Catching Up with the Dude’s: Big Boy Undies, Getting Published & Rolling, Rolling, Rolling…

Happy Summer y’all! It’s official. Get out there and soak up that vitamin D.

But first, a quick Dude Family update.

Big Boy Undies

I guess Little Dude likes to wait until his birthday to cross milestones off his to-do list. He took his first steps on numero uno. And he mastered the art of potty training almost to the day of #3.

He showed no interest in potty training. Zero. Until he did. And now he’s a peeing machine. He prefers to pee in the bathtub…especially in his boat. But he doesn’t discriminate much…rocks, tennis balls, dogs, and especially Daddy’s feet.

It’s pretty cool to watch it click. Ah, pee and poop are such proud moments for Mommy & Daddy’s everywhere. 🙂

Rockin’ Big Boy Undies

Getting Published

In the off chance that I haven’t chirped enough about how amazingly rad Mrs. Dude is, we now have published proof.

Mrs. Dude is a super cool photographer with an amazing eye. Oh, you want proof from someone other than her husband?!

Ok, how about The Knot! Yep, the super popular wedding mag just published Mrs. Dude online and in print. Pretty awesome. Check ‘er out…

The Knot: A Vintage Destination Wedding

Although, her specialty tends to be newborns. Makes sense, right? Amazing Mom = great with newborns. Here’s a pic she snapped this morning…oh, no biggie, just a sunrise treasure washing up on the beach. 🙂

Mrs. Dude Rocks

 Rolling, Rolling, Rolling…

The theme for the Dude Family summer seems to be Rolling. The Princess and Little Dude celebrated their B-days with dueling parties last week.

The Princess scored a bike, skateboard AND roller skates. The Little Dude scored a skateboard he’s been dreaming about.

And The Littlest is now a rolling machine.

Our gorgeous summer days are filled with hours of rolling.

Thumbs Up!

Takin’ Care of Business

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dm7cPbBO6Y[/youtube]

Rollin’

And the Dude? I’m just kick’in it. Lovin’ the kiddos. Lovin’ the Mrs. Soakin’ up the NOW.

Enjoy the summer y’all! Wake up early to catch that sunrise, stay up too late kickin’ it around the campfire, enjoy some cerveza watching the waves crash with sand between your toes. Life is short.

PS – In addition to rolling around the world, The Princess is now sharing her art with the world. As one of her summer projects, the 8 year old aspiring artist has setup an Etsy shop to share her view of the world. Starting with a few pieces of nature photography, but much more art to come. Let’s get creative!

Say It Ain’t So: 2012 Ice Cream Crisis!

i-deem-man

i-deem-man

I try not to have regrets. Life is too short to worry about what might have been. However, the Dude missed two career paths that have left trails of regret.

1. Zamboni driver. You know. That car-type thing that cleans the ice at hockey games. Always seemed like a great job. I should have earned some college money driving the school zamboni.

and

2. Ice cream man. Awesome high school summer job. It’s mindless. Outside, somewhat. And you’re driving a truckload of happiness. Perfect summer job.

I’ve pretty much moved on from these regrets, but now that summer is here, and Little Dude learned what the “i-deem-man” does, it’s all flooding back.

The ice cream man is a pretty hilarious concept.

$3 for one of what you can buy a box at the store. .But somehow it makes sense because a dude in a truck, that’s about to breakdown, is selling it out of his window.

Okay. Two please.

At the beginning of the summer it’s great. Once. Maybe twice. After a few weeks, it settles in that this dude is coming everyday. And the kids want ice cream. Everyday.

Kids and parents react instinctual. Consistently, the same reactions. Kids scream. Amazing, ridiculous screams. And may run around in circles.

Parents, hang their head and slouch their shoulders – like their favorite team just lost a big game – knowing they are about to get ripped off.

Little Dude now recognizes the “i-deem-man’s” music and knows that it leads to a truck with delicious snacks.

It’s pretty adorable.

Dada. I-deem-man. I-deem-man.

Awesome.

Which is why I’m dismayed to learn that the there is a 2012 Ice Cream Crisis. Don’t tell Little Dude. He’ll be heart broken.

Good Humor is short on the Toasted Almond, Chocolate Eclair, and Candy Center Crunch in the Northeast. They are blaming it on an unusually warm spring.

Is this a plot to get us to believe in climate change?

And why only the Northeast?

Those aren’t popular on the west coast.

No taste buds in Cali?

Little Dude’s Dad

I was talking with my parents last night, because the Dude is a fantastic son like that (Little Dude, take notes.), and my Mother is now referring to me as Little Dude’s Dad…and going overboard like only a Mother can do in an endearing way.  “Hi Little Dude’s Dad.  I’m talking to Little Dude’s Dad.  How’s Little Dude’s Dad?”

It caught me off guard a bit, and I mentioned that I hadn’t really thought of it that way.  Yeah, I’m a Dad, and I’m Little Dude’s Dad, but I haven’t had anyone call me Little Dude’s Dad.  It has a good ring to it.

Dude’s Madre responds by saying “You’re now going to be called Little Dude’s Dad more than Dude.”

Somehow this simple perspective had eluded me up to this point.

A loss of identity, or an extension of identity?

Definitely an extension.  A little me…only better because he’s a little Mrs. Dude too.