Hop Dad

Happy 6th Birthday, My Best Boy

November 21, 2017 at 9:00 am Leave a comment

At last week’s school assembly I watched your class walk in single file to sit on the floor at the foot of the stage. As usual you were one of the first in line. You turned to see me sitting far behind you in the front row of the “parents section”. You smiled waved. I waved back – not too enthusiastically as to embarrass you, though. After all of the kids in every grade were settled on the floor, your sister’s class walked up to the stage for their performance. You caught her eye, waved, and she immediately found you and waved as well. Connections were made and kept all through the show. School has become everything to you.

Beginning kindergarten was the biggest change in your life over the past year. The routine took a few weeks to get accustomed to and during those weeks you came home exhausted. We had many private conversations about what school would be like because you were afraid of the change in our routine, unsure of your abilities. When it was time to start you put aside all of those worries and stepped confidently into class. Now it’s the center of your life and you are flourishing.

At the parent teacher conference I saw how important you have become in your class. The teachers see you has a leader, as do your classmates. Your outgoing personality is backed up with a solid work ethic and grades to match. When I met you at school the other day, a couple of your classmates greeted me enthusiastically after learning I was your Dad. “You’re Duncan’s Dad?! Hi, Duncan’s Dad!” That was the coolest I have ever been at school.

Outside of school you continue to be the active, curious, sometimes crazy boy you have always been. Pizza and root beer continues to be your favorite meal. Weekends are bikes, roller blades, baseball and ice cream. During our Portland vacation you showed your artistic side when you spent the days with my camera, snapping pictures of everything you found interesting.

The only downside for me was losing my breakfast buddy to school. We spent a lot of time together at the diner while big sis was in class, learning important skills like paper football, coloring, and asking politely for more syrup. I hope those mornings were as valuable to you as they were to me. Now it’s your turn to go to school and I am happy watching you go hand-in-hand with your sister down the hall to another day of class.

Today we celebrate you, my big six-year-old. I am proud you and everything you have accomplished this year. Your willingness to face your fears inspires me. Your curiosity about the most common things encourages me to break out of my routines and look at the world again, even at this age when all I want to do is go home and sit in a comfy chair. Your relationship with your sister shows me it’s OK to be frustrated to insanity in one moment with the people you love and still want to curl up with them at night. You live with your whole heart. I cannot ask for a better son. You are the Best Boy.

Happy Birthday to you, my little Monkey Man, my Duncan Philip.

Entry filed under: Being Dad. Tags: Babies, Beer, Being Dad, Children, Dad, Family, Fatherhood, Kids, Life, Mom, Motherhood, Parenting, Parents, Recipes.