Family Pool Day 07/08/11

"Wayne" & "Gramma Lorraine"

Today was a great day! Jr. and I went for a bike ride (our third in a row) to the park and then over to my parents house to spend time with "Wayne" and "Gramma Lorraine" as Jr. calls them. Kids were great which was nice since the whole house has been sick for at least a week. (Thanks to Jr. for spreading his germs - I still love you son!)


After spending the morning with family, we brought the kids home, put them down for a nap and Michael and I met up for a tennis match. It's nice to know that while Michael is a national champion athlete (albeit volleyball), his big brother (9 years and 3 months older) can take him in a random game of tennis.

Anika

After tennis, Codi, myself, and the kids went to the pool. It was Anika's first pool adventure. She did not appreciate the big kids splashing her, but she still seemed to like the pool. Jr. continues to show no fear and blind trust in me as he jumps off the side of the pool and expects me to catch him. It's 10:00 at night right now and I still think he would be jumping off the edge of the pool right now if I let him. I can't seem to get him to hold his breath. Every time we practice and I dunk him, he comes up choking water.

Codi & Jr.

Needless to say, I was pooped out. Jr. has been asking me to stay with him in his room after we finish reading books. He has mastered all the stalling tactics ("one more story," "can I hug you," "Daddy please stay with me.") Usually I try to figure a way out, but not tonight. I said, "Sure son, I'll stay with you. I fell asleep for 30 minutes, and would probably still be sleeping in there had he not been playing with my face with his feet! (I love that kid!)

Today goes down as a great day!

Eric Sr.

Fishing with Papa

My dad started taking me fishing when I was so young, I can't even recall the first time.  Fishing was one of our "bonding" activities. For ten consecutive years, dad took me to Canada on a week long fishing trip. It was an annual highlight that I always looked forward to. Fishing was an integral part of my relationship with my dad. Aside from the Canada trips were the regular trips to Lake Geneva, which even included several fishing contests (and we even placed on the top three more than once)!  Dad would pull me out of school to go fishing.

Sometimes dad and I would hunt for our own worms. (It's funny the things that got me excited as a kid). If it rained really hard, dad and I would take flashlights and cover the lens with a semi-transparent red tape. We would then go out into the soaking wet field and hunt for worms that had risen to the surface of the wet ground.  It was such a blast, and if I were to be honest, I would go worm hunting with Dad tonight if he asked.

This past Friday, Dad and I took Jr. fishing for the first time. I think he has what it takes. He's generally patient and did not ask, "When are we going back to the car" until the 2 hour mark. (Not bad for a 2.5 year old.) While he was enticed by bobbers and leeches, nothing captivated his attention quite like the pair of pliers on the boat.  As much fun as it was to be fishing again, it was even more fun to watch Jr. and Dad interact on the boat.  I have a feeling these two are going to cause a bit of trouble as Jr. gets older. Either way, the day was a big success and a great "lead-in" to a Father's Day weekend.

-Eric

Future American Idol Winner!

Jr. knows that we sing to Anika to help her calm down if she is upset.  For the past few weeks, whenever Anika begins to cry Jr. breaks into song to soothe her. He's pretty funny because he is very proud of himself if Anika stops crying. We have been trying to capture this on video for a while now, and we finally pulled it off.  Enjoy.

Eric

"I Love Her Daddy!"

I think anyone who is a parent hopes their children will be friends for life. Codi and I have been telling Eric that Anika is his "best friend."  The two of them totally love each other, and as much fun as it is to see Eric express his affection for his sister, it is equally exciting to watch Anika love on her brother in her own way.  Anika can be in a cranky mood, and the presence of her brother will change her.  She tracks him with her eyes as he plays around her. She looks around, almost with concern, when he leaves her field of vision.  I'll never forget when I brought Anika into Eric's room after he woke up one morning and he said in his cute little two year old voice, "It's Anika Daddy, she's my best friend!"

Eric likes to get in the crib with Anika when she wakes up. He even asked Codi if we could move her crib to his room. I have a funny feeling these two will be sleeping together in the bunk bed a lot sooner than expected. I hope these two stay close as they get older!

Things Eric says, that makes me a proud dad:
"She's my best friend!"
"I love her Daddy!"
"It's ok Anika, it's ok." (when she is crying)
"She needs her 'nukie' Daddy"
"Come to me, Anika" (as he puts her arms out)
"She's awake Daddy, let's go check on her!"
"Whatcha doin Anika?"
"Can I hug her?"
"I'm gonna give her a kiss."

-Proud Dad

The End Of An Era - A Tribute To My Brother

When I was 14 years old, a friend of mine convinced me to try out for the high school volleyball team. I hadn't really ever played before, and really wanted to play tennis. Nevertheless, it was definitely one of the better decisions I made in high school. My brother was almost six years old when I started playing, and that started the beginning of his volleyball era. Michael was enthralled with the sport. He became somewhat of a team mascot. He would shag balls for us during pre-game warm-ups.  Everyone on the team knew him, coaches included. We nicknamed him "Shag," and made a T-shirt for him (which looked more like a dress because it was so big).  Even though Michael didn't really have a choice on whether or not to attend a game, he was always happy to be there.  It was pretty special for me to have my little brother always at the games and rooting for us.

I got married when Michael started high school and did not attend near the amount of games he attended for me. When he was a senior in high school, I was able to get job coaching the JV boys volleyball team at his school. Truth be told, the motivation behind that was to get to hang with him more. We may have heckled and argued a bunch - but hey, we're brothers!

Now, Michael is a senior in college, and last night I had the opportunity to watch him play volleyball at the semi-finals of the national tournament in Iowa.  I haven't been to as many of Michael's college games as I would like, but I'm glad I didn't miss this one, because it was his last.  Michael and I have always been competitive, and seeing as how he has won a national title two years ago, I guess I can admit that he is a better volleyball player than me.  I'm proud of my brother. He's been playing volleyball for at least 10 years. That's a long time to commit to something. 

So Michael, I'm proud of you. You played a great game last night. It's a bummer that I'm not watching another game instead of writing this, but I'm glad I made it out.

I love you brother,

Eric

Codi's first day back at work...

Today was Codi's first day back at work. I'm not sure what she was more worried about, the idea of being back at work, or leaving me alone with the kids. Anika has proven to be a bit difficult at bedtime and usually takes anywhere from 2 to 3 hours to get completely settled and in bed. Codi was worried about bedtime so she asked me to have Holly come over and put Eric to bed.

The kids and I had a great afternoon. Eric was particularly entertaining when Anika woke up from her nap. He was bossing me around and telling me what to do with Anika. "Put her in the bouncer Daddy!" "She needs her nuk, Daddy!" "She wants her bottle Daddy!" It was as if Codi coached him to make sure I did everything right. It was pretty comical.

We went for a long walk to the park, and played there for a while. Holly rode her bike over and hung out with us for a bit. Eric made a new friend and Anika was an angel.  On our walk home, we walked past a youth baseball game. Eric was pretty interested in it so we watched it for a few minutes. I wonder if he'll want to play baseball?  It was hard to look at Eric and think in 12 years he could be playing on that baseball diamond with those kids. I'm in denial that he is going to grow up. 2.5 years old is the coolest age ever and there is a part of me that just wants time to freeze. He is so caring, kind, and considerate. I hope he keeps those qualities as he gets older.

Anyway, it is currently 9:56pm and Anika has been asleep since 7:04. I did have to go in there for 10 minutes around 8, but if she stays asleep until Codi gets home this will be a record. 

I love my kids.

Eric

We're going to the Cottage Daddy!!!

03/31/2011

Today we drove up to the cottage to tackle a pretty big landscaping project. Tilling, leveling, and seeding the "new cottage." Eric, however, just wants to go the cottage to be at the cottage. He seems to have discovered the "mysteries" of the cottage, because he gets so stinkin' excited about it. We weren't 15 minutes into the drive and Eric said, "almost to the cottage Daddy." (Sure thing son, just another 2.5 hours and we'll be there.)  He was cute because along the drive he would periodically ask Codi, "you going to the cottage too mommy?" As I write, I wonder if he thought we were dropping him off?

Eric had a hard time containing his excitement and he couldn't wait to be there and he couldn't wait to see his "Gramps" even though we told him Gramps wouldn't be there until tomorrow.  It kind of makes me wonder if that's how Bud (a.k.a. Gramps) felt when he went to the cottage when he was a little boy.  The cottage is this special place that has Domagata family history right down to the dirt the house sits on.  Because I didn't grow up in the family, I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm not sure I truly understand all that's behind it. Eric and Anika on the other hand, get to be the next generation who get to experience all the cottage has to offer. They are going to grow up with it, and have this deep appreciation for it - at least they better!  This place will forever be a part of them.  They are so blessed (as am I). I think watching Eric's excitement for this place puts things into perspective.  Bud and Holly have built this fantastic "new cottage," and I can't wait to see what the years ahead will be like for my family. Am I going to watch my grandchildren play up here? I think that's our hope - and I'm pretty sure it's Gramma and Gramps's hope as well.

Eric

I'm not superstitious, I'm not superstitious, I'm not superstitious.

One thing that is true of Codi and I now, that was never true about us before is that we are mildly superstitious. Truthfully, most people are, and here is the example to prove it:

You are driving along the highway with your friends or spouse, and traffic is flowing nicely. (You already know where this is going.) It's an unwritten rule that is commonly broken, someone will say, "Hey, can you believe how great this traffic is?" From there you can imagine how the story ends.

With our children, more so Anika now than Eric, we have become superstitious around the area of sleep. Often when we put her to bed, if she goes down well, we do not talk about it - AT ALL. We know that talking about it just means she is going to wake up. I often test this superstition by talking about it and inevitably Anika wakes up.  If she starts to make "fussy sounds" we mute the TV, or pause the program we are watching, thinking this will cause her to go back to sleep. Today we drove to Wisconsin and Anika slept pretty much the whole way. (Anika is a great car traveling baby.) We only had 15 minutes left to go on our drive and I HAD to comment on how pleasant the drive had been. Clearly Anika, (being the gifted child that she is) heard me in her sleep, decided to wake up and prove me wrong. (Is this a daughter thing? My boy is not like this).

Fortunately, I have not walked under any ladders, broken any mirrors, and I always cover my mouth when I yawn (knock on wood).

Eric

A Dad in King Eric Jr's Court

In life, we dream of owning our own home. Codi and I realized that dream at the beginning of October of 2008. Little did we know that dream would only last 28 days which is when our home became Eric Jr's home. We didn't really know it at first, but Eric Jr slowly took on ownership of the house, but we still had to pay the mortgage. According to Eric, most things in our home are his. If they are not his, he tries to claim them. The reality is, as all parents of young children know, we work for our kids. 

Here is a taste of my world:

Eric finds a new pillow on my bed and says, "That pillow is perfect! It needs to be Eric's pillow!" He quickly snuggled up to the pillow, pulled up the covers, and claimed the pillow as his own.

Another time Eric is jumping on my bed. Out of nowhere he begins exclaiming, "I'm the boss! I'm the boss!" He wasn't whining or complaining about anything, he simply was stating the facts.

Don't get me wrong, 9 times of 10 when he wants something he always says please, but he has a charisma about him.  My concern is that when Anika gets older, Eric and she will join forces and then Codi and I will be nothing more than serfs and jesters in the King and Queen's domain, whose sole existence is to serve our masters.

"Hail to the King,"

-Serf Larson

"The Stadium"

Yesterday Eric Jr. and I attended a Chicago Wolves game. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN - www.foodallergy.org) worked collaboratively with the Wolves organization to create a "peanut free" venue. This way all the kids with peanut allergies can come to the game and watch it without concern of exposure to the allergen.  Codi gave me permission to get the most expensive tickets so Jr. could see what was going on.  The beauty of the Chicago Wolves is the best seats only cost $26. My biggest concern was whether or not Jr. would last beyond the first period. Fortunately there were 5 seats open on either side of us so he had some room to roam. Aside from that, he ate a ridiculous amount of Teddy Grahams and pretzels, not to mention "Fun Bites," a "cereal bar," and a full water bottle (which I regretted this morning) which helped keep him occupied.

At one point during the game a fight broke out (a pretty good one I might add), and I wondered if I should let Jr. watch it. (Over protective father - I know.)  As I looked over at Jr., I noticed he didn't even care about the fight, at which point I wondered, "who doesn't want to watch two guys pummel one another on ice skates?" Nevertheless, we made it nearly through the third period of the game. We danced at our seats in between periods and tried to get the mascot, "Skates" to throw us a free T-shirt, but the old wolf must have bad vision because I don't know how you couldn't throw a shirt to my kid!  The couple behind us even complimented Jr. on how well behaved he was throughout the game, and that makes for a proud dad. As we were out in the parking lot, Jr. said, "I had fun with Daddy at the Stadium!" Looks like we are going to have to go again - which is fine by me.

Eric

P.S. It was a surreal feeling to be driving to this game with Jr., because when I was a kid my dad took me to the Allstate Arena, formerly known as the Rosemont Horizon to watch the Chicago Power (indoor soccer) and the Wolves.  Dad is probably shaking his head (and my mom is smiling with pride) while reading this because I paid for parking instead of trying to park in the Target lot for free and I not only paid full price for our tickets, but I sat in the seats I paid for. Sorry Dad, maybe that skips a generation!

Cry Baby

As a dad, whenever I see kids of pretty much any age doing something special, and particularly when it happens at church, I can't seem to hold it back. It's like there's a water works switch inside me that has no off switch. It's not that I'm not sensitive - those who know me well can vouch for me on that one. (No embarrassing comments necessary please - I like to think I have some people fooled.) I just see my children in those kids. At Willow there were Irish-American dancers on stage today. These were all girls who appeared to be teenagers. There's really nothing to cry about - or so I thought. I pictured my little Anika up there performing. I don't even know what she likes yet, she's only two months old. Eric Jr. on the other hand will probably some type of performer. He likes to strike up conversations with strangers no matter where we are. Today he made a friend at the deli counter, and they talked about bananas and his uncle Nolan's dog, Roxy.  The place where Eric can totally flip the water works switch on me, and he doesn't even know it, is when he sings "Jesus Loves Me." (Unfortunately he has his mother's voice so a career in singing is out of the question).  I don't want my kids to grow up too fast, but I'm so excited about what life has in store for them. (Yes, I got a little misty just now, but no tears - honest!)

- C.B.

Puddle Jumper

When I watch my son, I'm often amazed at how some of the simple things in life bring him so much joy: a stuffed animal named mousey, matchbox cars, school buses, dump trucks, trains, etc. This afternoon after a trip to the grocery store and Costco he simply wanted to jump. Before I got him out of the car he said, "Eric go jump in the puddles daddy?" How do I say no to that? I feel like I'm always in a hurry to get something done, and my son, just wants to enjoy what God gave him - rain that created about a 1/16 of an inch puddle.

The message at Willow today had to do with finding beauty in the mundane as well as finding beauty in the midst of tragedy because that is where God does his best work.  Eric Jr. was able to show me the beauty of puddles. He finds beauty in cracks in the sidewalk, or the yellow striped lines in a crosswalk. He gives them purpose - it's something to jump over. Eric Jr. doesn't realize it but he helps me understand God in a different way. As a kid I would often hear that people say that being a parent gives you a different perspective on God - how true!

Eric

P.S. sorry about the sketchy video that may or may not have sound. . .

Feeling Blessed

The past two weeks have been a little interesting with Anika - particularly at bedtime. It didn't take very long for us to figure out that she is so incredibly different from her brother. She has been taking 1.5 to 3.5 hours to get to sleep, however, once she's down, she's only up to feed during the night and she goes right back to sleep. While it has been frustrating, it was nice to just have her to myself last night. It appears we are discovering what she needs/likes/wants - time will tell. The realization that she is here to stay and part of the family has finally sunk in, and I have to admit that it's pretty cool.

Jr. has adjusted pretty well to sharing time with mom and dad as well. He can be pretty sweet on his sister too. If she's crying, he will often go up to her and say, "It's OK Anika," and rub her tummy. Sometime she will let out a yelp, and he will tell her, "no screaming Anika." Every night before he goes to bed he wants to say goodnight to his mom and sister and gives them both a kiss. And when he prays at dinner time he always says, "bless Anika."

Now that I have two kids, my time with Eric Jr. is a little less, but can often be more special. He and I went to the pool this afternoon when I got home from work. Codi reminded him after he ate breakfast this morning that "Dad is going to take you to the pool when you wake up from your nap." Jr.'s response, "I'll take a nap now!" We had a blast at the pool and I have a feeling this could become a weekly thing. It's kind of funny, because I remember when I was a kid, my dad used to take me to the YMCA to play at the pool one night a week, for many, many weeks.

Life with two kids is pretty cool when I reflect on it. Sometimes in the moment it's like pulling your hair out, but I wouldn't change it for anything.

-Eric

Cake Boss

Codi and I have been watching the Cake Boss on and off since the show began. It seems odd to think I would watch a show about cake since I'm not particularly fond of it. Ice cream, brownies, and cookies by "Susie" are all I need for desserts. (Codi on the other hand, loves cake.) Anyone who has seen the Cake Boss knows that while the show is about Carlo's Bakery and the incredible cakes they put together, it's about something more important - Family.

When you watch the family dynamics of the Valastro family, it's clear they all care about each other. The brotherly and sisterly "ribbing" are really just signs off love and friendship. These people don't need any friends - they have a large family where they all stay close - shoot they even work together!

Codi and I have also observed a family in Wisconsin. This family has home next door to my in-laws cottage. At the top of the family tree are two grandparents probably in their 70s. They have four or five kids, and those kids all have a bunch of kids. Those family gatherings are filled with a sense of family - along with a bit of chaos. Neverthless, watching that dynamic just makes you want to have a piece of the action. It's almost contagious.

I have no idea how many children God is going to bless my family with, but I can at least say we're off to a good start. I want my children to have siblings whom they can confide in and trust their entire life.

-Eric

Jr's Excellent Adventures

Eric Jr. spent about three days with his Great Aunt Cathy and Great Uncle Mark. I dropped him off Tuesday evening and Cathy and Mark brought him home Friday evening. A few days prior to the trip, Jr. found his suitcase and was wheeling it around the house saying, "I'm going on vacation!" When I asked him where he was going, he said "Cathy's house." (Sidenote: Cathy owns everything and Mark owns nothing according to Jr. - Cathy's house, Cathy's car, Cathy's room, etc. Poor Uncle Mark.)

While I'm sure there are people who may have been thinking, "Codi and Eric Sr. will never make it for three days," I'd say we did a pretty good job of leaving the "little traveler" alone. I only sent texts to respond to those sent to me, and did not check up on him once. Gramps (Bud) on the other hand was the first to ask how things were going.

Jr. had a blast, and to be honest, I'm not sure he really wanted to come home. He got to go to the museum, the zoo, the library, make cookies, take the dog for a walk, and pretty much be the "King of the Castle" at someone else's home - I think he needed that since he has been de-throwned by his sister. When Jr. got back he had a lot of exciting things to talk about. Apparently monkeys are noisy, while bears, snakes, and turtles are quiet. The kid loves to "drive" things. If it has a steering wheel, he's all about it.

The best part is he came home happy, didn't acquire any bad habits, and also did not require any "deprogramming." While some thought the little boy would be homesick, the truth is he wants to go on another "vacation."

Thanks for having him Cathy and Mark! I hope he didn't wear you out too much!

-Eric

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