Father's Day in Barbados

Last year at this time, Didier had already left for Barbados and the girls and I were in New York getting ready for our relocation, first to Florida and then to Barbados to start this new journey.  Virginie was two months old and on the verge of a colicky freak out that would last months and put me and my parents on the edge of sanity.  Lily was confused and scared as our apartment slowly transformed itself into a storage unit of all of the things she recognized and held dear.  We'd SKYPED with Didier early in the morning as it was, even then, our custom to get up at the crack of dawn, and chatted.  It was our hope to keep things as normal as possible for Lily since her papa was gone and the life she knew and had finally gotten comfortable in was about to change.


Today, Father's Day began with a torrential downpour that rumbled through Barbados late in the evening and continued all morning.  Because we are not tourists, we welcome the rain.  It's great for the garden and offers a reprieve from the exhausting heat and humidity.  Of course, once it stops raining, the heat will rise from the ground and we will all be drenched with sweat in our little bubble.  The girls showered Didier with love at 6:55 AM, which was a break from the 5:45 wake up and I was able to sneak in a quick kiss and snuggle before the day went into overdrive.

While it continued to rain sporadically, Didier and Lily found a small window to get in the pool and play while I put Virginie down for her nap.  Father's Day is different than Mother's Day in that we are trying to allow moments for the kiddies and Papa to be together and on Mother's Day, it's all about keeping Mommy free of kiddies!  Still planning our menu for this evening while Lily and Papa fly paper airplanes and Lily floats paper boats on her imaginary stream.  Didier is wearing his #1 Dad badge so proudly I think I might cry.  You never know what kind of dad your lover is going to be when your lives are all about yourselves.  And while he is not really into the domestic stuff, ie housework, tidying up, morning or middle of the night wake ups, Didier is surprisingly spectacular and comfortable in the imaginary world Lily has created for them.  He is like a little French-accented guide into Playland who cooks and draws and paints and even dances when called upon.  (This is a big deal as I have almost never seen this man move his butt!)

The kid in Didier, which is so available to those who know him well, but is often hidden in his professionalism and French politesse, is raging on Father's Day.  I told Didier this morning that the plan is for Lily and Virginie to think he is the #1 Dad even when being number one in their lives becomes more challenging.  When they find new distractions and interests and begin thinking for themselves.  When it might seem easier to turn away and ignore what they are interested in than try to understand.  He will be their first love forever and if he does it right, he gives them a better chance to not only believe in themselves, but to love themselves...and that would be the best Father's Day gift of all.


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