Celebrating Chocolate

Last October, when Bootsie celebrated her first birthday, her mama stripped her down to her diaper and put a big hunk of chocolate cake on her high chair tray.  She couldn't believe her eyes.  She looked back and forth among us as if to ask, "I get to eat this?  All by myself?  Right now?  Really?" 

A tentative little finger swept through the icing, and she looked at us again to see if we had changed our minds.  We hadn't.  We had already lit the candle, sung "Happy Birthday," and dipped the ice cream.  It was now time to watch the much-anticipated premier of Baby Meets Chocolate.  A little over five months later, we still smile at the photos and videos that preserve that event for posterity.

This week, I feel a little bit like Bootsie must have felt back then.  On the day before yesterday, "Googie's Attic" turned one year old, and, in my mind at least, there has been a party going on.

Truth is, I am loving every opportunity I have to sit in front of this computer and let the words spill onto the screen.  A project that began a year ago as a lark and an experiment has become a way of life.  For many years I poured myself into what I hope was constructive criticism for students who often struggled to match their words with their ideas.  Now I get to revel for myself in the power of language to touch readers and to create a verbal legacy for my grandkids. 

Of all the blogging emphases I could have chosen, I am so glad I opted to focus on the kids.  There is so much about the awesome experience of being "Googie" to digest, share and preserve.  Better yet, my subject matter continuously renews itself, and I like to think that because I blog about the kids, I am paying more attention to those wonderful little moments that make up our time together.  Sooby, Pooh, and Bootsie have provided me no shortage of material--and now we have Beenie and Zoomba on the way.  It is exciting to think that things can continue to get better from here as two more little boys arrive to join our party.

Happy first birthday, "Googie's Attic."  I wish you many more.  As I sit here, words cover my face like chocolate cake, and they taste wonderful.