Ta ta for now

Dear Scooter Baby, 

This will be the last entry in the "Dear Scooter Baby" series though subsequent sequel blogs such as "Dear Scooter Toddler", "Dear Scooter Little Boy", "Dear Scooter Big Boy" and "Dear Scooter 2: Electric Boogaloo" may follow. The reason that this entry will conclude the current incarnation of the Scooter Blog is because I would like to put these posts together as a little book for your future reading as, with the uncertainty and possible corruption of digital materials, I do not want to run the risk of losing my love letters to my beautiful boy (see Figure 1).

Fig 1. My beautiful boy

You will soon be four months old and, while it amazingly doesn't seem to be the case as of present, I presume time will fly far quicker than your mother and I would like. You are better than we imagined you could be and your smiles and laughs warm our hearts to no end. You are growing quickly and we hope that you are as happy and comfortable as you look. Mom and I can't imagine a world without our baby. We celebrate each of your milestones like the proud parents that we are and look forward to all that the future holds. 
 

"Oh, am I in your spot, Dad? Mom said it was okay"

I hope you enjoy reading about what your mother and I were thinking and doing during your mother's pregnancy with you. I like to think that it will provide you some insight on your journey towards manhood but, more realistically, I hope it is yet another example that shows you how much your mother and I love you.

Until we write again, love,

Dad

Welcome home!

Dear Will, 

After our five day stay in the hospital (St. Vincent's Resort and Casino as the Hadley Moynihans refer to it), we were given the green light to take you home on April 5th! We gathered our stuff together while the nurses and doctors did final checks on you and Mom, I took a load of stuff out to the car and then we put you in your adorable "coming home" outfit. You started screaming from the moment we changed you to the moment we got you out of the room owing to discomfort with your first footed outfit and first experience in a car seat. This screaming spanned several minutes but I'm sure it was a lifetime to your mother as I had to run out of the hospital, get the car and park it near the entrance. Once I got back and was able to swing you in your carrier, however, you calmed right down and remained that way during your first car ride. Neither Mom nor I could entirely believe that we were taking you home!

Your first time on your changing table. You are also digitally indicating how many days old you were. So smart!

Once home, we settled you in bed with Mom so you could both relax while I ran myself ragged unpacking and putting everything in its right's place. We tested out your changing table about a dozen times but we couldn't tell if you liked it or not since you peed and pooped all over it. However, everything else seemed to be to your liking as you had a mostly quiet day resting on your mother or I while we stared at you lovingly. You also slept pretty well that night, only rising a couple times as Mom and I began to see a limited sleep schedule in our future. Your 2:00 am feedings were wonderful as you were so snuggly as I rocked you in your chair in your very own room. Your 2:00 am feedings after I went back to work on the other hand, not so wonderful! Your Mom continued to recover from her surgery while I couldn't sit still. I hope you do not have the obsessive compulsive disorder with which I was cursed as I was special type of exhausted when I finally laid down to sleep that night. 

Testing your new chair also known as the Fisher-Price Mom's and Dad's Backsaver

The next day your mother and I made a classic new parent mistake and allowed way too many visitors! While we love each and everyone of said visitors, it was a bit much for your mom, who was mostly bed ridden and it was a bit much for you, who was totally overstimulated. Visitors included Auntie Bunnell, Auntie Kelly, Auntie Brenna as well as Brenna's husband, Todd and 3 month old, Myles followed by Auntie Stef, Uncle PJ, Alexandria, Aurora and Amo. Kelly and Bunnell brought us lots of food and took care of Mom as did Auntie Stef while Uncle PJ and I went to do the grocery shopping. We managed to weather the visitor storm and, in truth, it was nice for me to have a hand in helping you and your mom, but I don't think we'll allow that many people to come at once again. At least not until your high school graduation.

Your lovely godmother and you in your first official portrait

On that Sunday, we kept it quiet save for a quick visit from Nana, Papa, Uncle Pat and your Great Great Uncle Bob (who is Papa's uncle and my godfather). Uncle Bob was visiting for Great Grandma's 80th birthday so stopped by to say hi. It was nice to see him and I know he liked seeing you! We had a restful remainder of the day in preparation for the following day when we made our first visit to your pediatrician, Dr. Kelliher. You did great at the doctor's office and only cried when you were stripped and put on a metal scale and then again when I jammed you into your car seat. After the doctor's appointment, you fell asleep in the car so we took a leisurely drive around Holden to let you rest. It was a beautiful day so Mom and I enjoyed the drive and talked about how wonderful you are. 

Your new play mat. As opposed to your "old" play mat which was Mom's uterus.

I was able to stay home with you and Mom until Wednesday but Grandma came to stay for Thursday and Friday to help take care of Mom and you. Mom and I feel so lucky to have you home with us and so lucky to have the wonderful network of support that our family and friends comprise. As you grow more and more alert, we hope you love our home and your room. We can't wait for all the memories that our family will share at Dempsey Junction.

Love,
Dad

Now Arriving, William James Dempsey

Dear William, 

You're finally here! William James Dempsey. At 3:13 am on April 1st, 2013, you were pulled from Mom's belly and into the world. At 9lbs, 8 oz and 21 inches long you were a big, healthy boy. So big, in fact, that you still had to be suctioned out despite Mom having a Cesarean section! Mom and her doctor had planned to do a C-section at 12:30 pm on the same day but you had other plans. Mom and I headed to the hospital the morning of the day before your planned arrival thinking that her water might have broke but we were sent home after it was determined to be a false alarm. Later that day, Mom started having contractions that became very painful so we headed to hospital again. This time we were there to stay as the doctor decided that you were coming and that we should proceed with the C-section ahead of schedule.

My two beauties

Your very brave mother was prepped for surgery and taken to the operating room while I put on scrubs and waited to join her. We both got very nervous once we were separated as everything was happening so fast and becoming so real so quickly. When Mom was finally ready for surgery they brought me into the room to sit next to her and hold her hand during the procedure. Mom was very scared and I was very scared for Mom. After about ten minutes had passed, the doctor extracted you from Mom's belly and we heard your first cries. What a set of lungs you have! The nurse took you to an incubator and a team started to clean you off, weigh and measure you, give you your shots and make sure you were okay all while Mom was being sutured up. When both you and Mom were okay, the nurse brought you over to me and I held you for the first time. Mom looked over at you and started crying tears of joy. It was the greatest moment of my life.
 

Snuggling with Mom

After Mom was ready to be wheeled to the recovery room, the nurse snuggled you up on Mom's chest and we went off to recover. You looked so content snuggling up on Mom so, of course, the nurses had to start manhandling you to try and get you to breastfeed! After you were sufficiently warm and calm, you and I went to the nursery so the nurses could check on you some more and give you a bath (which you hated!). You weren't doing anything but wriggling and crying but I could not have been a more proud father. Once you were settled, I went to check on Mom who was recovering in her room and meeting her nurse. We decided we would try to get some sleep which equated to about five minutes of closing our eyes. Then I went back to get you from the nursery so we could just stare at you and love you. 

 

You are ALWAYS so cute when you're sleeping

We were in the hospital for five days and four nights while Mom recovered from her surgery and it was confirmed that you were a healthy baby. The staff at the hospital was wonderful and so supportive, particularly the nurses. It was an excellent experience and gave us a chance to practice our newborn care skills under the watchful eyes of the nursing staff. The cot I had to sleep on was miserably uncomfortable and both Mom and I slept not at all but it was all worth it to get you into the world. Over those five days, Grandma & Grandpa, Nana & Papa, Uncle Pat, Uncle PJ, Auntie Stef & Amo and Great Grandma & Malikkah came to visit. All agreed that you are a beautiful baby (though we are all biased!). On Friday, our little family headed home but that is another story!

 

This is my favorite picture of you since you look so cute. In reality, you were merely taking a breath from your screaming fit after we stuck you in the carseat!

 

Love, love, love you,

Dad

Overdue Baby

Well, mah boy,

The big day is right around the corner. Either your mother will go into labor this weekend or you will be delivered by planned Cesarean section on Monday (April Fool's Day!). By the ultrasound technician's estimate this past Thursday, you are already 9 pounds, 6 ounces which makes you a very big boy. It is possible that you could be less or more but, due to your estimated size, your mom and her doctor decided the safest course of action would be a Cesarean section. You may recall from past posts that this involves the doctor actually cutting into your mother's abdomen and then through the uterine wall to gently ease you out. It is an amazing process that has been refined over decades so your mother and I have no doubts that all will go smoothly and we will finally get to meet you! Words cannot express now nor ever how much hearing your first cries will mean to Mom and me. 

Suit up! There's a game on April 7th.

Mom has been amazing throughout the last ten months while carrying you while you grew from the tiniest of things to a big, big baby. Every time I look at you from the day of your birth to the day of my death, I will always think of how wonderful your mother was throughout her pregnancy and how big her smile grew as each passing day brought you closer to us whenever we talked about your arrival. We are ready for you and, come what may, you will have been worth the wait (and the weight). I will state now for posterity's sake that your mother and I have NO idea what we are doing but I also will state that we'll figure it out and always strive to be the best parents we can be. You will be our world and we will treat you as such. At least until you become older and fresh in which case we will tell you that the world doesn't revolve around you! 

Soon to be the second best day of our lives

The process has not been without its ups and downs but, for the most part, it has been a joyous process. There have been disputes about what products to get you, how to arrange your room and other stuff. There have been hormonal Mom events and cranky Dad incidents. There's been stress and confusion, indecision and misunderstandings but the down times have always been overwritten by the up times. Our wonderful family and friends have showered us with baby products and your room is just wonderful and cozy. You've heard your Mom's laugh far more then her cries and cranky Dad tried his best to be cranky away from you and Mom. When everything is combined, we are confident that we are bringing you into the best place that you can be and we will make sure you never know a day without love, hugs and kisses. 

Pictured: a day without love, hugs or kisses

This won't be the last post in the Scooter Blog but it will be the last before you are born. It bears repeating what I said in the first post back in November: no matter what happens, we will always love you and that, no matter who you become, we will always want you to be you. We are already so proud of you, not for doing what billions of babies have done for time immemorial but because you represent a tangible, concrete form of your mother's and my love for each other and because of the promise that you represent. Your mother and I have been on a journey together for the last eight years and, while we've managed to navigate it mostly with success,  joy and love, we are more than happy to add another person to our party. In fact, as little as you are and as inexperienced in the ways of the world as you will be, you will do most of the leading on our family's journey over the foreseeable future. 

Mom and I will follow you wherever you may go.

Love,

A  soon to be post-natal drip and your ever loving father

Can water bend, not break?

Dear Scooter Baby,

We had our first (and hopefully last) mock delivery yesterday when Mom thought that her water had broke. Erring on the side of caution (and your safety), the doctor advised us to go to the hospital so we sprang into action. I raced (while obeying traffic laws) to Mom's work to collect her where her wonderful friend, Bree had her ready and waiting. We then raced (obeying most traffic laws) to your hospital, parked and then ran to the Admitting department. Well, more accurately, Mom waddled and I limped to the Admitting department but we made good time.

Note to Grandma, Nana and Mom: I was NOT driving like nor will I ever drive like Matthew Crawley

Once in the Admitting department, we checked in and then I got Mom settled in a chair while I went to find much needed relief in a nearby restroom. When I returned, Mom was gone! Resisting urges to immediately call the police, I sat down assuming that your mother was just using the restroom. When ten minutes had passed, I started frantically calling her phone with no response. I was just about to head down to the Labor and Delivery department to search for her when she popped out of an Admitting clerk's room to flag me down. I was most relieved though, when thinking rationally, it is very unlikely that Mom would disappear without telling me where she had gone let alone deliver you in the ten minute span she was "missing". First time father here. 

I left her in this chair for three minutes. What could possibly have gone wrong?

After being admitted, we waddle-limped down to the Labor and Delivery department to check in there. After making it through the security doors, we waited at the desk while a nurse had a personal conversation on the phone for several minutes and I started to lose my temper. Once Chatty McNurse finished her conversation she told us we were at the wrong desk so I sheepishly decided not to be unkind to her. We finally found the correct desk and checked in with a very kindly nurse.

Never pick a fight with an unknown opponent. Chatty McNurse might have been packing.

As it turned out, the nurse was a fellow Jeffersonian and lives about two minutes away from us so we chatted about Holden/Jefferson while Mom put on the piece of paper towel that doubled as a hospital gown. The nurse then hooked Mom up to a machine where we could hear your heartbeat and movements while we waited for the doctor. I must be rubbing off on your mother because her blood pressure was high from nerves (if they took mine I probably would have been clinically deceased) but she was still glowing despite her hospital garb and electrodes hanging off her. We were both very excited to listen to your heartbeat for the next twenty minutes. 

Mom's hospital gown

When the doctor came we saw that it was not Mom's doctor but this doctor was just as lovely. She talked with Mom for a bit and then checked your mother's private parts to see if, in fact, her water had broke. Unfortunately, it had not. Mom and I were very sad because we are so eager to meet you but, as I told Mom, this whole experience is like knowing that we are going to win the lottery but just not knowing when. You, of course, are the grand prize! 

WINNER! Draw your prize!

It was a good experience to know that we are ready to go once you are finally ready and we now know for certain all the things we need to do at the hospital. We were pretty sure we knew what to expect leading up to delivery but this dry run just confirmed what we did know and what we needed to know. Tomorrow will be one week until your due date. It's so hard to believe that we're no longer talking months or weeks but DAYS! You can, of course, interfere with Mom's and my tax appointment on Friday or Uncle PJ's and my fantasy baseball draft on Sunday but if you can see your way around our schedule then we'll all be very grateful. In all seriousness, it doesn't matter what else is going on in our lives as whatever day you arrive will be the greatest day of your mother's and my lives.

Love, 

Desperately Seeking Scooter

The Final Countdown

Hi buddy,

We're in the home stretch now. Just about two weeks until your due date. You could be early or you could be late but, either way, you're almost here! Mom went to the doctor last Thursday to get her lady parts checked out and check on your progress. Everything is looking good and you weigh almost eight pounds. That seems so big when thinking about you in Mom's belly but so small when thinking about you in the real world. We got some new ultrasound pictures but they are not very good because you are so cramped and crowded inside your mother's belly. We can just make out your little face in the pictures. I think you may look like your mother and, given that I am rather fond of your mother, that's alright by me! Only time will tell. 

 

Any thing titled, "The Final Countdown" must contain this picture. I'll explain when you're older

Not much else has been going on since I last wrote to you. We had another big snow storm this past Friday and our town got the most snow in Massachusetts. 24.4 inches! Fortunately, Mom procured the services of the plow guy again so my back will live to fight another day. On Saturday, Grandpa visited after teaching in Rhode Island so we had lunch with him and chatted about how soon you will be here. Then Mom and I went shopping to get all the last minute things we'll need for your arrival. We don't need to do much more for your arrival except go through the delivery process and I hear that's the easy part (Mom is going to punch me for saying that).

 

You, Mom and a whole lotta snow

We are both very anxious, eager, nervous and excited all at the same time. Neither of us have any idea of what to expect but that doesn't stop us from fantasizing about what our lives will be like with you. Your mom can't wait to be not pregnant mostly because she can't wait to hold you but also because she is tired of being pregnant! She's carrying around a lot of weight which is uncomfortable in general but she's also been experiencing heartburn and just suffered through a cold. She'll be the first to tell you that it's all worth it though. I've been doing whatever I can to help her out but I hurt my knee at soccer last night so I'm hoping it's not too bad. The ability to walk and stand is supposedly a helpful thing for a new parent.

 

Flamingos can parent on one leg but their job mostly consists of barfing in their offspring's mouth

When you are older you will learn of the wonders of the Holyoke St. Patrick's Day parade, which is this coming Sunday. We will not be in attendance this year because the tens of thousands of people who makeup the crowd will be too much for your mother (and for me if my knee doesn't heal up) but we will be going to the road race which is held the day before on Saturday. Mom's cousins, Maggie and Andrew will be running the race and it goes right past Grandma's and Grandpa's house so we will get to cheer them on! We can't wait for you to come but hopefully you will not choose Saturday as we'll be quite a ways away from the hospital. You and your pre-natal brethren tend to come when you want to come though!

 

Ten years ago, your mom was the Grand Colleen of the Holyoke parade in addition to being super cute

It's possible that between preparing for you and Uncle PJ's and my upcoming fantasy baseball draft that there won't be much time to write which means that the next entry could be celebrating your birth! It's almost time...

Love, 

Dad

You're almost here!

Dear Scooter Baby,

I apologize for neglecting your blog for the last week. Things have been busy at Dempsey Junction as we prepare for your debut. Mom is at the doctor's office right now getting her 37 week checkup so Mom and I will jointly write a post later about your progress but for now I'll just catch you up on the goings on and on goings over the last week. 

Your room is pretty much done and decorated. Both Mom and I are very happy with the results. We feel that the decor reflects our personalities both individually and as a couple; we hope, of course, that your room will help the best parts of us trickle down to you in some small way. Your crib is all cozy with its fun sheets, bed skirt and quilt. Your solar system mobile hangs above the crib in front of a fun print of the world, the latter of which seems to be everyone's favorite piece in the room. We also have a colorful ABCs print above your bookshelf (which continues to be loaded with books) and some neat animal prints above your dresser. 

 

Your wonderful rug courtesy of your O'Neill aunts and female cousins

My favorite piece (and seemingly everyone else's least favorite) is a print of a 1950s Detective Comics comic (Batman's first magazine) that shows Batman and Robin running towards the viewer with Bat Signals in the background. The colors in the print tie in the colors in the room and, of course, the print complements your Bat Signal nightlight. It is almost certainly unconventional for a newborn's nursery but we think you will love the colors when rocking in your chair with Mom or I. It also reflects your mother's and my aesthetic sensibilities. 

 

This poster makes you easily the coolest negative three week old kid on the block

Your rug finally showed up so your room is just as cozy as can be. As you know, the basement has been needing some work since the flood to reach an acceptable level of coziness and it's starting to come along. On Saturday, Grandpa showed me how to install vinyl flooring in the office so we floored the whole office (looks great) and then went to Home Depot to get supplies to put baseboard in the office and to create a means with which to move the pool table before the carpet people came. On Sunday, Uncle Pat came out to help me put up the baseboard in the office (looks great) and to move some furniture around. And, finally, the carpet people came yesterday to install the new carpet in the basement. All the furniture that was in temporary housing upstairs or in the garage is back in the basement and the downstairs, in what you may notice is a theme here, looks great. 

 

Oh, what a treat to be able to use half of our house again!

Moving the pool table was quite a feat but your two granddads made it a lot easier. Grandpa devised a plan to move the table on PVC rollers so we built skids to hold the legs and Grandpa crow barred the table up two inches at a time until we could get the rollers under. After that it was a piece of cake to move the table wherever it needed to go. Once the carpet was in, Papa helped me get the table in the right place and then we used a jack to lower it to the ground. Easier to get the table down then up!

 

Applying the same means used to build Egyptian pyramids to moving our pool table

So, as you can see, it was a busy week. No excuse for neglecting your blog but busy nonetheless. There's still work to do in the basement but everything that we felt was needed for your arrival is done so please feel free to be born whenever you're ready. 

Absence makes the heart grow fonder,

Dad

March births bring February showers

Hi my baby boy, 

This past Saturday Nana threw a "fun size" shower for your mother and I at Great Grandma's house. In attendance were the Sherry aunts and the Dempsey aunts (sans Laura) as well as my cousin Kevin's wife, Terry, my cousins Emma and Malikkah, and Malikkah's beautiful daughter, Alanna. Great Grandpa was there as well but he was hiding in his bedroom while watching golf. Nana, Aunt Dree, Aunt Janice and Great Grandma made some delicious treats and wonderful decorations for the party. A good time was had by all!

The centerpiece and pacifier decorations created by your crafty Nana

Your mom and I received many nice outfits, books, toys and baby supplies on your behalf and we now have almost everything we need for your arrival. A particular favorite of mine were the Batman and Joker toys we received from both Aunt Dree and the Dempsey Aunts & Malikkah. We returned one set and got a set of Batgirl and Wonder Woman toys; it is never too early to learn about gender equality. Great Grandma and Great Great Grandma made some lovely knitted/crotchet outfits in which Mom and I are fairly certain you will look adorable plus some cozy blankets for you as well. We got lots of baby supplies to keep you clean and happy each day and some fun books & toys as well. 

Me, Mom and Malikkah

After everyone was full of food and the gifts had been opened, Mom, Nana, Emma and I went to Babies 'R' Us to return some duplicate items that we had received over recent weeks. We were then able to pick up some remaining items from your baby registry like bathing supplies and some outfits and, most importantly, the Batmobile toy for your little Batman figures. It's never to early to learn about fighting crime and stylish rides. At this point your poor mother was fading but she had enough energy for the four of us to go to Wegman's. Wegman's is the world's coolest supermarket and the place is huge. There really isn't much the place doesn't have so we all got treats and we even got you a book!

Next stop: ADVENTURE! I mean Wegman's and then ADVENTURE!

Perhaps one of the nicest surprises was a gift we received in absentia from one of Nana's childhood friends, Paula: a book titled "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel". This book was a favorite of mine when I was little and it was also a favorite of Papa's when he was little. Papa had been searching his and Nana's house for a copy of the book but had no luck (he did find about a million other great books that currently call your bookshelf home). It was one of the random things in life that suggest an interconnected universe and made both your Papa and I smile. I'm sure it will be a favorite of yours as well. 

Spoiler alert: Mike Mulligan has a steam shovel

As you've been reading repeatedly through the Scooter blog, everyone that your mother and I know and love is so excited about your arrival and can't wait to meet you. We can't wait to see you in your little outfits, watch you play with your toys and read you stories. There is a Scooter Baby sized hole in Mom's and my lives and we can't wait for you to fill it!

Love, 

Bat-Dad

A winter shower

Hey buddy boy, 

This past Sunday was your mom's "big" shower (with the fun size shower to follow this Saturday at Great Grandma's) and, despite the postponement due to weather, was a great success. Your mother had a wonderful time and received many beautiful things on your behalf from our lovely friends and family. Aurora was in rare form as she showed off each gift Mom unwrapped but did not let anyone really see or hold anything. It was not show and tell after all. Or at least that's what she told Grandma. 
 

Your beautiful mother and grandmother. Both bursting with joy, one nearly bursting with baby

 The venue was Johnny's Tap Room at the Village Commons in South Hadley and the food was excellent (at least that's my guess judging by the fifty meatballs I have eaten as leftovers over the last three days). After the food and general merriment, Mom opened many gifts given generously by our loved ones. I was scheduled to arrive after the gifts were reviewed and displayed so that I could pack up the car with your plunder but ended arriving far too early so I can testify that your mother looked like a kid on Christmas as she opened gifts. Everything ranging from toys to books to clothes to furniture to pacifiers. Our friends and family are most generous and both your mother and I feel extremely grateful. 

Your mother's right hand woman, Uncle Aunt Toddy

After a visit to see Amo, Mom and I headed home, unloaded the car and promptly fell asleep for the night. The next morning was President's Day (a Monday off from work!) so we were able to unpack your new stuff and enjoy it all over again. Some stuff was setup in your room, some stuff washed and folded, and some stuff stored in the attic until you are old enough to enjoy it. Your mother cannot stop snickering when she looks at your 0-3 months clothes since they are so little. Hard to imagine our little baby will soon be wearing those little clothes. 

Your solar system mobile was hung o'er the bed with care, in hopes that the print that goes in the frame behind it would soon be there

There's still work to do but the house is almost ready for you. And there's still mental preparing to do but we're almost ready for you too! You will be well clothed, well read and well loved in your comfortable little room.

Showering you with love,

Dad

Toys in the Attic

Dear Scooter Baby,

Your mother's delayed baby shower will occur this weekend with the end result that we will inevitably (and gratefully!) be deluged with baby products for every aspect of baby rearing. Of particular note will be the toys and playthings that we will receive on your behalf. This got me thinking about the toys with which I played as I grew up and how different or similar they were in comparison with the toys of today. 

So, let's take a walk down memory lane with my old toys playing the unlikely role of biographer. 

It seems that all babies opt for the wooden spoon or plastic bowl from the kitchen in lieu of the more expensive toys at times and I am sure that I was much the same. However, here are those marketable toys I remember loving at a very young age:

-Weebles: I don't know if Weebles are still in existence these days but their claim to fame was that they "wobble but never fall down". I proved this on countless occasions as well as the unadvertised claim that their plastic shell would not break no matter how hard or how far you threw them. From an adult perspective, these would appear to provide only minutes of fun but I am fairly certain that they keep a child entertained for a much longer period of time.

Trapped inside plastic shells, these tiny people exist only for your amusement

-Duplo: Duplo is like Lego's older brother with a glandular problem. The big Duplo pieces are conducive to easier play for young ones with the added bonus of not fitting in the mouth particularly well (unlike those delicious Legos!). Duplo was a particular favorite of mine and later a favorite of your Uncle Pat's because what you can create is limited only by your imagination (and motor dexterity when you are very young).

Despite their bright colors, these Duplo blocks are not lemon, cherry and blueberry flavored. They are dirty plastic flavored.

 -Wood blocks: Much like Duplo, playing with wooden blocks can lead from the simplest of structures to the grandest castles. It is also a lot of fun to destroy your architectural creations once you tire of the design. 

The architect of this mess was careless. Be more careful in your builds, Scooter

 -Fisher Price Little People: While little people today is one of the politically correct terms for those with dwarfism, back in my childhood it referred to small, plastic persons with no arms or legs. These Little People had many adventures in Nana's and Papa's house especially when the Little People barnyard set was thrown in. When opening the barn, a cow would "moooooooo" even when there wasn't a cow anywhere near the barn. This led the Little People to assume that the spirit of a deceased cow haunted the barn. Relocating the barn to a build site NOT on an ancient Indian burial ground did not resolve the issue. Child's play can be pretty serious sometimes. 

Not pictured: the angry souls of animals from days gone by

Once I got a little older, I transitioned many of the above play items to Uncle Pat so that he could begin his own adventures. More "manly" toys became my toys of choice and dictated all my great adventures:

-He-Man: He-Man was a mythical warrior born from a collaboration between a television company and a toy company with the sole goal of selling toys. It appears it worked as I alone had dozens of figures not to mention the countless children across the country collecting figures and play sets left, right and center. Many of the body parts of these figures are strewn under years of soil build up around Nana's and Papa's house indicating the ferocity of the battles in which they engaged. While many of the licensed figures and play sets were great fun, nothing matched the Castle Grayskull (He-Man's house) that Papa built from scratch for me one Christmas. The castle still stands against the winds of time and will be passed to you once you are old enough.

Using steroids and looking constipated is no way to go through life, He-Man

 -Star Wars: Star Wars action figures are something that I not only enjoyed as a child but something that evolved (or devolved depending on how you look at it) into a hobby as a young teenager. These action figures were the action figures that launched a new era of toys and there were hundreds of them. Every once in awhile, your Papa would hide a new figure in the attic or basement and pretend he found it for me when we'd be doing chores around the house. This led to my mistaken belief that I could find new toys around the house if I looked hard enough. Childhood can be both exciting and disappointing.

There is an action figure equivalent of literally every living (and some non-living) object that was featured in a Star Wars movie.

 -M.A.S.K.: M.A.S.K. or Mobile Armored Strike Kommand were a series of action figures and vehicles that transformed from an everyday vehicle to a death machine. My favorites were the sports car that transformed into a boat and the tractor trailer truck that transformed into a missile silo. These toys taught the important life lesson that nothing is what it seems...and it can kill you. Just kidding. It can only maim you.

This pickup truck features hydraulics, headlight machine guns, a projectile spare tire and it is AWESOME!

 -Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a toy that remained relevant from my childhood through Uncle Pat's childhood and have now been re-released for kids Aurora's age. As their name would suggest, the characters were mutated turtles of a teenage disposition trained in the ancient art of the Ninja. The Turtles were named for the great Renaissance painters Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo so as to make parents feel as if their children were becoming cultured as they forked over dollar after dollar to Toys 'R' Us. 

Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo and --having forgotten his belt-- an embarrassed Leonardo

It would warm my heart if these toys continue in various incarnations throughout your childhood or if you pull out my old toys (but let's go ahead and disinfect them first) to make them your own but if you've got an imagination like mine then you'll have great adventures with whatever toys you choose. If you have an imagination like your mother then you'll play office or library. I'm not saying one's better than the other but don't forget that awesome pickup truck with guns! 

Your ability to play and imagine seems to disappear as time goes by but both your mother and I are looking forward to turning back our clocks to play with you, your toys and your imagination.

Love,

He-Dad