DangitDoug Days of Disaster

2012-01-07T16:11:00.000-08:00

Jan 1, 2012

So we just got home. We spent the night at a friend's for NYE. Lique lies on the front room floor when we get home and says "I miss you". I asked her "Who, the floor?". She says "Yes" ;)

2012-01-07T15:44:00.000-08:00

We went out running errands today. When we got home Lique asked me if we were going anywhere else today. I said no. She then walks over and takes off my shoes and socks. She has never done anything like that before. What a gal!!

We are also getting ready for a big party for her 10th birthday on the 28th. She hand made her invitations for all her friends. I love the creativity and thoughtfulness.

2012-01-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

My microwave just died.

Lique: How are we going to cook food?
Papa: The old fashioned way!
Lique: Leave it out in the sun?

2011-12-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

Holiday season again. Merry Christmas to all!! Time to rearrange the front room for the tree again. Lique is the tree master. I'm just here to reach the upper branches. next week we will also go to Del Mar for the light show at the race track with friends.

School has been wonderful. Lique is head and shoulders above her fellow students. I am proud and humbled by her smarts. I can see that I am not going to much help with homework before much longer!!

Back later with more holiday updates..........................

2011-10-05T14:56:00.001-07:00

Bang Bang Bang: Daddy breaking up frozen hamburger patties for dinner.

Lique: Daddy, stop being mad at something that's not alive...........anymore.

Generation gap

2011-06-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

Lique asked me what I was watching on TV. I told her it was The Rifleman. She laughed at the name so I told her that when she was a mother her kids were going to laugh at shows she watches from her childhood, like Spongebob Squarepants. She says "At least mine won't be in black and white".

Summer already........again.

2011-06-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Lique is finishing up 3rd grade next week. Another wonderful school year for her. We turned in her science project yesterday. She wanted to find out if different liquids would evaporate at different rates over an extended period of time. We spent two weeks with identical glasses of water and root beer in the front room window. Final result was both evaporated at the same rate. Additional finding: Mold will develop when when root beer has been left out for two weeks. Barn Dance and Open House tonite at school. More on that later......

2010-07-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

Putting Lique to bed...
Me: Nite nite
Lique: Nite nite

Me: I love you
Lique: I love you too

Me: Sweet Dreams
Lique: Right back atcha!

2010-05-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

So Lique is sitting on the couch with her rat Gibagab and I try to take a picture of them. Gibagab runs down under the blanket and Liqueu says "She doesn't like you because you're big and hairy"
One of these days being cute and lovable isn't goona work anymore.

Yeah right!

Down time

2010-04-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

Lique came down with strep and missed the last two days of school. We did a bunch of sitting at home and taking different medicines, fighting fever and not having much fun. She's much betteer finally and ready to go back to school. Despite being sick she was still focused on getting her school work done. I just don't think I can be anymore proud of her. She did whine a little bit because she couldn't touch her rat for a couple days but she does understand why. She spent a lot of time working on her puzzles. It's almost time for me to break out my old 1000 piece puzzles to give her a challenge. There is just something amazing about seeing a child have such energy and yen to learn even when she's sick. We tried the nap thing this afternoon. It worked like a charm........................for me. Until i was rudely awoken by "somebody" saying, "Daddy, you're snoring!" Sheesh. Can't even get a good nap in at home.

More later.......

I'm back.......

2010-04-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

Can't believe I got away from this. It's been almost a year since my last entry. Quick review...if possible. Lique finished the school year with a perfect report card. Summer was pretty uneventful although we did sneak in a really great day at Belmont Park with her sister. I am hoping to be able to do more this summer if things get better for us.

She started second grade in August and continues to amaze and make me proud with her school work. There was one day I was picking her up from daycare and she had not finished her homework yet. When I asked why, the teacher told me she had been helping a 4th grader with his homework. What a kid!

We have fought through a fairly serious health issue which prompted me to give away her bird for health reasons. We did get her a small rat which she just gushes over. Those two are so much fun to watch together. They may be different species but you can tell they are just two little girls playing together.

Well it's good to be back and I'll try to keep updated on our adventures.
God Bless You

My big little girl

2009-04-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

No matter how much she grows up she is still a little girl. She just left to get ice cream with the neighbors. I love the look of sheer joy when she is doing something and doesn't see me watching her. There is such a feeling of satisfaction to see her like that.

I went on my first field trip with her class this week. I love those kids. they are so much fun and they have a great appreciation for everything around them I can't believe she is almost finished with first grade. Will somebody please tell me where the year went?

Poor little sick Lique

2009-04-24T17:11:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and she missed school today. Back home now and resting. She's good even when she's sick. I take it harder than she does. lol

It seems I've been away........

2009-04-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Life has a a way of flying by sometimes. Especially when trying to keep up with a small child. We both have had birthdays recently. We celebrated Lique's 7th with a trip to Chuck E Cheese in January. Then she made fun of my 45th in March. I continue to be amazed and so proud of her every day. Her understanding of the world around her and willingness to adapt and succeed is a pleasure to behold. Her teacher has so much praise for her that I am left speechless at parent-teacher conferences.

However.............she has taken to describing me on a regular basis as "old and bald" Sheesh! No respect. I was trying to get her to speak clearly to me yesterday. I tapped the seat of a stool next to me and told her "Plant your butt!" She looks at me with a straight face and says "I'm going to need water, some dirt and a seed", turned and started to walk away. Once again I had been left befuddled and speechless by her. I pray she never loses that quick mind.

We are hoping to start getting down to the boardwalk on Belmont Park area soon. The weather is warming up and that will make for many fun and memorable weekends. I will try to be better about updating this on a regular basis. I have some ideas about things I want to do to accomplish this and I think they will work out.

C-ya again soon.

Life rolls on

2008-10-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile. Stop nagging at me already!

Weather cooled off today. Down in the 60s. OMG, so cold. As I was taking Lique to school today she said "My hands are freezing. I hope they don't fall off." I told her I really didn't think she had to worry about that. She said "What, it happened to a friend of mine." "Really?!" I said. I want to see this poor little handless boy. How could his parents have allowed him to go out in freezing, subhuman temperature and lose his poor little hands?

Grandma was in town last weekend. Grandma is the reason for tornado warnings in San Diego. Don't bother planning anything, just grab on and go along for the ride. Between Grandma, Grandpa & Lique, my house is a disaster area and I can't seem to get rid of the FEMA guys in the driveway. Don't get me wrong, I love my mother. I just don't think anything she said about cleaning up and being organized came from personal experience. Lique thought is was the greatest thing in the world to open packages that Grandma brought and make a mess. "Honey can you pick up the trash in the front room please?" "Grandma says I have to open these, I can't clean up yet." SHEESH!!

I do have to admit, it is a wonderful thing to see how much Angel loves her grandparents. I just wish they were closer and we could see them more. She will never want for attention or love from anyone.

God Bless You Mom
Your Little Lique Loves You

Kung Fu Panda and potty

2008-07-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

I try to be sure I spend at least one day each weekend out with Lique. We go to the mall, park, friends or just out to wherever the car takes us. Recently I had planned on surprising her and taking her to see Kung Fu Panda. I had planned on just driving to the mall and going to the theater without telling her where we were going.

Well as little minds tend to do hers began thinking along the same ideas I was having. On Friday she told me she wanted to go to a movie on Sunday. "DRAT!! She's not supposed to have the same idea that I do" I didn't say anything except "we'll see". I had an early class Saturday and as soon as I got home the movie talk started again and never let up all afternoon. I finally told her Saturday night that I had already planned on a surprisisng her with Kung Fu Panda the next day. She was thrilled about that idea and barely slept that night.

So Sunday comes along (At 8AM with her jumping on me to wake up) and we do our normal stuff and get ready to go to the movie. Lique is very excited and has a ball through the whole movie............................until.

"Daddy, I have to go potty"
Off we go
Across the row
Down the steps
Out the exit door
Down the convienently LONG hallway to the rest room
I wait outside for her
I wait some more
I wait even more
Did I mention I was waiting outside?
"Oh hi there, are you done already"
We go back down the LONG hallway
Walk back in the theater
Climb back up the steps
Walk back across the row and sit down.
WHEW!!
Look at the screen only to realize we have just missed the final fight between Kung Fu Panda and bad guy tiger. About 4 minutes later the movie is over.

I guess I will have to buy it on DVD to see the most important part of it.
I think they should play potty reminders before they start the movies so I, um I mean the children don't miss the most important part of the movie.

My butt hurts

2008-06-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

So along comes Barn Dance day at school and Lique is fired up and ready. I get off work at 4. It's 4:45 by the time I pick her up and get home. She tells me the Barn Dance starts at 5. So much for a bite to eat before leaving. Luckily they are serving hot dogs and we live accross the street from the school. I change and put on my best redneck boots, jeans, oversize belt buckle, Alan Jackson concert shirt and black cowbow hat. We just get there by five............................to find out it starts at 5:30. Papa is really hungry now! We mingle with other kids and parents. (Favoring the single mothers of course) Finally it's time to eat. I don't think my hot dog even got to say goodbye to it's beef by-product brothers before I inhaled it. Now comes the dancing part. YeeHaw. Lique gets shy and wants to stop after almost 45 seconds of dancing. A new record.

She decides she would rather go to the playground than dance, so off across the schoolyard we go. By now there's a tidal wave of defecting children and parents headed to the playground. She is in her element now. There is nothing quite as satisfying as watching your child completely forget everything and just play. When she was in preschool I would stand across the street and watch her play when she didn't know I was there. It's a beautiful thing to see child at times like that. Back to the present. At some point poor Lique gets run over by a boy about a foot taller than her. I can see she is more scared than hurt, but here come the tears. I ask her if she is hurt or scared and she just keeps saying "I don't know" while Niagara Falls are coming from her eyes. I hold her until she begins to calm down and wants a drink. We walk off toward the water fountains. She runs ahead of me when she sees some friends. At this point she starts yelling loud enough for anyone within 100 feet to hear "MY BUTT HURTS"

"Sheesh"

Time flies when you're not having quite as much fun.

2008-05-22T14:34:00.001-07:00

We had a very traumatic event in our family and subsequently I now have my 13-year old step-daughter living with us again. Two girls, 6 & 13. WOW. I am pleased to say that both girls have come through everything with flying colors. I continue to be proud and dumbfounded at the same time. It really is true what is said about the recuperative abilities of kids. They bounce back so fast. I think they have kept my sanity in check.

The younger one was very good at catching me at my low points emotionally. She would approach me and with that innocence and curiosity of a child ask, "Are you crying again Daddy?". That simple question and the look on her face always makes me feel better. Things are better now, if not as stable as I would like them to be.

The school year is almost over. They are both so in love with school, I'm not sure they want it to end. I don't know if the older girl is going to be with us after the end of the school year or not. That's another bridge waiting to be crossed. Wherever she ends up, I will always have a door open for her. I have raised her since she was 4. My home is her home.

I have learned that 13-year olds see food differently than adults. Did you know that a waffle with cream cheese and a slice of American cheese is a good breakfast? Neither did I! Not that I've had the guts to try it yet. I'll stick with my bacon & eggs for now. I'm getting quite the education on what girls think about boys too. Dangit, I could have used that knowledge in junior high. It would have saved years of embarrassment and shyness. On the positive side, I could tell you there were between 100 -120 cement squares per block on the sidewalks in my neighborhood. I spent many years looking down and studying sidewalks instead of looking at girls. I did put that knowledge to good use several years later when I discovered how well WD40 and matches killed ants and weeds in sidewalk cracks! (I also found out that when your friend's mother comes home and finds a 2-foot wall of flame at the top of the driveway you don't get dinner that night.) DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!

Til next time................

Rulebooks

2008-03-03T16:20:00.000-08:00

Did you know there are separate rulebooks for 6-year olds and parents? I was utterly unaware of this fact. It seems that all life experiences have been used to produce and mentally publish a child rearing rulebook, which until recently was very effective.

My daughter has now acquired her own rulebook, also taken from her vast experiences in life. (All six years) This rulebook allows her to eat Daddy's food, take Daddy's favorite pillow, transport the remote control to places where no remote control has gone before, feed the pet birds lollipops, tape anything and everything to the walls, spank Daddy and throw Daddy's rulebook away.

I was pretty sure I never did such thungs as a little boy. Just to be sure, I called my mother and asked her about it. I can still hear her laughing. I never did get an answer. I'm sure it just slipped her mind when she went to take her medication.

If anyone finds my rulebook, could you please covertly return it to me? Thank you very much for all your support.

Random thoughts from childhood

2008-02-29T11:26:00.000-08:00

I am a single father of a 6-year old girl. This has given me the opportunity to remember things from my childhood probably best left forgotten. I have many pet names for my daughter. All cute and girlie and she answers to all of them.

I never had pet names from my parents when I was growing up. Being one of six boys, no girls was an often confusing and mind numbing childhood that is all coming back to me now as a parent. My younger brother and I were always getting into something or another and no doubt causing the imminent destruction of our mothers sanity in the process. I never knew what my real name was until one fateful day in 3rd grade. My mother used to get fed up with our shenanigans and look at me and say "Jesus Christ", then look at my brother and say "What the hell!!" This led to years of identity crisis for my brother and I until that day in 3rd grade. One of my classmates had said or done something completely uncalled for in class (Isn't that a prerequisite for 3rd graders?) and our teacher looked around the class and without thinking said "What the hell!!" To which I said "He's down the hall in Room-10". My poor teacher was now completely lost. After a few phone calls home, a 3rd grader's explanation to mom and a trip to the Navy base to get me an ID card, I found out my real name. I always wondered why everybody was praying to me in church. I'm just a kid, what am I supposed to do about all those peoples problems.

The moral of this story is be sure to use cute pet names for your children. Nothing with the Lord's name or exclamation marks needed.