Memphis, TN
I’m back in the nursery. I neglected to say that this is my room for the long weekend. The NBA Finals are on the tube, volume down low. I forgot to mention that there was a guy who writes in a journal who predicted the Conference Finals correctly – Lakers and Pistons in 6 games. Cash that in. Too bad I wasn’t in Vegas to place that bet. As for the Finals, it’s not really fair since they’ve started. But I’ll say Lakers in 6. As I type it is the 3rd quarter and 60 – 44 Detroit.
I started off the day with a 9AM interview. I had set up a time with my brother’s friend and boss who I’ve known for quite a while. He is the head of sales for their company and has been in the sales field for a long time. I’ve been on a basketball team and have spent a night at his cottage with his family, so this is an interview where I already knew the person. Even with that, you don’t really talk about life stuff too much, so this was really a good one. It was also cool to see where Brad worked. They are busting it.
I then did some niece shopping. I don’t have much experience shopping for newborns and 2 year olds. I made it over to Toys’ R Us. I was overtaken by strollers, mothers, and kids wanting this and wanting that. I laughed to myself. Being a parent has to be so hard, but also so gratifying. I am not ready for a child, but its fun to see other peoples.
I have a policy I try to stick to of waiting to buy a gift for a baby after I meet them. I’m not sure why I think this, especially since it is probably customary to send a gift once a baby is born, but I need to meet them before I know what to get them. They may be 12 weeks old, but they still have a personality. As they grow, that personality radiates out of them.
And boy does Hope’s shine. She and I spent a lot of the day together. I sat in her play room as she brought me toys to play with, I rolled in her gymnastics mat, I watched Dora, she threw balls at me, and we laughed. I made her some chocolate milk and fed her some animal crackers. At one point Season was upstairs with Hattie. I had hope sit in front of me, “Hope, what’s up. Can you say what’s up?” “Whass up!” she whispered. I guess I had been whispering because I wanted to surprise her mom, but she repeated it. We did it a few more times. When Season came down, I asked hope what I taught her. She looked at me and whispered, “Whass up.” Awesome.
After Brad gets home it is a whirlwind around here. I take that back, it is always a whirlwind around here. Two kids, one feeding, one wanting to do this and that, Season has her hands full. I’m trying to help as best I can. I had a lot of fun holding Hattie. It took me a second for her to be comfortable in my hands, but that wore off as I had the little one in my arms. She was quiet and stared out at the big world.
Brad made it home and we ate some steak, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, and salad. I mentioned how I fed Hope a little. I was snacking too. I love the kids snacks; Goldfish, pudding, animal crackers, graham crackers and all of that. I ate too much today.
I set up a pretty cool thing for tomorrow. I will be rising early and going to interview the sports writer for the Memphis newspaper. I met him when he was in Rochester for the PGA Championship. My dad, brother, and his father in law were following Shaun Micheel with his wife for every shot of every round of the tourney. The writer came for the last days and walked with us. It was one of the best athletic experiences of my life and I never touched a club. I’m looking forward to the interview. Even more, I’m looking forward to sitting and watching his radio show. It’s from 8 – 10 AM, but I don’t know the station. I’ve listened to a lot of sports radio. This will give me a different perspective.
I go to bed grateful to be here, bonding with my nieces. As they grow older I wonder if they’ll see me as cool Uncle Drew or that weird uncle. Maybe it’ll be both.