Exploring

The Bubs and I went exploring on campus the other day. We found a building next to the library and went inside. We climbed three flights of stairs and found this cool hallway that ran for roughly 40 yards in length. Each end of the hallway was a room containing a large, half-circle bench. We ran from one bench, down the hallway, to the other bench - and back again. Again and again we did this until I convinced him to head back downstairs. I was tired and we still had to walk home.

I remember going to work with my mother on a few occasions. There were these three-seat couches in the center of a high-school Guidance Department, where she worked as a secretary. These two couches were positioned with their backs to each other. This allowed me to crawl underneath and hang out for the day without being noticed. I would watch the feet of people, teachers, students and staff walk in and walk out. I remember being able to identify the feet to their owners and even predict which direction they would walk upon entering. I would hear my mom's voice talking and laughing. It was my own world under those couches and time flew by.

Although the Bubs was not in his mother's building while on campus, he was nearby. The "outing" reminded me of my time in Sussex County (NJ) Vo-Tech's, Guidance Department with my mom. These are good memories and I haven't thought about them for a very long time. It makes me wonder what kind of memories the Bub's is going to remember as we explore some more.

Rocket Boy

Our friends next door invited us to attend their rocket launch yesterday. The Bubs has never seen a live launch, but has enjoyed watching airplanes and rockets (and space shuttles) launch on Youtube. We set out for an open space at a nearby college campus to watch liftoff. 

Countdown... and liftoff. As the rocket launched, I had the video camera recording and could not see the Bub's expression. However, he was fighting for me to let him go (as he was before launch). I had to hold him back until the rocket left the platform. The rocket parachuted safely back to the ground. I let the Bubs go so to chase the landed rocket. However the bub's was more interested in where it took off from rather than where it landed.

 

The Art of Stuffing your Face

The Bubs sometimes is an aggressive eater. It is almost as if he is soothing a savage hunger inside of himself as he devours low-laying fruits and vegetables. Whenever I notice that he is "jamming" too much food into his mouth, I hold out my hand - palm up - just below his chin. This prompts the Bub to spit the contents out of his mouth.I continually repeat to him, "chew, chew, chew Bub!" Where did he learn to eat like this? Maybe he watches me eat?

I have the unique ability to clean the meat from a chicken wing bone in one swooping bite (or I least I used to). I've always had the knack for eating quickly. Some may think that I was from a big family by the way I attack my food, but that would be wrong. In fact, my elder sibling is seven year older and I've lived under a single-parent roof for half my childhood. There was no competition for food in my home(s).



Perhaps working in all the restaurants? Restaurant workers were typically forced to eat standing up when the house got busy. Also, when "mistakes" were made by the cooks, these dishes were usually devoured by the wait staff in a standing feeding frenzy. In addition, as a kid I ate my mid-morning snacks (type 1 diabetic) in the nurses office as an elementary student. Since none of us kids were allowed to eat outside of the lunch room, i.e. hallways, etc., I always had a fear that a peer would consider me different if he or she saw me eating my snake. This fear led me to eating very quickly. I remember the nurse always making comments that I should take my time and relax. Peer pressure is more powerful than any adult.

Perhaps my past has encouraged my own aggressive eating style? Am I influencing the Bubs? I'll start digitally recording our dinners and get to the bottom of this. ;)

Giant Penguins

The Bubs surprised me yesterday at Mystick Village. While we were tasting samples of various clam and corn chowder soups, we ran into a giant penguin. I thought the Bubs would act indifferent, but I was wrong. He was thrilled to meet him. In fact he wouldn't leave the giant penguin alone. At one point, the penguin tried to escape so he or she could wave to other children, but the Bubs chased him down.

I am sure that I would have been deathly afraid of any live, giant penguin when I was a kid. However, I'm not sure if I can remember any specific instance where I was confronted with a larger-than-life stuffed animal.

I think that some of my uncles were animated enough to scare the hell out of me. So they, perhaps, bury any memories of any giant Aptenodytes Forsteri in my past.

94th Birthday

The Bub's great grandma turned 94 yesterday. Her husband, great grandpa, passed away about 10 years ago. He didn't make it into his 90's unfortunately. However, he has left a legacy of ism's that are living strong. One of which is the famous "mousy, mousy" tickle that he gave all his grandchildren and great grandchildren. The mousy, mousy is applied on the neck and instantly causes one to kink his or her neck and run away.

The Bub's never met his great grandpop, but the Bubs will know all his tricks.

"Super Bowl" Play Review

The Bubs is going to be a piece of work. I say this because I was a witness today. I witnessed a combination of humor and rebel, which I guarantee myself that I will see again. I think it's genetic.  The Bubs has been told time and time again not to play with his food - especially his milk. He enjoys taking his sippy cup or his open-mouthed cup and playing games with the contents inside, which usually is milk.

While I was in the dining room today, I heard the Bubs periodically repeating the word "oops." (I think it's a word). So I walked into the next room and observed the little guy launching his sippy-cup-full-of milk into the air. His launching platform was a giant Lego block. He repeated the word, "oops," with every launch. I was stumped. I thought it was hilarious, but I didn't want him to know that. So, I decided to take a few pictures and I didn't say a word to him. Perhaps my inability to make a call on the play may have led him to become confused as to when it is ok to play with his milk vs when it is not ok to play with this milk. I was confused myself with my own rules of the "game."

However, in the spirit of the recent Super Bowl, I decided to review the play on the sidelines. So I studied the pictures of the play. He was definitely playing with his milk. There's no doubt about it. There is not enough evidence to overturn the call on the field. However, I can't go back and tell the Bubs to stop playing with his milk. Too much time has passed. Plus, he's asleep upstairs now. So instead of penalizing him - I cheers him. I cheer him on for his creativity and his spirit of fun. I'll just be more quick to act next time there is an infraction on the field of play.

 For now, the "call on the field stands."

Culture Training

 The Bubs received his first set of chopsticks a few months ago. He's had a few opportunities to use them already. Yesterday, while his mom and I were having lunch with him, he showed us that he understands how to use them. His motor skills just have to catch up. This kid has already tried a few non-American dishes like kimchi and sushi.

I think I was an adult the first time that I used chopsticks. The first time I was introduced to sushi was in Huntington Beach, California - at 30 years old. Pathetic. However, it was worth the wait. I actually got a job in a sushi restaurant, serving sushi in HB. I was serving sushi before I even tried it. I had no idea what I was serving. I used to bring home an old poster from the kitchen, which had the pictures and names for all sushi. I, and the rest of the English-speaking wait staff, was hired for our ability to speak clear English. We (wait staff) were also hired for our experience in restaurants. The owners did not want to deal with the customers. We basically ran the place and that made it a fun place to work. I soon became a want-to-be expert on sushi and even expanded my limited knowledge on sake. This restaurant is where I was introduced to many of my good friends. I still keep in touch with many of them out there (east-coast speaking). 

The Bubs is going to surpass my "global-ness" by decades. He will even be visiting Japan within the next couple years. I bet the Bubs will be shocked to learn that his old man had neither tried sushi nor knew how to use chopsticks until later in life. This stuff will be already "been there, done that" to him. His mom and I hope to raise him with an understanding of the world outside of his own. This will hopefully reduce his beliefs in any stereotypes that he may hear from others. 

This is good preparation for our future world leader.