No Tree!!!

As has been our normal Sunday tradition, a few weeks ago we ate out for Sunday lunch after church. (At one of Dad's favorites, Quigleys.)

Mom orders the same thing every time we're there, a blackened tuna dish with wasabi mashed potatoes. It comes with spinach, but normally she substitutes steamed veggies for the spinach.

While dining, mom offers Smith some of her veggies. Innocently, she says, "Do you want a tree?" (i.e., broccoli).

Smith lights up and gets very excited. So she hands him the piece of broccoli, to which he promptly throws it back at her and begins screaming and crying "No Tree...No Tree." (You see, he's used to us saying "Do you want a treat?" and then getting something awesome like a cupcake or ice cream. Apparently, he heard treat when mom said tree!)

It was certainly one of those parenting moments that we were so damn tickled at the boy, but had to be firm and say "You don't throw your food." But we still giggle about it.

Facebook Catchup

The beauty of Facebook is that it allows for instant sharing of photos and ideas when they happen.

Unfortunately, this also means that this blog takes a hit at times, because rather than posting pictures here, they just get posted to Facebook.

This post is meant to overcome that shortcoming, and collect the best of the Facebook photos and put them on the blog for posterity sake - it can also serve as a little memory lane.

This picture was taken in the fall of 2009, just after we'd moved to Pawleys. Krissee had gone to Bilo to procure snacks for the first USC game, and the children were decked out. They're still known at Bilo as the "Gamecock Twins."

Smith and addison shop with Dad for Mom's birthday dinner in 2010.

Smith test's his bounds with what he's allowed to touch when he's in Addison's crib.

Playing at the now defunct play area at the Inlet Square mall. This was a great place to take the kids during the winter and I hate that their renovations didn't include keeping this area up.

Addison trying on her godfather Scott's boots.

The title of this photo facebook was "Get out of my dreams." My friend Jon then commented "Get into my crocs."

Beach Love.

Smith and addison paint a pumpkin for Halloween.

Do these boots make me look fat?

Godparents Adam and Haley came to visit us, and we had a boys day out in Georgetown. (Jack is also Krissee and my godchild, so there is lots of cross-god-childing going on).

Yummy watermelon.

Helping Mom cook.

Family night at Frank's outback.

Twin Day!

Addison, in the ER on Christmas morning. (She just had some trouble breathing that morning - everything was ok!)

Staring at the winter wonderland.

At the zoo, a LONG time ago.

I am no superman

We've really tried to keep things even on this blog to date: Mention Smith, mention Addison. That will continue, but they are two distinct individuals, with unique personalities, wants, and demeanors. As such, the one size fits all blog posts may not be the best approach and we'll try to make sure all are equally represented.

With that out of the way, my first entry (yes, Its an awkward plural to singular shift, but appropriate!) is regarding  my little girl, Addison. She's definitely what one might call a Daddy's girl. More appropriately, her father might be called a sucker for his daughter.

Regardless of what the true moniker is, Addison loves her daddy, and her Daddy loves his daughter. Please don't misinterpret, I love my son Smith more than words can express. But Addison is my daughter. Whether its PC or not, she's my little girl and its my dutyto be her dad.

The only problem with this, is her eyes....The way she looks at me. Maybe its a father's pride, but her eyes look at me like I am a superhero. That I can fix anything. That I can make anything better. At this point in her life, I can. Smith loves me, no doubt. But he treats more like "That is a cool dude, I want to hang out with him." Addison treats me like "Dad can heal the world with a single touch."

For instance, last night, around 9:00 PM, little Miss Thang comes out to the den and lets us know thatshe's not asleep. She's obviously upset about something, and I take her (and her brother, who she brought along with her) back to bed.

After a couple of false starts, all it took for my little girl to get back to sleep was for me to sit there with my hand on her chest. After ten minutes, baby girl was back dreaming of ponies and mansions.

Sadly, I realized pretty quickly, the days where Dad's hand is the fix-it are going to end. Some day, I won't be the superhero she see's me as. Someday, they're will be something I can't fix. I hate it. I hate the idea of her hurting. I hate the idea that Dad won't be able to come through one day. The harsh reality of life is that it'll happen. But when it does, I want my little girl to know that I love her, and I'll always let her fall asleep with my hand on her chest - that's something her husband will just have to be OK with.

Our House (part 2)

So remember way back like 2 years ago we were selling our house?

Well, we closed on it yesterday. Dad drove to Columbia to sign the papers and take one last walk around the house we called home for a number of years. Memories of our life there got the best of me (its where we came home to after our wedding - we brought Smith and Addison home there, etc.). But at the end of the day, our family is better, stronger, and happier to be together.

Here's to all the great memories, previous house! I reminded myself multiple times that a house just brick and drywall, our real home is where we are!