fatherhood

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Dear Jack: Your Voice is Noticeably Changing

13 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack,

In the same way I have been discreet with you about how you are now shaving your mustache, I refuse to openly acknowledge with you that you are currently experiencing your voice changing.

There are definitely those “Peter Brady moments”, where your voice squeaks/cracks in the middle of a sentence. I never mention it. I never want you to feel embarrassed as it happens.

Undeniably, you are now transitioning from having a boy’s voice to a young man’s voice.

But that is not a conversation either you nor I feel like having.

Instead, you’d rather just keep advancing your baseball skills.

“Sounds” good to me!

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: You are Now Shaving

13 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

I had been noticing your subtle, yet undeniable mustache; which seemed to just suddenly appear one day.

So the last time Mommy and I were at Marshalls, I picked up a very basic $10 electric razor for you that charges using a USB.

It was important to me that I didn’t make it seem dramatic- or to potentially embarrass you in any way.

I simply handed you the razor and mentioned that I can show you how to use it when you are ready. Then I forgot about it.

This week, in consistence with the casual, non-dramatic tone I had established, it came out in conversation that you have actually been using the razor ever since I got it for you.

No “shaving lessons” required.

It makes me think of a quote from our family’s favorite movie, Mrs. Doubtfire:

“That’s cool. It’s a guy thing.”

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Treasuring Your Brothers Hand-Me-Downs

7 years, 10 months.

Dear Holly,

With our family’s upcoming move in a couple of months, the living room has become the official holding space for boxes needing to be hauled for each next trip to Alabama. This strategy has at this point already prevented us from eventually having to rent the largest U-Haul truck for our final moving trip.

As we are constantly in the process of packing up for the move, we are also determining which of our belongings won’t be making the move with us.

Last week I was on my way out the door for the gym one morning and I saw you hugging a stuffed animal I had never seen you with before.

“Holly, is that a new stuffed animal? Where did you get that?”

You were so proud to tell me, “Jack gave it to me!”

Your brother’s hand-me-downs are your treasures.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Your Pink Temporary Face Tattoo

13 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

This past weekend our family went to a yoga-themed birthday party for our friend Mohamad and Lena’s daughter Hanna, who turned eight years old.

Though you knew going into it that there would be no one your age, I could tell you were excited to be a part of it.

As soon as we walked into the party, which was at a rec center, you immediately accepted an offer to receive a temporary tattoo. You chose for it to be placed on your face. And it was pink.

Now here we are, nearly a week later, and the pink tattoo is still on your face, in full unfaded glory.

That means that everyone at your school, specifically your 7th grade classmates, have no choice but to A) look at you with a pink face tattoo and B) accept that you are confident enough to go around all week with a pink face tattoo.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your Pink Glasses

7 years, 10 months.

Dear Holly,

Back when you were in pre-K, you chose a pair of pink L.O.L. Surprise sunglasses as a prize. Amazingly, you still wear them now, as a 2nd grader.

Your pink sunglasses gained a new life when the lenses broke out of the frames one day while we were buying groceries.

That’s when you realized you could have fun pink glasses to wear… everywhere you go!

Sometimes you wear them to school. Sometimes you wear them around the house. I’ve even caught you sleeping while wearing them.

If you ever actually need glasses to see better, I have a feeling you are going to choose pink frames!

Love,

Daddy