Variety Is Good

Folks who have met Z or heard me talk affectionately about him wonder how he is doing? Well, I am quick to remind them he is all boy, and actually he is pretty well. Growing. Talking more. Responding to therapy at a good and encouraging pace. He is a smart little man, and does not miss much.

His favorite foods are predictable lately. Almond butter and honey sandwiches. "Elmo" cookies. Oatmeal. Bananas. And lots of "drink." Helping him expand his food interests is something we're constantly working on. His tendency is to dial into one particular food item and stay there, having it often. We respond with alternatives. Left to his own devices, like many kids, he will default to the tried and true, the current fixation. Variety is a good thing, we tell him. He seems somewhat pliable in this, and that is a goood thing.

I think as adults we tend to do the same. Get into a rut, that daily routine offering us some predicatablity and comfort. And we probably need to mix things up a bit.

So next time you are driving to work, or school or just to the store...try a different route. Next meal, put something unusual into the mix. Try a new veggie. Drink that coffee black - or sugared up. Just stretch a bit.

Variety. Its a good thing.

Helping The In-Laws

Visiting my in-laws for a couple of days. Actually, about 36 hours. Checking in, helping out in lilttle ways. And it has been a fruitful time thus far:

We put in a new microwave today.
Called one of their financial advisors to ask some Qs.
Examined some paperwork related to a 50 year old life insurance policy.
Fixed a clock. Two clocks.
Fixed an outdoor temperature gauge.
Helped disassemble the vacuum cleaner.
Moved a golf cart battery charger.
Ate a huge meal.
Talked to a new CPA.

Though it is late, there's time for a bit more.

And that's fine with me. I am happy to help.

They entrusted me with their daughter...I owe them bigtime.

His Diaper

I was at a picnic Saturday. My three year old did well, overall. We were about two hours into the event, when he came up to me. Holding one end of his diaper, which protruded out of his little denin overalls. The other end firmly attached.

His dirty diaper. Oops.

Had to grab that and manage it quickly.

The joys of parenting!

Calendar Reading 101

Earlier this week one of my kids had a dental appointment. It was scheduled on the big "family calendar" kept on Mom's desk. So, she awoke early and we dutifully left the house at 7:30. I dropped her off at the dentist office and drove off.

A few minutes later I was back home, and the phone rang. "Daddy, my appointment isn't until tomorrow."

Really? How did that happen?

We thought that she had it right. Oops, she mis-read the calendar. A day early.

Oh well, back we go to get her.

And the next day, we took her again.

A pain to do that, but it was an honest mistake.

What's a parent to do?

It made me smile.

He Can Vote

Went to the local high school today, as the primary elections are taking place. Had a first. As the gracious little ladies looked for my name on the voters roll, I pointed to it on the page. And right there, two spots up from my name, was my son's.

I am so pleased about his interest in government and in participating.He's 18 now, and registered to vote. He can vote - and he did. By absentee ballot. Way to go, son!

Overcoming Autism: Bram Cohen

The San Francisco Chronicle reported a tech story - with a tie that should interest those of us with a child who has Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Success can come to those with autism!

Article here. Some key points:

If life were as straightforward as a Rubik's Cube, Bram Cohen could unravel it in about 90 seconds.

He can solve two Sudoko brainteasers during his 30-minute commute on the ferry between Marin and San Francisco. And he has earned a high score of 320 on Tringo, a combination of Tetris and Bingo.

Other puzzles aren't so easy to crack.

Relating to people can be difficult for Cohen, who has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that affects social skills. Unlike Sudoko or a Rubik's Cube, people don't always follow the same patterns. But Cohen has learned to read subtle body language and facial expressions. He practices making eye contact, detecting sarcasm and not taking it literally, and understanding other cues that are natural and automatic to most people.

The 30-year-old software prodigy is also trying to get to the bottom of a business puzzle: how to turn BitTorrent -- a tool he created four years ago that is available free online and can be used to distribute large files quickly through the Internet -- into a successful business.

BitTorrent has become the most popular peer-to-peer tool on the Web, more so than the music file-sharing site Napster in its heyday, according to BigChampagne, a research firm. It has nearly 70 million users...

...Cohen, a college dropout who was once fired from Kinko's for insubordination, is co-founder and chief executive officer of BitTorrent, a startup housed in a high-rise in San Francisco's Financial District.

Glad Cohen could compensate for his disorder with such great success!

She Came Home!

Wonderful Wife was gone, joined by several other home schooling moms to pray and plan for the upcoming year. Left Friday, returned Sun eve. She had a fruitful time, and that is an answer to prayer.

I played single Dad, and gotta tell you, that is one tough job. The girls pitched in to assist with Little Man. That was good. I foolishly tried to fix some leaky faucets...and these are 45 years old, so that turned out to be rather more than I wanted to take on. Three hours later, I started calling plumbers to make an appointment. Leave plumbing to professionals...that's what I always say. Or will always say, from now on.

Also thought it would be easy to replace the old "RF Modulator," a little box that interfaces between my DVD player and 10 year-old TV. Not hard, really. Except the replacement box I bought at Best Buy was defective. So even THAT turned out to be an unfinished project (easily taken care of this fine day, thank you very much).

Needless to say, Saturday was NOT a productive day.

Today was better. Made some calls to family in Wisconsin. Went to church. Had a nice (frozen) meal for lunch, followed by ice cream. The girls finished last year's Pride and Prejudice." They love it. They loved me for letting them watch it.

A few errands, a quick stop at the park - interupted by rain and lightning. And then, as we came in the front door, I realized Wonderful Wife is home. She came back! Hooray!

The night went quickly, and bedtime is here.

I'm smiling. She came home. I am grateful for my beautiful wife, and glad she returned.

Quite a Lot of Activity, Little Free Time

Since that last post, suggesting I'd devote this site to family matters and such, I have been - interestingly - up to my eyeballs in family matters and such.

This type of situation is not restricted to larger families, but having six kids does add to the complexity of life, and the ensuing level of busyness.

Not that you really care, but a slice of life reveals much. A brief run-down of recent activities in our family, not in chronological order, looks like this: moved all furniture out of the three upstairs bedroom and lived for 8 days and nights in the basement while the hardwood floors were refinished, then put it all back together again; got rear-ended and dealt with Colorado State Patrol, ambulance ride and Emergency Room visit for Mom and Allie, insurance adjusters (two so far), auto body shop, Enterprise auto rentals, and the physical therapist; sent one boy off to camp in western Colorado, sent another boy off to Missouri for a sports camp, renewed an expired drivers license, ignored the leak from the washing machine faucet (I am good at ignoring non-emergency repairs), called 911 due to a temporarily missing 3 year-old (we found him and cancelled the call for help), visited with friends we’ve not spoken to in many months, painted a bedroom, visited the orthodontist, went to Home Depot at 9 p.m. to get some “stair treads” to rebuild the stairs the night before those floors got oiled, made a last-minute run to the store for camp supplies and a few more things I can’t recall. Oh yes, I did put a padlock on the gate at the side of the house…to prevent any further interaction with our city’s Finest.

Now tonight I spoke with a missionary friend from years back who is in town and coming over tomorrow for dinner and an overnight stay. Friday I take her to the airport, and that same morning my Wonderful Wife leaves for the weekend, leaving me in charge of the four children who remain at home. No relief in sight!

So, I have really not had time to post anything meaningful or particularly reflective or inspiring. Sorry about that. Do come by again, and maybe I can slow down and enjoy a chat. I’d like that!