It was tough, but I did it! I outlasted a 5 year old boy......hope I can get up in the morning.

Well, today was quite a day. In sum, it was a terrific father-son day and I thought I might share the highlights since I am alone tonight.

Jenn and Carly left today with Esther for New York where Jenn grew up (Sodus). It was a bittersweet moment seeing my two girls leave to travel miles away and I knew I would miss the hugs and kisses for awhile. Yet, it was also a moment I knew I had to make the most of since I had my son all to myself. Our first destination,.....Dicks Sporting Goods, the fishing department! That's right, I've got my license now and can fish anywhere in VA. Connor was excited and we picked out some bait, hooks and other odd and ends. We were ready!

It was a crowded dock at the small lake near our house, but Connor was impressive with his fishing skills. Although we caught nothing, he was casting and reeling in his line with the teenage boy scouts there like he's been doing it for years. One person caught an impressive turtle while we were there and I had no idea they were that large in such a small body of water. We were both glad to see that there was actually life stirring in the muddy waters below. That was all for today though.

Lunch was Connor's choice,....McDonald's. Although the food was not the most satisfying for me, the conversation was indeed. Every once in a while a 5 year old boy can somehow reflect on the most amazing concepts that some adolescents don't comprehend. Those moments are priceless and I was glad to be there for a meaningful chat with my son.

Connor's next choice for the day was Chuck E. Cheese. We are not regulars there at all, but he stumbled upon a coin from there at home and became fixated on the opportunity to play some games. It was a blast. We raced each other in sports cars, rode simulation roller coasters, flew fighter jets, hunted aliens and bad guys with our digital weapons, navigated spaceships, got our pictures taken, collected tickets and ate some treats. I'm not really sure which one of us had the most fun?

Next stop, the grocery store. Gatorade was on sale. It was the perfect opportunity for Connor to learn and observe how to give back to others. I explained to him that we were going to deliver some drinks to the guys that work on our cars. It was a hot day and the perfect time for some Gatorade on ice. Connor helped me pick out all different flavors and since he was such a big help I told him he could pick out some ice cream for dessert tonight. Mint Chocolate Chip,....just like his Mommy. = ) He was thrilled, but not as excited as the guys at the garage! They all gave him high fives and Connor learned how to feel good about giving.

On out drive home we passed over the railroad tracks. Connor wanted to then see the train. OK! We got our bikes ready and headed out for a ride. We rode around the neighborhood and stopped at the train tracks near our house. We have a tradition now of going there and building a rock tower while we wait for the train to rumble through. Today we constructed our best display yet for all to see and waved to the trains as they passed by.

We played follow the leader on bikes all the way home and sometimes laughing uncontrollably as Connor would do something silly and I would have to copycat him. One guy walking the dog looked at me probably wondering if I was suited to supervise a toddler and a woman spraying her plants just laughed and waved politely as I regressed with my son.

We were exhausted. Time to go inside. Connor wanted Mac and Cheese for dinner,....OK! He ate fast,.....he knew what was next. Dessert was no disappointment and he wanted to watch the Cars movie and eat ice cream. Yes, you guessed it,......I said OK. We had an indoor picnic, watched the movie, laughed at Mater, and still acted like kids.

About half way through the movie we got cleaned up with a bath, put our PJ's on, and rested some more. I went back upstairs to put away some clothes and laundry. Only after just a short time I returned to see my little man all wrapped up in a blanket in the chair and sound asleep. ZZZZZZZ. Absolutely adorable. I picked him up in my arms and felt like a Daddy again as I carried him to his bed. He opened his eyes briefly and said good night.

It was a good day! I made it and outlasted my son. I hope I have many more years of being able to do that, but I know there will come a time that I can't keep up. These days I will cherish forever.

As I prepare for bed and reflect on the eventful day, one moment stands out from the rest. As we were riding in the car this afternoon to come home the silence was broken by Connor's voice from the back seat.

"Daddy"

"Yes, Connor".

"Daddy, you are my best friend".