Social Networking For Two Year Olds
We do not know any other parents with kids Ace’s age. All of our friends either have 4-5 year olds or babies. No toddlers.
So, Ace has really been deprived of interacting with other children his age. Do they have a Facebook for toddlers? He is an only child (although we have been working hard to change that, just no luck yet), but does get to interact frequently with older kids…which is good…but not what he needs. We do not want him to grow up and be socially retarded. 
So, Momma found a “Mommy & Me” class for them to take, but there was only one other kid there besides Ace. So, she dug a little deeper and found a Gymboree class for him to attend. Tomorrow will be Ace’s third class.
It really is kinda fun…even I enjoy it! Miss Alissa, the teacher/activity leader is very good with kids. She sings and dances and is extremely animated which draws the toddlers’ attention away from their shoe-laces (or whatever may have caught their attention).
There are multiple group activities separated by “play time” where the kids can go down the slides, shoot some hoops on a two foot tall basketball rim, climb different obstacles, and interact with each other.
The first visit Ace was very shy (gets that from me) and the second visit he opened up a whole lot. He actually participated in the group activities, but not so much with the other kids.
However…so far Ace has successfully knocked down a girl, head butted the same girl, and climbed on top of a girl…the same girl (whoa whoa buddy!). Aren’t little boys mean to the girls they like? I’m going to have to watch these two…
Overall it is a good time had for all, and I hope that Ace gets something valuable out of it. Momma has already made a friend with one of the other Moms there and they are planning a play date outside of Gymboree. Maybe Ace has made his first friend his own age? We’ll see…
Rocks and Shit
We spent the weekend in my home town at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Riding the 4-Wheeler, lying by the pool, going swimming, and doing a little bit of partying on Saturday night.
Ace, however spent the weekend sharpening his speech skills and getting lessons from some of the best out there…
Aunt Amber and Aunt Amy taught him some silly Frog song and he spent the weekend running around saying “mmmmm-eckkkkk mmmmm-eckkkkk mmmmm-eckkkkk-eckkkkk “. Don’t ask me…
Aunt Amy also thought it would be just darling for him to start his flirt training. She successfully got him to say “Hey Gurrrl!” to a few of his potential future mates. You better watch out girls!
Grandpa pulled in the driveway in his old truck, but Ace could not see him. Ace looked to the sky and said “Hewicoptur!”. I think he is indirectly telling you it is time for a new muffler Gramps.
And last but not least, Ace was walking barefoot across the patio when someone noticed he was not putting weight on the heel of his foot. Everyone thought he may have stepped on something sharp. So, I picked up his foot and brushed off a bunch of dirt and rocks. I announced to the peanut gallery that it was just some “Rocks and Shit”. And of course, Ace proceeded to copy my excellent English lingo and announce by himself that it was just a bunch of “Rocks and Shit!”, “Rocks and Shit!”, “Rocks and Shit!”
Can’t Bose make some curse word canceling headphones? I mean hell they make the noise canceling ones!
How Kids Change Your Life…10 Things No One Tells You About
I remember back when we were expecting Ace. Everyone kept telling us how much it would change our life, but all they told us was, “Diapers and formula are expensive!”…or, “You’ll be getting up every couple of hours every night to a crying kid!”.
So I’m going to let out the secrets…what are some of the things that change…that no one tells you about.
1. You venture into areas of your TV volume meter that have never been explored…(No I do not watch the fashion show shown on the TV…that was all Momma’s doing.)
- TV Volume Before Kids
- TV Volume After Kids
2. You must now share cabinet space with brightly colored sippy cups. Be glad you did not install those fancy clear cabinet doors…because I guarantee the neon rainbow does not go with most kitchen decors.
- Sippy Cups Share A Cabinet
3. Other cabinets are completely taken over… What used to be there? Hell, I forget (loss of memory is another thing they don’t tell you about)
- Hijacked Cabinet – Baby Stuff
- Hijacked Cabinet – Baby Food
4. You find it financially necessary to buy a digital camera. I have taken over 2000 pictures in the past 19 months. You know how much it would have cost to develop 2000 pictures? Most of them blurry, off center, or otherwise not visually pleasing…
- Digital Camera Needed
5. Your computer wallpaper can no longer be some cool scenery or your favorite sports team. It is, of course, a picture (or even slide show) of your kid…
- Ace Wallpaper
6. Hearing a kid crying is no longer like nails on a chalkboard. It still bothers you, but you are extremely desensitized compared to it’s pre-kid effects…
- Ace Crying
7. Other people’s kids crying doesn’t bother you like it did before you had kids either. It has other effects on you, like…chuckling quietly because you know exactly what the crying kid’s parent is going through and you are just glad it is not you this time…but you know your turn is coming.
8. No longer does your back yard look like a golf course green. Now it looks like the playground at the park…
- Golf Course Green Backyard
9. Your refrigerator will now be a major source of entertainment for your little one. A little side effect? Coming down in the middle of the night to get a drink and busting your ass on refrigerator magnets that have been left lying on the floor. ;D
- Refrigerator Magnets
10. It is not only recommended, but often necessary to change your disgusting habits. Those little people are like copy-catting sponges…
- Kids Picking Their Noses
But even though you have to deal with the noise, the cabinet rearrangements, the wallpaper hijacking, the buying of a digital camera, the crying, the loss of your beautiful backyard, the refrigerator decorations, and the nose picking…it is all worth it…because of moments like this…
- Why It Is All Worth It
Flying High and Crashing Cars
Last weekend was a blast! Friday, Momma and I went out to celebrate our 6th Anniversary (we’ve been together for 10 years now)! Then we went to an awesome dinner at Tony’s Italian Restaraunt here in Columbus, and ended the night out by seeing College the movie…pretty freakin’ funny flick!
Saturday we had big plans. We drove Ace and his cousin, Olivia, to the town where I grew up to check out a Fly-In. Here we got to see a bunch of cool air planes. Instead of blabbing on and on about the planes, I’ll just post some pics…
Then we were off to the Demolition Derby! One of my favorite things to watch!
My brother had been building a car to drive in the derby. We went down to watch him wreck his car, but he had to back out at the last minute due to some car troubles. Oh well, we still had a good time!
Have I ever mentioned that Ace likes anything with wheels? Well, he does…and he loves derby cars! He ket pointing at the cars and blabbering in giberish…that means he likes what he sees.
The derby was very crowded and we were late to find a seat, so we had to stand and watch. Of course there were a few rednecks (I fit right in. ) standing in front of us so the kids could not see.
So, here comes dad/uncle to the rescue! Go go human pedestal!
At the end of a very long day we all had a very good time. I’m glad that Ace and Olivia enjoyed the planes and the derby so much. Now I know I have someone to watch the derby with for years to come.
I Wasn’t Invited
Remember the good ole’ days? The ones where you lived for today. Your biggest worry was figuring out who was having a party this weekend, and who was going to buy you some alcohol because you were underage! Remember those days?
If you remember those days you probably remember (or maybe you don’t due to your condition) a few nights where you prayed to the Porcelain God. Remember that? Remember putting your face where you usually put your rear end? Remember giving it everything you had, and then some, and asking the Porcelain God to please make it stop and promising yourself that you would never do it again?
Remember how good the cold bathroom floor felt on your face as you lie there with your pants unbuttoned and probably down around you knees dreading you next worship session?
Well, I forgot about those days until I saw this picture that Momma took of Ace. Looks like I was not invited to the party…
`
Ace Passed Out On The Bathroom Floor
Ace Passed Out On The Bathroom Floor
Grandpa’s Glory – Part II
Back in October, I wrote a post about Ace’s Grandpa, my Dad. Ace and his Grandpa didn’t get a long too good at first. Grandpa would say “Hi!” and Ace would scream like a banshee!
It was tough on Grandpa, but things have been getting better…
Ace, Momma, and I spent all weekend at Grandpa’s just hanging out and swimming in the pool! We had a blast and got some nice tan lines as a result.
As you probably know, Ace loves to ride on the mower, and when Grandpa started his up Ace wasn’t going to quit until he was taken for a ride. It wasn’t hard for Ace to convince his Grandpa for a quick ride on the mower, but a quick ride turned into 20-30 minutes of lapping the yard.
And after a long day in the sun, nothing is better than a nap in the recliner…
It makes me think back to when my Grandpa took me for rides on his mower. Something I will never forget! I’m going to have to dig up some pictures of me riding on my Grandpa’s mower and napping in his recliner…and post them here of course.
Sometimes it’s scary how much Ace and I are alike…
COSI – An Electrifying Experience!
Hello everyone! I’m writing this from the hotel room in Iowa! Why can’t life be one big vacation?
Last weekend Momma and I took Ace to the Center Of Science and Industry, commonly known as COSI.
This place is sweet! (especially for a big dork like me). Ace is kinda little for most of the things there, but he still enjoyed himself. It was a very electrifying experience!
Ace is all about figuring out how things work; from spinning the wheels on his toy trucks to opening and closing the dishwasher door. COSI is full of things that move. His actions create a reaction. All of the exhibits are totally interactive and I’m sure he will enjoy it even more as he gets older.
But for now he enjoys being able to see and touch everything…
The top floor of COSI is specifically for the younger kids. Ace had a blast up there. He was able to drive the ambulance! Pushing buttons by the steering wheel made the lights flash!
We always knew that he liked playing in the water in the bath tub, but never knew how much he really enjoyed water. He probably spent the majority of his time playing in the water with Momma!
COSI was a blast for Ace, Momma, and I. We bought a season pass here as well, so don’t be surprised if you get hear about more fun experiences from COSI!
As I mentioned earlier we are currently in Iowa for vacation. The hotel we are staying at has an indoor and outdoor water park and Ace was able to go swimming for the first time in his life! Stay tuned for more pics and awesome Ace adventures!
Momma’s Going To Kill Me
So, I’m pretty sure Momma is going to kill me! Why? Because, I have a weakness for FREE stuff. Especially free stuff with wheels and an engine.
In the past year I have acquired an 87 Chevy Blazer, a 77 Honda motorcycle, and 4 old push mowers that I didn’t pay a penny for. The free “junk” is piling up behind our shed at amazing rates! (If I don’t stop bringing home so called “junk”..I may just be found mangled in the “junk pile” behind our shed. 
)
Guess what…none of the free “junk” ran when I got them. (and most of them still don’t…but they will).
My most recent score was a 1970’s something model John Deere 56 riding lawn mower…yes…for FREE! I found it on Craigslist and was all excited! I am tired of push mowing our yard. I knew it didn’t run, but I know that almost anything can be fixed. I was really looking forward to kicking back, with no shirt, catching some rays, with a beer in one hand, and the steering wheel in the other as grass clipping flew all over the place.
So I picked it up and brought it home, but guess what…not only did it not run, but it had no mowing deck. That means no blades. That means it is not mowing crap 
Momma asked, “What the hell are you going to do with it if you can’t mow with it?”
Well, a few weekends ago I managed to get it started and actually move under it’s own power. Amazing huh? While most people would have taken this old worthless pile of junk to the dump for a proper burial, I found a good use.
Quit snickering at my oh so cool camo hat and good jeans!
Now I just look forward to kicking back, with no shirt, catching some rays, with Ace in one hand, and the steering wheel in the other as we zoom around the backyard dodging the land mines and annoying the neighbors with the rumble of a 6 horsepower engine running beneath our seat!
Screw mowing…let’s just ride!
By the way…I just realized that if I do things right, you can click on the picture and actually comment on the picture alone. Expect all pictures on DadThing to be like this for now on.
Hat Trick (Pics)
I’m a hat guy. I’ve always been a hat guy. I’ve been known to sleep wearing a hat. I can change my shirt without taking off my hat. I have whole collection of hats.
I think my head is crooked though, because my hat never sits straight on my head. It’s always crooked..just a little bit.
Frank Sinatra once said, “Cock your hat – angles are attitudes.”
If that’s true then I know someone who has TONS of attitude…
For The Ladies
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