½

Halfway through Year 1, Kasper is a happy, boisterous baby who just loves to drool all over his own toes (and who doesn't, really?). Once he figured out how to sit up, Kasper immediately moved on to hauling himself up using the side of his crib. Now when I get up in the morning he's often standing up and waiting for me. He's still a chunky baby -- 21 pounds or so at last check -- and he still has a lot of cheek and little hair, but we see him grow up a little bit every day. But six months -- that went too quickly. It still feels like we just brought him home.

A boy and his dad - the story has just begun

"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." -- Warren Buffet

(Note: I'm hijacking the blog today. Your regular eloquent blogger will return soon and so will new photos of Kasper, if he can hold still long enough for us to take one. ~Meaghan)

There is so much power in one (relatively) tiny baby. Kasper has transformed Patrick into a father. This blog is an ongoing testament to just how much one dad can love one kid, but it only scratches the surface. There's the adoration in Pat's voice when he come home and talks to his "little fella". The way he rushes home for "guy's night" when I go to work. The secret language the two of them are developing. The way they sit on the couch and laugh and laugh and laugh. His pride when we're out and anyone comments on Kasper. It's truly amazing. I'm not the writer in this family, so I won't try to make my words as beautiful as his. I'll just say Happy Father's Day - your son and wife love you so much!

Kasper also had the power to single-handedly transform my father into a grandfather. He's doing a great job. We're lucky to have him and Grampa George!

As for the rest of the dads out there, thank you. In the last six months, we have seen how tough your jobs can be and we haven't even reached potty-training, learning to ride a bike or asking to borrow the car. We bow to your collective wisdom.

Sit up and take notice

Tired of seeing the world from ground level, Kasper decided he'd start sitting up this week. Just another little milestone as he develops into his own little person. And what a quirky little guy he is. He's curious about everything, almost to a fault: Meaghan caught him licking the slats of his crib one by one the other day, like he was conducting his own little taste test. He can't crawl yet; instead, he straightens his legs out, lifts his butt in the air and pushes, grinding his head forward into the carpeting and growling the whole time. And — how bizarre is this — he likes my singing. I sing him "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley every night — anyone else subjected to that would run screaming. But he loves it. Yeah, I got a feeling this kid is going to be a lot of fun. Tone-deaf, but fun.

Pool boy

Sunny and 85 degrees -- today was the perfect day to get Kasper in the pool for the first time. He splashed around, floated on his back and kept his swim trucks on, so we felt like the trip was a success. I've got a feeling Kasper and Meaghan will be spending lots of time by the pool this summer.

P.S. -- Happy Birthday Uncle Connor!

Jonesing for java

It's never too early to discover the joy of a caramel frappuccino. Kasper's a true Starbucks fiend — at least he was today, since he spit up all over me while we were in line. Maybe he was mad I didn't order him anything. Sorry, kiddo — it'll be a couple months before you're trading espresso shots with the old man.