Day of the Dad...

Day 231:

I went bed in an effort to beat this thing really early last night, Boy'O.  And I slept hard.  But not in a good way... In that "I'm sick and working on kicking this illness back to whence it came" kinda way... Sweats, coughs, shakes, the works...  When you started crying at 4:50am I was still in no shape to manage you so, like the trooper she is, Mommy hopped up and went downstairs to your room in an effort to get you back to sleep.  Rather than rocking you to sleep and coming back to bed she simply elected to snuggle up with you in one of the twin beds and catch a few more Z's there...  The next thing I remember I heard those excited early morning Conor squeaks coming from the other room, and at 6:30am Mommy was up and getting you ready for a bottle...

Thankfully, I felt better.  Still not my old self, but certainly strong enough to offer reprieve.  And after 2 days of taking the brunt of the work, it was time I manned up and got to work.

I sprang out of bed, threw some water on my face, grabbed you away from Mommy so she could enjoy her coffee, fed you a bottle, gave you back to Mommy, walked the dogs, fed the dogs, made a list and went to the grocery, stopped at Mallons to buy some homemade sticky buns, came back to the house and snatched you away from Mommy once more to change you and get you settled into your car seat so we could head off to breakfast with Jen, Katie, Rick,  and Karen, got you packed up and out the door, and all by 9:00am!

I fed you at breakfast, fed you at home, laid down and took a nap with you during the early afternoon thunderstorms of the day, and then it was off to the beach, Son.  And we were just getting started!  After a little better than an hour at the beach, it was back to the lab to get ready for the nights party, and guess who did the grillin' and the cleanin' for 20 people?  That's right, Boy'O!  Yours truly...

Now Conor, I'm not talking through all of this to throw myself on the sword of endless chores.  For many people, that kinda day is a daily thing.  No, rather I'm recounting the day and thinking about how happy it makes me to do for others in the rare occasion I have the chance.  On this day, Mommy's vacation was taking a turn toward the worst and I really wanted her to have a day to herself, and so I did my best to give that to her.

Now here I sit, alone and relaxed.  You're in bed and dreaming, Mommy's deck drinking with the ladies, everybody else is next door, and I'm doing my favorite thing in the world; writing to you...  And as soon as I'm done here, it's another early night for me, Son.  This day took it out of me!

I love you, Conor.
-Dad