Bad Guy Walter

Before I begin this post, I will proclaim how much I love my husband and wish him the happiest of birthdays today!!

But....yesterday on the front page of the newspaper, I read some very disturbing news. My husband is destined to be a "bad-boy!" As I reflected on the results of this study reporting that my husband has a name in the Top 10 "bad-boy" names, pieces began to come together.

No wonder Asher often labels himself as the "baddest king." My husband must secretly be encouraging him along these lines behind my back.

No wonder Walter dedicates himself to long hours away from home "studying." He's planning his next bad trick.

And no wonder he attacked our son with bubbles (of all things) at our recent family gathering! He even cajoled his sister to join in on the attack to shift the blame from himself.

After 31 years and the results of this study, my "bad-boy" named husband has been found out!!

Happy Birthday Walter, I hope we can enjoy another year together "on the outside!"

Dr. Asher and Mr. Dinosaur

"Would the mother of the screaming child who refuses to get into the swimming pool please come retrieve her son immediately? And will the rest of you parents please laugh and point while this duo leaves the pool area never to be allowed back again?"

This is how Walter and I imagined the first day of swimming lessons would go today. Asher does not do well conforming to group settings and regularly refuses to speak to adults other than Walter and me (well sometimes he refuses to speak to us too!). This combined with his aversion to putting his face in the water caused us great concern as we expected swimming lessons to be a total flop.

But my little Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde surprised me once again. He did great!!! Even before his allotted time began, he won all the waiting teachers over with his smile and sweet answers to their questions. When they asked him to get in the water, he complied. When they wanted the swimmers to hold onto the wall and kick, Asher's splashes outdid them all!

As I watched from my lounge chair, hardly able to keep my head from shaking in amazement, I beamed with pride. He can participate in a group setting. He can obey a teacher. And he may just even learn how to swim!

But we do know his little secret. He may be a good performer and put on a good act in front of other people.
My little Dr. Asher
But at home, his inner-dinosaur becomes unleashed!
My irresistible Mr. Dinosaur.

Don't miss the view

We use Priceline religiously. After checking in at a front desk, our conversation on the way to our room is whether we will have the bad Priceline reserved room next to the elevator or the Priceline reserved room at the farthest corner of the hotel. These unwanted but cheap rooms never have a view - unless you consider a dirty roof with swirling airconditioners and puddles of rainwater a view.

So I don't race to look out the window of a new hotel room. If we're there longer than one night, I might peek out of the curtain, but never have expectations of looking out over the city or onto a sunny beach.

But this Fourth of July we had an amazing view. Despite a rain soaked day, we took the crew to check out the local fireworks. After all the planned activities had already been canceled for the day, we were ready to get out of the house making us about the fifth car to arrive at the fireworks field. After backing the cars onto the grassy, now muddy field, and popping the SUV back doors open, we had a prime (and even dry) view of fireworks.

I think they were more incredible this year than ever maybe because we were in the front row. But our dear Asher who so bravely declared his intent to "sword the fireworks" many times throughout the day spent the entire fireworks display on daddy's lap not daring to look at the view.

Caught up in the loud booms of the fireworks, Asher refused to open his eyes and see that the earth shaking noise made the fireworks even more spectacular.

And then I found myself in a post-holiday/vacation recovery yesterday. Cleaning puddles of poop, rescuing strangers at the pool from being dumped on with a tiny watering can.

And I almost missed the views of a sweet smiley watermelon baby

and a mischievous boy in sunglasses who couldn't be happier.Whatever tomorrow brings, I hope to be consumed with the view rather than distracted by the boom.