Time For Daddy To Be a Big Boy

Inspired by a comment my cousin-in-law Ashley made about rotating her son Broden's toys, I decided to do the same for Myrtle. Right now, all of Myrtle's hard plastic toys are in her toy box, while her stuffies are all out in her play area. 

Last night, like other nights after Myrtle went to bed I rearranged her toys. The first time I moved them, she did her adorable surprised look and pointed at each toy and saying "OH!" 

Her adorable surprised look.

Oh, how I wished I filmed it. Now her excitement has waned as she only smiles while grabbing whichever one she's deemed worthy of playing with. Soon she'll just not really notice. These precious stages come and go without any warning. 

The best part about getting me getting injured then diagnosed with cancer has been staying at home and being with Myrtle. Of course I'm thrilled to be recovering. There was a time I couldn't drive or be home alone with Myrtle. I now REALLY appreciate combining the two. The last two evenings I've taken her to the store to run errands with me. Like her toys, I'm flattered that she deems me worthy to play with. Never has it been a burden to be with her; I'm lucky to be alive and that I get to be her father.

Early in my treatment on the way to one of our appointments for some reason I decided to literally stop and smell the roses (or some other flower). At first Myrtle was confused with her face being shoved into a flower and her arm would go spastic trying to get the flower out of her face. Now with no prompting she will stop, smell the flowers and pick them. Ones she really likes she'll sniff then go "AHHHH". 

Treatment is over and a new chapter has begun with our little family. I can no longer see Myrtle from my recliner or hear her feet pitter patter in the kitchen under her mom's heels. Now our home is silent except for a fan and Myrtle's toys just sit and stare at me, lonely in the quiet.

Lonely Toys

Faith and Myrtle have moved on, maybe it's best I become a big boy and move on too. But like her toys I'll be eagerly waiting for her return; but unlike her toys I'll be more productive.