John Pospisil

Grace and her kindy friends receiving gold mathletics awards. Proud to see my girl up on stage

I attended my daughter Grace’s Lapathon to raise money for school laptops. I had such an unexpectedly good time. At one point when the kids started to get hot from all the running, I picked up a squirter and started squirting the kids(to their delight, well mostly) I said to another dad, “I’m not sure whether I was meant to be squirting those kids, but it sure was fun.This afternoon I also happened to have an appointment at one of those in-between places, but it just didn’t quite work out.But I’m pretty sure now, I was exactly where I was meant to be.

My wonderful wife coordinating things.

I had a really nice lunch with my baby sister Daniela who turned 27 recently. Why it seems like yesterday when she came home from hospital, and soon after I started my attempts to make her a genius baby by reciting the alphabet as she slept.It looks like my technique was a success. Daniela taught her first classes as a K-6 teacher, just the day before we had lunch.

Merry Christmas 2010 from the 4Ps!

My girls prepared a very special birthday surprise for me this morning – cupcakes with Strawberries and Blueberries. In the evening we we had dinner at a local Czech restaurant (which happens to be Grace’s favourite). Funnily, enough, I’m really happy to have turned 39!

When I was a kid children’s kites just didn’t work. You put them together and then ran around a field with them dragging behind you. So when Grace  got an idea that we should go kite flying, I was dubious. Fortunately my first born is persistent (oh is she persistent), and so off we went to Professor Plum’s at Crows Nest to buy two kites for $12.50 a piece and we had a great time down at Berry Island, as you can see.

Today we celebrated Hannah’s third birthday at Clown Town, with family and friends What a thrill, it was to see “my little one” turn three.

Rocio and the girls conspired to ensure today was a great day. As a gift, the girls gave me a new watch. I haven’t worn a watch for years, as I never liked to be “ controlled” too much, and especially in the past year, I haven’t wanted to be reminded that time was passing.

But as Grace innocently explained, “it’s so you don’t run out of time.”

So I will now wear a watch, but now it will be a reminder of how precious each moment is.

Last night our four-year-old, Grace had her first night without a nappy. Obviously great news, and great for her self esteem. We’ve been working towards this for some months. Her little sister Hannah, who’s two and has been sleeping without a nappy for about six months) implored Grace last night to, “no wet, no wet”. Earlier when Grace was wearing a night nappy, we would tell Grace it was her “special” undies, to which Hannah would smile mischievously and  say “not undies, not undies”.  You’ve got to love that sibling rivalry.

I was thinking the other day how much I love being a father and how much I love my wife and daughters. I just happened to come across this picture that Grace drew of me a few months back. Everything about it shouts optimism and life – from the orange head and big smile to the flower-like hands and feet. I made a joke to myself that at least in this picture I have hair, but what is most marvellous, is that this is how daughter sees me.