The first Daddy's Day

Amit was a total jerk on Mother's Day, making fun of the "days" to be celebrated throughout the year. So I was pretty mad at him and had almost decided not to do anything special for Daddy's Day. But I remembered: this is from Rian to Daddy, I'm just Rian's proxy for now :-)

Amit has been a wonderful Dad from Day 1, he's been the best Dad possible for Rian. Here are all the things Rian is very thankful for, and he remembers these on Daddy's Day.

1. For giving mommy awesome foot massages while I was in her tummy. Daddy you made me tickle every time!
2. For taking very good care of mommy and pampering her all throughout her pregnancy. I'd sometimes make her very edgy but you took very good care of her and loved her in all her moods, and I'd immediately feel the calm inside her :-)
3. After I came home, Daddy did all my diaper changes for the first whole week, being home from work. Not only that, Daddy did all diaper changes whenever he was home, for a while. Special thanks for all those cheesy stories and lovely butt massages that you provided while doing diaper changes. Special thanks for never shying away from the lovely poo poo that I make.
4. For supporting mommy everytime she had to pump. It was very taxing for her, all the pumping, but thanks to your support and encouragement, mommy could feed me her milk till I was 8 months old.
5. For the lovely massages you gave to me before bath time. You tickled me and teased me and massaged me and I was a "glowing baby" thanks to you.
6. For the innovative pose for feeding me milk and rocking me - on your legs. There was no other way I'd have milk. Also for all the times when Aaji, Mom had given up and I was being a "baa baby" not having my milk, you rocked me on your feet and I was easy peasy and had my milk.
7. For all the mid-night wakings that I cause you since my sixth month, ever since you started supporting mommy at night: first to stop my mid-night feedings, then to save mommy's sanity and field me for half the night.
8. For all the hard work you do on all my gear: assembling my crib, my stroller, my bouncer, my swing, my exersaucer, my playyard, and last but not the least - keeping me safe in the car seats.
   
9. For keeping all my electronics functioning at all times by charging and changing batteries promptly when they run out.
10. For providing me constant entertainment, and now sitting through dinner time with me, reading me books and singing nursery rhymes to me.
    
11. For doing my last diaper change of the day - that's Daddy's diaper change, and I give him hell :-) for this one.
12. For helping mom with the research, and jumping in when she needs your help deciding on whether to buy A or B. Must say my carrier (Ergo) is the best.

Anyways, so that was Rian, now passing the mic (erm, keyboard) back to me. I prepared for Daddy's Day a month in advance, so I wouldn't be caught empty handed. I gave Amit a custom frame with Rian's name on it, with some lovely words on it.

MY DADDY'S HAND

Daddy, Take my hand in yours and you will plainly see,
How very much I need you now to love and care for me.
As my little hand grows, I will need you even more,
Everything I do in life, I have never done before.
Teach me to be kind and loving, sharing and forgiving,
Show me through your acts of love the pure joy of living.
The years will pass by quickly and one day I will be grown,
I will pass what you have taught me onto children of my own.
Hold me always in your thoughts and remember when we are apart,
The special love between a child and a daddy's heart.

Love, Rian

Thanks to Mausami's research, I also booked Amit for a 3hr spa package, Oasis. Amit was very very reluctant at first, and refused to go for it. After a lot of convincing and passing some messages back and forth between Rian and Daddy (you see, I am Rian's voice right now :D), Amit was finally convinced to go. When he got back, he had the widest grin on his face, and was smelling wonderful the whole day thanks to the aromatherapy oils. He relaxed in the afternoon with a nap when Rian was napping.

We went to Las Palmas park in the evening with Daddy, Aaji and Ajoba and of course Mommy too. Had fun loooking at the parrots, tried to make Rian walk in the cold water, took some awesome photos. It was only fitting that we order Daddy's favorite for dinner: desi chinese. He totally loved it! All in all, I was very satisfied with the way I planned the day, and thankful as Amit enjoyed it every bit.

Rian adds: I think Daddy is such a hard working Daddy, he deserves a day like this once in a while!

(Written on 6/29/09)