Don't Know What to Call This One

Owen and the wife are both slowed down a bit by colds this week. Owen seems to be over his, but the wife is in the depths at the moment. I was rocking Lily in our room and she brought little man upstairs for bedtime this evening. The wife sat down on the bed and looked at me with puffy red eyes, a little snot running down her face, and sarcastically wheezed, "I feel sexy."

Except she said it a little too loudly, so Owen cried out with glee, "I feel sexy TOO!" I don't why I'M in trouble now since I didn't say it, but apparently my laughing uncontrollably reinforces bad behavior and/or language we want him to avoid. It's one of those moments that I will definitely recall forever and probably recount decades from now.

I was reminded how fast this time of their lives will go and suddenly, I'm looking at a teenager, high school grad, and beyond. This morning a lot of email traffic started flying about a young man I knew vaguely through my weekend hobby. He took his own life and it's been with me all day. I only met him once and didn't know him very well. I don't know his parents but my heart goes out to them. I can't imagine what they're going through and never, never want to. Like the old quote says, 'Parents should never have to bury their children.' I hope that his parents can eventually find peace.

Since becoming parents 2 and a half years ago, both the wife and I have awoken on many mornings to explain the vivid dreams of one or both our kids falling down stairs, getting lost, etc. Thankfully, the one time Owen did fall down the stairs, he emerged with only a small bruise. Two yellow jacket stings that barely fazed him last week, sprained ankle that isn't slowing him down this week, and two eternally scraped up knees. I just hope that's the worst stuff they ever have to deal with.

Sure, becoming a SAHD has put a strain on the family through finances and being in close proximity all the time but I'm so glad to be with them everyday. The late night screaming fests, the stomping of the foot and attitude laced "NO!", and blatant ignoring of my voice when he's playing with the electrical outlet. We recall Owen being a tougher baby to handle than Lily so far, but I remember those first smiles, the chuckles he made way more than the late nights.

Lily has started smiling, but she's a very serious baby. I often will get one small smile a day, if I'm lucky. She just started laughing in the last couple of days and I will put up with any amount of screaming to get the half second smile or giggle. There will be times that I'll want to Homer Simpson choke the boy or take away Lily's...uhm...pony? But I will not stop loving the hell out of them no matter what.

CK