Peeps + Surgery

I had these photos of Lucy all ready to post on Monday morning. It was going to be titled, Like Mother, Like Daughter, but then something scary happened on Monday, and I didn't get around to it. On Monday morning I found out that my dad was going in for emergency heart bypass surgery the following morning.

That's a lot to take in.

Not just your run of the mill bypass surgery, but 5 bypasses. If you think sitting in a hospital room hearing your dad has a 30% chance of having a lethal heart attack in the next year isn't scary, then I'm not sure what scares you. Hospital rooms, hospital gowns, nurses, tubes and machines, change your  indestructible dad into someone a little more fragile. He didn't look or sound like himself, and all I could do was feed him ice chips and rub his hand and try not to cry when he told me he thought he was going to die.

But today I decided to post these photos anyway, because they remind me so much of him. Mainly, because he loves Peeps, and would put them in our basket every year. And every year I wouldn't eat them. I don't think any of us would, and dad would eat them all. Maybe that was his plan all along. So, for tradition sake, and because I didn't want to be tempted by any of Lucy's candy, we got her some Peeps. I was strangely anxious to see if she would love or hate them. I think you can tell what her reaction was.

These photos have been sitting on my desktop the last couple of days, primed and ready to post. Looking at them today made think of all the traditions my parents have passed onto me. Scott and I even fight over what traditions to share with Lucy. Our Easter baskets were hidden, Scott's weren't. My Christmas presents were set by our socks, Scott's were under the tree. It's a funny thing growing up, and realizing there are other traditions than the ones you love and you might have to change what you have always known.

So, yesterday was scary. But today is good. The sun is shining (finally, sheesh!), and my dad sounds like himself again. Strong and indestructible.