Hey Baby! I Miss You! (And Mommy too!)

Hey snickerdoodles. It has been just about a week since I saw you last. You are with your Mommy in the Netherlands visiting Oma and Opa. I want you to have a record of this because, at this moment, you have already visited more countries in this world than I have (Me: 2 - You: 5 before this trip is over). Right now, you are in a lovely farming area in the south of Holland. The weather, I am told, is not very summery and I also hear that you are rather spooked by Mommy's horse.

I also want you to know I miss you. Even though this includes being sorta weepy when I look at your picture (which, incidentally, is everywhere in the house), it's something deeper than that as well. At the end of the day, it's really a parent's job to make sure that their child can live happily without him or her. It's a hard pill to swallow when, in parenting, a person gives so much of themselves to their children. Now, with you being only 4 months old, it would be silly to think of that happening any time soon, but with you so far away it is apparent just how much I need YOU right now.

I used to have this life. This life where nothing mattered except what I wanted to do at any given moment. It seemed delightful (and don't get me wrong...it's awesome...you should do what YOU want at any given moment...unless I tell you not to). But that's just not the case anymore and I LOVE that. I GET to do what I want to do WITH you. Eventually, you will get to do what you want to do WITH me! I get to SHARE something that I was keeping just for myself and I could never have guessed how much more infinitely awesome it is to do with another person. With you and your Mommy across the ocean, I don't have to worry about waking you up by playing my videogame too loudly but I also don't get to see you wake up (which sucks, by the way. You are a very pretty baby...especially when you wake up!)

This trip is good for you. In your life, I want to make it possible for you to see the whole damned world (and own some of it, if you can). Don't ever not go! But don't ever forget how much I will love to see you come back.

Ik hou van jou

Pappa

My favorite things you are doing - Part I

Hey...I know I haven't written in a while...there have been a lot of things going on...BUT...I have to let you know these things when they come up. This isn't the first thing, but it's a big thing:

Tonight, just a minute ago you laughed. And I'm not talking like an accidental little gurgle as you fart...You LAUGHED. Out loud. At me. You looked me in the eye as I bobbled my head and made funny noises and you considered it in all its silliness and you laughed a few great belly laughs.

Sadly, this is sure to cause me to bobble my head and sound silly on a more regular basis. Way to go...you made me into this bobble-headed silly creature.

Love,

Dad