Short lived screams and night of the iguanas: I feel a "FOY" award coming

Well it is Tuesday afternoon, about 4:00. I am sitting here on the living room floor, back propped up against the couch watching Miss. Maggie play in her ExerSaucer and contemplating on how awesome of a father I am. Two things have happened over the past three days to foster and confirm such thoughts. I had to take Mags in to the physician for her 6 month exam today. I must admit that at first I was not too thrilled about having to take her. Today was one of those days you build up in your head as a truly purposeful and productive day. I already planned how everything was going to transpire in my head: Finalize the research manuscript that has been collecting dust on my desk for over a year and move on to three other new projects (Today was the DAY). That was until Aimee reminded me of the appointment last night. So, begrudgingly at 12:00 I drove over and picked her up and we went to the pediatric clinic. We arrived early and they got us in early (really cool). They anticipated that Miss. Maggie was going to have a bad visit (lots of planned sticks ahead of us). WOW! What a pleasure to have such a calm, cool little cucumber as a daughter. How dumb am I? (uh no post on that please...rhetorical). I would have missed out on the coolest 20 minute doctor visit ever (Yeah 20 minutes...my girl rocks!) This little (16 pounds 6 ounces; 27 & 1/2 inches long with a 17 inch head [insert quote here: "its got its own satellite system.....HEED PANTS NOW!] girl has got some moxy, for after three shots, one finger prick and an oral dose of something terribly nasty, my little tough one was smiling. One short lived scream, one split second glance of "why are you doing this to me?"and (without pause) smiling. NOT the little "are you sure it is going to be okay?"grin, I am speaking of the ear to ear, cheek compressing, lip attenuating "I Love You Daddy! You are the greatest" written all across her face, could smelt iron ore in the middle of the arctic circle smile. Both of her tiny pearly white bottom incisors gleaming up at me (covered by copious amounts of slobber of course). She is a TOUGH little cookie and I don't even care that the manuscript has collected another day of dust. It CAN wait......now on to "the rest of the story"...Feats of great fatherly ability and Big Brother.

We started the AWANA program at our church on Sunday nights. This past Sunday was the first session. Intent on getting Jack hyped for how much fun he was going to have later that day, I decided to talk non stop about everything AWANA. How we were having AWANAs at the church, and how much fun all the boys and girls were going to have....you know, because of having AWANAs. I really ran this one into the ground for about an hour, with good effect, Jack seamed to be getting pumped about AWANAs being at the church later that day. Weeeeeeell, Aimee is reading a book to Jack prior to his Sunday nap and she asked him, "Jack are you excited about going back to church?" "YES! Daddy told me that we are having Iguanas at church. I want to pet one!".....mission accomplished! Go ahead and send in your nominations for my "FOY" (Father of the year ) :)