“Daddy,” Titus asked, walking into my office as I sat perched at my computer, hammering away at the keys.

“Yes?” I responded, perhaps warily, braced for another question he undoubtedly already knew the answer to. “Are you my dad?” and “Is this our house?” have become common lately. I’m being patient.

“Can I drink from a big boy cup tonight?”

I was somewhat taken aback. Typically, I am not asked such questions. I suspected it had something to do with my getting a bit ruffled this morning when Sonja changed Titus out of the pants I had put him in and into shorts. (I hate that.)

“Er… uh… sure,” I told him. “Sounds good.”

“Thanks daddy!” Titus shouted, running out of my office in ecstasy.

“Dinner is ready,” said Sonja a few minutes later, poking her head around the corner of my study. “I hear Titus gets to drink out of a big boy cup.” She smiled and went back downstairs.

It was just last night we were joking around about how we should just pick one night of the week, feed them spaghetti, and know we’re all taking baths. Trying to keep kids clean is a nightmare, and Sonja gets most of the credit for accomplishing it with our two children. As much as I had wanted to tell Titus that “Big boy cups are for big boys,” thus sparing myself a clean up later, I want him to be able to grow at his own pace even more. Did Titus spill his big boy cup at dinner tonight? Sure, but only once. And he was so proud of himself. I mean, I let the little rascal smell my wine, don’t I? Maybe I can teach him to drive a stick this weekend.

In my own big boy cup tonight was a bad-@$$ Sauv Blanc from Tom Rinaldi at Ambassador in Washington’s Yakima Valley. A low 13.3%, it’s rounded out by oak exposure and packed with mineral notes and blunted citrus qualities, baked Meyer lemon maybe. A blend of 78% Sauv Blanc and 22% Semillon, both varietals shine in their own manner. Crisp yet beautifully in balance, it’s an old world style wine from a varietal that the new world has hijacked and tormented for quite some time.  Available in Nebraska, you can ask for this at your fine wine shop and they should have no trouble getting it.

The entire family took two walks today, one in the morning, one in the evening, while Titus and I took a third over our lunch hour while Sonja and Zooey napped. Together, my big boy and I walked down 35th Avenue, sat upon the benches on Woolworth Avenue, then walked the two more blocks to the Ford Rose Garden and read the stone placards that still say the governor is Dave Heinemann before walking home. Titus walked nearly ten blocks with me and never once complained or asked to be carried. Can he drink from a big boy cup? Absolutely.

Cheers to growing up (so long as my children do it slowly, as I’ve asked them to do),

Mark