A Father and His Son

Last week, I celebrated my first Father's Day. Harmon is seven months old, and to this day, it feels strange to be called Dad. But, Harmon tells me about it every day with his constant chorus of "da-da-da-da-da," which melts my heart.

I really wanted him to say "Mama" first, because Aimee has done so much for him and is such a wonderful, loving, caring mother to him. He just beams when she walks into the room and loves to giggle at her. We know he just can't tell her about it yet. He does, however, like to tell her, me and the neighborhhod, for that matter, when we are taking too long to get his food ready.

I received some very nice things for my first go-around as a Daddy, including some new shirts and ties, a wet-vac for the garage and a photo frame with three pictures of me and Harmon from his first six months, including one of my favorite early ones. Isabel gave me a gift certificate for a new pair of sunglasses. Ask Aimee how long those will last!

But the greatest present was knowing we have a beautiful family with a gorgeous, healthy baby boy who loves to give us big smiles and a bunny rabbit, Isabel, who was our first "baby." Both Aimee and I remark every day how big Harmon is getting. It seems like just yesterday when we were at the U-M Hospital and Aimee tried to sleep while I tried to believe the nurses when they said Harmon eating a half-ounce of formula was a good thing for his first few days.

Thanks, 'Nator, for making me the happiest Daddy on Earth!