Thoughts from Dad

Hello, all. Thanks for stopping by. And thanks to Kiersten for working so hard to keep up with all the milestones and moments in Benjamin's life. Between work, getting ready for Israel, and everything else, I haven't had time to put in my two cents, but I've been reading every word.

What do I like about being a new dad? I think the biggest thing is having a "buddy" to laugh and play with. Seeing his face light up when he sees me brings a smile to my lips; hearing him giggle and squeal with joy makes me laugh out loud. Benjamin and I have a lot of fun together. I love to see him open his mouth wide with an expression of pure delight as I lift him over my head and do "weight lifting" with his 16 pound body. I also love it when he's on my lap looking at everything except me, and then snapping his attention on me as I start singing "Zaccheus was a wee little man..." I love to make him laugh by blowing raspberries or playing peek-a-boo.

Tonight he was laying on our bed and I was sitting with my back to him and was falling next to him, landing a couple inches from his face and making him laugh out loud. Then I stopped, turned away, and then looked at him out of the corner of my eye with a devious smile on my lips. That was all it took to get a belly laugh out of him.

I know that there's a lot more to parenting than just being a big buddy. In fact, if that's all you are to your kids, then you're doing them a disservice. But the playtimes with your kids are the times when you can communicate how much you love them and how much of a treasure they are to you. I'm glad that Benjamin laughs and enjoys playing with both his mommy and his daddy. These are precious moments, and I'm glad we're not passing them by.