First Time WaterSkiing

I have wanted to waterski for a long time now but never had an experienced boat driver and as im getting older it really felt like, its now or never!

So on my very first run, so my friend and boat driver suggested for my first time to use flat skis, they were wooden, he is a old time skier, these skis looked bran new but i don’t think they were, i think they have seen lots of action, he said the flat skis would be better then those that are con-caved. So i get the life vest on, we fuel up his boat, i wet the skis then put them on and adjust them, toss my gopro on my head because, well either way this goes its gonna be good right?

I get in the water, get in position and put the skis on, not easy, not for a beginner. He tosses me the rope and gets it taut. He asked if i was ready, i said i think so, which was a nervous way of saying yes. So he hits it (told me on the next run to say that when i’m ready) and i did what i thought was right which was stay in the ball, stay low and wait for the boat to pull me up, so i’m skiing, but i’m crouched down, im getting water all over my face in my mouth because i’m mouth breathing, after a little bit i try to stand a bit which again, i heard the biggest mistake is trying stand to soon so i was feeling like “i am not suppose to do this” but i try and it just didn’t feel right, remember this is my first time so i just bail, i didn’t fall per se i actually let go, in the deep part of the lake, feeling vulnerable, a ski comes off and despite having a life jacket and floating i’m freaking out a bit, i’m spitting out some water, breathing heavy and i’m thinking about being a total wimp, apologizing for wasting his time and calling it quits.

He comes back around so i grab the rope and he says “hey you gotta stand up dude” He wasn’t wrong, i think i took “don’t try stand up too quick” a little to literally. I don’t recall my reply it was either “ok” or “not that easy”. So he tells me “say hit it when you’re ready”…. ok.

For whatever reason, i didn’t wimp out. I compose myself try to get my ski tips straight and angled a little bit, i had no idea they had a mind of their own once in the water, they don’t want to face where i want them to, but thats ok got em close enough and said “hit it”

So here we go i’m in a ball and i’m like fuck it, worse case let go of the rope so i slowly stand up and….. i’m skiing, kinda. No i’m joking thats it, second run and i was up, we went around and did 2 loops, not sure the total distance we went but man, you gotta be fit for this huh? I always thought i was in decent shape, slender build, normal i guess. Not super super active since my daughter was born 2 years ago. My lower legs were burning, i cant quite describe the feeling, it wasn’t my calfs it was from the knee down just the whole thing, felt like wood about to snap lol, but they were not. All my concentration was on not falling, i had all the advice in my head, i did have my legs bent but they felt like i had little to no control over them, as in turning, forget it, i will have just go straight for the next 10 times before i can even move myself around the wake. The other one was chest out, i just could not make this happen, i was hunched forward the whole time, you would think i would faceplant but i did not, maybe the bent knees saved me, but there was a 10 year old skiing near by and he was like leaned back just chilling, im hunched forward quite literally holding on for dear life, it was a quite uncomfortable position. but, i stayed up, for 2 loops and as we passed by our area i let go because my legs could not take anymore.

So i am a water skier now, i plan to do much more of this and progress in my abilities, someday, my daughter will be skiing with me.

Christmas Day Memories

I was sitting on the couch after everyone went home and the festivities were over, just in a dark living room with nothing but the Christmas lights and music and my thoughts. So i sent this text to my aunt.

I recall one Christmas on wagon wheel Road dad got me a red Ryder BB gun just like “a Christmas story” he got two of them one for me and one for him although I don’t recall us ever shooting them together. But that Christmas day me and uncle Dan spent the whole day outside shooting them we would come back in the house and eat some dinner and spend some time with the family and then run back outside and shoot them some more, uncle Dan always spent Christmas playing with me and my new toys, I’ll never forget that.

Then She replied

Uncle Dan said he remembers that and how quickly a BB he shot at the tree ricocheted off the tree and came back and hit him in his shin. I asked if you shot it and he said no you were reloading. He loved playing with you when you were a kid! Maybe as adults you can find something fun to do together. I have a BB gun, which was my Uncle Al’s (Gram’s brother). Do you still have yours and your Dad’s?

I just wanted to preserve that here for the memories. Christmas memories are the best ones.

She eventually found a photo

Some New Holiday Traditions

I & My Best friend Sean have inadvertently started our own holiday traditions and that I have been enjoying very much.

Halloween:

The Crow, when we were younger and inseparable we would watch this movie all the time, It a great movie and has a great soundtrack and we would watch it almost every night before passing out. The whole movie takes place the night before Halloween “devils night” and so now we always text each other the night before Halloween to make sure we will both be watching the movie, this past Halloween however we kicked it up a notch and we were texting back and forth while watching, I had started watching about 10 mins prior so I was a little ahead. I don’t recall why but I was not having the best day that day so this little live movie watching/texting really brought up my mood, I enjoyed it, and will be our tradition moving forward.

Christmas & Christmas Eve:

This year, and hopefully every year moving forward we wait until everyone else is asleep and we get on Xbox and play video games on Christmas Eve until a little after midnight (Christmas Day). It’s a nice way to spend the holiday with a friend when life is too busy to meet up and playing as the clock turns from Christmas Eve into Christmas Day is even better, we wrap up our game, have cheers, and say Merry Christmas. There is a part 2 however, on Christmas night after all the festivities when the families are asleep we meet up again and play some more Xbox and discuss how our Holidays went. Its something I look forward too, there is a different feeling when it’s a Holiday, I enjoy staying up late, in the living room with the fireplace roaring, the Christmas lights are the only lights on and I’m playing Xbox with my best friend, it’s a great way to spend an evening and the holiday.

I urge you to try to find a similar tradition you can do with a good friend or family member, it’s just one of the things you can look forward to and really makes the holidays even better.

Playtime

Before becoming a dad I would have never thought how much fun I would have playing with my baby, with baby toys or just watching her play. The way she lights up when she pushes a button and it does something just melts me. She will smile so big and then look at me, I can’t take it. Just watching her have fun is so fun for me, I never would have thought that.

I don’t mind that I’m not playing Xbox or that I’m so behind on movies and tv shows. I just watching my baby girl lean and have fun and that is the best time I could have.

Enjoy Every Minute

Because she will only be this age once.

I am more tired then I have ever been, I get up many times a night so babygirl can get a clean diaper and some yum yum’s. I also play and interact with her as much as possible during the day, I’m not really the type to sit her down with some toys so I can play a videogame, usually, I will do that once in a while just so I can get a small break but that’s about it.

The truth is though, as tired and run down as I feel I wouldn’t change it. The moments with her in my arms when I feed her are the best moments of my day, she will always wrap her little hands around one of my fingers and hold on tight, she will look up at me while she sips on her bottle and then she will ultimately fall asleep in my arms. She looks happy, peaceful and content and to be honest, I feel the same way. I feel the most at peace when she is asleep in my arms. SO many parents seem to be counting down until the baby can hold their own bottle, sleep in their own bed, occupy themselves and so on. Why? She is at an age where she needs me and i am there for her every need and I love it. I do not understand the need or want to rush your child to grow so you can have more free time. My days are now filled with caring for, loving and entertaining my babygirl and I am trying to enjoy every second of it.

It was maybe 3 am, I can’t remember they all blend together now but it was dark and it was late, or technically early, we have to keep the room dark so she goes back to bed after bottle but I had my babygirl in my arms and she had just fallen asleep after her bottle and as I stared at her it made me think about this, about how I need to enjoy this right now, there are no do-overs. Those late-night feedings are a special time, they are a time where we just bond, she gets so happy when I come and pick her up and take her into bed with me and I always give her a kiss on her head before I give her the bottle and then she just settles into my arms and looks up at me.

On a related note there is nothing better then the happiness she expresses when she sees us in the morning. I will hear that she is awake and when I walk over to her and soon as she seems the smile on her face is ear to ear and she will start kicking her little legs and her arms start moving and nothing warms my heart quite like seeing how happy she is to see me. I will always say “Good Morning Babygirl” and you can just tell she is overwhelmed with happiness and her smile and body movement shows it.

Daddy loves you Babygirl.