Kids & canines

We didn't have a family dog when my daughters were little. For most of their early years, we lived in a rental house that didn't allow dogs, so our first family dog, Moses, didn't join the family until the girls were all over 10 years old. We did, though, have a couple cats and tried owning—but quickly ended the relationships with—fish, a hamster, and a couple parakeets.

Cats and the other creatures don't bond with kids quite the way dogs do. Having missed out on witnessing my baby or toddler daughters bond with a beloved canine, I'm continually delighted to see such with my grandsons and their dog.

Roxy was Megan and Preston's baby long before Bubby and Baby Mac came along, and despite having to relinquish her spot as most loved and adored to first one then another human kiddo, Roxy has always been a patient, dedicated, attentive, gentle, and entertaining buddy to the boys.

You couldn't ask for a better family dog.

I'm sure that Bubby and Baby Mac couldn't imagine their home without goofy girl Roxy.

In all honesty, I couldn't either.

Today's question:

What dogs—or other creatures, if no dogs—hold a prominent spot in your family's story?

Tunnels

Two boys + two tunnels = tons of fun! 

Today's question:

Where have you found fun the past few days?

Nine days

Today's question:

What do you look forward to in the next nine days?

Friday field trip: Denver Downtown Aquarium

As previously mentioned, we visited the Denver Downtown Aquarium during Bubby and Baby Mac's Christmas holiday visit. Here are some of the highlights:

As we were leaving, the caricaturist at the exit approached us to ask if Bubby could pose for him, for free, in hopes of drawing some attention and business for the vendor. Now, thanks to the unexpected kindness of that talented stranger, I can clearly mark the exact moment my grandson made the transformation from Politely Posing Bubby... 

into none other than Super Hero Bubby... 

Interested in taking a similar field trip? Find details here:

Denver Downtown Aquarium • 700 Water Street, Denver, CO 80211 • (303) 561-4450

Today's question:

If you could be any water-living creature, what would you like to be?

Meet the (great) grandparents

Bubby and Baby Mac arrived to Gramma and PawDad's house on Christmas Day for their extended holiday visit. Awaiting their arrival were their maternal great grandparents—my mom as well as my dad and stepmom, Ann.

My dad and Ann had met Bubby before, of course, but this was their first introduction to the ever-curious (and ever expressive) Baby Mac.

Baby Mac didn't give a hoot about introductions and photos; he wanted only to grab hold of Ann's hair. Which he did:

Also ready to hand out Christmas hugs though both boys had seen her in October was my mom, aka Nonnie Kelly to them. (Not to be confused with the Nonnie Kelly Grandma's Briefs regular who, although awesome and someone I'd love to have in my family, is not our Nonnie Kelly. No, my mom is the Grandma's Briefs commenter Ann...not to be confused with Ann who is my dad's wife. Yes, things get a tad confusing around here at times.)

Anyway, when Bubby and Baby Mac visited with our Nonnie Kelly in October, I realized far too late that I had forgotten to get a four-generation photo of the gang while we were all together. Thankfully I had a chance to rectify that on Christmas Day:

Just one more reason (or technically three, I suppose) my new DSLR from Santa came in handy.

Today's question:

When did you last have a photo taken with one or more of your grandparents? What about great grandparents?

The joys of boys

I have only daughters. My daughter Megan has only sons. I'm learning through Megan of all the joys I missed out on having raised only girls, the least of which being the solemnity with which holiday traditions are observed.

To wit, Megan's Christmas Eve Facebook status:

I hope your Christmas was merry and bright!

Disclosure: I did photo edit (and not all that well) to replace my grandson's real name with the name I use for him on this blog. He does indeed have a normal name to go with his normal boy antics.

Today's question:

What most warmed your heart—or most made you groan—about your holiday celebrations?

Adventures in a new dimension

Not long after being laid off from the newspaper in 2008, I started a freelance gig I called Five Buck Bits. It was a source of news briefs (briefs being my theme for some time now) for regional parenting publications, bits they could purchase from my website for $5 per bit to add to their publications, online or in print.

One of the bits I wrote regarded the appropriateness of taking youngsters to 3-D movies. In part, here is the advice from that brief:

Parents planning on taking their children to see one of the season’s popular 3-D films need to know how to determine if the kids can see 3-D, then prepare them for what will happen during a 3-D movie if they have never seen one before.

Dr. Brad Habermehl, President of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, says many children may miss out on all the excitement if they can’t see 3-D. “Unfortunately, most parents have no idea how their children see their world, and children don’t complain if they can’t see 3-D.”

Consider the signs. Your child may not be able to see 3-D if he or she:
• is clumsy—spills milk when going down stairs, climbing play structures or avoids them all together;
• has difficulty hitting or catching pouring, trips while walking, bumps into things;
• is scared of escalators, a ball.

<snipped to shorten for this post>

If your child can see 3-D, it’s still best when a child has never seen a 3-D movie before to prepare him beforehand for what he will see. Explain to your child how with most movies the picture stays on the movie screen. But in 3-D movies, the picture will look as if it is filling the whole theater and viewers may feel like they can reach out and touch the characters. Also be sure to tell your child ahead of time that if he doesn’t like what he sees or he feels uncomfortable, he can close his eyes until he feels comfortable opening them again.

During the 3-D movie, keep an eye on your child, watching for any signs of a headache, nausea or dizziness during or shortly afterwards. ...

Because of that little brief written more than a year ago, I've been hesitant about taking Bubby to see a 3-D movie.

During his Thanksgiving visit to his paternal grandparents, though, Bubby was treated to the newest Happy Feet movie. In 3-D. And he did just fine! No headache, no nausea, no dizziness. (Although Megan did tell me that, for some reason, he decided to wear his 3-D glasses upside down the entire time.)

With the success of Bubby's first venture into 3-D, I now feel safe in taking my grandson—along with the rest of the family—to a 3-D movie while everyone is together for the Christmas holiday. This is what I'm planning for us to see:

Maybe we'll all wear our 3-D glasses upside down for the duration of the film, just to add yet another dimension to the adventure. (Except for Baby Mac, of course, whose eyes I'll likely be shielding for safety's sake.)

Today's question:

What is the first 3-D film you recall seeing?