Three Years a Father (by MJC)

It was almost 3 years and 9 months ago when I received a call from my wife with an urgent message to return home from watching the football game. If the Eagles weren't losing by five touchdowns at the time, I might have been more hesitant. But I knew it must be something critical. I could hear it in her voice.

As I rushed into the apartment, Katy stood there, still. She stared at me until I stopped and looked into her eyes. "You are going to be a daddy," she said with a quivering voice. She wrapped her arms around me and it took me a moment to embrace her as well. Just the same, it took me some time to embrace the fact that I was to be a father at the young age of 25.

Now, at the age of 28, I have found that these three years have aged me considerably. I had been married only four months before we found out we were expecting, and sure enough our life changed dramatically and seems to have been in constant flux since. There have been times of frustration and times of amazing joy. And even those hilarious moments and those anxious moments seem to meld into the good times.

Oh- and now we are expecting again-- in only 5 weeks.

Harrison is a riot. I hope to remember all the crazy moments and one-liners Katy and I have laughed about for hours. There are so many ways he makes me proud with his love for sports-- especially baseball. The way he can list at least 4 different Phillies. The way he knows that his baseball glove goes on his left hand (but still asks to be sure). There is the way he loves to eat. The way he loves to sing and dance. The way he learned the words to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" on the way home from the beach. The way he runs, with his head thrust forward and his arms pumping at two times the speed of his legs. The way he can pitch a hittable wiffle ball, and hit a well-thrown pitch. He makes me proud that I once counted that he got a three on a mini golf hole. He always skips 7 when he counts to 10. Whenever he sees the letter "H" he says, "look at my name!" The way, although he tests my patience with his lack of listening, he will always give me a hug and a kiss when I ask for one. The way he whispers "Hello Wibby" to Katy's belly. The way he laughs contagiously. The way he says "Gran-ma" and feels just as at home as I do at her house. The way, after a long day at work or a long business trip he will yell, "Daddy!" and come running to me and clings to my leg.

And so, after three years of all the ways I have fallen in love with this kid, there is yet another one coming to my world, and will win my heart for countless different reasons. I look forward to the day I see her and begin to list out those ways.