Rock & Roll

Rock

&

Roll

Up

• Bennett is always bringing me books to read (My First Farm, Dr. Seuss, etc.).  Tonight he had an unusual request.  He wanted to crawl up in my lap with this bit of nonfiction (a sommelier in the making???):

• Monday Night Football was on TV tonight (yes on a Thursday.  Don't ask me.  Direct your questions to ESPN HQ Bristol, Connecticut).  Bennett spontaneously signaled "Touchdown" with both hands in the air.  Now, there wasn't really a touchdown . . . but I was impressed nonetheless.  
• I queued up some music on my iphone when I was giving Bennett a bath tonight.  Suddenly bath time turned into dance party (him, not me.)  Very funny. 
• Bennett's first deliberate word is "Up".  He uses it early and often.  He also seems to be a master climber of furniture and whatnot.  Coincidence?  I think not.  He may have been meant to grow up in the mountains (baby with an altitude).  
• Bennett loves chasing Brux around the living room.  Oftentimes Brux either doesn't know he's being chased or is completely disinterested in the game.  Bennett laughs hysterically regardless.  
• Some random summer photos:

We got Bennett a hot tub.  (easy on the hot, heavy on the tub)

Cheeser (the "S" stands for salesman)

"Hank, I'm about to give you a knuckle sandwich"

They call me the fireman, that's my name.
Making my rounds all over town, putting out old flames. 

Courage

Topless

Hey everybody.  It's Bennett.  Mom's gone and Dad is ignoring me.  So, I'm going stroke these keys so you know what's the haps.

Summer finally made it to the mountains.  I love being outside:  Hiking, playing in the grass, crawling around on the back deck . . . you name it. If I'm outside, I'm happy. 

Speaking of crawling, I'm about done with that nonsense.  I've about got this walking thing down (until mom puts shoes on me, Brux gets in my way, or Dad chases me down the hall). 

Last week was Fatherz Day.  I got to spend it with my Dad's Dad (aka Gido) and Dad.  We went for a hike and then had burgers in Beaver Creek.  (Don't worry, we did invite Grandma and Mommy too).

Why doesn't Daddy have white hair like us?

 
My other grandpa was climbing a ladder yesterday and fell from the sky.  He's in the hospital in Denver getting surgery on his back and L-bo.  I guess he won't be piching me fastballs or wrestling with me anytime soon.  Get better Poppy!





This photo is a violation of the patient privacy act and will likely get one of Poppy's daughters thrown in jail.


Since Momz in Denver with Pop.  Dad, Brux and I are at home alone (we call these days Dudesday (usually it's on Tuesday, but does it really matter?)).  Dad said we were going to have a guys weekend and said something about topless.  I was thinking "uh oh! mom's going to be mad about this topless thing when she gets home."  But, then Dad went to the garage and took the top off the Jeep.  Whew, I thought Dad was going to get us in trubble.  Riding in the Jeep just got funner. 

I took Dad to lunch today at Paddy's Irish Pub.  I was going to pay with my piggy bank money.  But, Dad is almost as lightening fast as Gido when it comes to grabbing the check. 

"I'll have the eggs benedict, extra english muffin and Hollandaise on the side"

Then we went to Home Deepo (it's not a guys day without a trip to the Deepo).  Dad says he's going to kill something.  He just bawt some spray so it's either bugs or weeds.

Dad, the Roundup is in aisle one!

We were going to the bike store (I suggested we go to the trike store) and Dad got mad that they were closed.  On the dore was a sine that said "RIDING".

Oh ya, one last thing.  Imma Monster!

Peace,

B.D. Maloley
(B.D. is for "Big Deal" or "Bad Dude", your choice)

TD!

• In preparation for the upcoming football season, I successfully taught Bennett an very important skill (Go Big Red!): 

Mr. Touchdown USA from David M on Vimeo.

• How intuitive is the ipad?  A 1 year old can navigate it.  I downloaded a PBS Kids app this morning and he was having fun playing videos of Elmo, Cat in the Hat, Dinosaur Train, etc:  



• He had one of his roughest days yesterday.  The pollen is all over the place (literally coating the back deck).  Bennett reminded me of my Army days when the showoff soldiers (not me) would intentionally keep their gas mask off during gas chamber training.  They'd come running out of the chamber with teary eyes, snot and drool.  Thanks to zyrtec he's feeling much better today (there were enough tears yesterday to last a week). 

Pedestrian

• "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." -Martin Luther King, Jr.
• "Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time." -Steven Wright
  
  
  

• The bottles are put away and there's no more formula in our house.  The boy is growing up. 
• Karah had a very special mommy moment last night.  She was singing "You Are My Sunshine" to Bennett (just as she has since the day we brought him home from the hospital) before bed.  He thanked her by giving her an unsolicited kiss on the lips.  It brought her to tears.   
• Bennett had his one year checkup last week.  Current stats:  30.5" long and 25.8 lbs. 
• A year ago every conversation involved, "So, ya gettin' any sleep?"  Now the FAQ is, "So, ya ready for another one?" 



The 1

• The boy had his first birthday yesterday.  It's hard to believe that a year ago Bennett (currently happy and healthy as can be) was in neonatal intensive care with an oxygen cannula jammed in his nostrils.  As the Grateful Dead once put it, "What a long strange trip it's been!"  A few highlights from his birthday festivities follow:
• He likes cake (No surprise . . .  Cake is food and he loves food!): 

• We took him to the park for a birthday swing: 

• The next Tommy Lee??? Mommy prays for other mentors (Dave Grohl, perhaps?):

• He already thinks he's Superman.  I thought I'd get him the gear to match the attitude: 

• An update on Brux:  Two weeks ago, I wasn't sure that he'd be with us right now.  Much to our surprise (and pleasure) he's made quite a turnaround.  He's gone from a lethargic "old man" to his spunky old self. He's back to snagging frisbees from midair and heckling the other dogs in the neighborhood.  No doubt, he still has the kidney dysfunction and aggressive cancer to contend with.  Yet, it's pretty amazing what love, attention, and an excellent diet can do for a dog's (or a human's) health.  Thanks for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers.  Livestrong Bruxy!
• Speaking of sick . . . What's the opposite of empathy?  I was pretending to be sick (Oscar worthy acting) and Bennett thought it was just Hee-Hawlarious:



• While I was watching Celebrity Apprentice on Sunday . . . the news broke.  The current "face" of evil had been taken out (God bless those SEALs).  I can only hope that my son doesn't have to see the destruction of another hitler, stalin, saddam, bin laden, etc. during his lifetime.  Let's hope the information age can help expose such monsters before they gather substantial following and power. I just saw an interview with several kids who lost parents in the Towers in 9/11.  Their optimism was inspiring.  The American Dream lives on!
• "I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure" -Mark Twain