Dear Jackrabbit,
It’s been a busy, busy weekend.
You won’t remember it, of course. No biggie. You’re only, but not quite, three months old.
Every now and then we have ourselves a busy weekend. Your mother and I have lots of interests and get involved in activities. A couple of times a year, we hit conventions for the weekend and sell books, sometimes other stuff. The time leading up to these events are usually a whirlwind of preparation followed by travel followed by checking in and setting up followed by working the table and hitting some panels, then either socializing or sleeping followed by more of the same until it’s time to pack and go home and then unpack and sleep some more.
Yeah, we’ll have a conversation about this outfit one day.
And then there are the occasional one-day events such as the recent craft fair we did at the Blackstone River theatre. I’ll sell books and paintings. Your mother sells jewelry she’s made. It was a fun event. You were a rather popular attraction, but that’s not much of a surprise. You probably don’t recall, but you were a pretty sweet baby with a mild and pleasant temperment. You rarely cried, for at least cried for too long. You were curious about everything going on around you, and you seemed to enjoy the live music that was being played all day (mostly Irish traditional tunes and some holiday music.
Then there was packing up and getting home and sleeping for an hour before starting to prep for the next day which was your baptism at Emanuel Lutheran. A surprise came our way in the form of Auntie Karen having a sudden apenndectomy (surprise!). Grandma took care of her, and we checked in on her dog and cats from time to time. I then spent the night cooking. I’m not a church person (a topic for another time) so I wasn’t taking part in the baptism ceremony. Just the same, I was in the building and laying out food and such for the gathering afterward. I made meatballs and various breads and brownies and so forth. Auntie Mary made a cake.
And that day was a long and busy one as friends and relatives came to see you–some for the very first time. And then home again to try and rest, but we weren’t done socializing for the day. Grandma and Auntie Karen were both feeling better enough for dinner, and we hung out with them for a while before they both took off for a few days.
Then we make it home. And you’re wide awake.
We, however, are exhausted.
I slept for a bit. Your mother took over. Then a couple of hours later we switched.
And all is well.
Yeah, today we’re both a bit beat. You’re even looking a little tired. Small wonder. And there is snow out there now, too. First new snow of the season. I’d take you out in it to experience, but it’s not a nice, fluffy snow. More or a wet, slushy one. We’ll make sure your first snow experience is a nice one.
But the point this whole letter is making today is we get busy sometimes. Get used to it.
You haven’t interupted our lives. You’ve joined it. Like it or not, you’re going to be sucked into these frenzied weekends from time to time, and you’ll enjoy them despite the work.
Would I lie?
Welcome to the world, Jack.
We love you.
–Dad
