Spirituality

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The Amazing Photo of Alicia Atkins’ Baby Reaching From the Womb

January 3, 2013 at 10:03 pm , by 

2 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

In the age of the Internet, there have been some awesome, yet possibly fake, pictures of yet unborn babies reaching from the womb, holding onto the doctor’s hands.

Well, here’s one that is definitely real:

Nevaeh Atkins

This black and white picture features the tiny hand of Nevaeh Atkins, in the midst of being born into this world, via C-section.

As the picture is currently going viral, it makes me wonder what people are thinking as they see it for the first time.

It makes me think of what was going through my head when Mommy was only 21 weeks pregnant with you. Here’s what I wrote about you during that time:

“And as real as this is, that our son is actually inside there, so lively, it’s still ingrained in my brain somehow Baby Jack is light years away, floating around in a heavenly baby universe until November. Despite feeling him with my own hand, with just centimeters separating the skin of my hand and the skin of his body, despite him literally being a matter of a few feet away (or less, depending on how near I am to my wife), I’m having trouble grasping that in reality, he’s right there.”

This picture is obviously worth a thousand words; so simple and universal, yet still nearly too difficult to capture in words.

Just off the cuff, though, my initial thought is about how helpless a newborn is; grasping desperately for comfort, strength, and guidance. Likewise, when you were born, I also was grasping desperately for those same things.

It’s as if when you were born, I felt like I was automatically supposed to know what to do with you. I see now how impractical it was to think that at the time.

No matter how many books, blogs, and relevant conversations I exposed myself to in an attempt to prepare myself to be your dad, none of it really came close.

Probably the most realistic image to symbolize the moment you were born is if your hand would have popped out of the womb and we nervously shook hands, in agreement that we’re both really new at this. We would then half-jokingly wish each other good luck.

Here we are, over 2 years into this and I’m still trying my best to give you comfort, strength, and guidance in this world. That will never change.

Love,
Daddy

Photo credit: Randy Atkins / A Classic Pin-Up Photography

 

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Of All The Little Boys In The World, I’d Pick You Every Time

December 30, 2012 at 12:32 am , by 

2 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

Last night I saw the new “momantic comedy” The Guilt Trip starring Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand. While I acknowledge the movie hasn’t received the best of reviews, I personally loved it all the way through and already want to see it again.

It made me think of you:

At the beginning, as well as, the end of the movie, the mother tells her son that if all the little boys in the entire world were lined up and she had to pick just one to be her son, she would pick him… every time.

That may sound like a simple and passing statement, but to me, it holds a lot of weight.

I think of this heavenly adoption room where parents go to pick out the kid they want to be their own. As I walk through the hundreds of rows of little boys, I just keep looking.

Then as I begin to experience being overstimulated by all the bright lights and unorchestrated voices, like the way I do anytime I have to go to Wal-Mart, I finally see you at the end of the row, despite squinting my eyes through the dizziness.

It’s you, Jack! It’s you!

I’d know you anywhere, even if I’d never seen or met you before. I know that barely makes much sense, but it’s true.

If all the little boys in the world were lined up, and I had to just pick only one, I’d choose you… every time.

To say you’re special to me is an understatement. Maybe the best way I can say it is that you’re… mine.

And I know you feel the same way. You tell me in the way you pat me on the back as I carry you to the car when I pick you up from daycare, proudly saying, “My daddy.”

That’s right. I am your Daddy.

While you often liberally use the word “mine” to describe so many things that definitely aren’t yours, I’ll definitely be yours.

After all, I picked you out of all the little boys in the world.

 

Love,

Daddy

 

Leave a comment Posted on Nostalgia, parenting, Spirituality

The Masculine Version Of A Tea Party, Part 2

December 26, 2012 at 10:15 pm , by 

2 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

While I am quick to tell you all the things you’re good at, I have to be honest with you today: You’re officially not good at playing like a girl.

The picture to the right might imply that you are a 2 year-old boy who enjoys a good old-fashioned tea party. However, let me remind you what I said in The Masculine Version Of A Tea Party, Part 1:

“You are wired to choose action involving crashes and messes, not role-playing a sophisticated brunch.”

Turns out, I was right.

As you played with your cousin Calla’s new tea set on Christmas, you quickly pretended to eat all the icing off the plastic cupcakes and see how fast you could gulp down the invisible tea.

It was a cupcake cake eating contest, with tea to wash it all down… and you won, fair and square!

So uncivilized.

Immediately after, you moved on to Calla’s new dollhouse. It didn’t take you long to discover that there was a handle on the toilet in the bathroom you could press down to hear it flush.

Needless to say, the dollhouse quickly became more like a truck stop.

Later you decided to check out your cousin’s new Disney princess tent with her and Mommy.

As you can see in the picture here, you helped transform the event into Jack’s Jump House. It only took about 7 minutes before you bumped heads with Calla and ended the rockin’ party before its prime.

So while certain dads might raise an eyebrow to see their son so easily playing with pink foo foo girls’ toys, not me.

Because I know you simply make a joke out of anything a princess would find enticing.

Instead, you’re the king of the playground and all the world is your stage.

 

Love,

Daddy

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The Letter To 6 Year-Old Jack Pinto, From His Best Friend John

December 21, 2012 at 11:43 pm , by 

2 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

Last Friday, I wrote to you about how I was Processing The Newtown, Connecticut School Shooting As A Parent. A week later, the unthinkable event that happened at Sandy Hook is still on everyone’s minds.

There’s a lot of talk going on right now about how we as a nation can prevent another tragedy like this from happening again. I’m not ready to join that public conversation… yet.

Instead, today in my letter to you, I want to share a different letter to a different Jack. It has been circulating the Internet since USA Today reporter Yamiche Alcindor tweeted this photo of a letter to 6 year-old Jack Pinto, from his best friend John:

“Jack,

You are my best friend. We had fun together. I will miss you. I will talk to you in my prayers. I love you Jack.

Love,

John”

I’m predicting it’s pretty difficult for anyone to read the letter to Jack Pinto without being deeply emotionally reached; especially after seeing the pictures of Jack and John together.

For me personally, it’s tough not only because this story reflects how what happened last week affected innocent lives, but also because it’s pretty easy for me to imagine you in this picture.

It’s not something I want to say out loud, but the truth is that what happened in Sandy Hook could have instead happened in any other small town in America. Instead, I want to believe that you’re the exception to the rule and that I will always be there to protect you.

I wish somehow you were immune to chaos like this from ever getting anywhere near you. I wish I could promise you that our family would always be safe. Since I can’t promise it, I pray for it instead.

Like Jack Pinto’s best friend, John, I turn to God even in, and especially in, times like these. And from the sound of it, so is a lot of America.

I can’t remember the last time it was so popular to publicly talk about praying and trusting in God, like the way I’ve seen in the past week. It’s encouraging to see news anchors on major networks, without fear of being perceived as politically incorrect or unprofessional, so willingly interviewing priests, pastors, and churchgoers whose faith is helping them through this.

As I mentioned in my letter about this last week…

It’s times like these that cause some people to ask, “If there is a God, why would He allow such an unthinkable event to happen?”

Others ask, “How could an event like this not cause people to turn to God, in the hope that there is a saving grace stronger than the depravity of man?”

Son, we are of the latter mindset: We are not without hope in this life.

 

Love,

Daddy

 

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Praying For Your Young Child, Beyond Their Safety and Future

December 15, 2012 at 11:08 pm , by 

2 years.

Dear Jack,

I recently realized something: I haven’t really been prayingspecifically for you. Instead, I’ve been mainly just lumping you in with our family.

Subconsciously, I keep asking myself, “What else should I pray about aside, from his safety and that he will have a bright future? He’s only 2 years old.”

That’s pretty much all my prayers for you have been about: Your safety and your future.

But beyond that, on a daily basis, what else do I want for you? What should I ask God for on your behalf?

I’ve been thinking about this all week and I guess the thing is, until I take the time to write it down, I won’t know the answer.

It’s like I get so used to the habit of praying ad-lib style, that I hardly take the time to map out my thoughts and translate them into prayers.

So while this prayer will surely evolve as you grow older, here’s my prayer for you for right now:

“Heavenly Father, thank you for my son Jack. Please protect him from harm and give him a bright future.

As for his interactions with others today, I pray that in his young age as he is developing his skills to communicate and share, help him to love others as himself.

Let him be a friend today to those who need a friend. Let him be encouraging, strong, and yet still humbled.

Bless him as he learns today about colors and shapes, words and numbers, and all Your creation in between. I pray He will see Your truth in this life and that he will see Your love through me.

Lead me today, as I lead him. I pray in Your name, amen.”

The obvious thing I can’t help but think about as I see this prayer, is the last line. Jack, it’s true you are both a gift and a responsibility.

Sure, the older you get, the more responsible for yourself you will become. But as for now, I am overly mindful of the role I play in your life.

I don’t take my role as your dad lightly. Therefore, I’m very deliberate in how I raise you. That includes how I discipline you, communicate with you, entertain you, engage you, and teach you both small and important lessons in life.

The light doesn’t just one day switch on, and suddenly, what I do as your dad suddenly starts really mattering.

I’ll do my best for you, Son. So help me God.

 

Love,

Daddy