Proud

Today Natalie surprised me (again). I asked her what she had learned at school today. She said she had worked with a pentagon. Yes, you read that right: a pentagon. Never mind she is three years old (well, almost four). She knows about pentagons. That's my daughter.

I am so glad I can have her attend the Montessori school. So glad.

Back to school

Now that Natalie attends pre-school, the whole family is being educated. When daddy (after a long and tiring day!) lets his elbows rest on the table during dinner, she is quick to remark:

No elbows on the table, papa!

And she is right. Proper posture yields superior results. Can't wait to find out what else I will learn again...

Feedback

Natalie has reached a new milestone. She now teaches others what she has learned. This means that at every traffic light she tells me whether to stop or continue. I can handle that.

It is harder, however, to accept feedback on the way I eat. "You need to sit straight in front of your plate, papa!" That's right. I have to be careful what I teach her because it can, no, WILL be fed back to me.

Go away!

Natalie has a little brother. This week she taught him his first full sentence: "Go away!" He does not really know what it means and he uses it quite a lot. So now we have a toddler running around in the house telling everyone to go away.

Soooo sweet

Natalie has learned a very sweet song at school.

I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river
I've got peace like a river
in my heart

I've got love like a mountain
I've got love like a mountain
I've got love like a mountain
in my heart

I've got joy like a fountain
I've got joy like a fountain
I've got joy like a fountain
in my heart

I got my daughter back!

Natalie has had her third ear infection this year. Before we realized this she was not herself - she kept whining and refusing anything we proposed. The moment she got her medicine and the pain went away I recognized my sweet little girl again. Hopefully the probiotics undo the harmful side-effects of the antibiotics.

Provider Man

We got snowed in. We underestimated the winter in Oregon and did not buy any tire chains. So after a week we were running out of supplies. As a Provider Man I had no other choice than to face the elements and go out hunting. Actually, I loved getting out for a walk with my backpack and hiking boots. I have sufficient gear and during the walk I even got too hot in my heavy winter coat and gloves.

At the store I did my best to meet all my wife's wishes. We had a lot of phone conversations. "I cannot find the molasses, Dear. They only have blackstrap molasses, the kind you don't like." "No, they don't have them in the Organics Section. You have to find the regular section where they have mild taste molasses." "Oh, OK." Walking around in the grocery store I noticed several other guys on the phone. I realized they were all talking to their wives at home. One even winked at me - the only way we could communicate (being on the phone). For a moment I felt like being a member of The Brotherhood of Men.

On the way home I realized we men have evolved a lot. A few thousand years ago we just went out together and our wives ate the prey we got. Now we go out of our way to ensure we get the right ingredients for the cookies they bake for us.