Call me Daddy

Recently, Charlie began calling Dave, “Dave.” At first I was not ok with it; a 3 year old should call his daddy, “daddy.” Dave didn’t really have a problem with it and even thought it was kind of funny. Of course we disagreed; there are few things we agree on. Usually I talk him into agreeing with me… ha, no I am just joking. We have civilized, constructive conversations where each of us listens to each other’s interests and in the end… Dave agrees with meJ! Or gives up, whichever, the result is usually the same!

I have been thinking about how to approach this with Charlie and what the conversation might look like. This got me thinking… why should he call Dave “daddy”? Does he really HAVE to? Should he really HAVE to? Does tradition and the rules of respect mean that he has to call him “dad” or “daddy”? He’s calling him by his first name, I don’t think it’s dis-respectful. Now, if he were walking around calling Dave “poopy head” we would have a problem… a funny problem, but a problem. I want to be called “mommy” because I feel so blessed to be a mommy I want to be called it for as long as my baby will call me it, and it feels so good to be someone’s mommy! When you ask Charlie what my name is he says, “Mommy” which makes me smile. The other day he came home from day care and asked me if my name was “Biz”? I said it was and he looked at me and smiled and said, “No, its mommy.” I know there are safety reasons that he should know my first and last name, but for now I am going to soak up the “mommy”!

Before I was going to have the “call Dave daddy” talk I decided to do a little observing. When does he call him Dave? Is it all the time? Is it in the same situations? After a few observations, I decided Charlie is a genius and has just adapted to life with his father (as I did about 4 years ago).  Dave has a “magical gift” (that’s how he thinks of it) of being able to tune people out COMPLETELY. I can be standing right in front of him saying, “Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave” but until I say something like, “Dave the house is on fire” he will not even notice me. This is not ALL the time… I would have killed him by now if it was. But you sit that guy in front of a TV or Movie and he is in the “tune-out zone”. Charlie has also observed Dave’s behavior and has adapted, if he says, “daddy, daddy, daddy,” he may get no response. But the minute he says “Dave” he gets a response. Genius if you ask me, especially from a 3 year old. I have decided that Charlie can call Dave “Dave” whenever he wants because I understand his “tune-out” frustration!

I can do WHATEVER I want.

Yesterday I picked Charlie up from school and he was so excited because he was going to a “party” at Grandma Barb’s house. Charlie loves parties, however this was just a movie and popcorn night with Grandma Barb and Papa Dave… either way, he was excited.

I put him in the back seat and we began to drive toward Grandma’s house. Charlie is a VERY observant kid, and he informed me that Grandma Barbs was “that way”, pointing to the left, and our house was “that way”, pointing to the right. Sometimes that kid’s sense of direction amazes me.

Anyway, as we were driving I asked Charlie about his day. He talked a little bit about painting in art and playing with his friends. He asked me about my day and I proceeded to tell him that I unloaded 7 pallets worth of condoms – I have a VERY exciting job! After we were done talking I turned the music up a little so we could enjoy the drive.

Charlie began kicking the back of my seat. I asked him to stop, and he said “no.” I said, “Charlie you need to stop kicking the back of my seat NOW.” He replied, “I can do whatever I want to do.” I was shocked, and I didn’t know what to say so I just said, “no you can’t.” And he said, “oh, ok” and stopped kicking. It was AWESOME… too bad that won’t last forever J

 

Happy New Year

For me a new year always feels like a new start. To some, it seems silly, but for me it has always felt like a new beginning. A perfect day to re-evaluate the last year, take a look at life and decide what makes you happy and what doesn’t make you happy. A time to set goals and decide what the next year will look like. I feel so in control on January 1^st. I know there will be things that will happen throughout the next year that I cannot control, but by focusing on the things I CAN control I will make the most of 2013.

2012 was kind of a crappy year. A lot of things that I could not control took place. I lost my Aunt, and recently lost my Grandpa. Death is not something that I have experienced a lot of before this year, and it doesn’t get any easier. Losing people you love, and seeing others you love in pain is very, very hard. Raising a 3 year old, while I love my baby, has been challenging. Dave and I have learned a lot as parents, and I feel like things are getting easier, but man is 3 though!  Dave and I both got new jobs. Not that getting new jobs was a bad thing, we are both so happy, which has made life a little easier. However the stress of starting a new job was a bit much.

Moving on to 2013, I have set a few goals for the year. Each year I try to set goals and always seem to set way too many. This year, I scaled it back and focused on what I really want to accomplish in 2013.

1-      Register Charlie for Sunday School and attend Church regularly – and tonight I registered Charlie, so Sunday we will be there!

2-      Begin taking piano lessons

3-      Pay extra on our mortgage each month

4-      Make some healthy lifestyle changes (I need to lose 10 pounds and we would like to have another baby, so some changes are in order)

5-      Start a gratitude journal and write in it weekly

6-      Go on more dates with my husband

I will check back in with my progress throughout the year. I wish you all a happy New Year and hope you the best in 2013.