My Husband – Everything a Daddy Should Be…

June 21, 2010 By 4 Comments

Happy Father’s Day to the most amazing man I know…..

jefffathersday1

He is a snuggling, kissing, nap-with-you, toss-a-football, teach-you-to-pitch-and swing, wipe-your-tears, make-a-crazy-silly-face, tickle-you-until-you-cry, rub-your-legs-in-the-middle-of-the-night, save-you-from-monsters, read-you-the-same-book-twelve-times, keep-you-safe, teach-you-to-protect-each-other, let-you-stay-up-late-to-watch-the-Cardinals, believe-in-Fairy-Godmothers, dress-up-like-a-penguin-for-Halloween, help-you-with-homework, catch-you-when-you-fall, hold-your-hand, cookies-and-milk, take-you-to-Disney-World, celebrate-you-learning-to-ride-a-bike, coach-your-teams, sing-at-the-top-of-his-lungs, get-down-on-his-knees-and-play, love-your-mommy, tell-you-he’s-proud-of-you, say-prayers-with-you-before-bedtime – KIND OF DADDY.

The small people are Lucky Ducks – no doubt about it.

And, I am one lucky wife and mother.

Filed Under: Am I lucky or what?, Featured Content, Recent Posts Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Friday Nights

July 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Dear Baseball Encyclopedia (that’s my Daddy Diary Book)-

Friday Night is my favorite night of the week. My wife and I accompany our two children to the local restaurant chain for a nice quiet dinner for four. Heads up, our 1-year old future Hall of Famer just chucked a roll across the table.

And now, my daughter has a question: “Mommy, Daddy was watching a movie last night where a boy was running naked down the street. Daddy said he was streaking. Mommy, what is streaking?” My wife glares at me. The old woman sitting at the table adjacent gives me a menacing look as well. My son smiles as he reaches back to throw the butter now. Well, I guess that was the logical next item to toss. “Honey, it was Old School. I couldn’t turn it off. It was the good part. Thanks Delaney. I told you not to tell.” My plea gets yet another scowl from my wife. I shrug. My daughter is only 3. I didn’t think she was watching.

Welcome to Friday Nights when you’re a Daddy. You know what? I wouldn’t go back to the Old School days if you paid me. Well, maybe once in a while wouldn’t be so bad, especially if you paid me.

And, as soon as I have a thought like this, up walks the man that approached me this past Friday. The following dialogue is 100% true.

Man: I have a grandson that’s about his age. How old is he?

Me: Cooper’s one. His right arm is 18, but we won’t let him throw curveballs yet. But, the rest of him is 20 months old.

Man: I’m driving out to San Diego next week to see my grandson. He’s about the same age. I’m very excited. How far is it to San Diego ?

Me: By car? You can do it in 2 days if you don’t sleep. Of course, you may want to sleep some. I drove it once in college with a buddy. We stopped in Oklahoma City , drank a couple of pitchers of beer and bunked in Morie’s Motel for the night. The next night, we stopped in Phoenix where we went to a night club, and slept in my car before heading west. Oh, sorry, I watched this movie the other night that has me reminiscing. Anyway, take your time, enjoy the drive. You can do it in 3 days.

Man: I really enjoy retirement. Um, sir, your son has potatoes in his hair.

Me: Oh, it’s bath night. He likes doing that because potatoes feel like soap.

Man: Oh, okay, well, your daughter has two straws up her nose.

Me: She’s trying to make herself sneeze. It makes her laugh when people sneeze. So, can I come with you to California ?

Man: Oh, you don’t want to do that. See, I’m retired, and I have all the time in the world.

Me: No, really, Can I come with you? The retirement thing sounds good.

Man: Son, don’t wish your life away. You’ll wake up one day and wonder where it all went.

I stared at Cooper smearing jelly on his belly button. Delaney was making a tower out of fries. I turned around to wish the man a nice trip. He was already gone. Point made.

I can’t wait till next Friday.

(This post is reprinted as it did not transfer on its own from the previous site)

Filed Under: Daddy Diary, Recent Posts Tagged With: ,

Pick Me UP

July 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Dear Daddy Diary-

Aw come on. I can’t put Dear Diary. I’m a Daddy. Okay. Let’s start over.

Dear Cool Book that resembles an NFL playbook-

There we go. That’s better.

So, today, my place of work decided to make some “changes.” Yeah, we all know what that means. Let’s not think of the employees. Let’s think of the BOTTOMLINE. So, I was a bit down when I came home from work.

And, there they were, standing there waiting to play. My two little monsters. My 3yr old daughter wanted to play in the “cushion pool.” (Cushion pool is defined as the place where all of the pillows and cushions from the living room couch and love seat reside when not in their proper place) My 18 month old son wanted to play “fumble.” He likes to throw the football in the “cushion pool,” then proceed to have a 4 person pile up while we all scramble for the ball. I laugh so hard that I have tears running down my cheeks as my Extraordinary wife gets stuck between two of the cushions, and then yells at me for laughing. She, of course, takes the football and chucks it at me which makes me laugh harder.

After a nice dinner, where, of course, the kids don’t eat mommy’s lasagna (I love my wife’s cooking by the way. She is very, very good.), we proceed to play a game of hide-and-go-seek which is very entertaining with an 18 month old. He likes to count, hide his face, and then scream. And scream. And scream…which makes me laugh again, so I scream with him. We have a blast all the way up until pj time which turns into brush teeth time and then ends in bed time. Everything has a ‘time’ with kids that young. You have to keep ‘em moving otherwise they’ll get bored, and then all heck breaks loose (heck is a word I use a lot more now than I did, say, 4 years ago).

Everyone drops to two knees and thanks God for the day’s events. When my turn came around, I had completely forgotten about the “work” day and the “work” bottomline. The only bottomline that concerned me was the bottomline I was wiping because my 18 month old, of course, had one last surprise for us before bed time. You know what? I’ll take that bottomline anytime.

We closed with our own personal rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Here’s a sample…Un…Two…Fwee Stwides U Out At Dee Ole Bowl Game…Hooooray.” There’s not a sweeter sound ever to be heard.

Lights out. Day over. Best Part is … I get to do it all again tomorrow.

-Daddy

(This post is reprinted as it did not transfer on its own from the previous site)

Filed Under: Daddy Diary Tagged With: , ,

The Ideal

June 22, 2009 By 14 Comments

I often hear women say they fell more in love with their husbands AFTER watching them as a dad.  I am one of those women.  Don’t tell my husband I told you this, but I actually think he is flawless when it comes to being the perfect daddy to our two small people.

delaney-week-1-001He held my hand from the very beginning – didn’t miss an ultrasound, talked to both babies right through my stretched tummy (even got kicked in the head when he put his head down on me), marveled at every kick and every turn and even squelched his own queasy stomach to be there for both births.

cimg0318He is a hand holder.

cimg0391He will spend the day feeding ducks with his sweet girl.

sept-oct-2006-089He delights in taking the kids to see the Cardinals.

cooper-favs-20

He gives good night kisses.

cooper-favs-79

He will carry you on Halloween.

aug-sept-2006-082

He will share his lemonade.

cooper7-9-weeks-119

Keep you safe in the water.

cimg4169

He will share his love of the game.

cimg4502

He will help with homework.

cimg4482

He will teach the small people funny faces.

cimg4487

legends-campp-jan-2006-092

He will ALWAY be the hero to the two small people in his life.  And to his wife.

cimg7305

He is a snuggler, a coach, a comforter, a get-down-on-his-knees-and-play kind of daddy.

He couldn’t be any better.  And, you only have to hear the small people when he gets home to know he is THE BEST daddy in the world.

What a treasure in my life to be able to witness this type of love in my home!

 

Happy Father’s Day, Honey!

Filed Under: A little piece of Heaven Tagged With: , ,

Shady

December 8, 2008 By Leave a Comment

So…let’s see…I am, I think, a pretty ‘sharing’ person, but there are a few things I prefer to keep to myself.

I have a small addiction to Icee Mochas from Panera.  Chocolate, coffee, whip cream (and lots of it).  What is not to like?  In addition to this addiction, i have a quirk..I like to savor my Mochas.  This means, they may sit in the fridge for a few days….and I get the pleasant surprise of seeing it every time I open it.  Unless, of course, the thieves in my house get to it first.

At first, Jeff didn’t like them, so I didn’t bother to get him one.  Now he likes them.  To keep his dirty little paws off mine, I got him one this weekend.  He finished his in about 5 minutes and naturally wants mine too.

NOOOOOOOOO! Mine!  Mine, I tell you!  It is mine!

So, of course, he complains every time he opens the fridge and sees it.

Tonight, Delaney went to get some milk out of the fridge and came back smelling like Mocha. Little thief took a sip…like Father, Like Daughter.

Naturally, I know Jeff is jealous of her shady ways.  I pretend to take Delaney upstairs, but hide and peek around the corner – knowing full well he is going to go for it when he thinks I’m out of sight.  He goes to the fridge to get Coop milk for bed, but doesn’t reach for it.  I’m proud. I think – finally – he is better than that!  No more slinking around like a shady Mocha thief.  I come out of hiding and stand in full view on the stairs.

And it happens.  He has it up to his lips before I can even close my dropped-jaw to yell.  Much to my pleasure, it scares him out of my mind when I regain control of my vocal chords, “OH NO YOU DON’T!”  He was so intent on his theivery, he DIDN’T see me!  And then, he can’t swallow because he was laughing so hard at being caught.  Too bad he didn’t choke on it. Hmmmph!

Can you imagine?  The nerve of some people?  AND…he is passing his thieving, shady ways on to my 4 year old.

Going to have to put that thing under lock and key.  From both of them.

Filed Under: Are you kidding me? Tagged With: , , ,

Little piece of heaven

October 21, 2008 By 1 Comment

Nothing better.

Daddy is reading a story to the kids.  He is so animated.  Gets right into it.  Different voices for every character.

Yep, I’m eavesdropping.  And loving every second of it.

Filed Under: A little piece of Heaven Tagged With: , ,

The little things

September 8, 2008 By 2 Comments

I can’t stop thinking about the little things….

Must my dear husband ALWAYS leave his shoes directly in front of the door, so I never fail to trip on them?
Must he begin speaking the SECOND he wakes up…nevermind who else might still be sleeping?
Must he spill his breakfast on the kitchen counter every day, yet never notice it needs to be cleaned up?
Must his pet-peeve list be so very long? (I’m sure a drawer being cracked open isn’t really going to drive him crazy!)
Must he frequently forget to listen when I’m talking?

But today, as he walked out the door to his 4th month on a new job, I remembered all the ‘little things’ that made me fall in love with him.

He makes up songs.  He is a great dancer and is still known to break out into the ‘running man’ or ‘roger rabbit’.  He is not good at ‘fixing’ things around the house. He loves to play jokes on people (including me).  You rarely see him without a smile. He is the hardest worker I know.  He puts his family above everything else in his world (including himself). He still owns clothes from High School and thinks anything that says, “St. Louis Cardinals” is appropriate attire. He cooks a mean BBQ (but nothing else). He compliments my cooking. He makes me laugh (really hard) at least twice a day.  He can’t resist either of the kids when they ask him to play.  He (usually) cleans the kitchen after I cook dinner.  He has put his own dreams on hold until he is certain he has secured a future that will allow our children to pursue any dream they wish. He loves his parents.  He is loyal to his friends. He loves to spend ‘date time’ with me.

He is, by far, the greatest Daddy and Husband in the world.

Filed Under: Am I lucky or what? Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts