Smart Children

So my law partner Paul's daughter and granddaughter were in town, and D1 and I decided to drive up to Aventura to see them. It was a rainy day at the country club, and Tracy and Lily were huddled under a canvas cabana, letting Lily nap. Paul, Patricia, D1 and I had lunch under some umbrellas, and chatted and caught up. Lily woke from her nap, and she and Tracy joined us. Lily is a joy. She's a beautiful 2 and 1/2 year old. You can already see how smart she is -- with her vocabulary, and how she took in everything in her surroundings. As I watched D1 interract with her, of course it brought me back 23 years, when D1 was a toddler, and I marvelled at her as well. And I still marvel. Wifey met us in the evening, and D1, her boyfriend Joel, and Wifey and I went to dinner. When we returned, D1 handed me a bound volume -- her Master's thesis, which she will present at a national meeting in Texas this October. The subject matter is a study of whether pediatric dieticians adhere to certain guidelines. D1 downplays its significance, but I don't: she has contributed to her field's knowledge. To me, that's a big deal. But the point is, when we love and adore our kids, we're proud of them when they're toddlers, and proud when they complete graduate school. The swell of pride, best put into the Yiddish word kvell, applies. Meanwhile, Rosh Hashanoh, Jewish NEw Year's, approaches. It's coming early this year, and D2 will be returning from Gainesville for the holiday AND Canes Gators football, which takes place that Saturday. Last year, we gathered at Miami Jewish Home, with my Mom. This year, I told Wifey I wanted to have a small gathering at our house -- just us, the Ds, and Joel. The Days of Awe approach. My Ds always awe me.