Sleepy Girl getting some tummy time!
5 Months old!
Sophia's new Love...the bouncer.
More tummy time with mom!
Piano time with dad
She's trying SO HARD to sit up....and then....T-I-M-B-E-R...she starts to fall!
Happy Girl!
After eating her new favorite food, carrots!
She's just so cute!
Yes, her hands are stuffed into her mouth, with peas...so you can imagine the mess we have each night! Silly girl!
When I think about my dad, I think about all the things that he did for Carly and I. Dad worked hard, every day, at a job he pretty much despised, to make sure that we had what we needed, and more. I never remember needing or wanting something and Dad telling us we couldn't have it. He truly spoiled us, in every sense of the word.
Dad and I bonded over many things as I grew up. He is very handy at woodworking, and as far back as I can remember, he has worked in the garage building things. He is meticulous, and makes sure that every little detail is perfect in all that he puts his time and energy into. And though it wasn't started in our garage, I'm pretty sure Dad spent just as much attention to detail when building our relationship.
I remember getting piggy back rides, and sitting on dad's lap. He used to sit with one ankle on his knee, and I'd sit in the "hole" that it made! Haha! We would get rides to bed each night on Dad's back, like riding a horse...I'm pretty sure that's why he has knee problems now! (Sorry Dad!)
I remember being his little fishing buddy. When Dad went fishing on the weekends, it was always an EARLY start to the day. But, I didn't care! I was up before dad, anxious and ready to go. And Dad must have been still asleep half the time, because there was this one trip I will never forget. Dad backed the boat trailer down the ramp. While I held onto the ties, he launched the boat. I held tight, as we were at the river and I could feel the current pulling. But for some reason it felt much heavier than it had before. After watching the truck go back up the ramp I looked at the boat and see it filling with water! That's right, the boat was sinking! So I yelled to Dad and he ran back to the truck and pulled the boat out, only to realize he had forgotten to put the plugs in the bottom of the boat! (And as embarrassed as he might be by this story, it might be one of my most memorable fishing trips)
Or the day that Dad let me play hooky to be his fishing buddy. Salmon were running, and I just HAD to catch one. So we packed a lunch, packed the boat, and headed over to Colusa. We fished all day, and my pole finally got a strike! I had one on! But, I couldn't do it alone! Dad helped me land my first (and only) salmon! It wasn't huge by any means, but compared to the bass we catch up at Trinity, it was a monster!
He has always worked hard at building a solid foundation for our family, and building lasting relationships. When I was really young, Dad built me a rocking horse. It is sturdy and strong, and is still in perfect condition, just hanging in their rafters. I can't wait until we can pull it down and put Sophia on it! And I will share with her the story of how her Grandpa built it for me when I was little, and all of my fond memories. I loved that rocking horse, and I know that Sophia will too.
Bass Annual 2006, Trinity Lake
Thank you Daddy-O I love you!
Kate
Matt's tribute to his dad -
When I think about my dad, the first thing that always comes to my mind is 'dress suits'. My dad has always said he's just as comfortable in a suit as he is in a t-shirt and jeans. And it's true. First thing I do after wearing a dress shirt and necktie all day is change into shorts and a polo shirt. Not my dad. He'd maybe, maybe, take off the dress shirt and wear his undershirt. Still in the slacks. Still in those thin black socks with his ankle hair sticking through. Now of course on the weekends he'd wear casual clothing, but it's those suits in the evenings that I still remember.
I tell you this memory to help explain my appreciation for my dad. Growing up my sister and I LOVED camping. Period. Didn't care where it was. Didn't care how long we were there. We loved going camping with Grandma and Papa. Now, those of you who know my dad, know that his idea of 'roughing it', is staying at a Motel 6 just off the freeway. My dad is not your traditional great outdoorsman. I've joked that the only reason why my dad plays golf outside is that they haven't built a building big enough to house a full 18 holes. Therein lies my father's attachment to those suits. Suits are indoor attire and his comfort level in them speaks volumes to his interests in outdoor activities. Don't get me wrong, my dad liked to go for bike rides or play sports outside with us at home. But it was those traditional 'outdoorsy' things like camping and hiking through the woods that I'm sure he frankly could have been without. But he went anyways. I don't think at the time I realized how begrudgingly he went on these family camping trips, but now that I'm older and have started a family of my own I'm beginning to understand why he went.
I've found myself thinking about what kind of things Sophia will be interested in or involved in as she begins to grow. Like most parents, I'm sure, I've been hoping she will be interested in things that I like or activities that I like to take part in. However, that's not always the case. My dad could have gone through raising my sister and I without having taken one camping trip and been completely satisfied. But he knew how much we loved it and how much it meant to us that he was a part of it. So, he hung up the suit and put on his scrubby clothes because he knew that being with his kids doing something that they loved was more important than his personal desires. Some people may not view that as a big sacrifice, but to me it was as great a gesture about how much my dad loved us.
Now, in all honesty, my dad didn't have it that bad with his two kids :-) My dad loves sports, but mainly basketball and golf (and deep down I know he loves baseball as much as me, he just doesn't know it yet). Luckily for my dad he got two kids who both love sports and gave him an opportunity to practice his coaching skills. I can still remember the first night we got my basketball hoop. Our driveway was too slanted to shoot from, so my dad set up the hoop in the backyard. That's right, my first basketball hoop I learned on, I had to dribble in the grass. Alisha and I loved it though; and from then on it was countless games of horse and one-on-one as we learned the game from our dad.
We were involved in other sports. Every soccer team I played on my dad coached. My dad was an assistant coach on one of my little league teams. My dad taught me how to play golf (more about that later). But basketball is what I remember most. My dad had a passion for the game and loved that my sister and I had embraced it as well. However, basketball season has the unfortunate circumstance of falling right in line with tax season. My father was an CPA for 20+ years and in the latter part of those years owned his own accounting firm. Until my freshman year of high school, I rarely saw my dad in late winter and early springtime. However, no matter how busy he was at the office, or how late it meant he had to stay that night, my dad always made it to our basketball games. So there he was in the stands; in his famous suit. I don't know if I fully appreciated how much time he was taking away from work so that he could see us play. But I always felt important, when I saw my dad walk in, dressed in his suit. He was so busy at work, but my game was more important than any tax return or audit he was working on. My dad in his suit has taught me that making your children a priority is one of the most important things about being a parent. You may not always be comfortable, you may be creating yourself more work; but the only thing that matters is being there for your kids. Loving them and encouraging them in whatever their likes or talents may be.
Now I could stop there when talking about my dad. I had a wonderful childhood and have both my mother and father to thank for that. However, there are memories in my young adult life with my dad that are very dear to me that I'd like to share them as well. I mentioned above that my dad first taught me how to play golf. Dad would take me to the driving range with him when I was younger, but I didn't actually embrace the game until the summer after my freshman year of high school. My dad would be the first to tell you that his golf instruction comes with a learn at your own risk disclosure. After watching him chip over, through, and short of numerous greens throughout a round, I still can't believe that he was the first to teach me short game fundamentals. But as we've now probably played over 100 rounds together throughout the years, we teach each other things about golf and still learn new things about each other. The time that we get to spend together on the golf course are some of my most favorite times in my life. Whether we play well or not, the time spent out on the golf course with my dad is something that I'll always cherish.
Many people that know both my dad and myself say that we are one in the same person. That I truly am my father's son. In keeping with my suit analogies, we both are made for white collar jobs. We both are very stubborn, and we both have this uncanny ability of always being right :-) But what I strive for most in my life is to be more like my dad. He's a man of great integrity; a devote Christian man with a heart for helping people in whatever capacity he is able. He is a faithful and loving husband; a wise and caring father. In many ways I am now like my father; and in many ways I still have much to work on as a man, a husband, and a father. But I'm very thankful that God has given me such a great father to learn from and rely upon. Some men try their best to avoid becoming like their fathers. I can't think of any other man I'd most like to be.
I love you Dad.
Matthew
