On Aug. 1st, 2001 at 11:29 pm, my wife and I welcomed Kenneth Terry Reese to the world,
and from that day forward, he’s added nothing but joy to our lives. And from the moment I saw him, I fell in love with him.
The funny thing about kids, especially your first child, is that they open up an entire new world to you. We go through life at such a fast pace, living life and missing many of the little things that are going on around us. However, with kids, that can all change. Kenny has brought a number of things into our lives, but the thing that I am always surprised by is the excitement that comes from seeing the world through the eyes of a child.
From a first trip to the beach to play in the surf (this is one of my favorite pictures)
having his first birthday cake
or riding your first bike
the world is full of amazing things happening around us all the time — but as we get older, they lose their luster. When people tell you that having children will make you young again, this is what they mean. Having Kenny come into our lives brought with it a number of changes — some expected, some unexpected. Suddenly, you go from being a young married couple with no responsibilities but to those of your spouse to having a tiny little person who depends on you for everything. Everything changes…your marriage changes, relationships with friends change, how I drove certainly changed and if you are lucky, how you see the world changes. It’s both an amazing and terrifying experience all at the same time. And to those that would ask, I wouldn’t change a thing.
(He still has his black kitty)
I have had the extraordinary privilege to watch my baby growing into a young boy
and have seen him become more confident, adventurous and outgoing every year. He flourishes in school, is naturally curious and has always accepted that Nathan (his younger brother) idolizes him, and that there is a responsibility that comes with that.
It’s been an amazing eight years…eight years that have come and gone way too quickly. But no matter how big he gets, I’ll always be able to remember him as my little boy.
Happy birthday Kenny,
Your Daddy