The Scottsdale Real Estate Files: 2

Great poem for your Son Paul. Hope he has a great Birthday!

Thanks, JL.  Seems like he just turned one.  It really is a terrifying rate of acceleration with little ones.

Happy Birthday Wyatt the Pirate!  What a total cutie!  Hope you're doing great Paul! 

Speaking of, Shannon, how are YOU doing?  Feeling okay, I hope?

Awe!  That's too sweet and it reminds me what a great daddy you are, Paul! 

BTW--I've called my Ryan "RyRy" since he was little and as he got older we started calling him RyDawg.  (I think Uncle Stan started it.)  Anyway, before you know it, your WyWy will be WyDawg!

Happy Birthday Wyatt!

This a beautiful tribute.  I teared a little.

WyDawg, I like it!  My pop used to call me "Jet," so I'm thinking Jack will some derivation eventually.  Lord knows he's fast as greased lighting.

Thanks, Mel.  Truth be told, I might have welled up a time or two while writing it ;)

Hey, Paul. Awesome job. Your little man is very lucky to have a father who expresses himself so well. My little man turns 2 this Saturday. Thanks for sharing, Jim

PS. Josh has that same shirt, how funny. I would love to have you join my group, Agent Dad.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Wyatt!!!!!!

Thank you, Jim.  Congratulations and happy birthday to Josh in advance.  We are actually having the party on Saturday, so I'm sure I'll think of you guys during the course of the festivities.  Your group sounds like something I would really enjoy.  Off to join now.

Hey, Paul. I would love to feature this post if you wish, just add it as well and I will be happy to feature your wonderful post, Jim

All my best with your son's party.

Had to do the eeny, meeny, miney mo thing to figure out which group to pull it out of, but I moved it over, Jim.  Looking forward to connecting with some new folks over there.

I totally identify with this post! I adore my children and these years are the best time! It's just awesome every year until the teen takes over and even then...well, it's still good but with "some" aggravation and this is the the time that will bond you to them so you don't waterboard them later! You always want them to know that:

the love I'm giving you is never in doubt!

Happy Birthday!

Thank you for the birthday wishes and the song to boot, Russell.  Kids are simply amazing.  Nothing in my life to date compares to the difficulty and subsequent rewards of raising children.  Every frustration and trying patch just seems to melt away when they smile, laugh or play while you watch quietly for fear of trampling the splendor of their innocence with your mere presence.  They have me wrapped around their little fingers, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Life is good.

That is so very sweet!  It almost gave me a cavity.  Seriously Paul, Awwwwwww!  I loved it! He's so cute & your such a good pop!  Wy, Wy, that's cute, my pup is Riley & we call her Ri-Ri.  :D. 

Funny how we give them names, only to give them shorter names, they to later adopt even shorter nicknames of their own creation.  No wonder Prince eventually just wanted to be a symbol for awhile.  If we have another one, I'm going to reverse the chronology.  We'll start with a nickname, maybe Bibi or something.  We will eventually elongate the name to Barrington Icabod Benecio Ingmar.  Catchy, no?

Paul, this was so sweet.  This is such a sweet and perfect age, soft round little faces, sticky fingers laid across your face, they love you and think you are wonderful, smart, the coolest mommy and daddy ever.  Treasure it. 

You will wake up one day, and while you will still be the same person, you'll never know from one minute to the next who your sons will percieve you as.  Some days, and most days, you will still be the super cool, super good mommy and daddy.  Others... well, let's just say... not so much.  My older son didn't go through this too much, but my 12 year old...  don't sing, don't dance, don't say hi to my friends, don't hug me, don't walk next to me, don't touch me.. Mom!!!!  God!!!!!  And then they will get a fever and they will once again climb into your bed and want a cuddle.... 

Toughest job I ever had.  Most meaningful.  Most everything. 

Enjoy them Paul... it's really in the end the best and most beautiful part of life.

I love this age for him, Susan.  As most every parent I have spoken to will attest, threes are much more trying than twos.  He is really coming into his own personality, and is so far advanced physically that it feels like he has been two forever.  Hard to believe he is just reaching the actual milestone by way of the calendar.  Everything is accelerated for our baby because of the example of his older brother.  He picks things up with frightening speed.  I promise you that we will soak up every drop of cuteness of sweetness before it slowly recedes into the teenage years ;)

OMG - you damn near made me cry, and I don't even know your little bugger:-)  Beyond sweet this is, Paul... I don't think it's possible to over hug and over kiss and over love our kids - so just keep on being the most awesome daddy out there... Enjoy the oodles of cuteness you guys created. Thx for a tiny glimpse of your joy:-)

Paul, lovely sentiments for such a lovely boy. The journey together at that age is such a short one.  There is great wisdom in savoring it so acutely and unabashedly.  

Mr Slaybaugh ! ... it's funny, but I made a new connection with you in this post. My little boy is 3, and I could have said almost exactly the same things about him as you said in your post, and even more so in your comments.

Time moves so fast my friend, and my wife and I try to savor every one of those angelic stares up to mommy and daddy, as we know that the time will come when headphones and a closed bedroom door, are more likely to be the scene we see for a while !

... and what a great photo of Wy Wy !!! .... he's got those Slaybaugh eyes, and the wryest of little smiles going on !!!! ... priceless pic :o)

Paul, Your photo and written tribute to Dylan is precious. The years zip by quickly, I can hardly believe my own will be 29 soon. Savor it all.

He's an amazing personality! I feel so lucky to have actually experienced his smile in person, slowly starting from one corner and spreading across his face as he decides to privilege me with the experience. Wow!

Both of your boys are beautiful. They will realize how strong your love is when they are looking into the eyes of their own children.

Have fun at the party today! Happy Birthday, Wyatt!

Hi Inna :)  I didn't fight fair with this one, did I?  He is such a unique and wonderful spirit in addition to simply being the object of his daddy's affection.  Tough times aren't so tough with little ones around, you know?

Michelle, if there is one thing I have learned from others and now know first-hand, these first few years are so very precious.  Sometimes you can't see the forest (joy) for the trees (screaming), but I realize there is a limited shelf life on this stage.  Every day brings a new adventure for them and we get to reconnect with the long lost unbridled enthusiasm that has yet to be stomped on by this world.  I figure we have until about age five or six before that starts to change and do not want to look back with regret for opportunities lost.

Sheldon, "Time moves so fast my friend, and my wife and I try to savor every one of those angelic stares up to mommy and daddy, as we know that the time will come when headphones and a closed bedroom door, are more likely to be the scene we see for a while!" - You said it all right there, my man.  We have to milk the good stuff while we can.  The cow produces a different sort of tonic in the future ;)

Cynthia, I certainly will, thanks.

Elaine, he must be really taken with someone before he graces them with that smile.  Most are subjected to an appraising stare of interminable length before he ultimately decides that his subject is unworthy of the effort.  He saw something in you, E :)