Sunday, July 10, 2011
"I don't want to play any more, I want to earth bend" Photos!
He watches Avatar: The Last Airbender, and wanted to earth bend. He said, "I don't want to play any more, I want to earth bend."
This isn't weird at all, is it?
"This isn't weird at all, is it?" is what William kept saying in the big bathtub that he, his brother Andres and I were in with him.
William woke up laughing and he was telling me something about Grandma and the bathtub, but I couldn't really understand what he was saying and I didn't want to wake him up further to ask.
William woke up laughing and he was telling me something about Grandma and the bathtub, but I couldn't really understand what he was saying and I didn't want to wake him up further to ask.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
New York to Santa Fe
The boys traveled well, I think they're experienced travelers and old enough not to be quite the handful.
Andres slept on the Dallas leg and William slept on the Albuquerque leg. I didn't give Andres his Dramamine because they wouldn't eat in Dallas. There was a bit of a dust up because I won a game of Uno. Andres had a bit of a snit for a while. And refused second attempts to eat. So I didn't give him the Dramamine. So of course in the turbulance into Albuquerque he chucked, and then after we landed, the complementary diet coke was coming out his nose, and then later in the drive to Santa Fe he hurled some more. But instead of going out when we came, we played some soccer, and tossed the football around that I bought in Dallas (people told Andres that he had a good arm), and William went grocery shopping with Glamma. Glamma wants to teach the boys cooking, and generally go more into food. They got to roast their hotdogs on the grill.
William tried swordfish, and went back for seconds, at Whole Foods.
They didn't watch any TV yesterday.
Andres slept on the Dallas leg and William slept on the Albuquerque leg. I didn't give Andres his Dramamine because they wouldn't eat in Dallas. There was a bit of a dust up because I won a game of Uno. Andres had a bit of a snit for a while. And refused second attempts to eat. So I didn't give him the Dramamine. So of course in the turbulance into Albuquerque he chucked, and then after we landed, the complementary diet coke was coming out his nose, and then later in the drive to Santa Fe he hurled some more. But instead of going out when we came, we played some soccer, and tossed the football around that I bought in Dallas (people told Andres that he had a good arm), and William went grocery shopping with Glamma. Glamma wants to teach the boys cooking, and generally go more into food. They got to roast their hotdogs on the grill.
William tried swordfish, and went back for seconds, at Whole Foods.
They didn't watch any TV yesterday.
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
dreams
William had a dream that letters and numbers were mixed up in the alphabet.
Andres said he kicked the soccer ball up to heaven. Above the clouds. It's real dad. We watch movies and Andres says after like 45 minutes, "that's not real." Andres has had some difficulties distinguishing fiction and subjectivity from real and objective at times.
So I had a great weekend with the boys. Last time ice skating until September. Now they're taking swimming lessons. No Sunday school till September too. No soccer, but Andres likes to kick the soccer ball around, and William does sometimes too.
We look forward to a week in Santa Fe coming up.
Andres said he kicked the soccer ball up to heaven. Above the clouds. It's real dad. We watch movies and Andres says after like 45 minutes, "that's not real." Andres has had some difficulties distinguishing fiction and subjectivity from real and objective at times.
So I had a great weekend with the boys. Last time ice skating until September. Now they're taking swimming lessons. No Sunday school till September too. No soccer, but Andres likes to kick the soccer ball around, and William does sometimes too.
We look forward to a week in Santa Fe coming up.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, June 02, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Compassion
William came running, "they killed him.". He was upset and crying. The other boys had found a caterpillar, and killed it. I was happy that William had compassion for the living being.
He had a catapillar on his neck later. I took it outside so it could live. William was freaked out by it. He said, "are we going to tell Mom my dirty little secret?". Where did he get that phrase from?
He had a catapillar on his neck later. I took it outside so it could live. William was freaked out by it. He said, "are we going to tell Mom my dirty little secret?". Where did he get that phrase from?
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
soccer practice videos
Andres scores on coach:
William doesn't get scored on:
Andres scores again:
William:
Larger game, goal didn't count:
William doesn't get scored on:
Andres scores again:
William:
Larger game, goal didn't count:
Saturday, April 23, 2011
bunch of videos from the park on Friday April 22nd, 2011
Here are three older ones from the weekend before, April 2011
Click on this line to watch a video of their new lego thing.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Happy Birthday William
William turned 7 yesterday. I think he's a fine boy and I'm so proud of how he's developing and I'm so curious about how he's going to develop further.
I was driving them back to their mother's place Tuesday night and I apologized for being a little cranky, I'd not had enough sleep. William said, "It's OK dad, I just like to see you." He's so sweet.
I loved the look on his face when he was the lego ninjago dsi game I gave him, he was excited and happy. I gave him and his brother 4 presents each, and the presents will keep rolling. Upcoming is a birthday weekend.
He's doing really well in school, he's a reader, who sounds things out and expands his ability. I think I posted a photo of him walking and reading here, he liked to read so much he was walking and reading. He's kind to people, and thoughtful. I'll never forget the story of his encouraging others in Kindergarten. They were preparing for a show and people were nervous and he complimented someone, gave them encouragement and it shifted the whole energy of the room. I love to see him running around and his curiosity about the world.
The day he was born, I remember my ear stopped up, I couldn't hear out of my left ear. I remember the scare when his mother's heart rate didn't come up, after the Cesarean, and the nurse was afraid she was bleeding. She was OK, but it was scary for a moment there. I remember Diana's face when they were performing the Cesarean on her, she was so excited. I remember being lucky, not finding a job for 6 months and spending day after day with him. I remember how happy she was to hold him, how happy I was to hold him. The wonder of it all. The nurses kept saying, "this is your first child?" like you wouldn't be so into it after that. I remember Andres as well, and look forward to his birthday to reminisce.
I love you William. Happy Birthday. I write this blog as a document of your childhood. I hope you like it when you get older.
I was driving them back to their mother's place Tuesday night and I apologized for being a little cranky, I'd not had enough sleep. William said, "It's OK dad, I just like to see you." He's so sweet.
I loved the look on his face when he was the lego ninjago dsi game I gave him, he was excited and happy. I gave him and his brother 4 presents each, and the presents will keep rolling. Upcoming is a birthday weekend.
He's doing really well in school, he's a reader, who sounds things out and expands his ability. I think I posted a photo of him walking and reading here, he liked to read so much he was walking and reading. He's kind to people, and thoughtful. I'll never forget the story of his encouraging others in Kindergarten. They were preparing for a show and people were nervous and he complimented someone, gave them encouragement and it shifted the whole energy of the room. I love to see him running around and his curiosity about the world.
The day he was born, I remember my ear stopped up, I couldn't hear out of my left ear. I remember the scare when his mother's heart rate didn't come up, after the Cesarean, and the nurse was afraid she was bleeding. She was OK, but it was scary for a moment there. I remember Diana's face when they were performing the Cesarean on her, she was so excited. I remember being lucky, not finding a job for 6 months and spending day after day with him. I remember how happy she was to hold him, how happy I was to hold him. The wonder of it all. The nurses kept saying, "this is your first child?" like you wouldn't be so into it after that. I remember Andres as well, and look forward to his birthday to reminisce.
I love you William. Happy Birthday. I write this blog as a document of your childhood. I hope you like it when you get older.
Monday, April 04, 2011
Sunday, April 03, 2011
International Fashion Show
Andres had a performance, that included a song, a fashion show and dance.
William said his family was from Ecuador and USA, but Andres' teacher said he could only say one, so he didn't say USA.
Unfortunately Andres is in the back, so you can't really see him.
William said his family was from Ecuador and USA, but Andres' teacher said he could only say one, so he didn't say USA.
Unfortunately Andres is in the back, so you can't really see him.
Reading
William tries to sound things out and tries to read things he doesn't know now, I think that's so cool, because he's going to get better at reading because of this. I'm so impressed with my boys. Andres is starting to read too. William woke up Saturday morning and said, "I can spell photography". Then he said, "take off the y and add er and you get photographer."
Saturday, April 02, 2011
football
William doesn't like soccer so far. His body language is slumpy and he said, "I'm the worst player ever." At least he tries. One little girl won't do it, though she insisted on putting on a jersey. I get frustrated when the kids don't listen to the kind focused coaches. Andres is into it more but is younger and will just stop playing and ask me if we can buy lego.
They do like the shin guards I got them.
They do like the shin guards I got them.
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
melancholy
William said he felt "melonkely", so later I asked him what he meant. And then he said with a kind of tiredness, "it's melancholy daddy."
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Parent / teacher night
The science teacher says William fidgets, but can pay attention. Andres can't pay attention when he's talking. I asked Andres about that and he says he tells others to "shush" when they talk to him, but they don't do that with him, and he needs their help. I told him to take responsibility for his actions.
Andres' teacher says I can come and read a book to the class, have it video taped and get a copy of it and the book. Sounds like fun. Andres fall asleep sometimes in school, and his sleep issues make it hard for him. He's going to be evaluated. Sometimes when I sleep next to him, I think, "breath, please!" He's trying to breath through his nose, and it's stuffed. He's improving on his writing.
William's teacher was happy with him. He's reading on almost a 2nd grade level, and doing good work. They're talking about authors as mentors.
The boys were very excited playing with Isaih and Camilo, Urpe and Kori, and others. Then their cousins came, Emma and AJ and baby Caleb. The boys had a lot of energy, and I bought them some books.
Andres' teacher says I can come and read a book to the class, have it video taped and get a copy of it and the book. Sounds like fun. Andres fall asleep sometimes in school, and his sleep issues make it hard for him. He's going to be evaluated. Sometimes when I sleep next to him, I think, "breath, please!" He's trying to breath through his nose, and it's stuffed. He's improving on his writing.
William's teacher was happy with him. He's reading on almost a 2nd grade level, and doing good work. They're talking about authors as mentors.
The boys were very excited playing with Isaih and Camilo, Urpe and Kori, and others. Then their cousins came, Emma and AJ and baby Caleb. The boys had a lot of energy, and I bought them some books.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Friday, March 04, 2011
upstate pillow fight
I took my sons to visit a friend in upstate New York, who has children, and I recorded this video of a pillow fight, from the fall of 2010.
Santa Fe
In the summer of 2010, I took the boys to Santa Fe to visit their grandparents. They were playing with a soccer ball.
Andres breaks his record
In the summer of 2010, Andres took to seeing how many rungs he could swing across. On this summer day he did 6 and broke his record.
basketball video
William is 6, Andres is 5. They are in a church basketball league. Andres is the one in the yellow jersey, the other in a yellow jersey is a girl. It's kind of wild, they don't dribble the ball, they travel and whatnot, but it's a lot of fun. And I actually caught a score. William is lying down, in a red jersey. I think he was upset about the coach/referee not calling something his way.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
pie
I was reading William and Andres Harold and the Magic Crayon Friday night. Harold drew 19 pies to eat. Andres said, "This one is apple, this one is cherry, this one is pumpkin and this one is tomato."
Tomato pie?
Yes.
It is a fruit.
Tomato pie?
Yes.
It is a fruit.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
beautiful boy
So I've been reluctant to write here because I don't really want to look at my separation with Diana, but I think this is a nice story.
I had a stressful evening with the boys. Picked them up (they were not dropped off as usual, I feel like I'm traveling a lot to get to them).
Wrangled them to a pizza place. They wanted McDonalds. I know pizza is not much more healthy than McDonalds, but I think it is. They got a can of soda and then William said, "say something mean to me." I wouldn't do it. Andres did. He crushed his can. Then he was ripping it apart. "Be careful, it's easy to cut yourself with the cans edge." Of course Andres cut himself later, and was crying pitifully.
At home we struggled to do homework. Diana laid into me when I didn't notice all the homework, so I spent the whole evening doing homework, which seems wrong for a first grader. William cut himself working on a project. He did quite well. So as usual, time got away from me, and I'm so afraid of Diana's anger, and she gets angry when I'm late, so we were rushing back to their place. I was a bit frazzled.
William said to me, "Daddy, I had a good time with you tonight." And all my criticism of the night, the problems faded away. It's about being together. He just melted my heart, my anxieties, my worries. I love him so much. He's a good boy.
I've been reading Learning from the Heart by Daniel Gottlieb, and it's really touching. His advice is to chill about our expectations about our children, to understand how some of our projects are just mental confusion. I look at pictures of the boys a lot, I don't feel like I spend enough time with them. We have to accept things and just roll with things.
Thank you to Will for The Fantastic Mr. Fox, which we read together recently and I quite enjoyed.
Looking forward to going apple picking with aunt Di the weekend after this one, and Halloween.
I had a stressful evening with the boys. Picked them up (they were not dropped off as usual, I feel like I'm traveling a lot to get to them).
Wrangled them to a pizza place. They wanted McDonalds. I know pizza is not much more healthy than McDonalds, but I think it is. They got a can of soda and then William said, "say something mean to me." I wouldn't do it. Andres did. He crushed his can. Then he was ripping it apart. "Be careful, it's easy to cut yourself with the cans edge." Of course Andres cut himself later, and was crying pitifully.
At home we struggled to do homework. Diana laid into me when I didn't notice all the homework, so I spent the whole evening doing homework, which seems wrong for a first grader. William cut himself working on a project. He did quite well. So as usual, time got away from me, and I'm so afraid of Diana's anger, and she gets angry when I'm late, so we were rushing back to their place. I was a bit frazzled.
William said to me, "Daddy, I had a good time with you tonight." And all my criticism of the night, the problems faded away. It's about being together. He just melted my heart, my anxieties, my worries. I love him so much. He's a good boy.
I've been reading Learning from the Heart by Daniel Gottlieb, and it's really touching. His advice is to chill about our expectations about our children, to understand how some of our projects are just mental confusion. I look at pictures of the boys a lot, I don't feel like I spend enough time with them. We have to accept things and just roll with things.
Thank you to Will for The Fantastic Mr. Fox, which we read together recently and I quite enjoyed.
Looking forward to going apple picking with aunt Di the weekend after this one, and Halloween.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Santa Fe Trip
So I took the boys to Santa Fe to see their Glamma and Grandpa.
The highlight for me was them snuggling up to me on the trip home. Andres was snuggling on my lap and William spontaneously joined in. As I was enveloped in this wonderful warm snuggle cloud, the physical pleasure of being attached to my boys for a week, culminated in such a lovely warmness. I shall never forget.
Other highlights were hikes, one in Bandalier, where William spotted a rattle snake, after we were cooling off in the stream. We ended up going to the rattle snake museum on Albuquerque, the day before we left, to learn more about rattle snakes. I love looking into archeological sites of the ancestral Pueblos. I think kiva's are really cool.
We also went to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum, and hung out in downtown Santa Fe.
My parents joked that it was monsoon season, and then it did start raining a lot, and they said, "I've never seen it rain so much." One rainy day Glamma took the boys to see Sorcerer's Apprentice, which the boys liked. It was the one time the boys were not with me, and Glamma reported the boys were good.
The boys enjoyed roasting marshmallows in the fireplace outside, and running around, and kicking the soccer ball around. They enjoyed the Railyard Park near my parents and also Cowgirl's BBQ, where they seated us in the kiddie coral, where they played with some girls and the mother complimented the boys on how sweet they were.
In the down time, they played their DSi, with lego, watched YouTube and Mario Brothers on Netflicks, or iCarly on TV. They also ran around a lot and I like how physical the trip was. My boys are good athletes, nice strong boys. They are also artists, as their artwork shows. We read some and I got them to do homework one day, when their mother reminded me. After that I kept asking William if he wanted to do homework and he said, "no."
Glamma gave them math lessons and tried to do other education things along the way.
So you can see the photos if you're a friend of mine on facebook. It was a lovely trip. I loved being with my boys, even if I was overwhelmed at times, and if they had silly fights sometimes, or didn't listen well. I loved seeing them running around and playing and laughing. I hope they grew from the experience, as I'm sure they did.
Thank you to Glamma Kathy and Grandpa Rich for their generosity, support, caring and attention. Thank you to Glamma for cooking and taking us out for meals, and doing laundry, and generally caring for us, giving the boys baths and whatnot, plus providing structure and organizing most of the trip. Thank you to Rich for your humor and teachings and showing us fun things, and generally hanging out with us, and trying to corral the wild beasts when they got a little out of hand and organizational support. It was a wonderful trip that I shall remember for the rest of my life.
The highlight for me was them snuggling up to me on the trip home. Andres was snuggling on my lap and William spontaneously joined in. As I was enveloped in this wonderful warm snuggle cloud, the physical pleasure of being attached to my boys for a week, culminated in such a lovely warmness. I shall never forget.
Other highlights were hikes, one in Bandalier, where William spotted a rattle snake, after we were cooling off in the stream. We ended up going to the rattle snake museum on Albuquerque, the day before we left, to learn more about rattle snakes. I love looking into archeological sites of the ancestral Pueblos. I think kiva's are really cool.
We also went to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum, and hung out in downtown Santa Fe.
My parents joked that it was monsoon season, and then it did start raining a lot, and they said, "I've never seen it rain so much." One rainy day Glamma took the boys to see Sorcerer's Apprentice, which the boys liked. It was the one time the boys were not with me, and Glamma reported the boys were good.
The boys enjoyed roasting marshmallows in the fireplace outside, and running around, and kicking the soccer ball around. They enjoyed the Railyard Park near my parents and also Cowgirl's BBQ, where they seated us in the kiddie coral, where they played with some girls and the mother complimented the boys on how sweet they were.
In the down time, they played their DSi, with lego, watched YouTube and Mario Brothers on Netflicks, or iCarly on TV. They also ran around a lot and I like how physical the trip was. My boys are good athletes, nice strong boys. They are also artists, as their artwork shows. We read some and I got them to do homework one day, when their mother reminded me. After that I kept asking William if he wanted to do homework and he said, "no."
Glamma gave them math lessons and tried to do other education things along the way.
So you can see the photos if you're a friend of mine on facebook. It was a lovely trip. I loved being with my boys, even if I was overwhelmed at times, and if they had silly fights sometimes, or didn't listen well. I loved seeing them running around and playing and laughing. I hope they grew from the experience, as I'm sure they did.
Thank you to Glamma Kathy and Grandpa Rich for their generosity, support, caring and attention. Thank you to Glamma for cooking and taking us out for meals, and doing laundry, and generally caring for us, giving the boys baths and whatnot, plus providing structure and organizing most of the trip. Thank you to Rich for your humor and teachings and showing us fun things, and generally hanging out with us, and trying to corral the wild beasts when they got a little out of hand and organizational support. It was a wonderful trip that I shall remember for the rest of my life.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Andres
Andres had 2 cavities, and was brave (with some help of laughing gas), at the dentist today. The picture is before the laughing gas.
In other news Great Grandpa Parks turned 88 today. He's no April fool, he's had an amazing life as befits someone from the great generation. Happy birthday Grandpa. My life, as your grand son, is so much better with you in it, and so is your great grand children's.
In other news Great Grandpa Parks turned 88 today. He's no April fool, he's had an amazing life as befits someone from the great generation. Happy birthday Grandpa. My life, as your grand son, is so much better with you in it, and so is your great grand children's.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
William's school work
Here's a bit from the wall of William's school. He has inventive spelling, and he's working on spacing and other writing conventions. I'm so proud of my boy, he got a good report from his teachers.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Bedbug ordeal
Supposedly bedbug free, we're back home. Andres doesn't like pizza any more, he's sick I think. He wants to eat at Grandma's house. I thank Abuela for letting us stay at her place so long. Hopefully we'll sleep in our own beds tonight for the first time in about 3 weeks. I think I adjusted well after the initial shock. My heart goes out to others who have suffered the blight of bedbugs.
I was looking at the photos I have on Flickr last night on my new Droid. Next post will be a photo and you can click the Flickr link there if you'd like to look at the oldish photos (177 of them--you pay after 200 photos).
I was looking at the photos I have on Flickr last night on my new Droid. Next post will be a photo and you can click the Flickr link there if you'd like to look at the oldish photos (177 of them--you pay after 200 photos).
Monday, February 01, 2010
1,117th post
On my other blogs I hit 500 and 200 entries, but this blog has been more popular because it's updates about the boys.
So what's new? We've been enduring a bedbugs crisis by the kindness of my mother-in-law. She's letting us stay at her place. So there's some chaos in the world, you can't shield it from your children. Bedbugs are not about cleanliness, or class or anything. They're just a really bug bummer. Had to put everything into bags, essentially almost move out of our house, and then stay out for 2 weeks. They squirted stuff into our light sockets and really did a thorough job.
William seems to be becoming a reader. He asks to spell things. He reads books to me. Of course he did not know "Musk Oxen", but he knew every other word in a book he read to me the other day. I've been reading the Flat Stanley series to them, which are becoming some of my favorite children's books.
Andres is a cute boy who got his shortest haircut. He is ruled more by jealousy than some kids, and can be quite cruel sometimes. He's also very cuddly and snugly. He's learning to write and read some without even trying, just watching his brother. He's different temperamentally than his brother and 18 months younger. He seems to have a different head and face, and body type.
I sing Puff The Magic Dragon to them when I put them to bed, among other things, and that song is really for adults about the impermanence of childhood. The window of childhood closes fast. I'm glad I'm done with school for the moment, and can really enjoy the boys. I lament that I have a night job 3 times a week, and miss out on 3 evenings.
Anywho, a quick update, while I'm at the computer. I hope everyone is well.
So what's new? We've been enduring a bedbugs crisis by the kindness of my mother-in-law. She's letting us stay at her place. So there's some chaos in the world, you can't shield it from your children. Bedbugs are not about cleanliness, or class or anything. They're just a really bug bummer. Had to put everything into bags, essentially almost move out of our house, and then stay out for 2 weeks. They squirted stuff into our light sockets and really did a thorough job.
William seems to be becoming a reader. He asks to spell things. He reads books to me. Of course he did not know "Musk Oxen", but he knew every other word in a book he read to me the other day. I've been reading the Flat Stanley series to them, which are becoming some of my favorite children's books.
Andres is a cute boy who got his shortest haircut. He is ruled more by jealousy than some kids, and can be quite cruel sometimes. He's also very cuddly and snugly. He's learning to write and read some without even trying, just watching his brother. He's different temperamentally than his brother and 18 months younger. He seems to have a different head and face, and body type.
I sing Puff The Magic Dragon to them when I put them to bed, among other things, and that song is really for adults about the impermanence of childhood. The window of childhood closes fast. I'm glad I'm done with school for the moment, and can really enjoy the boys. I lament that I have a night job 3 times a week, and miss out on 3 evenings.
Anywho, a quick update, while I'm at the computer. I hope everyone is well.
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