A busy day for dad

Some days I have to step aside from everything else I do, work, business, running and doing things around the house, and do things for, and with my kids. Friday was one of those days.

I started the day by going to Pittsburgh and picking up Erin, my 19-year-old daughter, from college. She wanted to come home to attend a Halloween party with her boyfriend. It was a refreshing trip because we talked for almost an hour on the way home.

And she did most of the talking. It was unlike previous trips when she hardly opened her mouth. Granted, she slept the second half of the trip home, but I was pleased.

I got home and only had about an hour before I had to meet son Justin and my ex-wife at his high school for senior band photos. Justin is quite the social butterfly, knowing all his bandmates and many of the parents. He was joking with them the entire time we were waiting to get our pictures taken.

Later, during halftime of the football game, I stood at the 50 yard line with Justin and his mother as we were introduced. At that moment, I realized how grown up he is. He will attend college in less than a year.  The years have flown by.

After the game, I came home and played with my toddler daughter, Katie while watching the baseball playoffs. It's great to experience fatherhood again with a child so innocent. She doesn't ask for much, just my time.

If you think about it, that's all most kids want, your time and love. It was a rare day I had time to spend with all three kids, at different stages of their lives. It was a day I will remember for a long time.

Life with Katie

When was the last time you had a good, hard laugh?  Maybe it's been awhile. And that's OK. We have been programed to be serious about life, that it's the way to get ahead, except for comedians, of course.

I bring this up now because our daughter Katie is into the "terrible twos", and she is only 22 months old. She must have a fondness for the number 2.

Wait. That didn't come out right. But you know what I mean.

She certainly could give a more serious person gray hair very quickly.

Katie has not met a furniture drawer she didn't want to explore, especially in our bedroom, especially on my side. She pulls out my assortment of junk and plays with old watches, booklets and such. You know, the stuff that should be thrown away, but you just can't part with.

That stuff may be junk to you and me, but to Katie it's pure gold.

Another "trick" she has learned is hiding objects. I gave her an old cell phone to play with last week, and a few days later, you guessed it, no where in sight. I asked her "Katie, where did you hide my cell phone?"

She responded, but in Katie-speak, as we like to call her talk when we can't understand her.

As for her career aspirations, at two-years old, Katie has no idea what the term means, but I hope being a stripper is not one of them. Yes, the dear girl likes to go around in her birthday suit. My wife and I hope that as fall turns to winter, the cold temperatures will prompt her to keep her clothes on.

One thing is certain: She keeps us on our toes, and keeps us laughing.

Stay tuned for more stories about Life with Katie.