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You and Dad at my desk in my office checking my Blackberry.
We do this a lot
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| Well when it comes to keeping up with my journal, Dad has
just not been in the mood this summer. Writing sometimes is difficult as
it almost feels like work and I honestly have not felt like doing anywork
since my last entry two months ago. We have been on 8 year old time mostly
both you and I. That means we wake up in the morning and see where it takes
us. Lots of swimming, watching Nicklelodeon and Disney and figuring when
your next playdate is. There have many great memories made this summer and
unfortunately because I did not run to my computer and jot them down shortly
after they happened, guess what? Either they wern't that great or I am losing
my memory. Perhaps this summer 8 year old thing has removed my brain cells.
I think perhaps that is probably why we remeber little about these years
in our lives as when things are good and peaceful. there is just no strong
imprint on our brains. We did take a car trip to Sea World and it was great
fun. i will let the pictures tell that story. I promised to get to the computer
in a more timely matter from now on and maybe some of the great times will
come back to me later. I Love you (Entry of July 19, 2010) |
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Our Summer Pictures
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Everyone gets their picture taken in front of Sea
World
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You and dad sharing a Shamu Ice cream treat.
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Waiting for the seal show. Remnants of ice cream
on face
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Feeding smelly fish to the sea lions
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You with your Ben 10 Omintrex.
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You at the lake house with other boys. You were so
excited to sleep on the floor with them
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| Well actually the last two pictures have stories
to go with them, but maybe another day. |
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| Well Dad has just not felt like writing this summer.
You and I spent a summer that was really into the now experience. We seldom
had any plans when we woke up in the morning. Wherever the day took us we
went. I got in a little work (as little as I had to) and we got in a lot
of play. It was sweet being an eight year old boy again. I am so blessed,
because I think there are very few men on this planet that get to do that
twice in their lifetime. This was the summer of Ben 10. This is an obscure
cartoon on the cartoon network about a boy your age who has the ability
to morph into ten different aliens depending on the need of each one to
rescue or solve things. You like the idea of being able to morph into an
alien being. You have gotten all the Ben 10 Paraphernalia. The picture above
shows the device on your wrist that allows you to morph into an alien. There
are 5 different devices overall. It is fun to go out shopping with you wearing
one of the them, because it twists the neck of every boy below the age of
10 and they wonder what kinf of alien I must be. I have a great picture
of you on my screensaver on my computer and I always tell you look it is
the alien Ro-Ro. he is trapped in my computer and he wants out. It always
makes you laugh. I like the fact that your favorite pastime is laughing
and having fun. It will get you far in life and if it doesn't guess what
you will live a happy life. You are back in school now and you seem to be
doing much better and we have hopes that school will be a positive experience
for. As always, I love you. Your Dad (Entry of August 30, 2010) |
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This has to be the longest space of time I have gone without writing
an entry into your journal. A new marathon in Tyler, plus just brain freeze
on my part plus the sudden realization that your Dad is getting old and
slowing down has given me many reasons to fail making my regular entries.
You have as always provided me with plenty of material and so my apologies
for missing much of what may have happened to you in 2010. You are in
the 3rd grade now. You are doing better this year and you like your teacher.
You always want to go to school, but you are just not getting what math
is all about. Not certain what we will have to do. Your reading and other
school skills have vastly improved. We always face the possibility of
having to hold you back a grade, but Dad is fighting this because if you
have learning difficulties, you will still have them next year no matter
where you are. The good thing is you are always trying and most of the
time you are a good kid who tries to plod along through the process. Your
school principal came up to me and told me she had read this journal and
commented on some of the content. I realized that I have never read this
journal. I write it in the moment and maybe some day will sit down and
read it. Besdies I will not edit or redo anything written so what is the
point.
Christmas is upon us and we are experiencing an 8 year old Christmas.
We treasure every moment as it will never be like this again. Your best
friend declared to you recently that Santa is dead. You very calmly informed
him he was wrong and that Santa was alive for you. I know that the spirit
of Santa is the one that will bring you all the material stuff you seek
this year, because he can and so why not enjoy our bounty at this time.
It is cold. It is dark. Lights and trees and gifts and shaking the packages
under the tree while at times excessive, what the heck. We are having
fun and enjoying life as an 8 year old so what else matters. Usually each
year at this time, I tire of shaving so Igrow a scraggly ugly beard for
the winter months. You tell all your friends that dad is trying to look
like Santa Claus. You have always had this thing about touching and stoking
my face since you were a baby. Whe I am growing a beard it becomes a big
deal for you as the experinece is so different. You are growing up in
an era where very few men grow facial hair, so it fascinates and troubles
you on so many levels. You along with Mom say daily, "Dad, shave
your beard!" But I want you to understand and experience all things
that are part of being a man and not shaving is one of them. The main
thing is I have to have you wash your hands when you get home, because
any touching of my beard deposits all the germs accumulated during the
day at school and play, and leaves them to fester on my face. ha! No matter
what I look forward to the holidays. Later today we are off to see Santa
to let him know what you want. I love you! (Entry of december 11, 2010)
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| Made our annual trip to see Santa. You took your
written note to Santa but choked when on his lap as you still are a bit
aprhesive with the guy. Pictures below with your written note. You have
many needs this year. (Entry of December 13, 2010) |
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| This is the year that there may
big a hole in what went on in your life. Dad has just not written enough
about you this year. But with great efforts your grades and your results
in school have improved greatly so that makes us very happy. What I like
about school the most is that each day as I drop you off at the school,
I just sit in my car and watch you take off on a full gallop to get in the
school. And it is not because it is cold, but you just want to get in. Each
morning. I say the same thing to you. "I love you. Be a good boy and
have fun in school." Somewhere deep in your brain those words will
be forever entrenched. I have had great fun this year, because a girl in
the first grade had has a little girl crush on you and it freeks you out.
Becaue you are all about boys right now. I have great fun though teasing
you about Kiley. You hit me every time. I love you. You are the best. (Entry
of February 24, 2011) |
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| We are starting to move into big
boy territory now. We have tried to teach you not to be too into material
things and try to keep your playthings confined to things you actually use.
However you have become more persitent about getting the latest transformer
or whatever. So we have used this as a tool to number one getting to work
around the house and second to develop the sense of money and what it buys
for you. So we have established an allowance for you based on what you contribute
to our family. So far you are a boy that is motivated by money and what
it can buy. Mom keeps on saying "Just wait. This will pass. "
Iam hoping she is wrong. So on a weekly basis yo must do the following.
Read a book fifteen minutes a day. - Brush you teeth every daily (This has
been a tough one to get an eight year old boy to do) - You mst start learning
to do your own laundry from washing through to getting back in your drawers
and closet - You must change the cat box every other day and make sure the
cats have enoguh food - You must help clean up after every meal in the kitchen.
- You must claen up your bedroom and playroom every day plus make up your
bed daily. So dad went with you to the office supply store and we bought
you a combination lockbox where you will keep your money that you earn.
For now we have told you that this is your money and you can use it to buy
anything you want. We will no longer buy you such things unless it is your
birthday or Christmas. The good sign happened yesterday when I was showing
you how to do Laundry. You said. "Dad I really like working. This is
fun. " Please son keep this attitude and life will be much easier for
you. I love you. (Entry of March 14, 2011) |
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| As close as I am to you, you constantly
surprise me and make me laugh. The other night as I was getting you in bed
and ready for sleep, I was doing my usual singing of songs to you. They
are mostly baby songs that you used to love when you are baby, but since
you are a baby no longer, you object as loudly as possible. You usually
try to put your hand over my mouth to get me to stop. So I said to you,
"Why don't you sing something that you know and I will learn that song?"
Your reply was, "Dad, I am not a very good singer, but I can dance."
OK since I have never seen you dance in any way at any time I replied, "You
can dance? Why don't you show me what you can do?" Now I had all kinds
of visions of either you would refuse or it would be some kind of teen dance
or something. What you did was get on the floor and do abour 10-15 second
break dance including twist and twrils that were not that bad. So as not
to discourage your interest in dance, I could not laugh and could only say,
Ro, you are realy a good dancer. You are always a joy. I love you. (Entry
of march24, 2011) |
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Your ninth birthday is upon us soon. You can hardly wait
for mom's Birthday to be over in March and mine in April, because that
means yours is next. Everytime you want to buy something new, our answer
is you must wait for your birthday. Since you are still pretty much a
boy who lives in the now, it is a difficult problem to deal with. (Entry
of April 1, 2011)
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| You are taking your first TAKS
test this year. It is the ridiculous testing system that the government
somehow thinks will help you get educated better. All it is is a stressed
filled experience that is just ridculous. You and your parents have worried
about it all year, as you are eager but slow to learn and are usually acedemically
at the bottom of your class. Well surprise, surprise, you passed! and on
to the 4th grade you go. Love you (Entry of May 10, 2011) |
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| The swimming pool is open for the
summer and Dad is once again one of your pool toys. We do have lots of fun
playing in the pool and another great summer lies ahead. You are now 9 and
Daddy must start another chapter in my journal. You went to a bounce house
place (Pump it Up) with all your firends for one party and then the family
came by for another. The best present was from Mom and Dad. You are the
first of your friends and family to get an IPad 2. You could be just a bot
spoiled but life is short and if it can be lived well, then why not? I love
my 9 year old boy! (Entry of May 20, 2011) |
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