parenting

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Dear Holly: Starting 3rd Grade

8 years, 3 months.

Dear Holly,

As I predicted last week, you lost your other front tooth just in time for 3rd grade. I admit, I felt sad after pulling it for you; as it hit me:

This is the last time I am going to pull one of my kids’ front teeth!

But you definitely have not been sad this week. Instead, you have been so excited to start 3rd grade at your new school in Alabama.

And somehow, don’t ask me how… you and your cousin Darla happened to get into the same classroom.

You are going to love 3rd grade.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Your Favorite Vacation Ever

13 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack,

Turns out, I was right regarding how you would feel about experiencing the Pacific West coast for the first time.

Our first morning there, I took you out on Nye Beach. You were surprised by the chilly, choppy water; which was in obvious contrast to the beaches you have known in Florida.

Like me, you were mesmerized by the dreamy, never-ending ocean; further shrouded in mystery by the dense fog.

You enjoyed discovering the new marine life you have never been exposed to.

The “quicksand” also provided a bit of entertainment for you as well.

As we left Nye Beach that first full day in Nye Beach, you told me, “Daddy, this is the best beach I have ever been to.”

A few days later, as our family had just finished our giant dune buggy tour, you announced, “This is the best vacation we have ever been on!”

I’m so glad you feel about way. I agree.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: You Definitely Weren’t Afraid of the Giant Dune Buggy Ride!

8 years, 3 months.

Dear Holly,

I admit- I definitely had my reservations about you going on the “intense” version of the giant dune buggy tour while we were on our family vacation in Oregon.

By all means, this was not a kids’ ride. Let’s just say that if it were a ride at Disney World, you certainly would not have been tall enough.

The entire time, I held on to you tightly so you wouldn’t be afraid.

But you weren’t.

Once the 30 minute tour was over, you immediately declared, “That was fun!”

To be sure, I asked you, “You really weren’t scared, not even at the beginning?”

You simply laughed off the notion.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Dogs Always Find Their Way to You

13 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack,

One of our first stops on our family vacation trip to Oregon this summer was when we checked out Thor’s Well in Yachats.

As I stood back and took pictures of you exploring the area, I thought to myself, “What? Where did that dog come from?”

But then I reminded myself: Dogs instinctively see you as one of their own kind.

Later on in the week while visiting the town of Florence, our family took a walk out to the coast after dinner one night. As we reached closer to the water, a dog jumped in to fetch a big stick his owner had just thrown in.

The dog looked up at his owner, but then he saw you. He made the executive decision to run up to you to give you the stick to throw in the water.

I would be amazed, but it makes perfect sense to me.

Your spirit animal is clearly a Labrador Retriever.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Shooting 4th of July Fireworks for the 1st Time While Living in Alabama

13 years, 7 months.

Dear Jack,

Last week, I could have easily forgotten about it being the 4th of July until I started hearing the fireworks that night.

But not you. You made sure that we took you to buy a 13 year-old’s worth of fireworks.

While we watched you host your own fireworks show in the driveway, there were multiple other fireworks shows going on all around us.

Our surrounding neighborhoods clearly had a much bigger budget for fireworks than we gave you.

You didn’t seem to notice.

Not only were you happy with the fireworks you managed, but you truly didn’t seem to notice all the other fireworks going on behind you the whole time.

Love,

Daddy