I hope Elwood meets a Jimmy

Jimmy and Conor have been buddies since their voices started to crack and they began to notice that ladies weren't as annoying as they once thought them to be.  They have been doing cool shit ever since. Like really cool shit.  We got a badass sailing canoe off of craigslist (we were looking for a second vehicle but when that bad boy popped up under the search for volvo wagons it was a no brainer to spend the car money on her) and Jimmy instantly started researching spoil islands to camp on, tidal changes in our area, best routes across the Everglades, possible routes from our house to his, wind patterns for this time of year, lee board size calculations, and possible modifications to add to reduce water splashing into the canoe on account of plowing through seas at his predicated 8-10 knots.  Jimmy:  Optimist, Prepared Planner, Genuine Good Guy. . . and also a Husband to one of my favorite ladies in the Universe and Dad to two beautiful, tough little girls.  I want Elwood to have a Jimmy in his life.  A life long friend who brings the best out in him; a buddy that makes life more fun.  Boys can always find drinking buddies or lady chasing buddies and I'm not saying Con and Jimmy were not those kind of friends, being much more proficient at the former than the latter back in college, but over the course of the 20 years they have known each other the core of their friendship is not built from the superficial bricks of party life but rather it has been built on trust, love, reliability, supportive talks, rational thinking. . .  and doing tons of cool shit together.  The other weekend I held Elwood on my hip as I watched Jimmy and Conor scramble around looking like the 12 year old versions of themselves as they readied the sailing canoe for her maiden voyage camping trip down the Indian River.  A "test run" I was told by the boys to see what adjustments need to be made so it will be comfortable for when Elwood and I get to go.  As the boys pushed off from shore, giddy with the lure of adventure, I waved them off with just a few pangs of envy.  I then looked down at my grinning little boy and thought
  I hope you meet a Jimmy to do all sorts of cool shit with.   

"Jimbo. . . you were right, this splash guard is nice"

"Dad, what do you mean I'm not going? I thought this was a boys trip?"

Bubby has been nabbed

Nabbed is an understatement.  Elwood is beyond in love with Bubby and Elwood has gotten fast.  Too fast for Bubby.  Penny has better anticipation and isn't scared to knock Woody over to get out of his way but Bubby is timid and when cornered by a excited 11 month old, he gets frozen in his tracks.  Bubby gets nabbed on a damn near constant basis and he just pitifully stands there while Elwood squeals with joy and does circles around him, proceeding to poke his fingers into eyes and nostrils.  Bubby just looks up at me as if to say, "What do I do now?"
And for those of you that fear for the safety of my kid:  Relax, these are supervised eye pokes.

All kidding aside, Conor and I do take the safety of our kid and our dogs seriously.  No one can predict what an animal will do all the time, especially when tested by a kid. I want our dogs to get use to Elwood balancing on them, petting them too hard, and yes, poking them in the nostrils. . . while I sit there and rub them and tell them what good dogs they are.  I also am encouraging Elwood to be gentle, showing him how to pet nicely and I tell him that eyes and noses are off limits.  The reason we do this is because we have chosen to have dogs prior to babies (I think that rarely this happens in the opposite order) and they both need to learn to be gentle and accepting of one another.  Both of our dogs have gotten a ton more love lately.  We all just sit on the floor while Elwood delightfully gets brushed in the face with Pen's tail and licked by Bubby while I rub bellies and tell the dogs what a great job they are doing with the newest member of our tribe.  And I try to catch those chubby Elwood fingers before they get to any orifices.

Blurry but highly accurate pictures of what goes on in our house lately

Heart Doctor Seeking Valentine

Must love the outdoors, music, dance parties, Oats, going to bed early and getting up early, wrestling matches, reading books, bird watching, the beach, smooches, and grapes.  Mature women who don't mind changing diapers a plus.

In My Life

I sing to Elwood.  I am not a singer.  I mess up lyrics, I mix them up, I combine songs, and make up words, but not in a cool creative way, in an embarrassing way.  My little buddy loves to be sung to, so I sing everyday, multiple times a day.  And I have done this since he was brand new.  It is harder than one might think to remember words to songs while singing A Capella, while sleep deprived, and have it sound soothing.  Sure, I can sing all the words to Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Shoop by Salt 'n' Pepa but that is not lulling anyone to sleep. I thought more Jack Johnson or Mason Jennings or hell, even Jewel, songs would come to mind but I've tried.  I have a very limited number of songs that I can sing more than a few lines to without the actual music playing with me.

My mom loves The Beatles and the soundtrack of my childhood is Rubber Soul, Abbey Road, and Let It Be (with some Legend by Bob thrown in there).  So, my go-to songs for Elwood are anything from those albums, more specifically Let it Be and In My Life.  In My life is the one that Elwood hears the most and the meaning of the lyrics has changed dramatically for me since I have started singing it to my little love.  I hold my son and sing these words.  

                                                                   "In My Life"

There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

In my life I love you more

Don't worry, Pops, because of you, I also know most of the words to Ripple and Sugar Magnolia, which Woody hears on a semi-regular basis.    

And I think of love as something new

In My Life, I Love You More 

If you visit us you may get. . .

. . . To hang out in the sailing canoe

. . . to hang on the beach

"Woody you should really keep your hat on."

"Okay. . . If you wont keep it on,
I'll just cover your head with sand."

. . . up close and personal with this guy

. . . A clothing optional beach back massage

"T, Thanks for visiting, your shoulders look a little sore."

"Oh yeah, geez, you got a huge knot right here."

. . . Snuggles and Books

. . . A tour of our house

"Here's the fan"

. . . A Bike Ride

Come visit!!