Searching For Lukie Fischer

It all starts here Gortron

"I win daddy" announced Lukas, rather succinctly as his Knight moved down two places and over one to occupy the spot where my King previously sat.

Lukas, who has been playing chess since the day he started kindergarten last Fall, is actually getting good at the game.  He even attended a week long chess camp a couple of weeks back, as the youngest competitor. He won the 'Fierce Competitor' trophy, which he proudly shows everyone who comes over, pointing out "I'm the FIRST in our family to win a chess trophy."

 Given that, we had bought a wooden set for his birthday that we have set up in our living room.

It was a good move on his part, the taking of my King that is.  Even though I had him dead to rights leading up to that move, having captured more of his major players than he had of mine, my little guy - who just recently turned six - seemed rather nonplussed by his predicament.

It was like he didn't really care.

That seemed odd to me.  In all honesty, I was very proud of how well he was taking his imminent demise at the hands of his more experienced father

The strange thing though (and there is often a strange thing isn't there?) is that he was not only nonplussed, he actually started dancing back and forth from one foot to another.  And singing.  Yeah singing.  He sang over and over, something to the effect of  "I'm going to win, cause my Knight got in.  I'm gonna win, cause my Knight got in".

I thought that was cute.  But not cute enough to save him from being soundly defeated in what was to be mere moments.  The hammer was most certainly about to come down.

Then he took my King in one swift move.  I was aghast!

"Hey" I advised.  "You didn't say 'check' before you took my King.  I didn't know you were there."  I was prepared for him to complain about this, the fierce competitor that he is. But instead he just looked at me and acknowledged something.

"You're right daddy, I should have said check."  he admitted   "Right before I beat you." he smiled.

I had to smile myself too, since he was pretty cute through the whole of the game.  I think I need to brush up on the game myself.  Because at this rate it won't be long at all before he is legitimately beating me at chess with one hand, while building Lego's with the other.

At that point I can envision needing to take him to one of those outdoor chess parks, so we can find an old Russian guy sitting on stump for him to play. Just one of those games could take hours, so I'll have to have my phone fully charged.   After that I'll probably have to arrange a match with some super computer named Gortron, or Mind-bender - which has never lost to a sentient being before.

Yep, I can actually envision these things. Unfortunately though, what I couldn't envision was his Knight taking my King.

Even if he didn't say "check" before he dealt me the deadly blow.

The Sucker Dad's Guide to Not Surviving a Hike

Is your phone fully charged Dad?

It's been a good week for me as I was 'forced' (lots of arm twisting) to take the whole week off from my work because Lukas' school, which goes through the summer, was out of session the 1st - 3rd preceding the holiday weekend.

It didn't hurt that the weather here in Seattle was simply gorgeous, with sunny skies, low humidity, and cool breezes.  I am thinking of calling his school to see what it would take to get them to close next week too.  But I'm not hopeful.

As we did on an earlier break, Lukas and I decided to take advantage of this time together to, among other things, go on a local hike.  Okay, so I decided  for us - but he was eventually okay with it once he resolved himself to the fact that he could still build some of his birthday Lego sets after we got home or, gasp, the next day!

The hike wasn't overly long, but we survived about a thousand feet of elevation gains during our nearly 5 mile round trip which wasn't bad since we didn't take many breaks along the way.

However, once he saw an impending climb to crest a pretty high hill on the last leg of the hike,  a pretty tired Lukas looked at me and asked "Can you carry me up the hill daddy?"

Of course being the sucker for a cute kid that I am, I grumbled a bit about having to carry an extra 45 pounds uphill, but obliged nonetheless and immediately felt good about my decision as my boy wrapped his arms around my neck and whispered "I love you daddy" into my ear.  Yeah, that's gold.

That good feeling didn't last too long though, as about 10 minutes later I was huffing and puffing up to the crest of the fairly steep incline.  As I set him gently down at the top, I bent over to catch my breath and looking at him I, only half jokingly, asked him "If daddy fell over right here and you couldn't get me to talk to you what would you do?

"Well, I would blow my whistle daddy." he responded referring to the one attached to his backpack.

"But, we haven't seen anyone on the trail in at least an hour buddy" I reasoned  "So what else could you do?". "I don't know" he raised his hands with a shrug.

This was not promising.

"Well, you would have to reach into my pocket buddy" I gave him my serious look "and pull out my phone."

And then he hit me with a response that reinforced the fact that I was raising a comedian.

"To play Angry Birds!?" he asked with a pretty big grin, before he broke into laughter.

I'm pretty sure he knew I meant to call 911.  If not, I guess those crazy birds would at least keep him occupied until someone happened along to stick a fork in me.

Saw Our Baby Girl on the Cover of an Old Magazine

Mrs. LIAYF was going through some old magazines the other day and had to do a double take.

I'm not your kid Mr.

Subsequently, as I came home that afternoon I found the magazine sitting on our entryway dresser.  I didn't pay much attention to it though, until my lovely wife came in from the kitchen with a smile.  "Did you see the cover of that magazine I found?" she inquired.  "Yeah, that's a cute girl." was my response.

"Who does that girl look like?"  my wife continued.

"Annabelle?" I asked, already knowing the answer to my question because, honestly, the little girl on the cover who must be all of 3 years old, bears a striking facial similarity to our Annabelle.

I will have learned to blow my nose by age 3.

Maybe, by the time Annabelle turns 3 a time machine will have been invented, and we all travel back to 2009 wherein she gets her picture taken to be on the cover of a magazine very few people will have heard about by the time 2013 finally rolls around.

Don't laugh, it's happening out there.

Could this be what our little cutie pie will look like at age 3?  Of course, we have no idea.  Unless I find another slightly older version of myself loitering around the house one of these days, because he was trapped here when his time machine broke. Then I could ask him.

In the meantime, it's simply a lot of fun to speculate.

Day 2192: We Celebrate 6

Incredibly, Lukas turns 6 years old Today.  6 years!  This is also known as 2192 days, or 52595 hours, or 3 million 556 thousand 694 minutes.  And I remember every one of them.

Okay, I don't really remember all of them, just most of the good ones.  Which, honestly, compose of most of those minutes. Memory is a funny thing.  I so vividly remember that day 6 years ago and countless sublime moments with him since, that just reflecting on them instantly brings a smile to my face.  But then again, all those minutes also seems to have gone by so quickly.  Too quickly, really.

Lukas mentioned this yesterday as well, saying he was excited about turning 6, but was sad to see age 5 go. Asked why, he simply replied that getting older meant that he had to leave things behind.  A wise boy he is.

But, at age 6, our son is not only wise beyond his years, he is also a pretty amazing kid.  Even though I am his father and I'm biased,  I can't emphasize enough the effect he has on people.  He is bright, funny, loving, passionate, compassionate, kind, and so much more.

Lukas certainly leaves an impression on everyone he encounters - we hear this constantly -  and he has enriched our lives beyond words.  I certainly have never laughed, or loved as much as I have in the past 6 years.

And, even though we are a bit sad to see him grow further away from being a little boy, we are excited to continue to see him grow into the incredible person he is becoming.  That's the great thing about parenting.

Mrs. LIAYF and I are helping him to celebrate his big day with breakfast, gifts, then spending the day together at a local kid amusement park along with one of his good friends.  It should be a great day.

Before I sign off, I thought I would share what Lukas has been asking for for his birthday.

Nothing!

Seriously, he has not asked us for anything leading up to his big day.  And, knowing him, as always he will simply be thrilled with whatever it is he receives.  I love this boy.

Happy 6th Birthday Lukas!

I Love my Flipp'n Baby!

I'm Flipp'n Cute

Well, at least Mrs. LIAYF and my mild concern over the fact that Annabelle hadn't yet rolled over is now a thing of the past. 

That's right, as of about 20 minutes ago, our chubby little peach started on her back and somehow ended up on her stomach.  I say 'somehow' because neither of us were actually there to witness the roll, which happened in her crib.  As I mentioned in a recent post, we were actually watching when this happend  for Lukas, and let out a shout and high-fived each other, which scared him into a screaming cry.  Not our proudest parenting moment.

Annabelle, on the other hand, was supposed to be sleeping but instead was jawboning  for several minutes refusing to go to sleep - a rather disturbing recent development - before she started to scream like she meant business.

Since I had given her upsettedness (is this a word?) the allotted 10 minutes in our 2nd child tough love policy, I went up to check on our Belly and found her on her stomach and protesting the predicament she was in.  So I rolled her over and gave her a bottle, which she promptly grabbed by the nipple and started to swing around the crib like a ball peen hammer, once nearly whacking me in the arm.  That display was soon followed by her raking said bottle against the rails of the crib like a hungry inmate.

I was not amused.

Especially a few trips later, when I was once again in her room to roll her back over onto her back.  I have a feeling this bit might get old awful quickly.

Anyway, on that last trip I rolled her over and decided to check her diaper, which sure enough was full of something toxic.  Rolling over is apparently a workout.   However, as upset as she was, a few seconds later that was remedied by a smiling 6 year-old face as Lukas, who was not supposed to be out of bed, popped his head in and checked on us.

Seeing her brother, Annabelle immediately gave a wide smile and a let out a joyous baby squeal (He has that effect on people) and again started to babble.  For his part, Lukas took great joy in this as well, announcing to me that he has a way with making his little sister happy.  "She needs me." he let me know, which I am half convinced was just a ploy to be able to pop out of bed at various times without fear of our wrath.  But, seeing his proud little smiling face right next to hers, rather than calling him on it, I just soaked it in, agreed, and rubbed his mussy head.

Life was apparently once again good for Annabelle, who a short time later went to sleep happy. Well, good at least until the next time she rolls over. Which I am sure will be about 20 minutes after I've gone to sleep tonight.

Her brother, after all, has also taught her much about comedic timing.

Label Me 'Dad Blogger'

There was a minor stir on Wednesday in the Dad Blogging community.  Yes, there is a community - which is very active and usually very tight knit.

But yesterday a blogger previously anointed in some circles as the internet's top Dad Blogger publicly renounced the label and, with a rather peculiarly broad brush, effectively dumped on the whole genre, calling the whole of the rest of us "a horrible collection of delusional men with questionable writing skills".   He goes on to take umbrage with Dad Bloggers for championing the image of dads in the media.  Shame on them.  

Personally, I don't read his blog and neither do many of the other Dad Bloggers in the group who have weighed in on the article, though I am told he is a talented writer.  That fact doesn't mean I have to agree with his opinions though.

I'm not going to get into a debate here on whether this guy should, or should not have publicly lumped such a large group dedicated dads into the same negative stereotype.  It's his blog and he can write whatever he wants.

But, what I will say is that I am proud to be called a Dad Blogger.  You can label me that any day.  Every day for that matter.

I have been called a writer by some, but I don't really consider myself one.  Perhaps my writing skills are questionable, but I'm okay with that.  I write anecdotes about my experiences as a dad.  I do it because I love to share my joy of being a father with whom ever happens upon my little corner of the world wide web.  I don't typically champion dad causes, not because I don't believe in them, but because that's not the theme of my blog.  

But again, I am a Dad.  I write blog posts about my experiences as a dad.  I am a Dad Blogger and I welcome that distinction.  I also read a lot of the articles and posts written by many of the other talented writers who also call themselves Dad Bloggers.  And there are an amazing number of articles about a broad range of subjects being published on a daily basis by these gentlemen which have real value to the readers.

Dad blogging is far from  just a bunch of whiny guys looking to change the image of dads in the media.  Of course, those who take the time to read their work already know this.

So, while some may want to ditch the label of Dad Blogger, don't count me as one of them.  In fact, I'd be thrilled if you call me just that.

Like I mentioned, I am a 'Dad Blogger', and proud of it.

Father's Day Wrap: Coffee, Kids, Swinging, and Beer

Father's Day was a pretty terrific day here at the LIAYF household.  I heeded the advice of a few fellow Dad Bloggers, and decided that, rather than use the day as an excuse to get away from the kids for a few hours, I would instead use the day as an opportunity to spend some extra quality time WITH them.

Can you tell I like this?

With that in mind, I decided that I would ditch the electronics for most of the day (I did glance at my email a couple of times during naps and quiet time) and concentrate of giving Lukas and Annabelle my full attention.  

It turned out great, too as Lukas and I played an extended game of tag in the morning, and Mrs. LIAYF and I loaded up the kiddos to go on an afternoon picnic and hike in the afternoon.  We also stopped off at a local playground where Annabelle had her first playground swing action!  We then rounded out the day, of course, with grilled brauts & beer ( for dad, not the kids).

As I mentioned earlier that this was a great idea, and it ended up being a very satisfying Father's Day. I'll leave the getting away part for another time.

My Influential Male Role Model

But the celebration didn't start for me on Sunday, but rather on Saturday as I traveled home to our family dairy farm to see my own dad and to drop off his Father's Day gift.  My namesake has always been a terrific dad and a stellar all around man too.  He is someone I have looked up to ever since I can remember, and easily the man I admire most in this world.

So when the folks at Keurig sent me a note saying they were looking to honor influential male role models and asked if I would like one of their coffee makers to give to my Father, I jumped at the opportunity to give one as a gift to him.  He loves coffee.  He loves things that are easy.  Boom, sold!  

They look perkier already

I get a ton of  requests to do reviews and giveaway's here on the blog, but rarely will actually do so.  However, the reason I jumped so quickly at this opportunity is that I have my own Keurig Platinum Plus brewing system, and I know how easy and convenient they are to use.  

I'm actually the only coffee drinker in the house (Mrs. LIAYF doesn't even drink decaffeinated tea - because there is too much residual caffeine in it) which makes having the ability to make quick, single cups of coffee at the press of a button a godsend.

Last word I received, both my Dad and Mom were really enjoying dad's gift, and were as happy to see me on Father's Day weekend as I was to see them.

All in all, Father's Day weekend for me was a huge success.  I got to spend quality time with Lukas and Annabelle, see my own dad, and enjoy plenty of rare Seattle sunshine.

I'm sure glad I don't have to wait another year to do it again.

*Full disclosure.  As I mentioned, I received products from the Keurig corporation, but they didn't ask me to write about it here.  I voluntarily did so because I fully endorse the K Cup brewing system.

I Want Scarves for Father's Day

With Father's Day fast approaching, the internet is literally overflowing (It's true, I saw a dab ooze out of my computer just now.  Remind me to wipe that up after your done reading this.) with talk about what dad's want, or what to get dad for the special occasion.

Dad wants a steak dinner, or a new set of tools, or a golf outing, or a fancy new coffee maker.  What dad could really use is a new 75 inch television, or a shiny new tablet pc, or a day to sleep in, watch baseball, and hang with his pals.  That's what would make him happy this year.

Would I love these things too?  Of course I would.  Wrap it all up and be sure to have it delivered by this Sunday.  But, of course, I don't NEED any of that stuff.  That, or any of the other myriad of special gifts ideas being bandied about online.  Would any of it make me happy?  Perhaps a bit.  But none of it is on my priority list for Father's Day. None.

What do I want then?

A couple of scarves.  Yes, you heard me right, scarves.   You know, those things that wrap tightly around your neck and make you feel all warm and cozy.  Take close note kids, that is what I really want - Scarves.

Lukas, I want one that is just about your size that I can wear at nights when carrying you to bed.  One with arms that can wrap tightly around my neck and keep me cozy and warm and feeling all good inside.  One that is cool, sweet, stylish, but also a little bit goofy.  Those are the best kind.

And Annabelle, I also want a smaller one that can wrap around my neck too.  That would be a perfect Father's Day gift.  I used to have a very small scarf that I would wrap around my neck a few years ago, but it got all stretched out.  I still love it dearly, but there is something about having a brand new soft and puffy little scarf that can wrap around your neck, even if you have to hold the extra material up with your hands so it doesn't fall on the ground.  Those can't be beat.

Well, there you have it.   This dad would certainly be thrilled to get any number of cool gadgets or to participate in any number of fun events.

But what I really for Father's Day are a couple of homemade kid scarves.

They are guaranteed to make any dad feel like a million bucks.

It's an Un-Wrap

It still hasn't happened quite yet, but at 7 months old, Annabelle is juuuuuuust about to roll over from back to stomach!

When it happens there will be controlled jumps for joy (true story: when this happened for Lukas the first time we were both right there and both immediately hooted loudly, then turned and high five'd each other.  This caused Lukas to cry uncontrollably in fright. Needless to say, we were not selected parents of the year that year).

However, Mrs. LIAYF and I had been kinda dreading the day she does roll over.  Because when she does, we knew that we would need to start sleeping her un-swaddled.  You know, so she doesn't roll over onto her face in the middle of the night with no free arms to roll herself back.  That could be dangerous, and nerve wracking too.

Anyway, so we have been meaning for a long time to begin the process of un-swaddling her.   We talked about leaving one arm out first for her to get used to, then moving her to a special sack we bought made specifically for the transition.

I can't remember what that sack is called, but we tried it on her for size after buying it, and it made her look like a cartoon baby starfish.  Lot's of extra fabric in the body of the outfit, but very short arms, with a smiley face somewhere in the middle.

I wasn't looking forward to that.

As convinced as I was about the horrible trauma that we were about to have inflicted on us in the form of multiple night wakings, last night as I readied my daughter for bed she started to nod off.  Without much forethought I decided to simply lay her down with her bottle, lights out, white noise on, and leave the room.

And, do you know what happened?

*crickets*

Not the whole night through mind you, but she did sleep a pretty normal schedule for her, waking only a couple of short times once to get another bottle, before going immediately back to sleep.

And all that without her swaddle! No one arm bandit, or cartoon starfish tricks needed. Heck, if I knew it would be that easy we would have tried this a couple of months ago.  Okay, scratch that.  I honestly don't think she would have been ready for that a couple of months ago.  Although come to think of it, there were nights it couldn't have gotten much worse.

But she is obviously ready now.  PTL!  As I type this, Annabelle is once again un-swaddled in her crib.

Sleeping like a  baby.

Ordinary Family Discovers Strange New Worlds

Who would have guessed that, by using a couple of old items laying around the house, a family such as ours could discover strange, and possibly habitable, new worlds?  

Well, it's true.  An LIAYF team comprised of Mrs. LIAYF herself, and Lukas recently were able to discover and photograph the images you will see below.  And  I have to say, the Hubble Space Telescope had nothing on them today.

Just take look at these strange images of distant spheres they were able to capture using the aforementioned ordinary household items.

What are the lighter colored areas of this world?
One can only speculate.

Did this dying Star once support a system
of Earth like planets?

This planet is clearly covered in ice.

One can easily make out the canals on this world,
but sadly not any gondolas.

A storm system is obviously covering a large
 section of this world.

I'd say this world looks like little like Uranus,
but I'm sure it doesn't.

Okay, as you might have already guessed these are not distant, unknown planets that were photographed from our backyard.  But, what they are are items Mrs. LIAYF and Lukas found around our backyard or kitchen, placed under a pocket microscope, and photographed with her iPhone. She just placed the lens over the eye piece.

To set the record completely straight here are what each photograph actually captures a microscopic picture of:

1. Colby Jack Cheese

2.  Pollen from a Poppy Flower

3. Fabric from our backyard hammock

4. A leaf

5. A drawing that Lukas had done, and was using as a bookmark

6. A feather.

No, these items weren't distant planets, but many were habitable (especially the cheese).

And Mrs. LIAYF, Lukas, and I sure had a lot of fun discovering what they looked like up close anyway.