Bath Time!!!

So it is Friday night at 8:51pm and C.J. and I are home alone relaxing. She is eating and I am holding the bottle for her. In the background, you guessed it, Football! Nevada vs. Missouri, we think Mizzou will win.

Anyway, Mommy took some much needed me time tonight and she better come home bearing gifts for all. Anyway that left Daddy to have his first attempt at bath time. Since Mommy created a system for this I usually write during that given time, however, I had to come off the bench and step up tonight. I will say I did rather well. No soap in her eyes. I did not drop her and she did not cry too much. I was paranoid at whether the water was too hot or too cold but when I put her in she was relaxed.

I washed her face, changed washcloths, then her body. Last was the hair with the washcloth I used for her face. No booty-face washcloth for her. I'm on top of things just so you all know.

In trying to keep with Shatema's system I read to C.J. tonight as well. I chose a different type of text and read to her Martin Luther King Jr's sermon/speech "Where Do We Go From Here?" As I read this almost 40 year old text, it was sad to come to the conclusion that my daughter was born into a similar world mentioned. I know the words are complicated and the tone is a bit grim but I hope that all of this is seeping into her inner most being and beginning to shape and mold her into the powerful black woman she will be. I have added an excerpt for you to ponder. "The Negro will only be free when he reaches down to the inner depths of his own being and signs with the pen and ink of assertive manhood his own Emancipation Proclamation. And, with a spirit straining toward true self-esteem, the Negro must boldly throw off the manacles of self-abnegation and say to himself and to the world, "I am somebody. I am a person. I am a man with dignity and honor. I have a rich and noble history. How painful and exploited that history has been. Yes, I was a slave through my foreparents and I am not ashamed of that. I'm ashamed of the people who were so sinful to make me a slave." Yes, we must stand up and say, "I'm black and I'm beautiful," and this self-affirmation is the black man's need, made compelling by the white man's crimes against him."

C.J., Daddy wants you to stand up for what is right. He wants you to not be ashamed of who you are and where you come from. He wants you to be bold. He wants you to be a leader and not compromise your beliefs. He wants you to be YOU!" I say this because as I realized earlier we are still in search of where to go and I want C.J. to be a part of the calvary headed upward and onward.

So it is, another night comes to an end. The bond between father and daughter grows stronger and all is good in the Johnson household. As always remember to pray because prayer changes things.

Must be the Music

C.J. and I have had an evening alone. Earlier today I came home and sat her on my lap and decided to listen to some music. Many people don't know it but I love all kinds of music. Music helps calm me, yes even when it's loud rock music. Music does something to me and I can escape whatever negative energy I've had to deal with throughout the day.

Now for C.J. it's all about exposure. I want her to hear many genres of music so she can relate and learn about people. Her Daddy believes that you can tell a lot about people by the music they listen to and how they respond to different kinds of music. So yes people, C.J., like her dad, will be analytical. Today we listened to Blink 182 and C.J. liked it. I swear I saw her nod her head in rhythm and no one will be able to persuade me otherwise. All the Small Things was the song of choice. We also listened to some Black Eyed Peas.

Now C.J. and I are doing what we do best watching football, South Carolina vs. Ole Miss. Well I am watching and C.J. is sound asleep but she is listening. She will know her football positions and calls.

I spoke with a friend, and we related to how we both miss the heck out of our baby girl when we are not with them. I, for one, can not stand it. I want to take her everywhere with me. To the mall, to a game, to the store, to work even, as long as she leaves the stinky diapers at home.

Well another night ends and I must go. Soon enough C.J. and I will be dancing again. Until then, remember to pray because prayer changes things.

News Flash- Have to share Will be back tonight

Some things are so exciting you have to do a quick blurb. I know I should be out the door already but I will get to my destination on time. I am hoping that this is the beginning of C.J. beginning to play her role on our team. She slept the entire night!!!!That is right from 11ish when we put her down and she is still sleep. Go C.J.!!! Now if she plays right she will be up most of the day and sleep through the night again tonight.

Just Live Your Life

I want to thank a very cool young lady for inspiring me today. We are victims of someone having expectations of us. What to wear, how to talk, where to go to school, who to date, what car you should buy, where you should live, and how you should act. At one time or another in all of our lives we have lived trying to reach someone else's goals for our lives. Truth be told this should never be the case.

Now some of you who see me more regularly know I joke around about my children all being meteorologists. My reasoning is that they get paid a nice chunk of change and can actual be inaccurate 75% of the time in their profession. So with C.J. being my first born it is now time for her career to begin taking shape, but that is what I want for her. Yes it's a joke and I want her to be whatever she wants to be as long as she is dedicated to it.

Because I didn't see C. J. since this morning when I left for work, I learned that laying a foundation is very important in a family. When a foundation is laid a child will always have those nuggets of life to look back upon and grow. This was you can go to sleep at night assured that whatever it is your child puts their mind to, they are carrying out the tasks with pride and purpose. This young lady today helped me (a perfectionist) understand that I will have to let C.J. develop into who she wants to be and not what I may think is ideal. The bible tells us to train up a child in the way it should go and when she (in this case) is old she will not depart from it.

As a parent I must understand that there will be things C.J. does that will irk and upset me but nevertheless I have to love her unconditionally. I have to believe in my heart that at all times I have allowed her to see true love, trust and whatever other values and morals I want her to possess. This way she will be a happy child who feels loved all the time. I missed my baby today but at all times, morning, noon and night C.J. occupies my mind and I am thinking of how I will parent to make sure she understands life and can apply what she learns from her Daddy!

That is all for today. I hope this touches others like it touched me. Let your kids live THEIR lives. Just be supportive and always remember to pray because prayer changes things.

YUCK!!!

Alright folks she baptized me and I'm the minister. She gave back some of her milk down my back. It was yucky and ran all the way down my back. Good thing I didn't have a suit on. I know that sounds very mean to say but dry cleaning is expensive and we want to make sure C.J. eats. Come on people, it's a joke, laugh with me.

So we have had other yucky situations too. Diapers changes have been become more and more smelly as of late and C.J. needs to learn how to spray the glade quickly. I mean it oozes and runs and the smell would make you think that she feasted on rotten milk but she does not and Daddy makes sure of that.

Today C.J. and I listened to music. She was quiet through George Clinton and Earth Wind and Fire. We danced to Daddy's favorite song, September, too. So this is all post bath time too. Usually she is asleep by now but she is up and about now. Why she is up, we don't know, but we are trying everything to put her down. I am sure a warm embrace from Dad will do the trick.

I've noticed that she seems to be a lot more active now which makes me excited because that means playtime with Daddy will commence, and who knows what will go on there. It's what I have been waiting for since she was born...the basketball is ready to go.

Welp tonight has to be short because I have to get ready for a long day tomorrow. C.J.'s got me today but tomorrow and the next day I will be ready for her, lol. As always remember to pray becasue prayer changes things.

Define Normal

In my lifetime I've had many conversations with parents. Whether it was as a teacher during back to school night, a counselor discussing admissions or as a concerned citizen speaking with parents in the community. I have talked with them all about God only knows what and none of them ever told me that I would never utter the word "normal" again. C.J. has come into my life and changed the way I do life, even waking up in the morning. Like today, I pressed the snooze button three times. C.J. wanted to be fed at 4:00am right when I was (again) entering that level of sleep where it gets real good. So I figured if I lose this time, by pressing the snooze button, I would make it up. The result, late to work again.

Now tonight, I come home ready to create a nice Asian dish for dinner, (OK, it was chicken stir fry over lo mein noodles),however, I had to make some minor adjustments since I wanted to hold C.J. and cook at the same time. So she watched me cook today. Hopefully she picked up some pointers. Operating with one hand made me realize once again that changes have had to be made, and I'd better begin looking at things differently right now.

Even when riding to the doctor's office, I have lost my co-pilot. Shatema now sits in the back seat with my little lady. Try having a conversation by way of the rear view mirror. Also I can't even play my music up all loud anymore, lol. So when my jam comes across the airwaves I have to just sway from side to side versus getting buck-wild like I used to.

Now one might say man does he sound bitter. Trust me I am not. So what, things will never be normal again. To tell the truth I am abnormal. Nothing I do is normal...I don't eat, dress, sleep, perform tasks, or even think, normally. So C.J. coming along just helps her old man think of new and exciting ways to be creative. Who needs normalcy anyway? We should all live our lives doing new and exciting things. Every day we should be innovative and inventive! So thank you C.J. for helping Daddy remain walking on the edge of the box, and I look forward to the day when we can be abnormal together. That is all for today, remember to pray because prayer changes things!

Scheduling Conflict

In my short month as a parent I would not have anyone believe that everything has all been good. As with any new experience you have your ups and downs. You wonder a lot and you have those moments where you simply say, "What the heck did I get myself into?" I would have to say that the biggest issue in the house has been that of scheduling. Mommy has her schedule, Daddy had his and C.J. operates on her own schedule. The problem is that none of the schedules are in sync.

I will go on record to say that I do not buy any of this C.J. will begin to follow our schedule soon. I believe that she should sleep when she wants to and be awake when she wants to. Now I do feel that she should sleep when her parents sleep and be active during the day when we are out and about. I know many people, especially the mothers, will chalk this comment up to me being a rookie on the fatherhood team and you may be correct. However I believe that everything will come together sooner or later. I don't want to rush anything. I just want things to fall into place.

This week this scheduling came into play. Realistically I saw C.J. in the mornings, then again at night, and at both times she was asleep. I am already dreading this weekend when I know I have to work (though not really doing much, I still have to go in.). I'm saying to myself that I really would much rather be at home with C.J. than down at that school. I love my job but C.J. and I need to keep our bond strong. It was evident that she missed me because she slept on me for a long time last night without a peep. On the other hand she showed her disgust in me not being around by crying anytime I held her today. So automatically the wheels started turning in my head as to what I need to stop doing RIGHT NOW to ensure that this does not happen again.

The daily happenings of C.J. continue to amaze me. Every move, sound, gesture and that smile helps me to understand that she is the Princess in my home and that she is already setting her agenda. One day I guess C.J., Shatema and myself will need to sit down and discuss all of our agendas to make sure that we are all on the same page moving in the same direction.

That is all for today, I'm surprised I stayed this focused with the Giants and Cowgirls playing today. Always remember to pray because prayer changes things.