Father’s Day 2013 – Part 1

My son, Ted, is 11 weeks old and I couldn’t be happier to be a dad. Despite this day being a mostly commercialized “Hallmark Holiday” (and the fact that I generally despise such things), it actually feels special in a way that I did not expect. Hearing people say, “Happy Father’s Day” surprises me as it takes a few seconds to realize that they’re talking to me, but I’m proud to be a dad. Especially proud to be Ted’s dad. His giggles and coos seem extra sweet today as he smiles at me with that big drooling, gummy smile.

Father’s Day 2013 – Part 2

My dad, Edward, passed away nearly a year ago, and I find myself more sad today than I have in all the previous 11 months since his passing. Ted won’t ever get a chance to meet Grandpa Ed in person, but he will see all the pictures and hear all the stories of his paternal grandfather. And Ted will always know that it’s his grandpa who his middle name honors. I’ve heard it said that the relationship between a father and a son is a complicated one. I suppose that’s true at least some of the time, but my relationship with my father was fairly simple: it was one of mutual respect, admiration, and love. I only hope that I can be half as good a father to Ted as my dad was to me.

So, on this my first Father’s Day, I hold Ted a little longer, hug him a little tighter, and promise him that he will have the best dad I can possibly be.

I also promise that the next edition of The Daily Ted will return to the regularly scheduled programming of poop jokes.