Monday, June 16, 2008

Reflections After Father's Day

One of the things that occupied my Father's Day yesterday, besides those children that give me the honor and challenge, was of course the memorial of Tim Russert, which I already covered yesterday. However, as he was both a son and a father when he left us, and since he has chronicled the father-son (and/or father-daughter) relationship in some way in a couple of books. As I haven't read them (along with a lot of other great books, I figured I'd just share what I've learned so far. Just remember that all this advice is from dealing with preschoolers.

Kids don't have taste buds - Saturday night, I did steaks and green beans in the pouch. Sunday was pork with a ginger sesame glaze and my potatoes, onions, and peppers. And for supper a brat for me, hot dogs for them and box mac for all. They both ate like a snake with a paper ass. But I enjoyed my food. They opted for granola bars and cereal and shit.

Anything activity is more fun (or insane) with children involved - Here's a list of things that we did: Watched the rest of the movie Gettysburg (which involves the use of the word boom), broke out the kiddie pool for the first time this year, daily kids bath (complicated by the fact this happened during Meet the Press as usual), played video games (Final Fantasy X, if you wanted to know), looked at birds and ants, and watched a storm roll in. Either way, they ran themselves to some naptime, pissed on something absorbent in turn (one was napping though), frustrated the shit out of me both together and individually, and gave me a great Father's Day.

Most owies only need a kiss to make them better - I think I used a little spit on a scrape, some aloe on a sunburn, and my usual phrase: "Suck it up. You're not dead." Believe it or not, it works.

I know there's more to it, but really it's about spending time with them every day. Because at some point, all they do is swing by work with liquor bottles to make up for not coming out to see you on Fathers Day itself. Which reminds me, I've got to go see my father today. I have a bottle of rum for him....

7 comments:

Beth said...

Glad to hear you had a great Father's Day, Patrick, you deserve it!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you had a great day.

Kids love hanging out with Dad.

Kudos to you for a job well done!

Name: Soapboxgod said...

Glad to hear is was a great day. Incidently, what kind of rum did you buy your dad?

Anonymous said...

This is off topic, but I just came across this interesting tidbit at a blog I link to at my site, Jack and Jill Politics:

I'm posting it here because I believe you were promoting Watts for McCain's VP

J.C. Watts, a former Oklahoma congressman who once was part of the GOP House leadership, said he's thinking of voting for Obama. Watts said he's still a Republican, but he criticizes his party for neglecting the black community. Black Republicans, he said, have to concede that while they might not agree with Democrats on issues, at least that party reaches out to them.

"And Obama highlights that even more," Watts said, adding that he expects Obama to take on issues such as poverty and urban policy. "Republicans often seem indifferent to those things."

Patrick M said...

Went with Meier's.

Made in the great state of Ohio. They also make a cream sherry which is most excellent.

Patrick M said...

Shaw: JC is off the list as of when I heard that.

Obob said...

I still have those lucid moments of having three kids, minvan, house in the burbs. Plus I lost the receipt and I can't return my kids to the store.