Passionate
If someone were to ask me to describe my daughter in one word, that word would be “passionate.” Even at almost-14-months, Swee’Pea has passion. She doesn’t just “do” something, she puts all she’s got into everything she does. Unfortunately she puts just as much effort into her tantrums as she does into her gleeful yells. But at least she’s passionate.
It is something that, as her father, I hope she never loses. As the eloquent Ice-T once said, “Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a better place.” It is so wonderful to see Swee’Pea’s ability to express love and passion so effortlessly. She gives kisses when the mood strikes. She throws up her hands in a celebratory “touchdown” salute whenever she gets the urge to celebrate – whether it be a particularly good bite of yogurt or Daddy telling her how much he loves her – the hands thrown up in the air is pure passion.
She crawls with passion. Never have I seen her saunter toward her destination. Often times she’ll put her head down and crawl-crawl-crawl as quick as she can without stopping to look where she’s going. She may run into walls every now and then, but she does it passionately.
And then there are those afore-mentioned tantrums. She is still learning that she will not always get her way. She is still convinced that somehow by throwing her body down on the floor and kicking and screaming that she will get what she wants. It may not work, but at least she’s passionate about it.
She is “talking” up a storm lately. She has some serious conversations with whoever will listen (usually with TheMonk). Every now and then a word comes out and I get so excited, we do the “touchdown” dance over and over. This week, however, I was driving home after work and I called home to tell Andrea when I would be arriving. Andrea put me on speakerphone and I started to say hi to both TheMonk and Swee’Pea. Swee’Pea, upon hearing my voice, yelled into the phone, “Hi, Daddy!” Andrea and I both froze, not sure if she really said what we thought she said. Then, as if to answer our questions, she yelled it again. “Hi, Daddy!” I started saying “Hi, Bri!” I did this over and over again and Swee’Pea repeated those wonderful two words a few more times. “Hi, Daddy!” With passion, of course.
After I hung up the phone, I felt an overwhelming desire to do the “touchdown” dance. The other drivers on the road, I’m sure, were happy that I restrained myself.
My girl’s got passion.
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That’s fantastic! Boy oh boy, the flood gates of speech have opened up. Good for Bri
And who would have thought that Ice-T was so eloquent?
Comment by Jill Urbane, The Mentor Mom — August 7, 2006 @ 8:16 am
Awwwwwww… I loved that time of my childs life! The first words, seeing something in your child that other people can’t, and the overwhelming happiness of just the little things they do. My son is 3 and although personally I think this is the cutest, most creative, and all around best age, I do miss the “firsts”.
I love your blog by the way, I found it through another blog, and I can’t help but come here everyday and get another uplifting happy parent story!!
Comment by Erin — August 7, 2006 @ 10:47 am
I’m betting you wrote THAT date down in the baby book! Hurray for Bri!
Oh, and the tantrums? They only get louder and more intense. Sorry.
Comment by Deanna — August 7, 2006 @ 11:32 am
Wow, that’s a real statement! And it’s just about the best one you could have asked for. Very cool.
Comment by Brenda — August 7, 2006 @ 12:17 pm
What an awesome first sentence! And I’ve got a passionate one, too – they are a handful, but they teach us a lot, I think!
Comment by Kristen — August 7, 2006 @ 12:59 pm
That is so cute. I’ve got a passionate one too. I could have lived without the passionate tantrums though. Your kids are getting so big, I can’t believe it.
Comment by Melissa — August 7, 2006 @ 3:40 pm
I’m glad you and Andrea got to hear her say that, but then again, who knows how long she’s been saying that at daycare!! (smile)
Comment by samantha jo campen — August 7, 2006 @ 4:50 pm
How can you not love a post that quotes Ice-T?! Well done.
Comment by Derek — August 8, 2006 @ 9:57 am
Awesome post. I got goosebumps that I usually only get when my sports’ team win a game at the last second. You described how we fathers feel about our twins PERFECTLY. May we all never stop doing our touchdown dance!
Comment by David — August 8, 2006 @ 10:01 pm
Aww, how awesome is that?! You made me smile, and gave me goosebumps! Brought back some great memories too. I just recently found your site and love it and will be back often. Enjoy this precious toddler stage. They do grow up fast. (Mine are now all school age .)
Comment by Sheila — August 9, 2006 @ 9:42 am
I can’t believe you quoted Ice-T without using a swear.
Comment by dutch from sweetjuniper — August 9, 2006 @ 9:57 pm
Awww! Why do they always say “daddy” before “mommy”?
Comment by Katie — August 10, 2006 @ 7:31 am
I love how you talk about her passion – even when it comes to tantrums. My little girl is very similar. I hope you have connected that at least some of that passion, that enthusiasm for life comes from you, the way you celebrate her successes with TOUCHDOWN dances! She’s gotten that, in part, from watching you.
Comment by JGS — August 10, 2006 @ 7:14 pm
[...] That is why I am awarding Childs Play x2 with the Perfect Post Award this month. And because he has boy/girl twins just like me (his tag line is, Because having one just wasn’t enough), I decided to award two of his posts – one for each of his children. One is called Passionate, a post about how much he loves how passionate his daughter is without ever quite realizing or stating out loud that much of her passion seems to come from him and the way he is with her. The second is called Son Shine, about a beautiful moment with his son. Many fathers, I have found, have more difficulty being affectionate and loving with their own son – CP does not have this problem. He is free to express and show his true feelings and bask in the moment when it is reciprocated. [...]
Pingback by Two Okapis » Perfect Post - Passionate Son Shine — September 1, 2006 @ 6:24 am
[...] Passionate [...]
Pingback by Childs Play x2 — Because having one just wasn’t enough. » Perfect Posts!? — September 1, 2006 @ 10:03 am