Replay

It's late, past midnight, and I just finished one of the best, most moving and thought provoking novels I've ever read. "Replay," by Ken Grimwood, published in 1987.

Cool

"You lookin' at me? I said, are you lookin' at me?"

John Patrick, running this morning on Belmont University's soccer field.

"Self portrait" of John Patrick and Daddy, taken this morning at Belmont University's soccer field. Notice the expression on John Patrick's face.

Sunshine, at Last!

After ten or eleven days of at least some rain, I awoke this morning to bright sunshine and a brilliant blue sky. Also, for the first time, there was a hint of fall in the air. I dressed John Patrick in a long sleeve shirt for our Sunday morning walk to Bongo Java for breakfast. It was a great morning for a walk.

After breakfast, we stopped at the soccer field at Belmont University. As I sat on the field, John Patrick ran and played in the Sunday morning fall sunshine. He seemed as excited to see the sunshine as I was.

Here's Looking at You, Kid

This would make my list of the "John Patrick's Top Ten Photos," I think. I took a week or so ago, when Jude and I took him to Sevier Park after work one day.

I like this photo. I'm not really sure why, but I do.

Making faces at Meemaw.

My mom ("Meemaw") with John Patrick, tonight after dinner.

Alice Walker and her husband, Dell, with John Patrick tonight, after dinner.

Flying Solo

Jude left yesterday to attend a conference in Washington, D.C., so I'm flying solo with John Patrick for a couple of nights. I think the last time it was just the two of us, overnight, was when Jude attended Barrack Obama's inauguration, last January.

As I drove to work this morning, I chuckled to myself as I considered how things just don't seem to run as smoothly when Jude is not around. For example, after I got John Patrick up and dressed, we strolled down to Bongo Java to eat breakfast. After I arrived and got my coffee, we took a seat at a table outside. At that point, I realized not only had I forgotten his bib, I'd also forgotten a baby spoon for his yogurt. Making do with what was nearby, I tucked a paper napkin in his shirt and fed him with a plastic spoon. Of course, the spoon was too big to fit into his mouth, but we managed.

We strolled back home and met our nanny, Carley, there. After talking with her for a few minutes, I went upstairs to get dressed for work. A few minutes later, I came downstairs, said goodbye to John Patrick, and walked out the front door. It was at that point I realized I hadn't shaved. Showered - yes. Dressed - yes. Shaved - no. Classy.

Tonight, I cooked spaghetti for my mom, and Alice (my cousin) and Dell Walker. We had a great visit. John Patrick was in rare form, making faces at my mom and entertaining us all. After they left, I followed him upstairs (he likes to climb the stairs himself these days), so I could get him ready for bed and feed him a bottle. I turned on an ipod I have in his room and selected an old playlist on it to listen to while I changed his diaper and put on his pajamas.

He was on the changing table, staring up at me and babbling, when "Falling Slowly," a song from "Once," one of my favorite movies, came on the ipod. The song and the movie mean a great deal to me, for a variety of reasons. As the song played and I smiled down at my son, I found myself in the middle of one of those amazing, fleeting moments you want to last forever. It was a little bittersweet, too, because I knew it was one of those moments I'll always remember, long after it's passed, regardless of where I am or what I'm doing, when I hear that song.

Sometimes, like tonight, when I watch my son, when it's just the two of us, it almost seems like a dream I don't want to wake up from. I feel so lucky and blessed that he's in my life. It gets harder and harder, in some ways, to remember what it was like before he came into my life. It's almost like I've lived two lives - the one before he was born and the one after he was born. I don't know if that makes sense.

Running with J.P.

This evening, when I arrived home from work, John Patrick was bouncing around the den, full of energy. Jude was playing tennis, so I was happy to have the opportunity to have some one-on-one time with him. I asked him, "do you want to go for a run?" Immediately, he started jumping up and down, then ran to the racing stroller and started unloading things out of its seat (shoes, socks, etc.). He was ready to roll, literally.

I went upstairs, changed into my running gear and off we went. We ran up to Belmont University, through campus, down Belmont Boulevard, then back home. Not a long run, just three miles total. There were a lot of people out running or biking and he pointed as we ran past them. He was so happy to be outside, rolling along in the Baby Jogger racing stroller (a baby shower gift from our friends Lela Hollabaugh and Dean Shumate).

It's great for me and such a blessing, because John Patrick loves it when we go on runs together. It means so much to me to be able to share with him an activity that brings me such joy and happiness.

Pit Stop

In Nascar, they call this a 4-tire change.

In the Ocean!

One of our last afternoons at the beach, Jude carried John Patrick into the ocean for a quick swim. He was buck naked.

John Patrick, checking things out on the trail at Grayton Beach State Park.

John Patrick, relaxing on the big bed at our rental house in Santa Rosa Beach, Fl.

Coloring

This photo is sponsored by Crayola, because everyone loves to color with Crayola crayons.

Gone Fishin'

John Patrick, outside Starbucks in Grayton Beach, Fl, watching the fish in the pond.

Video Killed the Radio Star

One thing Jude and I have agreed on, from day one with John Patrick, is that he is not going to watch television, DVDs, etc. Our thought was if things worked out the way we planned, he wouldn't even know what a television was until he reached the age of six or seven.

As you can see from this photograph I took right before we left Santa Rosa Beach, Fl, to return home, it's working out just like we planned.

Actually, the portable DVD player was a lifesaver on the trip home. Just past Montgomery, Al, John Patrick began to get fussy and started to cry. We plugged in the DVD player, set it on the console between the two front seats and turned it on. Immediately, he got quiet and stared at the screen, as the introduction to one of his "Baby Einstein" videos began playing. Miraculous.

John Patrick and Daddy at Santa Rosa Beach, Fl, on the last day of our vacation.

Santa Rosa Beach Recap

Tomorrow, we depart Santa Rosa Beach, Fl, for home. With "Born on Flag Day," by Deer Tick, as my background music, I wanted to mention some of the highlights, for me, of our first trip to the beach with our son. These are in no particular order. I'm going to list them as they come to me.

1. While Jude was taking a shower and John Patrick and were eating dinner, I taught him to say "touchdown" and to let me give him a "high five." Well, sort of. He raised his arms above his head and said something that sounded like "daaaaaaaaaaaaaan," which loosely translated (very loosely), is "touchdown." Then, he held his hand out for a "high five." Then we did it again. And again. You get the idea.

2. Every time I did my best Bill Cosby/Fat Albert impression, saying "hey, hey, hey, get outta my way," John Patrick said "Da da," before I could finish. It worked every single time. And I smiled every single time.

3. Two mornings this week, when I got up with John Patrick, we strolled down to "Lucille's," a local restaurant/coffee shop, for breakfast. We sat outside and ate breakfast together. It wasn't Sunday morning breakfast at Bongo Java, but it was close.

4. Each afternoon when Jude, John Patrick and I went to the beach, I filled up the inflatable baby pool with ocean water and we dragged it onto the beach. I laughed at the absurdity of my son playing in an inflatable baby pool, on the beach, facing the Gulf of Mexico. It still makes me smile, just thinking about it.

5. Every morning but one, I ran on the bicycle path on highway 30A. On my ipod, I listened to podcasts from Bob Edwards ("Bob Edwards Weekend"), Bill Simmons ("the BS Report") and Terri Gross ("Fresh Air").

6. We rented bicycles and took John Patrick for his first and second bicycle rides. He rode in a rumble seat of sorts, except it was right behind my seat on the bicycle, rather than beside it. While he wasn't too happy about wearing a helmet, as soon as I started pedaling and we were moving, he started laughing in that way a toddler laughs that completely fills your heart with joy and makes you thank God for blessing you with this child.

7. After we put John Patrick to bed, Jude and engaged in four epic scrabble games while watching the U.S. Open tennis tournament. Two wins for me, two for Jude.

8. I read James Lee Burke's new novel, "Rain Gods." Classic Burke and a very, very good read.

9. One afternoon at the beach, the lifeguards were spending a lot of time in the water, clearly looking for something. It turns out they had seen a giant sea turtle, most likely preparing to come ashore after dark and lay her eggs. One of the lifeguards told me he had seen the sea turtle and she was as big as our inflatable baby pool. Wow!

10. One afternoon, while John Patrick and Jude napped, I slipped out and visited "the Red Bar" in Grayton Beach. There, I sat at the bar, had a couple of beers and read an issue of the "New Yorker." Quiet, peaceful and relaxing.

11. Much to Jude's chagrin, I drank a bottle of "5 Hour Energy" on the trip down. It really does work.

A Boy and His Bat

Sometimes, actually most of the time, it's the $5.99 purchase that entertains your child for hours. John Patrick and this plastic bat have been inseparable, since I purchased it as an afterthought at a convenience store in Grayton Beach earlier in the week.

Bat Boy

In case I haven't mentioned it, I'm collecting photos of a certain type (embarrasing) I'm going to display at John Patrick's wedding rehearsal and reception. This is one of them.

Bird Watching

Jude and John Patrick, watching a bird walking on the beach.

Beach Boy

Late yesterday afternoon, it cooled off and Jude, John Patrick and I were off to the beach again. John Patrick wasn't as bothered by the sand, although he still didn't want to walk on it. While I swam in the ocean, he sat down with Jude and together, they played in the sand, digging and filling cups and his bucket with sand.

Later, we put him in his inflatable baby pool, which we had again filled with ocean water. He played in the pool, again, while we threw the frisbee. Afterwards, we had a breakthrough, I carried John Patrick to the edge of the ocean and sat him between my legs. As the waves broke on the shore and covered our feet and legs, he played in the sand and seemed to enjoy himself.

I Want to Ride My Bicycle

Yesterday, Jude, John Patrick and I drove over to Grayton Beach and rented bicycles for the rest of the week. Before they were delivered to our rental house, we took John Patrick for his first bicycle ride, to Grayton Beach State Park, then back to the bike shop.

First, we strapped John Patrick in the child's seat on my bicycle, which took some doing. We had to tighten the straps a couple of times to secure him. Next, we placed a helmet on his head, which he wasn't particularly happy about. Then, off we went!

It was pretty cool, because as soon as we started pedaling down the bike path, John Patrick started giggling and laughing. Clearly, he was enjoying himself. The only down side, for me, was that I couldn't turn around and watch him, since he was sitting directly behind me. Jude, riding slightly behind us, kept us a running commentary of what he was doing.

Funnier still was the fact that every couple of minutes, John Patrick, unprompted, would say, "Ma Ma." Jude would answer, "J.P." Then, he would say, "Da Da," and I would respond, "J.P." It was really, really funny. I'm not sure if he was just making sure we were still there, or what.

Cameo Appearance

On Tuesday, Jude's sister-in-law, Megan, and her mother, Jody, stopped by for a visit with John Patrick. Oh, and Jude and I were there, too. They watched John Patrick play in his inflatable baby pool at the big pool, then stayed for lunch. As usual, he was very entertaining.

Here's photo of Megan and John Patrick.

Late afternoon at Santa Rosa Beach, Fl.

Jude and John Patrick at Santa Rosa Beach, Fl.

Swimming Pool Cues

Monday afternoon, Jude and I took John Patrick to the beach again. This time, however, we had a plan. It was Jude's plan, actually. We loaded the baby pool in the back of Jude's Honda Pilot and took it to the beach.

Predictably, John Patrick wanted nothing to do with the sand at the beach, upon our arrival. I carried the baby pool into the ocean and filled it up with water. Jude and I struggled to pull it out of the water and up onto flat sand. Once we did, we sat John Patrick in the water, in the baby pool, in the sand, on the beach. Sounds complicated, doesn't it? He loved it.

While John Patrick played contentedly in the baby pool, Jude and I threw the frisby and enjoyed the late afternoon sun at Santa Rosa Beach. Sometimes, necessity is the mother of invention, after all.