Sibling rivalry?

When I was growing up, as one of three boys (and the middle kid) our house was, well not so quite. For the most part, my brothers and I got along pretty well. We had the usual fights and pranks, but generally we were a team. When push came to shove, we stuck together as a formidable unit against our shared opposition - our parents.

One thing we hated was sharing one of the bedrooms with one of the other brothers, as we lived in a 3 bedroom house. Being the middle child, I got the shaft in terms not getting my own room that often. Basically, I had to share a room with Mike or Ken from the time I was three (when Ken was born) until I was sixteen (when Mike went to college). Of course there were times were it was nice to have a "friend" in my room. We would plan our battles against the other brother, which meant sneaking in "enemy" territory and physically attacking them (uhm, we were three boys, that is what we did - and still do).

All in all, we had a good relationship and to this day, we are all pretty close to each other.

Fast forward many, many years later. Mira & Eli have always been close. Mira has been fierce protector of Eli since the day he was born and Eli, well he likes to annoy Mira. Since Eli turned three almost year and half ago, he has been sleeping on a foam couch (using the word "couch" very lightly) in Mira's room. When we transitioned Eli from a crib to a toddler bed at three, we was very excited about it... for about 2 days. He would then complain that the "bad dream fairies" lived in his room.

Mira, being the great big sister and caring person she is, allowed Eli to sleep in her room. We thought it was cute and figured it would last a few days or weeks. Well, it has been about 16 months now and with the exception of a couple of sleep-overs, they have shared the same room.

We (ok, me) thought it would be a good idea to get a new kid's bed (a pretty cool one from IKEA) over the weekend. We told Eli that he did not have to sleep in it and could use it to play in during the day - after all, the "bad dream fairies" might still be there. Mira had other ideas. Why not both of them sleep there. So here they are not only sharing a room, but acting like an old married couple sharing the bed - which in itself is funny since they both move around when the sleep.

Along the way, we have seen them transform from sister and brother to best friends & playmates. Eli is now at an age where he can play most games that Mira makes-up. Mira helps Eli with his pull-up when he goes to the bathroom at night (if she would only wipe his tush!) This is the best part about parenthood, watching your children grow and change. Do I have an illusions that there won't be bumps in road? Nope - but I am treasuring this time.

Volunteering

Living in a civic-minded place like Portland, it is hard not to be involved and helping out within our community. Portland offers it's citizens an array of non-profits, from good local ones like the Oregon Food Bank, Schoolhouse Supplies to international organizations like Mercy Corps. There are also our schools and religious institution. The list really goes on and on. Oh yeah, don't forget about coaching your kid's sports teams.

It seems on any given week, either Amy or I or both of us have some type of meeting to go to for the various things we raise our hands for (some might call us gluttons for punishment). Why do all this mishugas? Jewish guilt perhaps? Or is that we are bleeding-heart Liberals? Perhaps we just simply get pleasure and self-fulfillment from doing "our part".

I know in our house, Mira & Eli are so used to us going out to another "boring meeting" that it doesn't even phase them - or maybe (and hopefully) it does. Truth is, yes many of things Amy & I run off to are "boring meetings" and sometimes I would rather watch paint dry than fulfill the obligation.

We hope that we are leading by example for our children. That they realize that we have much to give back to our little community as we have been given and then some and that they don't grow up thinking the world owes them is important to us. It is part of what defines us in the world of "think globally, act locally".

Here we go...

I asked myself last night after watching some mindless television and a bit of work, why not.

I will never be a writer and certainly will never have the command of words like my intelligent and beautiful wife. She is the writer in the family! OK, she is more than just the writer in the family, but I will get to that at some point I am sure.

I have a lot to say, or at least I think I do. So, despite the fact that I am on my laptop all day for work, I am going to try to carve out some time - between work, my spectacular wife & my two great (mostly great) kids, and other obligations - to write what is on my mind.

What I am going to write about or where this is going, I have no idea at this point - but that will be part of the adventure I guess.

Why marty's son? Well, first it is a blatant rip-off of a much better blog by Amy who dedicated her blog and writings in memory of her mother, Marilyn. The second and more obvious reason is that my father is Marty - or as we say back in the old country "maahhty". He is still very much alive and still driving my mother crazy - or the other way around.