Thursday 19th October 2023

Today is my birthday, and with you, I’ve gotten the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. 

I’ll try to step up the frequency of my letters. The last few weeks have been busy. You’ll understand one day. 

Also, you shit and pissed on me this week so there’s that. That was a first. Probably won’t be the last. 

We gave you a bath and I have a couple of cute pictures of you. They’ll probably embarrass you when you get older, but they’ll remind you and me that once upon a time you were small enough for me to hold you. I look at those pictures in awe. I still can’t believe that I have a son. 

Okay, onto birthdays. I’m 42 today. Doesn’t really mean much. Just a number at the end of the day. I remember my 10th, my 13th, my 21st, 22nd, 30th, 40th, and a few in between all with varying degrees of clarity. I’m not much for birthday celebrations, although we will make it a point to celebrate your birthdays. 

I look at my birthdays as a time to reflect, think and be grateful. So much to be grateful for. Even more so with this year with your arrival. 

Below, you’ll find the recipe I like to follow for my birthday. It doesn’t deviate much from my normal routine, although there are a few areas I’d like to emphasize: 

1. I get up at 0430 to get some breathwork and stretching in. These things are game changers. Do yourself a favor and stretch 8-10 minutes a day. Then, it’s off to the gym to get a workout in. We’ve got this gift of a healthy body, so we should celebrate it and look after it. Plus, a lot of people look at their birthday as a ‘day off’. You’ll learn that I like to do what other people don’t want to do or aren’t willing to do. That’s one of life’s great cheat codes. 

2. A special meal. Your Mom and me used to go to this Italian spot called Spaccanapoli. Phenomenal. Now we got started on a steakhouse called Bentley. Again, phenomenal. As soon as you’re old enough to eat steak, I’m taking you there. We’ll take your mother also as long as she agrees to eat a steak and not ribs or salmon. 

3. I prefer birthday doughnuts or a milkshake to a birthday cake. You’ll find your own cheat meal, but don’t sleep on Baskin Robins or Dunkin’ Doughnuts. 

4. I wind down and savor the flavor of the day with some tv and a book. I use the time to be thankful because we got it good, kid. We’re lucky to live when we do and how we do. I might stay up a bit later, but not too much. 

5. I said already about days off from the gym. Same goes for work. I’ll still read, write, and try to build. I’m lucky that I get to do things that don’t feel like work to me. Come to think about it, I never really feel like I’m working. 

That’s that. Birthdays in a nutshell. As I write about it, I get that it might seem boring. I’m okay with that. 

You’ll find your own groove with days like today and celebrating or not celebrating. But, please, try a birthday steak. 

And stretching. 

Love, 

Dad