Munsch on this....

I had planned on providing a bit of a nursery update (it's really, really close to completion).  Although I've got some swank pictures, I've been told not to post them until  a) we put all of the finishing touches on the room; and b) I am home to grab the camera from our car (it's packed safely in our hospital bag).

As luck would have it, I've got something else worth writing about.  There was an article today regarding Robert Munsch's struggle with mental illness and drug addiction.  I come from a Munsch family - we read his books A LOT growing up.  In fact, my sister and her friends had a brush with fame when they were selected as winners of a Robert Munsch story contest.  Needless to say, I think his stories are great.  I know we'll read them to our little one, and I hope she'll read them on her own too.


So, after my "Right on. Good for you for being honest about your very human issues" internal monologue finished chiming in, I decided to read Mr. Munsch's note to parents on his website; one link here, and another there, I caught myself reading his full bio (which reads like one of his stories).


Then a weird thing happened; I started reminiscing.  Well, it wasn't quite just reminiscing.  I began to think back to when I was doing a lot of Robert Munsch book reading.  Then I started to think about reading those same stories to my daughter.  Then I started to think: HOLY CRAP I'M GOING TO HAVE A DAUGHTER.  Then I got emotional all of a sudden.


We've mostly been focused on preparing for the arrival of our little one, but all of a sudden, as the finishing touches are being put on her room, and all of the gear has been purchased, we're moving from preparing for parenthood, to parenthood itself.  Contemplating what this means is a profound thing.  


For me it's been a process, which means more now that I've started to feel like a parent, than it did when I simply understood parenthood as bunch of responsibilities I need to fulfill.  I'm realizing it's hard for me to really feeling sappy about this stuff UNTIL these responsibilities are fulfilled, which is something I know I'm going to have to work on.  I don't want to be so busy providing things for my kid, when all she really needs is for me to listen to her, love her and provide boundaries (i.e. be a good dad who cares).


So, here's to Mr. Munsch for having the courage to tell his devoted readers that he's a human too.  I can't wait to read his books to my daughter.