Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Things you don't see everyday

Dear Fidg,

I watched you and daddy play the best game of chase last night - the longest game I think you've played yet.  You laughed and squealed every time daddy would catch you.  Round and round the living room you went, back and forth, skidding on the non-carpeted bits for traction, showing off your best crawling skills.

It made me remember something I wanted to memorialize in writing for you later, in case I forget to tell you this story when you're old enough to keep it for yourself.


I think it was your first full day outside - so the second day of your life, sometime in the morning.  Thanks to your c-section entry into the world, we were lucky enough to have a double room to ourselves so your daddy could have an actual bed to sleep on as well.  He was holding you on his bent legs, staring at your little upright self staring back at him.  The way he looked at you, kid, wow.  There won't be many chances in life to see someone fall in love with someone else. Chances are, when your eventual beloved partner falls in love with you, you won't notice the moment it happens, you'll just hear about it later, if you're lucky.  You won't have a mirror around when you fall in love with your beloved either.  You won't notice it happen between strangers. You won't see the real thing on TV or a movie.  But I saw it happen that morning. I saw your daddy fall in love with you. His face was swept over with peace and a hint of mist crept into his eyes - and down he fell.  He was a goner. Sunk. Twitterpated. Wrapped around your teeny, tiny finger. Done for. Case closed. Over and out. Signed, sealed, and delivered.

There may be a picture from shortly after that moment, but I'm not sure any camera could capture it. Maybe a painting could, something abstract, bold, gentle, and bright to approximate the emotion.  More beautiful than that sunrise the morning of my last final in the first semester of law school when the sky over the bay was firey orange and red and heart-stoppingly dramatic.  More beautiful than the most perfectly dressed bride, the park garden in full bloom, the fall leaves in midtown.  It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

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