Catch Up

Great weekend. Great weekend always means I spent my time actually focused on the boys as opposed to be just 'around' and doing something else, like say watching sports on TV, programming or worrying about something at work while supposedly playing with them. So, instead of reminding myself about the lost opportunities I am going to feel good about the great weekend that was.

Luca decided today was the day to try riding the bicycle without training wheels. And as with most things, when the kid decides he is ready he usually is. He rode very well. We pedaled up and down the street in front of the condo -- he gleefully smiled and asked for confirmation a number of times that he was 'really doing it' and that Luciana or I (whoever was the 'runner' by his side) were not surreptitiously holding on to the back of the seat. He really did great -- no problems cruising over the slight drainage gully or over the manholes, etc. He does still have momentary crisis of confidence on turns. He gets nervous, starts taking his feet of the pedals and generally attempts to stand up while the bike is moving. Predictably, he falls over with the bike on him. However, he handled it all quite well -- no crying, no moaning and no giving up. He kept asking throughout the day to go back outside and ride some more and each time was for a good little while. He'll be a pro like his brother in no time.

What else today? Well, we stopped by the construction site of the house for our daily check-in. At this point, the framing of the walls are done. There is no roof but with the walls and floor done, you can walk through and your imagine has sufficient scaffolding to fill in the details. The best part about all these visits to the house is that the kids invariably run off to the back yard and have a great time exploring and making up games together. The yard is so far living up to its promise.

This evening on worked on math with Mateos -- mainly 'tens' and 'ones', etc. I am too hard on him; I feel myself treating his ability to grasp it immediately as a matter of his future hanging in the balance. It is ridiculous but it is a trap I fall into with sports, school,... well, you name it. I have to lay off or I am going to make the poor kid a total emotional wreck. Through it all, though, he maintains himself really well and actually took me aside to have a 'private talk' and explain his feelings to me. He's hard not to love.

Working in reverse... on Saturday we went to the movies in the morning. We saw "Horton Hears a Who." We went en mass -- Lu, myself, Mateos, Luca, Tia Marcela, Carolina, Rafa, Bernie and Kara. Everyone had a good time and munched on popcorn throughout.

The movie was around noon; the rest of the day is a little bit of a blur. Rafa came over for a few hours and then Luca and I went for some 'special time' together to McDonald's where he chowed down his happy meal and some of my nuggets. Then he and I went to the house and I gave him a tour of his room to-be and talked about all the things we might one day do at the new house. He seemed to enjoy the outing.

Friday night was good too -- Bernie, Laura came over and the boys played great with Kara and Luciana and I enjoyed little Jason's company as well. Lu made a good dinner and Bernie and Laura are good company. Fun night. Oh, and I learned a little secret about Bernie that Laura accidentally spilled -- apparently he and Jason both like wipes. While he may be right about the sense of using them, I don't think I will try it; I just can't see giving up the joy of the chuckle at his slight expense for the comfort of the wipe.