Comments on: Father’s Day http://www.sparveys.com/2009/07/02/fathers-day/ instant family: just add twins Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:12:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Julia http://www.sparveys.com/2009/07/02/fathers-day/comment-page-1/#comment-667 Julia Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:15:56 +0000 http://www.sparveys.com/?p=1269#comment-667 I am certain that Eleanor was confused today when I burst out laughing while cleaning up a particularly smelly poop; I was thinking of your prediction that in 20 plus years she will be steadfastly declaiming on a matter of utmost importance and all I will be able to think about is the massive turd I disposed of back in July of '09. Tpp funny, and too painfully true, as is the rest of this post, particularly the final paragraph, particularly about the crick in your back. I read that aloud to Jeff, and he says you always write what he is thinking, only far more eloquently. Happy (belated) father's day; J and E are some very lucky babies. I am certain that Eleanor was confused today when I burst out laughing while cleaning up a particularly smelly poop; I was thinking of your prediction that in 20 plus years she will be steadfastly declaiming on a matter of utmost importance and all I will be able to think about is the massive turd I disposed of back in July of ’09. Tpp funny, and too painfully true, as is the rest of this post, particularly the final paragraph, particularly about the crick in your back. I read that aloud to Jeff, and he says you always write what he is thinking, only far more eloquently. Happy (belated) father’s day; J and E are some very lucky babies.

]]> By: rachel http://www.sparveys.com/2009/07/02/fathers-day/comment-page-1/#comment-663 rachel Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:55:19 +0000 http://www.sparveys.com/?p=1269#comment-663 I assume you don't speak from experience, mothhair. I trust that you are the exception to the rule -- I just know that you have been happy with parenthood every minute of the day for the last 31+ years. (Just kidding. I seem to recall the time my friends and I decided to act out the cleaning-up-the-orphanage scene from <i>Annie</i> and sloshed buckets of water on the floor while wailing "IT'S A HARD KNOCKS LIFE! FOR! US!" You discovered this when water started dripping down on you in the kitchen below. Was that one of those grit-your-teeth days?) Great post, Matt. I have always been amazed how, at the end of a particularly rough day, when Eloise launches herself at your shoulder, buries her face in your neck, and falls asleep within 15 seconds, I can literally see you figuratively melt. I assume you don’t speak from experience, mothhair. I trust that you are the exception to the rule — I just know that you have been happy with parenthood every minute of the day for the last 31+ years.

(Just kidding. I seem to recall the time my friends and I decided to act out the cleaning-up-the-orphanage scene from Annie and sloshed buckets of water on the floor while wailing “IT’S A HARD KNOCKS LIFE! FOR! US!” You discovered this when water started dripping down on you in the kitchen below. Was that one of those grit-your-teeth days?)

Great post, Matt. I have always been amazed how, at the end of a particularly rough day, when Eloise launches herself at your shoulder, buries her face in your neck, and falls asleep within 15 seconds, I can literally see you figuratively melt.

]]> By: mothhair http://www.sparveys.com/2009/07/02/fathers-day/comment-page-1/#comment-662 mothhair Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:56:00 +0000 http://www.sparveys.com/?p=1269#comment-662 I think that last paragraph sums it up beautifully for all of us. Believe me, you *are* the terrific parent you need to be. The key word is "ambivalence." We all feel oodles of it toward our young children, but we think we aren't supposed to. We're supposed to be entirely selfless and godlike in our capacity to remain calm, patient, and caring. I don't believe anyone who claims to be happy with parenthood every minute of the day. And some days, as I recall, there's hardly *one* minute when one isn't gritting one's teeth . . . I think that last paragraph sums it up beautifully for all of us. Believe me, you *are* the terrific parent you need to be. The key word is “ambivalence.” We all feel oodles of it toward our young children, but we think we aren’t supposed to. We’re supposed to be entirely selfless and godlike in our capacity to remain calm, patient, and caring. I don’t believe anyone who claims to be happy with parenthood every minute of the day. And some days, as I recall, there’s hardly *one* minute when one isn’t gritting one’s teeth . . .

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