Pink Tie Event

Friday night from 6:30-9:00pm Chloe and will attend the 2009 Daddy Daughter Dance sponsored by the City of McKinney Parks and Recreation association. Our big date takes place at the McKinney Recreation Center along with 125 other "couples".

I am really looking forward to it and for Chloe, it is the highlight of the year. I have really enjoyed seeing her excitement about it ever since I told her about it earlier in the week. I gave her the cutout advertisement from the parks and recreation magazine that looks like this and she has carried it around with her constantly all week - she even has it by her side when she gets in bed each night. She looks at it as she falls asleep. Needless to say, she is eagerly anticipating this grand event. She calls it "the ball".

So she already has her dress picked out. She's going to look like a true princess, that's for sure. Last night, I asked her if she wanted to help me pick out which shirt and tie I should wear with my suit. I don't wear suits very often, so she probably had never seen my full tie collection. I thought she was going to fall over when she saw I had a pink tie. She was pretty surprised and I immediately knew she wanted me to wear it, cuz it was the obvious choice to match her princess dress.

But then something strange happened. I asked her which one I should wear and she said the black one. Hm. Really? Then I asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to wear the pink one?" She said, "Yes, but I think the other daddies will think its silly."

Isn't that sweet? She didn't want me to feel silly wearing a pink tie, thinking I'd be worried what other people thought about me, a man, wearing pink. I'm amazed at her ability to think like that, being only 4 years old. I'm more amazed by her choosing something that she thought I would like better, even if it meant the opposite of what she wanted.

What a sweet little girl! I sure am looking forward to our date at the ball tomorrow night. I'll post some pictures at a later time.

Gavin

I fell in love 10 years ago today. That was the day Gavin was born. That was one of my best days! Soon after he was born, stabilized and spent some time cuddling with Mommy, the nurses took him to the nursery to give him a bath, take measurements and perform some minor tests. I got to go with while Cori rested.

For as long as I live, I'll never forget the time he and I shared in the nursery. I got to be right there with him, studying his every feature, watching his every move. I kissed his cheeks and his little hands and feet and tummy. I touched his soft skin and talked to him the whole time. He was so small, but perfect in every way. It must have been close to two hours that we spent together and I treasure every minute of it. It was our bonding time.

Since then, I've had about a million more times of bonding. And I've loved every minute of those times as well.

As a toddler, he went everywhere I went. He was the epitome of Daddy's Little Helper. He insisted on helping me do whatever I was doing. Fixing the vacuum, mowing the lawn, clipping the hedges, washing the car - it didn't matter what it was, he was right there. I loved it too. I never considered him in my way.

I think the best part of all that is just having time together. That's how relationships develop. That's how you bond with someone - by spending time together. Doing every day things together.

It seems that Gavin understood that as a child - he just wanted to be with me, whatever I was doing. I'm so glad he did. And I'm glad I let him and didn't consider him to be a nuisance, because I'd have missed out on that time together.

He's still that way, too. Loves to help. We still spend lots of time together. Almost every night after Bennett goes to bed, he still has 30 minutes before his bed time and he asks, "So Dad, what do you want to do with me?" I love it! :) When he says that as a 10-year old, I'll still look at him and see that little guy next to my side asking, "Daddy, what I do help you for?"

So obviously, I've completely enjoyed the past 10 years. Its been by far the best decade of my life. I really cannot believe its been 10 years since Gavin was born. It has gone by so fast. And that's what makes me a bit sad. Because I know the next 10 years are also going to go by fast, maybe even faster. By then, he'll be an adult, in college or working or who knows what, but most likely not living at home any longer. I try not to think of that time, because I know we have 10 (maybe less) more years with him before he goes off on his own as adult.

I plan on making those years count, just as much as the past ten. I'll be spending as much time with my little helper as I always have. We have a lot more to do - teaching, learning and helping each other.

Happy Birthday, Gavin. I'm thankful you are my son, my little friend. I love you with all my heart!

Where Bubbles Go

Last evening I was working on a freelance project at my desk in our bedroom. Chloe was taking a bubble bath in our bathroom downstairs. The tub is about 20 feet from my desk, so I could work while keeping an eye on her - and answer her 2,489 questions that she felt were more important than what I was doing. After being in the tub about 20 minutes or so, she realized that all the bubbles were starting to disappear and asked if she could have more. So I turned the water back on and put in some more bubble bath liquid. She asked what happened to the bubbles and I just said, "Well, after awhile, they just go away."

She must have felt I was trying to keep the real truth from her. She asked, in a completely serious tone, "Where do they go? Do they go in my butt?"

So I tried to explain to her that that is indeed not where they go - all the while keeping a straight face. The things kids think of! I love how their minds work. :)