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Dear Jack: 1st Parent-Teacher Conference- What Made Me Proud

5 years, 11 months.

Dear Jack: 1st Parent-Teacher Conference- What Made Me Proud

Dear Jack,

I don’t exactly know the best wording for this. Is it “your” or “my” first parent-teacher conference? What I am trying to tell you is that last week, I got to attend my very first parent-teacher conference about you.

My preconceived expectations were accurate:

Your teacher was quick to point out you have a “sweet demeanor.” This didn’t surprise me at all, as you were the first boy Student of the Month of her class this year.

She went on to show me the tests and data proving to me that you are on a 4th grade reading level, which is uncommon among your fellow Kindergarten classmates: That figures when your dad has an English degree and is a blogger, right?

She also explained that she had to move you in the classroom to a different desk because you were getting too distracted by talking to your friend Duncan.

And she laughed as she explained you have a somewhat involuntary habit of “cheerfully making sounds like a crying baby” while you are conversing with your classmates during activity time.

Dear Jack: 1st Parent-Teacher Conference- What Made Me Proud

Here’s why I’m so proud. And no, it’s not actually the part about you being on a 4th grade reading level.

It’s simply the fact you are a well-balanced boy.

Yes, you’re intelligent; and I’m quite grateful for that. But more importantly, you still get yourself into just enough trouble to even things out.

Maybe I’m being too honest, but I actually I you to get into some trouble. As your teacher put it, “Yes, Jack is certainly all boy.”

For me as your Daddy, it was one of the biggest compliments I could have received- that my son is not only smart, but he’s also not perfectly behaved.

While you do have a “sweet demeanor,” you also get a bit rowdy with the other boys in the class; especially Duncan, who you tell us so much about each day when you get home from school.

So keep being smart. Keep being sweet.

Dear Jack: 1st Parent-Teacher Conference- What Made Me Proud

And keep sneaking in references to passing gas in your classwork, as you recently named your Pirate Pumpkin, “Poody Pop.”

Yep, that’s my boy.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

6 months.

Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

Dear Holly,

I realize that at 6 months old, Halloween is a new concept to you. I’m sure you were confused by what was going on, so I figured it’s a good idea for me to tell you about the fun our family had.

On Sunday, the day before Halloween, our family ventured over to Thompson Station Church for a fall celebration.

Even though Mommy and I already had your brother’s Count Dracula costume ready for him, which is what he’s been wanting to be this whole time, he decided about 15 minutes before left the house that he instead wanted to be “Baby Diaper Man,” which apparently was loosely based off of a villain he saw on Scooby Doo.

Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

Jack insisted in wearing a diaper over his shorts, as well as one over his head, like a Captain America-style helmet. I suggested he also wear his cape and eye mask from his Jack-Man costume, to bring the concept to full fruition.

Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

He was so proud of his original costume. Once we arrived, he ran ahead of you and Mommy, eager to enjoy the festivities. But the moment he saw another girl about his age, it’s like it hit him:

Wait, I don’t want kids my age to see my wearing my sister’s diapers!

Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

Immediately, he insisted on taking your diapers off. Then Jack became Jack-Man; his character in the 22 episodes of his series.

He really enjoyed getting candy from everyone, as well as going in the “jumpy houses.” Meanwhile, you completely slept through the whole thing; that was nearly a 3 hour nap!

Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

Then the next day on Halloween, our family got the double stroller into gear and canvased the neighborhood so your brother could collect candy: to eat, to experiment on, and to sell to the dentist for money (the candy is donated to the American military troops).

Mommy decided to carry you, instead of letting you ride shotgun in the double stroller, since it was already so dark at 6:45 PM, after dinner. It also was the warmest Halloween I’ve ever experienced! It felt like we were back in San Diego.

Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

Your kitty hat (which served as your costume) couldn’t have helped the situation; as it was intended to keep you warm outside in the assumed October chill.

After visiting just a few houses, your brother Jack decided that instead of walking to each house, he wanted remain on the stroller right up unto the point where he was only a few steps away from each neighbors’ front door.

What a lazy Dracula!

Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

I’ve never heard of a Count Dracula who gets has his own drive-up service. Seriously, your brother is a funny boy…

Next year, you’ll be a little bit more aware of what’s going on, so you can truly appreciate your Daddy pushing you around in a double stroller with your brother.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: Your First Halloween- Your Brother’s Original “Baby Diaper Man” Costume, Plus His “Drive-Up Dracula” Service

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Dear Jack: How You Got Papa to Buy You a Fursians Stuffy at Addie Kate’s (with No Words Exchanged!)

5 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack: How You Got Papa to Buy You a Stuffy at Addie Kate’s with No Words Exchanged

Dear Jack,

As we walked down the closed main street of my hometown of Fort Payne for their annual Boom Days festival, you saw that I was catching up with some classmates I haven’t seen in 17 years. You knew it would be a while; as you stood there holding Papa’s hand and while Nonna held your baby sister.

So you discreetly tugged on Papa’s arm, asking him to go with you to Addie Kate’s, a store across the street.

I saw this happen peripherally, thinking to myself, “Why would Jack want to go into that store? It doesn’t look like there’s anything for kids in there.”

About 20 minutes later, you and Papa emerged from the store. Turns out, Addie Kate’s does have something kids would want.

You proudly lifted up a new “stuffy”… a Fursians snow leopard named Slushy, with a huge tail but tiny legs.

“Look at what Papa got me!” you excitedly announced, as Papa stood next to you attempting to hide a smirk.

Papa explained, “Yeah, and he didn’t have to even ask me for it. He just looked around at the stuffed animals, picked up the one he liked the most, and looked up at me with those eyes. Then I walked up to the counter and paid for it.”

I couldn’t stop laughing, yet I wasn’t surprised.

It is hilarious to imagine that whole process.

You then admitted, “Daddy, I saw some stuffed animals in the window, from the street where I was standing.”

Your plan worked: See toy. Take Papa into store. Speak no words. Exit with toy.

Yes, you are a clever boy. I’m guessing from the moment we left Nonna and Papa’s house for downtown, that you had already reminded yourself to look for an opportunity to find a toy for your grandparents to buy you. I have to give you credit for your dedication to a plan clearly worked.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: You Become a Sleepy Marshmallow When Either Nonna or Aunt Dana Holds You

21 weeks.

Dear Holly: You Become a Sleepy Marshmallow When Nonna or Aunt Dana Hold You

Dear Holly,

One of my main roles when I am holding you or playing with you is to challenge you both physically and socially.

For example, I hold you to where your feet are touching the ground, so you have to stand up; therefore building your muscle and improving your balance. Plus, I am constantly testing your social reaction time by making different noises and moving objects around you to see your heard turn to follow and to make noises back at me.

Truly, it’s an intense and involved process when you’re with me. Granted, the whole time I’m telling you how cute and adorable you are…

And it’s not that Mommy nor your brother aren’t cooing over you either, because we all treat you like the adorable, lovable little girl you are.

It’s just that I couldn’t help but notice whenever you are back in Alabama with Nonna and Aunt Dana, it’s like you become this different little baby… because you know you can get away with it.

In such a relaxed environment away from the hustle and bustle of the Nashville life we are used to, you know you get to just be lazy.

So when Nonna holds you, it’s as if you just melt into a marshmallow state of being. You just get sleepy and take a one hour nap like it’s nothing.

But first, as I joke to everyone, your IQ drops first…

Even though you have developed social and physical skills in your 4 and a half months out of the womb, it’s like you just forget about all that; instead pretending to be a newborn who doesn’t know any better.

I witnessed this hilarious situation with you when Aunt Dana had you: She sat you in her lap and wrapped you up in a blanket, leaving only your head exposed, as your watched your brother Jack and cousin Calla play for nearly an hour.

It took me several minutes to even see you there, as you never made a sound. You just quietly chilled out, as if you were hiding.

This is proof that different members of the family, in a more relaxed environment, can bring out a different side of you when you are around them.

When you’re with them, you can get away with just being a sleepy marshmallow.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: “Naughty Nick”- My Awesomely Bad Video Series on YouTube

5 years, 9 years.

I Dedicate My “Naughty Nick” Video Series to a Special Boy Named Hatcher, with Down Syndrome

Dear Jack,

You and I spent hours working together on our Jack-Man superhero video series (23 webisodes) on YouTube.

Additionally, I spent even more time on my children’s program Uncle Nick’s Enchanted Forest (27 webisodes). Those were shows I created that I truly cared about.

But over Labor Day Weekend, I decided, on a whim, to make a fake WWE audition tape… just for fun, while our family was at Nonna and Papa’s house. I therefore invented and became the wrestling character, Naughty Nick.

After I made that first video with my phone on selfie mode, I decided to make 4 more webisodes. Papa helped out with the 4th and 5th, serving as the villain.

I suppose my motivation in making this series is ultimately to add to my Rolodex of sketch series on my YouTube channel. I believe it’s important to showcase my abilities as an actor, director, and writer.

The Naughty Nick series is admittedly a farce of the media’s perception of masculinity, with a throwback to 1980’s professional wrestling.

Naughty Nick presents his own fictional YouTube audience with his fantasy version of reality; though to him it’s actually real. In his world, no one can ever be more masculine or American than he is; nor can anyone ever defeat him. These are things of value in the character’s life.

With nearly 700 videos uploaded on my YouTube Channel and 540 subscribers, I am building The Nick Shell Network. I want serious stuff and I want silly stuff. I want something for everyone.

My hope is that one day, I can catch the right person’s attention with my amateur, yet ideally popular, videos.

Now that you’ve seen the first 5 Naughty Nick videos, you now want to be a part of the series. So I suppose we’ll make that happen in the near future; like maybe this weekend!

Love,

Daddy