December Days - 12.19.10

One of the joys of being around family during the holidays is getting the chance to spend some time with nieces and nephews we don't get the chance to watch grow up on a daily basis.  They seem to grow in what seems like bigger steps than the gradual growth we experience on a daily basis with our own kids.  I know our brothers and sisters feel the same way about our kids.

A little girl and her dogs

My own kids are past that toddler stage and they seem to be moving further and further from it at lightening speed, so it's been fun to be around my three year old niece and be reminded of when my own kids were at that stage.  I don't know if it's easier or harder when they are that little, but it sure is fun to reminisce about the funny things Makela used to do at that age or how my niece's obsession with her little toy dogs mirrors Kyron's own, at that age.  We smile and talk about how cute and funny it is and then someone steps on one of those little hard plastic dogs with their bare feet and you quickly remember why you're glad they grow out of these stages.  It doesn't take too long though before you see that little girl playing with her dogs again and your foot stops hurting and you just get caught up trying to slow down time and enjoy the moment, knowing you're going to blink soon and it will be gone.

 

December Days 12.15.10

I've hi-jacked my Dad's blog because I have an important message to share. There are other kids in our family besides Kyron!

Sure he's cute and funny, but it's just because he's the youngest and he's supposed to be cute and funny right now.  He's easy to write about because it's all just cute and funny stuff!  Some of your older kids are older and wiser and can help you write about more important topics.  Don't just spend your time trying to embarrass us, share your own funny stories. Blog about the time you blamed us kids for dropping and denting your iPad, and then realized you had done it, not us.  That's a good story.  Or spend the time to answer the question everyone wants to know, which one of us is your favorite?  Everyone knows it's me!

You can have your blog back now Phil Dunphy.

December Days - 12.8.10

We've spent most of the last few weeks focused on all the boys' basketball games, but tonight was Makela's turn to take the spotlight.  We haven't been around a lot of middle school bands in our days, but the band program at Clay Middle School is very impressive.

Makela plays the clarinet and seems to really enjoy being part of something bigger than herself.  She loves both her band teachers and always has fun stories to share with everyone at home.

Tonight the entertainment was great on stage, and enhanced by the brothers in the audience.  Whether it was Caleb goofing around and shouting to Makela from the audience in an attempt to both embarrass her and make her smile or Kyron dancing to the songs, everyone had a great time.

Quote of the night came from Kyron though after the 8th grade band finished warming up.  He simply turned to his mom and in a not very quiet voice said "That sounded terrible!"

Musical Amazement!

This past weekend was our first weekend of no basketball in about 5 months, even through the holidays! With our party size family though it doesn't mean we slow down, just that our attention turns elsewhere. After 5 months of focus on the boys it was time for Makela to get a little of the spotlight as her middle school band participated in the Indiana Music Educators Association non-competitive music festival. It was the first time she had been to an event like this with a performance, adjudicating, and workshop components. To be honest the whole thing was a sort of reminder of days gone by from when Marcy and I were kids doing the same types of music festivals. It's strange to watch your kids going through the experiences you still have many great memories of yourself.

Anyways, I have heard Makela's band perform before but I was absolutely blown away. These sixth graders were awesome! I was so proud of them all, but especially Makela. Both her band teachers have done a great job of building camaraderie within the group and Makela genuinely enjoys her role as part of something much bigger. "We're like a big family!" is how Makela describes her experience in band. (Big shout out to Mrs. Pote and Mrs. Allen for the positive impact on Makela and the other kids) Clay Middle School has some serious musical talent in their building. It will be fun to watch these kids grow as musicians in the years to come. As great as they seem today, I can only imagine how wonderful they will sound in a few years.

With all the focus on sports in our house, it's nice to have someone interested in the performing arts to help balance it all out. I'm so proud of Makela and how well she and her other family did Saturday.

December Days - 12.30.09

She's waited patiently all month for the spotlight to turn towards her and has only reminded me once a day that I haven't blogged about her yet, but she's my most faithful blog reader and commenter, among many other special things she is.

The past week and a half we've enjoyed spending time with Marcy's brother and his family including our 2 year old niece, Preslee. All this time with Preslee has made it so clear how far removed from that toddler stage my own little girl is, but watching Makela with Preslee has given me a greater appreciation for what a great person Makela is growing to be.

She's at such a tough age right now, stuck in those tween years and rapidly becoming more annoyed with her parents than she ever has been before. That means there are definitely those times when we butt heads, but more often than not Makela is a really great kid. One of my goals this year is to make sure I increase the one-on-one time with her - more Dad/Daughter dates and time to continue working on staying close. I'm sure that as Makela is reading this, she's marking down sushi dates in her calendar.

Makela, Me, and Sushi....I can't wait!

It Won't Be Like This For Long

A co-worker of mine forwarded a video of Darius Rucker's song It Won't Be Like This For Long to me and others today because she was moved after hearing it as it relates to her experiences as a new mother. I have heard other songs like this (Father/Daughter relationship): Butterfly Kisses, Ready, Set, Don't Go, or (my favorite) Cinderella but today this one really hit me.

The last part of the song, especially, really spoke to my experiences as a parent right now. When my daughter, Makela, was born and through those first couple years I was so scared to have any more children because I couldn’t comprehend HOW I could love another one as much as Her; but that’s the real miracle of being a parent because somehow you do! Your heart doubles in size in an instant and you just do! You hold on to those memories of the early years with each "first" experience and just try to cherish each memory as they are created.  

Fast forward to today and Makela is at that stage now where she’s a tween and all the conflict with Mom and Dad is happening more frequently. I am so fearful of doing things that drive her away, but trying to balance that with the responsibility I have to teach and guide her. It’s tough and seems to get tougher each day, but this song is a great reminder that it won’t be like this for long and I need to enjoy/appreciate/cherish/celebrate EVERY moment with her.

It Won't Be Like This For Long (Lyrics)
He didn't have to wake up
He'd been up all nite
Lay'n there in bed listen'n
To his new born baby cry
He makes a pot of coffee
He splashes water on his face
His wife gives him a kiss and says
It gonna be OK

It wont be like this for long
One day soon we'll look back laugh'n
At the week we brought her home
This phase is gonna fly by
So baby just hold on
It won't be like this for long

Four years later bout four thirty
She's crawling in their bed
And when he drops her off at preschool
She's clinging to his leg
The teacher peels her off of him
He says what can I do
She says now don't you worry
This will only last a week or two

It wont be like this for long
One day soon we'll drop her off
And she wont even know you're gone
This phase is gonna fly by
If you can just hold on
It wont be like this for long

One day soon she'll be a teenager
And at times you'll think she hates him
Then he'll walk her down the aisle
And he'll raise her veil
But right now she up and cry'n
And the truth is that he don't mind
As he kisses her good night
And she says her prayers
He lays down there beside her
Till her eyes are finally closed
And just watch'n her it breaks his heart
Cause he already knows
It wont be like this for long
One day soon that little girl is gonna be
All grown up and gone
Yeah this phase is gonna fly by
He's try'n to hold on
It wont be like this for long
It wont be like this for long