Sunday, March 15, 2009

She knows how to get me to post



Ok, HAVE to respond to the latest post. We need a definite story correction here.

I'm almost done with my MBA which will result in a lot more free time. Next week is spring break so I started feeling the effects of what it will feel like to reduce my workload a little. So... I emailed Naphtali early in the week to arrange our weekend.

Friday-
(Plan as I had laid it out) Go to gym as a family. Get in a good workout. Run around with Aidan in the racquetball court. Shower. Go to the new Acapulco restaurant near our house. Go home and sleep.

(Plan as Naphtali had envisioned it) ????????

(Plan as Aidan had envisioned it) What's the next game we're going to play?

(Plan as it transpired) Naphtali calls on her way home from work saying she wanted to spend more time with Aidan. She didn't want to have him play with the kids at the gym daycare. So I came home to a hearty welcome from my family to find the two working on Aidan's reading.

If I remember correctly [it WAS a confusing evening], Aidan didn't want to go out to eat. My planning was changed by Naphtali and Naphtali's plan was now changed by Aidan. [Side note, when do I get to change someone's plan? Oh woe is me.]

So Naphtali morphed into Martha Stewart mode and made us a meal while I proceeded to go through my pile of fan mail and prepare the tax documents for when I finally have time to do them. [Please remember that I'm more than happy to eat cereal the rest of my life and its been said that she should have married someone that actually has taste buds to appreciate her gift]

Perhaps it was the shock of our taxes but I swear I didn't hear her call. Of course it was another marthaesque meal. One where I was scolded by my son for taking too much of the oil and pepper when I was dipping my bread.


So to finish the night out you'd have to know that Aidan would somehow change MY plans. He informed Naphtali that just the boys were going to the gym. He proceeded to get his swim trunks. I said it was late so we wouldn't go swimming but we could go in the whirlpool and sauna before taking a shower. "OK dad"

At the gym we went to our racquetball court to play an assortment of games. We worked on basketball dribbling. Aidan can now dribble 10 times consecutively with his right hand AND his left. We finished up and went to the locker room to put on our swim trunks where my plan was to quick do the whirlpool, shower and go home. Alas, my plan was not going to happen.

Aidan put his swim trunks on and proceeded to walk toward the pool telling me that he had to PRACTICE swimming! How can a dad say no to that?!?!

It has been fun to watch his progress in the pool. His bravery continues to improve to the point where I'm not sure when I should help. Let's just say his strokes aren't the most efficient so "swimming toward the wall" versus "I'm about to die and can't get my head above water" look remarkably similar.

All in all it was fun. He didn't die and I was able to see him ratchet up his skill level just a bit more. Watching kids learn something new is a ton of fun. Their excitement over conquering a new skill is priceless.

The shallow pool for kids closes at 9:00 so he and I headed for the sauna, whirlpool and shower as we always do. We went back to our locker space where he ALWAYS does the nakee dance in front of the mirror. [he doesn't say naked yet] One of my basketball buddies happened to be walking by during this dance so I'm sure I'll get some ribbing on Tuesday.

I wish I could post a video of his dance because it is the cutest thing. I'll see if I can get him to do a fully clothed version because Naphtali and I both question where he got his dance moves.

That was our Friday night. We also had a great family day on Saturday that included a trip to the local Cirque du Soleil for an open house and THE discovery of the century. Naphtali will likely post about our new grocery store soon but the only price comparison I can make is that the bananas were $0.29/lb. It is an Asian market and when I asked how they could get the prices so low the owner's response, with a smile, was, "because we're Asian."

So as the late Paul Harvey would say, "That's the rest of the story"

1 comment:

ilona said...

i'm glad to know that free - or at least freer - time is around the corner for you. we'll look forward to more blogging from you. you are natural-born story teller. feel free to file this among your fan mail.