Tuesday, April 9, 2013

We Survived the First Year

and Theron did too.

A letter from Daddy to Theron Drake...

Dude,

We may have not won any style points in this first year, but we earned a lot of points for difficulty.  Now, please keep in mind that I'm not saying that you were the toughest kid to raise through the first year or the only kid with reflux, but you have been the toughest experience of my life throughout this past year.  I am not ashamed to quote a parent from student-teacher conferences at my school, "I love Christopher, but I don't like him."  That's how I felt about you sometimes during this summer.  Luckily, you have grown out of this summer and you have become a very mellow, relaxed, easy-going young scholar.  I'm going to save that sentence and see if that applies to you on your 2nd birthday, because it is not you at 1-year old.

Here is how I spin your Theron-ness into a positive: you are very driven and headstrong.  I also hope you make a lot of money because you are going to drive me and your mother into a mental institution.  I do want you to know that I will help foster this attitude because I believe this will make you into a "world changer".  The risk I run is that a "world changer" can be both positive or a negative.  Being a history teacher I have seen many a good and bad "world changer" and now I think your path is still a crapshoot.  Fingers crossed.  Aside from your health issues, the main issue that made you a struggle is that your brain has always been ahead of your body in the sense that you want to be able to do things that you are not capable of doing.  You were mad when you couldn't sit up by yourself, when you couldn't stand, when you couldn't crawl (your own doing to some degree), when you couldn't walk, when you couldn't spell, when you couldn't ride your bike, when you couldn't drive a car, when you couldn't do your Calculus homework, when you couldn't get your Doctorate in only 6 months, when you couldn't get Congress to pass the laws you wanted, when you...

Instead of running down your monthly milestones which I failed to document on this blog, major deduction of dad points, for sure, here is where we are at with you:

Crawling: Not so much

Standing: Eventually





Assisted walking: Nailed it

Pushcarting: Look, ma, 1 hand

Shopping Carting: Look, ma, no concept of other people's time

Tractoring: Even as a hipster

Real tractoring: You betcha


Pushcarting + Tractoring: Look, ma, no socks

John Deere Gatoring: With a little help from my Aunty

Independent Walking: Love it

Kicking: Ballin'

Cheesing: He get it from his momma

Cheesing: He get it from his momma

Sleeping: At least right now

Pianoing: Theron van Beethoven of his generation

Clapping: Uh...something like that


Chauffeuring: Future career

Telemarketing: Future career


Modeling: Not a future career

Shopping: More baby in basket, less items to buy in basket (we're in it together)

Vacuuming: Don't trust that thing

Balance Beaming: Look, ma, 1 foot

Pitifulling: Master

This-ing: I guess

 Sledding: Look, ma, no frostbite

Dining: In his defense, I was quite boring this particular evening

Hugging: Awwww

Teeth having: Can you tell?

Teething: He's not tasting his fingers

With all apologies to every other person in my life, there has never been a person that has caused me to feel so many different emotions, so strongly, so often.  I adore your entire existence from your fussy "Theron Days" (as we call them) to your Theron Smiles, to your Theron glares.  You are my Dude, you are my life.

Full disclosure, I didn't want to write this because by writing this it means you are getting older.  I don't want you to get older.  That's not saying I won't love the 2-year old Theron, but right now I only know the 1-year old Theron and he is my soul.  Thanks, Duder, for being my Duder, even on those days that I didn't really like you.  I suppose you could use the whole "I had reflux and I was in pain and discomfort and I didn't know how to express myself" as an excuse.  Valid point.  But what you see below was what it was like for all of us.


But I won't end on that, because that was then, and as one of my favorite songs states, "When I think about the future and past, well the present it goes by so fast."  

I've loved this past year from this:

to this:

and I know that I will love the future years.

By the way, your mom is kinda crazy about you too (I'm sure you feel the same, contrary to this expression).

Love,

Dad

16 comments:

Latoya said...

this is amazing. I loved it. It put a smile on my face. He will look back on this and love it.

Jenny said...

Happy Birthday Theron!

Ok, I feel like I might have the girl version of your baby, especially in terms of baby difficultness. I have sympathized with you guys SO much while reading your posts this past year!
I have to know, did he ever crawl? My Ruby is 11 months and STILL doesn't. Perhaps she should just move on to walking and tractoring like Theron...
Good job on the first year of baby-wrangling. I look forward to seeing more of that little guy!

Nancy E. J. said...

I just love this so much! Just the sweetest and honest expression of love.

Congratulations on making it through the year! Now, have a beer/glass of wine/sippy of milk to celebrate!

I love that little belly in his hipster tractor-ing photo. The cutest!

LifeBegins@Thirty said...

Wonderful post! Happy birthday Theron!!

All of the pictures were so funny and cute, but watching that video made me instantly burst into tears because I SO FEEL YOU.

Case and point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AyYO3TSp6M

Honestly, I feel like I have PTSD because my reaction to your video was so strong.

Do you think back and forget how bad it was? Did the good make the bad go away?

You two have done a GREAT job.

Lindsay said...

such a sweet & heartfelt post. one day Theron will cherish these. Happy Birthday little guy!

Kim @ NewlyWoodwards said...

Wow. I can't believe it's been a year. And you two have done an amazing job. It's hard to understand the difference between love and like. But these babies show it to us, dot they. Thanks do sharing this with so much honesty. I love the modeling reference.

Kim @ NewlyWoodwards said...

Thank you so much for sharing this. It was so honest and also so stinking funny. You have a gift with words, Dave. I don't think I could understand how different like and love were until I had Henry. You put it so well. And you two are such amazing parents so I know T will be doing great things in his life.

Heather said...

Too cute and funny! Ellie just exited reflux at 4 months thank goodness, but forget tummy time, not on her time lol. Oh and people keep telling me the upside of changing her diaper every 15 minutes is that she has good kidneys and she will be easy to potty train. All the same...they are life changers in a good way despite the parenting pains!

Heather said...

Too cute and funny! Ellie just exited reflux at 4 months thank goodness, but forget tummy time, not on her time lol. Oh and people keep telling me the upside of changing her diaper every 15 minutes is that she has good kidneys and she will be easy to potty train. All the same...they are life changers in a good way despite the parenting pains!

Freckles Chick said...

This made me laugh so hard & cry so ugly. Seriously, I feel like I've watched my nephew grow up, love him that much.

That video clip hit it home with me how truly trying those early months were for you guys (& that was only a few secs!!). And I thought I had a hard time bonding w/ MY kid....y'all are saints. But he sure is worth it now though. ;)

Bravo, you two, for being amazing parents. Happiest of birthdays, Theron Drake!!

xoxo

Freckles Chick said...

P.S. I believe strong-willed, spirited, stubborn babies grow up to be great heroes. =] At least that's what I keep telling myself.

Sara @ Russet Street Reno said...

It's so hard, so hard. He turned out adorable and everyone lived! I cannot wait for Ashford to start walking, it should be any day now. Happy birthday, Theron!

Mrs. Limestone said...

I love the letter. I don't even want to think about how fast this year will fly by for my baby.

Despite any trouble he may have caused he is absolutely gorgeous! You have a heartbreaker on your hands for sure.

Happy Birthday little guy.

Mrs. Limestone said...

I love the letter. I don't even want to think about how fast this year will fly by for my baby.

Despite any trouble he may have caused he is absolutely gorgeous! You have a heartbreaker on your hands for sure.

Happy Birthday little guy.

Chris | Team Sea-Squared said...

Did I have tears in my eyes reading this? You bet I did!

Happy Birthday little T. And congrats mom & dad on surviving the first year. You have such a handsome little boy. His smile is contagious.

xoxo

Anonymous said...

I cried, i have aƱos 11 month old boy, and he doest crawl either, its been a challenge this year, but mine have a heart condition, and he needs surgery, and is also a very difficoult baby, cherish what you have, i do to ( sorry for the english, its not my native language)

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