Dear Munchkin,

This week has flown by. You, Mommy, Clementine and I have been on at least one outing a day and had a guest once a day as well who have wanted to meet you. You are nearing the first month of life, which means some things might settle down (feedings and poopings) but other things will start to ramp up (how much you eat and how much you cry 🙁 ). Last night was one of our best….you nursed about every three hours, and didn’t take much coaxing/swaying/shhing to get back to sleep. In fact, about 10:30 last night, Mommy swaddled you and said, “Go to sleep, kid.” And you did. It was immediately after you got your dose of Mommy’s leche, which puts you in a highly suggestive state, but it worked.

Today, though, during the day, you made up for it. Oh well, you’re a baby.

Here are some images of your visitors this week:

We are so fortunate to have friends and family as great support. You are loved, Little Button.

Here are 3 dreams I’ve had in the last several days.

1. I was in a swimming pool at a high school practice. Jordan, a student of mine, was commenting that he was prepared to cheat during the practice because it was a “speed day.” I wanted to talk him out of it, but knew that because he was a kid who questioned me often in class, I probably wouldn’t be able to convince him to swim the distance.

2. I was in a large banquet room with tables and chairs for a group of 25+ arranged in the round. The discussion was about organized crime. At first I was a listener, but after some comments from attendees, they turned to me and confronted me on being in the crime ring. I wanted to back out, but I couldn’t leave the room. I fell over backwards on my chair.

3. I was at an outdooor go-kart place on my own kart racing the others on the track. It was exciting; I was hugging the turns, passing younger kids, and earning some good respect. There were some times when I got bumped out of my seat and had to hold on to the bumper, which was painful because the track was made of gravel.

Interpretation: In all of these dreams, there are things I can control and things I can’t. I think that is what I’m dealing with these days……I have lots of time and am grateful for the paternity leave, but my schedule is dictated by my newborn daughter who only speaks in cries and silence and most of her requests are met by stabs in the dark from me and Mommy…..we don’t know what you want, but are trying the best we can. I sometimes feel helpless, but still feel in control of the bigger picture…doing WHAT I CAN to take care of you.

Here’s one of all of us….Clementine’s butt is in between me and Button.

Sometime this week I had you in my right arm and was operating the television remote in the left hand. I was bouncing you to soothe you…..after a while it worked and you fell asleep. A few minutes later, I found myself bouncing the remote in my left hand trying to put IT asleep too!

Love, Daddy