Wow, where to begin... A year ago, March 25th - 2009, was the single greatest day of your dad's (and likely you mom's) life. You finally came into the world after 9+ months of being your mom's "little" parasite. You stayed in there a little longer then we had hoped but I guess mom made it pretty comfy in there for you. You just needed a bit more time to cook and it looks like what they say is true - "you can't rush perfection" and "good things come to those who wait". Good things is clearly a gross understatement.
I don't know if I will truly ever be able to explain how much of an impact your arrival had on my life but I am going to try. The very first time I held you in my arms I wept with a happiness I don't know if I have ever felt before. Meeting and marrying your mom was a close second but holding all 7lbs of you that afternoon made me feel like a superhero. Not because I had helped create another living person but because you made me feel like I could move mountains to keep you safe from harm. We had a special bond right from the start, you and I, and I knew right away that daddy's little girl had him hooked. I walked the halls of the hospital all night and day to get you to sleep while mom rested and from then on we were our own little dynamic duo.
It was a rough year on dad (and mom) on a personal level and you were that little beacon of happiness everyday. After a crappy day at work, at a job I was unhappy doing, you were the toothless smile at the end of the day that always made my heart melt. You were (are) the driving force that made me look at "life" and decide that I had to make a change for me, for mom, and more importantly for you... By the time you read this on your own your dad will be a fire fighter and I (we) have you to thank for that. Though mom was a big help in deciding, you were the catalyst that made me realize that I needed and deserved to be happy in life.
Between you and mom, the two of you make me want to be a better man, husband and most important, father. Now I know that somewhere down the line I will screw up and you'll probably "hate" dad at some point and slam a few doors in frustration (if genetics prevail). Just know that it all comes from a good place, a loving and caring place and maybe in the future you'll see that you're always daddy's little girl...
I love you with all my heart Brooklyn and knowing that no matter how up and down work gets or life gets or how exhausting the day-to-day can be, knowing that I have your smile and those chubby cheeks to come home to makes it all worth while... Mom's pretty cool too...
Happy Birthday angel, love always...
Dad
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Jan. 10th, 2010 - Save me Jebus!
On this day in 2010 we Baptized our by girl Brooklyn. It is a miracle that the gates of hell didn't open and swallow your dad whole as he set foot in a church... I digress.
You were an angel the whole day. Surrounded by family and loved ones, Great Grandparents and Godparents we watched you be a little rock star the entire service. On any given Sunday the church would do roughly 3-5 baptisms but on this day there was just one - you. This gave you free reign to unleash the cuteness for all to see. You coo-ed at the right moments, you hardly made a peep, you ate cookies and played in the Holy Water. You even got paraded around by your dad for the entire congregation to bask in your awesomeness. You were unnecessarily showered with gifts, most of which had some very large significance which both mom and dad will gladly explain to you at some point. The bottom line is we always knew you were a little angel but now "the man upstairs" gave you "his" seal of approval.
Really just wanted to thank you for blessing mom and dad with the best gift of all - you
Love Dad XOXOXOXO
You were an angel the whole day. Surrounded by family and loved ones, Great Grandparents and Godparents we watched you be a little rock star the entire service. On any given Sunday the church would do roughly 3-5 baptisms but on this day there was just one - you. This gave you free reign to unleash the cuteness for all to see. You coo-ed at the right moments, you hardly made a peep, you ate cookies and played in the Holy Water. You even got paraded around by your dad for the entire congregation to bask in your awesomeness. You were unnecessarily showered with gifts, most of which had some very large significance which both mom and dad will gladly explain to you at some point. The bottom line is we always knew you were a little angel but now "the man upstairs" gave you "his" seal of approval.
Really just wanted to thank you for blessing mom and dad with the best gift of all - you
Love Dad XOXOXOXO
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Merry Christmas, Happy New Years and rounding third heading home
We are at the 3/4 mark in year one of the Brooklyn's life and a few things have become evident. First and foremost is... If you let them, your child will work you over. They will test your resolve to see how much they can get away with and how much you'll facilitate that. Hard to believe I am sure, especially while you look down at your new bundle of joy and they can't even lift their own noggin'. It will happen and you may not even notice it happening. Here is what I mean...
New Year's - adults night right? Not so in the case of our little one. Despite countless bottles and hours of play time and even a drive around the block with mom our little one was just not having it. No sleep for Brooklyn. So we conceded and she rang in her first New Year's with mom and dad and friends. I reckon she'd have outlasted all of us if given the opportunity.
Now lets jump back.
Christmas - though too young to really understand, our little trouble maker figured out right quick that tissue paper is awesome!! The crinkle, the ease at which it tears and last but not least how good it tastes. It must. She must have tried time after time to ingest these little shards of white and red and green! She was great through all the running around, bundle ups, lack of naps and constant schedule shuffling. We really couldn't have asked for a better baby. Next year should really be a blast.. My only words of wisdom on this front is as follows:
When you have a baby make everyone come to you!!!
Not always possible but if you can swing it make it happen. In this day and age of multiple parents with multiple marriages and extended families it would be well worth your while to find out what works best for you and yours and then open it up to the rest of your family. Lesson learned. But do what you need to do.
As we round the corner towards year one of Brooklyn's life I do know this above all else. Being a dad is the single most amazing accomplishment and the most challenging thing I will ever do. Thankfully we were given a truly incredible little girl. Now not everyone is blessed with a "good" baby. They come in all shapes and all sizes with all their own little quirks and nuances. But, if you have a good teammate - spouse, significant other, etc. - then your chance of survival will grow exponentially. Work together and you'll be fine. If that's not in the card for you then try and establish a good solid support system around you. Parents, cousins, aunts/uncles and so on. They are great tools to have in your arsenal.
Above all else, take the time to stop and enjoy the process of their evolution. The crawling, the walking, the discoveries... It goes by so damn fast you might miss some pretty cool stuff.
Cheers.
New Year's - adults night right? Not so in the case of our little one. Despite countless bottles and hours of play time and even a drive around the block with mom our little one was just not having it. No sleep for Brooklyn. So we conceded and she rang in her first New Year's with mom and dad and friends. I reckon she'd have outlasted all of us if given the opportunity.
Now lets jump back.
Christmas - though too young to really understand, our little trouble maker figured out right quick that tissue paper is awesome!! The crinkle, the ease at which it tears and last but not least how good it tastes. It must. She must have tried time after time to ingest these little shards of white and red and green! She was great through all the running around, bundle ups, lack of naps and constant schedule shuffling. We really couldn't have asked for a better baby. Next year should really be a blast.. My only words of wisdom on this front is as follows:
When you have a baby make everyone come to you!!!
Not always possible but if you can swing it make it happen. In this day and age of multiple parents with multiple marriages and extended families it would be well worth your while to find out what works best for you and yours and then open it up to the rest of your family. Lesson learned. But do what you need to do.
As we round the corner towards year one of Brooklyn's life I do know this above all else. Being a dad is the single most amazing accomplishment and the most challenging thing I will ever do. Thankfully we were given a truly incredible little girl. Now not everyone is blessed with a "good" baby. They come in all shapes and all sizes with all their own little quirks and nuances. But, if you have a good teammate - spouse, significant other, etc. - then your chance of survival will grow exponentially. Work together and you'll be fine. If that's not in the card for you then try and establish a good solid support system around you. Parents, cousins, aunts/uncles and so on. They are great tools to have in your arsenal.
Above all else, take the time to stop and enjoy the process of their evolution. The crawling, the walking, the discoveries... It goes by so damn fast you might miss some pretty cool stuff.
Cheers.
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