strausmouse: 5 Years of Fatherhood

No April Foolin? ? it was 5 years ago today that our lives changed beyond anything we could have imagined, due to the birth of a boy known infamously around the world as ?The Dude.? Damian Lucas Straus was born at 3:47pm on April 1^st, 2007. It was Palm Sunday, and it was opening day for that year?s baseball season. And here we are, 5 years later, with one very funny, entertaining, frustrating, exasperating, kind, caring, lovable, insane little boy.

The past year has definitely been a roller coaster ride with this kid. The more he learns and the more independent he gets, the wider the spectrum of his emotions run. He can go from super happy and polite to a screaming demon with just one poorly-timed word or some other innocuous action on our part. It?s like bi-polar disorder crammed into a 5-year-old brain ? but at this age, it?s just called ?being 5.? His energy level is seemingly inexhaustible. He plays soccer on Sundays, dance club on Mondays, and he will be starting tee-ball at the end of the month. He loves riding his bike to school, and he can just run and run and run for hours. His biggest passion is still airplanes, and his vision of becoming a pilot one day remains unchanged. His is also fascinated with technology, and can figure it out faster than any adult. His grandpa handed him an iPad yesterday (not to keep), and within seconds he was playing games and looking at apps without any guidance.

His relationship with his little sister continues to evolve. There is definitely a higher level of jealousy now than earlier ? with each new milestone and the commencing of walking, more attention is being paid to baby Lucy, and unfortunately we seem to be paying more negative attention to the Dude than usual. At some point his logic and reasoning functions have to kick in ? right now he inexplicably demonstrates poor behavior knowing full well what the consequences will be, but still gets extremely upset when we discipline him for that behavior. We are trying very hard to not lose our patience, but he really makes it difficult for us. Most of the poor choices he makes are while at home ? usually when we are out somewhere, he behaves very well. He?s also usually better when playing at home with friends instead of just us. And he?s always perfect when a babysitter is present. He has no behavior issues at school whatsoever, so it?s something about being home with just his family that makes him lose his mind (not that I can?t relate).

Speaking of school ? his pre-K class is now less than 3 months from graduation, and it couldn?t be going better. He?s made good friends, he learns so much ? he sang this long song about Martin Luther King the other day that made us just beam with pride. His teachers have given us progress reports, and they say he is by far the most academically advanced kid in the class. Naturally we chalk that up to his genes. We love that his school is only a few blocks away, and he?ll be there for the next 6 years (providing we don?t leave the neighborhood, which we don?t plan on). That means that Lucy will start pre-K there when he?s in 3rd grade, so they?ll have a few years together in the same school, which we are looking forward to.

If someone had traveled back in time 5 years ago and showed me what the next 5 years with my little boy would look like, I wouldn?t change a thing. There have been many trying times with him for sure, but the fun times have far outweighed the bad. It?s so nice to have someone laugh hysterically at my fart jokes, to snuggle up and watch Charlie Brown Christmas or Toy Story, to gaze with awe at the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling, to sing and dance to Phish, moe., the Beatles, Harry Belafonte, and even a song by Finnish death-metal band Korpiklaani, and to soon become a big Star Wars geek too (hopefully). I can?t wait to start teaching him how to play tee-ball, and I really enjoy playing soccer with him. Plus he?s starting to ask more questions about his genitalia, and I?m happy to impart my knowledge unto him about such delicate matters?because he?s my boy, and I?m his daddy, and that?s what we?re supposed to do. And as I will watch him at his bowling birthday party today bowl a higher score than his mommy, I will grin with satisfaction. He may have his issues, but overall he?s a very intelligent, articulate, affectionate, and fun little dude. 5 years ago I would have been happy if I had known he?d turn out half as good.

Happy 5^th year, little buddy. I love you with all my heart. No April Fools.

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