Developments...

As the weather warms and the grass turns green my son is taking notice.  He watches everything around him with wide-eyed amazement.  There’s so much to see, and with 16-18 hours of sleep per day, little time to see it.

Simon is extremely vocal these days, sometimes surprising dad with a loud coo or gurgle. His Tarzan call can be heard throughout the house (and maybe the neighborhood as well).

He spent the past week with his Grandma and Grandpy, visiting from upstate New York in efforts to help us make the impending transition to day care.  They brought with them a trunk full of hand-me-downs, courtesy of his older cousin.  I’ve never seen so many clothes. This kid may never wear the same outfit twice. 

Their week long stay was a lot of fun.  The weather was great, welcoming our northern grandparents with warm temperatures and blooming trees.  With snow falling back home, I think they enjoyed the fresh air and open windows, although I think my mother-in-law could do without the stinkbugs. She didn't come to vacation though, getting down to business on arrival. Since our child's birth I’m not sure the house has ever been so clean.  Clothes were washed before they hit the floor and dishes were rinsed and put away before I could turn around.  

She was on a roll…diaper changes, bottle feedings, even getting the little guy to sleep in his crib—another new development.  He’s awfully lucky to have such great Grandparents.  And we are awfully thankful for them.

For the most part I'd have to say we're really blessed to have such a great baby.  But he is very adept at letting us know what he dislikes, and most of the time this involves sitting.  The little guy likes to be moving, not sure where he gets it from…

I'm still getting used to referring to myself as Dad, but I'm learning some very dad-like lessons in the meantime.  The other night as I lifted him from the table to the tub, I felt something wet and warm.  Sure enough, I got soaked. But it’s okay, all part of the experience I guess…

I'll resist the urge to place an R Kelly joke here...

The In-Laws

My wife and I have come a long ways in the four years since I was able to talk her into a first date.  I am forever grateful that our chance encounter led to such life-changing events.  I've managed to convince her I was worth keeping, and together we’ve bought a house, gotten married, and are now preparing to bring a child into our lives.  And family has played a large role in each of these endeavors.

But back to the dating. Things were getting serious between us when she asked me to accompany her to Northern Virginia, as her parents were coming down from upstate New York and wanted to meet the guy that their daughter had told them about (and if there was time, me).  With many miles between us I had managed to delay the encounter, but now the time had come, I was going to meet the parents. 

I've never been a charming conversationalist, so I was just a bit intimidated before the meeting.  What I learned about my girlfriend's father on our 3 hour trip did not help matters. He’s not only a marine but also an avid gun collector.  Oh, that makes me feel very comfortable, is there anything else you want to tell me?  Does he have a portable water boarding device as well?  This has been great; just slow down here and I'll jump out.

She managed to keep me in the car and we arrived as scheduled in Alexandria, Va, to head up the Potomac River for a tour of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. My worrying was unfounded as they quickly made me feel like part of the family. My future mother-in-law was (and is) warm and genuine, and I immediately felt comfortable.  Meanwhile my future father-in-law, like me, enjoyed American History, which made the conversation, the meeting, and the trip all the more enjoyable. To top things off,  I saw no evidence of a torture device...

A Year later....

I was nervous again (I'm a little neurotic), anxiously preparing for another meeting with my future In-laws.  Only this time they were at my house after making the 13 hour trip down to visit their first born daughter.  I was searching for the right time (and words) to ask my future father-in-law for his daughter’s hand in marriage.  Deep breaths.

My wife and her mother went shopping, leaving the two of us on the couch watching a football game.  I waited for the perfect segue to begin my dialogue....And with that the Giants take the lead! Pete, what do you think of marriage? 

The moment never came.  I took a breath, cleared my throat and stammered into the lines that I had practiced, my voice unsteady and shaky as I powered through….your daughter means the world to me….I was hoping to uh……that you would uh…. It was truly a forgettable performance. (Or memorable for all the wrong reasons).

When I was finished, he shifted slightly while gently scratching our dog on his head (the dog never left his side when he was at the house) before saying,

“If she’ll have you then I’ll have you.”

A wave of relief rushed over me, and I was about to say something stupid or ruin our talk gushing over the moment when, with his eyes still on the game, he continued:

“That was a great catch.”

I nodded knowingly, as if to say, I hear ya, let’s not get all emotional here! Meanwhile I was smiling like an idiot. 

I'm lucky, I won the in-law lottery.  Today, geography limits our visits, but technology will keep us connected.  As the baby arrives we will be sure to Skype, facetime, and send way too many pictures via facebook and email.  I look forward to bringing our son up to the North Country to visit with his northern counterparts as well as visits from grandparents to see their daughter and grandson.  As for me, I'm just glad I didn't jump out of the car before that first meeting!