For my daughter’s 3rd birthday, I did what felt like a million things out of the ordinary… doughnuts for breakfast, a special outfit, getting to wear “make-up”, pumpkin patch, petting zoo, playgrounds, presents, all her favorites for dinner, cake and candles for dessert, you name it.
She also spent a good portion of the day fishing with her daddy.
// I knew sitting back and watching the two of them fishing together, something special was happening.
The two of them stood there together on the edge of the water. I sat back and watched from a blanket on the lawn. Her boots kicked off to the side, barefooted, of course. She held the cup of worms, most likely not really knowing what was inside all the dirt. Her bright pink shorts and fallen out ponytail. The excitement and anticipation with every bite. The jumping up and down and smiles on their faces. To be honest, I’m not sure which was bigger – his or hers.
// I knew sitting back and watching the two of them fishing together, something special was happening.
He would get down on her level every time. He held the rod as she would reel them in. His patience prevailed. She loved watching him hold the fish but could never find the courage to do so herself. She had his undivided attention. No siblings. No screens. No distractions. Nothing else to tend to. Just her and her daddy.
// I knew sitting back and watching the two of them fishing together, something special was happening.
And after putting her to bed almost every single night those first three years, and after everything I had done to make her 3rd birthday so special, that night, I was replaced from our normal bedtime routine. She had specifically requested for daddy to rock her to sleep. After all I had done to make her birthday so special for her, she wanted daddy to be the one to put her to bed.
// I knew sitting back and watching the two of them fishing together, something special was happening.
The next morning when she awoke, I had asked her what her favorite part about yesterday was. It wasn’t all the sweet stuff, or any of the extra special stuff. It wasn’t the presents or the candles. It wasn’t anything I had done to make her day so special. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.
Her favorite part about her 3rd birthday was “daddy rocking me”. Her favorite part about her birthday was her daddy rocking her to sleep.
// And I knew sitting back and watching the two of them together fishing, something special was happening.
