Days Of The Dad

I was walking down these stairs:

and I slipped on this toy car:

and fell with my lower back smashing into the edge of a stair and slip down the last 5 stairs.

It I saw it happen to someone else, I’d be laughing all week. But it happened to me…ouch. Someone please get my back some painkillers and my pride a Band-Aid.

When I was working in Facilities Management, I wrote everything down, made checklists for everyday, and kept an extremely organized Outlook calendar so I wouldn’t forget anything and deadlines would always be met. Since I became a Stay at Home Dad, I abandoned those meticulous organization tools and I don’t know why. Now that I’m two years in, things are really starting to fall of out of my brain. I really need to bring back that work organization mentality, because let’s be honest, stay at home parenting is awesome and all, but it is work. And although I’m currently “On Strike” with my work from home job until I receive all of my owed pay, I think I really need to organize my days better. 

Maybe I’ll start making a “To Do” list, shopping list, chores, etc., the night before and really make some productive use of of spanking new Galaxy Tab.

Before I became a Father, I really dreaded Father’s Day. Now that I’m a Dad, I experience the day much differently. While I really don’t like being the focal point of any kind of attention, I certainly appreciate the spirit of the day. More than that, I appreciate how much Christina has tried to de-sour and sweeten me on Father’s Day.

I’m a low maintenance, utility guy. I don’t need a big fuss or any frills. When the question popped up a few weeks ago about what I wanted to do on Father’s Day, I just said, “I don’t know, whatever everyone else wants to do is cool with me. As long as we’re together, I’m cool.” After knocking around a few ideas and trying to figure out how to work them around Dylan’s nap, we just decided to wing it, which just fine with me. Christina made a monstrous amount of bacon for me, and tackled Eggs Benedict for breakfast

We woud up hitting the park and had an awesome time laughing and playing with my family. The day was rounded out with smoothies, pizza and a nap. A sweet glorious, yet always elusive nap. All I ever want is to be with my family, and this day is no exception. I know some dudes want to take the day off from fatherhood, and that’s cool, but I just wanted everyone have a nice day. And I think I got that. 

I also got a pair of very sweet cards and a very sweet Galaxy Tab 2 from wonderfully super awesome wife and son. I got bacon, a fantastic breakfast, did I say bacon already (?), a wonderful day with my family full of laughs and smiles from everyone, a Galaxy Tab which I’m completely obsessed with at the moment, smoothies, pizza, and a fucking nap, what more could I ever ask for?

While Father’s Day may be a day to thank Dad, it’s also a day Dad should be thankful of those who gave him that title. 

Thank you Chris and Dylan. You guys make me who I am.

Sunday will mark my second Father’s Day as a Dad, and it makes me feel a little weird. My Mom got married when I was 10, until then, I never had a Father to celebrate or acknowledge on Father’s Day. After my Mom got married, I still didn’t have a Dad to acknowledge due to our extremely contentious relationship and subsequent abuse. When I was a kid, pre-Step-father, I hated making those Father’s Day crafts in school. I had no one to give these male-centric school made gifts and cards to, and it just reminded me of a person I never knew and didn’t have. Post-Stepfather, I just tried to avoid the day because of the same reasons, plus the added bonus of having a “Dad” who terrorized me and made my life difficult at each and every opportunity.   

I was 18 when my Mom and Stepfather got divorced and Father’s Day became a normal Sunday. Now I’m a Dad and Father’s Day is relevant to me. I don’t hate the idea of Father’s Day in the least, I just have some conflicting feelings on it. I guess it comes down to I just don’t know how to feel about a concept that was once such a sore spot for me.

I feel like there’s a dense a fog around my brain today. Tired, achy, barely cognizant, and I’ve been squinting all day for some reason.  

Oh yeah, maybe it has something to do with the fact that Dylan woke up at 1 am, crying that he wanted to go look at cars. After a quick look of the cars out the window and a few swigs of juice, he was ready to go back to sleep…in our bed. That would be fine if he would just lay still. But he doesn’t, so to combat that, Christina and I decided that if Dylan winds up in bed with us, someone has to sleep with their feet at the headboard, and inevitably, no blankets. It’s the only way everyone gets enough room in our Queen sized bed. Some people in this house like to sleep diagonal, and by some, I mean everyone except me.

I wound up sleeping “bitch”, with my feet at the headboard. It’s usually not too much of a problem, but last night Dylan was just all over the place while he was sleeping and kept waking me up. Thus, the dense brain fog, the tired, the achy, the lack of cognation. Although, that really doesn’t explain the constant squinting today.

Dylan want’s juice. I get him juice. Dylan cries because he has juice.

Dylan whines because I’m making a tower with his blocks. I stop. Dylan cries because he wants me to build a tower with his blocks.

Yesterday, Dylan was all about making as big a mess as he could. Today, he’s trying to get me to jump out a window. 

This is an open and formal apology to those addicted to the game Candy Crush Saga. In the past, I have rolled my eyes and made passing comments about people who have complained about being stuck on a level or people begging for lives. For that, I apologize. I have tried the game, and I get it now. I’m hooked. 

I’m also stuck on Level 22.

I have no lives left.

I don’t have Facebook, so I have to wait.

1 Insurance Card

1 ATM Card

1 Mystery Card Located in the 3rd card slot in my wallet.

Last seen in my wallet which was stupidly placed on an end table in the living room. 

Suspect: Dylan Hendrix M. was last seen near said wallet while Dad was taking a leak. When Dad finished, the wallet and it’s contents were spread around the living room. Suspect was seen sliding cards on the floor and laughing.