Getting to Know a Legendary Dad...

Mommy: How would you describe a “good” father?

Daddy: A good father is a man who takes the time to get to know his son, spend time with him, guide him in the right direction, teach him right from wrong, show him how to be a man of his word, and most importantly how to be a man of God. It is the quality time that, truly, matters.

Mommy: Do you consider yourself a “good” father?

Daddy: I consider myself an ok father. I have areas that need improvement. I am not perfect and I have flaws. It is important for me not to pass my flaws on to my son. I am working on that through the help of God and studying Scripture. I know that I love my son and he knows that Daddy loves him and will do anything in world to make sure he is happy.

Mommy: Please allow me to say... Awwwwww… That's such a sweet and modest answer. *tearing up*

Mommy: Now back to business...

Mommy: Describe the point when you really started feeling like a dad.

Daddy: The truth is, I don't really know when I started feeling like a Dad. I think about the operating room when Legend was first born. I consider every trip, throughout the hospital, I made with him (while they were running tests on him). Perhaps I felt like a dad, the first time Legend peed on me or the time when my hand slipped into his poop. It is hard to say when the daddy switch flipped on. I do know that I never felt more like a dad than I did on the day Legend looked at me and called me “Daddy.” His smiled at me. I hugged him and told him I loved him so much.

Mommy: What is the funniest/most embarrassing parenting moment you can remember?

Daddy: After days of sleep deprivation. I remember you asking me to warm Legend’s bottle, while you changed his diaper (at 3am). I went into the kitchen, made the bottle and left it on the counter. Instead of returning with the bottle, I came back with some Comet Cleaner and put it on the nightstand. To make matters worse, I left the room. I remember you yelling, “Brandon, what am I supposed to do with Comet? Where is his bottle”? Finally, you came in search of me, only to find me standing in a corner, sleeping. You then yelled, “Are you hiding”? Welcome to parenthood! I never felt so tired in my life. My brain was processing, however my body wasn't responding. It was crazy at the time and became funny later on. I remember that you wanted to kill me, at the time. It’s a good story now, though.

Mommy: Describe the scariest parenting moment you can remember.

Daddy: I feel like the scariest parenting moment that I can remember was when I changing Legend's diaper. He was a few weeks old at this point. He still had the plastic piece on his umbilical cord, closing off his belly button. I remember after changing his diaper I put his onesie on him. I looked away for a second to grab a plastic baggie to put the diaper in. When I turned back, Legend had blood oozing out his belly button and it wouldn't stop coming out. I pulled the plastic off, by accident. I woke you up and was scared out of my mind. I panicked and kept thinking, “Oh @%*&, she is going to kill me”! She was barely awake as I calmly tried to explain what happened and that Legend was bleeding “a little.” That was the understatement of the year because blood was gushing everywhere. After springing into action while promising me doom with her eyes, super mom stepped in and saved the day. She got the bleeding to stop.

Mommy: What is your greatest hope for Legend's future?

Daddy: I want Legend feel confident that whatever he decides to do in life, he can accomplish it because he has all the tools necessary to achieve anything. I must also say, I want him to be happy. It’s as simple as that.