Letter to Oliver – 004 📝

Hey Ollie,

I know that I haven’t written as many of these letters as I’d planned, but here I am with another one that maybe you’ll read some day.

It’s December now, there’s snow on the ground, the Christmas tree is up in the living room, and life is getting holiday busy. You’re 19-months-old. You’re walking faster and climbing steadier and you say a few words and you babble a lot, and this week you started blowing kisses and it’s super adorable. I love it. All of it.

I’ll be honest though it’s a little tough on me that you’re more than a year-and-a-half-old now and you still don’t say Dada. You’re great at using Mama. You know who I am and you love me and I know that, but it would be really great to hear you say dad or dada or daddy when you run to me or hug me or wave to me. And it will be when you do. I can’t wait.

As your sports loving daddy, I’m super happy that you have taken to your little football and want to play catch with your mommy and me. It’s also cool when you pick up your mini hockey stick, and I LOVE it when you cheer when there’s sports on TV or I’m playing a little sports game on my phone. I don’t know if you’ll like sports as much as I do when you grow up, and if you don’t that’s completely and totally fine because you should be following your passions and the things that bring you joy. But if you do, I’ll be happy to sit down with you to watch games and highlights and talk about players and plays and whatever you want.

I want to thank you for your temperament and ability to keep your cool when we are out running errands and Christmas shopping and stuff. I know that sometimes it takes too long and a lot of times you’d rather run around than be strapped into your stroller, but you do an excellent job of not screaming and crying and throwing fits. That’s not to say you don’t do that at home, but when we’re out and everyone just wants to get things done and get out, you’re a pretty great kid.

I’m looking forward to Christmas with you and your mama. Last year you were so little that you didn’t really thrive in the holiday environment. This year though, with family and food and presents, you are going to be a bundle of joy and energy and I can not wait to watch it all happen. Christmas Eve we’ll have family here and I’m sure you’ll get some cool stuff. And on Christmas Day we’ll hang out at home for a while and you’ll get presents and treats and we’ll eat cinnamon buns for breakfast – and then we’ll go to Grandma Wendy’s for dinner and see more family and you’ll get spoiled again. And then, we’re not done yet, on Boxing Day, we’ll go to Grandma Cheryl’s and do the whole thing one more time.

By the end of it I expect you to be exhausted and for you mom to be exhausted and for me to be exhausted. But also happy.

I’m writing this while you’re having a nap, and I expect you to wake up any minute now. So I’m going to wrap up.

I love you very very very much. I’m proud of you and the kindness and love that you show. I’m also proud of your curiosity and ability and willingness to learn. I love your dancing and your hugs. I feel very blessed and lucky to be your daddy.

I love you, Ollie.

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ps. You sat with Santa and it was pretty adorable too – and I’m glad there’s a photo of all three of us with the big guy!