fatherhood

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Dear Jack: Our New Pet Hamster, Beta “Bear” Shell

10 years, 9 months.

Dear Jack,

Two weeks. Two whole weeks.

That’s how long we made it as a family before we collectively decided we were ready to have a pet hamster again; after processing the loss of our first hamster, Alpha.

A conversation never had to take place as a family as to what our new hamster’s name would be.

Clearly, Alpha was the first… so Beta would be the second.

I think we are the perfect owners for Beta; as he didn’t get adopted until later. He is already about 6 months old, whereas Alpha was closer to 3 months old.

Beta is not as tame as Alpha was, but Beta is also a lot more independent. Not all hamsters have the same personality.

Who knows? Maybe Beta will eventually want to be held as much as Alpha did. But for now, he’s at peace just hanging out in his aquarium and playing in the cardboard mansions you make him.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: My Daily Narration of “Little Holly’s Big Day”

5 years, 4 months.

Dear Holly,

A tradition that has been going on ever you could speak well enough to understand me is that anytime I take you anywhere, I lean over and softly say, as if I was reading the title of a children’s book to a classroom food of kids:

Little Holly’s Big Day.

I pretend that every event I am taking you to is like the first time you are ever doing it.

And when I say “Little Holly”, I’m not kidding. I’m pretty sure you’re the smallest kid in your class.

That was pretty evident when last Friday, the entire school wore the official school t-shirt.

Mommy ordered the smallest possible size for you, but it was noticeably way too big on you!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Daddy’s Pink Pickle Appetizers

5 years, 4 months.

Dear Holly,

You and I share the most favorite foods out of everyone in our family.

For example, we both hate popcorn and don’t really like bread.

But we are also the only people in our house eat bacon; and will often eat it on a daily basis.

Our newest discovery is our shared appreciation of sliced cucumbers covered in pink Himalayan salt.

It’s now becoming a daily tradition that before I start working on dinner, you request: “Daddy, are you going to make the pink pickles?”

And no matter how much salt I pour over them, you always ask me to make them even more pink.

And you’re always right: They can always use more pink salt!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: You’re Still Young Enough to Be a Boy Who Does Silly Boy Things

10 years, 9 months.

Dear Jack,

In a few months, you’ll be turning 11 years old; taking you further into the preteen years. Even so, I still catch glimpses of you doing classic boy things; like the way I remember you when you were much younger.

This weekend, you spent several hours testing out Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty versus some generic slime you still had from Valentine’s Day.

You decided a good experiment would be to poke a straw in each clump and blow air until the point it exploded. Of course, you gave me a play-by-play commentary during the entire event.

I couldn’t help but think to myself: Enjoy these moments.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: You Started Taking Gymnastics This Week!

5 years, 3 months.

Dear Holly,

After your successful dance recital this summer, you decided your next challenge to take on shall be gymnastics class.

So now, every Tuesday night, while I take your brother to taekwondo, Mommy drives you to the other side of town for gymnastics.

I’ve been noticing how you always look for a way to turn anything into a balance beam.

Like this past weekend when our family visited Hatcher Family Dairy and you insisted on walking along the rock path, which was a bit of a drop down to the grass.

I think you are going to love gymnastics class!

Love,

Daddy