Your Dad

The last time Dad came by to see you was in June, 2017.  I got a misdirected call for him earlier this year, and was asked to speak with Robert Carroll of Pittston, which supports my belief that he is living nearby.  He is so close and yet so far away from you.   Last weekend I spent a long weekend in Webster (unfortunately neither of you were able to come as you're in school) and Jon reminded me of the many times he and Dad talked together.  They are both full of interesting reminiscences and stories.  Dad can be charming, and has a nice laugh.  I do think about Dad as a father of young children.  Here are some of the things that come to mind....

First of all, your Dad was in the room when both of you were born.  Dad saw you, talked to you and held you before I did.  He was very proud of having boys.  (And very much wanted you, Rob, to be named after him and his father.)  It was certainly a huge adjustment for us to have baby Alex to care for, but by the time baby Robby came along we were "in the groove" with infant care.  I hated de-snuffling your noses with the aspirator since you cried the entire time - when it was necessary, Dad did it most often and did his best to make it easier by telling you how it would be over soon etc.  This was especially frequent for you Alex, since you were a winter baby.  He changed many diapers and sets of clothes, and was happy to do baby bath time in the kitchen sink (which you also disliked a lot, I think mostly because you were cold).  We both put up with various baby outputs, the worst of which was when you threw up in your crib or in our bed.

As you grew, Dad was "the main man" when you were colicky, teething or sick.  He would usually take first shift night while I slept, then I would take over about 2 am.  Dad also spent more days home from work with sick boys than I did.  Rob, Dad and I took turns doing your nighttime breathing treatments after you were diagnosed with asthma at 9 months old.  This also meant watching Thomas the Tank Engine episodes (video tapes... old school!) in the middle of the night - as we did during daytime treatments as well.  And when we went out, Dad typically had a baby bottle in his back pocket (this is a vivid memory for me) while carrying baby, baby paraphernalia or pushing a stroller.  Alex, you were very attached to bottle & blankie.  Rob, you were attached to your pillow and bottle & blankie.

As you remember well, most days he took you over to Grandma's in the mornings.  He would keep an eye out and read the paper, as you got breakfast, played with toys, played trains and watched TV.  I think he enjoyed these times a lot, as of course Grandma did very much.  Grandma would make your breakfast, and get McDonald's or Burger King take-outs on a regular basis.  She would drive off, often in her nightgown with a jacket or coat over it, to go through the drive-through - sometimes you joined her as you got older.  I remember she got mad when the order wasn't filled correctly and someone didn't get pancakes, cinni-mini's or whatever had been requested.

Dad loved coming to your games and activities.  He walked in the Memorial Day Parade with both of you, with little league and cub scouts.  We went on bike rides around town.  Alex, we brought you to Camp Lackawanna and Camp Cadet for overnight camps.

Dad was always happy to go on outings and vacations with all of our stuff in tow.  He could pack a car up to its gills, and have just enough room for car seats in the back (with various items piled around you).  We made trips to Webster MA, Ocean City MD and the NC Outer Banks most years, plus trips to Ottawa ON, Brunswick ME, the Smoky Mountains in TN, Disney World, St. Louis and a combination Los Angeles CA/Pahrump NV trek where our rental car broke down in Death Valley (luckily in October, when the heat was not dangerous).  I'm sure there are more places that I'm forgetting.  I remember a drive back from the Outer Banks when there was a blueberry fight in the back seat.

He also loved visiting Aunt Gloria and Uncle Melvin in Maryland.  Alex, you probably remember this the most.  He would take you on the train into Washington DC, where you went to the Smithsonian etc.  I remember simply going to the train station in Perryville to sit on the platform watching trains go by.  He also took you to a couple Inauguration Days all bundled in warm coats - where you saw parts of the ceremony from some distance away and then the parade.  Dad told me that you, Alex, were very impressed with seeing a "sniper" on the roof of one of the buildings near the parade route.  Rob, my first time doing this was with you in 2017 for the Trump inauguration (even though Bernie Sanders was your fave candidate).  It was an interesting day, I'm glad we went.

While he was able, Dad was a very involved and loving father.  Here is one of my favorite pictures, from Rob's Cookie Corner graduation in June 2008, to help us remember these good times.