First of First

It's Jackson's first day of first grade, and his first ride to school on the bus. The video camera is cued and ready to record. I taped the packing of the first lunch into the Scooby Doo lunch box, and interviewed the new student while he ate a bowl of sugar packed cereal. I'm working at home today so I can be here to walk him to the bus stop. Although he wants to ride the bus now, we've assured him that he doesn't have to. Some people would call that shielding. So be it.

When school is over, it's really over. It only lives inside our brains and in the movies. But it has as much to do with reality as snipe hunting.

Emmett is virtually diaper free now that he does both orders of business sitting on the mini-throne. It's amazing how much build up there is in such a little guy. Just yesterday I got a call from my wife.

"Honey! Oh my God!"

I braced myself for the worst. "What is it?"

"Roxy* just ate some of Emmett's poo."

I'm normally reserved for personal phone conversations at work, but I started laughing, and didn't stop for a very long time after I hung up.

"What should I do? Will she be alright?"

I couldn't stop laughing to answer. When I lived on a ranch, there were two dogs that roamed the property. The horse corral was littered with horse manure, but some were fresh, green and steamy. The dogs loved those in particular, and would face off, all growls and teeth like two boxers before a match while the ref is saying, "Keep it clean boys."

Finally I managed, "I think everything will be fine."

* Our new puppy