In the spring of 2003 news came, we're pregnant!!! Our lives instantly change.

Months later, we find out we are to have a little baby boy. Due to an anomaly in the ultrasound we are told there is an 80% chance our child will have either down syndrome or cystic fibrosis. We stayed positive and pulled through... Six months later the most intense and emotionally filled moment occurs in both of our lives, Alden Michael Leslie Purkey is born. He is delivered, not breathing and eyes closed. They suck the goo and liquid from his lungs and the first sound he makes is a gasping cry. Instantly, all control of my own emotions fall helpless and I cry like a little girl. We rushed him into the next room where I cleaned him and held our new born little boy. He was healthy and he is perfect.

Every nurse lost the bet on how much they thought he would weigh, we like to call that part "Vegan Power". :)

In the last 4 years since that tremendously amazing day, Alden has grown to be the most adorable and intellectual miniature person of his age. He is loving and loyal and most of all forgiving. He knows and understands more about life than most people I meet on a daily basis. He is my reason for everything; he IS my life. I love being his Dad more than anything I've ever experienced in life…

Tomorrow we celebrate these things, his 4th birthday.

We will be going for a family breakfast to Sages around 10am. Any friends of Alden who would like to come and say "hello" are most definitely welcome. Afterwards we will take time to do some of Alden's favorite things; Children's Museum, ride the train, see a movie, play games at the Arcade and just have fun. If you're unable to make it and would still like to say "hello" to him, his Mother has some plans for him in the evening. Feel welcome to talk to her if you wish.

Happy Birthday my little man.

cp

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This is what I just did while lil pipsqueek sleeps.



He's gonna be soo sooo happy when he wakes his little eyes. :)

And he spells...

These are the letter magnets on the fridge, there are only one of each letter. Notice how he used a "G" and a "J" to make up for missing letters in his name, "Alden". He used a "P" to make up for the missing "d" in "Dady", AND, a "W" for the missing "M" in "MOM".

We have the smartest little boy.

<3

And he draws...

The stairs to go outside. A phone and Alden calling his Mom. Alden and Miles playing. Myself and Dallin. Alden's bed and toys. Haha.

He is the best thing ever.

Home again &happy.

It feels 100 times better to be home again. :)

Couldnt have been better.

Yesterday was fucking amazing. Alden and I woke up early, ate some cereal and watched cartoons. We lounged in our pj's until about noon. Then we hit up some Shambala where he ate an entire plate of food. I was super proud of him.



So after lunch we walked to the corner and got some chocolates. The whole time we were in there Alden kept giggling and looking at me with the most hilarious face, I couldn't figure out what was going on. After I got my chocolates and we had walked out of the door Alden looks up at me and says, "Daddy, he was soooo small... he was tiny!" Then he giggled some more. Hahaha. He was referencing the little midget man who owns the chocolate store. It was fucking hilarious.



We spent the better part of the next 3-4 hours at the Children's Museum. He seemed to do a lot better interacting with all the different stuff there is to do, from the last time we went. They have this Robots exhibit going on right now, it's pretty fun. There are a lot of robotic interactive displays set up where you can build little robotic toys or play with robotic arms and whatnot. We had a ridiculous good time.



The afternoon was finished off with a dollar movie and some video games. We went and saw Ratatouilli again, that movie always makes me want to cook. Go figure. We visited Nick on the way home, the shop looks really good. Then, we had a little dinner and watched the ALCS game until bed time. Books were read and hugs carried out.

Basically, a perfect day. With me leaving on Sunday for so long, it was needed.

He and I had a great weekend. We got him a new coat, jacket, two new pairs of pants and a couple of toys and videos. We played hard, we read lots, went on walks, skateboarded, watched movies, played with Kita, cleaned together, layed and talked and just plain be'd the best dad/son combo ever.









He is the cutest little man ever. I love being his Dad.

Today is the first day back to work since last Saturday. I've been hanging out with Alden all week. Poor little guy has had a fever and needed some serious laying around & being waited on. I'm such a good Dad, for real. It's easy when you've got someone as amazing as him. He makes me sooo flippin happy always. As he gets older, the things he says and the way he acts get better and better.

I was watching a movie during his nap. He woke in on a part where there were some sub title action going on.

"Dad, why are you watching this movie in Spanish?"
"Haha. I dunno!"
"Do you know what they're saying?"
"Nope, do you?"
"No Dad, not today"

"Hey Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Do you love me?"
"I love you a whole bunch Alden. You're the best thing ever."
"Ok, I love you too Daddy."

Some camera phoneSTUFF.

Choirm

I took some photos for Cherem the other day. Here are some of the Alden side shots... of course he came with.



Alden was calling Dan, "my friend." Haha. "Dad, where did my friend go?"

We went camping...

This was a couple weeks ago &there were more photos. This is all I've got right now though. He had a lot of fun. WE had a lot of fun. :)

Nick's birthday extravaganza courtesy Classic Skating. Haha. It was amazing.

Three and a half years ago, I became one. The single most intense moment of my life was the second he took his first breath and let the world hear his little scream. Uncontrollably, I broke down in tears. Fuck that was good. We sure did good on this one... :)

Fathers day was a good one.

Alden and I started the day doing what every father/son enjoy most, cartoons. :) A couple hours of cartoons will motivate anyone to start the day right. I'm broke and have absolutely NO money at all, but somehow I went to Sages anyway. I had to! We played at Liberty Park for hours afterwards.

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I think I've been taking that park for granted for too long. There is sooo fucking much to do there, it's great. AND, it's all free. You can't beat that shit. The rest of the day was filled with a continuation of gooood. It ended perfect with a game of baseball with good friends, Alden caught a few fly balls himself. :)

He made me a little card shaped like a baseball and wrote, all by himself, "i love you" (from_ "alden", & "2007". He also gave me this little black box filled with memories and love. He glued pieces of his birth certificate inside as well as a picture of us taking a nap. Inside, he left a few of his favorite items for me to enjoy; a rock, a penny, a piece of fabric that says "i love you", a bob the builder toy and some other fun stuff. :) I'm one happy guy...

Candace and I teamed up on Sunday morning to give Alden his easter gifts and an egg(plastic) hunt. Here are some photos of the hunt. He was extremely cute.

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Alden and I went to Liberty Park today with Jen, Tegan, Holly, Even, Lisa, Josh and Jack. We let the kids play for a few hours, was some fun stuff.


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