I'd like to revisit a theme I used from my very first blog post over a month ago. I had talked about "significant moments" that we as dads experience from time to time when dealing with our kids. These moments of significance happen to us all. I'm not sure we as parents recognize all of them; some may fall through the cracks without any reflection whatsoever. Well one happened last night. The gravity of the moment was simple in nature, but the significance of it empowered me with the will to go toe-to-toe with Mike Tyson in a 12 round title bout. Maybe we can scale that back a bit. Let's say tickle contest.
I will try to set the scene best I can.
Sue usually puts Eric to bed and reads a book or two before he drifts off. Evan, our youngest wasn't feeling the whole bedtime vibe at that moment and was being especially difficult so Sue thankfully opted to deal with him instead. So I was last night's book reader.
Walter the Baker was the choice and I found myself enthralled by the story. It's just a story about a baker and an unreasonable king who was really ticked off at the baker because the baker's cat spilled the baker's milk so he had to make the king rolls with water instead of milk and the king wanted to throw him out of town because the rolls sucked but the baker pleaded and the king relented and issued a challenge to come up with the most ridiculously awesome roll by tomorrow or else so the baker accidentally invented pretzels and the king loved them so they all partied in the street like mardi-gras with beads and alcohol and wet white t-shirts. The only thing Eric cared about is why the king had a dog.
When I read Eric bed time books I lay in bed with him flat on my back with the book on my chest. Eric snuggles next to me with his head on my shoulder. When the book was done there was a moment of silence but I didn't look his way for fear of jarring him awake in case he was already asleep. I let another minute pass and gave him a glance. I was surprised to see him staring blankly into my eyes. I softly said "Night night I love you buddy" and his eyes slowly closed while he replied "I love you too, daddy" and he was out like a light, cuttin' logs.
I am finding it hard to describe how I felt at that moment. I mean everybody's kids tell them they love them. There was just some kind of significance there that I immediately recognized and will cherish probably forever. A confirmation or affirmation that I am dad and he feels safe and secure.
I'd like to re-neg on the whole Mike Tyson bit. I would easily win a tickle contest. Did you ever see Castaway? With Tom Hanks? There is a part in that movie where Tom struggles to make fire. Finally after many cold nights with no success and on the verge of giving up, he does it. The euphoria and gratitude for warmth Tom displays is probably the best comparison to how I felt when I got up from Eric's bed.
Paid in full, Eric. Sweet dreams.
(click here if your memory is fuzzy for re-enactment of Castaway scene I found on youtube.)
6 comments:
i loved that - and i know my husband feels the same way during similiar moments with our 4 year old. also, your title made me laugh because my son is big into Star Wars and recently during a light saber battle with my husband he looked at his dad and said "Daddy... you... are my father".
which made us all dissolve into ridiculous giggles.
love your blog so far!! (a friend of Sue's from BIO 04)
Awww, that sounds like you are really connected to your son.(friend of Sue's from BIO 04)
That's so sweet. My husband stayed home with our first born for an year and a half, while I went to work, so i ddin't really get this unconditional love from Vicki (our first child), while ben did. I ddin't have the same bond with her, not unlike I think a husband that goes to work, and doesn;t have as much time to spend with his child. So it was really sweet when Vicki started telling me that she loves me just like that. I stayed home with dani, our second bubba, and I got all the love from her, while my husband went to work and made money. It;s only recently that Dani runs up to him and declares that she loves him, and you should se ben when she tells him that! he is SO SO proud and happy and quite emotional :)
Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog:)
To answer your question. £1.70 is about $2.37. Sweet, since it costs us around $30 to go to the cinema usually!
I don't get offended if someone uses salt or peper before eevn tasting my food. My husband does that! I tend to under-salt (is that a word?) the food,and I don;t always add the pepper to it because I cook for the children as well, so I let everyone know that before they start eating.
well said, i love reading your blog! Laura
Aww that's a really touching post.
You know when I get the feeling,
8 o'clock on a Friday night, all 4 kids are in bed and I have a good book to read. Seriously the feeling of getting the warmth always overpowers me.
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