T.W.I.P. Notes (This Week In Parenting)

1) Parker has taken a keen interest in letters and the act of spelling her name. She can write her name however the sequence of the letters tends to be a bit erroneous (“Parekr”, “Pakrer”, or “Parkre”). Usually she brings it up when I’m wearing a shirt with writing on it. She also makes a point to verbally point out letters that are in my name as well as Georgia’s name. It's an interesting cerebral process she goes through. To witness it as a parent is divine.

2) Everybody was sick last week-Georgia, Parker, and Laura. Somehow I avoided the big mucus-laden mess. Luckily it wasn’t the flu, just head colds and congestion but it lasted all week.

3) CD number two of the Magnificent Fantastic’s new double cd “Sweet” is being finalized. This 48-song double cd will be our second (and final) effort. This project has taken about a year and a half to record with continual writing, recording, mixing, remixing, etc….ugh. I'm tired of it.



With that said this will be the final children’s music cd however, there is a new music project currently in development. The overall concept is to re-interpret the songs from the recent cd, “Sweet” into a homosexually-themed concept album. The name of the project will be “The Fagnificent Mantastic".

Now hear me out...

This quite original yet highly-controversial musical project will take the song titles from “Sweet” and re-interpret the lyrics to meet the project directive...a celebration of all things "gay". Song titles from the children’s cd will be used in both projects. These songs include “Pink Thongs”, “Spank Me”, “Mr. Fancy Pants”, “Play With Your Toys”, and “Tickle Here, Tickle There”.

Other project ideas that were bandied about yet determined to be too controversial were:

-A collection of songs celebrating the greatness of the Dahl family called “The Bragnificent Clantastic”. Songs include "Let's Cheat at Snarts", "The Toilet is Full of Crap and SO IS THE GARAGE!", and the country classic "The House Looks Empty With Just Three Cars Parked In Front of it".

-A grouping of musical numbers acknowledging older ladies with cleavage titled “The Sagnificent Cantastic”

-A jubilant celebration of the menses with the working title “The Ragnificent Madtastic”

Georgia the Daredevil

Ouch.

First Rainy Day of the Season

I love the rain! Rainy days are something to celebrate. We always have in my family.
When I was little my mom would always bake chocolate chip cookies on rainy days. We'd go for long walks in the rain, stepping on snails, racing toy boats down the gutters. One time, when the rain was really heavy, my best friend, Melissa, and I actually got our boogie boards out and tried to ride them down the "river" in the gutter. There is so much fun to be had on the few rainy days we get in Ventura.

When we woke up on Wednesday morning, first thing we did was open the front door and sat in the doorway and watched the rain. This was a first for Georgia (I'm sure she doesn't remember it from last year).

Parker went with Dad to get the paper.
After Georgia's nap I took the girls out for a walk in the rain and a search for good splashing puddles.

We didn't find many good puddles but we did come across a tetherball court.
It was so warm and humid! Some of the rain gear came off before we headed home.

Block Party!

The First Annual Hollings Street Block Party was held on October 3rd. The party went on from 2pm until 8 pm. I’d call it a success. Included in the extravaganza was:

-An intense and controversial game of Musical Chairs (featuring a live band…who pretty much sucked)
-One big jumper and a little jumper for the little ones
-A giant cookout which included a lot of food, even more food, and a couple snacks
-Neighbors getting to know each other a little better including an awful large number of overtly social, talkative women conversing with each other
-Two piñatas
-A visit from the local fire truck courtesy of the Ventura Fire Department
-A parade of decorated bicycles and tricycles
-A live band that had no idea what songs to play and pretty much sucked (it’s worth repeating)

Action photo...candy in flight. Parker doesn't stand a chance.

Judging from the picture...guess who won at Musical Chairs?

Members of our sucky band

Fan base of our sucky band

More members of our sucky band

Campout!...sorta

We staged a suburban campout last night at the driveway of our next door neighbor’s house. The kids had a great time and the parents as well. The campout included a hearty campfire, toasted chocolaty smores, an elegant abundance of alcohol (Laura drank too much), jubilant children, pleasant late evening weather, convenient location, and a soothing guitar duo providing background entertainment.

Storycorps

Any loyal NPR listener knows of storycorps. It began about six years ago in a storybooth in a terminal at NYC’s Grand Central Station. The main goal is to celebrate life through listening. The conversation/interview is usually between two people; a parent/child, husband/wife, or siblings. They usually talk about 3 minutes or so; it’s recorded, shared with the world, and stored at the Library of Congress.

After having numerous conversations with Parker I thought it would be funny if I could capture one of our recent conversations and record it for the project. The reason I find it funny is the context of the conversations on the show is usually some intense life experience shared between two people, such as a husband/wife that have been married for eighty years and relive their first date, or an immigrant telling his grandson about his journey to America, or a couple of friends sharing stories about crazy Uncle Al. So I thought it would be funny (in theory) if some of my recent conversations with Parker were recorded against the Storycorps backdrop.

1) I was lounging on the couch enjoying the incredibly fair and balanced Fox News (know thy enemy) when Parker comes and sits next to me. The report is showing footage and talking about the “amazing” number of protesters at their Tea Parties.

PJ: Are they having a tea party?
Me: Well, sorta yes.
PJ: That’s soooo fun, I love tea parties. Can we go?
Me: No we cannot.
PJ: But why?
Me: Because they were held several weeks ago
PJ: Oh
Me: Plus, it’s not the same type of tea party that you like to have.
PJ: {watching tv} Why are they so mad?
Me: {Sigh} that’s a long story Parker
PJ: Look at all the signs they made! They look Coolio! Daddy, can we make a sign for our tea party?
Me: Sure Parker.

2) Laying in bed with Parker at her bedtime.

PJ: Daddy, I love my mommy.
Me: Really, can you tell me why?
PJ: Well, she is always looking out for me, she lets me make my own sandwich, she takes me to pre-school every morning.
Me: Yeah…any thing else?
PJ: She brings such sweet joy to me.
Me: (chuckling) She brings you sweet joy?
PJ: Yeah, she brings me such sweet joy.

3) My mom brought Parker to my most recent baseball game at Ventura College. I came out of the dugout and joined Parker in the bleachers while my team was up to bat. A guy on my team with somewhat long blonde hair (lays a little past his shoulders) came up to home plate for his turn at bat.

PJ: Daddy, that’s a girl and girls don’t play baseball!
Me: Sure, they do. But that’s a boy Parker.
PJ: No it’s not – that’s a girl and girls don’t play baseball!
Me: There was a girl on my little league team that played baseball, although most girls play softball which is a lot like baseball.
PJ: Softball?
Me: Yes, softball.
PJ: Then why doesn’t that girl play softball?
Me: That’s a boy Parker. He just has long hair.
PJ: Oh.