parenting

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Dear Holly: Your 1st Harmonica Lesson

1 year, 10 months.

Dear Holly,

Now that I am basically building my own side business by writing articles with accompanying videos for companies to promote them in social media, you have seen me pull out my guitar a little bit more, as I craft and create unique music each for the videos.

As you were sitting at my feet while I played guitar a few days ago, you wandered over to my guitar case and found my harmonica. I actually had forgotten I left it there. So you did me a favor when you found it.

I immediately thanked you, “Oh Holly, good job! Now I can play my harmonica again!”

It had been several months since you saw me play it, but the moment I put the harmonica to my lips, your eyes lit up, knowing what you were about to hear.

Once you heard the first note, you were already reaching for the harmonica. I was caught off guard by eagerness to play the instrument.

So I let you have it.

This resulted in you basically biting the harmonica, but I can tell you were attempting to actually blow air into it, or breathe in; either of which would have resulted in musical sound.

Your first harmonica lesson was mainly just about you becoming familiar with holding the instrument and attempting to make any sound at all. I figure that’s typical for the first music lesson for most musical instruments.

We’ll see where this thing goes.

In my mind, it’s a given that I’ll be teaching your brother to play guitar.

But I admit, I would be equally honored to teach you the guitar as well. I can already imagine you as a teenager girl wearing a dress with cowboy boots, playing the guitar and singing; thanks to Daddy’s lessons.

Love,

Daddy

 

P.S. To see me playing harmonica, check out this video I made before you were born…

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Dear Jack: You Were the Man of the House While I Was Gone in Florida

7 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

I just now realized that while I was in Florida working on promoting Toyota, you were the man of the house back home in Tennessee. Granted, you were school most of the time, as it was Monday through Thursday that I was gone; but still, you were only male at the house with Mommy, Nonna, and your sister.

As usual, you did a great job taking care of your sister while I was gone. You let her borrow your Monkey, named Bobby. I know that meant a lot to her.

You also decided to sharpen up your skateboarding skills in the driveway; which I am very proud to see.

Fortunately, my plane landed back in Nashville just in time for me to make it home in time to see your 1st grade musical. Though it could have been a coincidence, it’s possible you were placed right in the middle of the stage because you knew the songs and motions so well.

Once we got back to the house, it was nearly like Christmas as I let you and your sister open your presents, I mean, unpack my Toyota swag.

While I’m sure I’ll be breaking in my personalized Braves’ jersey with our last name Shell on the back, eventually it will be yours; once it fits you well enough to at least become a shirt for you to sleep in.

I also especially thought of you for what I call the “accordion” cup, that stretches out if you want to fill it with more snacks.

It’s funny for me to take a moment to consider how somewhat unusual it is for you to be accustomed to me going on these “business trips” and bringing you back swag souvenirs. But it’s not like I sell insurance or medical supplies. I simply am a daddy blogger.

I don’t suppose most of your friends can relate to having a Toyota beach towel or a stick of Toyota chap stick. Oh well, you do!

Love,

Daddy

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My 2018 MLB Spring Training Grapefruit League Toyota Grand Slam Road Trip: An Awesome Dad Vacation (Part 1 of 3)

Yes, it’s true that just two weeks ago I made my big TV debut on The Lifetime Network. But a few weeks before I obtained my 15 minutes of fame, Toyota had already reached out to me and invited me to join them on a road trip across Florida; to be part of the 2018 Major League Baseball Spring Training Grapefruit League tour.

Now that I work from home as a freelance writer and social media specialist, I didn’t even have to ask to time off; like I used to when I worked in an office. Instead, I just had to (quite easily) convince my mom to take care of the kids for a week. And as for my wife, she was more than happy to let me go out for a 4 day road trip with a bunch of other guys who also write about cars for a living. She was all for it!

Toyota made it clear in the invite that they would be taking care of everything: My flight to and from Florida, all my meals, all my hotel stays, all my entertainment; and of course, brand new Toyotas to drive from Orlando to Fort Myers to Port St. Lucie. So yeah, as you can imagine, it was an awesome trip!

It was a welcome culture shock, as a stay-at-home dad who works from home, to enjoy the finest hotels (like Loews Portofino Bay at Universal Studios featured in many of these pictures), restaurants, and entertainment; while driving brand-new cars and meeting other guys who were a lot like me.

The vehicles I had access to included the blue (and also a maroon) C-HR, the silver Camry, the red Corolla, and the newly redesigned white Prius.

Over the course of three days of driving, we saw three baseball games:

The Pirates vs. The Braves at Champion Station in Orlando on March 5th

The Orioles vs. The Twins at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers on March 6th

The Yankees vs. The Mets at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie on March 7th

The folks at Toyota even had a special Atlanta Braves jersey with my name on it, for me to wear to the Braves’ game. In fact, when the whole trip was over and I got back to Nashville, I had a Toyota backpack stuffed full of Toyota swag.

So as you imagine, there was no need for me to buy any souvenirs for my kids. I simply brought home all the Toyota goodies and my kids basically thought it was Christmas!

This is just my 1st of 3 posts about my amazing experience. Stay tuned for the 2nd, when I share about my day of driving the 2018 Toyota Camry, and the 3rd, featuring my experience in the 2018 Toyota C-HR.

I love being a daddy blogger!

To read all 3 parts of My 2018 MLB Spring Training Grapefruit League Toyota Florida Road Trip series, just click on the link below for the ones you haven’t read yet:

An Awesome Dad Vacation (Part 1 of 3)
From Orlando to Fort Myers in the 2018 Toyota Camry (Part 2 of 3)
From Cape Coral to Manalapan in the 2018 Toyota Camry (Part 3 of 3)

 

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Dear Jack: Your Sister is Horrible at Doing Mazes

7 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

Last weekend we spend the morning with some friends for breakfast at First Watch. Fortunately, it was early enough in the day that you nor your sister had any kind of behavioral issues. Instead, the two of you were quite occupied, largely in part due to the kids’s activity sheet and the pack of crayons our waitress gave you.

During most of the wait for our food to arrive, I didn’t hear a word out of you. That’s because you were completely focused on completing all the activities in front of you.

After you completed the whole thing, you then turned to your sister to help show here what to do. She grabbed a crayon and immediately got to work on the corn maze; in which the goal is to draw a line from one end of the maze to the other.

Your sister was so happy to be at work, the way her older brother had been. A few minutes passed and then sort of turned to you for your approval.

What she received from you was this sincere statement:

“Holly, that’s horrible. You didn’t come anywhere close to getting through the maze!”

Being not even 2 years-old yet, she appeared to be completely unfazed by your overly direct criticism.

I laughed out loud.

She was just happy and oblivious that there was some sort of bigger concept, beyond just dragging a red crayon across some lines, as well as a picture of a mutant cob of corn and completely conscious fried egg.

Ultimately, the activity sheets perfectly served their purpose. You and your sister were able to behave in a restaurant, while being intellectually challenged at your own individual levels.

Give it a few years though, and I think your sister will be able to improve your maze skills.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: You’re Really Starting to Look, and Act, Like a Little Girl

1 year, 10 months.

Dear Holly,

There are certain weeks that I especially notice how much more you look like a little girl and less of a baby who happens to be a girl.

This has been on of those particular weeks.

Now your blonde hair is beginning to quickly turn brown. It’s also finally getting a bit longer, and when we put a bow in your hair, it reveals your pretty little face.

You’re now less than 2 months away from turning 2 years-old.

Now, you walk.

You’re beginning to talk.

And this past weekend, you even decided to use the potty instead of use your diaper.

One of the reasons I write these letters to you every week is to help prevent living the cliche about kids growing up too fast.

By examining pictures of you each week and documenting my perception of what you life was like that week, it helps me to put into perspective the little things I might otherwise be overlooking.

Clearly, the theme of this week is this: Holly is really starting to look, and act like, a little girl.

I feel especially close to you in that since October, I have been working from home. So you and I spend a lot of time together. I get to see what you’re like during the day time when you used to be at school all day.

You and I have built a special bond. I understand that part of it is that you’re learning to communicate more anyway.

But still, I’m grateful that in the midst of my branch closing where I used to work, I am able to enjoy spending my hours now taking care of you; while getting work done while you’re asleep.

I know that I will always cherish this phase of our lives, where we got to spend more time together than perhaps the average father and daughter would.

Love,

Daddy