Happy Father’s Day!

Yesterday, after the triathlon, there was some celebrating to do.

Obviously.

We celebrated my triathlon finish, and we celebrated Father’s Day early, since I was coming back into the city last night.

  

That’s my dad and my cousin’s sweet little baby, Lexi.

I caught my dad on the floor with her in the family room, helping her learn how to crawl.

Just like he taught my bunny how to hop when I was growing up.

He indulges my silly penchant for banana photography.

As well as my passion for running, even though I know he doesn’t quite understand it. (This pic is from the Disney Half, where it was POURING. Even more recently, he spectated my tri yesterday, which I really appreciated.)

When I’m staying with my parents, and I come home and have had a few drinks, he indulges my late-night conversations. (Or maybe he’s just amused.)

He’s a really quiet man, but when he talks, you know he usually really has something to say. He doesn’t talk just to hear his own voice.

He claimed to be allergic to dogs when I was growing up, but now, when we talk, he asks when Bailey’s coming home. (Not me, just Bailey.)

His success inspires me everyday, and if I can be half as successful as him one day, I’ll consider that a huge accomplishment. His strong moral compass guides me everyday. He’s the biggest goodie-two shoes you’ll ever meet. Me? Not quite so much, but the morals he taught me means that I will try to do the right thing 99 percent of the time.

I nag him death to take care of himself because I love him, and I want to see him healthy forever.

I love you, Dad. Happy Father’s Day from me and Bailey.

Happy Father’s Day to all the other fathers out there, too! What’s your favorite memory of you and your father?

It’s a cheesy one, but my favorite memory of my father is him straightening the back of my hair on my college graduation morning. When I was little, my mother tugged my hair too much when she combed it, but my dad was much more gentle, so I always asked him to comb it. I brought my straightner over to the hotel that morning and handed it to him. And yup, made a grown man cry.