Songs which I sang to you as a baby

Daddy's music

Required listening..... 

I saw you smile today.

You may see me as a rough and tough dad in the future, but today I saw you smile for the very first time. I shed a tear....a manly tear. Damn onions. 

I love you Elisabeth. Come see me soon. 

We finally picked out your name tonight.

Your mother and I have finally agreed upon a name for you tonight. I wanted to name you after my mother and your Great Grandmother from your mother's side of the family. The blended name of the two just didn't set well with me enough to represent all the hopes and dreams I have for you. After a time, we have come up with something that I hope you love. 

Elisabeth Patricia Standridge

Your mother's middle name and my mother's name 

Your mother is one of the most intelligent and patient women in my life. She has never backed down from a challenge. She graduated from UGA with a PhD at the age of 26, full professorship at the age of 29. We have worked tirelessly to make the world you are coming into as comfortable as possible. 

Your Grandmother would have loved you so much. She always talked of how much she had always wanted a daughter to spoil and love. When she passed, I promised myself that someday, if I had a daughter, she would bear the name of my mother in hopes that she would have the same loving nature and infinite love of everyone that she met. 

These women's names mean so much to me. The qualities of power and compassion represent all that I hope will be passed upon you in the future. 

I just want you to have a wonderful life Elisabeth. 

I love you. 

Daddy. 

I felt you move tonight.

Dear Bean,
Your Mother has been thinking she felt you move for the last couple days. Tonight, she called me over excitedly to feel you. As I placed my hand on her belly, I could feel your little feet kicking over and over again. The thought that you are coming into my life gives me great feelings of joy and at the same time, worry. The world is out here waiting on you.

I can't wait to show you all the wonders of it 

Did you know that when a baby is on the way, the mother has a legitimate reason to get out of work dealing with chemicals or heavy lifting?

Yeah, I don't know if that is not some lie, totally made up, so she doesn't have to do any of the work on the room.

It's not like she is protecting and nurturing a new human being or something.

Walls-

All of the walls are comprised of horsehair plaster and pine keys. The chance of lead paint was such a great fear in my mind, that I decided to manually strip all the layers of paint off the plaster and start anew. This decision would later make me hate my life. 140 years of paint is thicker than I realized and proved it self to be a major pain in the ass. 

So the walls were stripped and skinned with fresh plaster before 2 layers of sealer, 2 coats of stain blocker primer, and eventually another double layer of non-toxic "loft space " grey wall paint.

Floors- 

Do you know how many different colors of paint I found in the cracks and along the sides of the walls of these floors? Way too many. Pink, blue, pea green, white, purple, titanium green,.......

The floors needed resurfacing to say the least. I rented a belt floor sander and edge sander from Home Depot to make the job easier. The planks of the floor turned out to be wonderfully smelling heart pine with absolutely no deep damage to be seen after an afternoon of sanding through the 3/4 inch thick layer of beetle varnish. 

 Out of sandpaper.....off to Home Depot for more.











Stained with Minwax Early American Oil stain and in a couple days, 4 coats of semi gloss polyurethane too keep it all nice and safe.

It begins.....

(Audio after link)

My little girl's heart already has me wrapped around her little finger.

To my unborn child

I wish you the strength to face challenges with confidence... along with the wisdom to choose your battles carefully.
I wish you adventure on your journey through life and may you always stop to help someone along the away.
Listen to your heart and take risks......carefully.
Remember how much you are loved....
I will always be proud of you.

Daddy.