July 25, 2013 at 12:24 pm , by Nick Shell

2 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack,

This week while on vacation, I’ve been observing your social behavior.

So as I brought up a few days ago, I suspect that, like me, you’re a highly social, highly verbal introvertwho needs a designated time and place to just zone out and meditate without someone or something interrupting your thoughts.

You’re a deep thinker, like me. You like to analyze how the world works and teach yourself as much as you can about life.

And as I have been watching you this week, you have been watching your older cousins.

I’ve caught you several times smiling whenever they laugh about something; like here in this picture.

You have no idea what they are talking about, and even though they don’t even see your reaction, you still are reacting.

Whereas you’re nearly 3, the youngest of your cousins on this side of the family is 10 years old. So there’s a major age gap there. It’s interesting to see the dynamics.

I’ll say this- I don’t know that I’ve heard anyone refer to you as “Baby Jack,” as was this case with previous family visits. That means your cousins are seeing you as a little kid now.

Sure, you’re a pet version of Animal from the Muppets, or a baby caveman, to them. But I can see that your cousins are naturally drawn to want to socialize you; as you want them to socialize you.

So I like catching glimpses of you smiling when they laugh, as if you were part of the conversation… because at least in your mind, you are.

Love,

Daddy

February 14, 2013 at 10:58 pm , by Nick Shell

2 years, 2 months.

Dear Jack,

As I reached for the shower curtain and a towel to dry myself off this morning, there you were with Mommy, waiting for me to realize I had visitors. You had a sneaky look on your face.

“Hi Jill!” you proudly greeted me.

Right name, wrong parent.

We felt you were old enough to know that Mommy and Daddy have other names, or as we call them: first names.

The problem is, you think my name is Jill and that Mommy’s name is Nick.

That’s okay. You’ll get it eventually. I don’t think it’s a bad idea for you to know our first names.

What if you get lost in a store? How will you tell someone who your parents are? We figured it wouldn’t hurt to teach you our “real names” for such an unfortunate event.

Until now, I had never thought about what age is appropriate to teach you our names other than Mommy and Daddy. For all I know, maybe it’s too soon.

I wondered at first if this was a recipe for disaster since you might start mainly calling us by our first names. However, I don’t think that will be a problem. You laugh every time you say our first names; as if they are our “funny names.”

As for the next name I shall teach you, what about our last name? Shouldn’t you know that too if you get separated from us somewhere in public? Fortunately for you, it’s an easy one: Shell.

One syllable names like Jack, Jill, Nick, and Shell definitely serve as an advantage to you, as a 2 year-old. You just happened to be born into a family with easy-to-say and easy-to-spell names.

As for your Croatian and Norwegian ancestors on Mommy’s side of the family, they probably had a more difficult time with this.

Just imagine, at best your name would have been something like… Ivan Ljùštura.

(I think I’m pronouncing that right.)

Love,

Daddy

February 9, 2013 at 12:21 am , by Nick Shell

2 years, 2 months.

Dear Jack,

In this very moment, here is exactly what’s going through my mind:

You really do have a weird man for a dad.

I realize that’s nothing I need to apologize for. After all, my quirkiness and passionate beliefs are what attracted Mommy to me in the first place.

So ultimately, you are here today because I’m not so normal of an American man.

We’ll make this thing work, though. You’ll turn out fine.

It’s just that I have a feeling as you get older, your friends will all be aware that your dad is… a bit on the eccentric side.

You’ll be the kid with the dad who doesn’t eat meat, doesn’t use any products that contain sodium laurel sulphate, doesn’t use microwaves, doesn’t pay for cable or smart phones, and doesn’t believe in using credit cards.

I’ll be that Libertarian, yet law-abiding; conservative, yet open-minded; Generation Y father who happens to live on the outside of what is often mainstream.

To be honest, I only recently realized how off-beat a demographic I am a part of. As I look back through the letters I’ve written you, I see that often my worldview does not necessarily reflect that of the majority.

So the question is, how will that affect you?

Am I brainwashing you? Probably a little bit. However, I don’t see how I’m brainwashing you any more than any other parent out there.

That’s one of the scary parts about being a parent. As your dad, I greatly influence your worldview, whether I mean to or not.

You can’t choose your parents. I’m the one you ended up with, though.

Whether it’s for better or for worse, I take pride in showing you my version of how the world works and/or how it should work.

Ultimately, what I want for you isn’t any different than what I assume any parent wants for their child:

I want you to know you are loved, you are special, and you are wanted. I want you to be confident in yourself, strong in your beliefs, and caring to others.

Maybe I’m not that weird of a dad after all…

Love,

Daddy