Today, Ava Clapped

Ava Michelle

I'm 173 days late in starting this … Ava Michelle, you were born at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 8, 2012. The events of that day are forever etched in my mind, so the details are not necessary here as I'm sure by the time you're old enough to read this, we've recounted to you numerous times. The reason for this journal is to record memories that I fear over time will become distorted, diluted, blurred, and forgotten entirely. Not by my own choice, but due to the natural weathering of time.

Though this journal is about your daily activities and growth, I feel a little background into its origins are necessary.

During a Day Out With Dad event at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I was photographing Hall of Famer JoeDeLamielleure talk to the crowd. During his welcome speech he told the audience of fathers and sons and daughters that he kept a daily journal of one thing he took from the day with his kids. He did this for each of his children and recalled that they would open the journals yearly and read excerpts.

I told myself that if I were ever blessed with children that I would do something similar.

When you was born I thought I would remember every move of your tiny little hands and feet, each cry, feeding, etc. All the good, and all the bad. I realized how wrong I was and remembered what Joe D had said that day. So, here goes.

Today, Ava clapped

This may seem like a nominal thing in life, but I have been working with you on this for weeks. I would stand behind you at home and at your mom's basketball games, and hold your wrists and clap your hands together while singing “clap, clap, clap, clap your hands” over and over.

You would smile and giggle.

It took a while for you to open your hands up, at first, you would clap your fists together.

We would do this almost every day. Today, as I lay on the couch and you stood on my belly, I supported you by holding you around the waist and started singing “clap, clap, clap, clap your hands!” Much to my surprise, you grinned and began to cap. Thrilled with this breakthrough I quickly texted your mom, who was with Walsh University Women's Basketball team at Hillsdale College in Michigan. It was a Daddy-Daughter day. I was eventually able to capture your feat on video with my phone.