An open letter to my son - Part 1

Good morning Bennett.

This last year I've been an active father but an absentee blogger.  I originally created this blog for a few reasons:
1) To get me focused on being a father when I was overwhelmed with starting the business
2) To serve as a bit of a baby book.  As you age you may occasionally use this blog to "take a walk down memory lane."
3) To allow me to teach you lessons now that will mean much more to you later in your life.

I woke up this morning realizing that as of today I have lived 38 years.  I have experienced 13,879 of these mornings (I was going to say that I've woken up 13,879 times . . . but there are some studying or partying all-nighters in college that throw off the "wake-up" math).

With tomorrow being my birthday, I woke up reflective.  What have I accomplished in these 38 years?  What am I proud of?  What am I not so proud of?  What should I commit to accomplishing in the next 38 years?

Then, I heard you rustling downstairs . . . ready to wake up yourself (for your 839th morning).  My thoughts immediately turned to you.  From all I've seen and done these past 13,878 days, you are what I am MOST proud of.

I want to spend the next 38 days writing this letter to you.  It will contain 38 lessons that have taken me all of 38 years to learn.  Understanding and valuing these lessons certainly does not mean I've mastered them . . . far from it.  Oftentimes mastery is a never ending quest.  Nonetheless, I'd like to get these thoughts down here so that they are ready for you when you are ready for them.  As the Buddhists say, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."

Bennett's First Attempt at Neil Young's "Heart of Gold"

One dad's unique perspective

Broken Bow

- This morning I was sitting in the kitchen having breakfast.  Bennett came around the corner with a proud smile on his face and said, "Hey Dad, here's your glasses!" (In baby babble, of course).  He had part of them in each hand.  (His thinking: two are better than one)  (My thinking:  an optimist thinks these glasses are half fixed, but they really look half broken to me).  Bennett must of known that he had to break them this month  . . . while they're still under warranty.
-  You've seen his dance moves before.  But have you ever seen him get funky on the dance floor?:

-   Watching music videos of Elmo have become a daily routine for Bennett and I.  You should have seen my jaw hit the floor when Bennett said "Ah-Choo" right on cue when the duck sneezed. (45 seconds in on the video below)  I could not believe it!  So, I replayed it again with Karah in the room.  Sure enough, "ah-choo" right on cue!  He's got the stinkin' song memorized:

Rock & Roll

Rock

&

Roll

Up

• Bennett is always bringing me books to read (My First Farm, Dr. Seuss, etc.).  Tonight he had an unusual request.  He wanted to crawl up in my lap with this bit of nonfiction (a sommelier in the making???):

• Monday Night Football was on TV tonight (yes on a Thursday.  Don't ask me.  Direct your questions to ESPN HQ Bristol, Connecticut).  Bennett spontaneously signaled "Touchdown" with both hands in the air.  Now, there wasn't really a touchdown . . . but I was impressed nonetheless.  
• I queued up some music on my iphone when I was giving Bennett a bath tonight.  Suddenly bath time turned into dance party (him, not me.)  Very funny. 
• Bennett's first deliberate word is "Up".  He uses it early and often.  He also seems to be a master climber of furniture and whatnot.  Coincidence?  I think not.  He may have been meant to grow up in the mountains (baby with an altitude).  
• Bennett loves chasing Brux around the living room.  Oftentimes Brux either doesn't know he's being chased or is completely disinterested in the game.  Bennett laughs hysterically regardless.  
• Some random summer photos:

We got Bennett a hot tub.  (easy on the hot, heavy on the tub)

Cheeser (the "S" stands for salesman)

"Hank, I'm about to give you a knuckle sandwich"

They call me the fireman, that's my name.
Making my rounds all over town, putting out old flames. 

Courage