This morning on the way to school, my daughter asked,
"Daddy, who is Spider Man?"
"Peter Parker is Spider Man?
"Who is that?"
"Peter Parker?"
"He's Spider Man?"
This was the start of a very lengthy conversation about super heroes and who they are, what they do and where they come from. Granted, I had no amazing revelations and tried my best to recall the super hero history of my childhood. What this conversation did get me thinking about was, how cool it must be to be four years old and boy, I wished I was Spider Man!
The idea of starting a green company derived from the awesomeness of my kids! Their ability to think and dream big is a daily inspiration to my wife and me. Knowing that we (mom and dad) are their super heroes, in many ways, is inspiring. It makes me want to be a better person in every way possible.
Burp Armor was recently written up by an terrific website called http://izzitgreen.com/. Izzit is a cool site that reviews all things green. The Izzit write up made Burp Armor sound like the burp cloth of super heroes (which it is!). It was AWESOME!!! Thanks izzit! After my hero conversation with my daughter this morning, I started to ponder my own life and if I've done anything heroic lately, the answer is...probably not. However, what my wife and I have done is think big! Burp Armor is a big idea and is slowly getting legs as the best burp cloth in the baby world. Creating a company that sells green/sustainable burp cloths, is again, not heroic, but it is daring. It is daring in that we have tried something completely new and are making it successful. And, I would like to think that somewhere in that "sense of daring" there is a little bit of Spider Man too.
Until I am bitten by a radio active spider, I am going to just keep working on being the best dad and husband I can be. Hopefully, when my daughter is older she will still believe in Spider Man, but also see that heroes come in many shapes and sizes. My greater hope is that she will see that heroism comes from a sense of courage. Courage in oneself. I am looking forward to her developing her own Spider Sense and witnessing her acts of heroism, whatever shapes and sizes they come in.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Mind that Bird...Mind that Burp Armor!
This weekend, my wife had to do some work Saturday evening; so, I was on dinner duty. Knowing that my kids love horses and that the Kentucky Derby was on, I decided to make the race a family affair. First, you need to understand, I don't know the first thing about betting, don't understand odds, and always lose when I do make the occasional bet. With this said, the pre-race show was on in the background through dinner and bath.
Just before start time, the kids and I finally made it to the couch with milks in hand to watch the parade of horses. As the horses danced out, guided by their jockey, I said to my daughter, "Which horse are we going to pick to win the race?" Our son at this point was bouncing his new basketball off his head and had no interest in the pretty horses. Finally, after watching a number of horses dance on and off the television screen, she said,
"I like that one!"
"You mean number 8?"
"Yes!'
"Why?"
"You know why?"
"Is 8 your favorite number?"
"No!"
"Because it is wearing PINK!!!!!! Silly!"
"Oh yeah, how could I have missed that, let's pay attention so we can hear its name."
"Mind that Bird," says the announcer.
"There you go, My Love, we are cheering for Mind that Bird."
Well, you know where this story goes. A four year old who has a passion for pink picked the 50 to 1 odds winner of the Kentucky Derby. And, of course we had zero money riding on it!
After the first thirty seconds, when Mind that Bird was in dead last, I tried to encourage my daughter to cheer for a front runner. Such an adult thing to do -- boy was I wrong. Then, like lightening in a bottle, Mind that Bird was in first and we were screaming our heads off.
To say it was a cool experience is an understatement. It was also a great lesson taught to a dad by his 4 year old, horse-picking-wonder-child. Don't give up on the underdog or count them out. EVER!!!! Even at 50 t0 1 odds or when they start in dead last.
Mind that Bird and Burp Armor are a lot alike. Burp Armor is an underdog trying to make mark in a very big baby product world. Like Mind that Bird, we are looking for lightening in a bottle. Just as the owners of Mind that Bird had faith in their 9500 dollar investment, I too have faith that the quality of product that is Burp Armor will find its way on to every parent's shoulder and into every baby's crib. If you don't have faith, who will! Right?
Mind that Bird... Mind that Burp Armor!
Just before start time, the kids and I finally made it to the couch with milks in hand to watch the parade of horses. As the horses danced out, guided by their jockey, I said to my daughter, "Which horse are we going to pick to win the race?" Our son at this point was bouncing his new basketball off his head and had no interest in the pretty horses. Finally, after watching a number of horses dance on and off the television screen, she said,
"I like that one!"
"You mean number 8?"
"Yes!'
"Why?"
"You know why?"
"Is 8 your favorite number?"
"No!"
"Because it is wearing PINK!!!!!! Silly!"
"Oh yeah, how could I have missed that, let's pay attention so we can hear its name."
"Mind that Bird," says the announcer.
"There you go, My Love, we are cheering for Mind that Bird."
Well, you know where this story goes. A four year old who has a passion for pink picked the 50 to 1 odds winner of the Kentucky Derby. And, of course we had zero money riding on it!
After the first thirty seconds, when Mind that Bird was in dead last, I tried to encourage my daughter to cheer for a front runner. Such an adult thing to do -- boy was I wrong. Then, like lightening in a bottle, Mind that Bird was in first and we were screaming our heads off.
To say it was a cool experience is an understatement. It was also a great lesson taught to a dad by his 4 year old, horse-picking-wonder-child. Don't give up on the underdog or count them out. EVER!!!! Even at 50 t0 1 odds or when they start in dead last.
Mind that Bird and Burp Armor are a lot alike. Burp Armor is an underdog trying to make mark in a very big baby product world. Like Mind that Bird, we are looking for lightening in a bottle. Just as the owners of Mind that Bird had faith in their 9500 dollar investment, I too have faith that the quality of product that is Burp Armor will find its way on to every parent's shoulder and into every baby's crib. If you don't have faith, who will! Right?
Mind that Bird... Mind that Burp Armor!
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