father's day 2012

today was mr. h3b's 3rd father's day. finley learned to say "hoppy fater's daaey" just before dad woke up. it wasn't remarkably different than other weekends for us, but i tried to make it special in little ways. we woke up and did all of the prep this morning. every year we make a card for dad with a black ink foot print. i can't do it in advance because he'll see the ink stain and know...so to "surprise" him we do it the morning of. finley's foot is so much bigger. between year 1 and year 2 there is growth, yes. but this year? it's like a kid foot. finley decorated the paper bag wrapping paper with his crayon art. he learned to make "circles" for the occasion and spent some time scribbling away. he's been in love with "markers" (what he calls all coloring tools) and we color daily. as a treat, i let him use scissors. he said the word "cut" without prompting and my heart swelled with pride. this boy is learning every day. side note: i'm not sure what he's doing in the picture here, but his inquisitive little brain is up to something. also note the bruised and scuffed legs contrasting the melon painted big toes. he insists on getting his toenails painted and on occasion we do them. he's not patient so this last time i limited it to big toes only to avoid melon stained furniture. back to father's day. i made omelets and toast (at husband's request) and after breakfast we headed out to the beach. finn could spend hours at the beach with his daddy. dad doesn't mind standing in the cold water, fetching rocks, and wandering off to find seagulls. (not that i mind, but that water is cold!). in true form, finn threw a tantrum and sobbed the entire walk of the beach when it was time to head in for lunch and nap time. we spent the rest of the evening mini golfing (finn's first time - pictures to come) and enjoying a feast of south indian food at one of our favorite restaurants. finn is lucky to have a daddy that watches him play, teaches him new things (like hitting a "ball with a stick") and exposes him to foods and cultures outside of our bubble. he doesn't need lots of things (which he has), mostly just time and love (which he gets). we finished up with a trip to a local food market to stock up on fresh, cheap produce (7ft of sugar cane for $2 should fuel my mojito appetite). it was a simple day full of the things that matter. i'm so thankful to watch my son watch his daddy. he's got a great role model and friend and i'm excited to watch their relationship grow. as soon as we get out of the tantrum stage i bet it's going to be so sweet ;)