Evening, friends.
Today marked the first official day of summer vacation for me. (Enjoy the adjacent, celebratory picture of Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry. )Students finished up last Thursday, and most teachers were done as of Friday. I was at the school yesterday to help facilitate professional development for some snow day make-up (because of all the snow, teachers had to complete eight hours of additional PD), and then worked on prepping materials for workshops next week.
I’m was free today, though. Free to spend time with Audrey and the gals, as well as the latest addition to House Purdy, our son, George.
Yes, indeed. Our family was blessed with a new baby two weeks ago, and he’s pretty great! Doesn’t do a whole lot yet beyond the typical newborn stuff, but we’re all enamored. He really gets a kick out of The Tokens’ “In the Jungle.”
For the past eight years it’s been grand raising our two daughters. They’ve brought tremendous joy to our lives, and parenting them has been such a positive experience that we decided to have a third child. With the arrival of George life has gotten even better.
There has been the slightest of shadows cast and it comes in the form of a comment that’s continued to rear its ugly head ever since we found out we were having a boy and began sharing that news with people (bit of a cautionary tale here):
“Oh, you must be so excited to finally have a boy…Oh, now you’ll finally have a little buddy.” And variations of the same.
I know people don’t mean anything by comments like these, that they’re merely offering congratulations, encouragement, and support, but I can’t help but feel irritated by the underlying message: that daughters are okay, but what fathers really want and hope for are sons. This is a strange notion/agenda to continue pushing.
Am I happy to have a son? Absolutely. But I was and still am pumped to have daughters. Will George be a “buddy?” Sure, just as his sisters have been “buddies” for eight years and six year, respectively.
Overall, I’m just happy that our family’s grown and that I’m fortunate enough to have a job that allows me to spend close to three months with them. Earlier I got to spend time in the hammock reading with Erp and Alp, and then later when a monstrous thunderstorm swept in, we all cozied inside to watch Pride and Prejudice (the ’95 BBC version). Don’t know what’s on tomorrow’s agenda yet, but I’m sure it’ll involve more reading and more outside time. Will update on the writing progress in the next post.
Take care, all. Huzzah!
Ryan L. Purdy 