Saturday, June 22, 2013

Happy Birthday George

Dear JJ,

Today is your grandfather's 70th birthday. You get to spend it with him, and that means a lot to him.

When your mom and I knew we were pregnant with you, I had a little chat with him. He was visiting your Uncle Bob and Aunti Kim in Atlanta over Thanksgiving.  We went for a walk, sat down in the woods and I asked him about his experience as an older father.

He and Gigi adopted Peter in his early 50's.  He told me that having another child in his 50's was the last thing in the world he was thinking of, but when it happened it is the best thing in the world. Now he and Peter are best friends, and their lives are so much better.

So I waited, then told him, "Well, I wanted to know because I am going to be a father for the first time, at age 53, and that means you are going to be a grandfather. And it wasn't an accident, it was planned."

He looked at me, smiled and said, "So, I gather you are serious about this between you and April."

George (you call him Papa) has become a great friend of mine. He is an early bird like we are - and we get to have that time to chat and enjoy watching you.

One of my other favorite memories is when you were just home from the hospital, about six days old. Your mom was exhausted from feeding you. He and I were up in your room and you were crying. I put my finger in your mouth and your mouth was dry.  I didn't want to wake up your mom, so I found a bottle of formula from the hospital and you drank it down and went back to sleep.  I was worried that the breast feeding mafia would picket the house. But you did just fine, and your mom got sleep - and I looked at George like a fellow co-conspirator, "I guess he is going to be alright, I'll tell April when she gets up." Your mom, needless to say, was quite happy about it.

You have a lot of people in your life who are special son - and today is the day to enjoy him.

Love,

Dad
From Today- you and George at their Cottage in Cobourg 

Saturday, June 15, 2013

My best all-nighter

Dear JJ,

Your daddy has had a lot of "all nighters" where I have stayed up all night.  Some because of being a doctor, some for fun. Most of the time when you are up all night - for whatever the reason, the next day is not a fun day.

The best all-nighter was the day you were born. You were born at about 4 pm, and your mom and I stayed up the entire night after just looking at you.  The next day was the best day after an all-nighter.

Thanks for making me a dad,

Love,


Dad
Our best day - our best all night - and the best keeps coming

Monday, June 10, 2013

Birthday for a friend

Dear JJ,

When you are a new dad suddenly you realize how much you have to learn.  It is a great thing when friends come by who have had kids and reassure you that - yup, that is normal, and help you realize that you don't have to be uptight.

Shortly after you came home, two good friends of ours came by - they had their son about 20 years before you were born. They were calming, reassuring and it meant a lot to this new dad.

I thought about it because today he is having a birthday.  Someday you may be faced with fatherhood - and I would love to be around to see it- but never forget, you will have a lot of friends who will have been through it, and they love to help.

Oh, and don't forget their birthdays- today is his, Evo.

Thank you Evo and Sheila - you meant a lot to this new dad - and mean a lot to JJ


Love,

Dad