parenting

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Dear Jack: Hiding in an Ocean of Stuffed Animals, Like E.T. in 1982

5 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack: Hiding in an Ocean of Stuffed Animals, Like E.T. in 1982

Dear Jack,

Last weekend we were in Alabama, celebrating Aunt Dana’s birthday a month late, since the blizzard happened the same day we were supposed to go there on our actual birthday weekend.

You and your cousin Calla enjoyed playing hide-and-go-seek with Uncle Andrew.

With the two of you both being 5 years-old now, you’ve mutually reached a convenient dynamic: You come up with fun and weird ideas, and your cousin goes along with them.

When it came time for your final hiding place before we left to drive back to Tennessee, you discovered the perfect hiding place.

In your Aunt Dana’s dormer window upstairs, there is a display of 1980s and 1990s stuffed animals; including, but not limited to, a Popple, a giant Domino’s Pizza teddy bear, Shoney Bear, and Alf.

You saw it as the perfect opportunity. Quite seamlessly, the two of you immersed yourself in the ocean of stuffed animals.

Instead of hiding out of sight, the two of you hid in plain sight.

Just your expressionless faces were showing in the collection of stuffed animals. I admit, I wouldn’t have found the two of you- I would have walked right past.

Fortunately, your Uncle Andrew snapped a picture of the event on his phone and ran downstairs to show us all, before officially “finding” you two.

It would have been one thing if an adult had given you this idea. But no- this was the result of two 5 year-olds hiding from an adult.

Even more impressive, you have never seen the movie E.T.; since it is not available on Netflix streaming.

One day, when you finally get to see that movie, you’ll watch the scene where E.T. himself hides in a closet full of stuffed animals.

You didn’t get the idea from adults or from a movie. You thought of this all on your own.

I am definitely impressed.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: You Technically Traveled Back in Time 2 Weeks

31 Weeks.

Dear Holly: You Technically Traveled Back in Time 2 Weeks

Dear Holly,

This week Mommy went in for another check-up.

Mommy told me the appointment went well and the shot wasn’t that bad. Interestingly, she was only up 2 ounces from her last weigh in. (Her coat must have weighed more than she thought from the last weigh in).

She told me the nurse who draws blood and gives shots is the best one and Mommy told her that as well!

Mommy has an ultrasound scheduled in less 2 weeks (March 1st)  when her own Mommy will be visiting here in Tennessee. During this appointment, they will determine whether the placenta has moved up. (Plus, I can get extra confirmation you truly are a girl.)

This week when they measured Mommy’s stomach, they said it’s measuring around 28 weeks which is a few weeks behind, but the midwife said it should be okay—that makes us wonder if you will be a May baby after all. (Your due date has been April 21st this whole time.)

So with this week’s appointment taking place on Tuesday while you were still 30 weeks old in the womb, and today making you 31 weeks old, that means you are measuring 2 weeks behind.

The way I see it, you technically traveled back in time 2 weeks.

On March 1st for the next appointment, we can also get another confirmation you are indeed a girl.

The reason for doubt is that so many people who have seen the way Mommy is carrying you, say she looks like she’s carrying a boy.

I’m looking forward to seeing the new sonogram pictures too. I’m sure I’ll see how you still look like Mommy.

Oh, and you are constantly moving around inside Mommy’s tummy. I can’t hug her without feeling you kick me! You are so active.

We’ll be meeting you in about 2 months now. We are so excited.

Love,

Daddy

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

Dear Jack: Your First Real Haircut in a While

5 years, 3 months.

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Dear Jack,

When it comes to getting you haircuts, typically what happens is I do it myself: I just put you in the bathtub and give you a buzz cut with a #1 guard all over your head.

It looks good on you and it’s free. And you don’t care what kind of haircut you get; no matter what, all you know is, you never like getting a haircut and you are pretty good at delaying it.

I too, had been buzzing my hair off with a #1 guard since your 5th birthday in November. During the coldest months, I’m typically wearing hats most of the time to keep warm, so I’ve been without hair.

But as I’ve been growing at the time, and just got my first real haircut since early Fall, Mommy and I randomly decided this weekend to take you to Great Clips for a real haircut- it’s probably been over a year since you’ve had a non-buzz cut haircut.

We jokingly said you were going to get a Mohawk.

As we were in the parking lot about to go in, you commented to me, quite matter-of-factly, “Daddy, I hope no one at school laughs at me when they see my Mohawk.”

I immediately laughed, and explained, “You’re not getting a Mohawk. That was a joke. You’re getting a haircut just like mine. About an inch on top, a #1 guard on the sides and back, with a low fade into a #3 toward the top.”

You were relieved to hear that, but still weren’t looking forward to the fact you were just moments aware of getting your haircut.

But undeniably, you did so great in there! You enthusiastically answered all the beautician’s questions as she cut your hair.

We took a “matching haircut” picture this week to commemorate the occasion.

Maybe you and I will stick with real haircuts for a while now.

Love,

Daddy

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Big and Small, God Made Them All: My Friend Ben Wilder’s New Children’s Book

Big and Small, God Loves Them All: My Friend Ben Wilder’s New Children’s Book

It is definitely one of my life goals to write a children’s book and eventually my own series.

Therefore, I am happy to see my friend of a decade, Ben Wilder, have his first book published. It is called, Big and Small, God Made Them All.

A couple of weeks ago, Ben visited my house and we made this video together to promote it:

Before the book was published, Ben asked me to write a quick synopsis for the back cover. I feel honored.

Here’s what I said:

“How do you begin to legitimately introduce the gospel to a young child? You present them with God’s creation of the universe. Then you explain that this same God loves them too. That is exactly what Ben Wilder has done here.”

Big and Small, God Loves Them All: My Friend Ben Wilder’s New Children’s Book

In addition to being able to write an inviting children’s story through poetry, something else Ben did a great job of was finding the right illustrator; who happens to be Laura Watson. The pictures are very well matched for the story.

I am so proud of Ben’s new book. And… one lucky reader won their very own copy just from reading this blog post.

Big and Small, God Loves Them All: My Friend Ben Wilder’s New Children’s Book

Congrats to Heather Tucker, who was the first to go on the Facebook page for Family Friendly Daddy Blog, where I advertised this blog post about Ben’s book, and leave this comment:

“Did I just win a copy of Ben Wilder’s children’s book, Big and Small, God Made Them All”?

(When this blog post was live for the first 24 hours, Heather was the first to respond to the then open giveaway. This giveaway offer is now closed.)

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I believe Ben Wilder has a bright future in writing children’s books. The main thing is, the word just needs to get out about his first book.

If you’re possibly interesting in purchasing the book, go here to Ben’s website.

And thanks for visiting Family Friendly Daddy Blog today.

Big and Small, God Loves Them All: My Friend Ben Wilder’s New Children’s Book

Leave a comment Posted on marriage, parenting, People, Pregnancy, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: A Glimpse of Your Upcoming Family Life

30 weeks.

Dear Holly: A Glimpse of Your Upcoming Family Life

Dear Holly,

Tuesday night as I was finishing up dishes downstairs, I happened to hear the conversation going on upstairs, as Mommy was getting your brother Jack ready for bed.

I heard Jack telling Mommy, “Daddy gets toothpaste all over my mouth when he brushes my teeth in the morning. Daddy’s crazy!”

Mommy replied, “Yes, you’ve got a crazy Daddy and you’re lucky to have him.”

That made me feel all warm inside as I heard it.

I then decided to join the moment by sneaking upstairs with my new toy:

Earlier that day, thanks to a Barnes and Noble gift card I had received after helping out a friend, I was able to purchase a really cool pack rat puppet, from the brand Folkmanis.

I’ve named my new puppet Magellan the Mouse and he will be a new main character on web series, Uncle Nick’s Enchanted Forest.

Your brother Jack was standing at the top of the stairs, facing Mommy, as he was getting dressed for bedtime.

Quite successfully, I sneaked up the stairs without him realizing it, just inches away from his feet.

Using a Wisconsin accent, I used Magellan’s movable arms to grab Jack’s ankles, proclaiming, “I’m Magellan the Mouse.”

Though I definitely scared him, he was more excited than anything, to see a life-like puppet in action.

Jack then stuck his finger in Magellan’s mouth and began asking the puppet to start biting him because “it feels like a real rat biting me.”

That’s a glimpse of your upcoming life.

On any given night, you can likely expect something like this to be going on.

You will be raised by an eccentric Daddy who is always up to some new shtick to grow his YouTube audience in an effort to legitimately become a professional actor and entertainer.

Meanwhile, your brother will be crafting his own weird experiments, like placing his leftover Halloween candy into warm saltwater to watch it dissolve, as opposed to showing any interest or excitement in eating it.

Mommy’s the “normal” one. But by default, she can’t be all that normal when she is surrounded by Jack and me.

So where does that leave you? The next few years will help answer that question.

But I have a feeling that you will take after me in more ways than one.

Love,

Daddy