Fatherhood

This morning was unusual. Patrick woke at three in the morning and was still up and about when I got up for work at five. While there was nothing unusual to this point, having him join me in the bathroom as I got ready for my work day was ... I was closing the door and turning on the lights, when the door opened back up and there stood my son. He joined me. I put him on the counter with his feet in the sink while we brushed our teeth. I left him to his mother as I got into the shower. Patrick quickly opened the door to the shower. "Patrick, Papa's going to get cold in there," his mother intoned. I told her that it was warm enough in the bathroom. No water was splashing out, so I had few concerns. I passed toys to Patrick, only to have them thrown back at me. All fun and games! Then, he wandered off for a few seconds ... and the toilet flushed. So much for a warm shower! All in fun. What an amazing way to start the day ...

Patrick enjoys water ... in a glass, in a bottle, in a sports bottle, frozen (ice pops), in a bathtub, in a toilet, in a sink, in a plastic pool, from the hose, in a regular pool, in a lake, and in the ocean. Someday, the sound of water will drive other urges, but for now it's goo enough that he simply enjoys water. Amazingly, after only four days of walking ... he had already gotten his sea legs.  Walking on the rocking deck of a boat was no issue at all. Water in a glass ... using his tongue to reach down in, with half of it down his front ... can't forget cleaning his hands in the water glass before he tries to get a drink (quite an event). Water in a bottle ... drawing from it until the nipple caves in (oh yeah, and only one type of bottle will do, we know the difference). Water in a sports bottle ... just like grandma's (he'll take hers if his is not nearby, even though it's lemonade). Frozen as an Ice Pop ... great for irritated teeth, getting us a...