My Daughter
- Original Post on Tuesday, January 16, 2007
My daughter will be 2 on Sunday. She is my favorite person in the world. She is my inspiration, she is my motivation. She is why I never take “No” for an answer. She changed my world. She made me a man. She makes me laugh more than any comedy I have ever seen. She teaches me patience and so many other life lessons I have not learned well enough yet.
Yesterday we were washing her hands in the bathroom sink before dinner. She was standing on my bent knees and our heads were inches apart. She looked up at me and gave me a glance and a smile that I hope I never forget. We both just looked at eachother for what seemed like forever. Time stood still as we smiled at eachother. I dont know what made her look up at me at that moment , I think that is why it was so special. I do know how it made me feel.
I dont know why I am sharing this moment with the public. I guess I just want people to know how happy I am or how happy life can be. I feel very lucky to have a daughter who I love so much. We were not planning to have her and she turned my whole world upside down. She is my reason and I know I am her hero.
I try not to think about what kind of woman she will be or what life has in store for her.
I just try to enjoy every moment I get to be in her presence. And then I try to enjoy the next moment even more.
I am not and have no plans to be a father. I am however a great uncle. My 5 siblings all have kids so I get my kiddie time. LOL I am moved by your devotion to your family. You are not just a decent human you are a great family man.
Alyssa Raymond Reply:
May 30th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
i love what you said about your little girl. and all the kids in our school ticonderoga high loved your performance. you are a very funny man and you have a lot of respect from the ticonderoga students. we hope to see you next year maybe.
Steve from Jasper Reply:
May 30th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Pete is a good guy plain and simple. My wife has accused me of having a man crush on him and she may be right.
I’ve never had a friend or heard anyone in the media who has so many of the same feelings on issues as I do. It’s kind of scary!
I wish him and his family only the best.
I personally think he is one of the best talk show hosts to come on the scene in years.
I really think he could be bigger than "ditto head" if he keeps it up, not that is a big challenge!
Folks that are religious should listen to what he really says about morals, family values and right from wrong. I think they’ll realize he expresses their views more than many professed moral leaders.
Nice to have such a fresh perspective on issues and a voice for us unheard majority!
I think it’s great for you to share family moments. You shared the family drug intervention you did with and for your brother. A couple of days later you discussed possibly legalizing currently illegal drugs. I called and questioned the idea of your daughter getting involved with drugs and you made light of it. I was thinking of 15 or 16 years down the road if your daughter needed intervention because of the drugs that your guest thought would be good to make legal (you seemed to agree). Sorry I didn’t make myself more clear. I hope you see that sometimes a quick sarcastic response doesn’t work well.
I like the show and the life line idea, it makes us a family of listeners so we can work through our differences. OK, just to hear each other. But…
YOU are part of the change we need.
Thanks.
alcia Reply:
November 1st, 2008 at 5:35 pm
KEN MELENDEX SUCKS!
Ken M. Reply:
November 2nd, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Who?
There was no other area to post my comment when the drug issue came up. I think family is great, and its great that Pete loves his daughter, I hope she continues to surprise her daddy in happy little ways for many years to come. But he won’t have those enjoyable times if he doesn’t take a stand against drugs that can steal her away from him. That was the reason for my response.
Big Brother Reply:
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Hey Ken, as the brother who got addicted to drugs, I can’t help but laugh at your proposed solution. I was 18 when I quit drinking and using drugs. Which means I never even drank legally. And of course all of the drugs were illegal. Somehow, that didn’t stop me. Of course, because our nation’s fanaticism over drugs is concentrated in punishment rather than treatment, it was very costly for me to get the treatment I needed. Had my family not been privileged, I likely would have gotten poor care. If we divert our drug war funds from pursuing, prosecuting and imprisoning drug users, and instead regulate and tax drugs, we can save lives and put more money into treatment and education. It’s the biggest no-brainer I can think of.
Tessa from WV Reply:
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I completely agree. It is stupid and fiscally irresponsible to have such punishments for a drug that does less harm to the body than cigarettes or alchohol (speaking of pot, the other drugs should stay illegal as they can kill you, very easily, but more money should be put into treatment rather than into punishment). Consider how crowded and overtaxed our prison system is because we put people who simply got high in jail, and then wonder what to do with real criminals, like rapists and murderers. Although I don’t and I would not knowingly allow my family to do so, the benefits of legalizing marajuana are well worth the slight potential that more people may smoke pot. And big deal, if they want to waste thier time, money and life, whatever, its theirs to do with as they please
Ken M. Reply:
November 4th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Well, brother, it seems we disagree. Anyone who has gone through a rehab process knows it would have been better if they never started.
Make it legal so the system has it easier or we can use the tax money for something else? This discussion is pointless. This road leads to legalizing everything and finding some justification for it, just more lies.
I pitty people who don’t look ahead or fail to help others so they don’t make the same mistakes they have made. Here you’re suggesting to others its OK and supporting their exposure to drugs and alcohol. For you to stand for any substance that controlled you shows it still controls you; and you don’t even know it. Too bad.
It sounds like you want to return to your addictions, you just want them to be acceptable in our society so you won’t have any legal consequences and you can say, “it’s OK”.
I apologize that this nice family thread has turned to this discussion, perhaps the web designers can move it from this page and make it a different thread. It would be better if everyone could focus on family and the little smiles daughters share with their Dads and sons share with their Moms.
Big Brother Reply:
November 4th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Ken, if you don’t like where this thread has gone, you have only yourself to blame. You have turned what could have been a rational discussion into a personal attack on me. You obviously have a closed mind, and capacity for rational discussion. Luckily, I have very thick skin, and it doesn’t affect me when ignorance fuels viciousness. I just hope you don’t go through life making attacks on and assumptions about people’s motives and inner-most thoughts. For starters, you suck at it. And it’s also just rude and sad.
As for the premise of your remarks, you still don’t make the slightest bit of sense. Drugs are highly illegal, and yet they are everywhere. So who, exactly, are drug laws keeping off drugs? We can plainly see who they’re locking up and keeping from getting treatment, but who that would be inclined to use — let alone abuse — drugs is being prevented by laws?
I’m pickin’ up what you’re puttin’ down, Pete! I L-I-V-E for those moments with my son who is 3. our story is similar to yours: oops! but in the end he has changed me, gave me a new perspective on what it means to be alive. i wouldn’t trade him for anything…well, most days. after all, he is 3. :*)
Very touching story. I wish more Dad’s would share that kind of stuff. My husband does and I love it. I found him one morning quietly crying watching our son sleep because he was growing so fast and he felt so honored to be entrusted with this little being! Parenting and sharing it with someone great is amazing stuff! I am very lucky to have them both!
I really like hearing about dads and their daughters. I’ve had 3 of them and now I have grandkids (2 granddaughters and 3 grandsons) and it always amazes me how quickly time can go by. Kids are not only a pleasure but also a real sense of wonderment that we’re granted.
It was a real treat last night to sit out next to the shop with my 21 year old daughter and laugh with her and be there with a real sense of wonder and awe about my “child”.
It’s good to hear other young parents as well as my own children sharing the wonder of being a parent.
…and it just gets better and better. Just when you think, it can’t get any better than this, it does! Treating my daughter with the respect she deserves as an individual came easy to me. Today it is paying off 100 times over as she is almost a teenager ad we are closer than ever! I LOVE to hear a story of how much someone appreciates their child. They are such treasures!
Pete, I am proud of you and the man that you have become. Sitting on my top bunk back at COBY just babbling back and forth..I always knew that you would turn out this way. Successful as a comedian yes…but most importantly,as a father! You and your family have a special place in my heart and always will! ~~GreenEyes~~
Pete, that is an amazingly real post. I do not think I could have written my own thoughts about my Daughter any better.
Seriously there is nothing better than a Daddy-Ava days for me and my little girl.