Da-da and momba

Hey B,

Wow, it's the last day already!!!! I looked forward to this time for so long and it has gone so quickly. I've made so many memories on this trip. Seeing Uncle Zac taking care of you as we walked through Berkley was awesome. Your Uncle Zac thinks that you are awesome. I really have enjoyed watching him watch you and the smile that you bring to his face. Going to the zoo with you yesterday was fun. I think you enjoyed the train ride most of all.

But tomorrow morning Jadda and I will have to make our way back to Birmingham. And yes, pops! is sad. I miss my little buddy already. It may be that the next time I see you that you'll have a litle brother or sister. I hope I see you before that but you never know.

You are quite the little fella if I do say so myself. I love hearing you make all your animal sounds. And probably the best thing is hearing you call for da-da and momba and watching you interact with them. Da-da and momba are really good parents, aren't they? I know they are because my little buddy is always(nearly always) so happy. I've enjoyed cooking with you on your new stove and cooking eggs for you in the mornings on the real stove. And boy do you have an appetite!!! I've never seen a little boy eat so much and eat such a variety of things.

I'm going to miss you my little buddy but ALWAYS remember....


pops! loves you

California Raisins

Hey B,

Although we are staying with you during the holidays, I thought I'd blog to you anyway. What an awesome Christmas to be able to spend it with you, mommy, daddy and Uncle Zac. It made me remember Christmases when your daddy was little. Your Jadda and I always made a big deal out of Christmas for your daddy and Uncle Zac. I guess what I remember most was the great fun that we had on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. As I write this you are asleep on mommy. Daddy is next to you and mommy watching a movie with Jadda.

Yesterday (Christmas) was really a lot of fun. I really got a kick out of you opening presents. The present you seemed to like the most were the raisins in your stocking. Everything had to stop while you ate your raisins. But later I really enjoyed helping you cook on the "little kid" stove that pops! and Jadda gave you. I must say that you really seemed to like that gift. I especially enjoyed making mashed potatoes with you on your stove this morning.

Then today we got to go with you to the "farm" and feed the cows, goats and sheep. I think that you enjoyed looking at the rabbits the most. Our trip to Berkley was fun but I think that you were still a little tired from yesterday.

The time here has really flown by. We only have two more days and then it is back to Alabama. I can't believe that I'm going to have to leave my little buddy again. Sometimes I just look at you in amazement. Old pops! loves you more than you will ever know. Maybe I can talk mommy and daddy in letting you go home with me. Probably not but it sure is fun to think about. You and pops! would have a great time. At least pops! would. But maybe in a couple of years mommy and daddy will move back to the south and then pops! will be able to really take care of my little buddy. I imagine the day when you'll come to my house to spend the night and we'll stay in trouble with Jadda ALL THE TIME!!! But she'll only pretend to be mad at us. She's the one we have to watch out for. She'll be the one that slips you the forbidden chocolate. She'll be the one that says, "Pops! go to the store and get that boy some junk." So we'll have to be careful and not tell mommy and daddy about us "bending the rules" sometimes. Believe me there were plenty of times that me and your daddy had to "keep some secrets from Jadda." As they say, boys will be boys.

But remember....

pops! loves you

Apple pie and ice cream

Hey B,

Well, only a few more days and pops! is going to get to see ALL his favorite buddies-all four of you. Jadda and I are very excited about spending a few days on the left coast. POPS! IS COMING TO TOWN!!!!

Last night I got to spend some time with your great grandparents and I had a wonderful time. I must say that they are quite proud of their first great grandson and rightly they should. You are a great little fella. You sure make your pops! swell up with pride when I hear others talking about you. Last night we had BBQ and all the fixins and probably the best homemade apple pie that I have ever eaten. Apple pie and ice cream, what a great treat for me.

And boy did I get some good stories about your mommy from your great grandparents. Your great grandmother used a word to describe your mommy as a little girl that I have heard your mommy and daddy use to describe you-precocious. Hmmm.... I'll share some of those stories with you. Just don't tell mommy that I was the one that spilled "the goods" on her.

Enough for now but remember....

pops! loves you

Practice makes perfect?

Hey B,

Pops! and Jadda will be in California two weeks from TODAY. I can't wait to see my little buddy. Talking to daddy and mommy about what you are doing is great BUT seeing you will be the best. Pops! and Jadda will have some shopping to do when we get there. I want to take you to the toy store and see what my little buddy really likes. SO be thinking about what you want to hit pops! up for when we get there. There is just something about us grandparents that make it hard to say no.

And now, it is official. My little buddy has another little buddy on the way. I guess that will make you my big buddy when that happens. Being a big brother is going to make life a little different. But I have no doubts that you are going to make a great big brother. Daddy and mommy are really going to need your help. Not that they are not capable but you'll probably make a big difference. :) Now that they have had plenty of practice on you and with your help they'll probably do ok.

That's all for now, but...

remember, Pops! loves you.

Pops'! Boo Boo

Hey B,

Pops! finally has a pretty good excuse for being so long in blogging to his little buddy. Pops! had to have surgery this week. I guess you could say that I had to have a boo boo fixed. I had hernia surgery on Wednesday and other than being a little sore I am doing fine.

Jadda and Pops! are really excited about coming out to see you in a few weeks. I guess it will be three weeks from tomorrow. The time is really flying by. Jadda and I will have to some shopping when we get out there. I bet we can find some neat things at that toy store in Berkley.

What is on your short list for Christmas? You'll probably have to get daddy and mommy to help you with that list. Pops!and Jadda have something already figured out but we'll need to know what special toy to put with it. Christmas for kids is all about the toys.

I'll keep counting the days and remember....


pops! loves you

Counting the days

Hey B,

Again, it has been a while since I have blogged and this time I offer no excuses. I do think of you several times EVERYDAY and really miss my little buddy. I understand that you got to spend some time with Oma and Opa last week. I know that had to be a lot of fun and I bet you got a bunch of new stuff. Grandparents are great, aren't they? :)

Pops! is counting down the days until he sees you. I think the number is 32. I can't wait!!!! It'll be a great Christmas for Jadda and myself. We get to have the WHOLE family together and it has been quite a while since that has happened. I bet you've changed so much!!!!

Pops! is going to have to take it a little easy when I'm out there. I'm having some minor surgery next week and the doctor says that I shouldn't have any problem by the time we get to California. He just said not to try and "push" it too much. But, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. I can't wait to see some pictures from your time with Oma and OPa. Hint, Hint.

Remember,

pops! loves you

2 + 44 = hope

Hey B,

I really been thinking about this blog since the election and I've been rolling around in my mind what I wanted to say to you about this historic event. But last night I got a call from your mommy and daddy that changes a "little bit" what I will write.

Mommy and Daddy found a really clever way of announcing a new event in all of your and our lives. They called and we put you on the speaker phone so that we could hear what "Brendan had learned to do". Daddy asked you what a duck says and you responded appropriately. Then it was what does a sheep say. Then a monkey and so on. Then the big one was what does your little brother or sister say. I was totally surprised. So now Brendan is going to be a big brother. My little buddy, you now are entering into a whole new world which is that of not being the only child. But Pops! has the feeling that his little buddy is going to be a great big brother. Mommy and daddy are going to need your help with the new one. They're pretty good parents but I'm sure that they will need your help. You did a good job helping them the first time around. :)
I bet the second time with your help, they'll do great again. 2 certainly changes things.

But there was another big event this week with the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. I was not a supporter of Barack Obama and neither was I a supporter of MCCain for reasons I have discussed in popthoughts-pops.blogspot.com. However, this election was historic and inspiring. Obama's story alone is amazing. The son of a goat farmer from Africa has risen to the highest position of power in the world. A man who has overcome the Achilles heel of the American story-racism. I think now about the futures of both my grandchildren, hoping that this man and his administration can change the course of American politics forever. I'm not talking about conservative or liberal values but am talking about a country where diverging values can come together for the common good of her people. A country where morality and religious values are not legislated from Washington but are "legislated" from her people in their homes, churches and communities. I see a country for my two grandchildren that can be much different than from what Pops! saw as a youngster. A world in which I heard adults around me spewing venom for those of "another background". A world in which I learned that those described by using the "n" word were to be feared. A world in which those so described were considered to be a little less than "human". A world in which until I was in high school that those so described were not allowed to attend schools with us. I see a world in which you and your sibling will wonder how decent people could have EVER thought the way they did. I see a world where the racism that I knew is total foreign to my "little buddies'. Is this world possible? The election of Barack Obama, whether one likes is politics or not, says that this kind of world is possible. I do often think about what your life will be like when I'm no longer around. I pray for a country that is at peace with the world, a country where racial bigotry is a gone, a country where religious bigotry is gone, and a country where bigotry for any reason is gone. I pray for a world where money does not any longer buy power but where ideas are powerful.

Always remember that pops! wants the best for his "little buddies". And 44 suggests that that might just happen-it changes things.

And remember...

pops! loves you.