I love being a dad. I really do. Fatherhood was always something I believed I would really take to and enjoy. Since having my first son and then my second, this belief has been more than confirmed.
Recently, as I was thinking about my two sons, I thought about the various reasons I love and am sentimental about being a dad. The idea of tying the reasons to our senses came to me, and I thought this would be a fun and unique way to share the reasons.
At the time of writing, my sons were 4 and 1. So, the reasons below center on birth through early preschool age. Enjoy!
Seeing
– big, bright eyes
– beautiful smiles
– very long eyelashes (especially my older son’s)
– roundness of my younger son’s face 🙂
– displays of true excitement from life’s simple things (e.g., our trash truck arriving, ice cream, a sticker)
– excitement that daddy’s home
– reaction from eating a lemon
– hugs, kisses, and genuine shows of affection towards the other sibling
– love shown for close relatives and friends
– stumbles, tumbles, and wipeouts while learning to sit, stand, and walk
– masterful first pieces of artwork and written work
– peaceful face drifting off to sleep
– baby startle / Moro reflex
– trials and successes at new skills
Hearing
– infectious laughter
– baby babbles and toddler talk
– spontaneous “I love you”s
– laughter and love for each other when playing
– hilarious, creative stories that sometimes make sense and sometimes don’t
– beautiful, unapologetic singing
– sad cries over trivial things that aren’t trivial to them (e.g. not getting to push the elevator button, having to wait 10 minutes for TV time)
– loud and not-so-loud farts
– breathing and occasional snoring during sleep
– made up character voices while playing
– obnoxious but catchy repetitive tunes from their toys
Smelling
– newborn baby’s head
– stinky feet after playing all day
– clean feet after a nice bath
– the donut my son bought me for Father’s Day
– Amoxicillin antibiotic for those bouts of bacterial infections
– baby shampoo
– diaper to check for poop
– formula milk
– flowers on our walks and hikes together
– chlorine after splashing and swimming at the local pool
– birthday candles’ smoke after being blown out
Touching
– baby’s super smooth and soft skin
– baby’s fragile skull/fontanelles
– warm hugs and kisses
– arms and legs climbing on me like a jungle gym
– forehead to see if it feels warm
– teeth that just won’t quite break through the gums
– warm pee that takes me a second to realize I’m being peed on
– loving hand when we cross the street
– my son’s big muscles when he wants us to see how strong he is
Tasting
– delicious infant snacks (yogurt melts are so good!)
– lukewarm food I confirmed was lukewarm and not melt-your-face-off hot as their reactions would have made you believe
– leftover food they did not finish or refused to eat
– nebulizer mist during occasional treatments
– mac and cheese my son helped cook
– kids’ toothpaste
– nose and toes when I “eat” them
– hot chocolate and hot cider while snuggling together
Your Thoughts?
What about you? Are there reasons you would add? What reasons really resonate with you? Please feel free to share via the comments below.