October 30, 2011 Dear Alex,

Dear Alex,
Here's a few things I wanted to share:

1)  Last week you were getting ready to go with me to a Titans game.  You were very excited to be able to go wearing your football chones.


2)  I heard this quote from actor/director John Turturro that I wanted to share.

"It's better to be tired because you're challenged then tired because you're bored."

Too frequently I've been bored because I was bored.  I found few people who could successfully motivate me.  I found ways to challenge myself.   Most of those ways have been healthy.  I've been able to stop myself from doing silly things just to challenge myself.

I hope you figure this out for yourself.

3) You complained this week that you don't like to go to the playground because the kids are rough.  "They call me small," you said.  "What do you do?"  "I make funny faces at them."

4)  Another quote.  This one from singer Tom Waites.

"Sometimes I wonder if I am eccentric or just wearing a funny hat?"

You, Alex, wear some funny hats.  You are wonderfully humorous, silly and sly.  Yet you are under control.

October 16, 2011 Dear Ghost of School Past,

Dear Ghost of School Past,
We had our first parent/guide conference for Alex at Abintra today and I thought about all the schools I went to.  I remember being told things like I was a good student, I was a good athlete and I was a good kid.

I don't remember ever being told that I was a good learner, I was excited to learn and I helped others learn.

Every time Irma and I talk to the guides or attend a school function we get more excited about the education our boys are receiving.

The schools I went to were labeled "good."  Perhaps their test scores were above average and perhaps a high percentage of the graduates did go on to college.

However, I'd label my education mediocre and boring.  I don't remember a single teacher inspiring me to care enough to do the bare minimum to get my B average.   A couple moments here and there, sure.  But nothing sustained.

My boys are five and three.  They love learning.  They love exploring.  (And as I was told today, Alex is very social).

I don't want any of that to change.

April 30, 2011 - Dear Alex,

Dear Alex,
Here's some April 2011 updates I've been meaning to write about. (I promise to get back to the spirit of this blog soon).

- You've been so tired at night that you don't participate in our ritual: "What's your favorite thing of the day?"

Instead you say "I'll tell you in the morning."




- We visited Chicago in mid April for our annual Opening Day baseball game. You took a liking to grandma's little stuffed red bird and carried him everywhere. You took "Birdie" to the train where we headed to the airport with the full intention of giving him to grandma before we got on the train. During the quick good byes, giving him back was forgotten. When we got on the train you cried because Birdie couldn't go back home.

- We had our first school review. They said that at first you were shy but after a bit you now talk and play with your school friends. They said you light up every time they talked about your brother Max.

- After we were home for a couple weeks with Birdie you told mama that Birdie wanted to go home. "How do you know that?" mama asked. "Birdie has a sad look in his eyes," you said.





- You and Max helped me shop for mother's day presents. At first you both insisted on getting her a gift card to Popo, a hip toy store. After looking around, you decided to get her a dinosaur building kit. Max got her a harmonica. You both asked continuosly whether mama would share her gifts with you.

November 10, 2010 - Dear Alex,

Dear Alex,
Some updates on you.
You shocked me when you counted to 20 this week. When did you learn that? And when did you get so big? And for that matter, when did you walk and talk and ...?

You're growing up so quickly.

You started a new school this week. Mama casually asked you if you wanted to go to school and you surprised us when you quickly said "yes." We went to look at the school that three of your cousins went to and you decided that this was no your school. We took you to buy a lunch box like your brothers'.

All of a sudden you displayed this sense of independence and this confidence that amazes us. It all just makes us more curious about the person hidden inside that small body.

Of course, just when we think you're such a big boy you do something like a little kid. You fell off the edge of the bench outside Las Paletas.

You were fine soon after you got over the pain (and got a new paleta). But you had a scar that lasted a week or so.