As the world turns...

It has been a while since I last wrote a blog, I feel it is time to blow the dust off this keyboard and get to blogging.  Brooke asked me why I hadn't blogged in a while, I told her its because I feel like my mother is the only one reading them.  She is probably 50% of the people who regularly comment.  Regardless, I realized that I probably need to get cracking, I have a lot of stories to tell.

I have been extremely busy with work lately, we are on the cusp of doing some amazing things.  The holidays came and went, and I had a fantastic time with my girls (and family).  We even got (another) trip to Disney, and the girls were surprised by Aunt Brooke, Aunt Callie, and Baby Brayden joining us.  It has been a crazy few months since I last wrote.  Not too mention, its literally snowed about 70 inches here in Park Ridge.  I have not seen the ground here in Chicago since prior to Christmas.  Seriously.  Im not sure grass even exists any more.  We have to google image "grass" just to prove to Hadley that grass once did surround us all.  Im not really sure there is light at the end of the winter tunnel, I feel like we moved to a prison camp run by the Gulag.  Welcome to "Chiberia."

Speaking of Gulag, there are a lot of reasons to dislike Sochi.  I don't care much for the Winter Olympics to begin with, but Sochi is terrible. Not only do they have a ridiculous anti-gay law, they are going around killing all the stray dogs.  On top of that, the hotels are not finished, the infrastructure was never completed, they have practically manufactured a city for this Olympics.  I can't imagine what it will look like 6 months when the circus leaves town.  I also love NBC's converge of this charade,  as they mentioned the "pivotal experiment" of Soviet Russia.  It is all a sh*tshow.    Below is a picture of the tap water, don't drink it or wash your face with it.  Seriously.  You can get really close to the person using the toilet next to you, and don't worry about that live wire in your shower.

Here is the funny thing about the Winter Olympics....as much as I loathe the vast majority of sports (anything having to do with cold weather except maybe a hot tub), I have a soft spot for the entire ceremony.  Why you ask?  It is because of two nights spent 8 years ago.  If memory serves me correct, the Olympics were in Italy that year.  Due to the time difference, a lot of the live action was shown at night. I remember I couldn't sleep those two nights in February.  You may think that is normal for me, since I suffer from sever anxiety and can't sleep now.  Truth be told. that wasn't always the case.  I used to be able to sleep with relative ease, and not spend my nights worrying about everything. Those two nights, I couldn't.  Not only was it nerves, it was also because I couldn't get comfortable.  I feel like I was sleeping on a plastic chair, that every time I moved, sounded like polar bear chewing on a gigantic rubber tire.  Truth be told, I was actually "sleeping" on a plastic chair, and the tv was my only company.  Well, I also had the regular, somewhat hypnotic, beeping from Brooke's machine.  We were in the hospital waiting for baby Reagan.  I had no idea what to expect.  Being a parent for the first time, having a little girl, I wasn't sure exactly how much my world was about to be turned upside down.  I can recall watching so many horrible sporting events those nights because it was (literally) the only thing on.  Those Olympics that I once hated, actually helped pass the time.  I can't watch them now and not think of those two nights.  I actually have grown to appreciate the WO, and its all because I feel like we bonded for about 48 hours.  No matter what, when you associate something with such a positive emotion like my love for Reagan, how can you not have a soft spot for it?

Brooke once told me that Reagan would be the best thing to every happen to me, I've blogged about that before.  Yesterday, we went to downtown Chicago for breakfast at The American Girl store to celebrate her 8th birthday.  This past Friday, I watched Reagan dance her butt off with her friends, as if I wasn't even there.  It hurt a little bit, but thats okay.  She is getting to be a young girl, but she would eventually come back to me at the dance (I hope she always does, come back to her daddy).  No one was more excited for me winning the dance off as Reagan was.  She thought I roped the moon that night.  I couldn't get over how big she looked on the dance floor.  I can't believe how fast the time has flown by.  I would give anything to hold my baby Reagan again, or have her yell out "sit next to me Daddy" as soon as we get to the restaurant.  She is changing, and if I want to remain part of her life, I must change, too.  I consider myself Lou Gehrig for having those 4 girls, and it all started with Reagan.

This morning we watched Father of the Bride together, I warned her it was going to make me cry.  She said I cry a lot, which is true.  This scene gets me no matter how many times I watch it. I told her I will probably embarrass her on her wedding day, I'll be such a mess.   I love seeing Reagan come downstairs in her princess dress in the morning, just as Steve Martin talked about in the movie.  I will cherish those little moments forever.

So here we are, the week that my BFF turns 8.  It has been an incredible 8 years.  I am a better man because that little girl is in my life.  I know that in the same amount of time that has already passed, I will be teaching her to drive.  Im not ready for her to grow much more.  We want her to stay little forever, and we know that can't happen.  So, I will embrace the fact that I have a front row seat to the greatest movie I have ever seen.  Thanks for letting me be your Daddy, Reagan.  I love you "more than all the stars in the sky, and fish in the sea."  Happy 8th birthday, my love.