Its A Family Affair

If you don not have your family what do you have? C.J. has the pleasure of having two particularly large families. It is daddy's desire that she knows her true history. As a child we always did family tree activities. I knew my all my grandparents, great-grandparents and beyond because I would ask questions then sit at the feet of the elders and listen to stories about the old day on the farms of Georgia, Alabama, Virginia and North Carolina. These stories interested me because I learned a lot about my kin that normally you would not know.

So now I have C.J. and I would like for her to have knowledge of who she is and where she came from. She will be able to go far because she knows her history. My desire is to take her to the different places her ancestors use to live. I will explain to her why it is significant, why they left, where they migrated to and what it all means to her. Geographically C.J. might not have th fortune of learning black history in her classroom so daddy will have to make sure that he is on point with immersing her in her history.

I want her to know the sacrifices that her people made. i want he to know that all of her great-grandparents were strong, hardworking people from the south who leaned and depended on no on other than the good Lord above. I want her to know that her grandparents lived a modest life so that their children would be successful in life. I w3ant her to know that her parents made it to where they are today by being supported by their nuclear families just like her mommy and daddy will support her.

So today she spent the day with her great-grandma and after she carefully examined the different surroundings she began to chat a little bit so her grandma knew she was an alert baby. I feel that family is important and want to make sure even though she lives a little ways from most of her folks that she will always have opportunities to bond with them. also to be able to ask questions of her elders and sit at their feet to hear stories about daddy and mommy when they were kids and how life was when they grew up. So as I leave today, always promote family folks. When the smoke clears it is your family that will be there cheering you on and supporting you in all you do. Until next time, you all remember to pray because prayer always changes things.

Simply Wonderful

When you arm begins to get heavy because nestled within it is your daughter who has become comfortable, happiness is the feeling that you have. Earlier tonight Mommy and Daddy both realized that this week C.J. was spoiled beyond belief. We are both home...Mommy's time off is because school is out and Daddy's is because he needed some time to look deep into himself. C.J wanted to be in one of our hands at all times. I know I should have been a little more stern with her but when Daddy and his girl are together, she usually gets the best of him.

I have been talking a lot lately about her being the number one priority in all I do, and I want to explain why. When I became a parent I only knew parenting as what I was raised under. That is that you do whatever is necessary for your children to have what they need and to feel loved. When two parents can keep six children fairly happy I would say they were pretty good at it. So now that I have one child I want to make sure that she is always happy. If it means skipping a meeting, so be it. If it means working long hours, so be it. If it means lugging her with me to make sure I stay on schedule to meet her needs then so be it. If you could see her face when she is with me, it would make you melt as well. She has this look of "This is my daddy of whom I am well pleased". I am pleased because he dances with me, he kisses me, he provides for me, he laughs with me, he comforts me, he listens to me and he talks to me. This is the look she gives me, and I pray that it transforms into those thoughts someday.

These past few days have shown me what a relationship between Daddy and daughter should be. It is my job to make sure this is a reality, and not just what I believe should happen. As the songwriter said, "Practice what you preach." I never want to be viewed as someone, especially by my own Princess C.J., as one who just "talks the talk".

As I prepare to unveil a revived me, a better me for myself and C.J., and a more focused me for the world, you all continue to pray because prayer changes things.

C.J., in life you will sometimes feel like you have no energy. Be strong enough to say I need to take some time for myself to revive yourself so you can operate at 100%. Take it from your Daddy, it is you that will be your weakest link and your biggest enemy toward your own progress if you allow yourself to be consumed in yourself. Every so often, do a personal spring cleaning! Love you much!

What A Day!

The day finally came where I was with C.J. from sun up to sun down. As I laid in the bed watching the news she went through her normal morning ritual of stretching and sound making. The big difference was that today I was able to pick her up and be the first person she laid eyes on.

The joy of the day was that whatever we wanted to do we could. The result was relaxation. It was my pleasure to lay around with my my little lady. She is so thrilled when her daddy is around. I even put her favorite song on today just to see if she really likes it. Just so you know, when the beat to I Got A Feeling by Black Eyed Peas knocks, C.J. is busting a move. Now you may ask what does that song teach her? It does present some Jewish culture to her when they yell out, "Mazeltov", which means congratulations! So in keeping with my quest to embed education in most of what we do together, the song works.

Today was a great day simply because I was there for my girl. I had begun to feel a little down with not being around too much but today began a renewed feeling of joy just being in C.J.'s presence. This really means a lot to me because I watch first hand how young women deal in life when their father is not present. Many will not admit it, but they have issues with men. Now most will use the defense that they are strong, independent and goal oriented women. However I argue that they are lost because they do not know how to accept, grow with and even look for a well rounded supportive man in their lives. They seem to settle for junk because they have no role model or standard to gauge from. My quest is to be the man, the man that C.J. can have as the standard and that is why I want to be with her as much as I can. I will let her grow into her own, but she will always have her daddy when she needs him.

So today was a great day for me. Introspection still going on and C.J. and I spending quality time together. What more could a man ask for! You all remember to pray because prayer changes things.

C.J., Daddy is about to go pray for some people that have asked him to lift them up in prayer. Always remember to start and end your day with prayer. Praying for others is a great thing to do. It brings you great joy and makes a difference in the lives of others.

Days Off

Welp, the day is here. The day where I can chill with C.J. all day and do absolutely nothing. So the plan for the next three days is on. Now I will be fully engaged in my introspection but when that period is over it will be C.J. and Daddy.

I am excites because I have prayed for this day for a long time. So I am looking forward to hanging out to my little girl. I will read with her, take a walk with her. Spoil her a little bit.

I have to say that I am a little worried about the next four years today. New Jersey has a new governor and he directly effects my way of life. So today I pledge to C.J. that daddy will do all he can to ensure your well-being, your safety and your health. Real short today but its with a purpose.

Dancing Machine

Today was a normal day. I came home from work and was able to hang out with C.J. while Mommy ran some errands. You know I enjoy these moments because we have not been having the quality time that I would like lately, so we were due. Today it was about finding what keeps C.J.'s interest. Now myself being an educator, you know I want to expose my child to as much meaningful television as possible. I believe that what she watches and hears now at a monitored rate will mature her intellectually, more comfortably and at an impressively fast rate. Now the television you know is already trumped by the many hours of reading we do with her. Well rounded is what we are going after here.

So for recreation time I played some music for C.J. and I, and in keeping with my feel good theme for the week, selected Black Eyed Peas. I Got A Feeling immediately filled the room. Now I was going to dance around with C.J. as I normally do, but today my little girl turned into a Dancing Machine. Her head started nodding, her hands waving and her feet were moving all over the place. She was really excited and grooved to the sounds she heard.

A smile hurried over my face to see my baby having a great time with her Daddy. These are the moments that I desire to have with her as much as possible. These precious moments where she is happy and growing up right before my eyes. The more I am around her, the more I see both Mommy and Daddy in her. Her like of music...all Daddy, and her stern looks when she is not pleased with you...all Mommy. As far as traits go she will have an interesting mix.

Day One of Operation Introspection was great! I saw a rainbow on my way to work. That was God beginning to speak to me and then some calls shaping my priorities in life came my way. I thank God for revelation! Day 2 is coming. C.J. is at the top of the list...if it doesn't help me to help her, then it has to go!

As for now, you all remember to pray because prayer changes things!

My Little trooper

The day that no parent wants to deal with is the day their baby seems to be ill but can not articulate it to you. That was C.J. today. She slept, she was fidgety, she was cranky and then she cried her little self to sleep. I will tell you it is the most helpless I had ever felt in life not being able to quickly decipher what the problem was.

At one pint during the night I held her and she was comfortable enough to fall asleep in my arms. The problem was that it was around bath time and I knew she would have to be awaken. The daddy in me exuded from me quickly and I suggested to Shatema that she let her sleep a little longer. Mommy said that will not happen and she proceeded to give her a bath so she could get her to bed. I wanted to stop her but mother knows best.

I will say this feeling helpless is something I do not want to become familiar with. I mean C.J. was fighting through whatever but daddy wanted to be the one to ease any pain or discomfort she was going through. I will have you know the thing that kept her quiet the most today was football. Which mommy could not believe but daddy just smiled.

Hopefully she will sleep through the night and feel a little more like herself tomorrow. If not daddy will be there to comfort her when she beckons him. As Michael Jackson said, "Just call my name and I'll be there, I'll be there to protect you too C.J." As I leave you as always, remember to pray because prayer changes things.

P.S. feel better C.J.!!!!

Say You, Say Me

Lionel Richer wrote these words,
"Say you, say me; say it for always
That's the way it should be
Say you, say me; say it together
Naturally"

Today was an example of how I wish everyday could be. We slept late. We ate brunch together as a family. We lounged around all day long, reading, listening to music, watching football and sleeping. The key to it all was that the two of us were together. After a week where I had a meltdown because I felt like I was away from C.J. too much. Not to mention work was beginning to annoy me, I felt like I was losing my edge, and I needed to take a day off to begin a self-evaluation process...this is the way I needed the week to end.

Now some of you may say what a way to ruin C.J.'s Halloween but we do not engage in activity of the sort anyway so she and I were good. I think I held C.J. more today than I have ever done thus far. I wanted to make sure that all she was missing of me this week got soaked in. Now I know that is impossible but I think anyone who has children will understand my sentiment.

So as the day faded away and C.J. fell asleep (she did see some of the Notre Dame game)and the idea of the extra hour of sleep became more and more of a thought, I felt a feeling of ease come upon me. Then the lyrics of Lionel Richie, "Say it together, naturally." This is all I want. C.J. and Daddy naturally together. As I look to the week to come, a week where I have set aside two days for me to really look inside of me and change some things, I realize that the number one priority will be how I can be the best touchable Daddy to C.J.

A better me will make a better C.J.! So as I leave to take full advantage of my extra hour of sleep you all remember to pray because prayer changes things!

C.J., there are times in life when you must step back and take a look at all you are doing. You must be like the gardener in a nursery and prune your plants to make sure they continue to grow healthy and strong. Love you a bunch, Daddy!