So, I had a moment the other day when I was trying to get my daughter to follow directions and come by my side. We might've been at home or at the grocery store, but my voice suddenly transformed.
Did I get angry? Did I get frustrated?
Not exactly.
I seamlessly added a funny, grumbly kind of voice that mimics a character from Mortal Kombat and said, "Come here."
My tone was gravelly, rumbly, and I had a smile on my face. She smiled. And I couldn't help but laugh and she laughed and repeated my words in a gravely, rumbly, gremlin-like voice.
Yeah, I briefly questioned whether or why I would do something like that, but it just came naturally. A voice, a tone, and a smile, which turned into smiles and laughter...and now the phrase is being repeated in my household.
For the life and love I have for my family, come here!
Monday, October 13, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
Parenting 101 or 10something
In some cases, I feel like I'm going to crawl out of my skin, because I'm so worried that something will happen. Perhaps I should start by saying I'm a parent. I'm a father of two little ones; big girl is 22 months old and baby moby is two months old. So where was I?
Oh yeah, sometimes feeling like I'm going to crawl out of my skin. Let's say, as a parent, I have to move beyond that paranoid, worried, or whatever word to describe my "sometimes" OCD and helicopter-syndrome parenthood. If she falls, could I have caught her? If he spits up, could I have held him up longer? So where does this notion of moving beyond the paranoid come from?
Because sometimes, many times, I feel like a super hero. I feel like my glasses are my super powers. And perhaps that's because since big girl was younger, I would tell her to watch as dada put on his super powers. It was a way to let her adjust to a somewhat subtle change in my appearance, but with her knowing it was still dada.
What's it like to feel like a super hero? Perhaps it feels like a 30 something adult (with a bow in his hair) on all fours as his daughter tries to climb on his back. Perhaps it feels like having the perfect rocking mojo to swing baby boy to sleep. Perhaps it's knowing you can still make your wife laugh when she's had a long day. Fortunately, I have the right one by my side to help me become the parent I want to be.
I take my parenting like I approach my writing. I think I'm good, but I'll never think I'll be great or perfect. It's knowing that all I want to do is be better than I was the day before or at least be as involved as I was the day before. So I feel like I'm going to crawl out of my skin. So what.
Perhaps it's that feeling that makes me want to try so hard. Perhaps it's that feeling that makes feeling like a super hero feel so damn satisfying. All I want to do is be the best father, and essentially the best husband to a fantastic wife and mother, because I know the relationship with her will hopefully translate to my children.
So sometimes I am a super hero. As long as I always try to protect and provide and feel the need to show them how much I love them so, I will always be a super hero. And I must never forget that.
Perhaps that is lesson 101.
Oh yeah, sometimes feeling like I'm going to crawl out of my skin. Let's say, as a parent, I have to move beyond that paranoid, worried, or whatever word to describe my "sometimes" OCD and helicopter-syndrome parenthood. If she falls, could I have caught her? If he spits up, could I have held him up longer? So where does this notion of moving beyond the paranoid come from?
Because sometimes, many times, I feel like a super hero. I feel like my glasses are my super powers. And perhaps that's because since big girl was younger, I would tell her to watch as dada put on his super powers. It was a way to let her adjust to a somewhat subtle change in my appearance, but with her knowing it was still dada.
What's it like to feel like a super hero? Perhaps it feels like a 30 something adult (with a bow in his hair) on all fours as his daughter tries to climb on his back. Perhaps it feels like having the perfect rocking mojo to swing baby boy to sleep. Perhaps it's knowing you can still make your wife laugh when she's had a long day. Fortunately, I have the right one by my side to help me become the parent I want to be.
I take my parenting like I approach my writing. I think I'm good, but I'll never think I'll be great or perfect. It's knowing that all I want to do is be better than I was the day before or at least be as involved as I was the day before. So I feel like I'm going to crawl out of my skin. So what.
Perhaps it's that feeling that makes me want to try so hard. Perhaps it's that feeling that makes feeling like a super hero feel so damn satisfying. All I want to do is be the best father, and essentially the best husband to a fantastic wife and mother, because I know the relationship with her will hopefully translate to my children.
So sometimes I am a super hero. As long as I always try to protect and provide and feel the need to show them how much I love them so, I will always be a super hero. And I must never forget that.
Perhaps that is lesson 101.
Monday, June 16, 2014
+ 1
My family has increased in size. Our baby boy, "a peanut compared to our daughter" according to my wife, was ten pounds and one ounce. He was a mere three ounces shy of his big sister. This "little" guy we've nicknamed baby moby. We created nicknames for each child before they were born, so it made it easier to talk about them with our family and friends without sharing their names. Baby owl is our daughter; baby moby is our son.
Although baby owl has turned into big girl owl at 20 months old, I already wonder what baby moby will be at that age. It seems like we were traveling at warp speed during this pregnancy, with only glancing moments as we pass by each day.
We've got to feed the cat; one day. We've got to take the trash out; another day. The trash was supposed to go out last night; crap. The days, weeks, and months included room preparations, additional baby product purchases, and getting big girl ready for being a big sister and having a little brother.
It's amazing to see the differences and similarities between our two children, especially during these first two weeks. They have similar facial features, but different hair color and cries. It's a non-stop ride and I never want to get off. We're getting into a routine slowly, but he's already getting decent chunks of sleep at night.
And baby girl is doing such a wonderful job with him. She always wants to go over to him and give him a pacifier, blanket, or one of her toys. It's such a wonderful feeling to have both of them in our lives. I hold them whenever I can, I read to them whenever I can, and one day I'll chase both of them around the house. For now, I don't think he'll mind that it's just her.
Although baby owl has turned into big girl owl at 20 months old, I already wonder what baby moby will be at that age. It seems like we were traveling at warp speed during this pregnancy, with only glancing moments as we pass by each day.
We've got to feed the cat; one day. We've got to take the trash out; another day. The trash was supposed to go out last night; crap. The days, weeks, and months included room preparations, additional baby product purchases, and getting big girl ready for being a big sister and having a little brother.
It's amazing to see the differences and similarities between our two children, especially during these first two weeks. They have similar facial features, but different hair color and cries. It's a non-stop ride and I never want to get off. We're getting into a routine slowly, but he's already getting decent chunks of sleep at night.
And baby girl is doing such a wonderful job with him. She always wants to go over to him and give him a pacifier, blanket, or one of her toys. It's such a wonderful feeling to have both of them in our lives. I hold them whenever I can, I read to them whenever I can, and one day I'll chase both of them around the house. For now, I don't think he'll mind that it's just her.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
We Are One
My daughter is one. In what seems like a much shorter period, she has grown up so quickly. From the absolute dependence a small baby needs, to a roaming little baby girl that wants to already do things herself. Her nicknames are baby owl, baby girl, pretty, and any number of other names that sound cute because that's exactly what she is.
She is precious to me and my wife. She shows her love with the excitement she has when she sees us, even if it's from a short absence of our presence. I would give anything to be with her at all times, but I have come to realize things during her first year. In a sense, I am only one too.
I am a father and she is our first child. I feel a sense of helplessness sometimes, knowing I can't protect her all of the time, but always wanting to makes me feel like I'm doing everything I can to watch after her and be the best dad I can be for her. She deserves that. She deserves the best I can be for her, so she will one day realize she is worth the love and support that her mother and father have for the daughter they cherish more than anything else in this world.
This isn't about expectations. It's about the life we want for her. To be able to love like we have and to make choices like we have and to feel the wonderful responsibility of one day having her own child. Yes, that is a long time away, yet I hope time seems to slowly pass so I can love every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year.
That's what she means to me. I fear missing the time I've already missed, but know supporting a family comes at a price we all share. We must provide for the ones we love and the time away working is only a bridge where my wife and little girl are waiting on the other side. I am so fond for the end of the day, not to be done with work, but to start the day with my family.
Yesterday, our daughter slept beside me for a little while before work. It was the best Monday morning before work I've ever had in my life. It's knowing that she needed her momma and dadda a little earlier than she normally wakes up, and being able to go to her room, pick her up, and let her sleep next to us.
I hope I can provide what she needs for all time and I will strive with every effort to achieve that. It's what she deserves. It's what she will get.
She is precious to me and my wife. She shows her love with the excitement she has when she sees us, even if it's from a short absence of our presence. I would give anything to be with her at all times, but I have come to realize things during her first year. In a sense, I am only one too.
I am a father and she is our first child. I feel a sense of helplessness sometimes, knowing I can't protect her all of the time, but always wanting to makes me feel like I'm doing everything I can to watch after her and be the best dad I can be for her. She deserves that. She deserves the best I can be for her, so she will one day realize she is worth the love and support that her mother and father have for the daughter they cherish more than anything else in this world.
This isn't about expectations. It's about the life we want for her. To be able to love like we have and to make choices like we have and to feel the wonderful responsibility of one day having her own child. Yes, that is a long time away, yet I hope time seems to slowly pass so I can love every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year.
That's what she means to me. I fear missing the time I've already missed, but know supporting a family comes at a price we all share. We must provide for the ones we love and the time away working is only a bridge where my wife and little girl are waiting on the other side. I am so fond for the end of the day, not to be done with work, but to start the day with my family.
Yesterday, our daughter slept beside me for a little while before work. It was the best Monday morning before work I've ever had in my life. It's knowing that she needed her momma and dadda a little earlier than she normally wakes up, and being able to go to her room, pick her up, and let her sleep next to us.
I hope I can provide what she needs for all time and I will strive with every effort to achieve that. It's what she deserves. It's what she will get.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
A Vlog Entry for Geek & Sundry
Some of you might not know this, but I'm a writer. I've published two books, currently finalizing a third, and hope to publish two books this year. Also, I'm very interested in extending myself socially. In using my author name, S. T. Lakata, I haven't really involved too much personal information; pictures, full name, videos...you get the idea.
Well, I've become a big fan of Geek & Sundry and they are looking for vloggers. I have decided to take a chance and create a video to submit to them and was emailed today that my video is "now moving on to the Community Feedback portion of the Geek & Sundry Vlogs vlogger search!"
They are looking for feedback from June 20 to June 27. People can post comments, vote daily, and share the video with others until they narrow it down to 30 vloggers. G&S is looking for 10 lucky participants to become part of their new channel and it would be absolutely amazing to be selected.
The topic for my vlog is "A vlog to discuss future episodes and what we would like to see our children get involved with in the "geek" world." My video is out there now and please feel free to watch, share, and post comments.
I am asking everyone to go to the website below starting tomorrow. Please vote every day and post comments on why you think my video is great and why you would love to see future episodes on such an amazing topic. Don't worry, I will send reminders. Thank you in advance, because this is a big step for me and sharing a little more of me to the world.
You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel and find out about future episodes.
Geek & Sundry Vlog Entry: S. T. Lakata
Well, I've become a big fan of Geek & Sundry and they are looking for vloggers. I have decided to take a chance and create a video to submit to them and was emailed today that my video is "now moving on to the Community Feedback portion of the Geek & Sundry Vlogs vlogger search!"
They are looking for feedback from June 20 to June 27. People can post comments, vote daily, and share the video with others until they narrow it down to 30 vloggers. G&S is looking for 10 lucky participants to become part of their new channel and it would be absolutely amazing to be selected.
The topic for my vlog is "A vlog to discuss future episodes and what we would like to see our children get involved with in the "geek" world." My video is out there now and please feel free to watch, share, and post comments.
I am asking everyone to go to the website below starting tomorrow. Please vote every day and post comments on why you think my video is great and why you would love to see future episodes on such an amazing topic. Don't worry, I will send reminders. Thank you in advance, because this is a big step for me and sharing a little more of me to the world.
You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel and find out about future episodes.
Geek & Sundry Vlog Entry: S. T. Lakata
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