First Birthday Wishes...

One year ago, you arrived and were happily welcomed into our family. I know that your mother and father treasure you immensely. You made me an Uncle, a title I am so grateful to have. May your first birthday mark not only the passage of a year among us, but also a time when you strengthened the love of your mother and father to a point where it may not have been before. You are a beautiful blessing to us all and it is with great joy that I wish you a happy first birthday, Cammy.

October 31, 2011: All Treats, No Tricks

I had every intention of making this particular entry before now. However, the past few weeks have reminded me of how little free time one has--or makes wise use of--once a new child enters your life. Our third child and second son, Henry, was born on October 31st at 11:41 A.M. He weighed seven pounds and five ounces and measured 20.5 inches long. We never expected a Halloween baby, but when Reese woke me up around 8:00 A.M. that morning and informed me that she had been having contractions for the past two hours, I knew he would be there before noon. His delivery was unique in that the entire delivery team was composed of women who were all smiles and congratulations once he was safely here. Upon arrival, he made us quite aware of how well his lungs functioned, but once he was swaddled and placed in Reese's arms, he became the proverbial "sleeping baby." It was nice to see Reese as alert as she was post-delivery. There really is nothing more evident of a human spirit as watching a mother bond with her newborn child.

Later that afternoon, I was able to pick Radha up and bring her to the hospital so that she could get her first glimpse of our newest family member. Seeing how it was Halloween, I had her wear her costume (Little Red Riding Hood) and bring her pumpkin along with her. She received some treats from the nurses and another family, who had just welcomed a new arrival, offered her some "It's A Boy!" mints. She did show some interest in her new brother and even sat on the bed and held him for a few seconds before something else in the room caught her attention. After bringing her home that evening, I was able to take her to ten houses or so for some Trick or Treating. It turned out to be quite the magical experience for her and I'm quite certain that Halloween is now her favorite holiday. Late that evening, I returned to the hospital where Reese and I spent our first of a few rough nights. Thankfully, Henry slept in the nursery for a few hours of each night we were there, making the stay a bit more bearable. It's hard to imagine a situation that makes you more thankful to return home and sleep in your own bed than a few nights spent in a hospital.

Now that Henry has been home for a few weeks, I have gotten to form a greater bond with him. The love I have for him is different than what I have for Radha but I love him every bit as much as I do her and am willing to jump in front of a train to save him. Reese assures me that is normal and getting to know him better as he grows fills in some of the layers that are not currently present. Regardless, I know that I have been blessed to finally experience raising a son. That is something I have only been able to dream about since we lost Ronan nearly four years ago.

Many thoughts concerning what life will be like now that we are raising two children weigh heavily on my mind, but foremost is how grateful I am to have them both in my life. I am looking forward to the upcoming holiday season and having my entire immediate family at home. Hopefully, the rush usually associated with the holidays will be quelled just a bit this year considering our current situation. I'll do my best to focus on my loved ones and put their most important needs first. May this season truly be a most joyous one for all of us.

The Clock is Ticking...

The countdown has begun, in earnest, for our newest addition to arrive. With only two weeks to go, I'm doing my best to recall the highlights and challenges of Radha coming home with us. In the meantime, Reese and I will continue to prepare Radha for what the arrival of her baby brother means for her. In order to comfort her about the whole ordeal, we've been explaining that we will be staying at the hospital for a few nights but that I will still make it home every night to help put her to bed. She appears to be at ease with the whole process. I just hope that remains the case.

As for hands-on preparation, a few weeks ago, Radha attended a "Big Sisters Class" being taught at the hospital that Reese will be delivering at. Radha was there with a three-year-old girl, Abby, who will also be welcoming a baby brother about the same time that she does. A woman named Becky, who works in the hospital's L&D ward, taught the class. The girls watched a video about welcoming a new sibling home and then practiced changing the diaper of and dressing a doll. I'm not sure how much of the info Radha soaked in, but it was comforting to see her interested in the prospect of welcoming a sibling. Near the end of the class she decorated a t-shirt for her new brother with her own illustrations and the message "Baby Brother...Welcome Home!"

As for me, I still need to refresh my memory on what a dad should know about a new baby. Just because I've been through it before doesn't mean that I remember every little detail. Thankfully, Reese still has all of the literature we received prior to Radha's birth. I imagine that these next two weeks will go by in the blink of an eye. I better get ready.

"Perhaps I could borrow some honey."

For some time now, Radha has become more accustomed to watching a movie in its entirety at home. Earlier this summer, when I found out about the new "Winnie the Pooh" movie to be released, I wondered if it would be the right opportunity to finally take her on a trip to the movie theatre. Once the movie was released and I found out it was approximately 65 minutes long I knew that the opportunity had come. On July 20th, she and I set out to see what new adventures Pooh and company had in store for their fans. I have loved that "silly old bear" and his stuffed companions ever since I can remember my mother reading the original literary works to me in my youth. While I haven't yet read the stories to Radha, I most certainly plan to do so in the very near future.

Even though I had told Radha that we were going to see a Winnie the Pooh movie, I don't think she was prepared for what "seeing a movie in the theatre" meant. The first thing she seemed surprised by was the size of the screen. It was a lot more impressive than the 42" television she is used to viewing at home. Shortly after that surprise, she discovered that she didn't weigh enough to hold down her folding seat. She actually turned this into a game by pushing back on the seat with her legs as it tried to fold up on her. Everything can be turned into a game, it seems. Once the trailers started, she was singly focused on every image shown and word spoken before her. I found it very sweet how she would pat my arm and smile at me after each trailer as if to ask, "Are we going to see that too?" She paid close attention, for the most part, to the feature presentation's story which mainly focused on finding a new "tael" for Eeyore and the search for Christopher Robin after the gang found a note which they misinterpreted due to their undeveloped reading skills (they are just stuffed animals, after all). She asked a few questions along the way and got a little restless near the end but overall behaved unbelievably well for a child viewing her first feature on the silver screen. She even sat through the closing credits (a frequent habit of mine) but it turned out to be worth it, as the Backson that Pooh and friends had been searching for throughout the movie finally made his appearance.

At the end of the day, I knew that this had been a good decision and time very well spent with my little girl. I look forward to a time when we can make more frequent trips to the theatre on a hot summer's day. It's just going to have to be for about an hour at a time for right now.

"May all your dreams come true..."

This weekend turned out to be a very rewarding one. On Friday, I found out that the Dayton Chapter of the Disneyana Fan Club would be holding their annual convention on Saturday and Sunday. One of the great things about having a child is the chance to rediscover some of the things I have lost touch with from my own childhood. The world of Walt Disney, and everything it encompasses, is one of those things I have had the chance to rediscover. Over the past several months, Radha has developed a love for the modern Tinker Bell movies ("Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue" is the first full movie she sat through). When I found out that Margaret Kerry, the model/actress for Tinker Bell from 1953's "Peter Pan," would be one of the convention's guest speakers, I knew we had to go. Yesterday, we arrived just in time to see Bill Farmer (the voice of Goofy for the past 20+ years) and Mrs. Kerry tell some very entertaining stories about their histories working for The Walt Disney Company. Following that, Mrs. Kerry signed a picture of Tinker Bell with a personalized message just for Radha. Of course, there were plenty of Disney goods for sale and Radha ended up picking out a Piglet pin. What made the purchase memorable was how random the pin was. It featured Piglet dressed as a clown with "Happy Halloween 2002" inscribed on it. You could totally imagine a two-year-old picking it out!

I do believe that we are warming up to living in Ohio quite well. Last weekend, we celebrated Father's Day by going out and sharing some great family time together. After the great time we had this weekend, I think we're on a roll. It makes me very hopeful for our future happiness as a family here and eagerly awaiting next weekend.

Not the Time to be Worried...

Right now, I would rather be writing about our new house or how much Radha loves going to the children's park at the end of the street. Those subjects are not foremost in my mind at the moment. Worry is, though. I don't want to be worrying or thinking about how Reese is worrying, either. I guess it just goes with the territory for us. I pray the next twenty-four hours go by quickly and that we don't dwell on one of the two results we could get at the end of that period. Praying for the best...keeping hope in my heart...trying not to worry...

Three Years of Love

I don't often think back on the hours leading up to January 26, 2008. While thoughts of Ronan do enter my mind on a daily basis, it's just too painful to dwell on what occurred between learning of his demise and his delivery. What I choose to remember is how excited Reese and I were that we were going to have a child and all of the adventures I dreamed about taking my son on prior to his passing. Those were not painful times. Nor was actually holding him in my arms once he arrived. Though he had passed on from this plane of existence to life eternal, I knew the love Reese and I had for one another had made something beautiful and I knew that love would eventually create again. Having Radha present has made this day easier but my heart still longs to hold my son again. Even if it was for only a moment. Earlier today, we again released balloons inscribed with words that only he is meant to read. Both of his grandmothers were present and even Radha attempted a drawing on the balloon she released for him. Things will be a little different next year since we'll be in a new place and not have as many family members around. However, at the conclusion of January 26th, the day will always end with reaffirming thoughts on my mind and love in my heart. He is forever loved, remembered and missed.

The Wonderful Twos

Two-years-old. This age has been somewhat of a running joke and/or recurring nightmare for parents everywhere but for one day, it was pure heaven. To observe how much Radha has grown and the abilities she has developed over a scant two years is nothing short of amazing to me. Reese was reminding me earlier how she couldn't even handle eating utensils and how limited her vocabulary was at the time of her first birthday celebration. Fast forward a year and there she is, clearly asking for cake, attempting to blow out candles without prompting and handling a fork well enough to get the cake to its intended destination. It is all so very rewarding and makes me so happy I am on this journey called fatherhood. I am so thankful she was surrounded by family members for this occasion seeing how this could be the last time we celebrate her birthday in the Lone Star State. She is obviously a very loved child, not only by Reese and I. I've heard the warnings but I am no less anxious to start the adventure that is raising a two-year-old. Here's to making the next 364 days the most adventure-filled I've seen yet!