Birthday Boy

Eitan celebrates his 8th on Sunday choosing the pitch for an organised afternoon of footie, pizza, hot-dogs and cake and presents. We snap this photo together before the action arrives.

So, Dear Reader, here are the things I love about being a parent:
1. It is fully occupying all the time and forces me to examine the ever-most crannies of my life. Sonnet and I make decisions for the kids within our limitations of geography, resources, income, family and friends and it all comes together - Eitan and Madeleine know they are loved.
2. Babysitting. Seriously. Nothing is more enjoyable than me alone with them, they in bed, me watching TV or reading.
3. Acting silly. I get their continual immediate feedback for acting like I am their age. They groan when I sing on the school-run or laugh when discussing things like farting - such a hilarious thing, really, made better when the joke shared with an adult.
4. Passing on a lifetime's data. For instance, we observe the tidal Thames which offers the perfect visible explanation of gravity while tying ourselves to the moon. Amazing.
5. Complete control. OK, this changing as Eitan and Madeleine wise-up to punishment-disownment. If I take away TV, for instance, they say, "so what?" I figure I own them about 50%, which will diminish to zero by their teens or tweenies. Then it will be about influence - if I am lucky they will listen. If not, they are grounded.
6. Watching Sonnet be a mother. I knew she would be perfect. And she is.
7. Laughing with Sonnet about everything (most of the time). We are inside the family secret, which is messy and humorous. The Shakespeare's many indignations raises a smile while their tom-foolery gets a belly laugh. They still think life occurs in a vacuum.