Picasa

I figured out where the photos go. Click on the photo to go to my Picasa page.

William's Wonder Years

Glad they're home

It was so good to see the boys and Diana. A sense of relief, the ending of suffering at missing them. Poor Diana was sick from food on the ride up, so I ended up all alone for long with them--which I enjoy, but also my fathering muscles are weak from misuse, so I got tired. The return of tiredness. I didn't even lose it, I had insomnia, as if my body said, "no, you can't rest, you might come to like it." The boys hated it that I went to work, and so did I.

Mickey and Minnie

W in Florida

Lonely

When I'm on retreat, I've got a project, so I don't feel lonely. But I've been cleaning house and studying and feel a bit lonely with the boy and Diana gone. I called her and they've survived the night on the train without too much discomfort.

W at his school party

family

Andy and Glamma

A running at park

suggest a title...

Gone

I said goodbye yesterday, to the boys and Diana till next Sunday. I tried to talk to the boys about the trip and missing them, they got a little nervous that I wasn't going along.

I said goodbye to my old job yesterday too. You would think I would feel empty and lost today, but I feel a crush of all the things I put off in raising my boys, trying to be there for Diana.

They are taking the train from NYC to Florida, which is worrying. I hope they survived the night on the train, hope they arrive not too frazzled. In my impotence to help out I worry.

Birthday photo

Everyone is looking in a different direction.

4

William keeps asking me, "I'm 4?" Sometimes he asks if he's 5. My cute boy is growing up.

The nurse cleared him to return to school. Diana got him a hair cut yesterday, both boys.

Happy Birthday!

William had a wonderful birthday party last night thanks to family: Abuela, Abuelo, Magali, Aida, Natasia, Virginia, Tim and Sebastian were there when I arrived. Harry, Venus, Adam and Emma came over, and later Angie. The only cousins missing from Diana's side were Robyn and Ashton. The cousins from my side are too far away to come easily.

Cake, presents, running around, time together. I wish I wasn't so zonked from terminating with clients at work, I felt like a zombie. I love seeing everyone. Harry ended up doing me a kindness, that I really appreciated.

I left this morning before they woke up. I thought I'd let them sleep. William still has to pass inspection to go to school, even though I'm sure he's not contageous--otherwise we wouldn't have had the party.

Diana called me, because Andrew was upset I left before he woke up. He begged me to come home. I told him going to work provides him with the housing, clothes and food, so that we can live, and that by going to work, I am loving him. It's a practical necessity, and that I wish I had more control over my life, so I could turn around and come back.

Since they stole my time off at work (10 days--one of the reasons I got a new job) I can't take any time off. I think also that the trip to Orlando will be hard on them, not seeing me, even though there are going to be many good people on the trip. I'm going to miss those guys for 10 days! I love them so much!

900 Posts

In celebration of 900 posts, according to Blogger, I'm going to restate the purpose of this blog, from a quote from my first post:

The purpose of this blog is to keep people in the loop about the growing up of William. I'm a bit compulsive, and I'm not employed, and I've got a cable connection, so why not. I read about blogs in the Times today, and it caught my interest. I hope family and friends can check in when ever they want info on Sparky. I'll try to be terse, and not bloviate too much. Enjoy

W is 4!

William turned 4 today. He was very excited. We sang him the song. I'm going to treat him special all day, while I'm around him. We celebrate his birth! The party is rolling, from the grandparents last weekend, to a big party in May when they get back from Orlando, for all the family. There's going to be a smaller one tonight.

We opened Paul's present first, he gave it to us last time he was by. He got a Lightning McQueen car with different attachments, you could change the way he looks.

Since he had lice, we had to go to the nurse, to get admitted back to the class. Diana worked hard all weekend, trying to rid us of the lice, especially William's. Unfortunately the nurse found some nits. They may be dead--I think they had to be, but they have a "no nits policy" so I had to take William home, and he didn't get to celebrate with his class on his birthday. He seemed to take it OK.

So we'll try again tomorrow with his class.

So I saw the mail truck with a box, so when we got back home, we opened up presents for William and Andrew from Zane and Bridget. William got a book, some trains and a Thomas The Tank Engine lantern. Andrew got some cars, a book and ... I forget. But it was nice they sent some presents to Andrew. And they had a nice Curious George card for William.

Kathy and Rich gave him some books and a leggo T-Rex that he's really attached to. They were kind to give Andrew some toys too, so he didn't feel left out.

It's hard to imagine my baby turned 4 today. Seems like yesterday he was a bundle of helpless simple needs, and now he's a complex, running, exploring, social, curious 4 year old boy. Happy 4th Birthday William!

thanks for the visit

We had a lovely visit from Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Rich.

Unfortunately the t-ball game was rained out. He's going away for the next two weekends, so we'll try for another game in 3 weeks.

Ashton and Robyn

The boys have a new cousin, Robyn has a new brother.

lice

William came home with lice yesterday so we've all done the treatment. I don't think I had any, but it's not worth the risk. When I was in 5th grade I had a friend who I kept sleeping over at his house, and he had lice and kept passing it to me, and we kept getting it.

Grandma and Grandpa brought many presents. We watched Dinotopia, the first DVD, last night.

Hopefully it's not too wet for William's 1st t-ball game today.

T-Ball

William has started T-Ball practice. Thank you to Aida and Diana for sending me videos and pictures of the first two practices, they are very thoughtful. He has a game Saturday that his grandparents will see if it's not rained out. The boys are very excited about the upcoming visit. I wish Diana would write some on the blog, she's got the stories about the first two practices.

William had a difficult morning. I've been making him eat his own food, instead of stuffing it in his mouth so we can get out the door and be on time.

Andrew was very cuddly this morning. He's so sweet and adorable. Diana says he's been difficult, insisting on playing where she's working on cleaning.

Wlliam has been using the word "disgusting" a lot lately, and not correctly. Perhaps he is conveying his disgust at not getting his way, but it's not the standard usage.

Cool ABC Book

By a woman who had a brain condition. She turned to art. Here is the book.

godfathers

I didn't take any photos, but Ray and Paul stopped by, they are the godfathers. And we had a special guest. John from Boston! The boys got home late, and played a little with them, and then William fell asleep. Paul brought a present for William and Andrew, and William's birthday present. The boys loved the motorcycle toys. It was so wonderful to see those guys.

video for Diana

change

I've got a new job and I won't be able to take William to school, because I will have to leave too early to get to work on time. I have different hours. I have only 13 more walks to school with William.

I realized yesterday, when a friend at work told me I have to talk to him about it, that I was avoiding thinking about it because I don't like the idea. I've loved waling William to school. I love talking to his teachers, seeing his classmates.

William of course thought he couldn't go to school any more, when I told him, he misunderstood what I was saying and lamented that he wouldn't see Natalie. No, you still go to school, only I won't be able to take you. Mommy will take you.

But they're going to Orlando first, and we have to begin to talk about that too. They're taking the train. I can't go because of my new job.

Family life is overwhelming, I'm often over matched by it. I don't know how Diana does all that she does. Last night she succeed in making a family dinner come about. Thank you Diana. I know all the research on families eating together at the dinner table. It's so hard with my wild boys, we often pass. But last night Diana put some positive energy into making it happen. Thank you.

I've figured out how to upload movies and photos from my phone to Facebook. So if you want some exclusive Facebook content about the boys, you'll need to friend me on Facebook: Stephen Parks Bell. Don't put up too much personal information, or control your privacy with the privacy controls. Some people are paranoid about information--just don't put it up then. It's an interesting way to keep some "social linkage" as one of my professor friends said.