Could she already be a year old ?

Referring to my youngest, Cecilia that is....She will be one year old on 7 November. Hard to believe but very encouraging. When Rielly-Anne was born ( she will be 4 on 30 November) I had just been diagnosed with PD. I was new to all that goes along with PD and frankly scared. I remember asking my wife if I would see her turn five. Of course she said I would...
There was no thought of Cecilia at that time. But here it is a year later....

Oh, we have taken a some hits for those two little decisions. Family and friends alike are divided on the wisdom of a fifty something Daddy with PD. To some it was irresponsible and foolish. Others cheer us on, happy for us and glad we are not allowing PD to determine or dampen our entire lives. In the end though, it was our decision and I really cannot find anything that would stop me from making the same choices if I had to go back and do it again. A lot of that has to do with the woman I married.

This week, I took Rielly-Anne to pre-school pizzazz at the public library. It is a little 30 minute class where the kids sing, do crafts and have stories read to them. There were probably 12 or 15 little ones there. I was the only Daddy though....
As I listened to the mom's chatter about homeschooling, interacting with each other I couldn't help think about how many kids there are out there in our area and only 12 or 15 here ? Those women are active in raising their kids. They are doing something special bringing them to these kinds of things. Now I have always appreciated how Mary raises our kids. She is a natural mother. But this day I began to realize just how committed she is to giving our kids a special childhood and wonderful memories and experiences. And somehow, she has dragged me into this....THANK GOD !

I have a very special and close bond with each of the girls that only comes from being actively involved with them from an early age. A few weeks ago I really paid a price to be involved. Rielly-Anne and I have been talking about camping out in a tent in the backyard for over a year. We finally did it. It was only 50 degrees that night and the ground was like a brick on my old body. She lasted until 2 AM which was way longer than I figured and I was happy to crawl in bed but the point is, we made a very special memory that night that she wil never forget.

I plan on making a lot more memories with both of them. Soon Cecilia will be able to talk. That is when Daddy gets really excited because I can communicate ! Already, she gets her point across and she promises to be a real handful, yet sensitive where Rielly-Anne is brash and full of energy and life.

There are lots of things going in this household these days. Changes. Big Ones. Life altering decisions on selling the house, where we will move to next, Mary's daycare business, my car building hobby...and all of that can be scary and stressful and hard but through it all there is one constant. Our family.

My wife and our kids are what matter most to me every single day and by our kids I am including our two boys from previous marriages. They play a very important role in all of this. In any case, it's late, and I have some snuggling to do with my little Cecilia who is waiting upstairs to roll over and cozy up between me and mommy. She doesn't know I am old. She knows nothing of PD. All she knows is that I am Daddy and she likes the hats I wear.
We will make memories my little precious. Lots and lots of them. And when you are grown you will remember me whispering in your ear every night...."Daddy loves Cecilia"
Good night
Shaaky