Wednesday, December 5, 2007

where have 6 years gone?

I now realize why I feel so old. Well we all know this if we have children. you see we count their days as they grow and forget out our as they pass by silently. I am just coming to the realization that 6 years has past me by without blinking. I have enjoyed everyone of them. every breath, every sigh. My son has reached the age of 6 years old and I take this time to look back on that milestone with the detail and the respect it deserves.

Alex was born on a rainy Saturday morning at 10:23am ET. I know it was rainy because I had to walk outside to thank God for the health of my new family. Of course I could have done it inside the room but I needed a little fresh air to cry in private while Carme too a well deserved nap and Alex was being prepared by the nurses to lay in my arms for the first time.


I remember the event proceeding his birth and what seemingly were obstacles at the time, but there was no stopping this bright, handsome and witty child from discovering the world in front of him. I remember him saying so much to me while in his mother´s belly. And we continued the conversation as we sat quietly, me holding him, barely a few hours old, staring into one another´s eyes, each studying the other, forming a bond unbreakable.

Still to this day, I can barely contain my excitement when I see him coming around the corner from school. It´s all I can do to keep from screaming his name and running to him. he is my light and I feel hollow without my little partner in crime. Sure sometimes he takes the better part of the day to ask me "why" questions. I can still hear myself asking my mother some of the same question around my sixth birthday.

I light up when i hear him laugh. Thank you God for giving him my genes and being so incredibly ticklish. A "tickle-me-Elmo" of my own. I am blessed everyday with the ringing of him smile as it deafens me with joy.

I had to hold him still yesterday for a shot. All I wanted to do was hold him and run away from that needle. But I know it´s for his own good. I thought punching the doctor in the jaw would ultimately go against my residency here in the long run.

Despite his wide open curious mind, his fear is sometimes insurmountable. He is afraid of most things that kids his age are afraid of (strangers, the dark, shot, stray dogs, etc.) But his fear is seemingly a bit more pronounced. Don´t worry, you are your father. I have a million fears. Anyone who tells you they have no fear, then shake the hand of that fool. I fear being apart from you so much if makes my throat start to close and my eyes swell with tears. daddy might not catch you when you fall, but he is here to help you stand up like a man is supposed to be. Lessons I never had the fortune of being taught by my father.

So for his birthday, we took him to a cool restaurant called Earthquake Cafe. the whole theme were like we were taking a shuttle down to the center of the earth where these weird creatures lived and created earthquakes. the floor was rigged to simulate an earthquake so during the 4 part show, where actors put on skits with these costumed creatures, they would hit a button and the floor would tremble and shake. The waitresses would come to the table and on queue grab the kids glasses to prevent them from tipping over. I even got to be a part of the show, mostly to impress Alex and Noelia. Anyhow, the initial elevator ride down was just a one floor drop but the windows had this material going faster to make it seem like we were going faster than we were and farther than you would think. Alex believed it and broke into a ferocious crying fit. after the show and lunch, we got to take a "shuttle" back up which merely raised us one floor but the movie made it seemed like we were on the SS Enterprise. Alex did not like the motion sensor air ducts which made him nearly wet his pants. I have to get that video for you.

Afterwards I had a soccer game in Tossa and we hurried off. I set my watch to alarm me at the precise moment Alex was born. All I could do was smile as my watch told me "6 years has passed...how are you going to spend the next 6 years?"

Now going forward...things we have to accomplish together:
take those training wheels off
get you a professional soccer contract
get mom to let us have our All Candy day once a month
teach you the art of smooth talking
see how curly your hair can get
teach you how to wipe the seat off
love you unconditionally
travel the world
can´t be better friends so
teach me to be patient and allow you to grow without smothering you
show me the beauty of the world i lost when i came to adulthood
love mommy so she goes a little insane from two handsome men at her side


Happy Birthday Alex

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Demond...you are sooo sweet!!! This is one of the reasons why I married you!! I love you sooo much!!!! You are such an awesome husband and an even better daddy!!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Alex! Conner turns 2 tomorrow, December 12th!