Where do they get it from?

If you where to ask Aarron if I was a sharp guy he would probably laugh and say
" Yea a sharp pain in the butt" and if you ask my mom she will as proud moms do say "Oh my child is very smart" But I'm a realist. I consider myself bright with a quick wit, but their are people in this world that are much brighter and quicker than I am. That's why I like to read and exchange ideas. It stimulates me to think deeper and process new ideas and different points of view. So maybe someone could explain to me how my childeren got to be so smart. Yea I know your thinking it must be Wendy but she would disagree. Are kids are smarter than we are and it's a joy to watch. Yesterday while driving home we where having a discussion about leaves and yard maintinence. Grayson's solution was to rip out all existing fauna and eliminate the work all together. But Tanner disagreed and here was his reasoning. "If we kill all the plants then they will not be able to take the bad air we breathe out and turn it into good air." I know...its elementary school stuff right. Those kids on smarter than a fifth grader would roll their eyes like the uber champion of jeopardy does while he toys with the the other contestants. So I asked him "How does that work?" and I quote " The trees take the bad air and that's what they breath then through photosynthesis they combine the bad air and water and dirt and sunlight and in the end they poop but not really poop but whats left over is good air that we breath. I doubt a scholar could have made it any clearer save the poop comment. Tanner's view of this world is so much larger than mine was and Grayson...well don't get me started. My little sponges never cease to amaze me in what they know and what they are paying attention to. This is the ultimate as a parent. I thought it would be wonderful to watch my sons learn from me but it is so much more gratifyng to watch them learn and process the world form the seats. I have equipped them with the process not the answers. I didn't think this way when I was eight or five. Different times I guess...different world. I mentioned earlier that I have been wingin this parent thing since the very beginning. Everyone thinks they know how to deal with parental problems. You know what I have noticed...Parents usually do not give other parents advice. I think this is because as much as a parent may evaluate the way the other parent does their job, in the end, it's better to keep your mouth shut. You never know what your kid may do the next week. (this only applies to the rest of the world, parents are usually full of advice they wish to pass down to their childeren when they become parents.) Some freinds of ours have had problems with their childeren not sleeping at night. They are wonderful parents and even though wendy has given them the whole program on how to get infants to sleep through the night. It has not worked and I say SO WHAT. When the child is 25 they will be laughing about how they missed 2 years of sleep. In the end, there are things in this world that matter and things that don't. You know who seems to know alot about parenting and will tell you so, people without childeren. People without childeren are experts and vocal about it. They have just the behavioral modification tool that will stimulate the childs inner need to please and feel accepted and useful as well as independant and self assured. And with that, after they have changed the childs eternal course with Skinners rules of behavioral modification, it's off for a mohito and a movie. They will never appreciate what parenting is until they realize the miracle for themselves. I do not discount their advice, as I said, their are some very smart people out there.
But parenting is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days for the rest of your life. Wendy and I watched Juno last night. Hilarious movie but disturbing as well. My favorite part however is not the sarcastic wit of Juno or her freind but the character that Jennifer Garner plays and the last scene with her and the baby. Great moment! I won't wish for my kids to grow up quickly because I am enjoying them too much. My Uncle who is usually pretty steady was obviously moved to tears when his daughter graduated from high school recently. Some would coo at how a Father could be so proud as to be moved to tears. But I don't think it was his pride that made him tear up, it was the realization that she was grown up. The sleepless nights as an infant, the first steps, first words, pre-school, sports, an ever changing world where parental intervention is slowly eroded until this moment. Ready to take on the world. Not seperated but independant, Not self reliant but reliable. I could not be sure but a sigh of relief and a realization that they get it from you.

A Girl?

I know that Wendy must be thrilled that after all these years she finally will have an estrogen filled buddy in the house. Sierra is a mutual dream because we where both to chicken to make the committment for the third child. We wrestled with what God wanted, but in the end, I'm confident that God had this in our plan. Wendy is going to be a great Mom. Now don't misunderstand me, but I think little boys drive her crazy. Sierra will be different. In fact I think it would be fair to say that I am more nervous about being a Dad this time because it's a girl. I know how to raise men. I know what the world will toss at Tanner and Grayson and I know how to prepare them for that, but a girl? I was reading my cousin Elissa's blog and she made a comment about an ear infection that Lily had and the process that she went through. In the end she felt proud that she had made the right decisions, even if the victory was small. I wonder if my mom and dad ever felt that way...I know I do. When I was younger people used to say things like "Wait till you have kids." It used to irritate me...Iv'e babysat, I have younger siblings, I was a preschool teacher and a recreation director for 5 years, I know kids. But having childeren and dealing with childeren aren't bed buddies...they dont even live in the same town. That's what people meant when they couldn't verbalize the difference and I now know the feeling they where trying to convey. I knew Elissa and Kyle would be great parents and Lily is the destination of a very long trail of prayer...God is great. But reading her comments reminded me of my own questions as a parent. With Sierra, a new challenge, and I was only just beginning to feel comfortable about the boys. My brother asked me if I was nervous about the baby and at first I was a little offended. I have two great kids that aren't malnourished, have clothes on for the majority of the time, and can speak without pointing and grunting. I felt I was doing pretty good. But his question was not an indictment of bad parenting, it was a keen observation from somebody who doesn't even have kids (yet!). He knew that this one was different and had I not been such a dillweed I would have said this:
Honestly, I have been winging this whole parenting thing from go. I try to instill the values I hold sacred and I learned so much of what I do from how I was raised. Being a Father has been a mixed bag of input from my Dad mostly, But my Uncle Randy and my Uncle Michael had a huge impact on how I approach it. I never knew a love like the love I have for my kids and I didn't realize what it would be like to be so intensely committed to them. I have made numerous mistakes but despite my shortcomings, I have wonderful childeren. I'm not so concerned about the differences Sierra presents, but I wonder how the family dynamic will change. Tanner and Grayson will be incredible brothers. I honestly believe that if not for family, parenting would be more difficult. I am surrounded on both sides by strong dedicated parents, I am affirmed everytime I spend time with family that Wendy and I are on the right track...we are truly blessed. There isn't a manual for parenting and I find that the seeds for proper parenting have been planted a long time ago. I hope I am doing the same for my childeren. So the answer to the question, if I think about it is, "Yes, I am a little apprehensive about Sierra." But I am so excited about her that I havn't really stopped to think about it all. Up till now, God has been able to give me the tools I need to parent. In Sierras case she gets a semi-experienced, dedicated, excited father: two incredibly sensitive, fun, loyal, silly, loving, brothers:an amazing, nurturing, elated, semi-experienced Mom: Three Grandmas who come unglued at the thought of a little girl: 2 Aunties and one TiTi. A great Uncle and a Fabulous Unnle: A Grandpa, A Papa, and A Nanu: Not to mention her Great Aunts and Uncles and a stable full of cousins. What do I have to worry about?...On second thought...I'm petrified (just kidding)