Your Travels

Dear JJ,

Before your second birthday you will have gone over 92,000 miles on the lap of your parents.  Your first trip as an infant was to see your Grandma and Grandpa Simpson in Oregon.  Your last trip on our laps has been  to and from your grandparents cottage in Canada. Here, for a couple of weeks, you enjoyed being with GiGi, Papap, Peet, Aunti Kim, and Uncle Bob.

It was at this cottage a year ago that you took your first steps.  Your mom and I noted that after you took your first steps you just started to run, and have not stopped since then.


But after your birthday you will have your own seat on a plane, be getting your own frequent flier miles, and I wonder how many adventures await you. I also wonder which airline you will get the most miles on?

I can't wait.

Here are a few photos from the cottage.

Love,

Your dad- who loves traveling with his wife and son anywhere, anytime.

Travel tires one out

In Atlanta you got to walk Aunti Kim's Dog

We celebrated GiGi's birthday

Who is that Superman

Fresh air and sunshine

Taking a walk with Aunti Kim and Uncle Bob- a super hero

We brought your favorite video for you

Your favorite dish is when Papa makes you oatmeal, except you call it MealOat

Visiting some friends who had a boat- you responded by relaxing

In Toronto you like some good bull

The 2's

Dear JJ,

Your second birthday is coming, and with those days are what some call the "terrible twos."  There is an advantage to being an older dad - and that is that there is a perspective and a bit of patience.

You are a lot more mobile now, you can reach a lot of places, are fascinated by the world around you.  You explore. But your mom and I have to keep you safe, and sometimes we find you in places that isn't easy for us, or isn't safe for you.  Some call that running around, and working to change your course, and finding your "will" part of the terrible twos.

But I see it as a wonderful world through your ever exploring eyes.


As for the "terrible two's" I say one thing:


BRING IT


Love,


Your Dad

Sometimes we try to be helpful, like unload the dishwasher

You love the water

Feeding yourself is much better than mom or dad feeding you

You think you are superman

But a full day leads to a quiet nap

A second Father's Day

Dear JJ,

The three of us in France

This is my second Father's Day- and it is my favorite holiday.

Being a dad is the greatest gift, next to life itself, that I have been given. Watching you grow - as now you put words together for sentences - and sometimes we understand you.

But to help figure it out we thought you spoke Mandarin- so we went to China, and they didn't understand you. So then we thought maybe it was French- so we went to France.  Well, maybe not that easy. So here is the story:

Your grandpa, my dad, decided at the last minute to take a trip to Normandy to see some of the places he spent when he was a soldier in World War 2.  Within 24 hours we secured tickets, and started to get hotels lined up so we could follow him along this voyage. Somehow,  we had some points and were able to fly round trip to London on British Air.  You were able to be in the first class section of a flight.

Inspecting Seat 1A of British Air - Phoenix to London non stop

Have to hand it to British Air, they reserved us a seat so that you could have your very own area - right at the nose of the plane.

Sleeping in the nose of a 747 - after a fine glass of French Wine

Arriving in London a short ten or so hours later we met your grandpa at the hotel and decided we needed to toast the occasion.  For my dad,  your grandpa, he said this was the best Father's Day gift that he could have.  For his son, me, it was also- I could spend this week with my dad, my son, and see a bit of the country through the eyes of someone who had been there almost 60 years before.

We had a great time, son. You were there.  You won't remember it, except through a few photographs and your mom and I telling you the story- but it is burned in our hearts.

Here is the lesson: no matter where we are in the world- you make that part of the world a special place for your mom, my dad, and me-- and a few other people also.

You've been on a lot of planes, son - and your mom and I couldn't imagine doing life without you.

Thanks for making me a father - and of course, thanks to your mom - a most special lady.

We love you son,   now recover from the jet lag - and thanks again


Love,


Dad

Toasting with my dad - neither of us drink beer, but we thought we would try it here

you and your mom cheered also

Our lovely B and B in France

The London Bridge

London Bridge and the Tower of London in the background

One of your favorite new words is clock - here is the big one

Three Generations on the Point du Huc - grandpa landed just a few miles from here in 1944

You appear to be able to read the French menu

Your first See Saw - you loved it - so did I

On the Ferry over - we had to sing

Your mom- embracing technology

That's a big antenna

Nothing like some wine with a vet

Thankfully your mom didn't lock me in the tower

One of the towns your grandfather liberated

Your Rock Star

Dear JJ,

As you grow up you are going to find lots of music you like. You will talk with friends about one artist or the other, and how you enjoy hearing them at different times. I know that because it happens to everyone, but you have a rock star now.

Every day you look forward to hearing her - in fact, you use sign language to indicate you want to hear her.  After your shower you dry off and watch her DVD and about 4 pm every afternoon you sit in the swing in the kitchen and watch her DVD.

Even at a year you were loving Signing Time

Her name is Rachel Coleman, and you know her as the signing time lady. From her, in your earliest days you learned different signs for "more" "eat" and now you know a whole bunch of them.  Since you sign it means you are able to communicate with us the things you want- and it makes it less frustrating.

There are a lot of "stars" out there- but I wanted to tell you something about her: She discovered her daughter Leah was deaf, and started to communicate with her in sign language - from that built a program that so many of us use.  But that isn't the whole story. 

This nice lady started out life in the conservative state of Utah. When she was 17 she had a daughter, Laura, who she put up for adoption. A difficult choice.  She was reunited with her on Mother's Day in 2010.

She had another daughter, Lucy, who had spina bifida - but through sign language was able to communicate.

Now you will find Rachel Coleman happily on many DVD's, where her songs touch your dad, and bring him to tears. 

She is a special lady, who took every adversity and made it into something that benefits a lot of people- and especially your mom and I owe her thanks, because of her we were able to start communicating with you.  Her songs, about the love for her children, speak to us.

Food and Rachel

There are going to be a lot of artists you will like - Rachel Coleman is your first, and probably a great example how to rise from adversity and give to others. Then, when you are a dad, you will discover signing with your child- and somewhere a memory will hit about this very nice lady, who was your first star.

Love,

Dad

Its ok not to be cool

Dear JJ,

I love singing to you. Mostly I make up words to songs we know. You love it too. Before you go to sleep you like me singing versions of "got a whale of a tale to tell you lads, a whale of a tale or two. About your mom I love, and a flappin fish, and nights like this with the moon above (at which point we both point our fingers to the sky), a whale of a tale and its all true, I swear by auntie Kim's tatoo."

You like music too- the wind chime tree

Snuggling up in the morning

Your morning coffee with your morning cartoons

With the aid of a stick you can make the wind chime play

whack it son!

In the morning there are songs we sing together, like from Mickey Mouse, and Jake the Neverland Pirate.
But as I sang to you I thought of how you will grow, and these songs that I know will be not sung to you anymore, and if I try to sing them you will say "oh dad." I won't be cool.
Its ok though. Because I know that someday you are going to be a dad, and when you are, you will realize that learning and singing songs to your children will be important to them, but more important to you.
Until then, son, I am going to keep singing.

Love,

Dad

Holding you tight

Dear JJ,

Today one of my patient's told me about her young husband who died.  They have three children the youngest is 9 years old.

Our time on this earth is limited, son. We can't live forever, and you are named after my brother, who died at age 55 - the age I will be soon.  I don't know how long I have on this earth, or you have, or your mother has.  But I know this - every morning when  you see me and smile and say "daddy" gives me a big smile. Every day when I come home and you want to show me something, or have me pick you up and wrestle with you, makes me glad.

My life has been made better for you.  I am lucky to have a dad who is still alive - and I hope you get to know me for a long time.

But forgive me if tonight I just hold you extra tight.

Love,

holding you tight as we watch the moon

Dad

Pointing to Poo

Dear JJ,

Being a dad means I get to see things that someday will make you smile, or be embarrassed.

You love being outside, and in our backyard you like to go on poo patrol. Where you find the dog poo, and point to it, yelling "gaagooo" - which we think means garbage - until we scoop it up and dispose of it.

Poo Pointing

Nothing like a photo though.

Yes, these photos will be associated with you for a long time.

Love,

Dad

Wondering what you can get into next

Tossing rocks into the yard is a favorite pasttime

and watering plants

Nothing like water

Not a bit you won't go into

Then you discovered the flowers in my mom's garden

A kiss for mother's day