OUR LIFE IN 3D

Wayback Wednesday….

Since ‘Hump Day’ is already used by a favorite blogger I follow, I have to use ‘Wayback Wednesday’ today I guess.

You see, my new school girl isn’t old enough to appreciate Hump Day yet.  Doesn’t know what it means or how it feels.

This morning our car was a bit wet due to the dew point the night before. So I rolled my window down as well as Dylan’s on the way to school so I and she could see out.

A few minutes later I hear Ms. Chirpy behind me saying in her playful voice, “Hello house. Hello swing set. Hello mailbox. Hello bird. Hello clouds.

It was cute as could be and as I turned around to say something to her I see she has her new Winkx Club doll hanging out the window, like the doll was greeting everyone she saw instead of Dylan. Can you picture that?

She continued on, “Hello sun. Hello road. Hello cat. Hello runner.”

Sorry for the blurry picture. Blue (Winkx Doll) seemed to be flying pretty fast

Do you think she will be this happy going to school 5 years from now?

With her, probably.

Evidently this whole new going to school thing (at 6.45am) isn’t getting her down yet. She is doing great with it. And her teacher has nothing but nice things to say. ~ Her button got to stay on Green yesterday as the rest of the class had to move their buttons to Yellow for talking too much. Atta girl Dylan!

Her mood is a great transition to my Wayback Wednesday…since Hump Day was taken.

There is a new jean commercial on TV that resurrects a lost classic from the 70’s. I saw the commercial a few times this weekend before I had to do a search on MyTube to hear the whole thing, Jeans On.

Jeans On was one of my favorite songs when I was little. It was a favorite song before I knew what music I was supposed to like, or band or singer. I just heard it on my parent’s radio and always liked it. It’s one of those lost classics that just don’t get replayed too much from that era…until now.

And Dylan’s upbeat mood this morning just replicates the kind of tempo this song carries. It carries a real cool mellow tune. It reminds me of waking up on a sunny Saturday morning in my youth when there is nothing scheduled the whole day. …A weekend of the past! My wife even liked it so it can’t be too bad!

So if you need an attitude pick me up or boost to get you through today here is Jeans On…and you can practice your “chichi’s”. Go ahead you know you will….

Did I tell you I love that song!

I used to think he sang, “Coco jeans on” which for some reason I thought was cool too when I was young

This song reminded me of a few other favorite songs that I long to hear but rarely do from this past. There are several, I am sure. But here are the other two unique songs that don’t come across my parent’s radio any more….that also get you in the day. I think I like them because they are timeless in a sense. That is they are not representative of any particular era. And that unusual beat or melody just kinda sticks with you.

This first one, I’m not quite sure she is talking about roller skating all the time. What do you think?

Ya think?

I didn’t think they did symbolism like that back in the 70’s

and

If you all have at least one ‘ear worm’ now my Hump Day Wayback Wednesday job here is done!

Have a GREAT rest of the week! It’s all downhill from here….

Right Dylan?

D-Day!

We had one more event filled weekend this past weekend as Dylan’s big day looms on the horizon.  We started off with the school’s orientation for students Friday night.

Dylan smiled when she saw her name on a poster board outside her new school room. Once inside we found Dylan’s chair at the front of the room. I don’t kow how Mommy swung that but she was a teacher’s pet in her day.

She had us signed up for the PTA already and volunteered us for snacks the first week. She knows how to play the game already.

We have this these lists of school supplies to bring in. Folks, I have like two grocery bags of things to bring in tomorrow. How long has school been like this?

I made it to the end of the evening without being asked to be quiet, sit down, or go to the principle’s office so it was a good night.

Saturday the girls had a birthday party to go to from one of their friends in Sunday school.

At a friend’s birthday party this weekend. They were later spotted holding hands. What?

Now a Mm at this party told me her 4 year old came home a few Sunday’s back talking about his new girlfriend, Skylar! That she was the cutest girl in the world to him.

What?

I told the mom I new none of this but asked her to notify me if she is getting to many calls late at night from my little girl. If you have met her you know that she likes a phone!

About a half hour later, after I digested this story of my girl having a fling with an older boy ( I know what older boys want!) I see Dylan going walking across the backyard holding the birthday boy’s hand! I nearly lost my breath and had to sit down.

What is going on? Its raining cats and dogs outside and this ol’ world’s getting crazy on me.

My Maker is really laying the grey hairs on me this weekend!

When we got home Dylan had a package in the mail from a very, very special GrandMa and daughter. It was not one of their monumental packages this time however, just …an adorable outfit to her to wear on her first day of school! Plus a lovely card to let her know they were thinking and cheering for here. ~ Thanks so much ladies! We love you!

Sunday we had a in home visit / package delivery from yet another pair of super special GrandParents. The loved and spoiled our girls (and my wife and I) all Sunday afternoon.

You will see in a picture later how many clothes these girls have. And my wife and I have bought them very little by percentage. But they get the cutest, most adorable, wonderful outfits from all their grandparents. They, and we are blessed!

Sunday night, I was getting ready to put Dylan to bed. She was looking at some of her new clothes. She asks, “Daddy, do I look like a teenager?”

My heart double clutched as I looked up, My answer I formulated on the looking up went something like, “You will never look like a teenager sweetie if I can help it” but what came out was more like, “You look adorable sweetie!”

You see, she is not supposed to get any older!

“Dad, do I look like a teenager?” Stop that Dylan! No older!

I joke about this of course. There are so many things she is mature on already. This is what she was doing before we went upstairs to bed….two nights before her first day of school…

Reading “Up” and other books she just got at the Library

But still usually is is every bit a kid of 4, er.. I mean 5 years

Enjoying some time with her new friend

And so, as I prepare for this benchmark of a day, like getting married or having kids, this chapter of her life is behind her and a new one is getting ready to begin.

I thought it might be fun to take a quick look back of some pics to show a little of D’s progression with the intent or request to say, “I am still am looking need some pointers for these girls as we start all over again.

I know I have shown this before but here is a video showing Dylan’s first year from new born to walking to her first b-day party. See if you can watch it and not tear up (Jessica was sooo good at putting this together) And that song is still so appropriate, now more than ever…

4/2008 ~ Baby Shower, She’s thinking I better figure this out

2008 ~ Asleep at last!

5/ 2008 ~ She found some strong shoulders to rely on

2008 ~ Hey! I have ten of these!

6/2008 ~ This picture was thee first one we got where Dylan was actually smiling. She moved to fast!

2008 ~ She’s always been a ‘happy child’, even when teething

8/2008 ~ the day finalizing our adoption. We actually had the same judge for both our adoptions.

4/2009 She has always loved to smile and have a great sense of humor

2009 ~ Playing with Dad

2010 age 3 becomes an ‘older sister’:

3/2010 ~ Don’t hurt her! This is MY baby sister!

7/2010 ~ She has always loved the water and playing with Dad in it

2010 ~ She loves to dress up too, thanks to some (many) special Grandparents

9/2011 ~ She knows how to please her GrandMa and GrandPa from PA, throw on the ol’ Blue and White

Halloween 2011 @ 3 years old. Here she rings doorbells for the first part and then shares and divides her candy in the second half. Watch for the end when she tells Mom to keep her hands of her Halloween candy; she is saving it for a special surprise!

She’s saving it for her marriage?

Can you believe that’s a 3 year old girl making those bargains?

Looking at her confidence at 3 leaves you to believe she should have no problem in school at 5.

So I’ll leave it there for today.

Thanks for taking our girl’s stories and pictures into your home each week. I know ‘other people’s kids’ can sometimes be overrated or overdone. So I appreciate you taking the time to stop by our house from time to time and leave a comment or advice when you feel like it. We love you too!

PS:

THEN:

5/2008

THIS MORNING STARTING SCHOOL:

Some night time reading

The big day is coming Monday.

We are all trying to get prepared.

So is Dylan…

Dylan’s latest night time reading

Guess who has to take our Princess to school?

I might need a Kleenex….

Stay tuned…

Déjà vu all over again…

So we had an event filled Saturday. We made more progress on our move in. We gained a new member of the family. I finally have a male to bond with!

Sunday we were looking forward to one of our very special grand-families coming for a visit; some good people we don’t see often enough. However, one of them got bit by a bug, the summer flu bug, so they had to postpone.

Having a greyhound in the house again, combined with my Sunday opening up, I had the opportunity to do one of my favorite things, take the dog for a walk on the beach. This is the serenity of a beach walk while being  in the presence of a celebrity!

Celebrity? Yes, in my experience passer-by’ers just seem to gravitate to a greyhound. I don’t know if it is because they are possibly rare in public, their sleek athletic frame, or the good nature that they carry with them. But lots of beachcombers love to meet the greyhound, especially all the kids.

This afternoon, with the family in tow and a new greyhound at our side, it was no different. Just as soon as we cleared the path from the dunes a young girl came over and asked if she could pet Chum (the fan favorite name  in the poll).

She was a young girl, maybe early teens, from Colorado on her first trip to the beach. She was looking for shells in the soft sand.

Upon her request Chum walked right up to her and then stood right in front of her to get petted, like he had practiced this so many times before. Just like my earlier greyhound, he stood right there, fairly expressionless as if this was all part of the expectations of being a greyhound.

What is he? Royalty or something?

When we were done Chum got a good look at the wide open beach for the very first time.

(WARNING PG13: Now for all you women with weak constitutions or get a bit squeamish, you better look away from the next two paragraphs. Viewer discretion advised)

Now Chum may be cat tested, and passed. And he may be kid tested and passed. But our new family member has NEVER been seagull tested!

He saw his first gull about 50 yards away when we turned and headed towards that the surf and the grey was gone. He was all hound! He nearly pulled my shoulder out of its unsuspecting socket. I think if a bird were the decoy on the track Good ol’ Chum would have been a winner!

But a regal attitude and a chaser of birds was not the only thing my first and second greyhounds had in common.

As soon as we all made it down the water I finally had the chance to relive my beach walks. We walked maybe 10 yards when the first couple walked up to us and asked if he was a greyhound and if they could pet him.

I told them yes and yes…and the autograph signings would occur at our chairs at the end of our walk.

OK, sometimes I do embellish a story a bit. But before they left the pretty blonde said how “Chum was the best looking greyhound she had ever seen”.

OMG! This is going straight to his head! The very first people we meet!

We restarted our walk and Chum, knowing how to play the game by now, went out of his way to walk up to people walking in the other direction, expecting to get a good petting or rub behind the ears.

What he found was that not everyone is interested in petting a dog at the beach. What I found is that Chum needs some more training on walking on a leash.

Chum has already been taught how to tie knots!

And just like his predecessor, Chum walked with like a heat seeking missile up the beach on our walk. But when it was time to turn around and return he just froze.

“What do you mean walk? I’m tired” he said. “I’m hungry”. “Carry me?”

Like he instinctively knew, or the spirit of Cloud had told him, this wonderful walk is over when we get back to the start.

Other similarities with Cloud was his fear of the ocean at first. I imagine he had never been to such a large body of water before. After all, Alabama doesn’t have a beach. (Just kidding SSM!).

He stood paw-deep on the bath water we call an ocean and when a baby wave rolled in and snuck up on him from behind, he literally leaped off the ground. All fours!

Poor Chumley.

“Which one did that? You, the short one, you look guilty…”

But it was a great day. King Neptune was gracious with the water temp, tides, and breeze. Like old times we found a whole sand dollar right away lying just beneath surf in the clear water. Literally, the whole afternoon was déjà vu all over again!

I gave the sand dollar to the nice young lass from Colorado on our way off the beach for being so sweet to our boy.

On the way home I took Mr. Regal and the kids to another favorite hang out, The Dog and the Duck restaurant, where they entertain dogs as patrons at their tables outside.

I asked Dylan if, by their name, do they also entertain pet ducks as well, confirming my roll as “silly daddy”. Literally. That’s what she called me.

Epilogue: Saturday and Sunday I mentioned how the day had its ‘spooky’ moments or the ‘spirit of Cloud’ was around. Saturday night as I was downloading the pictures I had taken from my phone that day, something strange happened.

When you download pictures or docs does your computer automatically go to the most recent folder or document that you use to store photos? If you have kids you probably have 100’s of said folders like we do.

I went to download the pictures of our first day with Chum and the folder that popped up to drop them in was the one we had of Cloudy. Weird, huh?

No one had been in that folder since maybe the post I did on him many months ago. Yet there he was, on a day for our new pet, Cloud pops up to not let us forget him.

It looks like we have a mystery on our hands!

Keep an eye out for our special “WEEKEND EDITION in 3D“, the weekend before our first day of school.

Please share any insights or funny stories to help me us get through next week.

And have the best weekend ever!