I wanna' hear O'Bama

(Photo - 6 year old R. VArner draws her room)

It's after 8:15 PM and I'm supposed to send the kiddies to beddy-bye.....but I thought I'd add to their political acumen. The Democratic debate was on and I'm trying to decide if the Democratic ticket will get my vote this time around. I'm leaning towards McCain, but Obama is becoming hard for me to decide against. I've kinda' realized that I'm more of a conservative independent than anything else........ I asked the kids to come in the bedroom and watch a few minutes of the debate. I shared with them that Obama would be the first American (United States of America) president of obvious and prominent Afrikan descent and Clinton would be the nation's first Woman President if elected. We discussed how the Caribbean, Africa, South American and Latin America has had men who have showed African features, we discussed how there have been Women presidents in Africa and other countries. I allowed them to watch a little and then I sent them to their rooms. A moment later I saw some shaking beads at the door. I directed the little girl to go to her room. She placed her hand over her face preparing to cry and sobbed "I just wanted to hear Obama. I heard Hillary speak, I just wanted to hear his voice and hear what he has to say." While directing her to choose between following my directions or earning a spanking as well as leaving those cry-on-demand tears in their sockets I thought about the position I'm in. Here she is wanting to listen to a Presidential debate at six years of age and I feel the need to enforce a parental limit. Good parenting has often placed me into a position where I have to decide what's best between good options. Some parents have to decide the lesser between two evils such as being kicked out of their apartment or allowing their son/daughter to profit from the drug trade. I know many of these parents and while I've enjoyed friendship of these parents I do not wish to join their ranks. My daughter choose the bed over the beating - good choice. When daughter-girl awoke the next morning she asked me "What did Obama say Daddy ?" I then discussed his statements and she smiled. "Daddy can I hear him the next time he's on t.v. ?" she asked. I can't remember if I answered or not. I do remember the smile that warmed my heart, and feeling secure in my decision to remain a firm parent. I'm sure Obama, Hillary, and McCain would all vote in my favor. American needs more better parents more than we need any of these candidates or political groups.
Side note: The next day daughter-girl shared with her mommy-grandmother how she attempted to sneak another peek at Obama. She ended her description of the event by saying "Grammy, they're both trying to become President......but we already have an American president !"

e'ry now and then I get more than the big piece of chicken

I helped the wifey make breakfast for Eva this morning. I sliced up some strawberries for her and got the inspiration to make a smiley face outta strawberries and grapes - strawberry eyes and a grapes smile.

My darling daughter came back upstairs and, with a simultaneous blend of happy, shy and giggle/blush said something like "I saw you made a face out of my grapes". I'm sure Sherrice put her up to it. . . but I still felt 10 feet tall.

Getting a nut...

It's been a while since our first pregnancy. My brotha' Dan (who still hasn't posted on this blog) recently found out that he and his wifey were expecting, my cuz'n Sean and his wifey Carol are expecting on Juneteenth 2008. My cuz'n-via-marriage J.J. is expecting. Must be somethin' in the kool-aid. I remember feeling so elated and so scared. All the dudes I've spoken to share similar feelings. So either I'm hanging with wimps, or this mix of feelings must be a truly shared experieince. Pregnancy truly seemed like something I wanted to avoid. Condoms prevented knock-ups, celibacy prevented knock-ups (right), I've heard so much "Don't get that girl pregnant !" talk when I was younger that it seemed to be the biggest thing-to-avoid on earth. I never wanted kids. I used to date very much older women who had adult children, didn't want children, or couldn't have children. The creator's plan involved me marrying a woman who wanted kids............ I couldn't find any way to get this woman out of my mind/life/future. I had to accept that I'd be a father at some point. My father has been a great pops (visit http://www.drivingmrdaddy.blogspot.com/) yet I felt the same demon-questions that many a man has faced. "Am I in the best position to have this kid ?", "Do I really want to be committied the rest of my life ?", "Am I ready to be a good dad ?", "Is this chic ever gonna' get her sexy-back after having this kid ?", "Have I done everything I've wanted to do ?", "Am I gonn'a turn into one of those fat slobby men after kids ?"..... I must admit, I really can't even post some of the questions we face, but we face them. I know smile warmly everytime I see a fellow-father. Without a concern for their level of involvement we all have something in common which is truly many things in common. I'm probably gonna' smack the next trick that asks me "Are you Dad or a sperm donor ?" It's one of the most rude questions I've ever heard but I'm starting to hear it more often as I speak publically about my kids. I have friends who have formed kids with chics who were probably good for a screw-ball, but are truly screwed up in the head. I feel for them. Nothing they do will be good enough for their baby-mama-drama or the families of the baby-mama-dramas and the kids are the ones loosing out. Some dudes are straight triffling...yet some of these baby-mama-dramas are the type of person I would never want to be involved with, and you have to have a relationship with the baby-mama-drama to have a relationship with the kids. I'm so glad I'm not in this situation. I have a prepared retort for the next male-basher who asks me politely or impolitely if I'm a respinsbile parent...."Did you become a mother to begin a family or to get a nut ?" Speaking of getting a nut, I got two of them. My kids are nuts...... They keep me laughing. My son recently earned his Karate yellow belt and duly informed me that he was a "Highly trained yellow belt."

Buh-Rock

Short but sweet political conversation:
The son: Daddy, you should vote for Barack O'Mama (Obama).
The pop: I'm more conservative son, I might vote for someone else. I don't know yet.
The son: If I were a grown-up I'd vote for Barack O'Mama.
The pop; Why son ?
The son: I don't know !!!! I just think you should vote for him.
The pop: What about Hillary ?
The son: Who ? ......... I just wish I could vote.
The pop: (Smiling....thinking: "I know the ancestors are smiling too."

(Photo - The Sun-son on his fifth born-day 2 years ago)