Washing the Car

 I woke the Bubs up from his afternoon nap today. He was sleeping more than 2 hours already. If I let him, this kid will sleep for hours during the day. He's groggy and I fear his wrath, but I know he needs to wake up.

Some people aren't "morning people." Well, the Bubs is not an "afternoon person."

He rubbed his eyes. I quickly whisper "Ice pop Bubs. You want an ice pop? We'll go outside and wash the car." I wanted to get that first thought in his head to be something he likes to prevent a melt down.

I think I had him at "ice pop." He lethargically gets on all fours, hesitates in order to balance himself, and stands on his bed. He's still groggy. He reaches up for me to pick him up. We head downstairs.

I quickly throw on his sandals and grab an ice pop from the freezer. I snip the end off of a purple ice pop, because the Bubs said to me, "I want purble." (Yes, I know it's misspelled). I was pretty sure I cured his afternoon rage. However, when we got outside to the driveway he's not happy. He started crying.

The swing! The swing cures all ills. I put him on the swing for 15 minutes and he was as good as new!

Back out to the driveway. He grabbed a scrub brush and went right to work on the car. I was impressed with his work ethic. Scrub, scrub, scrub. I showed him how to clean the first wheel with my own brush. He watched.

I missed a patch of dirt. The Bubs spots it. He said, "Dirty Daddy." I replied, "I know Bubs. I'll get it. Here, why don't you use your brush on the wheel and not on the paint." The Bubs ignored what I asked him to do. He continues to use the brush on the car. He then tells me again that the wheel is dirty. I, again, acknowledge that I missed a patch of dirt and repeat my request to him, "I know Bubs. Why don't you use your brush on the wheel and not the car." Again, he ignores me and continues to brush the car.

I gave up asking and just let him brush the car. He wasn't putting too much muscle into it anyway. I felt like it was my turn to get on the swing.

The "Propeller Seed"

 The Bubs and I sat and waited for the "propeller seeds" to fall from the tree tops. I'm not sure if that is the scientific name, but they spin like a helicopter's propeller.

The propeller seeds fell at an inconsistent rate. It was a challenge for me to keep the Bubs staring up in the sky for any extended amount of time. So I resorted to continually pointing up towards the tree and telling the Bubs to "look there" and "there's one!" Thankfully, the propeller seeds were falling at a rate of one every 10-15 seconds (yes, I counted). Soon, he started noticing them before I did.

The Bubs started pointing up towards the sky and saying, "look there Daddy!" I was impressed that these seeds where keeping his attention. It was like striking gold for a two-year-old. However, he soon started randomly pointing all around him while repeating, "look there!" He was clowning around with me.

I sat back and took pride with his sense of humor. I'm looking forward to showing him some of my best humor. Should I tell him I was voted "class clown" in seventh grade? Hmmm... maybe not. Maybe I'll let him develop his own humor and keep out of his way.

I don't want him to be awarded with any "class clown" recognition. There are already too many clowns in this kid's family.

Running of the Oranges (and Bubs)

 Nope. We weren't in Pamplona today. No. I didn't mistake the word "oranges" for "bulls" either.

The Bubs and I found ourselves using two oranges in a new way (for us). Instead of peeling, slicing and/or eating them - the Bubs ran with them. While I was on the phone with the Bub's godparents, I started rolling these oranges up the sidewalk. I was sitting down at the bottom of the sidewalk's incline (about 20 yards of incline). Each time an orange ran out of steam, it rolled back down towards me.

This was fun for me, but I had no idea that the Bubs was going to jump into the action until he started grabbing the oranges after they rolled back down the sidewalk and running them up the incline. Then, with a running head start, he dropped them and ran alongside them. Up and back he ran; countless times.

I have a long time connection with oranges. My favorite color is, and always has been, orange. The Bub's mom surprised me one day (way back when) when she shared her favorite color with me. Yep, you guessed it. Orange. She told me that she even had her bedroom painted orange (as a kid). That definitely one ups me. I didn't have an orange room, but I would have loved it. Instead, I used to dream about driving an orange VW Bug - kid size. I wondered what it would be like to have a kid-sized car to drive around in. We only had Big Wheels at the time. I remember the first time I saw an advertisement on t.v. for a battery-powered kid's jeep. I was blown away. I must have been ahead of my time.

We're not sure what the Bub's favorite color is yet. He's laying low and keeping us in the dark on this topic. I am not sure if one's liking of a specific color travels in the genes. Maybe it's just simply choice.

Just in case it's the latter, I'm thinking of making the Bubs wear orange-tinted glasses.

The Coffee House

 The Bubs hung out at a local coffee house for lunch today. He had a banana, blueberry smoothie (with yogurt and no added sugars). We found some board games there too. There was a Cat In the Hat board game. We just looked at the cards and guessed the items on each one, i.e. brush, kite, etc. The Bubs was highly engaged and seemed to be enjoying himself.

He even ventured over to the cushy couches next to our table. He looked comfortable and relaxed. I hope we can get back here regularly. His mom loves it here and I know she'll encourage it. This is the type of place where I would love to encourage the Bubs to "hang out" in. Instead of a game room, mall or bowling ally (or where ever young adults/teenagers hang out today), a book at a coffee house like this would benefit him more (and put me at ease). Since he's still only 2 years old and I'm already looking well into the future, maybe I can help influence this master plan. Maybe I can build a few more bookshelves for his room, pin up cool posters of unique coffee houses or even turn his bedroom into a coffee-house?

I'll build a little couch for him with some cushy pillows. I'll set up a corner table with a chair - maybe a two top? Also, we'll add some acoustic music in the background. His mom and I can then crash his room each morning and sit at that two-top to drink our coffee. This will for surely give the Bub's a true coffee-house influence on his life. He'll enjoy the feeling of comfort each time he sits down inside a coffee house as he moves on in life.

Wait, note to self: Maybe his mom and I shouldn't crash his room with our cups of joe so the strategy doesn't backfire. 

I know, we'll hold all his birthday parties in a coffee house from here on forward!

Wait, that's also a bit much. Don't be so controlling. Hey, we're brainstorming anyway...

(Fast forward to teenage years): The Bubs comes down the stairs from his room. He turns to his brother, Hiro, and says, "Let's go to the coffee house and kill a few hours reading." Hiro obliges.

His mom and I look at each other with relief... and a little bit of pride.

College Library

 The Bubs and I went to visit the college library this morning. His mom and I, many times, find him sitting on his bed with one of his favorite picture books open. He seems to enjoy doing "picture walks" during these times and follows the story via the pictures. He is also pretty good at finishing the last word on each page whenever we read out loud to him.

This library has a couple of shelves with children's books stocked. The books are mainly critical multicultural and purchased by the college library through a children's literature class in the education department. A great way to help the Bubs learn that not all corporations are run by white males. Although he wasn't interested in pulling a book down today, he did enjoy running around the long, two-tiered shelve. The Bubs even found a way to crawl through the bookshelf, which has to be a first for most libraries.

The best part about these books is their location - right next to the snack stand. I can sip a coffee while the Bubs and I continue to cultivate our curiosity for reading.

The Pains of Sharing

 Ever since this day, the Bubs has been working hard on his sharing. A few weeks ago, I clicked these pics of the Bubs attempting to play with his friend's dump truck. The problem was that his buddy was still playing with the truck. I had to again reintroduce the concept of sharing to the Bubs.

It continues to challenge he and I. When the Bubs is requested to share a toy, he first waits. He grows quiet and focuses on the toy. He lowers his head and, well... he waits. It's an elusive strategy for me and I get lost in where he is emotionally. It makes it harder for me to make my next move. Sometimes I just wait too. We both end up staring at the toy. Other times, it is just he who stares at the toy while I stare at him... waiting for something to go on. Nothing. It's a form of "street smarts" and is very effective -  just say nothing. It's genius sometimes. However, it always leads to somebody being unhappy. Sharing is a painful practice when not fully understood.

Many of us are taught in elementary school to share with our fellow human beings. This is before we start earning money and paying bills. After the latter occurs, sharing becomes an opportunity cost. Maybe schools should begin teaching economics in kindergarten rather than senior year of high school. This may better prepare them for the world. Then sharing could be taught as a tax incentive.

Perhaps sharing a toy dump truck is a useful economic lesson for two-year olds? It's value is priceless when it can also be played with inside the sandbox.

The Confusion of "Having your Cake and Eating it Too."

 The Bubs is growing up with a seemingly innate belief that he can, "have his cake and eat it too." Although we're taught that there is a standard, there are many opinions in the world. With so many ideas out there, who is to say one is right and another is wrong? The Bubs may be welcomed in some groups and labeled by others. His mom and I have our jobs cut-out-for us.

An exciting life awaits him, but he will live in a society that promotes "having your cake and eating too" as THE path to success. He will be taught this in the many institutions and groups around him. He may even fall into the trap. There will be many trampling over each other along this path. Power is addictive.

To compound matters, there are some righteous individuals in our society who will be persuasive too, and the Bubs will have to interact with them. I hope that he finds the humor in these people. Comedians make good money making fun of them. I think the Bubs may even be taking on some of my funniness. ;)

In addition to the boat-loads of fun, he's going to experience lots of frustrating conflict if he doesn't grasp how power works in this society. This awareness only exists on the less traveled path, which not many follow. Power prescribes a standard. I hope the Bubs understands there is no standard. Although, he'll be taught the opposite in some of his schools, jobs, government and social groups.

How confusing this world will be for him, if not already for a two-year-old. It's good thing he has a reliable friend (pictured) who stands on the less-traveled path in life.

I hope they both run into more friends along this path.