Our First Father's Day

This is the first part of a two part post co-written by Clark's Dad and Alejandra's Dad. | Part 2

Happy (first) Father's Day

Clark's Dad:

Today is my first Father's Day as a dad.  It is also the first Father's Day that ever meant anything to me.  My father was not around (much) when I was growing up.  He then died in a car accident before I finished high school.

I saw my dad as many times as I have fingers on my one hand.  So I've never had a father figure guide my path into manhood or fatherhood, except on TV.  I'm pretty sure that's what inspires me to be a really active father to Clark.  I guess I try to be the father to him that I always wanted.  That's also probably why I have a blog dedicated to how real life and fatherhood differs from from what you see on the screen.

This year I found myself asking for the first time, "Hey, when is Father's Day?"  I assume most people know the answer. I mean, everyone knows when Mother's Day is.   Father's day was once a reminder of what I didn't have, now it's a celebration of what I do have, my son Clark.

When I first went to write this post I grabbed Clark and figured I'd write with one hand, while the reason for the season sat on my lap.  In real life, not TV, it didn't workout like I'd pictured it.  At 8 weeks old he wasn't that interested.  He preferred to go back to sleep in his baby swing and poop his diaper.  Well, that was until he got hungry.

I warmed up a bottle of the finest breast milks (Chappelle Show reference) and changed his diaper while he waited. After I feed him he stretched out and fell asleep in my lap.  I realized you can't have a laptop and baby on your lap at the same time.  Only in the movies.

So on my first real Father's Day I'm reminded that fatherhood isn't like TV or movies: Things don't always work out the way you'd script them.  Problems aren't solved in 30 or 90 minutes.  The long lost dad character doesn't always come back for a special episode (Anyone else remember that episode of Webster w/ Ben Vereen). So in real life, be the best Dad you can be and enjoy the little moments.  Otherwise one day you might realize it's too late.

 

Happy Father's Day to all the new and the old Dads and Grandpas!  

Clark's Dad would like to Dedicate this post to my good friend of Rodney, who lost his dad and a good man this year. R.I.P. Mr. Reyes.

  |Continue to Part 2


     - Clark's Dad