Father's Day

Now that was a nice Father's Day. Probably my nicest one to date.

It started out right when Heather, bless her heart, let me sleep until 8 am. I know it might not sound like a lot, but when you're kids usually start waking up around 5:30 am, that's a big deal. With three kids under 5, we probably do more parenting by 8 am then most parents do all day. Getting to sleep through that would have been a perfect gift. But things got better.

Ian, Emma, and Zoe (Heather, too) woke me up a little after eight with a little homemade coffee cake and orange juice in bed. Remember, three kids means no time for fancy breakfasts - but homemade coffee cake will do fine in a pinch. While Ian wished me an enthusiastic "Happy Father's Day," Emma kept on shouting "Surprise Daddy!" over and over in the best sweetest little daughter voice a Dad could ask for.

If that wasn't enough, they got me a present too. The Looney Tunes Golden Collection, a 4-DVD set collection 56 fully restored Looney Tune cartoons. We cracked that open quickly and Ian, Emma and I all flopped onto the couch and enjoyed some classic cartoons severed up properly. Not only are the cartoons a blast, but there are some great features on these discs as well. Ian and Emma aren't too interested in them, but when I get the chance to view things on my own, I plan to delve into the documentaries and commentaries contained within.

The rest of the day was a relaxing day at home. No obligations to be anywhere, no work that had to be done, and no shopping that had to be done. Emma and Zoe both laid down for their nap at the same time, so Heather got in a full two-hour plus nap. Ian and I just hung out, watching some more Looney Tunes and just playing. I got to watch most of the Cubs game, a great 5-3 victory over the Oakland A's.

Later my Dad and sister stopped by and I grilled some potatoes and t-bone steaks on the grill. Very tasty indeed.

All in all a very nice day. Thank you Heather for making this Father's Day so enjoyable. You've raised the bar for Mother's Day next year - and considering my lack luster effort this year on Mother's Day, I've got a long way to go before May 8, 2005.