For a while now (at least a year and a half or more) my oldest daughter Jessica and I have had monthly daddy/daughter dates. And they are truly amazing experiences.
Last night we went to dinner. My wife isn't too fond of Chinese food (ever since being really sick after eating some Chinese food one night-not the fault of the food, just bad timing), but Jess and I love it. So we decided to head over to the local Chinese buffet and make pigs of ourselves. We had been having a rough week, not getting along well, and I really felt we needed some time to just hang out. No expectations, no demands, no tasks to complete. Just dad and daughter hanging out.
We ate too much, of course. Enough that as we were walking out to the car Jessica walked waddled down like a duck because she said it felt better that way. I laughed so hard I could barely see. As we were eating we were making jokes. She told me my name was Peter Frankenstinky Jones. I told here she was Jessica Messica Marie Jones. We started inventing all sorts of juvenile names. I am now officially Peter Poopy Poppy Peepy Jones. That one cracked me up. I could contain it and neither could she. Everyone in the restaruant was enjoying the show as we took turns blowing bubbles in our water and trying to see who could get the worst brain-freeze with their ice cream. Incidentally I won.
Some months we miss them. Things get crazy, we don't remember when we had our last one. But we do pretty good. A few more months and it will be time to start taking Aubrey out for hers as well. The way I see it, the more I can brainwash my kids that being with dad can be fun the better off I will be down the road when they finally figure out I am 1)old, 2)dorky, 3)completely, out of touch, and 4)boring.
But in the meantime I have them convinced that I am cool. And I am going to enjoy that as much as I can.