Sending Her

H, tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I realized something today.

I had not got mom a present.

(We don’t usually do much, maybe one or two small gifts, if anything.)

But I remembered today that she had asked for a jar of chocolate covered almonds from Costco.

You rode with me to get them.

when we got to the store we were both walking around holding hands and being totally silly.

Every other thing we passed I would point at and ask if we should get it for mom.

We even stopped at the jewelry counter and marveled at the expensive ones.

We kept going like that, holding hands and laughing and pointing and asking when you suddenly stopped in the isle and dropped a precocious truth bomb on me.

You said:

Dad! Mom doesn’t need that for Christmas. She just needs to be loved!

She need a break.

Dad, we should be sending her on a vacation.

😳

I mean, you could not be more right.

Getting her to willingly spend time away from her babies might be near impossible…

But you are 100% right: Just love a girl and give her a break every now and then.

We did get her the almonds so she has something to unwrap the day after tomorrow.

I love you.

-Dad

Snuggliest Girl

K, tonight you were the snuggliest girl in the universe.

Mom and I got you girls to bed, ordered Chinese fake-out, and sat up late watching The Family Stone.

Of course by 11, K, you were awake – up – and headed to our room to sneak into our bed.

We were still awake though and you were in the snuggliest of moods.

You and I talked and snuggled and showered each other in kisses and compliments while mom took a shower.

At one point you declared me the greatest dad in the universe.

When I asked how one becomes that you said:

That’s easy. You just have to do two things. Love your girl. And catch frogs.

I told you I was worried I might not be the best frog catcher, and you said:

That part is easy too. You get a net. You put some food in the net. Frogs like insects. You put the food toward the bottom and then tilt the net up a little. Then when a frog jumps in, “Snap!” you’re done.

Had to write this all down before I forgot.

Frogs beware.

I love you forever.

-Dad

Feel Awful

Well, this weekend was rough.

Ugh. Today was rough too.

T, you are sick as a dog.

You started throwing up just before church on Sunday, and literally threw up off and on all day.

You had an ear infection, a fever, and (I am convinced) maybe a virus too.

You just want to be held.

Mom held you on Sunday morning while I took H and K to church. And then in the afternoon, I held you while mom and Leandra took Hannah, H, and K to the movies.

At least you stopped throwing up Sunday night.

Gramms held you today while mom and I went to H and K’s Christmas parties.

But you can tell that you still feel awful.

I can’t imagine how dehydrated you got there for a bit…

Your fussing again now, so I better go get you. Hope it’s not a long night!

I love you.

-Dad