Coffee

Other than its newly discovered health benefits (coffee is now considered as a “health” drink) drinking coffee is one of the nicest I enjoy lately. May it be in Starbucks, or other coffee shops, or just at home.

Since I becoming a father, coffee have been my refuge when I want to slow things down. Fatherhood is a fast-paced and a tense job. You should be always on guard because your toddler might suddenly decide to squeeze his fingers in the wall socket, spray alcohol to his eyes, lick his boots etc. From time to time, he will be needing his diaper checked and changed, he wants milk prepared, hands cleaned etc. It is like a roller coaster, except, this ride is just going down.

Coffee is a chance to run away, for 10-15 minutes, from the responsibility of fatherhood. It can stash me away in a corner and get to enjoy the “coffee moment”. I can relax, prop my legs to a chair, and stretch without any fear of some little man trying to break his neck by doing a headstand.

Playmates

To a child, his/her treasures are his/her toys and playmates. Unfortunately, you have plenty of toys but just a few playmates. Well, you have two or three but you don’t see them as often as you would like. So, I think, in “child’s world” you would be considered as middle income.

We are now thinking of enrolling you to a Playschool so you will learn how to interact with other kids better. The school fees is high but at least you are gonna learn some few stuff, and most especially, you will be more comfortable with other kids and adults.

So far, you have been outgoing and quite adorable to others but we want to maintain that and improve on it, if possible.

The world, it seems, is made for extroverts and a simple greeting, like hello or good morning, can really give favorable results.

So, saddle up and get ready to face school.

Remote Control

I was once the ruler of TV’s Remote Control. For a long time it was my Septer. If there something I ruled over in life, that would be the Vacuum Cleaner, Coffee Press, Soap Dish and the RC.

I am not TV’s biggest fan, in fact I prefer sleeping, but I want to once in a while get a chance to watch some news, documentary and sports shows at the comfort of our bedroom ( the other Tv is in the attic and it is not near a comfy chair).

But when that day you started to enjoy the Cartoon Network and watch the colorful talking yellow sponge, I started to lose grip over the bedroom TV. I considered it as my kingdom losing a small territory and learned to accept as it is.

Goodnews is, I still have my other loyal subject—the Soapdish and I think it will be quite a while, or maybe never, before I lose that to you.

Doctor is in.

We thought it was just a typical weekday morning. Everything started as normal but after about an hour it happened… You vomited violently. The sight was painful, you were hugging your mum while milk jets out of your tiny stomach. You cried, mum panicked a bit, and I am very worried.

We brought you to the Hospital immediately and we were told that there is nothing to worry about as it just a case of “gastro” something. The vomiting was due to the stomach’s reaction from expanding when you ingest something (like your milk). We were told that LBM will be expected and food intake should be limited. The doctor expect you to be well in 3-7 days.

Having a sick toddler is tough for parents. We hoped that you will always be well for the rest of your life but, in reality, sickness is a sad part no matter how hard we try to run away from it.

Father’s day

It seems someone who blogs about fatherhood would be celebrating a great father’s day, right?. But, due to “circumstances” I ain’t–not this year.

I feel crappy today and only had a few hours of sleep, feel bloated, bouts with colds, bad hair day, and it is just not a “celebratory” kind of day.

If there is something not nice about “father’s day” it is the rabid attempts to commercialize it. It seems it is centered on buying and spending. You are not celebrating it if you have not bought or spent something for your dad.

Maybe, many years ago a group of store owners talked to each other and wondered what they are gonna do with their old stocks in their inventory. So, they thought of “father’s day sale”. Today, stores are selling old neon pants, about to expire potato chips, previous World Cup or Olympic t-shirts and souvenirs at the so-called “father’s day sale”.

For me the perfect father’s day is a simple greeting, a hug and be allowed to whatever we want for the rest of the day. We should be allowed to just sit around the house and watch TV while we drink beer and eat grilled Kielbasa or pork ribs or be left alone in the car garage with a car wax, rubbing compound or a small can of degreaser.

Daytime sleep

It is that brief peaceful moment of parenthood. It is where the time slowed down from a sprint to a crawl. Quite an embarrassment to admit, but it is a “ME” time. It is a time where I can brew a coffee, read the news, watch TV, listen to Jazz music, stretch a little etc.

Watching your kid sleep is also a glorious moment. The innocence of a young toddler is glowing while he is asleep, his breathing are like soft music, and your thoughts can easily be lost in the calmness of his sleep.

The moment of serenity and peace will last rather briefly—just enough to recharge and prep us for another few hours of high frenzy.

Hard to Handle

Like a Jack in the Box that springs to action, has the energy of a fully stretched rubber band, faster than the a speeding bullet, able to leap tall buildings in a single bounce ( the last two are just exaggerations) are just a few of how others described you.

Rambunctious, energetic, wild… as you grow stronger and faster, you are getting hard to handle.

I often sprint to catch up, tumble to catch you, shout just to make you slow down.

But in all of this, I am very happy… knowing that in the middle of all the chaos is a happy little boy.

Shinny Floors

If Superman has Kryptonite that weaken him, you have shinny floors. Shinny floors in the malls have an effect on you. You are normally wild and fast, but on shinny floors it is as if your feet are stuck in deep, thick molasses. You feel akward and afraid.

Sometimes, it would take you a couple of minutes to realize it, but as soon as you know it you would urgently ask someone to carry you.

One day you got to learn to deal with it, for the meantime, I just have to carry you…and it is not as easy as it looks.

Changing Diapers

To those who chose to be childless, changing diapers is a scary thing. I read once, one person said, that the reason she dont wanna have kids is the fear of dirty and smelly diapers.

I must admit, it is really smelly and dirty, however, it is a chore every parents have to know. It must be deep in you to glady do it and you should still carry a smile even if poo drips on your favorite expensive designer shirt.

As they say, “shit happens” and every parents to a baby/pre schooler it can happen as much as 2-4 times a day.

Tsunami of toys

You have a magical way of turning a clean room into a nuclear meltdown disaster area in just a couple of seconds.

I was just tinkering with the Ipad for less than a minute, I left you out of my sight and then when I looked back I saw that mess.

I am not angry and you are not expected to be neat. You are to be “you” a rowdy little boy.

And hey, maybe you have forgotten it but you still have not powdered everything with your milk?