Garrett’s “Daddy Time”

by Thomas M. Pender

Today is my middle son Garrett’s 12th birthday.  Time has sure flown.  He’s as tall as my neck, and way too big for me to carry around.  There was a time, however, that he and I spent many magical moments together. . . .

Garrett has always lived with his mother, and while this was not what I envisioned when I planned a family, this arrangement did mean that his time with me was special.  He would always run to me when I pulled up to his house (and in fact, I was told that whenever a car parked near the house, he would ask if I was there!).  During his toddling years, I loved putting him up on my shoulders.  Sitting at an approximate shoulder height of 5’10” or so, Garrett really enjoyed the higher outlook on his world, too!  He would grab two fistfuls of hair, and ride Dad around the house and yard.  What I got a kick out of, though, was that every so often, he would swing his head down on my right so he could see my face.  It seemed to me that he was checking to make sure it was still Daddy on the other side of the head he was grabbing onto.  It always made me laugh.

When he was a bit older, he started to understand that my visits were never for long . . . and he also started to protest my departures!  He would cry or yell “No!” when I would tell him I had to go, and he would latch onto my leg to make leaving impossible.  For quite some time, I had to enlist the help of his maternal grandmother in order to get to my car.  I would give her a nod when it was time for me to leave, and she would say, “Garrett, come and see what’s in the kitchen!” or “You want some juice, Garrett?” or the like, and when he followed her out of the room (which would be the closest room to the door), I’d duck out.  My son is intelligent, however.  After a few weeks of this, he would still go to his grandmother, but he’d very quickly poke his head back in to make sure I was still there!  A few months later, he was developed enough to hop down from my lap to go see his grandmother, but he’d point at me first and say, “Don’t leave!”

I love the man Garrett is becoming, but I have to admit that I miss the days when he ran to me upon arrival . . . and threatened me before leaving the room.

Happy birthday, Garrett!  I love you!

Garrett Versus The Atlantic Ocean!

by Thomas M. Pender

Living in the Midwest most of my life, I haven’t been to the coast much.  In fact, before arriving in Georgia, I had only seen it up close once, on a one-day trip to Atlantic City, where I could see it from the boardwalk.  The only time I’ve ever actually put my toes in the salty Atlantic Ocean was on a day in Savannah with my sons Nick and Garrett in the summer of 2002.

Two-year-old Garrett wanted to go out into the water.  I took his hand and we waded a few steps in, until the water came up to his thighs.  He delighted in the rare opportunity to feel cool water on a hot day, and for a few minutes, it was pure fun.

Then, that wave hit.

Having never been in the ocean’s waters myself, I was not aware that large rogue waves were to be expected on days with relatively peaceful tides.  I wasn’t on the alert, looking out to make sure no miniature ninja tidal waves sprang up to attack my child.  Instead, I was watching my son laugh and splash, and soaking in the moment.

Out of nowhere, the two of us were struck by a large wave!  It wouldn’t have bothered me if I was standing in the water all by myself, but it was high enough to engulf little Garrett completely.  One second, he was laughing, and the next, water was rolling in up and over his head.  In a parental flash, I was picturing my son coughing, choking and gagging after having swallowed a mouthful of seawater.  I was fully prepared to soothe and cheer him after such an assault.

Instead, after the vicious wave had rolled past, Garrett did two things, neither of which was cry.  First, he blew water out of his mouth.  Second, he looked out over the vast Atlantic Ocean, and bellowed at the top of his two-year-old lungs:

“Not in my face!”

This made me laugh instantly, but I was simultaneously struck with an instant respect for my child.  This little man was not only unafraid of the largest ocean on the planet, but he felt confident enough to bark orders to it!  It didn’t matter that the ocean didn’t have ears to hear him.  He was not going to have his fun day in the sun and sea ruined by a mean old wave, so he simply gave the naughty ocean a directive. After that, he went right back to enjoying the splashing for a bit, then I walked him back to our blanket.

Since that day, I haven’t been overly concerned about Garrett being intimidated by much.