sparring at Tae Kwon Do. I love watching him on Wednesday nights. Sometimes he's a bit timid and backs off but he'll always go back in to fight. Tonight he took a kick to the mouth and kept in the battle. I could tell he was hurt but he didn't show it.

This video is of Alex sparring with a boy of a higher belt. Alex is in the blue pads.

Alex the Comic Genius

Last night while I suffered through an agonizing loss by the Angels, Alex was diligently working on a comic for me.  He knows my affinity for pirates so that was his theme.

We've got swords, planks, guns, canons, pirates getting eaten by sharks,  "aargs" - what more could you ask for?  Oh yeah - total annihilation!

*** Click on the Image for Full Size ***

Uhg! It's Begun...

In parenthood there are certain milepost's along the journey that are inevitable. Today the inevitable arrived on somebody else's time frame.

Alex is eight. Eight year old boys start to hear things from other boys. Today I overheard in our front yard another boy who was playing with Alex saying "this is a vagina and here is my penis... uhn... uhn.. uhn...". It has begun.

We knew that the "talk" would soon be coming and I knew that I would be the one to handle it with Alex. Kathi had the "talk" with Brianna about the time Brianna was eight.

Upon hearing the above I called Alex in the house and had an introduction conversation to the topic of sex and sexual nature. Let's just say it was Sex Talk 101.a with a side discussion about lewd talk and decency. I finished up by telling Alex we would talk more about it, which will be Sex Talk 101.b through Sex Talk 401.

The poor boy just looked at me with his jaw on his chest and his arms folded just under his chin. I think he was mystified by my ability to hear through solid walls in addition to the fact that I used the words sex, penis, erection and vagina all in the same conversation.

This will be an interesting milepost to get through. I want to do it right and do it in a way that doesn't scare Alex in way that keeps him from talking to me about it whenever he has a question in the future.

Sparring

For Alex's birthday we bought him some sparring gear for his Tae Kwon Do class. Last night was his first night to participate in the beating session and he loved it. I totally enjoyed watching him and the others and wished that I could have joined in. When we can afford to I think we'll have the whole family in the class. For now I'll live vicariously through my little butt kicker.

Here's Alex all geared up before class. What you can't see is his favorite part (the cod piece). When we bought the gear he had to try it on which embarrassed him thoroughly.
Here he is delivering a fine front kick.
The boys he was sparring with were all higher belts than him and he held his own. Here he is defending against a side kick during free sparring.