Today Was A Good Day

As with every Sunday since I have returned to church, I had to leave my ladies this morning. Before I left I prayed and applied the daily kisses to the forehead. C.J. actually slept through the night. This is becoming a habit that I can enjoy, and a happy Daddy means a happy C.J.

So on the ride home, I heard C.J. while I chatted with Mommy on the phone. This little girl of mine will be like her Daddy and have the gift of gab. She actually enjoys hearing herself make sounds, which means she is going to like talking when she is able to formulate words with the sounds she makes. These are good signs that C.J. has the possibility to be the weather woman on Good Day New York.

I must say that when I hear C.J., especially when I am not around, I desire to be close to her quickly so she can chat with her dad. Which makes me begin to think about the future chats we will have. Those about school and sports and the dreaded ones about boys. I cringe inside and out by just thinking of that day. Let me move on quickly from here, lol!

C.J. is responding to sound a lot more too. She is developing those skills that she will need to operate within society on any given day. She is always observant of her surroundings too. Her eyes follow me whenever I am around. She will move those eyes all around a room in response to the slightest crack in the floor, which again, I believe is good.

So with football on all day, C.J. did not watch any. Mommy said not on her watch. I told Mommy that she needed to support me on C.J's. development and she replied, "What development?" I told her, "Her athletic development. The more she sees the more intrigued she becomes." All Mommy could do was laugh! We will have to continue praying for Mommy's sports interest. Folks I will let her decide on what she wants to do but I do want to introduce, just like music, a wide variety of sports to her and then she can choose whether or not she would like to participate.

So as the day comes to an end, it was a good one. Great worship, good weather, good little league sports, the Giants demolished the Raiders and C.J. is cooperating a lot more. I love these kind of days and I love my little C.J.!

Until another day, always remember to pray because prayer changes things.

P.S. It is 9:30pm and C.J is chilling in her little seat. I am so loving her being a big girl!

It's A Family Affair

Everyday will not be filled with excitement or C.J. doing something remarkable. However days like today are so special and fulfilling. Today in our home the main agenda was SLEEP! I mean we all slept until we felt like getting up. Now when I did get up I thought I had screwed myself because I needed a haircut and getting to the barber after 9AM on a Saturday is just plain crazy. However he was late and I ended up being on time. The three hours I spent there, you best believe I nodded a whole lot, but the rest I needed was taken. I returned home and had lunch with Shatema which is always cool. The great thing about it is that C.J. allowed it to occur. She is now sitting in her rockers and bouncers quietly. This allows Mommy and Daddy to eat together, do dishes, laundry, clean the house, shower and other things that come up. I am so proud of my little lady!

Now back to the sleep. After lunch and loading the laundry, Mommy and C.J. went into the bedroom to lay down and go to sleep. Now Mommy fell asleep and then zoned out. C.J., my little princess, realized Daddy was watching football and decided to cheer so I went and got her. I positioned her in my arm and proceeded to watch Arkansas trounce Auburn. We enjoy SEC football because all the teams have the potential to win. As usual, C.J. paid attention and smiled too. I still do not know who her favorite team is, but if she is smart and I know she is, Notre Dame will be the team she cheers for. She can like the Longhorns too if she desires.

We will always enjoy these lazy weekends because they mean that everyone is home. So I guess I need to find C.J. and I matching outfits, so we can watch football in style. I am on that task immediately. Well, C.J. and I need to prepare for the LSU vs. Florida game, so she needs to take a bath and Daddy needs to go get an ice cream sundae. Until tomorrow my friends, always remember to pray because prayer changes things.

P.S., C.J. thank you for allowing your Mommy and Daddy to get things done and to get some rest today. Daddy appreciates it and I know Mommy does too! You're becoming a big girl already.

What A Long Week

I don't usually say this, but TGIF. This was one long week. Getting up at a quarter to five in the morning is something I still have to get used to. However it is what has to be done for everyone to be in place on time. I will have to say that I am pleased with how everything is working out. We are pleased with the sitter and she likes C.J. Shatema is adjusting well, and I have not lost my mind from all the driving I do.

I will admit one thing though, the days seem so long and the nights even longer. We still get in all we need to with C.J. too. Prayer and reading...we do not miss a beat. C.J. is starting to do more and more, too. She likes to roll over as much as she can and she yaps her gums a mile a minute. Pretty soon those magic words will come from her mouth, Daddy! That will be great. It is when the phrase, "Can I have" follows is when we have a problem.

C.J. and I have big plans for tomorrow. Once I get back from the haircut I still need, it will be she and I on the couch watching football all day. This is the first weekend in a very long time that Daddy has no obligation to anyone but home. These are the days I long for because these are the days I get to show C.J. all my attention. Even though any and everything I do directly affects her, she needs to know and understand that Daddy enjoys kicking back with his princess. If no time is made for her now, then no time will be made for me later. My sole purpose with this blog is to be an example of fatherhood, family and a good relationship between a father and daughter. So I have to drop gems as I go along. I must practice what I preach and I preach family. So never will you see me not making time for the little one I have. Her welfare, her well-being and her needs and wants are my first obligation. So if it means missing a meeting, it's missed. If it means being late to work, I am late. If it means me not being able to dress jiggy, then she had better get a job (sike), then I am ragged, because I vow to make sure that C.J. Johnson is well taken care of.

So the week was long but that is OK. A man has to do what a man has to do. Now I am at the end so I am going to finish up and get in the bed for some much needed rest and relaxation. Until tomorrow, remember to pray because prayer changes things.

P.S. C.J. you have been asleep since we picked you up from the sitter. Please make sure you stay asleep tonight too. Come on folks I know it is a long shot but I can hope for it right!

Gem of the Day - A man has to do what a man has to do.

Two Months and Going

We are two months in, good people. Yes it officially was yesterday but you all know I was incoherent last night. Time is flying, no I want to use this one, time is rocket blasting by. I mean C.J. is trying to roll over, holding the head up a little better, exercising the voice box and her reflexes are being perfected every minute. I try not to think about what I miss during the day because I would want to see it all first hand. Maybe I can hand in my resignation letter and get a reality television show offer. You never know, I mean if Flava Flav, Real and Chance and that non talented Tiffany Pollard can get shows, then how about airing the lives of a daddy and his princess. We could be the new age One on One (that just took some of you back...that is the show with Flex and Kyla Pratt).

We went to the doctor's office today. If I have not said it before I will say it now...I absolutely love the fact that his hours work for professional parents. Today was round two of shots and my girl took them both like a champ. She whimpered a little afterwards, and then as usual, cried because she was hungry. She is growing at a good rate and is healthy. Shatema and I were amazed at how well she sat for the doctor. She smiled and wiggled and twisted and almost kicked her vaccines on the floor, lol!

After two months, we are truly a team. Honestly in this house, it probably will be Daddy and C.J. against Mommy. Nothing serious but we will hang and Mommy is going to scold both of us when C.J. is up past her bedtime. We are scolded when C.J. is playing, instead of eating, or when Daddy is acting loud, which she says stimulates her. Hey I just love playing with my kid. Who can blame me, she is such a cutey?

We had a great day today, we were a little tired but C.J. will refresh your day anytime she is around. I love that kid! Welp, until later, always remember to pray because prayer changes things.

Listen C.J. when you read this I want you to know that you were a good little baby up until this point. Mommy and I tried a lot with you and we found the right formula (not milk) that would prepare you to be successful. So when your older and don't want to watch Sid the Science Kid please understand it is only for your professional growth. Love you much!

The Preacher's Kid

In my life I have said some awfully bad things about the children of preachers. Now, of all people, I have one. Tonight however I learned to look at it from their perspective. Tonight I had to attend to a family from the church so C. J. had to share her Daddy. So the question popped in my head...how does the kid of a preacher feel when they might have a day altered because Daddy is always on call? Or, how would C.J. feel if Daddy missed her first soccer goal because Daddy must attend a meeting? No wonder I always said that those preachers' kids crave attention.

Tonight taught me to always have balance in my life, and to remember that God gave me a beautiful daughter to raise with my wife, and not just when I can schedule her in. Does this mean I drag her to every meeting, service or preaching engagment to make sure we have quality time together? No, to me it means allowing God to use me as he sees fit. That way I know that I will be the best daddy to C.J. and minister to the church.

So I'm short tonight, just getting in really. But as always, remember to pray because prayer changes things.

P.S. Hey C.J., your daddy has promised the Lord to follow where He leads me. Sometimes there will be times you will not agree with that. Do know that God blessed me with you and you will ALWAYS have the daddy time you need. He loves you and I love you too!

For all of you to know the report from the babysitter was that she hit another kid today. As we Johnsons believe, I guess he got too close. Go baby go!

Daddy Needs A Haircut

If you know Jamal T. Johnson you know that he is debonaire. He is very concerned about his appearance and will go out of his way to make sure his attire is top notch. With that said, everyone has mentioned to me that time would be scarce with a child. I would have to disagree for the most part. With all that I involve myself in, having C.J. has not put a dead halt to that.

I have found time for my nine to five, found time for my business development, God automatically makes his time available, even have had time to sit and chill with Shatema. I have had time for recreation and still the time is there for Mr. Johnson to be supportive of his many kids. Now all of this does come at a cost...I do not know what sleep is, and I refuse to depend on coffee to keep me going. Green tea has become my hot beverage of choice.

With all of this going on, most of my time is committed to C.J.'s development. As a father I want to make sure I am there for her mentally, socially, physically, emotionally, playfully, educationally and prayerfully, and anything else you can come up with. I believe that she will be a stronger WOMAN because of it. Now back to C.J. and Daddy's hair.

Now, I went bald because George Bush was President of the United States. I went out, bought a balding clipper and will usually bald my own head. Since C.J. was born I have not been able to do so because I do not want hair to get all over the place. I usually put some plastic down to be neat, but hair scatters and I want everything she uses to be clean. With that said I am considering going back to my Afro days as it is less maintenance than a bald head. Hold up I'm gonna do a poll on Facebook real quick. With my Afro I don't have to worry about getting hair all over the place when cutting it myself. I would have to get back to going to the barber once a week to keep it Steve Harvey tight but that is what I used to do anyway. I want to keep C.J. clean and sanitary so I might have to go that route.

So get this...C.J. is really beginning to use all of her limbs now. Her long legs are moving like she is Allyson Felix, Daddy's favorite runner. She is moving a lot now so we have to watch her closely so she does not fall. Now a fall will occur sooner or later. How we respond will be interesting. She had another good day at the sitter. Shatema told me that she talked to her on the phone. I really like the fact that the sitter interacts with her too. She is becoming more and more fascinating as the days go by. When she is up and running, watch out world. Daddy and C.J. are going to be on the move.

I am going to go now, so as always, remember to pray because prayer changes things!

All In A Day's Work

Today was a good day! Up at 4:45am, check. Car started and moving by 6:30am, check. Drop C.J. and Shatema off at the babysitter, check. Get to work on time, check. Have a productive day at the office, check. Pick up C.J. and Shatema by 4:30, check. So as you can see, the first day back for Shatema and our new routine went well. If I had to grade our performance I'd give a B+ for the attempt. When we get in stride we will be fluid and the A+'s will come.

So this evening I had the chance to chill with C.J. due to a minor mishap with a certain person's ring finger who shall remain nameless. She had to go away for a couple of hours so that left C.J. and I to fend for ourselves and we did well. We came home, she slept as I caught up on some work that needed to be completed. She woke up. I prepared a bottle, fed her and then started to prepare her bath (yes with one hand because she was in the other). I am still working on this not spoiling her stuff, I give myself a F-. So during the bath C.J. wanted to be difficult. This being only my second time bathing her she is still a little hard to manage with her being so tiny and my hands being so large. And when I'm trying to be extra careful she wants to twist and turn, of course. If it weren't for her being in water I'd pop her little butt and tell her to be still...a little pop won't hurt her. We got through it, though, and I got her dressed, and then it was back to sitting down C.J. and Daddy! Now when Mommy got home to evaluate the situation I realized there were a few things I forgot to do. I have to get a little better and study what Mommy does more intently.

I am learning that you have to get a lot done in a day as a parent. I am becoming part of the Octopus Club. I used to joke around about mothers being able to do many things at once but now I am in the same company. It is a great club to be in though and for C.J. I will be an octopus. We are here now watching this Vikings vs. Packers game. We even have Mommy peeking too. We may win her over one day. Until that day folks remember to pray because prayer changes things.

P.S. C.J., you had a great day at the sitter. The entire family calls you by your name C.J. They like you a lot and you seem to be pleased with them after day one. Continue to be well behaved whenever you are away from Daddy and Mommy. Good behavior will take you a long way. Oh yeah, Mommy read the weather report to you today as well! When you read this you will know why I stated that and the weather some other times as well. Love you baby!