National Grantham

This father’s day weekend was interesting. I was sick as a dog on Saturday. James had some kind of stomach bug last week and it worked it’s way through the house over the course of the week until I got it, but BAD. I slept about 18 hours on Saturday and lost 6 pounds. It was no fun at all. I felt a little better yesterday, but still didn’t feel like doing very much so we just took it easy. Pierce made me a cool Koozie at school that he painted himself. James made me a t-shirt that says, “My Child Walks All Over Me” and it’s got his footprints all over it. It’s really cute. Heather gave me tickets to see Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and John Cougar (is he still John Cougar?) in July. It was good.

I got to take lots of naps on Saturday while I was sick, so that meant I got to take naps with Pierce and James, so that was nice. Even when you feel like death warmed over, there is something nice and comforting about having one of those little guys snuggled up next to you…or sticking his stinky feet in your face, as is the case with James. That child has the stinkiest feet I’ve ever smelled. He gets that from me. I used to have really smelly feet when I was little. I never wore socks with my tennis shoes, and they would get all slimy and gross in the summer. I remember one summer vacation trip (I think it was the summer we went to Washington DC maybe) my dad made me leave my shoes outside the hotel room on the balcony because they smelled so bad. My mom would put the Dr. Scholls powder in them but it would just turn into a disgusting stink paste after a few minutes on my sweat feet. Pierce doesn’t have that problem. He’s like his mom. Even after playing 3 hours of tennis in 94 degree weather, her shoes smell nice and fresh. It’s a mystery to me.

So I might as well take a minute to give an update since I’ve neglected the blog for so long. We are having a great summer so far! I’m back working with our European offices at work, so I get off work early in the afternoons, which means I get to pick up the boys from school early. We’ve already done lots of fun stuff. Pierce and I went to see Up! and go swimming in the afternoons sometimes. It’s really nice getting to spend time with my boys that most dads don’t and for that I’m very thankful.

Pierce has moved up into a new class at school and is adjusting since he was the first one from his old class to move up. He didn’t know anybody in the new class for the first couple of weeks and it hurt me so bad to see him trying to cope with not having any friends. He’s ok now, and friends with everybody in his new class, but it was hard for a few days there. They always say, “It doesn’t get any easier the older they get” and I didn’t really believe it, but now I do. There’s ALWAYS going to be something to worry about no matter how old they get, and it seems the older he gets, the more relate-able his problems are. I’m just so proud of him. He’s the smartest, most sensitive, and most caring person I’ve ever met. When I was sick on Saturday and curled up in a sweaty ball in my bed, he came back and laid a picture of himself on the pillow next to me and told me he thought it might make me feel better if I could look at his picture while I slept. A cynic might say that was narcissistic, but he’s too young for such a thing. That was straight from the heart and that’s the kind of kid he is, all heart, and I love him so much for it.

James is the happiest and most outgoing little guy I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. He is a handful, but is like a ray of sunshine. Everything he does, he does 110%. James subscribes to the philosophy of Yoda, “Do, or do not…there is no try”. I think James and Pierce are the perfect compliment to one another. I hope that Pierce’s “good heart” qualities, rub off on James, and James’ “never quit” qualities rub off on Pierce…if they do then these boys will be an unstoppable force in the world. James is very physical and can do anything his brother can do and loves to prove it. Whether it’s dragging a chair into the middle of the kitchen floor and climbing up on it and standing on top triumphantly, or calling 911 on the home phone without letting anyone else know he did it, James is fully capable. I think James might be a bit of a musician. He loves music and you can see that he really feels it. Since we get home early in the afternoon, we all hang out in the kitchen and make dinner before mom gets home. I like to put on some music while we do this and James dances and smiles the whole time. He can’t keep his body from moving when you put on something with a good beat. Maybe he’ll be a dancer? It would make sense…he’s got a great sense of rhythm, is very physical by nature and has all the confidence in the world. That would please me greatly since I’m such a sad sack on the dance floor. I think the thing I admire the most about James is that he possesses so many attributes that I don’t. All the things I struggle so hard to be (assertive, confident, diligent) seem to come naturally to James, and he’s just a baby! I can’t wait to see what he becomes as an adult. As much as I dread seeing them grow up, I know I will have the pleasure of front row seats witnessing two great boys become great men, and there is no better gift for father’s day than that.

Josh