Good bye Gramma Blackburn

You can tell a lot about a family by taking a good look at the heads of the household. The Blackburn's are definitely a cut above the rest.

I've been going out to Haydon to spend time with Gramma Blackburn and her family for the last seven years, since Shawna and I started dating, and never once was I made to feel like I wasn't part of the family, and I think everyone who has married into this family would agree.

Gramma past away quite suddenly last Friday. It was a shock to everyone because she seemed fine. One of the more prominent stories going around at the viewings were the number of people who commented on how they had just visited her at her home in the last few weeks and how she seemed her normal happy self.

She had lived a long life of 88 years and raised five fantastic children and six equally fantastic grandchildren. All of whom I'm proud to call family. They are a close knit family always getting together for no better reason than to just be together.

I am going to miss going to Gramma's for little visits. I am going to miss how welcome she always made me feel.

Gramma, the world may be a little colder for your passing, but my heart is warmer for just having known you. Thank you for this wonderful legacy you have left behind for which I am proud to be a part of.

Rest in Peace.

"Shut up Daddy."

I would very much love to know who taught my daughter to say shut up.

You know, it's funny, when our children are first born we get so excited when thinking about all the firsts they're going to have. Their first smile, the first time they sit-up on their own, their first steps and, of course, their first words. You just can't wait for the first time they mutter mumma and dadda to you.

As Tim McGraw wrote "Sometimes you're asleep I whisper "I love you!" in the moonlight at your door. As I walk away, I hear you say, "Daddy love you more!". These words always brought a tear to my eye just thinking about my little girl saying them to me.1

And now she says them, along with a lot of other things. She has quite the vocabulary for a two year old. I will admit, it was a little funny the first time she swore. Both my wife and I found it hard not to laugh at times, especially when she uses them in the correct context. But now she's taken to telling us to shut up and we have no idea where she learned it from.

So lets face it. Talking is the "gateway drug" of all the bad behaviours children have. Once they start talking then they can started telling you "no" and, of course, "shut up". They talk back, yell and scream. And then, oh God, it leads to dating. And not just dating anyone, but she's going to bring home the worse kind of guy because she knows you won't approve.

The teenage years I'm absolutely dreading. "I love you Daddy," is going to be replaced with "you're so embarrassing" and "I hate you". My heart breaks just thinking of it.

Well, no matter what little demons our angels grow into, we'll love them to death and eventually they will grow out of it.

They will grow out of it? Right?

1. Lyrics taken from My little Girl by Tim McGraw