Father's Day

knockedup — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:01:00 GMT

It's almost Father's Day - time for those gift guides that always include something for the grill, gadgets, a moneyclip or paperweight, a shaving kit, and a oversized mug with a clever golf-related pun on it, like "Fore! Strong coffee only." No, I'm not a golfer. How'd you guess? Judging from these lists, every father in America must have a garage full of BBQ gear to go with his MP3 playing de-icer that's also a nose hair trimmer and makes pretty good waffles in a pinch. Who makes these lists? Is Ward Cleaver behind them? Does anyone ever need (or want) a paperweight?

My man likes to cook, and he throws food on the grill from time to time - but I don't think he wants to have a silver-plated set of tongs to use to flip his jalapeno turkey burgers. He doesn't play golf. He doesn't have a red tracksuit and heavy gold chains to go with a moneyclip. I refuse to buy him anything battery-operated that supposedly slices, dices, and opens a cold beer, all while playing a medly of classic rock.

More and more it feels like holidays are bumping up on one another, just one Target circular after another based on the newest holiday/gift-giving theme. I'm all for celebrating life and the people I'm lucky enough to have in my life, I love a good surprise, and I'm a sucker for any occasion that can include a meal with family and friends. Still, I'm overwhelmed by the holiday pile-up. Can't the greeting card/unnecessary crap peddlers give us all a break?

I do want to express my appreciation for Sean as a, well, totally awesome father and husband on his first Father's Day. He takes care of Axel, and he makes me rice pudding when I'm sick (as I was this past weekend, and let me tell you that vomit + nursing is not a good combination). He's a one man slicing/dicing gadget in the kitchen, he goes halfsies on nighttime baby duty when he's not at work (which apparently doesn't always happen), and he's not all that bad looking, either. Axel loves him, too, of course - that's what I interpret Axel adoring stares and big grins followed by drops of drool on his father's head to mean. I've got some ideas that don't involve batteries or charcoal or sandtraps but, since my husband reads this blog, I can't post them here, or I'll ruin the surprise. Axel is focused on the unique squishiness of the yoga mat right now, so he isn't really a big help in the gift giving department.

How about you? What are you getting for the fathers in your life? What's the best Father's Day gift you've ever given or, if you're a dad, received?

Knocked Up : babies love yoga mats

Father's Day