thematdad

Buy this House & Dance

5/4/2019 – Saturday

Mom took the boys to a mommy/son dance yesterday. On her orders I had stopped at the florist to get two single roses for the boys to give to her. (Sidebar: I was next in line for the cashier and there were two people behind me. This old lady moseys in and walks right up to the counter and asks to pick up her order. She sidled right in front of me to yell at the cashier: “Yeah, pick up for Cunt McCunterson!” I really wanted to notify her of the fact that there was a line in a very impolite way, but I resisted. However, when she was filling out her cards and asked the audience how to spell choreograph, I didn’t help her and you know damn well I knew how to spell choreograph.) I told the boys to give the flowers to mom, ask her to the dance, and say “these flowers are beautiful, but not as beautiful as you”. They gave mom about five seconds with her flowers before taking them back and tearing them apart petal by petal (She loves me!).

While they were at the dance I ate a dairy-free dinner since I decided yesterday that I’m not doing dairy anymore. Me and cow titties have had a good run, but there’s been enough flatulence to call it a day. After that I spot cleaned the many stains on our upstairs carpet. Most of them have been in there long enough to make it a lost cause, but I did get a milk stain out of H’s room that I should’ve cleaned up 8 months ago when it happened. When they got home from the dance J was sent packing without bedtime books because he wasn’t listening and he face rammed mommy while she was trying to show me videos from her phone of H doing an amazing twerk.

We had an open house today from 11-2. No takers, five visitors. Going to drop price from 375K to $360 or $350 soon. I’m trying to tune out my inner insane person because every time I clean something it opens my eyes to something new that sucks about our house and I say another promise not to neglect our new house like we did this one.

I took the boys to H’s soccer class while mom did some last minute cleaning. They did the soccer lesson on the tennis courts. Every time H runs I picture him falling on his face. I feel like I’m just waiting for them to get hurt. Then we met up at the dinosaur exhibit. Driving down the long, rolling, winding lane of the perfectly manicured grounds of the prep school made me wish we could send the boys there. Part of me wanted to pull out of the deal on the new house, stay in the current one, and put all dad’s life insurance money into tuition. Even all that money would probably only get you kids through grade school. Then we’d have to pay our own money when Dad’s ran out, which would really cut into our plan to retire in key west by age 60. The public schools in our new town kick ass, you’ll be fine.

We ate lunch at a new place. J and H each got pancakes that were amazing. I had to violate my dairy-free lifestyle in order to test them for heat. It took a few bites to make sure they were just right for consumption. H had a pretty huge milk spill. Accidents happen. No nap for J today so he was acting extra insane tonight. After having to tell him five times to brush his teeth and put his jammies on I was at my wits end. Then when he kept putting his nose in my face like he did to mommy that was the last straw. I’m going to head downstairs now and watch “A Star is Born” (Bradley Cooper / Gaga version) with Mom. Sleep tight.

Secret Cookies & Kindergarten

5/2/2019 – Thursday

H successfully avoided his third straight day of getting a time out at school for roughing up his buddy. As J would say, he was being bad H, and we want good H. H woke up when I did at 5:30 this morning. He stayed behind with Mommy for breakfast (toaster waffle with bananas and syrup on top) while I went off to Orange Theory fitness where I managed to not shit my pants.

Mom picked up J at school early so they could go check out his future kindergarten class together. He loved the toy cars selection so it should work out for him. I picked up H at daycare then we met up with Mom and J for dinner while some potential buyers took a tour of the house. H was crying because mommy wasn’t there and he didn’t want to go out to dinner and his foot hurt and he wanted to hold his medicine and he wanted to buckle his self in. That 5:30 wake-up call was biting him in the ass. At dinner H was running around the restaurant like a crazy man. I thought he was trying to find a corner to hide in to take a poop. So I carried him to the bathroom and put him on the potty in hopes of a clean deuce since I didn’t have any extra diapers. Hysterics ensued and there would be no potty poop, luckily there was no poop in diaper either.

I was on solo bedtime duty tonight so mom could get her hair did. Both boys were cray cray after tubby time. I was getting frustrated and starting to lose my patience. I didn’t scare them with any wild outbursts of rage, but H did lose any chance of a treat tomorrow and I pretty much had to hog tie him to get his jammies on. I gave J my phone while I put H to bed. We had a deal to split a cookie together after I got H down. We had just finished our delicious cookie mom brought back from San Diego when H burst into the kitchen, having picked his lock. Luckily he didn’t notice and I told J not to blow our cover. I discreetly wiped up the rainbow sprinkles and H was none the wiser. Sucker! H escaped his room three times before finally settling. I read J Cars 2 for the 3^rd time in the last week. His favorite scene is when Mater goes to the Japanese toilet and he acts out like he just took a huge poop. He learned everything he knows from me.

Tubby Time

4/30/19 – Tuesday

It’s 9:09 PM, halftime of the Celtics-Bucks game. Celts trail by four. J is departing my room after a thunder induced visit. There’s a steady rain and the occasional thunder clap, pretty peaceful if you ask me. I’m more worried that he hasn’t pooped since Saturday. Looks like he’s holding in a belly full of shit. I gave the boys tubbies tonight and they were acting insane afterward per usual. The routine at the end of the tubby is they lay down in the tub side by side until the water drains out. Then I restart the water to rinse off the suds by dousing them with water from big bubba keg cup. They like getting their nuts splashed. Then there’s a struggle to see who can be the first one out of the tub, with J winning tonight. I bundle them both up like burritos in their towels, then they run around screaming until the towels fall off. Tonight they were showing off their booties.

Then they were playing their guitars singing a song about cheese and tacos. It took a long time of them not listening to a word I said to finally get them settled. We read The Incredibles and Monsters University from the Disney book in J’s room. I’ve put in a no Cars 2 rule the last couple days because I’m so sick of it. I got H down by sitting cross legged in his room and humming the go to sleep song. Now I’m going to get back to the Celts game.

Solo Dad

4/29/19 – Monday

Mom is in San Diego for the Gartner Consulting conference so I’m in super Dad mode. H crawled into bed with me around five this morning and not much sleep happened between then and 6:20 when I got in the shower and turned on Blaze and the monster machines for him. When I was done with the shower J had joined H in our bed. Aside from the standard teeth pulling about teeth brushing, getting clothes on, eating, and getting out the door; it was a pretty good morning and I was ready to kick ass. On my way into work I listened to a book called “You are a badass”. I was ready to crush this Monday. Then as I was getting my morning herbal tea, I ripped my sweet J Crew pink/red button down on a drawer. Nothing major, still going to crush it, I just had to switch over to a tucked in look to conceal the tear.

Mimi and Poppa picked the boys up from daycare today so I could go to J’s kindergarten open house. Looks like a nice school. I think it will be a great community to raise the kids. Saw a friend from work who will also be sending her daughter to school at Moraine. I had to fill out a card about J to give to school and they asked what he enjoyed as far as learning goes. I said maps and numbers. They asked what books he was reading and I said he was doing the Bob books, though we haven’t done those in a while. Need to get back into the reading routine so J picks it up.

The boys were chilling on their tablets when I got home. Then after Mimi and Poppa left and it was time to go to bed, they amazingly got hungry again. So I gave them a cheese stick and their leftover McDonalds. They were running around like wild animals while I was trying to get them to brush their teeth. Whenever I want them to do something I go into super angry guy voice mode, which can’t be good parenting. My dad used to do that and it scared the shit out of me. It’s easier than thinking of the right threat in the spur of the moment. Like, “If you don’t start brushing your teeth in five seconds, I’ll lock you in your room for the night”. Or I’ll take away your morning fruit snack, or your tablet. I hate having to threaten, but is there any other way? It’s not like I can just ask them to do something and J will be like, “H, did you hear that? Dad asked us to get our PJ’s on and brush our teeth. Let’s do that right away because it’s important for our sleep comfort and dental hygiene. Plus Dad asked us, and he knows what’s good for us”. We read Toy Story 2 and some peek a boo truck book for babies that’s been ripped apart. J was stinky tooting the whole time but wouldn’t poop. H aggravated his infected knee trying to do some weird somersault into his bed. That boy is a wild man.

They finally went down around 9:20. Now it’s my turn. I did my best today and I’ll do it again tomorrow.

About Them

J, you’re five and H, you’re three, so I guess whatever happened in your life to this point will remain a mystery. It should go without saying that I love you as much as I love anything in the world. The kind of love that when I think about it, it makes me cry, because it’s too much.

J, I would say you’re a bit more cautious than H. You’ve only been to the ER once and H has already been thrice. We took you when you had a virus and high fever when you were a baby. If it were up to me, you’d have zero ER trips but mom wanted to make sure you were okay. You’re the type of five year old that doesn’t mind doing his own thing. You don’t like taking orders. You’re good at getting other people to do what you want to do, you get that from Mom. You care deeply for the people in your life. Last week when we left Nana’s you cried because you were going to miss her. You tell me you’re sorry my Dad died and that you miss him. Tonight when mom had to leave for a business trip, four hugs goodbye wasn’t enough and you cried when she closed the door (After I pried you away from it). You’re really smart. You are good with numbers and really into maps. You say “I know that” a lot when I tell you something. I’m not sure if you really know or just don’t want anyone to think you don’t know. Mom and I are working on tougher discipline for you. If we say no treat, tv, or tablet, we’re trying to follow through. It’s hard, part of me wants to give you everything you want and the other part wants you to do as your told. Tough love with a heavy dose of love I guess.

H, you’re a snugglebuddy. You love to cuddle, kiss, and hug. You smile all the time. You make really funny faces. You do everything your big bro does. You’re a tough cookie, but you’ve had some accidents that have landed you in the ER 3 times. The first time you were around 1.5 and you got into the recycling and sliced your finger on the top of soup can. It was first thing in the morning and I was on the shitter. Mom rushed in with you and that index finger bleeding all over the place. That was a fine how do you do! I think you had to get around seven stitches for that one. It took four nurses and me to hold you down, plus enough drugs to knock down a seven year old before the doctor could get to sewing. The second time was a month ago. You, me, and J were playing Transformers on my bed and I fell back on you awkwardly. It knocked the wind out of you and you couldn’t catch your breath. I remember your face being frozen like you were trying to cry but no noise was coming out. Then as I hugged you and tried to comfort you, you went limp in my arms. I laid you down and the blood drained from your face. You had fainted, but I didn’t know what had happened so I yelled to Mom and she called 911. By the time the police, fire truck, and ambulance got here you were coming out of it. Mom had me take J out of the room because he was so scared, so I didn’t get to see you come to. I had never been more scared. We went to the ER to be safe and they confirmed it was a “vasovagal” response to not being able to catch your breath. Needless to say, Daddy is now done with all forms of horseplay. No more horsey rides, transformer fighting, or body slams. The third trip happened yesterday. We were in S.C. last weekend for Easter and you fell and skinned your knee while playing with the cousins. Nana cleaned it up and we didn’t think anything of it. At school this past Wednesday – Friday the teachers said you were complaining of your knee hurting. Your limp got worse and worse. Mom thought the bumps that were starting to form around your cut were a sign it was infected. She was right. I called the doctor on Saturday morning, and the doctor sent us to the ER to get it checked out. You had a 103 fever. Luckily the infection hadn’t spread to your joints. That would’ve meant we’d have had to stay at the hospital longer on an antibiotic IV. As it was, they gave you fluids and a little antibiotic in an IV and then sent you on your way. Now you’re taking oral antibiotics three times a day (Keflex). I should’ve watched the cut more closely and been more vigilant about keeping it clean. You can blame me for two out of your three ER trips. I don’t think you would though, you don’t seem like the type to hold grudges. You’re a fun-loving, laid back dude. You always want to help mom and dad with our chores.

We will remember

I don’t want my three and five-year-old boys to wonder what happened during their childhood. This blog will serve as a record. Sometimes I’ll simply archive events and inane details and you’ll wonder why you wasted your eyesight. Other times I’ll vent when I’m pissed at the boys or the world. Most of the time it will be me coming up with new ways to express my love. I’ll try to be as honest as I can without hurting any feelings.