The Aftermath

I could sum this up quickly by just saying that, "C.J. is spoiled!" Today was the first time I spent the duration of a day with C.J. Usually I am at work and she is at the sitter but since she is sick I stayed home with her. Whatever you do for this child, nothing is fast enough. If you're preparing a bottle, changing a diaper, administering medicine...you are always too slow for C.J.

We did make it through the day without any problems though. She even managed to sneak in a few naps. Mommy called as promised. In fact it was so many times, I lost count. As she puts it, the calls were not about me, they were about her baby. I suggested that she just take off from now on because the calls were a bit much. I mean, I understand how she feels, but she could have at least made it hourly and not the crazy frequency she chose. Funny thing is that she was supposed to be working. I wonder how much of that was completed today?

C.J.'s health is continuing to improve and Daddy is happy with his medical service today. I still think I would prefer to keep her on well days. We could have a lot more fun then. So I am off to get some sleep, a busy next few days for me. So you all remember to pray because prayer changes things.

The Calm Before The Storm

Have you ever watched how during the summer you will have a chain of calm days? No breezes, no turbulent winds, everything is still and the sun rises and sets without any event. The tide comes in and goes back out and the waves roll in a nice rhythmic pattern.

Then all of a sudden the thunder roars and the lightning flashes and then the rain falls. We are in a full blown storm. Well my friends that is how this week has been thus far. As you know, C.J. has been under the weather. On Monday her grandmother came to sit with her and, on today, her aunt. They were the calm. They were happy to be in C.J.'s presence and did what good mothers would do. Now tomorrow the storm is brewing. C.J. and yours truly, her daddy, will be at home all day together, which will call for quite an interesting day.

Now we have spent time together but never under these circumstances. C.J. is sick. Mommy has to work. Daddy is taking off and C.J. is nursing herself back to 100%. So I figure we will start our day with Sports Center. We must stay abreast on all the happenings in sports to be literate in all conversations we may find ourselves in. Then, we will watch both episodes of Maury, even though C.J. certainly knows who her daddy is. We will watch just to humor ourselves with the shenanigans. At about that time it will be time for brunch, so oatmeal and toast will be the meal of the day. Now you know if C.J. is with Daddy, she has to get her education time in. So we will read some historical text on tomorrow to keep her mind flexible, and to diversify her content knowledge. Then we will have to get C.J. to take a nap so Daddy can catch up on all he needs to do. If not, oh well, C.J. and Daddy will play until we get tired.

Now some of you are questioning how tomorrow will go. As Mommy always says, "It seems like she is having a free for all in here." I guess one could say that. Daddy likes to have fun and C.J., being his little girl, has probably inherited that trait. So just as Daddy is excited about being home with his lil homey, I guess she is excited about the prospect, too.

Now we know we will have to contend with our loving Mommy as she worries about us while at work. I guess she will worry about how Daddy is dealing with C.J. and how C.J. is treating Daddy, lol! She loves us and is only out for our best interest. We will have her know that her checkpoint will become a part of our Blog, so the world will know how much Mommy loves and misses C.J. and Daddy!

So you all remember to pray because prayer changes things! Pray for C. J. and Daddy that they do not wreck the house. Also pray for Mommy so that she does not worry about us too much. Then pray for the aftermath which we will have for you tomorrow!

Note to C.J.: We have managed to get into trouble with Mommy before, and I gather we will probably get in more trouble tomorrow. Just remember what I told you...use your pretty brown eyes and give her a juicy kiss, and all will be OK!

Recovering Well

You really have to thank God for family. With the stupid girl sending her son to spread his sickness we decided to keep C.J. home this week. So her grandmother and aunt came down to watch her during the day so that we could work during the day. Just to give you a report on C.J., she is doing well. It is late so I can not stay up much longer so continue to pray for C.J. as she gets back to 100%. We all know that prayer changes things!

Splitsville

OK, today was the first day I had to preach with my mind someplace else. So when I left the house this morning I had to get my mind right because with C.J., sick or not, God's word must go forth with power and clarity. And PRAISE be to God, that is what happened.

I will admit that the drive to church was solemn this morning. I longed for Mommy's nagging and C.J.'s periodic sounds. Somehow they make me feel at ease and ready for anything I encounter. So this morning I had to settle for KISS Inspirations to get me ready for church this morning. I made sure I lifted my baby up in prayer, too.

Now today I actually felt separation anxiety. I was not too worried about C.J.'s health because I know she will be fine. The issue I had today was being away from her. Now I am away from her on most days and a lot on weekends but today was different. I was so antsy with being away from her that I did not even stay at Ma's house for dinner. I got some plates to go and back down to the Bridge I went.

So the stage is set and the sitters are all in place. Daddy will be able to go to work but you better believe she will be on my mind. So I will deal with my separation anxiety. I think I can tame it to make it through the day though. So please you all keep me in prayer and do not forget to pray because as we all know Prayer changes things.

Note to C.J.: Daddy wants you to know how much of a trooper you have been during your little sickness. You remained tough and active even though your body was weak and you were coughing more than smiling. I am very proud of you and know that you are already a strong girl that will turn into a strong woman.

Sick Saturday

Well what we thought was confirmed. C.J. is sick. The good thing about it is that her doctor told us to come in to his office so he could see what the deal was, instead of toughing out the weekend and coming to him on Monday. I, for one, was very happy about this because you never want to see your baby sick. I will have you know that my baby has been a trooper through this all. Her appetite is not where it usually is, but she is still the happiest baby you will find on the face of the earth. C.J. is still all smiles despite feeling pretty bad.

Today was the first day my plans were altered due to my baby but you live and get over it. One thing I really hate is when people do not keep commitments. Until today I never understood it. I felt really bad about having to cancel but my family is my first priority in life and duty called.

Now to the things that really upset me today. After we left the doctor's office we had to go fill a prescription. Part of the prescription called for some machinery. Now I go to work every day. Last year I was forced to pay a part of my insurance plan and this year I had to take furlough days by force, so of course that means money out of my check, all in the name of politics. I am taking one for the State of New Jersey. So when I go to the pharmacy and the pharmacist tell me that the insurance company is not going to cover my sick child's stuff you know I was fuming. I work hard every day and this is the thanks I get. All I ever think about is how we bend over backwards for those who do not work and we who do get kicked in the behind daily.

Thank God for family though because we have what we need and did not have to fatten the pockets of some big time company to get it. C.J. will be fine, and Daddy will be OK for now, until Horizon gives him another reason to get ugly with them. I am sure they will.

We had to inform the babysitter that C.J. would not be coming this week. I wish the stupid girl who sent her sick son last week could read this. We are keeping her home so the other kid does not get sick as well. It is what you are suppose to do as a parent, young lady. Now because of her I have to take days off of work but I will because I am a RESPONSIBLE parent.

So C.J. is resting a lot more comfortably tonight. She will be back to her normal self in no time. Just in time for her week with Daddy. Now that she will be in recovery mode, we will need to scale back some of what we were going to do, but we will have fun nonetheless. We have a GIANTS picture to take that I have been looking forward to for a while now.

So as I go, you all remember to pray because prayer changes things.

SICK

At the doctor earlier this week, Mommy asked when C.J. would get sick for the first time. I thought it was a rather odd question but listened for an answer nonetheless. Unfortunately, Mommy did not have to wait long for her answer. Though not anything severe, C.J. is battling her first cold. Now you know Daddy could have gone a long time without seeing his baby sick but the time is here, and one has to act accordingly.

Now I must throw in the bonehead parent who sent her child to the sitter with a full blown cold on Monday. Then, against the sitter's wishes, sent her son on Tuesday with another person in true hoodlum fashion. Now, do not get me wrong, I understand having to work and all of that, but when other parties are involved, you can not be so selfish. This morning C.J. coughed once every 1/2 hour it seemed. The ride to work was crazy. All the way to the sitter I wondered should I just call out and chill at home with C.J., but she had no symptoms. Mommy called the sitter all day and I was on standby just in case she actually was sick. I was out of there like a bat out of hell. The good thing was that she made it through the day, no coughing or anything but you could see it coming on and when we arrived home, the sickness came out. It is not bad but it's the first time, and of course as a new mommy and daddy, we are overly cautious.

So the weekend is a wrap. C.J. will be inside and staying warm. The weather changing, and her being around that sick kid, took a toll on her. We are going to get her back to 100% and get ready to enjoy our time together during the holiday break. So tonight I am going to get off early and tend to my lil princess. You all remember to pray because prayer changes things. Even the sick report!

Thoughts of C.J.

There are some days where I will sit and think about C.J. for most of the day. I think about how she will grow. How she will look? How she will act? What things she will enjoy and how we will both mature in this father/daughter relationship? Most of the time what comes to my head is music. For a long time now music has served as my outlet. Some of you may know a song I heard "Your Joy" at one of my best friend's weddings. It is the storyboard for what C.J. is to me...simply "My Joy". Well today, two other old school songs came to mind. The first would be "Chocolate Girl" by the Whispers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R1L7xLMLK4

The other song today was, "You're A Big Girl Now" by the Stylistics. This song speaks of how a little girl grows into a young woman. Similar to "Your Joy" by Chrisette Michele, they present to a father his little girl maturing into a young woman. As I spoke with a young lady today it became more and more evident that C.J. having me in her life will be beneficial to her healthy growth into adulthood. It convinced me that I must continue to be the example of what a man is, what she should expect and how one should treat her. It is a tall task but no one is more equipped and ready to work at the task than me. I have attached the lyrics for you:

(You're a big girl now
No more daddy' little girl)

(You're a big girl now
No more daddy' little girl)

No more pigtail's
In your hair
No more silly looks
With a childish glare

No more dolls
For you to play
No more dumbness
In the things you say

(You're a big girl now
No more daddy' little girl)

(You're a big girl now
No more daddy' little girl)

You can love girl
If you must
You can kiss girl
If you must

But you see
Day by Day
All the realness
In your way

(You're a big girl now
No more daddy' little girl)

(You're a big girl now
No more daddy' little girl)

Baby I love you
(Baby I love you)
Yes I do
(oh yes I do now)
In all my life
(In all of my life)
You're my dream come true
(You're my dream come true)
You're a big girl now
(You're a big girl now)
Yes you are
You're my happiness
You're my shining star
(Shining star)

(You're a big girl now
No more daddy' little girl)

(You're a big girl now
No more daddy' little girl)

As I sang these lyrics to C.J. before her bath tonight I looked into her eyes as they stared back into mine. A smirk of comfort came across both our faces. We are beginning to understand each other even though she is still so young. We are creating a complex chemistry that the two of us will share the solution to solving. God, I thank you for placing C.J. in my life!

As I part, you all remember to pray because prayer changes things!