fatherhood

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: You Won the Boat Race Against Your Brother!

3 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

You have now been initiated into the Shell tradition of boat racing in the creek.

Back in college, some of my friends and I would make silly boats of of plastic bottles and race them in the creek in a nearby park.

Several years ago, when your brother was about your age now, I started teaching him how to make boats to take to the creek.

Now this tradition has been passed down to you, as your brother built a brand-new boat for you.

Honestly, I wasn’t even involved in the process. He took care of it all.

All I did was walk the two of you down to the creek and watch you both have fun.

And as it turns out, you actually won the boat race!

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Helping Your Sister Build a Boat for the Race

8 years, 11 months.

Dear Jack,

Over the years, you and I have had this tradition of going to the creek in the next neighborhood over, to sail your newest homemade boat.

Now that it finally rained recently, allowing to give the creek water again, we decided to head back there.

But first, you spent some time with your sister after church, helping her design her own boat, so that the two of your could race them.

To your surprise, her boat won the face.

To my surprise, that didn’t bother you at all.

I think you were just proud to teach her how to have fun in a new way!

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: You Were Elsa for Halloween 2019… Of Course!

3 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

There was never a doubt in my mind that you wouldn’t be Elsa for Halloween this year.

Granted, you already had the dress anyway!

And this year, it was so cold that it felt like it might snow…

So as we walked up to neighbors’ home to trick-or-treat, Mommy would say, “Elsa brought the cold with her this year!”

Plus, we are now just a few weeks away from Frozen II coming to the theaters.

I’m pretty sure you’re going to remember all this Elsa stuff years from now.

Everything really is about Elsa these days!

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: You Were a “Homemade” Ninja for Halloween 2019

8 years, 11 months.

Dear Jack,

I thought you were going to be a dinosaur this year for Halloween.

I say that because back earlier this year, you convinced Mommy to buy you a dinosaur costume for Halloween.

Ultimately, it became a play costume for you to scare your sister with when you play.

But when Halloween actually got close, you suddenly decided you wanted to be a ninja instead.

Mommy agreed to the idea, knowing that we had most of the clothing in your wardrobe already.

You had some apparent regrets, though. You asked Mommy the day before Halloween:

“Can we not do homemade costumes next year?”

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: Today, You Turned 3 Year and a Half Years Old

3 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

This week, I turned 38 and a half. I’m now just a year and a half away from turning 40.

And since our birthdays are just 4 days part, that means that now, today, you are officially 3 and half years old!

I just love you at this age.

I love how you sing all the time.

And talk all the time.

And how you love to make up games to play by yourself, even if no one else is watching.

As I look at this picture of you, I can’t help but think what a beautiful girl you are.

I can easily imagine how you will look as you get older.

I love you so much!

Love,

Daddy