And Then There Were Three: Dada Day

We decided that as a family, we're not going to make a big deal about Mother's and Father's Days. That being said, "Emma Vance" still wanted to do just a little something for her dada today to show how appreciative she is of all he does for her--from singing her to sleep to letting her scratch his beard with her toes (yes, with her toes). So, not being one to deny a baby, I helped her pull a little something together. ;)

Ryan's favorite cake in the entire world is Dairy Queen's Reese's Pieces Blizzard Cake (with crunchies on the inside of course), so I picked one up yesterday and hid it in the freezer under the frozen fruits and veggies, where I knew Ryan would never find it. E.V. had insisted that the cake read "Happy Dada Day" since "father" is a little too advanced for her to say right now, and despite the confused look the DQ cashier gave me, I think it was appropriate for our family. Once we had the cake, I helped her write a card, and although the card was a little elementary, it wasn't too bad for a baby. ;) Our little Dada Day celebration was all set!

Mid-morning today, I went downstairs under the guise of feeding E.V. lunch, and a few minutes into the "meal," I called up to Ryan and asked him if he could put a shirt on and grab a few things from outside for me. (Notice I asked him to put on a shirt, which he ignored because he doesn't mind if the neighbors think of him as a redneck...) He was nice enough to oblige even though technically it was "his" day, and when he stepped into the kitchen, Emma Vance surprised him with her Dada Day gifts. Okay, so maybe she had already dug into his cake, eating a coveted chunk of Reese's Cup and a handful of frosting within only a two-minute window, but with the majority of the cake in tact, Ryan was ecstatic. (I'm pretty sure he'll pay her back with years of stolen Halloween candy--"to make sure it's not poisoned.") They both enjoyed a little more frosting before Dada took his gifts away from her, which did not make E.V. happy. I don't think she quite got the idea that the cake wasn't hers, which I'd feel bad about if she wasn't about to get a {smash} cake all to herself in a few weeks. :)

Seriously, though, Ryan is the best friend, the best husband and the best father I could've ever asked for. Although today's events were low-key around here, the love was not. :)

In honor of Father's Day, here are my all-time FAVORITE pictures of Ryan and Emma Vance (oh, how I miss the newborn days!), followed by a few of E.V.'s big Dada Day surprise. Enjoy, and HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!