Catching the ball

Wednesday evening. Daughter and mom got home after me. My wife is busy preparing dinner. I am trying to play catch with our daughter with a football. Instead of throwing the ball raising your hand, I am trying to teach her how to toss it, more like glide it.

But it’s not working. She’s scared of the ball and she’s sticking her palms out every time to prevent the ball. Naturally the ball hits her palm and just drops on the floor. Ughh, this is getting a little frustrating.

I can tell, I am starting to get upset. And just then, in a last effort I tried something different. Instead of standing three/four feet apart, I actually get really close to her, about half a feet.

Now I am throwing the ball up close and slow. It’s working. She’s getting the hang of catching the ball, instead of just sticking her palm out. Slowly over time, I distance myself. And she’s still with me. Awesome.

Next, I throw the ball with some variations to make sure she’s getting the hang of it. And she is. She’s catching it every time. I am amazed at myself of course for taking the time to invest rather than get mad. Next we play 50 catch, counting up to 50 catches. After that, I get my wife to join us on a three catch. So, we take turns throwing the ball to her, and she’s catching it every time.

And she’s super excited, confident and happy as well for being able to finally catch the ball.

LESSON: kids can teach you how to be patient or get bad real fast. How we choose to invest in the relationship is up to us, the adult. 

Coleman Rocks.

For sometime now I have been eyeing a 8/10 person tent. More for the room, than anything else. We go camping at least twice a year, and so far I have been able to get buy on the 3 person tent. But it is time to get something a little bigger, so we have more leg room. Wife won't have to lie down to change.

For a while, I was eyeing the Ozark Trail 10 person tent, but it is just big. Too big whereas I would have to check out the X Y Zs of the tent site before booking to make sure my tent will fit. Just then, saw a sale go up on vminnovations.com for the discontinued Coleman Bristol WeatherTec 8 person tent. I couldn't resist anymore. We own a Coleman 3 person tent already and love that tent. So, I bit the bullet and purchased it.

A day later (yes one day later) the tent showed up. Both me and our daughter super excited to set it up, counting down days for the weather to warm up. 4 days after delivery, yesterday it was warm enough for us to jump outside and start setting it up after I got home from work. But the temp was dropping fast.

After the initial setup, daughter wanted to sleep the night outside. Wife was taking pictures and videos. But the temp is still dropping. So, we start to break it down. Fingers are freezing. After we pack everything up, when we go to put it back in sack, we didn't tie it enough. The load is too wide for the carrying bag. The zipper won't close. Mess around with it for few minutes, when the zipper just comes off. Wife gives me the 'I knew it' speech. I listen, drag the whole thing inside the house.

After everyone goes to sleep, I sit down with my tool. Put the zipper back in place and repack the tent. Went to close the zipper and it snapped again. What the hell?! Take a look and the bottom plate is broken. Ughhh.

Stayed up a little longer wondering if Coleman doesn't fix it, how hard would it be for me to get a replacement zipper and fix it myself. Wondering all day next day (today) about if I could do it myself.

Called Coleman few minutes ago about the carrying bag. They didn't ask for the order number or SKU, just took my name down, address and another carrying bag on its way at no (absolutely no cost) to me.

Wow....Coleman rocks. I love this guys. Thank you.

Dad Reflexes

It's a very funny thing being a dad. I realize I've never really talked about that part of my life.

I guess for me it was more or less natural. Kinda hard to explain, but being a dad is something that's just part of me. That's a big part of my life.

Reading about 'Dads are Great' on Reddit, stirred up few times I was there to save my daughter vs. few times I choose not to.

Like the time, as we usually rent a two bed hotel, my then two year old daughter was playing in one bed. Me & wife hanging out on the other bed, all the while my eyes are locked on my daughter. As expected, all of a sudden she starts rolling , gets too close to the edge and about to fall. When I sprint to her and save her fall.

But also the time, when we are hanging out in KC and my daughter is playing on a chair. The floor is slick and just by the look, I know she's going to fall. But she also was a cushioned backpack on, as she's falling I know she will be fine falling on the backpack rather than anything else.

Funny, how I sometimes these memories comes back. When we went to the community pool. I just took her life jacket off and put her up. As I am getting ready to get out of the pool, she decides to jump right back. And yet again, I catch her fall.

What I don't remember, is my own father saving me such way. I remember him throwing me in the water, being how scared I was. I remember him mocking me, dragging me down. But not saving me.

Was he too busy because we were two brother and one sister? Or too much of a man?