Dear Kathryn,
On your first trip to the pediatrician, you crapped on me. I had just set you down, naked, on the examination table, and you lifted your legs and squirted a fine line of brown up my shirt, from my navel to just below my chin. I didn't have another shirt to change into, and so, for lack of anything else to do, I greeted everyone I met for the rest of that office visit with a thumbs up and the biggest smile they'd ever seen. I looked like the smiley-faced dot a young, dreamy girl might place over the "i" you'd just drawn on me with your butt.
And then we switched pediatricians by cell phone on the car ride home.
Today you turn eight, and right now I feel like you are the biggest smile I've ever seen dotting the line of crap that seven pooped on you. May this year treat you better.
I love you,
Dad
God bless them all and may they all live to be a happy, healthy, 100 years old!
Posted by: Cinthia | July 28, 2008 at 07:05 PM
Happy birthday, pretty girl.
Posted by: Mary | July 28, 2008 at 07:31 PM
Happy birthday, beautiful! Best wishes to you for the coming year.
Posted by: Marianne | July 28, 2008 at 08:52 PM
Have a very happy birthday, Kathryn!
Posted by: Joy | July 28, 2008 at 09:23 PM
Happy Birthday Kathryn!!!!
I remember 8 and I can tell you from experience, it just keeps getting better. Best wishes for a fabulous year with many more even more fantastic ones to follow.
btw LD, It must be programmed. My son peed on me his first visit to the doc, the same miserable line and I can't tell you how grateful I was that it didn't hit my chin. I think just remembering (and recounting) the story may be retribution enough. Muaa haa haa. Banking that memory for the teenage years.
Posted by: Jasi | July 28, 2008 at 10:19 PM
happy 8th birthday from a new visitor!!!
Posted by: melissa | July 28, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Someday, maybe even today- she will read this and know just how great a dad she has.
Happy Birthday - 8 is the coolest!
Posted by: | July 28, 2008 at 11:09 PM
Happy Birthday Kathryn!!!
Oh and Brian I saw your entry at my giveaway and if I had my way, I'd just let you win right then and there, but I have to be fair. Damn. (hee hee)
Posted by: scatteredmom | July 29, 2008 at 01:17 PM
I just wrote and deleted a hokey rhyme using eight and fate and great and spate and other such things.
Instead, I'll just add my warm congratulations on Kathryn's finishing off that year, and my fondest wishes that the next one has a great deal of relief in store.
Much love.
Posted by: Polly | July 29, 2008 at 02:21 PM
Happy Birthday sweet thing. You are so loved.
Posted by: Victoria | July 29, 2008 at 05:01 PM
I just saw a headline on Yahoo - "Parents told mid-flight: You forgot your kid." I was worried it was you guys. I hope Kathryn had a great birthday and I hope you come back with all of your children.
Posted by: John (the real one) | August 04, 2008 at 12:41 PM
who'd thought someone could make a post about birthday's and crapping into something so sweet. Nice job, and happy birthday to the 8 year old.
Posted by: James Austin | August 04, 2008 at 02:50 PM
What is this? What is this fiber? This thread that holds some of us together in the understanding of what this is about. The highest highs and the most suffocating lows and through it all, what we would pass to you, Brian, if you should need it. A human chain of buckets, carrying hope when you can't or remedy when you don't know how. We stand here for our fellow parent because we get it. You just say it better than most of us.
Posted by: Tarin | August 04, 2008 at 08:26 PM
Hello.This is first time for me to visit your site.
I have three children (6year-old boy,4year-old boy,2year-old girl)
They are angel, sometimes devil, though...
I'm happy if you link to my site.It is written in Japanese(some of the words are English) but show pictures.
http://baratchfamilykidspets.blogspot.com/
Posted by: baratch | August 05, 2008 at 05:30 AM
Happy birthday!
I found your blog from a link on another new one I found through Momma Bean. (quite a trail really) I'm looking forward to reading more, and I'll be keeping Kathryn and all of you in my prayers.
Posted by: Jaina | August 05, 2008 at 01:31 PM
Happy Belated Birthday Kathryn! I truly hope this new year brings fun, giggles and good times and good health. To The Dad and to The Mom, I hope there is much more joy and laughter than tears.
Posted by: Angela | August 05, 2008 at 05:34 PM