My First Christmas As A Dad
As I write this, I’m wearing elf pajamas.
It hit me this morning that I am and will likely always be, that dad. The one that wears ridiculous things during the holidays just to get a smile from my little dude. Maybe I’ll put so many lights on our house next year we’ll have to change our last name to Griswold.
I’m ok with all of this.
My family and I live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and there really hasn’t been snow here for the last few years during December — let alone on Christmas. Today was my four-month-old, Kai’s first Christmas and it snowed. I hear that’s good luck. And there is something magical about the experience of a white Christmas.
I don’t think we use that word often enough or look for it often enough as we go through our daily lives — magic. It sounds more than cliche to say something like, “there is so much magic everywhere and every day.”
But it’s true.
I really came to see all of the magic around me when Kai was born. I mean it was nine months of watching my wife be the sickest she’s ever been while at the same time seeing her belly get bigger each week with a growing little life inside it. Hearing his heartbeat the first time changed me but when they held up a screaming baby in the delivery room, that was magic.
After a few weeks, he started opening his eyes more and noticing things — magic.
Then he started to smile and the joy that his smile brings is absolutely nothing short of — magic.
Next, he learned how to laugh. In fact, he often laughs so hard that he shits himself — magic. Smelly magic, but still magic.
The greatest joy that I’ve ever experienced in my life has been making Kai smile and making him laugh. In fact, I wrote this song, and at the end, we used sound clips of him laughing, and again it’s — magic.
And honestly, if this face doesn’t say magic, I don’t know what does:
So, I want to encourage you on this December 25th, 2020, to find all the magic that is around you. It’s in smiles, laughter, and it’s even in tears.
Oh and here’s a picture of me doing whatever I can to get all the magic I can out of Kai:
Merry Christmas!
