People

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Dear Holly: You’re an Outdoorsy Kind of Girl

11 months.

Dear Holly,

Something I enjoy doing is taking cute pictures of you, then putting subtle captions on them, as I attempt to imagine what you would be saying if you could talk yet.

This past weekend we spent the entire afternoon at the playground at Westhaven with Hanna’s family. Her daddy, Mohamad, took pictures of the two of you the entire time.

One of my favorites is where you are sitting in the bucket swing, with your sun hat and your pacifier. The caption I wrote was this: “I like to come here sometimes just to collect my thoughts.”

It’s funny because it somehow seems real; like that’s really what you’re thinking about, though your just a little baby girl.

Mohamad was able to get several shots of you and Hanna just hanging out. At the time, your brother and I were playing at the creek, so I don’t know for sure what was going on, but I imagine the two of you having fun just staring out into the distance; neither of you knowing what you were looking at, but just knowing you were having fun.

You loved every minute of our time out at the park. Not only did you get to spend time with your friend Hannah, who you’ve known your whole life, but you got to spend a whole afternoon outside, on a wonderful sunny day.

It’s true- you an outdoorsy kind of girl. You love feeling the breeze through your hair. You love hearing and watching the birds fly across the sky.

This makes me happy because I definitely consider myself an outdoorsy kind of guy, as I know your brother is too.

So I have a feeling we have a long future of hiking, canoeing, and just exploring the great outdoors. We’re going to have a lot of fun in life.

Love,

Daddy

Photos by Mohamad Alaw.

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Dear Jack: You Have Really Cool Parents

6 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack,

Looking at the pictures from on our visit last Saturday to Westhaven with our friends Mohamed, Lena, and Hanna, one thing becomes undeniable: You have really cool parents.

Mohamed and I, both being the token “take hundreds of pictures of your kid at every outing” kind of dads, ended up getting some good shots of all the kids.

I like the picture he took of you and me playing on the slide, where you are hiding below, in attempt to scare me as I go down the slide. The look on your face seems to indicate, “Yeah, I know my dad’s crazy… but I’m used to it by now.”

In addition to me purposely pushing you too high on the swing, to test your limits, you purposed we engage in a good classic game of Tag. I thought it was funny how you started by proclaimed, “Daddy, I’m it first.” But then you didn’t start chasing me…

So I turned the tables on you and started chasing you instead, and you ran from me… even though it was supposed to be the other way around.

Once you finally embraced what being it meant, I found a way to challenge you as you chased me. We were standing next to this swinging balance beam.

As you ran towards me and got close, I simply jumped over the balance beam. Then as you ran around it, I jumped back to the other side.

Speaking of the balance beam, Mommy was really good at crossing it without falling off.

You were so happy when I found a little plastic alligator in the playground mulch. We took it down to the creek, where you used a boat made out of leafs, so he could “sail down the river.”

Yep, you have really cool parents. No playing on our smart phones from the bench. We’re out there having fun with you any chance we get.

Love,

Daddy

Photos by Mohamad Alaw & Nick Shell.

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I Wonder If Some People Actually Think That Guy on the Campbell’s Go Soup Package is Me?…

A couple of days ago in the blog post where I announced I made the Top 40 Daddy Bloggers list, the thumbnail that showed up on everyone’s Facebook feed was the picture where I am holding up the Campbell’s Go Soup package; as I am impersonating the guy. I chose that picture assuming everyone knew the story, which I have explained before:

I am attempting to find and meet the guy on Campbell’s Go soup package. So therefore, I am not the guy. Instead, he is my doppelganger, my twin, my look-alike.

However, one of the comments I received on the blog post was this:

“Hey, I know that dude on the soup label and he is a GREAT Dad!”

The person who said this was assuming that I am the guy on the Campbell’s Go soup package. And that made me think, “I wonder if some people actually think that guy is me?”

Over the past several months, I’ve made a few videos on my YouTube channel and have published a few blog posts about my resemblance to the model.

Which, by the way, I take that as a major compliment. I turn 36 years old two weeks from today. The soup package is copyrighted from the year 2012. And I assume this guy is younger than me to begin with. So to imply I look like I’m in my late 20s, I see that as a compliment, for sure.

I think it is quite possible that in the ocean of information that washes up on the shores of people’s Facebook feeds every day, certain people saw the picture of me comparing myself to the Campbell’s guy and assumed it was a blog post or video announced that I was hired to be the model on the soup package.

But no, that’s definitely not me on the soup package.

If it’s in my power though, I am going to find and meet this guy- and hopefully, became his friend in real life.

 

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Dear Holly: You Just Love Getting All Dressed Up and Going Places

11 months.

Dear Holly,

A couple of weekends ago, we travelled to Chattanooga for my Aunt Rosa’s wedding. Fortunately, the dress you wore at your Uncle Jake’s wedding back in October still fit just fine. Mommy waited to put it on you until we got to the parking lot of the wedding venue.

As she put the dress on you there in the front seat of the car, you smiled and giggled, knowing that whatever was ahead, it was going to be exciting.

You were so excited as we entered the civic center where knew we half of the people there. And of course, they were excited to see you. For many of them, you were just a little baby the last time they saw you; now, you’re just a few weeks ago from your 1st birthday.

Something I am quickly learning about you is that you truly love to get all dressed up and go places. It’s not that you need a lot of attention on you, but instead, you just like to be part of the action.

You are so fascinated by life.

Even this past Saturday, you treated our day of running errands as a morning of entertainment. We stopped by Sprouts to buy some groceries, then several shoe stores, then Which Which for lunch, then Kroger for more groceries, and then Ross so I can pick out part of my birthday gift.

Each and every time we lifted you out of your car seat, you treated the new parking lot like a land of opportunities. You had the biggest smile on your face as you looked around, with such optimism.

Another way of looking at it is this: you travel well.

And that’s good, because at the end of next month for Memorial Day weekend, our family will be taking your biggest road trip yet- to Pensacola, Florida.

I am confident you are going to be thrilled by the experience.

Love,

Daddy

1 Comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, People, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Spring Break 2017 at Nonna and Papa’s House

6 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack,

For your first official spring break, you spent the week in Alabama with Nonna and Papa. The whole time, Nonna was sending me pictures and texts from her phone, to keep Mommy and me updated on what you were doing that day. Of course, we also called you every night, as well.

This made your 3rd time to stay with Nonna and Papa for a week. And you made yourself right at home. Here are the texts Nonna sent me…

Jack making his strawberry muffins.

Jack wants to know if these are go-bots or transformers. It’s cooking Transformers.

Time to wash Nonna’s car!

Boys just gotta have fun! (in puddle)

Darla has had so much fun with Jack this week. They are just like puppies!

Two peas in a pod.

Tonight’s Masterpiece (dragon drawing)

Lunch with Calla.

Jack cleaning.

Something really special that you were able to do was to visit your cousin Calla at her school; as she is also in Kindergarten. You met her for lunch, then got a brief tour of the school.

You also got to hang out with Darla, her sister, at Aunt Dana’s house.

I see that you apparently enjoyed doing some chores while you were at Nonna and Papa’s house; though I suppose there’s a certain amount of messiness that comes along with those chores.

You definitely have an independence about you that I didn’t gain until I was a teenager. That actually means me feel proud, as your parent. I want to know that you’re not afraid to live outside your comfort zone and routine.

I would have never been okay, as a Kindergartner, with spending an entire week at my grandparents’ house, nearly 3 hours away.

But what can I say, you’re one adventurous boy!

Love,

Daddy