Nothing better than the running hug. The occasional times that I pick my daughter up from preschool and she's out on the playground set that up really well.
My daughters have never seen dirty dancing but they insist on recreating the running jump into my arms the second I get home from work. When the oldest was born, I decided to get back into the gym so I would be able to pick her up as she got bigger. For now, I can still do it but they're starting to reach a point where I'm not so sure it's gonna happen. Still, I love it and will gladly do it until we collapse in a pile of failure at the door.
The running hug is amazing. My daughter makes it a routine in the afternoon as she comes running down the hallway and jumps into my arms. On bad days, she goes "Daddy up" then melts in my arms.
My youngest's most recent habit is coming home from school, heading straight to my workstation, and resting her head on my shoulder. No matter what project I'm working on in that moment, it can wait.
So true. When we were COVID childcare nomads, my daughter would slip past the grandparents and find her way to our work areas and I cannot tell you how many calls or emails went unanswered during those precious times.
She brought him an apology note and a souvenir from Brazil last night. Got stuck in thunderstorms coming back from a big score involving a Giant Armadillo. Did you know they’re the land mammal with the most teeth?
Listen, we're already talking about a magical sprite who sneaks into your house late at night to collect teeth for [reasons unclear]. The disturbing train left the station hours ago.
When I was applying to law schools, my theoretically well meaning but utterly insane mother wanted me to attach my childhood teeth that she still had to the applications, as evidence that I'd give my eyeteeth to attend.
Man, I felt this one in my bones. The tooth fairy missed two nights in a row with the last tooth and we told them that there are a lot more kids than there used to be and sometimes she has to quarantine because of Covid so sometimes she gets behind. She's just making sure she is doing her job safely.
Today will be Day 3 of having my kids home sick from school and we've gone through everything you mentioned plus fighting them to take their medicine. Never thought I would be happy to see to positive Strep test results. I now much more appreciate an actual diagnosis and antibiotics than a nebulous, "it's a virus, just treat with fever reducers, rest, and plenty of fluids so who knows when they'll get better and can go back to school."
big win in this category was when my oldest lost (in the most literal sense) a tooth at a friend's party at a community pool. The next morning he woke to a note that the tooth fairy found his tooth in the pool filter and brought the reward to our house. He bragged about that one for years!
Kiddo's 11 1/2 months. My annoyance at her fussing at 3AM completely vanishes when I go scoop her up and get the nuzzle-into-my-chest followed by a tiny nasally sigh and oh my god now I can't put you down, that is just unfair you adorable little nugget.
FWIW, the tooth fairy has left our kids notes in the past "I heard your tooth come out before you went to bed last night, but couldn't find it when I visited. Please leave it under your pillow, I have a lot of trips to make each night!!" Between one who played with the baggie before falling asleep to another who performs dormant gymnastics, poor tooth fairy ends up on a scavenger hunt.
It's so therapeutic to read that others have rough days, too. This has been a struggle for me lately; the rough days far outweigh the good days, and it seems so counter to what everyone else either is going through or they're better at putting on the happy faces than we are. Sometimes, it's good to hear that other parents aren't perfect, that their kids drive them crazy, or just that this whole chapter is exhausting.
But then there's that day when the kids play well together, or one of them throws affection your way, and you forget all the headaches, if only for a little while.
This one made me happy. No matter how much they destroy our house or yell and cry, all of that washes away when you wind them down and they are peacefully asleep. Never fails to cause me to smile. Parenting is hard but incredibly worth it. For me, the moments of pain and difficulty tend to get drowned out by all the sweet and tender moments.
7:30pm nightly, for the past 2.75 years marks the end of shift. Hopefully she will still keep her dedication to a schedule as she gets older and the potential for siblings is in the plans. Time changes are the brutal part though. I don't understand the "free bedtime" lifestyle where the kids stay up late with the parents, but truly to each their own.
I needed a mindless movie fix the other night and watched Pacific Rim. I think every parent needs one of those big countdown clocks that resets as a reminder that bedtime is near, but also each day is precious.
I'm usually too afraid to check in on the kids after they've fallen asleep, unless I have to, for fear of waking one of them up and setting off a chain of events that keeps us all up another 3 hours, but I think I'm going to have to start because I want that moment.
My poor third child had the most unreliable tooth fairy. The tooth fairy for the oldest two left glitter behind and was always on time. My youngest waited patiently as the tooth fairy failed to come for three straight nights. :) She is seventeen now and I think she still loves me.
Very related- out of nowhere I got a running hug on Monday, for the first time in months.
I was nineteen feet tall and bulletproof the rest of the day.
Nothing better than the running hug. The occasional times that I pick my daughter up from preschool and she's out on the playground set that up really well.
My daughters have never seen dirty dancing but they insist on recreating the running jump into my arms the second I get home from work. When the oldest was born, I decided to get back into the gym so I would be able to pick her up as she got bigger. For now, I can still do it but they're starting to reach a point where I'm not so sure it's gonna happen. Still, I love it and will gladly do it until we collapse in a pile of failure at the door.
*Ryan gosling voice* I don't think I can die
The running hug is amazing. My daughter makes it a routine in the afternoon as she comes running down the hallway and jumps into my arms. On bad days, she goes "Daddy up" then melts in my arms.
My youngest's most recent habit is coming home from school, heading straight to my workstation, and resting her head on my shoulder. No matter what project I'm working on in that moment, it can wait.
So true. When we were COVID childcare nomads, my daughter would slip past the grandparents and find her way to our work areas and I cannot tell you how many calls or emails went unanswered during those precious times.
The “Daddy make it better” sploot on bad/sick days is pretty great too.
Tooth Fairy is a union job- she'd already worked her shift yesterday.
She brought him an apology note and a souvenir from Brazil last night. Got stuck in thunderstorms coming back from a big score involving a Giant Armadillo. Did you know they’re the land mammal with the most teeth?
That's incredibly disturbing. TEETH.
Listen, we're already talking about a magical sprite who sneaks into your house late at night to collect teeth for [reasons unclear]. The disturbing train left the station hours ago.
When I was applying to law schools, my theoretically well meaning but utterly insane mother wanted me to attach my childhood teeth that she still had to the applications, as evidence that I'd give my eyeteeth to attend.
I declined her suggestion. And the teeth.
In fairness to your mother, proof of insanity is a key qualification for attending law school.
and if it's not, probably should be.
I wonder who else your mom has tried to give your teeth to since that rejection.
We're gonna file that under "things I am afraid to learn."
Man, I felt this one in my bones. The tooth fairy missed two nights in a row with the last tooth and we told them that there are a lot more kids than there used to be and sometimes she has to quarantine because of Covid so sometimes she gets behind. She's just making sure she is doing her job safely.
Today will be Day 3 of having my kids home sick from school and we've gone through everything you mentioned plus fighting them to take their medicine. Never thought I would be happy to see to positive Strep test results. I now much more appreciate an actual diagnosis and antibiotics than a nebulous, "it's a virus, just treat with fever reducers, rest, and plenty of fluids so who knows when they'll get better and can go back to school."
big win in this category was when my oldest lost (in the most literal sense) a tooth at a friend's party at a community pool. The next morning he woke to a note that the tooth fairy found his tooth in the pool filter and brought the reward to our house. He bragged about that one for years!
Kiddo's 11 1/2 months. My annoyance at her fussing at 3AM completely vanishes when I go scoop her up and get the nuzzle-into-my-chest followed by a tiny nasally sigh and oh my god now I can't put you down, that is just unfair you adorable little nugget.
It's work but dadding is really the best
Nice writing. I do think you strive on chaos, as you added Olaf to the kids.
Knocked it outta the park, Scott.
FWIW, the tooth fairy has left our kids notes in the past "I heard your tooth come out before you went to bed last night, but couldn't find it when I visited. Please leave it under your pillow, I have a lot of trips to make each night!!" Between one who played with the baggie before falling asleep to another who performs dormant gymnastics, poor tooth fairy ends up on a scavenger hunt.
It's so therapeutic to read that others have rough days, too. This has been a struggle for me lately; the rough days far outweigh the good days, and it seems so counter to what everyone else either is going through or they're better at putting on the happy faces than we are. Sometimes, it's good to hear that other parents aren't perfect, that their kids drive them crazy, or just that this whole chapter is exhausting.
But then there's that day when the kids play well together, or one of them throws affection your way, and you forget all the headaches, if only for a little while.
This one made me happy. No matter how much they destroy our house or yell and cry, all of that washes away when you wind them down and they are peacefully asleep. Never fails to cause me to smile. Parenting is hard but incredibly worth it. For me, the moments of pain and difficulty tend to get drowned out by all the sweet and tender moments.
7:30pm nightly, for the past 2.75 years marks the end of shift. Hopefully she will still keep her dedication to a schedule as she gets older and the potential for siblings is in the plans. Time changes are the brutal part though. I don't understand the "free bedtime" lifestyle where the kids stay up late with the parents, but truly to each their own.
I needed a mindless movie fix the other night and watched Pacific Rim. I think every parent needs one of those big countdown clocks that resets as a reminder that bedtime is near, but also each day is precious.
I'm usually too afraid to check in on the kids after they've fallen asleep, unless I have to, for fear of waking one of them up and setting off a chain of events that keeps us all up another 3 hours, but I think I'm going to have to start because I want that moment.
My poor third child had the most unreliable tooth fairy. The tooth fairy for the oldest two left glitter behind and was always on time. My youngest waited patiently as the tooth fairy failed to come for three straight nights. :) She is seventeen now and I think she still loves me.