An audio conversation with Amani as our action-packed, father/son weekend kicked off in grand fashion on Friday night (Stella has taken Viola to Dallas for a dance conference).

Among our discussion topics:

• Amani’s Doodlebug T-shirt (that’s what he’s sporting in the photo above)
• Amani’s books
• The excitement around our weekend “hang” time.

* We were chilly! Temps were in low 60s when we arrived and low 50s by the time we left a couple of hours later, but the high winds made it feel much cooler. As you can see in the photo above from the 1st Street Bridge, Amani was all bundled up.

* We were early! We’re hanging out along Auditorium Shores at sunset in the picture above, but most of the action hadn’t yet started while we were there. Things felt slow.

* We have a stubborn little boy. Amani insisted on pushing his own carriage around, including back across the 1st Street Bridge, uphill. A few oncoming passersby were startled to see what appeared to be an unmanned carriage moving toward them, but their expressions softened once they caught wind of the 3-year-old at the controls! They were clearly impressed (as were we, of course).

* The official “grand procession” along W. Caesar Chavez St. that we took in just before heading home certainly reinforced our city’s “Keep Austin Weird” slogan. Mixed among the marching church groups and local nonprofits were ragtag musicians, a unicyclist, an insect-like accordion vehicle of some kind, and other assorted colorful characters.  The video clip I’ve posted just above doesn’t capture much of the weirdness, but these three photos from the Austin Statesman certainly do!

Final verdict? We probably won’t be regular First Nighters in the coming years, but glad we checked it out this time!

Had plenty of fun playing with Amani today, and this audio conversation from the late afternoon (click above to listen or download; note: quality is a little funky) captures some of the highlights. Among them:

* Amani talks about his goggles and other toys he’s playing with.

* Amani explains why he wasn’t happy when he woke up from his nap.

* Amani and I recount part of a story we made up earlier in the day using the picture cards that Grandma and Grandpa sent him as a Christmas gift.

* We take turns asking each other to name “tres cosas” (three things) that we like in the room.  (This is a little game I started with Amani about a week ago.)

That’s certainly what we’re thinking–and hoping–after today’s exciting developments.

While out for a late lunch/early dinner at Texas Land & Cattle Steak House, Amani twice asked us to take him to the bathroom. Now in both instances, he’d already done the deed, but this was, undeniably, progress. With a little more encouragement, he’ll soon be asking to go to the potty ahead of time!

A big-time step forward on New Year’s Day.

There’s no childcare provided on Christmas Eve, so we were treated with Amani’s presence, too! The snow at the end of the service brought a big smile to his face.

Christmas Eve 2009 at HCBC NW from Bryan Person on Vimeo.

In fact, “Poo-Poo Butt” is one of his favorite nicknames for me these days. I, in turn, call him “Doodle Bug.”

In a fun conversation with Amani from earlier this week (Monday, December 21), we kick around a number of topics. Among them:

* Jesus’ birthday

* His moment of hoops glory at the park

* His new favorite dinosaur shirt

* All his trucks

To listen to our talk, click the play button below. 

Me: What’d you talk about tonight?

Her: Stuff.

Me: What kind of stuff?

Her: Stuff.

Sometimes our talks go like this, but sometimes–such as after last week’s class–she’ll share more. So I’ll be patient :)

So I’m missing him, and reflecting on the joys and challenges of being a dad. These two audio clips that I recorded last night hammer home both angles.

The first: Amani “reading” a book to me on the chair in his room, just before I put him in his bed to sleep.

The second: a silly conversation with Amani while unsuccessfully trying to get him to poop in his potty. (One of his daycare teachers says some boys aren’t even potty trained by age 4; I certainly hope Amani isn’t one of them!)

* He dances like his dad. Stella and Viola don’t really that’s a good thing–and they might have a point–but I get a kick out of it.

* Amani enjoys making goofy faces (like the one below on our recent visit to Houston)–and I don’t discourage him!