To be honest, I've always felt a bit odd about Father's Day. Sure I appreciate being appreciated, but I don't ever feel unappreciated. And I definitely don't need a dedicated day every year to remind me how fortunate I am to be Gwendolyn's daddy. For me, every day Gwendolyn is with us is my Father's Day — a reminder of the gift of time that we've been given, of the responsibility I have to show Gwendolyn the world, of the impact I am having on shaping her life, of the incredible daddy/daughter bond we have, and of the importance of staying focused on the things that I can control and not letting those that I can't take over our lives.
Showing Gwendolyn the world was especially on our minds as Gwendolyn had been cooped up while she wasn't feeling well. She needed that time to rest and recover, but our social butterfly was ready for a little adventure. With that in mind, Victoria planned a special trip to the circus. It just so happened Circus Vargas came to town over Father's Day weekend and this is something we have never done with Gwendolyn. It is also something Victoria grew up going to see with her father and we knew this would be a special experience for Gwendolyn to share with GrandPa. I like the circus, but it has been years and while I expected it to be fun, experiencing things like this through Gwendolyn's eyes makes everything more incredible. Her eyes immediately lit up the moment we arrived. Her little fingers tapped feverishly as the music began to play and lights dimmed. And watching Gwendolyn watch the acrobatic acts above her made my heart swell. To see her so happy, so excited, so engaged in the world around her is my greatest joy.
On Father's Day Sunday we didn't do anything especially out of the ordinary. We went to breakfast with Victoria's dad at one of my favorite restaurants. Gwendolyn had a big story reading session with GrandPa (she's totally mesmerized by his voice and English accent and gazes at him more than the books). We later watched a family movie together — snuggled on the couch, played hide-under-the-blanket, and I think there was a tickle-fest involved. I got to spend quality time with Gwendolyn and Victoria and I felt spoiled by all of the incredibly special people in my life. It was simple. And it was perfect.