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2 Comments Posted on fatherhood, parenting, People, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: You Need Me in Your Life and I Know It

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Holly,

You and I have a special “father and daughter” bond. It’s undeniable.

By nature, I am not a needy person. I don’t “need” people to “like” me to feel good about myself. Otherwise I would be like Michael Scott or Andy Bernard on The Office.

I can accept that the world doesn’t revolve around me.

But I will admit- you have an effortless way of making me feel wanted and needed.

It’s in subtle ways, like when you come home from school everyday, you immediately run to my “office” at the kitchen table and yell “Daddy!” before engaging in a monologue about whatever accidentally hilarious story you have to tell me about school that day.

You make it too easy to love you! Way too easy.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: You Love Serving Coffee and Tea to Everyone!

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Holly,

Growing up, I would see in movies, TV shows, and commercials where the young girl character just loved having tea parties. I always thought, “That’s not really how little girls act. They don’t really like to pretend to have tea…”

But now that you’re here, I have learned it’s not just some random cliche.

It’s real.

Here’s proof from our recent family vacation to Florida.

Pretty much all of your play time when we were in our condo was devoted to you carefully and meticulously arranging all the coffee pods on a plate, then serving them to us.

This past weekend, while we went out for time at Cracker Barrel, you saw a $4 set of miniature tea cups and dishes.

Mommy and I couldn’t say no.

Then back at the house as soon as you got home, you spent a solid 30 minutes pretending to pour tea in the tiny cups. I sneaked up and pretending to quickly gulp one down.

I loved the look on your face, as I could easily read exactly what was going through your head:

“Okay, so that is good that Daddy drank the tea and liked it, but now I do need to make some more so there is enough to refill that cup…”

That is what it’s like to be a 4 year-old little girl.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your Sweet Freckles

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Holly,

Last week when we were at the beach in Florida, you and Mommy took some pictures while your brother and I played rough in the waves.

One of the most popular photos that I posted on Facebook from our trip was this one of you; which undeniably shows off your freckles.

It’s a given that your freckles easily compliment your sweet personality and your energy.

As prominent as your freckles are at this point, I imagine they will remain for years to come.

I love it that my 4 year-old daughter has freckles.

Sweet freckles.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Our Indoor COVID-19 Easter Egg Hunt

3 years, 11 months.

 

Dear Holly,

This year Easter was a bit different. Normally, we would have been in Alabama to celebrate it, along with Nonna’s birthday. On top of the lockdown, it also rained all day.

Therefore, we had Easter indoors. We watched the church service online while making pancakes.

Afterwards, I set up the egg hunt in our house. The layout for our home is basically just a 2 story cube with a staircase straight through the middle.

So I hid 16 eggs on the right side of the house for you, and the other 16 for your brother.

I feel like you had just as much fun this way, compared to had the Easter egg hunt been outdoors!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Taking a COVID-19 Family Hike Near the Water Tower

9 years, 5 months.

Dear Jack,

Fortunately, we live in a part of Tennessee where there is no shortage of places to play the in creek or to take a hike. So since the COVID-19 lockdown started, we have yet to run out of new places to go as a family.

Last Saturday we took a surprisingly fun (and long) hike, just 2 miles from our house. There is a water tower up on the hill next to the Kroger. In my Jeep, I had driven up the service road to the water tower, but only recently learned there is a hiking trail from the other side of the hill as well.

We have lived here for over 5 years and never realized what a cool trail we live near! Granted, your sister is just now old enough to appreciate something like this.

I look forward to us going back!

Love,

Daddy