Sure sign you’re a dad
When you realize the only thing you use your watch’s timer function for is for time outs.
Guessing game
Which side of the table do you think the grabby 18 month old is sitting on?
Stolen identity
Desi loves to steal Noah’s Batman mask. Problem is you have to position is just right, or it stabs him in both eyes. None the less, he’ll badger you to put it on him constantly.
we built a swing!
Today we built a swing in the front yard! Tree had the idea last weekend, and I’ve been planning it since then. I decided to invite Page, Joe, and Elijah (My sister, bro-in-law, and nephew) to help out. We put up the swing, played on it for a bit, and then grilled some hot dogs. Teresa’s grandparents had stopped through town too, so it was a nice day with family. Personally, I can’t wait to put everyone to bed and ride this sucker under the stars at night.
It's not exactly a small swing.
Hmm...the chain is rated for 800lbs...but what about the tree?
Noah may not be doing this right.
Am I the only one who thinks she gets prettier every day?
Page got artsy on this one of Desi.
Desi's main complaint was the lack of toddler swing.
AWW! Look at us! We're adorable!
You can see the whole gallery here, in printable sizes for any family that wants them. For non-family…you’re just being creepy.
now i get it
This morning I awoke at 5:45am because I am an idiot.
My sister is a runner. She’s done a couple marathons. Not halves, like losers do, but full marathons. When she moved into my neighborhood, I kicked around the idea of running with her. Lucky for me, she had fallen out of practice with the move, and was interested in short runs again. She also lamented a couple times about not getting back to it yet, so I figured I’d be a good brother, and get her started again by volunteering to go with her.
I just finished reading Don Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years which talks about kicking off your life’s “better story” with “inciting incidents”. This was mine. If I do it with Page, I may actually stick to it.
So we ran. I know enough people who run to have heard about all the little things that go with it. I can say that, after my 1.5 mile run this morning, it all makes sense.
About 200 yards in I began to beg Jesus for my second wind. Shortly there after, maybe around the quarter mile mark, I felt my nipples begin to chafe. Once we hit a mile, I started to feel a little better. My shoes felt more comfortable as my toe nails fell out. And then I crapped my pants.
So really, I think I covered the gamut of what runners experience. I certainly see now why they enjoy it so much. I never got the “runner’s high” but I imagine that comes once I lose feeling in my hamstrings. Lord knows that hasn’t happened yet.
All in all, I’d consider it a success. I did survive. I spent the rest of the morning bored from being up too early. Even after showering I was sweaty, so that was fun. Nothing like wiping your brow in between bites of cereal. Will i do it again? Well, Page has said we should try again on Wednesday. We’ll see.
this is getting serious
Yep. He’s done birds, mice, and today, he’s stepped up his game. I opened the garage door, and instantly noticed the rabbit. Even before I recognized Toby next to him, I said “Toby!” in the same voice your mom used when she found you covering your face in marker.
It’s hard to express my feelings. Part of me is disgusted. There is a large, dead animal in my garage after all. Another part of me is flattered. He brought his kill home to me. The other part of me is IM-PRESSED. Those rabbits are fast. And that thing is nearly as big as he is. I mean, how did he kill it?
Best part is he just kinda sat there, looking around like, “What, this? Oh, yeah, I did that. No big deal. You know, whatever.” His panting gave him away though. He worked hard on that one.
Here’s hoping he doesn’t bring home the great dane from next door in the following weeks.
desi’s first bike ride
Finally! After a year of waiting we got to do another family bike ride. As of the 25th Desi is deemed magically fit for bicycle riding.
Does this kid look ready to ride or what?
Any doubt that Teresa didn’t take to heart my year of whining was gone when we went out Sunday in the mid day heat. It was roughly two-hundred and thirty seven degrees out. 112% humidity. Needless to say the ride was short, but it was still enjoyable. We had to face the sad reality that hot while riding equals dying of heat stroke once you stop. (I think that’s God’s way of telling you to just stay on your bike.)
It was fun to see Teresa on a bike again. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but Tree is a closet bike lover. She’ll never admit to it, but when she gets on that trail, and no one else is around, she goes silent and gradually starts to speed up. Before I know it she’s disappeared around the bend and is nowhere to be found.
She had a rude awakening now that Noah is doing his own pedaling. She could play speed demon when I had Noah on the back of my bike, but now she’s gotta learn some self control. The big problem is that Noah absolutely refuses to “lose†to anyone. The entire bike ride he’s spouting off about what his race number is and how he’s winning and beating everyone etc. So when Tree takes off on one of her speed trances Noah immediately does his best to keep up, which is hard with the amateur gearing on his bike.
Meanwhile, Desi gives very little input.
I can't ever tell if this is from comfort or boredom.
If Tree wasn’t in one of her speed trances I’m sure she would have questioned whether he was napping or having a heat stroke.
We had almost made it back to the car when Noah’s spirit gave out on him and the last 100 yards or so was through gnashed teeth and howls, like we’ve seen in the past.
Overall, no one died, or lost any skin, so I’d deem it a successful family bike ride. Now we just have to do this once a week.
if i’m not bleeding, it’s not a bike ride
Yesterday I rode Bear Creek Trail in Ellijay, GA for the second time. Thanks to my friend Chris Korte, I was able to ride a full suspension Specialized, which is much like piloting a water bed with good steering. Instead of climbing like real men, we decided to shuttle ourselves up top, Chris, myself, and Chris’s friend Dave, going down two at a time while the third man drove back down. Oddly enough, we found that riding down the mountain is faster than driving. By almost ten minutes. Of course, that’s not too hard to believe after I tell you that I held the group’s speed record of 29.1 mph. That’s down the side of a mountain. A bumpy one. ‘Twas awesome.
Of course, that kind of speed comes at a price. I was warned about a downed tree near the top of the trail, and I stopped for it fine, but when I swung my leg over my bike to dismount, I ran my leg right into one of said tree’s broken branches. Shortly after getting back on, I took a tumble over my handle bars that probably would have killed me if I hadn’t had my helmet on. So that wreck left me with some road (trail?) rash on my left shoulder, which made sleeping last night a pain (Ha! Puns!)
I wanted to take some video, but I made the decision to live the moment rather than just try to document it. I only half regret it. I do have SOME video though, which I hope to have up before the end of the week.
On to more suburban topics. My sister, Page, moved in to a house right down the street from me. .2 miles away to be exact. It’s a five minute walk. 2 minute bike ride. 6 and a half hour plane ride. (You gotta compensate for security.) It’s been 7 years since Teresa and I have lived relatively close to any family. My other sister, Kathie, moved to Columbus a while ago, but that’s still 2 and a half hours away. We can do some weekends together, but it just ain’t the same.
It’s funny, riding back and forth between houses, dropping my bike down in front yards, and running inside. It’s a lot like being 8 again.
We’ve already had several dinners together, I’ve gone over late at night after Tree goes to sleep to just hang out…it’s almost like having a real social life. I could get used to it. Guess I need to start scheming now about how to keep them from moving at the end of their lease. Unless they want to move next door. Hmm…maybe I should scheme to drive out my neighbors…
Heck, tonight Teresa and I even get to go on a date! Well, maybe. I don’t know if Tree has talked to Page about watching the kids yet. So…80% chance of a real date tonight! Only a day after our 7 year anniversary no less!
this could be habit forming
Noah and I went out for another bike ride this morning, thanks to Teresa being canceled for work today. That’s 2 rides in 2 weeks. That’s a tradition I wouldn’t mind starting.
Noah rode 6.33 miles this time around. Up from 4.5 last time. He claims he can do 8 miles next time, but I think his bravado may get the best of him, leaving me stranded on the greenway with a sobbing, tired child.
As if riding with Noah wasn’t fun enough, we also discovered that RAMBO has another set of single track trails towards the opposite end of the Roswell-Alpharetta Greenway from the Big Creek Trails. The sign listed them as beginner and a little more advanced, which to me says “Perfect for going fast on your cyclocross bike.” Which means, maybe next time (next year?) I get to go for a ride by myself, maybe I’ll check that out rather than the Big Creek trails. Noah and I rode on them for a little bit, but they got kind over his head pretty quickly, and he had already ridden 3 miles at that point, so I didn’t want to tire him out for the ride back. Maybe next time we’ll drop into the Greenway closer to those trails and give them a good try.
I’m babbling. Here’s a picture of Noah looking cute and awesome at the same time:
He loves riding on dirt. Gonna have to get him out there on more of it.
2 more weeks and Desi will be old enough for a helmet, which Teresa deems the right time for him to start accompanying Noah and me. Upside, family rides, and probably “Daddy and the boys” rides every Saturday. Downside, Tree will probably frown on me taking Desi on that new found single track.
Either way, it’s more bike riding, and that makes me happy.
© 2009 tonybullard.com
