Week 17 - Squeals of delight

Week 17 Picture

I can understand why some people choose not to have kids. They are a ton of work, they require you to sacrifice your sleep, your free time, and your money. In no time at all, they have a tendency to dominate almost every aspect of your day-to-day life. Before Jay was born, I think I underestimated how truly difficult it would become to do something as simple as going out to a nice dinner, catch a movie, or grab a quick drink with a friend.

That being said, I'm ridiculously happy to be Jay's dad and I would not have it any other way. It's one of those things that is really hard to put into words. Kimbre and I spent yesterday morning lying in bed enjoying the lazy pace of a beautiful Saturday morning, talking with each other while listening to baby Jay in the living room squealing and squeeching at his toys, not a care in the world. I can honestly say it was one of the happiest moments in my life - a life that has been blessed with many happy moments.

Every day Jay becomes more and more curious. The joy with which he approaches the novelty that fills his life provides me with an incredible sense of optimism and peace. A few days ago, Kimbre bought him a second-hand bouncer off of 405 resale that lights up and plays music whenever it bounces. Unfortunately, the poor little guy is 95% torso, so his stubby little legs were too short to reach the ground, even on the lowest setting. As a quick fix, we stuck a pillow underneath his feet so he could get a foothold and he took to it right away. He must have spent a full hour throwing his body all over the place, screaming with delight. I probably could have spent the whole night just watching him.

Adding to our joy, my mom's surgery went as well as we could have possibly hoped. The tumor was removed and was found to be benign. She was even released from the hospital ahead of schedule. These are happy days. I know that they won't all be this happy, so I'm doing my best to stop and enjoy it.