Nico and Daddy: Lawn Mowing and Kite Flying

Nico has always been very much a Daddy's boy. He loves helping his Daddy whenever given the chance and really looks to him as a role model. Nico frequently will tell me, while showing off his biceps, "I'm strong like Daddy!" In fact this phrase can apparently be related to almost anything. For example, Nico told me one day on the way to school that the plants and trees needed water so they could be strong like Daddy. If there is something that needs "a fixin'" then Nico is right there next to Ed, screwdriver in hand. It's a good thing Nico has his own tool bench and so many tools! With spring already showing itself the lawn was in dire need to being cut. So this past weekend, Ed set out to mow the lawn, but this time with a little helper. Nico was able to help his Daddy push the mower. I could see from the huge grin on his face that was such a proud little boy and I think he must have felt like he was just that much closer to being just like his Daddy. Nico is definitely his Daddy's little buckaroo!


On another note....when Nico was just about 1 year old, his Gigi gave him a very large Winnie the Pooh bouncy ball. This ball has given Nico a couple of years of fun, but sadly this dearly loved ball has now departed. As they usually do, Nico and Daddy were outside in the backyard playing with the large ball. Daddy would kick or throw it up on the roof and Nico would try to catch it when it came a rolling down. Well, on this particular afternoon, Daddy kicked the ball up on the roof, and it rolled down, but not into out yard. Instead it rolled into the neighbor's yard. One would normally think, "No biggie. Just go next door and ask for it back." Well Nico and Daddy did just that, but it was too late. Their large and very loud dogs had already gotten a hold of the precious Pooh ball. Nico cried and cried as if the world was ending. He was truly sad about this tragic event. We searched and searched in stores and online to locate another large, green, Winnie the Pooh ball, but this ball was apparently on the endangered list when Gigi bought it 2 years ago. Much to our surprise, our sweet neighbors felt badly about Nico's ball and bought him another large green ball and since they could not find a Pooh ball, they also gave Nico a Winnie the Pooh kite. Immediately Nico and Daddy went out back to give the kite a try. Nico was so nervous about the kite flying over into the neighbor's yard, but had fun nevertheless.